Chapter 191: Heavenly Man Five Declines Level Opportunity

Spiritual Stillness!

After breaking through to the Fourth Realm, Lu Xun closed his eyes and felt the changes within his body.

At this moment, in his spirit mansion, all of his spiritual power had already changed from a misty state to a liquid state.

The change in form is merely superficial.

The real change lies in the purity of the spiritual power, which has increased many times compared to before.

Such spiritual power, when used for attack, will undoubtedly be more powerful.

After repeatedly breaking through limits in the Third Realm, Lu Xun's spiritual power purity was already not inferior to that of an early Fifth Realm Immortal Cultivator.

Now, Lu Xun's spiritual power purity should be comparable to that of a mid-to-late Fifth Realm cultivator.

Furthermore, combined with his sixth-rank Invisible Flying Sword Technique, even without using Babala's Incantation, a great killing move, Lu Xun has enough confidence to defeat and even kill an ordinary Fifth Realm cultivator.

Whether one can kill depends on many factors.

If a Fifth Realm cultivator sees the situation turning bad, does not engage Lu Xun in prolonged combat, but directly uses their trump card to flee, then it is also difficult to kill them.

If the opponent's trump card is strong enough, even if the Immobilization Spell holds them, it may still be impossible to kill them.

In battles above the Fifth Realm, winning is easy, but killing requires seizing the right opportunity.

Especially when facing opponents with many trump cards.

Then it becomes a contest of whose trump card is stronger.

Of course, one's own strength remains paramount.

No matter how many trump cards one has, if the strength is lacking, the opponent's basic attacks and your ultimate moves won't last long.

Although Lu Xun had broken through to the Fourth Realm, Chu Youqing had not.

She was still continuing to push upward.

The amount of Dark Energy needed to break through limits is actually enormous.

Like Murong Wan, when breaking through the limits of the Second Realm, if not for the cubic meter of Dark Energy given by Lu Xun, her preparations would have been utterly insufficient.

The Dark Energy required to break through the limits of the Third Realm is even greater; even with the pills given by Lu Xun, Chu Youqing has already used up several cubic meters of Dark Energy by now.

Cultivation is indeed a resource-consuming endeavor.

Especially the cultivation of geniuses.

The strength of geniuses requires substantial financial backing as support.

Otherwise, even if one opens heaven-defying Heaven Earth Meridians, their ultimate achievements will still be limited.

Let's give it a try.

Lu Xun these past days has sucked the surrounding Dark Energy dry.

The Dark Energy gathered by the Energy Gathering Array has all entered his body.

Lu Xun injected all of this Dark Energy into the chaotic cells inside his body.

What he is strengthening is still his own left hand.

Rather than dispersing, it's better to concentrate.

He wants to forge a truly personal killer's mace that can be used repeatedly.

Come on!

Lu Xun raised his hand and threw a heap of fireballs toward the Lake-center Island.

After cutting off the Dark Energy source of the Lake-center Island, he intends to use attacks to drain the island's formation dry.

Dozens of fireballs rushed into the Lake-center Island, but instead of exploding, they simply vanished.

Boom boom boom~

Then, at the shore of the Magma Lake, a violent explosion occurred, blasting the ground into a huge pit hundreds of meters in diameter.

The magma began to pour back in.

I go???

Lu Xun was stunned.

The fireballs were also transferred away?

Lu Xun, what's going on?

Chu Youqing and the other girl were startled.

Fortunately, they were far away.

Pew~

The thing in the Magma Lake was startled, and its long tongue struck toward Lu Xun.

Lu Xun blocked with the Red Armor Shield, but the Red Armor Shield shattered instantly; fortunately, Lu Xun reacted quickly and dodged to the other side.

Quite the fellow.

Lu Xun didn't expect that, even after breaking through to the Fourth Realm, the Red Armor Shield still couldn't block a strike from that thing's tongue.

The thing inside the Magma Lake looks quite formidable.

Again!

Lu Xun is not so easily giving up.

This time, he didn't release a large number of fireballs all at once, but fired them one by one.

Some of these fireballs fell into the Lake-center Island and were then transferred to a distant location.

