Chapter 535: The Tribulation Master's Scheme

Chapter 535: Chapter 464: The Tribulation Master’s Scheme

Shanhai Pass.

Civilizations clashed, Great Daos collided.

Following the Mountain and Sea Realm’s long-brewing, thunderous general offensive, the Ten Celestial Passes were swiftly dragged into the flames of a brutal war.

The Six Celestial Passes.

The Dragon-slaying Battlefield.

“ROAR—”

“Kill!!”

In the region of the former True Dragon Fortress, Space-Time Channels, like monstrous cosmic fissures, endlessly spewed forth armies of the Golden True Dragon Race.

Dragon Blood churned, and human bones shattered!

A brutal, meat-grinder-like battle of offense and defense was playing out before every Garrison City, leaving almost no chance for respite for either side.

BOOM!

A mighty Divine Fist descended, and a dragon’s corpse exploded!

Within a certain Saint Master’s Pass City.

“Kill!!”

Wuchen, who had only recently become a Saint Master, was already fighting with frenzied madness, leading the soldiers in the Garrison City in a bloody, ceaseless struggle.

He was extraordinarily fierce.

He advanced three Daos simultaneously, his Mixed Lotus Extreme Path had long since broken through to the tenth grade, and he had also mastered numerous Emperor Scripture Great Divine Techniques passed on to him by the Big Black Wolf.

He was not lacking for trump cards or Big Killing Artifacts, either.

Members of the Golden True Dragon Race at the same realm were no match for him in a single exchange, and he could easily fight those of higher realms, displaying the peerless bearing of one man holding a pass against ten thousand.

But it was useless!

An individual’s martial prowess was of little use in a war of this scale. Even as he bravely slaughtered his enemies, he felt a profound sense of powerlessness as the Garrison Cities ahead of him continued to fall.

‘Fellow Daoist Wuchen, don’t push yourself so hard.’

In the midst of the fierce battle, Jiang Han, who was fighting and retreating outside another Garrison City, couldn’t help but frown and offer a word of caution when he saw Wuchen’s trend toward fighting himself to death.

He hadn’t earned enough goodwill from Wuchen yet, so he still hadn’t been able to trade for the Mixed Lotus Extreme Path. It would be a terrible shame if Wuchen were to die.

Even though he knew Wuchen held a great secret and wouldn’t die so easily, a necessary reminder was still in order.

A ‘well-intentioned’ reminder.

He received no reply. Wuchen continued to slaughter his enemies desperately. It seemed that for the past six months or so, Wuchen had been fighting like a man possessed.

He had even advanced to Saint Master faster than Jiang Han.

But even after his strength reached the Saint Master Realm—equivalent to a Holy Land Master in the outside world—Wuchen didn’t relax in the slightest.

In every major battle, he would fight until he was utterly exhausted, hovering on the brink of life and death, before he would stop.

‘I don’t know what he’s doing it all for. I suppose some great disaster in the future is forcing him to improve so rapidly, desperate to take control of his own destiny.’

Wuchen was like that, and he, Jiang Han, was much the same.

The white-robed child and his mysterious Master remained the two indelible shadows in his heart. He knew that trying to sever his karmic ties with them in the future would be as difficult as a mortal trying to ascend to the heavens.

Not to mention, once he became a Great Emperor, the white-robed child—the Great Freedom Heavenly Demon King—who clung to him like a maggot on a rotting bone, would absolutely find him again!

A Three Tribulation Master…

The weight of that title was simply too immense!

To this day, Jiang Han still hadn’t thought of a good way to break the deadlock.

Schemes and plots only worked between equals.

When someone else possessed the Power to utterly crush you, any scheme was nothing more than wishful thinking, a way of deceiving oneself.

RUMBLE—

A vast, thunderous sound from the great beyond pulled Jiang Han’s thoughts back to the present. Amidst the raging battle, he couldn’t help but gaze gravely into the depths of the war-torn heavens.

It was indescribable, sacred, and vast.

That was the sound of the Hongyuan Five Tribulations Dao personally manifesting to clash with the Mountain and Sea Dao. One side was Tribulation, the other was Fortune.

In the special region of Shanhai Pass, this clash of Tribulation and Fortune was inextricably linked to every living soldier on both sides. In other words, the outcome of the battle between the attackers and defenders also determined the outcome for the Great Daos themselves.

Three years ago, Hongyuan suffered a great defeat, and its Dao Fortune plummeted, causing it to lose a vast amount of territory.

If Hongyuan failed to defend itself in this great war, the same thing would happen all over again—and it might even be worse.

Even though Jiang Han was only a Saint Master, he knew that the key to victory had little to do with what happened below the Nine Heavens Pass.

Every Primordial Chaos expert was a core component of their Great Dao’s fortune. If the top-tier combatants were defeated, the Dao Fortune would instantly plummet.

The number of troops below would be irrelevant.

“I just hope the Martial Ancestor can hold on.”

Jiang Han’s solemn gaze pierced toward the end of space-time. Across a gulf of several Celestial Gates and endless territories, insignificant as he was, he could still feel them. There, in the ultimate heart of the battlefield, were three indescribable existences.

