Chapter 263: Shou's Strongest Divine Power

I've learned something new today.

Bixiao and Qiongxiao, who had only come to watch the spectacle today, felt the same way—they had truly learned something new!

Withstanding heavenly tribulation is a basic operation for cultivators; dealing with heavenly tribulation using divine abilities is also quite common.

Li Changshou's various divine abilities and spells had dazzled them before, at most earning a "impressive."

But the scene now unfolding before Qiongxiao and Bixiao's eyes was something they had never seen before!

Was this crossing a tribulation or waging war against it?

In the high sky, the tower-shaped tribulation clouds were "slowly" rotating, with thousands of figures clashing below, their battle cries shaking the heavens, and figures exploding one after another.

Regardless of their actual strength, the spectacle was quite entertaining.

In their eyes, Li Changshou, who was below resisting the heavenly tribulation, looked ragged and somewhat disheveled, but his figure remained dashing and at ease, with tattered sleeves continuously releasing paper daoists.

These paper daoists flew nimbly to higher altitudes, transforming into human forms, and scattering handfuls of beans toward the above, constantly replenishing the depleted immortal bean soldiers.

Could this be the Daoist "Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods" of Paper Cutting into Humans and Scattering Beans into Soldiers?

Could these two divine abilities be used like this?

Wasn't the "Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Methods" just something some obscure daoist threw together out of boredom using ordinary divine abilities?

Paper Cutting into Humans is just cutting a piece of paper into a human shape and then blowing on it hard...

At that moment, the expressions of Qiongxiao and Bixiao were remarkably similar: a bit of admiration, a bit of surprise, a bit of novelty, and a hint of the urge to complain.

Bixiao praised: "Interesting, this divine ability is truly interesting."

Qiongxiao asked: "Xuan Du senior brother, did you modify these divine abilities?"

The Grand Magician Xuan Du shook his head and chuckled: "Changshou always comes up with some strange ideas, and what's rare is that he always finds ways to make them work. That might be one reason why the teacher values him."

"Oh."

Qiongxiao and Bixiao both nodded in sudden realization, their bright eyes sparkling as they gazed at Li Changshou's distant figure.

The heavenly tribulation spirits emerging from the tower were all at the mid Heavenly Immortal realm.

Originally, with hundreds of these spirits attacking together, carrying the power of the tribulation and coordinating with the Five Elements Heavenly Tribulation, they would have caused Li Changshou significant trouble.

But now, through his paper daoists constantly scattering immortal bean soldiers, he had completely blocked these spirits!

This gave Li Changshou more room to maneuver.

This batch of immortal bean soldiers was the strongest Li Changshou had ever nurtured, able to exert strength equivalent to the True Immortal realm in a short time.

However, controlling thousands of immortal bean soldiers at once was more than his mind could handle.

So, the beans he threw out were either tough, thick-skinned shield types or "one-shot killers" like the "Pea Mothers" shooters, which dissipated after two bursts.

Li Changshou gave these immortal bean soldiers simple orders—to block the spirits above—and then focused on dealing with the heavenly tribulation.

It was unclear if the Heavenly Dao was deliberately going easy; these tribulation spirits focused on fighting the beans for thirty years, not even glancing at the one undergoing the tribulation, Li Changshou...

In other words, the Heavenly Dao had accepted this somewhat clever method of Li Changshou's.

Clearly, the old and new trees of Xiao Qiong Peak had once again performed a miracle; although before Li Changshou came to cross the tribulation, they had been "milked dry" again.

After enduring the seventh lightning tribulation, Li Changshou freed up his hands, swung his Judge's Pen from afar, and shattered these spirits one by one.

Seizing the moment before the eighth heavenly tribulation descended, Li Changshou summoned five "power bank" paper daoists to replenish his immortal power, swallowed a Five-Turn Spirit Pill, and while he was at it, tidied his tattered immortal robes and checked his remaining paper daoist and immortal bean reserves.

Although the tribulation clouds above didn't seem to have shrunk much, Li Changshou had a clear understanding in his heart.

This heavenly tribulation should still consist of nine strikes; the vast tribulation power would fully erupt in the ninth strike!

Moreover, after the tribulation, there would likely be one or two divine punishment lightning bolts.

