lín xuān yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī sī tòng xī zhī sè， hǎo zài yǒu shī jiù yǒu dé ， suí zhe shì líng jiàn biǎo miàn de liè wén yuè lái yuè duō ， nà sì líng xū yǐng yě tóng yàng biàn dé qiáng dà qǐ lái le 。
林轩眼中闪过一丝痛惜之sè，好在有失就有得，随着噬灵剑表面的裂纹越来越多，那四灵虚影也同样变得强大起来了。
Lin Xuan's eyes flashed with a hint of regret, but fortunately, every loss comes with a gain. As the cracks on the Soul Devouring Sword increased in number, so did the power of the Four Elemental Shadows.
yuán běn zhǐ shì dàn dàn de xū yǐng ， rú jīn dé dào lín xuān qiáng ** lì de bǔ chōng ， dùn shí biàn dé níng hòu qǐ lái ， yī yǎn wàng qù ， jìng fǎng fú rú yǒu shí zhì yì bān 。
原本只是淡淡的虚影，如今得到林轩强**力的补充，顿时变得凝厚起来，一眼望去，竟仿佛如有实质一般。
Originally just faint shadows, they now grew thick and substantial under Lin Xuan’s powerful replenishment, appearing almost tangible to the naked eye.
huà shuō nà jiǔ tóu guài niǎo yuán běn yě shì tiān dì yuán qì suǒ jù ， yǔ sì líng pǒ duō xiāng sì zhī chù ， shuō yì qǔ tóng gōng yě bù wèi guò 。
话说那九头怪鸟原本也是天地元气所聚，与四灵颇多相似之处，说异曲同工也不为过。
The nine-headed bird was also a gathering of Primordial Energy from heaven and earth, much like the Four Elemental Shadows. It could be said that their similarities were akin to different expressions of the same melody.
dāng rán ， qián zhě yào qiáng dà xǔ duō 。
当然，前者要强大许多。
However, it was significantly more powerful.
bù guò nà yòu rú hé ， sì líng dān gè de shí lì suī rán bù jí ， què zhàn yǒu shù liàng shàng de yōu shì ， ér qiě hái yǒu jiǔ gōng xū yú jiàn de pèi hé 。
不过那又如何，四灵单个的实力虽然不及，却占有数量上的优势，而且还有九宫须臾剑的配合。
But what did that matter? While each of the Four Elemental Shadows lacked in individual strength, they compensated for this with numbers, and had the assistance of the Nine Palaces Momentary Sword.
cǐ kè ， nà bǎi zhàng zhǎng de jù jiàn yǐ hěn hěn cháo zhe duì fāng zhǎn luò ， shēng shì nà jiào yí gè fēi tóng xiǎo kě 。
此刻，那百丈长的巨剑已狠狠朝着对方斩落，声势那叫一个非同小可。
At this moment, the hundred-foot-long giant sword descended fiercely upon its opponent. The impact was immense, shaking the very air.
zhěng gè guò chéng shuō lái fán fù ， qí shí bù guò shùn xī de gōng fu 。
整个过程说来繁复，其实不过瞬息的功夫。
The process seemed complex when described, but it took merely an instant.
xià yī kè ， jīng tiān dòng dì de jù xiǎng shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， jiù zài lín xuān qián fāng bù yuǎn zhī chù ， gè sè líng guāng hōng rán bó fā kāi lái ， gāng fēng sì shè。
下一刻，惊天动地的巨响声传入耳朵，就在林轩前方不远之处，各sè灵光轰然勃发开来，罡风四shè。
In the next moment, a deafening roar echoed through the air. Not far from Lin Xuan, multicolored spiritual light burst forth, accompanied by powerful gales that swept across the area.
guāng máng yào yǎn duó mù ， yí gè gè dòu dà de fú wén gèng rú qì pào yì bān de xuán zhuǎn fēi wǔ 。
光芒耀眼夺目，一个个斗大的符文更如气泡一般的旋转飞舞。
The light was dazzling, and large talismanic symbols rotated and danced like bubbles in the air. Alongside this came an oppressive spiritual pressure; even with his current strength, Lin Xuan struggled to breathe under its intensity.
