Chapter 423: Tribulation Fire Burns the Divine, Qi of the True Demon

Just as Qin Ming achieved his Nascent Soul and sat cross-legged within the spiritual fields of his purple mansion.

Boom!

Above Moon-Gazing Island, ominous tribulation clouds began to churn and coil, containing faintly roaring thunder dragons that emitted a terrifying pressure and an aura of destruction.

Cultivators watching from afar, at first glance, all felt a palpitation of the heart as if facing death at close range.

Beneath his Natal Spirit plant, the Yin-Yang Profound Vine tree, Qin Ming purified his thoughts, his state of mind became clear, and he had quickly adapted to the magic power of his Nascent Soul.

Generally speaking.

For a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, all their essence resides in the Nascent Soul itself, with the physical body being secondary.

As long as the Nascent Soul is not destroyed, one can seize a new body to be reborn and rapidly recover one's strength.

But since Qin Ming cultivated the Demonic Beast Sacred Canon, his physical cultivation was not inferior to his Nascent Soul in the slightest; in fact, it was even stronger.

In this Tribulation Crossing, Qin Ming's physical body, comparable to that of a great shape-shifting demon, was also one of his reliance points.

But at this very moment, Qin Ming's Nascent Soul could feel that he had been firmly locked onto by the tribulation fate hidden in the void, with no possibility of evasion.

The tribulation clouds similarly covered a thousand li; within this range, all living beings seemed to feel as though the end of days had arrived.

Boom! Crack! The first bolt of tribulation lightning descended, tearing through the sky curtain, carrying endless majestic heavenly authority.

In an instant, lightning flashed! Arriving with a thunderous roar!

The world, originally dark as night under the cover of the tribulation clouds, suddenly turned into broad daylight.

Qin Ming remained composed, mobilizing his Nascent Soul's magic power; he made a void grasp with his five fingers, and a hundred-zhang giant green sword instantly condensed in mid-air to meet the tribulation lightning.

Rumble-rumble! Two forces capable of destroying heaven and earth collided, and exaggerated shockwaves swept everything away, spreading out in all directions.

In the distance, aboard the thousand-zhang cross-border spirit ship of the Off-Flame Palace.

"He actually succeeded in condensing his infant?"

"Where did he get an Infant-Condensing Pill? Even I don't have one yet."

Jing Qing, a Nascent Soul seed of the Off-Flame Palace, gazed at the celestial phenomena above the spirit island and spoke with sourness, his face full of resentment.

However, the next moment.

When he saw the gray tribulation clouds covering a thousand li.

A trace of schadenfreude appeared in his expression.

"Hahaha! It's actually an Eight-Nine Heavenly Tribulation! Even if this kid luckily succeeded in condensing his infant, he is definitely dead!"

A lean cultivator nearby, not understanding the situation, stepped forward and asked:

"Senior Brother Jing, what is an Eight-Nine Heavenly Tribulation?"

Jing Qing explained: "The so-called Eight-Nine Heavenly Tribulation aligns with the number of Earthly Fiend transformations; in total, it will descend a full seventy-two bolts of heavenly tribulation with different variations, each possessing terrifying power."

"The later the tribulation bolts, the more terrifying they become; ordinary treasures simply cannot withstand such a quantity of tribulations."

"Without extremely high divine abilities or powerful treasures specifically for resisting heavenly tribulations, ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators have no outcome other than death and the extinction of their Dao."

"Even in the ancient era when spiritual qi was prosperous, those who could survive an Eight-Nine Heavenly Tribulation were exceedingly few."

"Then by that logic, isn't True Person Wangyue definitely dead?" the lean cultivator said hesitantly.

"Naturally, but I find it somewhat strange... how did this kid trigger such a terrifying heavenly tribulation?" Jing Qing said with considerable puzzlement.

On the periphery of the spirit island.

Shi Tian Shu and Yin Yi Shuangfeng were lying on the huge head of the Profound Water Crocodile.

The moment the heavenly tribulation fell, the three beasts' extremely tense hearts all jumped up to their throats.

Gazing at the incredibly terrifying tribulation clouds, Shi Tian Shu sighed deeply: "It's over, it's over, why would such tribulation lightning descend?"

"This is even more terrifying than Senior Silver-Moon Sky Fox's shape-shifting heavenly tribulation back then."

"Master, you must absolutely hold on!"

And scenes like this kept occurring continuously among the crowds watching from afar.

