Book 11 Chapter 27

Arrival Of The Heavenly Tribulation

In the sky above the endless sea, Qin Yu and his two brothers, along with the three Mystical Ice Lions following behind, were flying at an extremely fast speed.

“Ah, that should be it.”

Qin Yu randomly chose an uninhabited small island. Hou Fei and the others naturally did not have any objections, and the six of them directly flew onto that nameless island.

“Big Brother.” Hei Yu walked before Qin Yu, and seriously said, “There are still around four days until the Heavenly Tribulations. For the coming few days, you had better practise peacefully. This Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations…… really is extremely dangerous. One careless mistake will very likely cause you to fail.”

Having seen Hei Yu’s serious expression, Qin Yu lightly smiled and said, “Xiao Hei, be at ease, I am still confident of surviving the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations.”

“It is not a matter of having confidence.” Hei Yu was slightly anxious. “This Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations does not simply only require capabilities, nor simply also the level of your spiritual powers, but…… it tests your heart!”

“Heart?’ Qin Yu grew doubtful.

Hou Fei, who was at one side, also voiced out, “Correct, it tests your heart. The reason why we did not tell you for the past several days was because we were worried that you will suffer from anxiety. After all, you will also not be able to do any preparations even after we tell you about it. At the very least, you can be mentally aware of it.”

“Master, heart, test what heart?” the second Mystical Ice Lion brother Shi Bing doubtfully asked, “We have also endured the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, but why were we not tested on our hearts?”

Hou Fei glanced a look at Shi Bing, then doubtfully exchanged looks with Hei Yu.

“Not good.” Hou Fei’s facial expression changed, “Mixed-feathered bird, I have an extremely bad guess.”

“Me too,” Hei Yu’s facial expression also became solemn.

Having witnessed the ridiculous exchange between his own two brothers, Qin Yu was also made to become doubtful, “Fei Fei, Xiao Hei. What is the actual matter, stop hesitating among yourselves and say it clearly.”

“Big Brother, let me first hear Shi Bing and his brothers’ scenario of their Heavenly Tribulations, then I will know whether if my guess is correct.” Hou Fei finished speaking with Qin Yu, then promptly looked towards Shi Bing, “Shi Bing, recount the entire process of your initial Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations without missing any details to me.”

The three brothers Shi Xin, Shi Bing, and Shi Zhan were frightened by the serious expression that Hou Fei was making, but still elaborately described their experiences.

“Master, on the day of our Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, there were a total of Nine Trials of Tribulation Lightning Bolts. The first Eight Trials were Tribulation Lightning Bolts, with the strength of the lightning gradually increasing, and there was a brief period of rest between each Tribulation Lightning Bolt. Although those eight Tribulation Lightning Bolts grew increasingly hard towards the end, I still managed to triumph over them. Only…… when it was time for the Ninth Trial Tribulation Lightning Bolt, that Tribulation Lightning Bolt actually contained Heavenly Flames within it. That moment when the Tribulation Lightning Bolt and Heavenly Flames simultaneously attacked, the accumulated power of the Tribulation Lightning Bolt was exceptionally strong, and the attack of the Heavenly Flames was also very powerful. Luckily I had a magical treasure to protect myself, and therefore narrowly survived the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations,” Shi Bing clearly recounted the process.

Qin Yu smiled, “Isn’t it only Heavenly Flames? To me, Heavenly Flames is only a source of nourishment.”

Qin Yu had the Ring of the Black Flame Lord in his possession. That Ring of the Black Flame Lord could, not only release Heavenly Flames, it could similarly absorb Heavenly Flames. Although there was an exceptional amount of fire element energy stored within the Ring of the Black Flame Lord, it was also not infinite. The Ring of the Black Flame Lord still required to absorb fire element energy of external realms.

However……

After Hou Fei and Hei Yu heard Shi Bing’s description of his experiences, their facial expressions were quite unsightly.

“It was indeed as what I had thought. Big Brother, I also know that for different people with different martial powers, the strength of the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations would also be different. However, I had initially thought that merely the strength would not be the same, and that it would simply be having the strength of the Tribulation Lightning Bolts increase. However, from my current point of view, things are not so simple!”

