Dashing Student-Chapter 1100: Facing the Heart Tribulation

In the secret chamber of Myriad Phenomena Commerce, the prototype of Chen Nan’s Golden Core had already formed.

Next, as long as he nurtured it well and continued compressing it, the Golden Core would gradually become round and gleaming in gold. By then, he would have truly stepped into the Golden Core Stage.

For now, he was merely at the Half-step Golden Core.

"Haha, I’ve finally reached this step."

Chen Nan recalled the time when he was hunted by Master Xuanming’s disciple, a newly ascended cultivator in the Golden Core Stage, who nearly took his life.

And now he had also reached this point.

One day, he would even surpass Master Xuanming!

Exhaling a long breath of turbid air, Chen Nan immersed his mind, continuously absorbing the Spiritual Energy from the Spirit Stones, compressing and nurturing the Golden Core prototype, preparing to break through to the Golden Core Stage in one fell swoop.

Another month passed, and a vortex of Spiritual Energy had formed around him, drawing in all the Spirit Stones, absorbing their Spiritual Energy.

The vortex of Spiritual Energy even emitted the sound of howling winds, and the Golden Core was no longer pitted, nearing a perfectly round shape.

Meanwhile, above the clandestine chamber, beams of light descended from the sky, stars scattered, auspicious clouds encircled, and such a phenomenon caused many cultivators in the city to cry out in surprise.

"A heavenly phenomenon descending? Is there a Saint emerging?"

"I’ve heard that when cultivators ascend to the Nascent Soul Stage, heavenly phenomena also appear. Is someone in the city breaking through to the Nascent Soul?"

"It doesn’t seem like it. When a Nascent Soul Cultivator breaks through, the heavenly phenomenon affects a thousand miles around. But now, it only appears over a small area."

Speculation abounded, but no one could explain the current scene.

Lady Shang stood at the window, looking in the direction of the heavenly phenomenon, a cheerful smile on her face, full of excitement.

Only she knew that was where the secret chamber was located.

"Just advancing to the Golden Core Stage brings such heavenly auspicious omens. Chen Nan, you’ve really given me a huge surprise."

This alone made countless cultivators pale in comparison; it was a favor from the Heavenly Dao.

But just then, the heavenly phenomenon suddenly disappeared, and a large mass of dark clouds rapidly gathered, with glaring lightning brewing within them.

"What’s happening? Did something go wrong with Chen Nan’s breakthrough to the Golden Core?"

Lady Shang’s eyes widened suddenly, and her heart became chaotic.

She knew that many cultivators, despite lacking the qualifications, forcibly attempted to break through to the Golden Core, leading to their cultivation dissipating into nothingness, unable to cultivate for the rest of their lives.

Even worse, some perished entirely.

Just as she rushed out of the room, she was blocked by an elder at the door.

"Elder Bai, let me through quickly."

The elder, called Elder Bai, slowly shook his head; he was sent by Master Fufeng, Lady Shang’s father, to protect his daughter.

He had been watching from the shadows, aware of everything that had happened.

Although annoyed that Chen Nan won the favor of their family’s jewel, what could he do when the young lady fancied him? So, he did not intervene.

"Miss, if you go to Chen Nan now, not only will you be unable to help him, but you might end up harming him."

Lady Shang was taken aback, quickly turning to Elder Bai and asking, "Elder Bai, what exactly is happening to him?"

Though surprised that Elder Bai seemed to know everything, now was not the time for shyness; Chen Nan was the priority.

Elder Bai stroked his beard lightly and said, "Cultivators favored by the Heavenly Dao aren’t rare throughout history; they carry great destiny."

"Once their cultivation shows promise, even heaven and earth celebrate."

"But correspondingly, those with great destiny endure greater tribulations. Chen Nan is facing the tribulation of advancing to the Golden Core Stage."

"The Heart Demon Tribulation!"

Though never having experienced it, Lady Shang had heard of the terror of the Heart Demon Tribulation, which some highly potential cultivators might encounter when breaking through to the Golden Core Stage.

Rumors say that those who can peacefully pass through the Heart Demon Tribulation will surely become powerful in the future!

However, overcoming the Heart Demon Tribulation is no simple matter; nearly half of the cultivators facing it fail, succumbing to inner demons.

Therefore, the Heart Demon Tribulation is the most dreaded ordeal for cultivators advancing to the Golden Core Stage.

Elder Bai saw Lady Shang looking distraught and sighed slightly.

The young lady had good taste; that lad named Chen Nan had immense potential. If he could survive the Heart Demon Tribulation, his future would be limitless.

"Miss, all we can do now is wait."

...

In the secret chamber, Chen Nan was already seated cross-legged, surrounded by Spiritual Energy so dense it seemed almost to liquefy.

But at this moment, chaos suddenly surged in his mind, swiftly swallowing all his consciousness.

Dazedly, Chen Nan opened his eyes, glanced around, and found himself at the foot of a grand mountain.

He was not unfamiliar with the scenery here; it was Yuantian Sect, where he had first arrived upon entering the Nine Provinces!

"Why am I here?"

His mind muddled, many memories were blurry; when he looked up, the scene before him suddenly transformed.

The once clear sky turned dark, the sunlight vanished, and a blood-red moon hung high in the sky.

Along the stone steps leading from the foot to the peak of the mountain, numerous corpses lay in disorder.

These corpses seemed to be those he’d killed before.

From the early disciples of Yuantian Sect to the later disciples of Master Xuanming, then Liu Ping, Young Master Duobao, the assassins of Yama Hall;

even those killed in the Ancient Realm Secret Realm and Southern Marsh, whose names he couldn’t remember, their bodies lay here.

Step by step, Chen Nan walked towards the steps, as if someone were guiding him upward, a voice constantly whispering in his ear like a devil. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"See that man? Just an ordinary disciple of Yuantian Sect. He had a wife, children, was the pillar of his family, but because of Hu Chuan’s power, he had to kill you."

"Killing him cut off the life of his entire family, but was he truly unforgivable?"

"And look at that assassin; he needed to support his elderly mother. Forced by circumstances, he became an assassin, and died by your hand, leaving his mother to wait for death at home."

"Could you really leave him no way out?"

"You slay Demon Cultivators, but how are you different from them, except in victory and defeat?"

"You kill wantonly, cold-heartedly, but isn’t it those very traits you despise? Do you intend to kill yourself?"

The voice seduced him, Chen Nan’s mind muddled, unable to think clearly.

Under its narrative, he indeed felt guilt growing in his heart.

He even wanted to end it all!

Finally, he reached the mountain peak, only to witness a heart-wrenching scene.

Nie Xiaoyu was nestled in the arms of Master Xuanming, eyes full of mockery and sneers.

"Hehe, I was just playing with you. You didn’t take it seriously, did you? How could I be interested in you? You’re nothing but a stray dog, and I’m the prodigy of Yuantian Sect."