CHAPTER 276: CHAPTER 0273: CROSSING THE THREE CALAMITIES

"Brother Lin, thank you so much."

Ye Donglai expressed his gratitude.

"I always knew Brother Lin is unparalleled in the world, incomparable to anyone. With Brother Lin around, I’ll surely be pulled out of danger."

He started praising him again.

Ye Donglai’s ability to flatter was top-notch; ordinary people couldn’t match him. Wen Xian had excellent aptitude and was highly regarded by the Sect Leader, but under Ye Donglai’s compliments, Wen Xian considered him a good-natured ally, a disciple standing firmly by his side.

"Doing something else is better than just handing over your wealth to others. If you have Spirit Stones in the future, you can leave them with me for safekeeping," Lin Fan said.

Ye Donglai scratched his head. Brother Lin, isn’t that a bit domineering?

Spirit Stones should still be kept by me personally.

At the same time, he had to find a way to get back the Spirit Stones that are now with Lin Fan.

But the current situation wasn’t ideal.

He had to wait for the right opportunity.

After Lin Fan and the others had left the mountain range for a long time.

A figure swept in from afar, landing within the mountains and entering a grand hall.

An elder bowed respectfully and said, "Emperor, this is what happened. The other party is a True Disciple of the Taiwu Immortal Sect, with profound cultivation. I couldn’t gain the upper hand against him, so I thought it best to avoid further trouble and return the Spirit Stones and Spiritual Artifact that his junior brother had lost."

The one who came was a young man.

A golden flame flickered between his brows, exuding the aura of a divine being. Upon hearing the matter, his brows furrowed slightly.

"Hmph, so what if he is a True Disciple of the Taiwu Immortal Sect? Daring to make trouble here—he’ll owe me not only the principal but the interest as well in the future!" the man said coldly, his voice devoid of warmth. Learning of the incident, he had rushed over, yet the affair was already resolved. If he had been here, he wouldn’t have shown the other party any courtesy.

"What’s his name?"

The elder replied, "Lin Fan, the disciple who was chased by two Demon Path experts."

Seemingly recalling something, the elder hesitated before advising, "Emperor, I believe it would be best to let this matter go. Stirring up trouble with him over mere tens of millions of Spirit Stones may not be wise."

The Emperor waved a dismissive hand, saying, "I know. You need not concern yourself any further. What happens here isn’t decided solely by me—whether to let it go will depend on whether they agree or not."

"The Taiwu Immortal Sect deserves face, but we do not fear them."

Every prodigy is arrogant, self-assured, and believes themselves to be undefeated.

Who is Lin Fan?

To them, he’s just someone who could die without even knowing how or why.

But the ultimate outcome often carries an air of mystery.

Lin Fan didn’t return to the sect with Ye Donglai; instead, he let them go back on their own. He had matters to attend to—he needed to find a suitable place for his tribulation. Now that his strength had reached the tipping point, what was the point of holding back? He would face the Three Calamities head-on.

Days later.

Having traversed hundreds of mountains, he finally chose an ideal location for his tribulation.

Though he wasn’t adept at Array Formation, the mountain’s natural terrain was exceptional, harmonizing with the workings of heaven and earth, with Spiritual Energy abundant.

Landing atop the mountain peak, he spoke slowly.

"Spiritual Beasts dwelling within the mountain, swiftly retreat. Leave this place immediately, or risk injury from the impending celestial calamity. You bear the responsibility for the consequences."

Crossing tribulations is a sacred endeavor.

Soon after.

The beasts residing in the wilderness seemed to understand Lin Fan’s words.

Or perhaps they felt the pressure.

They fled in all directions with incredible speed.

From the distant wilds, movements stirred in great waves.

Lin Fan lifted his gaze towards the heavenly vault. The sky was clear and boundless blue; he no longer restrained himself, letting go completely, allowing the pull of heaven and earth to stir his inner forces.

Suddenly.

The originally azure sky transformed into a fiery red, its clouds igniting like flames.

No...

That wasn’t cloud—it was real fire.

Lin Fan stood atop the peak with a calm expression as he observed the changes in the sky. A scorching, oppressive sensation spread across the land, distorting the surrounding space. The trees on the mountain didn’t burn naturally but withered instantly, turning the area for hundreds of miles into a searing wasteland.

Crackle, crackle!

Fire sparks erupted from his Yongquan acupoint, and in an instant, they ignited into an inferno, consuming his entire body.

This flame wasn’t burning his physical form; it was consuming his Five Internal Organs and Six Hollow Organs. His limbs and bones blazed.

Inside and out, he resonated with the celestial fire above.

As heaven’s fire descended, it engulfed Lin Fan in a massive blaze.

The sheer force of the flames was terrifying.

An ordinary person couldn’t even approach the fire—merely standing nearby would reduce them to ashes under the heat.

Lin Fan had once heard a myth.

A Fairy undergoing tribulation failed to survive the Fire Disaster, resulting in her body being consumed, leaving only a skeleton. After many years, the remains gained sentience and turned into a White Bone Spirit.

It aligned with the cosmic principle: Heaven derives forty-nine paths from fifty; humanity seeks survival in the one unseen—a precious sliver of life.

Just a sliver of life.

Lin Fan mused whether failing his tribulation would turn him into a "White Bone Fan."