yǔ zhī bàn suí de hái yǒu líng yā ， jí biàn shì yǐ lín xuān rú jīn de shí lì ， zài nà kě pà de líng yā xià ， yě jī hū chuǎn bù guò qì 。
与之伴随的还有灵压，即便是以林轩如今的实力，在那可怕的灵压下，也几乎喘不过气。
The fate of the nine-headed bird, trapped at the center of the explosion, could be easily inferred from these circumstances.
shēn chù bào zhà zhōng xīn de guài niǎo zī wèi ér rú hé ， zì rán yě jiù bù nán jù cǐ tuī duàn yī èr le 。
身处爆炸中心的怪鸟滋味儿如何，自然也就不难据此推断一二了。
However, Lin Xuan had no intention of letting it go. He had finally found a favorable opportunity and was determined to take full advantage of it, giving this drowning dog a thorough beating.
>
>
As his thoughts raced, Lin Xuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If only he had known, he should have done something before attempting to break through the Tribulation Stage barrier.
bù guò lín xuān què méi yǒu dǎ suàn jiāng tā fàng guò ， hǎo bù róng yì cái xún dé le yǎn qián de liáng jī ， zì rán yào hǎo hǎo zhuā zhù ， hěn hěn tòng dǎ yī fān luò shuǐ gǒu de 。
不过林轩却没有打算将它放过，好不容易才寻得了眼前的良机，自然要好好抓住，狠狠痛打一番落水狗的。
After all the effort, he had obtained the Vermilion Bird Ring, and there was no reason to let it lie dormant in his storage bracelet.
nǎo hǎi zhōng niàn tou zhuǎn guò ， lín xuān què rěn bú zhù àn àn tàn xī ， zǎo zhī rú cǐ ， zì jǐ zài chōng jī dù jié qī píng jǐng qián yīng gāi xiān zuò yī jiàn shì 。
脑海中念头转过，林轩却忍不住暗暗叹息，早知如此，自己在冲击渡劫期瓶颈前应该先做一件事。
If he could first refine this treasure, he would gain another powerful weapon.
fèi jǐn qiān xīn wàn kǔ ， míng míng yǐ jīng dé dào le nà jiàn zhū què huán bǎo wù ， shí zài bù yīng gāi fàng rèn tā jiù tǎng zài chǔ wù dài zhōng de 。
费尽千辛万苦，明明已经得到了那件朱雀环宝物，实在不应该放任它就躺在储物袋中的。
With these thoughts, Lin Xuan felt a deep sense of regret. However, he wouldn't allow himself to become disheartened.
ruò néng xiān jiāng cǐ bǎo liàn huà ， rú jīn zì rán yòu huì duō yī shā shǒu jiǎn .
若能先将此宝炼化，如今自然又会多一杀手锏.
While the Vermilion Bird Ring couldn't be used was indeed unfortunate, he had other means at his disposal.
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， tā xīn zhōng yě shì ào sàng bù yǐ ， bù guò lín xuān zì rán bú huì jiù cǐ tuí fèi xià qù 。
念及至此，他心中也是懊丧不已，不过林轩自然不会就此颓废下去。
He flicked his sleeve and a jade box, about a foot long, flew out.
zhū què huán bù néng yòng shì hěn kě xī ， bù guò zì jǐ shēn jiā fēng fù ， zì rán hái yǒu qí tā de shǒu duàn kě zuò xuǎn zé 。
朱雀环不能用是很可惜，不过自己身家丰富，自然还有其他的手段可做选择。
Its design was ancient, with talismanic seals affixed to its lid. Lin Xuan raised his right hand and pointed it forward.
xiù páo yī fú ， yī chǐ xǔ zhǎng de yù hé fēi lüè ér chū 。
袖袍一拂，一尺许长的玉盒飞掠而出。
A crackling sound filled the air as the talisman ignited without wind. The lid of the box was pushed open by some unseen force, revealing a true spirit puppet.
