Chapter 1647. What is there to fear about death, the eighth celestial tribulation

Chu Gucheng’s voice was incredibly cold, containing an indescribable sense of iron-blooded determination. It echoed through the outer realms of all the worlds, making many people within the Xian Chu Hao Tu pale.

He knew that Gu Changge was trying to shake his Dao heart. If his Dao heart were shaken, the human emperor’s image he had cultivated, as well as the celestial fortune he bore, would be affected. Now that things had come to this point, there could be no retreat or hesitation.

“Heh, I must say, as a citizen of Xian Chu Hao Tu, I truly feel heartbroken for them,” Gu Changge’s mouth curled into a slight arc, his gaze cold, with a hint of mockery as he swept his eyes over the territories of Xian Chu Hao Tu.

In the imperial capital, many ministers also showed expressions of sorrow, their faces filled with bitterness and helplessness.

Though Chu Gucheng had always been known for his kindness and wisdom, treating the people as his own children, and could be considered a benevolent ruler, he was, after all, an emperor. When it came down to it, he would surely prioritize the interests of the entire nation. At that moment, it was not only the common people who were worried but even the ministers who feared that Gu Changge might truly go so far as to destroy Xian Chu Hao Tu.

If that happened, they could not just wait to die. Even if they weren’t a match for Gu Changge, they would fight with everything they had in resistance.

“You shall not deceive the people with your vile words and disturb the hearts of the people of Xian Chu Hao Tu! If you wish to destroy Xian Chu Hao Tu, then all of us here in Xian Chu Hao Tu are not afraid of a fight, nor afraid of death!” Chu Gucheng roared once more. He understood Gu Changge’s intention: to shake the very foundation of Xian Chu Hao Tu, to weaken his people’s hearts.

How could he let Gu Changge have his way?

Boom!

With Chu Gucheng’s words, the territories of Xian Chu Hao Tu erupted once again, a boundless divine light soaring into the sky. It was an ocean of celestial fortune and divine light, converging like the Yangtze River or the Yellow River, overwhelming the entire universe, pressing against every inch of the sky, surging and endless, pouring onto him.

What was once the pitch-black expanse of the outer realms now became bright and clear, illuminated and revealed.

Chu Gucheng’s armor glowed with an indestructible light, and he let out another roar, charging forward once again. His cheekbones shimmered, his bones and blood glowing with chaotic energy, and the light of the Dao swirling around him. Above his head, a flower of the Great Dao faintly bloomed, its petals each displaying a different form, with three blurry figures meditating within, representing the past, future, and present.

This was his ancestral Dao fruit.

“Ha ha, what a good ‘not afraid of a fight, not afraid of death.’ Since Xian Chu Hao Tu seeks death, I will grant it to you all.”

Gu Changge suddenly burst into laughter, his voice echoing throughout the entire universe. He coldly gazed at Chu Gucheng charging towards him and extended his hand. With a loud boom, blood mist spread out, and one of Chu Gucheng’s arms exploded, then his other arm, followed by his legs, and finally, his head.

However, even though he was so severely injured, Chu Gucheng did not die. His ancestral Dao fruit was rooted deeply within his soul, constantly absorbing the power of celestial fortune and forming nourishment for his Dao fruit. In fact, it made his Dao fruit even more solid and real.

Xian Chu Hao Tu had an almost endless number of citizens, and its territories were as vast as the entire universe. The lives of its citizens were innumerable. Even though many had perished in this battle, it would take only a few thousand years, a few tens of thousands of years, or even several epochs for them to recover and once again flourish. This loss was nothing to Chu Gucheng.

If he unified the Xi Yuan Civilization, in the future, Xian Chu Hao Tu would develop to an unimaginable extent, far surpassing what it had been before. For that, he was willing to pay any price, and the loss of so many citizens was nothing to be concerned about.

Massive territories fell into eternal darkness.

The beings in those realms of the universe seemed to bloom for a moment, revealing a fleeting beauty, only to fade into nothingness and become sacrifices.

