Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 768 -481: Eighth Order_2

It was…

“Heavenly Tribulation!”

“This…”

“Refined?”

Witnessing this scene, everyone finally came to their senses, understanding the current situation.

The artifact had been refined, and it was time to face the Heavenly Tribulation!

...

The order of the heavens and the earth dictates that those transcendent of the mundane, whether human or object, must confront the test of the Heavenly Tribulation.

Originally, reaching the fourth realm or an object advancing to the fourth tier would necessitate facing the tribulation test.

However, six hundred years ago, the Red Moon descended twice, causing changes in the heavens and the earth, and the laws were altered. The realm and corresponding rank for the tribulation challenges continued to increase, and now, by today, it has reached the contingency of the sixth realm; below the sixth realm, there is no longer any obstacle of Heavenly Tribulation.

The previously refined Five Elements Immortal Banner was therefore a fifth rank, low-grade Immortal Artifact, and hence it was not subject to the trial by tribulation.

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Yet, this Immortal Banner before them was clearly not a low-grade Immortal Artifact.

Therefore…

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

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Winds and clouds surged, lightning flashed and thunder roared, in one instant golden serpents danced chaotically, in another, the sky and earth turned bleak.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

At last, the tribulation descended with the weight of thunder, without a shred of mercy, directly striking down towards the Taoist man.

Seeing this, the Taoist man showed no fear, shaking the Immortal Banner in his hand. Suddenly, Yin and Yang became entwined in chaos, and the Five Elements were inverted. With mutual generation and overcoming, defense, and offense melded into one, easily advancing and retreating, forming an impervious stance.

Thunder struck with immense force, but it couldn’t break through the protective radiance of the Immortal Banner. Instead, it was turned upside-down by the mechanism of the Yin Yang and Five Elements. Like rain, the thunder dissipated into mist, absorbed into the banner and transformed into Mana, feeding back into the Cultivator’s foundational achievements in Dao and Law.

“This Immortal Artifact…”

Witnessing this scene, not to mention ordinary people, even the Cultivators of Cave Heaven and even the Immortals and Gods of the Calamity Realm were utterly astonished.

“Chaotic Yin and Yang, inverting the Five Elements!”

“Mutual generation and mutual overcoming!”

“This object…”

“Is a top-notch Body-Protecting Treasure!”

“Is this a seventh-tier or eighth-tier Instrument Tribulation?”

“Heavenly thunder easily neutralized, with this treasure in hand, passing the Five Stages of the Calamity Realm would seem trivial, and even the Sixth Stages hold great promise!”

“The painstaking effort of a hundred years from this person is indeed extraordinary!”

“Had Brother Zhou possessed this treasure back then, would he have perished and his Dao been extinguished?”

“Ah…”

Watching the Taoist man dissipate the thousands of Heavenly Thunder Tribulations with the Immortal Spirit Banner, all the Immortals and Gods of the Calamity Realm showed envy in their eyes.

A hundred years had passed, and some Cave Heaven Secret Realms had already opened and entered the world, keeping a low profile under the lessons learned by the Garuda Clan, each sealing their mountains and shutting their doors, not stirring up trouble, their only hobby being to watch this live broadcast, especially that of the three individuals.

Even the Immortals and Gods of the Calamity Realm were no exception.

The first to enter the world were the weaker members of the Calamity Realm from the Cave Heaven Secret Realm, most below the Three Calamities, with a few having passed the Four or Five Stages. As for those who had endured Six Calamities, none had yet descended to the mortal realm.

After all, the Nine Tribulations are divided into three groups: Three, Six, and Nine, signifying a qualitative change. The Six Tribulation Masters in the Calamity Realm are already first-rate and possess immense strength, and likewise, face exceptionally severe tribulations; naturally, they would not descend into the mortal realm so quickly.

Now, only those who have passed the Four or Five Calamities and those of the Three and Two Calamities longingly looked at the Immortal Spirit Banner in the Taoist’s hand and sighed with envy.

For those at their level, transcending the tribulation is the highest pursuit, even the sole goal. They are always seeking various secret techniques for Disaster Avoidance and Catastrophe Evasion, as well as treasures of the Immortal Mansion capable of controlling thunder.

And now, this Immortal Banner was not only a defensive treasure but also held the mechanisms of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, capable of “Impervious to All Methods.” The temptation for these immortals and gods of the Calamity Realm was immense.

Alas, alas, it was in his hands!

If only…

“BOOM!!!”

Just as other thoughts were about to rise, they were interrupted by a thunderous boom.

Everyone’s pupils shrank, following the sound, and they saw in the sky clouds swirling into a vortex, brewing the air of destruction, and the Purple Lightning Divine Thunder suddenly emerged, ultimately forming a vertical eye.

The Eye of Divine Punishment?

No, it was the Eye of Heavenly Dao!

The Heavenly Eye appeared, and with a single opening of the vertical pupil, it seemed as if the mechanics of rumbling and the Principles of Destruction were set into motion, resulting in a torrent of purple light bursting forth.

Seeing this, the Taoist man still showed no fear. He waved the Immortal Banner, and immediately Yin and Yang were separated, solidifying into a pair of black and white fish, forming the Tai Chi Formation, combined with the principle of the Five Elements, sitting firmly in the South Departure Palace Position, revealing the Innate Mechanism.

The Innate Five Directions Banner was a treasure of primeval chaos, combining the rare wonders of the Five Elements, possessing both the Yin Yang and Five Elements while also governing one of the Innate Five Elements.

