Chapter 13: The Calamity of the Six and Nine Heavens

Redcloud watched as the gourd soared into the sky, drifting away from the Golden Hall of Kunlun. He too spurred his cloud couch to follow. The Three Pure Ones exchanged glances, communicating silently before also giving chase—for they immediately recognized this as the innate gourd vine Redcloud had obtained that day.

After all, each of them possessed a similar treasure; the shared origin and aura made it impossible to mistake. As the Three Pure Ones followed, Redcloud’s figure had already traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, bathing in the depths of the sea of clouds, where vapors swirled to envelop him.

Seeing this, Redcloud summoned the Nine-Nine Redcloud Spirit-Dispelling Gourd suspended midair. With a flash of crimson light, the tribulation aura pierced Kunlun’s barrier, quietly accumulating.

“Clouds of the Desolate Age, disperse!” he intoned softly. The sky-darkening clouds gradually vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a mass of tribulation energy. Even the clouds ominously gathering above were diminished by a third.

It seemed, for now, his gourd was still safe...

Gazing at the fluctuations in the tribulation clouds above, Redcloud felt somewhat reassured, yet soon frowned. Across countless kalpas, he had refined many spiritual treasures, and judging by this momentum, there was likely a ceiling to such endeavors.

But that was not his concern. Today, he sought to open tribulations and extend the Dao; this Nine-Nine Redcloud Spirit-Dispelling Gourd had cost him much effort, refined from the great crimson gourd of the innate vine, and infused with his own Dao.

If he could not forge it into a supreme treasure, he would at least elevate it to such heights by force of will. Only then, when wielding it to transcend tribulation, would its power rival a recitation of his own Dao.

So thinking, he did not dare delay. He raised his hand, forming a seal, and let nine drops of his essence blood, interwoven with immortal spirit-light, fall into the gourd.

As the gourd absorbed the nine drops imbued with indestructible light, its glow dulled, and a red-crystal hue began to emerge.

No further—he must not continue!

At that moment, Redcloud sensed something, and his heart tightened. Looking up, he glimpsed an intangible, colossal hand, with an eye on the back of it, gazing down at his crimson gourd.

It had arrived!

He had hoped to refine his treasure steadily, but today, it would either become a supreme spiritual treasure or fall to dust. He could not be careless; he began circulating the Yellow Court Tribulation Scripture he had acquired.

Even without looking, he could sense the other’s presence. After all, he had absorbed a fragment of the tribulation spirit that had shattered earlier; how could he not be noticed?

...

“These tribulation clouds already resonate with the number six-nine... Fellow Daoist Redcloud’s gourd may have surpassed the realm of innate treasures. Soon, the world will see another supreme innate spiritual treasure,” said the Supreme Purity Sage, gazing at the surging clouds above. The Azure Lotus Sword on his back trembled ceaselessly.

“But I wonder, if this supreme treasure is forged, will it withstand my Azure Lotus Sword?”

“I fear not,” replied the Pure Jade Sage, shaking his head, his eyes aglow with immortal jade light as he divined the world’s Dao rhythms. “If the innate gourd vine were refined whole, perhaps it could glimpse beyond even supreme treasures. Yet, this gourd is but a seventh part, only one among many—unlikely to resist the sword’s edge.

“Even among supreme innate treasures, there are differences. Your Azure Lotus Sword, born of a lotus leaf, contains sixty-nine innate seals—few treasures can match its offense. It is the strongest supreme treasure we possess.

“My Triple Treasure Jade Scepter and our eldest brother’s Supreme Dust-whisk each have but sixty-four innate seals...”

“Second brother, enough jesting. We know our own strengths well,” said the Supreme Purity Sage with a wry smile, though his gaze lingered on the gourd.

He usually sparred with his two elder brothers, and had grown weary of their matches. Now that Redcloud had another supreme treasure, perhaps he could challenge him a few times—surely Redcloud would not mind...

...

The Great Desolate was filled with myriad treasures, which could be divided into innate, acquired, and merit spiritual treasures.

Innate treasures were those with inherent spirit, activated by tribulation energy and one’s own Dao. The distinctions were clear: treasures with fewer than twelve seals were mere spiritual tools; those with fewer than thirty-six were innate treasures; those with fewer than seventy-two, supreme innate treasures.

When refined, the number of seals manifested indicated the treasure’s lowest potential. Even if split in two, so long as the seals remained, it could be restored to its original form.

As for the limit—within the Great Desolate, what limit could there be? At most, one might pierce the sky itself.

...

Tribulation of six-nine—potential for supremacy.

Should this treasure be completed, I could rely on it; if not, it would still be a top-tier innate spiritual treasure, well worth my effort.

Redcloud saw that the invisible hand in the sky made no move to intervene, and he relaxed slightly. After all, this being had once devoured most of the gourd vine’s true spirit; with his current means, he had few defenses, his greatest asset being his eyes.

Yet with only his half-mastered Yellow Court Tribulation Scripture, it was hardly enough.

Musing thus, he summoned the great crimson gourd to face the first thunder tribulation.

Thunder serpents writhed as tribulation energy gathered countless bolts, plummeting straight down. He directed the gourd, which, with a whale’s inhale, opened into a black hole.

Devour it for me!

Boom!

The gourd, already resistant, was utterly unscathed by this assault, as if it had been cleansed anew.

After this first strike, the tribulation clouds above erupted in fury, raining down thunder in a relentless volley.

It could work!

Redcloud’s heart eased, but he steeled his spirit, waiting for the right moment.

In refining treasures through tribulation, the ordeal was of living beings; if he could not guide the treasure to transform the tribulation completely, ultimate success would remain elusive.

Six-nine tribulation: one-nine water, two-nine fire, three-nine wind, four-nine impurity, five-nine soul-shearing and descent into mortality, six-nine for supreme achievement.

Redcloud murmured the formula inwardly, watching as the thunder tribulation mingled with water, fire, and wind was entirely swallowed by his gourd. Raising his hand, he grasped the gourd and entered the heart of the tribulation cloud.

At this point, the Three Pure Ones ceased their earlier banter, focusing all attention on Redcloud amidst the heavens.

For spiritual beings, tribulation was the ordeal of taking form—a fixed nine stages, regardless of strength. For cultivation and treasure-refining, tribulations were ranked in threes, sixes, and nines.

The six-nine tribulation was not only the ordeal for a treasure to become a supreme innate spiritual treasure, but it also bore another name.

It was called the Six-Nine Great Luo Heavenly Tribulation.