Chapter 429: Divine Trials in Daocheng

Eunuch Lian never imagined that this trip to Daocheng to deliver the Emperor’s edict would mark his final journey in the mortal realm.

He now faced an entity emerging from the gates of Underworld Shandu that was even more terrifying than the Underworld Yama himself.

He felt certain he would not live much longer.

Divine Calamity!

There was no doubt—this being was far beyond any mere calamity!

Eunuch Lian fell to his knees as a horrifying pressure crashed over him like relentless tidal waves, battering him so fiercely he nearly lost consciousness.

Such dreadful might—if even the Ancestral Patriarch of the Dragon and Tiger Divine Sect or a Divine Calamity practitioner like Zhao Beidou were to face this pressure, they would surely falter.

Kneeling in collapse, Lian’s eyes widened in terror as sweat streamed down his back; the moment it appeared, the intense heat inside the camp evaporated it instantly.

Every inch of his body trembled with fear!

The Underworld… its profound depths far exceeded everyone’s expectations!

Even beings like Xie Yunshen and Huang Mei Great Master turned out to be hidden members of the Underworld. Just how many more lurked within its ranks?

How many concealed fiends bear the mark of Underworld brutality?

It was beyond imagining!

Though Eunuch Lian was no weakling, at that moment he couldn’t even muster the courage to resist.

He remained kneeling on the ground—

Abandoned and desolate.

“Your Majesty, your humble servant can serve you no longer.”

Snowflakes whirled down from the sky in a mesmerizing dance.

At the Qianyuan Divine Sect,

inside the study,

Li Che’s form reappeared. Above his head, purple flames burned fiercely; beneath the fire, a golden skull glowed as if revealing the very essence of bones.

His outstretched fingers pressed against the burning purple flame atop his skull; with a swift tug, the fire flared then receded, restoring flesh and revealing sleek, dark hair that fluttered like aquatic vegetation in the breeze.

With a snap of his fingers,

a black chess piece emerged, twisting and expanding at incredible speed until it transformed into the obedient, fervent, and respectful form of Eunuch Lian.

In the past, Lian had shown such unwavering reverence, fervor, and deference only to the Emperor.

Now, he displayed the same servility toward Li Che.

In Lian’s eyes now—

his lord was his Emperor!

Our household… has a new Emperor!

Observing that Eunuch Lian was even more respectful than other Spiritual Confinement practitioners, Li Che had originally feared that if the loyal eunuch ever refused to submit, it would be tantamount to executing him.

After all, a eunuch tasked with delivering the Emperor’s edict held a status akin to an Imperial Envoy—if such an envoy perished, the consequences could be dire.

However, these concerns were now rendered moot.

“Very well—you may return. Maintain your cover and continue your duties,”

Li Che said coolly, “When I call upon you again, I expect your dagger to pierce the Emperor’s heart with perfect precision.”

Eunuch Lian’s eyes glittered as he replied,

“Your humble servant will do everything in her power to ensure you are not disappointed!”

With that, a mere gesture from Li Che caused Lian’s figure to dissipate into a stream of light, vanishing as he rejoined the ranks of the Imperial Army’s Spiritual Confinement contingent.

After all was done, Li Che sat back in his chair, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and savored it quietly.

Inside the Mud Pellet at his brow, internal visions started to tremble, and an image slowly materialized.

A fragment of his mind kept vigil over XiXi’s training, so the screen displayed her current state.

After leaving Guangling Path with her companions and cursing the unjust hardships they endured there by shouting about the ever-changing fortunes of life, they headed north.

Perhaps scarred by the vile and sinful experiences on Guangling Path, XiXi and her group decided to first complete the task Li Che had assigned.

They were to escort the mechanism safely to the True Martial Divine Sect’s remote passage.

Yet XiXi might have underestimated how sensitive her status as the Young Sect Leader of the Qianyuan Divine Sect was.

While on the road, XiXi and her companions were ambushed.

The normally unflappable XiXi was thoroughly caught off guard—what a surprise!

“Hey, what’s all this commotion?”

XiXi’s eyes lit up. She felt no anger toward the Lie Shen Pavilion Assassins who came to kill her; if anything, she was almost grateful.

She appreciated that, on this boring journey, they had added a spark of excitement.

Without a shred of hesitation, XiXi mercilessly slaughtered the assassins.

But the road was rife with killers—not only from Lie Shen Pavilion but also from various prominent families, sects, and even other assassins.

Most notably, there were agents of the Corpse God Sect!

When XiXi encountered the Corpse God Sect’s ambush, she recognized them instantly; she knew them all too well.

