Chapter 62: Nine Tribulations to Subdue Demons, Three Calamities to Banish Evil

“Sigh! Fate, fate—what is the meaning of living if even one’s life is not their own? Of all the things that should or should not have happened, you insisted on giving me that foolish apprentice. Since I have accepted him as my disciple, it is only natural that I must plan for his future.

I shall not only save the world, but I will make this land a place no less magnificent than Mount Shu… no, no less than the Celestial Realm of Lingkong itself.

Now that your wish is fulfilled, you may rest in peace.”

As the sun shone and the moon faded, the world returned to its normal rhythm, yet compared to before, there seemed to be something missing.

After the great battle between humans and demons, the demon race suffered a devastating defeat. All the highest cultivators among the demons were annihilated in a single stroke, nine out of ten demons were destroyed, and even among the lesser demon beasts, more than half perished.

But such a resounding victory came at a heavy price; the Eastern Victory Continent sustained grave losses as well. Although much was accomplished through careful strategy—separating the main demon force from the beasts, with Chen Yang and his disciple eradicating most of the core demon elites—the initial phase required the Eastern Victory Continent to withstand the full force of the demon onslaught alone for seven days, as Ye Fa and the others remained absent to draw the demons in.

The endless tide of demon beasts seemed enough to drown the entire continent, not to mention the despairing gap in power at the highest levels.

Had it been the Baohua or Southern Toad continents, they would likely have surrendered in less than a day. Yet, Eastern Victory, in the face of utter hopelessness, traded life for life and managed to hold the demons at bay from the heartlands.

When the cultivators had fallen one after another, it was the mortal warriors and armies who stepped forward.

At the brink of extinction, wave after wave of defenders gave their lives without fear of death, managing to stop the demon horde.

After all, while those at the top understood this was all part of a greater scheme, those at the bottom knew only that if they failed to hold the line, humanity itself would perish—consigned to the same fate as the Northern Continent, bred and slaughtered like livestock by the demons.

By the time Chen Yang and his disciple returned from the Northern Continent, the war in Eastern Victory was largely over. Yet, the scattered demon beasts had to be hunted down, and the mountains of corpses—both demonic and human—had to be dealt with.

Most were little more than scattered limbs and broken bodies; few corpses remained whole.

Though victorious, there was little joy on anyone’s face.

Perhaps there had been cheers at first, but after the cheering came endless grief.

Upon Chen Yang’s return, Ye Fa and the others all came to greet him, bowing deeply.

“Your great virtue will never be forgotten by our people, nor by us, nor by the Tang Empire.”

“That’s easy to say now, but when the tribulations come, I hope you won’t have regrets,” Chen Yang thought to himself, though nothing showed on his face. He helped them up and said,

“To be born human is only to do one’s part.”

Everyone burst into praise once more. The Emperor of Tang wished to make him Imperial Preceptor, honored throughout the land; Ye Fa and the others invited him to preside over the Celestial Palace as the First Heavenly Master.

Though Chen Yang enjoyed a kind word or two, everyone’s hearts were elsewhere at this moment. Despite having lived for centuries or millennia, all were people of high rank and not easy to move; thus, their enthusiasm felt forced.

As for the titles of Imperial Preceptor or Heavenly Master, he could not even be bothered to reply.

Waving a hand to silence them, Chen Yang said, “Now that this matter is resolved, it is time for me to depart. Before I go, however, I have a few words to offer.”

Ye Fa bowed low. “Your integrity and selflessness inspire our admiration. Please instruct us.”

Chen Yang nodded and said, “Great calamity is also great opportunity. When disaster passes, fate arises anew. Within a century, the path to immortality shall open. Yet, the old ways of cultivation no longer align with this world.”

“The path to immortality?” Ye Fa and the others were puzzled and about to inquire further, but Chen Yang waved his hand and pointed to the ground, where a set of teachings appeared.

Foundation Laying, Inspiration, Qi Refinement, Condensation of Evil, Refinement of Essence, Golden Core, Dao Foundation, Transcending Tribulation, Nurturing, Nascent Soul, Dharma Body, Unity with the Dao, and Pure Yang.

