Chapter 362: Chapter 360: Who Wants to Die First?
A brilliant divine light erupted in Jiang Chen’s eyes.
After having his body reforged and baptized by lightning, his physical form was now incredibly strong.
His *Divine Demon Tyrant Body* had even reached the Peak of the Fourth Stage, making his physical body comparable to a Celestial Tier High-level Profound Weapon. Aside from those Union Palace Realm experts who specialized in Body Refining, masters who could rival him in physical strength were few and far between!
His gaze swept toward the tribulation cloud that was quietly dissipating in the Celestial Vault above.
Two blinding beams of brilliant light shot out from Jiang Chen’s Eyes of the Heavens. With a furious roar, he transformed into a streak of Flowing Light and shot toward the Celestial Vault.
His body was like a sharp sword, tearing through the void as if to cleave the very Celestial Vault in two!
His terrifying speed caused the air to combust, leaving a long tail of flames in his wake.
The crowd gasped in shock. "Such incredible speed!"
"I’m a mighty powerhouse at the Union Palace Realm Third Stage, yet I can’t even see his figure clearly?"
"What is he doing? After breaking through to the Union Palace Realm, instead of properly consolidating his new realm, why is he charging toward the tribulation cloud?"
Under the crowd’s shocked and confused gazes, Jiang Chen broke the sound barrier several times over, his body forcefully smashing into the massive tribulation cloud and cracking it apart.
Amidst the rolling thunder, Jiang Chen appeared above the tribulation cloud.
In the center of the Thunder Tribulation was a massive, ancient, violet-gold pool. This was the source of the Thunder Tribulation’s power—the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool!
Within the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool, a violet-gold liquid rippled gently. This was the rare and precious Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid!
When Jiang Chen broke through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm, he had also charged through the tribulation cloud and obtained Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid once before.
However...
The Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid from last time couldn’t compare to this one in either quality or quantity!
’Last time I broke through to the Heavenly Destiny Realm, I only absorbed a little Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid. After that, the Thunder Tribulation vanished the instant the tribulation ended. I’m afraid it’s the same for the Union Palace Realm tribulation. This is a one-time opportunity, and I must devour as much Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid as I can to raise my cultivation before the Thunder Tribulation vanishes completely!’
A brilliant light erupted in Jiang Chen’s eyes. He had already stepped into the Union Palace Realm First Stage.
Furthermore, thanks to the Corpse Puppets from Ghost Mother Lishan, a Darkness thunder tribulation had been triggered. It was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed him to comprehend Dark Sword Intent.
His Sword Dao Secrets of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind were now all at Tier Four. Combined with his Tier One High-level Dark Sword Intent, he effectively wielded five great Sword Intents. Adding to that the unpredictable methods of a Fourth-Grade Grandmaster of Divine Thought, he could now even defeat an expert at the Peak of the Union Palace Realm Sixth Stage.
But the titans of the Ten Great Sects were all peerless experts at or above the Union Palace Realm Eighth Stage.
If Jiang Chen wanted to defeat them, he had to take a risk and absorb more Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid to strengthen his cultivation.
After all...
This was Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid that contained five great Mystical Techniques.
Absorbing even a single wisp could enhance his comprehension of Martial Arts Secrets!
"*Devouring Spirit Ten Thousand Dao Scripture*... devour!" A dark gold light pulsed around Jiang Chen. He was like an invincible War God forged from dark gold as the golden vortex inside him began to spin rapidly. Transforming into a ravenous Taotie, he threw himself into the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool.
BOOM!
The Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool shook violently. Terrifying bolts of lightning, filled with destructive power, tried to keep Jiang Chen out.
However...
To Jiang Chen, who had activated the *Devouring Spirit Ten Thousand Dao Scripture*, this lightning was barely enough to tickle him.
"Devour!"
Jiang Chen submerged his entire body in the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool.
SLOSH...
Stream after stream of Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid was devoured, entering his body.
This Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid contained five great Mystical Techniques—those of Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Darkness. It was the purest form of Mystical Power between heaven and earth, the very origin of all Mystical Techniques.
It was the difference between knowing what something is and understanding why it is.