After all, even the Lingying Sect was intertwined with the Corpse God Sect—she had grown up in the very shadow of the latter.

Thus, XiXi harbored no favorable feelings toward the Corpse God Sect at all.

She struck with even greater brutality, reducing the cultists to nothing more than a smear of meat.

“Big Sister, come help me!”

After shouldering her Xiangong Gatling and blasting several of the Corpse God Sect’s Cursed Silver Corpses to pieces, XiXi finally let out a long, weary sigh.

A tinge of melancholy stirred within her.

Her elder sister ignored her, offering no comfort or acknowledgement of XiXi’s longing and hopes.

XiXi had been counting on borrowing some of her sister’s hidden strength to bulk up and improve herself.

Yet, despite calling out time and again, her elder sister remained unresponsive.

Feeling utterly dejected,

XiXi couldn’t understand why her big sister wouldn’t heed her pleas.

However, she recalled twice when the elder sister’s power had rescued her.

The first time was in Divine Capital when she battled Zhang Yuanlong over the nascent dragon’s skull.

In that fight, facing Zhang Yuanlong who had offered his entire body to the Temple Spirit, XiXi was forced to her absolute limit—so much so that her big sister even asked if she wished to finish him off.

Without hesitation, XiXi chose to kill him.

It was the first time she had ever borrowed her elder sister’s power.

Strangely, instead of feeling repulsed, she actually felt a strange comfort—as if that power was inherently meant to make her stronger.

The second time came when she faced off directly against Martial Saint Gu Chuan.

“Ouch!”

“XiXi, the Great Emperor, has attained enlightenment!”

XiXi smacked her palm with a fist as a sharp clap echoed.

Yun’e, riding in the carriage, glanced at XiXi with a puzzled look, wondering what she was muttering to herself.

“What exactly did the Great XiXi enlighten yourself about?” Yun’e asked, caressing the little rabbit in her arms, smiling.

XiXi merely smiled in response and said nothing more.

She believed that only by facing true danger would her elder sister eventually lend her strength.

That borrowed power would, in time, help her grow stronger.

So, the Great XiXi was determined to confront the crisis head-on!

She kept this to herself, knowing that Yun’e and the others wished only for her safe completion of her training.

But XiXi felt that since she had embarked on her journey, she must confront danger directly.

Besides, with the Flying Thunder Chess Piece given by her Father in hand, she felt emboldened to be a bit more daring!

Thus, it was time to face one of the divine relic sets—the Undying Yulian Hun Tian Ling, which was rumored to have fallen into the hands of the Corpse God Sect’s headquarters.

Perhaps XiXi could try to stealthily reclaim it?

That divine weapon…

It was meant for XiXi.

Yes, it had to be recovered.

XiXi’s connection with her divine weapon was growing ever stronger—especially after borrowing her elder sister’s power, her pace in refining the relic accelerated noticeably.

She could sense the divine weapons’ burning desire to reunite.

Rising to her feet, XiXi leaned against the carriage window as it jostled along.

“Sister Yun’e—we’ve been on the road for over a month now, haven’t we?”

Gazing out at the swiftly changing scenery,

her mood suddenly darkened.

“It’s been so long…”

“I’m starting to miss my parents…”

Looking at the passing landscape, it seemed to transform into the gentle, doting faces of her parents.

Tears blurred XiXi’s vision, as if a veil of mist had draped over her eyes.

At her words,

Yun’e’s eyes softened instantly.

Even though the little girl could now take down Martial Saints, she was, after all, only seven years old.

“Sob.”

Li Che looked at a tearful, blurred XiXi and sighed quietly.

For XiXi, these trials were indeed transformative. No longer blindly arrogant when facing danger, she now sought ways to resolve crises.

Be it decimating Martial Saint Gu Chuan with a mushroom trap formation or handling the myriad assassination attempts by Lie Shen Pavilion killers, XiXi met every challenge head-on.

This was the essence of growth.

For school-age XiXi, it was all about learning—gaining experience, mastering crisis management, and more.

These were the very lessons she was meant to receive.

Li Che wasn’t sure what the next stage of XiXi’s growth would hold,

but any learning during this period was worthwhile.

How could a young eagle spread its wings if it were forever sheltered under parental protection, never allowed to step into the vast world?

Let XiXi grow freely; Father will also strengthen himself to protect her.

Father would always watch over her as she grew and flourished.

Li Che’s eyes softened with tenderness.

He stood up, thinking that since XiXi missed her parents, it was time to take his wife to see her.

