Chapter 1165: Stepping Into the Quasi-Saint Realm
"How arrogant! In such a situation, he dares to undergo the Quasi-Saint Tribulation. He truly does not take this Saint seriously."
Hongyuan Saint spread his arms wide, once again propping up the massive sacred elephant phantom. Just as he was about to make his move, he noticed that the tribulation clouds above him were gathering thicker and wider, exuding an aura that even he, a Saint, found somewhat dangerous.
"Crackle."
Thick bolts of lightning streaked across the sky, causing the layered tribulation clouds to flicker between light and dark, like heavenly blades shuttling through the void.
For context, when an ordinary Ninth-Step Half-Saint undergoes their first Quasi-Saint Tribulation, the tribulation clouds they summon typically span about ten miles.
Yet the tribulation clouds summoned by Gu Linfeng had already stretched over forty miles and were still growing, becoming increasingly vast.
"What's going on? Is Gu Linfeng not undergoing his first Quasi-Saint Tribulation, but his third?"
"If Gu Linfeng had already passed his first and second Quasi-Saint Tribulations, there would be subtle differences in his sacred Dao power. But as of now, I cannot sense such differences. He should not have reached the Quasi-Saint realm yet," said a palace master of the Blood God Sect.
It was only at this moment that the Half-Saints of the Blood God Sect realized that Gu Linfeng was merely at the Ninth-Step Half-Saint level.
"At just the Ninth-Step Half-Saint level, he can already challenge Hongyuan Saint. The Divine Son is truly the greatest prodigy since the founding of the Blood God Sect. Once he becomes a Saint, he will surely shake the entire Kunlun Realm."
Earth Element Dharma King snorted, "His first Quasi-Saint Tribulation is ferocious, fiercer than many cultivators' third tribulations. I'm afraid he'll die under the tribulation lightning."
Many cultivators shared the same thought as Earth Element Dharma King. After all, Gu Linfeng's cultivation speed was terrifying—in just one year, he had gone from Second-Step Half-Saint to Ninth-Step Half-Saint, and now he was attempting the Quasi-Saint Tribulation.
With such rapid advancement, how could his foundation be solid?
If his foundation was unstable, attempting the Quasi-Saint Tribulation was undoubtedly seeking death.
Hongyuan Saint hesitated but ultimately refrained from attacking, fearing the tribulation lightning's backlash.
The tribulation clouds summoned by Gu Linfeng had already enveloped an area of seventy to eighty miles.
It was only his first Quasi-Saint Tribulation, yet it had drawn such terrifying lightning—far beyond the comprehension of all cultivators present.
"No need for me to act; the Thirty-Six Tribulations will annihilate him," Hongyuan Saint thought to himself.
The heavens and earth were brewing a killing aura, like a storm about to break. All cultivators gazed at the tribulation clouds with awe at the heavenly might they radiated.
"Crackle!"
A bolt of purple lightning as thick as a water barrel shot out from the tribulation clouds, striking straight down onto Zhang Ruochen's head.
Zhang Ruochen did not dodge. He stood still, his entire body in a relaxed state.
"Sizzle."
As if struck by the weight of ten thousand mountains, Zhang Ruochen's body trembled violently, sinking a hundred meters before stabilizing.
He remained standing in the void, electric light flowing all over his body.
Yet the tribulation lightning could not harm him—not even a single strand of his hair was damaged.
"How is that possible? Such powerful tribulation lightning—even I, a Saint, might not withstand it. Yet he emerges unscathed. Has he tempered his physical body to the point of indestructibility?" Hongyuan Saint was astonished, as if seeing a ghost.
When he had undergone his own Quasi-Saint Tribulation, it had been a life-and-death struggle. How could it be as easy as Gu Linfeng made it look?
Hongyuan Saint sent a telepathic message to Earth Element Dharma King, asking if they should strike now to kill Gu Linfeng before he passed the tribulation and became even harder to deal with.
Earth Element Dharma King replied telepathically, "With your cultivation, if you charge into the lightning zone, even if you kill Gu Linfeng, you'll likely fall yourself."
"Master can act personally."
Hongyuan Saint still felt that Gu Linfeng was a significant threat that had to be eliminated.
Earth Element Dharma King pondered for a moment before saying, "Gu Linfeng is, after all, the Divine Son, with a special status. Killing him outright would invite criticism and give the other old fellows an excuse to attack me, which would hinder my bid for the Sect Leader position."
"Besides, the Thirty-Six Tribulations consist of thirty-six bolts of lightning, each stronger than the last. Gu Linfeng may not last until the end. If the tribulation lightning can kill him, there's no need for me to act personally."
Within the tribulation clouds, deafening explosions rang out one after another. Purple lightning fell like a rainstorm.
"Crackle!" "Boom!"
Soon, Zhang Ruochen had endured eighteen bolts of tribulation lightning. His entire body's skin had turned red-hot, like fired ceramic, with sparks flying out.
Each time he was knocked down, he flew back up into the air, as if deliberately drawing closer to the lightning.
