Chapter 578: Qingxue, You Go First, I

On Yufeng Peak, Fang Yu sat in one place, Fang Qingxue sat in another.

At this moment, the peak's highest point was now empty of disciples; these disciples had long since learned that their master, Senior Brother Fang Yu, was about to undergo the most terrifying Wind-Fire Tribulation in the Cultivation World, and thus dared not disturb him, retreating instead to the mountain's mid-slope.

The true disciples of the Divine Ability Secret Realm, the Elders, the inner and outer sect disciples of the Physical Body Secret Realm—all wore expressions of deep concern.

The Wind-Fire Tribulation arises from the cultivator's own inner demons and Xu Yuan Qi.

The more primordial divine abilities one cultivates, the stronger one's magic power becomes, and the more severe the tribulation grows.

For someone like Senior Brother Fang Yu, who has cultivated ninety-nine great divine abilities, one can imagine how terrifying his tribulation would be.

This filled the many disciples atop Yufeng Peak with great anxiety.

After all, in Yuhua Sect's past history, there had been outstanding geniuses who cultivated many divine abilities, whose Jin Dan quality far surpassed those of West Jialan and East Lingxiao, yet they perished outright during their Wind-Fire Tribulation due to violent backlash.

Because of this, among the former Five True Disciples, none of the others dared attempt Tribulation Crossing—they remained in the Golden Core Realm—only Hua Tiandu had successfully crossed the Wind-Fire Tribulation, reaching the level of defying fate and altering destiny.

As for Bei Yaoguang, many disciples of Yuhua Sect hadn't seen her in years, but this female true disciple should not be dead; after all, her true identity is the daughter of the Zhang Sect, surely alive and well, and perhaps even having crossed the Wind-Fire Tribulation.

"Senior Brother must cross the Wind-Fire Tribulation this time. This step cannot afford the slightest mistake, or all his achievements will be destroyed."

"Senior Brother really should have polished his Golden Core Realm longer, accumulated more time—then his chance of crossing the Wind-Fire Tribulation would be far greater. Look at Sister Jialan; she has been in the Golden Core Realm for years and still accumulates strength. Only after gathering sufficient power might Tribulation Crossing become easier."

"What, are you going to criticize Senior Brother? If Senior Brother is crossing the Tribulation, he surely has confidence in doing so. He is a peerless genius, not an ordinary person—if Senior Brother were ordinary, he'd still be stuck in the Physical Body Secret Realm. Could you cultivate from Physical Body Secret Realm to 7th Stage of Divine Abilities in one year?"

"That's true—Senior Brother is no ordinary person, so he can't be judged by normal standards. But a Jin Dan formed from over ninety divine abilities—how terrifying would the Wind-Fire Tribulation become? In our Yuhua Sect's past, some geniuses formed Jin Dan with over forty divine abilities and still failed Tribulation Crossing."

On the mid-slope of Yufeng Peak, the crowd buzzed with chatter, but atop the peak, Fang Qingxue spoke: "Yu-di, I go first, you follow. This isn't meant to steal your spotlight—we crossing together might trigger unforeseen changes."

"Then I wish Sister success in her Tribulation Crossing."

Fang Yu nodded.

He remained where he was, refining his spirit, neither crossing the Tribulation nor joining Fang Qingxue in it.

If two people crossed the Wind-Fire Tribulation together, no one could say whether their tribulations might merge into a cataclysmic, overwhelming force—that would be disastrous.

So Fang Qingxue would cross first, Fang Yu after.

"Wind-Fire Tribulation—come!"

Fang Qingxue uttered a soft cry, and her Wind-Fire Tribulation erupted fully; with her mighty, vast divine abilities, the moment the Wind-Fire Tribulation manifested, the air atop Yufeng Peak grew scorching hot.

At this moment, Fang Yu saw most clearly: within Fang Qingxue's Jin Dan, its core erupted with intense flames—pure red, coalescing into countless lotus-shaped illusions.

As the fierce flame within the Jin Dan's core grew stronger, the void itself turned crimson.

The most fearsome flame of the Wind-Fire Tribulation—the Red Lotus Tribulation Flame—appeared!

Not even the cultivator herself could withstand it; even others who merely touched a speck of this flame would be doomed to eternal ruin.

The Red Lotus Tribulation Flame is the most terrifying flame in heaven and earth, most adept at burning magic power, soul, physical body, and all Daoist Gang Qi.

A single Red Lotus Tribulation Flame can burn a Golden Core expert to death.

But here, hundreds of Red Lotus Tribulation Flames burst forth from Fang Qingxue's body, spinning everywhere—each flame the size of a bowl, generating terrifying power, even surpassing the might of Chi Di Fire Emperor Qi.

Chi Di Fire Emperor Qi is the ultimate of the Five Elements' fire, a standalone heavenly Dao in the Manghuang Ji Realm—but the Red Lotus Tribulation Flame transcends the Five Elements, existing beyond them, beyond all heavenly Daos.

