Chapter 953: Hong Lian’s Breakthrough!
by xennovel“Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation”
Hong Lian sensed an ominous force locking onto her, a sign that the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation was brewing.
Her expression remained calm, devoid of sorrow or joy, as her mind sank deep into her Qi Sea Dantian, focusing on the newly formed Nascent Soul Spirit Body.
Once a cultivator completes the step of breaking their core to form their Nascent Soul, they can use the time before the tribulation fully forms to transform their Core Formation magical energy into Nascent Soul magical energy through their Spirit Body.
Hong Lian was well-prepared for this step, proceeding with steady confidence, as if treading a familiar path.
“Crackle—”
Inside and outside Yangming Mountain, every cultivator gazed at the storm clouds gathering in the sky, feeling an overwhelming heavenly might and an invisible pressure bearing down on them.
Lu Changsheng led Lu Wangshu, Lu Qingshan, and Chu Qingyi away from Yangming Peak to avoid being affected by the tribulation’s aura or its aftershocks.
“So this is the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation?”
Standing on another mountain peak, Lu Qingshan stared at the ominous clouds brewing in the sky, filled with a suffocating sense of dread.
He deeply felt the vast gap between Core Formation and Nascent Soul.
No wonder his Master had always hesitated to attempt the breakthrough to Nascent Soul.
After breaking the core to form the Nascent Soul, one must still face two great trials: the Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation and the Heart Demon Tribulation.
A single misstep in this process could reduce a cultivator to ashes under the tribulation’s wrath, resulting in complete annihilation.
Time ticked by slowly.
Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, streaks of purple-green heavenly thunder formed within the churning tribulation clouds, roaring like enraged dragons with terrifying ferocity.
Inside the cave residence on Yangming Peak, Hong Lian sat cross-legged, sensing that the tribulation had finished brewing and was about to descend.
She raised a delicate hand, and the nearby Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor flew to her, draping over her graceful figure and adding a touch of valiant charm to her divine beauty.
Moments later, the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain above her head soared into the sky.
Aiming for a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul, she couldn’t afford to passively endure the tribulation.
“Boom! Boom! Boom—”
The tribulation seemed enraged by Hong Lian’s defiance. Thunder flared brilliantly, rumbling with fury as streaks of purple-green lightning tore through the heavens.
“The Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation has begun!”
Even through the obscuring veil of a grand array, the sight was hazy and unclear.
Yet the cultivators stationed outside Yangming Mountain noticed the tribulation’s descent at once.
Nascent Soul cultivators like True Lord Yuanqi could vaguely discern that the power of Hong Lian’s tribulation far surpassed their own.
“She’s truly aiming for a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.”
Inside Yangming Mountain, Bai Zhaozhao watched Hong Lian soar into the sky. A fiery Nascent Soul Spirit Body emerged from her crown, clutching a Vermillion Bird Seal and surrounded by nine peach blossoms, confirming her intent to achieve a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.
Bai Zhaozhao wasn’t surprised by Hong Lian’s attempt at a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.
Given Hong Lian’s combat prowess in the Immortal City of Damengze and her status as Yangming True Lord’s partner, aiming for a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul seemed only natural.
Moreover, Heavenly Dao Nascent Souls were graded into various tiers.
Passing the first two thunder tribulations and absorbing the Heavenly Dao’s essence could result in a low-grade Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.
While Bai Zhaozhao remained calm and composed, Ah Youduo, the Five Poisons Sect Master, was visibly shaken, her face full of awe as she witnessed Hong Lian’s attempt.
For someone like her, who had only achieved a Human Dao Nascent Soul, even an Earth Dao Nascent Soul was the ultimate dream, a distant aspiration.
A Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul existed only in idle chatter and ancient texts.
When Lu Changsheng had once dangled the promise of a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul before her, she had merely listened without taking it seriously.