Now, he remained motionless, allowing the fire to spread, consuming his insides and outwards, as he contended with the calamity—a process yielding great benefits.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed.

The blazing red clouds that had blanketed the heavenly vault gradually dissipated.

His intensely burning body also dimmed; the flames shrank steadily and retreated back into his body.

"Truly a pleasant fire cupping experience."

Lin Fan had been entirely immersed in the scorching atmosphere, a sensation more soothing than a steam sauna. His body felt extraordinarily light, as though the toxins within had burned away entirely.

At present, his body was charred black.

Surface skin curled into scorched patches; after some movement, the charred layers flaked off, exposing skin that was smoother than before.

He could feel the changes within himself.

The baptism through Fire Disaster caused profound transformation in his internal organs and bones.

Quite satisfactory.

Next came the Water Disaster.

He planned to overcome all Three Calamities at once.

As he summoned the forces of heaven and earth.

The heavenly vault split open with a pitch-dark crevice; boundless waves of black water surged upwards, roaring and boiling. Moments later, as if pinpointing a target, they crashed violently downward, enveloping Lin Fan with tremendous impact.

The black water carried unimaginable weight and possessed the ability to corrupt one’s Dao Heart. A weak Dao Heart would inevitably falter and succumb.

Glub glub!

Inside Lin Fan’s body, black water churned turbulently, its immense weight pressing upon him as if seeking to crush him entirely.

However, unfortunately for the calamity...

This wasn’t a problem for him.

Before long.

The Water Disaster was overcome; the black water vanished as though it had never existed.

He couldn’t help but feel that his Divine Skills had grown somewhat domineering—especially the Ancestor Dragon Floating Body technique, which seemed to shield him from the hardships of calamities entirely.

The experience didn’t feel like a calamitous struggle; it was no different from entering a bathhouse for cleansing.

What he didn’t realize was...

The beasts that had fled earlier were so petrified by the power of the first two calamities that they didn’t even dare twitch their legs. The sheer force left them immobilized.

For them.

It was akin to the oppressive might of annihilation, leaving them paralyzed in fear.

"Come, the third trial—Wind Disaster. I hope it’s a bit refreshing."

As he spoke.

Winds began stirring throughout heaven and earth; gales howled fiercely. This wasn’t ordinary wind—these winds carried black sand particles, so dense they seemed capable of blowing the entire mountain range apart.

"Hmm!"

He noted these winds affected even his mana, causing shockwaves that reverberated through his Divine Soul.

"What powerful Wind Tribulation."

Clang clang!

His body emitted crisp sounds as if tiny blades sliced against his skin.

"The third calamity truly is terrifying, unlike the first two that were rather straightforward."

The potency of the Wind Disaster scales with the strength of the cultivator undergoing the tribulation.

His own cultivation was unquestionably profound, so the calamity’s ferocity was equally unmatched.

Pu chi!

"What!?"

His Ancestor Dragon Floating Body technique had reached the pinnacle, rendering him impervious even to Dao Artifacts. Yet, now a crack appeared, and blood flowed out, whipping through the winds and drying instantly.

"Interesting."

Lin Fan remained utterly composed. He had thought the Three Calamities to be monotonous but was caught off guard by the Wind Disaster’s overwhelming threat.

This was truly unexpected.

Even as his Divine Soul wavered under the tempest.

He activated the Supreme God Talisman, anchoring his Divine Soul and halting its tremors. No matter how fiercely the wind assailed him, his Soul remained untouched.

However.

The tempest grew even fiercer—the skies had turned entirely black—and a massive, pitch-black tornado bore down from the distance.

This seemed to be its ultimate strike.

Survive, and the tribulation was complete.

Fail, and he would utterly vanish into oblivion.

Just then.

Far across the void, a figure gradually emerged—a lone elder stepping from the emptiness with a sinister grin tugging at his lips.

Spreading his five fingers, he gathered a glowing mass into his palm. Slowly, the light condensed into a small purple sword. With a flick, the elder hurled it forward. In an instant, the tiny sword transformed into a colossal blade, its gleaming tip shimmering with purple light. Its force tore through the void, heading straight for Lin Fan.

Amid his tribulation, Lin Fan sensed the incoming threat behind him. With a knit brow, he swiftly turned and unleashed a palm strike.

Boom!

Two formidable energies clashed violently, creating intense impacts.

The devastating shockwaves extended outward, further stirring the already raging Wind Disaster, making it even more terrifying.

"Who are you?" Lin Fan asked coldly.

In the void, the elder stood motionless, eyes fixed upon Lin Fan. "Boy, the Sect Hierarch’s Divine Medicine Residue ought to be returned. If you refuse, I believe this Wind Disaster will become your burial ground."

"Heavenly Corpse Old Demon." Hearing the mention of Divine Medicine Residue, Lin Fan instantly recognized him. Apart from the Heavenly Corpse Old Demon, who else could it be? Yet this elder wasn’t the Old Demon himself—it seemed he was one of the formidable experts who had once accompanied him.

"How did you know I was undergoing tribulation here?" Lin Fan asked.

The elder sneered, "You’ve been under our watch for quite some time. We were merely waiting for the right moment. Now, at your most crucial juncture, did you truly think you could evade us?"