Chapter 14: Assistance, Treasure Acquired, and Unexpected Events

The calamity of the Four-Nine among the Six-Nine Da Luo Tribulation is, for a spiritual treasure, a tainting of its inherent spirit. Yet for a Taiyi Golden Immortal who has yet to attain the Da Luo realm and comprehend its ultimate path, it is a wound too grievous to bear.

To withstand the ordeal of the Four-Nine Turbid Spirit Calamity within the Six-Nine Da Luo Heavenly Tribulation, the most essential defense is the undying radiance unique to the Da Luo realm—a light that endures through ten thousand tribulations, never extinguished. Though not depleted with each use, this light is exceedingly difficult to replenish, and few Da Luo Golden Immortals are willing to risk life and death for it.

First, because cultivators at the Da Luo level are rarely foolish; most are astute to the extreme. Second... Da Luo cultivators are not easily slain.

Though Da Luo Golden Immortals number in the tens of thousands throughout the Primordial World, in Hongyun’s memory, those with whom he truly quarreled and, in a moment of “carelessness,” slew, are but countable on one hand.

Moreover, according to the tacit principles of the Primordial World, Hongyun, known for his benevolence, has never broken the rule of “leaving a margin in all affairs.” Indeed, among those who have achieved the Da Luo realm, scarcely any are known to have truly perished, their paths utterly extinguished.

For the Primordial World is governed by causality; the death of body and soul does not necessarily conclude one’s karmic ties—more often, it spells greater trouble. To truly erase a Da Luo, one would have to erase every trace of their existence in the world; otherwise, it is best not to act.

Now, the Four-Nine Turbid Spirit Thunder Calamity arrives.

Standing beneath the thunderclouds, Hongyun, with the Nine-Nine Red Cloud Soul-Scattering Gourd in hand, summoned his undying radiance to form a solid shield around himself. Not only that, he even attempted to open a gap within his own radiance, allowing a trace of the turbid calamity to seep in, thus toughening his treasure’s resistance.

As the turbid spirit refined and scoured, a plump little hand gradually reached out, clutching the gourd’s mouth. Tentatively, a head emerged, beholding the surging, undying radiance enveloping Hongyun, who gazed back with a warm smile.

When it finally managed to crawl out of the gourd, Hongyun couldn’t help but chuckle at its appearance—a pair of bright, sparkling eyes; atop its head a smaller red gourd adorned with two green leaves; clad in a red vest and red shorts, with a grass skirt fashioned from green leaves...

The little being looked at Hongyun without a trace of fear, shuffling unsteadily across the void before hopping onto his shoulder. After a moment’s hesitation, it stretched out its little hand, reaching toward the swirling turbid calamity.

“Ow!” it cried, its body faintly protected by Hongyun’s undying radiance, though a hint of filth still stained its form.

Hongyun paid it no mind, letting it resist the calamity on its own, while turning his attention to the tribulation above. As his auspicious cloud unfurled—tiles of glazed jade, strings of precious pearls—a host of spiritual treasures danced, and his Da Luo aura soared.

His voice echoed through the Kunlun Immortal Realm:
“I am born of cloud, the essence of heaven and earth. All the clouds of the world gather in my grasp.”

As his words spread, the clouds of heaven and earth drifted to envelop him, the once ethereal mist transforming into a solid barrier. Hongyun, his red hair wild and flamboyant, continued to face the tribulation cloud, eyes still blindfolded by a sash woven of starlight, yet raising his head and speaking again:

“The tribulation cloud, too, is cloud. Why should it not fall into my grasp?”

At this, the tribulation cloud seemed provoked, erupting in a frenzy of thunder and lightning. Yet, bit by bit, the mass of cloud was torn asunder, drawn into Hongyun’s embrace.

He knew, however, that a tribulation cloud, for all its appearance, is still a tribulation at heart; cloud is but its outward form. True tribulation is all-pervasive.

Seeing the tribulation cloud diminish by another measure, he wisely refrained from pushing further, turning his focus back to the gourd—this, after all, was the heart of the matter. Besides, within the tribulation cloud lurked an invisible hand, ever covetous; none could say when it might strike.

Though the cloud’s range had lessened, its power only grew fiercer. Beneath the turbid spirit calamity, the gourd’s spirit, though lively, now resembled a child having tumbled through mud.

Hongyun sensed it muttering under its breath, and, listening closely, couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ow...”

The turbid calamity came swiftly, and departed just as fast. In the end, only a gray, soiled spirit lay sprawled on his shoulder, unwilling to move.

Hongyun ignored it, watching as the tribulation cloud descended, enveloping him. His heart grew grave.

The Fifth-Nine—The Calamity of Spirit Flaying.

First the turbid, then the flaying.

Turbidity pollutes the spirit, causing confusion and, if unendurable, annihilation. Flaying removes impurities, restoring the original essence; if one cannot endure this, the treasure’s power is diminished and its spirit gravely damaged.

Not only innate spiritual treasures, but even supreme innate treasures on the verge of completion may be destroyed outright.

The gourd spirit was at first afraid, but under Hongyun’s will, it ultimately yielded. Watching its painful cries as it weakened, Hongyun felt a pang of pity in his heart, yet steeled himself with vigilance.

He stood in midair, the Dao of Cloud manifesting around him, his voice ringing out as he infused the gourd with Daoist resonance.

The three thousand great Daos each have their mysteries. Hongyun’s Daoist intonations drew the attention of the Three Pure Ones, who listened intently—some frowning, some smiling faintly, all deep in thought.

As for Hongyun, he remained ever alert, the sacred text of the Yellow Court Tribulation Sutra shining in his eyes, wary of that invisible hand. When would it strike?

...

“Fellow Daoist Hongyun’s spiritual treasure is about to be born. Naturally, I shall lend my aid.” Seeing the Fifth-Nine calamity recede and the Sixth-Nine approach, the Lord of the Upper Clarity revealed a rare excitement in his gaze. After a brief search within his sleeve, he flung forth a small sword, no longer than a thumb.

The Lords of the Supreme and Jade Clarity, seeing this, could not stand idle. With a mere thought, one sent forth a beam of Jade Clarity radiance, the other a beam of Supreme Clarity, both merging into the little sword as it shot toward the gourd.

The gourd spirit, previously collapsed on Hongyun’s shoulder, brightened at the sight, reaching out to clasp the tiny sword with great effort.

Just then, the long-quiet tribulation cloud above suddenly stirred.

The gourd spirit, sword in hand, sensed something amiss and dashed back toward the gourd’s mouth.

Hongyun, too, noticed the disturbance. As the invisible hand reached downward, the great maw in his palm opened, emitting a shrill, piercing laughter, and Hongyun’s heart tensed.

He was ready to invoke the scripture he had refined.

As the invisible hand neared, a faint dragon’s roar echoed in the air. Following the sound, he saw, outside the Kunlun Immortal Realm, a petrified dragon burst forth from Kunlun Mountain. With a sweep of its claw, it crushed the hand to dust.

The tribulation’s energy scattered, trying to take shape again, but so close to Hongyun, it was unconsciously drawn into his eyes.

“How dare a mere ant run wild here.”

Looking closer, he saw the dragon had lain down once more, resuming its form as a stone mountain.

It had not expected Hongyun to discover it, and a smile crept onto its face:

“To perceive beings such as them and myself at the Da Luo realm—young one, I have high hopes for you.”