Chapter 968: Transcending Tribulation!

　　The Heavens rumbled as the red Tribulation Clouds surged, as if there were a mighty army marching within them. Booms could be heard that shook the land, filling all of Planet East Victory.

　　The area encompassed by the Tribulation Clouds expanded out past Planet East Victory into the starry sky. They were matchlessly large, and the minds of the cultivators from the sects and clans were filled with something like the crashing of lightning as they watched.

　　As for the Immortal Palaces in the clouds, they were beautiful and ornately decorated, and emanated shocking Immortal might that roiled out into the stars. Furthermore, it looked as if there were countless Immortals floating about within the Immortal Palaces.

　　Although they were illusory, it was the first time from ancient times until now that Immortal Palaces like this had appeared in the Ninth Mountain and Sea. Even in the Nine Mountains and Seas in general, an Immortal Tribulation with Immortal Palaces like this was the stuff of legend only.

　　In addition, the Door of Immortality was completely shocking. It hovered there outside of Planet East Victory, enormous and ancient, with a primordial aura that seemed to represent the will of the Nine Mountains and Seas themselves.

　　This Immortal Tribulation, this Door of Immortality, and these Immortal Palaces were unlike anything else!

　　That was because Meng Hao was about to become a true Immortal among true Immortals!

　　Everyone on Planet East Victory watched as Meng Hao shot up into the sky like a meteor. Almost the instant he flew up, the Tribulation Clouds up above seethed with uncountable bolts of red lightning. It was like a massive web that dropped down from the clouds, which then condensed together into one gigantic red lightning bolt that seemed capable of ripping apart Heaven and Earth. The lightning bolt then shot directly toward Meng Hao.

　　This was Immortal Tribulation!

　　Anyone who looked at a Tribulation like this would feel their face fall, even Fang Wei and the true Immortal Chosen of the various sects and clans. As for everyone else, they all gasped. When compared to the tribulation faced earlier by the true Immortal Chosen, it was virtually impossible to describe how much more powerful this tribulation was.

　　In the stony cavern deep beneath the Fang Clan’s ancestral mansion, the Earth Patriarch sat with the other six Patriarchs and looked at the red lightning.

　　“Experiencing true Immortal destiny is like being selected by Heaven and Earth,” he said. “It seems difficult to become a true Immortal in that way, but actually, the will of the Nine Mountains and Seas always leaves a small chance of success. People who achieve true Immortal Ascension like this then have some of the destiny of the Nine Mountains and Seas in them!

　　“Using the Immortality Illumination Vine is essentially cheating, and involves no true Immortal destiny. Because of that, the Immortal Tribulation is actually more powerful. However, successfully opening the Door of Immortality results in the same approval of the will of the Nine Mountains and Seas.

　　“However… reaching true Immortal Ascension on one’s own is the most domineering of the three paths. It shows contempt for the Heavens, and derision of the will of the Nine Mountains and Seas. It is to be… an Immortal, in and of oneself, and a true Immortal at that. And that is why, whether the Heavens approve of him or not… they will be forced to acknowledge him!

　　“The Heavens are forced to acquiesce, and as such, this third type of true Immortal Tribulation offers no way out!”

　　The Patriarchs of the various sects and clans were all paying close attention to the goings on. Normally speaking, a Spirit Realm cultivator stepping into Immortality was not something they would deign to observe, unless it happened to be a Chosen from their own organization. The Immortal Tribulation of members of other sects or clans was not something that the Patriarchs would care about in the least.

　　But Meng Hao was different!

　　He was walking the third of the three paths, a path that stirred even the Patriarchs. They wanted to see… if he would actually be able to succeed!

　　What was happening now was something that they might have a chance to see only once in a lifetime.

　　Heaven and Earth rumbled, and red lightning shot down toward Meng Hao with indescribable speed. He hovered there in midair, his expression the same as usual, his eyes filled with the desire to do battle.

　　“The moment I have been waiting so long for is finally here!” Meng Hao lifted his right hand, causing ripples to spread out from his true Immortal fleshly body. His Immortal meridians rotated, and his willpower solidified as he clenched his hand into a fist.

　　He punched out at the red lightning, and a massive boom filled the air. The lightning instantly began to collapse. However, it only collapsed by about seventy percent, and the remaining thirty percent smashed into Meng Hao.

　　However, Meng Hao simply hovered there in midair, allowing the lightning to strike him. Innumerable sparks flew out, and his hair swirled around him as he threw his head back and laughed.

　　“Is true Immortal Tribulation really this weak?!” Meng Hao actually felt a bit disappointed. It was back when he had witnessed the Immortal Tribulation of his master Pill Demon back on Planet South Heaven, that… he began to look forward to transcending his own tribulation.

　　As he laughed, the Heavens rumbled and the clouds churned. Countless lightning bolts once again began to form, rapidly transforming into another, even more shocking lightning attack that shot toward him.

　　As it neared, Meng Hao once again laughed uproariously. The sound was so intense that it could pierce metal and crush rock. Everyone who heard it was shocked inwardly. Suddenly, Meng Hao transformed into a golden roc that flapped its wings and shot toward the lightning.

　　This did not seem like transcending the tribulation, this seemed like a baptism within the tribulation!

　　BOOOOMMMMMM!

　　The lightning descended, crackling around Meng Hao in golden roc form. It was like a giant globe of lightning, casting scintillating light throughout Heaven and Earth.

　　“Bring it on!” Meng Hao’s voice echoed out, and the golden roc shrieked as he shot toward the clouds up in the sky. Lightning crashed, a third bolt, a fourth, a fifth….

