“I hope everyone can keep this a secret for now and not reveal it,” Shi Hao stated plainly.
With three strands of immortal qi swirling around him, he could obscure the heavenly secrets of this place. Outsiders wouldn’t be able to spy through the immortal dao petals unless those present here leaked the information. As long as those present remained silent, this would stay a secret.
The gathered individuals nodded. Several clans would have future requests for Huang, after all.
**Boom!**
A surge of energy, like a mountain flood, erupted. The elder at the center of the grand formation opened his eyes, his gaze clearer than before, and declared, “Still a bit short!”
He was an existence beyond Heavenly Gods, immensely powerful, and the curse upon him ran deeper. A single cup of golden liquid was far from enough to fully dispel it.
After all, even Heavenly Gods required two cups of tribulation liquid!
“Young friend, words cannot express our gratitude. We await your good news and hope you succeed in your next tribulation!” said the foremost expert of the Eight-Armed Soul Clan.
He had not left, still sealing himself within this place. Though his mind was no longer clouded, there was no guarantee the curse wouldn’t resurface. True liberation required complete eradication of the curse.
Shi Hao had already spent several days in the Sacred Ancestral Land. Though he wished to leave, the surrounding major clans insisted he stay, urging him to cultivate here in seclusion.
He had also visited the Centaur Clan and the Ancient Demon Clan, faintly sensing the auras of the two Heavenly Gods who had once ambushed him. Yet, neither clan spoke much of it.
He departed swiftly, unwilling to linger and risk unforeseen complications.
“He holds a grudge against our clan. This isn’t ideal. If he truly succeeds in another tribulation, how much tribulation liquid will we receive?” someone murmured.
“Hmph, heavenly tribulations aren’t so easily overcome, especially as they grow increasingly terrifying. Next time, this person might not survive,” a Heavenly God remarked coldly.
Clearly, those who had once attacked Shi Hao were unwilling to humble themselves or apologize. They watched from the shadows, their gazes icy.
**Boom!**
Days later, a deafening explosion shook the heavens, accompanied by endless lightning.
Someone was undergoing a tribulation—and the spectacle was grand!
Undoubtedly, this news was astonishing, causing a massive stir.
Following Shi Hao’s success, another had stepped onto this path, summoning heavenly tribulation to temper themselves.
A heavenly sword split the void as a lone figure stood beneath the firmament, enduring a calamitous tribulation. Endless thunderbolts rained down, causing the earth to collapse.
One man, one sword, defying the heavens.
This shook the entire Immortal Ancient, drawing even the natives—including the Eight-Armed Soul Clan, the Beauty Clan, and the Spirit Sage Clan—toward the scene. Despite Shi Hao’s promises, they rushed there immediately.
For the natives, this held profound significance.
“Another tribulation! Let’s hope they succeed, so that Huang won’t think himself irreplaceable!” Ma Yue sneered.
“Excellent. I hope this person succeeds. I’ll go see for myself!” Mo Luo nodded.
These words came from the Heavenly Gods of the Centaur and Ancient Demon Clans—the very ones who had once attacked Shi Hao.
The heavenly tribulation shook the world.
Soon, news spread: the one undergoing the tribulation was Gu Jianyun, a monstrous genius from ancient times!
Hailing from the Sword Valley, he had once challenged Chang Gongyan in Sin Province before entering Immortal Ancient. His strength was extraordinary, ranking among the top of ancient freaks.
Shi Hao frowned upon hearing this. The Sword Valley, the Demon Dragon Dao Gate, and the Fire Cloud Cave all harbored hostility toward the descendants of Sin. They were allies, having once suppressed Sin Province together.
“A disciple of the Sword Valley… I’d love to meet him,” he muttered.
**Boom!**
The heavens shattered, and ghosts wailed as Gu Jianyun’s tribulation intensified, drawing the attention of several Heavenly Gods.
“He succeeded! Another has overcome the tribulation, achieving unparalleled glory!” someone shouted, spreading the news to the Sacred Ancestral Land.
The world trembled!
That day, Gu Jianyun’s success sent shockwaves through Immortal Ancient, stirring monumental waves.
Instantly, countless figures rushed toward him, surrounding him.
Some had glimpsed a celestial pool within the final thunderclouds, brimming with tribulation liquid. Gu Jianyun sat beside it, healing his wounds.
This drove the crowd wild—another peerless genius had emerged!
“Hahaha…” Many laughed heartily, especially the Heavenly Gods who had once opposed Shi Hao. Their gloom vanished instantly.
Now, there was nothing to worry about. Another supreme talent had appeared, one who had also overcome the heavenly tribulation and possessed the mystical liquid. There was no need to beg Huang anymore.
“Huang, who does he think he is? The one and only in history? Another has succeeded—he can be replaced!”
“Hahaha… There’s hope to break the curse without relying on Huang. What if we just kill him?!”
A Heavenly God stood in the distance, his bloodlust palpable.
The tribulation’s remnants flickered, signaling its end. Yet, Gu Jianyun remained, healing beside the thunder pool.
Several Heavenly Gods shielded him from outsiders, guarding him as they awaited his recovery, eager to invite him to their clans.
Surprisingly, among them were Ma Yue and Mo Luo, the Heavenly Gods of the Centaur and Ancient Demon Clans, laughing triumphantly—much to everyone’s shock.
“Wait, didn’t those two clans invite Huang? Why are they aligning with Heavenly Gods who’ve clashed with him?”
