Chapter Forty-One: Calamity

Earlier, when the topic of crossing the tribulation was raised, everyone reacted differently.

Drunken Red Dust was noticeably calm, nodding for Liuping to proceed with the tribulation. She didn’t sit idle, instead she drew three jade coins and cast a divination, only to find the signs as mysterious as ever, the outcome unclear, leaving her somewhat frustrated. This was truly inconvenient.

Flower was curious—was her uncle about to cross a tribulation? From the earlier conversation and her uncle’s cultivation, it must be the Yang Fire Tribulation. She remembered when she herself crossed the Yang Fire Tribulation; witnessing the endless flames pouring from heaven and earth had nearly frightened her unconscious, and the pain was unbearable. Even now, she still felt lingering fear, and deeply regretted it afterward, wishing she had never crossed it.

All three sisters were born from the same peach blossom. Though Flower was the eldest, her temperament was not as mature as Leaf’s. She was, however, more expressive, eloquent, and very much favored by Drunken Red Dust, carefree and quick to retreat from trouble, rarely considering consequences.

Leaf let out a light snort, somewhat disdainful. It was her uncle, after all, but his cultivation level was lower than hers—what kind of uncle was that? Only now crossing the tribulation, how disappointing! If it weren’t for his gentle nature, she would see no reason for his existence.

Fruit instinctively drew her head beneath the quilt, fearing her sisters would seize the moment to lecture her. She was the only one among them who had yet to cross the Yang Fire Tribulation. She spent her days burrowed beneath the covers, never venturing out, too lazy to move, and had not seen sunlight for years—how could she possibly have crossed the Yang Fire Tribulation?

“Master, I want to see Uncle cross the tribulation!” Flower put down her spoon, rice grains still clinging to her lips, and hurriedly jumped from her chair.

Drunken Red Dust gently wiped the grains from Flower’s lips and said, “Finish your porridge first, then go.”

“But if I finish the porridge, it’ll be too late! Master, you’re worried too, aren’t you? Let’s go together, shall we?”

“It’s only a Yang Fire Tribulation—what’s there to worry about?” Leaf said discontentedly, glancing at Fruit, who hid her head in her cup. “Fruit, hurry and eat! What’s the point of hiding under the covers?”

“Mm…” Fruit slowly poked her head out, responding softly.

Flower pouted, “Actually, Leaf, you want to go too, don’t you? You once brought Uncle back as your ideal suitor!”

At this, Leaf’s face flushed red with anger. “Why bring up ideal suitor again? How many times have I said it—yesterday, it was clearly Master who told me to bring him over!”

“Oh, I see—so Master found you an ideal suitor?” Flower smiled slyly.

Leaf was furious. “Not at all! Don’t mention ideal suitor! Only those who want an ideal suitor bring up ideal suitor!”

Flower retorted, “No, I don’t!”

Leaf shouted back, “Yes, you do! Yes, you do!”

“Flower, Leaf, please don’t fight…” Fruit tried to mediate quietly from the side, but it had no effect and was completely ignored.

Drunken Red Dust listened to the two little ones bicker, her head aching. She snorted, “No more arguing!”

Master’s sternness worked; both little ones fell silent, looking at her pitifully.

Drunken Red Dust’s heart did not soften at their pitiful looks; she said coldly, “Still arguing? Did you forget what I said last time? If you keep at it, you’ll copy the ‘Treatise on Human Principles’ five times!”

“Ah! That treatise has over eight thousand words!” Flower cried out in dismay.

“Yes, Master, that’s too much!” Leaf complained as well.

“Ten times!”

“Ah!!”

“Hmm?”

“Alright…” The two little ones drooped their heads, almost ready to cry.

“Hmph. See if you argue again. Very well, Flower, Leaf, and Fruit—if you want to go out and watch, then go.” Drunken Red Dust stood up. “I’ll go, too.”

“I’m going!” Flower chimed in immediately.

“I’m not—” Watching the other two leave, Leaf swallowed her words, hesitated, and eventually ran out as well.

“They’re all gone…” Fruit, still under the covers, watched her sisters and master leave, mumbling, “I want to go, too… but maybe not…”

Outside, Drunken Red Dust, Flower, and Leaf watched the Yang Fire ahead, unable to suppress their astonishment. “What is this?”

Drunken Red Dust frowned slightly. “Strange, the flames aren’t strong, but there’s a tendency for them to shift toward blue Yang Fire…”

Flower exclaimed, “Two-colored Yang Fire Tribulation! Uncle is crossing a two-colored Yang Fire Tribulation?!”

Leaf’s brows furrowed as well. Two-colored Yang Fire Tribulation? Truly unexpected.

Only the most powerful beings encounter greater flames during tribulation. Liuping’s ability to cross the two-colored Yang Fire Tribulation meant he was no ordinary ghost immortal.

Soon, the countless Yang Fires between heaven and earth began to transform, turning completely into blue flames.

But after this transformation, not long passed before another change began!

“Three-colored Yang Fire Tribulation?!”

