At noon, in the clearing behind Xiao Qiong Peak that had been selected years ago.

Elder Qi Yuan stood in the now-sturdy wooden cage, holding his ceremonial whisk. Several streams of treasure light floated around him, and his new cyan silk Daoist robe—itself a defensive magical treasure—made the old priest look a few years younger. With the tribulation approaching, his expression couldn’t help but be solemn.

Strands of ineffable energy coiled around Qi Yuan, and occasionally flower petals would drift past him before dispersing in the mountain breeze.

Qi Yuan’s two disciples stood in the treetops a hundred zhang away. Sister Lan Ling’e watched her master nervously, her slender fingers playing with a lock of dark hair that fell before her.

Over these years, Ling’e’s figure had matured somewhat. Her waist, bound by a sash, was delicately slim, and her tasseled long dress accentuated her graceful curves—flawless whether viewed from near or far. Her pretty face had gained a touch of allure compared to two years ago, though she remained primarily fresh and vivid.

Not far from Lan Ling’e in another treetop, Li Changshou wore his usual plain robes. In his left hand, he held a bamboo scroll and in his right a carving knife, while his spiritual sense encompassed his master’s surroundings, observing the various omens of the approaching heavenly tribulation.

There was nothing left to be said.

Everything that could be done had been done. Now they only needed Master to withstand the first bolt of heavenly tribulation, and afterward, it would be up to Master to decide when to use that “precious medicine.”

Currently, Li Changshou’s primary task was to observe and record his master’s tribulation process up close.

Because the Spiritual Peak Sect recruited disciples only once every two hundred years, Li Changshou’s entrance had coincided with the tail end of the previous generation’s immortal ascension wave. Most disciples limited by their aptitude and comprehension, who were destined to never become immortals, had already left the sect to return to their hometowns. For the past hundred years, the sect had focused on cultivating the new generation of disciples, with very few successful immortal ascensions among the previous generation.

Master’s current tribulation was the sixth time Li Changshou had observed a qi cultivator undergo the immortal tribulation in the past hundred years, and it was rare to be able to watch from such proximity and record the entire process for later analysis.

A sudden gust swept through the forest. Elder Qi Yuan in his wooden cage looked up at the sky as streams of light appeared around him. In the blink of an eye, these rays converged into a pillar of light that shot into the sky!

It had begun—the herald of immortal ascension!

Li Changshou gripped his carving knife and began rapidly recording the details on his bamboo scroll.

The light pillar persisted for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and the clouds above Xiao Qiong Peak began to churn!

Li Changshou could feel spiritual energy continuously gathering from all directions, hovering three hundred zhang above his master’s head, quickly condensing into one gray tribulation cloud after another.

At this moment, figures flew out from various peaks under the mountain-protecting formation, soaring into the air to watch Xiao Qiong Peak…

A bright silver lightning mark appeared beneath the tribulation clouds, while tiny electric arcs manifested around Elder Qi Yuan.

Li Changshou made some quick calculations, then raised his head to transmit sound to his master:

“Master, based on the area and thickness of the tribulation clouds, this should be a common five-bolt immortal tribulation.”

Elder Qi Yuan frowned slightly—he had thought it would be the weakest three-bolt tribulation, but unexpectedly he would have to face five bolts.

—Immortal tribulation never exceeded nine bolts, with four, five, or six being the most common.

It was said that based on the ascender’s aptitude and potential after becoming immortal, the Heavenly Dao would send down tribulations of varying power.

The more lightning bolts, the broader one’s path as an immortal would be and the deeper their potential—but also the more difficult it would be to survive the tribulation.

After transmitting his message, Li Changshou lowered his head and continued carving with his knife.

Boom!

The tribulation clouds began to tremble continuously, the lightning mark growing increasingly distinct. When it reached a certain threshold, it instantly transformed into a brilliant lightning pillar that struck down toward Elder Qi Yuan!

When the heavenly lightning emerged, the world seemed to lose its color!

Those fluctuations of the Great Dao containing heaven and earth’s supreme principles descended along with the lightning tribulation!

However, the immortals and qi cultivators observing this tribulation were stunned to discover that the heavenly tribulation, which theoretically couldn’t be blocked by magical treasures, was completely “absorbed” by the wooden cage around Qi Yuan!

Lightning flashed across the cage, but Elder Qi Yuan stood safely within. Apart from his gray-white hair flying wildly, not a single spark touched his body!

Lan Ling’e excitedly called out: “Senior Brother! The birdcage worked!”

Li Changshou also smiled broadly, but before his smile could fully bloom, that ineffable dao fluctuation suddenly appeared. The magical treasure bird cage, still crackling with lightning, abruptly exploded into pieces…

Well, the Heavenly Dao truly didn’t permit such tricks.

Still, it was something—at least it had helped Master resist the first lightning bolt.

But then Li Changshou noticed a problem—because Master hadn’t directly faced the tribulation, no immortal qi had appeared around him.

The magical birdcage had helped dodge one bolt of tribulation, but correspondingly lost the benefits for the ascender. Give and take, is the constant principle of the Dao.

Fortunately, Master hadn’t taken out the Integration Immortal Pill and swallowed it yet, otherwise, Li Changshou would have personally poisoned his own master…

Above in the tribulation clouds, an even larger lightning mark began brewing, containing even more tribulation force than before.

Elder Qi Yuan’s expression grew more solemn as he circulated his spiritual power throughout his body and slowly rose into the air.

The immortal tribulation could only be endured head-on!

Crack!

Bzzt—

The second tribulation bolt fell viciously, its pillar of condensed lightning instantly swallowing Qi Yuan’s form completely!

Li Changshou and Lan Ling’e both held their breath. When they saw their master last only a moment before being pressed to the ground by the lightning pillar, Lan Ling’e tightly shut her eyes, unable to watch.

