Chapter 263: Chapter 261: Dominating the Tribulation

"H-H-Heavenly Destiny?"

"Is Jiang Chen breaking through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm?"

"How is this possible?"

The hundreds of thousands of experts surrounding Cuiwei Pavilion were all dumbfounded.

Every head was tilted up, every pair of eyes filled with horror, fixed upon the dark gold figure hovering high in the air.

Yuwen Xunyi’s eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. "Th-This... The Alliance Leader is actually breaking through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm at a time like this?"

"When the Alliance Leader was still in the True Martial Realm, he could already slay Heavenly Destiny experts as if they were chickens. If he breaks through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm, won’t he be invincible within it?"

"Hahaha, Zong Rui is probably losing his mind right now!"

Ruan Lingyun and the others were all visibly excited and overjoyed.

「In midair.」

Zong Rui’s face was a mask of astonishment. "Wh-What is going on?"

He found it truly hard to believe.

Just a moment ago, he had been casually tormenting Jiang Chen, his long whip lashing down on him again and again. He had been whipping Jiang Chen mercilessly, who had shown not a shred of strength to resist.

’And now, in the blink of an eye, not only has Jiang Chen found a way out of a desperate situation, but he’s also about to break through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm?’

Zong Rui was, after all, the Grand Elder of the Outer Sect, a formidable master at the Peak of the Heavenly Destiny Realm Sixth Stage. He was cunning enough that it only took him a moment of thought to understand the cause. The reason Jiang Chen was able to break through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm at this critical moment was directly related to the whipping he had just delivered.

Zong Rui’s expression turned pitch-black.

He felt like a buffoon, completely played for a fool by Jiang Chen.

The memory of how satisfying it had been to whip Jiang Chen just now was now like a knife twisting in his heart.

"Damn it! That little bastard dared to play me? I’ll kill him..." Zong Rui gnashed his teeth. A black light flickered over his palms as he prepared to rush at Jiang Chen.

But Elder Zhang, who was beside him, quickly intervened and stopped him.

Zong Rui glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"Don’t be reckless!"

Elder Zhang said gravely, "He’s breaking through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm right now and is about to face the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation. If you attack him now, the tribulation will drag you in as well. You won’t come out of it unscathed."

Zong Rui froze, then said, "But if we wait for him to break through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm, his power will soar. How will I deal with him then?"

"So what if he breaks through? When the time comes, with the two of us working together, where can he possibly run?" Elder Zhang said with a confident expression.

The anger on Zong Rui’s face finally subsided a little. His somber gaze remained fixed on Jiang Chen, who was enveloped in pulsing dark gold light, as he muttered viciously, "Then let him live a little longer."

...

「Above the celestial vault.」

Dark clouds suddenly blotted out the clear sky. As they gathered, thunder rumbled, and flashes of violet-gold lightning crackled within the clouds.

An incomparably terrifying Heavenly Destiny Tribulation was brewing.

The Heavenly Destiny Tribulation consists of a three-stage Thunder Tribulation, with each stage more powerful than the last.

This is the calamity sent by the heavens as punishment for Martial Artists who try to seize destiny from the heavens by breaking through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm.

The power of the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation is immense.

Many a True Martial Realm Peak Powerhouse has been obliterated by the terrifying lightning of the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation while attempting to break through.

"How do you think Jiang Chen will survive this Heavenly Destiny Tribulation?"

"There are several ways to overcome the tribulation. Most experts choose to defend against the tribulation lightning using Profound Weapons or Arrays. Others choose to face it head-on with powerful attacks. But no matter which method, it’s never easy to pass the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation."

"Maybe he’ll just die under the Thunder Tribulation!"

Shrouded in a hazy, dark gold light, Jiang Chen paid no mind to the clamoring discussions around him.

His narrowed eyes held a brilliant gleam as he stared at the roiling thunderclouds in the sky. The corners of his mouth curved into a confident arc. ’Defend against the tribulation? Destroy the tribulation lightning with powerful attacks? What a monstrous waste. The true treasure of the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation lies within those very thunderclouds!’

His Ten Thousand Laws Golden Pupil pulsed with a blue-gold radiance.

As if able to see through all things, he gazed directly into the tribulation clouds where the violet lightning churned.

Suddenly...

The dark gold light around Jiang Chen flared, and like a Dark Gold War God, he shot straight up into the sky, heading directly for the thunderclouds.

This move left everyone dumbfounded.

"What is Jiang Chen doing?"

"Doesn’t he know that the closer you get to the tribulation clouds, the more powerful the lightning becomes?"

"He’s a complete madman!"

"He’s courting death!"

Many people sneered.

Zong Rui and Elder Zhang exchanged a look, deep mockery on both their faces. "Looks like we won’t even have to do anything. The boy is about to be destroyed by the Thunder Tribulation!"

"For him to die so easily is letting him off too lightly!" Zong Rui said with a note of regret.

While the crowd was still talking, Jiang Chen’s figure was already a stone’s throw from the thunderclouds.

CHH-CHH—

Streaks of lightning were already descending, like violet-gold serpents opening their gaping maws and baring their ferocious fangs to bite at Jiang Chen.

