The old man Xie Dong, known as the Keeper of Heavenly Secrets, escaped from underground in the Dahuang Mountains but eventually perished.
Who could have imagined that the headquarters of the Heavenly Secrets Agency in the Dahuang Mountains was located precisely at the place where Lin Shuang once undertook a protective escort mission?
The Dahuang Mountains had always been deficient in spiritual energy and were not considered a sacred cultivation site, becoming a blind spot for inspections by sect elders in the past.
At this moment, corpses were being unearthed one by one from the underground tunnels through which Xie Dong had fled the previous night.
Some of them were still fresh.
“The tributes from the demon race were destroyed by us, and this old man must have ‘devoured’ his subordinates from the Heavenly Secrets Agency,” Meng Zi muttered in disbelief.
By consuming his subordinates, the old man of Heavenly Secrets managed to cultivate a clone body that had reached the 9,000th layer yesterday within the secret passage.
This was his final act of resistance.
Lin Shuang stood atop the Dahuang Mountains and glanced at her junior apprentice sister, Zhao Keran, who was directing disciples from various sects to excavate the bones of numerous victims.
Many of the remains could not be identified, but at the very least, they could now be laid to rest properly.
She walked over to Huangpu Yuan’s side and looked at him alongside the great canine beasts as they unearthed the skeletons of wolf-like foxes, and a massive, towering white fox skeleton. She remained silent.
This must be the remains of the previous generation.
“I’ll return tomorrow at noon,” Huangpu Yuan turned and looked at her and Meng Zi.
The journey to the Demon Realm would take about half a day via teleportation, and the return would be the same.
He could make it back by evening to witness Elder Chen’s ascension.
“Let’s go together, I don’t have anything else to do anyway.”
“That’s right, we might as well tag along for dinner. Surely you wouldn’t refuse?”
Huangpu Yuan was slightly taken aback but soon curled his lips into a faint smile, silently looking at them before nodding.
The three of them quickly set off on the journey to send the previous fox king home.
The setting sun cast a fiery glow, its layers of colorful light soaking the Dahuang Mountains.
But after the night, there would be another brilliant sunrise, like a rebirth.
…
“Senior apprentice sister, Elder Chen has completed the 9,000 trials.”
In the evening, as Lin Shuang just arrived at the residence of the western fox clan, she received a report from Zhao Keran.
Under the new communication stone provided by the Artifact Sect, Lin Shuang soon saw an ancient and spacious cave dwelling (arranged like the cave of life or death), where Zhao Keran was standing solemnly, giving a report.
Behind her stood Chen Jiangu, the venerable ancestor of the Chen family from the Water Sect.
Beside Chen Jiangu were other elders from various sects, including Chen Wushui and Shui Qiantan.
At this moment, these elders and Zhao Keran also saw the lively scene of Lin Shuang, surrounded by the fox clan family, enjoying her meal.
“Senior apprentice sister, Elder Chen has completed all his worldly affairs and can now begin the annual ascension practice questions.”
Zhao Keran quickly spoke up.
Elder Chen watched the communication screen, seeing Lin Shuang take a spoonful of soup, her expression lazy and relaxed.
“Okay then, let’s start. There are still two or three hours until dawn,” she calculated and said.
It was already midnight, the hour of Zi.
Elder Chen twitched his lips in irritation. What did she mean by that? Was she implying he shouldn’t sleep?
What practice questions… simulated…?
He looked at Lin Shuang, somewhat annoyed.
He was on the verge of ascension and hadn’t experienced the mundane life for a long time. Shouldn’t a dutiful disciple ask what last wishes their old ancestor might have, to allow him to enjoy himself, things like that?
Yet she herself was already having a late-night snack while making him work?
As Elder Chen was unhappy, Zhao Jiangu suddenly broke through the void and arrived, “Elder Chen, you’re ascending? If you need any treasures, just say the word.”
Right after Zhao Jiangu finished speaking, he saw a female disciple from the Water Sect who looked like his granddaughter, apparently Zhao Keran.
But he couldn’t be sure, because this female disciple at the mid-stage of condensing essence had a solemn expression on her face as she took out three jade slips from her sleeve.
