High above in the sky, Tianyi calmly watched as Xia Yushan, Hu Landie, and Ba Shifang resisted the White Wind Sect's assault force. He didn't make a move even as his clone was battered by the White Wind Sect's war formation.
Finally, his clone couldn't last any longer and could not maintain his primal elemental giant. The Palewind Immortal War Formation struck the final blow, seemingly killing his clone as it tunneled into the ground from the force. That was when he chose to strike.
After making his amazing entrance, Tianyi propped his elbow on Thunder Throne Mark IV, the newest iteration of the artifact, and rested his chin atop his palm while coldly looking down at the Palewind Immortal War Formation.
It had been less than a week since he entered the Immortal Realm, but before he could even analyze his abnormal state, he was forced to move out to save his clone, Ba Shifang. Still, that presented an opportunity for the matter Sect Master Xia had suggested.
He glanced at the hole where his immortal rank sword was. He cracked a smile and raised his hand. A light shot out of the hole, but before it could reach Tianyi, the Palewind Immortal War Formation rushed forward and grabbed it.
Tianyi frowned and snorted. He tapped the Thunder Throne Mark IV, and lightning immediately exploded towards the war formation.
The Palewind Immortal War Formation released the immortal rank sword and blocked Tianyi's lightning attack. However, the lightning never seemed to end and continued to blast the war formation.
Deciding that they could no longer stay in such a passive state, the saint-level experts controlled the Palewind Immortal War Formation to charge forward, ignoring the lightning as it continued to damage the war formation.
The Palewind Immortal War Formation rushed in front of Tianyi. It raised both arms high above its head and clasped its hands together. With a mighty roar that sounded like a hurricane, the war formation brought down its clasped fists like a hammer.
However, before the war formation could land a strike against Tianyi, a giant hand formed of lightning stopped the Palewind Immortal War Formation's attack.
Not just a hand but a full arm had sprouted from the Thunder Throne Mark IV. Soon after, more lightning surged out and transformed into a giant of lightning. The giant had no distinct form and appeared closer to energy in a humanoid form.
The most infuriating aspect was that people could still see Tianyi's figure sitting on the throne in a relaxed manner in the giant's torso. The Palewind Immortal War Formation roared once more and charged, but it was for naught.
Tianyi's lightning giant towered over the Palewind Immortal War Formation. The lightning giant raised its hand and brought it down, smashing the White Wind Sect's war formation into the ground.
The Palewind Immortal War Formation struggled, but it was like a child in front of an adult. It could only struggle futilely even as lightning continued to blast it from the point of connection.
"We can't manage for long. We have to do something, or else we'll die!" One of the saint-level experts cried out with a chilled heart.
"Then what do you suggest? If we release the war formation, the lightning will kill us instantly!" another one roared, frustration tainting his voice.
"Dammit, we were so close! As long as he appeared a little slower, we could have grabbed the immortal rank sword and escaped!"
Tianyi only coldly watched as the saint-level experts quibbled among each other. He turned his head, glanced at a seemingly nondescript point in the sky, and said. "Are you just going to watch as I kill them?"
There was a moment of silence, but the space where Tianyi stared twisted. Like a piece of fabric, the space was ripped open, and an old man wearing green robes with wind patterns sewn into them walked out.
"Fellow Daoist, how about giving me some face and letting them go?" The old man asked.
Tianyi snorted. The lightning giant suddenly increased its strength and output, destroying the Palewind Immortal War Formation instantly and killing all the saint-level experts in it. "Do you think your face will work after betraying the Buzhou Immortal Sect? Wishful thinking."
An ugly expression appeared on the old man's face. "How could you? It was simply a miscommunication! The fault lies in your sect's disciples. We were forced to!"
Tianyi gave a dark laugh. "Give it up. Had it been anyone else, I might have given you the benefit of the doubt. Do you know who your subordinates killed?"
The old man paused. He had an ominous feeling, which proved correct as Tianyi spoke his next sentence.
"The disciple you killed was my clone. Tell me, do you have any other lies you want to tell, Riftwind?" Tianyi asked.
