Talisman Emperor

Under numerous gazes of astonishment, Chen Xi sat cross-legged beneath the Glass Lightning Tribulation with a tranquil expression and tightly closed eyes, and he seemed like an old monk in meditation.

He simply seemed as if he took the heavenly tribulation to be nothing, and it was even more arrogant than directly challenging it!

Not to mention all the disciples present here had never seen such a scene, even Wen Huating and the other higher-ups had never heard of or seen such a scene.

Thus, Chen Xi’s actions at this moment seemed to be even more domineering in the eyes of everyone at this moment.

Extremely domineering!

Since the ancient times until now, there was probably only few people in the world that dared to disregard the heavenly tribulation like this.

Rumble!

Before everyone could finish sighing with emotion, numerous multicolored and gorgeous bolts of lightning suddenly surged out from the depths of the tribulation cloud in the sky. They were in the color of the rainbow, and they were beautiful and dreamlike to the extreme, yet their might was terrifying to the extreme as well.

This was the Glass Lightning Tribulation.

A lightning tribulation with extraordinary might and created numerous illusory scenes that struck lethal blows on the Dao Hearts of cultivators.

Just looking at it from afar caused the souls of most disciples to shake. Some people saw flowers fluttering down from the heavens, celestial maidens dancing, the auspicious scene of a dragon and phoenix, and numerous other extremely enchanting scenes.

Some saw demons and devils dancing madly while the earth sunk and revealed a horrifying scene that seemed like purgatory at the end of days.

On the other hand, some saw pools of wine and forests of meat, and it was an extravagant scene of enjoyment. 

    …

All the visions contained the seven emotions and six sensory pleasures of greed, anger, infatuation, resentment, sorrow, terror, and so on and so forth. Moreover, all of these emotions were developed to the limit, and if it was an ordinary person that witnessed this scene, the person would probably instantly become immersed and have his consciousness taken away.

Even if it was cultivators, their Dao Heart shook from suddenly encountering such visions. Some with weak strength even had their consciousness seized, and they stood on the spot while waving their arms with joy like they’d gone insane. 

If this were to continue, they would surely suffer from qi deviation and perish.

“Hu!” Suddenly, a sound that was even more powerful than a thunderclap sounded out from Wen Huating, and it exploded by the ears of everyone. It contained a supreme tune of the Dao within it, and it shook those disciples to the point they struggled free from the visions in the heavens and the earth and returned to their senses.

After that, all of them revealed astonishment and had a lingering fear in their hearts.

“What terrifying visions!”

“I only took a glance from afar, yet my Dao Heart almost fell. Elder Chen Xi is amidst it all, and the visions he’s encountering are probably even more terrifying.”

“Eh, look quickly, Elder Chen Xi still hasn’t moved at all until now!”

Everyone discussed animatedly and noticed that Chen Xi sat cross-legged in the sky while the seven colored Glass Lightning Tribulation interwove and roiled above him. It was multicolored and gorgeous, yet he seemed to be completely unaware, and his figure didn’t move at all from the beginning until the end.

Could it be that he intends to resist the lightning tribulation in this manner?

Before everyone could recover from their shock, the Glass Lightning Tribulation struck down with a bang. The lightning bolt that was twisted like a snake seemed like a blade that could split the world apart, and it became 3km long as it struck down at Chen Xi.

Crackle!

A wave of horrifying sound resounded out, and they saw Chen Xi’s figure was enveloped by gorgeous lightning that emanated rumbling.

However, to their astonishment, no matter how violent the lightning’s energy was, Chen Xi’s figure was actually firm like a rock and didn’t move in the slightest.

That scene was as if Chen Xi was the needle that held down the sea, and no matter how the violent storm struck him or the raging waves slapped him, he wouldn’t move in the slightest.

“The energy of obliteration!” Some figures with high levels of strength acutely noticed that strands of a strange and warped symbol flowed around Chen Xi’s body, and it converged together to form a diagram that caused their hearts to palpitate.

As soon as the Glass Lightning Tribulation struck on his body, it would be destroyed, disintegrated, and obliterated into nothingness by the diagram that was filled with the energy of obliteration.

From the beginning until the end, it was utterly incapable of injuring Chen Xi in the slightest!

On the other hand, it was a different scene in Chen Xi’s sea of consciousness.

“Xi’er, come over quickly. Allow grandpa to look at you properly.” A thin figure floated up into appearance. He had an emaciated face, and his eyes carried a wisp of kindness. It was Chen Tianli.

Chen Xi looked around into the surroundings and noticed that he was at home in Pine Mist City, and the old and tattered furniture and the talisman brush and inkstone that accompanied him in his youth were clearly visible before him.

Chen Xi carefully inspected his grandfather, Chen Tianli, and then carefully inspected everything in his home. His eyes carried sorrow, warmth, frustrations… It was extremely complicated.

How nice would it be if all of this was real?

Unfortunately, it’s all fake in the end!

When this thought arose in his mind, Chen Xi slashed out with his sword and killed Chen Tianli who stood before him.

Suddenly, the scene before him changed once more. The figure of his mother, Zuoqiu Xue, appeared, but her expression was livid as she gritted her teeth and berated him. “You vile son! You’ve committed a monstrous crime by slaughtering your grandfather. Quickly take your own life to atone for your sins!”

Chen Xi had an indifferent expression as he swung his sword and killed her.

After he finished doing all of this, a strand of flames of rage arose in his heart. Isn’t this heavenly tribulation too detestable!? It’s actually using my family and friends as the visions to crush my Dao Heart. It truly deserves death!

