Seeking the Flying Sword Path
chapter-555

Qin Yun stood and watched the black clouds that formed a whirlpool. The tribulation clouds brought with them a terrifying might, a might that belonged to the Heavenly Dao of the Three Realms.

"After transcending the Heavenly Tribulation and fusing the spirit and body as one, I will have a Skyimmortal's body. My Dharmic powers would then be enhanced, becoming Skyimmortal Dharmic powers," thought Qin Yun.

Heavenly Tribulations were the tribulations for immortals.

Although Earth Immortals could lead long lives, they were still plagued by tribulations. Only by transcending the final Heavenly Tribulation would they become Skyimmortals, allowing them to reach a lifespan that was as long as the world's, and to lead life in a carefree manner.

Of course, there was the legendary Merit Immortal. Upon gaining great merit, one's body would have Merit Gilded Glow protecting their bodies. Without the need to cultivate, their powers could be transformed into Merit Dharmic powers to grant them immortality. Heavenly Tribulations would not befall them and they would never be plagued by tribulations or calamities. With great merit, they could hold down the light shone from providence. Even the Heavenly Courts would attempt to rope them in. As for Ancestral Fiends, they would be unwilling to offend them. Of course, the fiends among fiends, the spirit-devouring lineage and sea of blood lineage experts would still dare to attack Merit Immortals.

However, the amount of merit needed to obtain Merit Gilded Glow was astounding… For example, Qin Yun had yet to reach the Merit Gilded Glow stage despite all the fiends he had dealt with to date.

Also, Merit Dharmic powers were too ordinary, making them inadequate for combat.

For those that cultivated the Physical Establishing Sage, Lightning Dharma, or sword immortal Dharmic formulations… people who pursuit real strength, they would not be willing to become Merit Immortals even if they had Merit Gilded Glow. They would chose to undergo the calamities and cultivate step by step, giving them powerful Dharmic powers and divine powers.

…

"Brother Yun, you have created the Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation for the sword immortal lineage?" Yi Xiao stood far off and inquired via voice transmission. "Didn't you say recently that the Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation for the sword immortal lineage is very difficult? That the attempted Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation you created is still very crude? And your confidence in it is very low?"

"I have gained some insights. I have fifty percent confidence in the Sword Immortal Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation," replied Qin Yun via voice transmission.

"Fifty percent confidence?" Yi Xiao said worried. "Brother Yun, to transcend the tribulations to become a Skyimmortal, there's no chance to attempt it a second time. Fifty percent confidence…"

"This is the only way to save the Great Chang world."

Qin Yun transmitted his voice.

Yi Xiao burned with anxiety, but she could only bear with it and secretly console herself. "Thankfully, there's a fifty percent chance of success. If Brother Yun is lucky, he might succeed."

However, Qin Yun looked at the tribulation clouds in the sky.

"Xiaoxiao, my Dharmic formulation is still very crude. How can I have fifty percent confidence? It's just ten or twenty percent," thought Qin Yun. "But this is the only chance we have to save our homeworld."

He had said fifty percent only to console his wife.

"Phew–"

The whirlpool beneath the tribulation clouds brought strong winds that blew at Qin Yun.

The Winds of the Heavenly Tribulation had arrived!

The winds appeared mild, but they could easily penetrate into one's body and pulverize his bones and eviscerate his flesh and blood, until he became meat pulp.

Qin Yun bore with it.

Heavenly Tribulations…

They were a series of Wind, Fire, and Lightning tribulations!

To ordinary Essence Soul Earth Immortals, the threat possessed by the Heavenly Tribulation was extremely high. But to an Essence Soul Earth Immortal like Qin Yun who had strength that matched a mighty figure, it was trivial. Even if he had heinous sins, he would still be able to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, so it was fine for someone like him with great merit.

"Whoosh."

The Wind Tribulation blew across his body, but the great divine power, the Heavenly Cycle Stellar Robes, made the Wind Tribulation pose zero threat to him.

The winds blew thrice, each stronger than the last, but even the strongest wind could only threaten ordinary second firmament Essence Souls.

"Whoosh." Flames appeared from the tribulation clouds and descended upon Qin Yun.

"Just three Wind Tribulations stages?" Ancestral Master Zhang's brows pricked up in astonishment when he saw this. "Typical Heavenly Tribulations have nine stages of Heavenly Wind, Heavenly Fire, and Heavenly Lightning… Junior Brother Qin only received three stages of Wind Tribulations? From the looks of it, Junior Brother Qin has just too much merit. He's probably not far from Merit Gilded Glow."

"The hardest part of a Sword Immortal Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation is the fusion of spirit and body. Sword Immortal Essence Soul Dharmic powers are extremely sharp, making it very difficult to fuse them with the body. If Junior Brother Qin were to break through the critical barrier of fusing spirit and body… then, the first to ninth stages would be relatively easy for Junior Brother Qin."

"If he were able to reach the ninth firmament of Skyimmortal in one shot, considering how he has forged his own lineage, his pure Dharmic powers would allow him to match a Golden Immortal."

"With pure Dharmic powers and sword moves at the Golden Immortal level… together with that terrifying Connate Numinous treasure flying sword, the Great Chang can be saved!" Ancestral Master Zhang's eyes were filled with anticipation.

******

In the cosmos.

The Buddhists' eighteen Arhats and the Heavenly Courts' 108 Heavenly Constellation Earthly Wraith were putting everything that had into restraining Supremacy Star Destruction. However, they were also looking curiously below. They could see the world beneath at a glance, where Qin Yun was in the midst of transcending the tribulations.

