Chapter 1789: Nine Tribulations Undying Grass

The Nine Tribulations Undying Grass was a divine herb of legends. Golden branched and silver leafed, it underwent a heavenly tribulation every time it grew a leaf. When it had experienced nine heavenly tribulations, it would exist without soil and grow without water. It would become undying and unkillable for ten thousand years. This was the origin of the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass.

Of course, the reason the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass was called a divine herb wasn’t because it was undying, unkillable, and capable of living up to ten thousand years. It was because it possessed a Heavenly Way imprint that allowed one to fool the Heavenly Way and improve their chances at overcoming their heavenly tribulation.

To put it simply, when someone was overcoming their heavenly tribulation, consuming just one leaf of the Nine Tribulations Undying Leaf would convince the Heavenly Way into thinking that they had already overcome their heavenly tribulation and end it immediately. It was because the leaf contained a unique Heavenly Way imprint that only appeared after the plant had overcome its tribulation. This allowed the challenger to safely overcome their heavenly tribulation.

The most amazing thing about the leaf was that it worked against any tribulation. In other words, any Sage with the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass could risklessly ascend to the next cultivation level. They did not need to undertake any risk or face any danger.

For obvious reasons, this was an irresistible temptation for any Sage. After all, a heavenly tribulation was akin to a terrible, existential threat to a Sage. The greater their cultivation level, the more they feared the heavenly tribulation. After all, one misstep was often all it took for a Sage to perish under their heavenly tribulation.

But of course, the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass wasn’t perfect.

The heavenly tribulation was the Heavenly Way’s punishment against the warriors who dared to go against the natural order. However, it was also a trial. If someone successfully overcame its trial, then they would be rewarded by the Heavenly Way.

However, overcoming a heavenly tribulation using the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass was akin to cheating during an exam. As the Heavenly Way had already bestowed the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass its reward when it was overcoming its heavenly tribulation, it would not bestow a second reward.

In other words, the challenger who ate the leaf to overcome the heavenly tribulation would miss out on the reward, blessing, and fortune that came after overcoming a heavenly tribulation.

In conclusion, the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass had pros and cons. However, the pros were bigger than the cons.

It was why the two humans and one dragon were beating the shit out of each other.

Of course, the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass wasn’t something you could just pluck as you pleased. The Lightning Fire Celestial Demon Tribulation currently brewing above their heads was the consequence.

The Nine Tribulations Undying Grass was born from the tribulations of the Heavenly Way. It naturally contained the Heavenly Way’s imprint and heavenly tribulation’s power. If someone tried to pluck it, it would summon a heavenly tribulation to defend itself.

Of course[1], the heavenly tribulation summoned by the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass could not compare to the real thing. It might be able to intimidate an ordinary Sage to back off, but it was nothing to a battle-hardened warrior who had overcome their heavenly tribulation to become a Sage.

If the Lightning Fire Celestial Demon Tribulation was the genuine, unadulterated version sent forth by the Heavenly Way, then the two human Sages or the Southern Sea Dragon King would not have the time or energy to bash the brains out of each other. They would be too busy surviving the heavenly tribulation!

“It’s the Divine Firmament Sect’s elder, Supreme Firmament Trueman, and an independent warrior of Southern Sea, Mountain King Shi Xiaotian.”

Supreme Firmament Trueman boasted a youthful appearance. He looked to be in his twenties or thirties and wore a robe with purple stars on it. His left hand wielded the Thunder God Hammer, and his right hand the Thunder God Bore. When he struck the Thunder God Bore with the Thunder God Hammer, lightning flashed, and thunder boomed. He looked like a thunder god who mastered lightning and thunder.

Mountain King Shi Xiaotian looked to be in his sixties. His hair and beard were all white. However, he was tall and brawny, and his face was firm and stalwart. He looked like a mountain of a man.

Right now, Shi Xiaotian was covered in rocks and enveloped by the image of a mountain. Every time he threw a punch, his vigor ran like a flood, and his force gushed out like an avalanche. It shook both heaven and earth.

The Southern Sea Dragon King had not manifested his true body. He was defending himself against Supreme Firmament Trueman and Shi Xiaotian in his human form and holding his own with relative ease. However, it was impossible for him to get away from the two Sages.