Immortal Riftwind, that was the old immortal's name. He was the former sect master of the White Wind Sect, but after he reached the Immortal Realm, he passed the position of sect master and took the idle position of the White Wind Sect's sole grand elder to focus on his cultivation.
The White Wind Sect had been an ordinary unranked sect over fifty thousand years ago, but with Immortal Riftwind's ascension and numerous tactics, they eventually managed to become a third-ranked sect, but only that. They were still at the tail end of all third-rank forces since they only had one true immortal holding fort.
However, that did not mean True Immortal Riftwind was not amazing. When he was young, he had specialized in the Laws of Wind, but after reaching the Immortal Realm, he mastered the Concept of Spatial Wind and embarked on the path of the Law of Space.
Even in front of immortal monarchs, Immortal Riftwind had confidence in escaping with his life.
Of course, he met Tianyi, who had mastered the Spacetime Law the moment he transcended his Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation, not that anyone knew that. So, when Tianyi hid in the sky, he had already noticed Immortal Riftwind, but Immortal Riftwind did not notice him. Even when Tianyi appeared, he made it seem like he had flown from far away.
"Since it has already reached the point of no return, then I'll show you my strength!" Immortal Riftwind shouted and displayed his signature move, Riftwind Blade Technique. His original title had been something else, but after he created this move, he changed his daoist title.
Crescent blades formed of wind immortal qi flew towards the lightning giant. Wherever the crescent blades passed, space distorted slightly.
The lightning giant raised its hand to block the crescent blades, but after a moment of resistance, the wind blade sliced through the lightning giant's arm but lost all momentum and energy after reaching the base.
Immortal Riftwind frowned when he saw the injuries on the lightning giant's arm mend in less than five seconds. He couldn't believe that his attacks barely did anything. He snorted. "I don't believe you can continuously repair such a cumbersome technique!"
Saying so, he unleashed several more riftwind blades toward Tianyi, but Tianyi ignored them. He cast his gaze on the venerables who had distanced themselves after his arrival, and the corner of his lips quirked upward.
The lacerated chunks of flesh of the lightning giant didn't dissipate; instead, they split into twenty bolts and shot towards the White Wind Sect's venerables. Upon seeing this, Immortal Riftwind angrily shouted, "Despicable. Is this the way of the Heaven Continent's hegemon?" as he tried to stop them to no avail.
Surprisingly, the venerables who had been struck only suffered minor injuries. Even Immortal Riftwind became flummoxed by the zero casualty rate, but he soon couldn't keep his calm anymore as black clouds appeared in the sky.
"What, why is my Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation arriving?! I haven't even advanced to the Transcending Mortality Realm!" One of the venerables shouted in fear.
"Me too! I'm not in the Mortality Shedding Realm, yet my Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation has also arrived!" another one, this time a martial cultivator, shouted.
It wasn't just these two, but every single venerable from the White Wind Sect was undergoing heavenly tribulation.
"What did you do!" Immortal Riftwind shouted as he glared at Tianyi. These were all the elites of the White Wind Sect. Though not even one out of them might reach the Immortal Realm, the chance still existed.
Tianyi said nothing as he continued to watch the heavenly tribulation descend on the pitiful venerables. He only defended himself from Immortal Riftwind as he waited for the venerables to fail their heavenly tribulation.
When the venerables all died under the heavenly tribulation, the tribulation clouds didn't dissipate. Instead, the lightning giant roared and raised its arm high above its head. As if acting in response, the tribulation lightning all redirected their fury at the lightning giant.
However, the tribulation lightning didn't destroy or even damage Tianyi's lightning giant. Instead, it seemed to have merged with Tianyi's lightning giant. Not long after, the lightning giant reached a greater level in size and gained three heads and six arms. The tribulation lightning continued to blast him. When the heavenly tribulation used up all its power, the lightning asura wore full armor and held six weapons formed of lightning in its hand.
Immortal Riftwind unleashed consecutive riftwind blades at the lightning asura, but they all bounced harmlessly off its armor, causing his pupils to shrink. "You! You aren't a normal true immortal, are you! Who are you!"