Now, seeing Hong Lian—her Master’s publicly acknowledged partner—attempting this feat, Ah Youduo couldn’t help but feel a flicker of envy and anticipation.
In the future, under her Master’s nourishment of Dragon Emperor Essence, perhaps her own Nascent Soul Spirit Body could ascend to a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul!
“Father, will Senior Hong Lian be in danger like this?”
Lu Wangshu watched Hong Lian’s Nascent Soul leave her body, her expression tense with worry.
Earlier, she had asked her father about Hong Lian’s chances of successfully breaking through to Nascent Soul.
He had assured her it was almost guaranteed.
Yet now, under the terrifying might of the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation—where a mere wisp of its aura could obliterate her—Hong Lian not only faced the bombardment head-on but also released her Nascent Soul Spirit Body to absorb the Heavenly Dao’s essence. Lu Wangshu couldn’t help but feel nervous and concerned.
“A Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul defies the heavens themselves. How could it be simple or easy?” Lu Changsheng said softly.
Though he had endured nine layers of heavenly tribulation with his own Nascent Soul Spirit Body.
He knew firsthand how perilous the process was.
Without the Nine Treasures Dao Bone, even he wouldn’t have crossed the nine-layered tribulation so easily.
“But the first three thunder tribulations shouldn’t pose a real threat to Hong Lian.”
Lu Changsheng had great confidence in Hong Lian.
Not only did she possess a Spirit Embryo Body with a profound foundation, but she had also perfected her Nascent Soul secret technique with the aid of Thunderstruck Fusang Wood. She wielded his Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor, Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain, and a soul-bound treasure forged from Thunderstruck Fusang Wood, alongside several tribulation-transcending treasures and top-grade spirit pills.
In terms of external resources, she far surpassed what he had back then.
Lu Wangshu nodded lightly, though her face still betrayed her tension.
As expected, the roaring thunder exploded with force, yet it didn’t inflict significant harm on Hong Lian.
Her graceful figure stood unwavering, using the tribulation to temper her body, magical energy, and spirit-soul, while absorbing the Heavenly Dao’s essence.
When the second thunder strike descended, Hong Lian’s magical energy grew even stronger. She unleashed a Nascent Soul Divine Ability, a Vermillion Bird manifesting around her to cushion the thunder’s impact and draw in more Heavenly Dao essence.
“A Nascent Soul Divine Ability! This City Lord’s Wife must be a Nascent Soul True Lord reincarnated!”
From a distance, Bai Zhaozhao recognized the ability Hong Lian displayed as a Nascent Soul-level Divine Ability.
To wield such a skill right after breaking her core and forming her Nascent Soul—before even passing the tribulation—could only mean one thing: she was a reincarnated Nascent Soul True Lord!
As for mastering a Nascent Soul Divine Ability during the Core Formation stage, while possible, it couldn’t be executed with such natural proficiency.
Hong Lian’s composure during the tribulation gave Bai Zhaozhao the impression of someone seasoned and in complete control.
This was not the mindset of a mere Core Formation cultivator!
“Is she a reincarnated soul or recovering from severe injuries?”
Bai Zhaozhao murmured to herself, recalling the rumors and tales surrounding the couple of the Immortal City of Damengze.
She felt that Yangming True Lord, the Lord of Dameng City, and Hong Lian were all shrouded in a mysterious veil she couldn’t penetrate.
As the second thunder tribulation faded, Hong Lian’s magical energy showed signs of instability.
Yet she was thoroughly prepared for this Nascent Soul breakthrough.
Lu Changsheng had given her numerous rare pills and high-grade spirit items—gifts from a kind benefactor—to aid her recovery during the tribulation.
Without hesitation, Hong Lian consumed a fourth-rank pill.
She then retrieved a tribulation-transcending treasure to shield her Nascent Soul Spirit Body, protecting it from damage while absorbing the Heavenly Dao essence.
When aiming for a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul, the most common risk is damage to the Nascent Soul Spirit Body!
