A hundred years flicked by, and on this morning, the sky above Divine Dawn Peak suddenly darkened.
The once clear cloud sea was covered by thick thunderclouds, the purple-black cloud layers resembling the scales of a giant beast, surging and roiling high in the sky. Within them, silvery-white thunder lights intertwined, emitting a deafening roar that made the surrounding mountains tremble slightly.
This vast celestial phenomenon instantly captured the attention of countless Golden Core Cultivators within the Daoist Sect.
Whether cultivators refining elixir pills in the Alchemy Room or disciples practicing sword refining in the Martial Arts Arena, all paused their activities, looking towards Divine Dawn Peak with expressions of shock and curiosity.
"Another Spirit Treasure Tribulation! This should be the third time in a hundred years that the True Monarch is crossing the Spirit Treasure Tribulation, right?"
A late-stage Golden Core Inner Sect Elder looked at the thunderclouds over Divine Dawn Peak, his tone full of admiration:
"A Tier Four Alchemy Grandmaster, Tier Four Array Grandmaster, and now also a Tier Four Artifact Dao Grandmaster, Micro-Image True Monarch is truly a rare all-rounder in the Cultivation Realm!"
Surrounding Golden Core Elders echoed in agreement, their words full of respect, everyone knew that Chen Sheng initially cultivated the "Three Essence Pill Scripture" and broke through to Tier Four Alchemy Grandmaster by the way of Pill Array Fusion,
Later, he revealed his mastery as a Tier Four Array Grandmaster, at that time, the whole Daoist Sect was astonished, but merely assumed that his alchemy cultivation had led to insights in Array Dao, exclaiming, "True Monarch progresses rapidly, dual excellence in Pill and Array!"
It wasn't until over seventy years ago when a Spirit Treasure Tribulation descended upon Divine Dawn Peak, that everyone witnessed Micro-Image True Monarch wield his Lifebound Flying Sword, only then realizing that this True Monarch, with a background in the Dan Vein, had, in such a short time, refined his Lifebound Magical Treasure into a Tier Four Spiritual Treasure.
Then, over thirty years later, another Spirit Treasure Tribulation descended, and the Tier Four Pill Furnace refined by Micro-Image True Monarch was tempered amidst the tribulation!
Only then did everyone realize they were witnessing a peerless grandmaster spanning the three paths of Pill, Array, and Artifact.
As the news spread throughout Yue Country, enthusiasts even crowned Chen Sheng with the title "Three Extremes True Monarch"!
...
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At this moment, an elderly Master Array Vein stroked his beard, his eyes full of emotion:
"In the history of the Daoist Sect, those who reached Tier Four in a single path are not uncommon, but those who cultivate two paths to Tier Four are much fewer, and those who achieve grandmastery in all three paths are even rarer!"
"Since Ancestor Three Elements, there have only been three people with such achievements, and now True Monarch occupies one place, truly a blessing for the Daoist Sect!"
Amidst the discussions, the gaze of several Master Artifact Vein was particularly eager, whispering to each other:
"What do you think, what magical treasure is the True Monarch refining this time? The last time, that Five-Colored Treasure Cauldron, I only caught a glimpse from afar, its five qi rotating within could directly absorb celestial thunder for refinement, its power several times that of an ordinary Tier Four Spiritual Treasure!"
"It's hard to say, the True Monarch's methods are ever-changing, it might be a sword or a shield, or perhaps a treasure mirror to aid cultivation..."
Nearby, the Pill Vein Elders were quietly frowning, their tone tinged with a helpless smile:
"Clearly, the True Monarch is from our Dan Vein, yet the three Spirit Treasure Tribulations have caused such a commotion, those unaware might think the True Monarch is from the Artifact Vein!"
Despite saying so, they were also helpless, for ordinary Tier Four Elixir Pills, though precious, do not possess the depth to trigger a heavenly tribulation,
Only during the refinement of a Tier Four Spiritual Treasure will a Spirit Treasure Tribulation be summoned, as for a Pill Tribulation, only a top-level Tier Four or quasi-Tier Five Dao Pill can provoke it.
Further away, several Talisman Vein Golden Core Elders exchanged wry smiles, witnessing True Monarch achieve Tier Four grandmastery in the paths of Pill, Array, and Artifact, yet only Talisman Dao remains unmanifested, leaving them, Talisman Vein Cultivators, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Above Divine Dawn Peak, the thunderclouds grew increasingly violent, amidst the purple-black clouds, a silver-white thunderbolt as thick as a water bucket slowly condensed, bearing the might to tear the heavens asunder, seemingly ready to strike at any moment.
Chen Sheng, dressed in a purple-gold Daoist Robe, stood with hands behind his back at the peak, surrounded by a seven-colored Void Spiritual Light, shielding him from the tempestuous thunderous aura.
He gazed calmly at the thunderclouds above, as if facing not a Spirit Treasure Tribulation that could destroy a Tier Four Spiritual Treasure, but an ordinary storm.
"Go!"
Chen Sheng flicked his fingers, the sound not loud, yet carrying an undeniable authority.
In an instant, seventy-two streaks of purple light shot out from his sleeves, like seventy-two shooting stars heading straight for the thunderbolt—these were seventy-two small array banners, each only as long as a finger, with light purple banners inscribed with dense array patterns.
