Chapter 1581: White Clothes Crossing South

The Mortal Realm

A bolt of tribulation lightning was successfully swallowed. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly gently flapped its wings, descended a short distance, and hovered in mid-air.

After resting for a moment, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly flapped its wings and flew upwards again. Qin Sang timely allowed a bolt of tribulation lightning to pass, creating a safe environment for the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. Since the first wave of tribulation lightning was relatively weaker, Qin Sang managed to block the heavenly tribulation using only his Golden Sinking Sword and sword array. It wasn't yet time to employ the Profound Mirror Cold Array.

Soon, the first wave of tribulation lightning was nearing its end. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly only managed to swallow two bolts of tribulation lightning. Fine threads of lightning shimmered on its wings, and its pair of Heavenly Eyes, like eyes of thunder, emitted a strange light and a soul-stirring aura of tribulation lightning. Aside from this, no obvious changes were discernible in the Heavenly Eye Butterfly itself. Bai had once commented on the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, saying that its ability to swallow heavenly tribulations represented its infinite potential, but there was still a long way to go before it could truly mature and help Qin Sang through his tribulation.

During the interval of the heavenly tribulation, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly landed back on Qin Sang's shoulder, fully absorbing the tribulation lightning energy within its body. Qin Sang gazed at the sky. The heavenly tribulation caused celestial phenomena; the tribulation clouds stretched boundlessly, and the strong winds could directly tear up the turf, leaving the nearby wilderness in disarray. In the center of the tribulation clouds, mist churned and tribulation lightning brewed. Earth-shattering explosions continuously rumbled from high above, and the center of the tribulation clouds grew increasingly bright, with electric arcs constantly flashing. The electric arcs tore through the tribulation clouds, revealing a corner of their interior, where countless lightning pythons lay coiled, harboring terrifying tribulation lightning power. Upon seeing this sight, Qin Sang's expression gradually grew solemn.

The rumbling continued ceaselessly, and the electric arcs within the tribulation clouds became increasingly dense. Before the tribulation lightning even descended, its momentum already surpassed the first wave. Countless electric arcs filled the sky, converging on the surface of the tribulation clouds to form thumb-thick lightning snakes, which then detached from the clouds and fell. All bolts of tribulation lightning simultaneously aimed at Qin Sang. Innumerable lightning snakes converged in the same direction, gathering above Qin Sang's head. It was impossible to tell with the naked eye if they had truly merged as an incredibly thick pillar of lightning plummeted with a roar!

Qin Sang's scalp tingled. Not daring to be overconfident, he swiftly cast his incantations to activate the Profound Mirror Cold Array.

"Whoosh..."

Within the spiritual array, cold winds blew, and the temperature sharply dropped. Thick profound ice formed on the ground, instantly turning the area into winter. However, the power of the spiritual array was confined to the area around Qin Sang. The cold winds were almost tangible, releasing chilling white mist that swirled around Qin Sang. The cold winds formed hundreds of swirling vortices, strategically positioned precisely three zhang above Qin Sang, distributed in a highly regular pattern to form a hemisphere centered around him. The vortices rapidly took shape, then suddenly froze, transforming into numerous circular ice mirrors. Their surfaces faced the tribulation clouds above, reflecting lightning rays and gleaming brilliantly. Meanwhile, the cold winds within the array grew increasingly fierce, almost obscuring Qin Sang's figure. The cold energy continuously supplied and reinforced the ice mirrors.

The instant the spiritual array fully formed, the tribulation lightning descended! Qin Sang employed his familiar technique, silently channeling his sword arts. A beam of sword light shot skyward. The space illuminated by the tribulation lightning suddenly grew dim as countless sword threads wove into a dense sword net, which was then fiercely struck by the surging tribulation lightning, becoming extraordinarily bright. The sword net and the tribulation lightning intertwined instantly with loud crackling sounds. Countless bolts of tribulation lightning dissipated within the sword array, but the sword net was also torn apart layer by layer. Moreover, the tribulation lightning wasn't just a single strike; there was a continuous stream of lightning snakes falling from above. With a thought from Qin Sang, the sword array actively descended, almost merging with the Profound Mirror Cold Array. Sword threads and ice mirrors intermingled, becoming one with each other, and then were together submerged by the tribulation lightning.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The ice mirrors, struck by the tribulation lightning, vibrated violently. Bursts of cold light erupted on their surfaces, like blooming ice flowers, cold, glamorous, and exquisite. The ice flowers, sword threads, and tribulation lightning together painted a rare and wondrous spectacle. The seemingly fragile ice mirrors proved to be exceptionally sturdy, continuously absorbing the cold winds from below. Cooperating with the sword array, they reflected countless bolts of tribulation lightning. Only when Qin Sang saw that the situation had stabilized did he allow some tribulation lightning to leak through for the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to absorb.