“Shh! Ma Yue and Mo Luo also attacked Huang. They were in a tight spot earlier, but now they’re relieved.”
Finally, Gu Jianyun emerged from the thunderclouds, his aura formidable. He had truly succeeded, stepping into the True God realm as one of the most peerless geniuses!
Outside, despite major events unfolding, Gu Jianyun’s success sent tremors through the three thousand provinces, stunning countless observers.
“What a formidable Gu Jianyun! To summon and conquer the heavenly tribulation—he has surpassed many predecessors!”
The world was in uproar, the three thousand provinces ablaze with excitement!
“Descendant of Sin, did you think you alone could lead? Our people can too! Once Immortal Ancient opens, your death will follow!” a Heavenly God from an ancient sect hissed.
The Fire Cloud Cave and the Demon Dragon Dao Gate loathed Shi Hao, yearning to crush him. Yet, they couldn’t enter Immortal Ancient.
“Young friend, would you join our clan?”
Within Immortal Ancient, Heavenly Gods clamored eagerly, blocking others as they vied for Gu Jianyun’s allegiance.
“Young Daoist, could you share the tribulation liquid?” one Heavenly God asked bluntly.
“Our Centaur and Ancient Demon Clans will protect you and help you seize Immortal Ancient’s greatest fortune!” Ma Yue and Mo Luo stepped forward, surprising many.
Had Shi Hao been present, he would have understood everything.
Soon, others eyed Gu Jianyun greedily, offering treasures in exchange for the tribulation liquid.
“I’ll gift it to you, seniors,” Gu Jianyun said magnanimously, handing out jade jars without demanding anything in return.
This caused an uproar!
Countless eyes watched as even the Eight-Armed Soul Clan’s Heavenly Gods nearly rushed forward—but they were too late.
“Young friend, your integrity is unmatched! To offer such a priceless treasure without seeking reward—rest assured, we won’t forget this!” a Heavenly God laughed, overjoyed.
Praise poured in from all sides.
“This is the difference. One hoarded his treasure, while you, young friend, are so open and admirable,” Ma Yue remarked, disparaging Shi Hao.
Holding a jade jar of tribulation liquid, Ma Yue felt invincible, fearless.
Mo Luo, equally ecstatic, believed the curse would soon lift. “People are different. Your nobility ensures a glorious future. I wonder if someone’s panicking now that they’re no longer unique—haha!”
Other Heavenly Gods lavished praise, each hoping to recruit Gu Jianyun.
Indeed, Gu Jianyun was extraordinary, having conquered the heavenly tribulation.
Now, he smiled serenely. His success had immense repercussions. With the natives’ support, he could achieve much, his strength soaring.
Everything was unfolding as he’d foreseen. His humility and generosity would win over Heavenly Gods, forging a terrifying alliance!
And compared to Huang, he held the advantage. His smile widened.
“I must break the curse now!” a Heavenly God declared.
Some had already consumed the tribulation liquid, sitting cross-legged in the void, eyes closed as they sought liberation.
Time passed. The first to drink opened his eyes, puzzled. “Why… does it seem ineffective?”
“Strange, my curse remains unchanged!” another Heavenly God muttered, confused.
Gu Jianyun’s smile froze. He frowned.
Soon, all the Heavenly Gods rose, gripping their jade jars tightly, their expressions darkening.
Distant onlookers gaped in astonishment.
“Why is it useless?” a Heavenly God roared, crushed. The liquid was golden, like Shi Hao’s—why did it fail?
Realizing the curse persisted, their joy turned to despair.
“What’s going on?!” someone bellowed.
They scrutinized the liquid with divine sense and sighed.
Though golden, it harbored traces of purple, barely noticeable unless examined closely. The more they probed, the more the purple hue became apparent, hidden beneath the gold.
Extracting it yielded only a trickle of gold—most was purple, tinted gold by the scant golden strands.
“This tribulation liquid is useless!” the Heavenly Gods seethed.
Despite their power, none had endured a heavenly tribulation. They’d only witnessed one—Shi Hao’s—and relied on ancient texts for knowledge.
Gu Jianyun’s tribulation had featured a thunder pool and vast lightning, leading them to assume it matched the strongest tribulation. But they were wrong.
Only the liquid from the supreme tribulation worked!
Ma Yue’s face darkened as he recalled his earlier words. He clenched his fists.
Mo Luo regretted his arrogance. How would they face Shi Hao now?
Their earlier remarks would surely reach Huang’s ears, jeopardizing any chance of receiving his tribulation liquid.
The Heavenly Gods’ expressions soured. They’d celebrated too soon—and likely offended Shi Hao.
When the news reached the Sacred Ancestral Land, Shi Hao merely remarked lightly, “Purple tribulation liquid? I obtained a pool of it during my Venerable One tribulation.”
This revelation caused an uproar—the first confirmation that he’d undergone a tribulation even as a Venerable One!
Gu Jianyun paled. He’d endured a divine tribulation for useless liquid, while Huang had faced tribulations since Venerable One and knew of the purple variant.
Fury twisted his features.
**Boom!**
Another tribulation erupted in Immortal Ancient—back-to-back attempts.
Ma Yue, Mo Luo, and others rushed over, but all subsequent challengers perished, their bodies and souls obliterated.
“Not everyone is Huang, capable of enduring the supreme heavenly tribulation,” someone observed, earning widespread agreement.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage