Chapter 372: Duoduo’s Breakthrough

Lu Sangjiu said nothing, just gritted her teeth and continued to resist.

’What a joke. After weathering so many storms, how could she fall here?’

But while she could still hold on, Duoduo’s cultivation was too low.

Besides, this was the Western Demon Realm. Even with Lu Sangjiu shielding it, the flames still caused it unbearable pain.

Lu Sangjiu couldn’t bear to see it in pain. She immediately tossed it a top-grade spirit stone and prepared to recall it into her Spirit Beast Bag.

However, this timid little creature, normally so afraid of death, seemed to realize that if Lu Sangjiu died, it wouldn’t survive either. It suddenly found a surge of ruthless determination.

It ignored Lu Sangjiu’s command to return to the Spirit Beast Bag. Instead, it clutched the Spirit Stone and frantically absorbed Spiritual Energy to recover its strength.

Then, to Lu Sangjiu’s astonishment, it suddenly swallowed the Thousand-year-old Ice Crystal Stone!

Lu Sangjiu jumped in fright. "Duoduo, spit it out!"

’Are you kidding me? That’s a Thousand-year-old Ice Crystal Stone! Even though Duoduo cultivated with it every day, there was no way it could handle swallowing it whole!’

The cold power radiating from it would surely freeze Duoduo from the inside out!

"CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!"

It was unclear whether Duoduo was crying out in pain or responding to Lu Sangjiu, but its chirps were loud.

A flash of pain crossed Lu Sangjiu’s eyes, but she could also feel Duoduo’s resolve. ’It’s making a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble—to summon the Tribulation Thunder to help me fight Fu Ling!’

It hadn’t been long since Duoduo had advanced to the Golden Core Stage. Despite cultivating diligently, it was still only at the Golden Core Early Stage.

For a cultivator at its level to try to use the Cold Ice Crystal Stone to break through directly to the Nascent Soul Stage... one could only imagine how slim its chances of survival were. It was practically a suicide mission.

But since it had made its decision, Lu Sangjiu wouldn’t waste time on pointless persuasion. She immediately dumped all the remaining cultivation-enhancing Elixir Pills from her storage bag onto Duoduo.

’They might not help much, but it’s worth it if they can ease its pain even a little!’

Under normal circumstances, Duoduo would have been frozen solid the instant it swallowed the Cold Ice Crystal Stone. But now, Fu Ling’s Samadhi True Fire was actually helping it, creating a delicate balance with the stone’s cold power.

Lu Sangjiu knew she couldn’t do anything more to help, so she focused on resisting the flames with all her might, trying to buy more time for Duoduo.

Meanwhile, Fu Ling had noticed Duoduo’s maneuver. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "Your Spirit Beast is rather interesting... If it survives, I can spare its life and take it to the Upper Realm."

Her words already treated Lu Sangjiu as a dead woman.

With the cold power now radiating from Duoduo, Lu Sangjiu felt some relief from the heat. While still struggling to maintain the Heavenly Origin Infinite Shield, she found she had the energy to trade barbs with Fu Ling.

"I’m more curious about how you got here. If you could all come to the Lower Realm whenever you pleased, your master would have sent you to kill me long ago, wouldn’t he?"

’Considering all the trouble I’ve caused him, he should have been itching to kill me for a while now, even if he doesn’t take me that seriously.’

Fu Ling sneered. "I have no obligation to answer the questions of a dead woman walking. The fact that I’ve told you so much already was generous enough."

Lu Sangjiu scoffed. "Not talking? Then how about I take a guess?"

"It must cost you a great deal to come to the Lower Realm, right? And you’re suppressed by this world’s laws, which is why your cultivation is only at the Body Integration Realm, not even the Transcendance Tribulation Stage."

"And that’s also why your master, the coward, didn’t dare come himself. He sent you to die in his place... Am I right?"

