Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme

Chapter 784 -491: Sword Duel

Calamity clouds accumulated, swirling into vortexes, and with the guidance of the life force, a stream of sword light soared into the sky, plunging into the vast thunder of tribulation, stirring the celestial sea of clouds in the Ninth Heaven’s prison.

“Immortal Tribulations!”

Outside the Taoist Academy, Shenxiao stood stiff as a board, rage and shock filling his eyes beyond measure.

He’s entered the tribulation?

He actually entered the tribulation!

In just over eight hundred years, he has stepped into the Tribulation Realm?

...

Such talent, such brilliance…

Throughout ancient and modern times, apart from those few Innate Sacred, who else could stand alongside him?

Could it be that this person also possesses the stature of an Earth Immortal, or even the hope of becoming a Heavenly Immortal?

No, no, no, impossible, absolutely impossible!

Merit?

That’s right, merit!

It must be by leveraging the power of merit that he has achieved such astonishing fruits.

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By relying on external forces, even stepping into the Tribulation Realm counts for little.

After all, merit has its limits; at most, it’s just the Tribulation Realm, or the fruits of True Immortal achievement.

Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal?

This world, this Demon Catastrophe, has not yet reached such a state!

After working out the details, Shenxiao’s expression relaxed slightly, and upon looking again at the spectacle of the heavenly tribulation, he gritted his teeth and turned away.

This trial at the Calamity Realm Heavenly Pass already lacks suspense.

Not to mention the aid of merit, based solely on that person’s methods, success was inevitable.

To linger would be a waste of time and only bring embarrassment upon oneself.

Shenxiao decisively departed, leaving the audience from the Academy in quiet anticipation of the outcome.

In such a manner…

The clouds scattered, the rain dissipated, the thunder ceased, and the tribulation passed.

Once again, the favor of the Heavenly Dao descended, with the golden light of merit shining upon the body.

Xu Yang closed his eyes, feeling the power of the Heavenly Dao, mastering the fruits of this realm.

This crossing of the tribulation, though a significant breakthrough, stepping into the Immortal Pass of the Tribulation Realm, was not broadcasted by him live.

After all, there had been too many tribulations of late, various scenes in all sorts of variations; all that could be watched had been seen, and the audience might well suffer from aesthetic fatigue. Another broadcast might be suspected of “watered-down updates,” better not to broadcast at all.

Skipping the process, look only at the results.

Tribulation Realm, Immortal Pass, success complete!

Xu Yang kept his eyes closed, silently cultivating the fruits of his achievement, and immediately behind his head, a phantom appeared, which was the Three Flowers on the Crown, the essence of vital energy, containing an indescribable rhythm, seemingly encompassing the mechanism of motion and stillness, the Principle of Yin and Yang, forming the image of Tai Chi Chaos Yuan.

Upon examining his Tao body, within his chest and abdomen surged the Five Qi, also seemingly illusory and indistinct, as if false yet true, but still forming the Momentum of the Five Elements, wholly intact, endlessly generating, fitting between heaven and earth, as if merging with the Dao.

Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, Five Qi towards Zhaoyuan, Tao Body Immortal Womb!

With this achievement, immortality is assured, the body is one with the Dao, the body coexists with heaven and earth, the Primordial Spirit and spirit are ever-lasting, Immortal Spirit Mana is endless, without the limitation of lifespan, and one may be called an Immortal God.

Unfortunately, it is but a virtual fruit and has not yet turned true, it must endure the test of the Ninefold Calamity Passes until the Immortal Fruit is fully actualized, and only then can one truly roam freely between the Three Realms, unrestrained within heaven and earth.

Of course, it’s only the Three Realms, only heaven and earth.

Whether it’s a Calamity Immortal or a True Immortal, their “immortality” is only relative, resulting from drawing upon the force of heaven and earth through the Great Dao Method. If heaven and earth declined, and the world fell silent, without sufficient sustenance to support the immortals, even a True Immortal would descend into decline, eventually falling into the mortal world and perishing in body and Dao.

This is what is known as the “Five Declines of Heaven and Man!”

If it were not so, following Ancient Times, those True Immortals and True Gods would not have chosen to seal themselves away, to create Cave Heaven Secret Realms to conceal and preserve themselves.

It’s not that they were ignorant of their fate or the laws of cause and effect, but rather that the times necessitated it; they had no choice. To forcefully remain in the world would only welcome the Five Declines of Heaven and Man.

True Immortals are already so, and Calamity Immortals needless to say—they cannot be without the nourishment of heaven and earth.

It is only the powerful Earth Immortals, creating their own Immortal Realm, or Divine Domain Buddha Country, who have some capital to exist independently of heaven and earth, establishing a true Cave Heaven Blessed Land.

But this requires maintenance and consumption of one’s own origin, with an inflow but no outflow, which is truly unbeneficial. Therefore, whether it’s the Earth Immortal’s Cave Heaven Blessed Land or the Heavenly Immortal’s Immortal Realm Buddha Land, they are all closely connected with the world, drawing upon the world’s power to nourish themselves.

