Daojun, start from Penglai foundation building

The Divine Firmament Emperor was blinded by the calamity and was no longer in his right mind.

This is the Emperor of Heaven's judgment of the Divine Firmament Emperor.

After Shenxiao Emperor ascended to the position of Southern Shenxiao Purple Thunder Emperor, he was no longer the spirited and ambitious divine prodigy he once was, but a deity known as Shenxiao Emperor.

For twelve thousand years, the Divine Emperor has been residing high in the imperial palace. His body is covered with invisible shackles and chains. These shackles and chains, which are called power, interests, rules, and divine duty, not only imprison the Divine Emperor's physical body and Dao heart, but also obscure his divine soul.

The current Divine Emperor is reluctant to relinquish his former power and prestige. He is single-mindedly focused on regaining his position as the Heavenly Lord of Justice and wants to rebuild his authority and majesty...

But he completely forgot that the reason he was the Southern Divine Firmament Purple Thunder Emperor was not because the position was rightfully his; rather, it was because he had the cultivation of five tribulations and was a divine prodigy that he sat in this position.

Without a solid foundation of spiritual cultivation, what use is a heavenly title and position?

But the Divine Firmament Emperor was fixated on that position and refused to let go.

The Heavenly Emperor had already foreseen that being killed by Jiang Sheng at the ninth level was the best possible outcome for the Divine Firmament Emperor.

If he is defeated but not dead, His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor, sitting high on his throne with a smile, will definitely not let the Divine Firmament Emperor off easily.

As for winning?
With the experience of the Divine Firmament Emperor, who has been on the throne for thousands of years and has only a few battles to show for his skills besides manipulating power, how could he possibly defeat Jiang Sheng, who has fought his way through countless battles and even the great calamity of the Xuanmen?
If there is a real chance of winning, it wouldn't hurt for the Divine Firmament Emperor to be a little unrestrained, after all, the myriad realms are tolerant of the strong and geniuses.

However, the Divine Firmament Emperor clearly had no experience in combat anymore; he was left with only the empty shell of the Mahayana stage.

Ultimately, the mighty Divine Emperor of Shenxiao, so awe-inspiring throughout the Three Realms, was merely a Mahayana cultivator…

The Divine Firmament Emperor was unaware that he had been abandoned by the bigwigs of the Heavenly Court. At this moment, he was preparing to have a good fight with Jiang Sheng in the eighth level.

Although he didn't know what kind of challenges Qiongyun Daojun would set up, Shenxiao Dijun knew one thing: the seventh level, which was the home ground of the divine path and his debut level, was completely ruined by Jiang Sheng.

Failing to make an appearance means a defeat in the first battle. If he cannot recover immediately, his reputation as the Divine Emperor will be completely ruined and he will be unable to save face.

Although he didn't see the reactions of those around him, Emperor Shenxiao could feel many pairs of eyes on him. Those eyes, whether mocking or sarcastic, all reminded Emperor Shenxiao of how devastating his defeat in the seventh level had been.

The gazes of unorthodox immortals, Buddhist venerables, and demon race celestial demons towards him were undisguised mockery. Even some divine beings from minor realms had lost their respect for him!
"Penglai Spirit Abyss!"

The thought that the culprit who had humiliated him was sitting in his seat with impunity made it difficult for the Divine Emperor to suppress his anger.

That rage almost burned through his dantian and surged into his sea of ​​consciousness, threatening to burn away his Dao heart and mind.

Finally, just as the Divine Firmament Emperor was enduring the ridicule in front of everyone and was about to be burned to ashes by anger, the voice of the Qiongyun Daojun rang out at the right time.

"You young friends have passed the seven trials and passed the tests of immortals, Buddhas and saints, which is enough to prove that you are all talents."

"This time, the Heavenly Court is recruiting talents. Tens of thousands of geniuses and outstanding individuals from all the heavens and myriad realms have participated. However, only fifty-five of them have made it to this eighth trial."

