Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens stretched a dark expanse where time held no sway.

Only after dwelling there for ages did Feng Zikang learn what the people of the world called him and the companions he shared his eternal days with. "Formless Celestial Demons!" Feng Zikang couldn't fathom why, upon death, he hadn't become a vengeful spirit, but instead morphed into such an anomalous entity.

Perhaps the intense hatred and unwillingness to accept death had propelled him past the boundaries of the Thirty-Three Heavens, launching him into the realm of Celestial Demons. These were monstrous fiends, the very nightmare of cultivators.

Legend held that the Formless Celestial Demons beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens were shapeless and ethereal, seducing and manipulating mortals through the Seven Emotions and Six Desires.

They were the arch-nemesis of Taoists, also known as "Inner Demons."

Unlike other powerful monsters and ghosts, they possessed almost no offensive capability. A person of resolute will, perhaps simply armed with righteous spirit, could obliterate millions of these Inner Demons.

But their numbers were inexhaustible, rising in unending waves. Wherever a crack existed in a person's soul, they would swarm forward until they occupied the body and achieved reincarnation through possession. Every companion repeated the phrase "reincarnation through possession"

until it became their mantra; perhaps this was the sole meaning of a Formless Celestial Demon's existence. Ordinary Formless Celestial Demons could not enter the mortal realm without being summoned. Only during the final trial of a cultivator's ascension—the Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation—could they flood forth endlessly. Billions of demons engaged in a fierce battle of the Dao Heart.

Should the cultivator fail this trial, only a single Celestial Demon would succeed, one entity to exclusively claim the vibrant flesh and attain limitless power in the mortal dust. Any remaining demons, failing to retreat back beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, would naturally dissipate into nothingness, leaving not a single trace in the world.

The probability of achieving reincarnation through possession was less than one in a hundred million. Even so, Feng Zikang, like his brethren, was filled with yearning. He yearned to live again, regardless of the life that awaited him. He was utterly weary of the darkness and cold beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens. The opportunity arrived swiftly.

Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, where up and down, east, west, north, and south were meaningless, lay only chaos. One day, in a certain corner, a brilliant, multicolored radiance suddenly flashed. "Someone is undergoing tribulation! Someone is undergoing tribulation! Hurry and charge!" The frantic shouts of his companions rose and fell around him. Billions of Celestial Demons thronged toward that multicolored light—it was the gateway to the Lower Realm. "I'm going too!" Feng Zikang desperately marshaled his consciousness and rushed down with the surging current toward the gate.

The Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain. This was once the sacred ground and mountain gate of the Pure Land Sect of (Suōpó). However, as demonic influence rose and righteous ways declined amid frequent slaughter in the mortal world over hundreds of years, the lineage of the Pure Land Sect had been severed, leaving this place an ownerless spiritual mountain. Today, General Lu, the direct heir of the Military School of Longhu Mountain and one of the leaders of the righteous path, was undergoing his tribulation here. "We have a chance!"

A Formless Celestial Demon near Feng Zikang viciously transmitted a message. Among Celestial Demons, communication relied entirely on intent. They were all currently trapped outside the five-colored curtain of the heavenly tribulation, like thirsty beasts waiting for the Fire and Wind tribulations to end so they could tear through the veil and unleash the terrifying Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation.

"Why?" Feng Zikang looked at General Lu—ten feet tall, with crimson hair and ruby eyes, his gaze radiating killing intent, his entire being exuding oppressive malevolent energy. Even approaching him instilled fear, making Feng Zikang wonder why his comrades seemed more confident.

"A Military School heir carries profound karmic slaughter. External tribulations will not touch him, but his Inner Demons will run rampant. Why else would General Lu choose this Buddhist holy site instead of his own Longhu Mountain for his tribulation? Is he not afraid? Is he trying to borrow the damned holy power of Buddhism to suppress his Inner Demons? Hah! As if we'd let him succeed!" His companion followed with a sound bordering on manic laughter. "Isn't that our opportunity?" The surrounding companions stirred restlessly, excitement blooming. Feng Zikang, too, was affected by the surge, and a spark of hope ignited within him. "Possession... Rebirth!" The mind of a Celestial Demon is extreme and simple; his heart was filled only with this singular thought. General Lu had successfully passed the tribulations of Wind and Fire. Now, the five-colored sky curtain was shrouded in ominous clouds, brewing the Tribulation of Heavenly Lightning. The killing aura of the Heavenly Thunder pierced through the curtain, forcing the Formless Celestial Demons to retreat. This supremely pure and forceful aura of destruction was their bane. Only Feng Zikang endured the discomfort, straining to push forward. "Hahahaha, Heavens! Bring whatever else you have! Come at me!" General Lu was sweating slightly, breathing a little heavily, yet his spirit was high, his gaze piercing. His mass of crimson hair streamed in the wind as he held a blood-red great saber, capable of cleaving heaven and earth. His cultivation had reached the pinnacle of mastery. The torrential winds could not destroy his hair or skin; the true fires, though fierce, could not refine his body.