So, facing the eighth heavenly tribulation, even if he used all his means, Li Changshou couldn't afford to get injured; he had to meet the ninth in his strongest state!

A Nine-Turn Golden Pill was already at the ready in his hand.

Li Changshou turned his head to glance in the direction of the Grand Magician Xuan Du and the Sanxiao Immortals, feeling a bit more at ease in his heart.

Above, lightning spots flashed, with one hundred and eight purple spots flickering continuously.

The barren mountain beneath Li Changshou's feet had long vanished, turning the surrounding dozens of miles into a massive lava lake, with vast swathes of earth shattered by the tribulation's aftermath.

This was his own heavenly tribulation.

Suddenly, thunderous drumbeats erupted from above, and Li Changshou looked up to see two distinct armies flying out from the slowly rotating vortex of clouds.

One army was bizarre in shape, with various races and features of numerous birds and beasts, mostly unique and individualistic.

The other army had forms similar to the human race, but exuded a thick aura of blood.

Demons and shamans?

For the eighth heavenly tribulation, the spirits manifested as the shaman-demon races; could the ninth be dragons, phoenixes, and qilins?

Most likely.

Li Changshou sensed the strength of these spirits, and his mouth couldn't help but twitch.

No wonder these spirits appeared before the Five Elements Heavenly Tribulation; each was at the late Heavenly Immortal realm, numbering three hundred and sixty-five!

The eighth heavenly tribulation clearly required Li Changshou to fend off the conventional tribulations—lightning, ice, wind, fire, and heart—all in succession, while also facing the siege of these seven hundred and twenty late Heavenly Immortal realm spirits!

The path to eternal life was in sight; enduring this would mean three flowers gathering at the top, failing would mean their withering!

Li Changshou took a light breath, releasing paper daoists one after another, which transformed into various forms and scattered waves of immortal beans.

Gradually, aside from around Li Changshou, the air was filled with the figures of bean soldiers!

Beneath the tower, a pool of purple-black heavenly lightning poured down, and azure heavenly winds swept in from everywhere.

A hundred miles away, Yunxiao and the Grand Magician Xuan Du had already activated their treasures and prepared their divine abilities, waiting for the best moment to strike.

Even Qiongxiao and Bixiao, who weren't very familiar with Li Changshou, were sweating for him.

In the blink of an eye, Li Changshou's figure was engulfed by lightning, wind, and fire; the immortal power barrier around him rapidly dissipated, but his dao body, now emitting a faint golden light, steadfastly withstood the tribulation's forging!

One breath, a few breaths...

After the time it takes to burn a joss stick, the tribulation power continued to output, with lightning turning the sky for thousands of miles around into a sea of purple.

Many cultivators had already noticed someone crossing a tribulation here.

But firstly, they feared being caught in the crossfire, and secondly, the Grand Magician Xuan Du had released a subtle dao rhythm, so no one dared approach.

The Dongzhou immortals who caught sight of this scene, regardless of their cultivation level, all felt their dao hearts tremble.

"Who is it, exactly who is crossing this tribulation?"

In a certain forest, that black panther was getting agitated, jumping around on the treetops.

This was already the eighth strike; how was the one crossing it still holding on? Was he really going to chew on tree bark?

Could it be another great power reincarnated?

"Uh, why did I use 'another'?"

The black panther suddenly felt bewildered.

Back at the tribulation site.

The eighth heavenly tribulation was successfully endured!

As the tribulation power gradually dissipated, the lightning, ice, wind, and fire began to recede, and the airborne "shaman-demon" spirits had nearly broken through the bean soldiers' encirclement.

At that moment, Li Changshou's figure burst out of the lightning curtain and sea of fire, lowering his head to spit out a mouthful of blood, then swallowing four or five spirit pills glowing with spiritual light.

Just in terms of spirit pill consumption, he had already used over a hundred.

He casually wiped his mouth, gripped his pen and sword, and charged straight into the air.

He had to end this quickly!

Only by dealing with these spirits could he have more time to adjust and face the final ninth heavenly...

Rumble!

What was happening?

Just as Li Changshou was about to plunge into the spirit horde, he suddenly looked up to see golden lights flashing across the tower, with three hundred and sixty-five purple-gold lightning spots shining—covering the full cycle of the heavens!

Not even giving him time to rest?

