Chapter 215: Chapter 171: The 9th Profound Thunder, Don’t Be Afraid, Xiao Jiang

"An Innate Fire Virtue Body... So Young Monarch Jiang has condensed a Dao Body!"

Seated on the Jade Platform, Lady Xuan’nv furrowed her brow, for she had sensed a Qi Mechanism she found utterly abhorrent.

The fusion of Bing and Ding creates True Fire, born to suppress all manner of nether-spirits and fierce fiends!

Gong Rong of the Eight Sceneries Palace had used this very technique to incinerate the vast earth and shatter the supports of Fengdu.

’The new monarch of Shao Yang is cultivating the Fire Element first? That’s rather similar to that True Monarch Yu.’

’However, of the six pinnacles of Fire Virtue, Covered Lamp Fire was first attained by the original Shao Yang, then stripped away by the Immortal Dao. There aren’t many choices left.’

As the thought flashed through Lady Xuan’nv’s mind, another bolt of mystic lightning crashed down.

The dazzling golden light, a tangle of dragons and snakes, seemed to form a massive character for "Dao" that pressed down fiercely on Jiang Yi.

Undaunted, he unleashed his immense True Qi. All the Spiritual Liquid flowing in his Inner Mansion vaporized, its ferocious power erupting from the crown of his head.

The fusion of Bing and Ding produced a brilliant radiance, condensing into numerous Fire Jiao that lunged at the mystic lightning.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Five bolts of lightning unfurled, each wave of power more overwhelming than the last, shaking the Great Void and threatening to rattle the Profound City Central Palace itself.

The profound Qi Mechanism around him was torn to shreds like a series of heavy curtains. Seated in the center of the great hall, Jiang Yi’s clothes were now in tatters.

His Black Shadow Magical Robe had been destroyed. Long fissures now cracked across the sturdy physique forged by his Dao Embryo, and blood gushed out to stain the ground.

Even a Qi Cultivation Cultivator at the Twelfth Level of Cultivation might not have been able to withstand five bolts of mystic lightning, yet this junior, who had just barely broken through to the Eighth Layer, had managed it.

That phrase, "Ancient and Modern First Cultivator," if limited only to the Qi Cultivation Realm, was not much of an exaggeration.

"Lord Suspended, Xiaoqiao begs you! Please, help him!"

Qiao Yu witnessed the tragic sight, lightly covering her lips as tears welled in her eyes.

A hideous gash appeared on Jiang Yi’s back, like a writhing centipede, spewing a large spray of golden-red blood.

In the end, not even the Innate Fire Virtue Body could withstand the annihilation of the mystic lightning!

But the Black Sheathed Ancient Sword remained indifferent, still silent.

As Xiaoqiao pleaded, the sixth bolt of mystic lightning descended.

BOOM!

The violent explosion was deafening!

Seated on the ground, Jiang Yi’s body swayed. The Fire Jiao were blasted to pieces, and the Bingding Firelight emerging from the crown of his head gradually dimmed.

Just as he had predicted, a Dao Embryo of the Great Success Innate Fire Virtue could only block six bolts of mystic lightning.

’Tai Yang... Thunder Core...’

Jiang Yi clenched his jaw, forcing all his resentment, indignation, and unwillingness deep into his heart.

The Great Dao is merciless; it will never shift because of any single person’s will.

His body, this Cultivation Furnace, was starting to disintegrate. Like a fine jade statue cracking apart, it was a sight that inspired endless regret.

’Tribulation by mystic lightning. If not for the Fire Virtue Body and the brilliance of Bing Ding, Young Monarch Jiang would never have lasted until the sixth bolt.’

Lady Xuan’nv’s gaze was profound, her eyes reflecting the image of Jiang Yi’s broken body. Even now, this Shao Yang was still striving to keep his back straight, his spine not yet bent by the crashing lightning.

’What an unyielding will. It’s quite similar to that stubborn temper of Xiao Yu’s.’

Higher in the Great Void, Beyond the Qingming, it was a kindly, staff-bearing old woman in shabby robes who was the first to show a flicker of emotion.

"Daoist Mingxuan, are you truly unwilling to lend a hand? No matter what, the ninth bolt of mystic lightning will be his absolute limit," the middle-aged scholar asked.

The gray-robed Daoist shook his head. "If he cannot pass this tribulation, his fate upon ascension will just be death at the hands of Tai Yang."

"Look at the Immortal Dao, with its thicket of Gate Valves, their roots and branches intertwined. With elders watching over everything, have any truly great talents emerged in recent years?

Ji Fuyao’s five thousand years of glory have already exhausted the karmic fortune of the Dongsheng Continent.

For us Demon Cultivators, if we wish to achieve our Dao, we must first be used to our fullest potential. No one is an exception."

The gray-robed Daoist paused for a moment before continuing,

"The Immortal Dao is fated to prosper for ten thousand years; this is ’destiny.’ The Ancient Demon Tribulation beginning from the north is ’change.’

Shao Yang being punished by mystic lightning is a prophecy etched into the Great Dao. Only if he can survive this tribulation can he be considered the ’change’ that the Eight Sects need."

The other Daoist Monarchs all fell silent.

Among the Eight Sects, there were very few officially designated Daoists.

All those who vied for the position of Crown Prince had to go through deadly Magical Combat, treacherous schemes, and ultimately suppress all rivals to come out on top.

Daoist Monarch Xianyou Mingxuan’s words were golden; he had placed his bet on Shao Yang. The successor would naturally have to display his extraordinary talent.

Otherwise, the True Inheritance disciples of the Innate Sect would feign submission while harboring dissent, and chaos would surely erupt in the future.

A thought suddenly struck the middle-aged scholar:

’Daoist Mingxuan is truly shrewd! He only said Shao Yang should be the Daoist. If this person dies in the tribulation, they can just wait for the next Shao Yang. Either way, the Innate Sect’s fortune won’t be harmed.’

In the majestic great hall, the seventh bolt of mystic lightning boomed!

Wisps of blood essence trickled from the corners of Jiang Yi’s lips. His body, the Cultivation Furnace, could no longer hold onto its Primordial Essence and life force, and he was on the verge of death.

His long, slender hands pushed against the ground, and he sat up ramrod straight, like a solitary, jutting peak.

’As long as I can withstand nine bolts of mystic lightning, I’ll have passed this great tribulation!’ 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

’The first eight Spiritual Objects have all been used, each one questioning the path to survival. Only the most precious "Tai Yin Lead Essence" remains unspent.’

Jiang Yi had originally planned to use it to ask one final question: what were his chances of survival?

But after some thought, he chose to give up on that idea. It was meaningless.

’If the Celestial Book told me I only had a ten percent chance, should I just sit here and wait for death?’

’Since that golden paper gave me its answer—that there was still a sliver of a chance—then I will fight for that sliver!’

’It’s just like ascending to Shao Yang and felling Tai Yang.’

’These were tasks that the entire Yanfu Vast Land acknowledged as having an extremely low chance of success.’

’But if one wants to climb to the apex of the Dao path, one can never think of taking a detour.’

"My life and death shall be determined by my own will."

A smile touched the corners of Jiang Yi’s lips. His Perfected Holy King’s destiny finally manifested at this very moment.

A hundred destiny-patterns crisscrossed, coalescing into an imperial Mian crown. Its flat top was round in the front and square in the back, with twelve tassels of jade beads dangling from it. Complete with a crimson-tasseled cap, its majesty was absolute.