Half an hour passed quickly, and Tian Yao'er returned to Gu An with the other two women, Tianqing and Tianbai.
"Master, how should I undergo my tribulation? I don't feel anything at all!" Tian Yao'er asked hesitantly, unable to meet Gu An's gaze.
Her master had brought her here to achieve a breakthrough, yet she couldn't even sense the opportunity for it. How embarrassing!
The only reason she hadn't mentioned this earlier was because she wanted to take the chance to see the world outside after nearly a millennium of confinement.
Gu An smiled and said, "It's fine. Just stand somewhere for now."
Hearing this, Tian Yao'er immediately brightened up. She quickly thanked him and hurried toward an open space ahead.
Tianqing and Tianbai stood quietly behind Gu An, not daring to disturb him. They whispered to each other, speculating about how Tian Yao'er's breakthrough would unfold.
Soon, Tian Yao'er picked a spot, standing there nervously yet with anticipation as she glanced back at Gu An.
Gu An waved his sleeve, and a gentle breeze swept over Tian Yao'er, causing her robes to flutter and outlining her perfect figure.
The spiritual energy in the surrounding heavens and earth suddenly surged, rushing toward Tian Yao'er as if to envelop her completely.
At that moment, Tian Yao'er felt as if she were suffocating, but the sensation passed in an instant. Next, the demonic power within her began pouring into her demon core.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning suddenly tore through the sky, its deafening roar shattering the silence of the heavens and earth. Startled, Tianqing and Tianbai instinctively looked up.
The lingering image of the lightning bolt remained in the air, and thunderclouds began to gather around it. These tribulation clouds were darker and heavier than the surrounding demonic clouds, oppressive to the extreme.
Tian Yao'er raised her head and looked at the sky, fear flickering in her eyes.
This tribulation was clearly different from the ones she had faced before. However, as her gaze fell upon Gu An, standing calmly in the distance, her heart instantly settled.
The tribulation was about to begin! She had to succeed in reaching the Nirvana Realm—she couldn't let her master down!
Steeling her resolve, she looked back at the heavens, her eyes now devoid of fear, filled instead with fiery determination.
She recalled the time when the Heavenly Phoenix Demon Mother, at the Body Fusion Realm, was the most terrifying existence in her eyes. Yet now, she had already far surpassed that level and continued to pursue greater heights.
All of this was thanks to her master. Over the course of nearly a thousand years, her master had never mistreated her. All she needed to do was tend to the herbs, and even those herbs were personally gathered by her master.
She had always wanted to repay Gu An, but her strength had never been sufficient.
Once she achieved the Nirvana Realm, perhaps she would finally be qualified to assist her master in his endeavors.
Far across the endless ocean, turbulent waves battered a lone mountain. At the mountain's peak stood a figure clad in black—Li Ya.
Li Ya gazed up at the sky. Though he couldn't see beyond the heavens, he could feel an overwhelming pressure descending from above. Even he felt suffocated by it.
"I wonder when I'll finally achieve the Nirvana Realm. Without entering the immortal path, I'll remain nothing more than an ant," Li Ya murmured to himself, his sword-like brows furrowing deeply.
Recently, he had heard the name An Hao again. An Hao had already stepped into the Nirvana Realm and even defeated a Loose Immortal, becoming a renowned prodigy across the world.
Meanwhile, Li Ya, who had always pursued An Hao, was still stuck at the Mahayana Realm, far from the Nirvana Realm.
The gap between them felt insurmountable. No matter how hard Li Ya pushed himself, he could never seem to catch up to An Hao. This feeling of inadequacy weighed heavily on him.
His thoughts drifted to Zhang Buku. With Zhang Buku's talent, if he were still in Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven, wouldn't he also have achieved fame by now?
Lost in his thoughts, Li Ya's gaze grew unfocused.
The Divine Spirit, standing on his shoulder, chuckled softly and said, "You're still so young. What's there to worry about?"
Having spent so much time together, a bond had naturally formed between them. The Divine Spirit had even communicated with Gu An through their shared connection, revealing Li Ya's deep yearning.
Though Gu An did not respond, the Divine Spirit chose to remain silent. After all, its true master was Gu An; Li Ya was merely a younger generation it had been assigned to guide.