“You are no match for me, Supreme Firmament, Mountain King,” the Southern Sea Dragon King said while transforming his hands into draconic claws. When the claws clenched, the heaven-smiting, earth-shaking lightning bolts descending from the sky were crushed just like that.

The Mountain King’s mountain-heavy, avalanche-strong punch was easily caught and tossed out of the way as well. Shi Xiaotian flew at least a kilometer or two before he arrested himself.

“Hahaha! We won’t know unless we try!”

There was a dull thud, and space shook. Shi Xiaotian flew back to the Southern Sea Dragon King even faster than when the latter threw him away and launched a palm strike instead. Five mountains appeared and guarded the four directions instantly.

At the same time, Supreme Firmament Trueman raised his Thunder God Hammer high up in the air, summoning a sea of dark clouds and endless lightning and thunder. The darkened sky grumbled low and threateningly until the lightning combined to form a lightning spear.

“Why don’t you try out my Stunning God Spear, old dragon king!”

The Thunder God Hammer descended, and the Stunning God Spear did the same.

Rumble...

The Stunning God Spear pierced through space and disappeared with a thunderous rumble. It was moving so fast that even time couldn’t catch up to it.

The Southern Sea Dragon King felt his scalp crawl, and fear seizing his heart in a sudden vice grip. Sensing the deadly threat for what it was, he immediately manifested his true dragon’s body. Divine sparks flew off his scales as they rubbed against each other. Draconic roars filled the air as countless true dragons appeared and formed his Martial Domain, the True Dragon Domain.

Rumble rumble rumble...

The next moment, the Stunning God Spear appeared above the True Dragon Domain and pierced through it without resistance.

At the same time, the lightning spread out like sparks lighting up an entire prairie and transformed into a sea of lightning that was hundreds of meters wide in radius. It instantly engulfed the Southern Sea Dragon King.

“ROOOOAAAAARRRR!!!”

The Southern Sea Dragon King let out a long roar as his massive body writhed and struggled amidst the sea of lightning. Mountains collapsed, earth cracked, and lightning and fire flew everywhere. He wanted to get away from the sea of lightning, but the five mountains summoned by the Mountain King were pinning him in place. He had no choice but to weather the sea of lightning and thunder directly.

A dozen or so breaths later, the sea of lightning gradually dissipated. Everything in its area of effect was in tatters as a matter of course. Rocks and mountains melted, and plants burned into blackened crisps.

The Southern Sea Dragon King’s scales were shattered and bleeding everywhere. There was a several inches deep wound on his skull. Destructive lightning could be seen still flashing inside the wound.

Clearly, it was the wound inflicted by the Stunning God Spear.

Although the Southern Sea Dragon King was injured, Supreme Firmament Trueman and Shi Xiaotian weren’t doing well either. Their faces were slightly pale, and their energies were racing unevenly as if they were tired.

“Do you really want to die?”

The Southern Sea Dragon King stared at the two Sages with cold, murderous eyes. At the same time, invisible draconic pressure enveloped heaven and earth and warped the weather.

“We’re not mentally ill. Of course we don’t want to die!”

Shi Xiaotian declared while crossing his arms and inhaling deeply. Every time the Mountain King inhaled, rich earthly qi and spiritual energies would flow into his body and replenish his energy reserves. “We just want you to know that even you will suffer greatly if we give it our all.”

The Southern Sea Dragon King’s aura grew more murderous, and his tone colder. “What do you want?”

“Do you really need us to spell it out for you?”

Supreme Firmament Trueman said coldly, “You can’t have the Nine Tribulations Undying Grass all to yourself.”

Shi Xiaotian echoed in agreement. “He’s right, old dragon king. Your appetite may be infinite, but your stomach can only fit so much. You don’t want to catch a stomachache, do you?”

The Southern Sea Dragon King sneered and responded in a threatening voice, “Says the one whose gall is so big he may just lose his life to it.”

1. Author really likes dem of course today. Usually I try to vary things up a little but occasionally being faithful and dissing the author’s writing skill is fine me thinks. :3 ☜