262: Xiaobai's breakthrough

Day after day.

Inside the Tower of the Prodigy, light and shadow flickered, and Wang Xiaopang's figure was repeatedly "spit out" in disarray, only to be healed by Gu Changge with a flick of his sleeve and mercilessly "thrown" back in.

This almost cruel cycle of tempering was initially pure pain and agony, but gradually, transformation began to brew within the suffering.

Through countless life-and-death struggles with the projections of ancient and modern Prodigies, Wang Xiaopang's profound Foundation, which Gu Changge had reshaped with supreme means, finally transitioned from a state of mere possession to a state of complete control.

The vast Spiritual Qi was no longer just power stored within his body; it was now at his beck and call, responding to his every whim.

His Battle Instinct was honed to an extreme sharpness; from initially being overwhelmed and almost defenseless, he could now accurately predict and skillfully maneuver.

He could even catch his opponents off guard and ultimately defeat them with tricky Talisman combinations and increasingly fierce close-quarters assaults!

However, when encountering the truly top-tier Great Emperor projections, he could still feel a significant gap.

Thus, another ten days passed.

On this day, when Wang Xiaopang was once again "sent" out from the Tower of the Prodigy, though his Qi was still unstable and he bore injuries, his eyes were sharp, and his movements subtly carried a sense of steadiness and ferocity forged through a hundred battles.

Gu Changge did not immediately "throw" him back as usual; instead, his gaze calmly fell upon him, and he nodded slightly.

"Your Foundation is solid, and your Battle Intent has begun to form. Your combat awareness is quite well-honed."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaopang's heart rejoiced. He quickly stabilized his figure and bowed respectfully. To receive even a "quite well-honed" from his Revered Master was an immense affirmation for him.

"The Talisman Dao is your root, but how can a Disciple of mine, Gu Changge, only be proficient in Talismans and not in close combat?"

Gu Changge flicked his finger, and a stream of light once again entered Wang Xiaopang's glabella.

"This is the 'Nine Tribulations of God Slaying,' a combat technique. This method is fierce and overbearing, integrating offense and defense. When cultivated to profound depths, your Qi and blood will surge like a Dragon, and every Move will possess immense power, enough to handle most close-quarters combat situations."

Wang Xiaopang felt a thunderous jolt in his mind, and a magnificent sense of Battle Intent and power surged into his heart. The Body Refining methods, force exertion techniques, and offensive and defensive Moves contained within were all exquisitely brilliant—a grand yet infinitely powerful combat manual!

He seemed to see his Qi and blood surging like rivers, with his fists and palms containing the power to collapse mountains and split seas, and his heart was filled with excitement.

However, Gu Changge's voice did not stop: "Oh, right, there are a few other small tricks you should learn as well."

Before his words finished, three more wisps of thought, as fine as silk threads yet containing infinite profound mysteries, quietly flowed into the depths of Wang Xiaopang's mind.

"'Can't See Through Me,' 'Can't Catch Me,' 'Can't Defeat Me'?"

Wang Xiaopang hadn't even had time to digest these names, which sounded absurd yet strangely domineering, when Gu Changge raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile and anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Is it finally time for a Breakthrough? Little Fatty, Cultivate these Cultivation Techniques well. Your Revered Master has something to attend to!"

With that, Gu Changge's figure flickered and vanished from the spot, silently appearing in the center of the Small World.

Although this world was nominally called a Small World, under his nurturing, its vastness and stability had long surpassed the Xuanhuang Great World.

Here, the Laws of the Great Dao were as clear as lines on a palm, and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was so dense it flowed as liquid spiritual springs, capable of simultaneously accommodating multiple Great Emperors without feeling cramped in the slightest.

At this moment, this peaceful and serene immortal Realm was enveloped by an indescribable terrifying pressure.

In the core region of the world, the Void Realm, originally filled with Chaos Qi, was now replaced by endless black clouds.

These were not ordinary dark clouds but were condensed from the purest Laws of destruction and the Heavenly Tribulation power, so heavy they seemed to crush the ancient blue sky.

Within the clouds, billions of dark purple Lightning Dragons roared and weaved, each containing destructive energy capable of easily tearing apart ordinary Quasi-Emperors.

This was not an ordinary Lightning Tribulation, but the ultimate trial for those who defied the Heavens—the Emperor Tribulation for proving the Dao!

Beneath the tribulation clouds, a black giant Dragon stretching for ten thousand miles raised its head to the sky; it was Little White!

Its already profound and majestic black scales now reflected a dark luster, and each scale naturally displayed profound Great Dao runes, frantically absorbing the inexhaustible source Qi from its surroundings.

Within its massive Dragon eyes, there was unparalleled determination, fervor, and a longing for a higher Realm!

"Roar—!!!"

A Dragon roar shook the entire world!

The sound was filled with defiance against Heavenly might and absolute confidence in its own Dao fruit!

As if enraged by the Dragon roar, the ten-thousand-zhang tribulation clouds rotated violently, forming a massive vortex in the center, like the eye of the Heavenly Dao, coldly gazing at the Undergoing Tribulation below.

"Boom-crack—!!!"

The first tribulation lightning descended! It was not a single bolt of electricity but a vast sea of purple lightning, like the Nine Heavens galaxy pouring down, instantly submerging Little White's colossal Dragon body!

Lightning raged, and destructive power furiously eroded, seeking to grind its flesh, bones, and even its Divine Soul into dust!

"Ang!"

Little White roared, and the runes on its scales erupted with brilliant divine light, forming a massive black light shield that directly clashed with the sea of lightning. It did not retreat; instead, it actively devoured the power of the Lightning Tribulation, using it to refine its Dragon body and temper the Emperor Dao Laws.

Dragon blood splattered, and scales cracked, but the light in its eyes grew even brighter.

Each wave of Lightning Tribulation was stronger than the last!

The second wave was the Taiji Divine Lightning, containing the power of Yin and Yang strangulation!

The third wave was the Chaos True Fire Tribulation, capable of incinerating stars!

The fourth wave was the Nine Nether Soul-Corroding Wind, targeting the Divine Soul!

The fifth wave was the Heart Demon Tribulation, manifesting countless ancient divine demon phantoms!

Each tribulation was a disaster of world-ending proportions.

Little White's enormous Dragon body was repeatedly struck until it was a bloody mess, and its Dragon bones groaned under the immense pressure, but it always held its head high, unyielding.

Relying on the profound Foundation laid by the supreme resources bestowed by Gu Changge, and its own tenacious will, it endured, constantly regenerating amidst destruction, and its Dragon body transformed to a higher level.

Finally, the ninth wave of Lightning Tribulation finished brewing. The Laws of the entire Small World seemed to solidify, and all light was swallowed by a point of extreme darkness in the center of the tribulation clouds.

That was no longer lightning, but a dark divine light of annihilation symbolizing "the end"!

Wherever it passed, even the concepts of space and time seemed to be erased!

Facing this final strike, a hint of determination flashed in Little White's eyes.

It no longer passively defended but poured its lifelong Cultivation and all its insights into a single strike!

"Venerable One helped me achieve the Dao. Little White, today, will surely not fail your high expectations! Emperor Path, open!"

It charged into the sky, against the divine light of annihilation! Its Dragon mouth opened wide, and a Dragon Pearl, condensed from its entire life essence and the Heavenly Dao Laws, shot out, colliding fiercely with the divine light of annihilation!