Chapter 572 4: Passing 3 Consecutive Tribulations

BOOM!

Amidst the endless thunder of the celestial tribulation, Fang Cheng's fist once again tore open a massive hole. A sliver of the sky's true color peeked through, only to be instantly swallowed by the boundless dark clouds and tribulation thunder.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

One massive hole after another was punched through the tribulation clouds, only to be instantly patched up. The thunder in the sky was endless, seemingly without respite.

Fang Cheng threw his head back and let out a long roar, his fists striking again and again. The light from his punches streaked across the sky like shooting stars, like brilliant rainbows piercing the sun, unleashing earth-shattering booms. Far below, even the surface of the sea churned into a tempest.

A huge hole was torn through the sky full of dark clouds and tribulation thunder. Before the thunder could close the gap, an even larger hole blasted open, connecting to the first.

The explosive reports from his fist light echoed endlessly.

The thick, black tribulation clouds gathered and scattered, seemingly endless.

Fang Cheng threw one punch after another, revealing patch after patch of clear sky. These shattered fragments of the heavens linked together, until at last, the entire sky was exposed!

The tribulation clouds dispersed. The Netherworld Giant Kun roamed the heavens, appearing somewhat more solid, its aura more potent than before.

Fang Cheng, however, stood motionless in the sky.

Within his sea of consciousness, a strand of incomparably tyrannical and omnipresent demonic intent spread like a drop of ink in water.

The moment this demonic intent appeared, it ignited the demonic nature and malicious thoughts buried deep within Fang Cheng's heart.

Notions of wanton slaughter, of roaming the world unhindered, of absolute supremacy—these thoughts instantly consumed his entire mind.

Following close behind were overwhelmingly powerful urges: possessiveness, bloodlust, destruction...

His divine soul suddenly flared with brilliant Demonic Light, as if the Nine Nether Prison itself had descended. Endless demon fiends reveled and shrieked within it. A massive, hideous shadow of a demonic monster slowly rose, its expression one of treacherous evil.

Every person has a dark side, typically restrained by societal rules and suppressed by personal rationality.

Once these dark and malicious thoughts break free of their shackles, at best, one's personality will drastically change, bringing chaos to the world. At worst, one will succumb to cultivation deviation and transform into a Demon Fiend.

The Demon Lord had corrupted the Celestial Dao Origin of the Red Profound Realm, causing the celestial tribulations to become demonically altered. During a cultivator's tribulation, this demonic intent could ride the power of the celestial tribulation to invade their sea of consciousness, tainting both divine soul and physical body.

This was also one of the reasons why many Tribulation Realm Cultivators in the Red Profound Realm underwent demonic transformation of the flesh, developing all sorts of grotesque features.

Fang Cheng's physical body was incredibly durable, comparable to a Fifth-rank Magical Artifact. It was so powerful he could physically shatter the celestial tribulation, so he naturally had no fear of this demonic corruption.

However, his divine soul had now been inadvertently tainted by the demonic intent, which dredged up the malicious thoughts long hidden in his heart.

He had come from Earth, and deep down, a certain thought had always lingered: this world, this life, was nothing more than a dream, a game.

'I'm just trying to beat the game. Why should I care about the lives of the billions of creatures in it?'

'Ascending to immortality is just completing the game. I could take it or leave it. I've enjoyed myself enough already...'

'Kill! I'll taint the entire world with demonic power!'

'In this life, I will have all the world's beauties, savor all its fine food and wine, and see all its sights...'

"I..."

Inside Fang Cheng's sea of consciousness, demonic intent roiled. The Nine Netherworld descended, and his mindscape seemed to become a playground for the frenzied revelry of endless demon fiends.

Suddenly, waves of Buddhist chanting echoed in Fang Cheng's sea of consciousness.

A majestic, mountain-sized Golden Giant Buddha materialized from thin air. Countless Buddha Wheels spun behind its head, radiating immeasurable golden light that slowly began to drive out the demonic intent.

In just a moment, Fang Cheng's entire sea of consciousness had transformed into a vast and solemn Buddha's Pure Land, radiant with boundless Buddha Light.

"All worldly dust, all illusory forms; where they arise, there they shall perish..."

"When the frenzied mind rests, that rest is Bodhi."

"Buddha and demon are not separate; enlightenment and delusion are but a single thought apart."

Within his sea of consciousness, Fang Cheng's calm, measured voice resounded.

As his words faded, the Infinite Light Buddha completely pacified his sea of consciousness, leaving not a single trace of demonic intent.

...

