C140 Twentyseven Great Calamities of the Azure Phoenix!

Hee Yan gazed at the lightning tribulation unfolding above and turned to Ying Qian with a puzzled expression. "Your Majesty, there's no mention of this phenomenon in the ancient texts. Do you have any idea what's happening?"

Ying Qian replied with a hint of uncertainty, "The Tribulation of the Four Saints, combined with the Tribulation of the Four Thunder Dragons, has me just as perplexed."

Amidst the collective bewilderment, the lightning tribulation in the sky began to stir.

"Boom!"

The four Thunder Dragons descended in unison, yet their target was not Qin Buyi.

Instead, they aimed their ferocious attack at the Thunder Vermilion Bird, which Qin Buyi had previously dispersed.

"Boom!" "Boom!"

"Boom!" "Boom!"

The four Thunder Dragons struck the Thunder Vermilion Bird, sending out a quartet of thunderous blasts.

"Chirp~!"

Remarkably, the body of the Thunder Vermilion Bird remained intact. The Thunder Dragons' impact infused it with their thunderous energy, which the Vermilion Bird absorbed and assimilated.

"Chirp~!"

With the thunderous power now part of its being, the Thunder Vermilion Bird began to transform, slowly shedding its original form.

"Roar~!" "Chirp~!"

"Roar~!" "Buzz~!"

The Thunder Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, all part of the Four Saints' Tribulation, converged on the Thunder Vermilion Bird.

"Chirp~!"

The Thunder Vermilion Bird swelled to an immense size, tens of thousands of feet tall, and opened its maw to engulf the Tribulation of the Four Saints in one fell swoop.

"Chirp~!"

After consuming the Tribulation, the Thunder Vermilion Bird contracted dramatically, from tens of thousands of feet down to mere hundreds.

Its body became enveloped in a dense layer of lightning, taking on the form of a lightning egg that encased the Thunder Vermilion Bird within.

Roughly a dozen breaths passed...

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

The surface of the lightning egg began to fissure.

With the emergence of the first crack, a network of fractures swiftly spread across the entire shell.

"Bam!"

The lightning egg burst open, its energy released as a storm of lightning that dissipated into the heavens.

In the aftermath of the explosion, the true form within was finally unveiled.

The Thunder Vermilion Bird had undergone a radical transformation, to the extent that it could no longer be recognized as a Vermilion Bird.

"Phoenix?" Qin Buyi gazed at the Thunder Vermilion Bird with a hint of confusion.

Hee Yan's face visibly quivered below as he uttered with incredulity, "This... The fabled Mahayana Stage Death Calamity, the 27 Azure Phoenix Tribulations!"

"Throughout the ages in the Heavenly Desolate Realm, scarcely anyone has managed to invoke such a lightning tribulation, and those who have transcended it are so few they can be counted on one hand."

"Without exception, those who overcome this tribulation become illustrious figures in the Heavenly Desolate Realm."

Ying Zhi, looking on, inquired, "Dean Hee Yan, is the Azure Phoenix Tribulation really that formidable?"

Hee Yan affirmed, "The lightning tribulation of the Mahayana Stage, ranging from eighteen to twenty-seven bolts, exhausts the full might of ninety-nine percent of cultivators at just eighteen bolts."

"The twenty-seven Azure Phoenix Tribulations represent the pinnacle of Mahayana Stage lightning tribulations, reserved for those with cultivation talents that defy the heavens."

"Other lightning tribulations are simply that, but the Azure Phoenix is deemed a great tribulation, its peril self-evident."

"Qin Buyi's cultivation talent is alarmingly formidable, having triggered a Mahayana Stage Thunder Calamity at the Tribulation Crossing Stage."

"To bridge a Great Stage gap and yet incite a tribulation that only the most extraordinary of geniuses can withstand..."

"Doesn't that suggest he's an even greater anomaly than those prodigies? His cultivation talent is both awe-inspiring and fearsome."

At that moment, Ying Qian turned to Ying Zhi and spoke earnestly, "Zhi, from this day forward, spare no effort to forge a strong bond with this individual."

"Should he survive against the odds, he's destined to secure a prominent place in the Heavenly Desolate Realm, perhaps even across the myriad realms of the universe."

"An alliance with him could ensure the enduring legacy of our Great Ming for millennia, and might even elevate us to the preeminent power in the Heavenly Desolate Realm."

