294 - Elasia Saga

The entire arena was enveloped in a stunned silence. It seemed that all the cultivators had instinctively widened their eyes, their gazes pierced through a web of sword shadows, fixing intently on Fu Yan and Fang Yu. From the moment Fu Yan suddenly withdrew from the center of her sword formation, everyone was dumbfounded. Nobody had anticipated the development that followed. After all, when two mighty sword formations were in opposition, choosing to leave one's own formation was undoubtedly courting disaster. Under such circumstances, merely being heavily injured and losing the competition would already be a fortunate outcome. Should she be careless, a severe backlash could occur! However, under everyone's watchful eyes, Fu Yan indeed broke away from her sword formation like this. Yet, as if defying all expectations, instead of her sword formation collapsing immediately, it remarkably continued to contend against Fang Yu’s formation unwaveringly, showing no sign of weakening. In the next second, just as everyone’s thoughts were still struggling to catch up, Fu Yan, standing at the heart of the two formations, with a fierce and grim expression, suddenly drew her sword. At the critical moment, she launched a fierce attack towards Fang Yu. With a "shwh" sound, the entire dueling platform echoed with an ear-piercing sword cry. The Starlight Sword surged with unstoppable momentum. Fang Yu had no time to raise his hands in defense. Under the dumbfounded gaze of all the cultivators on the Yun Ni Platform, the sword cut straight through Fang Yu’s body. The dazzling sword light flickered past, and the power around Fang Yu shattered in an instant. Even so, in the final moment, Fang Yu managed to unleash the full might of his sword formation, leading to a rapid exchange where both formations viciously tore at each other in the air. Fu Yan felt her mind reel with unbearable pain as if she had suddenly gone blind, her vision blurred out so much that opening her eyes was challenging. No longer able to care about anything else, Fu Yan, without the slightest hesitation, clasped her head tightly and swiftly recalled all her spiritual powers from around her. However, despite her efforts, as her vast spiritual power rapidly returned, her entire consciousness was still in upheaval. She had no choice but to exert herself fully to settle her mind, lest she continue suffering immense pain. Moreover, damaging her consciousness would result in a huge loss that outweighed any gain. On the platform, since both Fang Yu and Fu Yan were forced to abandon their formations simultaneously, all sword shadows in the air began to crumble on their own. Explosive collisions of power resounded around. But neither of the two onstage had time to worry about these events. High above, Fu Yan continued to swiftly steady her turbulent mind. Meanwhile, Fang Yu, having endured her full-forced strike, fell straight from mid-air in immense pain, his blood gushing from his mouth. In just the blink of an eye, the front of his robe was drenched in crimson. From a distance, it was a stark sight. "Buzz—" As Fang Yu’s form crashed heavily onto the stage, everyone felt a slight tremor underfoot. Staring at this unexpected scene, the cultivators around remained in a daze for a long while, desperately widening their eyes as if they feared they were seeing things, unable to revert their thought process. Nobody knew how much time had passed, but the silent Yun Ni Platform finally erupted into uproar, with everyone either appearing exhilarated or utterly incredulous. "What just happened? How did Fu Yan manage to control the sword formation while simultaneously launching a fierce attack at Fang Yu?" "Quick, look! Fu Yan seems to be in immense pain too. Wait... I understand now, she maneuvered the sword formation using spiritual power, thus freeing herself to attack, but just how formidable must her spiritual power be to control such a terrifying formation?" "This is too exhilarating! So, what's the current situation then? Does this mean Fang Yu lost the duel?" "…" Amidst the fervent discussions, the sword formation on the stage finally disintegrated entirely, and the explosive sounds of power ceased, restoring a hushed silence. "Poof—" Yet in mid-air, the pained Fu Yan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. But she managed to open her eyes again, taking a deep breath before slowly relaxing her entire body. The chaos within her consciousness, after being forcibly reined in by Fu Yan, had finally calmed down a bit, though she did cough up some blood. Nonetheless, she now felt much more at ease. Her consciousness had not been damaged, aside from some severe energy exhaustion and slight retaliation from the backlash; she didn't face any other significant issues. In any event, her earlier plan had succeeded. Fu Yan had indeed used her spiritual power to control the sword formation and landed a heavy strike on Fang Yu. Of course, for someone at