Li Changshou took a light breath; this wasn't the time to be frugal. He directly wrapped a Nine-Turn Golden Pill in immortal power and put it in his mouth.

Though he didn't need it yet, preparing like this meant if he couldn't hold on, he could just bite down.

Suddenly, dragon roars and phoenix cries echoed from above, as dozens of streams of light rushed out from various parts of the tribulation clouds, causing the entire cloud to scatter and collapse!

The vast tribulation power split into two parts: half condensed into the Five Elements Heavenly Tribulation, and half transformed into dozens of divine dragons and divine phoenixes!

Dragons and phoenixes soared, plunging the heavens and earth into darkness, as if reenacting the ancient cataclysm of the world's destruction!

"Changshou, don't force yourself; this level of tribulation is beyond what you can withstand."

The voice of Grand Magician Xuan Du entered Li Changshou's ears. "If you can't hold on, shout immediately, and I along with Yunxiao junior sister will save you."

With the Nine-Turn Golden Pill in his mouth, Li Changshou nodded heavily.

He, who had been charging forward, immediately retreated.

The immortal bean soldiers released by his paper daoists were instantly shattered by the suddenly appearing dragons and phoenixes!

Along with them, those shaman-demon spirits were also collided and shattered by these forty-nine dragon and phoenix phantoms.

Paying attention to details!

Seeing this, Li Changshou raised an eyebrow slightly, then his heart raced with fear.

Each of these dragon and phoenix phantoms possessed half-step Golden Immortal strength!

With the added blessing of tribulation power...

A single phantom could probably fight the Palm Sect Master Ji Wuyou, the calculation unit of Golden Immortal combat power, to a mutual defeat!

This was the greatest challenge of his Golden Immortal Tribulation!

Not only that, those three hundred and sixty-five lightning spots had turned into invisible gang winds, forming seas of heavenly fire and surrounding walls of profound ice.

Even the heart demons that arose were trampled to death by that group of sturdy old women.

Moreover, those old women struck poses like in bodybuilding contests, forming big characters:

The Dao of Longevity, guarded by them.

In such a situation...

To achieve eternal life, was it this difficult?

Though he still had half of his trump cards prepared, they wouldn't be of much use now.

No matter how Li Changshou calculated in his mind, the probability of surviving this final wave was only a pitiful...

Seventy percent.

Seven parts life, three parts death—this rounded off was basically nine deaths and one life!

Finally, he had to resort to his "ultimate move"...

Call for help?

Of course not; calling for help was the ultimate trump card.

Li Changshou closed his eyes, his expression still very calm, and flung out batches of paper daoists; the paper daoists continued to scatter beans into soldiers.

This seemed futile—the bean soldiers rushed out only to be instantly obliterated by the dragons and phoenixes—but it bought Li Changshou a little time.

The immortal bean soldiers lured the forty-nine azure dragons and divine phoenixes apart, and Li Changshou's figure was gradually surrounded.

"This is no tribulation he can withstand," the usually silent Yunxiao suddenly spoke, urging, "Xuan Du senior brother, when will we act?"

"Wait a bit longer," Xuan Du frowned slightly, "He hasn't called for help yet."

"Ah!" Bixiao exclaimed anxiously, "If he calls for help, it might be too late!

Isn't this disciple good enough for Human Teachings?

Even the sixth, seventh, and eighth tribulations would turn a Golden Immortal into ashes!"

Qiongxiao said: "Don't rush; heavenly tribulation is also an opportunity, carrying the power of the Great Dao. The more he endures, the greater the benefits."

Bixiao couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Or do you want him to ascend straight to Daluo?"

The Grand Magician chuckled: "Who can say for sure about such things?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the forty-nine dragon and phoenix phantoms simultaneously extinguished the bean soldiers they were chasing, turned around, and roared as they charged together toward Li Changshou standing in the air!

Li Changshou, who had been muttering some count, suddenly opened his eyes, finished saying "forty-nine," and shouted lightly:

"Fall!"

Masses of purple lightning bloomed in the sky, crashing down like a waterfall toward Li Changshou below.

At that moment, the dragon and phoenix phantoms, heavenly lightning, fire, profound ice, and gang winds attacked from all sides—front, back, left, right, up, and down—aiming to grind Li Changshou to dust!