Only when the sound of electricity dissipated and she heard her senior brother sigh in relief did she dare to open her eyes and look.

Elder Qi Yuan sat up disheveled in the shallow crater, turned his head to spit out some blood, took several pills, and stood up again.

His spiritual power was still fairly abundant, with a faint immortal light circling him.

He had managed to endure this second bolt of heavenly lightning.

Li Changshou stopped writing, his left hand hidden in his sleeve pressing against a paper talisman and a pill.

Judging by Master’s condition, he would try to face the third tribulation bolt but definitely couldn’t survive the fourth.

If Master was paralyzed by the third lightning bolt and couldn’t move, then he would need to quickly give Master the Integration Immortal Pill.

An even larger lightning mark gathered in the tribulation clouds as Elder Qi Yuan gritted his teeth and stood up. His hands quickly formed seals, laying layer after layer of spiritual power barriers before him.

But it was useless.

This time, there was first a thunderous roar, as if thousands of horses were galloping through the tribulation clouds. A lightning pillar as thick as a millstone descended with murderous intensity, almost instantly shattering the many barriers Qi Yuan had erected, pinning him in the shallow crater for a savage assault…

Against the rushing wind, Lan Ling’e couldn’t help crying out: “Master!”

But her shout was quickly swallowed by the wind.

Qi Yuan barely survived the third bolt of tribulation…

It was rather unfortunate—the quantity and quality of tribulation were determined by his aptitude when he first began cultivating. Later injuries to his foundation meant Qi Yuan couldn’t reach his proper “strength” at the ninth level of the Return to Dao realm.

Thus, Qi Yuan was so battered by the tribulation, barely able to survive even the third bolt.

The lightning had blasted a large crater in the ground. Qi Yuan lay at the bottom, using his last bit of spiritual power to slowly float up and stand beneath the tribulation, raising his head to gaze at that more terrible, larger lightning mark…

His body was covered in blood, but his eyes remained determined!

Heavenly fate, how unfair it was!

Yet this poor Daoist harbors no complaints against you. The great Dao turns, heaven and earth are in order, everything is this poor Daoist’s destiny—so what if I die!

But just one thing!

I cannot die lying pathetically on the ground while my disciples watch! Even if their master is a useless waste, even if their master cannot provide the protection that disciples of other peaks enjoy!

This poor Daoist must die standing!

Must show the spirit of a human cultivator!

Must earn some face for Changshou and Ling’e, let them know their master does not lack this firm determination to pursue the Dao!

Moreover, I still have the precious medicine that my senior disciple painstakingly prepared, which can help withstand one bolt of tribulation!

Elder Qi Yuan took out that brocade box and removed the pill within, unhesitatingly putting it in his mouth and swallowing.

Come, Heavenly Dao!

Even though this poor Daoist knows it’s just a futile struggle, I still want to try, to see the final lightning bolt!

Dying under the final bolt should not be too shameful, right…

Within the lightning mark, tribulation force frantically gathered as the fourth bolt was about to fall!

“Ah—”

Elder Qi Yuan threw back his head and roared, his hair and beard flying wildly, his whole being like…!

“Cough!”

The old Daoist suddenly lowered his head and coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Then he looked down at himself in shock as strands of blood-colored light appeared all over his body.

What… what was happening?

Why was he starting to dissolve?

By the Great Clarity Lord above, what was going on?

What did that unfilial disciple give this poor Daoist to eat…

Above, the frantically surging lightning mark suddenly fizzled out, and the tribulation clouds stopped spinning.

This tribulation was like a middle-aged mortal man who had held high hopes for himself and wanted to show off before his lover, only to discover he was suffering from overexertion, suddenly unable to continue…

In his final moment of consciousness, Qi Yuan turned his head to look at his smiling senior disciple.

The old Daoist’s consciousness quickly dissolved, his body like a snowman in a furnace, instantly melting!

Soul, body, even clothing—everything transformed into that pool of “blood” floating in the air…

The tribulation clouds trembled once, then dispersed into streams of pure spiritual energy. Rays of sunlight shone down on Xiao Qiong Peak.

The observers at various locations all watched in confusion, staring blankly at where Qi Yuan had dissolved, gazing at that pool of blood.

Suddenly, turbid qi surged up from the ground as three-colored immortal light fell from the clouds, all pouring into the blood.

The sound of strings and bamboo music came from somewhere, beautiful and melodious.

Pure and turbid qi began slowly gathering as the pool of blood gradually took on human form.

Then came a series of crackling sounds as Elder Qi Yuan’s figure reappeared in the air—even the clothes that had been shredded by heavenly lightning were still on his body…

As the blood light receded, flower petals danced around the old Daoist. He stood atop a cloud of turbid qi, while above his head a lotus flower seemed to bloom before merging into his form.

Opening his mouth, Elder Qi Yuan expelled a breath of clear qi as his entire being began to slowly surge upward.

Such modest signs of immortal ascension.

Elder Qi Yuan now understood what had happened. He turned to look at Li Changshou, his gaze full of resignation yet glistening with tears.

Setting aside the master-disciple relationship for now.

With a complex expression, Qi Yuan gave Li Changshou a Daoist bow.

Li Changshou quickly put away his bamboo scroll, carving knife, paper talisman, and pill, returning his master’s bow and not daring to rise for a long time.

The noisy discussion drifted on the wind…

“It’s Dissolution! Dissolution into a Turbid Immortal!”

“That was an Integration Immortal Pill! Someone can still refine this pill?”

“Brother Qi Yuan chose this path—not bad, it’s a way to preserve his life.”

“A Turbid Immortal is actually no different from most immortals. Breaking through to Heavenly Immortal isn’t easy anyway, most of us can only reach the True Immortal realm.”