"His Majesty has said that since you have all reached this stage, regardless of whether you win or lose the ninth stage, you can all enter the Heavenly Court to serve as officials, enjoy the blessings and prosperity of the Heavenly Court, and gain good fortune and merit."

Upon hearing this, whether they were overjoyed or not, the fifty-four prodigies bowed to the Heavenly Emperor who ruled over the Three Realms on the throne: "Thank you, Your Majesty..."

Qiongyun Daojun nodded in satisfaction, then smiled and said, "As for the eighth level, I will personally set up the checkpoint. Of the fifty-five young friends, the remaining twenty-four will be able to enter the ninth level."

"This eighth trial is quite simple, so I'll name it: Ascension!"

Ascension?!
The group of prodigies and disciples looked at each other in bewilderment. How could the question of the eighth level be so simple?
...

"Hahahaha!"

"I made it out!"

"Hahahahahahaha!"

A thunderous, arrogant laugh echoed between the clouds, drawing the attention of several people still lingering in the mist, who repeatedly glanced at him but could not find him anywhere.

Amidst a vast sea of ​​clouds, a tall, imposing figure, crackling with lightning, broke through the clouds and dispersed the surrounding mist.

After rushing into the sea of ​​clouds, the figure glanced around a few times, randomly chose a direction, and then bent its legs slightly to push off: "Go!"

Immediately, lightning surged around him, and he leaped high into the sky like a bolt of lightning, heading straight for another sea of ​​clouds.

As the man smashed through the sea of ​​clouds above and dispersed the surrounding mist, he vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving only his thunderous laughter echoing through the clouds: "Hahahahahahaha!"

"Another hurdle cleared!"

The group of prodigies and Daoists still lingering in this sea of ​​clouds glared angrily at the clouds that had rejoined: "That Kui Fang!"

That unrestrained figure was none other than Kui Fang, a fifth-tribulation celestial demon from Mount Jilei. In this eighth level called Ascension, Kui Fang felt as if a dragon had entered the sea and a tiger had returned to the deep mountains. He found it incredibly enjoyable. The previous levels had not been very comfortable for him, but he had a lot of fun in this one.

The eighth stage of the Fruition Banquet is called Ascension. At first, no one understood its meaning until they entered the eighth stage.

The eighth level is located in an endless sea of ​​clouds.

It was as if there was no land here, with clouds and mist flowing like an ocean everywhere.

Layers of clouds form the entirety of this level, and passing it is quite simple: just break through the layers of clouds and reach the top.

However, although this level seems simple, each layer of the sea of ​​clouds is not so easy to overcome.

Because this trial was set up personally by Daoist Qiongyun, Daoist Qiongyun had already established restrictions. Although the Five Tribulations and Mahayana cultivators were not forbidden from using supernatural powers and spells, their power was suppressed to a great extent.

Taking the Mahayana Immortal Lord as an example, the Mahayana Immortal Lord's spells can cover tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of miles. His divine sense is vast and boundless, and he can ignore many barriers. Ordinary seas of clouds cannot stop the Mahayana Immortal Lord's perception.

However, the divine sense of the Great Vehicle Immortal Lord, which covers hundreds of millions of miles, was compressed to about ten thousand miles in this sea of ​​clouds, and he could not discern the reality or the direction. Furthermore, the Qiongyun Dao Lord had set up many traps for the sea of ​​clouds.

Not to mention that each layer of the sea of ​​clouds is millions of miles thick, and the sea of ​​clouds is also vast and boundless, with heavy clouds and swirling fog inside, making it impossible to distinguish east from west and north from south. Above the sea of ​​clouds, there is also a supernatural power that can turn the ground into steel. If you really ignore it and rush headlong into it, you will definitely end up dizzy.

To get through, you must find the hidden air vents in the sea of ​​clouds so that you can surface and enter the next sea of ​​clouds.

The entire pass consisted of nine layers of cloud seas, one after another, with no more than ten thousand miles between each layer. The entire pass was only about nine million miles high, yet it proved to be a challenge for these elites who had fought their way out from among tens of thousands of prodigies.