Stepping out into the courtyard, he saw Zhang Ya resting between training sessions, seated under a roof blanketed by thick, heavy snow, cradling a cup of hot tea as she stared off into space.

“My Lord,” Goldmane said respectfully.

For Li Che, Goldmane’s deference was genuine—after all, with Martial Saint Fourfold and the Divine Eagle Hand, his prowess and intellect far surpassed that of an ordinary man.

Li Che nodded to Goldmane before turning his gaze to Zhang Ya.

“Wife, what are you doing?”

Li Che sat beside her and gently draped an arm over her shoulder.

Zhang Ya smiled and, squinting happily, leaned into his embrace.

“I’m thinking about XiXi. I’m worried she might not be eating well—she’s such a foodie, and it would be a shame if she starved.

I also worry whether she’s dressed warmly enough in this icy cold weather—what if she ends up freezing?”

Perhaps prompted by Li Che’s arrival, Zhang Ya suddenly couldn’t stop talking.

“Husband, I miss XiXi so much.”

With red-rimmed eyes, Zhang Ya nestled against Li Che.

Li Che ruffled his wife’s hair and said, “Then let’s go see her.”

At his words, Zhang Ya immediately perked up; her long, graceful legs tensed and she sprang up with joy.

“Really?”

Zhang Ya had unwavering faith in Li Che’s abilities—if he said he’d take her to see XiXi, then she was sure she would.

Li Che led Zhang Ya into the study and had her sit down in a chair.

Then he snapped his fingers sharply.

Inside his chest, the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit began to beat strongly.

Soon, swirling, multicolored mists intertwined around Zhang Ya until she drifted into a deep sleep.

Elsewhere,

inside the carriage, a heartbroken XiXi sobbed for a long time until exhaustion claimed her in sleep.

In her dreams, XiXi found herself reunited with her long-missed parents!

Her mother, upon seeing her, rushed over in tears, and XiXi couldn’t help but cry too, feeling her little heart tremble incessantly.

“Mother!”

XiXi let out a startled cry, flung her little legs wide, and bolted toward Zhang Ya’s embrace, crashing into her so hard that Zhang Ya staggered.

Zhang Ya’s face went pale, but seeing XiXi rubbing against her continuously, a tender light filled her eyes.

Li Che stepped forward and opened his arms wide,

embracing both his wife and daughter.

It was as if he had gathered his entire world in that moment.

Carrying his peacefully sleeping wife back to the bedroom, he covered her with a blanket.

Li Che then went to the window in the bedroom, pushed aside the carved wooden shutter, and gazed at a red lacquered desk outside. The biting wind stirred his senses, gradually sharpening his vision.

Before him, glimmers of light danced and wove together into a surreal, dreamlike tableau.

[Dream Celestial (lv4 0%)]

Inside his chest, the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit beat at a steady, languid rhythm as always.

Multicolored radiance slowly burst in Li Che’s eyes, shimmering like glass under the sun and casting dreamlike hues,

while the light enveloped him as he sat cross-legged in the courtyard.

Li Che’s breathing was calm and measured.

Each beat of the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit was like an invisible butterfly gently flapping its wings.

That familiar sensation washed over him, filling his heart.

It felt as if his very soul had momentarily come to a complete standstill.

Outside the open carved window,

a multicolored butterfly had inexplicably alighted, its wings steadily fluttering.

Specks of iridescent light danced about in the air.

With each measured breath, Li Che closed his eyes, his breathing steady and even.

Every time the butterfly’s wings beat, ripples seemed to stir from the far reaches of time and space.

Li Che began to dream.

Unlike guiding his wife and XiXi to meet in dreams through the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit,

in his dream he saw a familiar, long black-haired girl. Though younger and more naive than in his previous vision, her eyes betrayed a maturity far beyond her years.

It was as if she had experienced too much—betrayal, backstabbing, slaughter, and relentless pursuit.

She appeared to have grown accustomed to these horrors. In the dream, that same youthful face raced desperately through a dense forest.

Behind her, shadowy figures gave chase.

Li Che watched silently, his brows furrowing. Although there were many pursuing her, the girl navigated the jungle with calm precision—setting traps and even deploying divine talismans into formation.

Her expression remained impassive as one foe after another was dispatched in gruesome fashion.

When the last enemy was finally impaled by a concealed weapon, their blood spilled across the ground.

Only then did panic and madness take hold.

“Don’t kill me! We— we’re training comrades!”

“Please… don’t kill me! Ahhhh!”

Plop!

