...

On Black Obsidian Peak.

Qin Ming stood in midair, gazing toward the mountain gate of the Netherworld Sect; watching this Void Refining Great Celestial Tribulation had indeed broadened his horizons.

It also served as a reference for him when he faced his own Great Celestial Tribulation in the future.

Boom–crack!

The golden Tribulation Thunder, carrying an unmatched momentum and the blazing heavenly might to annihilate all, tore open the distant firmament and fell straight downward.

This level of Tribulation Thunder had already surpassed the limit that the Divinity Transformation Stage could endure; without means to resist the Celestial Tribulation, or a special Tribulation-defying Treasure, bare flesh alone could never withstand it.

If the Tribulation Thunder struck one’s body, there was only one path—death and Dao extinction.

Just as the tribulation descended.

From deep within the Netherworld Sect, a cerulean seal-shaped Spiritual Treasure flew out, upon which were carved nine dragon statues, each facing a different direction, vivid and lifelike.

The Nine Dragon Jade Seal suddenly expanded in midair, growing to the size of a house, bursting with countless silver-blue arcs of thunder light.

Roar!

An incomparably vast aura surged out from within this Nine Dragon Seal.

Next, silver-blue Thunder Dragons flew out one after another, weaving and circling in the sky, coiling and knotting together, interlacing into a gigantic blue Thunder shield.

The Void Refining Great Celestial Tribulation’s thunder crashed viciously onto the shield, yet failed to break through this layer of defense; instead, it was dissolved and scattered, its remaining force surging into the surrounding void.

"A Tribulation-defying Treasure, the Nine Dragon Tribulation Seal!!"

"How is this possible?!"

Profound Nine Yin of the Netherworld Sect, who was flying midway, saw this scene, and beneath his black robe his face revealed a look of shock.

All of a sudden.

He recalled that back then, in the Red Flame Wilderness, the Netherworld Sect had not only dug up that piece of Tier Six Nether Crystal Stone; they had likely unearthed a Thunder Attribute Tier Six Spiritual Object as well, and then spent dozens of years refining it into this top-grade Tribulation-defying Treasure.

He had once heard of this treasure.

Nine Dragons form a wall, ten thousand tribulations cannot invade!

The core key item of the Nine Dragon Tribulation Seal was the Thunder Attribute Thunder Marrow Crystal Stone; such a wondrous object would make not only their Netherworld Sect covetous, even the Profound Celestial Sword Sect, the ruler of a whole region, would be green with envy.

He had never expected the Netherworld Sect to have such great fortune as to obtain one.

Profound Nine Yin had originally thought that the Netherworld Ancestor, forced by the chaos in Qianji City, had no choice but to hastily冲击 the Void Refining Stage, and that he would definitely fail to survive the Void Refining Great Celestial Tribulation.

Yet from the looks of it now, the Netherworld Sect had planned this for a long time, prepared in every detail, even bringing out the Nine Dragon Tribulation Seal.

This time it was their Netherworld Sect’s turn to panic.

Profound Nine Yin’s expression shifted between gloom and uncertainty several times, then he immediately turned around and sped away.

With the appearance of the Nine Dragon Tribulation Seal.

It directly shattered the illusions of the Mist Concealment Loose Alliance; when they thought of their likely fate...

Alliance Leader Yangg and Vice Alliance Leader Zuo didn’t say a word; they led their forces and fled Qianji Immortal City in a panic...

The Netherworld Sect had a Void Refining Ancestor to shelter them, but the Loose Alliance did not; once the Netherworld Ancestor completed his breakthrough, the first ones to die would be them.

At this moment.

Nine Profound Ascendant and the others in the courtyard also saw the sudden change and knew that the Loose Alliance’s cause was lost.

Each of them was inwardly panic-stricken; they, as Talisman Masters and the "great功臣" who had helped breach Qianji Immortal City, now saw Vice Alliance Leader Zuo and the others abandon them and leave, and could not help but cry out in fright:

"Alliance Leader Zuo, you mustn’t go back on your word!"

"Alliance Leader Zuo, take us with you!"

"..."

Vice Alliance Leader Zuo didn’t even turn his head at their words.

Now that they had lost their use, these Talisman Masters had become expendable pawns in this game of power.

He could barely keep himself safe; who would care whether they lived or died?

...

Half a day later.

The tribulation clouds dispersed, auspicious clouds were born.

Above the mountain range of the Netherworld Sect, ten thousand rays of rosy light burst forth; the Spiritual Pressure of a Void Refining Stage Great Power spread in all directions, making countless Cultivators tremble and prostrate themselves in worship.

Right after the Netherworld Sect’s ancestor completed his breakthrough.

A voice echoed from within the mountain gate, resounding in all directions and shaking countless souls:

"From this day forth, all who participated in the Qianji City upheaval shall be killed without mercy! Let this serve as a warning!"

"As for the leaders of the Loose Alliance and several other forces, issue ten thousand warrants for their arrest. No matter if they flee to the End of the World, they will not be spared. Informers shall receive generous rewards! One Nascent Condensation Pill and one Divinity Transformation Ointment can be exchanged!"

...

Qin Ming watched all of this, rubbing his chin as he pondered:

’They actually offered a Nascent Condensation Pill and Divinity Transformation Ointment as such generous bounty rewards...’

’Looks like the Netherworld Sect is really going all out this time; they’ve been completely driven mad by the Loose Alliance’s moves. After all, if the Netherworld Ancestor hadn’t broken through, the ones to be destroyed would have been them.’

...

On the other side.

On the mountain behind Qianji City.

Master Yaochen and the others had all gathered together.

They too had watched Qianji Immortal City plunge into chaos within a single day, the situation reversing several times; each of them was worried for their own little lives.

Mainly because each of them either had ties to the Netherworld Sect or connections with the Loose Alliance...

Even as Nascent Soul Cultivators, amid such upheaval, their lives were still in danger.

Thus, they had gathered here to discuss their options together.

Shii Susu said anxiously, "Fellow Daoists, with the situation like this, where should we go from here?"

"Master Yaochen, Fairy Shii, you two both hold Honored Guest Elder positions in the Netherworld Sect; now that the Netherworld Ancestor seems to have broken through to the Void Refining Realm, this incident shouldn’t pose too much trouble for the two of you, right?"

Master Yaochen stroked his beard and said, "You can’t put it that way. If there weren’t an even greater force pulling strings behind the scenes, the Loose Alliance and those other few powers would never have dared to lay hands on Qianji City."