Song Shuhang looked at the scene by the spiritual mountain through the eye of light of virtue.

Sage Monarch Winter Melon and the group of reporters were still at their original places.

As for the other main character of the night of the full moon, Sage Monarch Melon Eater, he had yet to come.

Song Shuhang said, “Sage Monarch Melon Eater hasn’t appeared yet. He isn’t just planning to leave Sage Monarch Winter Melon hanging, right?”

Afterward, Shuhang gently patted Little Cai. “Little Cai, if you’re tired, go to where Shi is and sleep for a while. When Sage Monarch Melon Eater appears, I’ll call you.”

“Alright.” Little Cai nodded and leaped toward Shi’s bed.

❄️❄️❄️

On the other side, Scholar Xian Gong, who had just transcended the tribulation, put away his phone and let out a sigh.

His naturally reddish face was currently slightly pale.

He had been badly injured, and his legs were hurt to the point that only the bones were left. It would take at least a year for his injuries to heal.

Moreover, the injuries on his legs were not caused by the ‘carpet bombing’. The strength of the bombing of the fighter jets was nowhere enough to cause the damage he had just received.

As a matter of fact, he hadn’t shared the entire truth with the other fellow daoists in the ‘Nine Provinces Number One Group’—not because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t say it.

Just a moment ago… When the nuclear bomb had completely formed and was launched, Scholar Xian Gong suddenly felt the world turn upside down. Immediately afterwards, he and the ‘nuclear bomb’ were transferred to another world.

That world wasn’t the main world, but was a another completely independent space.

In this space, the nuclear bomb exploded and the explosion formed a mushroom cloud that brought him despair.

At the same time, that explosive power that made his liver tremble came rushing at him, tearing down all the defenses he had prepared within a thousandth of a second.

As the barriers were shattered, Scholar Xian Gong was sent flying upside down… The power of the explosion finally reached his flesh, and the severe pain passed from his legs to his mind.

“My life is over!” This was the only thought in the scholar’s mind at the moment.

Then, as he watched the explosion of the ‘nuclear bomb’ slowly devour him, a mysterious will suddenly came over and scanned his body.

When that will came down on him, the space and time around him froze, and it seemed that his consciousness was the only thing still working.

After the will scanned him, Scholar Xian Gong felt that the world had turned upside down once again.

In the next moment, he was kicked out of the ‘independent space’ and returned to the ‘nuclear-free zone’ where he had originally chosen to transcend his tribulation.

Had it not been for the serious injuries to his legs and body, he would have thought that the ‘nuclear bomb’ he had just encountered was really just an ‘inner demon tribulation’ as Thrice Reckless Mad Saber had said.

Scholar Xian Gong had a guess… perhaps, a while ago, he was brought into the ‘Heavenly Tribulation Realm’. It was the space where Seventh Stage Venerables were rumored to enter when they attempted to transcend the heavenly tribulation of the Eighth Stage.

However, his strength had yet to reach the condition of entering that space. As such, after getting scanned by that will, he was forcibly kicked out of the ‘Heavenly Tribulation Realm’ and managed to escape with his life.

After that, the spiritual power of heaven and earth poured into his body, signaling the end of his tribulation. His body strengthened after the tribulation, and he officially reached the Seventh Stage Venerable Realm.

Thanks to this heavenly tribulation… Scholar Xian Gong felt that his fear of nuclear weapons, which had started to get a little better as of late, got even worse. Now, he wasn’t sure if there was any hope of recovery for him.

Immediately after the incident, he planned to tell his experience to the fellow daoists of the Nine Provinces Number One Group.

He found out that his cell phone was still safe. He had left it behind when he got teleported and the nuclear bomb exploded. As such, this lucky cell phone was not taken into the ‘Heavenly Tribulation Realm’ and was able to avoid the tribulation.

He immediately opened the ‘Nine Provinces Number One Group’, but when he opened his mouth to speak… he discovered that he couldn’t talk about his experience.

He had already thought about what he was going to say in his mind, but for some reason, he couldn’t get the words out. Scholar Xian Gong immediately understood that this experience may be something he might have to take with him to the grave, or find some other means to record it down.

As such, in order not to worry his fellow daoists in the ‘Nine Provinces Number One Group’, Scholar Xian Gong endured the pain, smiled, and simply reported something that would calm everybody down.

After that, he didn’t even have time to look at the blessings of his friends. He put down the phone and screamed in pain, “F*ck, it hurts so much!”

At the same time, a thought emerged in his mind—all kinds of strange changes had been happening to the heavenly tribulation. In addition, he had yet to reach the Seventh Stage, but he was still pulled into the ‘Heavenly Tribulation Realm’. It almost seemed as though there was a huge bug in the system. With this being the case, could it really be as the rumors said, that there was some problem with the current Wielder of the Will?

While Scholar Xian Gong was in thought, looking up into the sky… several scenes appeared.

Those were scenes of the show of divinity of the first Sage in a thousand years, Profound Sage Tyrannical Song + second Sage in a thousand years, Palace Master Seven Lives Talisman + third Sage in a thousand years, Eternity + fourth Sage in a thousand years, Horizon.

The scene was beautifully tragic. In addition to the bald-headed Profound Sage Tyrannical Song, who was reluctantly standing up, there were three cowards—two of which were crouching, while the last one was kneeling. They were incomparably unsightly.