Fu Ling’s expression changed at Lu Sangjiu’s words, her eyes flashing with rage. "Shut your mouth! Who do you think you are to speak ill of my master? Do you want me to rip that tongue out of your head?"

Lu Sangjiu’s face was pale, but she refused to back down. "Then come and try it."

Those words completely enraged Fu Ling. "I was merely disdaining to use my full power. Did you really think you could stop me?"

In truth, Lu Sangjiu had hit the mark. Upper Realm Cultivators were heavily restricted when they came to the Lower Realm.

Even though she had already suppressed her power to the Body Integration Realm, she still didn’t dare use too much of her strength. If she exceeded the world’s limits, she could be instantly ejected from this realm.

This was why her master had specifically given her the Green Jade Lotus Lamp. Magic Treasures were also suppressed, but even more thoroughly, making it impossible to accidentally unleash too much power. This made them safer to use.

But now, enraged by Lu Sangjiu, Fu Ling felt that using the Green Jade Lotus Lamp was too slow. She wanted to swat this ignorant ant dead right now!

So, while one hand maintained the Green Jade Lotus Lamp, Fu Ling’s other hand rapidly formed a series of hand seals.

A brilliant silver light materialized behind her, taking the form of an immensely powerful longsword that radiated an endless, oppressive might.

Her voice was chilling. "...Infinite Silver Light, go!"

As her voice faded, the silver light screamed through the air, slashing down toward Lu Sangjiu.

Lu Sangjiu watched it come, her eyes unblinking. At the very instant it slashed down, she unleashed the Nine Nether Burning Spirit Technique she had been preparing!

This was the Western Demon Realm, a place much closer to the Nine Netherworld.

She had discovered something while secretly preparing the technique. Perhaps because the Power of Nine Netherworld was stronger beneath the Forbidden Land, the energy she could now command was far greater than usual.

A vast surge of the Power of Nine Netherworld rose to meet the silver light, enveloping it. For a moment, the two forces were locked in a stalemate in mid-air!

Fu Ling clearly hadn’t expected Lu Sangjiu to block her attack, especially after she had decided to get serious.

Her expression changed, her relaxed and casual demeanor vanishing. She stared coldly at Lu Sangjiu. "No wonder Master sent me personally. You do have some skill, after all."

’If my cultivation weren’t suppressed, I could deal with Lu Sangjiu with a flick of my finger.’

’But now, she can actually put pressure on me... Dammit! I should have stopped her from taking that Elixir Pill in the first place!’

’If she were still just at the Golden Core Stage, this wouldn’t be nearly so troublesome.’

But it was too late for regrets. The thought flashed through Fu Ling’s mind, and she no longer dared to be overconfident. Carefully minding the limits, she channeled a bit more power into the silver light.

After all, even with the elixir pill, Lu Sangjiu was only at the Divinity Transformation Stage. It had already been an incredible feat to channel enough Power of Nine Netherworld to fight her opponent to a standstill.

Now that Fu Ling had increased her power again, the construct of Nine Netherworld power began to destabilize, wavering as if it would shatter at any moment.

Lu Sangjiu was already stretched to her limit, simultaneously controlling the Nine Nether Burning Spirit Technique while maintaining the Heavenly Origin Infinite Shield. Over-exerting herself, she couldn’t stop a trickle of blood from escaping the corner of her mouth.

Just as it seemed she couldn’t hold on any longer, a powerful fluctuation of energy suddenly erupted from Duoduo’s body... It had successfully refined the cold power of the Cold Ice Crystal Stone!

A three-thousand-year-old Cold Ice Crystal Stone was potent enough to forge a top-grade Magic Treasure. By refining its cold power, and with the boost from Lu Sangjiu’s pile of Elixir Pills, Duoduo had forcefully pushed its own power to the very brink of a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage!

It didn’t matter if its power foundation was now unstable, or if it was strong enough to survive the Nascent Soul Thunder Tribulation. At this moment, at the very least, it had successfully summoned the Heavenly Tribulation!