35: The Tribulation of Breaking the Dao!

Qingzhou, the Lin Family Quiet Room.

Lin Dao sat cross-legged, the Chaos Qi around him surging and receding like the tides.

The invisible barrier separating the Spiritual Tribulation from the Dao Tribulation was already covered in cracks, letting out an overwhelmed groan.

With a clear Dao Heart and Laws in hand, the Breakthrough was imminent!

However, at the very moment he triggered the Dao Tribulation—

[Warning! Extremely high-level fate interference detected! The trajectory of the Dao Tribulation has been forcibly distorted! Calamity pollution injected!]

[Warning! Dao Tribulation power increased by 300%! Heart Demon breeding probability increased by 500%! Calamity Dao Tribulation generating!]

The System's sharp alarm blared through his Sea of Consciousness!

In the unseen depths, a terrifying will full of malice, curses, and decay forcibly intervened, attempting to twist his Dao Tribulation into a feast of calamity with no hope of survival!

What should have been a baptismal tribulation for his own understanding of the Great Dao was now filled with external, malicious destructive power!

Above the Quiet Room, the auspicious clouds that had just gathered were instantly stained a bizarre grayish-black!

The lightning turned into a filthy blood-red color, carrying a poison that could corrode the Divine Soul!

Heart Demon illusions manifested around him as if they were physical, emitting bewitching whispers!

Even the Void Realm began to seep a black, ominous liquid!

This was no longer a Heavenly Tribulation, but a man-made, most vicious curse targeted at his Dao Heart and Origin!

"Calamity Demon Kingdom... their wicked hearts truly never die!"

Lin Dao's eyes flashed with a cold light, yet he showed no panic.

"System! Maximum power! Luck purification! Law stabilization! For this seat... restore order!"

[Ding! Command confirmed! Consuming 100,000 Authority Points! Activating 'Chaos Green Lotus' phantom for protection! Maximizing the drive of the deep purple Family Luck!]

Buzz—!

A massive, budding phantom of a green lotus suddenly emerged from behind Lin Dao!

The lotus rotated slowly, shedding endless clear light.

Everywhere it passed, the pervasive grayish-black calamity energy met its nemesis, letting out shrill shrieks as it was rapidly purified and dispersed!

Simultaneously, a vast sea of deep purple Family Luck poured down from the Void Realm, merging into the green lotus phantom and making it increasingly solid!

Upon the green lotus, Law runes containing Chaos intent lit up, forcibly stabilizing the distorted Void Realm and Laws around him!

The crashing blood-red filthy lightning, upon contact with the green lotus's clear light, was purified and restored to the most primal lightning power, which Lin Dao then guided into his body to temper his Physical Body and Divine Soul!

Under the protection of the vast Family Luck, the breeding Heart Demon illusions melted away like snow under the sun, unable to shake his clear Dao Heart in the slightest!

"How is this possible?!"

From deep within the infinitely distant Calamity Demon Kingdom, an incredulous roar of shock and anger rang out.

"That is... the aura of the Chaos Green Lotus?! And such a massive amount of Karma and Luck protecting him?! Just what is the background of this Lin Family Ancestor?!"

Their calamity curse had actually been forcibly purified and neutralized by the opponent in such a brutal and extravagant manner!

Lin Dao sat steadily beneath the green lotus phantom, like a deity born from Chaos.

No matter how the external calamities raged, he remained unmoved!

He even reversed the process, continuously absorbing the purified Heavenly Tribulation power as nourishment for his own advancement!

In this confrontation and absorption, his aura became increasingly vast and profound!

The Dao Tribulation barrier finally shattered completely!

Rumble—!!!

It wasn't the loud crash of thunder, but a resonance originating from the Soul's Origin and the Great Dao!

Lin Dao's consciousness seemed to instantly transcend his Physical Body, merging into a boundless ocean composed of countless Law runes!

That was the Origin Sea of the Heavenly Dao!

His Chaos Law mark acted like a thirsty sponge, frantically absorbing the Law mysteries here, constantly growing and solidifying!

The trace of Nirvana intent upon it also became more profound.

Meanwhile, the Tribulation of the Dao Heart descended!

It was not an external demon, but a questioning of his own path of cultivation!

Past events, choices made, gains and losses, and the future path—all required him to see his true heart clearly and remain firm in his beliefs!

Scenes flashed rapidly through his consciousness: the mundanity of Earth, the confusion of Transmigration, the surprise of first obtaining the System, the determination to protect the Family, the satisfaction of crushing powerful enemies, the gratification of nurturing juniors... and the desire for that supreme Realm and eternal life.

"What is my Dao?"

The Dao Heart questioning rang like a great bell, vibrating through his Soul.

"Is it protection? Is it power? Is it transcendence?"

Lin Dao's consciousness was incredibly clear as he responded loudly, his voice carrying the resonance of the Dao: "It is all of them, and none of them!"

