Chapter 366: Splitting River Dividing Water
“A top-tier divine ability!”
“Chen Tian’s rise is now unstoppable!”
Witnessing the spectacle, the regular disciples who didn’t grasp the full implications were simply stunned into silence.
In contrast, a chilling apprehension flickered in the eyes of many core disciples, even proud and powerful cultivators like Feng Lie.
Currently, there were 108 known divine abilities in the Azure Realm, ranging from the legendary to the obscure: Five-Colored Divine Light, Chaos Return to Origin, Heaven and Earth Flow as One, Four Symbols Suppress Spirits, Myriad Transformations Spirit Pivot, Gold and Jade Crown Pouring, Splitting River Dividing Water, Shrinking Earth to an Inch… all the way down to abilities like Ice Mist Concealment, Shadow Devour, Earth Puppet, and Dust Substitute.
No one could ever predict which divine ability a cultivator might Awaken, let alone its rank.
But from the looks of it, Chen Tian had just Awakened the seventh-ranked divine ability: Splitting River Dividing Water.
This terrifying power weaponized the Metal Spirit Root into an unstoppable blade, guided by the Water Spirit Root, to forcibly cleave apart anything connected to the element of water. Its destructive potential was immense, and every execution was a cataclysmic spectacle.
Just moments ago, a single strike had cleanly severed one of the Three-Tribulation Thunder Beast’s heads, a testament to its horrifying power.
Among divine abilities, a higher rank signified superiority in every aspect—power, versatility, and potential.Had Chen Tian Awakened an ordinary ability, most core disciples wouldn’t have batted an eye. But the fact that he had likely Awakened a top-ten divine ability was a truth many found difficult to swallow.
While Chen Tian’s rise was undoubtedly a boon for the Cloud Sea Sect—so long as he survived, he was destined to become a pillar of the sect and a powerhouse in the Azure Realm—his ascent would inevitably disrupt the delicate balance of power. It would squeeze the space for others to grow, forcing a redistribution of Fated Chances, connections, and resources.
The disciples of the sect, especially the core disciples, were all rivals in a silent, unending competition. Thus, behind their shocked expressions, a hundred different calculations were already being made.
As Chen Tian solidified his Golden Core, the three-colored tribulation clouds dissolved as if they had never been. The Three-Tribulation Thunder Beast, now missing one of its heads, retreated into the dissipating storm, its silent snarl one of pure unwillingness.
Soon, the sky returned to a pristine, cloudless blue, the air crisp with the scent of autumn.
Feeling the radiant, glass-like Golden Core spinning within his dantian, Chen Tian trembled with excitement. Half a year of Secluded Cultivation, fraught with unexpected dangers… but I finally succeeded.
However, his trial wasn’t over. The Flying Serpent, hundreds of feet long and now deprived of its opponent, flicked its forked tongue and fixed its sinister, reptilian gaze upon him.
A primal chill shot down Chen Tian’s spine. He looked over, his heart pounding with alarm.
The next second, the colossal serpent opened its maw and spewed a foul, miasmic yellow wind. The gale howled with a mournful sound, like the wailing of a thousand tormented souls.
Chen Tian’s expression hardened. He immediately activated the Thousand Carp River Descent Art, drawing upon the Qi now surging from his Golden Core.
This was no longer mere spiritual energy; it was true Qi, a force refined by a preliminary grasp of the world’s fundamental laws. Where his spiritual power could once only control and manipulate water, his Qi was over ten times stronger. His will could now stir the very river veins for a hundred miles around.
Instantly, an endless torrent of water-aspected spiritual energy converged around him, forming a shimmering blue domain in the blink of an eye. Within it, vapor steamed and the three colors of his Spirit Roots—gold, water, and wood—flowed in a perfect cycle.
Where he could once summon a few dozen large carp, the number now soared to over a hundred, each one over ten feet long. As the school of fish swam through the air, their movements generated the authentic, thunderous roar of a mighty river.
