Chapter 110: The Golden Core Tribulation is Approaching

In the center of the valley, the crimson crystal suspended above the altar was pounding wildly like a heart!

Each pulsation was accompanied by the extraction of energy. The entire secret realm began to tremble, the suspended islands shook violently, threatening to collapse at any moment. The ground cracked, and the once vibrant vegetation withered and decayed at a visible speed, turning to ashes. The flow of spiritual energy between heaven and earth became completely chaotic, forming violent turbulent vortexes.

Several Soul Devouring Cult priests, clad in black robes, surrounded the altar. Their bone staffs glowed with intense black light as they chanted sinister incantations. They continuously poured their demonic energy into the crimson crystal, accelerating its devouring of the secret realm's essence. The crystal's surface shimmered with crimson light, greedily absorbing the life force of this world.

"Not good!" Xie Chen's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly closed his jade fan. "They're trying to forcibly refine the secret realm's origin! We must break the chains immediately!"

The four exchanged glances and instantly reached a consensus.

Shen Yunzhou's eyes were sharp as swords, and the "Frost Chant" sword emitted a clear, long hum. He moved like lightning, his sword light transforming into a cold star, striking with pinpoint accuracy at the junction of a dark chain!

"Clang!" Sparks flew! The chain trembled violently, its magical runes flashing, yet it only left a shallow white mark, incredibly resilient! Even the sharp sword intent could not cut through it!

Ji Qianqiu roared, his voice echoing through the valley! His entire body shone with a bronze glow, his fists clenched, his muscles bulging like iron, and he punched another chain without any fancy moves!

A move called "Diamond Shakes the Mountain!" was executed with a deafening roar that tore through the air!

With a muffled thud, a shockwave exploded! The chains were bent from the impact, emitting a teeth-grinding groan, but the immense force of the recoil also caused Ji Qianqiu's arm to tremble violently, his arm bones cracking! He groaned and staggered back two steps!

Xie Chen waved his jade fan rapidly, sending streaks of spiritual light, like threads, towards the array node connecting the chains and the altar, attempting to disrupt the energy transmission. However, a dense barrier of demonic energy rose from the surface of the chains, like viscous swamp, easily repelling and swallowing his spiritual light!

Fang Li held the Biehe Qin (a type of zither) in front of her, her ten fingers flying across the strings. Chaotic sound waves transformed into invisible tides, crashing against the chains wave after wave. The sound waves touched the chains, stirring up ripples of demonic energy, but the effect was minimal, like a mud ox sinking into the sea.

The jet-black chains, shrouded in demonic energy, were not only exceptionally tough but could also deflect some of the attack's energy! Despite their combined efforts, the four remained unable to break through! The chains continued to firmly imprison the crimson crystal, devouring the life force of the secret realm! Time was rapidly passing!

At the entrance to the secret realm, Master Qingxuan, who had been sensing the situation inside with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, his face instantly turning ashen: "Not good! The essence of the secret realm is fluctuating violently! My disciple is in danger!"

The compass needle in Chu Yunfan's hand spun wildly, almost detaching from the compass: "The flow of spiritual energy is extremely abnormal! A major change may be occurring in the core area! Spiritual energy is being frantically extracted!"

Ji Kuangshi's hair and beard bristled as he roared, "What are we waiting for! Charge in!" His giant axe was already in his hand, and a violent aura soared into the sky!

Without the slightest hesitation! Qingxuan Zhenren, Chu Yunfan, Ji Kuangshi, Ji Bailie, Mo Yun, Ling Shuang, Tie Pan, and several guardian priests led by the old priest of the Holy Mountain rushed towards the entrance of the violently fluctuating secret realm vortex at the same time, like two torrents!

In the core battlefield, Fang Li's mind resonated painfully with the origin of the secret realm. She could clearly feel the lamentations of this world, and the rapid loss of life force. The chaotic foundation within her body trembled angrily, as if utterly enraged!

We can't wait any longer!

A resolute glint flashed in Fang Li's eyes! She bit her tongue sharply, forcibly suppressing the anxiety in her heart, and fully activated the Chaos Technique! The Thoughts Hairpin on her head and the Crane-Farewell Zither in front of her simultaneously erupted with unprecedented brilliance!

"With my Dao, I will draw upon your source!" she exclaimed, placing her hands lightly on the strings of the zither. Using her own chaotic Dao foundation as a guide, she drew upon the omnipresent chaotic energy within the secret realm!

Rumble—!

