Chapter 170

Cloud Dream Marsh.

Qi and the others watched on the water mirror as Ao Xing, after entering the tribulation, displayed his every move; they saw him gain renown with the Water-Hua Awakening World Drum and thunder techniques, and admirers called him the Five Thunder True Lord.

"I don't know where Ao Xing learned this thunder technique, but he's quite skilled—though his appearance leaves much to be desired."

"Nüwa laughed beside the water mirror, but nobody paid it any mind—how could divine abilities be judged by appearance?"

"I feel like I've seen this scene of summoning heavenly thunder before, but I just can't recall it."

Taiyi pondered at the side.

Upon hearing that, everyone felt increasingly familiar, as if they had met before.

In the corner, Bai Ling stood with his waist rod rigidly straight, his head bowed low, as if he wanted to be noticed yet also not.

"Bai Ling, you've spent the most time accompanying Ao Xing; in the Cloud Dream Marsh, he was closest to you—do you remember this?"

Faced with Qi's sudden question, Bai Ling shook his head without thinking and said:

"My lord, I have no impression; perhaps Ao Xing is simply interested in thunder techniques and has been studying them privately."

"After all, my lord is versed in heaven and man, with a vast collection; Taiyi the Great God also has wide interests, so he must have seen it privately in the Library Pavilion and learned it."

Qi thought for a moment and found Bai Ling's words not unreasonable; the Library Pavilion contains too many and too varied divine arts and abilities.

The techniques created by myself, Taiyi, and others are all there, as are my cultivation notes, unrestricted, so it's normal for Ao Xing to study them privately.

Qi waved his hand dismissively and said: "Forget it; if I can't remember, it probably isn't important, as long as Ao Xing can make good use of it."

Qi now examines himself daily with his primordial spirit, and even more so since Ao Xing entered the tribulation.

New karmic ties no longer arise, and with the Innate Twelve‑Grade Pure World White Lotus upon him, most karmic tribulation energy can be avoided.

Before, he had simply been too careless; long peace led Qi to go out without ever summoning the protection of the Innate Twelve‑Grade Pure World White Lotus.

This caused karma to cling to him, but fortunately, as Ao Xing entered the tribulation, those karmic bonds gradually fade; the more Ao Xing slays, the less karmic debt Qi owes.

In the end, karma is such that if you incur a cause but cannot repay its effect, it becomes hard to resolve.

But if you truly cannot repay it, you can eliminate the cause at its root—for without a cause, there is no need to repay an effect.

Seeing Ao Xing enter the Dragon Clan's great camp, the image on the water mirror faded, and everyone knew there would be no trouble today.

"The great tribulation is nearing its end, yet the situation remains tangled and unclear; the three clans are evenly matched, so this tribulation may continue."

Fuxi said with some concern, "This is also what troubles everyone."

After all, the three clans are locked in a stalemate; without outside intervention, not even a single eon would suffice, let alone ten eons, to reach a conclusion.

"You and I should be able to sense that the time until the Great Dao departs and the Heavenly Dao emerges is drawing near."

"If the great tribulation continues, as the first great tribulation of the Heavenly Dao, its horror will surely surpass what you and I can imagine."

"According to Yangmei the Great God, the first great tribulation of the Great Dao caused many innate divinities, including the Three Sovereigns, to fall into slumber."

"It is said they actively opened the Return to the Ruins, but rationally it's impossible for all gods to have grown weary of that life; though there was no way forward, maintaining clarity would still bring some hope." "The situation back then was likely not as simple as Yangmei the Great God described; merely, the details remain unknown."

Qi's voice carried a hint of worry, for as the first tribulation of the Heavenly Dao, its ordeal should be no less severe than the first tribulation of the Great Dao.

The first tribulation of the Great Dao caused the vast majority of innate divinities in the Primordial Wilderness to sleep and vanish; what, then, will the first tribulation of the Heavenly Dao bring?

The outcome remains unknown.

Just as everyone was discussing, the Phoenix Clan's fortune suddenly plummeted, flowing toward the Dragon Clan and the Qilin Clan.

