No one witnessed the moment when the Heavenly Dao's physical form exploded, nor did anyone see the black mist that suddenly pierced through the abdomen of the Central Sovereign as he died. Similarly, no one noticed how this same black mist penetrated his Divine Soul, ravenously consuming the shattered flesh and blood.
All of this happened quietly, unnoticed by anyone.
In Shiyunsheng's eyes, a pair of serpent-like pupils appeared. These pupils seemed to stand upright within his eyeballs, waxy yellow yet deep and distant, sending chills down one's spine.
With the Central Sovereign dead, the Rebel Son rose to power. Everyone knew that his Divine Sense had reached the Ascension Stage, with hopes of breaking through the Heavenly Dao.
When Zhao Yang arrived at the Central Sovereign's palace with a group of people, he saw a throng of Old Monsters from the Tribulation Period scrambling to seize countless treasures that had accumulated in Zhongzhou for millennia.
Zhao Yang set up a sword formation using the Sixteen Supreme Killing Swords to block everyone, forcing them to surrender all their rare treasures, including their own. A few Old Monsters refused to comply and were swiftly eliminated.
"Rebel Son, do you intend to take over the Zhongzhou Imperial Palace and become the new emperor?" an Old Monster asked tremulously. With unparalleled talent, Zhao Yang had killed countless older experts from the Tribulation Period during his ascent; no one dared to challenge him.
Zhao Yang remained silent, merely telling them to leave. Years ago, he had been relentlessly hunted by these old fellows alongside Ginseng King and held no goodwill towards these resurrected beings.
Rumors circulated that beneath the Zhongzhou Imperial Palace lay a Spirit of the Earth, embodying the essence of Imperial Way—upright and powerful—enhancing one's aura to become noble and strong, impervious even to gods and demons. This was also where the royal lineage of Zhongzhou originated.
With the Spirit Pearl in his possession, Zhao Yang could naturally locate the Imperial Way Leyline.
After this battle, Xuanfo Temple emerged as the foremost sect in the cultivation world. Its scale expanded from a half-acre pond to a vast temple spanning thousands of feet, widely recruiting disciples and promoting Buddhist teachings.
Days later, ethereal light filled the Zhongzhou Imperial Palace. Some witnessed a massive totem appearing above the palace—a gigantic willow tree seemingly rooted in the depths of space, supporting the entire realm.
Others saw an ancient giant dragon roaring as it soared into the sky, coiling above all heavens while myriad beasts bowed in reverence.
A colossal Buddha sat cross-legged with fierce eyes, towering high above with scriptures swirling around him as three thousand Bodhisattvas chanted sacred texts.
Nangong Wuxin was the first to emerge from Zhongzhou's Imperial Way Spirit of the Earth. Bathed in the ultimate essence of Imperial Way, his back shimmered with light, exuding an overwhelming suppressive force.
“Did you succeed?” Datong Zen Master asked. “How many stars for your Celestial Root?”
“Two stars,” Nangong Wuxin replied, somewhat disappointed. Although two stars indicated a minor thunder tribulation, it reflected a person's innate talent. He hadn’t expected that the once-promising genius he was would only possess two stars of Celestial Root.
“Haha, you should be happy! Just like me, Transcending Tribulation should not be a difficult task!” Great Compassion Zen Master said.
A voice of Buddha echoed as Song Baliang emerged from the Imperial Way Spirit of the Earth, his body radiating golden light, adorned with scriptures. However, only one star of Celestial Root shone from his back.
“Song Baliang, why do you only have one star of Celestial Root?” Datong Zen Master immediately noticed his disciple's Celestial Root.
“I don’t know either,” Song Baliang scratched his bald head and said. “I feel that one star of thunder tribulation doesn’t match my identity, but there’s nothing I can do; I’m just unlucky.”
“It seems that the number of stars in one’s Celestial Root doesn’t have an absolute correlation with talent,” Ji Wudao remarked.
Suddenly, the void erupted with a dragon's roar as Long Xiao Wu appeared on the scene, emanating a faint primal glow that flickered in and out, even beyond his control.
The Dragon Queen showed a look of relief as she pulled Long Xiao Wu close and asked, “Son, how many stars do you have for your Celestial Root?”
Long Xiao Wu circulated his True Qi, and immediately five stars lit up on his back. Everyone widened their eyes in disbelief at Long Xiao Wu. But then, another large star lit up on his Celestial Root.
