Time flew by, and on the Tribulation Transcending Platform, thunder rumbled.
Lin Maoshan, Zhao Tianchen, and Su Hongxiu watched the Nine-Tailed Sky Fox on the Tribulation Transcending Platform, constantly enduring the trials of the Lightning Tribulation, their scalps tingling.
Their Master's Bloodline was too special, seemingly not tolerated by the will of Heaven and Earth, with wave after wave of terrifying Lightning Tribulation continuously emerging: Soul-splitting Wind and Thunder, mixed with lightning that tore at the Divine Soul; Formless Tribulation Lightning, striking directly at her soul, disrupting her five senses; Myriad Poison Yin Lightning, purple-black lightning fluid pouring down like a torrential rain; …
However, beneath the Tribulation Transcending Platform, that magnificent figure, like a perpetual motion machine, continuously aided her Master in Undergoing Tribulation, his Hun Dun True Essence vast as an abyss and a sea, using wondrous methods beyond their comprehension, time and again turning the tide, helping her Master resist one fatal crisis after another, snatching her from the will of the Heavenly Dao.
The last bolt of lightning—the Annihilation Tribulation Lightning—like a sword of judgment condensed by the will of the Heavenly Dao, struck down from the depths of the tribulation clouds, piercing through the sky!
Xue'er’s nine tails merged into one, her Extreme Ice Dao Domain and Burning Heaven True Intent fused together, rising to meet the lightning!
“Boom—!!!”
Where the lightning and fire converged, the Void Realm collapsed, and Heaven and Earth seemed to be re-created, with a violent energy storm sweeping across the eight directions.
When the smoke and dust cleared, Heaven and Earth returned to silence.
On the Tribulation Transcending Platform, the Nine-Tailed Snow Fox was covered in blood, her damaged nine tails hung limply, her entire body was charred black, and her aura was extremely weak, having almost exhausted her last trace of Demonic Qi.
Lin Maoshan and the others could not bear to look, filled with anxiety.
However, the next moment, they widened their eyes, too shocked to speak.
The tribulation clouds, originally dark as ink and endlessly surging, were slowly pushed aside as if by an invisible giant hand, and golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling upon the Nine-Tailed Snow Fox’s battered body.
Immediately after, a drizzling sweet dew descended from the sky, containing extremely rich vitality and Heavenly Dao Law, as if it were the highest praise from Heaven and Earth for this Heaven-Defying being who ultimately succeeded in her struggle.
The moment the sweet dew touched the Nine-Tailed Snow Fox, her bruised and charred skin began to recover at a visible speed, cracks healed, and new fur, pure as snow, radiated a soft and mysterious glow; her aura resonated with Heaven and Earth, rising steadily, and each breath seemed to stir the fluctuations of the surrounding Spiritual Qi.
Seeing this, Li Mu’s face showed a relieved smile, and with a gentle wave of his sleeve, the surrounding Spiritual Qi immediately became active, as if guided by some invisible force, converging into streams of spiritual energy, circling around Xue'er, helping her to absorb the Heavenly Dao’s bestowed spiritual dew more quickly.
With the help of this vast and pure power, Xue'er’s aura began to recover rapidly, her originally depleted Demonic Qi surged like a spring tide, revitalizing with life, and her Nine-Tailed Fox body was gradually enveloped by a thick and soft glow.
As time passed, that layer of glow gradually receded, and a breathtaking figure slowly emerged before everyone’s eyes.
She wore a simple white long dress that moved without wind, with a faint silver light flowing as her skirt fluttered, as if woven from moonlight, revealing a hint of mystery within its coolness. Her long black hair fell to her waist, with faint silver strands visible among it, adding a touch of enchanting allure; most striking was the crystalline snow lotus imprint quietly blooming between her brows, its petals layered like a real flower, exuding a faint chill and sanctity.
Her facial features were exquisitely delicate; her brows were like distant mountains veiled in mist, her eyes like autumn waters rippling, her nose bridge was elegant, and her lips were a light pink, like peach blossoms blooming at dawn. Yet, amidst this pure and ethereal beauty, there was a subtle hint of charm not belonging to the mortal world—that was the natural allure after the Heavenly Fox Bloodline’s Awakening, the Origin of Demonic Qi that could inherently captivate hearts.
