Chapter 149: Ancient Tribulation Transmutation Stage

"No, there is something wrong with the rules here." Yun Zhi knit her brows, sensing the anomaly the moment she struck out.

Her palm strike just now should have shattered the laws of this place, yet the reality was that while the rules dispersed in form, their essence remained unbroken; even with her power held back, this should not have occurred.

"There are two sets of rules here." Yun Zhi discerned the root of the incongruity—the former rules written in clouds were the original laws, but a subsequent mutation occurred, giving rise to the second set, those written in blood.

The conflict between the two rules had thrown the entire pocket realm into utter chaos!

Someone had deliberately engineered this chaos, making it an entrance without an exit!

Furthermore, as an external force, the fact that the second set of rules could contest the original ones proved that the person who left them was far more powerful than the master of this realm!

And the True Master Sanli was at the peak of the Body Integration Stage.

"Hehe, who dares disturb this venerable one's slumber?"

The crisp, crackling sound of breaking ice crystals echoed, followed by a tyrannical aura erupting from the very end of the path, like a sovereign high above the nine heavens—cold, ruthless, and looking down upon all creation.

The radiance pierced the horizon, and the aura made one's heart tremble with dread.

That aura grew ever more potent, bearing a momentum that threatened to sweep away everything in its path.

"The early stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage." The Immortal Fairy swiftly judged the opponent's realm of cultivation.

The expressions of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou shifted drastically; the early stage of Tribulation Transcendence was the strongest adversary they had ever encountered. Why would a Tribulation-grade powerhouse be slumbering within a Body Integration-grade pocket realm?!

The Immortal Fairy, possessed of vast knowledge and experience, quickly deduced the underlying reason.

"It is quite simple to understand. A pocket realm serves as an excellent hiding spot; awakening within one allows for a gradual recovery of strength. The downside is the inability to perceive external changes in a timely manner. For instance, True Master Sanli sensed the shifting of spiritual energy and thus awoke, but if it were this Tribulation-grade cultivator, he might not have stirred even after the grand struggle of the era concluded."

"Therefore, he employed a very clever method. Knowing that True Master Sanli would inevitably awaken and return to this realm, and that Sanli would surely take action upon discovering the altered rules, he designed it so that he would be roused by Sanli's movements at that time."

"This Tribulation-grade cultivator established new rules in the realm precisely to ensure that any who wandered in by mistake would perish, preventing them from disturbing his slumber."

Cold sweat poured down Lu Yang's back, never expecting such a complex web of factors behind the situation.

"Ha, what are you afraid of? With this celestial being here, a mere early-stage Tribulation cultivator is someone I could kick to death with a single foot." Huang Doudou boasted shamelessly; at any rate, with Yun Zhi present, it would never be her turn to take action.

"This seat is the Blood Demon Venerable. Who are you? State your name." The Blood Demon Venerable looked coldly at the Eldest Senior Sister; to shatter the rules so easily meant the opponent was at least at the early stage of Tribulation Transcendence.

But what of it? He was confident that even if he faced a mid-stage Tribulation cultivator, he could hold his ground without falling into a disadvantage.

"The Blood Demon Venerable?!" Meng Jingzhou exclaimed in a low voice.

"You know of him?" Lu Yang inquired.

"I do." The number of Tribulation-stage cultivators was few, and every single one was entitled to a grand chapter in the history books; thus, Meng Jingzhou had heard of the Blood Demon Venerable's title. When he could not sleep as a child, his mother often used the Blood Demon Venerable to frighten him.

"The Blood Demon Venerable is a demonic cultivator who slaughtered countless souls. Legend has it that he wrote the names of the world's cities on slips of paper, crumpled them into balls, and whichever one he drew, he would use the population of that entire city for his cultivation. His path of cultivation is paved entirely with dry bones!"

"He even supported a certain Emperor of Yu, becoming the State Preceptor himself to command the wind and rain in the Great Yu Dynasty. Later, he vanished for reasons unknown; some said he committed too many evils and perished under the heavenly tribulation, but it seems he was hiding here all along!"

"The Daoist Sect, Yun Zhi."

Seeing Yun Zhi entirely unmoved, the Blood Demon grew perplexed. Had his title not been passed down to this era?

No matter, he would simply indulge in a great slaughter to let the world know this venerable one's name once more.

Tribulation-stage cultivators were different from those of the Body Integration Stage; upon awakening, they could swiftly return to their peak state.