“Six stars of Celestial Root!” Everyone gasped in astonishment.
Outside the palace, some older experts who were secretly observing were also shocked. One person remarked, “This Song Baliang claims to be the strongest disciple of the Five Major Sects. I see he’s just for show; with only one star of Celestial Root, he dares to compare himself to the Rebel Son’s unparalleled genius and even aims to enter the royal family. Look at him gloating; the only thing he can be proud of is that the thunder hasn’t killed him—what trash!”
Song Baliang's face turned red as he clearly heard the person outside speaking deliberately for him to hear. He didn’t want to lose his temper but shouted outside instead, “Which old fool thinks my Buddha has no skills? Come out and challenge me!”
The Dragon Queen’s face showed deep concern as she said, “Why does he have six stars of Celestial Root? In tens of thousands of years, there have been fewer than ten experts who have passed such thunder tribulations.”
"Mother, don't worry. I am a member of the Dragon Clan, and my talent should allow me to withstand the Six-Star Thunder Tribulation," Long Xiao Wu said confidently, though deep down, he was terrified. After all, even the Old God General, with his immense power, could not survive the Three-Star Thunder Tribulation. The thought of facing a Six-Star Thunder Tribulation felt like a death sentence.
A wave of green light approached, accompanied by a few snowflakes. Liu Rou and Yu Qingsnow floated down gracefully, resembling ethereal fairies descending from the heavens.
He Qing immediately ran over to grasp Liu Rou and Yu Qingsnow's hands. "Qingxue, Rouer, what level of Celestial Root do you both have?"
Liu Rou replied, "Mother, Rouer has a Six-Star Celestial Root, and Sister Qingxue has a Three-Star Celestial Root."
"What? You also have a Six-Star Celestial Root?" Song Baliang exclaimed in surprise.
"Take another look at that monk; he looks like he wishes for the thunder tribulation to strike him dead!" A voice from outside the palace rang out again.
Song Baliang's face turned red with anger as he grabbed his Demon-Subduing Staff and dashed out. Sounds of battle erupted outside the palace, but the screams came from the Old Monsters. Song Baliang possessed the Vajra Battle Body and had entered the Tribulation Period; his indestructible form made it nearly impossible for anyone to harm him.
Yu Qingsnow noticed that He Qing had more to say. She held He Qing's hand and comforted her, "Mother, Zhao Yang will be fine. He has entered the deepest part of the Spirit of the Earth and must have already stepped into the Tribulation Period."
"In-Law, Snow is right. That kid Zhao Yang is blessed with good fortune; he still has two young ladies waiting for him," the blind King Yu said as he supported the Grand Elder. The two had become close friends, enjoying tea and chess together, and their health had improved significantly thanks to the Holy Medicine Zhao Yang provided them.
"As long as Zhao Yang is safe," He Qing finally felt relieved.
"Hmph!" A haughty voice interrupted as Zhao Yuling flew in. "Mother, you're biased! You don't care about me at all; you only worry about my brother."
Zhao Yu pouted, looking somewhat upset.
"Yuer, stop being unreasonable," Zhao Tianlang scolded Zhao Yu.
"How am I being unreasonable?" Zhao Yu retorted angrily, glaring at Zhao Tianlang with wide eyes.
"Dead girl, you only need to be left alone for three days before you start causing trouble," He Qing said as she pulled Zhao Yu close, examining her from left to right. "My precious daughter, what star level is your Celestial Root? Is it dangerous? I'm so worried."
"Oh, Mother, your tone of concern sounds so fake. Say it again," Zhao Yu pouted, secretly feeling delighted.
"Sister Yu, what star level is your Celestial Root?" Long Xiao Wu asked with a grin.
"None of your business!" Zhao Yu retorted, puffing up her delicate cheeks.
"Your Brother Xiao Wu is concerned about you; how can you speak like that?" He Qing scolded as she playfully swatted Zhao Yu on the backside.
"Woohoo, Mother, you actually hit me! I'm already this old and you still hit me; you're so biased, even helping an outsider!" Zhao Yu cried, covering her eyes.
This scene filled the hearts of countless young people outside the palace with sorrow; they wished they could rush over and comfort Zhao Yu in their arms.
"Alright, Yuer, what star level is your Celestial Root?" Zhao Tianlang asked.
Hearing this, Zhao Yu proudly lifted her head and declared, "Of course, I have the best talent in history!"
As she spoke, she activated the power of her Celestial Root, and suddenly seven bright stars illuminated the surroundings!