Meanwhile, atop the spirit island, thunder roared incessantly, and electric arcs flashed.

Qin Ming had already used his own magic power and divine abilities to forcibly withstand the first ten-plus bolts of heavenly tribulation.

Boom! The heaven-destroying heavenly tribulation continued to fall relentlessly.

At this time.

Qin Ming flipped his hand, and a blood-colored inkstone appeared in his palm; it was precisely the fourth-grade spiritual treasure—Blood Futu.

Knowing that Qin Ming was undergoing the Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation, Yan Laomo knew he had to act as well.

But the scene that followed left the old demon completely stunned.

From within the spiritual treasure, he looked out at the terrifying tribulation clouds outside and let out a strange cry of shock:

"Earthly Fiend Heavenly Tribulation, what the hell are you doing, kid??"

Yan Laomo couldn't figure it out; it was just a Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation, so why did it attract such a heaven-envied calamity? After scanning the surroundings, his gaze finally landed on that pitch-black ancient vine that reached from the earth to the heavens.

"It must be, it must be that this vine is too heaven-defying, provoking heaven's wrath."

"Sigh! This old man has truly hit rock bottom for eight lifetimes; just escaped a wolf's den only to fall into a tiger's cave!"

Helplessly, he had already dedicated his divine soul to Qin Ming; now the die was cast, and like an arrow on the string, he had no choice but to fly.

If Qin Ming told him to go east, he absolutely would not dare to go west.

Even if there was a pit of fire ahead, he could only close his eyes and jump in... As the Blood Futu spiritual treasure was sacrificed, blood light instantly erupted in the sky.

Yan Laomo shouted loudly, then manipulated the blood-refining demonic light within the sea of blood, colliding fiercely with the tribulation lightning in the sky.

It must be said that after this supreme treasure of the demonic sect was upgraded to a fourth-grade spiritual treasure, its power was incredibly sharp, forcibly helping Qin Ming withstand more than half of the heavenly tribulation.

After dozens of heavenly tribulations had passed, a wretched voice emerged from the Blood Pagoda magical treasure: "F-Friend Qin Xiao, this old man can... can no longer hold on!"

Beneath the Yin-Yang Profound Vine tree, Qin Ming's expression also began to turn grave; under the baptism of so many heavenly tribulations, he too was gradually sensing the threat.

The Blood Pagoda magical treasure had blocked the majority of the heavenly tribulation for him, but now its spiritual nature was severely damaged; it was estimated that it would require a very long period of nurturing before it could recover.

Yet in the firmament, the heavenly tribulation continued unabated.

Having lasted until now was already this treasure's limit, so Qin Ming immediately stored the Blood Pagoda magical treasure away.

But in the next moment.

The Nascent Soul within Qin Ming's Purple Mansion Spiritual Platform lifted its head to gaze upward, and an inexplicable sense of impending catastrophe surged within his heart.

Even his Nascent Soul divine consciousness felt terrified and chilled to the bone.

Boom! The gray tribulation clouds hovering above were suddenly dyed a pitch-black hue, as if soaked in ink.

"Soul-Burning Tribulation Fire!!"

"Friend Qin Xiao, whatever means you possess, unleash them quickly, or I fear there will be no chance left..." Old Demon Qingyang said, his aura extremely weak as he watched the changes in the tribulation clouds above.

"At this rate, this old man may have to depart for the next world alongside you."

An unprecedented gravity appeared on Qin Ming's face.

He took out the Hooked-Jade Jin Guang Mirror and, following the experience previously imparted by Old Demon Qingyang, directly activated this treasure.

To unlock the second divine ability of this mirror, one must absorb the fire of this heavenly tribulation.

According to Old Demon Qingyang, the Soul-Burning Tribulation Fire was the most poisonous tribulation fire between heaven and earth, directly targeting a cultivator's divine consciousness and Nascent Soul, leaving no possibility of escape.

Merely touching a speck of it would cause one to be refined by the tribulation fire in an instant, turning into nothingness, without even a chance for reincarnation.

Boom! Terrifying black flames in the sky transformed into a fire rain that covered the heavens and earth as it fell.

The Hooked-Jade Jin Guang Mirror in Qin Ming's hand erupted with a burst of golden radiance, instantly covering the sky before drawing all of it into the mirror.

Having absorbed this terrifying tribulation fire, the Hooked-Jade Jin Guang Mirror, though appearing relaxed, had clearly reached its limit; it spun rapidly and dropped back beside Qin Ming.

