Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 191 - 91: Crossing the Tribulation

Chapter 191: Chapter 91: Crossing the Tribulation

Just a single sword strike.

With one strike, Elder Han changed Master Pang’s fate and the entire situation on the field.

Next to the Thunder Pool, the elderly man was short in stature, his hair bun loose and shabby, his facial expression languid.

He simply watched the bronze coffin, a smile on his lips, seemingly unwilling to make another move.

He appeared quite indolent.

But inside that bronze coffin, the elder of the Demon Sect acted as if he’d encountered some indescribable terror, the lid seemed to tighten by another three notches, as if he wished to solder it onto the bronze coffin itself.

That bronze coffin drifted through the air, fleeing as if on wings, cursing the absence of four wheels.

Master Pang was already exhausted, his Dharma Body spent.

Unable to intervene.

He glanced at the elder next to the Thunder Pool.

The elder shot him a look, then turned his gaze to Yan Wushuang in the Thunder Pool, and with a curl of his lip, his face said three words:

Too lazy to move.

Master Pang pursed his lips, trying not to look at the expressions of the disciples by the Thunder Pool, and even less willing to consider the sorry state of his Five Dragons Heavenly Palace. He approached the elder respectfully and asked:

"Could it be the Sunset Sword Immortal, Master Han?"

"It is me." The old man glanced at Master Pang and nodded.

"There are no words to express my gratitude for saving my life..."

"...It wasn’t for nothing." Master Han with a bit sour face, bluntly said: "Don’t you have a nephew named Zheng Fa?"

"Yes."

"He has already paid."

...

Zheng Fa inexplicably felt that Master Pang’s look at him was a bit strange—

A mix of appreciation and a smidgen of blame, but the sense of grievance didn’t know how to be voiced.

"This Master Han?"

Sun Daoyu actually spoke up, "The Sunset Sword Immortal, I have heard of him... A renowned late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, rumored to be just a step away from Divinity Transformation."

There was disbelief in his tone, and even when looking at Yan Wushuang, there was a hint of caution.

Zheng Fa couldn’t help but feel respectful towards Yan Wushuang.

This guy can actually call upon such a formidable character?

"Master Han is an elder of our sect," Yan Wushuang said with a smile. "Now that I’m traveling abroad, he was worried about me encountering danger and decided to accompany me the whole way."

Sun Daoyu’s face turned even greener with envy.

"Does a True Disciple traveling require accompaniment by a Great Cultivator? Is this the way of the Xuanwei Five Great Sects?"

Zheng Fa also felt a sense of awe.

Late-stage Nascent Soul—when his own Master boasted about his talisman formation, he only dared claim it could kill those before the late-stage Nascent Soul...

Having a bigwig to escort you everywhere, that’s Zheng Fa’s kind of hobby!

"Don’t misunderstand, I don’t have one."

Chu Tianque from Haori Mountain clarified with a stern face.

"I don’t either."

Xue, from the Supreme Dao, quickly followed suit.

Zheng Fa inexplicably felt that these two seemed to share a similar envy and resentment to his own.

"Then..." Zheng Fa guessed, "Is it because Brother Yan’s talent is outstanding that the Tianhe Sect values him so much?"

Yan Wushuang vigorously nodded.

The other two sneered even more.

"All the elders in the sect and my father say I have great talent! I need to be careful when I leave home," declared Yan Wushuang proudly.

"...Your father?"

"My dad? Oh, my father is the Tianhe Sect Leader." Yan Wushuang waved his hand dismissively, "Not important, not important. What’s important is they say I have talent."

...This is not important?

You should have said so earlier!

If you’d said earlier, we might as well be half-brothers from different mothers, talking about our partnership or lack thereof!

...

"Then, Brother Yan..."

Zheng Fa couldn’t help being puzzled; he remembered this person as being quite short of money.

"My father didn’t want me to travel abroad or to involve myself in any organizations," Yan Wushuang explained as if he had done so a thousand times before, "Master Han generally won’t take action either."

Zheng Fa began to understand.

A rebellious second-generation Immortal wanted to strike out from his sect to start his own enterprise.