If it sustains harm, at best, the Dao Foundation is compromised, affecting subsequent tribulations; at worst, the tribulation fails, leading to death and annihilation!
This is why so many dare not attempt a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.
The third thunder tribulation struck, and with the aid of the tribulation-transcending treasure, Hong Lian passed through it successfully, though her pearl crown shattered, leaving her silky hair in disarray.
When the fourth thunder tribulation descended, the treasure protecting her Nascent Soul Spirit Body shattered, riddled with cracks.
Hong Lian immediately summoned a second tribulation-transcending treasure and tossed out a Nascent Soul Spirit Item to nourish her Spirit Body.
The fifth and sixth tribulations followed.
Each layer of the tribulation grew fiercer than the last.
To absorb the Heavenly Dao essence, by the sixth tribulation, all three of Hong Lian’s tribulation-transcending treasures were destroyed and rendered useless.
Even the Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor and Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain on her bore scorch marks and signs of wear.
Fortunately, with the soul-bound treasure forged from Thunderstruck Fusang Wood—the Thunderfire Vermillion Bird Seal—her Nascent Soul Spirit Body remained unscathed, even gaining further nourishment from the thunderfire essence.
“I’ve reached my limit.”
Hong Lian recalled her now much stronger Nascent Soul Spirit Body into her body, consumed several pills, and exhaled a long breath of turbid air.
Absorbing the Heavenly Dao essence from the sixth tribulation was the utmost she could handle, even with external aids.
If she greedily sought the essence from the seventh tribulation, her Nascent Soul Spirit Body would undoubtedly suffer damage, making the risk outweigh the reward.
When it came to the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, Hong Lian was exceedingly cautious, unwilling to take unnecessary chances, opting for a steady and safe approach.
“She’s finally recalled her Nascent Soul Spirit Body.”
Bai Zhaozhao watched Hong Lian’s tribulation process with bated breath, utterly astonished.
Attempting a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul requires the newly formed Nascent Soul Spirit Body to endure the tribulation and absorb the Heavenly Dao essence.
This process is incredibly dangerous.
Even among the top forces of the Central Domain, only the most elite prodigies and holy sons attempt a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul.
And those who successfully absorb the essence and form a Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul are on the level of sect leaders and masters of the Five Grand Mystic Gates, with potential to reach Late-Stage Nascent Soul.
A cultivator like Hong Lian, enduring six thunder tribulations to absorb the Heavenly Dao essence, would be a rare gem even in the Central Domain, capable of causing a massive stir.
After today, the name of Yangming True Lord’s partner, Li Muwan, would likely become known to countless Nascent Soul cultivators and factions.
Bai Zhaozhao never imagined that her impulsive visit to the Jiang Kingdom would reveal not only information about the White Snake Bloodline but also introduce her to an anomaly like Yangming True Lord.
She also witnessed a Nascent Soul cultivator endure six thunder tribulations to absorb the Heavenly Dao essence—an extraordinary feat.
“Great tribulations herald great eras. As a major tribulation looms, a golden age quietly emerges, with countless heroes rising to carve their legends.”
Bai Zhaozhao murmured to herself, recalling her sect’s teachings about great tribulations.
Whenever chaos erupts, a glorious era is sure to follow.
And whenever a golden age dawns, great turmoil is inevitable.
Over the years, she had encountered many Children of Fortune and heard of numerous secret realms and cave residences emerging from the chaos of the Great Void.
Yet in a remote place like the Jiang Kingdom, the appearance of Yangming True Lord and Li Muwan—a top-tier Nascent Soul—surpassed all her knowledge and expectations.
Lu Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Hong Lian recall her Nascent Soul Spirit Body.
Although Hong Lian’s Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation was somewhat weaker than his own.
He had endured all nine thunder tribulations and knew the power of each strike.
The seventh tribulation’s might far exceeded the sixth, even leaving a crack in his soul-bound treasure bone.