The yellow wind slammed into the blue domain, sending ripples across its surface. For a moment, the two forces seemed evenly matched, a perfect stalemate.
But the Flying Serpent was the companion beast of the divine Mystic Tortoise, a creature capable of standing against the Three-Tribulation Thunder Beast itself. Its strength was not to be underestimated.
The yellow wind intensified, its force whipping the black lake below into furious waves dozens of feet high.
The blue domain began to shrink under the pressure. Just as Chen Tian prepared to unleash his divine ability once more, streaks of golden light appeared in the air, sketching themselves into existence as intricate spiritual talismans. They wove together, forming a great net of light that enveloped the Flying Serpent and began to compress relentlessly.
The serpent thrashed and writhed, but its struggles were futile against the golden net. Finally, with a glare of pure resentment, it shot one last hateful look toward the Rain Pavilion before being forced back into the depths of the lake.
With the Flying Serpent gone, the tempest it had created quickly subsided.
Chen Tian understood immediately. It seems Master is reminding me not to get carried away.
Those talismans were clearly the work of the Nascent Soul True Lord, Grandmaster Shui. He could have intervened from the very beginning but had deliberately held back. It was a lesson: do not grow arrogant.
Though condensing a Golden Core elevated him far beyond ordinary cultivators, there was always a higher mountain. No matter how powerful you become, there is always someone stronger.
Humbled by his Master’s profound wisdom, Chen Tian turned toward the Rain Pavilion and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Master!” he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.
Then, with a flicker, he vanished, reappearing in front of Jiang Chen and Chen Bo as if by Teleportation.
Chen Bo rushed forward excitedly, his arms half-raised for an embrace before he remembered the vast gulf in their cultivation realms. He stopped, forcing a dry laugh. “Cousin… Tian, congratulations!”
Jiang Chen quickly followed suit with a respectful bow. “Congratulations, Senior Brother Tian, on successfully forming your Golden Core!”
Chen Tian understood their hesitation perfectly and gave a wry smile. “Cousin, Junior Brother Jiang Chen, we’re all family here. There’s no need for such distance between us.”
His words were a balm. Both Jiang Chen and Chen Bo let out a silent sigh of relief. His cultivation had changed, but the man himself had not.
Chen Tian continued, “To thank you for your support over the years, I’ll be taking you both with me to the Return to Ruins Secret Realm.”
Chen Bo’s eyes lit up. “That’s wonderful!”
Jiang Chen, however, looked slightly embarrassed. “I… think I’ll sit this one out.”
Chen Tian was taken aback. “This is a great opportunity to train. Why wouldn’t you go?”
Jiang Chen grinned sheepishly. “Senior Brother Tian, I just enjoy farming and cultivating spirit plants. I’m not really interested in adventures and combat.”
“It’s true,” Chen Bo added. “He didn’t even participate in the official disciple tournament.”
Understanding dawned on Chen Tian’s face. He chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. “That’s fine. If you don’t want to go, then after we return from the Secret Realm, you can take your pick of any treasures we bring back.”
Jiang Chen’s eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together with unconcealed glee. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly! That would be far too generous!”
At that moment, sensing a shift in the sect’s power dynamics, the other disciples, both core and regular, swarmed forward to offer their congratulations—and their gifts.
Qin Hao was the first to step forward. “Congratulations, Junior Brother Tian, on your successful advancement! I see you lack a proper Magical Artifact. Please, accept this 6-pattern Golden Light Water-Splitting Sword.”
Feng Lie was right behind him. “And this is a set of 5-pattern Spring Water Light Armor!”
“This is a Three Hearts Transformation Talisman!”
“And a Reforging Qian Yuan Flower!”
“Here is an invitation to the Wuwanglai gathering!”
Although the tribulation’s Turbid Thunder had destroyed all of Chen Tian’s equipment, the items now being offered were of a much higher grade. The core disciples, especially those already at the Golden Core realm, were practically tripping over themselves to gift him high-level talismans, rare spirit plants, potent Spirit Pills, and powerful Magical Artifacts.