by Dragon King
The 24 sharp knives hacked toward Hao Ren in two groups.
Hao Ren’s 1,280 sword energies shot up together and lit up this corner of the island. After reaching top-tier Dui-level which was equivalent to the Nascent Soul Realm, Hao Ren was more powerful than before.
The 24 sharp knives pierced the sword energies, slipping toward Hao Ren’s body.
Illusion array.
An array that attacked one’s mind.
Feeling the cold, sharp knives piercing his body, Hao Ren was plunged into the illusion array instantly.
Joy, anger, grief, fear, love, hatred, and desire!
Different scenes passed Hao Ren’s mind including the victory in the basketball match, registration into University, the happiness of his parents, and his wedding.
“The wedding?” Hao Ren was surprised but couldn’t clearly see the girl who was wearing the wedding dress.
“Master, no one under the Soul Formation Realm has ever broken this Seven Killing Array,” Qingfeng and Mingyue who were standing beside Penglai Island Master said softly.
Rubbing his chubby face full of wrinkles, Penglai Island Master smiled but remained silent.
They were standing just five meters in front of Hao Ren, but he couldn’t see them. Hao Ren stood under a peach tree with clenched fists and tightly-shut eyes.
Seven Killing Array wasn’t an array attacking the physical body but the mind. All cultivators, didn’t matter who they were, had worries and burdens in their minds that couldn’t be unlocked, and these ‘knots’ in minds would become the obstacles on their way to the higher realm.
The Soul Formation Realm cultivators all had been free of care before they successfully passed the Heavenly Tribulation and reached the Earthly Immortal Realm.
Young and at a high realm, Hao Ren was excellent in every aspect. However, this Seven Killing Array would test his mind.
In the illusion array, Hao Ren saw many girls running toward him, some familiar and some not, even including Jiang Yuan and Lin Li.
However, he just couldn’t figure out who the girl wearing the wedding dress was.
Hao Ren knew this was an illusion array, but he wanted to pull up the headpiece to see who this girl was. However, when he reached out, he hesitated and paused.
“Master, he can’t even pass the first level.” Seeing Hao Ren standing still, the two kids said.
They were jealous that Penglai Island Master put such high value on Hao Ren.
“I think he can at least break five levels,” Penglai Island Master said.
Hao Ren who was standing in front of them gritted his teeth and suddenly moved his fingers.
Bang!
One colorful light out of the seven colorful lights in the sky above Penglai Island suddenly turned into dust and vanished in the wind.
“The kid is ambitious.” Penglai Island Master patted his old face and murmured, “Five… Six… Anyway, it’s fine that he is direct in his mind.”
Not able to see to the scenes in the illusion array, Qingfeng and Mingyue only saw Hao Ren breaking through the first level. They curled their lips, saying, “Here is the second level.”
While they talked, Hao Ren suddenly began to use a set of fist techniques.
The punches and kicks looked quite powerful
In the illusion array, Hao Ren saw Qin Shaoyang challenging him with attacks. Knowing that it was just an illusion, Hao Ren tried to ignore him. However, Qin Shaoyang’s gold weaving shuttle hit Hao Ren, and the pain was acute!
If he wanted to break this level, he must defeat Qin Shaoyang and vent his anger!
Crack! Hao Ren shattered Qin Shaoyang in the illusion.
Black Wolf, that master of West Ocean, escaped from the Dragon God Shrine and hunted down Hao Ren… Ceng Yitao, the Crown Prince of West Ocean, was chasing after Xie Yujia and Zhao Yanzi with West Ocean elders… Three metal-elemental, top-tier Qian-level dragon cultivators appeared outside of Hao Ren’s home, trying to destroy the house… The sword energies surrounded Hao Ren, breaking off several leaves on the nearby peach tree.
“The second level is difficult to break,” the two kids said.
It was hard for one to control his or her anger and get rid of it. For cultivators, it was impossible to avoid battles. One could get out of difficulties with great strength, or one would be destroyed by their rivals.