Li Ya took a deep breath and asked, "Are you certain? Can Mysterious Divine City really transform the Heavenly Demon into Spirit Ghosts?"
The power of Mysterious Divine City was far too mysterious, and because of this, he hesitated to kill too many people. But if it was killing Heavenly Demon, he would feel no guilt whatsoever.
Hearing this, the Divine Spirit quickly nodded. "Of course! If you transform them all into Spirit Ghosts, you'll be saving countless lives instead."
Li Ya's lips curled into a faint smile. "If that's the case, then I have no reason not to go. You're right—I'm still young. Falling behind for a moment means nothing. A thousand years, ten thousand years from now, who can say who will stand at the peak?"
With that, he leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of sword light, speeding off toward the horizon.
The Divine Spirit perched on Li Ya's shoulder, gazing at his profile. For a moment, it felt that there was something unique about this young man.
His innate talent didn't seem especially extraordinary, but there was a kind of forceful determination within him—something that made him seem destined for greatness.
Perhaps, ten thousand years from now, this young man really could become someone whose name would shake the heavens.
The Divine Spirit pondered for a moment, then thought of its true master.
Ten thousand years from now, where would its master be?
No! By then, I must follow my master, no matter what! I can't let him give me away to this kid!
The Divine Spirit shuddered at the thought, shaking its head vigorously. It turned its attention back to the horizon, its tiny fists clenched with determination. Yet, despite its resolve, its comical demeanor made it seem somewhat foolish.
Across the boundless expanse of the cosmos, fierce winds roared, a phenomenon caused by the turbulent spiritual energy surging through the universe.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor returned to stand atop the shoulder of the Xuanhuang Demon God, mirroring the Divine Spirit's position on Li Ya's.
He gazed at the seven Free Immortals standing before him and laughed coldly. "You've had your fun. Are you ready to meet your end now?"
Hearing this, the Sun Immortal Emperor and the others immediately prepared themselves, their expressions tense. They dared not let their guard down.
By this point in the battle, any hope of victory seemed to have vanished. Yet they could not retreat. They had to hold their ground, even if only for a moment longer.
"Your Majesty, where are you…" the Sacred Minister thought bitterly, his expression filled with reluctance.
It wasn't just the people of the Sacred Court who were thinking of Divine Sovereign. Even the Sun Immortal Emperor found himself yearning for Divine Sovereign's presence.
As much as he hated to admit it, if there was anyone capable of fending off this overwhelming enemy, it was Divine Sovereign. Divine Sovereign had always been the most reliable.
His thoughts shifted briefly to Gu An, but he quickly dismissed them. He knew that Gu An would not intervene unless the enemy reached his doorstep. From his perspective, Gu An was an outsider, a mighty being from beyond this world, with no obligation to protect Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven.
At that moment, the aura of the Xuanhuang Demon God began to shift. He opened his mouth, and an intense, scorching breath surged forth. The black fog that enveloped him dispersed, slowly revealing his true form.
The Xuanhuang Demon God's upper body was bare, resembling a human figure, but his chest bore a massive, tooth-filled mouth. The darkness within that mouth was like a gateway to an endless abyss, sending chills down the spines of those who beheld it. His face was grotesque, with pitch-black eyes that faintly revealed crimson pupils. His charred skin seemed to crack under the strain of his immense power, and his long, flowing hair danced wildly in the air. Upon closer inspection, each strand of hair resembled a serpent or dragon, its ends bearing the heads of black jiao, spewing dark flames.
A skeletal dragon coiled around his waist like a belt. His legs, resembling massive pillars, seemed unshakeable, with dense demonic energy shrouding them from the knees down, concealing his feet entirely.
As the Xuanhuang Demon God opened his mouth wider, the oppressive aura radiating from him doubled, sending waves of pressure toward the seven Free Immortals.
"Everyone, give it your all!" Sacred Ancestor said gravely, his tone heavy with resolve. The other Free Immortals could also feel the terrifying power the Xuanhuang Demon God was gathering.
The Xuanhuang Demon God's focus was locked on Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven. If they dodged or faltered, the countless beings of Heavenly Spirit Great Heaven would face annihilation.