Each slip, when activated, displayed a long list filled with dense text.
—102 Ascension Practice Questions from the Water Sect
—83 Ascension Practice Questions from the Shanhai Sect
—49 Ascension Practice Questions from the Hundred Flowers Sect
—35 Ascension Practice Questions from the Mingzhong Sect
The young female cultivator from the Water Sect, seemingly his granddaughter, spoke up on the spot.
“Senior apprentice sister is right, venerable ancestor, you only have a few hours left.”
“Don’t waste time, get started!”
Water Sect Elder: “…”
Zhao Jiangu: “…”
The assembled elders: “…”
Each ascension practice question recorded the process of a previous ancestor’s ascension.
Some records were detailed, while others were only fragments or snippets of descriptions.
But Zhao Keran had already discussed with Lin Shuang and combed through these historical records, categorizing them into practice exams.
[1. What do you do if the first of the eighteen heavenly thunderbolts shatters your true body?]
Zhao Keran slapped the jade slip with this question onto the table in front of Elder Chen of the Chen family.
Lin Shuang was in the demon realm, watching the communication screen, with Meng Zi beside her making exaggerated sound effects.
“Oh no, it’s over, we’re doomed…”
Chen family’s venerable ancestor: “…”
Zhao Jiangu spat out his spiritual tea with a “pfft.”
The other elders’ shoulders trembled as they tried to suppress their laughter.
Beside Zhao Keran, the Hundred Flowers Sect’s Pear Blossom Senior Sister, who had been called over, was rapidly taking notes. The title of her article was—Tracking and Discussing the Last Twelve Hours Before the Ascension of the Chen Family’s Venerable Ancestor from the Water Sect.
“Nonsense!”
Elder Chen of the Chen family snorted and was about to refuse.
But he soon noticed the hidden concern beneath the amused expressions of his daughter Chen Wushui, his disciple Zhao Keran, and even Zhao Jiangu.
Those undergoing ascension had to face the trial of heavenly thunder.
Since ancient times, the heavenly thunder was the strongest, and most ascenders failed, with only a few succeeding.
Those who failed were shattered into oblivion, without rebirth.
They were all afraid he wouldn’t make it.
After all, he had remained at the ascension stage for a long time, previously had a shadow over his Dao heart, and only yesterday had his disciples, including Lin Shuang, dispelled his long-standing heart demons.
Although the heavenly thunder was coming, compared to the first generation’s founding master Li, who had successfully ascended, his Dao heart, cultivation foundation, and the strength of his blood and vitality, which had nearly reached the end of his lifespan, were significantly weaker.
He had a high probability of failing to resist the heavenly thunder.
These younger generations were worried about him, hence the commotion.
Elder Chen glanced at Lin Shuang, who, even while drinking her soup, had her gaze fixed on him.
Sigh.
The venerable ancestor sighed inwardly.
Alright, he would do the questions!
Although it might not be useful, it would reassure the younger generation.
At that time, even if the ascension failed, there would be no regrets.
Elder Chen decided to go along with the younger generation’s antics.
But just thinking about the first question made his soul tremble.
“If my physical body shatters under the first heavenly tribulation…”
What a deadly start…
“Well, then we’ll have to use an eighth-grade pill.”
Zhao Keran stamped her foot, “Wrong! First, you should deploy a defensive treasure, then take the pill! To avoid the second heavenly tribulation coming quickly!”
“…”
“Dead again. Go, venerable ancestor, here comes the second question!”
“…”
“If, as the second heavenly tribulation descends, you reach into your pocket and find your spatial pouch shattered! There are no pills or treasures left, and you can only endure…”
“Dead again… dead again…”
Zhao Keran recited the question, while Meng Zi created anxiety-inducing sound effects again.
“…”
How unlucky could he be!
What kind of grudge or hatred was this?
Elder Chen thought deeply, cold sweat pouring down.
“Venerable ancestor, you’ve died again. The answer is not to put all your eggs in one basket. You can prepare more than ten spatial pouches, hidden in different places on your body, and memorize what each contains.”
Zhao Keran read out the ‘standard answer’—compiled from the cases of both successful and failed ascensions over the years, combined with the fastest learning theory, written after discussions with her senior apprentice sister.