Moreover, there was still the scene of the first Sage in a thousand year’s Profound Sage Speech, as well the three other Profound Sages’ speeches.

Finally, there was the scene where the fifth Sage in a thousand years, Sage Monarch Winter Melon, showed his divinity and held his Profound Sage Speech. Furthermore, Sage Monarch Winter Melon challenged Profound Sage Tyrannical Song during his speech.

The ‘Profound Sage Speech’ was a scene that all the practitioners in the universe could see if they wanted to. Every practitioner had the right to watch the ‘Profound Sage Speech, regardless if they were asleep, in closed door cultivation, or even transcending their tribulation—everyone had the right to watch it.

However, practitioners who were in the middle of transcending their tribulation would get the chance to watch the Profound Sage Speech only after having transcended their tribulation.

❄️❄️❄️

“Wait, am I seeing things? Isn’t this Profound Sage Tyrannical Song our little friend Song Shuhang? And this Profound Sage Seven Lives Talisman… is definitely Fellow Daoist Seven Lives Talisman, who’s in our group, right? I don’t know of this Eternity, but he actually dared to confess during the Profound Sage Speech. As for Horizon, isn’t he that rumored ‘Frenzied Strength Imparter’?” Scholar Xian Gong’s eyes widened. He felt that his entire world was collapsing.

Little friend Song Shuhang ascended to the Eighth Stage Profound Sage Realm? What in the world happened? Am I going crazy? Or is it this world that has gone crazy?

Wait, could it be… am I still going through my inner demon tribulation?

Scholar Xian Gong thought of the terrifying possibility that he might still be stuck in some imaginary plot created by his ‘inner demons’, having yet to get out. This explained why Song Shuhang could ascend to the Eighth Stage, show his divinity, and even give out a speech that resonated with the Great Way.

Could all of this and that nuclear bomb be originated from my inner demons?

Scholar Xian Gong started questioning his life.

❄️❄️❄️

On the other side, over at the spiritual mountain where Lady Onion was born.

Sage Monarch Winter Melon was keeping an eye on the time.

He took advantage of this break to rest and adjusted his state to peak condition. He was waiting to start the duel between ‘Sage Monarch Melon Eater’ and himself.

“Senior Winter Melon, it should almost be the scheduled time, why hasn’t Sage Monarch Melon Eater appeared yet?” The reporter from the Daily Cultivator couldn’t help but ask.

Sage Monarch Winter Melon frowned as he said, “I’m wondering that as well, the scheduled time is already arriving.”

The reporter from the Shengang Broadcast Station asked, “Could it be possible that Sage Monarch Melon Eater is temporarily unable to come due to certain matters?”

Sage Monarch Winter Melon shook his head as he said, “No, Sage Monarch Melon Eater is a senior that I admire, and I believe him. If he says something, he would never renege on it. He said that he would test out my path of defense today and wait for me at the spiritual mountain, so he will definitely appear!”

Seeing Sage Monarch Winter Melon’s firm look, the reporters of the big cultivation news platforms nodded and continued to wait.

In fact, these few reporters were not in a hurry at all—because they already got a scoop of very good news tonight.

If Sage Monarch Melon Eater really did appear later, that would be a welcomed plus as they would be able to witness another duel between Profound Sages. Then, if Sage Monarch Melon Eater didn’t appear, it would still be fine, because their trip was already worth it anyway!

While Sage Monarch Winter Melon and others were waiting, someone’s phone suddenly rang.

The golden-clothed Sage Monarch Winter Melon inserted his golden sword into the ground, reached out and pulled out his golden phone from his breastplate.

It seemed that Sage Monarch Winter Melon really loved the color gold.

When he saw the call, Sage Monarch Winter Melon happily answered the phone, “Hey, Senior Melon Eater!”

“Foolish melon, where are you? I’ve been waiting for you here at Mount Hua the entire night, why aren’t you here yet? Do you not understand how this old man feels? It’s the middle of the night and this old man has been waiting for you on the top of the mountain amidst the cold wind. One should respect the old and care for the young, these are the morals I’ve been painstakingly teaching you. If you have an appointment with an elderly person like me, shouldn’t you come to the appointment in advance? Now, the appointed time has almost arrived, but you aren’t here yet. Are you just going to leave me hanging? Don’t tell me that you’re stuck in a traffic jam.” A thunderous voice echoed from Sage Monarch Winter Melon’s phone.

Sage Monarch Winter Melon was confused.

“Say something!” The other person seemed to be very irritated.

‘Was this state of mind really that of a Profound Sage? Wasn’t this Profound Sage’s will a bit too jumpy?’ The reporters secretly thought to themselves.

And more importantly… the appointed place was Mount Hua?

“I’ve been waiting for you at the foot of the mountain! Actually, wait… did you just say Mount Hua?” Sage Monarch Winter Melon’s eyes widened.

“Come up if you’re at the foot of the mountain!” Sage Monarch Melon Eater roared.

Sage Monarch Winter Melon hurriedly explained, “Senior Melon Eater, the place you said we were going to meet at wasn’t Mount Hua. You said that we should meet under a pretty spiritual mountain. You even personally sent the coordinates to me, so I’m waiting for you at the foot of the spiritual mountain right now.”

Sage Monarch Melon Eater: “…”

After a short while, Sage Monarch Melon Eater’s tone suddenly softened as he said, “Hahaha, nevermind then. Winter Melon, is there any fellow daoist near you who can use the light of virtue?”