shì yàng gǔ piáo ， hé gài shàng hái tiē yǒu jìn zhì fú lù 。
式样古朴，盒盖上还贴有禁制符箓。
Lin Xuan continued to wave his hands, and three immortal stones accurately embedded themselves into the puppet.
lín xuān yòu shǒu tái qǐ ， yī zhǐ xiàng qián diǎn qù 。
林轩右手抬起，一指向前点去。
Red, yellow, and blue spiritual lights flickered and transformed, while mysterious symbols gushed forth like a fountain.
pā dā yī shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， fú lù wú fēng zì rán ， hé gài yě bèi shén me lì liàng dàn le qǐ lái ， zhēn líng kuǐ lěi xiǎn xiàn 。
啪嗒一声传入耳朵，符箓无风自燃，盒盖也被什么力量弹了起来，真灵傀儡显现。
Roar!
suí hòu lín xuān shuāng shǒu jì xù huī wǔ ， sān kē xiān shí yě zhǔn què wú wù de xiāng qiàn shàng qù le 。
随后林轩双手继续挥舞，三颗仙石也准确无误的镶嵌上去了。
With a deafening roar, a dragon appeared before Lin Xuan. No, it wasn't a dragon; it was a true dragon, vividly lifelike as it lunged forward.
hóng 、 huáng 、 lán ， sān sè líng guāng biàn huàn tūn tǔ ， shén mì de fú wén gèng shì rú quán yǒng yì bān de pēn bó ér chū 。
红、黄、蓝，三sè灵光变幻吞吐，神秘的符文更是如泉涌一般的喷薄而出。
Lin Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. This true spirit puppet's power nearly matched that of the Tribulation Stage, making its appearance at this moment perfectly timed to aid him in defeating his enemy.
bàn suí zhe zhèn ěr yù lóng de jù hǒu ， lín xuān shēn qián chū xiàn le yī tóu jiāo lóng ， bú duì ， bú shì jiāo ， ér shì zhēn zhèng de lóng 。
伴随着震耳yù聋的巨吼，林轩身前出现了一头蛟龙，不对，不是蛟，而是真正的龙。
An explosion echoed through the air, and the sky was filled with the cries of the monster bird as it became increasingly desperate.
huó líng huó xiàn ， fǎng fú zhēn zhèng de shén lóng yì bān ， zhāng yá wǔ zhǎo de pū xiàng le qián miàn 。
活灵活现，仿佛真正的神龙一般，张牙舞爪的扑向了前面。
Lin Xuan's heart leaped with joy. However, his expression remained stern.
lín xuān sōng le kǒu qì ， cǐ zhēn líng kuǐ lěi de shí lì jī hū kān bǐ dù jié qī ， zài zhè ge shí hòu jì chū ， zhèng shì qià dào hǎo chù ， yí dìng néng gòu bāng zhù zì jǐ dǎ bài qiáng dí 。
林轩松了口气，此真灵傀儡的实力几乎堪比渡劫期，在这个时候祭出，正是恰到好处，一定能够帮助自己打败强敌。
His hands continued their movements, and he bellowed, "Break!"
hōng ！
轰！
Before the words left his lips, a barrage of sword light exploded in all directions. The hundred-foot-long giant sword shattered into dozens of smaller rays of light. This was not the end; more intense explosions followed, sending silver threads like fine rain.
bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yī shí jiān ， tiān kōng zhōng lì hǒu shēng dà zuò ， guài niǎo míng jiào de shēng yīn biàn dé yuè fā qī lì le 。
爆裂声传入耳朵，一时间，天空中厉吼声大做，怪鸟鸣叫的声音变得越发凄厉了。
However, these threads were much longer than the initial sword light.
lín xuān xīn zhōng dà xǐ ， rán ér liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng ， yī jiù yán sù 。
林轩心中大喜，然而脸上的表情，依旧严肃。
Lin Xuan's prowess in transforming swords into threads was truly impressive. Silver light flashed as thread after thread rolled out...
shuāng shǒu fǎ jué hái zài huī wǔ ， suí hòu zhǐ tīng tā yī shēng lì hē 。
双手法诀还在挥舞，随后只听他一声厉喝。
Each ray of light transformed into dozens of silver threads, each over a dozen feet long.
