Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 661 Eternal Calamity! Annihilation of the Nascent Soul!!
Yunmeng Zhenjun spat out his essence blood and activated the Imperial Guardian's Decree. The golden pillar of light, containing the dynasty's fortune and the power to break the law, pierced fiercely at the last, crumbling barrier at the entrance to the forbidden area, like a sword of dawn!
"Crack—crack!"

The barrier trembled violently, cracks spread like a spider web, and it looked like it was about to collapse completely.

At this critical moment——

"Boom——!!!"

A deafening roar, far more violent, decisive, and tragic than any previous collision, suddenly erupted from not far from Yunmeng Zhenjun's side!

It's that pile of ruins that buried the head steward, Zhao Cong!

A blindingly bright crimson light, mixed with a violent and out-of-control fluctuation of Nascent Soul level spiritual energy, erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed to its limit! Within the crimson light, Zhao Cong's battered figure appeared and disappeared.

Golden Core self-destructs!

"madman!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun's pupils suddenly contracted!

He never expected that this old servant would be so resolute, giving up even the last chance for reincarnation and choosing to destroy his soul and be forever condemned to obstruct him even for a moment!
He didn't have time to deliver the final blow to the forbidden area's barrier, nor did he have time to dodge or defend further. In his haste, he could only raise most of his protective aura and the Guardian Angel's Token in his hand to block in front of him. At the same time, he urged his mind urgently, and a defensive spiritual treasure that he had been nurturing in his dantian—a palm-sized, azure-blue "Mysterious Water Spirit Shield" with flowing water ripples—instantly enlarged and appeared beside him!

"Get out of my way!"

"boom--!!!"

Blood engulfed everything.

The violent energy surge was like a tangible tsunami, instantly sweeping across an area of ​​hundreds of feet!
"puff!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun was the first to be hit. Even with the double protection of the Patrol Angel's Order and the Xuan Shui Spirit Shield, he was still struck as if by a heavy blow. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, staggered and flew back dozens of feet. The protective spiritual light around his body flickered violently and uncertainly.

What pained him even more was that the "Mysterious Water Spirit Shield," which had been with him for many years and possessed considerable defensive power, let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain under the impact of Zhao Cong's desperate self-destruction of his Nascent Soul core. Several clearly visible cracks appeared on the azure shield surface, and its spiritual light dimmed by more than half in an instant. It was clearly severely damaged, and its power was greatly reduced in a short period of time!
"Cough cough... You old scoundrel!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun steadied himself, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his face was so gloomy it could drip water.

The other Golden Core cultivators from the princess's mansion saw hope.

"Stop him!"

"The time has come to serve the princess faithfully!"

"kill!"

Accompanied by several angry and resolute roars, seven or eight figures rose into the air from various parts of the dilapidated Princess's mansion, blocking the entrance to the forbidden area between True Monarch Yunmeng and the forbidden area!
If it is confirmed that Princess Runyu colluded with the demonic path and used demonic means to attain enlightenment, it will be a taboo in the entire cultivation world of the Southern Continent! It is a crime that could shake the court and the public, cause an uproar in both the immortal and demonic paths, and result in the execution of nine generations of her family!

As retainers and guards of the princess's mansion, they enjoyed offerings, knew the inside story, and even participated in the construction or maintenance of the forbidden altar. If the princess succeeds, they might still have a glimmer of hope, seeking protection through their service to the emperor; but if the princess fails and dies now, or if the matter is completely exposed, what awaits them is not only their own death, but also the utter annihilation of their families and sects, leaving no one alive!

Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well fight to the death!
If we can hold off Yunmeng Zhenjun for a moment, giving the princess time to overcome her inner demon tribulation and attract the heavenly tribulation, perhaps... there is still a sliver of hope!

"How dare you, mere ants, block my way?"

Yunmeng Zhenjun's face showed a hint of impatience and annoyance.

"Since you're courting death, I'll grant your wish!"

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he abandoned his plan to charge straight in. Dealing with these Golden Core cultivators who were determined to die and might very well follow Zhao Cong's example and self-destruct, forcing their way in was not the best strategy.

He swiftly formed a strange hand seal in front of his chest, his fingertips radiating a dreamlike pale blue glow, as he murmured:
"Nightmare descends, the heart falls into an abyss!"

Nightmare Technique!

This is one of the signature techniques of True Monarch Yunmeng. It does not directly kill the physical body, but targets the soul, drawing out the opponent's deepest fears, exhaustion, and subconscious, dragging them into an incredibly realistic nightmare dream world guided by the caster! It is extremely effective against opponents with lower cultivation levels, especially those with unstable minds!