“Moreover, our other elders can also carry magical treasures on them and toss these artifacts to the venerable ancestor at crucial moments during the heavenly tribulation.”
Elder Chen couldn’t help but ponder deeply.
Zhao Jiangu, who had been secretly laughing before, also gradually showed a solemn expression.
What kind of historical practice questions were these? They actually seemed to have some substance?
“Third question…”
“Fourth question…”
…
“Question one hundred: You have passed the eighteen heavenly thunderbolts, feeling happy and excited, but then you notice, there’s a nineteenth! You instantly feel despair. What do you prepare to do?”
“…”
The Water Sect cave dwelling was illuminated all night.
By the next morning, not only Elder Chen of the Chen family was answering questions, but Zhao Jiangu had also joined in, and other elders like Chen Wushui were also answering anxiously.
Everyone was chattering, brainstorming, and for each question, they added some insights from cultivators who had undergone tribulations to Lin Shuang and Zhao Keran’s ‘standard answers.’
Unconsciously, the morning sun rose, followed by the blazing noon.
All the elders experienced the weariness of sweating profusely, being stumped by questions, and then racking their brains to come up with countermeasures.
Today, Elder Chen was ascending, but perhaps in a few years, it would be their turn.
They had to be prepared!
As evening approached and the sun began to set, the northern human imperial clan, the western sea demons, wolves, foxes, eastern lion, tiger, leopard clans, and even some younger generations from the Zhao family gathered at a wilderness area about a hundred miles outside the Water Sect’s territory.
It was nearly the hour of You, the auspicious time chosen by the venerable ancestor of the Chen family of the Water Sect for his tribulation.
At this moment, everyone gathered in the wilderness, waiting.
Ascension was a rare event in the four regions in recent years, especially with the recent deaths of many sect elders, making ascenders increasingly scarce.
If the esteemed ancestor of the Chen family could succeed, it would serve as a model for both human and demon cultivators across the four regions, reigniting their confidence in the path of cultivation.
All four regions took this matter very seriously.
“Has the venerable ancestor of the Water Sect not arrived yet?”
“It’s almost time. I’m getting anxious.”
Just stepping out of the teleportation formation and returning from the fox clan, Lin Shuang, Huangpu Yuan, and Meng Zi directly arrived at the agreed-upon wilderness.
There were no civilian homes nearby, nor any rare spiritual herbs of heaven and earth.
Even if the heavenly thunder fell, the impact would not be significant.
The Water Sect had dispatched disciples two hours earlier to mark out a one-inch diameter circle at the center of the wilderness for the venerable ancestor Chen’s tribulation.
Beyond the inch-diameter circle, spaced ten miles apart, were the tribulation-watching zones, from near to far: the Tribulation Crossing Circle, the Entering Void Circle, the Refining Spirit Circle, and the Cultivating Qi Seating Area.
“Senior apprentice sister Lin, you’re back.”
Xu Rui, the Water Sect’s internal sect steward responsible for on-site organization, saw Lin Shuang and the three others and smiled as he walked over.
He gestured toward the tribulation-watching positions, which resembled different tiers at a concert, “Senior apprentice sister, this is the effect you wanted, right? The closest inner area, the farthest outer area, standing tickets…”
Lin Shuang glanced at the seating areas divided by formations at the scene and nodded repeatedly.
The cultivation world was indeed convenient.
With formations, everyone could enter according to their corresponding cultivation level without needing to check tickets.
“It’s all thanks to Senior apprentice sister’s reminder, otherwise I might have messed everything up,” Xu Rui, being quite young, had never experienced an elder’s ascension before.
“Now it’s much safer. Those with higher tribulation cultivation can stand closer. Disciples with lower cultivation stand farther away to avoid being injured by the heavenly thunder.”
Lin Shuang nodded repeatedly.
For large events, arranging seating and evacuation routes in advance ensured the highest efficiency for both entry and exit.
And it was less likely to result in unexpected incidents.
She checked everything and found no issues, then bid farewell to Brother Xu Rui and walked with Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi to their designated position, the Water Sect’s Void Entry audience area.
Together, their combined techniques could reach the Void Entry level.
