Chapter 542: Chapter 263: The Battle at the Pinnacle! Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix!_3

That was a true Earth Immortal Level battlefield. Even though Zhuo Canglang’s cultivation level was exceptional, having reached the peak of Saint Manifestation many years ago, even a half-step Earth Immortal was vastly inferior to a true one. How could anyone possibly intervene on that battlefield?

Endless light enveloped the entire Demon Sea Island.

Across heaven and earth, the tribulation clouds were thick, bearing an intimidating celestial might. The clouds seemed to be torn apart by an invisible, giant hand, revealing an ancient rune that resembled an eye.

All the Saints trembled as they stared at the image above them, feeling as if their very blood had frozen. Chilled to the bone, they shivered uncontrollably.

"A Heavenly Tribulation! Is Sect Leader Zhuo about to undergo his Earth Immortal Tribulation?"

"Transcending his tribulation on the spot? That’s too risky!"

"..."

The Heavenly Tribulation was a threshold all cultivators had to face on their path to the summit, and it had thwarted countless prodigies throughout the ages. The terror of the Heavenly Tribulation was deeply ingrained in everyone’s hearts. A single clap of thunder caused all living beings within tens of thousands of miles to tremble. In the sea, countless massive fish were startled, darting toward the depths at unimaginable speeds in a desperate attempt to flee.

"I wonder if Sect Leader Zhuo can succeed!"

"I doubt it... The power of a Heavenly Tribulation is terrifying, and it’s clear Sect Leader Zhuo isn’t fully prepared. I’m afraid this is a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble!"

"Alas..."

The Saints sighed, not optimistic about Zhuo Canglang’s chances. Only Dugu Qingqian, Gong Shangyu, and a few others remained silent, quietly observing.

Soon, a collective gasp echoed across the world. Zhuo Canglang was walking through the void, completely disregarding the oppressive and terrifying tribulation clouds above as he stepped into the third layer of the void.

BOOM!

A bolt of tribulation lightning descended, piercing through the void and crossing an immense distance to strike at Zhuo Canglang.

Zhuo Canglang’s expression remained calm. The black and white crow on his shoulder took flight, landing on either side of him and transforming into two figures. One was dressed in black and the other in white, but both were identical in appearance to Zhuo Canglang.

Bowing to him, they said, "Fellow Daoist!"

Following that, a light glowed on Zhuo Canglang’s brow as his aura swelled. Another figure slowly emerged from his body, also identical in appearance, but much younger, resembling the Zhuo Canglang of many years ago.

"One Qi Transforms into Three Clears?"

In the void, Ye Huang suddenly paused his attack. His eyes locked onto the scene, his pupils constricting.Is this technique still in the mortal world?

He remembered this technique well. It was the final, forbidden Chapter of the Sanqing Immortal Sect’s Imperial Scripture—the Supreme Detachment Celestial Scripture. In the great war of the past, the top experts of the Sanqing Immortal Sect had used this technique to triple their numbers. Each one of them fought with extreme ferocity, slaughtering countless Demon Race experts and becoming a name that struck terror into all who heard it.

However, after that war ended, the Demon Race army retaliated against the Sanqing Immortal Sect, destroying more than three hundred of its main peaks and cutting off countless lines of inheritance. The Supreme Detachment Celestial Scripture was among the losses. Logically, only fragments of the One Qi Transforms into Three Clears technique should have remained.

"When the waters of Canglang are clear, they can wash my tassels; when the waters of Canglang are turbid, they can wash my feet!"

Zhuo Canglang strode through the void, chanting loudly. His Good and Evil Corpse and his True Self Corpse sat in meditation around him, emanating a dense Dao Yun. Their brilliant radiance pushed back the nearby demonic tide. He thrust out his palm, and the three corpses attacked in unison with terrifying power, actually managing to force back a Demon Emperor.

"I have meditated on Dragon Head Peak for over five hundred years, observing the clouds rise and fall and the world’s vicissitudes. In doing so, I have understood the methods of my ancestors and verified the Dao of my true self! Fortunately, I was inspired to complete the Art of Slaying the Three Corpses! Blessed by the legacy of my ancestors and the Creation of heaven and earth, my work is now complete. The three corpses shall merge as one, and the Dao will manifest naturally!"

The light surrounding him grew ever more brilliant. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his bearing solemn and majestic. Surrounded by a vast immortal light, his presence was overwhelming.

A bolt of tribulation lightning fell toward his head, but before it could even get close, it simply dissipated into starlight.

A crack was torn open in the void that was shrouded in Demonic Qi. An incomparably pure and terrifying aura seeped through, settling upon Zhuo Canglang.

It was Immortal Qi. Only after successfully transcending a tribulation could one obtain a wisp of Immortal Qi.

Zhuo Canglang’s aura surged instantly. He had successfully stepped into the Earth Immortal Realm!