As he completed the hand seals, an invisible, pale blue ripple with a strange hypnotic power spread out from him instantly, enveloping all the Golden Core cultivators blocking his way!
The seven or eight Golden Core cultivators, who were preparing to burn their essence and blood and activate their magic weapons for a final gamble, froze instantly when they were swept by the pale blue ripples!
Their eyes quickly became empty and vacant, the madness and determination on their faces replaced by a deep-seated weariness, fear, and dazedness. As if all their strength and fighting spirit had been drained away in an instant, the magical artifacts in their hands dimmed, and the spiritual energy surging around them subsided.

They stood there blankly, some looking up at the sky, some looking down at the ground, some with their eyes closed, their expressions constantly changing—sometimes terrified, sometimes in pain, sometimes confused… as if they were trapped in their deepest nightmares, unresponsive to anything around them.

This is precisely the terrifying aspect of the Nightmare Technique—it does not harm the physical body, but only imprisons the soul. If the victim cannot break free on their own or be awakened by external force, they will be forever trapped in the nightmare until their soul withers and they die.

Yunmeng Zhenjun Ji Yunmeng didn't even glance at these "living dead" who were destined to die from the exhaustion of their souls.

He took a step forward, and his figure had already passed through the last passage, truly stepping into the core of the forbidden area.

The scene before them was far more shocking than anything they had previously observed through secret techniques or divine sense.

The altar occupied most of the vast space.

The altar was constructed entirely of an unknown dark metal and bone-like material, covered with dense, eerie magical patterns and array lines that flowed with a ghostly light, emanating a chilling and sinister aura. Directly above the altar, the demonic passage crack, forcibly bound by countless runic chains, trembled slightly, faintly emanating a low roar that seemed to come from the depths of the netherworld.

At the very core of the altar's array, Princess Runyu sat cross-legged.

Her face was as pale as snow, the light veil covering her skin already soaked with sweat, clinging to her face and outlining a startling silhouette. The dark red mark between her brows grew more pronounced, even threatening to spread outwards. Beneath her tightly closed eyes, her pupils trembled rapidly, her long eyelashes quivering incessantly, clearly experiencing an indescribable mental turmoil and the torment of hallucinations.

What is most eye-catching is the newly formed purple jade nascent soul three inches above her head, which has a solemn appearance but whose light flickers uncertainly!

The nascent soul was crystal clear, like a piece of the finest purple jade, its features identical to Princess Runyu's, only more refined, and brimming with innate Daoist charm. However, at this moment, the chaotic spiritual light (remnants of the Mysterious Female Mother Qi) surrounding this supposedly pure and flawless first-grade celestial infant form appeared chaotic and disordered. On the nascent soul's delicate face, alternating expressions of pain, struggle, longing, fear, and even a faint...black aura appeared!
That was a sign of her inner demons turning against her and her latent demonic nature being stirred up! It was also the moment when she was most vulnerable and least able to focus on anything else!
Around the altar, more than a dozen Golden Core cultivators who were originally responsible for maintaining the formation and converting demonic energy were now staggering, unconscious, and barely breathing due to the backlash from Zhao Cong's self-destruction, the surge of spiritual energy, and the aftershocks of Yunmeng Zhenjun's earlier breaking of the formation.

The entire forbidden area was completely silent except for the low hum of the altar itself, the faint roar of the demon realm passage, Princess Runyu's slightly rapid breathing, and the unstable flickering of her nascent soul light.

No one can stop it.

Yunmeng Zhenjun's lips curled into a cold, confident smile.

"Princess Runyu, you have colluded with the demonic path and used this heaven-defying evil magic. The evidence is irrefutable. Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven and record your crimes for all to see!"

He did not immediately attack Princess Runyu's physical body or nascent soul—that might lead to uncontrollable consequences, such as the opponent launching a counterattack before death, or abnormalities occurring at the altar or in the demon realm passage.

His primary goal is evidence!

As long as a clear image of Princess Runyu entering the Dao through demonic cultivation and condensing a demonic infant is recorded, and this image is linked to this evil altar and the passage to the demonic realm to form irrefutable evidence, then his mission will be more than half completed!

When this evidence is submitted, Princess Runyu's crimes of colluding with the demonic path and cultivating demonic arts will be completely confirmed and irrefutable! Even if the eldest princess's lineage has immense power, in the face of such irrefutable evidence, they would never dare to openly protect her, and would have to sever ties with her immediately, otherwise they would be dragged down with her!
And this is exactly the result that the Crown Prince and the Eastern Palace most wanted to see—not only to eliminate a rival with great potential, but also to severely damage the reputation and power of the Eldest Princess's faction!
Without further hesitation, True Monarch Yunmeng took out a Memory Bean!
This is an extremely precious artifact, a rare treasure of heaven and earth, specifically designed to record important scenes and ensure that the images and divine inspiration cannot be easily tampered with or forged. Images recorded with it contain a trace of the laws of heaven and earth, making their authenticity beyond question.