Before these citizens died, they had not understood why, as they were merely praying for their ruler, Chu Gucheng, their consciousness was torn from their bodies, drifting away.Countless strands of celestial fortune and the willpower of all living beings rose from these dark territories, spreading across the sky, forming a silver river of stars.

Chu Gucheng’s Dao fruit became even more dazzling and radiant, the flower of the Great Dao growing clearer. It then split into three, with each petal containing a blurry figure. These three figures resembled Chu Gucheng himself—some were ancient, others youthful, but all exuded a terrifying and vast authority.

They opened their eyes and stepped out of the flower of the Great Dao. Their goal was to merge into one again, uniting all the Dao fruits into a single entity.

Chu Gucheng’s physical body began to condense in the distance. At the same time, a true fire of the Great Dao emerged, burning like kindling, refining his body. Every pore and cell bathed in the pure and true power of celestial fortune.

Boom!

A terrifying sound echoed through the heavens, as though an ancient portal was being pushed open, rumbling and reverberating. In the boundless void, chaotic thunder exploded, striking through the vastness of time and space, causing ripples of the Great Dao to scatter everywhere.

At that moment, Chu Gucheng, relying on the willpower of the people of Xian Chu Hao Tu and the celestial fortune of heaven and earth, was attempting to fuse the three flowers together to break through the threshold of the eighth celestial tribulation.

It felt as though a true calamity was about to descend upon the worlds—a great strange, terrifying, and unknown disaster beyond description.

All Dao beings were trembling, their faces filled with fear and unease.

An indistinct and blurry portal suddenly appeared in the outer realms of all worlds. All the Great Dao, rules, orders, and Dao laws silently dissipated in front of this portal.

A strange and extreme aura, so real it was terrifying, seeped out from the cracks of this portal. Even a single wisp of it caused everything around to fade into an ethereal mist, as though everything except for the portal was a dream, a broken paper, a flower in the mirror, a fleeting illusion.

The vision there twisted, the space shattered, and time was erased. No one could truly perceive the portal.

This phenomenon caused the Dao beings within the imperial capital of Xian Chu Hao Tu to change their expressions in disbelief.

“The celestial tribulation of decay is truly descending…”

“Lord Chu is trying to break through the eighth celestial tribulation at that moment.” Many voices trembled in shock.

Gu Changge coldly observed everything.

It was somewhat unexpected that Chu Gucheng would choose that moment to counter him in this way. However, it was also because Chu Gucheng’s cultivation was nearing the eighth celestial tribulation.

For Dao beings, the celestial tribulation of decay was the most terrifying trial, where even the immortal and indestructible Heavenly Dao would decay, let alone cultivators.

Though the divine tortoise lives long, it too has its end. Likewise, mortals and even immortals, before transcending, cannot truly be immortal.

The celestial tribulation of decay is the great trial that all Dao beings face when their lifespan reaches its end. It could also descend prematurely if the cultivator hits a bottleneck or due to other reasons such as injury or karma.

Of course, when a cultivator senses they are approaching their limit, they can attempt to break through the tribulation, surpassing the bottleneck and achieving further elevation.

At that moment, Chu Gucheng’s actions were aimed at accelerating the arrival of his celestial tribulation of decay, using the collective willpower of Xian Chu Hao Tu’s citizens and the celestial fortune of heaven and earth to bear it and help him break through.

The true terror of the celestial tribulation of decay could only be understood by those who had gone through it.

All Dao beings trembled in fear, a soul-shaking dread overcame them as if facing a natural enemy.

Each person’s experience of the celestial tribulation of decay was different. Some referred to it as the heart demon tribulation, while others called it the Nine Heavens Thunder tribulation.

The most direct manifestation of the celestial tribulation of decay is the attack on the weakest point of the person’s heart—their greatest flaw. Everyone has weaknesses, even cultivators at the highest levels.