"My Dao lies in the freedom of my true heart! To protect those I wish to protect, to crush the enemies that deserve to be crushed, to enjoy eternal life and leisure, and to stand at the Peak of the myriad worlds! Where my heart points, that is my Dao!"

"Dao attained!"

As those words left his mouth, they were like a divine decree!

The Chaos Law mark in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly radiated ten thousand beams of light, completely solidifying into form!

It turned into an ancient and profound Chaos rune, seemingly containing the birth and death of the Universe, deeply branded into the depths of his Soul's Origin!

The aura around him surged frantically, instantly breaking through the bottleneck and stepping into a brand new, mysterious Realm!

Dao Tribulation Realm, First Heaven!

Moreover, because he had absorbed the purified massive Heavenly Tribulation power and the insights gained from resisting the calamity curse, his cultivation base stabilized directly at the Peak of the First Heaven!

His Foundation was so robust that it far exceeded ordinary Cultivators in the Dao Tribulation Realm!

Inside the Quiet Room, various phenomena appeared: golden lotuses gushed from the ground, sweet rain fell from the sky, and the faint sound of the Dao echoed.

The Chaos Green Lotus phantom slowly bloomed, becoming increasingly sacred before merging into Lin Dao's body.

All the calamitous phenomena completely dissipated.

[Ding! Host has successfully crossed the Calamity Dao Tribulation and stepped into the Peak of the Dao Tribulation Realm First Heaven!]

[Ding! Chaos Law is preliminarily perfected!]

[Ding! Obtained a significant increase in Calamity Resistance!]

[Ding! System core permissions partially unlocked!]

Lin Dao slowly opened his eyes, and within his pupils, it seemed as if Chaos was being created and the Universe was in Reincarnation.

He lightly clenched his fist, feeling his connection with the Heavenly Dao had become countless times tighter.

With a single thought, he could trigger the power of Laws.

Changing the world might be an exaggeration, but moving mountains and filling seas was no longer a difficult task!

"Calamity Demon Kingdom... this 'congratulatory gift', this seat has noted it down."

A cold arc curved at the corner of his mouth.

Meanwhile, in the Central Province Imperial City, inside the guest house.

Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun, who were in secluded meditation to consolidate their cultivation bases, suddenly shuddered!

At the moment Lin Dao broke through to the Dao Tribulation Realm, they felt a sudden flash of insight, as if some kind of shackle had been broken.

Their connection with the Old Ancestor and the Family became even more tight and mysterious!

A pure stream of Law insights and power feedback poured into their bodies across the endless space!

The accumulation from their previous battles was instantly triggered, and their cultivation bases surged once again!

Lin Hao, Fifth Level of the Tongtian Realm! His Sword Intent and Wind Law began a preliminary Fusion, and his power exploded!

Ye Chen, Fifth Level of the Tongtian Realm! His Saint Body advanced further, granting him infinite strength!

Lin Yun, Peak of the Fourth Level of the Tongtian Realm! The insight power of his Pupil Technique increased greatly!

"It's the Old Ancestor! The Old Ancestor has broken through again!"

The three were both shocked and delighted, their awe and worship of Lin Dao reaching a Peak.

The three-day period had arrived.

The Nine Provinces Inquiry Convention resumed!

In the Temple of Heaven square, the atmosphere was even more solemn.

After the cauldron theft incident, the Imperial Dynasty's guards had become several times stricter, and the air was filled with a killing intent.

The remaining top thirty-two Prodigies gathered once more.

After three days of rest, everyone's aura was more condensed and powerful.

The drawing screen lit up again.

Perhaps their Luck had turned for the better, or perhaps it was the influence of the invisible Luck brought by Lin Dao's Breakthrough, but the drawing Luck for the three Lin Family members had actually improved quite a bit.

Lin Hao was matched against a magical arts Genius from Leizhou, with a cultivation base at the Fourth Level of the Life Soul Realm.

Ye Chen's opponent was a Sword Cultivator from Jianzhou, with a cultivation base at the Peak of the Fourth Level of the Life Soul Realm.

Lin Yun drew a Talisman Master from Lingzhou, with a cultivation base at the Fourth Level of the Life Soul Realm.

Although they were still strong enemies, compared to previously facing the Fifth Level Life Soul Realm Daoist Seed and the Buddhist Protector, it was already much better.

The battles broke out again!

With their greatly improved strength, the three heroes of the Lin Family displayed shocking dominance!

Lin Hao's sword moved like the wind, faster than the naked eye could capture.

Often, before the opponent's magical art could even take shape, it was broken by a single sword strike, leading to an easy victory!

Ye Chen's strength was even more terrifying, every punch and kick carrying a destructive force.

The opponents didn't dare to take his hits directly and were often blasted off the stage within a few moves!