Having endured the second trial, he was brimming with self-satisfaction and couldn't help but roar out, full of grand, unrestrained spirit. "Such divine might, Sect Master!" The disciples of Longhu Mountain observing from below the summit cheered in unison, moved by General Lu's fearless, heaven-defying heroism. Within the sea of clouds atop the peak, however, several high-level cultivators frowned. "Master Yuanyuan, General Lu seems somewhat wild. Might there be an issue during the Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation later?" A shriveled, small old man in Taoist robes, carrying two long swords on his back, stared at General Lu dancing wildly with his saber atop the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain. Anxiety flickered in his eyes. The others, hearing the question, turned their gazes toward a young monk seated silently in the center. This monk was handsome, his skin luminous like jade, his eyebrows soaring. He kept his eyes closed, merely clutching his prayer beads and reciting Buddhist mantras in a low, ancient voice, offering a simple reply. "If he passes, it is Immortal Fate; if he fails, it is Demonic Tribulation. During the Demonic Tribulation, we shall naturally rely on your support." "Naturally!" The group replied in unison. The monk nodded slightly, still not opening his eyes. Atop the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain, the Thunder Tribulation had arrived. Purple heavenly lightning, thick as an arm, plunged straight down, striking the crown of General Lu's head. He laughed heartily and swung his saber to meet it.

"Clang!" The lightning was deflected by the blood-red great saber, emitting a sound like the collision of metal, deafening. Though the heavenly lightning possessed ferocious power, it was actually forced back!

The first bolt of the thunder tribulation was resolved by General Lu with ease. "Hmph! It's the Four-Nine Violet Thunder Tribulation. It seems this leader of the righteous path has quite a heavy burden of sin!" "If this mortal has the power to easily shatter heavenly thunder, why worry about the Four-Nine Tribulation? Once he passes this stage, he will ascend to the Immortal Realm anyway. What does it matter?"

"Heavy sin means heavy Inner Demons—isn't this precisely our chance?" "If this man's will is like iron, what need has he to fear Inner Demons? Gentlemen, do not be overly optimistic!" Billions of Formless Celestial Demons murmured amongst themselves, also shocked by General Lu's strength. Feng Zikang listened quietly. This information was critically important. Having only recently transformed into a Formless Celestial Demon, he was still quite confused about many things, including the exact mechanism of possession—his mind remained hazy.

Only today, listening to his companions discuss matters beneath the five-colored sky curtain, did he begin to piece together a clue. The best chance for a Celestial Demon to possess someone was during the tribulation period. And the heavier the cultivator's sins, the fiercer the Inner Demon Tribulation, which was certainly advantageous for possession.

However, these cultivators heavy with sin were often individuals whose will was hard as steel and deeply committed. Facing such fiercely determined villains, the Celestial Demons often found themselves helpless. Thus, regardless of whether one followed the righteous or demonic path, merit or sin, ultimately, surviving the tribulation depended solely on true strength.

This General Lu had mastered the core teachings of the Military School—decisive in killing and judgment—making him a difficult adversary. "Movement From the Nine Heavens Above!" A cheer erupted from below the mountain. General Lu had leaped into the air, his movements as swift and graceful as a soaring eagle, as he brought his saber down towards the final bolt of the Four-Nine Violet Lightning. This technique, "Movement From the Nine Heavens Above," was the ultimate secret of Military School offense. In General Lu's hands, it flowed like water, merging the Way of War with the Heavenly Dao, and with a single strike, the tribulation lightning vanished entirely.