“ pò ！”
“破！”
With hundreds of rays initially, the transformation to thousands of threads was not an exaggeration.
huà yīn wèi luò ， biàn jiàn nà màn tiān de jiàn guāng hōng rán bào kāi le 。
话音未落，便见那漫天的剑光轰然爆开了。
In an instant, the sky shimmered with silver light, even overshadowing the dazzling spiritual light.
yóu bǎi zhàng zhǎng de jù jiàn ， pò suì chéng yī dào dào chǐ xǔ zhǎng de guāng huá ， ér zhè hái méi yǒu jié shù ， suí hòu gèng mì jí de bào liè shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yī péng péng yín sè de niú máo xì yǔ fú xiàn ér chū 。
由百丈长的巨剑，破碎成一道道尺许长的光华，而这还没有结束，随后更密集的爆裂声传入耳朵，一蓬蓬银sè的牛毛细雨浮现而出。
Lin Xuan raised his head, his eyes glowing with silver light as he activated the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Eye. With this technique, everything above him came into clear view.
bù guò zhè yǔ kě yào bǐ yuán xiān de jiàn guāng zhǎng dé duō 。
不过这雨可要比原先的剑光长得多。
The monster bird had shrunk to half its original size and its spiritual light was dimmer. It was engaged in a fierce battle with the dragon, clearly on the defensive.
néng jiāng huà jiàn wèi sī yùn yòng dào zhè zhòng dì bù ， lín xuān de shén tōng dàng zhēn yě suàn bù sú 。
能将化剑为丝运用到这种地步，林轩的神通当真也算不俗。
Lin Xuan's heart leaped with joy as he directed the myriad threads of silver light towards his opponent.
zhǐ jiàn yín máng shǎn shuò ， yī dào jiē yī dào de yín sè xì sī gǔn gǔn ér chū ……
只见银芒闪烁，一道接一道的银sè细丝滚滚而出……
Puff! Puff!
měi yī dào jiàn guāng dōu biàn huà chū shù shí gēn zhàng xǔ zhǎng de yín sè jiàn sī lái le 。
每一道剑光都变化出数十根丈许长的银sè剑丝来了。
With the true spirit puppet distracting it, the monster bird had no choice but to be pierced by countless threads. Lin Xuan's lips curled into a smile; though the battle was far from over, its outcome was clear.
yuán běn jiàn guāng jiù yǒu shù bǎi dào zhī duō ， biàn huà wèi jiàn sī hòu shuō shàng wàn nà yě méi yǒu fēn háo kuā zhāng zhī chù 。
原本剑光就有数百道之多，变化为剑丝后说上万那也没有分毫夸张之处。
He would win!
shà shí jiān ， tiān kōng zhōng liàng jīng jīng de yín máng shǎn shuò ， jí biàn shì xuàn làn yì cháng de líng guāng yě zhē yǎn bú zhù 。
霎时间，天空中亮晶晶的银芒闪烁，即便是绚烂异常的灵光也遮掩不住。
The monster bird, despite its intelligence, understood this and tried to escape, but in vain.
lín xuān yáng qǐ tóu lú ， yǎn móu zhōng yín máng dà zuò ， jiāng tiān fèng shén mù shī zhǎn chū ， rú cǐ yī lái ， tóu dǐng shàng de yī qiè ， zì rán yě jiù kàn le gè qīng qīng chǔ chǔ 。
林轩扬起头颅，眼眸中银芒大做，将天凤神目施展出，如此一来，头顶上的一切，自然也就看了个清清楚楚。
Lin Xuan was fair-minded and wouldn't let it go so easily.
zhǐ jiàn nà guài niǎo yǔ gāng gāng xiāng bǐ ， tǐ jī yǐ suō xiǎo le yí bàn yǒu yú ， hún shēn de líng guāng ， yě àn dàn le xǔ duō ， zhèng yǔ nà jù lóng fān fān gǔn gǔn de bó dòu zhe 。
只见那怪鸟与刚刚相比，体积已缩小了一半有余，浑身的灵光，也黯淡了许多，正与那巨龙翻翻滚滚的搏斗着。
He must keep his opponent here.