Drunken Red Dust’s expression shifted, unable to contain her shock: “Impossible! How could it be the three-colored Yang Fire Tribulation? He isn’t a demon—how could he face the three-colored Yang Fire Tribulation? Unless…”

“Three-colored Yang Fire! This is the highest level of Yang Fire Tribulation!” Flower cried out again, deep worry showing on her face. “Uncle won’t be in trouble, will he?!”

Leaf’s expression was equally grim. Even if the purple Yang Fire could not burn the flesh, its pressure was palpable—unimaginable, the pain and stress Liuping’s spirit must be enduring.

“Uncle Liuping…” Leaf murmured, worry written on her face. “You must make it through…”

If it were blue Yang Fire Tribulation, Drunken Red Dust might secretly help Liuping, but under this purple Yang Fire, even she was powerless!

This was the might of the heavens!

“Brother, fate and time—your strange destiny has brought this three-colored Yang Fire Tribulation down upon you…”

※※※※※※

Three measures of Green Essence Liquid floated within the soul, now visibly dwindling at a rapid pace.

Desperately maintaining his soul’s form, Liuping glanced at the Green Essence Liquid, knowing it would not last much longer.

“What to do? What to do!”

“If this continues, I must find a way—otherwise, once the Green Essence Liquid is depleted, my life will surely end!”

“But this is the tribulation, the test of heaven—how could there be any shortcuts?”

“If it were ordinary Yang Fire, it might have been possible, but this purple Yang Fire is countless times fiercer—how could I use the Four Great Paths to absorb it?”

“Besides, I am already within the flames, unable even to slowly sense them…”

“A way… a way…”

As time passed, four-fifths of the Green Essence Liquid had already vanished, and the tribulation was barely one-tenth complete.

Enduring the constant burn of Yang Fire, maintaining the soul’s human form was exhausting—achievable only through sheer effort. To find a solution amid such agony was nearly impossible.

※※※※※※

“Brother!” Drunken Red Dust watched Liuping’s soul burning in midair, several times tempted to intervene, yet always restraining herself.

Her intervention would save his life, but at the cost of forever losing the chance to advance!

But if she did nothing, his life would be lost.

How to choose? Drunken Red Dust hesitated, biting her lip, and watched quietly.

※※※※※※

“Where is the turning point?” Liuping felt even thinking was a struggle.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred; he cried out, and his soul collapsed instantly!

The Green Essence Liquid was gone!

“No!! No!! Never!!”

With a cry from his heart, he forcibly re-formed his soul.

Though he barely managed to reform it, it soon began to fracture again.

Watching his soul gradually shatter, despair filled Liuping’s eyes.

Was this the end for him?

“No, there must be a chance.”

A chance…

Suddenly, Liuping’s eyes widened. “The turning point!! I know it!”

※※※※※※

“Master! Save uncle! He’s dying!” Flower tugged at Drunken Red Dust’s sleeve, crying out.

“Master, please save uncle…” Even Leaf spoke up.

Watching Liuping’s soul shatter, Drunken Red Dust nodded, “I understand…”

She sighed lightly. Brother, your path may end here…

Just as she was about to intervene, Drunken Red Dust suddenly stopped.

“Wait!”

Her heart leapt—she sensed something. “No, there’s still a chance.”

“Ah? A chance?” Flower and Leaf looked over in confusion.

So tense were the three of them, none noticed a small figure wrapped in a quilt emerge from the doorway.

Fruit gazed at Liuping’s soul in the sky, quietly cheering, “Uncle… you must make it through…”

※※※※※※

“A turning point! Though I don’t know if it’s right, this is the only way out!!”

Liuping cried out, desperately recalling the composition of sunlight and why it harmed the soul.

If he could explain the Four Great Cycles scientifically and establish a system for understanding the Four Great Paths, then why couldn’t he determine what the soul needed to adapt to in sunlight to overcome the Yang Fire Tribulation and walk beneath the sun?

Once the system was established, if he could pinpoint what he needed to adapt to, then selectively adapt—wouldn’t that work?!

He didn’t know if it was correct, but Liuping could only try!

He had no other choice!

So, changing his approach, he began to try immediately, barely thinking.

Sunlight’s essence was the intense light radiation produced by thermonuclear fusion—a band of electromagnetic waves in the visible spectrum.

“Infrared? No!”

“Visible light? No!”

“X-rays? No!”

“Gamma rays? No!”

“No, try another angle! Perhaps it’s the electromagnetic waves themselves?!!”

“No! Still not right… Wait, purple flames—ultraviolet!”

“That’s it! Ultraviolet!”

With his goal clear, Liuping’s survival instinct surged, forcing his shattered soul to reform in human shape.

Over a long period, he began to absorb and adapt specifically to ultraviolet rays. The process was excruciating, more painful and difficult than ever, but Liuping’s overwhelming will to survive carried him through.

At first, the pain was intense, but gradually it eased…

Until, finally, he fully adapted.

“It worked.” Looking at the world filled with purple flames, Liuping felt no more pain—only warmth and comfort.

At this point, though a third of the Yang Fire Tribulation remained, it began to recede on its own.

“Ah.” Soul returning to the body, Liuping sighed in relief, unable to suppress his deep exhaustion.

His soul, though successfully adapted during the tribulation, had clearly suffered severe damage.

But since he had crossed it, he was safe.

Relaxing, he simply fainted away.