“Exactly 99 meters long.” Heifeng Jiansui measured the size of the tree with his eyes. While this would be an impossible height for ordinary trees, this size was only a pittance for a tree that attained spirituality. Only young trees that had discovered the path of cultivation would attain this height.

“To think such a parasol tree would be hidden here! Since it is 99 meters long, it has reached the limit, and to take a step further it must face tribulation!” Xingmei’s voice caused Heifeng Jiansui to nod.

“Tribulation… Everything exceptional and heaven-defying faces this calamity on their path. As descendents of the Black Phoenix, we three will have to face tribulation after breakthrough to Life Desolation boundary.” Heifeng Jiansui had faced many tribulations in his past life, even refining the Nineprime Divine Body through it.

The more magnificent the existence was, the more fearful would the falling tribulation be. The Blackshadow Forest was formed as a result of the parasol tree creating a Pure Yang fairyland as its dominion. This feat was hard to accomplish for a 4th Boundary cultivator, yet the parasol tree which wasn’t even truly sentient accomplished this miracle! The tribulation would be a sight to see.

“…So what should we do then? The tribulation hasn’t arrived yet, so should we simply watch?” Jiuxie looked at the great tree with boredom.

“The fire that will quench this tree during tribulation will be Yin blackfire. As Black Phoenixes, we can roost upon this tree while the blackfire falls, swallowing it to temper our bloodlines. It will remove some pressure off this Parasol Tree’s back, making it more agreeable when we take it back to the Black Phoenix Palace.” At Heifeng Jiansui’s plans, the two girls nodded in agreement. In tandem, the three leaped up to stand upon a branch of the parasol tree.

Immediately, the three called upon their bloodlines and battle spirits, transforming into radiant Black Phoenixes. The Threelaw battle formation was unleashed and the innate laws engraved on their bodies awakened to form a domain that was solely under their control!

The three of them were accepted by the tree which made no attempt to shake them off. Instead, a soothing energy entered their bodies, quenching their bloodlines. Knowing that the three planned to assist it through the tribulation, the tree was welcoming.

Immediately, black clouds appeared over the skies. The tribulation was being avoided by the Parasol Tree all along, but now that it had gained three helpers, there was no need to postpone the calamity. Three pillars of blackfire fell like bolts of lightning!

The Threelaw Formation acted like a lightning rod, pulling the three blackfire pillars to strike the three cultivators. The destructive power of blackfire was overwhelmed by the legacy of the Chaos Sovereign Black Phoenix, and they were forced to nourish the Heifeng clan!

“This should be a 3-by-9 tribulation. As the first salvo, the Parasol Tree would have been able to sustain this, but would have certainly been quite weakened…” Heifeng Jiansui said this in his heart when another set of blackfire fell. The 3-by-9 tribulation would end only when 9 sets of three blackfire pillars fell. Two had already fallen, and seven remained.

Facing the tribulation fire, the three only maintained the Threelaw formation. The blackfire tribulation was not allowed to touch the parasol tree and could only nourish the trio. Like this, the calamity ended with an anticlimax.

The tribulation ended yet the parasol tree still didn’t achieve sentience, still couldn’t communicate with the world. It would only follow its instincts and cultivate. After passing the tribulation, the parasol tree took another step forward in cultivation. The 99 meter long tree rose in height, lengthening step by step until it stopped at the height of 149 m. It would face many tribulations on its path of cultivation, and achieving sentience was still a long way off.

The Yin blackfire tribulation was a lucky chance that was hard to find. It had refined Heifeng Jiansui’s bloodline that had already unsealed the First Seal of Ice-Fire. The second seal of Wind-Thunder was a single step from unsealing.

Naturally, the girls had received benefits as well. Currently, Xingmei was a single step away from awakening the Ice-Fire Seal. As for Jiuxie, she didn’t possess the Black Phoenix Nine Seals and thus her bloodline and battle spirit received a grand tempering.

Having received such a lucky chance, Heifeng Jiansui gently patted the tree. “You managed to pass this tribulation only with our help. If not, you would have assuredly turned to ashes. But now, we have to leave. In case another tribulation appears, even if it does not change in might, you will still meet the fate of turning to ashes.

