Chapter 3109 - Standing Proudly Over a Tribulation

Su Yi walked through the lifeless landscape, proceeding deeper into the Realm of Endless Tribulations. He held the Umbrella of Tribulations aloft.

All manner of calamitous power interwove overhead, strange and unsettling. Had any other cultivator been here, they’d have risked a terrifying onslaught of calamitous power at any moment.

But Su Yi disregarded it all, and not simply because he carried the Umbrella of Tribulations. He had the Book of Destiny, too!

The Dao of Destiny encompassed destiny, fate, and fortune. It encompassed unpredictable calamities, karma, fortuitous encounters, misfortune, disaster, and more.

Su Yi vividly recalled something the Harbinger of Tribulations, Lu Shu, had said to him in the Cave of Obsession. Only he who possessed the Book of Destiny could become the true ruler of tribulations!

Harbingers of Tribulations could wield the tribulations of destiny. In the eyes of ordinary cultivators, Harbingers of Tribulations were like incarnations of divine tribulations. That was what made them so terrifying.

But that only made Lu Shu’s statement all the more intriguing.

The Abyss of Endless Tribulations was purportedly the source of all calamities, and the most mysterious treasure of the River of Destiny was from the depths of the Realm of Endless Tribulations.

The Book of Destiny was also the reason the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence chose this place as their battleground. The two of them knew that the key to determining a victor in their clash of the Grand Dao was the Book of Destiny. Whoever acquired it would realize their ambition and defeat their opponent!

But both of them narrowly missed their opportunity to seize the Book of Destiny, because Xiao Jian slipped in alone, took the book, and left.

Now, as he thought of all that had happened here, an altogether different feeling arose in Su Yi’s heart.

He hadn’t forgotten that the spirit of the Contented Heart Scepter had detected a familiar scent here in the Realm of Endless Tribulations, as if he’d returned home. He even said with certainty that this place hid destiny source power!

It’s a pity, but I still haven’t quite seized the opportunity I need to break through. Su Yi’s brow furrowed.

He could have tried for it outside the palace on the peak of the Mountain of Tribulations, as he knew that the Monarch of Endless Tribulations had hit his limit.

As for the Harbingers of Tribulations? They might have been incomparably terrifying to other people, but to him, they were nothing to worry about.

Unfortunately, the Threelives Buddha and Hong Ling were there, too. That left him no choice but to retreat and avoid battle for the time being.

Ultimately, his current strength was, at most, enough to clash with a Heavenly Sovereign. If they really competed, though, there was no way he’d win.

Even if he used his hidden cards, he wouldn’t necessarily come out on top. On the contrary, it was highly likely that he’d find himself trapped.

Then I’ll just have to seize this opportunity to have a look around the Daoless Domain, thought Su Yi.

The Daoless Domain was the most dangerous, unknown, and mysterious place in the entire Realm of Endless Tribulations. There, the Dao didn’t exist, and all abilities withered.

Those who ventured there had their cultivation bases severed—permanently. They were mortals forevermore.

Not even the Monarch of Endless Tribulations or the Buddha of Non-Existence had ever gone there.

But Su Yi knew that Xiao Jian had found the Book of Destiny in the Daoless Domain. That aside, Su Yi dared say with certainty that if there really was destiny source power hidden somewhere in the Realm of Endless Tribulations, it had to be somewhere in the Daoless Domain.

......

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Realm of Endless Tribulations, the Threelives Buddha held a medallion aloft.

It was indeed as if he’d opened a celestial eye. Everything in the Realm of Endless Tribulations was now reflected clearly in his mind’s eye.

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations hadn’t lied to him. With the medallion in hand, he really could sense Su Yi’s traces in the Realm of Endless Tribulations with ease.

For instance, now, he could “see” Su Yi holding the Umbrella of Tribulations aloft as he walked deeper into the Realm of Endless Tribulations.

The sight confused him. Don’t tell me he’s headed for the Daoless Domain?

Suddenly, Hong Ling asked, “Fellow Daoist, could you tell if the Monarch of Endless Tribulations was really an arrow at the end of its flight or not?”

The Threelives Buddha didn’t even pause to think. “He was!”

Hong Ling blinked. “Then...”

But the Threelives Buddha seemed to know what she wanted to ask. He shook his head. “A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. The Monarch of Endless Tribulations is a terrifying existence who once broke through the shackles of destiny. Even if he were down to the last remnant of his soul, it wouldn’t do to underestimate him.”

Hong Ling fell silent. Earlier, on their way to the Abyss of Endless Tribulations, she learned from the Threelives Buddha that both the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence had once broken through the shackles of destiny and stepped onto the Path to Ancestry.

However, countless years had passed, and the two legends no longer presented much of a threat.

This was entirely due to their ancient clash of the Grand Dao. The damage it had done was far, far too heavy!

“Had we gone all out, we might well have taken the Monarch of Endless Tribulations down, but we’d have surely paid an enormous price for our victory,” said the Threelives Buddha. “Had Su Yi seized the opportunity to attack us in turn, he’d have reaped the fisherman’s benefits in the end.”

He sighed softly. “Advancing by retreating. Impressive indeed! Had I not been so cautious of him, I really would have decided to duke it out with the Monarch of Endless Tribulations.”

He spoke with a hint of exasperation.

“Then what should we do next, Fellow Daoist?” asked Hong Ling.

The Threelives Buddha’s eyes flashed like cold lightning. “Do you remember when Su Yi and I sparred before entering the Abyss of Endless Tribulations?”

Hong Ling nodded.