A strange aura emanated from the blurred portal in the outer realms. It resembled a world emitting radiant light, with celestial light rising and dense particles of law dispersing.

Chu Gucheng stood before the portal, his expression twisted in agony, his body began to manifest the signs of the five decays of heaven and man. His clothes became filthy, his hair withered, sweat poured from his armpits, his body became foul, and his vital energy scattered.

The bizarre and twisted, yet real aura continued to wash over him, enveloping his entire being. His physical body twisted in a way that could not be described, as though resisting an invisible force.

That area became completely distorted and blurred, and then various real materials, such as earth, water, wind, and fire, began to appear, accompanied by multicolored rays of light, mist, divine dawn, and different forms of true thunder, causing Chu Gucheng to scream in excruciating pain.

Boom!

A purple river of light, resembling the Milky Way, suddenly poured down from the portal, blocking out the sky. The mist created by its impact was filled with chaotic thunder and strange fog.

The entire river of light was composed of tribulation lightning. Each bolt of lightning was like the primal thunder that opened the heavens, pure, extreme, and containing unparalleled destructive power.

Chu Gucheng was engulfed by it. His flesh and blood began to disintegrate, his bones shattered, and even his Dao fruit cracked, revealing terrifying fissures.

The worlds trembled in resonance as the distorted portal unleashed a flood of primordial chaos, surging forward.

The endless celestial fortune from Xian Chu Hao Tu poured towards that portal, reinforcing Chu Gucheng’s body. However, the result was that more and more territories darkened and died, one after another, their star domains losing their light, forever buried in deep darkness.Countless citizens of Xian Chu Hao Tu watched in horror as this scene unfolded, their faces filled with fear, as no one wanted to die in this battle.

But clearly, Chu Gucheng was not concerned with their thoughts. The immense willpower came from the countless citizens’ devotion and reverence for him. However, now Chu Gucheng’s actions were akin to draining a pond to catch fish. Many people’s faith was starting to waver.

Chu Gucheng could feel this shift as well. While enduring the immense pain of the celestial tribulation of decay, he was also absorbing the willpower of the people of Xian Chu Hao Tu from all corners, using it to solidify his Dao fruit into one.

The vast aura filled the heavens and earth, and soon, the stray tribulation lightning began to fall from the outer realms, sweeping across the territories of Xian Chu Hao Tu. Each bolt of lightning carried an aura of terrifying destruction, crashing down on the dark universe with a booming sound, scattering endless ripples of true thunder that caused the world to tremble.

Within the imperial capital, all the distinguished guests and attendees were shocked, their faces pale with disbelief.

During this process, no one dared to disturb Chu Gucheng. The celestial tribulation of decay was something that ordinary people would avoid at all costs, let alone provoke.

Chu Gucheng was clearly hoping to use this time to counter Gu Changge while enduring the tribulation. He didn’t believe that Gu Changge would dare to get involved with the celestial tribulation of decay, unless he didn’t fear being swept into it himself.

However, Gu Changge would have certainly anticipated this.

But for Gu Changge, the so-called celestial tribulation of decay was no different from any ordinary heavenly tribulation. It held no special significance for him.

Boom!

The sounds of the tribulation lightning grew more frequent, like a giant dragon circling in the outer realms. The once-closed portal seemed to suddenly open a crack, and a more intense aura of reality began to permeate outwards, filling the entire black sky.

It felt as if an eternal, indestructible celestial being was watching over the worlds from behind that portal, surveying the lives of all beings.

One after another, shadows of the Great Dao descended. Each shadow was different—some resembled emperor figures, while others looked like immortal palaces, but all were incredibly powerful, representing the strongest Dao ever seen across the ages.

Chu Gucheng continued to roar in agony. His flesh was melting, his soul fading away, his body covered in blood, with no part of him remaining intact as he struggled against the signs of decay and the terrifying tribulation lightning falling upon him.

The river of time, spanning the eons, trembled in response, the ripples extending far beyond, affecting other true realms and civilizations, causing them to feel this force.

