“Ha ha ha ha! Jian Shaolong, Jian Zhikong, you never expected this to happen, did you? You fellows from Heavenly Sword Faction have been arrogant for long enough. Today is the day you fellows die!”

“That's right. We have already sealed up the surrounding s.p.a.ce. Even the Teleportation Talismans will not help you. Before you fellows die, I will let you fellows in on something. Our main objective in entering this place is to obtain the Immortal artefacts here. However, our second objective is to kill off you disciples from Heavenly Sword Faction! I believe that the others must be having some success as well, ha ha ha ha!”

“All right, enough talk. Hurry up and kill them off to avoid any unexpected issues.”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Tens of cultivators attacked ceaselessly and the Sword Light Shield that Jian Xiaotian set up began growing dimmer and dimmer.

“This is bad. It won't be able to hold on for much longer.” Jian Xiaotian's face sank.

“Later, I will utilize a secret technique to stop them. You guys, think of a way to charge out,” Jian Shaolong suddenly said in a grim tone.

“You are already wounded. I should do it. Later, I will push out all of my powers to create an opening. After you guys rush out, crush your Teleportation Talismans. Sigh! Save as many as possible. We need to hurry up and inform the sect. Those fellows came prepared. I wonder just how many of our fellow disciples have died to them.” Jian Zhikong sighed.

“Heh! The power of your Myriad Swords Shatterer is still not as strong as my Five Elemental Blood Shatterer. I should be the one to do it.” After saying that, Jian Shaolong brought out a medicinal pill and tossed it into his mouth.

Boom!

A formidable aura burst out from Jian Shaolong's body and the wounds on him quickly healed up. Even his broken arm was fixed and a formidable blood energy surged about without respite. At the same time, strands of faint-red energy enveloped Jian Shaolong.

In but a few breaths' worth of time, Jian Shaolong's body had made a complete recovery. Moreover, his aura was still rising.

“Raging Blood Pill! Jian Shaolong, are you trying to kill yourself here?!” Wen Shaoxiu exclaimed.

“Ha ha ha, that's right! It's the Raging Blood Pill! However, there is only one. I have been unwilling to use it all this time. Now, I finally get the chance to use it.” Jian Shaolong laughed, his sword intent vaulting up into the sky.

“Hurry up and stop it! After using the Raging Blood Pill, even if you survive, your cultivation base will plummet! Amongst our sect's disciples, you are one of those with the highest chances of reaching the Human Immortal stage. If you do this, you will be crippled!” Wen Shaoxiu reached out with his hand, wanting to grab hold of Jian Shaolong. However, the formidable aura radiating out from Jian Shaolong's body repelled his hand.

“Better to live as a cripple than to die here! I have already made up my mind. Just get ready to charge out later.” After saying that, Jian Shaolong began gathering his strength to prepare for the incoming fight.

In the meantime, Chen Feng's tribulation had reached a critical juncture. His body was covered completely in wounds and lightning flashed across his body. Strand after strand and stream after stream of lightning surged through his body, destroying his vitality.

Fortunately, Chen Feng had trained himself inside the lightning pool before. Thus, he was able to endure the inhumane agony and torture. At the same time, he employed the Heavengulping Absorption Technique to furiously absorb the lightning powers that had invaded his body.

Kacha! Kacha!

The Twin Swords of Life and Death struck apart two lightning snakes. At the same time, however, two lightning b.a.l.l.s blasted Chen Feng to send him tumbling. He had to utilize the Kirin Steps and the power of void and darkness to flit about again and again to dodge the next wave of attacks.

Heh! Twenty more lightning snakes. It's about to end.

Even though Chen Feng's body was filled with wounds, his will to fight was very strong and he kept changing his way of fighting as he faced the lightning snakes.

After spending so long fighting, Chen Feng had exhausted an outrageous amount of energy. By then, even the energy stored inside his insight acupoints had been mobilized.

Chen Feng's eyes were as black as ink and black-coloured streams of light kept flashing out from them. That was due to Chen Feng's actions of utilizing his eye technique to locate the weak points of the lightning snakes.

Boom!

The Four-sided Spirit Mace swung forward and Chen Feng's movements became more agile. He was becoming more adept at fighting. Even his attacks were becoming more cohesive.

A ma.s.sive mace silhouette easily smashed against one of the lightning snakes. Next, the condensed silhouette erupted violently to blast the lightning snake into pieces.

At the same time, Chen Feng's figure flitted forward. The Twin Swords of Life and Death drew two lines in the sky, one black and one white. Next, two more lightning snakes were cut down.

Sou! Sou! Sou!

Black light then shot out from Chen Feng's pupils to dismantle the bodies of the two lightning snakes, piece by piece.

“Huh! Three more down.” Chen Feng released a lengthy exhalation. A thick and turbid air was released to form a wave of energy, which surged away.

Immediately, Chen Feng's felt his spirits lifting and his cultivation base rose by another notch.

Chen Feng's actions of ripping apart the lightning snakes one at a time terrified the cultivators who were observing him from afar. Those who were planning on attacking Chen Feng began considering a retreat. At any rate, the display of might from Chen Feng was not something that they could handle.

“What's the deal with this fellow? His aura is not weakening at all and his primary energy feels unending. Is he constantly taking Sky-tier medicinal pills?”

“Probably. Not to mention, he also possesses a few Sacred artefacts.”

By then, there were less than 500 kilometres between them and Chen Feng. Even without using eye techniques, they could still observe what was happening to Chen Feng.

“Strange, I have never heard of such a character from Heavenly Sword Faction before. Not to mention, he also possesses three decent Sacred artefacts. Even for us first-rate sects, such characters are few in number.”