He stopped welcoming the tribulation in a passive manner and took the initiative to fight back. He stepped out step by step and killed vision after vision. There was Ling Bai, Bai Kui, Mu Kui, Madman Liu, Du Qingxi, Qing Xiuyi…

It could be said that so long as it was a person that had left a mark in Chen Xi’s heart, they were transformed into visions by the energy of the tribulation, and it intended to utilize this to find a flaw in Chen Xi’s Dao Heart before destroying it.

Unfortunately, all of this was bound to be done in vain.

Because Chen Xi’s Dao Heart had been tempered to the point of being firm like iron a long time ago, whereas his cultivation in Heart Energy had attained the Heart Soul realm. So how could he possibly be deceived by these visions?

But Chen Xi stopped when he faced the final vision because it was Chen An, his son.

The little fellow was handsome, he had a calm expression on his face that possessed a gentle and firm outline, and his eyes and nose were extremely alike to Qing Xiuyi.

“Father, take me to go see mother, alright?” Chen An raised his little face and asked with an expression of anticipation.

Chen Xi sighed as he walked forward, and he stroked the little fellow’s head as he muttered. “It isn’t the time now. An’er, wait for another period of time, and I’ll surely bring your mother back, alright?”

His voice carried guilt and even a feeling of resolution.

Moreover, as soon as he finished speaking, Chen An’s figure was struck to death by Chen Xi!

At this point, the visions were completely obliterated.

On the other hand, the Glass Lightning Tribulation in the sky vanished without a trace.

Chen Xi sat cross-legged in midair while his hair and clothes fluttered in the air, and his expression was tranquil and composed as before. But no one noticed that a drop of a tear from the corners of his eyes had instantly been evaporated as soon as it seeped out.

The myriad of visions were almost real, but unfortunately, they weren’t real in the end.

Even then, after he overcame this tribulation, Chen Xi slightly thanked this lightning tribulation instead because he was able to see too many members of his family and friends…

Even though all of them were illusions, it was a type of consolation to Chen Xi who’d been wandering about by himself until now.

As for his strength advancing into the 3rd level of the Earthly Immortal Realm, Chen Xi didn’t feel much happiness because it was something that came naturally, and compared to that, it was everything he experienced in those visions that touched his heart. 

    …

Time passed by unknowingly, and it was another five years.

The scorching sun blazed in the sky above the Nine Radiance Sword Sect.

A disciple that was relaxing lazily beneath a luxuriant pine tree seemed to have thought of something, and he joked. “I remember that five years ago today was the day Elder Chen Xi entered into closed door cultivation, right?”

“Oh, now that you say that, Fang Ren, I recall it as well.” Another disciple that was snoring on the cool grass suddenly opened his eyes and seemed to be lost in thought.

“Then do you think another round of the heavenly tribulation will arrive today?” Fang Ren chuckled as he asked.

“Nonsense! How could such a matter possibly…” The other person hadn’t finished speaking when he shut his mouth, and his eyes opened wide while he stared up into the sky as if he’d seen a ghost. He said after a short while, “That’s…”

“What?” Fang Ren was stunned and raised his head in bewilderment, and then he revealed a dumbstruck expression.

“A tribulation cloud!” 

Both of them glanced at each other and spoke simultaneously. “Fuck! It’s actually happening again!”

In the sky, expanses of dark tribulation clouds were surging over while filled with the aura of tribulation, and it was precisely the tribulation clouds that would descend when one’s heavenly tribulation arrived.

On this day, the Master of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect’s West Radiance Peak greeted his fourth level of heavenly tribulation — the Astral Lightning Tribulation, and it shocked everyone in the Nine Radiance Sword Sect once more.

The scene at that moment was extremely interesting.

All the disciples were beaming with joy and animatedly discussing the tribulation lightning in the sky, and they were clamorous as if they were watching an unusually brilliant show.

They didn’t seem nervous and perturbed in the slightest, and a solemn and grim atmosphere naturally didn’t exist.

On the other hand, the higher-ups of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect stroked their beards as they observed with leisurely expressions, and they frequently made comments. They were mostly not discussing whether Chen Xi would be able to overcome the heavenly tribulation but what sort of heaven defying method Chen Xi would utilize to eliminate the tribulation lightning.

Some Elders would even argue to the point their face flushed with anger when discussing the time Chen Xi would need to overcome the tribulation, and they would be locked in a fierce argument. When they finished arguing, they would instead notice that Chen Xi had successfully overcome the tribulation a long time ago…

Such an abnormal scene could probably only occur after one witnessed Chen Xi overcoming the tribulation.

    …

Five years, five years, and five years again.

Along with the passage of time, everyone was clearly aware that Chen Xi would greet a heavenly tribulation every five years, and it was practically common knowledge in the entire Nine Radiance Sword Sect.

Even the precious beasts that were raised on the various peaks were clearly aware of this pattern. Every time this day arrived, they would be too lazy to even move their bodies and lay leisurely in their lair while shutting their ears and having a comfortable nap.

As for everyone in the Nine Radiance Sword Sect, every time the heavenly tribulation descended, they would do what they were supposed to do. Practicing, cultivating behind closed doors, refining pills, and so on and so forth, and no one was willing to take another glance.

Only those little kids that had just entered the sect would make unnecessary noise and get excited over it, and they seemed extremely inexperienced, causing the other older disciples to be extremely disdainful towards them.

Rumble!

Another five years passed.

Fang Ren clearly remembered that this was the 8th heavenly tribulation of Elder Chen Xi, yet he didn’t have that feeling of shock and excitement that he used to have.

Presently, he was already an old disciple in the Inner Court, and he guided the new disciples in their cultivations when their master wasn’t around.

When he saw the tribulation clouds flying over in the sky, he crawled up with low spirits from his bed, and then roared with low spirits as well, “Newbies! Quickly come over and take a look! Elder Chen Xi is going to overcome the heavenly tribulation again. This is the eighth round, so if you miss it this time, then you won’t have another chance…”