The Third Tribulation of Heaven and Man!

Across realms and within them, regardless of clan or sect, a cultivator weathered by the Third Tribulation was a force to be reckoned with, a figure rarely dared to provoke. Their status was elevated, their rights considerable.

Within the Boundary, an eighth-order sect of the Cloud Sea with such a cultivator would consider them a pillar of power. Even within a ninth-order sect, those who had endured the Third Tribulation were few and far between.

On the whole, the power within the Boundary paled in comparison to that outside. And now, before Wang Lin, stood an elder who had suffered the Third Tribulation. A member of the Fire Sparrow clan, one of the great houses of the Ancient Star Domain, this elder was deemed worthy to lead a branch of their people in this Forsaken Land.

Even before stepping into this pavilion, Wang Lin had sensed the presence of Fire Sparrow blood within. The appearance of this elder came as no surprise.

Seeing a Fire Sparrow in the Forsaken Land brought a smile to Wang Lin’s face.

The Fire Sparrow elder entered the second floor, casually taking a seat. His eyes, sharp as embers, sized up Wang Lin. Though his expression seemed serene, a deep wariness stirred within his heart.

He recognized the Dark Scorpion clan leader standing behind Wang Lin, knew his strength. Yet, this powerful figure did not dare to sit in the youth’s presence, acting as little more than a servant.

This, in itself, made Wang Lin seem shrouded in mystery.

More importantly, the elder could not fathom Wang Lin’s cultivation.

No matter how he spread his divine sense, he could detect no aura of power emanating from the youth, nor discern his clan.

Not all of the Ancient Star Domain bore their clan sigils upon their brow, and some with great power could even conceal them, preventing outsiders from perceiving them.

“You speak of surrendering the Emberfire Crystalline to me?” Wang Lin asked, a playful curve to his lips as his gaze settled on the Fire Sparrow elder.

The elder felt a jolt. Under Wang Lin’s gaze, he found himself almost unable to meet his eyes. After a moment of silence, he clasped his hands in respect. “The Emberfire Crystalline is of great use to my Fire Sparrow clan, old one…”

Before he could finish, Wang Lin let out a cold snort.

The sound echoed through the second floor like a thunderclap, forming a whirlwind that swept through the room. The alluring woman’s face paled instantly, and she instinctively stepped back, her expression turning ashen.

As for the Fire Sparrow elder, he shuddered violently. The sound struck him as if a thousand-ton chariot had slammed into him, his primordial spirit trembling, his pupils contracting. He coughed up blood.

His fiery essence erupted uncontrollably from his body. The chair beneath him turned to ash, and the flames threatened to engulf the room. Wang Lin merely waved his hand, and a gust of invisible wind roared forth, slamming into the Fire Sparrow elder.

The flames were extinguished as quickly as they appeared, forced back into the elder’s body.

The elder’s face turned deathly white, and he staggered back, each step leaving a scorched footprint upon the pavilion’s floor, black and smoking.

After three steps, the elder roared, attempting to halt his retreat with his fiery essence. But at that moment, Wang Lin’s gaze locked with the elder’s. The elder’s heart pounded. Wang Lin’s eyes were like unseen blades, piercing through his eyes and into his very primordial spirit, transforming into a force of devastation. Even the elder’s primordial energy could not stop the unseen blades.

He retreated once more, his eyes wide with terror. The blades of Wang Lin’s gaze swirled around his primordial spirit, but did not pierce it. They vanished.

All of this happened in a blink, but for the Fire Sparrow elder, it was a nightmare, a brush with death.

“Dare you call yourself ‘old one’ before me?” Wang Lin said softly, withdrawing his gaze.

Silence descended upon the room. The alluring woman gasped, looking at Wang Lin with a deep respect, laced with fear.

“Ah… I was presumptuous. Please forgive my rudeness, senior. I was mistaken,” the Fire Sparrow elder stammered, his robes soaked with sweat. These few breaths had shaken him to his core. He knew that the youth could have ended his life with ease.

All arrogance had vanished, and he stood there respectfully, daring not to seek a seat. It seemed no one was worthy to sit before this youth.

