Futile Devices Scans

Miaoyin still wished to say something more, yet Yun Zhenzi turned his back and shook his head at her in warning. The other great powers of the Immortal Dao likewise offered her no support.

After all, it had been Miaoyin who first provoked the wrath of the Demon Sect. Their earlier intervention on her behalf had already been the limit; to openly offend Wenren Li for her sake again was utterly impossible.

Less than ten days had passed since that disturbance ended when thunderclouds once more gathered above the Central Palace. Another tribulation of heavenly lightning was about to descend.

Chen Yixin had not expected that his attempt to break through to the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment would summon yet another lightning tribulation. But since it had come, there was no reason to fear it. In fact, he had the strange feeling that he might soon grow accustomed to such tribulations.

With a deafening boom, the final bolt of lightning crashed down upon Chen Yixin’s crown. For the first time, he attempted to form hand seals and counter it with the Burning Heaven Technique. A faint blue flame flickered into existence, trembling as it flew outward. Under the radiance of the lightning, it lasted less than two breaths before extinguishing—but even those brief two breaths were enough to prove its extraordinary nature.

Chen Yixin lifted his foot lightly and stepped into the air, circulating the second of the Six Burning Heaven Arts—the Burning Heaven Dance. With the spiritual energy flow of the Ascendant Immortal Scripture added into the mix, both the power and visual spectacle of the Burning Heaven Dance underwent a heaven-and-earth transformation—bewitching yet deadly. Especially when Chen Yixin began to move, there was an inexplicable amplifying resonance to his motions.

He attributed this to his own strikingly handsome appearance, perfectly complementing the equally captivating Burning Heaven Dance.

Moreover, it seemed that the Six Burning Heaven Arts had been created upon the foundation of the Ascendant Immortal Scripture. Each additional art mastered would double its power; with six layers of amplification stacked together, the Six Burning Heaven Arts could be called nothing short of heaven-defying.

Of course, at present Chen Yixin had only mastered two of the arts. The Burning Heaven Dance he could be said to have grasped, while the Burning Heaven Technique he had only just begun. As for the remaining four arts—Burning Heaven Song, Burning Heaven Judgment, Burning Heaven Seal, and Burning Heaven Treasure Art—he only had a superficial understanding.

The Burning Heaven Song was, quite simply, singing—but its melody was profoundly mysterious. He surmised that its effect would be much like the Burning Heaven Dance, possessing a powerful bewitching quality.

The Burning Heaven Judgment was a sword technique consisting of a single move. Yet with Chen Yixin’s current cultivation, let alone mastering it, even prolonged observation was enough to strain him beyond endurance.

The Burning Heaven Seal was a type of restriction technique—a method for breaking seals. Chen Yixin had little experience in this area, and mastering it would require a great deal of time and contemplation. As for the Burning Heaven Treasure Art, it was the most enigmatic of the six; Chen Yixin could not even discern its purpose. Learning it would likely be unimaginably difficult.

Still, he was not one to aim beyond his reach. For now, it was enough to fully unleash the power of the Burning Heaven Technique and the Burning Heaven Dance.

He strolled leisurely within the lightning, using the tribulation itself as practical training for the Burning Heaven Dance—an act that could only be called audacious. And the result of such audacity was that just as he turned, his graceful form barely revealed—

—a bolt of lightning descended from nowhere and struck him straight down.

Before Chen Yixin could even hit the ground, the small sapling that had been watching nearby shimmered with flowing light and transformed into a little child. With a sweep of spiritual energy, he caught Chen Yixin, his gaze lifting as though ready to vent his anger upon the thunderclouds.

Gritting his teeth, Chen Yixin sat up. To have such an embarrassing scene witnessed by Wenren Li left him somewhat irritated as well. Fortunately, the lightning tribulation of the fourth Foundation Establishment layer had already passed.

“A-Li, come here.”

The treasured robe on Chen Yixin’s body had been torn apart by the lightning. With a casual sweep of his sleeve, he changed into a fresh set of clothes. Wenren Li walked over, his small face set in seriousness as he grasped Chen Yixin’s hand and carefully examined him. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did his expression soften slightly.

Seeing this, Chen Yixin could no longer maintain his own sternness. He pulled the child into his embrace. “A-Li, don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine.” He had indeed been struck, but once the Ascendant Immortal Scripture circulated, everything was restored.