Their auras, Dao Essences, and civilizations were intertwining and clashing, sending out terrifying ripples like furious ocean waves that radiated out to affect all Ten Celestial Passes.

He knew that was the Martial Ancestor facing off against the Mountain Sea Desolate Ancestors.

One against two…

‘Is that even possible at that level?’

‘Why are the Sword Ancestor and the Great Celestial Venerable just watching from the sidelines? What does the survival of Hongyuan and the fate of all living beings mean to them?’

Even someone as supremely selfish as Jiang Han, amidst the successive battles at Shanhai Pass, had come to clearly feel what it meant to be part of a community with a shared civilizational destiny.

‘If I were to attain the Dao, I would probably watch from the sidelines too. But right now, I’m just a tiny ant drifting along in the great torrent of history. If the Dao is extinguished, all things will fall silent. So naturally, I don’t want Hongyuan to lose.’

‘Ah, the Martial Ancestor…’

On another part of the battlefield, the Big Black Wolf inside Wuchen’s body could see farther and deeper, observing three torrents of civilization within the Great Dao, constantly colliding and sending out ripples.

As proud as he was, when he thought of that mythical Martial Ancestor, he put away all his arrogance, feeling only reverence and admiration.

It wasn’t just because even his master, at his peak, had to respectfully address Panwu Emperor as a Dao Ancestor.

More importantly, it was because of the Martial Ancestor’s contributions to Hongyuan.

During the Second Tribulation, the civilization of the Ten Thousand Races was weak, and the Innate Divine Race reigned supreme. The Human Race at that time was as insignificant as dust, at the very bottom of the food chain.

But in those desperate circumstances, three Dao Ancestors from among the Ten Thousand Races stood up.

The Ancestral Candle Dragon of the Mountains and Seas, and the Martial Ancestor of the Human Race.

And…

the Great Celestial Venerable of mysterious origin.

But in terms of greatest contribution, it was without a doubt Martial Ancestor Panwu Emperor, who pioneered the Martial Dao, the first Path of Transcendence for the Ten Thousand Races!

At that time, the Divine Dao was dominant, and all other Daos were in their infancy.

The postnatal Ten Thousand Races, those outside the Innate Divine Race, were in a primitive, exploratory phase on their Path of Transcendence, relying solely on their physical bodies.

The Immortal Dao, the Military Dao, Transverse Cultivation, and Soul Cultivation were all only in their nascent stages.

Even the Ancestral Candle Dragon, the strongest of the Desolate Divine Seeds, relied primarily on its innate advantages and had no systematic Path of Transcendence.

Until the appearance of Martial Ancestor Panwu.

He achieved enlightenment on Buzhou Mountain and emerged from his seclusion already at the Primordial Chaos realm!

The Martial Dao he created received the recognition of the Great Dao.

The opening of the Qi Sea Dantian brought a mature, systematic Martial Dao to the Primordial Ten Thousand Races, laying the Foundation for the Ten Thousand Races to overthrow the rule of the Innate Divine Race.

Only after the Martial Dao did all other Daos take inspiration from it and begin to flourish.

There was no issue with calling Martial Ancestor Panwu Emperor the first Dao Ancestor in all of Hongyuan. To this day, practitioners across the All Heavens, no matter which Dao they follow in their Cultivation, still worship the Martial Ancestor!

Even the Daoists who came later were naturally a step below the Martial Ancestor in status.

Not to mention, after the Four Tribulations, the Martial Ancestor had been guarding Shanhai Pass ever since.

His numerous contributions forged the Martial Ancestor’s supreme prestige in Hongyuan, which was one of the reasons why the All Heavens and Myriad Realms dared not refuse any military conscription from the Mountain and Sea front.

‘Unfortunately…’

Thinking of the current situation, the Big Black Wolf couldn’t help but sigh again. ‘No matter how strong the Martial Ancestor is, once he transcended, he could no longer re-enter the Great Dao. The Near Dao body he left behind within the Dao doesn’t have an overwhelming advantage over the other All Tribulations Provers, because they all transcended with One-Tribulation Dao Practice. The Near Dao bodies they left behind cannot achieve Attainment Dao again. Their Dao practice has all hit a ceiling, so there’s no question of one being superior to another. From the time after the Four Tribulations until now, it’s already incredible that the Martial Ancestor has been able to face the in-Dao bodies of two Daoists from the Mountain and Sea Realm all by himself. But reaching this point is also his Limit. No one knows what price the Martial Ancestor has paid. But everyone knows that if those two lofty Dao Ancestors within Hongyuan continue to do nothing, the outcome will not change.’

‘We need to prepare early. It seems things on the Human World’s side are almost ready…’

The Big Black Wolf’s gaze fell darkly upon Wuchen outside, who was wielding the Yellow Springs River as he fought with all his might.

‘Back then, when the Reincarnation Emperor was at this level, he didn’t have this degree of resonant affinity with the Yellow Springs River that Wuchen does. This proves that Wuchen truly has a great karmic connection to the source of the Yellow Springs River, the Eighteen Netherworlds. The Great Tribulation is coming, and only the Dao will survive. This tribulation… No matter what, we have to fight for it!’

