Chapter 498: The Tribulation of Exhaustion of Shou Yuan
Ao Chengcheng felt something was off about the Old Dragon King’s condition and wanted to stop her daughter from approaching.
Jiang Li raised his hand, signaling Ao Chengcheng not to worry just yet.
Remembering how Li Er often praised Jiang Li with descriptions like “far surpassing Earthly Immortals,” Ao Chengcheng calmed down.
Even if something unexpected really happened, Jiang Li could intervene to stop it.
“Dragon Grandfather.” Li Nian’er obediently sat beside the Old Dragon King, her posture restrained. She showed no disgust toward the Old Dragon King’s decaying odor, not even wrinkling her brow.
Seeing his father had lost interest in the gift presentation segment, the Eastern Sea Dragon King moved to the next activity – dance performances.
The sea clans continued eating, drinking, and enjoying the dances.
“Can the Old Dragon King still be saved?” Mo Ruoyu quietly asked Jiang Li, voicing the question everyone actually cared about.
“That depends on his destiny. These matters are difficult for outsiders to assist with.” The Tribulation Transcendence Stage represented a barrier that no one could help overcome. If Jiang Li had methods to directly help people reach the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, the number of Tribulation Transcendence cultivators in the Nine Provinces would outnumber the Human Sovereign statues.
…
“When we met earlier, Dragon Grandfather didn’t have time to say it – you’ve grown so much in what feels like just a blink, little girl.”
“I heard you became a Human Sovereign candidate? Excellent, excellent.” The Old Dragon King grinned, producing a soundless laugh.
“Seeing you reminds me of Qing Luo from back in the day. You two are truly so similar – comparable natural talent, similar personalities. No, no, you’re certainly not as strong as Qing Luo was though.”
The Old Dragon King had lost to Qing Luo, missing his chance at the fifty-second Human Sovereign position, but he accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.
He knew Qing Luo was stronger than him, more suited to become Human Sovereign. Qing Luo’s excellence made the Old Dragon King jealous.
Originally, the Old Dragon King hadn’t been like this. In his youth, he had been quite boisterous, the most lively among the Human Sovereign candidates, forming a stark contrast with the serene Qing Luo.
Later, as his interactions with Qing Luo increased, the Old Dragon King gradually recognized his own shortcomings and wanted to get as close to Qing Luo as possible, to emulate her.
When Qing Luo died in battle, the Old Dragon King was utterly heartbroken, and his desire to emulate her grew even stronger.
He hoped that by imitating Qing Luo, the world would remember there had once been a female Human Sovereign named Qing Luo.
This imitation continued for over two thousand years.
“Dragon Grandfather, how are you feeling right now?” This was what Jiang Li had transmitted to her to ask.
“How am I feeling?” The Old Dragon King murmured to himself. He didn’t feel much of anything now; even his consciousness was nearly dissipated.
“I envy you. I envy your youth, your vibrant vitality, your potential to become Human Sovereign.” The Old Dragon King patted Li Nian’er’s small head.
Being around young people made the Old Dragon King feel like time passed more slowly.
“Why are you all so young with such bright futures ahead, while I’m decrepit with age, neither fully alive nor completely dead?”
“I fear death. I truly fear death.”
“There were several times I considered doing evil deeds to extend my lifespan, but I feared that after dying and going to the underworld, I wouldn’t dare face Qing Luo.”
As he said this, the envy in the Old Dragon King’s expression faded and disappeared.
“Qing Luo often said that envy makes people ugly. Especially since I have this big dragon head – if I also envied others, I’d be the ugliest dragon in all existence.”
“Now I understand. This world belongs to you young ones, while I’m just an outdated old man.”
The Old Dragon King stood up, resembling a towering mountain that might collapse at any moment.
“Having lived twenty-eight hundred years, what more could I possibly want? What could I possibly be dissatisfied with?”
“Qing Luo is in the underworld. All my old friends have gone to the underworld. I was only weaker than Qing Luo, but stronger than the other Human Sovereign candidates. If they didn’t fear death, why should I?”
The Old Dragon King’s aura gradually weakened, but his eyes grew increasingly bright.