He carefully channeled a wisp of pure Nascent Soul magic into the Immortal Bean, and the pod immediately emitted a soft golden light, automatically levitating. The pod shell opened slightly, pointing towards Princess Runyu in the center of the altar, the chaotic purple jade Nascent Soul above her head, and the massive and eerie altar and the demon realm passage surrounding her.

"Photography!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun let out a low shout, and the recording bean pod shone brightly. An invisible wave spread out, beginning to record every detail of this "demonic scene" in all directions without any blind spots! From the demonic pattern structure of the altar to the eerie aura of the demonic passage, to Princess Runyu's meditative posture, the dark red between her brows, and the black energy of her struggling nascent soul... everything was clearly imprinted into the bean pod.

This process takes several breaths and cannot be subject to strong interference.

While maintaining the operation of the image-recording pod, Yunmeng Zhenjun's mind raced, and he thought of even more things.

“It’s not just Princess Runyu and the Eldest Princess’s lineage…” A calculating glint flashed in his eyes. “This matter occurred in Wuzhou, which is under Fu Changsheng’s jurisdiction! This man, as a fifth-rank patrol envoy, has been stationed in Wuzhou for decades, yet he was completely unaware of such a shocking matter of demonic cultivation and failed to report it! What a serious dereliction of duty and malfeasance this is!”

Fu Changsheng's daughter was once married into the Seventh Prince's Mansion.

The eldest princess's grandson is currently studying in seclusion at the Fu family, so the Fu family is clearly of the eldest princess's lineage.

Also.

During Fu Changsheng's last visit to the capital, the intelligence headquarters painstakingly established by His Highness the Crown Prince was destroyed by the Ninth Prince, and Fu Changsheng's involvement was vaguely felt in this.

now.

This is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to kill two birds with one stone!

"Princess Runyu has been defying the heavens for decades, and the fluctuations in demonic energy and the strange phenomena in spiritual energy are by no means without trace! Fu Changsheng, as the local patrol envoy, turned a blind eye and concealed it, his heart is despicable!" True Monarch Yunmeng sneered in his heart, "At that time, we only need to 'guide' this evidence slightly, pointing out Fu Changsheng's possible 'cover-up' or 'serious negligence,' and that will be enough to leave him speechless!"

"He can't keep his position as a fifth-rank Imperial Patrolman! In fact, the entire Fu family may be implicated, their noble family status may be revoked, and their family resources may be stripped away! Fu Changsheng himself will face severe punishment from the Imperial Patrol Division and even the imperial court!"

Thinking of this, the smile on Yunmeng Zhenjun's face grew even colder.

She could not only complete the task assigned by the Crown Prince, bringing down Princess Runyu and striking a blow against the Eldest Princess; she could also conveniently eliminate a disobedient and potentially troublesome centrist imperial inspector, weakening a potential rival; and she could also earn another merit in the Eastern Palace, demonstrating her skill and ability...

This trip was truly fruitful and extremely successful!

The cold smile on Yunmeng Zhenjun's lips grew more pronounced. He looked at the purple jade nascent soul in the center of the altar, struggling between demonic nature and Daoist charm, as if he were looking at a perfect work of art that was about to be completed.

"The evidence is ready, Princess Runyu, your path... comes to an end."

He slowly raised his right hand, and in his palm, a short blade, no more than a foot long, shimmering with a cold, dark blue light, and shaped like a water-splitting dagger, quietly appeared—a fifth-grade low-level spiritual treasure, the "Mysterious Dark Water-Splitting Dagger." This was a spiritual treasure he often used for offense; although not his natal weapon, its power was not to be underestimated when combined with his Mysterious Dark True Water Technique.

The short blade exuded a chilling aura and a murderous intent, its gaze fixed on Princess Runyu's heart and the fragile nascent soul above her head.

"Let's finish it."

Yunmeng Zhenjun's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he was about to unleash a fatal blow with the Water-Splitting Thorn!
However, just as he was about to unleash his magic—

"Roar--!!!"

A dragon's roar, shaking the entire area and filled with an ancient, primordial aura, suddenly resounded from above the forbidden land! Immediately afterward, a heavy and powerful Nascent Soul aura, carrying a rich fragrance of grass and trees, descended like a mountain, instantly enveloping the entire forbidden land!
"Huh?!" True Monarch Yunmeng paused, turned his head sharply, and his pupils suddenly contracted!
Above the forbidden area, at the passage that had been disrupted by the previous vortex of spiritual energy, a colossal creature snaked down!