His physical body continued to shatter and reform. The area affected by the signs of decay was growing larger, slowly overtaking his entire being.

“Lord Chu can’t hold on any longer…”

The Dao beings in the imperial capital felt a deep sense of empathy, their faces filled with fear. They never wanted to face such a tribulation in their lifetime.

“Is the eighth celestial tribulation really this difficult? Even with the protection of the willpower of all beings, it is still so hard.” Elder Jin’s face was grim, his throat dry, and fear lingered in his heart. If he were facing this tribulation, he would have already turned to ash.

“Father…” Chu Wushang, supported by others, fixed his gaze on the outer realms, his expression filled with concern.

At that moment, countless beings across the world were watching this scene. Many powerful eyes from the Xi Yuan civilization were also focused on it.

“Ah…”

Suddenly, a scream pierced the air as Chu Gucheng’s figure was struck by a huge shadow of the Great Dao. His shattered flesh exploded into a blood mist, and even his soul became blurred, as if it were about to be erased.

No one knew exactly how many powerful Dao shadows had struck him, but even someone as strong as Chu Gucheng was unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure of these increasingly terrifying forces.

His cultivation was only close to the threshold of the eighth celestial tribulation but had not yet reached perfection. That was why he had relied on the willpower of Xian Chu Hao Tu’s citizens to forcibly endure the tribulation. But it was clear that he had underestimated the terrifying nature of the eighth celestial tribulation. His form was now in a half-dying state.

Boom!

Just as another massive shadow of the Great Dao was about to strike, accompanied by boundless thunder, despair and helplessness finally appeared in Chu Gucheng’s eyes.Was he really going to fall here today?

Chu Gucheng’s peripheral vision swept over the imperial capital of Xian Chu Hao Tu, over everyone, and then to the distance. Gu Changge still stood there, as cold and unyielding as an eternal celestial being. Even as he watched Chu Gucheng’s form disintegrate, his expression showed not the slightest fluctuation, let alone any hint of pity or other emotions.

Chu Gucheng felt an immense sense of unwillingness. He had fought so hard, yet was it still useless?

Pop, pop, pop…

Just as Chu Gucheng despaired, suddenly, there was the sound of something crisp and delicate, like a long-blooming flower opening.

The three blurry figures within his Dao fruit suddenly fused together, creating a new life force. The rich, surging vitality radiated from within.

Chu Gucheng’s body, which had been on the brink of withering away, was suddenly revived with fresh vitality.

“Dao fruit united… I did it…” he exclaimed with joy, the powerful life force flowing once again within his body.

At the same time, every cell within him, like a desert that had been dried out, greedily absorbed the willpower of all beings and the celestial fortune that filled the heavens and earth.

Another massive shadow of the Great Dao descended, but because of the unity of his Dao fruit, Chu Gucheng’s strength surged, advancing once more. He threw a powerful punch, and a rich light from the world illuminated the ancient past, smashing that massive Dao shadow into pieces.

The next shadow of the Great Dao fell again, but Chu Gucheng was no longer afraid. He boldly struck forward, transforming from a passive defender into an active attacker. At the same time, the signs of decay on his body began to recede, and his cultivation aura subtly shifted.

Everyone in the imperial capital was shaken, and many were overwhelmed with joy.

Just moments ago, they had thought Chu Gucheng would fail to overcome his tribulation, but who could have predicted that there would be a sudden turnaround, breaking through his limits and advancing further.

“It seems that Lord Chu is going to succeed in overcoming the eighth celestial tribulation after all.” The always serious Elder Xing Ying finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Chu Gucheng’s figure, bathed in tribulation lightning, made the blurry image of the Human Emperor behind him, already struck by lightning, even more solid and real. At that moment, that Human Emperor figure seemed to be transforming into an actual supreme Human Emperor, merging with Chu Gucheng to achieve the true fruit of the Human Emperor.

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