As Kui Fang departed gracefully, the few people still lingering in this sea of ​​clouds sighed and continued searching for the location of the air vent. After being struck by Kui Fang, the original air vent must have collapsed, so they could only search for a new one.

This left everyone feeling frustrated and helpless, and they also secretly complained about the interesting challenge set up by Daoist Qiongyun.

"Among all the heavens and myriad realms, there is one realm without land, where everything is suspended above the clouds and mist."

"Those floating seas of clouds drifting in the sky are the dwelling places of the creatures of this world."

"That world is called Cloud Realm. It was originally a world under my Sky Cloud Realm. I found it interesting, so I created this small world of clouds and mist based on its principles."

Inside the Lingxiao Palace, Daoist Qiongyun was speaking eloquently to a group of immortals, Buddhas, and saints, explaining the origin of this pass.

"Nine layers of clouds, one upon another, each layer is different. To pass through them, one can only pass through the air vents within the clouds. Once used, these air vents will inevitably collapse and regenerate. Moreover, the formation of these air vents varies from layer to layer, with no discernible pattern..."

"This test will not be about their skill in combat, nor will it be about the sharpness of their spiritual sense; it will be about their luck."

"With good luck, it's possible to break through the nine layers of clouds directly; with bad luck, you'll have to suffer in the first layer of clouds."

Listening to Qiongyun Daojun's explanation, the Emperor Huangtian frowned slightly: "Emperor Changsheng, with your method, wouldn't many promising talents skilled in combat and with remarkable cultivation fail to pass the test?"

Faced with the Emperor's questioning, Daoist Qiongyun flicked his whisk: "If you don't even have this much luck, how can you sit on the throne of the Heavenly Lord of Justice?" Luck was Daoist Qiongyun's test for all the proud Daoists.

The entire eighth level is about how luck is the only factor to consider. Whoever is lucky can go up and use their luck to nourish the Heavenly Court's fortune. As for those who are unlucky, they should stay away from the Heavenly Court!

Undoubtedly, Kui Fang was just lucky.

A quick calculation reveals that this fifth-tribulation celestial demon from Jilei Mountain in Jurong has, with his reckless nature, actually broken through six layers of clouds and entered the seventh layer. Among the fifty-five people in the eighth level, he is among the top.

The group of prodigies and Daoists in the eighth level were unaware of who was in front and who was behind, but the immortals, Buddhas, and saints in the Lingxiao Palace could see it clearly.

Within the nine layers of clouds of this eighth level, the order of precedence was already clearly distinguished.

The fastest to rush forward was Emperor Tianyun. This divine Dao Mahayana cultivator from the Qiongtian Realm lived up to his name of Heavenly Fortune, and smoothly reached the eighth layer of the Cloud Sea. He had already begun searching for the pore leading to the ninth layer of the Cloud Sea.

Following closely behind were Qingyu Demon Lord, Liuyuan Emperor, Napushe Venerable, and Jiang Sheng.

The four of them are currently in the seventh layer of the cloud sea, searching for the air vent to the eighth layer of the cloud sea. The above five are the top five of this eighth level, followed by Kui Fang, who has just entered the seventh layer of the cloud sea.

Within the sixth layer of the cloud sea beneath Kui Fang were Daoist Duoming, God of Spring and Autumn, Fairy of a Hundred Flowers, Demon Lord Yingtian, and others.

As for the Golden Lion Demon Lord, the White Armor Demon Lord, the White Bright Demon Lord, and the True Light Fairy, they are still in the fifth layer of the cloud sea.

As for the Divine Emperor of Shenxiao, who was initially full of ambition to settle the score with Jiang Sheng in the eighth level, he was still trapped in the fourth layer of the cloud sea, accompanied by the Hundred-Year-Old Star Lord, the Mountain-Suppressing Star Lord, the Demon Lord Kongling, and the Demon Lord Huangzhao.