But it did not stop there. The sky rumbled with thunder once more as the tribulation clouds regathered, descending upon the mortal world with an even greater might. Zhuo Canglang’s foundation was simply too profound. He had actually triggered another Heavenly Tribulation.

He remained unmoved. With a wave of his sleeve, two bolts of tribulation lightning that fell simultaneously shattered and dispersed like smoke. Then, the Heavenly Tribulation manifested again, three more times in a row, and all were casually brushed away. The tribulation lightning, which the world feared like the plague, seemed to be nothing in his hands.

This scene left everyone gaping in amazement.

"What a magnificent One Qi Transforms into Three Clears!" Ye Huang gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as a powerful Human Race expert was born, stoking the fires of frustration in his heart.

Having overcome two tribulations in succession, Zhuo Canglang’s aura climbed once again. He stood within an endless immortal light. Then, he raised his hand and lightly grasped, and a rust-covered iron abacus suddenly appeared. Its runes were dim and its design was ancient, yet it was imbued with an inexplicably profound and mysterious aura.

He flicked it gently. In an instant, countless laws were annihilated, the void shattered, and the Demonic Qi retreated. The power he displayed was unimaginable.

"Three fellow Daoists, follow me to slay the demons!" Zhuo Canglang spoke slowly. His tattered Daoist robe fluttered without a wind, an ethereal, immortal air about him.

"We are at your service!"

"Indeed!"

"..."

The three corpses bowed before transforming into streaks of light and vanishing into Zhuo Canglang’s body. The three corpses merged into one.

Zhuo Canglang’s aura surged wildly, like a monstrous tide on a vast ocean—overwhelming, endless, and inexhaustible. The majestic immortal light illuminated the entire void; his power had reached its absolute peak.

"Sect Leader, Senior Brother!"

Everyone exclaimed in astonishment, but Dugu Qingqian and the few others with her had expressions of grief. They knew that although Zhuo Canglang’s foundation was solid, triggering the Heavenly Tribulation so frequently, while causing his strength to skyrocket in the short term, would damage his Dao foundation. He had mastered One Qi Transforms into Three Clears. If he had proceeded step by step, his future path would have been smooth sailing.

But now, his path to immortality... might have just ended here.

...

What’s the point? It’s just a dying struggle!

Ye Huang sneered. With a push of his hands, the boundless night transformed into a Domain that enveloped several Earth Immortals. The night was his Domain and his innate Divine Skill, containing terrifying might that constantly eroded the immortal bodies of the Earth Immortals. Within the night, he was like a supreme monarch—immortal and undefeated, peerless and unconquerable. His strength was immense, and even when facing multiple enemies, he still held the upper hand.

While Zhuo Canglang’s appearance was an unexpected variable, it could not change the overall tide of battle. Ultimately, these people would all die a miserable death here.

RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

In the void, a drop of blood imbued with immortal light fell, stirring up endless Chaotic Qi. That single drop of blood landed on Demon Sea Island, instantly annihilating countless mountains with world-ending power.

A Human Race Earth Immortal had been injured—gravely so—and was struck down from the void.

"Ancestor!" someone cried out, their voice filled with despair.

With an Earth Immortal defeated, the complete collapse of their position seemed imminent.

...

Dugu Qingqian gripped her sword, her gaze sharp, preparing to soar into the sky. A hand landed on her shoulder.

Gong Shangyu’s voice was gentle and refined. "Let me, Junior Sister Dugu."

Dugu Qingqian looked at him, surprised. "Senior Brother?"

Gong Shangyu chuckled lightly. "Don’t forget what Sect Leader, our Senior Brother, entrusted to you. Guard them well! As long as one person survives, there is hope for our Human Race!"

As soon as his words fell, Gong Shangyu rose into the air. His robes fluttered as he strode forward, a flick of his sleeve shattering the void before him. His entire body was veiled in mystical light, and the depths of his eyes swirled like galaxies. At some point, a suona had appeared in his hand. It was covered in ancient, charming runes.

His presence startled everyone, drawing countless gazes. Dugu Qingqian’s usually cold and proud eyes now glistened with moisture as she murmured softly, "Senior Brother..."

Gong Shangyu brought the suona to his lips and slowly began to play a tune. At first, it was like a clear spring, its notes light and fluttering. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a raging river, impassioned, surging, and incredibly sonorous. Countless motes of light ignited around him, burning like sparks of starlight. An indescribably terrifying power burst forth from his body as various divine birds from ancient legends materialized around him.

There were Black Birds, Blue Birds, Peacocks... An innumerable flock of them danced around him like a vast river of stars.

The soaring notes pierced the void, scattering the endless Demonic Qi. The music was at times high and sharp, at times deep and somber; at times free and joyous, at times sorrowful and plaintive; at times solemn and dignified, at times overflowing with killing intent.

In a daze, the river of stars shattered. An infinite light converged into an ancient True Phoenix, which let out an astonishingly loud and clear cry.

The Sonic Sect’s forbidden melody—Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com