Shen Yuan’s grip tightened on the Crimson Devourer, its crimson glow intensifying with each passing second, as though excited for facing the very heavens and the tribulation.
A smile played on his lips despite the pain coursing through his body. “Alright, buddy, let’s show the heavens what we’re made of,” he muttered, his voice low yet resolute.
With a single motion, he pushed off the ground, his body rocketing into the sky like a crimson streak of light.
The oppressive thunderclouds churned violently above, the sixth bolt gathering its terrifying energy.
The air crackled with raw power, and the onlookers below watched with bated breath.
Just as Shen Yuan prepared himself, a flash of light caught his attention.
His gaze snapped downward to see Shen Yuxin standing outside the courtyard, her expression tense.
In a swift motion, she hurled a shimmering glob of light toward him, her voice ringing out with urgency, “Yuan’er, catch this!”
Raising an eyebrow, Shen Yuan extended his hand, catching the orb mid-flight.
The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt a dense, familiar energy pulsing from within. “What is this?” he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he briefly inspected it.
‘MERGE’
A strange voice sounded in his mind, telling him to merge the ore.
His eyes snapped open as he looked around him, only to not find anyone.
His gaze landed back on the item as he inspected it closely. It was an old ore that had an unpolished, raw surface, but it exuded an unmistakable familiar aura.
Before he could investigate further, the heavens roared with fury. The sixth bolt of thunder began descending, its size and ferocity being magnitudes above the previous strikes.
The golden lightning crackled ominously, illuminating the entire sect.
“Tch, no time for this,” Shen Yuan gritted his teeth. Without hesitation, he smashed the ore against Crimson Devourer, the impact sending a shockwave rippling through the air.
The sword vibrated violently, its crimson glow flickering as it tried to absorb the essence of the ore. Shen Yuan raised it high, channeling his Qi into the weapon.
‘Heaven and Earth Severance: First Form—Mountain Cleaving!’
A crescent wave of crimson energy erupted from the sword, carving a path toward the descending lightning bolt.
The two forces collided in a brilliant explosion, lighting up the sky with blinding radiance.
For a moment, it seemed as though Shen Yuan’s attack would withstand the blow, but the heavenly thunder surged with such intensity that it overpowered the crimson wave.
CRACK!
The lightning struck Crimson Devourer, sending shockwaves through Shen Yuan’s body.
The immense force blasted him out of the sky, and he crashed into the ground with a resounding impact, forming a crater in the courtyard.
The lightning bolt didn’t stop there—it lashed out wildly, striking the cherry tree nearby.
The once-beautiful tree was scarred by the heavenly thunder, but its presence was pushed to the background as the onlookers focused on Shen Yuan.
…
Shen Yuan groaned, coughing violently as blood splattered onto the ground. His body felt like it was on fire, his limbs trembling from the sheer force of the impact.
He forced himself to sit up, his vision swimming as he clutched Crimson Devourer, which lay embedded in the dirt beside him.
“Damn it…” he muttered, his voice hoarse.
But before he could assess his injuries, a sudden surge of Qi caught his attention.
The sword began to hum, its crimson glow intensifying to an almost blinding brilliance.
Shen Yuan’s eyes widened as the strange ore fused completely with Crimson Devourer, the sword’s form changing before his very eyes.
Its blade became wilder, runes of an ancient, predatory script carving themselves along its surface.
The weapon pulsed with a strange power, its aura now leagues above what it had been moments before.
From its previous Spirit Grade, the sword ascended to the Heaven Grade directly, its presence overwhelming.
Shen Yuan could feel it devouring the residual heavenly thunder and Qi in the air, greedily absorbing the energy to strengthen itself further.
“Well, this is… quite something,” Shen Yuan muttered, a crooked grin forming on his bloodied face.
Despite his battered state, a fire of determination burned in his eyes. He gripped the sword tightly, feeling its hunger resonate with his own fighting spirit.
“Hah, looks like we won’t be going down without a fight, Crimson Devourer.” He wiped the blood from his face before raising his head and looking straight at the churning heavens.
The heavens churned ominously, the golden lightning clouds twisting and writhing as if alive, preparing to unleash their next judgment.
The oppressive atmosphere grew heavier, the air charged with an overwhelming energy that made even the strongest cultivators watching from afar feel their knees buckle under the sheer might of the heavens.
Shen Yuan, standing amidst the devastation, gripped Crimson Devourer tightly.
The blade pulsed in his hand, its new Heaven Grade aura radiating both strength and hunger.
He wiped the remaining blood from his lips, a grim expression etched onto his face as he gazed at the turbulent sky. Yet there was a crazy smile on his face as it had been far too long since he had fought a worthy battle.
‘Truly a madman, considering the heavens as his equal at the mere cultivation base of the Origin Core Creation Realm.’ Yue Lan thought incredulously while looking at Shen Yuan’s expression.
The clouds shifted, and from within their depths emerged a terrifying figure—a massive flood dragon, its serpentine body crackling with golden lightning.
Its scales shimmered with raw power, each movement exuding an aura of divine judgment.
The dragon’s eyes locked onto Shen Yuan, its maw opening wide as it roared with enough force to shake the ground below.
“So, the heavens have decided to send their pet, huh?” Shen Yuan muttered, his tone defiant despite the blood dripping from his battered body. “Let’s see how you handle this.”
The flood dragon coiled in the sky before descending like a tidal wave of destruction, its thunderous roar echoing through the heavens.
Shen Yuan planted his feet firmly, his Qi surging as he flew toward the sky once again, unleashing his full strength.
‘Heaven and Earth Severance: Second Form—Tempest Slicing!’ he roared in his mind, the words reverberating with power.
Crimson Devourer erupted with crimson energy, forming a vortex around him as he prepared his counterattack.
Shen Yuan’s Second Level Sword Intent blasted to life, its sharpness cutting through the oppressive aura. Simultaneously, he channeled Second Level Fire Intent, igniting the vortex with searing flames that danced wildly.
Second Level Thunder Intent surged through the energy wave, crackling in harmony with the tribulation’s power as its strength seemed to increase with each passing moment.
Second Level Radiant Intent added a brilliant glow, its light piercing through the dense clouds, while First Level Space Intent added an extra touch of sharpness to it, as due to its low level, it couldn’t contribute much against the heavens.
His mastery of weapons came to the forefront as he layered in his Second Level Saber, Bow, Halberd, Axe, Spear, Scythe, and other Intents, each manifesting as spectral weapons hovering around him, their ethereal forms glowing with destructive power, combining with his other Elemental Intents.