And Shenxiao Emperor and the others weren't the lowest off; the four Venerables, Miyin Mijian, Putai Puhua, and others, were still struggling to find the location of the air vent in the third layer of the cloud sea, while Venerable Xingyue, King Wangsheng, Wanmu Shenjun, Venerable Zhidu, and others were trapped in the second layer...

Never before had the difference between good and bad fortune been so clearly revealed to the immortals, Buddhas, and saints of the Lingxiao Palace.

Qiongyun Daojun's methods are indeed suspicious. Jinmu Yuanjun is curious: Isn't this person supposed to combine the Dao of Clouds and the Dao of Illusion with the Dao of Illusion and Annihilation? When did he get involved with the Dao of Fortune?
Although the Pure Yang powerhouses who have reached the Dao-holding realm are involved in multiple Great Daos, whether the Great Daos are compatible with each other is the key to whether they can continue to improve in the Dao-holding realm and even glimpse the path to mastery.

Could it be that there's some explanation for the Illusionary Dao Fruit of Dao Lord Qiongyun?

At this moment, not only did the Golden Mother Yuanjun have doubts about Qiongyun Daojun's methods and intentions, but Maitreya Bodhisattva, though smiling, looked at Qiongyun Daojun with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

Faced with the probing questions from his colleagues who were also at the Dao Realm, Daoist Qiongyun appeared remarkably calm, even having the leisure to raise a cup and drink with the Pure Yang cultivators.

After a few cups of wine, the elegant and graceful Golden Mother Yuanjun put down her wine cup, her tone languid and indifferent: "Emperor of Longevity, who do you think will be the first to pass the eighth trial?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Qiongyun smiled and said, "I am more optimistic about the destiny of the Qiongtian Realm. What does the Queen Mother think?"

The Heavenly Emperor of Qiongtian Realm, adhering to the laws of destiny, has made extraordinary progress in the art of destiny. Although he was not the most outstanding in the first seven trials, he was able to pass each one and gain some benefits.

Such a person, who is well-versed in the ways of fortune, is indeed a strong contender for first place in the eighth level, where everything is random and there is little pattern to follow.

The Golden Mother Yuanjun thought for a moment and nodded: "The Heavenly Fortune of the Qiongtian Realm is indeed performing well, but Kui Fang of the Jurong Realm is also showing good momentum..."

Kui Fang?

Upon hearing the name mentioned by the Golden Mother Yuanjun, Qiongyun Daojun looked towards the eighth level, towards Lei Mangzi, who was rampaging through the seventh layer of clouds.

And believe it or not, Kui Fang is about to catch up with Jiang Sheng, Emperor Liuyuan, and the others.

Qiongyun Daojun couldn't help but chuckle at Kui Fang's performance: "This Kui Fang really does have some luck..."

...

The eighth level of the Fruition Banquet, within the seventh layer of the sea of ​​clouds.

The vast sea of ​​clouds, stretching for millions of miles, blocked all divine perception. It was also shrouded in illusory mist, making it impossible to distinguish east from west, north from south, up from down, left from right.

In the vast sea of ​​clouds, Jiang Sheng and his companions were scattered in all directions, like a few drops of water merging into the ocean, unable to create any waves at all.

However, just as Jiang Sheng was searching for air holes, a deafening, wild laugh came from afar, making Jiang Sheng's head ache.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Hahahahahahahahaha!"

"I'm here again!"

It's still Kui Fang!

Just 15 minutes ago, Kui Fang was engulfed in lightning, and his entire body swept past Jiang Sheng like a thunderbolt.

Such an unannounced and unwarranted collision is undoubtedly the beginning of hostility in the eyes of the three realms, meaning that the other party is about to attack you.

After all, those in the upper three realms can move within a radius of millions of miles, and tens of millions of miles are all within the range of divine sense. If a sudden burst of energy without warning comes in, what else could it be but a war?

Especially in this level, everyone's spiritual senses are restricted to within ten thousand miles, and if anything suddenly approaches, it is difficult to move away in time.