Boom! Before he could even catch his breath, terrifying tribulation lightning once again tore through the sky curtain, crashing down from the nine heavens. Without another word, Qin Ming immediately took out the magical treasures he had previously gathered from various places and hurled them out as if they cost nothing.

A good half-day passed, yet the heavenly tribulation in the firmament showed no sign of ceasing.

This caused the surrounding crowd to involuntarily gasp in shock.

In the distance, Wei Wuya asked Old Demon Xuan Yu:

"So the Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation is actually this terrifying? Wei Mou has calculated that this is already the sixty-second tribulation."

"Even if one day I manage to condense a Nascent Soul, I would have no confidence in withstanding even a single strike of it."

Gazing into the distance with furrowed brows in deep thought, Old Demon Xuan Yu said gravely: "This is likely not the heavenly tribulation undergone by an ordinary Nascent Soul; if this old man is not mistaken, this should be the legendary Earth Fiend Great Tribulation, which requires surviving seventy-two tribulations."

"The final ten tribulations remaining now should be the most terrifying; whether Daoist Friend Qin can pass this trial depends entirely on them."

Upon hearing these words, Pei Qing and the others were filled with astonishment and sighs.

Meanwhile, atop the Li Li Huogong spirit ship, the expressions of Jing Qing and the others were extraordinarily complex.

They could never have imagined that a wild-path Jin Dan cultivator of scattered origins could actually endure sixty-two out of the seventy-two Earth Fiend tribulations through sheer force.

"H-How is this possible?"

"He was even able to withstand the Soul-Burning Tribulation Fire; he must possess a heavy treasure protecting his body."

Jing Qing's face showed a complicated expression; finally, he could no longer remain calm.

He had severely miscalculated, never expecting that Qin Ming's divine ability and strength would be so formidable.

If Qin Ming manages to survive these final ten tribulations, the Nascent Soul he achieves will likely not be an ordinary one.

Once he successfully passes the heavenly tribulation.

It is even possible that not even their sect ancestor, the Li Fire Superior, would be his match.

Because in the ancient Immortal Realm, Nascent Soul great experts who had survived the eight or nine stages of the Earth Fiend tribulation were nearly all invincible within their realm... the various inconceivable great divine abilities possessed by such individuals were simply incomparable to those of ordinary Nascent Souls.

Above Moon Gazing Island, the heavenly tribulation continued to fall relentlessly.

Qin Ming unleashed all his methods, transforming into an Eight-Armed Demon Ape to withstand the heavenly tribulation with his physical body, enduring seven more strikes.

Boom! As the tribulation lightning struck, Qin Ming was blasted into the ground; despite possessing a physical body comparable to a form-transformed great demon, he was now scorched on the outside and tender within, covered entirely in blood.

The terror of the Earth Fiend Heavenly Tribulation was truly no joke.

The blood qi and true gang on Qin Ming's body were completely exhausted, automatically retracting back into his interior.

Boom-Crack!

As the third-to-last tribulation struck down, Qin Ming's eyes narrowed; just as he was about to stake everything on a desperate gamble.

He saw his innate spiritual plant, the Yin-Yang Profound Vine, weave its black vines into a massive black net, shielding him beneath.

The tribulation lightning from above, which was about to strike, suddenly seemed to lose its target and held back forcibly; Qin Ming was also stunned, but he quickly realized that this tribulation could not be escaped and that he would ultimately have to face it personally.

Yet for some reason, after the Yin-Yang Profound Vine wove together, it even obscured and blocked the heavenly secrets.

As a result, even the tribulation lightning above had lost its target.

Just at this moment.

Inside the Blood Pagoda magical treasure, Old Demon Qingyang, with his aura withered and looking half-dead, advised weakly:

"Friend Qin Xiao! You have come this far."

"There are only the final three heavenly tribulations remaining, but the terror of these three far exceeds the sum of all the tribulations you have withstood before."

"In your current state, it is absolutely impossible for you to withstand them."

"Fortunately, your strange spiritual plant has temporarily blocked the heavenly secrets for you, leaving one last path open."

"Why not refine that strand of Lei Lei Yuanmo Qi to advance your physical body once more? Perhaps then there will be a sliver of a chance... This old man has said all there is to say."

Having spoken, Old Demon Qingyang's weak voice gradually faded into silence.

