In the Sect Master's abode.
Atop the high platform, Mu Yinghua sat on a cloud bed, her majestic aura chilling, her figure shrouded in dazzling radiance, surrounded by mists that obscured her features.
Led by Cheng Yulan, Qi Yalan, and Luo Wanqing, three personally-taught disciples of the Sect Master, dozens of senior core disciples paid their respects to Mu Yinghua, with several high-ranking elders present as witnesses.
Mu Yinghua, without many words, waved her jade hand, and a beautifully crafted white jade lot drawing cylinder appeared before the many female disciples, containing dozens of talisman lots.
"Alright, come draw your lots!"
Mu Yinghua's voice was soft and serene: "Those who draw a red talisman will become Junior Brother's Dao Companion. Those who do not should not be disappointed and can wait for the next opportunity."
The rules were simple and clear, leaving no loopholes, so the elders had no objections.
Seeing that both the cylinder and the lots were provided by Mu Yinghua, Qi Shuyu couldn't help feeling a bit nervous, but considering that Mu Yinghua was the Supreme Sect Master, she shouldn't resort to trickery, so Qi Shuyu said nothing.
"Then let me be the first!"
Cheng Yulan said, reaching out to draw a talisman lot.
As Qi Yalan was about to step forward, Su Yunmo, with a smile as bright as spring, quickly moved ahead of her and drew the second lot, followed by Qi Shuyu.
Luo Wanqing frowned. These seductresses seemed afraid of falling behind, even abandoning their modesty in drawing lots. Indeed, they were all scheming bitches, just thinking about it was infuriating!
Hmm, the term 'scheming bitch' was something Junior Brother had said, and Luo Wanqing felt it was the perfect description for this group of seductresses.
Before long, all the core disciples present had drawn their lots.
"Alright, open them now!"
Mu Yinghua said indifferently.
The women exchanged glances and carefully opened their lots.
"Blank?"
Qi Shuyu's expression changed slightly as she scrutinized the talisman in her hand. Confirming she hadn't been selected, her eyes dimmed.
The rest of the sisters found themselves in the same situation, and in the end, only Qi Yalan's lot revealed a bright red color, signifying her as the winner of this round of drawing.
"Could there be a problem?"
Su Yunmo murmured doubtfully. Everyone else missed out, but the Supreme Sect Master's personally-taught disciple was chosen. She was somewhat skeptical that Mu Yinghua hadn't shown favoritism.
Beside her, Yueyi Heavenly Lord casually remarked, "Are you questioning the Sect Master's fairness?"
Su Yunmo's face changed, and she quickly apologized with a bow: "This disciple wouldn't dare!"
With a Dao Lineage that had been passed down for millions of years, the sect's laws were strict, and the hierarchy was clear. If a junior disciple dared to openly question the Supreme Sect Master, the accusation would be extremely serious once confirmed.
Qi Shuyu sighed helplessly, "Congratulations to Sister Qi."
Admitting defeat now wasn't a big deal; they could always wait for the next drawing. Angering the Sect Master could mean never having another chance.
Mu Yinghua nodded slightly and said to Qi Yalan, "Since that's the case, you can prepare to leave tomorrow to meet Qing Muling. With the great calamity of the Magic Clan upon us, the outside world is fraught with danger. As his senior sister, you must take great care of Junior Brother's safety."
"This disciple understands."
Qi Yalan suppressed the joy in her heart and responded respectfully.
Mu Yinghua pondered for a moment and continued, "As for Cheng Yulan and Luo Wanqing, you two can go together this time. After Junior Brother helps you cross the Elemental Immortal Tribulation, you may return."
She considered that these two disciples had already reached the peak of the Ascending to Immortality realm, and there was no need to delay any longer. Achieving the Elemental Immortal realm sooner would give them a better chance of self-preservation during the great calamity.
"This disciple obeys."
The two women joyfully accepted. Although they couldn't immediately engage in dual cultivation with Junior Brother, crossing the Elemental Immortal Tribulation was a satisfactory outcome.
Qi Shuyu and the other women looked at each other, feeling a sense of loss. The highest among them was only at the Feather Transformation Realm, far from the Elemental Immortal realm. Catching up to these few seemed a long wait.