A razor-sharp, ink-black sword swept by, decapitating one head in a single stroke.

The severed head flew amidst crimson splatters, staining the girl’s tender, pale face.

Moonlight shone coldly on the forest, now tainted with the stench of blood.

The black-haired girl tossed the severed head aside and kicked it far away.

Then, with a nimble leap, she landed gracefully against a large tree, perched on a branch, and gazed up at the stars.

“Father once said—when one dies, they become part of the stars in the sky.”

The girl’s face, usually unmoved even in the act of killing, now trembled violently as a mist of uncertainty rose.

For the first time, emotion broke through: “Mother, Father, I miss you both.”

A low buzz filled her ears.

Li Che suddenly awoke, every sound around him rushing past before settling back abruptly.

Outside, the snow whirled and howled as the wind roared.

The Dao Fruit shed its old self, and the Dream Butterfly unfurled its wings.

Each flap ushered in a new dream—one in which memories of XiXi surfaced.

It was as if, across time and space, a glance was shared—a silent farewell between fading souls.

As if the stars themselves were watching over those lingering in the mortal realm.

[Dream Celestial lv4, Second Transcendence, Nascent Divine Power ‘Dream Celestial – Dream Butterfly’, Ascended Divine Power ‘Dream Demon’]

[Divine Power (Dream): Startled in dreams, fearful upon waking; dreams embed in the soul, never wanting to awaken]

[Divine Art Ascension One: Formless Dream]

Li Che’s eyes revealed neither joy nor sorrow as he pondered the dream, a hint of pity in his gaze.

As for the transformation of the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit, it no longer stirred him as it once did.

Other Dao Fruit metamorphoses still stirred his emotions, but this change filled him with a gentle, bittersweet melancholy—perhaps because it revealed the lonely, pained visage of great XiXi.

Li Che found himself exhaling a soft sigh.

In a world apart from this one, what could he possibly do?

All he could do was devote his utmost efforts to ensuring that his daughter XiXi lived a good, safe, and joyful life.

As for the recently acquired Dream Celestial Divine Power, Li Che only briefly studied it.

Yet his eyes betrayed a hint of surprise.

The Formless Dream could render its user almost intangible in reality—as insubstantial as a shadow or a reflection in water—impervious to attacks, even if the void itself shattered.

However, the unfortunate truth was that this divine art only allowed for three consecutive attacks.

Exceeding that, the Formless Dream–Demon state would automatically end.

After that, any further blows would land solid, tangible damage.

Zhang Ya eventually awoke. After a tender moment with Li Che, the couple left the bedroom while Li Che’s heart stirred as he returned to the study.

Outside in the courtyard, Zhang Ya resumed training with Goldmane, both determined to quickly hone their skills.

After dreaming of XiXi, Zhang Ya’s spirits lifted—she was convinced that the XiXi she had seen in her dream was the real, living XiXi.

Everything felt so genuine—the reactions, the sensations; nothing seemed amiss.

This authenticity gradually settled her troubled heart.

Meanwhile, just as Li Che was about to return to the study,

suddenly,

the previously calm Qianyuan Divine Sect began to quake violently—as if gripped by a terrifying earthquake!

Soon, ripples of the tremor expanded in circular waves, battering outward in all directions and engulfing the entire Daocheng.

Worse yet,

the disturbance even began to spread beyond Daocheng’s confines!

Dark clouds roiled and snow howled in fury!

The Grand Canal churned with monstrous waves, the surging water building into thousands upon thousands of tidal crests!

It was as if the very heavens and earth had fallen silent in an instant.

High above, a dreadful pressure—the will of heaven and earth itself—rolled forth in a torrent!

An oppressive, suffocating heaviness filled the air.

Everyone looked up at the dark clouds overhead, falling silent in collective dread.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

A sound of rending air resounded.

It came from Martial Saints, Divine Transformation Great Gods, and prominent figures from major families in Daocheng.

At this moment, terror was etched on their faces.

“This—this is the Annihilating God-Wind Calamity, one of the three disasters!”

“The true calamity of the three disasters!”

“Is someone on the brink of breaking through to Divine Calamity? Who—who is challenging divine fate?!”

Elder members from various families trembled in shock and fear.

Figures such as Feng Zhiqi, Yu Wen Wenlong, and Hong Shifo all ascended in alarm.

Feng Zhiqi’s imposing frame shone brilliantly through his determined gaze!

“The calamity of the three disasters! The Annihilating God-Wind Calamity—could it be that the Sect Leader is entering the Calamity?!”

Breaking through a Divine Calamity signified entering the calamity!

