The Only Way Is To Challenge The Heavens

When the fiend split, it instantly became an innumerable amount of lesser fiends. The exact number was too much to count however Hu Wenxi quickly determined it to be in the billions. Whats more these lesser fiends all carried the power of a peak Crossing Tribulation minor saint but that's not what is scary about them.

These fiends were all using the same corruption type spell to multiply the shadow devils in the Thousand Flames upper realm. Over a hundred billion living beings called this world home. It also housed interstellar travel gates to 33 minor worlds who all housed billions of life forms.

The amount of shadow devils that could spread would quickly overwhelm the entire world. They weren't a threat to the Human Immortals or even Martial Saints. Even Crossing Tribulation experts could deal with them.

However everyone else was fair game. One has to understand that while thousands of Crossing Tribulation cultivators exist in the empire, this number was but a needle in an ocean compared to the amount of mortal civilians and weaker cultivators. These billions of fiends can easily turn the world against you and force you to massacre everyone on mass to be rid of sinful corruption.

When a realm is corrupted to an extreme degree, a portal can be opened to the dark abyss allowing for farm stronger fiends to come through. With its one move Sam's fiend potentially spelled doom for the empire.

Hu Wenxi was absurdly powerful for a Human Immortal. His reach was massive especially with the Zodiac formation. However he could not reach every corner of the world at once. As such he could not kill the fiends fast enough before more are produced.

Sam's fiend was very fast. Their true cultivation was a peak Karmic Lord, even stronger then the vast majority of Human Immortals. Sam's fiend at its peak would've been on par with Hu Wenxi going all out. In fact if the fiend wanted to run away with all its power, Hu Wenxi couldn't have stopped it without the Zodiac formation backing him.

Fortunately this fiend was created from Sam, it sincerely wanted to fight to the death or at least do everything in its power to ruin the emperor. This splitting technique was its last resort. It was created from a conventional avatar creation spell innate to fiends, necroplasm properties of the ghost body, and excess power from that mighty figure.

Hu Wenxi did not know this but he did know that as of current, to kill Sam's fiend completely he would need to destroy the entire world. Hu Wenxi didn't have that kind of power. Even if he did he didn't want to kill all his subjects. Hu Wenxi sighed and thought to himself, "Loneliness is hard to bare, but attachments is troublesome indeed".

Hu Wenxi did have one solution, but he was not fully confident in it. Hundreds of years ago Hu Wenxi had already fused partially with the water Heavenly Qi of the Wuxing. At any moment he could call upon the Heavenly Tribulation. However he knew that with his foundation the tribulation will eviscerate him at the time.

To remedy this he dispatched his other self into the vast expanse of space to search for treasures to help him. The current Hu Wenxi however could no longer wait. He was older, stronger, more enlightened anymore experienced. His chances were higher at around 75%. Not an ideal 90% but it'll have to do.

Hu Wenxi surged the Qi inside him. The mystical water Qi rolled back and forth merging with more of his body. More then 90% of his body was already merged. That last bit will push his body through the door to true immortality. At that moment his strength will rise, at the same time the deadly tribulation will descend.

92%—95%—97%—99%.

Dark clouds rumbled above the crimson sky. "What?" The weakened saints and immortals on the ground looked up. They could tell the dire situation but could only weakly look up. "Is his majesty really going to?"

Long Chi Bai draconic head raised to look at the thunderous clouds ahead. Even in his age and experience, he still feared those signs. "Door of true immortality, terrifying indeed" for now the old dragon could only hope that the emperor could succeed. If not he will flee back to his origin clan.

"I'm not wholly prepared, but with this threat it's my only way" the Zodiac formation encircled Hu Wenxi protecting him. His wooden sword, hourglass, river map , and a bell honoured. A massive throne also rose out of the palace.

The most surprising was a wooden cabinet that floated high into the air. Another item was also drawn from Hu Wenxi's pocket dimension. It was a compass that was dense in spiritual energy.

The imperial Throne, The all storing shelf, and the soul guide compass. The three Immortal Artefacts in the empire. Today they will help the emperor push into true immortality.

RUMBLE!

The dark clouds formed into the shape of a gate. Gleaming golden rays shone through dispelling the crimson sky, sinful energy was being eroded by heavenly light. Images of Celestial Gods and chanting Buddhas could be seen, immortal soldiers lined up in the heavens above. This was an image depicting the scene of Immortals in the heavens.

"Finally, come at me" Hu Wenxi sat on his throne and felt the powerful might flow into him. As a Human Immortal he could not use the throne to its fullest, in fact it depleted him severely to use it in combat. For Human Immortals, a True Immortal Artefact was near impossible to use. Hu Wenxi had now completely fused with a Heavenly Qi, he can be considered to have had stepped a foot into the heavens. In this moment he could process the Immortal Artefact much better.