Penglai Island Master looked at Hao Ren, wanting to see what kind of enemies Hao Ren had had. He was pleased when he saw they were powerful people.
The second level was more difficult than the first one. Using his sword energies for one full hour, Hao Ren still couldn’t break through.
Many powerful cultivators were defeated at the level of anger, either by hurting their meridians due to their fury or beaten by their rivals in the illusion array.
Qingfeng and Mingyue looked at each other and was about to conclude that Hao Ren would fail at this level, but Hao Ren suddenly released all his nature essence, and the 1,280 sword energies spiraled into the sky.
Crack!
A lightning bolt crashed down from the sky.
Still at low-tier Nascent Soul Realm, Qingfeng and Mingyue looked alarmed.
Penglai Island Master reached out his right hand, and the heavenly lightning struck onto his palm, condensing into a ball of lightning.
He tossed it into the distance casually, and many level 10 demon beasts jumped out of the sea. They had been waiting for Heavenly Tribulation, and they fought to get it when they saw the ball of lightning.
Bang!
The second colored light on Penglai Island disappeared as well.
In the illusion array, Hao Ren felt fatigued after fighting with his previous rivals one by one.
Suddenly, the scenes of his maternal grandparents’ deaths and going to the cemetery of his paternal grandfather with Grandma appeared in his mind one after another.
Suddenly, the scene of Grandma sick in bed came into his sight.
As if he were struck hit by a huge hammer, Hao Ren’s heart broke with shock.
Then, the scene of his loved ones deserting him appeared one by one while the previous joyous memories shattered.
“Mortals are burdened with worries. Let’s see if he can pass this level.” After a long silence, Penglai Island Master suddenly murmured.
Hua… Suddenly, the sword energies spread outward while the sad scenes in the illusion array shattered like glass.
Bang!
The third colored light engulfing Penglai Island scattered and disappeared slowly.
All kinds of horrifying and worrisome scenes swarmed toward Hao Ren like nightmares instantly.
Anyone who wasn’t determined and harbored sneaky thoughts couldn’t break this level.
With the same confidence and courage that he used to break the ‘level of grief,’ Hao Ren broke ‘level of fear.’ He was confident that he could protect the people around him.
The sword energies flashed, and the fourth colorful light suddenly shattered and disappeared, too.
By now, he had broken four levels, which astonished Qingfeng and Mingyue.
“Qingfeng, Mingyue, who broke the Seven Killing Array last time?” Penglai Island Master asked suddenly.
“It was a small demon king about 1,000 years ago,” the two kids answered.
They hadn’t witnessed it but had heard it from Penglai Island Master.
“That small demon king had no parents and was carefree; he broke my Seven Killing Array with innate super strength and a pure heart.”
Penglai Island Master looked at Hao Ren who stood under the peach tree with tightly-shut eyes and a frown as he continued, “This young cultivator has parents and worries, but he has broken four levels with the simple desire to protect.”
The remaining three colorful lights moved around the Penglai Island in celestial music.
Love, hatred, and desire.
The last three levels of the Seven Killing Array tested the deepest emotions in one’s heart.
If
one could drop love, hatred, and desires, one could break the Seven Killing Array.
“He has too many mortal concerns. He surely can’t pass the fifth level,” the boy said.
Bang!
The fifth colored light suddenly shattered.
The heart with great love! Only people without the burden of love or with great love could pass the fifth level as long as they weren’t burdened or obsessed. The requirement was a peaceful mind.
“In the sixth level, surely he…” the boy continued.
Bang!
The sixth colored light shattered before he could finish his words.
“This…” the boy turned to look at his master in bafflement. With joy, there should be love; with anger, there should be hatred. In the Seven Killing Array, it should be impossible to break both the first level and the fifth level together as well as the second level and the sixth level together.
Penglai Island Master shook his head with a smile, but he didn’t explain.
