One could take advantage of the thunder's violent eruption to break into the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.
This process was equally perilous. It was, in essence, no different from the true Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer—only slightly lacking in chaotic energy. The thunderbolts contained in each level of the layer wouldn't appear in other layers.
"This is the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer."
"Terrifying. It's like it wants to obliterate everything, destroy all existence. Thunder and lightning are everywhere inside, blinding and lethal. I can feel it—just approaching this layer would mean death by countless thunderbolts, shattering one's body to pieces."
"They say the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer has nine levels, each one more dreadful than the last. By the ninth level, even immortals and deities would perish within."
"I heard that when a cultivator has fully condensed their Martial Dao True Intent and refined it into a Martial Dao True Symbol, they must enter the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer to undergo a baptism of thunder, break their shackles, and transform. Could it be that Fu Hongxue, the enshrined protector, is attempting to cross the Thunder Tribulation?"
This Thunder Tribulation was not the Heavenly Tribulation.
And it wasn't the cultivator themselves undergoing the tribulation—it was their pure Martial Dao True Intent receiving the baptism of heaven and earth.
What was being tested was the strength, purity, and resilience of the Martial Dao True Intent—whether it could endure the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer, whether one's will was truly indomitable. It was a test of extreme danger.
At this moment, above Xuanhuang City, the sky was completely covered by a terrifying thunder sea. Countless bolts of lightning crackled, each blinding white and densely packed, leaving no part of the sky untouched. There was no place to hide, no way to dodge—only to endure. This was the true terror of the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.
"Kill!!"
Amid the battle cry, the Blade Dao True Symbol shot into the sky, carrying unwavering determination and belief. It tore through the sky and plunged straight into the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.
BOOM—!!
The Martial Dao True Symbol was a condensation of one's Martial Dao True Intent—a form of will, fundamentally illusory, a part of the Yin. Only after enduring the thunder's baptism could it be endowed with Pure Yang properties.
This made it more powerful—capable of transitioning from illusion to reality and interfering with the laws of the world.
Thunder is pure Yang, while the Martial Dao True Symbol before the tribulation is pure Yin.
When Yin meets Yang, it's like a spark meeting dry tinder—explosively reactive.
Thunderbolts immediately surged toward the Blade Dao True Symbol, furiously attempting to annihilate it.
"Slash!!"
From within the True Symbol, a supreme will let out a commanding roar.
In that roar, a sharp blade intent surged forth like a ribbon, clashing with the surrounding thunderbolts. It tried to cleave through the Thunder Layer.
Yet, before the vastness of the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer, the blade intent was utterly insignificant—like an ant facing a storm. No matter how sharp, it was continuously bombarded by the thunder. Some bolts were cut apart, but many more struck the True Symbol directly, drilling inward to destroy the blade intent within.
To resist the entirety of the Thunder Layer with just the blade intent within the True Symbol—such an idea was sheer fantasy. Even succeeding in the tribulation wouldn't allow for complete resistance.
As the thunder infiltrated the symbol's inner martial space, it sought to destroy the blade intent. However, every time the blade intent slashed through a bolt, the thunder transformed into Pure Yang energy, infusing the symbol and initiating a true transformation.
BOOM—!!
More thunder was shattered, yet even more struck down, each impact threatening to obliterate the blade intent. It was a process of unrelenting devastation.
It was like ice meeting fire—no matter how hard the ice, it would melt. This was the terrifying power of elemental opposition. The thunder seemed capable of erasing will itself.
Only by enduring the thunder and burning away the Yin impurities within the Martial Dao True Symbol could the final transformation occur.
"Each of these thunderbolts is no weaker than a full-strength strike from a cultivator at the Life Aperture Realm. Even worse, they're especially effective at suppressing Martial Dao True Intent. Crossing the Thunder Tribulation is no easy feat."
"Truly terrifying. They say that only after passing the tribulation can one's Martial Dao True Intent reach its full potential—so much so that it could even cut through divine abilities. The legendary 'One Slash to Shatter Ten Thousand Techniques' was born this way, from perfected Sword Dao True Intent."