"Senior Sister Huang was right—the power of tribulation lightning can indeed temper the physical body and sacred soul. With every lightning strike, it feels like my whole being is cleansed. If I can pass the first Quasi-Saint Tribulation, I should be able to sanctify some more acupoints. Perhaps I can even achieve physical sanctification in one go."
Zhang Ruochen stopped thinking about other things and began circulating his technique, inhaling and exhaling the world's spiritual energy.
The lightning tribulation grew fiercer. Each bolt carried destructive power, melting the ground beneath Zhang Ruochen into a lake of molten rock.
Especially the last nine bolts, which fell like nine waterfalls simultaneously, engulfing Zhang Ruochen completely. The spectacle was immense, as if it would destroy heaven and earth.
The disciples of the Blood God Sect held their breath, watching the nine waterfalls of lightning descend from the sky, their legs trembling involuntarily.
"So he couldn't pass the Quasi-Saint Tribulation after all?" Ji Shui sighed softly.
Although Gu Linfeng was quite annoying and had shown cowardice in the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm, Ji Shui was still his uncle master. He had watched him grow step by step.
Now, watching him go from glory to destruction, Ji Shui felt a sense of regret.
Shangguan Xianyan's almond-shaped eyes shimmered with light as she observed carefully, but she could not see Gu Linfeng's figure at all. "Has he been reduced to ashes?"
Among the high-ranking members of the Blood God Sect in the Return Origin Divine Palace, each wore a different expression. Many cultivators showed relaxed smiles. With Gu Linfeng's fall, they had one less obstacle.
"Whoosh!"
A figure burst out from the red-golden lake of molten rock, bare-chested, flying all the way up into the misty void.
It was Zhang Ruochen.
"What?"
Almost everyone was stunned, their gazes fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen had endured all thirty-six bolts of tribulation lightning, successfully reaching the First Tribulation Quasi-Saint realm.
Tempered by the lightning, the impurities in his body were refined away. His skin shimmered with sacred light. Both his physical body and sacred soul had undergone a clear transformation, rising significantly.
Zhang Ruochen clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, and laughed, "Finally, I've stepped into the Quasi-Saint realm."
A cold killing intent flashed in Earth Element Dharma King's eyes. His lips moved, emitting a sound wave: "During the tribulation, Gu Linfeng must have sustained considerable injuries. Strike while his cultivation is not yet consolidated and kill him."
"Whoosh—"
Hongyuan Saint's eyes lit up. He acted immediately, forming hand seals. From the center of his brow, a fiery chain dozens of miles long shot out, forming a winding arc in the air.
The fiery chain was forged from the spine bones of twelve sacred beasts, containing twelve types of sacred Dao power. When fully activated, its unleashed power could split mountains and crack the earth.
Even with Hongyuan Saint's cultivation, he could only unleash the fiery chain three times at most.
If he failed to kill his opponent within three strikes, he would have no choice but to flee.
Unless absolutely necessary, Hongyuan Saint would not use such a lethal move.
Zhang Ruochen watched the fiery chain flying toward him, a smile appearing in his eyes, his demeanor calm and composed.
As the fiery chain was about to strike Gu Linfeng, he did not dodge at all.
"Gu Linfeng is indeed formidable, but he's still too young and arrogant. Doesn't he know that Hongyuan Saint once killed a Saint with the Fire Bone Demon Chain?"
"A newborn calf unafraid of tigers—he's about to experience life's great highs and lows. The First Tribulation Quasi-Saint realm will be the end of his sacred Dao path."
Zhang Ruochen's palm struck forward. A massive handprint flew out from the Seven Kill Fist Gloves, growing larger and larger until it resembled a five-fingered mountain.
"Boom."
The ferocious Fire Bone Demon Chain was sent flying backward. The "five-fingered mountain" continued pressing forward, enveloping Hongyuan Saint's body.
Hongyuan Saint let out a miserable scream. The sacred bones in his body cracked with a popping sound, breaking in large sections. His physical body nearly shattered.
"So strong... ah..."
Hongyuan Saint turned and fled, not daring to fight Gu Linfeng any longer.
Gu Linfeng, having reached the Quasi-Saint realm, exuded an aura of invincibility. At this moment, Hongyuan Saint abandoned all dignity as a Saint, wanting only to escape immediately.
"Don't give him a chance to use his escape secret technique, and don't give Earth Element Dharma King a chance to save him. Kill him as fast as possible."
Zhang Ruochen channeled sacred Qi into his eyes.
In his eyes, two divine seals spun rapidly. Then, two bright beams of light shot out from his pupils, striking Hongyuan Saint's head.
"Boom."
Hongyuan Saint's skull shattered, his head exploding.
His headless body continued flying forward for over ten miles, arriving outside the Return Origin Divine Palace. He took four more steps forward before finally collapsing to the ground with a thud, sacred blood spilling everywhere.
If his head had merely been severed, it could have been reattached with timely treatment, given a Saint's powerful vitality.
But his head had been shattered to pieces—how could he possibly survive?
Silence.
This stretch of heaven and earth fell into utter silence. Most cultivators showed expressions of terror.
A Saint had fallen... and right before their eyes.