When the first shoot burst through the accumulated snow, the frozen river rumbled and cracked. Drizzle fell through the golden-leaved bodhi tree, wetting Li Qingshan’s shoulder. He opened his eyes. The Hundred Herbs garden was already a sight of spring. Having endured the harsh winter, the plants all grew and rustled eagerly.

  The earth began to bud. Everything began to move.

  When everything entered his eyes, he smiled gently. The small world in his body was also a sight of spring.

  Naturally, without any coercion, the Qilin’s Conventions of Longevity had reached the first layer.

  The small world shook and rumbled like the river, and the speed at which it circulated gradually accelerated.

  Li Qingshan stood up. Time was already ripe. It was time for him to take another step forward again. He clasped his hands from afar in the direction of the Hundred Herbs garden. “Senior sister, I’m going to go and face the heavenly tribulation.”
Ruan Yaozhu’s gentle voice rang out in his ears, “You can stay here.”
“Thanks, but I’ll probably cause a very great disturbance. It’ll be better if I do it outside. It won’t be good if I harm the plants.”
“Alright then. Be careful.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be back very soon.”
Li Qingshan left the Hundred Herbs garden, as well as the island that it stood on, moving off into the horizon. When he flew far enough, a pair of glorious phoenix wings suddenly unfurled. With a great flap, the fierce winds produced great waves on the ocean as he whistled by.

  When he could vaguely make out the thunder, he stopped. The tribulation clouds amassed over his head.

  “Want to destroy me? Come then!”
He smiled flagrantly and spread his wings and arms at the sky.

  Boom!

  Lightning rained down on the ocean that reflected its glow, filling the ocean and the sky. The lightning swallowed all of the shadows, only leaving behind his pitch-black abyss-like figure, which instead became clearer in the light. He soon began to swell, twist, and expand…
Boom!

  Like two columns plunging down from the sky, a pair of iron hooves landed on the bottom of the ocean, crushing the sand and mud that had sedimented over thousands of years. The ocean water surged and became muddy, but it could only reach up to his knees. A tiger tail swept past the surface of the ocean. Boom! It produced a colossal wave that swept off into the distance behind him as a tsunami.

  The phoenix wings became even more glorious and unbelievable, condensing all the splendour in the world as if they blazed away- no, they were actually burning away. The flames originated from the depths of his heart.

  Standing between the ocean and the sky, he raised his head to face the heavenly tribulation. The ox horns on his head were curved like crescent moons. He was like an infuriated bull with only a small red cloth before his eyes. The red cloth in his eyes was the surging tribulation clouds and the endless sky.

  The stalemate only lasted for a split second. Perhaps even the split second was an illusion.

  Roar!

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  He growled at the sky. He was both human and inhuman, both beast-like and unbeast-like, chaotic yet holy, heavy yet lofty. With a furious punch, he sent it towards the heavens!

  ……
In the blood-red sky, meteors fell like rain. A child revealed a naive, evil smile as his mother rubbed his head in approval, which left the child even more complacent. However, every single star behind him was howling in pain. The sky was red like it was bleeding.

  Rāhu Xiaoming jerked awake from the nightmare and blinked his eyes. He could sense that he was immobilised. He had been completely frozen in black ice, such that only his face was exposed outside.

  Ao Xuan was coiled up near the black ice. His huge dragon head pressed closer. He asked sternly, “Who are you?”
“Who am I?” Rāhu Xiaoming muttered.

  “You better not play any tricks with me, or I will make you taste the pain of hell. That will only make it very awkward for both of us.”
“Using torture on an asura.” Rāhu Xiaoming smiled.

  “You probably haven’t been to the depths of hell before. Once you get there, you’ll know how fortunate it is to just be cut down by a swing of a sword.” Ao Xuan bared his fangs, making them shine.

  “You’ve been to the depths of hell?” Rāhu Xiaoming could roughly guess the details now.

  “Of course.” Ao Xuan roared angrily. “Kid, I’m the one questioning you right now! Your undying body as an asura is perfect for the tortures of pain. By then, you’ll understand what true pain is.”
Rāhu Xiaoming raised his eyebrows. “It’s even more painful than being incinerated by your own karma?”
“Uhh…” Ao Xuan paused. The legendary pain of being incinerated by karma could even faze those great existences that possessed unfathomable might, but he soon responded, “You’re lying! If you were incinerated by your karma, how can you still be alive?”
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  Rāhu Xiaoming sneered. “Four-legged snake, haven’t you heard that as long as the fighting spirit of an asura never extinguishes, they’ll never die?”
“Stop putting up a front. Being incinerated by the flames of karma is certain death. Even if you are a Rāhu, it’ll be the same.”
“You’re afraid of revenge from the Rāhu clan?”
Ao Xuan sneered. “The Rāhu clan has already declined. Speaking of which, asura still can’t stick their noses in the Human realm. What do I have to fear?”
“Are you afraid of that little bird that flew away? The one that looked a little like a kunpeng.”
Ao Xuan was furious. “Shut your mouth. Even the Heaven-stirring Great Sage could not escape the fate of being suppressed, let alone a little birdbrain like that!” Suddenly, he calmed down. “You’re trying to infuriate me. Alright then, let’s see just how long you can continue being stubborn then.”
The black ice slowly invaded Rāhu Xiaoming’s body. With every passing moment, countless sharp, minuscule icicles pierced his flesh. It was even more miserable than a death by slow slicing.

  “Tell me, who are you?”
“You’re afraid of the secrets that I carry. You’re afraid it’ll get you killed. However, that guy is not afraid. Whether you’re a dragon or something else, he’ll still come to skin you alive and slice you to pieces. He won’t even hesitate, much less ask any questions. They’re probably not afraid either, and they’ll probably all like the taste of your flesh very much…”
Rāhu Xiaoming endured the “slight” pain and continued to ramble. He could abruptly understand Li Qingshan’s mouthiness a little. Words were indeed a fine choice for a weapon, especially under these circumstances.

  “Who are they?” The giant dragon growled angrily.

  “They? They’re a bunch of very interesting folk. I promise you that you’ll see them again.”
……
The vast expanse of desert was littered with exposed, scarlet rock and yellow mounds of earth. The light from the noon sun was scorching, twisting and making the hot air pulse. A figure walked over from afar. Her soft, smooth feet stepped over the sharp rocks that failed to stop her advance at all. The tattered kasaya inscribed with black scriptures danced in the hot winds. She advanced firmly like an ascetic monk.

  “Xiao An, I think we should conceal ourselves first and try our hardest to increase our cultivation.”
With a gust of hot wind, Gu Yanying blocked her path. After undergoing the fourth heavenly tribulation, a brand-new world had opened up to them. This was the optimal moment for them to increase their cultivation and grow in strength. She could feel that she was growing stronger with each moment, getting closer to the kunpeng.

  “I think we should reunite with Li Qingshan and tell him what happened.” Xiao An made her way around her impassively. Her voice was completely devoid of any emotions.

  “How do you know where he is? As well as the situation in the Myriad sect?”
“I know he’s still alive.” And that was enough.

  “Don’t tell me you can’t live anymore without him?”
“Yes.” Xiao An made her reply without the slightest hesitation.

  Gu Yanying watched her travel off into the distance. “You’re just going to walk to him like this?”
“What can I do about the fact that I have no wings?”
Gu Yanying laid out her hands and sighed helplessly. “Alright then, first young miss. As you wish, get on my back!”
A smile flashed past Xiao An’s lips, and she turned around silently, making her way over.

  Dust and the sound of horse hooves rose up in the distance. Gu Yanying said, ‘Someone is coming.”
Xiao An said, “Wait.”