Tianyi, who was still resting his chin on his hand, smiled even more. "Remember this well. Surname Xi, Given name Tianyi, I am Xi Tianyi, son of the Sword Sovereign."
"It's you?!" Immortal Riftwind asked. He began to mutter to himself. "How could it be him? Last I heard, he was just a venerable. How could he become so powerful even if he reached the Immortal Realm, he shouldn't be this powerful!"
Tianyi didn't care for Immortal Riftwind's words and commanded the lightning asura to attack. Despite its immense size, its speed was not one whit inferior to Immortal Riftwind, who cultivated the Law of Wind.
Immortal Riftwind spat out a mouthful of blood as he blocked the lightning giant's vajra. In that single clash, he knew he wasn't Tianyi's opponent. According to his experience and knowledge, Tianyi could definitely be counted as an immortal lord, a true immortal that could fight against immortal monarchs!
Without an ounce of hesitation, Immortal Riftwind tore the space, intent on escaping, but how could Tianyi allow him to go so easily?
The lightning asura released the net in its hand, covering the area Immortal Riftwind was in.
"Spatial interference?!" Immortal Riftwind cried out in shock. However, he gritted his teeth and still flew through the unstable portal.
Moments later, a bloodied arm fell onto the floor. Tianyi unleashed a lightning bolt and disintegrated the cut limb into ashes. Then, the lightning asura became smaller and smaller until it was fully contained in his Thunder Throne Mark IV.
"Senior Brother Xia, Miss Hu, are you alright?" Tianyi asked
Xia Yushan nodded. "Thank you, Elder Xi."
Tianyi blinked in surprise, feeling a bit strange at Xia Yushan's address, but he quickly waved it off. He looked at Hu Landie and said, "Thank you for saving my clone earlier, had it not been for you, I would not have made it in time to save Senior Brother Xia."
"It didn't matter. Ba Shifang still died in the end," Hu Landie said.
Tianyi didn't say anything and raised his hand. A flash of light later, the immortal rank sword finally returned to its original owner. He waved his hand, and his qi enveloped Xia Yushan and Hu Landie. Without even looking at the pit his clone had fallen, Tianyi left.
Months later, news of Tianyi's strength and accomplishment spread throughout the Heaven Continent. For his mastery and usage of the tribulation lightning, he gained the title of Tribulation Immortal Lord.
"Yushan, tell me the truth, did the White Wind Sect really massacre the Xia Clan?" Sect Master Xia asked. After Tianyi had reported everything, he dismissed Hu Landie and him so he could privately talk with Xia Yushan.
Despite being scrutinized by an immortal monarch, Xia Yushan's expression showed no change, and he calmly replied. "Master, you suspect me?"
Sect Master Xia said nothing as he continued to stare at Xia Yushan as if wanting to see through everything.
"Master, I did not massacre my clan. It's true that I wanted to kill my father, but it has nothing to do with the rest of the Xia Clan. Even if I wanted to, I would not. It would be foolish of me to earn Master's ire and doubt when it would bring no benefits to me," Xia Yushan said. Throughout his explanation, his tone did not change at all.
"Then what about your junior brother? Is he not motive enough?" Sect Master Xia asked.
"Master, having a junior brother or not does not matter to me. Ever since I chose this path, I knew I could not become the next sect master, so why would I want to kill my junior brother?" Xia Yushan asked.
Sect Master Xia stared at Xia Yushan for a few moments longer. After a while, he sighed. "Forgive me. Those that cultivate the Emotion Severance Sutra will always be under suspicion when someone near them dies."
"You do not have to apologize, I can understand." Xia Yushan said. "If there is nothing else, I'll retreat. I plan to reach the Immortal Realm in ten years."
Sect Master nodded. "Alright, go."
Back at Jade Peak, Tianyi sat in the Jade Lotus Clear Pond. He had closed his eyes and focused on the Nine Heavens Universe as he dubbed it.
On the third planet from the sun, the one with the closest similarities to Earth, a pale-faced Ba Shifang sat in a lotus position.