Some exploded at the edge of the Lake-center Island, unable to enter it.

Yes, Lu Xun is using fireballs to probe the edge of this formation.

His understanding of formations is limited, mostly coming from Ran Bing's popular science.

Such formations, whether a person or an attack falls into them, will be transferred; they belong to a type of Translocation Array.

It might be the Universe Shift Formation.

Its transfer follows some pattern.

Wherever Lu Xun's attack falls in, it will be transferred out from that same direction.

"I found you."

After trying for some time, Lu Xun found the edge of this formation.

The formation was set up surrounding the Heart-of-the-Lake Island.

Once found, it's easy to handle.

Lu Xun raised his hand again, releasing one huge fireball after another.

These fireballs did not fall onto the Heart-of-the-Lake Island, but kept exploding around its periphery.

With the terrifying power of his current fireball technique combined with pure spiritual power, his attack strength is no less than a full-force strike from a Fifth Realm Immortal Cultivator.

Moreover, with Lu Xun's abundant reserves, the fireballs poured forth as if they were free.

"Boom boom boom boom boom~"

The fireballs exploded wildly, the light and flames of the explosions completely enveloping the Heart-of-the-Lake Island.

Under the shock of the fireball explosions, the space around the Heart-of-the-Lake Island rippled like waves.

"There's hope!"

Lu Xun saw hope.

"Biu~"

The thing in the magma lake was angered by Lu Xun, its tongue incessantly lunging at him.

Lu Xun used the Gang Treading Step to constantly dodge in midair.

The Gang Treading Step is an upgraded version of the Void Treading Step.

It is more flexible than flying on a sword.

With the Gang Treading Step, Lu Xun moves in the air as if on flat ground; even airborne, he can unleash martial techniques like the Divine Trace Step.

The Void Treading Step allows only limited time aloft, but the Gang Treading Step is different: as long as Lu Xun can sustain the cost, he can remain airborne for a longer period.

This greatly increases Lu Xun's combat power in the air.

"Boom boom boom boom~"

Lu Xun endured the attacks from the thing in the lake, repeatedly using fireballs to wear down the formation on the Heart-of-the-Lake Island.

Though the thing in the lake was angered by him, it never showed its head, merely attacking Lu Xun incessantly with its tongue.

"Is it really so sturdy?"

After continuing the attack for most of the day, Lu Xun found that although the formation on the Heart-of-the-Lake Island kept undulating, it showed no sign of breaking.

"Again!"

He simply refused to believe in evil.

"Right, use the Phoenix True Flame."

Lu Xun decided to increase the intensity against this formation.

He has plenty of means at his disposal.

As he broke through to the Fourth Realm, the power of the Phoenix True Flame also increased further.

Now, if he were to burn that divine bone again, the required time would be much shorter.

Phoenix True Flame, Chaotic Power—Lu Xun employed both, directly raising the intensity by two levels.

Specifically, he used Chaotic Power as fuel to ignite the Phoenix True Flame, then added the Phoenix True Flame to the fireballs.

"Boom boom boom boom~~"

Dense fireballs rained down.

As soon as this wave of intensity increased, the effect appeared immediately.

The formation undulated violently.

"Now!"

Lu Xun detected a flaw through his Chaotic Eye; with a movement of his form, he instantly vanished from the spot.

When he reappeared, he was already on the Heart-of-the-Lake Island.

"I'm up here."

Lu Xun felt delighted.

With a shift of his form, he appeared before the Departing Fire Palace.

The gates of the Departing Fire Palace were tightly shut.

Lu Xun tried, but he couldn't push them open no matter what.

"Touch the Stele to Enter the Palace."

At that moment, Lu Xun discovered a stone stele.

On the stele were four large characters.

"Touch the stele... contacting this stone stele allows entry into the palace?"

After thinking, Lu Xun placed his hand on it.

As soon as he touched the stele, Lu Xun's vision blurred and the surrounding scenery changed dramatically.

Five great suns hung in the sky, illuminating the entire void with brilliant radiance.

Under this magnificent celestial phenomenon, a towering cluster of palaces hovered silently, their golden eaves and jade tiles shimmering with splendid light under the scorching sun.

