Chapter 546 - 59: Slaying the Tribulation Realm

With a wave of his long sleeve, Fang Cheng sent a gust of wind sweeping past, collecting all the Spirit Fruits from the Longevity Tree.

Only then did he calmly look into the distance.

He saw a fierce-looking old man with a white beard and brows, clad in a black robe. The man rode a beam of Profound Light, approaching menacingly from afar.

The man’s vitality surged like a raging ocean, and his Demonic Qi churned violently. A single glance revealed he had practiced some kind of Body Refining Demon Skill.

His Demon Skill had already reached the Tribulation Realm; it was just unclear how many Celestial Tribulations he had passed.

The black-robed old man couldn’t be bothered with words. Before he even arrived, he threw a punch directly at Fang Cheng and Qiu Wen Si, intending to kill them to vent his anger.

Endless violet-black flames coalesced in the void, forming a fist of light as large as a mountain that hurtled toward them.

Fang Cheng immediately slapped out with his palm. The Netherworld Hand Seal. Demonic Light gathered into a massive hand, blocking the fist of light.

BOOM!!

A hundred-zhang-wide ball of violet fire exploded. Fang Cheng’s body trembled slightly, and he took half a step back.

Ripples spread through the void around the Bridge of Helplessness, easily neutralizing the immense force.

"Huh?"

The violet fire dissipated across the sky. The black-robed old man appeared in a flash, his sinister eyes fixed on Fang Cheng, filled with astonishment.

He had expected a junior at the Mid-Dharma Stage whom he could obliterate with a casual punch. Who would have thought the opponent could block his attack with a simple wave of his hand?

"What a fine physical body!"

He looked at Fang Cheng with delighted surprise, as if appraising some kind of treasure, and a smile touched his lips.

For Demon Cultivators like him, a physical body cultivated to such a degree was a rare medicinal treasure.

If he could refine and consume the man’s vital essence and blood, his own Demon Skill would surely advance.

Then, he looked at Qiu Wen Si beside Fang Cheng.

A faint, exotic fragrance wafted over, invigorating his spirit.

"Hm? Is this the Spirit Vortex Dharma Body...?"

The black-robed old man’s eyes shone brightly. He stared at Qiu Wen Si without blinking. Compared to the surprise Fang Cheng had given him, Qiu Wen Si clearly excited him more.

Fang Cheng had been about to strike, but he stopped after hearing the old man’s words.

The black-robed old man pointed at Qiu Wen Si and said, "Junior, if you give me this woman, I will write off the matter of you killing my Demon Servant."

Fang Cheng asked thoughtfully, "I wonder what’s so special about my maid that she has earned such favor from you, fellow Daoist?"

The black-robed old man chuckled, looking as if he had Fang Cheng completely in his grasp. "The exotic fragrance she carries is a sign of the Spirit Vortex Dharma Body," he said candidly. "This type of constitution is incredibly rare. They are born with the ability to devour and accommodate all kinds of Demon Souls to strengthen themselves. For Demon Cultivators like us, she is a perfect Tripod Furnace and vessel."

After speaking, he looked at Qiu Wen Si again and said in a deep voice, "Little girl, follow me, and within thirty years, I can help your cultivation break through to the Tribulation Realm."

Fang Cheng nodded slightly. "So that’s how it is."

With his own attainments in Demon Path Cultivation Methods, hearing just these few sentences from the black-robed old man was enough for him to infer a great deal.

For beings like Ancient Demons and Celestial Demons, the Spirit Vortex Dharma Body was an excellent and tempting vessel. If one could devour and refine its Demon Soul, one’s own cultivation would soar.

For other Cultivators, controlling a Spirit Vortex Dharma Body was equivalent to possessing a Top-grade Tripod Furnace, offering immeasurable benefits to their own cultivation.

The black-robed old man said impatiently, "Junior, what are you dawdling for? Hand the woman over, quickly!"

He was hesitant, afraid of harming his prize. He knew he couldn’t take down Fang Cheng in a single move and worried about injuring Qiu Wen Si in the fight, which was why he resorted to this scheme.

’As soon as this man hands over the girl, I’ll strike. I’ll capture him and refine him into a medicinal treasure...’

The old man calculated in his heart, thinking to himself that this trip had not been in vain.