"This Sword Immortal Qin is attempting to transcend the tribulations?"

"He is someone who has created a new sword immortal lineage. Has he figured out a Skyimmortal Dharmic formulation for the sword immortal lineage? Is he confident that he can fuse Essence Soul and body?"

"If he was a hundred percent confident, he would have long transcended the tribulations. For him to resort to breaking through now, when things are desperate, it appears he is only partially confident."

"To dare transcend the tribulations, he should have seventy or eighty percent confidence."

The various generals and Arhats were discussing via voice transmissions.

Yang Jian looked down. He had urged Qin Yun and company to escape, but Qin Yun was now transcending the tribulations?

"Sword Immortal Dharmic Powers are the sharpest Dharmic powers in the Three Realms. Condensing an Essence Soul is very difficult, but fusing spirit and body together is even more difficult! Has he really figured it out?" Yang Jian also watched in anticipation, hoping for a miracle to be born.

…

Too many people were watching this battle across the Three Realms.

The Heavenly Courts' Golden Immortals, the Buddhists' Buddhas, and even various Sagedemons, Ancestral Dragons, Ancestral Magi, as well as the Ancestral Fiends from the Tenebrous Fiend Abyss were watching.

This was because this battle in the Great Chang world held great implications.

The Tenebrous Fiend Abyss had sent out Supremacy Star Destruction, while the Heavenly Courts had sent their various generals. Furthermore, if one understood the entire sequence of events, they could guess that there had to be a special reason for the fiends to attack the Great Chang world repeatedly.

And the person most nervous at that moment was Patriarch Bojia.

"He's attempting to transcend the tribulations?"

Inside Bojia Palace, Bojia's four faces all wore different expressions.

"Is a ninth firmament Skyimmortal sword immortal of a new lineage about to be born?" Bojia immediately sent a voice transmission, urging. "Star Destruction, hurry. Destroy the massive array quickly. Don't allow that Qin Yun to transcend the tribulations."

"What are you panicking for?"

Star Destruction's voice transmissions sounded from a distance. "So what if he succeeds at transcending the tribulations? Do you think he can stop me?"

"Don't think too highly of yourself. Sword immortals are known to be able to destroy all Dharma with a single sword. They are best at combat and can fight several levels above them," reminded Bojia via voice transmission. "It's best to be quick."

"I'm already doing my best to crack the array, but the eight arrays combined are like one entity. It will still take me a while to crack it! Besides, this Qin Yun's Heavenly Tribulation is very weak. It only has three stages of the Wind, Fire, and Lightning Tribulations… His tribulations will soon end. I won't be in time to stop him. But don't worry, he's definitely not my match even if he becomes a ninth firmament Skyimmortal."

"To have strength that reaches my level at the Skyimmortal or Skyfiend realm? Hmph, impossible." Star Destruction was very confident.

******

High above the Great Chang world and deep within the massive black cloud that spanned more than five thousand kilometers, the gigantic face looked down below. Its red stony arms extended out as it struck the array beneath it again and again. The apocalyptic arms made countless mortals in the Great Chang world look up. All of them were panicking in horror. Everyone could tell that each blow caused the eight arrays to tremble. They looked like they would crack at any time.

And even the places where the arrays were set up were quaking as well.

The array flags were gradually dimming.

The array disks were beginning to crack.

Clearly, every blow exerted immense pressure on the array formation.

"Boom!"

Above the East Sea, the black vortex's tribulation clouds smote down with lightning, striking Qin Yun with Heavenly Lightning.

His protective divine power easily withstood it.

The first lightning smite!

The second lightning smite!

It was followed by the third lightning smite, which was also the last.

"The Heavenly Tribulation has ended." Yi Xiao, Ancestral Master Zhang, the eighteen Buddhist Arhats and the 108 Heavenly Constellation Earthly Wraith, and Yang Jian were watching. Many mighty figures in the Three Realms were watching as well. Even Qin Yun's master, the Dao Ancestor, one of the Three Pure Ones, the Heavenly Lord of Numinous Treasure, was watching from Green Touring Palace.

The Heavenly Tribulation's Wind, Fire, and Lightning tribulations posed no threat to Qin Yun.

What everyone was really concerned about was whether Qin Yun could fuse his spirit and body!

"Boom!"

Although the third bolt of lightning was blocked off by Qin Yun's protective divine power, a special lightning force easily penetrated his protective divine power and entered his body.

This mysterious lightning force began fusing into Qin Yun's body before also working its way into his Essence Soul. It began catalyzing Qin Yun's fusion of Essence Soul and body.

At this point, he could no longer retreat!

He had to fuse his spirit and body together to become a Skyimmortal.

To people with Dharmic formulations, transcending the tribulations was the difficult step. Fusion of spirit and body was something that came naturally. As for Qin Yun, who created his own Dharmic formulation… transcending the Heavenly Tribulation was easy, but fusing spirit and body was the hardest.

"Come on!" Qin Yun began circulating the Dharmic formulation he created. The crude Dharmic formulation which only had about ten or twenty percent chance of success initiated the fusion.

"Fuse!"

Inside his dantian, Qin Yun's Essence Soul with its tiny limbs rapidly expanded in size to match his body in an attempt to fuse.

Fusion of Essence Soul and body.

Just as he started the fusion process, Qin Yun felt a stabbing pain all across his body. It felt like countless swords were stabbing at him.

"No good!" Qin Yun immediately knew that something was amiss.