In her current state, even if Hong Lian passed the seventh, she would sustain damage, affecting her condition for the remaining trials.
“Boom!”
The seventh thunder tribulation descended like a world-ending calamity.
Hong Lian gripped the Thunderfire Vermillion Bird Seal, unleashing a Divine Ability. A massive Vermillion Bird soared around her, forming a boundless sea of fire as if she were a celestial goddess defying the tribulation.
Thunder roared wildly, arcs of electricity scattering everywhere, mingling with the flames to paint the world in flickering shades of red and dark.
Aside from Lu Changsheng, Bai Zhaozhao, Ah Youduo, and a few others, most cultivators couldn’t even look directly at the scene, let alone discern what was happening.
Moments later, the thunder faded. Hong Lian staggered but stood firm, supported by the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain, Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor, Thunderfire Vermillion Bird Seal, and the nine peach blossoms born from her Spirit Embryo. She had successfully endured the trial.
She quickly consumed several pills to stabilize herself, preparing for the eighth thunder tribulation.
Under the eighth tribulation, the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain sustained visible damage, marked by several gashes.
During the final tribulation, not only did the Five-Element Yuan Magnetic Mountain suffer, but Lu Changsheng’s Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor also bore several charred cracks, clearly damaged.
This spirit armor had already shown minor wear from Yun Wanshang’s tribulation years ago.
Later, during Lu Changsheng’s own Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation and numerous battles, it accumulated further small damages.
Now, under Hong Lian’s tribulation, the wear had become significant, requiring repairs.
Lu Changsheng felt no particular distress over this.
He believed the spirit armor had already fulfilled its purpose admirably.
“She did it!”
Lu Wangshu erupted with joy and excitement as she saw Hong Lian successfully pass the Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation, waving her arms in delight.
Though her relationship with Hong Lian wasn’t particularly close, seeing her triumph filled Lu Wangshu with pride and happiness.
Their family would soon have a second Nascent Soul True Lord!
“Only the Heart Demon Tribulation remains. With Master’s methods, there shouldn’t be any issues.”
At the Mountain Gate, Lu Lingxiao, who was operating the grand array, gazed intently as the tribulation clouds in the sky dispersed. A vortex resembling an endless abyss began to form, signaling that his Master had passed the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation.
Given his Master’s methods and reincarnated identity, passing the Heart Demon Tribulation was almost a certainty!
Though the grand array obscured much of the view for the cultivators outside Yangming Mountain, making the scene unclear.
Some with profound cultivation, like True Lord Yuanqi, could vaguely perceive that Hong Lian had released her Nascent Soul Spirit Body to endure the tribulation and absorb the Heavenly Dao essence.
Their hearts churned with shock and disbelief.
They hadn’t expected the City Lord’s Wife to truly attempt the legendary Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul—and succeed.
Once this news spread, the City Lord’s Wife’s name would likely echo alongside Yangming True Lord, becoming renowned across the Northern Region and known to major factions in no time.
After passing the Heaven’s Thunder Tribulation, Hong Lian immediately consumed pills. Her Nascent Soul Spirit Body, holding her soul-bound treasure, activated her cultivation technique, harnessing the newborn energy born from the heavenly laws to adjust her state.
The Heart Demon Tribulation is closely tied to a cultivator’s physical and mental condition.
If one’s state is poor, it can affect their spirit and willpower.
Even though Hong Lian had faced the Heart Demon Tribulation before and possessed experience, she still approached the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation with reverence.
Moments later, the tribulation clouds in the sky fully dispersed. The Heart Demon Tribulation clouds surged into view, accompanied by an eerie, otherworldly demonic chant that enveloped Hong Lian’s surroundings.
Lu Changsheng’s expression grew more serious as he witnessed this scene.
The Heart Demon Tribulation is unpredictable and cannot be judged by common logic.