the Great Ascension Stage, it wouldn't be possible to be struck down with a single blow. Moreover, Fu Yan believed that given the power both she and Fang Yu had demonstrated, the powerful immortals watching over them would definitely not allow either to fall here. Otherwise, it would be a loss for all cultivators on the continent, especially when the Zombie Ghost Sect was on the rise. Plus, Fang Yu possessed numerous defensive means. However, he was definitely heavily injured by her. Even if he had some strength left for battle, a comeback in this duel was virtually impossible. In other words, unless something unexpected happened, Fu Yan’s victory in this duel was a certainty. Thinking of this, a recovering Fu Yan finally glanced down at the severely injured Fang Yu. He had managed to quickly stop the bleeding but still lay on the stage, eyes filled with disbelief. He found it hard to believe he lost and was even more reluctant to accept such an outcome. Unconcerned with his disbelief, Fu Yan panted a few times before retracting her Starlight Sword. Glancing at it, she noticed the cracks on it had grown even larger, suggesting that if she engaged in another fierce battle like before, it might shatter immediately. With a helpless shake of her head, Fu Yan reluctantly put the sword away temporarily and slowly descended from mid-air, landing back on the dueling stage. At the same moment opposite her, Fang Yu painstakingly struggled to stand up from the ground. Upon seeing this, Fu Yan was not surprised. She knew the main protagonist would not admit defeat so easily. However, she also had no desire to continue fighting. Without much thought, she gripped her sword hilt tightly, seemingly intending to end the battle decisively. After all, there wouldn't be a better opportunity than now. Yet, in the next second, before Fu Yan could mobilize her true essence, she felt her aura quickly leaking outwards. A familiar sensation… Fu Yan couldn’t help but open her eyes wide in shock, never expecting that after such a thrilling battle with Fang Yu, the bottleneck she had faced with her previous attempt to ascend now felt cleared, like her meridians were wide open. In other words, Fu Yan was swiftly approaching ascension, and if no accidents occurred, the heavenly tribulation would commence soon. For breakthroughs at other stages, it was often possible to forcibly suppress the breakthrough phenomenon temporarily. However, the heavenly tribulation during ascension couldn’t be suppressed; it had to be faced immediately when it arrived. Yet, the duel wasn’t over, and it was precisely at this crucial moment. Fu Yan: "..." As her aura continued to flow outward, Fu Yan seemed to perceive something and lifted her gaze towards the distant horizon. What was just a clear sky now amassed dark clouds, a heavy mass pressing down that made it hard to breathe. "Boom——" Soon, thunder rumbled within the black clouds, a massive lightning bolt streaked across the sky, finally attracting the attention of all the cultivators present. Suddenly, everyone instinctively lifted their gazes, peering at the sky outside the Yun Ni Platform. The aura of a heavenly tribulation was familiar to any cultivator. So, seeing the convergence of thunderous clouds towards the Yun Ni Platform, they immediately realized what was happening. In an instant, everyone was stunned, many unable to believe what was unfolding before them. "What’s happening? Why is there suddenly a heavenly tribulation drifting here? Is someone transcending it now? And this—it seems to be the kind that occurs during ascension!" A Great Ascension Stage tribulation supposedly shouldn’t be this terrifyingly oppressive. "Which sect's person is about to ascend? Looks like our continent is about to gain another immensely powerful immortal!" "Wait, this heavenly tribulation... it seems related to the one on the dueling stage, Fu Yan of Frost Blossom Palace. Her aura seems particularly unstable, otherwise, why doesn't she quickly seize the chance to defeat Fang Yu?" Only a moment had passed before someone noticed Fu Yan on the stage. In an instant, realization hit, causing them to call out hurriedly. Upon hearing this, everyone swiftly turned their attention back to the two on the dueling stage. Fu Yan steadied her thoughts amid the competition. No matter what, ascending to immortality held utmost importance. Of course, she wasn't about to concede just yet. If Fang Yu intended to continue battling, Fu Yan was not afraid. Although the heavenly tribulation might make things hectic, it also provided an oppressive force to wield. She could use the power of the heavenly tribulation to swiftly defeat Fang Yu, efficiently resolving many issues. With this realization, Fu Yan felt a wave of relief wash over her. Without overthinking, she quickly ingested several Yin-Yang pills and spiritual elixirs. It was imperative to quickly restore her strength because the heavenly tribulation was nothing to be underestimated. Strangely, since