“Bring forth all the Emberfire Crystalline you have here,” Wang Lin said casually, ignoring the Fire Sparrow elder.

The alluring woman bowed and took out a jade slip. With a flick of her wrist, the slip glowed with blue light and flew towards Wang Lin, embedding itself in the wall before him.

The wall writhed, and waves rippled across its surface. Soon, it became transparent, revealing its contents.

Within the wall, bathed in iridescent light, three fist-sized white stones floated, turning slowly.

“Senior, the Dragonscale Clan allows only a limited amount of Emberfire Crystalline to be sold. At present, we only have these three… A friend, He, came before you to acquire them. Now that you desire them as well, I find myself in a difficult position,” the alluring woman said softly, her head bowed.

The Fire Sparrow elder looked at the white stones within the wall and sighed. “Since senior desires them, how could I dare contend?”

Wang Lin scanned the wall. The Emberfire Crystalline was not truly there. It was merely an illusion, projected for viewing.
With a flick of his right hand, three pills materialized within Wang Lin’s grasp. As soon as they appeared, a fiery aura enveloped them, making them resemble miniature suns. He cast them forth with a swift motion, sending them directly towards the bewitching woman.

The woman’s eyes gleamed with avarice upon beholding the pills. She swiftly caught them, examining them with meticulous care before exclaiming, “Spirit… these are Spirit Pills crafted from the souls of top-tier fire beasts!”

“Sufficient to trade for the Crystalline Flame Shards, perhaps?” Wang Lin inquired calmly.

The woman inhaled deeply, scrutinizing the pills once more. “Indeed, they are sufficient!” she affirmed with a nod.

Just then, the Fire Finch elder interjected, “Friend Zhao, might I be permitted a glimpse of these pills?” His expression remained composed, yet his heart pounded within his chest. The instant he laid eyes on the pills, he sensed a presence that sent tremors through his very being.

The bewitching woman hesitated, glancing at the Fire Finch elder. Seeing that Wang Lin remained impassive, his eyes closed as if oblivious to their exchange, she cautiously nodded and offered a single pill to the elder.

The elder drew a deep breath, taking the pill and channeling his divine sense into it. The moment his consciousness touched the pill, a jolt coursed through him. A strange light flickered in his eyes as he examined it further. After a prolonged observation, he closed his eyes once more, opening them only after an age. He returned the pill to the woman.

Though his demeanor appeared unchanged, a tempest raged within his soul!

“The Source! It is the very essence of fire! This pill contains a thread of the Source of Fire! Perhaps of little consequence to others, this single pill holds unimaginable value for my Fire Finch clan! But from whence does this Source originate?”

Wang Lin opened his eyes, casting a casual glance at the Fire Finch elder. A subtle, frosty smile played upon his lips as he spoke, “Bring forth the three shards of crystalline flame.”

The bewitching woman hastily complied, clutching the three pills and hurrying down the stairs. Silence descended upon the chamber. The Fire Finch elder remained lost in thought, his gaze flickering with unspoken contemplation.

Wang Lin remained patient. After a short while, footsteps echoed from below as the bewitching woman ascended, accompanied by a middle-aged man. He wore a Daoist robe, his hair a striking violet, and his countenance bore the weight of authority.

The bewitching woman followed in his wake, her expression brimming with reverence.

As the man entered the chamber, the Dark Scorpion Clan Chieftain, who stood behind Wang Lin, stirred. He bowed slightly and whispered, “Young Clan Lord of the Dragon Armor Clan… peculiar, such a distinguished individual rarely frequents this establishment.”

Reaching the second floor, the man let out a hearty laugh. Ignoring the Fire Finch elder, he clasped his hands towards Wang Lin and said, “Venerable One, the Dragon Armor Clan shall claim these pills! Here are the three Crystalline Flame Shards.”

With a gesture, he produced three white stones, which floated gently towards Wang Lin. Seeing Wang Lin accept and secure them, the man’s gaze sharpened. “I wonder, does the Venerable One possess any more of these pills? Is there anything else you seek in exchange?”

“I have ample pills,” Wang Lin replied with a smile, “but what treasures do you possess to trade for them?”