They didn’t need to sit in the Refining Spirit area at the back.
“They’re actually late?” Meng Zi raised an eyebrow, “Where’s Xiao Zhao?”
Disciples from various sects had already arrived.
The Hundred Flowers Sect was on the left, exuding fragrance, while the Ten Thousand Monks Sect was on the right, chanting their wooden fish.
Everything seemed just like yesterday, when Lin Shuang first went to the Twelve Sects Grand Competition, finding everything fresh and new.
She couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Be patient. The previous ascension practice questions were a bit too many. Elder Chen took a bit longer to finish the questions.”
She wasn’t as ‘impatient’ as she used to be.
Regarding the schedule, she wasn’t so strict with the timing anymore.
In the black rain layer of the 9,000 trials, it seemed to have healed not only Elder Chen’s past heartache but also hers.
Do your best, and that’s enough.
Grandma Principal, you must have thought the same way.
While striving, there’s no need to push yourself too hard.
And there’s no need to push others too much either.
“Even if you’re a little slower, it’s okay…”
She sat in the audience area and turned her head to look at Huangpu Yuan beside her.
He felt her gaze and looked back at her smiling eyes.
He handed her a fur cloak from his spatial pouch.
“…”
Meng Zi sat beside him, his neck turned around.
What kind of fox food was this? He couldn’t eat it!
“Lin Shuang, urge your junior apprentice sister to hurry up and urge Elder Chen! Don’t miss the auspicious time for the tribulation!”
Lin Shuang touched her nose and raised her hand to stop the passing Hundred Flowers Sect senior sister, asking for a box of osmanthus cakes.
She handed it to him.
“He’ll be here soon.” Her junior apprentice sister would be on time. If she was late, there must be a reason. Hurrying wouldn’t help anyway.
As she spoke, the void was torn open.
Elder Chen of the Water Sect appeared at the horizon, accompanied by a group of elders.
The heavenly thunder was already rumbling ominously above Elder Chen’s head.
“!”
“This… the heavenly thunder is about to fall!”
The elders and disciples who weren’t undergoing the tribulation quickly found their seats in the audience area marked with their names under Xu Rui’s gestures.
“Can he make it…”
“Nervous.”
“Zhao Jiangu, why are you so late?”
The tribulation-crossers from the other regions were curious.
Then, they saw the several late-arriving elders looking somewhat spirited and confident.
“We just tried 180 different postures for ascension.”
“……?”
“Heavenly tribulation? No fear at all!”
“!”
*
Soon, the rumbling sound of the heavenly tribulation echoed around the elders and disciples, grand and mighty.
From thin, snake-like bolts to thick, purple-black thunderbolts the size of a forearm, they eagerly descended in the blink of an eye, striking the venerable ancestor of the Chen family directly!
“This… is… the Annihilation Purple Thunder? The most difficult tribulation!”
“It has the greatest power. How could the venerable ancestor of the Chen family encounter it? His previous cultivation enhancement wasn’t even that strong.”
“This is quite difficult.”
“What should we do…”
He is likely to fail.
The expressions of the tribulation-crossers from the three regions were filled with sorrow and unease.
But soon, they saw the elders from the Twelve Sects around them looking calm.
“What’s this? This is just the thirty-second question from the past years’ real exams.”
“Don’t panic, we’ve already come up with eight different solutions in advance.”
“……!”
Surrounded by thunderbolts as thick as a forearm, the venerable ancestor of the Chen family remained calm, slowly putting three eighth-grade pills into his mouth.
He also took out the ‘Lin Shuang-made’ vaporizing talisman from Zhao Keran, which accelerated the absorption of the pills, and the ‘pill injection’ syringe talisman.
As the first heavenly tribulation fell, it shattered his remaining right arm.
But the bloody and mangled wound soon healed under the treatment of the vaporizing and syringe talismans.
The second heavenly tribulation arrived in an instant, giving him almost no time to catch his breath!
“Trouble, how could it be this tight!”
“Just digested the first one, and the second one comes again. What difficulty is this!”
“I remember that a senior elder from the Shanhai Sect died under such a tribulation before!”