His father didn’t support it, but was also afraid he might play himself to death.

"Then... Master Han today..."

"If he didn’t act, I would have to," Yan Wushuang said with a proud smile.

...A ’watch me die if you don’t help’ approach to asking for help?

No wonder the Sunset Sword Immortal looked so sour.

...

After the great battle, half of the Thunder Pool workshop had collapsed, and though Master Pang’s Five Dragons Heavenly Palace seemed unchanged, the troubles it faced were even greater.

The collapsed workshop could be rebuilt in a day or two.

But rehabilitating the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace might take a hundred years.

"Being alive is already a blessing," Master Pang sighed. He then looked at Li Nuo and said warmly, "I never expected it would be you who saved me."

Li Nuo, when had he ever been so valued by a Nascent Soul?

He stammered, unsure of what to say.

Sun Daoyu and the other disciples exchanged glances, then stood up and bowed respectfully to Li Nuo in unison.

"I shouldn’t accept..." Li Nuo said in a fluster: "It was all thanks to Disciple Zheng’s efforts."

He looked to Zheng Fa, seemingly pleading for help.

Zheng Fa shook his head.

Li Nuo had faced nothing but contempt in the workshop.

Now his time had finally come.

"This is what you deserve," he quietly told Li Nuo. "And your father deserved it, too."

Li Nuo was stunned, then went silent.

He looked blankly at the brothers in front of him, as if remembering something.

Gradually, his eyes began to redden.

...

"With the Sunset Sword Immortal’s presence, the Great Freedom Demon Sect may likely lose interest in dealing with Nephew Zhang."

Zheng Fa didn’t quite understand as he said, "This Elder Han is just at the late Nascent Soul stage..."

"What do you mean ’just’ at the late Nascent Soul stage?" Master Pang spat out: "Even with a talisman formation, your Master wouldn’t dare say he could escape from him."

"They are all at the Nascent Soul stage..."

Zheng Fa couldn’t quite comprehend.

"It is truly difficult to form one’s Nascent Soul, and even harder to achieve Divinity Transformation," Master Pang sighed; "The reason why those in the late Nascent Soul stage are called Great Cultivators is because their strengths vary significantly. Some may be only slightly stronger than those in the middle Nascent Soul stage, while others are only held back by insufficient opportunity."

"So what about this Elder Han?"

"You could think of it this way, he’s like the previous Nephew Zhang."

Zheng Fa suddenly understood.

That meant—

This man had extraordinary talent, but like Zhang being stuck at the Golden Core stage, he was stuck at the Nascent Soul.

On the other hand, Zhang was able to stand shoulder to shoulder with those at the Nascent Soul stage despite being only at the Golden Core stage...

"Doesn’t the Great Freedom Demon Sect have any who have achieved Divinity Transformation?"

"They do, but those who are Divinity Transformation Real Persons usually do not take action lightly, as there seems to be some kind of taboo," Master Pang explained: "For instance, our Hundred Immortals Alliance also has Divinity Transformation powerhouses, but they almost never involve themselves in worldly affairs, I’ve only seen them twice myself."

"In that case, Zhang’s Nascent Soul formation should be worry-free."

With characters like the Sunset Sword Immortal wandering outside, the Great Freedom Demon Sect probably wouldn’t have the resources to concern themselves with Zhang.

"Worry-free..." Master Pang sighed: "It still depends on her own efforts."

...

The five-colored clouds in the sky gradually solidified into a glaze-like substance, the hues becoming increasingly intense, until finally a vast purple-black eye appeared.

"The Nascent Soul Tribulation for Nephew Zhang has begun," Master Pang said.

Zheng Fa and Master Pang, among others, stood at the edge of the Thunder Pool, at the position closest to Zhang.

He activated his Void Spirit Eye to look towards where Zhang was.

He could see her lightly lifting her eyes, gazing at the purple-black tribulation clouds above her, as if sensing something, she glanced towards Zheng Fa and the others, a faint smile at the corners of her mouth.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick.

A bolt of Tribulation Thunder fell from the sky, aiming straight for Zhang.

But it was blocked by the Mystical Gate Mirror.

