Wenlun Ancestor condensed his will into a force, rushing into the tribulation clouds. He declared:

"The Great Dao traverses here, and I should head onwards."

The tribulation clouds seemed irked by his response and expanded outward, growing several times larger. The cultivators observing from Golden River Peak quickly distanced themselves, fearing being caught in the crossfire, with only a few Mahayana cultivators remaining in place, wanting to experience it up close.

These Mahayana cultivators knew each other, except for a solitary woman in black who seemed unfamiliar. She stood alone under an ancient pine, tall and straight. At just a glance of her profile, a natural Daoist intent could be felt, as if she was an integral part of the landscape there.

Venerable Minxue was quite curious and asked Scholar Yingqiu, "Have you seen that fellow Daoist before?"

Scholar Yingqiu looked over and laughed, "That’s the Human World Executor Dao from Wangxian Pavilion. I suppose she’s here on a patrolling mission." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Hearing this, Venerable Minxue was quite surprised, "I remember the Human World Executor Dao from Wangxian Pavilion is supposedly not yet fifty, named... Fu Manman?"

"Yes, that’s her."

"I can’t discern her cultivation at all, and her Daoist intent is naturally formidable. In past Human Dao Assemblies, the Celestial Venerables from White Jade Capital were like this, weren’t they?" Venerable Minxue’s eyes were filled with extraordinary interest, especially as a fellow woman.

Scholar Yingqiu chuckled, "You better be careful, people from the Daoist School have quite the temper and speak their minds, regardless of peer face, avoid stirring up trouble."

"Oh, just making an acquaintance."

Venerable Minxue joyfully approached Fu Manman, politely greeted, "I’m Zhanxue, fellow Daoists have given me the venerable title of Minxue. Are you the Human World Executor Dao from Wangxian Pavilion?"

Fu Manman turned her head to look at her, smiling slightly, "Yes. I’m Fu Manman, without a venerable title yet. I came to your esteemed land to broaden my horizons, fortunate to meet Venerable Minxue."

Venerable Minxue paused, such a humble courtesy... weren’t people from the Daoist School known for their temper?

"What does Fellow Daoist Fu think of Taiping Continent?"

Fu Manman looked at Wenlun Ancestor facing the tribulation, "To nurture such spirited individuals, it is indeed a treasured land. In my journey from Changsheng Continent, through Daluo Continent, Taiyin Continent, Yun Province, and Xue Continent, few match the character of Wenlun Ancestor."

Such pleasant words, yet it pricked Venerable Minxue a little, as she thought Wenlun Ancestor somewhat... foolish? Forsaking an easy path to tread a solitary one. She inwardly mused, despite being a Human World Executor Dao, she’s just over fifty, seeing things too ideally.

"What does Fellow Daoist Fu think of Wenlun Ancestor’s chances?"

Fu Manman slightly shook her head, "The chances are not for me to determine. It is for the heavens to decide."

These words bore little practical meaning. The heavenly tribulation comes from the Heavenly Dao, decided by the heavens, indeed.

After chatting idly for a bit, finding no common ground, Venerable Minxue returned.

"How was it?" Scholar Yingqiu asked.

Venerable Minxue shook her head saying, "Person is alright, warm and generous, not like those peculiar-tempered Daoist folks. Yet she might be somewhat too naive, thinking Taiping Continent is a treasured land, simply because it can nurture someone like Wenlun Ancestor."

Scholar Yingqiu brightened, looking at Fu Manman with added interest.

Wenlun Ancestor’s heavenly tribulation finally commenced.

From the sky, bolts of Daoist thunder imbued with heavenly will descended. This Daoist thunder was Wenlun Ancestor’s chosen Cloud Path. The cloud, born from rivers and mountains, bestows rain and dew, a natural Innate Dao harnessed from nature.

Yet, within this tribulation’s thunder, the Cloud Path wasn’t rain and dew, but spiky Daoist mists formed of sharp spikes.

With a thunderous crash, the tribulation thunder rolled down from the clouds, piercing into Wenlun Ancestor’s body.

All of the onlookers’ hearts leapt to their throats.

Wenlun Ancestor’s Dao protected his body, Divine Techniques were fully displayed, with various treasures stationed around him, resisting heavenly might. A fierce momentum rendered the local sky into flickering electric light. Some observers of lower cultivation repeatedly retreated farther away, not daring to get close. A single spike from that tribulation thunder could easily spell their demise and end their Daoist pursuit.

The whole heavenly tribulation lasted an entire hour.

Wenlun Ancestor’s various treasures were all partially damaged, his protective Dao mechanisms shattered. His extraordinary skills, Divine Techniques and Methods, turning his body into a deity, were defended by numerous artifact spirits, withstand the hour-long continuous bombardment of the heavenly tribulation.

Scholar Yingqiu remarked, "The heavenly tribulation lasted a whole hour! This is the treatment without a Terminal Daoist’s protection, truly terrifying! Typically, a single layer of heavenly tribulation is expected to last only a quarter of an hour, at most two. But fortunately, Wenlun Ancestor indeed is a model for mortals to cultivate immortality in Taiping Continent, determined and well-prepared."

Venerable Minxue said, "With the successful transition through the heavenly tribulation using the Cloud Path, he might have the chance to become the Terminal Daoist of the Cloud Path, don’t you think?"

Scholar Yingqiu paused, "That’s hard to say."

"The Cloud Path hasn’t yet birthed a Tribulation Immortal, has it? Wenlun Dao Ancestor is the first Tribulation Immortal; besides him, who else could bear the mantle of this path’s Terminal Daoist?"

Scholar Yingqiu shook his head, not saying more. What he was really thinking was... Wenlun Ancestor might not choose to become a Terminal Daoist. After all, the reason this ancestor chose a path without a Terminal Daoist was he didn’t agree with the idea of a Terminal Daoist.