But just as everyone was shocked and anxious, the venerable ancestor of the Chen family was already prepared, quickly deploying three defensive umbrellas to block the second strike.
“!”
Everything seemed to be exactly as he had anticipated.
These tribulations were sometimes powerful, sometimes even curved in their path.
Some combined two strikes into one, disregarding all rules of fairness.
Some were delayed, striking when least expected.
…Truly, each was uniquely challenging.
Too difficult! Too difficult!
All the watching elders and disciples felt sorrow and anger in their hearts.
Heaven itself refused to let them ascend!
This was an ordeal beyond human cultivators’ endurance. Even the mightiest demons with bodies like bronze walls and iron fortresses couldn’t withstand it!
The heavenly thunder was determined to kill them!
How cruel and malicious it was!
But as everyone watched in grief and rage, they found that the venerable ancestor of the Chen family, who was being bombarded by the heavenly thunder, always seemed to have incredible luck, pulling out another treasure, pill, or just the right cultivation technique at the last moment to resist.
Even when one of his spatial pouches was shattered, he remained calm and promptly pulled out another.
The venerable ancestor looked calm, his body covered in blood, but he passed each difficult checkpoint one by one, as if every obstacle was anticipated.
When the eighteen heavenly tribulations finally dissipated, he stood in the golden light, and the arm that had been severed during the Spirit Refinement stage was regrown amidst the celestial music and golden light.
He looked toward Chen Wushui and the Water Sect elders, who finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He turned his gaze toward the three tribulation-crossers, their faces a mix of anxiety and reverence as they bowed in gratitude.
Finally, with a smile, he looked toward Lin Shuang, Meng Zi, and Huangpu Yuan in the Void Entry seats, and Zhao Keran in the Essence Condensation seats.
“Although the heavenly tribulation is terrifying.”
“With five hundred years of ascension practice questions in hand, ascension is within my grasp.”
“It’s indeed effective.”
As he spoke, celestial music played, his golden immortal body fully refined, gradually rising into the air.
Beneath his feet, auspicious clouds condensed, and eighteen celestial beasts came to welcome him.
Who could have imagined that the last ascender among the Water Sect’s founding generation, an elder with merely average talent, would become an Upper Immortal and receive the honor of being escorted by celestial beasts!
Disciples, cultivators, and great demons watched him depart.
Their eyes sparkled with admiration, worship, reverence, and a hint of madness.
“Wait, what are the five hundred years of ascension practice questions?”
“Venerable ancestor, don’t leave!”
“Water Sect, please tell us—”
Chen Wushui and the other elders, their faces beaming with joy, were nearly moved to tears. However, after the venerable ancestor left, they swiftly made their escape before the crowd of people and demons could surround them.
“Don’t worry, we will publish a book soon.”
Zhao Keran smiled and stood beside Lin Shuang.
“The Five Hundred Years of Ascension Practice Questions, Three Sets of Simulations, available throughout the four realms. Written by my senior apprentice sister, Lin Shuang. Co-written by me, and Pear Blossom Senior Sister from the Hundred Flowers Sect.”
“Sound effects by Senior Brother Meng.”
“Fire tribulation simulation by Senior Brother Huangpu.”
“Thunder tribulation simulation by Senior Brother from the Mingzhong Sect.”
“……”
“The small ascension realm used for simulation was provided by Elder Chen Wushui.”
“The sound of the wooden fish was provided by the Ten Thousand Monks Sect.”
“Welcome everyone to place your orders enthusiastically.”
Amidst the crowd and supernatural beings, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Lin Shuang.
The two of them, like flower sisters, gazed toward the sky.
Behind them, Huangpu Yuan and Meng Zi stood, also looking toward the path of ascension leading to the Immortal Realm.
After the thunder tribulation, the night returned to calm, the moonlight was bright, and stars dotted the sky.
“The first batch will only have ten sets, first come, first served!”
Meng Zi couldn’t help but chant the final advertisement.
Huangpu Yuan extended his hand, and firelight like dazzling fireworks soared into the high sky, bursting open.
Lin Shuang smiled and let a few drops of rain fall.
“Wishing everyone a successful ascension, a bright future ahead, the purple qi coming from the east, and celestial beasts bowing in reverence!”
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