「In the sky.」

Fang Cheng let out a soft sigh. He had deliberately relaxed his mind to invite the demonic taint, and now he finally understood the difficulties faced by Tribulation Realm Cultivators in the Red Profound Realm.

Logically, any cultivator who reached the Tribulation Realm should possess an unshakeable and resolute Dao Heart.

But under a celestial tribulation where the Celestial Dao had fused with demonic intent, even Tribulation Realm Cultivators were little different from mortals. Whether they could resist the demonic taint truly depended on their mental and spiritual fortitude.

This was especially true for cultivators of the Demon Dao and Evil Dao. Having committed countless evil acts and already possessing a deep-seated demonic nature, they were even more susceptible to the demonic taint and transformation into a Demon Fiend.

Although Fang Cheng had practiced a Demon Path Cultivation Method since he began his journey, following a path of unrestrained freedom and acting as he pleased, he had always guarded his Dao Heart. He had never lost his true self or fallen into extremism.

In his mind, true freedom was an unconditional freedom, the ability to follow his heart's desires, a silent nirvana.

For years, this Dao Heart had been impregnable, his knowledge and actions in perfect unity.

This was one reason he had been able to break free from the demonic taint so easily.

The second reason was that he had long ago cultivated the *Infinite Light Buddha Scripture*, a top-tier Buddhist Divine Soul Technique, to the Perfect Realm. His divine soul was flawless, impervious to any external force.

Fang Cheng brushed his sleeves and glanced leisurely down at Feng Yan. He was about to fly down and ask for her guidance on cultivating in the Tribulation Realm.

Now that he had advanced to the same realm, they could address each other as equals—as fellow Daoists.

But just then, high in the dome of the sky, a deafening thunderclap sounded again.

RUMBLE!

As if the heavens themselves were enraged, Thunder Light flickered in the sky, seething like fire. Within the light, countless Talismans condensed from Celestial Dao Profound Patterns formed a massive, mountain-sized Thunder Dragon, which bared its fangs and lunged at Fang Cheng.

"The Second Heaven's tribulation?"

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow in surprise.

He hadn't expected to attract the Second Heaven's tribulation so quickly.

This Thunder Dragon seemed even more powerful than the tribulation thunder from before.

With a sharp cry, Fang Cheng threw a punch at the giant dragon formed of tribulation thunder.

BOOM!

The giant dragon instantly shattered, but a significant amount of Thunder Light still struck Fang Cheng.

His powerful physique, comparable to that of a Five Tribulation Cultivator, was actually knocked back, making him stagger.

The next moment, the flesh on his right fist and forearm instantly turned to ash, revealing the gleaming white bone beneath!

'Impressive!'

Fang Cheng's expression hardened. 'I was careless,' he thought.

He activated his techniques, and flesh began to regenerate over the bone. In moments, new skin and muscle had formed, restoring his arm completely.

On the sea's surface, Feng Yan's expression also held a hint of confusion; she was clearly surprised by the power of this second wave of tribulation thunder.

However, before either of them could dwell on it, a new dragon of tribulation thunder condensed in the sky and lunged ferociously at Fang Cheng.

The might of the Thunder Light was enough to tear the sky and crack the earth.

A flash of light appeared around Fang Cheng as the Feather Divine Soldier materialized. A blinding beam of sword light shot out from it, transforming into a sky-spanning rainbow that soared through the air and viciously slashed at the tribulation thunder.

The tribulation thunder seemed sentient. It let out a roar and collided with the sword light, filling half the sky. After a brief mutual annihilation, the two forces became entangled.

But ultimately, the sword light was more exquisite and nimble. It multiplied endlessly, its numbers growing, and began to steadily cut down the Divine Thunder formed from the celestial tribulation.

The Thunderous Giant Dragon seemed to grow enraged. It suddenly crashed into the sky full of sword light, descending like a heavenly waterfall and slamming down upon the Feather Divine Soldier.

BOOM!

Forty-nine beams of sword light emerged around the Feather Divine Soldier. The Thunder Light from the great dragon that coiled around it began to shatter, streak by streak. With each one that broke, the quality of the Feather Divine Soldier seemed to improve by a layer.

After a few rounds, the Thunder Light had dwindled significantly. The Feather Divine Soldier, now like a Divine Spirit in command of lightning, flared with divine radiance and tyrannically devoured all the remaining thunder in the area.

This was the Feather Divine Soldier's true Divine Technique.

To resist the celestial tribulation by refining its thunder. To devour the celestial tribulation to forge its own substance.

At this moment, everything about the Feather Divine Soldier—its outer armor, its internal Thunder Pool, and the Mystic City Jade Talisman within—underwent an astonishing transformation.