just moments ago, Fang Yu had not made any further moves. He showed no inclination to surrender and made no attempt to seize this opportunity to defeat Fu Yan. Puzzled, Fu Yan glanced over towards Fang Yu. Fang Yu, too, was gazing at the sky where the tribulation clouds converged, an inscrutable look in his eyes. In that instant, a sudden flash of understanding swept through Fu Yan’s mind. Ignoring everything else, she quickly redirected her gaze skyward. Unlike usual, the dark clouds of the tribulation seemed to be overlapping, emitting rolling thunder that, upon closer sensing, had a dual tone. Suddenly, it appeared as though night had fallen, shrouding the entire sky in darkness, devoid of the sun's rays. Something was amiss... This wasn’t a heavenly tribulation meant for just one—it was for two! Realizing this, even Fu Yan couldn't hide her shocked expression. She never would have guessed that she wouldn't be the only one facing the ascension tribulation; there was someone else as well. With that thought, she immediately turned her attention back to Fang Yu. The answer was clear. This duel had not only broken Fu Yan's bottleneck but had also sparked signs of ascension in Fang Yu. Once again, the vast sky over their heads echoed with rolling thunder. Fu Yan had no spare thoughts for Fang Yu’s situation. Instead, she focused on rapidly absorbing the elixirs’ energy, preparing to face the descending heavenly lightning with as much strength restored as possible. Time ticked by, but the duo on the arena remained still, leaving the spectators bewildered and unsure of the unfolding events. On the Frost Blossom Palace puppet ship, Yi Tu and others were equally taken aback, only realizing what was happening after staring at the heavenly tribulation above for a while. "The Palace Master is about to ascend to immortality!" exclaimed Liu Bei as he looked towards Fu Yan's figure. Everyone displayed joyous expressions but soon became conflicted. "But the competition isn’t over yet. Facing a heavenly tribulation while still competing seems nearly impossible." Ming Xi expressed concern, "This tribulation arrived at such a crucial moment. If only it had come a bit later, Fu Jie (Sister Fu) was on the verge of victory. Still, ascending is more significant!" "But," Yuan He added thoughtfully, "if the Palace Master succeeds in her ascension, she probably won’t continue in the competition, right?" Everyone fell silent at this. Nevertheless, there wasn’t much regret, as Fu Yan's ascension also meant that Frost Blossom Palace gained another immortal protector. While they pondered, Bai Yue Li's expression shifted fleetingly to surprise but soon reverted to normal. She then stared at the tribulation, quickly sensing something amiss. "This... the tribulation seems odd?" she murmured to herself. At the same moment, Shui Liu Qing received the latest information from Ji Qing Jue and was stunned. After a moment, she shared with the group, "It’s not just the Palace Master who is ascending... it appears Fang Yu from Sword King Sect is also making his breakthrough." Yi Tu blurted out in shock, "What?" The Sword King Sect disciples added to the astonishment, "So this is our Brother Fang’s tribulation; Brother Fang is also ascending!" The news sent ripples of surprise through the crowd. "Did I hear that right? Both Fu Yan and Fang Yu are preparing to ascend? Are they both breaking through and facing the heavenly tribulation together?" "Yes, the heavenly tribulations of both have converged in the sky. Look closely, and you’ll see it’s for both of them, not an individual tribulation." "My heavens, this is insane! Never have I witnessed such a crazy duel that caused both contenders to break through their bottlenecks in two days and prepare to ascend!" "…" While the spectators engaged in fervent discussions, Fu Yan, now focused entirely on the heavenly tribulation cloud amassing above, tuned them out. Having restored some of her strength, she resumed her defiant gaze at the looming tribulation. "What’s going on?" The voice of Bai Xiong suddenly echoed in her mind, seemingly thrown off by the tribulation’s influence. Bai Xiong scanned around, belatedly sensing the anomaly in Fu Yan's body, and was shocked. "You... you’re about to ascend!" Fu Yan: "..." Why the surprised tone? Had it not been for encountering her bottleneck, Fu Yan might have already broken through in seclusion and possibly been an Immortal Major before the Immortal Gate ceremony commenced. Ignoring Bai Xiong, Fu Yan smirked slightly, shifting her attention back to the tribulation awaiting her. The clouds above growled with thunder, foreboding and terrifying. “Crack!” Amidst her thoughts, the first bolt of sky lightning slashed down abruptly, causing the onlookers to retreat instinctively. Although knowing lightning wouldn't strike the wrong target, they still defensively backed away, fearing it. Moreover, many family leaders and sect elders hurriedly established