With the curse technique dispelled, he felt as though reborn—and that rebirth had been brought about by Wenren Li.

“Of course,” Chen Yixin added softly, coaxing, “if A-Li would give me a kiss, I’d feel even better.” He tilted his cheek toward him, waiting.

Wenren Li blinked. It wasn’t that he didn’t wish to be close to Chen Yixin, but in his current form, it felt somewhat awkward. Yet stronger than that awkwardness was his unwillingness to refuse him.

He leaned closer slowly, lips slightly pursed. Just as he was about to touch Chen Yixin’s cheek, Chen Yixin suddenly turned his head—and promptly planted a series of quick kisses all over Wenren Li’s lips and face.

When he finished, he even complained, “A-Li, you’re too slow… I waited so long I had to do it myself.”

A faint flush bloomed across Wenren Li’s cheeks. He looked at Chen Yixin, seeming both helpless and speechless, yet he still rested his head upon Chen Yixin’s shoulder, leaning into him, allowing himself to be held.

“A-Rong, focus on your cultivation. There’s no need to rush leaving.”

“Alright,” Chen Yixin responded softly. Holding the child version of Wenren Li in his arms, he found himself missing the adult version as well. And from time to time, he could not help but recall the bridal chamber scene from the illusion.

“A-Rong, your mind is unsettled,” Wenren Li reminded him at the right moment.

Chen Yixin gave a soft snort. Hugging Wenren Li, he flopped down onto the floor of the Inheritance Hall, rolling around with him in his arms. He had grown increasingly accustomed to acting shamelessly. “So what if I’m unsatisfied with my desires? You can’t even grow up, A-Li.”

He had no resistance to hugging and kissing a child—but anything beyond that was truly impossible for him.

Wenren Li fell silent for a moment at those words. Then his small, chubby hand gently rubbed Chen Yixin’s hair, and he made a solemn promise:

“I will work hard to grow up.”

The clay pot had given him inspiration—growth of the spirit-body sapling required certain special materials aligned with the Five Elements. All his previous directions had been mistaken.

The corner of Chen Yixin’s lips curled upward. Delighted by little Wenren Li’s solemn promise, he pulled him into his arms and showered him with fervent kisses.

Outside, where Wenren Li sat by the chain bridge, his eyelashes trembled faintly. A trace of softness surfaced upon his expression, yet in the next instant, it vanished once more, returning to the stillness of an ancient well.

Thus, another seven years passed. Within the Central Palace, thunderclouds would gather at intervals, each time growing more formidable. Those of both the Immortal and Demon paths stationed before the chain bridge had long since shifted from astonishment to numb indifference.

“It’s happening again… No movement for two years—I thought it was finally over…”

Yet there was little surprise left in Hei Yu’s voice. As he drank his wine, he even took the leisure to savor the imposing might of the thunderclouds.

The scene before the chain bridge was now entirely different from seven years ago, and even more so from ten years past. Tables and chairs were arranged on both sides, and Wu Fei and Nan Ke had even claimed a residence within the Burning Heaven Nether Palace, declaring it the dwelling place for their Demon Lord and Consort.

“Not good—this is the Purple Cloud Divine Tribulation. If we draw too close, we’ll be implicated as well!”

Hei Yu cried out in alarm and hastily retreated. Though they had grown numb to the appearance of tribulations, their fear of their escalating power deepened each time. Whoever was within that Central Palace—given enough time—would surely become another figure capable of suppressing all great powers.

Before the chain bridge, Wenren Li opened his eyes and rose to his feet, facing the palace. A green phantom flickered and merged into his brow. With a single step, he appeared at a distant vantage point—far enough to avoid being affected, yet close enough to render aid at any moment.

“Greetings, Demon Lord.”

Hei Yu and the other Demon Sect cultivators bowed in salute to Wenren Li. Across from them, Yun Zhenzi, Miaoyin, and the others also turned their gazes toward him—some among them seeing Wenren Li for the very first time.

Clad in black robes, with black hair to match, the aura surrounding him was too imposing to look upon directly. Fear rose in their eyes, accompanied by deep wariness. With such a Demon Lord of profound foundation and unparalleled combat strength, the Immortal Dao could not help but feel as though a thorn were lodged in their backs.

Yet regardless of their thoughts, none dared to show them.

