Kong s.h.i.+ had once said that in order to resolve the Innate Fetal Poison, it would have to be seared with heavenly flames. He thought that this would require him to advance his zhenqi cultivation to Great Sage, but who could have thought that he would end up drawing it in with his soul cultivation?If he could make use of it to temper his physical body, wouldn"t he be able to resolve the threat which had been worrying him over the past year once and for all?
"Will the heavenly flame tribulation sear my Primordial Spirit directly?" Zhang Xuan asked the Dragonbone Divine Spear anxiously.
The Saint Ascension Ordeal was divided into the Soul Ordeal, Body Ordeal, and Heart Ordeal. Given that the heavenly flame tribulation was also the retribution that the heavens brought upon the cultivators, would it come in the same order as well?
Hearing the question, the Dragonbone Divine Spear pondered for a moment before replying, "There are three phases to the heavenly flame tribulation, namely Scorching Soul Tribulation, Scorching Spirit Tribulation, and Scorching Heart Tribulation. With your prowess, you should be able to survive the Scorching Soul Tribulation. However, I"m afraid that the same cannot be said about the Scorching Spirit Tribulation and Scorching Heart Tribulation. Even the slightest carelessness can easily result in the dissipation of your existence!
"This is especially so for the final Scorching Heart Tribulation. Inner demons will attempt to break down your wil, and once the will extinguishes, everything else goes to rest as well. If your physical body had reached Great Sage 2-dan Aureate Body realm, together with the formidable prowess of your Primordial Spirit, you might still be able to withstand the inner demons. However, in your current state, I"m afraid that it"ll be difficult for you to oppose the inner demons with your Primordial Spirit itself! Countless soul oracles in the ancient era had died as a result of the heavenly flame tribulation. It was only those who were blessed with great luck and the utmost talent who managed to survive this ordeal…"
The Dragonbone Divine Spear had witnessed Zhang Xuan refining his Primordial Spirit using the pressure exerted, so he was aware of the fact that the young man cultivated his soul as well.
"You mean to say that… it would have been safer for me to challenge the heavenly flame tribulation if my zhenqi cultivation were to reach Aureate Body realm as well?" Hearing the words of the Dragonbone Divine Spear, Zhang Xuan asked.
"That"s right. The body is much more formidable at fending off inner demons as compared to the soul. With the physical body bearing the brunt of the impact and the soul a.s.sisting by the side, the chances of overcoming the heavenly flame tribulation would be much higher. If you were to challenge it with just your Primordial Spirit itself… Honestly speaking, I don"t personally know of anyone who has succeeded in doing so yet!" the Dragonbone Divine Spear flew out from Zhang Xuan"s waist and remarked worriedly.
As a member of the Dragon Tribe, there was no way it could allow its master, which it had found with great difficulty, to be burned to cinders. Otherwise, if others were to learn of the matter, how embarra.s.sing it would be for him!
Even though it was just a pile of bones now, it didn"t mean that it didn"t have any pride!
"My physical body is indeed rather lacking at the moment…" Hearing those words, Zhang Xuan shook his head grimly.
He hadn"t acquired Kong s.h.i.+"s superior breakthrough method to advance his zhenqi cultivation Introspective Convalescence realm, so he couldn"t afford to force a breakthrough right now.
Besides, even if he were to make a breakthrough in his zhenqi cultivation right now, he would still be an entire realm away from reaching Aureate Body realm. He hadn"t compiled the Aureaute Body realm Heaven"s Path Divine Art yet, so it wouldn"t solve the quandary he was in.
"Let it come then! I would like to see how formidable this heavenly flame tribulation is!"
The Dragonbone Divine Spear had once conquered the world by Ancient Sage Ran Qiu"s side. Even though it had lost much of its powers and memories after being sealed, its eye of discernment and worldly knowledge were still far superior to most cultivators in the world.
Since it had said that the heavenly flame tribulation would be a difficult foe to deal with, it was likely that would indeed be the case.
However, as a pract.i.tioner of the Heaven"s Path Soul Art, he was an invincible existence amongst soul oracles of his level. The heavenly flame tribulation might have been powerful, but he was confident that he would be able to overcome it.
If there were soul oracles who could survive the heavenly flame tribulation, surely I would be able to do so too!
Hong long long!
In the midst of his conversation, the ominous clouds in the sky had finally finished congregating together.
Similar to the storm clouds of the lightning tribulation, the clouds of the heavenly flame tribulation were also pitch black in color. However, if one were to take a closer look, one would notice that the clouds were dancing around, reminiscent of flames. Even from a distance away, one could already feeling scorching heat blistering one"s skin, and the air was gradually becoming intolerably arid.
Tzla!
A bundle of flames descended from the sky, aiming right for Zhang Xuan"s Primordial Spirit.
Unlike the conventional crimson color, the bundle of flames were pitch-black in color, almost similar to ink.
