Chapter 98: Breaking the Demonic Calamity

Zhao Tianxun held his palm suspended in the air. The seal of power within his palm rapidly expanded, and the interwoven grids of the Sky Formation reappeared. Faintly visible, Ling Qingshu herself was sealed in the central grid, sitting cross-legged at the core of the formation's power. Her body was completely unharmed, and she was in a meditative state, eyes closed, cultivating.

Xu Yang let out a faint smile, thinking to himself that he hadn't misjudged her after all. This girl could indeed carry the banner of the Tianlan Sect.

"Go ahead."

Everyone looked bewildered.

Xu Yang smiled and pointed at Zhao Tianxun, "Didn't you say you'd use her as a stepping stone? I'd like to see how you intend to suppress her."

Zhao Tianxun now viewed Xu Yang as his nemesis. It was one thing to be unable to defeat this old monster, but he absolutely could not lose face. With Xu Yang clearly challenging him, Zhao Tianxun gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and unleashed a powerful palm strike. Using the power of the Nine Heavens Demonic Tribulation, he began attacking the entire Sky Grid Formation.

Rumble!

The terrifying and unparalleled Demonic Tribulation lightning flames repeatedly struck the formation's surface, shattering the Grand Martial Array. However, the core of the formation, which sealed Ling Qingshu, remained unmoving.

"Hmph, do you think you can really stay out of this? Don't dream about it!"

In a fit of rage, Zhao Tianxun unleashed a destructive palm strike, prematurely shattering the Martial Aura that restrained Ling Qingshu's body and releasing her from the seal. At the same time, Zhao Tianxun's power essence replaced the Martial Array's energy, causing the might of the Demonic Tribulation to lock onto Ling Qingshu. He intended for her body to serve as the medium for bearing the tribulation!

"Hahaha! Using your life essence to pave the way for me is absolutely perfect! Grand Sect Master of the Tianlan Sect!!" Zhao Tianxun laughed maniacally, his expression grotesque. Half of his face had been completely corroded into a blood-red by the demonic power, appearing extremely eerie and terrifying.

Crack!

The Demonic Tribulation power crashed down, aimed directly at Ling Qingshu's head. Yet, the girl showed no panic. She suddenly opened her bright, star-like eyes and flicked her finger into the air. Brilliant spiritual light flowed from her fingertips upwards, colliding with the incredibly fierce Demonic Tribulation lightning flames.

Boom!!

Violent tremors swept across the sky, causing a wave of startled cries to erupt from the vast land below!

"Heavens, I can't believe Ling Qingshu, the Sect Master of Tianlan Sect, has grown to such an extent?"

"I remember a hundred years ago, she was just an immature child. Now she's already a powerful expert of the Cavern Heaven Realm, unbelievable!!"

Many renowned cultivators in the county spoke up, praising Ling Qingshu. After seeing her exquisite figure, both the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince felt an indescribable longing.

"Such extraordinary and brilliant individuals are continuously emerging from the Tianlan Sect. It seems this declining ancient lineage deserves our renewed attention."

The two princes nodded to each other, reaching a consensus on the status of the Tianlan Sect. Only the Eighth Prince, who stood beside them with a bitter expression, was completely bewildered.

"This is outrageous!!"

As time passed, the Demonic Tribulation lightning flames continuously intensified, gradually approaching the limit of Ling Qingshu's resistance. In fact, her cultivation realm was almost on par with Zhao Tianxun's. The power she couldn't withstand was also something Zhao Tianxun couldn't handle himself.

Finally, the last world-destroying Demonic Tribulation, carrying formidable heavenly might, crashed down! The enormous Demonic Totem opened its gaping maw, appearing to devour Ling Qingshu.

"Oh no..."

For the first time, Ling Qingshu panicked. She quickly realized that this power was beyond her ability to resist. Under heaven, probably no human cultivator in the Cavern Heaven Realm could endure this level of destructive power.

"For humans to cultivate the demonic path is inherently an act against heaven; they should naturally endure such annihilating challenges!"

Cultivators from all sides voiced their opinions. At the same moment, Xu Yang also sent a telepathic message to Ling Qingshu, signaling her to break free from Zhao Tianxun's control and let him bear the attack himself.

However, Zhao Tianxun's next action crossed Xu Yang's bottom line. He suddenly unleashed the power he had gathered for a long time directly at the spot beneath Ling Qingshu's feet, completely locking her into that void.

"Damn it!! That Zhao Tianxun is truly despicable! He used the Qiankun Vertical and Horizontal technique to bind Ling Qingshu to a void coordinate! Unless she perishes on the spot, Ling Qingshu won't be able to escape this fixed point in space!"

Huang Tian's judgment was precise and accurate. With his words, Xu Yang no longer intended to observe from the sidelines.

"Alright, if that's the case, then I'll have to personally intervene to help him."

Whoosh!

Xu Yang ascended into the air with lightning speed, appearing beside Ling Qingshu like a phantom.

"Old Ancestor!"

Ling Qingshu's fair face flushed slightly as she looked at Xu Yang's increasingly handsome and captivating features. Faintly, Ling Qingshu instinctively recalled the scene from the previous battle at Tianlan Sect, when the Old Ancestor emerged from seclusion and dominated the world.

"A mere demonic tribulation, what is there to fear? Come, raise your hand. Together, we will crush this demonic power!"

Xu Yang's words carried an undeniable, domineering confidence. It was precisely under the protection of his formidable presence that Ling Qingshu gained the courage and determination to contend with the Heavenly Demon.

"Wondrous Method - Four Symbols Boundless!"

Finally, Xu Yang personally guided Ling Qingshu to unleash an incredibly powerful, original cultivation technique he had recently taught her! The most profound aspect of this technique was its ability to draw upon four distinct elemental spiritual energies from heaven and earth for one's own use. In an instant, four torrents of pure spiritual energy, each with a different attribute, surged like an ocean around Xu Yang and Ling Qingshu.

Terrifying waves of spiritual energy surged and churned, completely dumbfounding the onlookers below.

"My heavens! To simultaneously gather four different types of spiritual energy by himself, who exactly is he?!!"

When a cultivator's cognitive limits are overturned, they often indulge in incredible fantasies. At this moment, those below had begun to speculate if Xu Yang was even from this world; he was simply an unimaginable prodigy!!

Boom!!

The Four Symbols' spiritual light simultaneously struck the Demonic Totem descending from the horizon, triggering the largest wave of seismic calamity this battlefield had seen in a hundred years! The spreading aura swept across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, painting all the evening clouds in the sky with brilliant, vibrant colors.

As the endless commotion in the sky gradually subsided, the Demonic Tribulation completely vanished, and the entire world returned to its original tranquility.

Zhao Tianxun failed the tribulation. His essence was severely damaged, and demonic energy from his nascent soul surged uncontrollably throughout his body, destroying his foundation. He was now in a half-human, half-demon frenzied state, roaring wildly and attacking those around him indiscriminately.

"Guards! Zhao Tianxun, Sect Master of the Heavenly Martial Sect, has fallen into the demonic path and is creating chaos among fellow cultivators. Kill him without mercy!!"

The person who spoke was none other than the Eighth Prince, who had originally been his strongest supporter.