Below the palace cluster, boundless crimson flames like blood spread across the sky, appearing as if sheets of burning clouds.

Upon closer look, those were not fire‑clouds but clusters of fiercely burning flames, like myriad streaks of heaven‑consuming fire.

Some were like flowing clouds unfurling, some like overlapping mountain ranges, and even more were firefalls pouring down to the nine heavens, dyeing the whole sky crimson.

Through the gaps in the flames, one could faintly see a vast crimson continent below.

"Is this the Crimson Flame Continent?"

Lu Xun recognized that land.

So, his current viewpoint is above the crimson continent?

"Separation Fire Palace."

Lu Xun's gaze swept over the palace ahead.

That was indeed the Separation Fire Palace.

But it was larger than the Separation Fire Palace on Heart Lake Island; it was a vast complex of palaces.

In the distance, huge celestial exotic beasts could be seen flying in the sky, devouring those cloud-like Dao-scorching Heaven Blazing Flames.

"So, what I'm seeing now is an illusion?"

Lu Xun speculated about his situation.

After thinking, he stepped toward the Separation Fire Palace.

The gate of the Separation Fire Palace was tightly shut.

Just as Lu Xun was pondering how to enter, suddenly the gate creaked open.

A delicately carved jade-like little girl bounced out from the gate, clutching a seven-colored windmill.

She giggled as she ran wildly across the square, the windmill turning into a splendid flower in the sunlight, her skirt flaring happily with her lively steps.

"Eh, Nannan, why did you go out again? Outside there are many exotic beasts, it's dangerous."

Soon, a young woman with slightly disheveled cloud-like hair hurried over and scooped the little girl back up.

Lu Xun took the opportunity to go inside.

Neither the little girl nor the beautiful woman paid him any heed.

Moreover, the beautiful woman's words were clearly in an ancient tongue, yet Lu Xun could grasp their meaning directly.

Stepping into the Separation Fire Palace, before him lay a grand plaza, its ground paved with crimson flame stone that glowed with a dim red light.

Gazing about, countless spirit flames danced within bronze lanterns inside the palace, red fire snakes slithered between the columns, and even the eaves hung with everlasting glazed fire.

Most remarkable was a fire phoenix tree at the courtyard's center, its branches and trunk coursing with molten‑like golden‑red veins, its leaves formed of condensed pure fire spirit, swaying gracefully in the breeze.

There were also quite a few people inside.

These people wore ancient garb, clearly being folk of old.

"Senior Brother has returned."

Cheers rang out.

Everyone rushed toward a certain direction.

Lu Xun followed.

"Senior Brother, have you found the ancient teleportation array?"

As Lu Xun approached, a tall man who had just emerged from the teleportation array was surrounded by a crowd.

"We've found it; we can leave this place."

"Great!"

Everyone cheered.

At that moment, the scene before Lu Xun's eyes changed again.

He suddenly found himself within a majestic hall.

The high dome loomed above, the four walls engraved with ancient fire patterns, and a cluster of crimson‑gold blazing flame in the hall's center inhaled and exhaled the heavens and earth, casting the entire palace in an uncertain flicker.

Before the flame, a blue‑robed man stood with hands behind his back, straight as a pine, sharp as a sword, his piercing gaze fixed on the dancing spark.

"Mingnan! Have you gone mad? It's getting more dangerous here; if you stay you'll die!!"

The beautiful woman rushed in carrying the delicately carved jade‑like girl, her robe still stained with fresh tears.

"Will you come with us, Dad? Nannan doesn't want to be separated from you..."

The little girl wrenched free of her mother's hand, lunged forward and clung tightly to the man's cuff, her childish voice trembling with heart‑breaking sobs.

"Go on, I've made up my mind; once I have refined the Southern Ming Separation Fire, I will come after you."

The blue‑robed man's body trembled slightly, yet he did not turn back.

"Southern Ming Separation Fire... that is celestial fire; you haven't even survived the Five Declines of Heaven and Man, how could you possibly refine Southern Ming Separation Fire?"

The beautiful woman gave a grim smile.