While he was fully engrossed in undergoing his tribulation, in the northern region of the wilderness, there were some scattered mountain ranges. In an unnamed valley, which was perpetually shrouded in mist, housed a family of cultivators of no small strength. Of course, this was only relative to the nearby areas; the family patriarch was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, which was entirely unremarkable in the whole of Central Plains. Due to their proximity, the commotion of Qin Sang's tribulation alarmed the cultivators in the valley.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Streaks of escape light, each of different colors, shot out of the mist one after another, revealing an old man already standing there.

"Greetings, Patriarch!"

Everyone followed the patriarch's gaze towards the center of the wilderness. The distance was still considerable, so they could only vaguely discern an abnormal convergence of clouds on the horizon. However, the oppressive might of that heavenly power was undeniably clear, striking fear into their hearts.

"Which senior is undergoing tribulation there?" a young girl covered her mouth and gasped softly, both frightened and curious. The Central Plains had always produced many powerful figures; even if they hadn't seen them, they had heard various legends.

"The wilderness is rarely frequented by people, and there are no major threats from powerful factions nearby. I recall records in our clan that a senior once underwent tribulation here before. This senior is not undergoing tribulation within a sect but out in the open; could they be a rogue cultivator?" the middle-aged man beside the girl spoke, looking at the patriarch inquiringly. This man, dressed in a daoist robe, had features similar to the girl and held a relatively high position among the group, turning to the patriarch with an inquiring look.

The patriarch nodded. "Golden Core cultivators, come with me for a trip. Everyone else, return to the valley!" The young men and women looked unwilling, but dared not defy the patriarch's command and flew back into the valley. The remaining few followed the patriarch, deliberately landing on the ground and employing movement techniques to approach the tribulation site. As they moved, the old man for the first time divulged a secret to his descendants: "Three thousand years ago, a senior passed through this wilderness. For unknown reasons, they were severely injured and hastily underwent tribulation, perishing under the heavenly tribulation. Our ancestor rose to prominence after obtaining their Nascent Soul relic... The Hengming Sect and the Lu family should also be mobilized. If there's an opportunity to contend for Nascent Soul relics, it will be a fierce battle, so be prepared. But you must remember one thing: do not approach unless it is confirmed that the person undergoing tribulation has already perished!"

"May this senior perish and their dao be extinguished!" The middle-aged cultivator chuckled sinisterly, his face filled with anticipation.

The group moved through the wild grasses, and upon seeing the tribulation clouds in the sky, they were all awestruck by the terrifying tribulation lightning and stopped far away.

"So this is a heavenly tribulation, truly world-destroying..." The middle-aged cultivator stared at the tribulation lightning in a trance, feeling both awe and fear, muttering to himself. He was suddenly startled awake by a whistling sound. Looking intently, he saw a blade light shooting from high in front of them. Everyone was greatly alarmed. With tacit cooperation among their kin, they conjured identical spiritual swords, forming a sword array around the patriarch.

"Boom!"

The blade light directly pierced through the sword array, and its residual power left a trench several hundred zhang long on the ground. Both the trench and the surrounding wild grasses were frozen solid. The sword array was shattered on the spot, and the flying swords lay scattered on the ground, frozen into ice chunks, some even breaking immediately.

"Get out!" A cold shout immediately reached their ears. The few Golden Core cultivators stared blankly at their broken swords, a chill running down their spines. Without even seeing the figure opposite them, they fled north in a panic.

