Chapter 1107: Void Refining Stage

"No, no, no, I don't want to hear it!" Meng Jingzhou had been tricked by Lu Yang once before, so there was no way he'd fall for it again. Seeing Lu Yang about to speak, he immediately clapped a hand over his mouth.

Seeing that Old Meng wasn't falling for it, Lu Yang had no choice but to prepare for the final lightning tribulation.

"Although it's still theoretical, this is a rare opportunity, so there's no harm in trying."

Lu Yang lay on the ground, merging with the earth. He planted a Bodhi seed, and in an instant, a Bodhi tree blossomed, bore fruit, and manifested both Lu Yang and a wooden clone.

His primordial spirit left his body and merged into the wooden clone. The wooden clone then performed the Pictographic Fist, transforming once again into the shape of the Azure Edge Sword. Following this, with 'Myriad Swords Returning to the Ancestor,' the wooden clone and nine other swords merged into one, which Lu Yang then gripped.

"I always feel like your techniques are several times more complicated than anyone else's."

"You talk too much. Today, I'll show you the true power of the Immortal Sword Art!"

Lu Yang gripped the Id Sword and faced the heavenly tribulation alone, a tragic and heroic sight.

Lu Yang wielded his immortal sword with graceful movements, like a transcendent sword immortal. Every action carried a unique rhythm. If a sword cultivator were present to observe, their understanding of the sword path would undoubtedly deepen.

The only flaw was that Lu Yang's body was charred black, as if he had just climbed out of a coal pile.

"Hmm?" Meng Jingzhou noticed Lu Yang's change, his expression surprised. He stopped lying on the ground and stood up to watch what Lu Yang intended to do.

He sensed Old Lu's sword moving with his will, spirit, energy, and essence unified. This wasn't surprising, as Old Lu's sword was, in essence, a part of him.

However, he then felt Old Lu's strength concentrating entirely in his right arm. The arm faintly showed signs of being unable to bear the full force, and tiny blood vessels burst.

*Crack!*

The final heavenly lightning descended, vast and powerful, plummeting from the sky. Lu Yang faced it without fear, meeting it head-on.

"Sever!"

The Id Sword unleashed a dazzling sword energy, the strongest Lu Yang had ever produced. Its incredible power was so immense that even Fusion Stage sword cultivators would feel inferior.

Lu Yang was inherently fond of combat. The heavenly lightning not only pressured him but also motivated him, helping him complete the final piece of the Immortal Sword Art.

The sword energy split a gash in the heavenly lightning, seemingly about to cleave it in two!

*Bang!*

To unleash this sword strike, Lu Yang poured in his everything. His right arm reached its limit of endurance and exploded!

Meng Jingzhou was astonished. Was Old Lu practicing a self-mutilating sword art? His arm exploding was practically self-detonation! Even if they reached the Fusion Stage, they couldn't possibly repair such an injury instantly!

Unexpectedly, Lu Yang released the Id Sword, transformed into a spiritual energy life form, and absorbed spiritual energy to compensate for the loss. When he reverted to human form, his right arm was completely restored, making Meng Jingzhou's eyes pop out.

"That's even possible?!"

Lu Yang twisted his arm with no discomfort, confirming that his approach was correct.

The heavenly lightning split into two; one strike hit Lu Yang, and the other hit Meng Jingzhou.

Both finally ran out of strength and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The tribulation ended, and a sweet dew descended, nourishing their bodies. Both floated in the air, their injuries silently healing.

They had officially entered the Void Refinement Stage!

"Finally, Void Refinement... wait, why are we at the Qi Refinement Stage?"

Both were utterly stunned. Their cultivation levels had suddenly plummeted to rock bottom without warning, returning them to their initial state of cultivation. Now, they couldn't even defeat a tiger demon.

During the Void Refinement Stage, cultivation levels would jump erratically from Qi Refinement to Fusion Stage, with no discernible pattern. Cultivators who reached this realm rarely ventured out, to avoid being killed by Foundation Establishment experts.

