Chapter 243: Chapter 242 Human Tribulation (Second Update, Please Subscribe)
On the ground lay a charred body, it was Jin Xi.
At this moment, she was severely injured, on the verge of death, with only a faint trace of life emanating from her Life Origin.
A light of Creation descended from the sky, enveloping her body, repairing her injuries, and establishing anew in the midst of destruction, leading to rebirth amidst ruin. In just a moment, the burnt parts of her body fell away, revealing a spotless and flawless body, like fine jade.
After ten breaths, her injuries healed.
Jin Xi leaped up, donned her clothes, and closed her eyes, absorbing the enlightenment of the Celestial Tribulation.
The Celestial Tribulation, although a disaster, is also Creation.
If one can gain enlightenment from the Celestial Tribulation, their cultivation will advance another stage.
Most cultivators face nine tribulations when certifying the Nascent Soul, yet Jin Xi encountered an exception, with a tenth tribulation descending fiercely, but she still endured it.
Jin Xi’s cultivation could contend with the Third Layer of the Nascent Soul, but she was inadequate against the Fourth Layer, and clearly outmatched by the Fifth Layer.
When the tenth tribulation descended, Jin Xi was clearly outmatched... In fact, she didn’t need to resist, just enduring it without dying was enough.
The tenth tribulation, although possessing the peak attack power of the Fifth Layer, was ultimately scattered; Jin Xi only needed to protect her Dantian, heart, Sea of Consciousness, and other vital parts. As long as she wasn’t killed in one hit, she could survive the calamity.
Facing an actual cultivator of the Fifth Layer, with concentrated attacks on Jin Xi’s vital parts, she might not withstand it and could be killed in a single blow.
In simpler terms, the Celestial Tribulation is still inferior to a cultivator; its attack lacks the agility, variability, and precision of a cultivator, all providing a slim chance of survival.
Crack!
Crack!
Jin Xi’s body glowed, her aura rising, with a fierce Sword Qi ascending, along with an immortal aura.
The two auras intertwined, forming the essence of the Immortal Sword Body.
Lu Xuanji stood guard at the side, cautiously on alert.
After a Celestial Tribulation is also the best time for enlightenment; missing this time would be a great loss.
...
Central State.
Several prestigious clans, including the Zi Family and the Yun Family, felt an agitation and unease.
Yet, upon careful calculation, it was all a blur.
After further calculations, it remained a blur.
Ziyun Xiao took out the Celestial Secret Disc and began divining, but it was still all a blur.
"Strange, there seems to be a sense of unease, clearly a formidable enemy is rising... But who is this enemy?"
Ziyun Xiao frowned, "Is it the clan that was annihilated in the past, now there is a cultivator rising to threaten the Zi Family? No, the Infant Slaying Curse hasn’t warned us. Could it be the Demon Dao faction rising with a prodigy; or the Demon Race giving birth to a legendary giant. Or is it those rival clans birthing a prodigy!"
The path of ascent for the Zi Family is fraught with many dangers and formidable foes.
Some enemies are weak, merely a few Nascent Souls;
Some are strong, with a Divinity Transformation as a patron;
Some are terrifying, even with a Void Refining Powerhouse as a patron.
These enemies are numerous and chaotic, such is the situation faced by the Zi Family, surrounded by powerful foes and crisis.
As long as there is a desire to become stronger, one will encounter challenges, threats, and more from all around, the Zi Family also has enemies.
But some enemies are not worth dealing with; for instance, those Nascent Soul clans are used by certain families to annoy the Zi Family, killing them yields little benefit, only bringing trouble upon oneself;
Moreover, the Zi Family has disputes with a Void Refining Clan but is primarily limited to mid and low levels, with no intention of breaking into high-level conflicts, maintaining a fighting without breaking stance.
The real enemies are those three families.
At this very instant, a strange aura enveloped Ziyun Xiao, drawing him into an Illusion Realm.
"Not good, a cultivator is crossing a tribulation, and I have become their Human Tribulation!"
...
At this moment, Lu Xuanji felt a sense of unease.
Under the shrouding gray light, Jin Xi’s expression became dazed, trapped in an Illusion Realm, a precursor to the onset of her Human Tribulation.
"Did she not cross her Human Tribulation... How is there still a Human Tribulation? So, this is the true Human Tribulation, human plans can’t compare to heavenly ones!"
Lu Xuanji felt a moment of restless anxiety, but it quickly turned into helplessness.
Human Tribulation must be faced alone.
The Celestial Tribulation is harsh, Life Tribulation is fickle, Human Tribulation is variable.
The Celestial Tribulation is simple and brutal, with Celestial Thunder, Celestial Fire, Tribulation Wind descending, the seventh tribulation comparable to the First Layer peak of Nascent Soul, the eighth to the Second Layer peak, the ninth to the Third Layer peak, each tribulation more ferocious than the last, yet the tribulation’s power often can be predicted.
With sufficient strength, one could pass the tribulation, like Jin Xi.
If strength is lacking, one could use several Spirit Treasures to help block the tribulation.
There are two ways to survive the Celestial Tribulation, one is having the strength to withstand it, the other is using wealth to overcome it. As long as one has either, they can pass through the tribulation.
Only those lacking both strength and money would die during the Celestial Tribulation.
Life Tribulation is fickle, without knowing what tribulation might arise under the guidance of fate.
As for the Human Tribulation, one might have thought it was crossed, but who could have guessed, this is the true Human Tribulation.
...
Gray mist enveloped Jin Xi, trapping her in the Human Tribulation.
The Illusion Realm began to change.
As the mist dissipated, a purple mountain emerged ahead.
At the summit of the mountain, stood an elder, clad in a purple robe, with no excess expression on his face, unmoved by things, appearing indifferent to the birth and destruction of all things, his mood unchanged.
"Ziyun Xia!"
Jin Xi gritted her teeth and spoke.
In a daze, she recalled memories from centuries ago, when she was just a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Ziyun Xiao led powerful forces to besiege the Jin Family.
In the fierce battle, her father was slain.
During that time, she could only flee desperately.
Ziyun Xiao, lofty and aloof, couldn’t bother to look at her.
Just an ant, to kill or not made no difference.
"Eh! I have become someone’s Human Tribulation... It’s you, you have the Jin Family’s bloodline. You seem to be the daughter of that old ghost of the Jin Family. You’ve made it to the Nascent Soul stage, impressive! Quite talented, but that’s all." Ziyun Xiao observed this scene, his expression indifferent.
With a slight calculation, he deduced the cause and effect, estimating Jin Xi’s identity nearly perfectly.
"Kneel, and I will bestow death upon you!"
Ziyun Xiao said coldly, the pressure of Divinity Transformation descended.
Buzz!
In an instant, the air condensed, boundless pressure descended.
Jin Xi’s face flushed, her skin seemed to ooze blood, but she stood defiantly, refusing to kneel.
Crack!
At that moment, her legs shattered.
Better to break her legs than to kneel.
"Courageous, but too weak. I will bestow death upon you!" Ziyun Xiao pointed a finger, transforming into a purple starlight meant to kill this Jin Family survivor, disinterested in her name.
The name of an ant was not worth remembering.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
At this moment, Jin Xi’s aura soared, from the First Layer of Nascent Soul, to the Second Layer, Third Layer, Fourth Layer... directly advancing to the Second Layer of Divinity Transformation.
Her aura slightly trembled, shattering the purple starlight.
...
PS: The second update is here, continuing to write.