"Scram!"

Jiang Chen snorted, and his body trembled once.

All the violet arcs of lightning that came near him were instantly shattered and dispersed.

RUMBLE!

The Thunder Tribulation coalesced, and the first stage of the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation took form. Just as it was about to descend, Jiang Chen snorted and pointed a finger. "Three Fingers Burn Heaven!"

BUZZ!

As flames erupted, a finger as massive as a sky-supporting pillar tore through the tribulation lightning gathering before him, scattering it. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Chen shot forward with a WHOOSH, smashed through the dark thunderclouds, and plunged inside.

RUMBLE—

Inside the thunderclouds, the roar was deafening. It was an ocean of lightning.

Fearsome bolts of lightning thundered and quaked, and countless electric serpents converged into a massive net of lightning that rushed toward Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen’s gaze turned icy as the Dustfall Sword appeared in his hand.

A single sword strike tore through the air!

BOOM—

A Sword Aura hundreds of feet long, seemingly powerful enough to shatter the Celestial Vault, annihilated all the lightning in its path. Sweeping everything aside, Jiang Chen cleared a vast expanse of lightning and appeared at the very peak of the thunderclouds.

At the peak of the thunderclouds, there was a Thunder Pool!

And within the Thunder Pool was a basin of violet-gold spirit liquid.

It was Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid!

It contained the most terrifying and surging power, even purer and more potent than Spiritual Power. The very purpose of Jiang Chen’s trip here was this Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid.

’Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid! With this, my Divine Demon Tyrant Body can reach the Middle Stage of the Third Stage, at least!’ Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up. He transformed into a streak of flowing light and plunged into the Thunder Pool.

TZZT TZZT—

A single drop of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid broke down into hair-thin strands of golden liquid that drilled into his body through every pore, continuously tempering and strengthening his physical form. Golden light pulsed from his body as the speed of his physical enhancement accelerated, rapidly approaching the Peak of the Third Stage Early Stage of the Divine Demon Tyrant Body...

The Middle Stage of the Third Stage...

’As expected of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid. A single drop is enough to advance my Divine Demon Tyrant Body by a Small Realm. I need to absorb more...’ A sharp glint appeared in Jiang Chen’s eyes. ’My Martial Soul should also be able to devour this. God-slaying Sword—out!’

BUZZ!

The God-slaying Sword erupted from his Spiritual Sea and hovered behind him.

It trembled violently, as if cheering with joy.

WHIRR—

The God-slaying Sword emitted a black light, as if opening a gaping maw, and began to rapidly devour the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid in the pool. Stream after stream of the violet-gold liquid was consumed by the sword. Lights flickered across its surface as the Martial Soul’s grade began to rise rapidly.

Profound Tier Ninth Grade...

Earth Tier First Grade...

Earth Tier Second Grade...

The God-slaying Sword devoured the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it had consumed over a hundred drops, and its grade finally stopped at Earth Tier Ninth Grade.

At the same time, Jiang Chen’s physical body absorbed another drop of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid. His Divine Demon Tyrant Body advanced to the Late Stage of the Third Stage, and his physical strength was now comparable to a High-grade Earth Tier Profound Weapon!

’A single drop of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid is as effective as a Fourth-grade High-level Spiritual Pill. An opportunity like this is rare; I have to speed up my absorption!’ Jiang Chen took a deep breath, his face flush with excitement.

However...

Just then, the entire Thunder Pool began to tremble and rapidly dissipate.

Jiang Chen’s expression changed slightly. ’It’s dissipating this quickly? I have to store some of the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid right now...’

Flipping his hand, he produced a Jade Bottle and began to collect the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid.

He enveloped a drop of the liquid with his powerful True Essence, using all his strength just to guide it into the Jade Bottle. He then gathered his True Essence once more.

One drop!

Two drops!

Three drops!

Jiang Chen had only just collected five drops of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid when the Thunder Pool completely vanished. This wave of the Heavenly Destiny Tribulation had dissipated.

Watching the thunderclouds slowly disperse, the corners of Jiang Chen’s mouth lifted, a cold glint in his eyes. ’The Heavenly Destiny Tribulation has passed. It’s time to condense my Life Palace and officially step into the Heavenly Destiny Realm!’

RUMBLE—

Nine True Essence Spirit Seas flew out from his body, hovered above his head, and merged. A massive, ancient palace slowly rose from within the colossal Spiritual Sea. On the Life Palace was a mystical rune in the shape of the character for "Heaven." This was the sign of comprehending the Martial Dao Origin and condensing a Heavenly Destiny Palace!

With the Life Palace formed, he had officially stepped into the Heavenly Destiny Realm!

Dark gold light pulsed from Jiang Chen’s entire body. The power of the Heavenly Destiny Realm was terrifying. Two sharp beams of light shot from his eyes, piercing through the dense clouds to land upon Elder Zhang and Zong Rui on Cuiwei Pavilion. The corner of his mouth lifted into a cold, indifferent smile...

’Now that I’ve reached the Heavenly Destiny Realm, it’s time for revenge!’