Lingbao Tianzun absorbed the replicated golden book characters and, in the same instant, looked at the second column of golden books. At this moment, Donghua Fairy only then recovered from her shock and absurdity. Seeing Lingbao Tianzun seemingly stirring, she quickly acted to recall that portion of her enlightenment.
"Your Celestial Venerable, why look further? It's useless. This column is the same as the previous one."
Upon receiving the golden script, these golden characters transformed into a third-grade immortal scripture.
The Records of the Three Summers!
A third-grade immortal scripture!
"The Records of the Three Summers, which records the Emperor's Seven Transformations, Nine Forms!"
Donghua Fairy was greatly shocked! This scripture was on the same level as the ancient scriptures in the Green Jade Treasure Casket; both were derivative immortal methods of the Donghua Jade Scripture, profound arts mastered by the Four Directional True Lords. This scripture had not been lost but was possessed by the Green Boy Lord!
Similarly, there was the Records of the Three Springs mastered by the Grand Ultimate True Lord, the Records of the Three Winters mastered by the Azure Void True Lord, and the Records of the Three Autumns mastered by the Tanggu Divine King. All four scriptures originated from the Donghua Jade Scripture and were among the signature scriptures of the Four Directional True Lords!
In ancient times, True Lords could support heaven and earth with a single breath, becoming one with all things, manifesting infinite variations!
Donghua Fairy's myriad thoughts gradually calmed. She looked at Lingbao Tianzun again, warning him not to covet the golden book in her hand. They both held the same version and content, so there was no question of who had more or less.
The problem they had been fighting over for many years seemed to be resolved?
Boom!
It was not!
Donghua Fairy suddenly saw a patch of red cloud appear above Ji Xiang's head. This red cloud was like incense smoke, but incense smoke would dissipate into blue smoke after extending a zhang upwards. This red cloud, however, continued to stretch upwards, its extent unknown, and it gave her an extremely uncomfortable feeling.
This feeling was tribulation!
In Donghua Fairy's era, cultivation did not yet have the saying of "ten demons, nine tribulations." She did not originate from the Wei-Jin period but from the earlier Han and Qin dynasties. At that time, the art of the Golden Core Dao had not yet appeared. The so-called tribulations were more like the consequences of doing too many things that violated the natural order of heaven and earth, thus triggering some inexplicable negative changes.
The feeling this red cloud gave her was akin to such a change.
She stared at the red cloud, unsure how to act. It felt like something ominous, but if Ji Xiang had deliberately caused it, would her intervention to eliminate the red cloud disturb his enlightenment?
Moreover, it was said that when the Golden Core Dao cultivation reached the highest fruit, there would be a phenomenon of qi transforming into red clouds... Although a half-immortal could not trigger such an anomaly... Ji Xiang was a special existence, as Donghua Fairy had experienced many times, and thus dared not act rashly.
So, she could only raise the West Ying Bell and was about to take action depending on the situation when, suddenly, Lingbao Tianzun extended a hand towards them!
That large hand possessed the power to reach the heavens, instantly severing half of the red cloud! The remaining half of the red cloud was drawn into Lingbao Tianzun's hand. With one hand above and the other below, after merging, it vanished into smoke.
The movement was too fast, and the released pháp lực was too strong. Donghua Fairy lost her advantage in the blink of an eye. Her expression changed, and the treasure bell in her hand was about to ring, but she was stopped by Ji Xiang's voice.
"Don't rush! This red cloud is a tribulation, a great calamity called 'Red Dust'!"
Ji Xiang also looked at Lingbao Tianzun, his expression astonished and greatly surprised.
"I am using the true meaning of the Three Teachings to evolve new methods, which reverses the natural order of heaven and earth. This is because some of these books should not have appeared in the world, some will be written by later generations, and some immortal scriptures could never have appeared in the human realm. With the entanglement of these causes and effects, once I write a new scripture, a calamity from the Red Dust will descend upon me, requiring me to actively face the tribulation, and even some changes that should not have occurred may arise."
"This is the characteristic of the Great Dao; it does not come without a price. Just as the scenery on the mountaintop is magnificent and beautiful, one must first endure the fatigue and pain of climbing."