“Rather than waiting several hours for death to arrive, I might as well meet it immediately and save everyone the trouble.”
The Old Dragon King abandoned his hope for life and actively embraced death.
Heart united with intent, person united with the Dao, body united with form – the union of these three represents the Unity Stage.
When a Unity Stage cultivator abandons life, their body begins to disintegrate, and their spiritual energy leaves their form, returning to heaven and earth.
This was exactly what was happening to the Old Dragon King.
As the Old Dragon King’s body disintegrated, his thoughts became clearer than ever before. Techniques he couldn’t comprehend before now made immediate sense. Principles he couldn’t understand before now became perfectly clear. Faces he had forgotten with age now returned to him one by one.
“Qing Luo, so this is what you looked like… So this is the true meaning of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage…”
In this moment, the Old Dragon King understood everything.
To reach the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, one must transcend the death tribulation. And the greatest death tribulation in this world is none other than the Lifespan Exhaustion Tribulation!
The Lifespan Exhaustion Tribulation – this is the death tribulation everyone will face, yet also the one everyone overlooks.
The Old Dragon King raised both hands toward the sky. His disintegrating flesh, his lost spiritual energy… all returned to his body.
“No wonder the Human Sovereign said facing death directly is the only path to survival. Not daring to face death meant I was passively accepting the Lifespan Exhaustion Tribulation, making it impossible to ever reach the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.”
Jiang Li had seemingly only offered a few insignificant remarks, yet they became the key that changed the Old Dragon King’s destiny.
“…Transcending tribulation… transcending tribulation!”
“Heavenly Tribulation, come!”
The Old Dragon King shouted loudly, as if commanding the Heavenly Tribulation.
BOOM—
The Heavenly Tribulation arrived as summoned.
A blue-green pillar of thunder descended from heaven into the sea. The surface of the Eastern Sea became turbulent with waves, while whirlpools formed throughout the ocean depths.
The Heavenly Tribulation resembled an iron rod stirring up the Eastern Sea’s order.
The Old Dragon King bathed beneath the Heavenly Tribulation, his face showing enjoyment. He even had energy to spare to protect Li Nian’er.
The Old Dragon King’s body gradually approached perfection, his former weaknesses becoming flawless.
Having comprehended the death tribulation, the Old Dragon King officially stepped into the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.
“So that’s how it is! So that’s how it is! So that’s how it is!”
The Old Dragon King said “so that’s how it is” three times in succession, experiencing the feeling of sudden enlightenment after long seeking the Dao.
This was Li Nian’er’s first time witnessing someone advancing from Unity to Tribulation Transcendence Stage, and at such close proximity too.
This represented her great fortune.
“Congratulations to Dragon Grandfather for reaching the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, gaining ten thousand years of lifespan!”
The sea clans couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. They had been preparing to celebrate a funeral as a joyous occasion, to see Dragon Grandfather off properly. Never did they expect Dragon Grandfather would break through at the final moment.
They looked again at Jiang Li’s completely unperturbed expression, feeling that the Human Sovereign truly was profound and unfathomable, with everything under his control.
“Thank you for your assistance, Human Sovereign. Now that I’ve reached the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, my power surpasses Zhang Konghu’s, and I’ve cultivated the ‘Jiang Li Human Sovereign Power’ to intermediate mastery. Come, let’s test it out.”
The Old Dragon King assumed an arm-wrestling position to celebrate his rebirth.
Jiang Li, eating Eastern Sea specialty fruits, stepped forward and immediately pinned the Old Dragon King’s arm.
The Old Dragon King was knocked over, dragon and chair together.
“Hahaha, exhilarating!” The Old Dragon King didn’t feel embarrassed about being humiliated before all the sea clans.
“Here, this is my congratulatory gift to you.” Jiang Li presented the Old Dragon King with a book.
“Tribulation Transcendence Stage Cultivation Insights”
The Old Human Sovereign flipped through a couple pages and discovered the ink hadn’t even dried yet.
“When did the Human Sovereign write this book?”
“While you were holding Li Nian’er and reminiscing about Qing Luo.”
“…”