Taken aback by the question, the man paused, considering his options. “Puppets and Flame Crystals can be acquired on any Elder Star, but the Dragon Armor Clan possesses three unique treasures! These treasures are exclusive to our clan; nowhere else can they be found. The first treasure is the Dragon Armor Scales, three thousand, nine hundred and eighty-two scales forming a complete set. Imbued with the blood of the Dragon Armor Clan, these scales, when combined with the proper incantations, amplify defenses tenfold. Common magical treasures cannot pierce them, and even divine abilities find them difficult to overcome.”

The man paused, glancing at Wang Lin before continuing, “The second treasure is the Bone Dragon. These dragons are forged from the bones of deceased Dragon Armor Clan members throughout history. Their numbers are few, but each Bone Dragon wields tremendous power. And most importantly, having already tasted death, they are eternally unyielding!”

“Oh? And the third treasure?” Wang Lin inquired with amusement.

The Dragon Armor Clan Young Lord smiled. “The third treasure is the mightiest possession of the Dragon Armor Clan. It is called the Dragon Shattering Pill! These pills are not meant for consumption, but for destruction. A single Dragon Shattering Pill may not possess overwhelming power, but a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, their combined might is boundless!

Of the three treasures of my Dragon Armor Clan, the latter two were not of our making, but gifts from the Fallen Emperor, exclusively bestowed upon our clan!”

Wang Lin’s eyes flashed with interest. After a moment of consideration, he spoke, “The scales and Bone Dragons hold no interest for me. However, those Dragon Shattering Pills you mentioned… I am intrigued. Show me one.”

The Dragon Armor Clan Young Lord raised his hand, summoning something from the void. A glow erupted in his palm, and in an instant, a white pill materialized in his hand. He flicked his wrist, sending the pill towards Wang Lin.

Wang Lin caught the pill, examining it closely.

The pill contained four distinct energies, swirling in a chaotic yet balanced harmony. If that balance were to be disrupted, it would immediately explode with considerable power, akin to a single strike from a Nirvana Exalted cultivator.

“One Spirit Pill in exchange for one hundred of these pills!” Wang Lin declared decisively.

The Dragon Armor Clan Young Lord paused, his gaze flickering with calculation. He nodded.

“Very well. How many Dragon Shattering Pills does the Venerable One wish to acquire?”

“Ten thousand.”

The Dragon Armor Clan Young Lord’s eyes narrowed. “Ten thousand Dragon Shattering Pills, if detonated simultaneously, would pose a threat even to a Celestial Decay cultivator,” he mused. With a wave of his hand, the chamber was bathed in light. Within that light, countless Dragon Shattering Pills materialized in an instant, gradually forming a small mountain.

Wang Lin swept his sleeve, claiming all the Dragon Shattering Pills. He left behind one hundred Spirit Pills and turned to leave, the Dark Scorpion Clan Chieftain hastily following behind him.

Once outside the chamber, a cold smile touched Wang Lin’s lips. He turned to his follower and commanded, “Return to the Dark Scorpion Clan. I have personal matters to attend to.”

The Dark Scorpion Clan Chieftain respectfully acknowledged his command, not daring to question his master’s reasons. He retreated into the distance.
Wang Lin, his countenance betraying no unease, strolled leisurely through the city of this Dragonscale Clan’s cultivation star. His bait had been cast; now, he merely awaited the strike.

“I charged headlong into the Lightning Flash Clan,” he mused, continuing his advance. “But the Fire Sparrow Clan shall deliver me from their own gates!” He halted abruptly, turning to face the path he’d just trod.

“You have followed me thus far, seeking your own demise perhaps?” Wang Lin’s voice was a shard of ice, laced with deadly intent. As the words echoed, ripples disturbed the air ten paces behind him, and the Fire Sparrow elder emerged, his expression a mask of utmost respect as he bowed deeply, fists clasped. “Venerable One, please quell your anger! I have followed in the hope of proposing a bargain.”

Wang Lin remained silent, his gaze a chilling weight upon the elder.

Sweat beaded upon the old man’s brow. He hastened to speak. “I possess a considerable cache of Infernal Flame Crystals. If the Venerable One desires, I shall exchange them all, seeking only the Spirit Pill in return!”

