The Emperors presiding over this last trial weren’t just the current Emperors, but also those who had passed away. Every Demon and Nymph Emperor that inhabited a Sacred Mountain; every Demon and Nymph Emperor that had left behind their will within a Throne atop a peak of the Ancestral Mountains. Once she went through this baptism, she would have succeeded in her evaluation and officially become the lord of Kali City.
Each of these three trials was challenging. The first test, the strength assessment, was naturally created with Emperors in mind. As for those who were not Emperors just yet, they had to prove that they were capable of contending with those an entire level above them. In other words, they had to show to the world that they had the makings of not just an Emperor, but a top-tier one! This meant that Mei Gongzi might well have to face a Great Demon King with a first-tier bloodline. The exact test was not disclosed until the very last moment; the manner in which the test was conducted and the grading were only revealed to the candidate before the test.
The next step was to gain the approval of more than half of the Emperors on the side that owned the city. Based on her performance in the first test, the Emperors would decide whether to approve or disapprove of her.
There were currently nine Demon Emperors in the Empyrean Dominion, so Mei Gongzi needed the approval of at least five of them to proceed to the next test—the baptism of the Ancestral Court’s will. This baptism was overseen by none other than the true authority of the Ancestral Court, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor.
Mei Gongzi had always believed that the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor would be inclined to support her; it wasn’t until she heard Tang San’s explanation that she realized the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor was actually her greatest challenge.
No one knew what this baptism actually entailed, but one thing was certain: if the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor didn’t want her to pass, or if he decided to take action against her during the baptism, there would be no stopping him.
Thus, theoretically, it seemed impossible for her to succeed in these three trials. This was why the atmosphere was so heavy when Mei Gongzi left Kali City.
But in response to these three trials, Tang San had long since devised a series of plans, and they had been refining and rehearsing these plans for over half a year.
Donning a hood and mask, Tang San left the White Tiger Hotel, hired a carriage, and gave the driver a destination.
His current blood and energy fluctuations could not be measured by the standard of ordinary demons and nymphs. If a powerful being observed him up close with their divine sense, they would perceive him as a furnace—or perhaps as a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Tang San's cultivation had long since reached the peak of the ninth order, the pinnacle of the pinnacle. Any slight misstep could lead to an explosive outburst; he had been on the verge of facing his tribulation for months now.
Yet his purpose in arriving at the Ancestral Court ahead of time was to push his power even further beyond!
Tang San now several bloodline imprints, including the Discerning Eye of Heaven, which had reached the ninth order but not yet its peak. His other bloodline imprints were all at the very pinnacle of the ninth order—the Golden Armor Transformation, Lion-Tiger Transformation, Peacock Transformation, Dragon Roc Transformation, Chrono Croc Transformation, Blue Adamant Emperor, and the still-mysterious Crystalline.
He wasn’t here just because Mei Gongzi was coming to report to the Ancestral Court. No, Tang San was also here to undergo his tribulation. He intended to use this opportunity to advance.
He had fulfilled his goals until now to the best of his abilities, and he aimed to elevate all his bloodline powers to the peak of the ninth order during his tribulation. There was only one thing left to do: gathering nine bloodline imprints. After all, there was an empty slot left in his dantian! Therefore, his first task upon arriving was to visit four Sacred Mountains and complete the preparations he had previously been too cautious to do.
The reason he was only undertaking this task now was that he knew once they were complete, he would have to undergo his tribulation within a few days at the most; it would become impossible for him to suppress it any longer. That was why he had waited until now.
Thus, he needed to ascend all four Sacred Mountains and complete his tasks within a single day.
The first target Tang San chose was the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, home to the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, the most powerful being of the Solstice Empire.
The carriage stopped, and Tang San paid the driver, instructing him to wait at the foot of the Sunborne Sacred Mountain.
Adjusting his hood, he walked directly to the staircase of the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, paid the fee, and entered the familiar place.
He had visited the Sunborne Sacred Mountain many times before, each time stopping after only a short climb to absorb some of the pure yang energy.
But after merging with the Adamant Nymph bloodline, his Blue Silver Emperor had fully entered the ranks of first-tier bloodlines. Even though it was surrounded by yin-yang energy, the new and resilient Blue Adamant Emperor was no longer affected by it.
As he raised his head to gaze at the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, Tang San’s eyes were calm yet resolute. Without much hesitation, he immediately began his ascent.
As soon as he stepped into the range of the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, the familiar pure yang energy swept over him, and he instantly felt the intense heat.
However, Tang San’s physical body was now far too strong. Even with the suppression and concealment provided by his Discerning Eye of Heaven, this level of pure yang energy had little effect on him.
His pace as he climbed the mountain was not fast, but it was very steady. With each step upward, the pure yang energy intensified.
Tang San naturally absorbed this pure yang energy, but instead of merging it into the yin-yang energy of his Blue Adamant Emperor, he forcibly wrapped it with his spiritual power. This was undoubtedly a wasteful approach, as his spiritual power was continuously consumed under the assault of the pure yang energy. But Tang San persisted, because this was the only way to prevent the increase in his energy from prematurely triggering his tribulation. ř𝘼Nô𝔟ƐṨ
The air around Tang San seemed somewhat distorted, creating an unusual atmosphere.
At this moment, others were also climbing the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, most of them fire-attribute demons and nymphs. The Sunborne Sacred Mountain was widely recognized as one of the most challenging sacred mountains to climb. When the demon and nymph powerhouses currently ascending saw Tang San, they couldn’t help but show expressions of surprise. None of them had ever seen someone able to climb continuously without stopping.
Although Tang San’s pace wasn’t fast, he never paused during the entire climb. He steadily reached over a third of the way up the Sunborne Sacred Mountain.
By this point, the already intense yang energy had grown far more intense. A golden-red aura had formed around Tang San, burning his skin.
This terrifying energy was potent enough to scorch even the soul, but Tang San’s body, protected by his Golden Armor Transformation and Lion-Tiger Transformation, was incredibly resilient. Moreover, the Adamant Nymph’s power within his Blue Adamant Emperor further strengthened him. He quietly absorbed the pure yang energy, compressing it within, with no intention of stopping.
After climbing past a third of the way up, there were no more climbers ahead of him. Indeed, very few could ascend beyond this point, which was why so few had earned the Sunborne Sacred Mountain’s recognition.
The power of the Sunborne Sacred Mountain was grand and domineering. However, for those with fire-attribute bloodlines, undertaking the baptism of this mountain was one of the best ways to cultivate, as the mountain provided the purest yang flames.
Many geniuses of the Scorching Sunflower clan hoped that during their climb of the Sunborne Sacred Mountain, their bloodlines would undergo mutation, allowing them to evolve and attain a talent akin to the Sunborne Nymph Emperor’s.
However, things rarely went as desired. So far, the Sunborne Nymph Emperor was unique.
Tang San continued his silent ascent, but when he reached the halfway point of the stairs, everything ahead of him suddenly turned entirely red, to the point where even the steps were no longer visible.
The hazy red mist wasn’t just blisteringly hot; it was like a deep abyss stretching before him.
The red mist thickened, and a figure slowly emerged from within it.