Unexpectedly, Fang Cheng chuckled and said, "Seeing as you’ve cleared up my confusion, fellow Daoist, I’ll spare your life if you leave now. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being discourteous."

"Then show me just how discourteous you can be!"

The old man was stunned for a moment, then laughed in fury. He thrust out a large hand, and endless violet-black Demon Fire condensed into a giant hand that clawed at Fang Cheng.

The Bridge of Helplessness flickered and reappeared a thousand zhang away.

Then, a bolt of lightning flashed, and a Mystic Iron Giant appeared in the sky.

The black-robed old man’s attack hit nothing. He focused his gaze and saw the Mystic Iron Giant, over three hundred zhang tall. It had the majestic appearance of a Daoist, with enormous sleeves that trailed down like clouds obscuring the sky.

The giant gave him the impression of a Divine Spirit that controlled the thunder between heaven and earth, the master of a billion bolts of lightning.

"So this is the source of your confidence! A Tier Five Profound Celestial Divine Puppet!"

Though his words were mocking, the black-robed old man’s expression had turned grave.

Since he could name the Profound Celestial Divine Puppet, he naturally knew of its power.

At this moment, Fang Cheng swept his sleeve, flying with Qiu Wen Si to the front of the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation’s" head.

CRACK! A fissure opened on the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation’s" brow, revealing the cockpit within.

Fang Cheng sat inside, and the cockpit slowly closed.

Qiu Wen Si watched with surprise and curiosity. The cockpit’s interior was spherical, only about a zhang in diameter, and housed a magnificent, imposing throne.

The surrounding spherical walls were a lustrous white, covered with countless profound and intricate Spirit Patterns.

When Fang Cheng sat on the throne, the entire sphere instantly became transparent. His view was completely unobstructed, offering a clear panorama of the outside world.

Qiu Wen Si stood obediently behind the throne, feeling both nervous and excited.

’So this is the source of my Benefactor’s confidence to fight a Tribulation Realm expert?’

Across from them, the black-robed old man roared at the sky. His eyes glowed with a violet light as the muscles all over his body rapidly bulged, deformed, and twisted, swelling into dense clusters of black, tumor-like growths.

In the blink of an eye, his arms swelled from a normal person’s size to about a zhang thick!

His height also ballooned to several zhang.

A hundred-zhang-wide ball of violet-black fire erupted around him, with Demonic Light surging within.

In a flash, the violet fire dissipated, and the old man’s transformation was complete.

His body had swelled to over a hundred zhang tall. He was covered in black, spiked Scale Armor. Four horns curved back from the top of his head. His mouth, split wide to his ears, revealed three rows of dense, sharp serrated teeth glinting with a ghastly white light.

The most exaggerated features were his lower body: a massive tail, as thick as a battering ram, swayed gently behind him, and his legs were as thick as pillars!

HISS! HISS!

Two more arms sprouted from the old man’s armpits. He extended his four giant arms, and with a flash of Demonic Light in his open palms, four black Demon Blades appeared, which he gripped tightly.

Each Demon Blade was over thirty zhang long, its massive blade wreathed in violet-black flames.

He floated in mid-air, his demonic aura rising steadily.

Qiu Wen Si watched in horror. She didn’t know what Demon Skill the old man cultivated, but for him to transform his Human Race body into that of an Ancient Demon was astounding. No wonder the fluctuations of his vitality were so shocking.

"You ignorant junior! Today, I will take this Profound Celestial Divine Puppet from you!"

The old man’s voice was deep and resonant. Countless streams of Demonic Light gathered before him, forming four black spheres, each several meters in diameter, that hovered above his blades.

The four enormous blades suddenly slashed out.

The Feather Divine Soldier—the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation"—erupted with flashing lightning. A giant mountain of thunder took shape in an instant and shot forward to meet the attack.

Qiu Wen Si recognized it. This was the same Divine Technique Fang Cheng had used to slay the Fifth-rank Taichu Fierce Beast on the Chu Shao Plateau.

In that instant, four meteors of black fire fell from the sky, drawing four black lines through the air as they descended straight and true onto the thunder mountain.

VMMMM!!

A sea of black fire, dark as a tidal wave, exploded in the sky, instantly covering a radius of a hundred li and forming a massive black sphere.

The Thunder Light flashed once, then erupted in a blinding glare, abruptly illuminating the world.