Hou Fei and Hei Yu both looked at Qin Yu with slightly worried looks on their faces.

“Say it clearly,” Qin Yu frowned.

Hou Fei nodded, “I discovered a problem earlier. The Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations which Hei Yu and I endured were completely different from Shi Xin and the others. If it was their kind of Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, then Hei Yu and I definitely would have pulled through it with ease. However…… Hei Yu and I had almost failed our Heavenly Tribulations then.”

Hei Yu also nodded, “Big Brother, I heard everything clearly just now. Although that Shi Xin and the others are also Divine Beasts, the first Eight Trials of the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations that they had endured were simply Tribulation Lightning Bolts. The Ninth Trial was instead the arrival of a Tribulation Lightning Bolt together with Heavenly Flames. Although that was already very dangerous, the monkey and I both had battle armors to protect our bodies, and can both easily withstand against it. If it was only that level of difficulty, the monkey and I could have easily prevailed, but the truth is…… the monkey and I had nearly failed. If it wasn’t for the guidance and help of master, the monkey and I would really very likely need to practise as Loose Demons.”

“Uncle Lan?” Qin Yu’s heart started to pound.

Qin Yu voiced out, “Uncle Lan’s help. I feel that Shi Xin and the others’ Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations were already very dangerous. What I know based on the news of common Xiuxian Practitioners and Xiumo Practitioners who endured that Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, it was simply just Nine Trials of Tribulation Lightning Bolts.”

“This is the difference.” Hou Fei continued in a serious tone, “For ordinary Xiuxian Practitioners and Xiumo Practitioners, the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations that they endure are merely Nine Trials of Tribulation Lightning Bolts, while the Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations for Mystical Ice Lions, the first Eight Trials are Tribulation Lightning Bolts, and the Ninth Trial is instead Heavenly Flames added to a Tribulation Lightning Bolt. Meanwhile, for Hei Yu and I, it was much more different!”

Qin Yu’s heart thumped.

He finally understood what Hou Fei and Hei Yu were saying.

For people with different capabilities, the strength of the Heavenly Tribulations were also different.

That difference, was not simply just the increase in strength of the Tribulation Lightning Bolts. There was also…… the difference in types of Heavenly Tribulations.

“Big Brother.” Hei Yu also had a serious face, “For Hou Fei and I, the first Six Trials were all Tribulation Lightning Bolts, the Seventh Trial was the combined attack of a Tribulation Lightning Bolt and Heavenly Flames, while the Eighth Trial was instead a Tribulation Lightning Bolt together with an absolutely invisible Enticement of the Heart Devil.”

[Rylain: This is merely my conjecture: It is commonly believed that within every person’s heart, there is a devil. The ‘Heart Devil’ is the devil that lives within a person’s heart, and can also be understood as a blemish on that person’s spirit. Vengeance, greed, improper desires, obsession, resentment, etc. all belong to the ‘Heart Devil’.]

“Enticement of the Heart Devil?” inquired Qin Yu doubtfully.

“Correct, Enticement of the Heart Devil.” Hei Yu seemed slightly worried, and continued, “Big Brother, this Enticement of the Heart Devil does not look at how high your level of spiritual cultivation is, and instead examines your heart, or rather, seduces your heart, in order to divert your attention. Before the impending Tribulation Lightning Bolt during the Eighth Trial, once your attention is diverted, that will end with your death.”

Hou Fei also spoke, “This Enticement of the Heart Devil, you can say that it is an illusion, an illusion that appears within your mind, but that illusion is actually too realistic, such that even though you clearly know that it is an illusion, you might be affected by its impact and become distracted. Once you are distracted, then……”

Qin Yu also began to have a headache.

That kind of immaterial attack might sometimes pose even more of a threat.

Under the Enticement of the Heart Devil, once a person’s attention became divided, how could he withstand against that frighteningly powerful Eighth Tribulation Lightning Bolt?

Qin Yu’s mind was also then shocked into realisation — The Eighth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation was already that powerful, then what level of difficulty was that Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation?