It resembled a dragon, but its entire body was covered with bluish-gray scales that looked like the bark of an ancient tree. It had a pair of wooden horns on its head, and its four claws were strong and powerful. It was surrounded by rich Yi wood spiritual energy and a faint dragon's might—it was clearly a Kui wood dragon! Moreover, the spiritual energy fluctuations it emitted had reached the early stage of the fifth rank!
On the broad, platform-like back of Kuimulong.

Standing steadily at this moment was a middle-aged man dressed in the robes of a fifth-rank imperial patrol officer, with a resolute face and sharp, eagle-like eyes.

“Fu Changsheng?!” Yunmeng Zhenjun’s pupils suddenly contracted.

He never expected that this fifth-rank patrol envoy from this remote place not only possessed a cultivation level that had reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, just one step away from the Nascent Soul stage, but had also subdued a Nascent Soul-level Kui Wood Dragon as a spirit pet?!

This is incredible!

But the shock was fleeting; his keen senses swept over Kui Mulong, and he immediately noticed the anomaly—

Although the Kui Mulong's aura was powerful, it was somewhat unstable, and its soul fluctuations were slightly disordered. It was clear that it had only recently possessed the body and had not yet fully integrated and controlled this powerful dragon body. The strength it could exert was probably only 50% or 60% of its peak strength!
Yunmeng Zhenjun felt much more at ease, and even felt a surge of anger at being offended.

His face darkened, and he shouted sternly:

"Fu Changsheng! How dare you! I am a third-rank Imperial Guardian, ordered to suppress the demonic threat here! You, a mere fifth-rank Imperial Guardian, have trespassed without orders and dare to ride a demonic beast to block my path. This is utter insubordination and utterly absurd! Get out of here immediately, or you will be punished as an accomplice!"

Facing the pressure and rebuke of the Nascent Soul True Monarch, Fu Changsheng stood tall and straight as a pine tree on the back of the Kui Wood Dragon, neither humble nor arrogant:
"True Lord Yunmeng! Princess Runyu is a member of the royal family. Even if she is suspected, the case should be decided by the Imperial Clan Court according to the law, or by His Majesty's decree! Although you have the power to inspect, you do not have the power to kill members of the royal family! This is an overreach of authority! As the Imperial Inspector of Wuzhou, I am responsible for protecting the peace of this area. The Princess's residence is under my jurisdiction. It is my duty to come and investigate this dispute. How can this be considered trespassing or insubordination? I beg you to calm your anger and wait for the Princess to emerge from seclusion or for someone from the Imperial Clan Court to arrive before making a decision!"

"Bright words!"

How could Yunmeng Zhenjun not understand Fu Changsheng's intention to stall for time?
His brother didn't have time to waste with the other party.

at this time.

The changes in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth above the altar caused by Princess Runyu's nascent soul are intensifying, and a faint rumble of thunder is coming from the heavens above—the signs of the heavenly tribulation are becoming more and more obvious! Once Princess Runyu overcomes the tribulation of her inner demons, the heavenly tribulation will officially descend, and the thunderclouds will lock on, making it as difficult as ascending to heaven for him to make a move again!
"It seems you're determined to side with the demonic path and become my enemy! Then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Die!"

The Xuanming Water-Splitting Thorn in his hand shone brightly with blue light, instantly transforming into a cold, azure beam that tore through the void. Ignoring Kui Mulong, it aimed straight for Fu Changsheng's brow! This attack was fueled by his anger, both urgent and ruthless, aiming to kill in one strike, or at least severely injure Fu Changsheng to turn the tide!
Facing the angry attack from the Nascent Soul True Monarch, Fu Changsheng remained unfazed!
Om-!
Seven-colored divine light soared into the sky from his body, and the fluctuations of his magical power surged, instantly breaking through the peak of the Golden Core realm and reaching a new height—the Pseudo-Infant realm! He was only one step away from becoming a true Nascent Soul!
The right hand is loosely clenched.

An ancient spear, entirely purple-gold in color, crackling with silver lightning, and radiating an aura of destruction and judgment, appeared out of thin air in his hand!