However, things cannot be judged from one perspective, just as common sense cannot be applied to Kui Fang.

Just as Jiang Sheng had already gripped the Qingping Sword in his hand, preparing to unleash a slash, a bolt of lightning suddenly shot straight into the sky. With a roar, Kui Fang crashed headfirst into the hardened surface of the seventh layer of cloud sea. With a dull thud, Kui Fang rolled his eyes and fell into the depths of the cloud sea, disappearing without a trace.

All of this happened right under Jiang Sheng's nose. Jiang Sheng had never felt so powerless. He couldn't decide whether to save her or not. Before he could even react, the person was nowhere to be found.

However, just 25 minutes later, Kui Fang made a comeback, crashing headfirst into the tempered sea surface again under Jiang Sheng's watchful eye before disappearing without a trace.

Jiang Sheng finally understood how this person had managed to reach the seventh level of the cloud sea. Given this person's stubbornness, it wouldn't be impossible for him to even reach the ninth level of the cloud sea.

Shaking his head, Jiang Sheng was about to ignore the infamous Lei Mangzi when suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him. As if he had thought of something, he channeled his magic power and transformed into a blue rainbow, soaring into the sky and crashing headfirst into the hardened sea surface.

In an instant, the force of the recoil and the force of the restriction washed over Jiang Sheng, causing his internal organs to tremble and his bones to go numb. However, this recoil also made the digestion of the enormous medicinal power in Jiang Sheng's body a little faster.

In the seventh level, Jiang Sheng consumed too many immortal fruits and rare treasures. The immense medicinal power of these fruits remained in Jiang Sheng's body, slowly nourishing his flesh, bones, internal organs, and soul.

Logically, these immortal fruits should be taken out and refined into great pills for consumption. However, the seventh level is not Jiang Sheng's home turf, so Jiang Sheng can only exchange the immortal fruits for combat power to take down the seventh level first.

But by the time Jiang Sheng reached the eighth level, the immense medicinal power within his body needed to be released.

Jiang Sheng had nothing lacking before, except for the accumulation of his origin. Now, having obtained the fortune and merit to temper his body and consumed many immortal fruits, Jiang Sheng's origin is sufficient. If this enormous medicinal power cannot be released, it may forcefully lead Jiang Sheng to break through to the fifth tribulation.

Jiang Sheng had been pondering how to release the immense medicinal power accumulated within his body, but Kui Fang's actions undoubtedly gave him a completely new perspective.

Looking at the surface of the seventh layer of cloud sea again, Jiang Sheng's eyes showed a hint of joy. The seventh layer of cloud sea, the eighth layer of cloud sea, the ninth layer of cloud sea!

Whether or not you can win first place in this eighth round is no longer important!
Jiang Sheng understood Qiongyun Daojun's intention in setting up the eighth trial, so he began to crash into the sea surface repeatedly, just like Kui Fang, using the force of the recoil and the restrictions to cleanse his physical body and soul, and accelerate the release and expulsion of the medicinal power within his body.

Suddenly, two figures, seemingly fools, appeared in the seventh layer of the sea of ​​clouds. Instead of searching for air vents, they kept crashing against the surface of the sea, acting as if they had lost their minds.

Meanwhile, in the Lingxiao Palace, Daoist Qiongyun stroked his beard and nodded as he watched this scene: It is said that finding the air vent to break through the nine layers of clouds is the way to ascend, but this repeated collision with the sea surface to strengthen oneself is also the way to ascend.

The former is in the will of Heaven, the latter is in oneself. Whether to seek the vast will of Heaven to become a god in accordance with Heaven, or to elevate oneself to defy Heaven and become an immortal, all depends on a single thought.

Just like Jiang Sheng, who forcibly won first place in the seventh level and was about to be forced to undergo tribulation in the eighth level, he has now found a way to resolve the situation.

That perfectly timed flash of inspiration, wasn't it also a stroke of luck? (End of Chapter)