On the Fei Yun River, originating from the Northern Wilderness, flowing into the South Sea, and traversing the Central Plains, the Fei Yun River was also a crucial waterway on the continent. Countless boats traversed its surface, including treasure ships of cultivators and merchant ships of mortals, each with their own navigation routes. At this moment, a green-canopied treasure ship was sailing from north to south. The green-canopied treasure ship moved at the very center of the river, with lightning speed. Not only mortal merchant ships but even other treasure ships would actively steer clear when encountering it, simply because an old man sat cross-legged at the stern of the green-canopied treasure ship. The old man had a sinister expression, and his cultivation was unconcealed; he was actually a Nascent Soul Grandmaster! A dignified Nascent Soul Grandmaster remained outside the light gauze curtains on the treasure ship, from within which came the beautiful sounds of music and graceful dancing silhouettes. If this person didn't even have the right to enter, how terrifying must the identity of the person inside be? A small number of cultivators also noticed a blood-moon mark on the old man's brow. Remembering a certain legend of the cultivation world, they couldn't help but gasp, even more unwilling to cause any offense.

The green-canopied treasure ship sailed downstream unimpeded. Although the gauze curtains were clearly not very thick, outsiders could only see blurry silhouettes, inviting reverie. Inside the curtains, to the left and right were two tables, laden with exquisite wine, spiritual fruits, and immortal delicacies, their extraordinary fragrances wafting forth. Behind the tables sat two men. A large space was left in the middle. A woman plucked the strings of a guqin. Dressed in simple blue robes, with an ethereal temperament, she was not only skilled in music but also a peerless beauty of captivating charm. While playing, the woman in blue did not look at the strings but gazed at the white-robed man behind the left table, her beautiful eyes like silk. Additionally, there were six dancing girls, no less beautiful than the woman in blue, gracefully dancing. All of them, appearing both annoyed and delighted, lingered on the man, their overflowing affection almost palpable. The man, in white robes and jade belt, was dashing and unrestrained; he was none other than Su Zinan, the adopted son of a Deity Transformation cultivator! The woman in blue was a Golden Core female who had miraculously survived for over twenty years, while the other women were the beautiful wives and concubines Su Zinan had collected along his journey. His taste was impeccable; all were absolute beauties. Su Zinan had actually left Luye and appeared in the Central Plains. Moreover, he made no effort to conceal his identity, openly allowing a Mingyue Guard to pilot the ship outside. Su Zinan, indulging himself, drank a large cup of fine wine and then raised a hand. The woman in blue gladly nestled into his embrace, and the guqin strings, unplucked, vibrated on their own. Embracing the beauty's slender waist, Su Zinan inhaled deeply, then looked at the man opposite him, "Fellow Daoist Mo, what do you think of this 'Rainbow Feather Dance' song?"

The man opposite him, whose demeanor and appearance were no less impressive than Su Zinan's, was humorless and unapproachable. He did not look at the beauties or drink the fine wine. His eyes were closed, as if he was meditating and cultivating. He shook his head slightly and said, "I, Mo, am not one for romantic charm; I'm afraid I've made Fellow Daoist Su laugh."

Su Zinan sighed, "Beauties are the most wonderful things in the world. In my view, they are as important and indispensable as the Grand Dao itself. Fellow Daoist Mo, do not only focus on cultivation and neglect other scenery."

"I, Mo, am alone and constantly on edge, not daring to relax even a bit. Unlike Fellow Daoist Su, who is protected by Senior Lu and lives without worries." The man's tone carried a hidden sarcasm.

Su Zinan was unfazed; instead, he praised aloud, "This is precisely what I admire most about Fellow Daoist Mo! Mo Xingdao, from the beginning of his cultivation, he has been unwilling to be restrained, never joining any sect or force. He has been wanted by sects multiple times yet remained alive, and single-handedly slaughtered the Demonic Sects of the Northern Wilderness until blood flowed like rivers, earning everyone's awe and the revered title of 'Number One Rogue Cultivator of the Northern Wilderness'... What extraordinary spirit!"

Facing the flattery, Mo Xingdao's expression remained unchanged, showing no trace of complacency. He calmly said, "It's not that I, Mo, am unwilling to be restrained; it's just that no one has offered a chip valuable enough to make me give up my freedom."