How about you come with us? My clan is descended from the Black Phoenix, if another tribulation falls my clansmen will happily bear it like we did earlier. Also, since your further cultivation would require great amounts of fire energy essence, I can pluck a star for you to take root in.”

At Heifeng Jiansui’s words, the tree’s leaves faintly shook as they fell incessantly, as if winter had come. Finally, there was only a skeleton of a tree remaining with bare branches and trunk, all greenery disappearing. Finally, even the skeleton started falling apart, rotting away. Only a single plank of wood, the heartwood of the parasol tree remained. And within it was a seed brimming with vitality.

This was a spiritual tree after all. It’s vital core could be replanted without worry.

The Pure Yang fairyland formed by the parasol tree would crumble apart in some time. Heifeng Jiansui simply waved his hand to gather the precious herbs, putting them away into his spatial ring. While most of the herbs were fairly common, there was surprising find.

Within Heifeng Jiansui’s hand was a white block of ice with a seed within. “Osmanthus seed… And it is nearly frozen…”

Like the Parasol tree, the Osmanthus was a common tree with the potential to gain spirituality. There was a Daoist legend of an Osmanthus tree growing on the moon.

“It must have been struck by an ice tribulation. Since it survived the calamity, I might as well keep it.” It was frozen within the ice block, having its life force sealed away. A crack would kill it, but with a flick of Heifeng Jiansui’s fingers fiery lifeforce began nurturing the seed.

Having obtained two precious seeds along with the tempering of his body, Heifeng Jiansui had undoubtedly gained a lucky chance. With nothing more to do, Heifeng Jiansui and the girls left the scene. And thus, the brief outing before entering the Black Phoenix Ancestral Heritage came to an end.

+++

Heifeng Jiansui had returned to the Ninebless Phoenix Island, his dominion. With the maids having left, only he, Xingmei and Jiuxie still remained. In the brief time before leaving for the Ancestral Trials, Heifeng Jiansui decided to spend some time alone, gazing at the moon.

“Well, the night is young. Time to pluck some stars.” With a single thought, the Chaos Sovereign spirit within him stirred. Boundless divine sense shot out, capable of turning galaxies and shattering worlds.

The Northdance Stellar Circuit that contained Black Phoenix World, White Phoenix Great World, Divine Dragon Great World and Mortal Martial Great World covered a vast area. The strand of Divine Sense scanned the entirety of the vast Stellar Circuit that encompassed four Great Worlds, searching for two young stars for planting the parasol and the osmanthus seeds.

At the edge of the Dragon World’s axis, twin stars had been born not long ago. One shone with fiery light and the other shone freezing icy light. These companion stars were suddenly plucked away by the strand of divine sense.

The disappearance of the stars went unnoticed. The strand of divine sense returned to the Black Phoenix Great World, to Heifeng Jiansui. The strand that was akin to a hair could contain a galaxy of stars within. With a single thought, the Skytemper World that he inherited from his master who taught him auxiliary arts came forth. The strand of divine sense entered it, leaving the twin stars with the world before finally returning to Heifeng Jiansui’s spirit.

Heifeng Jiansui entered the Skytemper World. The two stars were set high above the skies of this world, freezing and burning the world with its aura, disrupting the natural laws that Skytemper had painstakingly laid down.

Heifeng Jiansui flew to the fire star. He carefully planted the parasol tree’s vitality seed upon the burning earth. The seed wasn’t burnt, instead it began to gather the fiery energy to nourish itself. After a while, a 149 m long Parasol Tree was proudly rooted into the star. After repeating the procedure with the osmanthus seed and the icy star, Heifeng Jiansui finally felt satisfied.

Now, only the small matter of fixing the disrupted natural laws of the Skytemper World remained. Heifeng Jiansui’s fingers started dancing as if he was playing a zither. Numerous strands of universal laws were formed, flying into the fiery star and icy star. Suddenly, the twin stars began revolving in the skies and their oppression over the world turned into support, allowing the precious herb and rare metals within the world to grow.

In the lonely Skytemper World, a Sun and Moon had sprang into existence…