Chapter 706 400: Ascension to Immortality (Grand Finale) (Part 3)

His unique Divine Skill, the 'Nine Dragon Emperor Fist,' once challenged ten Demon Sect Elders in a single battle—all ten were Grandmasters, but not one could withstand Qin Sanhuang's Nine Dragon Emperor Fist, each meeting their end beneath the blows of the Sanhuang Fist.

This emperor's renown thus spread throughout the land; countless men of the jianghu both feared and revered him.

Upon a mountain peak, a Daoist clad in yellow robes led an eight-year-old child, both standing atop the treetops.

The Daoist was none other than the master of the West Qi Mountain Temple, the Daoist of Huang Ting.

This eight-year-old child was the most gifted in Dao roots, clever and lively, whom Huang Ting Daoist had found after journeying across Jiangnan and all nine provinces of the world during the last thirty years, perfectly suited to be his closed-door disciple. Huang Ting Daoist cherished this child greatly—so much so that even on this day, when Qin Yuesheng was to ascend and become an Immortal, he brought him along to witness this once-in-a-millennium mortal spectacle.

"Disciple, be sure to keep your eyes wide open. Not a single moment can be missed. Qin Yuesheng's ascension will be of tremendous benefit to your own path of cultivation."

"Yes." The young Daoist replied crisply, his little face earnest and fully focused on the heavens, unwilling to miss even a single sight.

Over ten miles away, a flood dragon and a black tiger lay on the ground. Beside them stood two beautiful women—one voluptuous and graceful, the other delicately enchanting and lovable.

About each beauty stood several youths, both male and female. The boys were handsome, the girls charming, each figure tall or slender, possessing exceptionally fine looks. Coupled with their graceful bearing and luxurious garments, it was obvious they hailed from distinguished families.

"Mother, is Father leaving the mortal world today?"

The mature and alluring Bai Ningxuan nodded: "To ascend and become an Immortal—so it must be."

The maiden standing beside her could not hold back; her eyes misted with unshed tears: "From now on, we'll never see Father again…"

Su Lanyin smiled warmly and gently stroked the girl's hair. "Why cry? When your father becomes an Immortal in the Immortal Realm, he'll soon return by way of Heaven's Gate in the Northern Desert. It's not as though you'll never see him again."

"Really, Auntie Su?" The girl asked, half trusting, half doubting.

At this moment, not only Qin Yuesheng's family and friends, but Qin Sect cultivators, masters of the Great Qin Dynasty—all had already chosen their vantage points and watched the summit of Heaven-Reaching Peak.

This was the first person in over a thousand years to touch the realm of ascension to immortality; to witness it, was a most tremendous honor.

Dark thunderclouds gathered ever denser, soon enveloping the land around Heaven-Reaching Peak for several thousand li. Heaven and earth changed color; gloom descended in all directions.

Yet above Heaven-Reaching Peak, the dome of heaven shone with thunderous light as bright as day, the sound like heaven and earth being torn asunder.

Bolts of lightning burst forth from the cloud masses—just to behold them was terrifying, their momentum overwhelming, let alone to face them directly.

Qin Yuesheng stood and slowly flew to a height three zhang above the ground, alone, empty-handed.

The feeling grew ever stronger. Within Qin Yuesheng's senses, the shackle that had existed above his head for so many years suddenly lifted and loosened—as if a massive mountain that had weighed upon him for years was at last removed. As a result, he was utterly light and carefree; his entire being seemed to instantly transcend.

Qin Yuesheng felt as though his very soul threatened to leave his body, but fortunately he forced it under control, preventing his spirit from departing.

In this moment, Qin Yuesheng was truly at the peak of the Saint Wheel Realm. Ascension to immortality was directly before his eyes.

RUMBLE!!!

The instant Qin Yuesheng broke free of his shackles, the heavens let loose a terrifying thunderous boom, like a mountain torrent collapsing. A bolt of purple lightning, dozens of zhang in length, shot out from the clouds, striking toward Qin Yuesheng with perfect precision.

It is said there are nine layers to the thunder tribulation, each stronger than the last. Only by enduring all nine can the boundary be broken, one's ascension accomplished, glory attained as an Immortal.

Beside Qin Yuesheng appeared a purple-gold bell. Nine dragons coiled about it, dragon cries resounded, and purple energy streamed from the east, forming its own origin.

That bolt of lightning crashed straight into Qin Yuesheng's Primal Creation Golden Bell Shield. The shield held firm, utterly unaffected.

"The force of the first tribulation is not as fierce as I had imagined." Qin Yuesheng remarked, gazing at the golden bell shield.

As soon as his words fell, the second bolt of lightning arrived. Its power was clearly much greater than before, yet Qin Yuesheng's strength was far too mighty. Even this heavenly tribulation could only blast a few insignificant cracks into the golden bell shield.

Comparatively speaking, this was not even as formidable as the attacks of Shen You and the Demon Divinity.

Though Qin Yuesheng resisted the thunder tribulation atop Heaven-Reaching Peak with apparent ease, all nine provinces below were now deeply affected. At the movement of the tribulation, the whole land was alarmed.

Whether wandering heroes or common folk, all felt uneasy in their hearts, their Divine Senses dulled, influenced by the tribulation.

The hundred thousand soldiers led by Qin Sanhuang, under the celestial thunder, all shook in terror, forced prostrate upon the ground in hope of comfort.

The third strike.

The fourth strike.

The fifth strike.

Crack!

With the tribulation's power growing ever more formidable, even the golden bell shield could no longer withstand it. At last, in front of Qin Yuesheng himself, it utterly shattered.

"The fifth tribulation is not as mighty as I imagined," Qin Yuesheng murmured.

Previously, when fighting Wu'an Monarch, Shen You, and other Immortals, their single strikes had shattered the golden bell shield. But this tribulation needed until the fifth layer to break it—a difference plain to see.