As dusk was descending, suddenly, the dim world brightened as if it were broad daylight!
Everyone in the sect, completely stunned, turned their heads to look around in disbelief.
What was happening?
The sun had set quite a while ago; could it have risen again?
"Look quickly, the Eighteenth Peak!"
"What is that? How can there be a sun above the Eighteenth Peak?"
The crowd was in an uproar, staring incredulously at the sky.
The higher-ups of the sect slightly changed their expressions, and the Sect Master immediately took out the Array Plate, "All Elders, follow me in activating the Mountain Protection Array!"
Without any hesitation, the Sect Master poured all his True Yuan into the Array Plate, and in an instant, layers of light membranes quickly rose, enveloping each peak separately.
As these light membranes converged, they combined their powerful aura to form an even larger light membrane, like an upside-down golden bowl, covering the whole sect.
With the formation activated, the higher-ups of the sect fixated on the Eighteenth Peak, their hearts racing, only to see hundreds of meters above the peak's summit, a scorching sun was suspended.
Within the blazing sun, a figure with an elegant demeanor could be faintly seen.
"It's Junior Uncle!" the Sect Master murmured.
All the Elders nodded, their expressions full of tension, "Junior Uncle is playing with fire!"
Focusing their gaze, they saw that beginning from the summit of the Eighteenth Peak, it was melting rapidly, obviously unable to withstand the heat of the True Fire emitted by Li Cheng.
"The True Fire of someone at the complete stage of the Transcendence Tribulation Stage shouldn't be this powerful, right? Could it be the Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire?" The Seventh Elder's pupils shrank, his voice losing strength as he spoke.
"Don't think too much now, put all your effort into the formation. We must prevent Junior Uncle's True Fire from spreading beyond the Eighteenth Peak, otherwise, the entire sect will be reduced to ashes!" the Sect Master said gravely.
At this moment, the Eighteenth Peak had been shortened considerably, with all the vegetation within turned to ash.
If such power were to spread, the other peaks would meet the same unfortunate fate.
All the Elders were exerting their full strength to maintain the array, attempting to seal off the heat from the Eighteenth Peak, but after only a short moment, their True Yuan was nearly exhausted.
"Sect Master, we can't keep this up, quickly ask the Loose Immortal ancestors of our sect to take action!"
"Or wake up Junior Uncle!"
The Sect Master shook his head firmly, "Junior Uncle is in the midst of an Enlightenment, how can such an opportunity be interrupted? I'll ask the Loose Immortal ancestors for help right away!"
Saying this, the Sect Master took out a Jade Slip and crushed it.
The Jade Slip shattered, and a strange fluctuation instantly spread out.
The next moment, a burly figure suddenly appeared above the sect. He surveyed the sect and then turned his gaze toward Li Cheng, who was immersed in Enlightenment, a look of surprise crossing the depths of his eyes.
"Uncle Bai, help us stabilize the array quickly!" the Sect Master urgently communicated upon seeing the burly young man.
"We have no shortage of Loose Immortals in our sect, but to think that Uncle Bai would be the one to react; he's a five-time Tribulation Loose Immortal, no less!" the First Elder exclaimed in a low voice, astounded.
This person was named Bai Tieyi, a senior of Li Cheng's, who had already overcome five Loose Immortal Tribulations, incredibly powerful.
Cultivators could provoke the Heaven Tribulation once they reached the complete stage of the Tribulation Crossing, and ascending to the Immortal World was possible after successfully overcoming it. However, failing to transcend the tribulation meant either the soul would be scattered, or the Nascent Soul would escape and turn to the path of Loose Immortal!
Yet, becoming a Loose Immortal meant losing the qualification to ascend, and every thousand years, the Loose Immortal Tribulation would descend. Surviving it would allow one to live another thousand years in agony, but failing meant the soul would be dissipated.
Despite this, the Order of Heaven and Earth always leaves some hope; Loose Immortals couldn't ascend but could still reach the Immortal World using the legendary Ascend to Immortal Platform or the Sky-reaching Road.
Once in the Immortal World, it was quite easy to transform all the True Yuan inside the body into Immortal Yuan and to condense the Immortal Infant and Immortal Body. At that point, one would no longer be a Loose Immortal, but a true Immortal.
Unfortunately, the Ascend to Immortal Platform and the Sky-reaching Road had long since become legends.
Bai Tieyi appeared beside the Sect Master and casually blasted a stream of True Yuan into the Array Plate, "Move aside, leave it to me!"
