Volume 1, Chapter 13: The Supreme Tribulation of the Five Elements

A few days later, Chen Xuanting’s cultivation level broke through directly to the Aperture Refining Realm.

The Aperture Refining Realm involves opening the three hundred and sixty-five acupuncture points throughout the body, corresponding to the stars in the celestial sphere. By opening these apertures, one can draw upon the power of the stars and absorb the essence of the sun and moon to refine one’s true energy, condensing it into true essence.

His rapid cultivation was entirely due to the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art. The speed at which this technique devoured spiritual energy was a thousand times faster than ordinary methods. Dugu Wufang had provided him with plenty of spirit stones, and with these vast resources combined with an Imperial-grade technique, it would have been difficult not to progress quickly.

Upon reaching the Aperture Refining Realm, Chen Xuanting began practicing the five Heaven-grade sword techniques he had acquired. He chose to start with the Great River Sword Technique; the innate sword intent within his Sword Pupils manifested as a roaring, ceaseless river.

By the next day, Chen Xuanting had already mastered the Great River Sword Intent. A vast river appeared, every drop of its water a manifestation of sword energy; once the entire river swept forth, it was an unstoppable force of destruction.

***

In Cang Prefecture, at the Heavenly Saint Land, a blind man was constantly practicing his sword swings.

"What is the point of Blind Chen swinging his sword like that? Not only is he blind, but he’s also a fool."

"If swinging a sword could lead to godhood, I would have already broken through to the God-Communication Realm."

Several outer sect disciples whispered behind his back.

The blind man was Chen Fuyao. Back then, the disheveled man he and Chen Qingluan had encountered in the mortal world was a True Inheritor Elder of the Heavenly Saint Land. Chen Qingluan had been accepted as a disciple by this elder and became a Saintess, while he had been reduced to an outer sect disciple—the difference between them was like heaven and earth.

Although he was only an outer sect disciple, this was, after all, the Heavenly Saint Land, and the treatment afforded to outer disciples was incomparable to that of ordinary sects.

He was practicing the Heaven-Slashing Sword-Drawing Technique. This technique had been created by a Saint; it consisted of only a single move, serving as both a cultivation method and a divine ability. When one was weak, it was merely an ordinary Yellow-grade technique with little power, but once refined into a divine ability, it possessed immense strength. Its potency depended entirely on the individual's enlightenment. Despite having lost his Sword Pupils, Chen Fuyao’s talent for the sword remained exceptionally high, and he had already mastered the basics of the Heaven-Slashing Sword-Drawing Technique.

***

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Above the Divine Firmament Peak, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled as thick tribulation clouds gathered. The disturbance alerted Dugu Wufang, who was in the middle of his own practice.

"The Golden Core Tribulation! To break through to the Golden Core Realm in just half a year—what a monster!"

Dugu Wufang knew it was his precious disciple making the breakthrough. He was truly worthy of being a Divine Body; such a rate of cultivation was truly shocking. The tribulation clouds covered dozens of miles, ten times the scale of a standard Golden Core Tribulation. The scale of this event stirred many disciples of the Taixuan Sect.

"Why is this tribulation cloud so strange? It’s larger than a Golden Core Tribulation but smaller than a Dharma Form Tribulation. Is it a Golden Core or a Dharma Form Tribulation?"

"It must be the Golden Core Tribulation. The tribulations of peerless geniuses are always much larger than ordinary ones."

"The most talented disciple in our Taixuan Sect is Senior Brother Qi Haoran. When did someone with even greater talent appear?"

"I heard the Supreme Elder took on a disciple; it must be him."

A figure appeared beneath the tribulation clouds, becoming the center of everyone's attention.

"That’s the Supreme Elder’s disciple. He broke through to the Golden Core Realm in just half a year of entry. It’s terrifying—could he possess a Saint Body?"

"To be chosen by the Supreme Elder as a disciple, he very well might have a Saint Body."

Except for a select few who knew Chen Xuanting possessed the Sword Pupils, no one else was aware of it, as the Supreme Elder had ordered them to remain silent.

Qi Haoran arrived at the edge of the clouds with a pure-looking young woman.

"I didn't expect him to reach the Golden Core Realm so quickly."

"Senior Brother, you know him?"