"I just didn't expect... Your Celestial Venerable... what is the meaning of this?"
Lingbao Tianzun directly erased half of the Red Dust calamity, as if telling Ji Xiang to refine the golden books freely, and he would bear the consequences. And then, he further displayed his great power, erasing the remaining half of the Red Dust calamity on the spot!
Those Red Dust energies vanished without a trace, their destination unknown. The great calamity that would have occurred in the unseen was also eliminated by him, causing Ji Xiang's heart to pound.
"The Sun Refining Form is about to end. Why not strengthen my power here, refine more immortal scriptures, and use the Heavenly Venerable's hand to make myself stronger? As long as I ascend to the immortal path, my chances in the Southern journey will be greater!"
Even if the South Sea was like the Tatar tribes, with flying immortals appearing in the world through secret methods, he could suppress them with a flick of his hand. However, facing the power of karma reversal by a Heavenly Heart expert, he did not know how much he could resist, but it was much better than his half-immortal state.
Moreover, refining more immortal scriptures meant more trump cards. The Five Tooth Heavenly Book, the Middle Section Jade Book, and the Dao Ji Scripture obtained here last time had all displayed great power at critical moments, reversing the unfavorable situation.
"Since the Heavenly Venerable is willing to help me, how can I, a junior, not respond?"
Ji Xiang resumed his enlightenment. This time, Lingbao Tianzun also stopped his own enlightenment and poured his enlightenment into Ji Xiang. This scene made Donghua Fairy sigh with emotion, and she couldn't help but join the ranks of those contributing their enlightenment.
The years of struggle were resolved at this moment. As long as there were two immortal scriptures, one for each person, there would be no need for a life-and-death struggle. After all, seizing the other scripture would be of no use to either party. Moreover, the situation of the golden book page at this moment clearly indicated that it was being copied character by character and would not manifest all at once.
The incense burned intensely, consuming immortal insights. As the divine fire soared, Yuanshi spoke, and the brilliance of the second column of golden books gradually appeared. This time, it was also a third-grade immortal scripture!
The golden books were divided between the other two. Lingbao Tianzun once again erased the Red Dust calamity, while Ji Xiang also seized the opportunity to enlighten. The three corpses and small gods within the Tai Xu Treasure Light in his sleeve wrote more diligently, and the Myriad Character Seal within his brow wished it had ten brains.
"Little friend, little friend, too much, too much, can't remember!"
Although Buddhist cultivators were skilled at chanting and memorizing scriptures, immortal scriptures were extraordinary. Although the本体 of the Great Vow Vajra, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, was also an Equal Enlightenment, he could only look at low-grade immortal scriptures. From the fourth-grade immortal scriptures onwards, he found it somewhat strenuous, requiring him to divide a large number of thoughts to record them.
As for the third-grade immortal scripture just now, the Great Vow Vajra found that he could not remember it clearly.
This was by no means a problem with his memory, but rather that his rank was insufficient. A mere avatar was unable to record the content of this third-grade immortal scripture.
However, at this moment, something began to stir. The True No-Two-Above Book in Ji Xiang's hand began to display the content of those immortal scriptures. Without anyone recording it, it reflected them, and its grade continued to climb, its immortal radiance becoming increasingly intense!
The burning of the immortal scriptures continued for an unknown amount of time, until Yuanshi Tianzun closed his mouth and disappeared from the first heaven. This chanting finally ended, and Lingbao Tianzun, Donghua Fairy, and Ji Xiang all reaped immense benefits!
"The page of the golden book should have copied quite a bit. Although it hasn't been fully acquired, I know that one cannot be overly greedy. Staying here for too long will delay your journey."
"Let's stop here."
Donghua Fairy decided to stop. Lingbao Tianzun still had no intention of leaving. Although unwilling, Donghua Fairy knew that Ji Xiang had done his best, and it would be shameless of her to force him to stay any longer.
Thus, her soul form transformed into a wisp of blue smoke and poured into the physical body of Tachibana Yachiyo through her seven orifices.
At this moment, a vast halo of Yang energy began to erupt from Ji Xiang's body!
The Sun Refining Form had concluded!
The moment of ascension had arrived!