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Five Tribulations Loose Immortal, his Inner True Yuan mingled with Immortal Yuan, was of course incomparable to the masses. He alone was more than capable of easily sustaining the Formation.
The Sect Master and the others all breathed a sigh of relief, simultaneously restoring their True Yuan while intently watching the Eighteenth Peak.
"The one currently experiencing enlightenment, is he the sole disciple of Uncle Wuya? If my memory serves me right, he has only been cultivating for thirty years, right?" Bai Tieyi said in surprise.
All nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with pride.
For an ordinary Cultivator, reaching Complete stage of the Transcendance Tribulation in a thousand years would be considered fast, yet Li Cheng had spent merely thirty years, which was the pride of the entire Heavenly Mechanism Sect.
With everyone's affirmation, Bai Tieyi kept clicking his tongue in amazement, "Such a monstrous talent, if he were to go to the Immortal World, he would surely receive intense nurturing from the Ancestor Master. Let's have him undergo the Tribulation and ascend later!"
When the topic of undergoing the Tribulation to ascend was raised, the pride in everyone's eyes instantly turned to helplessness. Sect Master said, "Uncle Master hasn't planned to cross the Tribulation to ascend. Who knows what he's actually thinking? He just took on a disciple a few days ago, and now he is prepared to take another."
"Nonsense!"
"How can such talent be wasted lingering in the Kunlun Realm? Haven't you all tried to persuade him?"
Sect Master shook his head helplessly, "Uncle Master said that the benefits he can reap here outweigh those of ascending."
Bai Tieyi's eyes narrowed slightly as he slowly turned to look at Sect Master, "What do you think?"
Sect Master still shook his head, "It is yet to be known."
Bai Tieyi fell silent, and after a long while, he spoke again, "Let's wait for Uncle Wuya to return and persuade him! He has been out for thirty years. He should be back soon."
All nodded in agreement, with the First Elder saying, "Not sure if Uncle Ancestor Wuya found the Ascend to Immortal Platform or the Sky-reaching Road."
"Probably not, the Ascend to Immortal Platform, the Sky-reaching Road. Ever since Grand Venerable Bai Jie disappeared, they have never reappeared. Let's not talk about this, all of you continue presiding over the ritual ceremony, and leave the Eighteenth Peak to me."
As Bai Tieyi spoke, he grasped the Array Plate and flew to the airspace above the Eighteenth Peak, hovering a kilometer away from Li Cheng, observing him meticulously.
True Fire surged around Li Cheng's body like a scorching sun, illuminating the entire heavens and earth.
Even with the Formation blocking, Bai Tieyi could still sense the terror of that True Fire.
"The might of this True Fire is catching up to the leading Heaven and Earth Spirit Fires, how is this possible?" Bai Tieyi muttered to himself.
"Could it be that he has merged with the Rule of Fire?"
Bai Tieyi suddenly thought of this possibility. If that was the case, once he reached the Immortal World in the future and transformed the Rule of Fire he had merged with into the Immortal Dao Laws, then his future achievements would surely be that of an Immortal World powerhouse!
Excited by this thought, Bai Tieyi became eager, "Can't wait for Uncle Wuya to return. I must find a way to have this Junior Brother ascend!"
This is a future powerhouse of the Immortal World, how can he shrink back in the Kunlun Realm?
To ascend earlier is to become a powerhouse sooner!
With this idea in mind, Bai Tieyi pondered, what method should he use?
Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next day. The True Fire surrounding Li Cheng had grown even stronger and, despite the Formation's protection, the Eighteenth Peak had been completely destroyed!
The mountain peak that once soared into the clouds had now disappeared, leaving behind only a lake of magma.
Seeing all this, Bai Tieyi didn't care; it was simple to find another mountain peak to replace it.
What troubled him was that he still hadn't thought of a method.
At that moment, Li Cheng slowly opened his eyes, and the True Fire around his body quickly retracted. In an instant, it had vanished, leaving only a shocking heatwave sweeping through the Formation.
Opening his eyes to see Bai Tieyi hovering in the air, Li Cheng was stunned and quickly clasped his hands in thanks, "Thank you, senior, for playing the protector."
Bai Tieyi's brow raised slightly, "Senior? My name is Bai Tieyi, we are of the same generation. You can simply call me Senior Brother."
Li Cheng's eyes lit up, and he clasped his hands again, "So it's Senior Brother Tieyi! It's an honor to meet you. My master often speaks of you!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Bai Tieyi became interested.
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