The moment the spiritual rain fell, Yunxi opened her eyes. At the slightest movement, the charred crust on her skin shed away on its own, revealing skin as white and lustrous as jade.
Yunxi gave her body a shake, letting the last of the black shell fall. She took out a red robe patterned with dark-gold lines from her storage bracelet and changed into it, then assumed the five-hearts-to-heaven posture to absorb the gift of the Heavenly Dao.
Above her, a goddess's phantom appeared. Her features were indistinct. She stood upon a golden pillar, seven lotus blossoms of different colors circling her form. In her hand was a black-and-white umbrella. A faint smile touched her lips, then she turned and dispersed into the air.
Yunxi's Divine Transformation vision lasted only three breaths before it faded, and the spiritual rain ceased with it.
Once she had drunk her fill of spiritual power, Yunxi felt life return to her limbs. When the rain stopped, she opened her eyes again.
Yu Ling put away "Binghan" and flashed to Yunxi's side. "Ran Xi, did any hidden injuries remain?"
Seeing her Master, Yunxi smiled sweetly, dimples blooming at the corner of her lips. "Thank you for guarding me, Master. My tribulation went smoothly after all. The spiritual rain contained the power of merit. It already helped repair my hidden wounds."
She had not expected that outcome. Thinking back, it must have been because she fought the evil souls to the bitter end within the sealed ground. When Long Ya broke the seal at the last moment, despite her depleted energy, she controlled the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff, the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella, and Zi Yan together to unleash a finishing strike, not allowing a single wisp of evil soul to escape. That calamity would have engulfed the entire Weiyu Realm. For preventing it, she received the Heavenly Dao's reward.
The next second, Yunxi let the smile fade. "Master, to stop the evil cultivators from stealing the evil artifact Long Ya, I even self-detonated my protective immortal artifact. Shouldn't Huaxian Gate compensate me a little?"
Seeing she still had the mood to talk compensation, Yu Ling knew she was truly fine. He nodded."Huaxian Gate must give every region and sect an explanation. Nearly two hundred Nascent Soul cultivators entered for the tournament, yet fewer than thirty-five emerged from the Shanhe Scroll. Barely one in ten survived. The real troubles for Huaxian Gate are still ahead."
Hearing this, Yunxi's eyes dimmed with pain. She sighed. "Master, I only managed to save Zhang Lingrui and Lin Keyang. Wei Yunqing relied on her own stockpiles to hold out to the end."
Yu Ling waved a hand. "It cannot be helped. You already did your best."
Heavy-hearted, the two left Tribulation Peak to meet up with Hao Yan.
By then, several had already survived their Divine Transformation Tribulations and departed the peak. Yun Chen Fózǐ, robes still shining with Buddha-light he had not yet withdrawn, flashed before Yunxi and pressed his palms together in thanks.
"Amitabha. Congratulations to Ran Xi Daoyou on advancing to Divine Transformation. Without your righteous stand, Yun Chen would not have crossed so smoothly. The power of merit within the Heavenly Dao's gift is greatly beneficial to my cultivation."
Yunxi returned the salute. "Mutual joy. You earned this, Yun Chen Fózǐ. Without your support at my back, I would not have dared to stake everything. At least we did right by our fallen companions. We did not let a single evil soul escape."
At her words, the glow of success in Yun Chen Fózǐ's eyes dimmed a shade. He intoned a Buddha-name. "Ran Xi Daoyou speaks true. When I return to Yunmen Temple, I will chant sutras for forty-nine days for those who fell, that they may find another life."
Master Yun Yi spoke up. "Amitabha. You all have done very well, far beyond our expectations. Leave what follows to us. Rest and recover with easy minds."
Yu Ling nodded in agreement. "Master Yun Yi is right. You took on responsibilities beyond your station. Leave the rest to us."
"Yes, Master."
They answered together, then turned to watch the cultivators still facing tribulation on the other peaks.
"With the power of merit as a boon, as long as they withstand the lightning, they should all become true Divine Transformation Zūnzhě," Yunxi murmured to Yun Chen Fózǐ.
Yun Chen Fózǐ nodded. "You are not wrong. It is what they deserve."
At that moment, Hua Yu appeared beside the four, voice low. "The four of you, please move to Huaxian Hall and wait."
Yu Ling and Master Yun Yi nodded and led their respective disciples toward the hall.
The moment the four figures arrived before Huaxian Hall, every gaze turned their way.
Once they entered the great hall, Yun Chen and Ran Xi were immediately surrounded by the five cultivators who had failed to reach Divine Transformation.
Meanwhile, Yu Ling and Master Yun Yi were held by cultivators of other regions, all asking about those who had not escaped the Shanhe Scroll.
Wei Yunqing stared at Yunxi, whose aura now leaked out despite herself. Jealousy and envy filled her eyes despite the polite smile she wore. "Ran Xi, congratulations on passing the Divine Transformation Tribulation."
Catching the unwilling glint in Wei Yunqing's gaze, Yunxi curved her lips. "Wei Yunqing, tuck away that envy of yours. Do you think I do not know your little thoughts? Were you praying in secret for me to be blasted dead by the tribulation?"
Wei Yunqing denied it at once. "H, how could I? Absolutely not."
Yunxi did not press, only continued lazily, "It is best if not. Rest assured, if I really had died under the tribulation, I would have given the Mystic Frost Needle one last command before my end, to have you accompany me and scatter your soul with mine. No need for you to be lonely."
Wei Yunqing cursed in her heart. She knew the stirrings in her dantian earlier had to be related to Yunxi. Fortunately, she had prayed for Yunxi to cross safely. With Yunxi's temperament, if she failed, she would have dragged Wei Yunqing down with her.
Neither of them knew that the disturbance of the needle had been caused by "Binghan." Thus a beautiful misunderstanding was born. Even when Yunxi soared to the Spirit Realm, Wei Yunqing would still be firmly pinched in the needle's grasp.
Right now Wei Yunqing was swearing internally, but on her face she kept a pleasant smile. "Ran Xi, we may not get along, but we are still sisters. How could I wish you ill? Your success at Divine Transformation is my greatest backing."
Yunxi's mouth twitched. She felt that Wei Yunqing's skin had only grown thicker, and her talent for self-hypnosis had improved.
Yunxi moved her divine sense, and the Mystic Frost Needle in Wei Yunqing's dantian flew back to Yunxi's core. She still left one ice needle in place within Wei Yunqing.
Back in Yunxi's dantian, the Mystic Frost Needle quivered happily twice and nestled once more beside the ice spiritual root.
Smiling with narrowed eyes, Yunxi told Wei Yunqing, "Yunqing, do not bother trying to force that remaining needle out. That is my warning to you. Think carefully before you do anything wicked. Do not give me the chance or the reason to detonate it."
Wei Yunqing drew a deep breath. "I understand."
The others were long used to the sisters' way of getting along. In the sealed ground, Wei Yunqing had always been forced into battle by Ran Xi. She ended each fight covered in wounds, yet escaped danger each time. They had also seen the depth of Wei Yunqing's resources. No wonder she had successfully formed a Yuányīng before the age of fifty.
Yunxi would never admit she had been deliberately burning through Wei Yunqing's hoard. It kept the girl from throwing her late-stage Nascent Soul weight around.