Chapter 1155: Elements Opening the Path |
The reason Tang San chose to have Mei Gongzi ascend together with him wasn't confidence, but rather worry. With the Asura Sword as her core, her tribulation would be no less terrifying than his own. Tang San feared that if she faced it alone, she might really be in danger. By bringing her along, he could share her burden, even control part of the pressure she would face.
The sky looked as though it had shattered. In the twisted, warping lights above, glimpses of the cosmic void could be seen.
Space itself had shattered! Even when the Crystal Demon Emperor underwent her tribulation, nothing of the kind happened!
The Emperors watched in utter shock. Could such a Gauntlet of Ascension even be passed? Of course, if they succeeded, their potential after becoming Emperors might surpass even that of the Crystal Demon Emperor herself. But would they even be alive to enjoy that?
As if to spite their concerns, Tang San pulled Mei Gongzi forward immediately. Their second step fell, and even under the crushing power of the distorted space, rainbow light once again condensed beneath their feet into a staircase. Around them, the kaleidoscopic halo flickered violently but remained firm.
White light flickered in Tang San's eyes—the power of the Discerning Eye of Heaven.
Elements themselves were opening the path for them.
With each step, another stair formed ahead of them. Hand in hand, they advanced steadily into the void. The twisted heavens pressed on them with force that caused light itself to warp, but the stairs beneath them did not shatter again.
From below, the Blue Gold Palace's Tower of Life sent up wave after wave of rainbow radiance, trailing them like a tail of light.
Never before had anyone in the Ancestral Court used their own imperial palace to assist in the tribulation.
"What, is this allowed? Why didn't we ever think of it?" muttered the Earthshade Nymph Emperor.
The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor sighed and shook his head. "They are far too daring. Not only to face the tribulation together, but to provoke such a fierce Gauntlet of Ascension…. The power of the Tower of Life is tied to them, and that connection is certainly helping them now, but it is precisely what has drawn a tribulation of this scale."
The Sunborne Nymph Emperor nodded. "It seems rather deliberate to me. That's why he just declared he needed no help. I wish I had that confidence when I was their age."
It was common knowledge that the tribulation's severity determined the final gains. Ordinary contenders prayed for the weakest trial, just to survive. But these two had deliberately provoked the strongest possible tribulation, welcoming its fury. Were they reckless… or were they fearless?
The end results would speak for themselves.
What they did not know was that even if he hadn't done any of this, Tang San's tribulation would have been of the highest tier.
The plane's fury was not only because of the Tower of Life, but also because he was a foreign element, and because of the looming sense of the transcendent divine items approaching at breakneck speed. Transcendent divine items could shatter the plane itself, and their approach endangered Planet Falan. It was also because Tang San had used the Heart of Nature to generate lesser immortal energy. Stimulating the Heart of Nature decreased the plane's chances to one day become a divine realm.
That was why the Gauntlet of Ascension was so terrible.
Yet, step by step, Tang San and Mei Gongzi climbed. Around them, space twisted violently; tremendous pressure smashed down, and the rainbow halo around them flickered like a candle in the wind. But their stride was firm.
Mei Gongzi could feel the tribulation scorching her body, tearing at her. Yet every loss was instantly filled by dense immortal energy that repaired her body and restored her power. As long as she endured, all would be fine.
The rainbow energy that drew in all types of elemental energies in the Ancestral Court was actually Tang San channeling lesser immortal energy from the Heart of Nature through the Blue Gold Palace. That was the main reason for the plane's rage.
But Tang San had no choice. The tribulation was their metamorphosis. Only if they grew strong enough here could they withstand reconnecting with the transcendent divine items that were fast approaching. Without that, they could never return to the God King level, nor return to the Douluo plane.
But he was no longer the young man who had once faced the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Divine Extinguishing Tribulation in fear, calculating every single move he made because every move could be the last one. Now, he had the foundation and confidence to meet this trial head-on.
And meet it head-on he did; Tang San bore most of the pressure himself and precisely managed how much Mei Gongzi carried—just enough for her to be strengthened without breaking. That was why he had insisted they climb together. Only then could he ensure her safety.
Already they had climbed over a hundred meters. Through the distorted light, the Emperors could see the rainbow stairway holding firm, rising higher.
The courage of these two young sprouts was staggering. The Emperors could not help but feel a flicker of respect. This tribulation was beyond precedent, yet the two of them were facing it head-on, without fear.
The sky darkened further. Ordinary Emperors' trials stirred the clouds; powerful ones' trials cleared the sky entirely; this one shattered the void itself, as if the planar ruler itself were descending to test the two youngsters.
The higher they climbed, the heavier the pressure became. Moving against it was no easy feat. The fingers on Tang San's right hand spread apart, red and blue currents circling it. It was the yin-yang energy vortex, cutting a path ahead.
Mei Gongzi climbed beside him, stealing glances at his face.
In the shifting light, Tang San's profile looked calm, serene, impossibly steady. That serenity filled her heart with peace. This man always gave her absolute safety.
Sensing her gaze, Tang San turned toward her again, smiling. "Are you alright?"
She smiled back and squeezed his hand. "Better than ever."
Her smile made his own deepen. His steps grew firmer, faster.
For this smile, he would defy the entire plane. For this smile, he would fight the universe itself.
The rainbow stairs shifted, becoming red and blue. Their brilliance was dazzling, and they instantly became more stable. The Emperors tried to figure out what this power was, but the twisted light in the sky prevented them from discerning its essence. They could only gape in awe as the two ascended faster.
The Blue Gold Palace stood at eight hundred meters, and the top of the Tower of Life reached nine hundred. Now, the pair had climbed over three hundred meters beyond that, to one thousand two hundred meters. The path was long, but their climb was swift and sure, as though the tribulation were not even there.
The White Tiger Demon Emperor shook his head. "I don't understand. Truly, I can't see through it."
But though his words showed his bafflement, his eyes burned with excitement and anticipation. The stronger Tang San showed himself to be, the more likely his promise could be fulfilled. Could they really leave this plane? Could they really go to a divine realm beyond heaven?
the poing team's Thoughts
penguin: Earthshade be like "hey, that's illegal!" 😂