ér qiě yǐn yǐn bù dí ， shì chǔ yú xià fēng dì 。
而且隐隐不敌，是处于下风地。
...
lín xuān xīn zhōng dà xǐ ， lián máng cāo zòng nà wàn qiān jiàn sī fēi shè guò qù 。
林轩心中大喜，连忙cāo纵那万千剑丝飞shè过去。
Despite the clarity of the situation, Lin Xuan did not become complacent. His attacks became even more fierce than before.
pū pū shēng dà zuò ， yǒu zhēn líng kuǐ lěi de qiān chě ， nà guài niǎo duǒ wú kě duǒ ， bèi zhè shǔ yǐ wàn jì de jiàn sī dòng chuān ér guò 。
噗噗声大做，有真灵傀儡的牵扯，那怪鸟躲无可躲，被这数以万计的剑丝洞穿而过。
"Little fellow, don’t overstep your bounds."
lín xuān de zuǐ jiǎo biān lù chū yī sī xī xiào zhī sè， dòu fǎ dào zhè yī bù ， suī rán shàng wèi jié shù ， dàn shèng fù rú hé ， yǐ jīng shì shí fēn qīng chǔ 。
林轩的嘴角边露出一丝嬉笑之sè，斗法到这一步，虽然尚未结束，但胜负如何，已经是十分清楚。
The monster bird's voice, though harsh, was filled with fear and trembling.
zì jǐ yíng dìng le ！
自己赢定了！
Lin Xuan ignored it; he had faced countless trials and tribulations, so such threats held no sway.
nà guài niǎo zhì shāng bù dī ， xiǎn rán yě míng bái zhè ge dào lǐ ， zuǒ chōng yòu tū ， xiǎng yào táo pǎo ， rán ér nǎ yǒu nà me róng yì 。
那怪鸟智商不低，显然也明白这个道理，左冲右突，想要逃跑，然而哪有那么容易。
...
lín xuān ēn yuàn fēn míng ， zì rán bú huì zuò nà fàng hǔ guī shān de chǔn shì dì 。
林轩恩怨分明，自然不会做那放虎归山的蠢事地。
The battle continued for another cup of tea’s time.
yí dìng yào jiāng duì fāng liú zài zhè lǐ 。
一定要将对方留在这里。
Boom!
tā bìng méi yǒu yīn wèi qíng shì míng lǎng jiù qīng xīn dà yì ， gōng shì yǔ gāng gāng xiāng bǐ ， fǎn ér biàn dé yuè fā de líng lì 。
他并没有因为情势明朗就轻心大意，攻势与刚刚相比，反而变得越发的凌厉。
A loud explosion echoed as the monster bird finally expired after a final, powerful strike.
“ xiǎo jiā huo ， nǐ bú yào qī rén tài shèn le 。”
“小家伙，你不要欺人太甚了。”
Its massive body dissolved into nothingness, clearing the sky once more.
nà guài niǎo sè lì nèi rěn de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
那怪鸟sè厉内荏的声音传入耳朵。
Lin Xuan's expression remained serious, even tinged with a hint of anxiety.
lín xuān què shì ruò wú dǔ ， tā jīng lì dà fēng dà làng wú shù ， zhè yàng de kǒu tóu wēi xié yòu néng yǒu shén me yòng tú 。
林轩却视若无睹，他经历大风大浪无数，这样的口头威胁又能有什么用途。
To advance to the Tribulation Stage required passing three stages: understanding one’s realm, facing the heavenly tribulation, and having some luck.
