Chapter 695: Void Refinement, the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation

Next, He Pingsheng asked about the sect's situation.

Master Xihu secretly went to the Tianhuo Divine Nation in the Tianpeng Imperial Domain a few years ago, found some Li family disciples, and brought them back here.

Among these disciples were descendants of Li Yunyun and her brother.

Overall, Gu Song Mountain is now one of the larger sects within a ten-thousand-li radius.

Over the past century, several sects tried to challenge us; one was merely a fifth-rank sect, but after seeing the Void Refinement cultivator Hao Cang, they immediately pissed themselves and fled.

The second time, a sixth-rank sect with a Void Refinement cultivator also wanted to seize Gu Song Mountain.

Later, Zhou Qingmei appeared and killed that Void Refinement cultivator with a single strike.

Since then, no one has ever coveted Gu Song Mountain again.

"Master Xihu…" He Pingsheng looked at Xihu and asked: "Have Tian Jinpeng and the Tianhuo Divine Emperor continued to trouble us?"

"No!" Xihu shook his head.

Hao Cang smiled and said: "Master, rest assured—I've heard they're all searching for your whereabouts, but they don't know you're right here in Gu Song Mountain!"

That's right!

He Pingsheng never shows his face at Gu Song Mountain!

Zhou Qingmei and Hao Cang rarely appear either; all external dealings are handled by Lady Longyue, so almost no one knows Gu Song Mountain is He Pingsheng's power.

Since the Tianhuo Divine Emperor can't find He Pingsheng, he won't come to Gu Song Mountain.

That's normal.

"Enough!" He Pingsheng waved his hand: "All of you go. Continue managing the sect properly!"

He dismissed everyone else, leaving only Qiao Huizhu behind.

"Sister!" He Pingsheng looked at Qiao Huizhu with serious expression: "Are you ready to forge a body double?"

"Yes!" Seeing He Pingsheng so serious, Qiao Huizhu became serious too: "What advice do you have, my husband?"

"Hmm!" He Pingsheng nodded: "Look at this."

He waved his hand and pulled out a block of ice from his ring.

The ice was condensed from the third-rank Ice Primordial Source—Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Marrow—and formed a massive block about one zhang in size.

Inside the ice lay a person.

Or rather, a corpse: Qiao Huizhu.

Originally, to revive Qiao Huizhu, He Pingsheng used the Treasure Basin to replicate an identical corpse.

This corpse was merely copied, not enhanced, so it couldn't yet be called a living dead.

"This…" Seeing her own body, Qiao Huizhu gasped, then clapped both hands over her mouth in horror.

He Pingsheng reached out and pulled Qiao Huizhu into his arms, speaking softly: "Don't be afraid. Listen to my explanation."

"Back in the cultivation world, you were tricked by He Wen and He Nian to the Sacred Mountain, where that evil array stripped your fortune and shattered your soul beyond repair!"

"To save you, I could only seal your soul inside the Soul-Nourishing Banner, leaving this body entombed."

"Later, to ensure your successful awakening, I used demonic methods to split your body into two, as a backup."

"Fortunately, the first body revived you perfectly!"

"This remaining body has been kept here, untouched."

"Now that you're preparing to forge a body double, you have two choices!" He Pingsheng took a deep breath and continued: "First, follow the ordinary method—use rare treasures to forge a body double!"

"Then gradually raise your cultivation. If needed, I can find the materials for you."

"But you have a second path: after your Nascent Soul sheds, place it into this body and forge it into a second body double!"

"Understand—this body was split from your original one; it's nearly identical!"

"If you use it to forge a body double, it will bring boundless benefits to your cultivation path."

"Think carefully. I respect your choice."

He Pingsheng's words were half-truths, but Qiao Huizhu had no reason to doubt the origin of the body double—she only pondered the forging process.

"Then… let me think," Qiao Huizhu wouldn't make such a decision lightly; this concerned her entire cultivation.

"Fine!" He Pingsheng said: "If you don't choose this body, I'll destroy it."

"Then…" Qiao Huizhu asked: "If I use this body, will there be any drawbacks?"

He Pingsheng thought: "This body is merely flesh—without a soul or consciousness; its soul and awareness will ultimately come from your own Liusu Nascent Soul. Theoretically, it should be identical to a body double you forged yourself!"

"But since it's identical to you, when you later merge with the Dao, it will bring benefits you can't imagine."

"As for drawbacks—I see none."

"Hmm."

Qiao Huizhu returned, not giving He Pingsheng an answer immediately.

He Pingsheng wasn't in a hurry.

He sat cross-legged on the cushion, adjusting his body and spiritual sense.

After several days, He Pingsheng finally reached peak condition, then entered the purple-red magic treasure space and swallowed a 【Shedding Nascent Soul Pill】.

Boom…

Boom…

Above, in the purple-red space, dark clouds gathered, forming sheets of lightning.

With a crash, the first wave of nine tribulation bolts struck.

He Pingsheng stared at the tribulation bolts falling from the void, stunned.

Then, endless lightning crashed onto him.

Hmm… unharmed.

"So weak?" He Pingsheng gaped in surprise.

He remembered that in the past, his Nine-Nine Tribulation had the first six bolts transferred to another person.

He only bore the final three supreme bolts.

What's going on now?

Why is the first bolt so weak?

Or is it because my body, after dual-element body refinement and absorbing Nine Heaven Mystic Fire, has become unimaginably strong?

Boom…

The second wave of heavenly tribulation fell.

Then the third, fourth, fifth, sixth…

He Pingsheng finally understood.

His previously censored tribulation had finally appeared in its full, complete form.

What happened?

If mine's complete now, does that mean the Ninth Prince has lost his wisdom and won't undergo Void Refinement tribulation—so he returned the first six bolts to me?

Hmm… very likely.

He Pingsheng took a deep breath, and as he thought, pulled out a shield.

Because the seventh powerful tribulation was coming.

He easily absorbed the seventh and eighth bolts.

When the ninth arrived, he immediately activated the blood-red turtle shell.

A pale green phantom turtle shadow enveloped his body, absorbing the ninth tribulation bolt.