Fifth-tier top-grade spiritual treasure - Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear!
The moment the spear appeared, the demonic energy and chaotic spiritual energy permeating the forbidden area were cleared away, as if it had encountered its natural nemesis. The faint sound of thunder rumbling came from the tip of the spear!
"What?! A fifth-grade top-tier spiritual treasure?!" Yunmeng Zhenjun's pupils shrank sharply again. This time, he was truly shocked, even showing a hint of disbelief, jealousy, and greed!
He had been searching desperately for materials, and his natal spirit treasure, the "Mysterious Netherworld Dividing Light Sword," was still unfinished. The best he possessed was only a low-grade fifth-tier "Mysterious Netherworld Dividing Water Thorn" and a damaged defensive spirit treasure. Meanwhile, Fu Changsheng, a mere fifth-rank patrol envoy with only Golden Core cultivation, actually possessed a complete, obviously extremely powerful, fifth-tier top-grade spirit treasure! How could this not make him envious?
"Excellent! What a treasure! Such a divine object is truly a waste of its potential in your hands! It should rightfully belong to me!"

The greed in Yunmeng Zhenjun's eyes was almost undisguised, and his attacks became even more ferocious.

This was Fu Changsheng's first time facing a true Nascent Soul cultivator, so he dared not underestimate him. He immediately activated the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear with all his might. Thunder roared from the tip of the spear, and a purple-gold thunder dragon as thick as a water bucket roared out, fiercely meeting the dark blue cold light!
at the same time.

Kui Mulong roared, his massive body twisting as he spewed out an extremely dense cloud of Yi Wood poison, seemingly capable of corroding everything, which attacked Yunmeng Zhenjun from the side! This was one of Kui Mulong's bloodline treasure techniques. Although its power was diminished due to his unstable soul, an attack at the Nascent Soul level was still not to be underestimated.

"Boom!!!"

Thunder Dragon clashed with Frostlight, and the Poisonous Mist of Wood swept in!

Yunmeng Zhenjun had not expected Fu Changsheng and Kui Mulong to cooperate so seamlessly and launch such a fierce attack. He had to divide his attention to deal with them, transforming Xuanming True Water into layers of waves to resist the corrosive poisonous miasma, while simultaneously manipulating the Water-Splitting Spikes to fight the Thunder Dragon.

In an instant, lightning flashed, cold waves surged, and poisonous miasma filled the forbidden area as the three sides clashed in a fierce battle!
To Yunmeng Zhenjun's alarm, although Fu Changsheng was only a Golden Core cultivator, his magical power was pure and profound, far surpassing that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. Combined with the incredibly powerful Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear, he was able to barely withstand Yunmeng Zhenjun's frontal attacks! Although Kui Mulong had not recovered his strength, his enormous body, powerful physique, and endless wood-type and poison-type divine abilities also caused Yunmeng Zhenjun considerable trouble, preventing him from launching a full-scale attack on Fu Changsheng.

The expected overwhelming victory did not materialize; instead, a brief stalemate ensued!
"Damn it!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun grew increasingly anxious as he fought, for he clearly felt the growing oppressive atmosphere from above, the rumbling thunder seeming to explode right beside his ears! Dark clouds were gathering at a visible speed, the power of heaven and earth was brewing! Princess Runyu's aura, though still chaotic, seemed to show signs of stabilizing... the tribulation of her inner demons was about to pass!

"We can't delay it any longer!"

A hint of ruthlessness and heartache flashed in Yunmeng Zhenjun's eyes.

He abruptly forced back Fu Changsheng's lightning spear thrust, retreating several steps. His hands rapidly formed hand seals in an extremely complex manner, as if invoking some forbidden technique. His aura instantly became violent and unstable, and his face flushed an abnormal red.

"Divine Power - Profound Nether Ice Prison!"

Despite the potential damage to his very essence, he forcibly unleashed a water-based divine power that consumed enormous amounts of energy and possessed immense power!
“Crack!”

Centered on him, an extreme chill erupted, freezing the moisture in the air instantly, and the ground, walls, and even space itself seemed to solidify! Countless thick, gleaming chains of icy ice materialized out of thin air, like tentacles from the icy hell, carrying the terrifying power to freeze souls and imprison all things, and madly lashed out at Kui Mulong and Fu Changsheng!

Kui Mulong was the first to be affected, its massive body instantly bound by seven or eight Xuanbing chains! The biting cold and powerful binding force penetrated its body, causing it to roar in pain. The Yi Wood spiritual energy around it was drastically suppressed, and a thick layer of frost quickly covered its dragon scales, making its movements extremely slow. It was on the verge of being completely frozen!
Fu Changsheng's expression also changed as he felt the air around him solidify, his movements were hindered, and several ice chains came at him like venomous snakes!

In the critical moment, a glint of sword light flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes.

"Nine-Leaf Sword Mushroom, heed my command! Ancient renowned sword—Po Jun, appear!"

