Supreme Sword Exalt

After crossing the heavenly and earthly tribulations, ordinary cultivators would take the opportunity to condense a drop of Transcendent Substance, then move toward a higher level. Some didn’t even know what the human tribulation was.

After all, not only was it a hidden realm, but it was also an extremely special Supreme Stage. Few people knew about it, and those who knew and dared to cross it were even rarer.

Even Gu Han had seen only two who crossed the Human Tribulation. One was Fatty, the other was Tuo Jun. As for Feng Xi, he hadn’t asked.

Fatty’s expression changed slightly. “Have you thought it through? The human tribulation takes ten thousand forms, different for everyone. What that first war god and I went through won’t help you much. And your human tribulation very likely won’t have anything to do with combat at all.”

Gu Han’s strongest aspect was the formidable killing power he possessed as a sword cultivator. Meanwhile, the Human Tribulation was mysterious and unpredictable, not necessarily tied to battle or slaughter.

Gu Han was resolute. “I must cross it.”

The Poison Immunity Physique was merely a joke. In truth, he was no different from Yang Ying, having only a perfectly ordinary mortal physique. He owed his victories over the various heavenly prodigies to the Great Evolution Sword Scripture and the Supreme Stages.

Hence why, if he could eliminate the curse, he originally planned to consult Tian Ji to point him in the direction of human tribulation.

“Not bad. Only those with great perseverance and courage dare to cross the human tribulation.” A hint of approval flashed in Tian Ji’s eyes. He paused, then glanced at Fatty. “Except him.”

Fatty was speechless. He had crossed the human tribulation because Fu Youde forced him.

Tian Ji shot Fatty a glance. “I forgot to ask. It was too rushed back then, so I didn’t have the time to ask. What was your human tribulation?”

Fatty wordlessly looked at Gu Han.

Tian Ji understood. “I see. A rather rare stroke of fate.”

Gu Han performed a bow. “Senior, please show me the way.”

He knew that Tian Ji had deeply studied the heavenly secret arts. Since Tian Ji could deduce Fatty’s human tribulation, he could certainly deduce his as well.

Tian Ji sighed. “Very well. Had you asked for a fortuitous encounter, I wouldn’t have helped you. But since it's human tribulation, it’s another story.”

“Thank you, Senior.”

Tian Ji half-closed his eyes, and a wisp of mysterious, vast, and elusive aura briefly passed through him, as if sensing something. In the next moment, he trembled violently. Blood continuously flowed from his seven orifices. His aura grew extremely feeble, and his cultivation base fell from the Saint realm.

The sudden change caught the group off guard.

“What’s happening?!”

At that moment, Tian Ji opened his eyes. Both eyes were blood-red, blood continuously flowing from them. His expression was terrifying, his features twisted with fear. “You...”

Fatty panicked. “A-are you alright? It’s just a deduction of a human tribulation, no need to end up... oh no!”

He felt that Tian Ji had discovered something.

Tian Ji ignored him as he pointed a trembling finger at Gu Han, his tone filled with indescribable horror. “You... you don’t...”

Gu Han’s heart skipped a beat. Could I not be human either?

Tian Ji stared intently at Gu Han. “You don’t belong here... You shouldn’t exist... Your past and future... are a complete blank... You are... forbidden!”

The moment the words left his mouth, endless lightning condensed. A red cloud layer faintly appeared overhead. Within the clouds, lightning serpents danced wildly, bolts of lightning intertwining. It was a scene of the apocalypse.

A wisp of vast heavenly might descended, pressing Mei Yun and Han Fu firmly to the ground, their expressions blank.

Even Fatty’s golden light showed signs of shattering danger. He muttered to himself, “It’s over... Exposed...”

Gu Han was certainly no stranger to this scene. It was identical to the scene that appeared when the Dao Bell manifested that day, only much smaller in scale. That giant eye hadn’t appeared either.

***

Even dozens of li away outside Tianji Valley, that wisp of vast heavenly might pressed down on everyone, making it hard to breathe. They weren’t much better off than Fatty.

“W-what is that?!”

“Could the Dao Bell be about to appear again?”

“Maybe Senior Tianji is deducing something extraordinary!”

Everyone was like floating duckweed on the ocean, trembling as waves of terror continuously rose in their hearts.

Sword Prince clenched his jaw as sword qi swirled continuously around him. “A fortuitous encounter! Maybe Senior Tianji has deduced some immense fortuitous encounter, hence causing a heavenly punishment to fall!”

Just then, two figures descended not far away. One was an old man, and another was a middle-aged man. Both possessed Feather Transformation realm cultivation. The old man was Fu Dahai, while the middle-aged man was the ancestor of the Fang family, Fang Xing.

Even though this strange phenomenon only existed within Tianji Valley, it still stirred the heavenly secrets within ten thousand li into chaos. The Saint realm experts within had sensed it and came to investigate one after another. It was just that these two had the highest cultivation and arrived first.

Of course, even as strong as these two were, they only observed from afar, not daring to approach. The higher one’s cultivation, the deeper one’s perception of that wisp of heavenly might. Approaching recklessly could implicate them and cause unnecessary anomalies.

Fang Xing glanced at Fu Dahai from a distance. “Fellow Daoist Fu, do you know what’s happening?”

As a mere passing acquaintance, Fu Dahai shook his head. “No.”

Inwardly, he was extremely worried. He felt that this change in heavenly phenomena was very likely related to Gu Han and Fatty.

He silently cursed Fatty, You little bastard! I shouldn’t have listened to you and let the two of you come here alone!

***

At the border between the Eastern Wasteland and the Central Continent, a figure in a white robe walked slowly. His demeanor was refined, with a faint smile on his face.

Just then, he paused and glanced upward. “Hm?”

The sky was clear for ten thousand li, clouds drifting. It was calm, with a trace of serenity, yet he seemed to see something different.

A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes. “Heavenly secrets?”

With a feathery step, he vanished.

***

Within the small courtyard in Tianji Valley, Gu Han’s heart shook violently after hearing Tian Ji’s words. I don’t belong here? A blank past and future? Forbidden? Could it be related to the ten rings of the Dao Bell?

He suddenly thought of the Illusory Demon he encountered inside the Dragon Seal that day. It had also wanted to reflect a trace of his past, only to cause itself to dissipate into smoke. What secret do I carry?

Just as he was about to speak, a hair-thin bolt of red lightning struck down, landing on Tian Ji.

“Senior—”

In an instant, a flash of struggle passed through Tian Ji’s eyes. His gaze had already taken on a hint of cold ruthlessness, a sense of disregard to all living beings. He seemed to have embodied the Great Dao!

Moreover, Gu Han was very familiar with this kind of gaze. He had once sensed it from that giant eye, only much weaker. The gaze was threatening to fall upon Gu Han again.

A tremendous sense of crisis descended once more upon his heart!