The purple lights expanded violently in mid-air, the seventy-two array banners grew with the wind, soon transforming into gigantic array banners, each three-zhang tall.
The array banners arranged themselves in the air following an intricate pattern, with light purple array light pouring from the banner surfaces, converging like a tide, instantly forming a grand array covering a hundred miles.
The array patterns emerged in the void, intertwining like the trajectories of stars, enveloping the entire thundercloud firmly within. The purple-black cloud layer was suppressed by the array light, even the flickering of the thunder light became sluggish.
"Boom!"
The first Celestial Thunder finally struck down, a silver-white lightning pillar like a giant axe of the gods, smashing fiercely into the grand array.
The array light trembled violently, the light purple membrane was dented by the Celestial Thunder, and the array banners made a creaking sound, as if they might shatter at any moment.
Yet, at this moment, the Nascent Soul magical power around Chen Sheng surged into the grand array like a tide, causing the light purple array light to swell instantly. The dented parts instantly restored to flatness, and the array remained as stable as a mountain, without a single crack appearing.
After that, the second, third...
One Celestial Thunder after another struck down, each one more vast than the last, but no matter how violent the Celestial Thunder, the grand array formed by seventy-two array banners remained as steady as a rock.
The light purple array light, like a resilient barrier, enveloped all the Celestial Thunder, gathering the Essence of Thunder within the array.
Chen Sheng stood beneath the array, his expression composed, continuously forming spells with his hands, adjusting the array. His Nascent Soul magical power, like an inexhaustible source, poured ceaselessly into the array.
Each time the Celestial Thunder crashed down, he was able to instantly replenish the energy loss of the array, keeping the array light constantly at its peak state.
Occasionally, a few stray thunder lights shot toward the ground, but he effortlessly waved them away, erasing them with the power of the void, not even disturbing the hem of his robe.
In the blink of an eye, the time it took for half an incense stick to burn had passed, and the ninth Celestial Thunder—the most powerful one—turned into a crimson lightning pillar several tens of feet thick, striking toward the array like a pillar supporting the heavens.
This time, the array light twisted violently, and some of the array banners were even knocked flying by the lightning pillar, leaving the array on the verge of collapse.
Yet Chen Sheng's eyes remained calm, and he uttered a low drink of "Condense," fully resonating the power of the void within him with the grand array.
The seventy-two array banners suddenly burst forth with dazzling purple light, the array patterns reassembled in the sky, forming a massive Thunder Bottle, forcibly trapping the crimson lightning pillar within.
The lightning pillar struggled and roared within the bottle, yet it could never breach the constraint of the Thunder Bottle's array light, eventually dissipating gradually, turning into strands of silver-white Essence of Thunder, floating within the bottle.
As the Celestial Thunder dissipated, the thunderclouds in the high sky gradually faded away, and sunlight once again bathed Divine Dawn Peak.
The light purple array light contracted sharply in mid-air, gathering countless Essences of Thunder into a cluster floating in mid-air.
At the same time, seventy-two array banners returned to their petite forms, transforming into purple light streaks flying back into the sleeve of Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng looked up at the Essence of Thunder floating in the air, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. Although the quantity was not much, it emitted a pure aura, steadily reaching Tier Four!
Whether it's used to enhance the thunder attribute during alchemy and add to Elixir Pills, or to refine the toughness of a Magical Treasure during Artifact Refining, or to integrate into the body to strengthen the physique, it is indeed a precious Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure.
With a wave of his sleeve, he steadily collected that cluster of Tier Four Essence of Thunder into his pouch.
"The last time during the Nascent Soul Thunder Tribulation was indeed a waste."
Chen Sheng sighed lightly, yet there was no regret in his eyes. Back when he broke through to the Nascent Soul, the Celestial Thunder Tribulation was crucial to the Dao path, naturally prioritizing stable tribulation crossing.
Moreover, at that time, his mana was far less abundant than now, daring not to actively capture the Essence of Thunder as he does facing the Spirit Treasure Tribulation.
Now that his Cultivation is stable and his means well-prepared, only then can he calmly "harvest" the gifts from the thunder tribulation.
In the distance, the cultivators of the Daoist Sect had long been left dumbfounded, with several Masters of the Array Vein so excited they stomped their feet, their hands that twisted their beards were trembling:
"What a great array banner indeed!"
Previously, everyone was guessing what kind of Magical Treasure Chen Sheng was refining; seeing the array banners now, they realized!
As a True Monarch specializing in Sword Dao, it was reasonable for him to refine the Lifebound Flying Sword for the first time. Moreover, being a Tier Four Grandmaster of Alchemy, refining a Treasure Cauldron the second time was also logical.
Now refining the array banners, which can both assist in his Array Dao practice and be used to trap enemies in Magical Combat, it balances practicality with Cultivation, on further reflection, is not surprising at all.
Chen Sheng put away the Essence of Thunder, his figure merged into the void.
Below Divine Dawn Peak, the sounds of admiration from the Daoist Sect cultivators rose and fell, and this Spirit Treasure Tribulation, akin to a legend, would leave a heavy mark in the history of the Three Elements Dao Sect.