Sage Monarch

Yang Qi was finally trying to break into the Legendary level.

He was using massive amounts of spirit stones to ignite his true energy, and then attempting to turn it into an explosion. If the explosion succeeded, he would be halfway to the Legendary level. Considering he cultivated a godly-class energy art, if he molded his blood into a new form, it would be nothing less than good fortune from heaven and earth.

At the moment, his true energy was burning, but had not yet reached the point of exploding.

Considering all of the aspects of Yang Qi’s cultivation and level, triggering that true energy explosion was no easy task. Massive amounts of spirit energy were required to start the chain reaction. Furthermore, there would be tribulation as well.

Lightning bolts were already piercing into the water in the area, making the entire location a deadly danger zone devoid of any life.

From what Yang Qi could guess, his tribulation would probably be equivalent to dozens of ordinary tribulations. Maybe even upwards of a hundred. Holy Daughter Manyflowers’ tribulation had been impressive, but would pale into insignificance compared to Yang Qi’s. And the Universal Polarity Godbell would seem like a child’s toy compared to the challenges he would face.

As the moments passed, the lightning began to take the shape of war gods, humanoid expressions of electricity.

The lightning also became magical treasures. There was a lamp which burned brightly enough to destroy mountains, a spear that seemed capable of piercing through any obstacle, and a pagoda that looked more imposing than the Grand Emperor's Pagoda.

High above was an enormous heavenly palace made of lightning, like a dwelling place for god-spirits. It thrummed with the power of natural law, and seemed dead set on slaughtering Yang Qi. After all, trying to become a Legendary was an act of challenging the natural laws of heaven and earth, so it was only natural that they would respond with deadly force. Yang Qi was aware of that, and had benefited greatly from observing Holy Daughter Manyflowers’ tribulation. Furthermore, his six months of cultivation in the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, and the work he did there managing the operation of the spell formation, gave him a bit more dao enlightenment.

All sorts of information and thoughts were swirling in his head.

The sea water had long since been expelled from the ancient city around him. Everything was empty except for the bizarre manifestations of lightning.

Blightczar Manyrivers was blown away by what he was seeing, and was gripped by paralyzing fear.  “Aeonic Tribulation Lamp!? Lightning God Tribulation Spear?! Lightning Symmetry Pagoda!? And is that… a Heavenly Lightning Retribution Palace?!

“Why? Why would tribulation like this appear? Who is this guy? This is not ordinary Legendary tribulation by any means. I can’t believe the vital energy of heaven and earth would create something so challenging. Stuff like this only happens in ancient myths and fables. It’s terrifying! Wait, if he succeeds, he’ll be strong enough to wipe out the House of Shadowblight! I have to get out of here! I have to break free from this Grand Emperor's Pagoda. River of Myriad Blights! Break me free!”

Hypertoxic rivers flowed out from Blightczar Manyrivers, and yet, they couldn’t even scratch the Grand Emperor's Pagoda.

It was at this point that some of the lightning entered the pagoda, slamming into Blightczar Manyrivers, provoking a hoarse scream, and leaving him smoking.

“Alright, then,” Yang Qi said. “If so much tribulation wants me, then so be it. I'm like no one else in this world. I cultivate a godly-class energy art, making me unique under heaven! Bring it on! I'm reaching the Legendary level today, so this tribulation can ratchet it up even more if it wants. I want that explosion!”

RUUUUMBLE! 

Outside of the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, he had no defenses to rely on. The area he occupied deep on the seafloor was like a focal point for the lightning, all of which was racing directly toward him.

It was like a rainstorm pounding onto him.

“Hellfire Crucible!”

True energy took the shape of a crucible behind him, along with an enormous vortex that forced the lightning to flow toward it like rivers, and then be melted.

BOOM!

The enormous lamp bore down on him, burning so brightly it was nearly blinding. Destroying his defensive true energy, it entered his meridians.

“Feels great!” he laughed. “Come on. You've got to have something stronger than that. I need my true energy to explode!”

He was literally opening himself up to the lightning.

WHOOSH!

The huge spear stabbed into him, then vanished into his meridians, where it began to slash about with devastating force.