Upon hearing this, Su Zinan smiled, "Fellow Daoist Mo, rest assured, I keep my word. Regardless of whether you can help me find my adoptive father, as long as you assist me with all your strength, after the matter is resolved, I will present you with my adoptive father's experience in breaking through to Deity Transformation. Furthermore, after his breakthrough, my adoptive father once visited the Central Plains and learned the secret of ascension. If Fellow Daoist Mo is interested, I will tell you everything. Once you break through to Deity Transformation, you won't need to seek out the Eight Views Palace and the Sweet Dew Zen Temple, thus avoiding their coercion."

Mo Xingdao opened his eyes, looking directly at Su Zinan, his gaze flashing with brilliance. "After Deity Transformation, can one truly ascend?"

Su Zinan did not answer directly, instead asking, "Looking throughout the Central Plains, among all those who have achieved Deity Transformation over the years, how many have you heard of breaking through to the mid-Deity Transformation stage and manifesting their power before others? And how many have you heard of dying under a heavenly tribulation? You must know that Deity Transformation cultivators, like us, must face the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation once every three hundred years. If their cultivation does not advance, they will perish!"

"If that's the case, why have Deity Transformation cultivators disappeared?" Mo Xingdao pressed for an answer. In his view, nothing was more important than ascension. Putting himself in their shoes, if one could ascend, ascension would naturally be the priority, leading to seclusion and cultivation. What then could possibly attract these Deity Transformation cultivators, causing them all to disappear?

Su Zinan's eyes flickered, "If I knew my adoptive father's whereabouts, I wouldn't need to grandly invite helpers and ask Fellow Daoist Mo to come out. The Eight Views Palace and Sweet Dew Zen Temple surely know something. I suspect my adoptive father was implicated by them, and this trip is precisely to pay them a visit and ask some questions!"

Mo Xingdao remained silent. Ascension was a beautiful aspiration. Other cultivators could only regard it as a wish, a motivation for their cultivation. But they were different; they were only one Deity Transformation hurdle away! It could be within reach, or it could be an insurmountable chasm.

The woman in blue filled a cup with wine and gently brought it to Su Zinan's lips. Su Zinan took a sip, then suddenly his expression changed slightly. He flashed out of the curtains, stood with his hands behind his back, and gazed west. Mo Xingdao's spiritual sense was no less keen than Su Zinan's; he too shot out almost simultaneously, looking in the same direction. A moment later, the Mingyue Guard at the stern finally sensed the anomaly, rose, and hurried to the bow. "Young Master, someone is undergoing tribulation in the west."

Su Zinan turned to Mo Xingdao, "It's a Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation; its power isn't very strong. Are you interested, Fellow Daoist Mo?"

Mo Xingdao shook his head. "This person and I, Mo, have no grievances or grudges." Having said that, he turned and returned to the curtains.

Su Zinan chuckled and also walked back, "Never mind! The distance is too great. By the time we arrive, that person will have long vanished."

Within the wilderness, Qin Sang was completely unaware of the changes triggered by his tribulation. Wave after wave of tribulation lightning, by the end, the bolts were as thick as pythons, possessing world-destroying power. Even someone as strong as him had to treat them with caution, no longer daring to let the Heavenly Eye Butterfly directly swallow the tribulation lightning. The final bolt of tribulation lightning seemed to tear through the void. The tribulation lightning energy within the tribulation clouds was unleashed without reservation, the concentrated lightning power forming a gigantic ball of lightning.

"Rumble!"

The earth trembled. The Fire Lotus Seed, having merged with the demonic fire, had already spread into a sea of fire in mid-air. The moment the lightning ball struck the Profound Mirror Cold Array, the sea of fire counterattacked, its raging demonic flames engulfing the lightning ball. As expected, this heavenly tribulation did not pose a significant threat to Qin Sang. Qin Sang stood in the deep pit carved out by the tribulation lightning, watching the rapidly dissipating tribulation clouds.

"There were no anomalies in the heavenly tribulation. Does this mean the Heavenly Dao has acknowledged me, this 'body-snatcher'?" With that thought, he summoned his avatar and immediately fled into the distance.