That was the accepted truth throughout the realm.

A surge of pure, magnificent Haoran River energy roared, spanning the Heavenly Dome.

The vast might of this energy sucked in all traces of that terrifying heavenly pressure.

It wasn’t by chance—it was none other than Fang Han Shu.

At that moment, Fang Han Shu’s scholarly robe billowed as he stood amid swirling winds, his eyes grave.

Lü Taibai—

He was about to enter the Calamity!

Success or failure in entering the Calamity would determine life or death!

There were only two outcomes when venturing into Divine Calamity: either one succeeded and stepped into the divine realm, or failed—meeting death and turning to ash in the face of the disaster.

No exceptions existed; failure meant death.

The Calamity was ruthless—ever since the emergence of the Bizarre Temple and the pervasive divine aura, countless illustrious figures had been reduced to dust when confronting it.

No matter one’s talent, aura, or peerless status in the world—if one couldn’t overcome the Divine Calamity, death was inevitable.

Li Che’s dark, ink-stained robe fluttered as his jet-black hair whipped fiercely in the wind.

He soared upward, appearing at Fang Han Shu’s side in one graceful stride.

“Is the Sect Leader about to enter the Calamity?” Li Che asked with narrowed eyes.

“Yes—life and death… all hinge on this calamitous trial,”

Fang Han Shu replied. “To be honest, the Sect Leader’s foundation is still somewhat lacking. He’s too impatient, yet desperate circumstances leave him no choice.”

“But it is precisely because of that decision that there remains hope— a hope born of resolute determination and the possibility of success.”

Fang Han Shu spoke gravely,

“Because if the Imperial Court catches wind of the Sect Leader’s breakthrough, and given the shrewdness of Xie Yunshen and the Old Dragon God, they sure won’t let Master Taibai step into the Calamity opportunity.”

“Once Master Taibai enters the Calamity, the Sect Leader will face the challenge of the Annihilating God-Wind—a calamity far more extreme than ordinary trials!”

“So if the Sect Leader manages to break through, then against Gu Qianchi of the Bashu Sword Pavilion, with refined control over the calamity’s power, a one-sided suppression might be possible…”

“Old Dragon God certainly won’t allow that to happen!”

“After Zhao Beidou was unable to act, the Imperial Court’s Divine Calamity count would increase by one—once the breakthrough is made, the tide could be reversed.”

Fang Han Shu’s eyes grew deeper with resolve.

“Qianyuan Divine Sect is a fine stronghold. I hope we can hold out for a bit longer for the sake of the sect.”

“Li Che, are you confident?” Fang Han Shu inquired.

He knew that if the enemy launched an assault on Qianyuan Divine Sect during Lü Taibai’s breakthrough, their only hope rested with Li Che.

Underworld, Ma Mian—

Li Che’s eyes flickered as he sensed the jitter and tremor of the Spiritual Confinement Chess Piece.

A surge of exhilaration welled up inside him.

“The Heavenly Poison Pill—finally perfected!”

This would be the moment to confront that old Dragon God!

Li Che’s gaze was distant and mysterious.

With a flick of his finger, as if reaching into the void,

he established contact with Xie Yunshen, who was eight hundred li away.

Outside on the boundless surface of the Grand Canal, the surging waves suddenly roared, forming an intricately interwoven tide.

From the direction of Daocheng, a massive surge of white water, reminiscent of a great river tide, charged forward with overwhelming force!

It carried the portent of world-shattering destruction!

Boom!

The waters of the Grand Canal exploded asunder.

As the old Dragon God—tasked with cultivating along the Grand Canal alongside the Dragon God Prince and his descendants—watched,

the disturbance emanating from Daocheng was impossible to conceal!

The Old Dragon God soared upward, his white beard flying, and two dragon horns radiated an extreme, lethal sharpness as they pierced the void. His eyes chilled with ruthless intent.

Meanwhile, within the Imperial Camp,

a sharp sword light also surged upward!

It bloomed for an instant high above, yet its aura remained controlled—not brazenly extravagant—

for at that moment, the will of heaven and earth was extraordinarily sensitive; provoking further calamity would be disastrous.

At the instant Lü Taibai summoned the calamity’s energy, Gu Qianchi, the venerable patriarch of the Bashu Sword Pavilion, who was exceptionally attuned to sword qi, sensed something amiss.

“This is…”

Gu Qianchi’s face darkened with gravitas.

“Indeed, Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Sect Leader, Lü Taibai, is surging forward to challenge the Divine Calamity—he is breaking through to enter the Calamity!”