……
……
This time, there was no divine favor; his heavenly tribulation descended within half an hour after he had grasped the essence of his realm.
zhàn dòu yòu chí xù le yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu 。
战斗又持续了一盏茶的功夫。
According to ancient texts, such a situation was dire, but Lin Xuan's strength far surpassed that of his peers, allowing him to pass with composure.
hōng ！
轰！
However, a problem arose.
bào liè shēng dà zuò ， què shì nà guài niǎo zài xù lì yī jī zhī hòu zhōng yú huī fēi yān miè diào le 。
爆裂声大做，却是那怪鸟在蓄力一击之后终于灰飞烟灭掉了。
While the heavenly tribulation was indeed terrifying, it was also peculiar. Besides initial lightning and thunder, it had finally transformed into a nine-headed bird with consciousness.
páng dà de shēn qū huà wèi xū wú ， tiān kōng yě chóng xīn biàn dé qīng míng qǐ lái le 。
庞大的身躯化为虚无，天空也重新变得清明起来了。
After using all his abilities, he managed to eliminate this monster bird, but there was no sign of the usual effects—such as the I Ching Washing Meridians technique.
lín xuān de biǎo qíng què yī jiù yán sù ， shèn zhì dài zhe jǐ fēn jǐn zhāng zhī sè。
林轩的表情却依旧严肃，甚至带着几分紧张之sè。
In other words, while he had passed the tribulation, none of the expected benefits were realized.
jìn jiē dù jié qī ， xū yào jiāng sān gè guān kǒu dù guò 。
进阶渡劫期，需要将三个关口渡过。
Would he succeed in advancing under these circumstances?
dì yī guān shì jìng jiè de tǐ wù ， jī yuán qiǎo hé ， lín xuān kě yǐ shuō bù fèi chuī huī zhī lì ， jiù qīng sōng dù guò qù le 。
第一关是境界的体悟，机缘巧合，林轩可以说不费吹灰之力，就轻松渡过去了。
Lin Xuan felt a twinge of doubt. He had read countless ancient texts, but this situation was not recorded anywhere.
Lin Xuan's eyes flashed with a hint of regret, but fortunately, every loss comes with a gain. As the cracks on the Soul Devouring Sword increased in number, so did the power of the Four Elemental Shadows.
Originally just faint shadows, they now grew thick and substantial under Lin Xuan’s powerful replenishment, appearing almost tangible to the naked eye.
The nine-headed bird was also a gathering of Primordial Energy from heaven and earth, much like the Four Elemental Shadows. It could be said that their similarities were akin to different expressions of the same melody.
However, it was significantly more powerful.
But what did that matter? While each of the Four Elemental Shadows lacked in individual strength, they compensated for this with numbers, and had the assistance of the Nine Palaces Momentary Sword.
At this moment, the hundred-foot-long giant sword descended fiercely upon its opponent. The impact was immense, shaking the very air.
The process seemed complex when described, but it took merely an instant.
...
In the next moment, a deafening roar echoed through the air. Not far from Lin Xuan, multicolored spiritual light burst forth, accompanied by powerful gales that swept across the area.
The light was dazzling, and large talismanic symbols rotated and danced like bubbles in the air. Alongside this came an oppressive spiritual pressure; even with his current strength, Lin Xuan struggled to breathe under its intensity.
The fate of the nine-headed bird, trapped at the center of the explosion, could be easily inferred from these circumstances.
However, Lin Xuan had no intention of letting it go. He had finally found a favorable opportunity and was determined to take full advantage of it, giving this drowning dog a thorough beating.
As his thoughts raced, Lin Xuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If only he had known, he should have done something before attempting to break through the Tribulation Stage barrier.
After all the effort, he had obtained the Vermilion Bird Ring, and there was no reason to let it lie dormant in his storage bracelet.
If he could first refine this treasure, he would gain another powerful weapon.
With these thoughts, Lin Xuan felt a deep sense of regret. However, he wouldn't allow himself to become disheartened.
