Mo Qing's Divine Sense was firmly locked on Li Yan. Whatever method this dark-skinned boy was using, his current combat power had already far surpassed the Golden Core realm. Although it was only the combat power of the weakest Nascent Soul, a Nascent Soul was still a Nascent Soul. Killing a Golden Core cultivator was a piece of cake, which meant that at this moment, killing a Golden Core cultivator was as simple as eating and drinking for Li Yan.
"This is a blessing for our sect!"
Almost at the same moment, the same thought arose in the minds of both Mo Qing and the delicate-featured youth in the herb garden! However, the delicate-featured youth in the herb garden added a sentence of lament!
"Another fierce general! Even with a secret technique, a Golden Core below the third rank simply cannot erupt with such combat power. Could he be a 'Numinous Treasure Heavenly Lotus'?"
The delicate-featured youth thought to himself. He knew that Li Yan had a Miscellaneous Spirit Root, and at most, he could form a third-rank Golden Core with great fortune. He didn't even dare to think of a "Divine Empyrean Saintly Lotus." Even he himself was only a "Pure Brightness Treasure Lotus." Although he guessed that Li Yan had a great opportunity, he didn't dare to think of a Golden Core above the fourth rank.
At this moment, Li Yan was consuming "Rongsun" as if it were free. Drop after drop fell into his abdomen. In just a dozen breaths, he had consumed thirty percent of the "Rongsun" he had painstakingly nurtured.
With every strike, Li Yan no longer held back any magical power, attacking crazily. And now, just as Mo Qing and the others had guessed, although the "Rongsun" was temporarily sufficient, Li Yan had already pushed "The Five Elements Return to Primordial Genesis" to its limit. This technique's effect was astonishing, but it also brought self-damage to the physical body. And in order to cope with the constantly changing five elements of the Heavenly Sword tribulation, Li Yan was also switching at any time, which prevented Wei Zhongran and the others from seeing the characteristics of "The Five Elements Return to Primordial Genesis."
However, Li Yan already knew that he probably couldn't hold on for more than five breaths. Otherwise, before the Heavenly Tribulation destroyed him, his own physical body would collapse first, followed by the cracking of his Golden Core and death…
Just as the fourth breath passed, Li Yan's eyes were bloodshot, the blood filling his pupils. The moment the long sword slashed towards his neck, his body made a small, extremely fast movement. But this time, he actually failed to dodge and was directly cut into his Jianjing acupoint by the long sword.
Pfft!
The long sword cut in.
In the sky, Wei Zhongran's expression suddenly changed drastically. In Li Yan's current state, he absolutely could not be hit head-on by the long sword again. His body instantly shot out.
"Don't!"
Mo Qing was greatly alarmed. They could act as protectors for Li Yan, but they could not help him pass the tribulation. Doing so would only make Li Yan's tribulation fiercer and get themselves involved, with no other result. But he failed to grab Wei Zhongran, only catching empty air in a flash of afterimages.
At the same time, the delicate-featured youth in the herb garden's expression also changed, and he vanished from his spot in an instant.
"This boy's combat power is not bad. He is a great asset to the sect and cannot die!"
And just as Wei Zhongran and the delicate-featured youth's figures vanished, a brilliant light shone in the eyes of Li Yan, who had been cut into the Jianjing acupoint by the long sword. He let out a loud shout.
One hand, swift as lightning, slammed down and clasped the hilt of the sword with a peng.
The golden long sword, which was continuing to cut down, paused, firmly stuck in Li Yan's shoulder. This strike was the Heavenly Sword transformed into the most powerful of the five elements, the metal element, yet it was forcibly stopped by Li Yan.
At the same time, as if he didn't know what pain was, Li Yan quickly raised his other hand, formed a fist with his five fingers, the knuckle of his index finger protruding like a phoenix's eye, and struck out fiercely.
"Break for me!"
Following his loud shout, he heavily smashed his fist into the side of the golden long sword.