He had expected Hao Ren to break the fifth level, but not the sixth. Cultivators must face all kinds of powerful enemies. In the illusion array, Penglai Island Master had seen that Hao Ren’s enemies were powerful people, and he was surprised that Hao Ren didn’t hate them.
If Hao Ren succeeded, he would be the second person who had ever broken the Seven Killing Array.
It was easy to beak array formations trapping one’s body, but it was difficult to beak array formations trapping one’s mind.
“With such a free mentality, it is not difficult for him to reach the Heavenly Dragon Realm,” Penglai Island Master thought as he looked at Hao Ren, wondering if the latter could break the last level.
The Seven Killing Array was the most powerful mind array in the world. To break it, one must break all their mental burdens and be free of worries. Even some Soul Formation Realm cultivators probably couldn’t beak the last level.
The ones who could break the Seven Killing Array would pass the Heavenly Tribulation. However, not everyone who had passed the Heavenly Tribulation could break the Seven Killing Array.
The vague celestial music dulled Hao Ren’s mind.
After breaking six levels in which almost all his secrets were revealed to himself again, he was at the last level which targeted the desires in his heart. If he couldn’t break it, he could fall into the Evil Dao.
With skin like the surface of an ancient tree, Penglai Island Master stared at Hao Ren with his eyes, one big and one small, wondering if the latter could pass the last level.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
The golden shield which had been sleeping in Hao Ren’s necklace suddenly sensed the intense nature essence outside.
Whoosh! It rushed out of Hao Ren’s necklace and started to suck in the enormous amounts of nature essence on Penglai Island, not caring where it was.
669 Treasure of the Treasures…
Hao Ren who had been fighting his emotions in the illusion array suddenly found that the array was broken.
He opened his eyes and saw the golden shield hovering in the high sky, sucking in the white fog-form nature essence into its core like a tornado.
“This little…” Hao Ren’s first thought was that the golden shield was causing trouble again.
Instantly, it sucked half of the nature essence in Penglai Island, one of the three most powerful remote celestial mountains!
“Stop it!” Seeing the overbearing behavior of Hao Ren’s supreme spiritual treasure, Qingfeng and Mingyue immediately jumped up to fight the golden shield with bare fists.
Penglai Island Master raised his hands slightly, and Mingyue and Qingfeng who had reached the Nascent Soul Realm were immediately immobilized.
“Since he broke my Seven Killing Array, he can get the nature essence as a reward,” Penglai Island Master said calmly.
In the sky above Penglai Island, the golden shield spun faster and faster.
Although Penglai Island was far smaller than Kunlun Mountain, the nature essence intensity was almost the same as that in Kunlun Mountain, the ancestral holy place for cultivation sects.
Hum… The golden shield suddenly released thousands of golden lights.
Bang… These golden lights shot into the sea, sending many level 10 demon beasts into the air.
The Green Wave Sword flew from the sleeve of Penglai Island Master and dashed toward the golden shield.
The golden shield released a golden light beam that was as thick as an arm toward the Green Wave Sword which was also a supreme spiritual treasure, breaking the latter into two halves!
“Master… This…” Qingfeng and Mingyue looked at Penglai Island Master in surprise.
“There are levels in cultivation progress and dharma treasures. Each of you, take one piece of the sword and refine them into dharma treasures,” Penglai Island Master said as he rubbed his chin slowly.
It seemed he didn’t care that a supreme spiritual treasure was broken.
Qingfeng and Mingyue both felt pitiful toward the destruction of the sword, but they soon got excited since the remains of a supreme spiritual treasure still had some spirit properties. With their excellent material, they could be made into powerful dharma treasures.
