CHAPTER 419: SUMMONING THE HEAVENLY TRIBULATION

Chapter 419: Summoning the Heavenly Tribulation

While meditating to recover his true essence, Monk Burning Karma suddenly felt his hand go empty.

"Where is This Monk's Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl?"

He turned his palm over repeatedly, finding nothing.

The Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl's primary function was refinement - whether demons or humans, anything thrown inside would be purified into pure Buddhist power. This power could heal wounds, restore true essence, or form attacks and defenses - essentially serving as backup energy. He had just been using it to recover.

Yet in the blink of an eye, his treasure was gone.

"Preposterous! How could This Monk's artifact vanish right before my eyes?"

Monk Burning Karma immediately attempted to recall the bowl. The Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl had an artifact spirit and was a bonded treasure.

As long as it remained within sensing range, recall should be instantaneous.

Yet when he focused his senses, he discovered his connection to the bowl had been completely severed!

This was identical to when the Buddha's finger bone and brocade kasaya were stolen from his treasury!

Someone had erased his spiritual imprints from these artifacts!

Meaning the thief who looted his treasury was also within the Sumeru Realm!

Nearby, and capable of stealing artifacts from his very hands without detection!

"Who?! Who dares?!" Monk Burning Karma's rage boiled over, his molars grinding audibly. "Amitabha damn it all! With such formidable thieving skills, you're surely no nameless nobody. Why cower in shadows?"

Chen Huaian nearly burst out laughing seeing the monk's deranged expression.

If his deductions were correct,

this wasn't the first time the monk had been robbed.

Non-equipment items could be directly purchased.

Various rare materials had probably disappeared from Burning Karma's possession the moment they entered the shop. That top-grade spiritual treasure brocade kasaya likely wasn't unused by choice - it had already been absorbed by the shop.

As Burning Karma raged, Chen Huaian seized the opportunity to secretly heal using the Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl.

Displaying the bowl now would certainly enrage the monk, but it would also invite his furious retaliation.

Finding no trace of another presence, Burning Karma's suspicious gaze naturally fell upon Chen Huaian: "Sword Pavilion Patriarch, did you steal This Monk's Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl?"

Chen Huaian couldn't help but laugh,

not even bothering to wipe the blood from his lips as he sneered: "Old monk Burning Karma, has Buddhist practice rotted your brain? This Venerable One is a sword cultivator - we use swords. What need have I for your broken bowl? This Venerable One wouldn't spare it a glance!"

"No need?!" Burning Karma's eyes nearly rolled back in fury. "This Monk's Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl is a supreme-grade spiritual artifact with infinite uses! Barely a step below spiritual treasure status!" He pointed accusingly, "What would a penny-pinching sword cultivator who only owns one spiritual treasure know?!"

Chen Huaian ignored him, thinking privately that admitting interest would only worsen the monk's mood.

He focused on healing, preparing to implement Zhang Yibai's plan.

He might have discovered an exploit.

"Damn! Kid, how are you recovering so fast?" Zhang Yibai within the Black Scales Sword sensed Chen's rapidly restoring energy and was stunned. While the Original Dao Physique was known for enlightenment, its healing properties were unheard of.

"The Sun-Devouring Golden Bowl is with me," Chen secretly transmitted.

"What?!" Zhang Yibai was flabbergasted. "You stole it just now?"

"Elder Brother, let's not use such crude terms," Chen chuckled awkwardly.

"Is it theft when I'm trading destiny, providence, and opportunity? The bowl came to me willingly, then I merely erased its imprint and blood-bonded it... does that constitute stealing?"

Zhang Yibai: "..."

That was literally stealing.

Which raised the question: how could Chen Huaian, merely at the initial Great Ascension Stage, erase the soul imprint of a Second Tribulation cultivator?

This defied all logic!

The young man clearly possessed unknown abilities.

Beyond sword dao, the kid apparently dabbled in thievery too.

Before further inquiry, Burning Karma attacked recklessly again.

Chen Huaian remained seated, ignoring the approaching monk as he concentrated.

Suddenly his aura sank like abyssal depths before exploding outward.

BOOM—!

His true essence surged like an inverted celestial river, piercing the heavens, shaking the Sumeru Realm, and penetrating the firmament.

The energy formed a jade pillar connecting yin and yang, drawing upon cosmic power.

Monk Burning Karma witnessed this earth-shattering spectacle and nearly collapsed in terror.

His eyes bulged with disbelief and horror.

He could clearly sense the soaring energy disrupting heavenly laws.

Soon, distant thunder rumbled on the horizon.

"Sword Pavilion Patriarch! You—you're trying to summon a heavenly tribulation?!" Burning Karma trembled, face white as paper. "A Great Ascension initial-stage cultivator forcibly invoking tribulation is suicide! How could your current realm withstand heavenly punishment?"

Deep in the sky, violet-black tribulation clouds gathered, lightning flickering within.

The Heavenly Dao had taken notice.

"Stop this madness!"

Burning Karma wanted to intervene but dared not.

Having survived two minor tribulations, he revered heavenly might, fearing any action might draw its wrath.

Normally, Great Ascension cultivators waited until heaven naturally sensed them, bringing tribulation uninvited... who sought out heavenly punishment voluntarily? This was outright provocation!

"HAHAHA! Monk Burning Karma!" Chen Huaian laughed maniacally despite bleeding from seven orifices under heavenly pressure. "If I can't defeat you, I'll drag you to hell with me!"

"My disciples—you won't harm them! Your holy land—you won't protect it!"

"Perish together! HEHEHE!"

"Sword Pavilion Patriarch, let's negotiate! Just stop!" Burning Karma stood frozen, neither approaching nor fleeing. He pleaded gently while hurriedly producing all his artifacts.

"You have friends, disciples—dying here isn't worth it! Cease this! This Monk will forgive today's transgressions!"

Chen: "Forgive your mother! I can't stop now!"

Burning Karma: "Amitabha, you can if you try... be good, listen to reason~"

Chen: "Not listening! Monk's chanting nonsense!"

Burning Karma: "..."

...

BOOM—!

Above Golden Buddha Sea, thunderclouds converged.

Lightning coalesced into a golden thunderball resembling a celestial eye glaring earthward.

All living beings sensed the heavenly wrath contained within.

At Jade Pool Holy Land, Real Person Yuyao paused her massacre, a chill running down her spine as she stared toward Golden Buddha Sea in shock.

"Who provoked such heavenly fury? Could it be that old monk Burning Karma?"

She licked her lips regretfully.

Burning Karma's true essence would make excellent nourishment—what a waste if he got vaporized.

She hoped the lightning would leave him half-dead for her to harvest.

Yuyao steadied her breathing, slowing her absorption of nearby cultivators.

Though the heavenly wrath wasn't directed at her, caution was prudent.

When Heaven's Will manifested, it recognized no kinship.

Being mistaken for a great demon would ruin all her preparations.

...

Above Golden Buddha Sea,

Oppressive black clouds nearly touched the ocean surface.

The brewing divine majesty reached its peak.

The golden thunder-eye gradually reddened, as if brimming with rage, determined to reduce the heaven-defying offender to ashes!