“How many Flame Crystals do you possess?” Wang Lin inquired, his tone casual.

“One hundred, of similar size to the three you acquired previously!” The elder, pinned beneath Wang Lin’s gaze, felt his spirit tremble. In the span of a few words, the back of his tunic was soaked.

“Present them,” Wang Lin commanded, his voice level.

The elder hesitated for a moment. Then, with a grim determination, he struck his brow with his right hand. A wisp of pale blue flame appeared within his palm. He offered it forth, and the flame darted towards Wang Lin.

Wang Lin caught the flickering essence. He saw at once that this tiny flame served as a vessel, akin to a storage pouch, containing a hundred Infernal Flame Crystals. Though their sizes varied, their collective value was undeniable.

Reaching into his own pouch, Wang Lin tossed a hundred Spirit Pills to the elder. Then, turning on his heel, he vanished from the city’s confines in a single stride.

He reappeared atop a towering peak at the heart of the cultivation star. With a flick of his wrist, the ten thousand Dragon Collapse Pills materialized, forming a dense, swirling cloud around him.

A chilling light flickered in Wang Lin’s eyes as a cold smile curled his lips. “Though Spirit Pills hold value, never would one fetch a hundred Dragon Collapse Pills, each capable of unleashing a blow rivaling that of a Nascent Soul cultivator! Dragonscale Clan, since you insist on meddling in my affairs, then blame not Wang Lin for the consequences that befall you!”

With another dismissive wave, the cultivation energy surged from him, and the crimson flame in his left eye blazed forth, erupting into a sea of fire that engulfed the myriad Dragon Collapse Pills.

“Be consumed!” Wang Lin’s voice boomed as the flames shifted, their hue deepening to a cobalt glow. The sea of fire surged forward, and the ten thousand Dragon Collapse Pills detonated with thunderous cracks, dissolving into a molten state within the intense heat.

“Art of the Dao: Fusion! All things beneath the heavens, be they divine abilities, magical treasures, power itself, or the very laws that govern existence, shall be fused!” The Daoist Blue Dream’s Art was potent and multifaceted, and the Art of Fusion, in particular, proved invaluable to Wang Lin.

Now, with the aid of the flames and the power of fusion, the ten thousand Dragon Collapse Pills began to coalesce. The heat intensified, swirling and churning.

Finally, a single, golden pill, no larger than a fingernail, emerged from the heart of the inferno! With a final grasp, Wang Lin drew the flames back, collapsing them into the pill, banishing them from the world.

This tiny pill now held within it a force of world-shattering potential. Instead of four intertwined essences, it pulsed with five!

The fifth was the essence of fire! And with it, the pill’s power had been amplified immeasurably.

“Ten thousand fused into one, its essence unyielding. It now possesses destructive might rivaling a Celestial’s first tribulation, especially with the Art of Fusion adding its magic. Through constant compression, it borders upon the second tribulation! And now, I have imbued it with a fifth essence, the power of flame. With this, the Collapse Pill’s potency surges, reaching the third Celestial tribulation!”

Wang Lin’s right eye gleamed, and bolts of lightning crackled forth, coalescing into a swirling lightning diagram. The diagram crashed into the golden pill, which erupted with a thunderous bang, undergoing yet another cycle of compression.

As it shrank further, the heavens themselves seemed to darken and twist. Lightning snaked down from the sky, disappearing into the pill.

“Six essences now converge. Combined with the Lightning Flash Clan’s art of lightning solidification, the power contained within this pill can wound a Celestial during their fourth tribulation!” A murderous glint entered Wang Lin’s eyes. He bit his tongue, spitting forth a mouthful of blood, blood imbued with the essence of the Ancient God, tinged with his own spirit.

The blood struck the pill with a violent shock, and the golden radiance dimmed, replaced by a crimson hue, a horrifying, blood-soaked light imbued with killing intent!

“With the addition of my Ancient God blood and essence, this pill now holds the power to threaten a Celestial during their fifth tribulation!”

Wang Lin raised his right hand once more, and the Infernal Flame Crystals he had acquired emerged, hovering before him. He bathed them in the flame of his left eye, and they began to fuse.