Next was the palace and the pagoda, which blasted their way into his acupoints and meridians.

All of a sudden, the lightning formed into a painting that featured endless stretches of interlocking rivers and mountains, the passage of ages, the cycle of the sun and moon. And it swept directly toward Yang Qi.

“My god!” murmured Blightczar Manyrivers. "Is that the fabled Immortal-Slayer’s Painting? According to what I've heard, it should only show up when stepping into the Great Sage level. Why would it be in this tribulation? Wait, did he just say he cultivates a godly-class energy art?!” He was injured and out of energy, but could see everything that was happening, and it left him feeling completely stunned. The images playing out in front of him were like pictures from ancient energy arts histories, and were things that surpassed what humans should experience.

The term “godly-class energy art” was still ringing in his mind like thunder, and left him feeling like he was completely bereft of his senses.

After all, he cultivated a mere imperial-class energy art, and yet it was the most powerful and enigmatic ability in the entire House of Shadowblight.

“With an enemy like this, it seems the House of Shadowblight’s days are numbered. What is a godly-class energy art doing in a place like this? They don’t exist even in the Western Continent, or the fabled Quake-Dawn Continent. Back in the days of the Yore-Wilds, at the height of the God-Devil Apocalypse, it was only Infernal King Euphoria from the Hell of Euphoria who actually used a godly-class art….”

After thinking about that ancient myth, Blightczar Manyrivers was certain that he must be seeing things.

Whoosh!

The enormous Immortal-Slayer’s Painting wrapped around Yang Qi, and he began to collapse. His true energy exploded, eviscerating his five viscera and six bowels, his meridians and sea of energy, his bones and marrow. Everything about him was shredded into dust.

Normally speaking, it would mean that he was utterly and thoroughly dead.

However, his soul still existed, and his quintessence and power could survive the destruction of his body. In some respects, Yang Qi was unparalleled under heaven in this regard.

Throughout history, many Nonary Lifeseizers would fail to keep their soul intact when their true energy exploded.

After all, when the fleshly body died, it would take incredible strength to maintain one's willpower and soul, then draw upon unparalleled energy arts to reform one’s life force into a new body.

Some people who survived the explosion in soul form would then be unable to form a new body.

But Yang Qi could. He had prepared well for this moment, and with the help of the spirit stones he had taken, and his godly-class energy art, he immediately began to form a new body.

“The Lord is the father of the legion of gods, and the master of all living beings. The mighty Lord created the world by bringing radiance and light to the darkness. He created time, karma, reincarnation, judgement, as well as the halls of heaven and the depths of hell…. The Lord created everything, and also said that anything which could be reborn would never be destroyed. The time has come for… rebirth! Physique of the Sovereign Lord!”

Cracking sounds were heard as his meridians, vital energy and sea of energy began to form into something like an embryo.

At the same time, it seemed as though the vital energy of heaven and earth could sense what was happening, that something incredibly powerful was coming into existence. Instantly, the natural laws of heaven and earth surged with power, and five enormous mountains of lightning appeared. They were like mountains belonging to ancient gods, five peaks that represented destruction, chaos, blasphemy, evil, and fanaticism.

“Five Hellish Lightning Mountains? What are those things doing here?!” Blightczar Manyrivers was almost numb to what was happening. The things he were seeing were spoken of only in myths, making him feel like he was living in an epic poem from the distant past.

In fact, he was actually happy that he was in the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, not on the outside, otherwise he would likely be dead already.

The Five Hellish Lightning Mountains descended onto Yang Qi’s newly reforming body, entered it, then exploded. From a distance, Yang Qi almost looked like a leather bag that had been emptied out. His blood, bones, and organs were all gone as he attempted this nirvanic rebirth.

“Perfect timing!”

The additional explosion pushed his Hellfire Crucible to the limit. It consumed the five lightning mountains, converting it into true energy for Yang Qi to use.

“Physique of the Sovereign Lord; Nirvanic Rebirth!” He began to inflate almost like a balloon. Streams of holy light suddenly appeared, which shot into him, revealing that he now had pure white bones that were inscribed with text and poems by the legion of gods, praising their Lord.