　　Terrifying lightning descended like rain, accompanied by shocking rumbling sounds. Meng Hao in golden roc form sped upward as fast as ever, smacking through the lightning like a sharp knife through a piece of bamboo. The lightning was like dried twigs that he easily crushed as he charged directly into the Tribulation Clouds.

　　Planet East Victory was filled with a sound that resembled the heartbeat of a giant. The land quaked, the planet trembled, and all the cultivators on the planet were completely shaken.

　　The Tribulation Clouds began to part, showing a tiny hole that Meng Hao had not quite pierced through yet. However, behind it, the Door of Immortality was clearly visible.

　　Unfortunately, between him and the Door of Immortality were the Immortal Palaces!

　　This was Meng Hao’s true Immortal Tribulation. Not only were the Tribulation Clouds vastly larger than anyone else’s, behind those Tribulation Clouds were the Immortal Palaces. If he wanted to get to the Door of Immortality, he would have to get through all those Immortal Palaces first!

　　Meng Hao reverted from his golden roc form, coughing up a mouthful of blood as he was shoved backward several paces. His eyes then began to shine brightly with the desire to fight.

　　Most of his clothing was shredded away, leaving him completely bare chested. His hair whipped about, and not a single injury could be seen on him. In the moment that he coughed up the mouthful of blood, his Eternal stratum kicked into work, repairing him instantly.

　　When Fang Wei saw all of this, his face grew unsightly, and his eyes flickered with killing intent. After a moment, he took a deep breath, and the killing intent grew even more intense.

　　Off to the side, Fang Xiushan was astonished. His hands were clenched into fists, and inwardly, he was cursing Meng Hao. What he hoped for most was that Meng Hao would perish during his Immortal Tribulation. Then, all of the problems would be resolved.

　　“Die, you little son of a bitch,” he growled inwardly. “Die in the Immortal Tribulation! That’s your fate!”

　　The Grand Elder’s eyes shone with a strange light as he stared at Meng Hao up in the sky. Then he began to pant. In the end, it was impossible to guess what he might be thinking.

　　The members of the direct bloodline were incredibly excited, and even the other ordinary clan members were getting worked up.

　　As Meng Hao fell back down a bit, the hole in the Tribulation Clouds began to close up, as if it had never existed in the first place. At the same time, an unprecedented pressure radiated out, and more lightning began to gather.

　　There were no chances, and no lucky breaks!

　　This was why it was so challenging to reach true Immortal Ascension on one’s own!

　　The Patriarchs of the various sects and clans all looked on with curious eyes.

　　In the Ninth Sea God World, Fan Dong’er breathed heavily as she looked at the crystal in front of her. She could see the image of Meng Hao slamming into the Tribulation Lightning, and the sight of the vast Tribulation Clouds caused her mind to go blank with shock.

　　“Master, will… will he transcend the tribulation?” she asked softly.

　　“Your master has never seen Immortal Tribulation like this before,” the old woman replied slowly. “I’ve only heard about it in stories. There are no opportunities for survival in this type of tribulation. Of course, since it’s Immortal Tribulation, the lightning won’t exceed the limits of the Immortal Realm by too much. However, I’ve heard that the lightning will never end. Furthermore, those Immortal Palaces blocking the way will be very difficult to get past.”

　　Words similar to this were being spoken in all of the other various sects and clans.

　　“Is this supposed to be difficult…?” thought Meng Hao, his desire to do battle swirling to new heights. He let out a roar as his Dharma Idol appeared behind him. It was only a single Dharma Idol, but it was fully 21,000 meters tall.

　　The moment the Dharma Idol appeared, Meng Hao flashed up toward the Tribulation Clouds. Rumbling filled Heaven and Earth as numerous lightning bolts struck down. In the blink of an eye, more than ten bolts were about to crash into him.

　　Crashing sounds could be heard as the lightning bolts slammed into him. At the same time, Meng Hao lifted his right hand, within which appeared a long spear. Its haft was made from the World Tree, and the spearhead was crafted from white bone. Hefting the spear, he charged up into the sky.

　　Everything shook as the lightning collapsed into pieces, completely destroyed. As he neared the clouds, Meng Hao roared, and his Dharma Idol reached out with both hands to grab ahold of them. Veins popped out on Meng Hao’s forehead.

　　RUMBLE!

　　Meng Hao’s Dharma Idol appeared to be ripping the Heavens apart. It grabbed the Tribulation Clouds and wrenched them to either side. The lands quaked, and massive rumbling filled the air. The stars shook as a huge rift was torn directly in the middle of the Tribulation Clouds.

　　It was as if a huge sword had simply sundered them in two. Now, the palaces behind the Tribulation Clouds were clearly visible. Immediately, Immortal light began to shine out, and the Immortals in their palaces stopped in their tracks and turned to look at Meng Hao.

　　It was at this point that Meng Hao lifted the spear up and then threw it violently ahead of him.

　　“BREAK!” he roared. The spear transformed into what looked like a lightning bolt as it shot through the rift in the Tribulation Clouds and headed toward the Immortal Palaces.

　　It sped through the void like a hot knife through butter. The rift in the Tribulation Clouds grew larger, and numerous Immortals flew out to meet the spear. Massive booms could be heard as many of the Immortals were destroyed. The spear itself stabbed into one of the Immortal Palaces, causing it to explode.

　　In that moment, Meng Hao’s speed reached an apex. He transformed into a beam of prismatic light that sped through the rift in the Tribulation Clouds.

　　However, it was then… that the Tribulation Clouds began to seethe and contract. Suddenly, massive pressure radiated out as numerous clouds formed together into an enormous hand, which then slapped toward Meng Hao. The huge hand filled his field of vision, obscuring everything else as it shoved him back down toward the ground.

　　A fierce gleam appeared in his eyes, like a bloody blade filled with ferocity.

　　“Trying to get in my way?”