“He must be someone that Heavenly Sword Faction is secretly nurturing. Look! Two more lightning snakes have gone down. Incredible! Did you fellows notice? He is becoming even stronger!”

“This fellow is a threat. If he can successfully a.s.sail the Human Immortal stage, he will surely become a formidable warrior for Heavenly Sword Faction. This is a bad thing for us. Don't you guys hold back later. I know that you guys have your own killer moves. Make sure to unleash them all. Killing this fellow will be a great contribution.”

“Longevity Mace!”

Chen Feng, who was swinging the Four-sided Spirit Mace, suddenly displayed the Longevity Mace Technique and mace silhouettes flashed continuously, stacking with one another as they swept forward uncontested to shatter three lightning snakes in a row.

Suddenly, Chen Feng felt the flow of primary energy within him faltering and a wave of weakness washed over him. He knew that it was because he had over exhausted himself.

However, by stirring his opened insight acupoints, an enormous amount of formidable energy surged forward and Chen Feng radiated with might once more, restored to his peak.

The Longevity Mace Technique is indeed overbearing. A pity, even though my strength has skyrocketed, I am still incapable of unleashing the Four-sided Spirit Mace's full power. Additionally, I have only just mastered a smidge of the Longevity Mace Technique, Chen Feng thought.

Speaking of which, although Chen Feng had already condensed out some of the Longevity weapons, he was most proficient in the Longevity Sword Technique. At any rate, Chen Feng would use swords the most when facing his enemies.

At that moment, however, as he was utilizing the Four-sided Spirit Mace to fight, the Longevity Mace Technique came to mind and Chen Feng began learning it.

Longevity Mace. Overbearing and thick, strong yet flexible. Amidst destruction, it creates opportunities. It also contains the concept of s.p.a.ce. With a swing, it compresses s.p.a.ce to smash the enemy into a pulp.

Sou!

The Four-sided Spirit Mace swept forward and a lightning snake burst apart into sky-encompa.s.sing lightning powers.

“Again!”

Chen Feng displayed the Kirin Steps to shift his position about, evading the incoming attacks. Suddenly, a booming sound rang out from his mind. Next, the circulation route of his primary energy fell into disarray and his movements temporarily changed.

The temporary change caused Chen Feng's eyes to light up. His movements have become even more wondrous, even more so compared to the Kirin Steps.

Originally, by utilizing the Kirin Steps, Chen Feng would have required three steps to evade the incoming lightning snake's attack. Surprisingly, he had used only one step to perfectly evade the attack.

One step was the equivalent of three steps using the Kirin Steps. Chen Feng was shocked. However, he quickly understood what happened.

Longevity Steps! That's right, it is none other than the Longevity Steps. Still, this is strange. Doesn't the Longevity Steps require a cultivation base of the Human Immortal stage to cultivate? Why did it suddenly circulate on its own?

Is it because I am already strong enough? The shocking thought suddenly flashed across Chen Feng's mind.

However, Chen Feng quickly calmed down. Once again, he took a step forward. Naturally, he was still utilizing the Longevity Steps. As expected, Chen Feng's figure seemingly overlapped with s.p.a.ce. Next, his figure disappeared, moving past the attacks from two lightning snakes to arrive at a spot 1,000 zhang away.

As expected, the Longevity Steps is more profound compared to the Kirin Steps. A pity, I have only comprehended one move. Still, it is enough. After that, Chen Feng moved again, using both the Kirin Steps and Longevity Steps in tandem. As a result, his speed rose by a notch.

Bang!

Boom!

Next, Chen Feng's figure seemingly melded into the void, appearing and disappearing from sight. Even though the lightning snakes were powerful, they were incapable of grasping Chen Feng's movements and all of their attacks missed.

Chen Feng then unleashed his might and one lightning snake after another fell before the might of the Four-sided Spirit Mace.

In just 10 breaths' worth of time, all of the lightning snakes had disappeared. After that, Chen Feng devoured the lightning powers filling up the sky.

With the exception of the yet-to-disappear tribulation clouds, the sky had become tranquil. As for Chen Feng, he hovered quietly in mid-air, his eyes focused as he regarded the thick tribulation clouds.

The clouds swirled turbulently as a ma.s.sive crack tore open. Next, a stream of spiritual energy – so thick that it took liquid form – poured down like a circular pillar before entering Chen Feng's body.

The pure spiritual energy made Chen Feng so comfortable that he nearly cried out. It felt as though every cell in his body was soaked inside spiritual liquid.

The wounds on his body healed rapidly. In just a few breaths' worth of time, Chen Feng was already restored to his peak. The spiritual energy seemingly possessed a life of its own. Without any direct attempts from Chen Feng to absorb it, the spiritual energy automatically flowed into Chen Feng's body before melding into his primary energy, bones, flesh and every single cell in his body. For Chen Feng, it felt as though his cultivation base was shooting up in a straight line.

Weng!

As the spiritual energy poured into Chen Feng, the will of the world arrived as well. Profound will and laws of the world entered Chen Feng's sea of wisdom, causing his essence and aura to undergo a change.

“The tribulation is a success. I am now at level 7 of the Sky Human stage.” Sensing the increasing might of his body, Chen Feng blurted.

The spiritual energy continued pouring down for a quarter of an hour. Next, the pillar of spiritual energy disappeared. The tribulation clouds began disappearing as well.

Chen Feng slowly descended to land on the ground and he began studying the gains he had obtained from the tribulation.

1 li = 0.5 km

1 zhang = 3.333 m