That huge eye seemed to be provoked by the Mystical Gate Mirror.

The next bolt of Tribulation Thunder was much thicker.

With a mournful cry, the Mystical Gate Mirror was directly knocked down next to Zhang.

With the protection of the Mystical Gate Mirror gone, Zhang’s form was shrouded by the Tribulation Thunder, even the Void Spirit Eye couldn’t see her figure.

Zheng Fa’s heart couldn’t help but rise with concern.

Zhang’s Nascent Soul formation was extremely important to the Jiushan Sect.

But for him, it was even more crucial—she was his most important support and even a Daoist companion in the Xuanwei Realm.

Bolt after bolt of Tribulation Thunder seemed relentless.

It wasn’t until nine days and nights later.

That the giant eye in the sky slowly dissipated, revealing Zhang’s figure.

"Hurry to protect Nephew Zhang!" Master Pang’s expression became serious: "Now that the Mystical Gate Mirror is damaged, it’s time for her to overcome the Heart Demon Tribulation, and this is the last chance for the Great Freedom Demon Sect."

Zheng Fa was well prepared, according to plan, he rapidly activated the Calamity Boat, and led several fellow senior brothers towards Zhang’s location.

They were relatively reassured because during a Heavenly Tribulation, cultivators of any stage wouldn’t dare to come close to Zhang.

Moreover, with the Sunset Sword Immortal nearby.

Members of the Great Freedom Demon Sect could only shrink back, it would be difficult for them to be faster than this group of people.

Sure enough, when they got close to Zhang, they didn’t encounter any bold individuals from the Demon Sect.

But Zhang’s appearance was not good.

She had her eyes closed, her brow slightly furrowed as if she was experiencing a nightmare.

In the span of just a few breaths, Zhang’s facial expressions varied wildly.

Surprise, anger, sadness, despair.

Her face grew colder and more fierce.

At last, it seemed a resolute decision had emerged.

"Zhang is crying?"

Zheng Fa suddenly heard a senior brother Yang next to him say.

He looked up, indeed, two lines of clear tears flowed from Zhang’s eyes.

"Have you... ever seen Zhang cry?"

"Never..."

"I wouldn’t even dare to think about it."

...

But it seemed like Zhang was trapped in the Heart Demon Tribulation and couldn’t extricate herself. Through the perspective of the Void Spirit Eye, Zheng Fa could even see the spiritual power within her body gradually turn murky, showing signs of demonic entry.

"Junior brother, what do we do now?"

Senior brother Yang next to him asked anxiously.

Zheng Fa himself was also somewhat undecided; the Heart Demon Tribulation could only be resolved by oneself, how could others help?

"Should we call out to Zhang a couple of times?"

Senior brother Yang’s suggestion left Zheng Fa somewhat speechless.

Was this something that could be awakened by calling out?

"The two of you are the closest, if anyone can help Zhang, it would only be you... I’ve heard people say that during the Heart Demon Tribulation one is not completely unaware, sometimes they can hear words from the outside. If there is someone they care about greatly, it might be possible to evoke some deeply imprinted memories..."

As senior brother Yang spoke, his voice became softer.

He also seemed to believe that this rumor sounded a bit implausible.

Zheng Fa clenched his teeth and suddenly took out several books.

"Zhang, yesterday we talked about..."

The various senior brothers around exchanged glances, not quite understanding Zheng Fa’s actions.

But as they listened, their expressions all grew somewhat pained.

They looked at each other and quietly moved a couple of steps away from Zheng Fa.

"Senior brother," a junior brother whispered to senior brother Yang: "Hearing this, why do I feel like if Zhang doesn’t get through her Heart Demon Tribulation, mine will start?"

The crowd unanimously nodded.

They seemed to wish they could block their own ears.

"Look at Zhang!"

Amidst Zheng Fa’s reading, Zhang’s expression suddenly became calm, it seemed as if she was really overcoming the Heart Demon Tribulation.

"Is this... using poison to fight poison, employing demons to control demons?"

A junior brother said dazedly by the side.

"That still makes Zheng junior brother’s demon a bit more formidable..."