The Immortal soldiers roared above, the Buddhas expressed disapproval, the Celestial Gods roared in anger. The path of cultivation no matter which style always went against the wishes of heaven. It always went against destiny. Since the dawn of time destiny wanted all beings to fit within it. Destiny controlled the lives of all things living or un-living.

A cultivator rejects their mortal lives and searches for immortality, this was the philosophy inherent in all cultivators. The Immortal soldiers raised their spears and horrendous roaring flames descended from the heavens. The Buddhas blew out ferocious winds to further enhance the flames.

This was the first stage of an Immortal's tribulation, the gates of eternal flame hurricane. This was called a gate as in a way it was the entrance into the heavens.

Hu Wenxi piloted the throne and met the oncoming flames head on. The Zodiac formation cloaked around him and his treasures shot up. Magical energy flowed into Hu Wenxi, the flames burnt at his skin but the emperor resisted it. The stronger the cultivator, the stronger the tribulation, and these flames would've roasted taoist Infinity Heaven.

Hu Wenxi clasped his hands and spray them out. Much of the flames were dispelled but it was not over. The Celestial Gods joined the fray and an intense wall of fire was created. Once again Hu Wenxi dived into the flames, he will let his physical body handle the fire, it hurt but it saved energy.

The flames burnt Hu Wenxi's skin leaving scorch marks. Thankfully the emperor's treasures expended energy to heal these wounds. In the end the flames were superficial compared to the real tribulation. Hu Wenxi got though the flames with no major incidents. He was charred but otherwise fine.

He held firm as the next gate appeared. Howling winds flickered in the air and Hu Wenxi knew the second tribulation had begun. Sitting on his throne he saw the materialisation of a long winding path reaching into the golden gate. This was the road of immortals, a path all living beings must pass through to reach the heavens.

Hu Wenxi piloted the throne into the path. His treasure followed and together they talked the path. To stop him, fierce spiritual winds ripped at him, these winds tore at both his body and soul threatening them. However they were also an opportunity to temper his spirit. Hu Wenxi used his river map to dilute the winds but still let it hit him in order to absorb more spiritual power from the winds.

Hu Wenxi gritted his teeth and held firm. He looked at his fingers and saw frostbites forming. The temperature at drastically decreased, it was easily —100 degrees out here. Hu Wenxi knew this was the frozen blizzard that was apart of the road.

The immortal road attacked with spiritual winds and fierce blizzards. Hu Wenxi smiled, "its cold indeed", intense flame generated in his hands to combat the cold. Lesser flames are easily snuffed out and while Hu Wenxi is not pioneer of fire arts he was no slouch. The fire in his hand engulfed the blizzard taking advantage of the spiritual winds to grow.

Hu Wenxi's flames were also spiritual in nature, they easily ate the wind to power itself. Gradually Hu Wenxi's power was rising to combat the tribulation. He had very few heart demons in the first place hence he did not hesitate to counter the tribulation.

Eventually he arrived at the golden gates. Hu Wenxi gazed at the immortals, gods, and buddhas before him. He stretched out a hand and grasped at the gate. A thin membrane of golden light blocked him, "Sorry for the mess". Hu Wenxi raised his fist and punched as hard as he can. He put everything into that punch and the heavens shook in response.

"AIE?" Billions of fiends looked into the sky and began to quiver. They slowly felt what was happening. "AIE" billions of fiends began sending billions of shadow devils to the sky, they were determined to block the emperor. They knew that if the emperor succeeded, they were all fucked beyond belief.

"Protect your emperor" Qiang Mei Hua ordered before raising her hand to channel spells. Long Chi Bai rose from the ground, he should but in some work too. Lao Fu energetically fought against the fiends, 'At last, there is hope'.

Yun Xiao Che stabbed a fiend while tearing another's spine out. He looked at Hu Wenxi's distant figure and vowed in his heart, 'One day, I will get there'. Away from the rest a crowned figure in luminous robes looked on with a poker face. His hands trembled but quickly gripped into a fist. He could feel nervousness in his heart, he sincerely hoped he wouldn't be exposed.

Hu Wenxi's impact did not dent the membrane, hence he attacked many more times. Eventually he grabbed his word and slashed at the membrane. Ripples are visible now but it still wasn't enough. Hu Wenxi had his shelf and compass power him while he grabbed the back rest of his throne.

"HAIYA" Hu Wenxi slammed his throne down like a madman. The membrane shattered on impact. Mystical golden light flowed into Hu Wenxi, he had now crossed the penultimate gate. He looked up and saw the broken gate gathering above him in a ball of purple electrical energy. 'Here it comes' the emperor thought, he brought his river map up before he was struck with a gigantic pillar of lightning crashing him into a mountain below him.