“This cannot be count as anything. The most dangerous is the Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation. To say the truth, the reason why the mixed-feathered bird and I can survive our Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation was completely due to Uncle Lan’s help. By simply relying on ourselves, it would not have been possible for the mixed-feathered bird and I to have surmounted it,” said Hou Fei in a slightly depressed tone.

Qin Yu was astounded.

Hei Yu also nodded, and said, “During that final moment, if it wasn’t for Uncle Lan who had left me the Cloud-Piercing Spear, which in turn sent forth a surge of energy streaming into my body, I would not have been able to momentarily increase my status by several times. If it wasn’t for that, how would it have been possible for me to withstand against that Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulation?“

Qin Yu finally understood.

Hou Fei and Hei Yu had always said that they had Uncle Lan’s help. So the reason was that Uncle Lan had left a surge of energy on their weapons.

“How did Uncle Lan manage to enable that surge of energy in such a coincidental manner, and activate to flow into your bodies when the both of you were facing the Ninth Trial of your Heavenly Tribulations? Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?” Qin Yu really had trouble believing in that fact.

Hei Yu and Hou Fei looked at each other and exchanged a smile.

“Big Brother, my master’s omniscience has already reached a stage whereby even the spirits do not know,” answered Hou Fei confidently.

Hei Yu, too, nodded and said, “Big Brother, the mysterious place where the monkey and I practised, we practised at that place for a hundred years. Yet only a year had passed in the Mortal Realm. For Uncle Lan to be capable of bringing us to that sort of place, what else can he still not do?”

Qin Yu smiled.

There was no need to further think about Uncle Lan’s mysteriousness. After all, since he was not at that kind of level, there were many things that were impossible for him to understand.

“Fei Fei, Xiao Hei, what were the Ninth Trials of your Heavenly Tribulations like? Think hard about it and say,” Qin Yu was still concerned about matters regarding that Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations.

Hou Fei sighed a long breath, and said, “The Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations which Xiao Hei and I endured were more or less similar. To say the truth, as for how many kinds of attacks our Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulations had sent forth, even Xiao Hei and I both are not certain. However, we do understand one point. There were at least Tribulation Lightning Bolt, Heart Devil and Heavenly Flames attacks.”

Meanwhile, Shi Xin and his two brothers who were listening at one side were stunned. Tribulation Lightning Bolt, Heart Devil, Heavenly Flames, and not only those three kinds of attacks. Wasn’t that Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations a little too horrifying?

“Big Brother, to say the truth regarding the Ninth Trial of our Heavenly Tribulations, even excluding the other kinds of attacks, simply that Bolt of Tribulation Lightning alone was also unbelievably powerful. Simply that Bolt of Tribulation Lightning was enough to make Xiao Hei and I both suffer from serious injuries and come close to death. There was still the Enticement of the Heart Devil, and Heavenly Flames attack, and other…… anyway, the situation then was that, both Xiao Hei and I were made as if we were enshrouded, and became muddled without any focus. Both our minds became dull,” said Hou Fei, as he smiled bitterly.

Qin Yu’s facial expression became serious.

He could imagine that kind of scenario.

“I think, amongst the attacks of the Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulations, there should be an attack similar to the ‘Soul Enticement Technique‘, that made the both of you become muddled without focus,” Qin Yu voiced out.

Merely for Xiao Hei and Fei Fei’s Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, for them to only rely on their own personal capabilities and prevail would seem to be impossible. After all, for the Ninth Trial of their Heavenly Tribulations, simply that Bolt of Tribulation Lightning alone was unbelievably powerful.

“Big Brother, this is only our Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, while for your own Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, no one knows how is it going to be like!” Hou Fei voiced out.

Meanwhile, at that very moment, Qin Yu instead remembered the words which Uncle Lan and Li Er had once said.

Both Li Er and Uncle Lan had once told him that, his Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations would be extremely dangerous.

“My Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, what will it be like huh?” Qin Yu stared at the sky, yet his heart seemed to have lost all confidence.

The strength of that Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, was dependent on every individual’s capability.

