Immortal Sword Master

Chapter 274: Chapter 270: Descendant of the Divine Bird Phoenix

A dazzlingly brilliant Flame, like a volcanic eruption, swept out from within Ning Jiang’s mind.

Condensing a Primordial Spirit was merely the first step.

The newly-formed Primordial Spirit was still very illusory—just an embryo, not yet powerful enough.

And while the Divine Fire Tribulation was a type of Celestial Tribulation, successfully crossing it would bring considerable benefits to the Primordial Spirit.

It was like a piece of iron that, in order to be forged into a Divine Weapon, had to be tempered by fire, its impurities completely refined away in a quest for perfection.

The Divine Fire Tribulation was both a calamity and a blessing.

WHOOSH—

The rolling Flames surged forth, enveloping all three of Ning Jiang’s Primordial Spirits.

Immediately, a terrifying, excruciating pain washed over him like a tide.

Having one’s Primordial Spirit seared by flames was an exceptionally dreadful pain. No one without great willpower and immense resolve could possibly withstand it.

Throughout history, more than half of all Martial Artists perished while undergoing the Divine Fire Tribulation, their dao extinguished simply because their will was not firm enough. They could not endure the pain and collapsed, leading to their deaths.

At this moment, immense pain, like tens of millions of sharp needles piercing his body, continuously tormented Ning Jiang’s Primordial Spirits.

Ning Jiang’s three Primordial Spirits sat cross-legged within his sea of consciousness, unmoving, allowing the Flames to engulf them.

’The will of a Venerable is indestructible. What is this mere pain to me?’

”Hah.”

His three Primordial Spirits took a sharp, deep breath. An immense suction force erupted, and a ceaseless torrent of Flames poured into their bodies.

Drawing fire into the body was extremely dangerous; an ordinary person would never dare to do such a thing. In Ning Jiang’s view, however, this method could temper his Primordial Spirits from the inside out, making them even more condensed and powerful.

He would ensure his Primordial Spirits were utterly flawless.

This process continued for half an hour.

After half an hour, Ning Jiang’s Primordial Spirits had undergone another massive change. Before, they had been in a translucent state, with a smoky, insubstantial quality.

But now, the Primordial Spirits were nearly tangible.

For an ordinary Martial Artist, the Divine Fire Tribulation would have ended by now, and they would have officially stepped into the Primordial Spirit Fourth Tribulation Realm.

For Ning Jiang, however, this was only the beginning, a starting point. His Celestial Tribulation was destined to be extraordinary.

”Look!”

Within the Profound Celestial Ancient Land, countless pairs of eyes stared unblinkingly at the thunderclouds in the sky. After a full half-hour of silence, the clouds were finally stirring again.

One after another, Fire Lotuses descended from the sky, exquisitely beautiful and dazzlingly colorful.

”This is the Fire Lotus Tribulation.”

”The Divine Fire Tribulation evolved into the Fire Lotus Tribulation... This Tribulation Crosser, it must be him!”

Outside the Ancient Hall, everyone had already guessed the Tribulation Crosser’s identity. Only Ning Jiang was capable of such a feat.

”I heard the Fire Lotus Tribulation is more than ten times more powerful than the Divine Fire Tribulation. Maybe he’ll die under it.”

Yuwen Chi thought viciously. He had already realized the gap between himself and Ning Jiang was likely insurmountable, so he hoped Ning Jiang would die under the Celestial Tribulation.

’If this man doesn’t die, I fear the Star Sword Sect’s position will be in jeopardy,’ Jian Xinghe thought, his gaze heavy.

Everyone had their own thoughts.

The Fire Lotuses drifted down slowly and silently. When they touched Ning Jiang, they didn’t burn his body.

These Fire Lotuses seemed illusory, passing directly into his mind to appear around his Primordial Spirits.

”Fire Lotus Tribulation. It’s been a long time,” Ning Jiang said slowly. A hundred thousand years ago, when he faced his tribulation, he had also encountered the Fire Lotus Tribulation.

