Chapter 272: Chapter 268: Charging into the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm

The flower was a flawless, pure white, wreathed in white light that made it seem supremely sacred.

In the center of the blossoming petals was a lotus-like pistil, upon which sat a thumb-sized figurine in a cross-legged position.

The figurine was translucent and wreathed in a smoky aura. It was exquisitely detailed and constantly emanated the fluctuations of a Primordial Spirit.

"This must be the Divine Spirit Flower. I’ve read records of it in ancient texts. This flower blooms once every thousand years, and when it does, a small figurine forms in its center. Because this figurine resembles a person’s Primordial Spirit, the flower was named the Divine Spirit Flower."

"That’s right, I know a little about it too. The figurine condensed by a Divine Spirit Flower can help a person condense their Primordial Spirit, making it virtually one hundred percent certain they can enter the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm."

"I heard that Mo Qianyu of the Evil Spirit Sect used a Divine Spirit Flower to successfully condense his Primordial Spirit back in the day. Moreover, a Primordial Spirit condensed by this flower is exceptionally refined, making one stronger than an ordinary expert of the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm."

Gazing at the Divine Spirit Flowers, the crowd couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

Entering the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm was no easy feat. In this world, far too many Martial Artists were stuck in the Spirit Realm for their entire lives, unable to advance.

Even with Liu Bingxue’s and Li Kuangba’s talent, they both knew it would likely take another five or six years of accumulation to reach the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm.

Five or six years might not seem like a long time, but for the younger generation, it was an eternity.

Think about it. If someone else enters the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm five or six years ahead of you, how could you ever hope to catch up? The gap would only grow wider.

"One, two, three... one hundred and seventy-eight stalks!"

After a careful count, the group found there were a total of one hundred and seventy-eight Divine Spirit Flowers—a staggering number.

"Unfortunately, only sixteen of the Divine Spirit Flowers are in full bloom."

The group felt a pang of regret. The Divine Spirit Flower bloomed only once a millennium, and only a blooming flower would condense the figurine that could help one break through to the next Realm.

"Liu Bingxue, Li Kuangba, each of you can pick a Divine Spirit Flower," Ning Jiang said at this moment.

"What? You’re giving us Divine Spirit Flowers?"

Struck as if by a bolt from the blue, the two of them stared at Ning Jiang in utter shock.

The Divine Spirit Flower was too precious. In the past, only those who passed the seventh trial could obtain one. This flower was incalculably valuable; a single one taken outside would be enough to make the younger generations of Qing Province and Lei Province tear each other apart for it.

"Consider it a thank-you gift for your help earlier."

With a light grasping motion, Ning Jiang used a pulling force to uproot two of the Divine Spirit Flowers and handed them to the pair.

"This... Thank you."

Overjoyed, the two accepted them. They had a general idea of Ning Jiang’s personality; when he offered something, it was best to just take it obediently. Refusing would only seem pretentious.

They also considered themselves lucky that they had stood up for the Yanyue Sect when the Evil Spirit Sect was pressuring them. Otherwise, they would have missed this opportunity.

"Throughout this journey in the Profound Celestial Ancient Land, we’ve relied on your care many times. Teaming up with you was definitely the right choice."

The two sighed with emotion. Ning Jiang had given them too many pleasant surprises.

"We’ll go look around somewhere else."

Liu Bingxue and Li Kuangba exchanged a look and led the others away.

This was a smart move.

Even though there were over a dozen blooming Divine Spirit Flowers here, they didn’t ask for any more. Each receiving one was already a huge stroke of fortune. The rest, they would let Ning Jiang handle himself.

One must never be insatiably greedy.

"I need these Divine Spirit Flowers to break through to the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm. There might not be many left. Do any of you have any objections?"

Ning Jiang looked at Tang Lin, Zi Yunfei, and the others.

"If the Ninth Elder is strong, then our Yanyue Sect is strong. The current status and glory of the Yanyue Sect are inseparable from you, Ninth Elder. We know our place; everything we have now is because of you. If it weren’t for you, we might have died in the Profound Celestial Ancient Land long ago," Tang Lin said after some consideration.

"That’s right. If the Ninth Elder is strong, the Yanyue Sect is strong. We’re all in this together. I have no objections," Zi Yunfei said.

"Me neither."

"Same here."

Everyone was in agreement. They all understood one principle: only a stronger Ning Jiang could lead the Yanyue Sect to prosperity.

He was the Yanyue Sect’s standard-bearer. With him as the benchmark, everyone would strive to catch up to him.

Most importantly, Ning Jiang’s existence was a deterrent to outsiders. It was just like with Jian Xinghe in the past; whenever the younger generation of Qing Province spoke of geniuses, Jian Xinghe’s name would inevitably come up.

Over time, the younger generation would grow to admire the Star Sword Sect, leading to a constant stream of new talent joining their ranks.

"Ninth Elder, we’ll take our leave first."

Without any hesitation, the group withdrew.

After they left, Ning Jiang sat down cross-legged. Looking at the Divine Spirit Flowers before him, a flash of determination crossed his eyes. ’This time, I *will* enter the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm.’

Increasing his strength was, and always would be, the top priority.

’My current Spirit Realm Cultivation is still far too weak.’ Although he could fight above his Realm, he could at most contend with an expert at the First Realm of the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm, the Divinity Transformation Realm.

Against someone in the Second Realm, the Divine Travel Realm, he would be no match.

Those in the Third Realm, the God-Seizing Realm, and the Fourth Realm, the Immortal Realm, even possessed the power to kill him.

Of course, this was all assuming he didn’t use some of his forbidden techniques. If he were to activate them, killing someone in the Immortal Realm wouldn’t be out of the question.

But the price for using such methods was too heavy to be a long-term solution.

’Given the grade of the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill, entering the Primordial Spirit Fourth Stage Realm is far more difficult for me than for others,’ he thought. ’But with fourteen Divine Spirit Flowers left, it should be enough.’

’I just wonder how powerful the Celestial Tribulation I’ll have to face will be.’

The more powerful the Cultivation Technique, the stronger the Celestial Tribulation.

Ning Jiang had already experienced a Celestial Tribulation when he broke through to the Spirit Realm. The one for the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm would only be more terrifying.

He wasted no more time. His hands formed a circle as if holding a Taiji sphere, and a Divine Spirit Flower floated between his palms.

As he fully activated the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill, the Primordial Spirit Power within the Divine Spirit Flower was suddenly drawn out.

Wisps of white smoke gradually rose from the Divine Spirit Flower, each containing pure Primordial Spirit Power, and streamed into the space between Ning Jiang’s eyebrows.

The Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm was about condensing a Primordial Spirit within one’s mind.

A Primordial Spirit was also a person’s soul. However, a soul was an ethereal thing. A Primordial Spirit was what happened when that ethereal substance was condensed—giving form to the formless, and substance to the illusory.

Once a person reached this Realm, even if their physical body suffered a fatal wound, such as a shattered heart, they would not die instantly.

Furthermore, Primordial Spirit Power could kill without a trace. Some Primordial Spirit Attacks were simply impossible to defend against. Back at the Star Sword Sect, Ning Jiang had relied on a Primordial Spirit Attack to slay several Elders at once.

「Five days passed quickly.」

During these five days, Ning Jiang cultivated at a pace of refining one Divine Spirit Flower per day.

Gradually, a faint trace of Primordial Spirit Power was born within his mind.