As if a floodgate had been opened! Vast, boundless chaotic spiritual energy surged forth from all directions! Beneath withered vegetation, in the cracked earth, amidst the turbulent flow of spiritual energy… countless streams of gray energy converged, forming a massive, slowly rotating gray vortex above her head! At the center of the vortex emanated a chilling aura of chaos!

"Break—!" Fang Li pushed forward with all her might!

That massive chaotic torrent split into countless fine gray streams! These streams, as if possessing life, washed over, seeped into, and drilled into the shimmering magic runes on the surface of every chain!

*Sizzle sizzle sizzle...* *Snap! Snap snap!*

The demonic nodes invaded by chaotic spiritual energy emitted a piercing corrosive sound, like ice blocks being thrown into boiling oil! The chains began to tremble violently, the light of the demonic runes on their surface flickering, and finally, unable to bear the weight, they snapped with a crisp sound!

One, two... the chains binding the crimson crystal crumbled inch by inch!

Freed from the chains, the pulsating crimson crystal was fully exposed! Spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spread across the crystal's surface!

At this crucial moment of breaking the formation!

"Disciple!" "Fang Li!" "Junior Sister!"

Several anxious shouts rang out almost simultaneously! The two reinforcements finally broke through the obstacles and arrived at the heart of the valley!

Master Qingxuan immediately saw the chains shatter and the crystals exposed, and also saw the several black-robed priests burning their demonic energy!

His hair and beard bristled, his rage like thunder: "Dare to touch my disciple! You're courting death!" The oppressive aura of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator erupted without reservation! With a flick of his whisk, thousands of silver threads swelled in the wind, transforming into a gigantic net that blotted out the sky, instantly binding the nearest black-robed priest, along with his bone staff, like a dumpling! With his other hand, he formed a hand seal, lightning flashing in his palm. "Boom!" With a deafening roar, a thick bolt of lightning struck another priest, charring his body black, sending him flying backward with a scream!

Chu Yunfan moved swiftly, his hands flashing, countless fine silver needles, like a storm, pierced through the protective demonic energy and shot towards the vital points of the remaining priests! At the same time, he flicked his sleeve, and a large amount of colorless and odorless medicinal powder spread out, turning into a pale purple poisonous mist that enveloped the altar area, greatly interfering with the priests' spellcasting and the circulation of their demonic energy!

Ji Kuangshi and Ji Bailie, like two raging lions, roared as they joined the battle! Their giant axes cleaved with the force of splitting mountains, and their spears thrust like poisonous dragons! They were incredibly brave and engaged the priests in close combat, their ferocious power overwhelming the priests!

Mo Yun and Ling Shuang worked in perfect harmony, their talismans flashing in succession! The golden light of the "Vajra Talisman" fell upon Ji Kuangshi and Ji Bailie; the azure light of the "Swiftness Talisman" empowered Shen Yunzhou and Ji Qianqiu; the fireballs of the "Exploding Flame Talisman" and the chilling air of the "Ice Seal Talisman" alternately bombarded the altar base, slowing down the operation of the remaining formation!

Tie Pan rushed to Fang Li's side immediately, and a heavy shield stood in front of her with a bang, its spiritual light fully activated, to shield her from the aftershocks of the battle and sporadic attacks of demonic energy!

The guardian priests, led by the old priest of the holy mountain, quickly dispersed throughout the valley. Holding ancient bone ritual implements, they chanted prayers to appease the heavens and earth. Pure, azure-colored light emanated from them, flowing gently like streams into the violently trembling earth, attempting to soothe the wounds of space and repair the primordial power that had been frantically devoured.

The battlefield instantly descended into chaos! The dazzling light of magic, the sounds of explosions, the clang of metal on metal, roars, and screams mingled together, creating a deafening cacophony!

Fang Li exerted all her strength, and the chaotic torrent continued to impact the exposed blood-red crystal!

"boom--!!!"

A deafening roar shook the heavens and the earth! The crimson crystal finally succumbed to the pressure from both inside and outside, shattering violently! A torrent of demonic energy surged forth! Several black-robed priests who were burning their life essence to maintain the formation were the first to be hit, screaming as they were swallowed up by the flood of demonic energy and instantly turned to ashes!

The core of the evil formation is destroyed!

The loss of the secret realm's essence suddenly stopped! The violent tremors in the space also subsided at a visible speed.

However, Fang Li's face turned pale! In order to draw in and refine that massive chaotic energy, her spiritual power had already been operating beyond its limit! At this moment, with the evil array destroyed and her mind slightly relaxed, the cultivation bottleneck that had been forcibly suppressed shattered with a crash!

Her aura surged like a rocket! The chaotic light around her flowed endlessly, becoming even purer and more powerful! In one fell swoop, she stepped from the peak of Foundation Establishment to the early stage of Golden Core!