Lin Yun's Pupil Technique became increasingly bizarre; the opponent's Talismans would often mysteriously self-ignite or veer off course before they could even be activated.

Some were even controlled by his illusions to walk off the stage themselves, winning with unexpected ease!

The three of them advanced to the top sixteen, top eight, and top four with a crushing posture!

They advanced triumphantly, unstoppable!

The entire venue was boiling with excitement!

The name of the Lin Family's Three Heroes echoed through the clouds, truly becoming the biggest dark horses of this convention, even overshadowing those seeded players who were originally favored!

On the high platform, the big figures from various top powers had eyes that had become incredibly burning, even carrying a hint of madness!

"We must get them! No matter the cost!"

"These three will surely become giants of the Nine Provinces in the future!"

Even the Emperor of the Central Province Imperial Dynasty cast a gaze of attention.

Finally, the top four were born!

Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun were all remarkably among them!

And the last person was the supreme Daoist Seed from Tianzhou, who possessed an Innate Dao Body and whose cultivation had reached the Peak of the Sixth Level of the Life Soul Realm—Yun Shang!

The drawing decided the semi-final opponents.

The screen froze.

Lin Hao vs. Yun Shang!

Ye Chen vs. Lin Yun!

The situation of a Lin Family internal battle appeared ahead of time!

The entire audience was in an uproar!

Lin Hao was matched against the strongest Daoist Seed!

While Ye Chen and Lin Yun would have to fight as brothers!

Lin Hao looked at Yun Shang, whose aura was ethereal as if merged with the Dao, his eyes filled with an unprecedented Battle Intent.

Ye Chen and Lin Yun looked at each other, both seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes, which then turned into determination.

Since they had met, they would fight with all their strength, being true to their hearts!

The semi-finals began!

The battle between Lin Hao and Yun Shang could be called the most brilliant battle of the convention so far!

Sword Intent roamed freely, and Daoist Magic was natural!

Lin Hao pushed his wind Sword Intent and speed to the limit.

While Yun Shang seemed to transform into the world itself, various Daoist Magics were used with ease, incredibly mysterious.

Both sides fought for over a thousand rounds.

In the end, Lin Hao relied on his newly understood sword move 'Wind Silence', which contained a trace of the embryonic Nirvana Sword Intent, to narrowly break through the opponent's defense and tap her shoulder point, barely securing the win!

The internal battle between Ye Chen and Lin Yun was much more bizarre.

Ye Chen's strength was invincible, but Lin Yun simply wouldn't clash with him head-on.

With his Pupil Technique fully activated and illusions layered, he constantly evaded and exhausted him.

Ultimately, Ye Chen showed a flaw, tanking one of Lin Yun's illusionary shocks at the cost of an injury to close in and settle the match with a single punch.

The final would be between Lin Hao and Ye Chen!

A battle of brothers, a duel at the Peak of the Forbidden City!

However, just as the two finished adjusting their breathing and were ready to step onto the final stage—

Another change occurred!

Boom!

An indescribable, incredibly noble golden Luck pillar carrying a brilliant heavenly majesty suddenly descended from the sky, enveloping the entire Temple of Heaven!

A figure wearing imperial robes and a crown, with a blurred face but an unfathomable aura, slowly emerged from the Void Realm like a Heavenly Emperor descending to the world!

The current Emperor of the Central Province Imperial Dynasty had arrived in person!

Everyone, including the giants on the high platform, all knelt on the ground in awe: "Salutations, Emperor!"

The Emperor's gaze swept across the area below, finally landing on Lin Hao and Ye Chen.

A grand voice echoed through heaven and earth: "This convention ends here."

"Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun of the Lin Family of Qingzhou have peerless talent and are the bravest among all."

"I specially grant the three of them the title of—Champions of this Nine Provinces Inquiry Convention!"

"I reward them with three Heaven Rank Cultivation Techniques, one million top-grade spirit crystals, and three treasures of their choice from the Imperial Secret Vault!"

"I bestow upon the Lin Family the title of 'family protecting the nine provinces', to enjoy the blessing of the Imperial Dynasty's Luck!"

The Emperor's words were like Law; as the decree was issued, heaven and earth resonated!

Three people sharing the title of champion! This was an unprecedented honor!

The entire venue was dead silent, followed by an explosion of earth-shattering cheers and amazement!

The Lin Family had ascended to heaven in a single step! They were truly famous throughout the Nine Provinces!

Lin Hao, Ye Chen, and Lin Yun stood there in a daze, followed by infinite wild joy and pride welling up in their hearts!

However, no one noticed that the Emperor's deep gaze seemed to penetrate through endless space.

It had a silent encounter with the Dao Tribulation Realm Old Ancestor who had just broken through in the Qingzhou Quiet Room.

Lin Dao smiled slightly and cupped his hands from afar.

The Emperor nodded slightly, and his figure slowly dissipated.

The convention concluded, and a legend was born.