Martial Arts Secrets were extraordinarily profound.
For an ordinary Martial Artist to comprehend Martial Arts Secrets, they had to simplify the complex, like peeling an onion, stripping away layer after layer of a Mystical Technique’s outer veils to grasp its essence.
Only then could they step into the Union Palace Realm and raise their cultivation!
But the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Liquid Jiang Chen was now devouring didn’t just contain incomparably pure and immense energy; it also held the most fundamental Mystical Power. While he devoured it...
...Jiang Chen’s comprehension of the five great Sword Dao Secrets—Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, and Darkness—was constantly strengthening.
His cultivation also advanced with unstoppable momentum!
Union Palace Realm First Stage, Early Stage...
Mid Stage...
Late Stage...
BOOM!
As his Secrets of the Dark Sword Dao broke through to Tier Two Advanced, Jiang Chen stepped into the Union Palace Realm Second Stage, but his devouring was far from over!
What felt like an eternity was, in reality, only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. By now, more than half of the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool had been devoured. Jiang Chen’s Four Great Sword Dao Secrets of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind had all reached the Tier Four Middle Level, while his Dark Sword Intent had surged to the Tier Three High-level Realm.
As a natural consequence, Jiang Chen’s cultivation broke through to the Union Palace Realm Third Stage.
HISS...
Just as Jiang Chen was about to press on, devour the rest of the Spirit Liquid in the Thunder Tribulation Spirit Pool, and raise his Secrets of the Dark Sword Dao to the Tier Four level, the pool suddenly shuddered and dissipated.
The tribulation cloud in the Celestial Vault also vanished without a trace!
Tiny serpents of dark-gold lightning flickered around Jiang Chen’s body before converging into a single violet-gold serpent that drilled into his mouth and nose, which he promptly swallowed. Watching the dissipating tribulation cloud, Jiang Chen let out a regretful sigh. "So close. An opportunity like this is once in a lifetime. Who knows when I’ll get another chance!"
"However..."
’With my current strength, I can even defeat a titan at the Union Palace Realm Eighth Stage. My Mystical Techniques of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind have all reached the Tier Four Middle Level, and my Dark Sword Intent is at Tier Three High-level, just one step away from reaching Tier Four and becoming a true Mystical Technique!’
’With my current strength, I can even defeat a titan at the Union Palace Realm Eighth Stage. Tu Shanhe, Ghost Mother Lishan, Xiao Tianqi, Mu Feiyang, and the Purple Star Beast Emperor... it’s time to settle our accounts!’ A fiery battle intent erupted in Jiang Chen’s eyes. He turned and flew back toward the Celestial Martial Hall.
「Before the Celestial Martial Hall.」
When the crowd saw Jiang Chen descending from the sky, their faces were etched with horror. "What on earth did he just do?"
"It looked like he was hiding inside the Thunder Tribulation."
"What’s going on? His aura... it doesn’t feel like someone who just entered the Union Palace Realm."
"What nonsense are you spouting? We saw him break through with our own eyes. You can’t possibly think he skipped several stages, can you?"
"That’s true!"
The crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Jumping several stages in a row within the Union Palace Realm? Such a thing had never happened before, at least not in the Cloud Domain.
"Damn it, the little bastard is still alive!"
"He’s got some damn good luck."
The faces of Tu Shanhe, Ghost Mother Lishan, Mu Feiyang, Xiao Tianqi, and the Purple Star Beast Emperor were thick with disappointment and cold, murderous intent.
Under the icy stares of the several Union Palace Realm titans, Jiang Chen slowly descended. A dark gold light flickered around him, making him look like a Golden Armor War God. He held the Spirit-Slaying Sword as his cold gaze swept over Tu Shanhe and the others. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he swept his sword forward. His calm voice rang out, loud enough to be deafening, "You five old dogs, which one of you wants to be the first to die?"
BOOM—
The moment these words were spoken, the hundreds of thousands of people outside the Celestial Martial Hall were left stunned and utterly speechless.
A young man who had just stepped into the Union Palace Realm was openly challenging the titans of the Ten Great Sects?
To hear it was horrifying; to see it was terrifying!