But at the very moment she broke through!

The sky above the secret realm, which had become somewhat clearer due to the destruction of the evil array, suddenly darkened! Thick, dark clouds gathered out of nowhere, layer upon layer, pressing down so heavily that it was hard to breathe! Deep within the clouds, blinding lightning flashed and danced wildly, emitting a muffled roar! A majestic heavenly might, like an invisible shackle, locked onto Fang Li, who had just broken through!

Just as Master Qingxuan had sent a priest flying, he sensed this divine power and his expression changed drastically again. He exclaimed in shock, "Not good! The Tribulation of Breaking the Pill?! And of all times!"

Only three Soul Devouring Cult priests remained. Seeing their core destroyed and their cause lost, their eyes blazed with utter madness and venom!

The priest with the strongest aura at the head roared hoarsely, his voice like that of a night owl: "Sacrifice... do not even think of escaping... I offer my broken body as a sacrifice to the demon god!" They recklessly burned their last essence and remnant souls, frantically pouring the remaining demonic energy in their bodies, along with the energy from the broken remnants of the evil array, into the already collapsed altar base!

The remaining demonic runes on the altar suddenly glowed with a blinding blood-red light! A terrifying aura, a mixture of filthy spiritual energy and the remnant soul of the priest, erupted! The blood-red light twisted and condensed, and a gigantic, ferocious-looking troll was rapidly taking shape! It exuded a destructive aura, its single crimson eye fixedly locked onto Fang Li, who had just broken through and was currently being targeted by the heavenly might!

The troll roared silently to the sky, its massive body lunging at Fang Li with a mad urge to take him down with it! At the same time, the tribulation clouds churned in the sky, and the first blinding bolt of tribulation lightning was already forming in the clouds, about to strike!

The trolls are attacking! A lightning tribulation is imminent!

Master Qingxuan's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse with anxiety: "Protect my disciple!"

Shen Yunzhou's eyes were resolute, without the slightest hesitation. With a flash of sword light, he stood in front of Fang Li, pointing his "Frost Chant" sword at the onrushing giant demon!

Ji Qianqiu roared, ignoring the pain in his arm bone, his blood and qi surged again, and he stood like a wall on Fang Li's other side, his fists clenched tightly!

Chu Yunfan unleashed a barrage of silver needles, aiming at the troll's eyes and joints!

Xie Chenyu quickly tapped his fan, and several defensive array lights lit up around Fang Li!

Ironclad roared, and the heavy shield's spiritual light surged, firmly blocking Fang Li's front!

The old priest of the holy mountain suddenly raised his voice in prayer, and the shimmering light surged toward the troll like a tide, attempting to purify its filthy demonic energy!

Everyone was trying to buy Fang Li that precious time!

Fang Li was in the process of breaking through, surrounded by chaotic light, and the newly born chaotic spirit fire danced at her fingertips.

She glanced up at the terrifying lightning bolt about to strike, then at the troll charging towards her with an aura of destruction, and at the people who were desperately protecting her. A bold and insane thought flashed through her mind:

Fang Li: "Tongzi! You say... use this lightning bolt that fell from the sky... to strike that ugly monster to death... is that okay?! Buy one get one free!"

System [“Holy crap, host, are you crazy?! This is too outrageous! Maybe we can both spiral to heaven together! But... it seems... to make sense? This lightning is going to strike you anyway, so using it to strike a monster... hiss... seems like a huge win?”]

Fang Li's eyes lit up even more upon hearing this, with a hint of eager, almost frantic, anticipation:

"A steal! System, don't chicken out! Think about it: the Heavenly Tribulation strikes down the demons, we undergo our tribulation, and the demons absorb the damage! Perfect! Let's take a gamble, and we might just turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!"

System: ["You've gone mad! You've gone mad! Host, you're absolutely insane!"]

Fang Li glanced at Shen Yunzhou and the others blocking her way, a flicker of hesitation crossing her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by madness: "No! If we play it safe, they might be finished! This mine... we have to use it! System, stop talking nonsense! Quick! Calculate the best angle and timing to detonate the mine! We... we're going to pull off something big!"

System: [Ah, even if it's calculated! If it crashes, so be it! Coordinates XXX, YYY, ZZZ! The first lightning strikes in three seconds! Host! Prepare to catch the lightning... Ah! Ancestors, please! Data, please! Don't crash!]

Boom—!

The sky exploded! The first bolt of purple lightning, as thick as a bucket, tore through the heavy dark clouds and struck down directly at Fang Li!