Hidden experts in Xuanhuang City looked on from afar, expressions filled with awe.
Everyone knew that just forming a Martial Dao True Intent was hard. Raising it to the point of surviving the Thunder Tribulation was even harder—entirely dependent on one's insight and comprehension. Lacking talent, one could never reach this level, even in a lifetime.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
Within the thunder, the crimson Martial Dao True Symbol flashed with fierce blade intent. It began to dim, as though on the verge of disintegration. The symbol also shrunk, parts of it being dissolved by the thunder.
Unknowingly, the Blade Dao True Symbol had survived in the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer for a full quarter of an hour.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the True Symbol began to change shape—refined by thunder like an iron ingot under a blazing hammer. As it shrank, its form evolved… into the embryo of a warblade.
DING!!
When the Martial Dao True Symbol fully transformed into a crimson blade embryo, all the blades in Xuanhuang City trembled, as though worshipping the birth of a King of Blades.
CRACK—!!
The blade embryo slashed forward, bursting free from the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.
At that moment, a white halo appeared on the blade's surface, spinning and merging into it. Blade intent pulsed from within—sharper, more refined—seemingly capable of ripping through space itself.
The crimson blade embryo was now surrounded by a layer of white light.
This was the sign of One-Tribulation Blade Intent.
"A white halo, divine white light—his Blade Dao True Symbol has transformed into a blade embryo. He's entered the realm of One-Tribulation Blade Intent."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, eyes solemn.
With the blade embryo formed, Fu Hongxue could now walk the path of the Blade Cultivator. From here onward, his cultivation would revolve around the blade. Once chosen, this path could not be changed. While simply forming a blade embryo didn't make one a pure blade cultivator yet, it marked the foundation.
From now on, the blade embryo could be merged with supreme battle blades or heavenly treasures to forge a Life-Bound Blade, and eventually be refined into the cultivator's Life Aperture.
The blade would then be linked to the soul and life—the cultivator would live or die with their blade.
Yi Tianxing believed without doubt that Fu Hongxue would commit fully to this path.
Unlike divine ability-based cultivation, pure Blade Cultivation advanced through tribulations. Each successful tribulation represented a leap in realm and power.
One-Tribulation Blade Intent was nothing compared to a true One-Tribulation Blade Cultivator.
For a blade cultivator, forming the Martial Dao True Symbol marked the Divine Sea Realm. Passing the Thunder Tribulation to reach One-Tribulation Blade Intent meant perfection of the Divine Sea Realm and advancement to the Life Aperture Realm. The path from One to Two Tribulations was cultivation through the Life Aperture stage. Surviving the second tribulation would place them at the peak and prepare them for the Life Map Realm.
SWISH!!
The crimson blade embryo appeared before Fu Hongxue and instantly entered his body, settling into his Divine Sea. A sharp blade aura now radiated from him—so strong that even the wind carried the intent of a blade.
Without hesitation, he turned and walked back into the Tongtian Pavilion.
He would now enter seclusion, to fully transition into a blade cultivator.
"Since there's such a great opportunity with the Thunder Tribulation, I might as well join in," Yi Tianxing said with a smile, watching the fading Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer with an unusual glint in his eyes.
"Husband… you're going to join… the tribulation?" Cai Yan asked in disbelief. Since when could one casually "join in" a Thunder Tribulation?
"My Spear Dao True Intent has just reached the tribulation threshold."
With a thought, the Spear Dao True Symbol emerged from his Divine Sea.
BOOM!!
The moment it appeared, a terrifying spear intent tore through the sky, piercing the clouds and shaking the heavens.
Without pause, the Spear Dao True Symbol shot into the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.
Sensing its arrival, the fading thunder layer became violent once more.
"Truly terrifying… between life and death lies great fear. The Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer is like a giant furnace, trying to burn my will to ashes. Even my spear intent feels like it's about to be shattered…"
Yi Tianxing's consciousness merged completely with his Spear Dao True Symbol, perfectly fusing with the spear intent.
He could clearly feel the horror of the Heavenly Gang Thunder Layer.