With a low shout, a strange Ganoderma lucidum with a hazy, illusory appearance and three sword-shaped leaves appeared above his head. One of the leaves shone brightly and suddenly broke off, transforming into an ancient sword light that was condensed to the extreme and seemed capable of cutting through all constraints and rules!
The sword light was formless and intangible, yet it carried an indomitable and devastating aura, silently slicing through the void.

"laugh--!"

Those incredibly tough ice chains, strong enough to trap and kill ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, were easily severed by this ancient sword light, like a hot knife through butter! The chains binding Kui Mulong shattered inch by inch, the frost on its body rapidly melted away, and it let out a furious roar of liberation.

The ice chains that were aimed at Fu Changsheng were also struck by the residual force of the sword light and shattered.

Yunmeng Zhenjun let out a muffled groan. His divine power was forcibly broken, and the backlash caused his blood and qi to churn. His face paled even more, and his eyes were filled with shock, anger, and disbelief.

"Nine-Leaf Sword Fungus?! An ancient sword-path inheritance?!" He stared intently at the slowly dissipating illusory image of the Ganoderma lucidum above Fu Changsheng's head and the sword light that made his heart tremble. "You actually have such a trump card!"

However, just as he was filled with shock and anger, and Fu Changsheng and Kui Mulong had just escaped and were still breathing heavily—

"Boom!!!"

A deafening thunderclap finally resounded from the heavens above! The entire forbidden area, and even the entire city of Wuzhou, was awestruck by this thunder of divine might!

Above the altar, the dark clouds that had been slowly gathering had now condensed into an incredibly thick cloud that covered an area of ​​dozens of miles, with lightning flashing and thunder appearing within it!

The Heavenly Tribulation is about to officially descend!
At the center of the altar, Princess Runyu, who had been struggling in the illusion of her inner demons with her eyes tightly closed, finally... slowly stopped trembling her violently shaking eyelashes.

The dark red mark between her brows receded as quickly as the tide.

Beneath the tightly closed eyelids, a cold, sharp purple light, seemingly capable of piercing through all illusions, quietly shone.

The tribulation of inner demons is over!

Immediately afterward, the heavenly tribulation thunderclouds fully formed, their energy locking onto the altar, Princess Runyu, and her newly born nascent soul. At this moment, anyone who dared to trespass into the tribulation cloud range and interfere with the heavenly tribulation would be considered a provocation against the Heavenly Dao, and would attract even more violent lightning punishment directed at them!

This means that he has completely lost the opportunity to personally kill Princess Runyu before the tribulation of lightning descends.

"Damn it! All our efforts have been in vain!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun felt a surge of intense resentment and anger. His gaze swept over Fu Changsheng and Kui Mulong, who had just escaped and was still struggling, then over the dozen or so unconscious Golden Core cultivators on the altar, and finally landed on the image-recording immortal bean in his palm, its light subdued and the recording complete.

A hint of ruthlessness and scheming quickly replaced the resentment.

"Hmph! Even if you were lucky enough to survive the tribulation of your inner demons and attract heavenly lightning, so what?" Yunmeng Zhenjun's lips curled into a cold smile as he tightly gripped the Immortal Bean that recorded the image. "This object contains irrefutable evidence of your collusion with the demonic path, your construction of the altar, your connection to the demonic realm, and your cultivation of your nascent soul through demonic means! It is clear and unmistakable, and heaven and earth bear witness!"

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the gathering lightning above the forbidden area, and directed towards the distant imperial capital.

"Once I bring this evidence back and present it to the Heavenly Patrol Bureau, it will reach the ears of the Heavenly Court! At that time, the crimes of colluding with the demonic path, violating the Heavenly Laws, and disrupting Yin and Yang will be like a bone-deep sore, firmly nailed to you, Princess Runyu! Not to mention whether you can survive this tribulation is still unknown, even if you are lucky enough to succeed in the tribulation and achieve the Nascent Soul stage, there will be no place for you in this Great Zhou territory! The lineage of the Eldest Princess will be disgraced and suffer severe damage because of this!"

With this thought in mind, True Lord Yunmeng felt somewhat at ease.

Although they were unable to kill Runyu with their own hands, this outcome was acceptable to the Crown Prince and the Eastern Palace, and might even be better—a "demonic nascent soul" who was disgraced and despised by the whole world was a far greater blow to the Eldest Princess's lineage than a dead genius.

"Don't stay here for long!"

The heavenly tribulation was about to descend, and he didn't want to be affected, much less continue to entangle with Fu Changsheng and that troublesome Kui Mulong.

"Fu Changsheng, I will remember what happened today! There's plenty of time in the future, let's see how things go!"