‘Wuchen’s growth rate isn’t slow. In just a few years at Shanhai Pass, he went from a greenhorn at the Cave Heavens Realm to the ranks of the Saint Masters. But it’s not enough. Far from it. The great edifice could collapse at any moment. We must use some extraordinary measures!’

He could feel Wuchen’s urgent will to become stronger, which was likely related to his mysterious master. This was a perfect pretext.

The sooner the Reincarnation Emperor returned, the sooner he could begin scheming for the Dao Fruit in the current landscape.

‘Three years ago, the Extreme Dao Bell reappeared. The Slaughter Emperor has probably chosen his successor. I just don’t know if they’re in the Mountains and Seas. After all, that madman’s foundational Dao Essence is hidden in that place…’

As the former Emperor’s Weapon Spirit of the Reincarnation Emperor, the Big Black Wolf knew many secrets of the titans from that era, including the Slaughter Emperor.

For a One Tribulation Master to escape the final reckoning was impossible without a Dao Artifact.

This was true for the Reincarnation Emperor, the Slaughter Emperor, and the Great Freedom Heavenly Demon King.

But the price for doing so was immense.

With a supreme Taoist Soldier like a Dao Artifact, if one borrowed its power without it acknowledging a master, hiding inside was easy, but getting out on one’s own was nearly impossible.

They could only wait for a fated person. Someone to appear after ages had passed, claim ownership, and trigger the Dao Artifact’s cage, which would also be the moment of their escape.

It was a massive gamble.

If they couldn’t escape before their foundational Dao Essence was completely devoured and eroded by the Dao Artifact, then no matter how powerful they were in life, they would never have another chance to return!

For all these reasons, the Big Black Wolf, who had originally planned to slowly groom Wuchen, felt that time was running short. He prepared to play a trump card to accelerate the Reincarnation Emperor’s return.

That trump card had a great deal to do with the Human World!

…

The Mountain and Sea Realm.

An unknown, mysterious place.

Primeval Dao Patterns intertwined.

Bizarre, grotesque, and filled with a scarlet, primal aura.

‘ROAR!’

‘SCREECH!’

Seemingly real, yet illusory.

Within the vast, boundless Nine Heavens Grand Universe of the Mountain and Sea Ancient Continent, a snow-white Taotie was devouring the essence of the boundless Star Sea. Its claws tore open great cosmic fissures as it fiercely battled a Three-headed Golden-winged Roc!

In the end, the snow-white Taotie ripped apart and devoured the Three-headed Golden-winged Roc. Its own body, as massive as a Little Cosmos, was blasted apart, and after reforming, it transformed into a staggering, peerless celestial maiden whose face was ashen like a starless sky.

“Miss, please don’t continue!”

The dainty little maid in rainbow robes flapped her wings and caught her young mistress’s tall, perfect body as it fell from the starry sky.

But she had no time for admiration at this moment, only heartache.

“Get out!”

Three Golden Roc Dao Patterns were digested and vanished within Yaya’s crimson eyes. She barked a cold, unquestionable command and pushed the anxious Little Caique away.

“Miss… ah!”

The Little Caique tried to persuade her again, but Yaya threw her directly out of this strange, seemingly real yet illusory mountain-and-sea World.

WHOOSH~

After barely recovering, Yaya let out a slight breath. Within her crimson, abyss-like eyes, a scripture woven from Dao Runes faintly began to turn to a new page—

The West Mountain Scripture… *White head and bare feet, its name is Vermilion Bird, its appearance signals great war…*

The moment this page of the Classic of Mountains and Seas turned,

BOOM BOOM BOOM—

The sound of beating war drums exploded throughout the universe.

Dao Runes manifested in the void!

Within the Grand Cosmos, they intertwined to construct several shadows of incomparably ferocious Mixed World Demon Apes that propped up the Nine Heavens and collapsed the Nine Hells. The jet-black aura of war and disaster spewing from their pores filled space-time, throwing hearts and souls into chaos!

“He’s already a Quasi-Emperor…”

Thinking of the person she longed for day and night, a pathological gleam appeared in Yaya’s dangerous yet captivating crimson eyes, along with an unconcealable sense of urgency.

‘There’s not much time left. If I can’t catch up to him by then… he’ll probably be very disappointed, won’t he? He wouldn’t even have any interest in caring for or acknowledging such a worthless daughter, let alone the inseparable bond she yearned for.’

‘The Lord of Mountains and Seas…’

Thinking of the promise from back then, a crazed light flashed in Yaya’s pathological crimson eyes, and she forced the incredible scripture to turn several more pages!

Correspondingly, numerous more vast and ferocious shadows appeared in the Ten Directions of the Grand Cosmos.

‘This is just a simulation! If I can’t even overcome these illusions, what right will I have to bear the burden of the Mountains and Seas in the future?!’

“ROAR!!!”

Filled with all kinds of extreme emotions, Yaya once again transformed into her Taotie True Body and began to fight madly against one Mountain and Sea Dominator after another, whose colossal bodies propped up the heavens!