"Seven! Seven Star Celestial Root!" an elder cultivator exclaimed in shock.
"Queen! Zhao Yu! Queen!" Someone outside the palace led the cheers, and soon everyone was calling Zhao Yu their Queen.
"But can a Seven Star Celestial Root withstand the tribulation?" someone suddenly questioned.
He Qing had already turned into a tearful mess. In preparation for her children entering the Tribulation Period, she had researched historical records spanning tens of thousands of years regarding various Celestial Roots. In the cultivation world, Celestial Roots have been classified into eight levels throughout history, ranging from One Star Celestial Root to Eight Star Celestial Root. The number of stars corresponds to the severity of the tribulation; generally, cultivators aspire to have a One Star Celestial Root because it offers the best chance to ascend to immortality—something everyone desires.
However, the Celestial Roots of a true genius are different; their Celestial Roots are extraordinary, at least three stars or above. Zhao Yu, in her mere Ascended stage, had already defeated the feared Thunder God, a self-proclaimed deity who fell at her hands. Everyone knew her talent was astonishing, but a Seven-Star Celestial Root? No one had ever heard of anyone surviving such a challenge throughout history.
"Seven-Star Celestial Root... it seems the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets also had a Seven-Star Celestial Root!" someone suddenly recalled.
"It is said that he could perceive the secrets of heaven, yet he ultimately perished under the Seven-Star Thunder Tribulation. In the end, he had no hope of Ascending to Immortality," another cultivator sighed.
"Rumor has it that during the Ancient Immortal era, someone managed to survive the Seven-Star Thunder Tribulation. Why can't our Queen do the same?" someone countered, calling out Zhao Yu's name.
"You mentioned that was during the Ancient Immortal era," an Aging Voice chimed in. "In that time, there was even an Eight-Star Thunder Calamity. It occurred ten thousand years ago as well. But what does that matter? The Demon Moon Sovereign is the only one who has lived for ten thousand years. She practiced the Longevity Technique to rule the Demon Moon Dynasty for a millennium but ultimately could not withstand the ruthless will of heaven. What does it matter if her talent was extraordinary? She still perished. And what about the Rebel Son? In the end, he too met his demise."
"Mother, you don't need to worry about Yuer." Although Zhao Yu was mischievous, seeing her mother cry uncontrollably made her heart ache. "Yuer has the supreme artifact given by Consort Yu, capable of slaying deities and vanquishing demons. What is a mere thunder tribulation compared to that?"
Li Mo, who had remained silent until now, spoke up: "The Seven-Star Thunder Tribulation is said to be 42 billion times more powerful than its square root in rumors. However, it's impossible for such voltage to exist in reality. Not even cultivators could withstand it; even the Five Elements Continent would be reduced to ashes in an instant. Therefore, I still need to observe more cases to determine just how strong the Seven-Star Thunder Tribulation truly is. According to the information Zhao Yang asked me to find, I estimate that the Five-Star Thunder Calamity is a hundred times stronger than an ordinary thunder tribulation. As for the Six-Star and Seven-Star Thunder Tribulations, they are difficult to estimate but likely range from hundreds to thousands of times stronger. Unless one specializes in Thunder Techniques, it's hard to survive; Transcending Tribulation has nothing to do with talent."
Li Mo's words enlightened everyone. Indeed, while the size of a thunder tribulation is usually determined by one's talent, whether one can successfully Transcend Tribulation has nothing to do with talent at all. If one's strength is insufficient, even a naturally gifted immortal body would perish under such heavenly wrath.
As they spoke, a nun slowly flew in from where the sun shone down, moving gracefully and peacefully.
"Our Compassionate Voyage Sect has never failed to overcome any Heavenly Tribulation throughout history. Although the Seven-Star Thunder Tribulation has claimed several lives from our previous generation's sect master, I still have some confidence in this matter. When the time comes, Yuer will invoke the thunder tribulation alongside me; I will protect her," Pudu Shanni of Compassionate Voyage Sect appeared above the imperial city. She ignored any formations and directly traversed through them as if she were invisible to the Peerless Killing Sword.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; with such a mysterious Pudu Shanni's promise, Zhao Yu's chances of successfully Transcending Tribulation increased significantly. However, they then looked toward the Spirit of the Earth filled with celestial light because there was still one person who had not emerged.
"Zhao Yang." A hint of concern appeared on Yu Qingsnow's icy face.
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