Chapter 406: The Descent of the Heavenly Tribulation, Feng Mingtian's Misfortune, and the Advancement of the Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body
"Madman! You lunatic!"
Above the True Phoenix Clan's ancestral grounds in Dragon Phoenix Sky, Feng Mingtian roared in frustration as he retreated rapidly.
At this moment, Xiao Tiance was no longer the battered man who could only hold on by sheer determination, sustaining wound after wound while desperately stalling Feng Mingtian. Instead, he had transformed into a relentless force of nature one that Feng Mingtian wanted to avoid at all costs.
Yet no matter how fast Feng Mingtian retreated, he could not outpace Xiao Tiance, who had prepared meticulously for this very moment.
"Hahaha! Do you think you can escape?" Xiao Tiance laughed, his eyes alight with madness.
His plan was clear: drag Feng Mingtian into the Heavenly Tribulation. The increasing strength of the tribulation would exponentially amplify once they were both caught in it. Even if Xiao Tiance were to perish, he would ensure that Feng Mingtian would fall with him, leaving the True Phoenix Clan vulnerable and unable to recover.
The terrifying truth was that the power of the Heavenly Tribulation was strong enough to obliterate both of them together. Xiao Tiance had no choice; it was the only path forward.
The Strength of the Heavenly Tribulation Intensifies
As Xiao Tiance closed the distance, the gathering thunderclouds above began to shift ominously. Bolts of lightning coiled within the clouds, the tribulation seemingly preparing to strike with annihilating force.
"Do you even understand what you're doing? This tribulation will reduce you to ashes!" Feng Mingtian shouted furiously, but his anger was mixed with fear.
He didn't dare flee the battlefield, knowing that if Xiao Tiance turned his attention to another Heavenly Sovereign such as the True Phoenix Clan's Grand Elder then the expanded tribulation range could encompass the entire ancestral grounds.
The resulting destruction would doom not just him, but the entire True Phoenix Clan.
Xiao Tiance's Unyielding Resolve
Xiao Tiance sneered. "Understand? Of course I do. But that changes nothing. You die here, Feng Mingtian. Only by ending you can the people I brought here have a chance to survive."
His words carried a chilling calmness, and the fiery determination in his eyes left no doubt he had already made peace with his decision.
"You're insane!" Feng Mingtian cursed. "If you drag others into this tribulation, everyone will die!"
"Exactly," Xiao Tiance said, his laughter tinged with madness. "And if my people die, do you think I'll let you escape unscathed?"
Feng Mingtian froze momentarily. He knew Xiao Tiance wasn't bluffing. The implications of allowing Xiao Tiance to shift his focus to another target were disastrous. Reluctantly, he gritted his teeth and stopped retreating.
The Heavenly Tribulation Strikes
As Feng Mingtian made his stand, the first bolt of tribulation lightning descended with earth shattering force.
"CRACK!"
A bolt of lightning, over ten meters thick, tore through the sky and engulfed both combatants. The ancestral grounds quaked under the sheer magnitude of the strike, the heavens seemingly intent on erasing everything in its path.
A Moment of Unity and Fear
"Clan Leader!"
"Tiance/Teacher/Lord Tiance!"
Both sides cried out in unison, watching the terrifying scene unfold.
Xiao Tiance, his voice booming through the chaos, barked an order: "Everyone, continue fighting! Feng Mingtian cannot escape! Crush the True Phoenix Clan's remaining forces!"
His unyielding command spurred his allies into action. Lin Dong, Lin Qingzhu, and the others redoubled their efforts, determined to capitalize on the opportunity Xiao Tiance had created.
Meanwhile, the True Phoenix Clan's warriors began to falter, fear gripping many of them. However, they had no choice but to fight, as Xiao Tiance's forces gave them no chance to retreat.
The Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation
Amidst the crackling fury of the tribulation, Xiao Tiance's entire body was enveloped in lightning. Each strike surged through him, scorching every inch of his skin and flooding his meridians with excruciating pain.
Yet he did not waver.
Instead, he seized the opportunity to refine his Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body, using the overwhelming power of the tribulation to push himself beyond his limits.
Feng Mingtian, on the other hand, struggled desperately against the relentless lightning. Despite his immense strength and resilience, he could feel the tribulation's unyielding pressure bearing down on him, threatening to shatter his defenses at any moment.
"Damn it!" he cursed, his voice laced with fury and frustration.
A Battle Within a Storm
Even as the tribulation raged on, the war below continued. Xiao Tiance's allies pressed their advantage, slowly but surely gaining the upper hand. Lin Dong, Lin Qingzhu, and the others had defeated several Earth Sovereigns, further tipping the scales in their favor.
Above, Xiao Tiance and Feng Mingtian remained locked in their perilous struggle, their fates intertwined with the wrath of the heavens.
"You think this will stop me?" Feng Mingtian roared, his body glowing with a golden radiance as he unleashed his full power in a desperate bid to resist the tribulation.
But Xiao Tiance, his voice unwavering, responded with a cold smile: "It's not about stopping you. It's about ending you."
His determination shone like a beacon amidst the storm, unshakable and indomitable.
On the other side, things were far worse for Feng Mingtian. Because this tribulation wasn't his, and he had been forcibly dragged into it, the majority of the tribulation's power was now focused on him, seemingly intent on obliterating him entirely.
"Damn it! Damn it, Xiao Tiance! If I survive this, I will stop at nothing to kill you!" Feng Mingtian roared furiously, struggling to withstand the destructive force of the tribulation.