One by one, the Fire Lotuses flew toward Ning Jiang’s Primordial Spirits. He didn’t dodge. There was no escaping a Celestial Tribulation; he had no choice but to face it.

The first Fire Lotus landed on one of Ning Jiang’s Primordial Spirits, causing it to tremble slightly. The power within each one of these Fire Lotuses was enough to destroy an ordinary Martial Artist’s Primordial Spirit.

If it were Liu Bingxue or Li Kuangba, they would have likely died on contact.

His expression remained blank as he allowed the Fire Lotuses to assail him. The tearing pain coming from his Primordial Spirits could not shake his will in the slightest.

A hundred thousand years ago, the first time he faced the Fire Lotus Tribulation, he had felt immense pain. But to him now, this was mere child’s play.

Another half-hour passed.

”The Fire Lotus Tribulation is over.”

”It seems he’s passed the Fire Lotus Tribulation.”

The thunderclouds filling the sky calmed down once more, and not a single Fire Lotus fell.

”Hmph, so what if he passed the Fire Lotus Tribulation? Didn’t Mo Qianyu of the Evil Spirit Sect also face a Fire Lotus Tribulation?”

”But I heard Mo Qianyu’s Fire Lotus Tribulation only lasted for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, not nearly as long as this one.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

”Look!”

Suddenly, a cry of alarm rang out.

Within everyone’s line of sight, a beam of cyan light shot down in an instant.

”I’m not seeing things, am I? That looks like a bird?”

”I saw it too!”

”Why do I feel like that bird looks a lot like the legendary Cyan Bird?” someone from the Beast Taming Sect voiced their confusion, immediately drawing gasps of shock from the surrounding crowd.

”What did you say? A Cyan Bird? Isn’t that a descendant of the Divine Bird Phoenix?”

”Maybe I saw it wrong,” the disciple from the Beast Taming Sect said, shaking his head, no longer certain.

The Divine Bird Phoenix was a Top Level divine fowl, rarely seen since ancient times, and its descendants were just as Extraordinary.

Beside him, Yao Yingkuang remained silent, but he too felt that the bird did indeed resemble a Cyan Bird. He didn’t say anything, however, as it had all happened too quickly.

’Looks like it’s over.’

Inside his sea of consciousness, Ning Jiang’s three Primordial Spirits had advanced even further, becoming as clear and translucent as jade.

’Huh?’

Suddenly, he sensed something was wrong.

The next moment, a cyan Flame shot directly into his mind, accompanied by a clear, high-pitched cry.

Within the roiling cyan Flames was a massive cyan bird. This bird was incomparably majestic, covered in smooth, sleek cyan feathers. It exuded not Demon Qi, but an oppressive, noble aura.

’A Cyan Bird!’

A strange light flashed in Ning Jiang’s eyes. As a Venerable, he of course recognized this divine fowl.

An adult Cyan Bird surpassed even a King and could rival a Saint. Its ancestor, the Phoenix, was a Venerable Level divine fowl—and a Top Level existence even among Venerables.

’The Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill truly is extraordinary. In my past life, although I experienced the Fire Lotus Tribulation, this Cyan Bird never appeared. It seems the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill has elevated my Celestial Tribulation yet again.’

Just as Ning Jiang was lost in thought, the Cyan Bird transformed into a streak of fire and lunged at him in an instant.

A terrifying heatwave washed over him. While the fire of a Cyan Bird was inferior to that of a Phoenix, it was still enough to incinerate mountains and boil seas. Its power was far more frightening than that of the Fire Lotuses.

In his past life, Ning Jiang had seen the fire of a Cyan Bird. A single palm-sized wisp of it could burn a Celestial Martial Realm King to death. If it erupted with its full power, it could even evaporate a small sea in an instant. It was utterly terrifying.

BOOM!

The cyan Flame fell, blanketing the sky.

”Come then! No matter how the Celestial Tribulation changes, I will face it all!”