Chapter 1684: Clearing Fetal Toxins (Part 1)

The Nine-Star Master Teachers who remained at the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters were, at their weakest, in the early stage of Dimension Shattering. The stronger ones were not much inferior to figures like Xing Jiansheng. With such strength, it was impossible to break in, and even their spiritual perception couldn't penetrate to find out what exactly was happening inside.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, you're truly determined to ruin the ancestral hall!"

Rumble!

His heart filled with frustration, he saw the dark clouds in the sky, already brimming with power, with clusters of flames burning within them, ready to descend at any moment.

"This is... the Heavenly Flame Tribulation?"

"Why are the flames black?"

"He... wasn't he just at the peak of Saint 9-dan a moment ago? How could he attract such a powerful Heavenly Tribulation?"

"I don't know, maybe... that's just how geniuses are!"

Upon seeing the appearance of the dark clouds clearly, everyone was stunned once more. This guy's cultivation had been tested at the peak of Saint 9-dan when he was assessed as a Nine-Star Master Teacher. Even if he broke through, it would only be to Dimension Shattering. Yet, in just over ten minutes, he had attracted such a powerful Heavenly Flame Tribulation...

Did he absorb all the treasures in Master Kong's ancestral hall, or what happened?

"This is the Supreme Heavenly Flame Tribulation... the most formidable Heavenly Flame Tribulation..."

As if he had thought of something, Ren Qingyuan's body trembled slightly. Black heavenly flames were unheard of even by many Nine-Star Master Teachers. He himself had only obtained some vague information about them when he tried to refine the Pavilion Master's Token.

The Supreme Heavenly Flame, black in color, incinerated everything, burning heaven and earth. It was the most terrifying Heavenly Flame Tribulation, experienced only by Master Kong in all of history. If the person before them had attracted it, didn't that signify he was having the same experience as Master Kong?

Could it be that Master Kong's ancestral hall contained some fortunate encounter they hadn't discovered, and this person had obtained it? But even if there was such an opportunity, he obtained it far too quickly!

Ren Qingyuan raised an eyebrow, turned, and instructed, "First, seal off the news. Under no circumstances can this matter be leaked..."

Regardless of whether the person inside could overcome the tribulation, it was not good news for the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters. If he succeeded, a super expert comparable to Master Kong would emerge, and if he commanded families like the Zhang Clan, the Master Teacher Pavilion's prestige would be greatly diminished in the future. If he failed, the patriarchs of the three great clans—the Zhang, Luo, and Jiang clans—would die in the Master Teacher Pavilion, and they would have no way to defend themselves.

The only thing to do now was to seal off the news. Regardless of success or failure, concealing it for a moment was better than nothing. Otherwise, the three great clans, who had just united, would no longer obey orders. With external threats and internal strife, no matter how strong the Master Teacher Pavilion was, it would collapse!

"Yes..."

The others immediately understood and said no more. One by one, they quickly took action, setting up various formations around the area.

Unaware of the panic outside, Zhang Xuan's mind at this moment was immersed in his consciousness, carefully sensing the changes in his body. With his body structured according to its natural form, his power flowed unimpeded as expected, and its might was even greater.

"The position of my meridians has actually changed," he thought, "it's somewhat similar to the one I constructed for Zhao Ya back then..."

During this breakthrough, the position of his meridians within his body had actually undergone a transformation, becoming somewhat close to the one he had previously constructed for Zhao Ya. It seemed that meridian map was indeed the most suitable for cultivation. This meant that members of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe were stronger than humans, possessing a higher life level. Otherwise, their meridian structure couldn't be so naturally harmonious.

Although life levels could be compensated for through postnatal cultivation, the initial gap meant the starting point was completely different. It was like true dragons: though he had never seen one, it didn't prevent him from knowing their immense power. With a single Heavenly Dragon's Eight Tones, even the Dragonbone Divine Spear had to kneel. Zhang Xuan couldn't even imagine how powerful true dragons were; they probably possessed strength surpassing Ancient Sages from birth. This was the difference in life levels.

The Otherworldly Demonic Tribe's meridians were more rational and their life level was higher than humans. Therefore, they could possess strength no less than the Mortal Transcendent realm from birth, and their lifespan could far exceed that of humans. Reaching the Great Sage level, his meridians underwent transformation, indicating that his life essence and life level had also changed. If he were to have descendants at this point, even without inherited bloodline power, they would definitely far surpass ordinary cultivators. Some third-rate Saint Clans had ancestors who were actually only at the Immortal Realm of Great Sage, not having broken through to the Ancient Sage realm.

"Both my spiritual perception and physical strength have improved!"

Not only had his meridians changed, but his spiritual perception had changed even more significantly. Previously, he couldn't observe the subtle details of his internal cells, but now, every minute detail was clear; observing carefully, even a single line on an internal cell was clearly visible. Its range had also increased considerably, already reaching a radius of ten kilometers. In other words, once his spiritual perception extended, everyone and everything within a ten-kilometer radius could not escape his notice.

As for his physical body, because he had just broken through and hadn't had time to meticulously temper it, the progress wasn't immense. However, the surging zhenqi coursing through it already far surpassed supreme-grade Saint artifacts and was beginning to approach Great Sage level artifacts.

Of course, the greatest change throughout his body was still his zhenqi. It was purer and denser than before. His entire dantian roared like a vast river or sea, as innumerable streams of zhenqi gathered together, forming an endless ocean.

"First, overcome the tribulation!"

These pieces of information entered his mind with a sweep of his spiritual perception. Knowing that it wasn't the time for detailed study, Zhang Xuan took a deep breath and abruptly looked up at the sky.

Whoosh!

At the same moment, a cluster of black flames descended.

"Absorb!"

Having experienced it before, he felt no more fear in his heart. With a thought, he assimilated the flames into his body, and in the blink of an eye, the black flames burned within him. Pain surged fiercely, and it felt as if his entire being was about to melt.

"Circulate zhenqi, temper the body with flames!"

Understanding that this was a process of burning his heart and spirit—a tempering of his mind—and that if he gave up, he might truly be burned to ashes, Zhang Xuan raised both eyebrows. He endured the pain in his body and rapidly circulated the zhenqi within.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The immense flames, under the impact of the pure zhenqi, transformed into countless fiery sparks, burning fiercely. In the blink of an eye, the intense pain seemed to invade his very bones, causing waves of dizziness in his mind.

"No... this isn't right..." he thought. "How could it be even more painful than a sole soul cultivation breakthrough?!"

Sweat poured from his head, and Zhang Xuan's face turned ashen. He had thought that having experienced heavenly flames before, he already had the experience. He never dreamed that his previous experience would be completely useless in front of this one.

"Could it be..." he wondered, "the previous one was a Heavenly Flame Tribulation, and this is... a Great Sage Tribulation? Are they not the same type?"

Although the Heavenly Flame Tribulation his soul experienced before was also the Supreme Heavenly Flame, it appeared when he broke through to the Golden Body realm. This current one, however, was a special Heavenly Flame Tribulation attracted by his breakthrough from Saint 9-dan to the Great Sage level. This kind of tribulation had only been endured by Master Kong in tens of thousands of years, and perhaps it was indeed different from the previous one. Even if it was different, it was simply too powerful! His soul, which had reached the peak of the Golden Body realm, was actually struggling to bear it, on the verge of fainting at any moment...

If his soul hadn't made progress beforehand, how would it have endured this? The heavenly flames would probably have disintegrated it the moment they entered his body! He was having such a difficult time... How did Master Kong, back then, endure it without having had the same preparations?

Zhang Xuan was full of doubts.