Li Changshou's immortal power surged wildly, but he didn't use any defensive divine abilities!

He held his left hand under his right, forming a sword finger with his right hand, and rapidly chanted a spell, his words coming out as a mere "buzz" from how fast they were!

Azure wood draws yang lightning, Profound Heaven blooms the dao flower!

The Steady Dao has true meaning, its name is the Escape Method!

A cyan-blue lightning burst from around Li Changshou, rushing upward against the cascading lightning, and with a "whoosh," he vanished, merging directly into the lightning!

Advanced Wood Escape of the Five Elements Escape Methods—Nine Heavens Thunder Escape Art!

His most proficient spell, his strongest technique, wasn't various divine abilities, arrays, poison pills, scattering beans into soldiers, or paper cutting into humans!

It was...

The twenty-three escape methods he had painstakingly cultivated!

In an instant, Li Changshou rode the lightning upward, leaving the dragon and phoenix phantoms behind and dodging the winds, fires, and ices' assaults!

He knew this was his only chance!

The heavenly tribulation would quickly sense and suppress him; he could only use the escape method once!

In this moment, even the Grand Magician Xuan Du and Yunxiao Immortal were baffled as to what Li Changshou was doing.

Li Changshou rode the lightning upward; though it had little power and dissipated upon touching the purple divine lightning...

Yet, his figure kept ascending through the sea of lightning, flashing once in front of it, and then... vanished again!

The observers frowned and concentrated.

Qiongxiao suddenly shouted: "He's above; he went into the tribulation lightning!"

Bixiao exclaimed in astonishment: "He escaped into the heavenly tribulation?"

He escaped into the heavenly tribulation!

In the purple lightning, Li Changshou turned into a point of light, roaming freely within the tribulation, enduring the surging tribulation power!

Below, those dragon and phoenix phantoms that had locked onto him gathered into a group, one after another, plunging into the purple sea of lightning!

The two parts of the tribulation power collided head-on, and the dragon and phoenix phantoms were directly struck down by the tribulation lightning!

The azure dragons roared in reluctance, the divine phoenixes cried in anger!

In the end, they merely turned into showers of light, torn apart by the falling tribulation lightning!

Just as those dragon and phoenix phantoms had torn apart the shaman-demon spirits earlier!

Li Changshou wasn't faring well either.

The two intense tribulation powers surged and intertwined, bombarding him as he performed the escape method!

A heavenly might descended, pressing down on Li Changshou and forcing him out of the lightning...

Li Changshou's true form appeared, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his immortal power fully operational as his primordial spirit resisted the heavenly pressure!

He opened his mind, welcoming the forces of lightning, fire, wind, and ice, gritting his teeth and enduring in the tribulation!

He had no choice but to endure!

Now, the greatest threat—the dragon and phoenix phantoms—had been scattered by the lightning.

The probability of surviving without using the Nine-Turn Golden Pill until the end was now close to ninety-five percent!

But Li Changshou didn't dare say it was secure; his mind remained tense.

Even for heart demons that couldn't withstand a single blow from the old women, he showed full respect.

Could one escape into tribulation lightning?

Yes!

But it demanded extremely stringent escape methods and precise timing, with the opportunity fleeting in an instant.

Based on Li Changshou's summaries, he realized that tribulation lightning was merely a manifestation of tribulation power.

Tribulation power was both a trial and an opportunity for cultivators; but the lightning it formed only brought destruction to cultivators.

From this perspective, if one used an escape method to enter the tribulation lightning as it fell, wouldn't they only face pure tribulation power?

After countless calculations and verifications, Li Changshou concluded...

This was likely a loophole in the "heavenly tribulation system"; exploiting it would probably be quickly detected by the Heavenly Dao, and he'd be struck out.

In this particular tribulation scenario, Li Changshou had thought of using this method to evade a wave of tribulation spirits during the sixth strike, but for safety, he saved it until the end.

Helping the Heavenly Dao perfect the tribulation—he, Li Changshou, as an outstanding Daoist disciple, considered it his duty!

A moment later, golden light surged around Li Changshou, his dao rhythm and aura rapidly climbing, while the tribulation power gradually receded.

This Golden Immortal Tribulation...

Probably, it was secure...

Cough, he couldn't jinx it; he'd say that at the very last moment.