With a crisp hua la sound, the golden long sword stuck in Li Yan's shoulder, with the point of impact from the Phoenix Eye Fist as the center, instantly shattered outwards, turning into a sky full of golden light in an instant.
And outside the tribulation, the giant palm transformed by Wei Zhongran also disappeared inch by inch. He looked at Li Yan, who had fallen onto the mountain peak, with lingering fear in his heart, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
It was so close, a distance of less than an inch. If he hadn't been able to retract it freely, he would have almost touched the Heavenly Tribulation just now.
As the golden long sword on Li Yan's shoulder disintegrated, the vortex of the heavy, ink-black clouds in the sky, which had been slowly rotating, suddenly accelerated its rotation. However, the surrounding clouds rapidly shrank towards the center. In the blink of an eye, it shrank into a point of light, the speed so fast that it was impossible to react. Large patches of blue sky were continuously revealed in the surrounding sky, and bright sunlight shot down like a burst of golden light.
That point of light flashed and flew towards the distant horizon. The surrounding strong winds also became gentle in an instant. Apart from the mess on the ground, it was as if nothing had ever happened…
Li Yan sat slumped on the mountain peak. The golden light transformed from the golden long sword around him did not dissipate, but fell to the ground like a golden meteor shower. In an instant, the area around Li Yan became a dreamlike golden world.
As these golden points of light fell, they seemed to be attracted to Li Yan's body, continuously surging towards his skin, one after another!
The moment the first golden points of light touched Li Yan, his body, which had just fallen, trembled, and his consciousness immediately became unclear. The golden points of light outside his body continued to enter his body. In an instant, Li Yan entered a wondrous state, completely unaware of where he was…
These golden points of light were precisely the "Tribulation Essence Qi," the greatest reward bestowed upon a cultivator after a tribulation. Not only could it greatly increase a cultivator's cultivation, but it could also be used to quickly repair the body, even for severe injuries sustained during the tribulation. This was the most crucial part of Golden Core and Nascent Soul formation, and also the greatest blessing.
And in a place that others couldn't see, the delicate-featured youth nodded in satisfaction, his heart also relaxing.
"Finally, a scare without any danger. This boy actually used a self-harming method to take on the final Heavenly Tribulation, shattering the tribulation with one strike!"
And just as he was about to turn and leave, his expression suddenly changed, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. He then turned his head to look in one direction.
"Hmm? That little girl's aura fluctuated greatly just now. She has sensed the essence of the Heavenly Tribulation, the 'Tribulation Essence Qi.' This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, but…"
A look of hesitation quickly appeared on the delicate-featured youth's face. But looking at the rapidly disappearing golden points of light below, he made a decision in just a few breaths.
He made a casual grabbing motion in the air. Even under the watch of Wei Zhongran and Mo Qing, no one noticed that a single golden point of light near Li Yan quietly vanished, appearing in the delicate-featured youth's hand the next moment. He looked at the traces of the power of the Heavenly Dao revealed within the golden point of light in his hand. After a brief moment of thought, he made another grabbing motion, and another golden point of light from above Li Yan's head quietly vanished.
The delicate-featured youth pinched the two golden points of light and waved his hand again towards Li Yan below. Unnoticed by everyone, a pale red jade slip appeared at Li Yan's waist. The jade slip was almost one with the blood-stained Li Yan and was not particularly conspicuous. If one hadn't carefully looked at the items on Li Yan's body, they would not have noticed it.
"Boy, to be on the safe side, I took one more particle of your 'Tribulation Essence Qi'! Two particles of 'Tribulation Essence Qi' will have an effect on you, but it won't affect the foundation of your Nascent Soul. At most, your injury recovery speed will be a little slower, but the compensation I've given you should be enough."
In a secret chamber on Never-Parting Peak, a woman of peerless beauty sat cross-legged, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
In her state of samadhi, a sliver of enlightenment had just arisen in her heart. But just as she was about to grasp it, she felt it was extremely ethereal and unattainable. Although the beautiful woman was still in a deep state of samadhi, she subconsciously became anxious. In the unseen world, she realized she was about to miss the most important moment of her life…
This woman was none other than Li Yuyin, who had been in seclusion for several decades. She had been cultivating diligently, deaf to the outside world, single-mindedly wanting to break through the shackles of her realm.