Her beauty was not of the mundane world, but carried a touch of the Heavenly Fox’s wicked charm, three parts of the icy coldness of snow, and seven parts of breathtaking allure. A single glance, a gentle smile, inherently possessed the power to bewitch all beings, making one unable to resist falling into its depths.
Xue'er opened her eyes, a strange light, a mixture of icy blue and crimson gold, flashed in her pupils, as deep as stars in the night sky, yet as hot as a burning flame. She immediately cast her gaze towards Li Mu, her eyes filled with gratitude and dependence, and with a movement of her body, she floated up as lightly as a snowflake, gracefully landing before him.
“Li Dage!”
Xue'er looked at Li Mu with burning intensity, calling softly, her voice like clear spring water striking jade, extremely pleasant to the ear, yet carrying a hint of captivating tenderness that made one’s heart involuntarily tremble upon hearing it.
Li Mu looked at her, a flash of astonishment in his eyes, but he successfully resisted her charm and smiled brightly: “Not bad! You finally made it through!”
Xue'er softly called Li Mu, her voice like a morning breeze sweeping through the treetops, or clear spring water falling into a jade plate, carrying an inherent power of enchantment. Her gaze was full of gratitude and dependence, and those icy blue and crimson gold eyes seemed to look directly into people’s hearts, making them unconsciously fall into their depths.
However, Lin Maoshan, Zhao Tianchen, Su Hongxiu, and the others far from the Tribulation Transcending Platform were completely stunned.
They had only wanted to confirm if their Master was safe and sound, but the moment Xue'er truly transformed, the four Disciples’ minds were captivated by an indescribable charm, falling into a brief trance.
Lin Maoshan’s eyes were dazed, and he murmured, “How can there be such a beautiful woman in the world!”
Zhao Tianchen stared blankly at Xue'er’s figure, his Adam’s apple bobbing, even the Magical Artifact in his hand unconsciously loosened, almost falling to the ground.
Su Hongxiu’s face flushed, her heartbeat quickened, and a strange tremor arose in her heart, as if her entire being was being drawn by some invisible force, wanting to get closer to her, protect her, or even—submit to her.
Zhong Yuling’s eyes became hazy and filled with yearning, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks, feeling as if her mind was gently plucked by a soft hand, her body trembling slightly, unable to resist being completely drawn in.
Seeing this, Li Mu frowned slightly, cleared his throat, his voice like a morning bell and evening drum exploding in the Sea of Consciousness of the four Disciples: “With an unstable Dao Heart, how can you glimpse the Great Dao? Has the Star Cloud Contemplation Method been Cultivated into a dog’s belly!”
This thunderous roar, striking directly at their Divine Soul, made Lin Maoshan, Zhao Tianchen, Su Hongxiu, and Zhong Yuling instantly feel as if cold water had been splashed on their faces, jolting them awake; cold sweat seeped from their foreheads, their faces were filled with extreme shame, and they quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look at Xue'er again, fearing to fall into enchantment once more.
Xue'er smiled slightly and quickly retracted her aura, and that captivating power that swayed people’s hearts dissipated with it, as if it had never existed. She gently raised her hand, and a gentle Fox Fire power drifted out, quietly brushing over the four Disciples, helping them stabilize their heart meridians, which were disordered by the impact of Demonic Qi.
“It’s fine,” Xue'er gently reassured, “Your being affected is due to me not restraining the power of my Heavenly Fox Bloodline. In your future Cultivation path, you still need to temper your mind more.”
Li Mu nodded, his gaze sweeping over them, his tone softening slightly: “Remember what happened today. If you can’t even resist a Heart Demon, how can you speak of stepping onto the immortal path?”
The four bowed in unison, gratefully responding: “Disciple will remember your teachings!”
Xue'er smiled sweetly, then turned to look at Li Mu, her eyes full of tenderness and gratitude: “Li Dage, if you hadn’t helped me with this Undergoing Tribulation, I’m afraid I would have perished long ago.”
Li Mu gently shook his head, a smile playing on his lips: “There’s no need for thanks between us!”
“Congratulations, Master, for successfully Undergoing Tribulation and greatly advancing your Cultivation!”