Likewise, the Ground-Departing Flame Light was of the Innate Fire Element, reigning over the position of the Nangong, embodying the primeval mechanism.

In the Earth Immortal Realm, there are legends that as long as one gathers the Innate Five Directions Banner, one can arrange the Innate Five Elements Great Formation, reopen heaven and earth, rejudge the primordial chaos, and evolve a Golden Immortal Dao Fruit, and even the mechanism of Great Luo Mixed Origin.

Whether the legend is true or false is temporarily unverifiable.

But at this moment, the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner in Xu Yang’s hands indeed contains a fraction of the Yin Yang and primordial chaos mechanism, the principle of the Innate Five Elements.

Such a banner, when joyfully unfolded, with the waving of the Taoist man’s hand, Tai Chi Yin and Yang on the outside, the South Departure fire on the inside, incessant and endless, swallowing the destructive Thunder of Heavenly Punishment emerging from the Eye of Heavenly Dao.

Suddenly…

“Boom!!!”

The thunderous boom shakes, yet silent, for all sound is annihilated in that collision, leaving only the tangible shock that impacts the onlookers.

So it goes, for how long it’s unknown, like millennia, or perhaps a moment, until finally, it disappears like smoke, and the dust settles.

In the sky, the Heavenly Eye shatters, the clouds of tribulation retreat like a tide, leaving only a solitary figure standing.

The Taoist man steps lightly into emptiness, standing amidst the sky, with an object in hand. As the spirit light fades, the true form of an Immortal Artifact is revealed—a vast crimson banner, its surface spotlessly clean, devoid of any decoration, yet containing infinite profound paths, mechanisms of the Five Elements, principle of Yin and Yang, all within, displaying the manifestation of creation, truly extremely mysterious.

A poem confirms it: When primordial chaos was first judged, the essence of the path was subtle, born in the Departure Palace’s machine of creation, not the treasure of Supreme Mysterious Capital, but the treasure hidden for the future by Thunderous Heavens!

…

Xu Yang holds the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner, standing in the middle of the sky, his eyes indeed tightly closed.

Just at this moment, as the clouds disperse and rain vanishes, restoring the clear heavens, there suddenly appears twinkling golden light, like sweet rain descending.

It is…

Merit’s golden light!

The golden light of merit, like sweet rain and dew, falls upon the person of the Taoist man and also upon the head, absorbed by the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner that emerged from tribulations.

“This…”

“Is there some mistake!?”

“You refine an artifact, cross a tribulation, and also receive merit?”

“When emerging from tribulations, there is merit descending, this Immortal Artifact…”

“Could it be… a treasure of merit?”

“How is that possible!!!”

Upon seeing this scene, ordinary people are shocked beyond words, while the Immortals and Gods of the Calamity Realm nearly lose control of their Dao hearts.

It’s not that their resolve isn’t strong enough compared to ordinary cultivators, but being in high places with broad horizons, they know better the mysteries within.

However, no matter what happens outside, it’s hard to affect Xu Yang at this moment.

His eyes are tightly closed, his spirit not straying far, reaching an extraordinary world, a realm of the whole body.

All doubts, all obstacles, all critical bottlenecks, at this moment, scatter like smoke.

The truth of the Dao of Tools, the essence of heaven and earth, even the original face of the world, all reveal a corner to him.

He—has broken through!

The Path of Artifact Refining, now officially broken through, stepping from seventh order into the eighth, becoming a legitimate Artifact Refining Immortal Master.

This is a Cultivator’s moment of epiphany, and also the fruit of Heaven rewards hardwork.

For years, Xu Yang has been ceaseless in his cultivation. He not only focused on fundamental methods but also on the art of technical skills.

Shenwu Xu Qingyang, relying on the law of void, specializes in the principle of talismanic formations.

Daoist Li Liuxian, relying on the achievements of Taoist law, focuses on the art of the alchemy cauldron.

Earth Immortal Zhen Yuanzi, with the assets of an Earth Immortal, focuses on the Dao of tools.

All three have their developments, but the fastest in terms of progress is Zhen Yuanzi of the Earth Immortal Realm, after all, with a lofty status and abundant resources, coupled with an outflow of various Ancient Methods from the Heavenly Secret Realm available for real practice and deep accumulation.

After such a long time, without cease in cultivation, with the accumulation of the attribute panel’s skill characteristics, plus the hardworking reward from Heavenly Dao and the epiphany from facing calamities, he ultimately makes a breakthrough, pushing the Dao of Tools into the eighth realm.

The hardship involved is perhaps difficult for others to understand.

But Heaven rewards hardwork, and effort will surely be compensated.

With the eighth order Artifact Skills now accomplished, what about the eighth order Elixir Skills, eighth order Talisman, eighth order Formation, also eighth order Spirit Controlling Techniques, and Luotian Dajiao, Ritual Skills, Unity of All Methods, Heavenly Mechanics Methods of completion of Ten Thousand Dao… Can these be far behind?

Confident in life not by years, I shall rouse waves across All Heavens Realm, ascending straight to the pinnacle, then demonstrate the Creation Skills of Ten Thousand Dao!

Xu Yang opens his eyes, lowers his gaze, looking at the Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner in his hand, and smiles slightly again.

Besides the advancement in Artifact Skills, there are significant gains that must not go unmentioned!

The Path of Artifact Refining, wishing for advancement, can’t just be about theory, there must also be tangible results.

This Ground-Departing Flame Light Banner is his tangible result.

An artifact…