While the Vermilion Bird Ring couldn't be used was indeed unfortunate, he had other means at his disposal.
He flicked his sleeve and a jade box, about a foot long, flew out.
Its design was ancient, with talismanic seals affixed to its lid. Lin Xuan raised his right hand and pointed it forward.
A crackling sound filled the air as the talisman ignited without wind. The lid of the box was pushed open by some unseen force, revealing a true spirit puppet.
Lin Xuan continued to wave his hands, and three immortal stones accurately embedded themselves into the puppet.
Red, yellow, and blue spiritual lights flickered and transformed, while mysterious symbols gushed forth like a fountain.
Roar!
With a deafening roar, a dragon appeared before Lin Xuan. No, it wasn't a dragon; it was a true dragon, vividly lifelike as it lunged forward.
Lin Xuan heaved a sigh of relief. This true spirit puppet's power nearly matched that of the Tribulation Stage, making its appearance at this moment perfectly timed to aid him in defeating his enemy.
Boom!
An explosion echoed through the air, and the sky was filled with the cries of the monster bird as it became increasingly desperate.
Lin Xuan's heart leaped with joy. However, his expression remained stern.
His hands continued their movements, and he bellowed, "Break!"
Before the words left his lips, a barrage of sword light exploded in all directions. The hundred-foot-long giant sword shattered into dozens of smaller rays of light. This was not the end; more intense explosions followed, sending silver threads like fine rain.
However, these threads were much longer than the initial sword light.
Lin Xuan's prowess in transforming swords into threads was truly impressive. Silver light flashed as thread after thread rolled out...
Each ray of light transformed into dozens of silver threads, each over a dozen feet long.
With hundreds of rays initially, the transformation to thousands of threads was not an exaggeration.
In an instant, the sky shimmered with silver light, even overshadowing the dazzling spiritual light.
Lin Xuan raised his head, his eyes glowing with silver light as he activated the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Eye. With this technique, everything above him came into clear view.
The monster bird had shrunk to half its original size and its spiritual light was dimmer. It was engaged in a fierce battle with the dragon, clearly on the defensive.
Lin Xuan's heart leaped with joy as he directed the myriad threads of silver light towards his opponent.
Puff! Puff!
With the true spirit puppet distracting it, the monster bird had no choice but to be pierced by countless threads. Lin Xuan's lips curled into a smile; though the battle was far from over, its outcome was clear.
He would win!
The monster bird, despite its intelligence, understood this and tried to escape, but in vain.
Lin Xuan was fair-minded and wouldn't let it go so easily.
He must keep his opponent here.
...
Despite the clarity of the situation, Lin Xuan did not become complacent. His attacks became even more fierce than before.
"Little fellow, don’t overstep your bounds."
The monster bird's voice, though harsh, was filled with fear and trembling.
Lin Xuan ignored it; he had faced countless trials and tribulations, so such threats held no sway.
...
The battle continued for another cup of tea’s time.
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed as the monster bird finally expired after a final, powerful strike.
Its massive body dissolved into nothingness, clearing the sky once more.
Lin Xuan's expression remained serious, even tinged with a hint of anxiety.
To advance to the Tribulation Stage required passing three stages: understanding one’s realm, facing the heavenly tribulation, and having some luck.
This time, there was no divine favor; his heavenly tribulation descended within half an hour after he had grasped the essence of his realm.
According to ancient texts, such a situation was dire, but Lin Xuan's strength far surpassed that of his peers, allowing him to pass with composure.
However, a problem arose.
While the heavenly tribulation was indeed terrifying, it was also peculiar. Besides initial lightning and thunder, it had finally transformed into a nine-headed bird with consciousness.
After using all his abilities, he managed to eliminate this monster bird, but there was no sign of the usual effects—such as the I Ching Washing Meridians technique.
In other words, while he had passed the tribulation, none of the expected benefits were realized.
Would he succeed in advancing under these circumstances?
Lin Xuan felt a twinge of doubt. He had read countless ancient texts, but this situation was not recorded anywhere.