The teachings comprised thirteen chapters, leading straight to the realm of Pure Yang Celestial Immortal.

There were no specific cultivation techniques within, only the philosophy of cultivation.

It was also clearly stated that from the very beginning—Foundation Laying—one must undergo nine tribulations, only upon reaching Nascent Soul would one attain initial immortality.

The nine tribulations were: struggles for food and clothing, the obstruction of elders, entanglements of love, the fetters of fame and profit, sudden disasters, the constraints of misguided teachers, the pain of criticism and discrimination, loss of ambition, and the erosion of time.

These nine tribulations are not fixed in order; only by passing through all nine and harmonizing the heart can one achieve the Nascent Soul.

In truth, these nine tribulations are nine external demons. Only by subduing these demons can one comprehend both Dao and demon, and thereafter be bound by no rules, whether for good or evil—only following the true heart.

After subduing the nine demons and achieving the Nascent Soul, there remain the three great calamities.

After the Nascent Soul, with long life and enduring spirit, the heart inevitably suffers flaws and may lose its way. Then the first calamity arrives: the Calamity of Wind. This is no ordinary wind, not a heavenly wind, but a ghostly wind rising from the soles of the feet, blowing until the soul scatters and the Nascent Soul fades.

If one overcomes it, the heart is restored, the self regained, and the path continues. If not, it means death and annihilation.

The second calamity is Water. This occurs when the Nascent Soul is about to become the Dharma Body. Just as a loose immortal becomes an earth immortal, hidden corruption lurks within the soul, which must be cleansed and refined—requiring great power and fortune.

This Water Calamity manifests as the true waters of the Blood River pouring from the heavens to wash over the Nascent Soul.

If one survives, the true waters purify, the soul is cleansed, the Dharma Body is formed, the Dao advances greatly. If not… best left unsaid.

Let us speak of it again when the six paths of reincarnation are established in this world.

The third disaster is Fire—a calamity of merging with the Dao, the most formidable of all. This fire ignites from the heart, burning away every trace of one’s past. Only with a heart of unwavering tenacity can one endure it.

This fire is none other than the nameless karmic fire refined by Chen Yang’s Blood River Grand Art.

Only by weathering this nameless fire and forging a heart that will never falter can one avoid being led astray by the grand Dao, and with one’s own Dao, merge with the universal Dao.

After merging with the Dao, no further calamity can threaten you. Even if you fall into human tribulation due to a moment’s carelessness, your Dao will allow you to withstand it. As long as the Dao endures, no disaster can harm you.

This surpasses by a hundredfold even the legendary undying body of Mount Shu.

The nine tribulations are trials of the mind through the conquest and understanding of demons; the three calamities are trials of the Dao, severing all demons upon attainment.

As for Pure Yang, it means transforming the acquired Dao into the innate Dao, thereby mastering a complete primordial path—be it the five elements, yin and yang, slaughter, or sacred virtue.

When the Nascent Soul is refined by the innate Dao, it becomes utterly pure, and your power will be boundless. Though called Celestial Immortal, your abilities will far surpass those of ordinary immortals.

After reading just the first three chapters—Foundation Laying, Inspiration, and Qi Refinement—the onlookers were deeply shaken, filled with both fear and joy.

They were terrified by the endless tribulations in this method—every step is a trial. To succeed in cultivation would be a hundred, a thousand times more perilous than the old ways.

Even thinking of it made their hearts race with dread.

Yet, they also rejoiced, for this method points directly to the essence of the Dao. Though there are no specific techniques, it explains the path with perfect clarity. At their current level, just a little thought would allow them to devise a concrete method of practice—perhaps rough, perhaps lacking in refinement,

but even so, any method they created on the spot would far surpass the ones they had used before.

Immersed in these revelations, Chen Yang patted the Emperor of Tang on the shoulder, drew him aside, and said,

“The Tang Dynasty shall flourish and may unite the four seas, enjoying a cycle of thirteen centuries of fortune. After that, a new tribulation of human transformation will descend. Whether to strive for the dragon’s fate again will be for your descendants to decide.”