Qin Yu’s capabilities were definitely not beneath Hou Fei and Hei Yu. The strength of his Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations will absolutely not be any easier than Hou Fei and Hei Yu’s.

Initially, both Hou Fei and Hei Yu had help from a source of energy left within their weapons by Uncle Lan, but at that moment, Uncle Lan had already left, and Qin Yu would only have to rely on himself.

“Hai, what kind of expression is every single one of you making. Don’t worry, I will not be too careless. The moment I feel that I cannot withstand the danger, I will immediately summon out the ‘Sword Immortal Puppet’. Since the Sword Immortal Puppet is considered to be a separate embodiment of myself, it would be similar to an Immortal Equipment, and there would not be any problems with using it for help.”

At that point, Qin Yu also could not be bothered to play the hero and pretend to be fearless.

Normally, when someone was undergoing his or her Heavenly Tribulations, if that person was actively helped by other people, the strength of the Heavenly Tribulations would drastically increase, thus making it more of a hindrance for everyone.

However, to use that Sword Immortal Puppet and withstand against the attacks of the Heavenly Tribulations, there was instead no such problems. After all, that Sword Immortal Puppet was bound to Qin Yu by a Blood Contract, and was similar to being a special Immortal Weapon owned by him. It could also be considered to be only a separate embodiment of himself.

“Hmm, with the Sword Immortal Puppet, there should not be too many problems,” said both Hou Fei and Hei Yu.

It was only that both Hou Fei and Hei Yu were still a little worried in their hearts.

Both of them knew that during the time of the Ninth Trial of the Heavenly Tribulations, that feeling of being muddled with no sense of focus, if affected and was under that type of condition, who would still be able to control the Sword Immortal Puppet for help? They estimated that, during that point of time, that person might even have forgotten that he was undergoing his Heavenly Tribulations.

Qin Yu also understood that point.

It was only that if he was to be in a state of complete confusion, then his state of emotions would have been simply too poor. When it came to the resolution of the character within his heart, Qin Yu was still very confident.

Moreover…… His own Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations might not necessarily be the same as Hou Fei and Hei Yu.

His own Nine of Nine Heavenly Tribulations, how would it exactly be like? He would only know by waiting for the Heavenly Tribulations to appear.

Qin Yu was very relaxed for those few days, occasionally looking at several birds of the sea as they flew over the oceans, occasionally looking at the splashes of waves as they crashed onto the sea shore. The day for the Heavenly Tribulations soon came.

Meanwhile, Hou Fei, Hei Yu, and Shi Xin with his two brothers were looking from afar, their hearts feeling perturbed. The process of enduring the Heavenly Tribulations, it was absolutely not possible for other people to actively render their help. Unless — you were capable of doing it at a level which transcended Heaven’s Will.

“It finally came.”

Qin Yu suddenly stood up, and faced towards the sky.

It could only be seen as if the sky had sunk. When the originally luxurious blue sky had sunk, it changed entirely and became dark red like a boiler. As if the sky had sunk, inversely, the ground seemed to have risen. A wave of extreme pressure immediately began to permeate outwards into the surroundings. At the same time, the entire dark red sky was shaped into an enormous whirlpool.

“The Heavenly Tribulations has arrived.” Hou Fei, Hei Yu and the others began to feel anxious.

Similar to a geyser, the dark red sky suddenly spat forth arcs of lightning from within. The number of lightning arcs had simply reached a horrifying stage. Countless arcs of lightning surged like flowing water, and wildly began to gather towards that enormous swirl, promptly converging at the center. As the amount of lightning was really too much, the entire space within half of several thousands of kilometers seemed as though they had been pierced by lightning, and the air within, too, displaced flashes of electrical arcs.

Hou Fei and Hei Yu glanced an eye at each other, their faces seemingly pale.

Simply looking at that the speed and amount of lightning being gathered, as well as the atmosphere, it was even more terrifying than the time that they underwent their Heavenly Tribulations!

Although they were anxious for Qin Yu, but instead, Qin Yu, himself, stood upright and raised his head to look at the sky with a serious expression on his face.