If not for the suffocating heat it was emanating, one could have mistaken it as a botch of ink floating in the air.
"This is the heavenly flame?"
Even before the flame even arrived, dimension rifts were beginning to surface around the area. A powerful aura burst forth from the flame, imposing tremendous pressure on those standing beneath it. Zhang Xuan felt his hairs standing on end.
He had encountered many flames over the past year, facing even the most formidable earth flames… However, he had never met such an eerie and oppressive flame before!
Black as if ink, it was devoid of the slightest radiance. Yet, the heat it exerted was so great that even s.p.a.ce was unable to tolerate its existence. This was the heavenly flame?
Was this really something that a soul oracle could withstand?
Putting aside his Primordial Spirit, even his physical body, whichy had already exceeded the resilience of an average Saint pinnacle artifact, would melt upon contact with it!
"T-this… This isn"t an ordinary heavenly flame but the Empyrean Heavenly Flame!"
While Zhang Xuan was overwhelmed by the frightening might commanded by the heavenly flame before him, the Dragonbone Divine Spear was also trembling in disbelief.
"Empyrean Heavenly Flame? What is that?" Zhang Xuan asked.
"Heavenly flame could be divided into various tiers too. The Tier-3 Heavenly Flame has a fiery crimson color, and it would be summoned by most cultivators during their Aureate Body Ordeal. This is also the weakest heavenly flame of all.
"The Tier-2 Heavenly Flame takes on an ashen white color, and it"s summoned only by the more formidable combat masters and master teachers.
"As for the Tier-1 Heavenly Flame, it"s azure in color, and only cultivators who have cultivated the best cultivation technique and possess the purest zhenqi would be able to summon it. So far, the only ones I have seen who were able to do that were Ancient Sage Ran Qiu and the other direct disciples of Kong s.h.i.+. Naturally, it goes without saying that the higher the heavenly flame"s tier is, the more resilient the cultivator"s Aureate Body would be after overcoming it…
"However, legend has it that there"s an Empyrean Heavenly Flame which far surpa.s.ses the Tier-1 Heavenly Flame. It"s also known as the Flame of Heaven"s Path, and it"s distinguished by its color of utmost darkness… As far as I know, Kong s.h.i.+ is the only one who has summoned the Flame of Heaven"s Path and survived it. Furthermore, it was said to have only appeared when his zhenqi cultivation reached Aureate Body realm… How in the world did you manage to summon it here?" Floating in the air in agitation, the eyes on the tip of the Dragonbone Divine Spear flickered in horror.
The Empyrean Heavenly Flame was a force of nature that destroyed all beings that stood in its path. Putting aside Primordial Spirits, even Sempiternal realm cultivators would be burned to cinders in the face of its prowess!
The young man had only achieved a breakthrough in his soul cultivation, so how did he end up summoning this fearsome heavenly flame here?
It was difficult enough to overcome an ordinary heavenly flame, but the tribulation he had to face was actually that of the Empyrean Heavenly Flame… This was practically an impossible feat!
Without a doubt, this was truly the worst card to draw at this moment!
"How would I know?" Not expecting such an epic background to the heavenly flames he had summoned, Zhang Xuan cried in aghast.
It should have just been an ordinary heavenly flame tribulation! Was there really a need for the world to give him such a "special treat"?
Zhang Xuan felt deeply stifled inside, but he knew this wasn"t the time to be fussing over it. Barely after gathering his strength, the black flame had already arrived before his Primordial Spirit and wrapped itself around it.
Xiong xiong!
As soon as the black flame came into contact with his Primordial Spirit, his Primordial Spirit immediately began burning up. Intense pain caused his face to distort awfully as his body began shuddering uncontrollably.
He thought that it would be reminiscent to the lightning tribulation, where he would just have to endure it. However, the black flame was far more formidable than what he had expected. Even the slightest lapse in his concentration could cause his Primordial Spirit to be reduced to cinders, leaving nothing behind at all.
"Heaven"s Path Soul Art!"
Knowing that he had to make a move quickly, he gritted his teeth and gathered all of the energy he had to fend against the black flame.
Weng weng!
A brilliant golden light gushed out and enveloped his Primordial Spirit.
His transparent Primordial Spirit was suddenly cased in a golden afterglow, contrasting him to be a ma.s.sive Buddha idol.
Tzzzzzz!
The prowess of the golden light was formidable, but the black flame was even more potent. Even before coming into contact with the golden light, it had already torn the surrounding s.p.a.ce into shreds, seemingly ready to drag Zhang Xuan into the midst of spatial turbulence.
"Seal!"
Without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan tapped his finger ahead and executed the prowess of his Spatial Quintessence.
Weng!
The ripped s.p.a.ce swiftly settled down once more.
However, the might of the black flame was still as formidable as before. It swiftly corroded the golden light around Zhang Xuan, dyeing it the color of black.