"He is a demon."

Qi Haoran recounted the events of six months ago to Murong Xue.

"Why would the Supreme Elder take such a villain as a disciple? Why doesn't the Sect Leader do something?"

"Because he possesses the Sword Pupils. Do you think the Supreme Elder would refuse to take someone with the Sword Pupils as a disciple?"

"Sword Pupils? Isn't that the legendary Divine Body?"

A look of shock appeared on Murong Xue's innocent face. For them, a Divine Body was a legendary existence. She never expected to witness one.

Qi Haoran stood with an air of righteousness. "So what if he has a Divine Body? If he dares to act recklessly, I will strike him down with my sword."

The tribulation clouds coalesced, taking on a five-colored hue.

"The Five Elements Supreme Tribulation."

Chen Xuanting looked up at the five-colored clouds. He was not surprised in the slightest; this was the exclusive lightning tribulation for a Divine Body. The Five Elements Supreme Tribulation consisted of only five strikes, but they were terrifyingly powerful, and he dared not be careless.

"Why are the clouds five-colored?"

"This... this is the Five Elements Supreme Tribulation! It is the tribulation faced by young emperors with the potential to become Great Emperors."

Someone recognized the phenomenon. Everyone was struck with awe. A young emperor. They had thought the Supreme Elder's disciple merely possessed a Saint Body and the potential of a Saint, but he was actually a young emperor with the potential to reach the rank of Great Emperor.

"Sigh! In the end, it couldn't be hidden." Dugu Wufang sighed. He could only do his best to protect his disciple and guard him until he was fully fledged.

"So what if it is the Five Elements Supreme Tribulation? I shall cut it down with a single sword!"

Chen Xuanting’s expression was cold. He summoned the Golden Cloud Sword, a gift from his master. Although it was only a peak-grade spiritual artifact, it was barely sufficient.

A streak of heavenly fire descended from the sky, burning toward him.

"Great River Sword Technique."

A surging, torrential river appeared behind Chen Xuanting, manifested by his Great River Sword Intent, which had reached a fifty percent mastery. Chen Xuanting swung his sword, and the river rose in massive, towering waves, blocking the heavenly fire.

The fire was extinguished by the river. This single strike had consumed fifty percent of Chen Xuanting's true essence.

"Disciple, catch!" his master's voice echoed in his ear.

A jade bottle flew toward him. Chen Xuanting caught it, opened it, and swallowed a Fourth-grade Essence Recovery Pill. The true essence he had lost was instantly restored.

The second tribulation descended. A celestial river poured down from the clouds.

"Thick Earth Sword Technique."

Earth overcomes water. The Thick Earth Sword Intent evolved into mountains and rivers to block the celestial river. The power of the celestial river was too great; it smashed through the mountains, and Chen Xuanting was instantly submerged.

The Taixuan Sect disciples grew nervous. "He wouldn't be drowned, would he?"

A black hole formed, swallowing the celestial river. It was Chen Xuanting executing the supreme ability: Heaven-Swallowing, Earth-Devouring. The celestial river was consumed. Chen Xuanting was injured, however; the Five Elements Supreme Tribulation was truly formidable.

Before he could catch his breath, an ancient divine mountain descended from the sky to crush him. He had absorbed the power of the celestial river to restore his essence, so he did not need to rely on pills.

"Green Lotus Sword Technique."

The Green Lotus Sword Intent formed a single lotus flower to block the divine mountain. The lotus released endless sword energy to attack the mountain, though the sword energy was shattered by the mountain's immense power. The lotus broke, and the mountain continued to descend.

Chen Xuanting merged his five types of sword intent. They fused into a more powerful Five Elements Sword Intent. The Five Elements Sword Intent was inexhaustible, and its immense power shattered the divine mountain. The broken mountain dissipated—after all, it was not real, but a manifestation of the tribulation's power.

Fu Qingshu, standing before the Taixuan Hall, saw Chen Xuanting fuse the five techniques and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: "As expected of the Sword Pupils with the highest talent for the sword. Not only did he learn five Heaven-grade techniques, but he even fused their intents."

"I hope you have truly turned over a new leaf, otherwise..." He watched Chen Xuanting, who was still undergoing his tribulation, with deep, contemplative eyes.