A blood-colored giant stood tall between heaven and earth, roaring and bellowing. The blood giant transformed the rules into axes, and with a gentle swing, space vibrated, as if the entire pocket realm could not withstand his might!

Yun Zhi held a single hand vertically before her chest, emitting a boundless golden radiance, looking just like a savior Buddha stepping out of a fresco—sacred, supreme, and inviolable.

She pushed out a single palm, and ten thousand rays of golden light pierced through the netherworld, striking toward the blood-colored giant.

The blood giant blocked with his dual axes, but the weapons formed from the rules gradually dissolved within the ten thousand rays of golden light, and along with them, the hardened outer shell of the blood giant melted away.

The Blood Demon Venerable's face drained of color in sheer horror: "No, you are not at the early stage of Tribulation Transcendence!"

He tore through space, turning to flee instantly; engaging a mid-stage Tribulation cultivator would yield no victory in a short time, and there was no need to provoke such an enemy just for the sake of pride—it was not worth the cost.

Once space was torn, one would be randomly transported to any location in the world; the opponent would absolutely never be able to find him.

Just as the Blood Demon Venerable was about to laugh aloud and leave behind some parting threats, he beheld an infinitely brilliant golden light before him, and from within that golden light, a graceful silhouette came walking leisurely.

The silhouette seemed to walk slowly, yet in truth, she was fast to the absolute limit, appearing before the Blood Demon Venerable in the blink of an eye.

"No, you are not at the mid-stage of Tribulation Transcendence at all, and even the late stage does not possess methods like yours. You are at the peak of Tribulation Transcendence, or perhaps even..."

"You know too much." Yun Zhi responded coldly, her two hands coming together with a twist, squeezing out the soul of the Blood Demon Venerable.

The physical body of a Tribulation-stage cultivator was the finest material for refining artifacts and could not be lightly shattered.

Yun Zhi drew out a jade purificatory flask, placing the Blood Demon Venerable's soul inside, intending to return to the sect and interrogate him slowly.

The entire process was relaxed and effortless, the pocket realm returning to a state of gentle breeze and light clouds, as though nothing had ever transpired.

The lions and antelopes danced a duet in perfect harmony, striving to prove they were good demonic beasts, while an elephant lay on the ground with its four legs in the air, playing dead.

"It appears that ancient Tribulation-stage cultivators might be hidden within pocket realms." Yun Zhi spoke thoughtfully; this was something she had not considered before. Upon leaving this realm, she would have to inform the other four immortal sects and the Great Xia Dynasty of this matter.

"Let us go." Yun Zhi left behind these feather-light words, stepping forward with agile strides toward the final destination.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exchanged a glance, then broke into a light jog to keep pace.

Along this path, there was no danger whatsoever—at least, so it appeared to Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

Yet in the eyes of the demonic beasts, it was an entirely different spectacle—a terrifying demon king, exuding a heart-stopping aura of frost, led her two attendants as they walked freely through the pocket realm, exceedingly dangerous.

The trio arrived at the end of the path, where several massive golden treasure chests were placed alongside mounds of spirit stones; the quantity of top-grade spirit stones exceeded even that of high-grade ones, making one's mouth water with desire.

Contained here were not only the treasures of True Master Sanli, but also a portion of the Blood Demon Venerable's possessions.

Yun Zhi opened a golden treasure chest, which was filled with all manner of heavenly materials, earthly treasures, cultivation methods, and secret manuals, leaving Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou completely dazzled; even with Meng Jingzhou's knowledge, he found it difficult for a moment to discern the origins of these treasures.

Yun Zhi, however, could easily identify the names and functions of these items: "Dragon-Transforming Herb. If a flood dragon consumes and refines it, the probability of transforming into a true dragon can be increased by thirty percent."

Transforming into a dragon was the ultimate dream of all flood dragons; one could guess how valuable this item was without even thinking.

"Bodhi Fruit. Consuming it can enhance one's spiritual root of wisdom, though the price is the permanent loss of all hair."

"Crimson Yang Diamond Sand. An essential material for refining high-grade fire-attributed magical treasures."

"Glazed Heavenly Pure Water. Smearing it over the entire body can keep the physical flesh incorruptible for one hundred thousand years."

"Inner core of a Body Integration-grade demonic beast..."

"Dragon sinew of the Body Integration Stage..."

"Hehuan Powder..."

There were quite a number of treasures belonging to the Body Integration grade.

(End of this chapter)