Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World-Chapter 1247 - 553: Surviving the Four Tribulations, Defeating the Enemy
Lady Taiyin and the other two looked around in horror. It was still pitch black, and they couldn’t see anything else, yet they inexplicably felt that some eerie presence was lurking in the darkness, watching them, making their skin crawl.
"What is that sound?"
Qingnv’s face changed, and she whispered.
Lady Taiyin and another also heard it, the sound of worms entwining and squirming, getting closer and closer to their ears bit by bit.
Lady Taiyin pointed to the sky, and the Taiyin Laurel Tree floated above her head. Its branches and leaves were like jade, emitting a gentle moonlight that lit up a small patch of sky around them.
At the southeast corner of the bronze platform, under the ghastly white light, hundreds of peach branches pierced through the vast darkness, crawling toward them.
Each peach branch was crowded with human faces, looking at them, smiling.
The faces of Lady Taiyin and her companions turned pale. After watching for a while, Lady Taiyin finally breathed a sigh of relief, "She hasn’t completely escaped this cage yet."
Lord Nichang nodded in agreement. They also realized that the Evil Water Mother was a bit freer within this prison than they were—or rather, she was stronger, capable of moving around without being shackled by the surrounding pressure.
But her movement was slow, so slow that each inch forward took her an hour or two, which somewhat put the three of them at ease.
As if sensing their relaxation, those human faces on the peach branches showed sinister smiles and whispered in unison.
"This is bad!"
Qingnv exclaimed softly. The Evil Water Mother was using the same trick again, and previously, it was Zheng Fa who had helped them regain their clarity. Now, Zheng Fa was still crossing his tribulation, leaving them without assistance!
Despite closing off her hearing, Qingnv still felt those low whispers drilling into her Sea of Consciousness, gradually making it hard for her to maintain her spiritual wisdom.
Just then, light rain fell from above her head, clearing her mind as she looked up.
She saw dew-like moonlight falling from the Laurel Tree above, drifting toward the three of them. It was none other than their sect’s Supreme Treasure, the Three Lights Divine Water.
The Three Lights Divine Water, condensed by the Taiyin Laurel Tree, was most suitable for Divine Dao Cultivators to maintain their spiritual wisdom, with innumerable wonderful uses, though it was extremely rare and produced in small quantities.
But given the current critical situation, Lady Taiyin could not afford to worry about that.
"The Laurel Tree can’t hold on for long..." Seeing the two awaken, Lady Taiyin’s expression did not relax in the least. In a low voice, she said, "The Three Lights Divine Water is rare, and I don’t have much in hand."
Qingnv and Lord Nichang exchanged serious glances, and after a moment, Lady Taiyin spoke again, "If the Three Lights Divine Water runs out, we can’t stay on the bronze platform."
"..."
"If we are affected by the Evil God, I’m afraid we’ll interrupt Zheng Fa’s tribulation; at that point, it will all be too late."
At this, Lady Taiyin turned to Lord Nichang with a smile, "I originally wanted you to leave with Zheng Fa, but it seems difficult now."
Lord Nichang lowered her gaze, "This disciple is willing to follow Lady Taiyin."
"Good, let’s heal our wounds first. If the Three Lights Divine Water runs out and Zheng Fa hasn’t awakened..."
Before she finished speaking, Qingnv smiled lightly. Somehow, her hair had turned completely white, and a seven-stringed zither floated before her, its body like cast ice crystal, appearing extremely imposing, as if she was ready for a desperate battle.
Lady Taiyin nodded gently, her gaze turning to Zheng Fa, who seemed unaware of what was happening. Even she, with her normally serene nature, couldn’t help but pray silently.
...
Zheng Fa was indeed unaware of the Evil Water Mother’s attack.
After the Heavenly Human Five Decline Tribulation, the Independent Immortal faces four additional tribulations: the Vacuum, Daoist Silence, Law Disruption, and Red Bright.
These four tribulations are actually the most difficult among the Independent Immortal’s nine tribulations. If the Heavenly Human Five Decline Tribulation targets the Immortal Body, then these four tribulations directly target the Dao Fruit, testing the cultivator’s Daoist Skill.
His hands clasped over his Dantian, in his palms lay a Taiyin Osmanthus, the Taiyin Origin entering through his Dantian.
The Taiyin Origin, inherently icy and bone-chilling, met his Immortal Body like oil hitting fire, igniting fiercely.
Zheng Fa felt himself engulfed in an icy flame, a true universe of ice and fire.
His Divine Soul suddenly sank, as if submerged in bottomless eternal ice, descending deeper and colder, with the surrounding silence and monotony driving the external world further away.
The Vacuum Tribulation, as described by the Nine Nether Emperor, causes a cultivator to enter a dead and silent space-time, completely isolated from the outside world, unable to hear, see, or sense any external matters.
Zheng Fa felt like he was alone, standing in a dead universe, even the connections with the Heavenly Emperor Body and Sword Dao Body severed.
He had never felt so lonely.
Dead silence surrounded him, with time inching by, bit by bit.
There was no change at all.
Zheng Fa remembered a saying he once heard in his modern life: in prison, what criminals feared most was solitary incarceration. Though it caused no physical harm, it could drive the most vicious criminal insane.
He now understood that sentiment.
There was no Spiritual Energy, no matter whatsoever, not even a breeze.
This universe only watched him in silence. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Zheng Fa could not cultivate, nor was there anyone else to converse with. Initially, he managed, but gradually, a thousand worries and endless agitation surged in his heart:
What if Lu Yao restored the Pure Land?
How were Lady Taiyin and the others faring?
If he couldn’t leave, what would happen to the Jiushan Sect?
...
Various reasonable and unreasonable thoughts churned in his mind, growing more numerous and heavy as time passed.
He didn’t know how much time had passed when he felt like a breaking fishbowl, unable to contain these thoughts and, with a loud crack, it shattered.