As the Red Lotus Tribulation Flame emerged, wrapping around Fang Qingxue's body, her white robes instantly dissolved; her flesh, essence, marrow—all seemed ready to be burned dry.

Simultaneously, terrifying winds erupted from the Jin Dan's core—ghosts wailed, demons screamed; black winds coiled like serpents, resembling the Black Sun Wind Calamity.

Hundreds of black wind tribulations coalesced into monstrous, ferocious black dragons, jaws agape, razor-sharp.

These were the "Black Nightmare Dragon Winds."

These Black Nightmare Dragon Winds synergized with the Red Lotus Tribulation Flames—wind fueled fire, spinning each Red Lotus Flame into a dizzying whirl.

This was the cultivator's Wind-Fire Tribulation: fire, the Red Lotus Tribulation Flame; wind, the Black Nightmare Dragon Wind. "Nian" means nightmare—the cultivator, once struck by the wind, unknowingly lost his spiritual awareness, as if in a dream, before he could awaken, already dead and his Dao extinguished.

In an instant, Fang Qingxue became a pillar of fire piercing heaven; wind and fire roared, and more wind and fire erupted from her Jin Dan—the more divine abilities the Jin Dan contained, the fiercer the Wind-Fire Tribulation became.

This Wind-Fire Tribulation was not an external calamity—it arose from within the cultivator's Jin Dan.

Within a three-hundred-zhang radius atop Yufeng Peak, wind and fire filled the air, shredding the void into fragments, every corner thick with tribulation energy.

Even the sound of the wind and fire burning formed sighs.

"Tribulation… tribulation."

"Inevitably doomed…"

It seemed heaven itself told Fang Qingxue that this tribulation was inescapable.

"Wind-Fire Tribulation… this is the Wind-Fire Tribulation. If Sister Qingxue crosses it, it shouldn't be a problem."

Fang Yu sensed the Wind-Fire Tribulation radiating through the void—it harmonized nearly identically with the Dao he had comprehended in the Manghuang Ji Realm. When Black Sun Wind Calamity and Great Sun Fire Calamity were combined, they formed the external Wind-Fire Tribulation; and Sister Qingxue had also obtained the End-Time Calamity and Great Divine Sealing Art—crossing this Tribulation should be no issue.

For many cultivators, the greatest challenge of this Tribulation is that once engulfed by the Wind-Fire Tribulation, they lose all ability to summon their will, soul, or spiritual awareness. The "nian" of Black Nightmare Dragon Wind is no joke—many, once struck by this Wind-Fire Tribulation, never even reacted before they were gone.

This would not apply to Fang Qingxue.

Indeed, Fang Yu saw countless thunderous energies suddenly surge from Fang Qingxue's body—purple lightning, dispelling all darkness; even the black tribulation winds could not resist the Great Thunder Art, the Heavenly Thunder Scripture's radiant thunder.

Purple lightning split the darkness; boundless Xu Yuan Qi flowed from Fang Qingxue's body, reviving her parched, nearly withered form.

"Sister Qingxue truly has immense resources—she must have used at least ten Tianji Elixirs at once."

Fang Yu watched Fang Qingxue, seeing countless Tianji Elixirs instantly consumed by her; at this critical moment, they transformed into infinite medicinal power, flooding her body with potent vitality.

Fang Qingxue's flesh regained fullness, each patch of skin shimmering with exquisite radiance, as if indestructible, a body of purple lightning.

Enduring the refining of the Red Lotus Tribulation Flame, Fang Qingxue became a celestial immortal reincarnated to earth—each refinement revealed greater brilliance, greater immortality.

Her Jin Dan also reformed, all divine abilities condensing anew, becoming purer; under the assault of tribulation flame, tribulation wind, and medicinal power, the Jin Dan underwent even more wondrous changes—within it, a spiritual quality stirred, something preparing to emerge.

Countless tribulation flames and winds still sought to burn Fang Qingxue, but more purple lightning spread across her body; atop her Jin Dan, the Great Calamity Art revealed profound mysteries—some calamity energy, tribulation qi, was absorbed by her Three Calamities even before it could escape the Jin Dan.

The Great Calamity Art indeed greatly aided in crossing the Wind-Fire Tribulation.

The Great Thunder Art did too.

Normally, cultivators face the most tribulations in the form of thunder—across all worlds, Lei Jie is the most common calamity. But the Wind-Fire Tribulation is uniquely a wind-and-fire tribulation—and by sheer misfortune, they encountered the reincarnation of the Thunder Mother, who shattered wind and fire with lightning.

The Wind-Fire Tribulation could not stop Fang Qingxue.

"Is Fang Qingxue about to cross the Wind-Fire Tribulation? Good—excellent! This is truly a blessing for our Yuhua Sect."

Jiang Rourou, an ancient overlord of the Longevity Secret Realm, had also arrived above Feather Peak. Besides her, Elder Tian Xing was also waiting outside Feather Peak, though he did not enter.

He knew how terrifying the Wind and Fire Tribulation was—the wind and fire would damage a woman's clothing—so he did not enter and waited outside.