It was indeed frustrating to think about. Before Qing Muling joined the sect, Xuebing Xuan and the other four personally-taught disciples had no significant advantage over them, with everyone's cultivation at roughly the same level. Yet in just a few years, the gap had become so staggeringly wide?
Yu Lingzhou, deep in thought, asked, "Sect Master, Qing Muling is now at the True One Realm, and his fortune is rising. His ability to help fellow sisters cross their tribulations should be stronger. I remember there are several elders from previous generations who are on the cusp of the Elemental Immortal realm. Why not take this opportunity to let them cross as well?"
When Mu Yinghua took over the mantle from the previous Sect Master, the tens of thousands of core disciples from her generation all had their own destinies. Those with high cultivation could become core elders, those slightly weaker could become ordinary elders with real power, and those with average cultivation could only become inner sect elders or various level managers. The sect's focus would shift to the next generation of disciples.
All Supreme Dao Lineages in the Great Void followed similar rules. These core disciples from Mu Yinghua's generation, as well as elders from previous generations, could continue to cultivate and improve. If they reached a certain level, they still had the chance to rise and become an indispensable part of the sect's combat power.
Among these disciples and elders from Mu Yinghua's and previous generations, many had reached the peak of the Ascending to Immortality realm. They were stuck there due to insufficient resources for crossing the tribulation or lack of confidence in surviving the terrifying heavenly tribulation.
Accumulating disciples from several generations, their absolute numbers were not small. With Qing Muling's help, crossing the heavenly tribulation would be as natural as water flowing into a channel. With such a group of Elemental Immortal realm powerhouses, the sect's overall strength would surely increase significantly.
Mu Yinghua looked at Yu Lingzhou and asked, "How many people in total?"
Yu Lingzhou took out a jade slip from her sleeve and handed it to her, which listed all those needing to cross the tribulation, including not only those at the Elemental Immortal realm but also many needing to cross the True Immortal and Xuan Immortal tribulations.
Mu Yinghua shook her head after a glance: "There are too many. We can't possibly send them all now, right? Well, let's start with fifty for now, and the rest will have to wait."
Having too many people needing assistance for their tribulations would be too taxing on Qing Muling's fortune and not easy to recover from, which is why Mu Yinghua was reluctant to overwork her personally-taught disciple.
Yu Lingzhou nodded, "Alright, we'll start with fifty, and consider the rest once Qing Muling's cultivation has further improved. But there are also many disciples at the peak of the Destiny Realm aiming for the Feather Transformation Realm. How about we also select two hundred of them?"
After reaching the peak of the Destiny Realm, the Feather Transformation and Ascending to Immortality realms were transitional stages that also required facing heavenly tribulations. Of course, the difficulty was much less than the Elemental Immortal tribulation, and the consumption of Qing Muling's fortune was negligible.
Mu Yinghua nodded in agreement: "Very well, let's settle on that. However, we need to calculate the cost and establish a regulation. In the future, any disciple needing to cross the tribulation can proceed accordingly."
Seeking Qing Muling's help in crossing the tribulation naturally required a corresponding reward. Getting free help was impossible. Although Mu Yinghua was the Supreme Sect Master, she had to consider the sect's overall situation first and foremost, but she would not let Qing Muling suffer losses for nothing.
***
Two days later.
On the palace square, Qing Muling looked at the many high-ranking female cultivators emerging from the sky ships, his face stiffening.
"Junior Brother, here's the situation…"
Fortunately, Yu Lingzhou, who accompanied them, quickly explained the reason, easing Qing Muling's mind. It was just helping with a tribulation, and there was a handsome reward to be had. He was willing to help.
"This should be just the first batch, right? There are still many more to come?" Qing Muling asked.
Yu Lingzhou nodded frankly: "Definitely, so you'll have to put in more effort. As long as they can successfully cross the tribulation, the sect's overall strength will surely rise significantly!"
Any long-standing Dao Lineage power would have numerous disciples with relatively mediocre talents and slow cultivation progress, who were also responsible for many of the sect's tedious affairs. Their status might seem unimportant, but they were an indispensable part of the system's backbone.
Many of these individuals were unsure they could survive the heavenly tribulation and had to spend their years at their current realm until their lifespan was nearly exhausted before taking a risk. If they couldn't make it, they would perish without regret. If they were lucky enough to survive, they would gain tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years of leisure, which would be a huge gain.
Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace's strength had already recovered quite a bit, but it still lagged behind the old Supreme Dao Lineages, with a lack of mid-tier combat power being a major reason.
If those disciples could successfully cross the tribulation with Qing Muling's support, the sect's available high-end combat power would inevitably experience explosive growth. By then, even the combined strength of several neighboring Supreme Dao Lineages might not compare.
"So, when do they plan to start the tribulation?" Qing Muling asked again.
"There's no better day than today, so let's start today!"
Qi Yalan eagerly said, "With the Magic Clan progeny rampant outside, the sect's combat power is under pressure. It's best for them to quickly cross the tribulation and return to help share the burden, as instructed by our master."
Qing Muling looked at Third Sister speechlessly. She wanted to send these seductresses away quickly so she could engage in dual cultivation with him, didn't she?
But what she said was also true. Many places under the sect's jurisdiction were in dire straits. If it weren't for the support of the previous generation of elders and the numerous Dao soldier puppet armies, the casualties would be staggering.
The matter was thus settled.
The accompanying Supreme Elders selected a large, uninhabited, desolate land, set up a simple Tribulation Crossing Formation, and began to let the disciples cross their tribulations.
The first batch was a trial of twenty core disciples from the previous generation at the peak of the Destiny Realm. Qing Muling sat in the center of the formation, watching them cautiously release their internal seals, releasing their aura to resonate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and triggering the heavenly tribulation.
In an instant, the sky churned, thunder roared, and dark clouds quickly gathered above, with blood-tinged lightning snaking through the clouds.
Sinister winds rose, and countless indistinct, mysterious shadows lingered, like bloodthirsty sharks waiting for an opportunity to pounce and tear apart. These were the domain-outside heavenly demons that cultivators feared the most.
Tens of miles away, many elders and disciples who had not yet crossed the tribulation watched the changes in the center with bated breath.
In the past, such a method was unheard of, with no precedent to follow, so whether it could work was uncertain for the elders present.
Success would be a cause for celebration, but failure would mean a significant loss.
Yu Lingzhou watched the reaction of the heavy tribulation clouds overhead with a solemn expression, her life's Spirit Treasure ready to burst forth, prepared to rush into the formation and rescue Qing Muling if the situation changed.
Moments later, as a bright light flashed across the sky, the first deep purple thunderbolt finally fell with earth-shaking thunder, targeting the figures of those disciples.
After the suffocating explosion, violent shockwaves spread outwards, stirring up dust and darkness.
When the aftermath subsided, Qing Muling was still sitting in his original place, and the twenty disciples around him were also unharmed, their eyes filled with puzzled colors.
Clearly, the power of the heavenly tribulation was far below their expectations, so much so that they had easily withstood it, giving them an unreal feeling.
Then came the second, the third… one after another, the tribulation thunders fell, but with long intervals and a lethality less than thirty percent of the normal level, almost child's play.
"…Hmm, it seems we're stable this time!"
Yu Lingzhou's hanging heart relaxed slightly. The Supreme Sect Master's estimate was correct; Qing Muling had never let her down.
"Unbelievable, it really works!"
"I never thought there was such a person in the sect. I had given up hope for myself, thinking I would fight one last time when my lifespan was nearly over. Now I can easily pass!"
"Thinking back, so many sisters have fallen to the heavenly tribulation. Now with Qing Muling, the sisters in the sect no longer have to worry about the tribulation."
"That's right, if Qing Muling becomes the next Supreme Sect Master, he will surely protect the entire sect. Perhaps even those seductresses from other Dao Lineages will have to seek his help to cross the tribulation!"
"Who's to say otherwise?"
***
The surrounding female cultivators discussed animatedly. Because Mu Yinghua had tightly sealed the news, they knew very little about Qing Muling before. Now, witnessing his extraordinary abilities for the first time, they were naturally shocked.
Thinking of the bright future where countless disciples of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would no longer face the threat of heavenly tribulation and the sect's strength would rapidly expand, even the Supreme Elders couldn't help feeling excited.
More than an hour later, the tribulation clouds in the sky began to slowly dissipate, marking the successful completion of this group tribulation crossing event.
Proofreader & Editor:Peter Pan