After uttering a harsh threat, True Monarch Yunmeng suddenly transformed into a streak of dark blue light, shooting towards the edge of the forbidden area with lightning speed! At the same time, he summoned a shuttle-shaped flying magic treasure, increasing his speed by another third, clearly preparing to escape at full speed and return to the capital.

"Want to leave?!"

dream!

Fu Changsheng snorted coldly.

He knew that he absolutely could not let True Monarch Yunmeng leave with that memory bean! Otherwise, regardless of whether Princess Runyu succeeded or failed in her tribulation, their Fu family would suffer a fatal blow.

"Mu Kui, stop him!"

Kui Mulong let out a low roar, and its huge dragon body swayed. Although it had been bound by the Xuanbing Chains and had forcibly broken free, which had consumed a lot of energy, it still faithfully carried out its orders. It stirred up the Yimu spiritual energy in the sky and transformed it into a blue raging torrent, which intercepted Yunmeng Zhenjun's escape light!

"Hmph! You beast! You think you can stop me?!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun sensed the Kui Mulong chasing after him and a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. He was only interested in leaving and did not want to linger in battle, but he was confident that he could easily get rid of or even severely injure a Kui Mulong that was not at its full strength.

Just as he unleashed the Water-Splitting Thorn to deliver a fierce counterattack to the pursuing Kui Mulong.

A sudden change occurred!

On the ground of the forbidden area below, in an inconspicuous corner that had been covered by the aftershocks of the battle, a faint silver array pattern, extremely hidden and almost blending into the surrounding environment, suddenly lit up!
Immediately afterwards, a palm-sized, silver-white jade box covered with fine sealing runes shot out from the center of the array without warning. It expanded in the wind and instantly transformed into a huge silver box about ten feet square, with its mouth pointed at Yunmeng Zhenjun, who was about to speed away!

Fifth-tier special spiritual treasure—the Forbidden Spirit Box!
This treasure has no offensive power, but it excels at sealing and imprisoning a cultivator's magic power and nascent soul. It is activated silently and is extremely difficult to detect, making it an excellent treasure for ambushes and trapping enemies! Fu Changsheng's previous maneuvering with Yunmeng Zhenjun and Kui Mulong's feigned attack were all to attract their attention and create the best opportunity for the "Suppressing Yuan Spirit Box" that had been lying in ambush!

"what?!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun's divine sense was mostly focused on Kui Mulong behind him and the road ahead, so he was completely unprepared for the "Forbidden Yuan Spirit Box" that suddenly attacked from below and whose aura was extremely concealed!
When he realized it, the silver box was already shining brightly, and a strange, binding force specifically targeting a cultivator's magic power and nascent soul essence instantly enveloped him like an invisible spider web!

"not good!"

Yunmeng Zhenjun was horrified and hurriedly activated his nascent soul, trying to break free from the binding force. However, the "Suppressing Spirit Box" had been accumulating power for a long time and had been activated unexpectedly; how could he possibly escape so easily?
In an instant.

Yunmeng Zhenjun felt his magical power suddenly become extremely sluggish, as if he had sunk into a sticky quagmire. Even his nascent soul felt a slight numbness. His originally smooth and swift escape light suddenly stopped and his speed decreased sharply!

Although he was not completely imprisoned thanks to his strong cultivation at the Nascent Soul stage, and could still barely maintain flight and some mana circulation, this momentary delay and lack of mana flow was a fatal flaw in a duel between experts!
"Now!" Fu Changsheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he urgently activated the "Forbidden Yuan Spirit Box," pushing its power to the limit to hold off True Monarch Yunmeng!

At the same very moment—

“Boom-ka-!!!”

The first heavenly tribulation lightning, which had been brewing for a long time, finally tore through the thick tribulation clouds. With the majestic power of heaven that could destroy everything, it was like a furious purple lightning dragon, tearing through the sky and fiercely striking down towards Princess Runyu in the center of the altar and the purple jade nascent soul above her head!

The lightning was blinding, and the oppressive force was terrifying!
At the center of the altar, Princess Runyu, who had been sitting cross-legged as if indifferent to everything around her, finally... moved!
She stretched out her fair, jade-like hand, which now seemed to contain immense power, and gently grasped at the void where True Monarch Yunmeng was—

next moment.

Yunmeng Zhenjun felt the space around him twist and collapse in a strange way. A terrifying suction force, which he could not resist and far exceeded the Nascent Soul level, suddenly appeared and firmly grabbed him!
"Do not--!!!"

He stared wide-eyed in terror, desperately trying to activate his nascent soul and remaining magical power to resist and break free from the "Forbidden Yuan Spirit Box" and this spatial suction force, but all his efforts were in vain!
In Yunmeng Zhenjun's own despairing gaze, his body, like a kite with a broken string, was forcibly dragged by that irresistible force, flying backwards at an astonishing speed towards the altar, towards... the purple lightning that was crashing down!

