Furthermore, Mao Xiaofang was the strongest among the three, and the most accomplished of his generation.
Therefore, his selection as the next sect leader was met with virtually no dissent.
"Master, this is too sudden! I haven't even had time to prepare!"
Although Mao Xiaofang had long known that he was the most likely candidate for the next sect leader, he never expected Shi Jian to abdicate so quickly and pass on the position to him.
"It's not too fast. Prepare yourself for the next few days, and I will pass on the sect leadership to you."
Hearing this, Mao Xiaofang was filled with questions. He had only intended to visit Shi Jian, but he hadn't expected to be unable to return this time.
"Master, at least let me prepare. The sect leader handover ceremony is not a trifling matter!"
"No, since you're back this time, we'll hold the ceremony together. It will save me another trip to Maoshan. This matter is not up for discussion."
With that, Shi Jian turned and left the Jiuxiao Palace, giving Mao Xiaofang no opportunity to refuse.
His cultivation realm was almost beyond his control. If he didn't hold the sect leader handover ceremony soon, he feared his lightning techniques might break through inexplicably, leading to an uncontrollable realm and ascension to the immortal realm.
"May you be blessed. Senior disciple brother, congratulations on becoming the next sect leader!"
Ah Wei and Li Xuyan were overjoyed upon hearing that Mao Xiaofang would be the next sect leader.
Neither of them seemed to have much interest in the position of sect leader of the Maoshan Shangqing Sect.
"Thank you, junior disciple brothers, for your congratulations!"
The flustered Mao Xiaofang hurried back to his guest room at Maoshan to make thorough preparations for the sect leader handover ceremony.
A few days later, Shi Jian announced at a grand ceremony that he would be passing on the position of sect leader to Mao Xiaofang.
Following this, everyone began to prepare for the sect leader handover ceremony.
Only after the sect leader's jade pendant and ceremonial robes were handed over to Mao Xiaofang did Shi Jian's worries completely disappear.
"Everything is settled. It's time for me to ascend!"
Seeing that Mao Xiaofang had successfully taken over as sect leader, Shi Jian no longer suppressed his cultivation.
In the sky above Maoshan, lightning of red, purple, and black hues appeared, resembling the end of days.
"What's happening? Could it be that the Thunder Ancestor has manifested?"
The disciples of Maoshan looked at the three colored lightning in the sky, their bodies breaking out in cold sweat.
The red, purple, and black were far beyond ordinary lightning. The simultaneous appearance of three different colors was an anomaly not seen in centuries.
"The human path is vast, the immortal path is boundless, the ghost path is joyful!
When one is born, the immortal path values life, the ghost path values completion.
The immortal path is always auspicious, the ghost path is always ominous.
High above the pure and beautiful, a sad song echoes in the vast sky.
May the heavenly path be fulfilled, and the human path not decline.
In the northern capital's wellspring, there reside legions of ghosts.
They seek only to shorten human lifespans, and sever the gates of life.
Let the human songs fill the chapters, to capture the northern Luofeng.
Chant of spirits and demons, with the sharp edge of six ghosts.
All the heavens are vast, and my path flourishes daily."
Shi Jian recited a passage from the "Du Ren Jing" in Taoist scriptures, as the three colored lightning coiled around him.
Subsequently, his body floated into the sky above Maoshan, completely breaking through to the realm of an immortal.
"Isn't this a tribulation?!"
The disciples of Maoshan, seeing Shi Jian floating in mid-air and combining it with the current scene, immediately understood that this was the scene described in the scriptures of the three Maos Zhenjun undergoing tribulation.
However, during the tribulation of the Three Maos Zhenjun, only purple lightning appeared, not the grand spectacle of three colors.
"All the heavens are vast, and my path flourishes daily!"
Mao Xiaofang, holding the Taiqing sect's artifact, shouted the same words Shi Jian had uttered, cheering him on to safely pass the lightning tribulation.
All the Maoshan disciples present hesitated for a moment, exchanged glances, and then shouted in unison: "All the heavens are vast, and my path flourishes daily!"
The entire Maoshan echoed with this phrase, its momentum no less powerful than the tribulation itself.
"Master, are you leaving us?"
Mao Xiaofang, Ah Wei, and Li Xuyan looked at Shi Jian in the sky with immense reluctance.
They knew that once he successfully passed the tribulation, Shi Jian's soul would ascend to the immortal realm.
"A mere lightning tribulation cannot block my path to enlightenment. I shall break it with lightning techniques!"
Shi Jian showed no fear, using the Shengmie Purple Lightning, Zhu Xie Divine Lightning, and Wutu Underworld Lightning to confront the tribulation head-on.
In an instant, the six streams of lightning collided, causing a thunderous roar that, with Maoshan at its center, could be heard for a hundred miles.
Fortunately, the tribulation was taking place in mid-air, otherwise Maoshan would have been destroyed by him.
"This poor Taoist underestimated the lightning tribulation slightly. It's a good opportunity to test the power of Tongtian Lu combined with lightning techniques."
Seeing that the thunderclouds above Maoshan had not dissipated, Shi Jian directly unleashed his ultimate move, using lightning techniques in conjunction with Tongtian Lu to draw various lightning talismans.
Among them were the Zixiao Divine Lightning Talisman, the Zhu Xie Divine Lightning Talisman, the Shangqing Profound Lightning Talisman, and the Underworld Lightning Divine Talisman.
Hundreds of talismans exploded within the lightning tribulation, directly dispersing the thunderclouds.
A golden light appeared in the sky and shone upon Shi Jian.
His three souls and seven spirits left his body, merging together under the golden radiance.
"Success! I have finally reached the immortal realm!"
Shi Jian familiarized himself with his new body, discovering that his strength was more than a hundred times greater than before the tribulation.
This gave him a slight illusion, making him feel he could contend with the Four Great Zombie Ancestors.
"Master!"
"Xiaofang, from now on, the Maoshan Shangqing Sect will be under your charge. Do not disappoint me."
As soon as he finished speaking, Shi Jian bid his final farewell to the three of them and his soul ascended to the immortal realm.
Upon arriving in the immortal realm, an extremely powerful elder appeared before him and assigned him to the underworld.
"With your Celestial Immortal realm cultivation, the underworld is in need of personnel. You shall go to the underworld as a Lightning Punishment Judge and preside over the first layer of the eighteen layers of hell."
With a casual wave of the elder's hand, Shi Jian found himself in the underworld without realizing it.
"Damn it, I haven't even gotten a clear look at the immortal realm, and I've been assigned to this godforsaken place. What bad luck."
Shi Jian grumbled inwardly, looking around. He had no idea where the elder's so-called eighteen layers of hell were.
Before his ascension, he had only been to the Gate of Ghosts, never to Fengdu City or the eighteen layers of hell.
"Judge, I am here by the command of the Yin Emperor to escort you to the eighteen layers of hell to preside over Guangjiu Residence (which is the first layer of hell, also known as the Tongue-Pulling Hell)."
"How did you know I was a judge?"
In response to Shi Jian's question, the ghost messenger before him simply pointed to the large characters on Shi Jian's chest.
He instinctively looked down and saw the words "Lightning Punishment Judge" printed on his clothes.