“These Flame Crystals will not awaken my Vermillion Bird for a fourth time, and they are useless for absorption. But with my mastery of flame, I can mold them into a weapon rivaling even a magical treasure, its destructive power no less than that of the re-forged Dragon Collapse Pill!”

Without hesitation, Wang Lin invoked the Art of Fusion. The shade of a Vermillion Bird flickered within his left eye, intensifying the heat.

“Celestial during their fifth tribulation… so what! If you truly arrive in corporeal form, Wang Lin shall see you eradicated! If you are not, and unleash the power of the Third Step, then I refuse to believe that you will survive in this Fallen Land. After all, should the power of the Third Step be unleashed, this Fallen Land would crumble in an instant! Even if no one intervenes, then I shall simply escape this place. After all, the seed has been sown amongst the Fire Sparrow Clan, and they will seek me out!”

Wang Lin snorted coldly. Before him, the flames contracted, consuming the Infernal Flame Crystals, forging them into a deep azure crystal, infused with the power of the flame and the flickering essence of the Vermillion Bird!

His gaze now burned with even greater murderous intent. Raising his right hand, he pointed a finger towards the heavens. Above, two spirit deer materialized. As soon as they appeared, Wang Lin roared, “The final seal on the shattered sword piercing the deer bone remains unbroken. Now, with the complete power of thunder, I shall see if I can finally break it!”

As he spoke, lightning surged from Wang Lin, coalescing into a network of electrified sinew. With frenzied fury it surrounded his index finger, as he summoned the essence of the Heavens and the sounds of crackling thunder echoed wildly about him.
Within the Thunderweb’s prison, a single spark ignited a chain reaction. A score, then hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, a million bursts of sword-qi erupted, each strike a furious protest against confinement. They surged, a relentless tide, until with a cataclysmic roar, they shattered the million-fold restraints. Sword-qi, unbound, burst forth from the Thunderweb and unleashed itself upon the heavens.

In that instant, the very sky transformed, becoming a canvas of swords, pregnant with deadly intent. Ten million, twenty million… finally, the tempest of sword-qi crested at thirty-nine million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand.

“The Seal remains yet incomplete, but a portion is sundered, and the sword-qi’s might swells with unrestrained power! Now… it is time for war!” Wang Lin declared, rising to his feet. He cast his gaze heavenward and unleashed a primal roar!

“I await thee here! Darest thou face me in battle?!”

His cry rent the heavens, a gauntlet thrown down, echoing across the world. Upon that cultivation star, every cultivator, in that singular moment, heard it with terrifying clarity.

In the eastern city, within a humble dwelling, the Fire Sparrow Clan elder stood, his face etched with grim concern. Seven of his kin stood beside him, their expressions mirroring his shock.

Before the elder, a hundred Soul Pills burned in a mystic flame, slowly dissolving into nothingness. The pills vanished, even the spirits they contained dissipated into smoke, yet one drop of blood remained, pulsing with crimson light, a lurid stain against the fire.

“My suspicions were confirmed! It is this blood that lends the pill its essence! But… what manner of blood is this?!” The Fire Sparrow elder gasped. But then, a thunderous roar, filled with murderous intent and a challenge, shook the very foundations of their sanctuary.

The elder’s face paled. He lifted his head, a horrified understanding dawning in his eyes.

Meanwhile, within the Dragon Armor Clan’s sacred halls, the clan lord and the enigmatic Si Mozi sat together in a lofty pavilion. Before them stood the clan’s heir, bowing low.

“Father, as you commanded, ten thousand Dragon Crushing Pills have been delivered.”

The Dragon Armor Clan Lord’s expression was dark. He turned to Si Mozi, his voice heavy. “This man stole ten thousand Dragon Crushing Pills from my clan. I beg you, esteemed Si Mozi, to capture and slay him. The Dragon Armor Clan will be forever in your debt!”

Si Mozi’s face bloomed with a cruel smile. He was about to speak when suddenly, a cry of defiance tore through the heavens!

The roar was a challenge, a frigid blast, a wellspring of unholy power!

“I await thee here! Darest thou face me in battle?!”