The cries of the phoenix of fortune, the roars of the golden dragon of fortune, and the bellows of the qilin of fortune echoed through the Primordial Wilderness, audible even to those who have not cultivated.

Blood rain fell from the heavens, the Great Dao sounded mournful, everyone felt it, and Di Jun whispered: "In this situation, who among Yuan Feng and Yuan Huang has departed via transformation?"

"Yuan Feng has undergone transformation, Yuan Huang likewise, and the Primordial Wilderness trembled."

"No one could have imagined what dire circumstances would be required to make the leaders of the three clans, standing at the pinnacle of the Primordial Wilderness, have the Hunyuan Daoist undergo transformation."

Maybe we should keep pinyin: Yuan Feng and Yuan Huang. That avoids confusion and follows rule for names (they are names of divine beings). I'll go with pinyin: Yuan Feng and Yuan Huang.

Taiyi suddenly said, "As the final tribulation of the Great Dao in the Primordial Wilderness, it surely won't end so easily; I fear changes will still arise afterward."

"Look, the tribulation energy in heaven and earth has not dissipated in the slightest; on the contrary, it has grown much denser."

Everyone's faces grew solemn as they channeled divine power into their eyes and gazed toward the horizon.

All they saw was tribulation energy rolling in from the west, like boiling water.

Again, a different kind of fortune struggle erupted among the three clans, not entering the Three Powers of the Divine Way.

Qi and everyone felt heavy-hearted, knowing that the immortal‑demon conflict foretold by Yangmei had begun.

The five individuals' qi flows intertwined, forming a heavenly canopy; although they could not see what was happening in the west, they could still detect some vague omens.

They saw two heavenly phenomena clash, principles intertwining and colliding, the six desires, and the three thoughts of good, evil, and obstinacy clearly distinct.

Everyone merely peeked a little, yet felt mental tension, an unsettled mind, desires running wild, headaches as if about to split—making it hard to endure.

Helpless, they withdrew their gaze; Qi pressed his hand to his forehead and said:

"In the midst of it, the clash is so fierce and overbearing that even with our five combined strengths, we are not worthy to watch even a bit."

Taiyi was the same: his eyes bloodshot, veins bulging, killing intent rampant, resembling a man‑eater, and he said, "Just a slight peek stirs desires uncontrollably; the sky‑filling tribulation energy and all kinds of evil enter the body—the gap is immense, and in all our past experiences we have never endured such humiliation."

Fuxi lowered his head, gave a bitter smile, tears streaming, muttering incessantly, alternating between sorrow and joy, and said, "Though the spiritual platform is clear, the five senses intertwine and cannot be controlled—what way is this, making it unbearable to accept!"

Di Jun did not suffer as Fuxi did, yet he too could only suppress his desires, fearing to reveal an unsightly appearance and damage his dignity.

Nüwa merely leaned against the stone table, silent, her whole body trembling as if plunged into fear.

Even with the five of us combined, we lack the qualification to even watch a moment of their fierce, overbearing confrontation.

Taiyi was no different—his eyes were bloodshot, veins protruded across his body, killing intent permeated the air, he looked like a man‑eating monster, and he said, "Even a brief glance sparks uncontrollable lust; the sky‑filling tribulation energy and all kinds of evil invade the body, the gap is so vast that in all my past experience I have never suffered such humiliation."

Fuxi hung his head, bitterly smiling as tears streamed down, muttering nonstop, swinging between grief and delight, he said, "Even though the spiritual platform is clear, the five senses become entangled and cannot be restrained—how could it be like this, making it so hard to bear!"

Di Jun wasn't as tormented as Fuxi, but he too could only restrain his many desires, staying silent for fear of showing a disgraceful side and losing face.

Nüwa leaned against the stone table, silent, her whole body shaking as if she were gripped by fear.

The crowd merely peeked, and already it was like this; they could not help but marvel, that person engaged in Dao discussion—what kind of divine power they actually possess! (End of chapter)