Even for a reincarnated Nascent Soul like Hong Lian, there remained a certain risk.
Yet.
In just a single day, the dark and ominous Heart Demon Tribulation clouds dispersed like a receding tide.
A radiant display of auspicious colored clouds bloomed, forming invisible waves of Dao resonance and profound heavenly melodies.
“How did the Heart Demon Tribulation dissipate so quickly?”
“Does this mean… she’s successfully formed her Nascent Soul?”
“So fast? Doesn’t the Heart Demon Tribulation usually take about seven days?”
Not only the cultivators watching from outside Yangming Mountain were stunned.
Even Lu Changsheng, Bai Zhaozhao, and Ah Youduo were taken aback by the speed of Hong Lian’s tribulation.
The Heart Demon Tribulation is mysterious and unpredictable.
For most cultivators, the process takes seven days.
If it exceeds seven days and reaches ten, the risk becomes significant.
Passing it in three to five days marks someone with resolute will and a firm Dao heart.
But to overcome the Heart Demon Tribulation in just one day could only be described as… monstrous.
Still, considering Hong Lian’s past as a top-tier Nascent Soul cultivator, Lu Changsheng felt a sense of relief. A smile tugged at his lips as he flew toward the cave residence on Yangming Peak to congratulate her.
There on Yangming Peak, Hong Lian stood clad in the Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor. Her peach blossom crown had shattered under the thunder tribulation, leaving her lustrous hair cascading freely.
“Hong Lian, congratulations on breaking through to Nascent Soul.”
Though her hair was disheveled and her armor bore several cracks and scorch marks, it did nothing to diminish her peerless beauty, poise, or aura.
In Lu Changsheng’s eyes, Hong Lian’s current appearance—compared to her usual elegant and regal demeanor—carried an added touch of heroic grace.
IMPORTANT
TLDR:
The Author is pausing the novel to recover from serious health issues. Despite strong support, continuing would hurt both health and the quality of the book.
Future Chapters are on hold and will resume after recovery; the plan is still to finish with a good ending.
Author’s Words:
Pause updates to rest for a while
This novel was uploaded on February 2, 2023, and before I knew it, it had passed five million words.
Its performance has risen from 1,200 first-day subscriptions to an average of 14,000 now.
At this word count, achieving these numbers is rare.
I’m very grateful for everyone’s subscriptions and support.
But I must apologize.
I started this book on a whim for fun, without preparing for long-term writing.
After more than two years of updating, my already poor health has worsened with late nights and overthinking—anxious, sleepless—until I’ve become a regular at the hospital.
Now multiple health indicators are abnormal; TCM(Traditional Chinese Medicine) even says all five organs are deficient—almost beyond saving. I’m dizzy, blurry-eyed, ears ringing, exhausted in body and mind every day.
Even though I kept telling myself, “Finish this and you can rest,” my body simply can’t hold on.
Every day I sit at the computer, stare at the author-assistant app, type nothing, and watch clumps of hair fall onto the keyboard, desk, and chair—deeply anxious.
So I’ve decided to pause updates for a while to recuperate and nurse my health.
I’ve thought about this decision for a long time.
Despite its flaws, the book’s performance is very stable, with plenty of plot left; writing a few million more words would be easy.
Even if growth has peaked, updating 4,000 words a day would still mean a steady income in the tens of thousands.
But once I stop, the numbers will inevitably cliff-dive.
I’ve poured a lot into this book and still hope to finish it properly with a good ending.
In my current state, not only can my body not keep up, the content will surely get worse, leading to an irretrievable collapse.
As the saying goes: if you save the land but lose the people, you lose both; if you save the people but lose the land, you keep both.
To stay alive to finish this book, I’m pausing updates starting today. I’ll return when my health improves, I can sleep 7–8 hours steadily, I’m no longer in a fog, and the hair loss calms down.
Please rest assured: no one wants more than I do to write this book well and see it through to the end.