They ran over to pick up the broken Green Wave Sword and returned to Penglai Island Master’s side. They looked at the overbearing gold shield in the high sky enviously, saying, “Master, this dharma treasure…”
“The dharma treasures can cultivate by themselves and try hard to elevate. This shield is able to achieve such a realm, and that is its fortune. In Penglai Island, we have countless treasures. Why should we pity the loss of one treasure? As long as you cultivate hard, you will get your share. You’re still young; don’t be so greedy.”
The two kids lowered their heads with shame at their master’s scold. Although they had reached the Nascent Soul Realm, they were still kids who couldn’t help feeling envious just like the regular kids who saw other kids’ toys.
“Today, you will have the chance to watch how the supreme spiritual treasure passes the Heavenly Tribulation,” Penglai Island Master continued.
Qingfeng and Mingyue looked up at the golden shield with widened eyes.
Standing under the peach tree, Hao Ren was also watching the golden shield in surprise, feeling like the shield’s aura was quite different from before.
It was quite common to see cultivators and demon beasts trying to pass Heavenly Tribulations, but not dharma treasures.
Only the top-tier dharma treasures with traces of spirit properties could trigger the Heavenly Tribulation and become a supreme spiritual treasure.
The supreme spiritual treasures would trigger another Heavenly Tribulation after reaching a certain level. Such supreme spiritual treasures were treasures of the treasures and could defeat the ordinary supreme spiritual treasures.
After three Heavenly Tribulation, they would become the kings of the treasures. Up until now, only one treasure had reached this level in the entire world.
Bang!
A heavenly lightning bolt struck down from the sky.
The level 10 demon beasts around Penglai Island all came over, hoping to get some lightning energy for themselves.
The golden shield shot out a blinding golden light toward the lightning.
Crack… Nine purple lightning bolts struck down from the black clouds toward the golden shield from nine directions.
Qingfeng and Mingyue had seen lots of demon beasts and even small demon kings passing the Heavenly Tribulation around Penglai Island, but they had never seen such powerful nine-layered godly lightning bolts.
The golden shield could only shoot out golden lights since it was a defense dharma treasure and only had simple attack methods.
However, due to its defensive nature, it had a natural advantage in resisting heavenly lightning bolts. The nine purple lightning bolts pierced the nine golden lights and struck the surface of the golden shield. They left nine dents, but it wasn’t pierced!
The golden shield s
hook again, and it sucked more than half of the nature essence on Penglai Island into its body.
Without the nurture of nature essence, the flourishing plants on the island began to wither in the masses. Black clouds moved to the sky above the island, and the ethereal Penglai Island looked like the chilly hell instantly.
“Master…” The two kids turned to look at Penglai Island Master anxiously.
Penglai Island Master waved his hand, signaling them to keep calm.
He was surprised that a supreme spiritual treasure would stay with only a top-tier Dui-level cultivator, and he wanted to see if the dharma treasure would still stay with Hao Ren after elevating into a higher realm.
Besides, the natural selection was the law of the world, and he had never interfered when the demon beasts and small demon kings were going through their Heavenly Tribulations around Penglai Island.
No matter if it were cultivators or dharma treasures, they must get past many risks and dangers to reach the top.
Bang… Many silver lights flashed in the black clouds.
The dark Demon Sea lit up instantly. The level 10 demon beasts tumbled in the ocean waves with fear and excitement.
It was almost equivalent to the Heavenly Tribulation of demon kings! If the level 10 demon beasts could touch one bit of the lightning energy, they might be able to use that lightning energy to transform and bypass the Heaven Tribulation!
Hu! Hu!
The golden shield spat out two big streaks of nature essence as if it were making the last preparation.
For the dharma treasures, the first tribulation was equivalent to the Transformation Tribulation of the demon beasts, and it was difficult to pass. The second tribulation was equal to the small demon kings’ tribulations, and it was more dangerous than the first one.
Among the tens of millions of demon beasts, only a few could transform into demon kings, and even less could become big demon kings.
The number of supreme spiritual treasures in the world was less than that of the small demon kings in the Demon Sea, and fewer could pass two Heavenly Tribulations.