"Hahaha! If you live through this, then we can talk!" Xiao Tiance retorted with a wild laugh.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. Qinghou was currently stuck at the pinnacle of the Earth Supreme level due to insufficient energy, unable to advance. However, pulling Qinghou into the tribulation at this moment would only amplify its destructive force an unwise move.
The Second Tribulation Strike
"Boom! Crack!"
Before the first wave of tribulation lightning had fully dissipated, the second strike descended.
Under normal circumstances, the tribulation wouldn't proceed this way. After all, the heavens are said to be merciful, always leaving a chance for survival.
But the moment Feng Mingtian was dragged into the tribulation's range, he was deemed an intruder, triggering a harsher response from the tribulation. Each successive strike began falling before the previous one had fully faded.
"Pfft!"
The second wave of tribulation lightning was significantly more powerful than the first. Even a powerhouse like Feng Mingtian half a step into the Saint level Heavenly Sovereign realm couldn't escape its wrath. Blood sprayed from his mouth, only to be instantly vaporized by the raging lightning surrounding him.
Not far away, Xiao Tiance's face turned pale as he endured the devastating force. The strength of this second wave was beginning to exceed his limits. If not for Feng Mingtian sharing the brunt of the tribulation's fury, this single strike might have reduced him to ashes.
"Urgh!"
Xiao Tiance let out a muffled groan, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth before vanishing into the tribulation's brilliance.
Absorbing the Tribulation's Power
"Absorb it!"
Driven by madness and resolve, Xiao Tiance channeled every ounce of his willpower to absorb the lightning's energy, using it to enhance the Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body. This was his sole chance to survive.
Even if he didn't make it, stalling for time was critical. If he fell, the tribulation would dissipate, allowing Feng Mingtian to recover quickly and tip the battle against his allies.
The only path forward was to persevere.
The searing pain, which felt like being torn apart inch by inch, was excruciating. But Xiao Tiance gritted his teeth, fully aware that survival meant enduring this torment.
"Keep absorbing it!"
He continued to push the Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body to its limits. The results were promising, but the tribulation's power was so immense that his skin began to crack under its strain.
Feng Mingtian's Struggle
"Hahaha! Xiao Tiance, you'd better hold on, because if you fall, I will slaughter everyone you brought here. Not one of them will survive!"
Despite his struggles against the overwhelming force, Feng Mingtian kept a watchful eye on Xiao Tiance, eager for any sign of weakness.
The relentless bombardment from the tribulation made it impossible for him to escape or retaliate effectively. Otherwise, he would have already seized the opportunity to kill Xiao Tiance.
"I will endure longer than you, you old wretch!" Xiao Tiance shot back coldly, teeth clenched as he persevered.
The Battle Rages Below
Below, Medusa had just slain an Earth Supreme and fended off an Upper Earth Supreme's attack when her gaze turned to Xiao Tiance, surrounded by the raging tribulation.
Her heart ached, wishing she could take his place and bear the agony for him. But she knew the truth: the terrifying tribulation would reduce her to ash in mere seconds if she stepped within its range.
"Look out!"
A sudden cry jolted Medusa back to the battle as another attack came her way. Swiftly dodging, she countered and re engaged with her opponents.
The Third and Fourth Tribulation Strikes
"Boom! Crack!"
"Boom! Crack!"
Perhaps angered by the survival of its targets, the tribulation unleashed its third and fourth strikes simultaneously.
This time, even Feng Mingtian's phoenix body, renowned for its resilience, began to crack under the strain.
"Aaaah!" Feng Mingtian's agonized screams filled the air. The dual strikes were far beyond the power of the first two, inflicting severe injuries that left him reeling.
Xiao Tiance wasn't faring much better. While the tribulation's force was slightly weaker on him compared to Feng Mingtian, it was still overwhelming. Yet, in this moment of destruction, he felt a glimmer of hope.
The second layer of the Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body was on the verge of completion. If he succeeded, his ability to withstand the tribulation would increase dramatically. He might even push toward the third or fourth layers in one go.
"Pfft!"
Another mouthful of blood erupted from Xiao Tiance as his skin was entirely destroyed by the combined strikes. Despite the unimaginable pain, his eyes shone with determination.
He continued to absorb the tribulation's energy, channeling it into his cultivation.
Breakthrough Amid Destruction
Suddenly, a golden light enveloped Xiao Tiance. His previously ruined skin began to regenerate, radiating vitality.
"Hahaha! The Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body truly lives up to its name! To feel both destruction and rebirth amidst the universe's most violent forces it is unparalleled!" Xiao Tiance laughed heartily, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
His Supreme Physique expanded, growing from several hundred meters to over a kilometer in height, an awe inspiring sight that stunned friend and foe alike.
Reactions and Resolve
Inside the Heavenly Dao Tower, Qinghou was left speechless. "The second layer... so quickly? This is monstrous!"
Even in the thick of battle, Mo Yang couldn't help but marvel. When Qinghou had told him Xiao Tiance had inherited the Heavenly Dao Myriad Tribulation Body, he hadn't taken it seriously. After all, the body was infamous for its difficulty many prodigies of the Heavenly Dao Sect had tried and failed.
Now, seeing Xiao Tiance's progress firsthand, Mo Yang gasped in disbelief.
The Tribulation Continues
But Xiao Tiance paid no mind to their reactions. Feeling the increasing strength of his body and the growing resilience of his Supreme Physique, his focus remained solely on the tribulation.
Even Feng Mingtian's curses faded into the background as Xiao Tiance immersed himself in his cultivation.
"Onward! This rare opportunity must not be wasted!" he thought, pushing himself further into the tempest of destruction and rebirth.
(To Be Continued)
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