Although they had learned beforehand about the various unusual characteristics of the Void Refinement Stage, it was still difficult to accept once they actually reached it.

"Now we're at the Nascent Soul Stage again."

In an instant, they jumped to the Nascent Soul Stage. The changes were extremely rapid. Such rapid shifts in cultivation meant they couldn't even control their strength properly. One moment they were walking with Qi Refinement strength, the next they were at Nascent Soul, potentially striding hundreds of yards in a single step.

"Strange, where are these petals coming from?"

The Xiantian Daoist was puzzled when suddenly petals drifted down onto his head.

Everyone looked up and saw that after the tribulation, the thunderclouds had not dissipated. Instead, a rift had opened, revealing sunlight and fluttering petals. A tall, regal figure emerged from the sunlight, looking down upon all living beings.

He had seen countless things, and his eyes held the weight of ages. Nothing that appeared before him could sway his decisions in the slightest. He embodied all the world's fantasies of an immortal.

The regal figure appeared backlit, his features indistinct, signifying that mortals could not behold an immortal's true face.

When he spoke, heaven and earth fell silent, as if his was the only voice in existence. Even the chirping of insects and birds completely vanished.

"Heh heh, I never thought such prodigies would appear in later generations."

The entire Seeking Dao Sect was in chaos. They couldn't believe that the heavenly tribulation could manifest such a new phenomenon, something unheard of throughout history.

"How can there be a person in the heavenly tribulation? Who is that?!"

"I don't know, this has never happened before!"

The regal figure spoke softly, yet his resonant voice carried throughout the entire Seeking Dao Sect.

"My name is Immortal Yingtian. I conform to the heavenly principles and act on behalf of the heavens. Today, seeing two prodigies in the mortal world truly gladdens me."

"What?! He's the legendary Immortal Yingtian?!"

Upon learning Immortal Yingtian's identity, the people of Seeking Dao Sect were no longer calm. Such a grand figure, who had vanished for 300,000 years, had appeared today?

This could truly be called an immortal miracle, unseen for eons!

"The Immortal Yingtian who was notorious for being lustful?"

"Or the Ancestor of Spirit Chefs, the only nine-star spirit chef!"

"Weren't they saying he was a female immortal? Otherwise, why would he create the Mother-Child River? So he's a man?"

Immortal Yingtian's eye twitched. What kind of minds did these Seeking Dao Sect people have? None of their astonishments were on point. When he had appeared like this before, he was met with endless praise.

"Are our two senior brothers' talents so strong that they even startled a legendary immortal?!"

"No wonder our two senior brothers encountered a heavenly tribulation unseen in ancient times!"

The Seeking Dao Sect was in an uproar, immensely excited. They were truly witnessing history today, with even an immortal appearing.

Immortal Yingtian wore a golden dragon robe with a black base. As he moved, the golden dragons on it seemed to come alive, appearing exceptionally lifelike.

As he descended into the mortal world, the dust naturally parted, signifying his transcendence of worldly affairs and his freedom from defilement.

Immortal Yingtian looked at Lu Yang and the other, his gaze filled with benevolence: "It is excellent that you two were able to pass my trial."

"But you must remember, the Void Refinement Stage is merely the beginning for cultivators. You must guard against arrogance and impatience and cultivate diligently."

"We respectfully heed your words, Immortal Venerable!"

Lu Yang and the other spoke in unison, daring not to show any disrespect.

"Immortal Venerable, I have a question, if you would be so kind as to answer it," Lu Yang asked, looking up.

"Speak freely."

"Why am I currently in the Tribulation Crossing Stage?"

By rights, during the Void Refinement Stage, one's cultivation level should fluctuate between the Qi Refinement and Fusion Stages.

Yet, Lu Yang clearly sensed that his current cultivation level was the Tribulation Crossing Stage.

He had witnessed countless Tribulation Crossing grand cultivators and knew he wouldn't misjudge cultivation levels.

Immortal Yingtian: "..."

"Why do you always come up with such oddities, young man?"