"I have already laid the Heavenly Circuit Spirit Gathering Array," the man suddenly raised his hand, and a thunderous roar came from outside the hall, "using the entire Spirit Realm as a crucible, why worry about failing to forge celestial fire?"

"You... you really are mad; doing this will drain the Spirit Realm!"

"What of it? This place is originally the domain of exotic beasts; if we exhaust the Spirit Realm to refine the Southern Ming Separation Fire, such celestial fire, it is its fortune."

The blue‑robed man coldly flicked his sleeve.

After his voice fell, the scene changed again.

One could see the people of the Separation Fire Palace filing into the teleportation array and departing, the last being the little girl and her mother.

"Daddy..."

The little girl let out a heart‑rending wail.

The blue‑robed man turned his back, ignoring it.

The beautiful woman ruthlessly hugged the little girl and stepped into the teleportation array, vanishing from sight.

"Heavenly Circuit stars, hear my command..."

After they left, the blue‑robed man activated the array.

The entire Scarlet Flame Continent suddenly lit up with countless light traces, and the sky poured down myriad starlight.

This formation, from heaven to underground, covered the entire Scarlet Flame Continent and its surroundings.

But the activation of the formation also drew an attack from star-space alien species.

One by one, huge and immeasurable star-space alien species attacked.

"Seek death."

The green-clad man pointed his sword at the heavens, battling numerous star-space alien species without falling behind.

By his side was also a golden toad entirely fiery red, fighting shoulder to shoulder with him.

This toad uses its tongue as a weapon; a single sweep can crush a star-space alien species.

When encountering a large group of star-space alien species, it can even open its huge mouth and swallow the entire group whole.

But as the star-space alien species grew ever more frenzied, neither the green-clad man nor the toad could hold them back.

At the critical moment, the green-clad man unleashed an ultimate move, sweeping away all the star-space alien species.

The green-clad man thus suffered grave injuries, his life hanging by a thread.

The entire Separation Fire Palace was also smashed to pieces, leaving only the main hall standing.

"Sink."

The green-clad man formed a hand seal, and the Separation Fire Palace began to sink, descending deep underground.

That place was exactly where the Lake Heart Island lies.

He, dragging his heavily wounded body, laid out numerous formations and seals.

Immediately after, the illusion shattered.

On the stone tablet appeared new ancient script: "With blood as the covenant, establish this Dao oath: the Southern Ming Separation Fire shall go to my daughter; all else shall be entrusted to you."

"Good fellow... Heavenly Man Five Declines... this is above the Nine Realms..."

Lu Xun drew a deep breath.

He originally thought this was merely an ordinary ancient cultivator's cave dwelling, but didn't expect it to have such a great origin.

Heavenly Man Five Declines.

This is a realm between the Ninth Realm Unity Dao and the Tenth Realm Great Vehicle of Immortal Cultivation.

Strictly speaking, it is not considered a realm.

Because this is crossing the tribulation.

The cultivator's tribulation.

Having passed it, one proceeds smoothly and ascends to the Tenth Realm.

Failing to pass, one's body perishes and Dao vanishes.

This tribulation is far more severe than the heavenly tribulations of the Five Realms and Six Realms.

The heavenly tribulation, in a sense, is merely a test.

But the Heavenly Man Five Declines will take your life.

This tribulation likewise exists for martial cultivators.

Immortal Cultivation is the Heavenly Man Five Declines.

Martial cultivators face the three tribulations of heaven, earth, and man.

That is to say,

This ancient cultivator's cave dwelling is an opportunity belonging to the Nine Realms.

However, judging from the final illusion, the green-clad man called Southern Ming possessed little left.

The star-space alien species were too many and too strong; in the end he even shattered his weapons before eliminating them all.

Even so, the Separation Fire Palace still contains many valuable things inside.

For example, his formation inheritance.

For example, the things in the magma lake, that is a golden toad, a kind of spirit puppet.

If Lu Xun enters the Separation Fire Palace, he can obtain its method of control.

Furthermore, the green-clad man wanted to refine the Southern Ming Separation Fire.

However, judging from the text on the stone tablet, for Lu Xun to enter, he needs to shed blood and swear an oath to give the Southern Ming Separation Fire to his daughter.

That is the exquisitely carved little girl.