Lin Maoshan and the others finally came to their senses and quickly stepped forward to congratulate her, but when they looked at Xue'er again, their eyes held a bit more awe, not daring to look directly at her exquisite beauty.
Li Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze like lightning sweeping over the four Disciples: “Seeing your Dao Heart waver today, it’s clear your daily Cultivation has been lax.”
“Master!”
The four responded in unison, their foreheads touching the ground, not daring to look up, their hearts filled with trepidation.
Seeing this, Xue'er gently raised her fair hand, and a soft spiritual energy lifted the four. Her eyes flowed with a hint of playful blame as she looked at Li Mu: “You shouldn’t be too harsh. You haven’t really taught them much on a daily basis. Now, they have all already condensed Clones, and it’s only been a hundred years since we last met, which is already very good.”
Li Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze sweeping over the four, one by one, roughly discerning their Cultivation progress, and his expression softened slightly: “Since Master has interceded for you, you will be spared a punishment. But if you remain so lax in the future, don’t blame me for being strict.”
“Thank you, Master, thank you, Master!” The four Disciples looked gratefully at Xue'er, thinking to themselves: If it weren’t for Master speaking up for us, we would have really suffered greatly this time.
Xue'er smiled gently, then turned to Li Mu and said: “It’s rare for you to have time to guide them. Now that you’re free, why not check their Cultivation progress?”
Li Mu nodded, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes: “Very well, release the Clones you’ve condensed!”
“Yes!”
Lin Maoshan and the others responded in unison, their expressions solemn, each adjusting their aura, preparing to display their Cultivation achievements before their Master.
“I’ll go first!”
Lin Maoshan took a deep breath, his gaze firm, and stepped forward.
Lin Maoshan formed hand seals, and the Five Elements Origin Qi within his body surged like a river, with five-colored auspicious light emanating from his body.
The next moment, five figures separated from his body. Each Clone condensed a different Dao charm, their auras distinct, yet they echoed each other, subtly forming a Five Elements cycle.
The first Clone—Metal Element Clone
Its entire body was like golden glazed jade, its skin shimmered with a metallic luster, its eyes were as sharp as swords, and Sword Qi crisscrossed around its body, with countless tiny sword lights vaguely seen moving in the Void Realm. It raised its hand and swung it, a Geng Metal Sword Qi slashed out, and the Void Realm was actually cut with a small crack that did not heal for a long time.
The second Clone—Wood Element Clone
Clad in a green robe, full of vitality, Spiritual Plants and flowers grew spontaneously from the ground beneath its feet, branches and leaves spreading, coiling around its body like living things; it flipped its palm, condensing Yi Wood Qi, instantly Birth a Spiritual Plant, rapidly maturing it, until it quickly withered, seeded, and sprouted, repeating this cycle.
The third Clone—Water Element Clone
Its figure was misty and illusory, seemingly real and fake, with water vapor swirling around its body, and the faint sound of tides echoing. It gently pointed a finger, and a drop of Profound Water condensed in the Void Realm, heavy as a mountain, yet as flexible as silk, capable of transforming into myriad forms.
The fourth Clone—Fire Element Clone
Its red hair was like fire, and its eyes seemed to burn with raging flames, the temperature around its body suddenly rising, even the air slightly distorted. It opened its mouth and exhaled, a wisp of True Fire flew out, actually transforming into a spiritual Fire Phoenix in mid-air, circling in the sky, flapping its wings and crying out, displaying the power of strong fire, extremely agile.
The fifth Clone—Earth Element Clone
Its figure was as heavy as a mountain, its skin cracked like the earth, yet it exuded an indestructible texture. It stomped its foot on the ground, and a small mountain instantly rose from the ground. With another wave of its hand, the rocks turned into quicksand, capable of trapping enemies invisibly.
The five Clones each had their unique characteristics, yet they were interconnected. Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal. The Five Elements flowed endlessly, generating each other. What was even more surprising was that the auras of the five Clones subtly resonated with Lin Maoshan’s main body, as if they could merge into one at any time, erupting with power far exceeding the Soul Transformation Stage.