protective barriers around their disciples. Ideally, it might have been wiser to retreat down the mountain, but a Great Ascension stage and mot yet coupled with two individuals ascending simultaneously were sights many cultivators were witnessing for the first time. Naturally, curiosity piqued them, and with many major immortals present, the place was quite secure. Additionally, witnessing two people simultaneously ascension would accumulate valuable experience for them. Even if ascension seemed like a distant dream now, who knew what the future held? Perhaps inheriting some treasured legacy could turn the dream into reality. Thus, none of the surrounding cultivators left; they watched intently, eyes wide, as Fu Yan faced her tribulation on the stage. As the first bolt of lightning descended, Fu Yan felt its wrath strike her. This one was her tribulation. “Buzz Buzz—” The mighty thunder reverberated through the heavens, slashing directly at Fu Yan, shaking space violently as it penetrated the barrier set by the celestial beings on the dueling platform. In just a blink, the exterior barrier cracked open and shattered entirely. The two immortals who had just reinforced the barrier: "..." There’s nothing to be done; even more effort would be required soon to rebuild and strengthen these barriers, given that the Yun Ni Platform had dozens of dueling stages, meaning many barriers had to be reinforced anew. However, Fu Yan on stage could ill-afford to concern herself with this. She sheathed her Starlight Sword, standing straight on the stage, fists clenched, eyes firmly on the lightning striking her. “Ugh…” As the terrifying lightning surged through her body, Fu Yan couldn’t suppress a pained groan. Sensing its force rampaging within, she gritted her teeth, forcibly enduring it. The ascension tribulation is unique; resisting it with magic is futile. One must allow the lightning to temper the physical body, thus forging an immortal frame. Only then can one ascend successfully to immortality. Several moments passed before Fu Yan felt the lightning inside her finally dissipate, leaving her momentarily at ease, albeit with lingering minor pains. "Crack—" Simultaneously, another bolt crashed down, this time aiming straight for Fang Yu. Fu Yan had little time to relax, her second bolt following immediately, striking her just as relentlessly. “Ugh…” This time, blood seeped from Fu Yan’s lips. Many cultivators who hadn’t witnessed such a scene watched in shock: "Does the tribulation have to be endured physically? Can’t they use spiritual artifacts or something?" "Of course not. It's Nine Heavens Thunder, even immortals might struggle to block it. Plus, going through the Nine Heavens Thunder tempers one’s body into an immortal form!" "Oh, I see. Ascension certainly seems terrifying; I doubt I'll ever manage it in this lifetime..." "…" Despite the chatter, everyone kept their eyes locked on the stage, watching as the contestants faced their tribulation. At this moment, Fu Yan and Fang Yu had already withstood two rounds of Nine Heavens Thunder. Just as the third bolt was about to descend, and Fu Yan was bracing herself to endure it, she suddenly sensed a surge of sword intent rushing towards her. Almost reflexively, Fu Yan dodged swiftly, narrowly avoiding the attack. Looking up, she saw Fang Yu charging at her, sword in hand. It was perplexing; why had he suddenly decided to attack her so directly? Fu Yan, momentarily taken aback, then heard Bai Xiong’s voice echoing in her mind: "He's attempting ascension with a heart demon!" A heart demon? As she dodged another attack from Fang Yu, Fu Yan realized something was indeed amiss. His eyes were filled with darkness, devoid of any normal hue. Clearly, Fang Yu’s mind was muddled at this point, which was why he was relentlessly pursuing Fu Yan. "You’re saying he’s caught in his heart demon?" Fu Yan trusted Bai Xiong’s words but was puzzled as to why the protagonist, Fang Yu, would have a heart demon. Bai Xiong affirmed with a "hmm" before pausing to add, "And… it seems like you’re his heart demon." Fu Yan: "..." That seemed even more impossible. She could count on one hand the number of times she and Fang Yu had interacted. How could she be the cause of his heart demon? Watching Fang Yu recklessly charging at her, Fu Yan was about to refute Bai Xiong's comment when a realization struck her. As the protagonist and the so-called 'child of destiny' in this world, Fang Yu likely had a seamless path, never facing significant setbacks or losing to someone of equal stature... Although the recent competition didn’t conclude definitively, Fang Yu could certainly view himself as having lost to Fu Yan, which could have impacted his Dao Heart, thus giving rise to a heart demon. Realizing this, Fu Yan felt somewhat speechless. Once more, Fang Yu’s attack came her way, and this time, without needing Bai Xiong’s alert, Fu Yan could already sense— A hint of the Heavenly Dao's will pressing down upon her.