“If it’s as I suspect, Su Yi is out hunting for an opportunity to prove his Dao and break through!” said the Threelives Buddha. “Here in the Realm of Endless Tribulations, there’s nowhere more dangerous than the Daoless Domain, but to Su Yi, it might well be the perfect place to realize his next breakthrough.”

Hong Ling couldn’t help but feel astonished. He’s willingly entering the Daoless Domain to prove his Dao? That’s more than just bold. It’s simply... deranged!

But judging by the Threelives Buddha’s expression, he seems to think this won’t be difficult for Su Yi...

Hong Ling felt a complicated mix of emotions. As a disciple of Sovereign Venerate Yi’s Primordial Divine Court, albeit several generations beneath their founder, she’d always been extremely confident. She didn’t take Heavenly Sovereigns the least bit seriously.

But after everything she’d just experienced, she realized that with Su Yi and the Threelives Buddha around, she had no right to be confident. The two of them were far too terrifying. Their intelligence, methods, courage, strength, and hidden cards were all completely unfathomable.

After a moment’s silence, Hong Ling said, “Doesn’t that mean that we have to make sure to capture Su Yi before he reaches the Daoless Domain?”

The Threelives Buddha nodded. “So I’ll have to ask for your cooperation in severing his ambitions completely and utterly, Fellow Daoist. Once we’ve taken him down, we’ll control the Book of Destiny. Destroying the Monarch of Endless Tribulations will be a simple matter then!”

This was also why he and Hong Ling had suddenly attacked Su Yi earlier in the palace.

Hong Ling’s eyes glinted sharply. “Very well!”

......

Su Yi walked alone through an overcast stretch of heaven and earth, then came to a sudden stop. The Umbrella of Tribulations transformed into the Yin-Yang Diagram with a ripple of black and white Dao Light.

The world around him was instantly divided into stark black and white, turbid and pure. The black represented the world of Yin, the white the world of Yang.

The Yin-Yang Diagram was like a divine barrier separating these two starkly different worlds.

Booom!!

He’d only just finished this when countless blazing stars poured down on the dark side of the demarcation.

Practically simultaneously, Sanskrit chanting rang out, and the giant hand of a Buddha descended from on high, so enormous as to blot out the sun.

Within moments, the world of stark black and white shattered into pieces. The terrifying aftershock reduced the surrounding area to powder, and the very earth itself sank and collapsed.

It was immediately obvious how terrifying this strike was.

But Su Yi vanished into thin air, reappearing outside the battlefield. The Yin-Yang Diagram had just turned back into the Umbrella of Tribulations.

“Useless. You seriously didn’t even have the guts to fight the Monarch of Endless Tribulations?” asked Su Yi.

“What does the Monarch of Endless Tribulations matter? You’re the true threat, Fellow Daoist!” The Threelives Buddha smiled softly, then appeared in front of Su Yi, standing atop a lotus platform. He held a black alms bowl aloft, his white monk’s robes billowing around him.

Meanwhile, Hong Ling’s graceful figure appeared out of nowhere behind him, her whole body blazing with a rain of starlight. She held the Mirror of Mysteries.

One attacked from in front, the other from behind. Together, they sealed Su Yi’s escape routes off completely.

They weren’t giving Su Yi any further opportunity to talk. The Threelives Buddha was already attacking.

Boom!

The black alms bowl took to the air, scattering boundless, mysterious Buddhist light. It blanketed the sky and illuminated everything in all directions.

That light was utterly terrifying. Wherever it went, the skies burned and all of creation withered and dimmed.

Both time and space seemed to melt and dissipate.

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed. This was a taboo treasure, one that had drawn a response from the Book of Destiny, the Contented Heart Scepter, and the Cauldron of Fate. He was naturally already on guard.

But just as Su Yi was about to take action, countless flaming stars silently appeared around him, outlining an all-encompassing net.

It was as if Su Yi had suddenly been transported to a flaming starscape. Countless burning stars interwove, unleashing ripples of calamitous power terrifying enough to strike terror into the hearts of Heavenly Sovereigns.

This was Hong Ling’s doing. She was using the Mirror of Mysteries to unleash a supreme divine ability! Moreover, she and the Threelives Buddha were perfectly coordinated!

This was no competition of the Grand Dao. These two supreme Heavenly Sovereigns were attacking with all their might, using taboo treasures and their ultimate killer moves.

In the face of such a pincer attack, even a Heavenly Sovereign couldn't have dodged, hidden, or blocked it. They’d have been badly injured on the spot.

Boom!

Buddhist flames poured down on Su Yi, collapsing and melting the skies. The conflagration swept out in all directions.

The burning starlight was like a sudden volcanic eruption, shaking the entire Realm of Endless Tribulations. The Laws of Calamity overhead shifted, churning explosively in response.

It was just too terrifying!

Bai Heng had led a group of Harbingers of Tribulations here on the Monarch of Endless Tribulations’ orders. They’d followed Su Yi in secret.

When they saw this in the distance, they couldn’t help but gasp, their expressions shifting.

A pincer attack like that was enough to deal even Heavenly Sovereigns lethal damage!

It was immediately obvious how ruthless their two attacks were.

A moment later, Hong Ling’s startled voice resounded from the battlefield ransacked by currents of destructive power. “He vanished again? How is this possible?”

Practically simultaneously, the Threelives Buddha looked up and peered into the dome of heaven.

There, in the dazzlingly brilliant skies full of surging light and fire, he saw the indistinct outline of a tall, upright figure.

He was standing amidst the various Laws of Calamity!