“Five Soul Transformation Clones, having initially grasped the principle of Five Elements mutual generation.” Lin Maoshan respectfully reported, with a hint of confidence in his eyes, “Although the Dao Domain has not been fully condensed, with the assistance of the Star Cloud Contemplation Method passed down by Master, Divine Sense control has improved several times compared to before. Now I can fully control the five Clones to each display different Divine Abilities, or combine them into a formation for a combined attack.”
Li Mu’s gaze was profound, and he nodded slightly: “Not bad. The Five Element Dao values balance, and your ability to make the five Clones echo each other is considered an entry-level achievement.” He paused, then suddenly raised his hand and pressed down, an invisible force suddenly descended, “But if it stops here, it’s far from enough!”
In an instant, the five Clones seemed to be under heavy pressure, their figures swaying slightly, and the Five Elements cycle subtly showed signs of collapse. Lin Maoshan’s expression changed, and he quickly activated his Divine Sense. The five Clones swiftly adjusted their positions. The Metal Element Clone’s Sword Qi surged, the Earth Element Clone firmly held its Foundation, water and fire complemented each other, and the Wood Element Clone continuously harmonized the Origin Qi, actually resisting this pressure head-on.
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Li Mu’s eyes, but his tone remained calm: “Barely acceptable. Next, you need to make the five Clones each evolve their Dao Domain, with Five Elements generating each other, but also countering each other, perfecting the Dao Domain. Only then can you continue to condense the Void Refining Dao Domain.”
Li Mu nodded with satisfaction, his gaze turning to Su Hongxiu, and he instructed: “Hongxiu, your turn.”
“Yes!” Su Hongxiu’s red lips curved slightly, a hint of confidence flashing in her eyes, and she took a step forward. With a gentle flick of her red sleeves, nine crimson fire lotuses ignited around her, and within each lotus, a fire-element Clone phantom sat cross-legged. She softly said: “Master, the Nine Lotus Divided Soul Art I Cultivate, combined with the Star Cloud Contemplation Method, has allowed me to condense four fire-element Clones. Please give me your guidance, Master.”
As soon as her voice fell, Su Hongxiu formed hand seals, and the flames around her body surged. Four figures stepped out from the fire lotuses, each Clone containing a different fire-element Dao charm: fiery, agile, violent, and heavy, distinct yet echoing each other, subtly forming a Burning Heaven stance.
The first Clone—Crimson Flame Clone
Its entire body was crimson like blood, with raging flames burning around it, and its eyes were like two scorching suns, extremely hot. It raised its hand and swept it, a crimson fire wave swept out, distorting the Void Realm and boiling the Spiritual Qi wherever it passed. This fire contained a trace of the power of Solar True Fire, capable of incinerating all things, and was the most rigid and yang fire.
The second Clone—Azure Fire Clone
Its figure was ethereal, the flames a light cyan, like smoke and mist, agile and graceful. It lightly tapped its fingertip, and a wisp of azure fire moved like a spiritual snake, actually capable of evolving runes on its own, forming fire-element Restrictions. This fire contained the wonder of wood and fire generating each other, endlessly regenerating, most suitable for casting continuous fire-element spells.
The third Clone—Blazing Flame Clone
Its entire body was dark red, the flames violent, constantly erupting with sparks, its aura extremely fierce. It let out a low roar and threw a punch, the flames erupting like a volcano, instantly transforming into a fire Dragon, roaring as it tore through the Void Realm. This fire contained the power of destruction, and once it erupted, its power was earth-shattering.
The fourth Clone—Earth Fire Clone
The flames were dark yellow, thick and solid, with an internal temperature that gave a sense of extreme danger. It pressed its hands to the ground, and the ground immediately cracked, with scorching magma gushing out. This fire originated from deep within the earth veins, containing the power of the earth, capable of both incinerating all things and nurturing life.
The four fire-element Clones each had their unique characteristics, yet they were interconnected. Crimson Flame focused on offense, Azure Fire on transformation, Blazing Flame on destruction, and Earth Fire on Foundation. When the four fires combined, their power was even greater, subtly forming a Burning Heaven Purgatory Great Formation. What was even more astonishing was that the flames of the four Clones actually intertwined in the Void Realm into a fire-element Dao pattern, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation. (End of Chapter)
