Transcending Tribulations... The Peak

Xu Linglong could no longer contain the excitement on her face as she gazed at Chu Xingchen, whose expression remained calm and unreadable. At the same time, she sent a mental message to one of the eight Great Heavenly Demons who had come to support her—Bai Bo, the most unpredictable and versatile of the demons.

"Disregard the others! Just kill Chu Xingchen. His aura is as ambiguous as twilight—perhaps the key lies with him!"

"Even if it doesn’t, we can’t allow this brat to grow any stronger!"

Bai Bo was gaunt, with bulging eyes and elongated limbs. He wielded no weapon, his body covered in the same eerie black inscriptions as Xu Linglong. Hearing her words, his gaze swiftly locked onto Chu Xingchen, replying calmly through mental transmission:

"You assist. I’ll handle him."

Xu Linglong’s body surged with dark energy as she drew her bow without hesitation. Her fingers tightened around the bowstring, black essence flowing into the weapon.

"Heaven’s Collapse!"

She released the string.

A torrent of black light erupted with overwhelming force, scattering in all directions—especially targeting those around Chu Xingchen.

Bai Bo’s black inscriptions shimmered as he launched into the air, a tidal wave of darkness following behind him.

Daoist Yuyang ignored the black light streaking toward him, instead raising a hand to cast protective divine arts on Chu Xingchen:

"Divine Art—Nine Directions!"

"Divine Art—Ten Thousand Armors!"

"Divine Art—Layered Bones!"

"Divine Art—Golden Shield!"

The Punishment Elder of the Tai Dao Sect also rushed to Chu Xingchen’s aid without delay.

During the demon investigation in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, Daoist Yuyang had relayed detailed reports back to the sect. After all, mobilizing forces wasn’t something a single core disciple of the Tai Dao Sect could accomplish alone.

Beyond clues and evidence, the Tai Dao Sect also possessed certain… definitive methods of verification.

No interrogation was needed—just a dissection, and the truth would be laid bare.

All signs indicated that, at least in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, the Tianyan Sect and Chu Xingchen had genuinely been hunting demons. This was unanimously acknowledged by the Tai Dao Sect.

Now, they had caught a big fish.

The demonic aura was so thick it was practically oozing, nauseating to the senses.

With such evidence before them, even without considering the joint pact among the Eighteen Immortal Sects regarding demons, common sense dictated that Chu Xingchen could not be allowed to fall here.

The Punishment Elder moved to intercept without hesitation, ignoring the dark currents rushing toward him as he raised his sword against Bai Bo.

Bai Bo’s face remained still, but his eyes flicked to the left, locking onto the Punishment Elder. Black flames materialized calmly in his right hand, and with a single punch, he sent them hurtling toward the elder from miles away.

The black flames radiated oppressive might, surging forward like a storm.

After delivering the punch, Bai Bo refocused entirely on Chu Xingchen.

Yet, in the next moment, the Punishment Elder emerged unscathed from the black flames. Though his body burned, he made no move to defend himself—only raising his sword with a tranquil gaze as he slashed toward Bai Bo.

A blinding light erupted.

Bai Bo didn’t spare a glance for the incoming attack, keeping his eyes fixed on Chu Xingchen’s rapidly retreating figure.

Taking this hit would indeed cost him, but if it meant killing Chu Xingchen, the price was justified.

He understood better than most that opportunities like this came only once.

Bai Bo raised a hand to block the Punishment Elder’s strike, just as the elder had endured his black flames.

Boom!

Bai Bo’s right arm exploded in a spray of black-red blood, yet his speed never faltered.

Chu Xingchen remained expressionless, fully aware that Bai Bo had locked onto him.

But if Bai Bo thought he would only retreat, he was sorely mistaken.

As Bai Bo’s left fist descended with terrifying force, the layers of protective divine arts cast by Daoist Yuyang shattered one after another—but they bought Chu Xingchen enough time.

"Torrent… Ten Thousand Seas."

A boundless azure light gathered in Chu Xingchen’s hand, only to vanish the moment his sword slashed forward, leaving behind nothing but pure sword intent and spiritual energy intertwined into an aura of annihilation.

Fist met blade.

The collision erupted in a silent explosion of spiritual light, the sound itself erased by the sheer force. Only the blinding radiance and the shockwaves spreading outward bore witness to the magnitude of the clash.

Xu Linglong’s hand continued to bleed as she fed her essence into the bowstring, covering Bai Bo’s advance.

The aftermath of the clash was so violent that even her divine sense couldn’t penetrate it.

To ensure success, she clenched the bowstring tightly, her essence-blood staining it a vivid black-red.

Release!

A nearly imperceptible thread of darkness, barely visible, shot toward the spot where Chu Xingchen had stood.

Only after firing did Xu Linglong allow herself a brief sigh of relief.

But that relief was short-lived.

Suddenly, an icy chill pierced her to the core. Following the source of the killing intent, she saw a streak of red-white light closing in at impossible speed.

Xu Linglong tightened her grip on her weapon, summoning dark currents to block the light.

Yet the darkness failed. Her weapon failed.

The razor-sharp sword intent sliced through her shoulder and half her face.

Xu Linglong’s eyes widened—for the first time, she felt the threat of death.

Fear gripped her heart. As she tried to raise her weapon again, she realized her right hand had already been severed by the light.

Her expression twisted into utter fury, but that fury quickly turned to shock.

The white light didn’t finish her off. Instead, it shot straight toward the epicenter of the spiritual clash.

The devastating shockwaves meant nothing to it.

Where the light passed, the oppressive forces simply melted away.

"Eternal Regret… Nevermore."

Bai Xuanling’s voice was calm.

An overwhelming sword intent, like drops of water, seeped from Bai Xuanling’s body—only to transform in an instant into an insurmountable cliff, or an endless sea.

Xu Linglong barely had time to register what was happening before the terrifying sword intent radiated outward.

The remaining formations collapsed under its weight.

Xu Linglong was sent flying by the shockwaves. Though the physical force was minor, the sheer will behind it left her speechless.

She flipped midair and landed steadily, her gaze instinctively drawn to the center.

Then, she froze.

Her vision was no longer filled with colors—only an expanse of white, stained with glaring crimson, painting the heavens and earth.

That sword intent hadn’t even targeted her… yet it had forced her into her final form?

"Bai… Xuanling?"

Xu Linglong stared at the towering sword intent, at the towering figure behind it.

Suddenly, she grinned.

A trace of regret flickered in her heart, but it was overshadowed by relief.

A person like this… was also destined to fall beneath the heavens?

The heavens were blind from the start!

Chu Xingchen panted heavily, his sword arm mangled to the bone.

Bai Bo’s punch hadn’t been fatal, and his own strike had left Bai Bo severely wounded.

The real trouble was the hidden arrow Xu Linglong had fired at the last moment.

It was troublesome, but not lethal.

Except… someone had intercepted it with a single sword stroke.

Bai Xuanling stood a hundred meters ahead of Chu Xingchen, clad in plain white robes, wielding an equally unremarkable sword.

A flicker of concern crossed Chu Xingchen’s mind as he instinctively checked with his system:

[Target: Bai Xuanling]

[Cultivation: Tribulation Transcendence Peak]

Chu Xingchen's eyes widened instantly at the sight.

How could this be the peak of the Tribulation Transcendence realm?!

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