"boom--!!!"

The purple lightning, like a world-destroying whip, lashed fiercely at the Yunmeng True Monarch who was flying backward.

In that instant, the face of this third-rank patrol envoy and Nascent Soul True Monarch was filled with extreme terror, resentment, and despair. The protective spiritual light he hastily summoned, the damaged Xuan Shui Spiritual Shield, and several defensive magic treasures were torn apart and shattered like paper in the face of the overwhelming divine might of the Heavenly Dao Thunder Punishment!
"what--!!!"

The piercing screams, so mournful they seemed inhuman, briefly drowned out the thunder before being swiftly swallowed by its roar.

After being weakened by Yunmeng Zhenjun's "human shield," the purple heavenly lightning, which was originally powerful enough to split mountains and shatter peaks and make ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators tremble, had its power reduced by 60-70%. The remaining lightning still carried a destructive aura that should not be underestimated, and struck down towards Princess Runyu and the Purple Jade Nascent Soul in the center of the altar.

Princess Runyu remained calm.

The seemingly ordinary white jade bracelet on her wrist suddenly shone brightly!
The jade bracelet flew out of her hand, spinning in the air, and instantly transformed into a precious mirror with a diameter of about ten feet, pure white like jade, with nine phoenixes facing each other carved on the edge, exuding a vast, majestic and peaceful aura!
Sixth-grade low-level spiritual treasure—Nine Phoenix Nirvana Mirror!

This is a life-saving and tribulation-crossing treasure bestowed upon Princess Runyu by her grandmother, the powerful Princess, before she went into seclusion! It was specially prepared to deal with the Nascent Soul Tribulation, containing a trace of Nirvana's true meaning. It is most effective in dissolving the destructive power in the tribulation lightning, protecting the Nascent Soul and the physical body, and can even absorb some of the essence of the heavenly lightning to nourish itself!

"The mirror turns the universe, and rebirth occurs!"

Princess Runyu's clear, cold voice rang out, and the Nine Phoenix Nirvana Mirror shone even brighter, its surface facing the remaining heavenly lightning that had struck down.

Om-!
A soft yet incredibly strong milky-white beam of light shot out from the mirror, not directly confronting the heavenly lightning, but rather like a gentle and expansive net, softly "catching" the purple lightning.

A magical scene happened.

The purple lightning, brimming with destructive power, was instantly "soothed" and "dissolved" upon contact with the milky-white light net, as if ice and snow had met the warm sun. The lightning did not disappear; instead, it was enveloped, guided, and transformed by the milky-white radiance, becoming incomparably pure lightning spirit energy, brimming with vitality and the essence of heaven and earth. Like rivers flowing into the sea, it flowed into the purple jade nascent soul atop Princess Runyu's head!
Nourished by this pure thunder spirit essence, the Purple Jade Nascent Soul shone brightly, becoming more solid and translucent. The chaotic spiritual light surrounding it was also tinged with a faint purple halo, radiating an even more perfect and powerful aura. On the Nascent Soul's delicate little face, there was no longer any trace of pain or struggle, only a clear, majestic expression and the vibrant vitality of a newborn life.

Meanwhile, Princess Runyu's physical body was rapidly recovering its vitality under the dual nourishment of the Thunder Spirit Essence and the Nirvana Mirror Light. Her originally pale, snow-white skin regained its jade-like luster, the dark red between her brows completely disappeared, and her aura became calm and profound.

The first tribulation was safely overcome!

The calamity clouds seemed to be enraged, churning even more violently, with thunder rumbling and lightning flashing like dragons.

Immediately afterwards, the second, the third, the fourth... Heavenly lightning struck one after another, each one thicker and more violent than the last, containing various attributes of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and even bizarre variants such as Yin Sha Poison Lightning, determined to completely annihilate this creature that defied the heavens!

The Nine Phoenix Nirvana Mirror atop Princess Runyu's head truly lives up to its reputation as a precious treasure meticulously prepared by the Eldest Princess for helping her overcome tribulations.

Its radiance flowed, and the nine phoenix phantoms on the mirror seemed to come alive, dancing gracefully. With each change of the mirror's light, it could perfectly resolve, guide, and even "tame" the falling tribulation lightning, transforming its violent destructive power into pure vitality and Daoist charm, continuously injecting it into Princess Runyu and the Purple Jade Nascent Soul.

Under the tempering and nourishment of the heavenly lightning, her nascent soul grew, solidified, and strengthened at an astonishing speed, radiating increasingly powerful pressure and Daoist charm.

(End of this chapter)