Chapter 135: Still there
As Lin Xiao Tian finally sat down alone within the quiet courtyard, the cold night wind slowly moved through the surrounding spirit trees while the sect remained completely silent beneath the moonlight.
He quietly looked toward the distant mountains of the sect while the cold night wind slowly passed through the courtyard.
Just one last task left.
His thoughts slowly drifted toward Chu Yue and Zhang Qingyue before finally landing on the Void Bane Lotus resting inside his storage ring.
At least that matter could finally be resolved now.
Yet for some reason, instead of relief, Lin Xiao Tian only felt deeper exhaustion spreading throughout his body.
The past days had already drained him far more than any battle ever could.
As he silently sat there beneath the moonlight, his eyes slowly blinked heavily for a brief moment.
Then his head quietly lowered slightly as exhaustion finally pulled him into a small sleep.
Then suddenly Ding, a system notification abruptly echoed inside his mind.
[Disciple Xiaoshan has broken through the Golden Core Stage.]
[Heavenly Tribulation successfully passed.]
[First disciple to reach Golden Core Realm.]
[Reward: 10,000 Points.]
The moment the notification appeared, Lin Xiao Tian’s expression instantly changed.
For several moments, he quietly stared toward the distant mountains beyond the sect while countless thoughts slowly surfaced within his mind.
Then he finally sighed softly. "So at least... I know you are still alive."
The moonlight quietly reflected within his tired eyes while the cold atmosphere around him gradually settled once again.
Meanwhile, far away from the sect, atop a barren mountain beneath the dark night sky, a lone figure silently stood amidst shattered earth and blackened trees.
The surrounding mountain had already been completely destroyed by heavenly lightning.
Countless deep craters spread throughout the land while traces of tribulation lightning still crackled faintly across the broken ground at the center of the destruction stood Xiaoshan.
Smoke slowly rose from his body while large portions of his robes had already burned away entirely beneath the tribulation.
His breathing remained rough as faint arcs of lightning occasionally flickered across his skin before gradually fading away.
The massive halberd beside him remained firmly planted into the ground while dark red aura quietly flowed around its surface.
Xiaoshan slowly lowered his head afterward before muttering quietly. "How the hell did it suddenly descend..."
He scratched his head slightly while exhaling heavily. "This beast really got roasted alive."
Nearby, the enormous corpse of a massive tiger demon lay collapsed against the broken mountain.
Unfortunately for it, the beast had chosen the absolute worst moment possible to attack Xiaoshan and became directly caught within the heavenly tribulation alongside him.
Now the once fierce demon beast had been completely charred black beneath the heavenly lightning.
Seeing it, Xiaoshan quietly sighed before walking toward the corpse while dragging the halberd behind him.
The heavy blade cleanly sliced through the roasted tiger afterward.
But the moment he looked inside, his expression became slightly strange. "Hm the meat actually cooked pretty well..."
The inside surprisingly remained perfectly intact despite the terrifying tribulation earlier.
Soon afterward, Xiaoshan directly cut several large portions of meat before starting a fire nearby casually.
Not long later, he quietly sat atop the shattered mountain while eating roasted tiger meat beneath the cold night sky.
The atmosphere gradually became silent once more and then suddenly, the halberd quietly hummed.
A deep and eerie voice slowly entered Xiaoshan’s mind afterward. "Do you not wish to make everything right?"
Xiaoshan’s chewing slightly paused. "Do you not wish to change what happened?"
The voice gradually became softer and more tempting. "Only absolute power can accomplish such things."
Hearing this, Xiaoshan immediately frowned slightly.
Ever since sealing the demon within the halberd, the thing had gradually transformed into something similar to an artifact spirit.
Yet it constantly whispered strange thoughts into his mind like this.
Xiaoshan merely snorted afterward before tearing another piece of meat casually. "Hah... as if I can bring Bai Xue back."
The moment those words fell, the demon suddenly began cackling darkly within the halberd. "Why not?"
Its voice slowly echoed through his thoughts like poison. "Find my true legacy."
"Become Supreme."
"Then life, death, time, and space themselves will eventually kneel beneath your will."
"You could control everything."
The moment those words entered his mind, Xiaoshan’s pupils unconsciously contracted slightly. For a brief second his breathing actually became unstable.
The images described by the demon nearly dragged his thoughts completely away. Bai Xue alive again, returning back to the sect and undoing everything.
The temptation almost swallowed him whole.
But in the very next instant, Xiaoshan violently clenched his fists before forcefully suppressing those thoughts back down. "No."
His voice sounded low and rough beneath the cold wind but the atmosphere instantly quieted again afterward.
Only the cold night air slowly passed through the shattered mountain while the fire crackled faintly nearby.
Meanwhile, Xiaoshan silently lowered his head afterward and only then did he realize his entire back had already become drenched in cold sweat.
Xiaoshan quietly looked toward the moon hanging above the shattered mountain while the cold night wind passed through his burned robes silently.
The fire beside him crackled softly as he slowly chewed the roasted meat in silence.
Maybe... if I truly become the strongest... maybe I really can undo everything.
The moment that thought surfaced within his mind, the demon sealed inside the halberd immediately began cackling darkly.
A faint blood-red light briefly flashed through Xiaoshan’s eyes before disappearing once again.
Yet Xiaoshan remained silent and simply continued eating the meat beneath the cold moonlight.
Far away within a dark cave, a massive seven-tailed behemoth quietly lay motionless upon the ground. Its enormous body slowly withered as something unseen continuously devoured it from within the darkness.
The entire cave gradually fell silent afterward and then suddenly, the darkness shifted.
A pair of ancient crimson eyes slowly opened deep within the cave as a cold voice echoed faintly through the darkness. "The one carrying the Sovereign’s will... may finally descend."
