Chapter 678

Cultivators at the Mahayana Emperor realm face two possible outcomes when finally crossing the Tribulation Crossing!

The first is successfully crossing the heavenly tribulation!

Those who cross the heavenly tribulation can immediately ascend to become Immortals.

The second is failing the Tribulation Crossing!

Because the intensity of the Ascension Tribulation far exceeds any previous heavenly tribulation—it is immensely powerful—many cultivators attempting it cannot withstand it.

What happens if they cannot withstand it?

Of course, they do not die!

Those who fail the tribulation still undergo its purification; after their physical body perishes, their Primordial Spirit and spiritual sense can take refuge in their avatar.

From then on, they continue to exist with the avatar as their new body.

Though they did not cross the tribulation, they have still been purified by it, and thus are not considered Mahayana Emperor realm cultivators—they are collectively known by the world as 【Scattered Immortals】.

Besides these two outcomes, there is a third scenario.

What happens if the physical body crosses the tribulation, but the avatar remains?

After the physical body ascends, the avatar cannot ascend, so its fate is to remain in this world and also become a Scattered Immortal.

The so-called Scattered Immortal is none other than the Feather Transformation realm!

Taking humans as an example, a Scattered Immortal who avoids the Killing Tribulation can possess a terrifying lifespan of one million years.

Though not truly immortal or eternally unaging, one million years is still an exceedingly long time.

Though He Pingsheng's forced shift in topic felt somewhat abrupt, it achieved its effect.

"Alright…" He Pingsheng waved his hand: "Qingmei, go ahead to the pavilion ahead and begin meditating on the 【Spatial Wormhole】 technique!"

"Both of you must meditate on this technique—together!" He Pingsheng pointed at Zhou Qingmei, then at her avatar.

"Yes!" The two bowed and withdrew.

He Pingsheng waved to Ting Tong and Hao Cang: "You two leave as well—I have matters to attend to!"

These two naturally also departed the hall.

The vast cultivation ground was now left with only Qiao Huizhu and He Pingsheng.

"Hehe…" Qiao Huizhu's cheeks flushed slightly, yet a cold smirk curled her lips; she lifted her face, chin pointed at He Pingsheng, and said: "You're quite good at changing the subject… Why not continue telling me—what exactly happened with Su Zhenzhen?"

He Pingsheng's face instantly twisted in pain: Damn, the reckoning was inevitable.

"Sister…" He Pingsheng took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm: "At that time, my spiritual sense was severely injured—I was utterly defenseless in a cave!"

"Then that woman Su Zhenzhen took advantage of my weakness and… did that to me!"

"She only sought my fortune back then—she had already severed her emotional attachments!"

"You could say I was tricked by her!"

"I swear by heaven—I did not initiate it!"

"Can you forgive me?" He Pingsheng wore an innocent expression.

Qiao Huizhu shook her head, tied up her disheveled hair, then stretched her long left leg over He Pingsheng's body and sat squarely on his stomach: "Was Su Zhenzhen like this back then?"

He Pingsheng nodded vigorously like a chicken pecking grain: "Pretty much!"

Qiao Huizhu said: "Hehe… Weren't you injured in your spiritual sense? How do you remember so clearly?"

…

Several days later, He Pingsheng stepped out of Qiao Huizhu's cultivation ground.

Everyone gathered and sat in the courtyard pavilion.

"What are your plans now, Young Master?" Zhou Qingmei glanced around the small courtyard: "This courtyard seems a bit small now—shall we buy a larger one?"

"Yes!" Qiao Huizhu said: "I also feel it's too small!"

The entire courtyard was only dozens of zhang across, with two small pavilions—one in front, one behind.

Previously, with only He Pingsheng, Hao Cang, and Qiao Huizhu, it was not cramped.

But now that Zhou Qingmei and her avatar, Xiao Feng Ting Tong, had arrived, the courtyard was too tight.

He Pingsheng said: "We don't necessarily need to buy one—I've thought of a better place!"

Here, he turned his gaze to Zhou Qingmei: "Do you still remember Gusu Mountain?"

"Of course!" Zhou Qingmei nodded: "But the spiritual vein's soul there was drained—there's likely no spiritual energy left now!"

Once spiritual power is gone, Gusu Mountain is no different from an ordinary lava volcano.

He Pingsheng remembered Gusu Mountain had unique features.

It stood atop a cluster of snow-capped mountains, with a lava crater at its peak.

Amidst swirling snow, green vegetation thrived.

It was truly a sacred cultivation site.

"Don't worry!" He Pingsheng chuckled: "A few years ago, I acquired a top-grade Spirit Dragon—I can use it now!"

"Let's go there and implant this top-grade spiritual vein soul into the mountain's vein—perhaps Gusu Mountain can become a sacred cultivation site again!"

"Good!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

He Pingsheng said: "Then let's go—first teleport outside the city, then proceed."

After teleporting outside the city, He Pingsheng found a secluded spot and unfolded his Emperor artifact, 【Silver River Sky Shuttle】, carrying the five of them toward Gusu Mountain.

In less than half a day, they arrived at this vast, snow-covered mountain range.

The lone pine on the summit still stood.

The volcanic crater remained.

Amidst the white snow, a massive crater glowed crimson, filled with molten magma.

It was indeed a remarkable sight.

Everyone landed at the former mountain gate of Gusu Mountain.

Their spiritual sense surged outward—buildings were buried under layers of snow.

Not a single soul remained.

All cultivators had long since departed.

He Pingsheng pulled out a spiritual vein soul and placed it into the void: "This is a top-grade spiritual vein soul. Unfortunately, I don't know the Dragon-Draining or Dragon-Planting techniques—none of you know how to implant this dragon soul into the earth?"

Hao Cang smiled: "Young Master, let this old servant handle it—I know a bit about this art."

"Good!" He Pingsheng nodded.

Hao Cang reached out, seized the floating spirit dragon in the void, and performed a technique to plant the Spirit Dragon into the earth.

Instantly, He Pingsheng sensed something had changed here.

Though no spiritual energy had yet emerged, the land had grown mysteriously profound.

"Spiritual vein planted into the earth!" Hao Cang bowed before He Pingsheng and explained: "It takes years before spiritual energy begins to emanate—so now, though the vein is planted, no spiritual energy is yet produced!"

He Pingsheng waved his hand and handed Hao Cang a storage bag: "Inside are one hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones—place them all here to increase the spiritual energy density!"

"Also!" He Pingsheng turned to Zhou Qingmei: "Set up a sixth-rank Spirit Gathering Array here to prevent spiritual energy from leaking out!"

"Yes!" Zhou Qingmei bowed.

He Pingsheng waved: "You all move freely—I'll go check the volcanic crater."

He intended to use the Bathing in Flame Golden Body Art to refine his body—he'd been worried about lacking flame.

Now, using this crater's terrestrial fire was even better.