Chapter 657 - 43: Gui Xu Encounter, Golden Jellyfish

When Fang Cheng asked about the difference in the Circulation of Celestial Power, Venerable Jiayin smiled faintly. "One Cycle of Heavenly Magical Power," he explained, "is roughly equivalent to the entire Power of the World Heaven Origin from a complete Lower Realm."

Fang Cheng was reminded of the Dragon Elephant Wanderer’s words from years ago—

"According to my master, the power of the Seventh Celestial Tribulation is almost comparable to thirty percent of the Celestial Dao Origin Power, on par with a strike from a Spirit Immortal of the Upper Realm. To survive this tribulation, he exhausted his life’s accumulation, leaving him with no strength to face the next two. That was why he came up with the idea of converting the Demon Lord’s body..."

Ever since the Demon Lord had tainted the Celestial Dao of the Red Profound Realm, the Demon Buddha was the only Cultivator to have passed the Seventh Celestial Tribulation.

The Dragon Elephant Wanderer had had extraordinary opportunities, traveled through countless heavens, and obtained many immortal fortunes. His strength far surpassed that of Cultivators at the same level, yet even he did not dare to risk facing the Seventh Celestial Tribulation. He had remained stuck at the edge of the sixth rank, unable to take that final step.

Now, Fang Cheng had also reached this point.

He could faintly sense the power of the Seventh Celestial Tribulation, and a sense of dread inexplicably rose in his heart. After performing some mental calculations, he realized that even if he successfully passed the tribulation, he would lose more than half of everything he had ever gained.

His Five Spirit Mechanism Incarnations, Sixth-rank Talismans, the Great Inference Celestial Net Sword Array, and more—all would likely be destroyed by the Seventh Celestial Tribulation.

Perhaps only his Tier Six Flying Sword, "Endless," could be saved.

Especially given the current situation, with the Demon Lord about to break free, it would truly be a case of the losses outweighing the gains if he risked it all just to pass the tribulation and jeopardized the greater plan.

Once the Demon Lord fully recovered, it wouldn’t matter even if Fang Cheng passed the Seventh Celestial Tribulation.

By then, the Eighth and Ninth Celestial Tribulations would be even more powerful. How could he possibly resist them?

So, he had stopped.

Only by forging the Demon-Suppressing Celestial Stele and purging the demonic will left by the Demon Lord within the Celestial Dao Origin could he hope to successfully pass the final three tribulations and ascend to the Spiritual Sky Realm in one go.

*

*

*

Deep within the Taixu Cloud Tower, inside a Quiet Chamber.

Fang Cheng sat cross-legged on a Cloud Couch, his eyes slightly closed. The Immortal Copper Treasure Box floated in the air before him, slowly rotating.

At this moment, his consciousness was completely immersed in his Netherworld Giant Kun Dharma Aspect in the Outer Void.

In the deep, dark void, a massive Returning Ruins Vortex spun slowly, seeming to pull and distort the very fabric of space around it.

A thousand-zhang-long Netherworld Giant Kun, shimmering with a faint, dark light and radiating a vast demonic will, was slowly advancing along the edge of this vortex.

The Netherworld Giant Kun’s body was already showing faint signs of collapsing and distorting. It opened its massive maw and shot a beam of Profound Light toward the Returning Ruins Vortex.

The Profound Light landed gently in the depths of the vortex and vanished in a flash.

A look of disappointment flashed in the Netherworld Giant Kun’s eyes.

’Still not close enough...’

’Another hundred li forward.’

The great kun "slid" bit by bit toward the Returning Ruins Vortex, as if a rope were pulling it taut from the outside, preventing it from being swallowed whole.

During this process, it repeatedly sent its Divine Power Mark toward the Returning Ruins Vortex, attempting to brand it, but every attempt failed without exception.

Over so many years of comprehending the Path of Returning Ruins, Fang Cheng’s gains had far exceeded his initial expectations.

Compared to his initial position when he first arrived, he had now advanced and explored nearly ten thousand li closer to the Returning Ruins Vortex.

From the initial thousand li, to three thousand, five thousand, eight thousand, and now to ten thousand li.

Each time, Fang Cheng’s heart pounded with fear. The closer he got to the Returning Ruins Vortex, the stronger the strange mix of danger and excitement became.

It was a tremor that originated from the depths of his soul, one in which he found himself unconsciously engrossed.

The anchor point left behind by the Tribulation Realm Great Power of the Human Race from the Red Profound Realm was worlds apart from his current position.

An ordinary Nine Tribulation Cultivator would be devoured by the Returning Ruins Vortex in less than two breaths’ time if they came here.

But now, Fang Cheng could travel back and forth within this region safely.

He had fundamentally grasped and controlled some of the changes in the Spiritual Mechanism of this Returning Ruins Vortex, allowing him to follow its operational principles and continue exploring forward.

According to his deductions and estimates, if he could get just another hundred li closer, he would have some confidence in successfully branding his Divine Power Mark.

In the dead, cold void, the Netherworld Giant Kun quietly inched closer and closer to the Returning Ruins Vortex.

Several days passed, and it advanced another li or so. Suddenly, within the deep, dark Returning Ruins Vortex, a golden dot appeared in the Netherworld Giant Kun’s field of vision.

Fang Cheng was not surprised.

Over the past few decades, he had seen these golden points of light many times.

These points of light would emerge from the Returning Ruins Vortex, seemingly completely unaffected by its Devouring Power. They would drift out lazily before being swallowed back into the vortex again.

However, these golden dots were always extremely far from him, making it impossible to see what they actually were.

But this time, the points of light seemed to be drifting in the direction of the Netherworld Giant Kun.

A flicker of curiosity sparked in Fang Cheng’s mind. He cautiously adjusted his direction, guiding the Netherworld Giant Kun to move closer to the golden dots. If nothing unexpected happened, their paths would eventually intersect.

Gradually, the distance between them shrank considerably. Only then did Fang Cheng realize that the golden points of light were actually a school of strange, golden creatures that resembled jellyfish.

Before him, dozens of Golden Jellyfish were entangled together. They were stacked in the shape of a Treasure Pagoda, their radiant golden bells clinging to one another, while their fluffy, golden oral arms swayed rhythmically in the void.

Against the backdrop of the deathly silent and dangerous Returning Ruins Vortex, the sight was both magnificent and wondrous.

These Golden Jellyfish were immense. As the two drew closer, the Netherworld Giant Kun’s thousand-zhang-long body seemed as insignificant as a single, slender cow hair in their presence.