increased. But to the celestial emperor Lan Hua, a Golden Immortal's Heavenly Tribulation could not hurt him. In fact, he eased Xuan Tong's burden by warding off many of the bolts.

Lan Hua sat cross-legged on top of Xuan Tong's body. His demonic Qi surged and he activated his Divine Perception to expel the demonic Qi out of her body. However, Xuan Tong sealed off her five senses, subconsciously preventing the unfamiliar aura from getting close.

"Good Heart asked me to save you," Lan Hua explained. Then he added by way of explanation, "Your sect master."

Xuan Tong stopped resisting him when she heard this and allowed his divine perception into her body.

Within moments, Lan Hua had found the source of the demonic Qi. He was a little shocked.

"Huh?" Why was there an aura of a demonic seed in her body?"

He did not think further but worked hard to expel the demonic Qi from her body. Although Xuan Tong did her best to cooperate, having to ward of the periodic bolts of divine lightning slowed down their speed.

But Xuan Tong's demonic Qi eventually decreased and her immortal bones started developing at a faster rate.

An hour later.

Lan Hua finally removed the last strand of demonic Qi from Xuan Tong's body. He got up and left the Heavenly Tribulation's range.

"It's done." Looking at Shen Ying, he said, "Xuan Tong's primordial spirit's demonic Qi is cleansed. She only needs to endure the last few divine lightning bolts, then her immortal bones will form."

"Thank you Emperor Lan Hua." Qi Chengyu gave him a salute. She heaved a sigh of relief. Xuan Tong was brought up by her, so naturally she was the one who was most worried for her.

Shen Ying, as the Invincible Sect's sect master, felt that she should express her grat.i.tude too. "Old Lan…"

"Don't say anything!" Lan Hua cut her off. "I beg you. Every time you open your mouth, I feel obliged to give you something!"

Shen Ying: "…"

Chengyu: "…"

The crowd: "…"

"The divine lightning is almost over!" Lonemoon reminded everyone.

Everybody turned to look at Xuan Tong. The immortal qi around Xuan Tong grew stronger, as did the force of the Lightning Tribulation's power. Even the array formation set up specially by Lonemoon showed signs of breaking apart — s.h.i.+mmers of lightning shone through the cracks in the array.

"Emperor Chu Xuan, give me a hand!" Lonemoon, who was rebuilding the array, called out to Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan immediately went over to help Lonemoon to set up the array. Before long, beams of sorcerous light began flas.h.i.+ng and the array was once again able to ward off the lingering force of the divine lightning.

At this point, the divine lightning had struck seventy-nine times. There were now only two left. Xuan Tong had recovered her strength and was able to endure the last two most powerful Golden Immortal Divine lightning bolts.

Xuan Tong lay weakly on the ground, her whole body black and charred. But all the immortal bones in her body were fully formed. Because she had jumped a level during the tribulation transcendence, her immortal qi was denser than her peers who had undergone the same tribulation transcendence.

"It's all alright." Qi Chengyu heaved a deep sigh of relief and stepped out of the array. She walked to Xuan Tong and said happily, "Little Tong…"

"Little Yu, don't go!" Qi Chengyu was pulled back by Feng Ying suddenly.

A beam of Heavenly Flame shot down from the sky and struck directly on the badly wounded Xuan Tong. At the same moment, Feng Ying's system issued the last warning.

[Danger alert! A high energy body approaching!]

Within moments, the defensive array was ablaze with flames. The entire Invincible Sect was lit up by a reddish glow.

"Wildfire!" Everybody exclaimed in surprise. "How could this be!"

Why did the Wildfire appear? Although there was supposed to be thirty-six wildfires during an immortal's ascension, Xuan Tong was just ascending to become an immortal and the lowest level of an earth immortal at that. Her immortal tribulation could not have attracted this Wildfire Moreover, her demonic Qi had been removed, thus making her a true immortal. The previous two lightning tribulations could have been triggered by the Heavenly Tribulation and had to be endured, but how to explain the Wildfire?

Xuan Tong could no longer be seen within the flames, even her previously weak aura was now undetectable.

"Little Tong!" Qi Chengyu cried out in alarm. She was about to rush out to rescue Xuan Tong but was held back by Feng Ying.

"Wait, Little Yu. If you enter now, the Heavenly Tribulation will strike even harder. You're only a Golden Immortal, you are too weak to withstand it."

"But Xuan Tong…" If this carries on, she will surely die!" exclaimed Qi Chengyu worriedly. Seeing that the next bolt of Wildfire was about to descend, she turned to look at the person behind her. "Elder Lonemoon, what…"

Lonemoon looked baffled as well. "I don't know… Huh? Where's Shen Ying?"

Only then did everyone realize that Shen Ying had disappeared.

"…"

————

At this moment, in the heart of the Wildfire…

Shen Ying lifted up a body charred almost beyond recognition. Patting its face, she said, "Hey, Little Shortie, are you still alive?"

After a moment, the lump of charcoal looked at her. Using all her strength, she clutched at Shen Ying's clothes hem with her fingers and said weakly, "Divine…" Then she fell back down, motionless.

"Little Shortie, Little Shortie,!"

"…" Xuan Tong did not respond.

Shen Ying frowned. There was a loud boom and a great ball of fire shot down from the sky, heading straight at the two of them. The force and heat from the fireball was so great that it started it ignited everything on the ground even before it even landed.

Just as it was about to hit the two girls…

Shen Ying's expression hardened and her anger surged. Lifting Xuan Tong up, she raised her leg and kicked the fire ball away. "Get lost!" Are you blind, shooting fire b.a.l.l.s everywhere!

There was a whoosh and that bolt of heavenly fire flew back up the sky even faster that when it had come down.

Next, there was a loud explosion. The whole sky, which was still covered with thunder clouds, was ablaze in a sea of flames. Heaven and earth turned red.

Shen Ying turned and looked at the sea of fire around her. Her eyes narrowed.

The surrounding flames seemed to shrink back. Then the Wildfire around them parted to reveal a path.

Carrying the lump of human charcoal in her arms, Shen Ying turned to move off. After a moment, she changed direction and walked back to the defensive array.

Lonemoon: "…"

Yi Qing: "…"

The two emperors: "…"

The couple: "…"

What happened just now? Why did the sky started burning and why did the fire on the ground suddenly extinguish by itself? And why did the Heavenly Tribulation halt midway?

Shen Ying put Xuan Tong down on the ground. Waving to Chu Xuan, she called out, "Chicken, come take a look at her!"

Chu Xuan shuddered. "I'm coming!"

He walked over quickly. First, he conjured a seal to protect her heart, then he activated his immortal qi to check on her condition. As time went on, the frown on his face deepened.

Then with a hesitant look, Chu Xuan said, "Exalted… Exalted Immortal! When her immortal bones formed, she was already at the limit of her endurance." He sighed, secretly impressed with the little girl's will power. "Actually she could have recovered, but… then she was struck by the Wildfire. Because she was totally unprepared, the deviant fire was able to enter her body. Now, the Wildfire's fiery qi has invaded her heart meridians. And because she is of the Water Spirit Root, and fire and water clash, she can't self regulate…"

"So?"

Chu Xuan shook his head and continued, "Her meridians are all severed, her foundation is destroyed and her immortal bones are broken. Even her primordial spirit had been eroded by the Wildfire. She's now in a coma. There's little hope that she'll regain consciousness. Even if she comes to, her cultivation… can't be restored."

"…"