Then, with a heavy heart, Ying Qian reflected, "The rivalry between you and your elder brother, Ying Ye, now seems to have a foregone conclusion."

"With this man's backing, how could Ying Ye possibly stand as your rival?"

"As always, I'll stay out of the power struggle between you and your brother. You'll have to rely on your own tactics."

"Don't take Ye's methods lightly; they're not to be underestimated. Stay vigilant."

Ying Zhi replied, "I appreciate the warning, Father. I understand what must be done."

With a hint of nervousness, Ying Zhi gazed skyward and turned to Hee Yan, "Dean Hee Yan, how likely do you think it is for Mr. Qin to survive this ordeal?"

Dean Hee Yan shook his head, expressing uncertainty, "It's unclear. Judging by the current circumstances, the Azure Phoenix has reached the early stages of the Mahayana Stage."

"Given Qin Buyi's present level of cultivation, it's difficult to predict his chances against an opponent in the early Mahayana Stage."

"It could be a matter of life and death... I hope the Third Prince is prepared for the worst."

Hee Yan's description was somewhat understated. To him, it seemed more like a hopeless situation.

With Qin Buyi's current level of strength, he stood no chance against an adversary in the early Mahayana Stage.

Qin Buyi perishing under the thunder tribulation wouldn't be surprising; surviving would be the true miracle.

Beneath the Tribulation Cloud, Qin Buyi now clearly saw that the tribulation took the form of an Azure Phoenix, not a Phoenix.

The Azure Phoenix and the Phoenix looked similar, and most would confuse the two. However, upon closer inspection, there were subtle differences.

Qin Buyi refrained from any hasty actions. The aura emanating from the Azure Phoenix had indeed reached the early stages of the Mahayana Stage.

"Chirp~!"

A melodious chirp echoed from the Azure Phoenix, which didn't immediately attack Qin Buyi. Instead, it soared to the edge of the Tribulation Cloud, flapping its wings.

Opening its beak, it inhaled the Tribulation Cloud like a dragon drawing water, which flowed into the Azure Phoenix's body.

The Tribulation Cloud visibly diminished at a rapid pace.

In less than ten breaths, the entire Tribulation Cloud had vanished from the sky.

Without the obstruction of the Tribulation Cloud, sunlight bathed Qin Buyi's face.

Yet, the sunlight offered no warmth to Qin Buyi, whose heart remained encased in ice.

After the Azure Phoenix absorbed the lightning tribulation, its aura surged, ascending to the Middle Period of the Mahayana Stage.

Qin Buyi was already on shaky ground in the Early Period of the Mahayana Stage, and the Middle Period was an even greater challenge.

The Azure Phoenix, spanning hundreds of zhang, soared in the sky, unabashedly radiating the aura of the Mahayana Stage's Middle Period.

The crowd below, sensing the Phoenix's aura, had their expressions shift dramatically.

Those with weaker cultivation paled, their faces etched with fear.

Ying Zhi, feeling the overwhelming presence, turned to Dean Hee Yan in a mix of despair and inquiry, "Dean Hee Yan, is this the Middle Period of the Mahayana Stage?"

Dean Hee Yan confirmed, "The Third Prince is correct; it is indeed the Middle Period."

"Such intense lightning tribulations are a challenge even for many cultivators who have reached the pinnacle of the Tribulation Crossing Stage and are on the cusp of the Mahayana Stage. Not all can withstand it."

"And now, we have Qin Buyi in the midst of it."

"Damn!" Ying Zhi swore under his breath.

Ying Zhi lamented, "The Middle Period of the Mahayana Stage... Is fate toying with Mr. Qin?"

Dean Hee Yan sighed, "Alas, sometimes extraordinary talent can be a curse, attracting the envy of the heavens."

"Chirp~!"

Post-absorption of the Tribulation Cloud, the Azure Phoenix's previously emotionless eyes sparkled with a hint of sentience.

Qin Buyi caught this fleeting change with precision.

"Has it become sentient?" he wondered silently.

"But that can't be. The Tribulation Crossing is lifeless; how could it show a human-like aspect?"

"Did I see it wrong?"

The Azure Phoenix and Qin Buyi locked gazes, caught in a standoff, neither bird nor man initiating an attack.