Amidst the terrifying fluctuations of aura, the Ancient Demon that the old man had become unleashed its ferocity, smashing through the thunder mountain and charging right up to the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation."

The "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation" opened one hand, and a giant sword radiating a cold light appeared. It then unleashed a tide of sword light, slashing at the Ancient Demon.

The Ancient Demon grew bolder as the fight went on. Its four massive black Demon Blades, wreathed in Demon Fire, struck again and again, continuously clashing with the dazzling, thunderous sword light and creating a deafening roar.

In a mere moment, the two had clashed a thousand times!

The intense fluctuations from their battle destroyed all matter in the vicinity, leaving only bizarre phantoms lingering in the void.

RUMBLE!

A peal of thunder echoed through the void. The "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation" withdrew from the battle, wreathed in Thunder Light. Twenty-eight snowflake-shaped flame vents on its back suddenly spewed forth an astonishingly intense fire. The vast fluctuation of aura caused the very void to tremble.

Nineteen streams of Sword Aura circled the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation," instantly forming a Sword Array.

The moment this array appeared, a murderous aura filled the sky, causing even the chaotic worldly qi within the Black Sun Wind Disaster to freeze for an instant.

Nineteen Tier Five Flying Swords weaved and danced, their treasured light flowing in a dazzling display.

The old man was shocked. When had Tier Five Flying Swords become so cheap?

Upon seeing the Great Inference Celestial Net Sword Array, he immediately had thoughts of retreating.

How could an ordinary Dharma Cultivator possibly possess a Profound Celestial Divine Puppet and so many Tier Five Flying Swords?

’This boy is not someone I can fight head-on!’

Just as the thought arose, the sky-full of sword light suddenly shifted, spreading rapidly like ripples on water. The old man’s vision blurred, and he found himself trapped within a dazzling, dancing Sword Array. Streaks of sword light shot back and forth, slashing toward his body.

The old man struggled to resist for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Suddenly, the sword light flashed. An incomparably sharp Sword Aura shot out, forcefully burying itself in the Ancient Demon’s massive body.

In the next moment, countless beams of snow-white sword light burst from within the Ancient Demon’s body!

In the blink of an eye, the enormous body was minced into pieces.

The "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation" released its Taishi Demon Qi, enveloping the Ancient Demon’s remains. This caused them to evaporate into an even more intense and surging dark-red Demonic Qi, which then flowed back into the Thunder Pool in the Celestial Venerable’s chest.

’This man must have passed at least the Third Celestial Tribulation...’

Fang Cheng watched the dense, surging dark-red Demonic Qi and made a mental assessment of the black-robed old man’s cultivation.

’Without using the Great Inference Celestial Net Sword Array, a Demon Cultivator like this, who excels at ruthless slaughter and fierce combat, would be truly difficult to kill.’

Suddenly, he sensed something and looked into the distance.

In the distant sky, a single Blood Bead that had spattered from the Ancient Demon’s body during the fight suddenly began to change drastically.

This tiny Blood Bead began to divide and multiply endlessly!

Within a few breaths, the droplet squirmed and expanded into a huge, scarlet ball of flesh.

More flesh and bone spikes grew frantically from the ball of flesh, which inflated like a balloon.

In an instant, a ten-zhang-tall Ancient Demon reappeared in the air.

It opened its cavernous mouth and let out a long howl at the sky. Demon Flames shot upward as violet-black fire poured from its eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

The intense flames instantly enveloped its body, transforming it into a massive, violet-black Flame Giant over a hundred zhang tall.

The Ancient Demon shot a look at the "Celestial Venerable of Universal Transformation," its heart filled with lingering fear. Then, with a roar, it rapidly retreated into the distant sky.

Its deep roar instantly scattered the surrounding dense clouds. The Ancient Demon shot across the sky, tearing violet-black cracks in the distant hurricane winds.

"So, rebirth from a single drop of blood!"

Fang Cheng sighed, his gaze shifting elsewhere.

A red-haired, curly-bearded old man stood in the sky, looking at the Feather Divine Soldier with a cold expression.

Although Fang Cheng had never seen this person before, he knew the newcomer’s identity the moment he laid eyes on him.

’If this person hadn’t shown up, how could I have let that black-robed old man escape?’

Venerable Red Hair.

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