Yun Zhenzi’s gaze grew contemplative. This was his first time seeing Wenren Li, yet he had heard of him many times from his senior brother Yun Yazi—unmatched. That was the evaluation given by Yun Yazi, a cultivator at the late stage of Soul Transformation.

And more telling still, Yun Yazi’s expression had revealed something he could not conceal—fear. An unhidden, genuine fear of Wenren Li.

Wenren Li merely inclined his head slightly, no longer paying Hei Yu and the others any heed. His gaze settled upon the palace shrouded in purple clouds, his eyes deep and unfathomable. Even with his trust in Chen Yixin’s strength, the worry within his heart did not lessen.

This tribulation was even more terrifying than before, for Chen Yixin was once again attempting to condense his Golden Core. At the same time, the Duoduo Fruits Wenren Li had prepared for him had already been mostly consumed. The spiritual energy required by the Ascendant Immortal Scripture during the Foundation Establishment stage alone was ten times that of a top-tier Heaven-grade cultivation technique.

Perhaps the Ascendant Immortal Scripture truly was a technique meant for immortals.

Chen Yixin sat cross-legged at the center of the grand hall, having remained in meditation for half a year. He had already compensated for the time needed to accumulate spiritual energy; the rest of his time was spent consolidating his cultivation and comprehending the Six Arts. Time passed swiftly—another ten years had slipped by since he entered the Burning Heaven Nether Palace.

His eyes suddenly opened.

In the next instant, his figure appeared above the Central Palace. A bolt of purple lightning struck down—Chen Yixin countered it with a bloom of blue flame, which did not extinguish. Another bolt descended, and once more, he resisted it with the same blue flame.

Compared to the trembling, fragile spark from his first attempt, this blue flame was now the size of a fist—round and solid, almost like a stone egg. He hurled clusters of it with practiced ease.

From outside, Wenren Li and the others could not clearly discern Chen Yixin’s figure through the lightning’s glare, yet they could sense his calm and confidence. Faced with the Purple Cloud Divine Tribulation, which instilled fear even in Soul Transformation cultivators, Chen Yixin showed not the slightest trace of dread.

Seven days passed beneath the tribulation. Its might had begun to wane. Hei Yu and the others could all sense it—the one undergoing the tribulation would soon succeed in advancing.

Hei Yu stepped closer to Wenren Li and transmitted his voice through divine sense, “Is the one inside… the Demon Consort?”

Without shifting his gaze, Wenren Li gave a slight nod. There was nothing to hide—once Chen Yixin emerged, anyone who had seen him would recognize him. Even those who had not would soon learn from others.

Receiving his answer, Hei Yu rubbed his nose awkwardly, feeling as though these ten years had been nothing more than accompanying Wenren Li and Chen Yixin on a leisurely excursion. Yet they still had to bear the responsibility of acting as guards.

And in truth, it could only be so. The Immortal and Demon paths stood opposed—if they wished to instill fear in the Immortal Dao, they could not allow anything to happen to Wenren Li, this great banner of theirs. Naturally, they had to stand firmly on his side.

“Not good!” Hei Yu suddenly cried out again. Turning his head toward Yun Zhenzi and the others, he made no effort to conceal his scorn. “Shameless! You truly dare to go this far.”

Three Golden Core cultivators had entered the Purple Cloud Divine Tribulation, causing the already-dissipating tribulation to surge in power once more.

At such a moment, they could not intervene. Should any of these Soul Transformation powerhouses step into the tribulation, even a single strand of the resulting lightning would be enough to annihilate Nascent Soul cultivators—and they themselves would face catastrophic consequences.

Yun Zhenzi and the others remained silent. Even if they had indeed arranged this, they would never admit it.

After ten years, Yun Zhenzi had likely long since learned from Zhou Yan who was inside. Having once abandoned Chen Yixin, they would never allow him to rise again and become a boundless threat to the Immortal Dao and the Jade Cauldron Sect,

Just like Zhou Yan, Yun Zhenzi now harbored a trace of regret—that he had not killed Chen Yixin outright back then.

Hei Yu burned with righteous anger, deeply worried for Chen Yixin’s safety. Yet when he turned back, he saw that the one who should have been most concerned—Wenren Li himself—still gazed toward the purple clouds.

The corner of his lips curved slightly.

He was… smiling.

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