Just as the feeling in Li Yuyin's heart was fading, the eyelids on her beautiful eyes trembled incessantly. An ethereal figure suddenly appeared in this secret chamber, as if the layers of restrictions outside didn't exist for him at all.
The ethereal figure floated in the air. It was the delicate-featured youth. He looked down at Li Yuyin. After a sweep of his Divine Sense, a look of joy appeared on his face.
"Consider yourself lucky to have encountered this opportunity. Otherwise, I would have no way to help you!"
He first took out a purple jade slip of a very special color, gently touched it to his forehead, and then, with a casual gesture, sent this purple jade slip into the storage ring on Li Yuyin's finger. The Divine Sense imprint Li Yuyin had placed on the storage ring didn't react at all.
"I hope you can also succeed in your Nascent Soul Formation. However, the matter of karma must be borne by you yourself. No matter the result, as long as you have not perished, you must repay this karma in the future!"
The delicate-featured youth whispered, then flicked his finger, sending the two golden points of light into Li Yuyin's brow. The moment the two golden points of light entered Li Yuyin's brow, her full and curvaceous body trembled violently, and her entire expression immediately became dazed…
Wei Zhongran looked at Li Yan, bathed in golden light in a pit below, his heart filled with joy and surprise. At his side, Mo Qing's face darkened.
"Junior Brother, your actions just now were reckless. If you had been a fraction of a moment faster, the result would not be what it is now!"
"Hehehe… Senior Brother is right. I did lose my composure. I hope Senior Brother can forgive me. It won't happen again!" Wei Zhongran, however, smiled warmly and bowed to Mo Qing.
"You… you still have a dearer wife and daughter who will need to form their Nascent Souls in the future. With such a temperament, you will only ruin important matters. You must remember this!"
Seeing Wei Zhongran's solemn bow, Mo Qing couldn't criticize him further. He could only point his finger and say helplessly.
As the two were talking, Wei Zhongran's brow furrowed. He sensed that many disciples were slowly approaching the back mountain of Little Bamboo Peak. He immediately opened his mouth, and a voice like rolling thunder spread in all directions.
"All of you who have observed have finished. Return to your meditations immediately. Do not approach within a hundred li of this place. Violators will be executed!"
When he spoke the last word, a soaring pressure rose from above the entire Malevolent Spirit Sect, covering all four directions. The entire sect fell silent for a time. Some of an disciples who had wanted to fly over and inquire immediately stopped in the air, their breathing ragged. Baili Yuan sighed.
"Forget it, let's go back. Our actions were indeed improper. Li Yan not only needs to heal his wounds right now, but it's also a crucial moment for his enlightenment!"
Wang Tian and the others also stopped. The moment the Heavenly Tribulation dissipated, they had been eager to confirm the result. This was the first of their generation to form a Nascent Soul. For a moment, they had really forgotten some of the taboos. All of this had happened in a matter of a few breaths.
"Yes, let's go back!" Zuo Shengyan pulled on Wang Tian's sleeve. Looking at her husband's complicated expression, she knew that her usually proud husband had lost his composure this time.
And on the other side, Zhao Min, who had just flown out, also stopped. Wei Zhongran's voice sounded alone in her mind.
"He has succeeded in his tribulation, but he cannot be disturbed at this moment. With your Martial Uncle Mo and me here, you don't have to worry. Let him comprehend what he has gained from the Heavenly Tribulation. You should know what's important!"
Zhao Min's originally fluctuating emotions immediately calmed down.
"What, did your dad send you a voice transmission? Told you not to go over. Are you happy now? A Nascent Soul cultivator's Dao Companion…" Li Changting also stopped at Zhao Min's side, followed by an excited Miao Wangqing.