Only with such self-sealing does it make sense, can it serve a “healing” purpose; otherwise, it’s just a vain consumption.

This is the difference between immortals and mortals regarding lifespan.

As for combat power…

Compared to Mahayana cultivators, Calamity Immortals no longer face limitations on their immortal power. Immortal Spirit Mana flows endlessly, and even if it is exhausted at one time, it can rapidly recover, giving them an advantage that’s not to be underestimated.

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Top-Grade Immortal Spirit Mech Armor can battle against Calamity Immortals precisely because it uses Spirit Stone Energy to replace the consumption of mana. As long as the Spirit Stones are not depleted, the immortal power never runs out, using this costly method to exchange for a fighting power comparable to that of a Calamity Immortal.

Beyond the Immortal Spiritual Power, there is also the Power of the Great Dao.

Dao after Dao, Law upon Law!

Cultivators comprehend the Dao of Heaven and Earth, the world’s laws, to obtain extraordinary powers.

However, below the Tribulation Realm, all cultivators’ understanding of the “Great Dao Principle” only remains at a superficial level.

Only by stepping into the Tribulation Realm and achieving the Fruit of Immortal and God can one truly master the power of the Dao, becoming an existence that’s truly transcendent.

The same spell, the same Divine Power, when used by a Mahayana cultivator and a Calamity Realm Immortal or God—speaking nothing of worlds apart—is still a huge disparity.

The Top-Grade Immortal Spirit Mech Armor can battle against Calamity Immortals because it takes this into consideration, using the power of countless mechanisms within the armor to replace the Power of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. Thus, it can barely match a Calamity Realm Immortal or God.

But this only holds true for those below the Three Calamities; once surpassing the limit of the Three Calamities, the Top-Grade Immortal Spirit Mech Armor finds it difficult to compete…

Being Top-Grade Immortal Spirit Mech Armor as well, Nine Rituals Heavenly Venerate can match a True Immortal for the same reason. With the Xuanyuan Sacred Method to command heaven and earth, mastery of the Power of the Great Dao naturally enables competition with a True Immortal.

The Eighth Order Artifice being currently deduced follows this same line of thought. Once successful, the crafted Supreme Immortal Spirit Mech Armor should significantly enhance the power of the “Dao,” allowing Calamity Immortals to match True Immortals.

Of course, this is only a thought and hypothesis. Whether it can reach this limit ultimately depends on his and the Wandao School’s efforts.

Immortal Spiritual Power!

Power of the Great Dao!

This is the greatest difference between “humans” and “immortals.”

…

The clouds dispersed, and dust settled.

“Master!”

Upon returning to the palace, Xu Yang saw someone waiting, who presented the Sword Invitation to him.

Xu Yang took the Sword Invitation, opened it, and saw a sixteen-character sentence, each word striking his eyes like a sword.

“A hundred years from now, at Mount Emei’s Golden Summit, Mystic Heaven Sword Fight, I await your esteemed arrival!”

“A sword duel?”

“Ha!”

Looking at the Sword Invitation, Xu Yang smiled, penned a reply, also sending back an invitation, and handed it to his disciple.

“Send it to the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect!”

“Yes!”

…

In such a manner, a few days later.

News of the duel agreement shocked the world.

“A sword duel?”

“What is a sword duel?”

“Is it still set for a hundred years from now?”

“That Ren Baimei, although he has just proven himself as a True Immortal, has accumulated mightily and has a solid foundation. It probably won’t take a full hundred years to prepare.”

“After all, as a True Immortal, one would want to save face. Giving the enemy a hundred years to prepare is not too excessive.”

“Hmph, if he didn’t give a hundred years, who would accept his challenge to a sword duel? Perhaps the Five Elements Formation would have directly sealed off his sect’s mountain gate.”

“I heard that a few days ago, someone within the Wanda Academy has advanced through the Tribulation!”

“No doubt, it’s Li Xuanyuan; this man is a genius favored by heaven. In just over eight hundred years, he’s passed the Calamity Realm Heavenly Pass, and in the future, there’s a chance he can aspire to become an Earth Immortal.”

“Hmph, it’s just with the help of merit power. A single Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect has forced him to borrow power for his breakthrough; if other Immortal Gates enter the fray in the future, what means will they have to respond?”

“Those three, although said to be unfathomable, have now gradually revealed their foundations. Even if they deal with the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect this time, they will struggle to keep up in the future. The Wandao School will inevitably crumble one day!”

“That Mystic Heaven Sword Master is also meticulous. A sword duel, yes, a duel of swords and skill. With the karmic consequence of the previous Demon-Slaying and Immortal-Refining Sword in play, even as a True Immortal, it’s not considered using his position to pressure others, which would tarnish his reputation.”

“In a sword duel competition, life or death is not distinguished; no matter the outcome, there won’t be a thousand pointing fingers. It won’t backfire due to the Wandao School’s destiny. Instead, it can take a share of the Academy’s luck, strengthen oneself, and help the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect to rise during an opportune time, bringing great prosperity to their gates.”

“A hundred years later, the sword duel at Mount Emei is bound to become an event for all under heaven, a splendid tale for the histories!”