Only now did Fang Cheng gain a more direct understanding of why the Feather Divine Soldier was classified as a lightning-aspected Magical Artifact.

Previously, the Feather Divine Soldier's strength lay in its powerful Thunder Pool, while its outer armor and the Mystic City Jade Talisman were of an ordinary rank. That was why it had been nearly helpless against the Demon Lord's avatar in the Spirit Ruins Treasure Realm.

It couldn't even withstand the attacks of geniuses like Murong Qing and Chu Yunyi during the Spirit Ruins Magic Competition.

Now, Fang Cheng had finally found a way to remedy this weakness.

The Feather Divine Soldier neutralized the celestial tribulation by using its thunder to forge its own substance.

Truly worthy of a Treasure Technique from the Upper Realm. It was original and unexpected, as if a Spirit Immortal had created this method specifically for their descendants in the Lower Realm, allowing them to achieve two goals at once.

「Now.」

Seated within the cockpit of the Feather Divine Soldier, Fang Cheng calmly withstood the Second Celestial Tribulation, allowing the artifact to benefit immensely in the process.

Originally, he had intended to leave this Feather Divine Soldier for Jingyuan or Jingxuan.

Now, however, an idea began to form in his mind: to refine the Feather Divine Soldier into a Spiritual Mechanical Body and use it as his own external avatar.

The Feather Divine Soldier stood tall against the sky, the Thunder Light around it yet to dissipate, as more dark clouds gathered above.

The Third Celestial Tribulation was arriving!

Thunder Light once again began to coalesce.

The thunderclouds roiled and surged, seemingly concentrating all their power into one final tribulation bolt!

As he watched this tribulation bolt form, Fang Cheng's expression turned grave for the first time.

He formed a hand seal, employing a Secret Technique for the first time.

—*Grand Void Induction: True Understanding of the Golden Wheel of Destiny*.

He had obtained this technique from the Void Ghost Marketplace. It had the heaven-defying ability to resist celestial tribulations and even alter the fate decreed by the Celestial Dao.

It primarily worked by gathering and condensing a clan's fortune, refining it into a Fortune Golden Wheel.

As Fang Cheng began to execute the technique, rings of golden wheels materialized behind him. They all spun at different speeds, while countless profound and complex runes were born and annihilated within them.

With the Fortune Golden Wheel protecting him, Fang Cheng felt a little more at ease and turned his gaze to the heavens.

After all, he had only just entered the Tribulation Realm. Facing the Third Celestial Tribulation directly, it was best to be cautious.

A long moment passed before the tribulation thunder within the clouds finally began to descend.

Within the Thunder Light were twelve Divine Spirits, each riding a Cyan Dragon, a White Tiger, an Electric Flood Dragon, or a Thunder Horse. They charged downward with overwhelming momentum.

Facing this tribulation bolt, Fang Cheng took the initiative, activating the Great Inference Celestial Net Sword Array. Endless sword light merged with the Feather Divine Soldier, and together they transformed into a single, heaven-rending beam that shot toward the sky!

He intended to meet this tribulation thunder head-on with the strongest Sword Technique he had ever used.

ZING!

「The next moment.」

The sword light slashed into the tribulation thunder.

All of heaven and earth trembled violently!

This bolt of tribulation thunder was more powerful and more magnificent than the previous two combined.

And yet, before Fang Cheng's incomparably sharp Sword Intent—an intent that could cleave the nine heavens—it was brutally shattered!

The Thunder Light shattered.

The Feather Divine Soldier was now covered in cracks, its body battered and broken.

But this Mystic Iron Giant seemed to have become a black hole, frantically devouring the surrounding tribulation thunder.

It not only devoured the tribulation thunder, but also began to frantically consume the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within a thousand-li radius. The Spiritual Qi itself formed a deep, swirling vortex, constantly being replenished from afar.

It formed a strange tide of Spiritual Qi.

「Inside the Feather Divine Soldier's cockpit.」

Fang Cheng was enveloped in the mystical light of the Fortune Golden Wheel. Though he appeared completely unscathed, his aura had plummeted to rock bottom.

At this moment, his entire consciousness was submerged within his sea of consciousness.

There, a young man in a white shirt appeared, looking up with a faint smile at the majestic Giant Buddha that was the manifestation of Fang Cheng's divine soul.

It was the Demon Lord!

Though shocked, Fang Cheng guessed that the Demon Lord had sensed the fluctuations of his tribulation through the demonic intent within the Celestial Dao Origin and had personally come to "meet" him in this fashion.

"My people have been searching for you for a long time..."

the young man in the white shirt said faintly.

...