After listening, Qin Ming's eyes flickered constantly; Old Demon Qingyang's words were rough but the reasoning was sound. At this critical juncture, he could no longer worry about such trivialities.

He had never expected the variables of the heavenly tribulation to be so great, far exceeding his expectations.

"Damn it! I'll go all in!"

Gritting his teeth, the cultivation methods of the "Heavenly Demon Body Refining Strategy" and the "Primordial Asura Demon-Planting True Sutra" simultaneously floated in his mind.

Immediately, Qin Ming waved his hand, causing the Natal essence blood of the Great Black Heaven Demon Saint and a strand of primordial demon qi to float before him.

Immediately after.

He then consumed the 【Primordial Demon Qi】 entry within his sea of consciousness.

Buzz! Another strand of primordial demon qi appeared before him; however, this strand born from the entry was fully ten times larger than the wisp contained within the Primordial Demon Pearl! It was like comparing a dwarf to a giant.

"How do you still have primordial demon qi on you, kid? And such an absurd amount at that?"

The spiritual body of Qingyang Old Demon, originally on its last legs within the Blood Pagoda, experienced a final flare-up; his eyes widened, and his spirit surged anew.

Qin Ming himself did not know the primordial demon qi within the entry was so robust; yet the next moment, the two strands of primordial demon qi in midair, as if drawn by some unseen mutual attraction and resonance.

Under Qin Ming's gaze, instantly merged into one.

In that instant, a demon qi with an even more terrifying aura, radiating pitch-black demonic light, was nurtured into existence.

Qingyang Old Demon, inside the Blood Pagoda, gazed upon this terrifying demon qi and cried out in shock: "True Demon Qi!!"

Qin Ming first inhaled the fourth-tier great demon essence blood with a single breath, sending it straight into his stomach.

His fleshy body true elixir had already reached the peak of perfection; only one final step remained before breakthrough.

Boom! The fourth-tier great demon essence blood, containing immense energy, erupted violently within Qin Ming's body.

He immediately circulated the "Heavenly Demon Body Refining Strategy" to charge toward a higher realm; behind him, the blood-colored demonic ape illusion, which had previously vanished due to the exhaustion of his blood and true gang, materialized once more!

At this moment, Qin Ming's entire person was wrapped as if in a giant blood-colored cocoon, as though nurturing an even more powerful life form.

The essence within the fourth-tier essence blood was completely absorbed by the fleshy body true elixir.

Yet this Great Black Heaven Demon Saint was among the lowest of fourth-tier great demons, and seemingly still insufficient to cause the fleshy body true elixir to undergo further transformation.

Without hesitation, Qin Ming immediately swallowed that strand of True Demon Qi as well.

Immediately, his hand seals changed at once, switching to the cultivation method from the "Primordial Asura Demon-Planting True Sutra."

In an instant, he refined the True Demon Qi and sent it directly into the fleshy body true elixir.

The next moment.

Crack-crack-crack! Countless dense cracks appeared upon the fleshy body true elixir; between the fissures, pitch-black demonic light suddenly burst forth.

Qin Ming's body was simultaneously wreathed in blood-colored qi and black demon qi, the two auras intertwining to create an extremely eerie effect.

Once the shattering of the fleshy body true elixir concluded, with a sharp crack, a pitch-black demonic infant leaped out from the elixir fragments and, mimicking its predecessor, absorbed and swallowed all the primordial power of the fleshy body true elixir into its stomach.

Immediately, the True Demon Qi rose from the dantian and, at the very center of Qin Ming's chest, transformed into a black lotus that bloomed open.

That demonic infant gave an eerie smile, then flew upward as well, seating itself cross-legged upon that black lotus.

In that instant, an immensely vast power began to remodel Qin Ming's physical body.

Countless purple-golden patterns emerged on the surface of Qin Ming's body, resembling a series of tattoos.

Even more terrifying was that the blood-colored eight-armed demonic ape illusion behind him formed different hand seals with each arm, manifesting as a three-hundred-zhang eight-armed demonic figure.

This was precisely the "Primordial Asura True Demon Body" from the "Primordial Asura Demon-Planting True Sutra."

At the same time.

The black vines formed by the Yin-Yang Profound Vine stretched out and gradually dispersed.

Boom-crack!

The heavenly tribulation, which had been brewing in the firmament for a long time, seemed to have found its target anew; filled with extreme fury, it slammed down violently toward Qin Ming's location.

(End of Chapter)