Venerable Yellow Mountain looked at Song Shuhang thoughtfully.

　　Song Shuhang replied, “The damage of the fire has not been reduced. It’s just that we’ve entered a state of ‘resonance’. In this state, all of us are connected. With that being the case, the degree at which the flames are damaging us has become something no longer worth mentioning.”

　　Northern River’s Loose Cultivator said, “Is this the reason the pain feels weaker, because it’s being shared? But that can’t be right… Even if the pain is evenly distributed, the ‘pain’ that everyone is suffering should still be the same.”

　　Song Shuhang said, “It’s not just about distributing the pain as my ‘pain tolerance’ is also being shared with everyone through the resonance. It’s just like when I resonated with Senior Yellow Mountain earlier and was able to use sword techniques. I just tested it out of curiosity, not expecting it to actually work.”

　　It seemed that his ‘pain tolerance’ had become a ‘skill’, so it was something that could be shared with others through this resonance.

　　The members of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were speechless.

　　Having great ‘pain tolerance’ was something quite heart-stifling for others to hear about.

　　Song Shuhang said, “These purple flames are just a prelude to the real heavenly tribulation. Remember, we’re going to face a heavenly tribulation of the Eighth Stage.”

　　These purple flames were the part of the heavenly tribulation that had been assimilated by the laws of the ‘Black Dragon World’, which was why it was an illusory flame. As for the heavenly tribulation above their head, it was still unknown as to what form it would take when it descended. After all, this place was the newest version of the Heavenly Tribulation Realm, so it was likely to be accompanied by a new form of the heavenly tribulation.

　　Just as Song Shuhang was in thought, ripples started to form in front of them.

　　In the tribulation clouds, a purple-golden pillar of lightning was brewing.

　　Soon after, a dazzling small sun emerged beneath the tribulation clouds.

　　Was the new heavenly tribulation coming?

　　It couldn’t have changed so much that it was even sending an attack similar to a small sun in power, right?

　　No, wait.

　　Song Shuhang blinked.

　　This small sun was giving him a very familiar feeling…

　　Although the sun was dazzling, Song Shuhang could directly look at its core.

　　Vaguely visible in the core of the little sun was the figure of a man made of steel. Beside the man stood a tall girl with long hair.

　　“…” Song Shuhang.

　　The sun boat, the steel manifestation, and the ‘Heavenly Emperor’, whom Song Shuhang never wanted to see again.

　　The purple-golden lightning pillar blasted down, and came crashing down on the small sun.

　　The small sun moved swiftly. It moved so quickly that it seemed as if it had teleported.

　　However, the purple-golden lightning pillar moved in the tribulation clouds at the same speed, following the little sun like a shadow.

　　The lightning pillar kept on chasing the little sun, not intent on not giving up.

　　Song Shuhang and the others, who were the main attraction, were left to the side with nothing to do…

　　Inside the small sun, Soft Feather’s crisp voice sounded. “Swallow it, Steel Song.”

　　In the next moment, the small sun shone brightly.

　　The purple-golden lightning pillar reached it, but it was eventually swallowed and absorbed by the small sun.

　　And it did not end at that—after the small sun swallowed the lightning pillar, it began to inhale the tribulation clouds in the sky, absorbing most of their mass in mere moments.

　　The heavenly tribulation was temporarily delayed as it had to reaccumulate its power…

　　Taking advantage of this time, the small sun rolled around, teleporting in front of Song Shuhang.

　　The Heavenly Emperor, who had taken on Soft Feather’s appearance, stepped out of the small sun, and said, “Aiyaya, it seems I’ve been drawn into some terrible place.”

　　At this time, she was wearing a set of shiny full-body armor with a pair of large decorative wings behind it.

　　The only difference between her and Soft Feather was their eye sockets. Not even trying to hide it, the Heavenly Emperor kept her pitch-black eyes with no white to be seen anywhere.

　　Song Shuhang asked, “Why are you here?!”

　　“Soft Feather?” Behind him, there were several seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group who were still unaware of what was happening. Wasn’t Soft Feather in the main world with Doudou? What was she doing running over here?

　　“Hello, Seniors.” The Heavenly Emperor smiled brightly and waved to everyone.

　　Song Shuhang said, “She is the Heavenly Emperor of the Ancient Heavenly City. She’s currently occupying Soft Feather’s ghost spirit. I will explain in greater detail later, but she is not the Soft Feather you all know.”

　　The seniors of the Nine Provinces Number One Group were speechless.

　　The Heavenly Emperor of the Ancient Heavenly City was a figure of legends, and for such a figure to suddenly appear right in front of juniors like them was rather shocking.

　　“Why are you here?” Song Shuhang repeated.

　　The Heavenly Emperor’s pitch-black eyes stared at Song Shuhang. “Why am I here? Senior Song, don’t you have any self-awareness, or are you just acting dumb?”

　　“…” Song Shuhang.

　　“I was transcending my tribulation, and when I was about to get through it, you started a group tribulation. Because of that, I was brought here. I was transcending the tribulation with Steel Song… so both of us were involved. Can you really not be satisfied with just transcending an ordinary heavenly tribulation?” the Heavenly Emperor said with a stifled heart.

　　Song Shuhang looked up at the sky.

　　“Anyway, is this the ‘Group Tribulation Transcension Space’?” The Heavenly Emperor turned her head and looked around.

　　Song Shuhang nodded.

　　“So… Senior Song, all of you can carry on with what you were doing. Although we’ve only known each other for a short time, I considered you to be a very good candidate for my harem. Unfortunately, it seems that we’re not destined to be together.” The Heavenly Emperor waved at Song Shuhang.

　　Song Shuhang frowned. “I’m confident that I can manage on my own against a heavenly tribulation of the Eighth Stage.”

　　He had a few trump cards in hand. Although his connection with the Dragon Network was intermittent at the moment, he could still connect to it. In addition, the heart of the ‘big-eyed planet’ in the Holy Sword of the End was ready for action.

　　“The final wave of this ‘group tribulation’ is going to be deadly. Although I’m unsure what form the heavenly tribulation will be descending in, as the information I have is very limited, I know that it’s likely to be impossible for you to survive. Anyway… carry on with your heavenly tribulation. If we meet again in your next life, Senior Song, I will definitely add you to my harem. I’ll be taking my leave now, bye!” The Heavenly Emperor waved her hand.

　　Song Shuhang asked, “Can you take a few people away with you?”

　　The Heavenly Emperor said, “Unfortunately, leaving this place will require an equivalent exchange.”

　　After saying that, her figure began to disappear, and the small sun which contained Song Shuhang’s steel manifestation also disappeared.

　　“Equivalent exchange? Wait!” Song Shuhang shouted—the equivalent exchange the Heavenly Empress mentioned reminded him of how Lady Kunna used a clone to replace his body in the ‘Ninth Stage Heavenly Tribulation Realm’.

　　And with that said, the one who was going to replace the Heavenly Emperor could only be…

　　“Doudou, the next wave of the heavenly tribulation is coming! Use your ‘Sun Swallowing Heavenly Dog’ skill and eat it!”

　　“Eat your father, I don’t have such a skill!”

　　“I will relay this sentence verbatim to my father.”

　　“My dear elder sister, I was wrong, alright? So please forgive me. I shouldn’t have laughed at your daoist name… Eh?”

　　The real bodies of Soft Feather and Doudou appeared right in front of Song Shuhang, their expressions confused.

　　Doudou said, “Am I seeing things? I think I just saw Song Shuhang’s father.”