"Well done!" Even the young monk could not help but smile and praise him loudly. The surrounding high cultivators also seemed to exhale a breath of relief. "I did not expect General Lu's Military School cultivation to have reached such a realm! As the saying goes, the best warriors achieve no conspicuous merit. Before the main tribulation even unfolded, he extinguished the lightning with a single strike that returned to simplicity. Truly remarkable!" Before the dry, withered Taoist could finish speaking, the five-colored sky curtain violently shattered. Amidst ghostly wails and demon shrieks, the Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation had begun. "Charge!" Billions of Celestial Demons flooded toward the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain. All previous apprehension and instability vanished without a trace. The Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation was active! The communications between the companions coalesced into a single, unified voice, and at this moment, Feng Zikang's heart held only one driving thought! Charge through, seize that body! Rebirth! General Lu stood proudly, saber in hand, and laughed aloud. Suddenly, light flashed across the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain, and the sound of Sanskrit chanting arose as an invisible, intangible golden barrier materialized. "Pure Glazed Realm!" Amidst cries of sorrow, the demons surging at the very front were like moths to a flame, dissolving into the air. "What is this thing?" Feng Zikang, who had been near the front, halted. His mind was clear; he would not sacrifice himself pointlessly. "Don't be afraid! Charge through!"

"This is the Pure Glazed Realm General Lu conjured by borrowing the residual formation of the Seven-Story Thousand Buddha Array in the Seven Treasures Pagoda Mountain. It merely uses Buddhist holy power to neutralize us Formless Celestial Demons—nothing to fear! We have billions of demons; what can the mere holy power of one mountain accomplish?" Amidst wild demonic laughter, they continued to crash against the golden dome using their fragile lives. The long eons beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens had stripped them of any instinct for self-preservation; only persistent demonic obsession remained. As ten thousand demons vanished into the Glazed Realm, the golden light barrier visibly shrank in scope, retreating from covering the whole mountain to covering only an upper layer. "Keep charging!" Most Formless Celestial Demons possessed no concept of life or death; they charged blindly based on instinct. Feng Zikang, perhaps because he had been a demon for a shorter time, still retained a thread of clarity and pulled back slightly.

"Charge for what! If we charge through, we die! What chance do we have for possession? Wait and see!" Feng Zikang watched coldly as other Formless Celestial Demons threw themselves forward relentlessly, causing the golden barrier to retreat step by step, the scope of the Pure Glazed Realm shrinking smaller and smaller. "The Pure Glazed Realm is surprisingly fragile! The Celestial Demons are pressing hard today!"

That withered Taoist seemed to be a friend of General Lu. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, his brow knitted with worry again. "Observe calmly."

The monk counted his beads, his expression utterly unperturbed. The disciples below the mountain also perceived the danger. Their shouts of encouragement began to fade, and worry for their Patriarch etched itself onto their faces. Only one simple-minded youth continued to grin vacantly, clapping and cheering with his mouth half-open. "Idiot! The Ancestor Master is in critical danger, what are you still smiling about?" A broad-faced disciple in purple robes kicked him viciously, his expression gloomy. The youth startled, scurrying behind his master, his face etched with panic. "What are you doing?" The youth's master, a middle-aged man in white robes, showed slight displeasure and glanced at the purple-robed disciple. "You know he is ignorant and understands nothing, why strike him?

This is a critical moment for the sect; shouldn't you settle your own mind?" As an elder had spoken, the purple-robed disciple dared not argue further, merely grunting before stepping aside, staring at the shrinking golden barrier around the mountaintop with anxious impatience. The expression on the middle-aged man's face softened. "Don't worry. Your master's cultivation is supreme; he should be able to overcome this Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation..."

Though he was comforting his junior apprentice-brother, his tone betrayed a lack of full certainty even in himself. The Military School disciples carried the heaviest burden of slaughter. While their power was immense, this hurdle of Inner Demons was notoriously difficult to cross. He, too, looked up toward the summit, silently praying in his heart. The golden Pure Glazed Realm had shrunk to only a small area, enclosing General Lu alone. His tiger eyes were wide open, seeming to burn with fierce flames. The Formless Celestial Demons approaching him before even touching the Glazed Realm were scorched by that substantive gaze and instantly vanished. "Eyes like substance, demons cannot approach!"

Feng Zikang had often heard this mentioned by his companions, but this was the first time he witnessed it firsthand. The sheer power emanating from a man with such a firm Dao Heart chilled him to the bone, and the thought of retreating surfaced. The remaining demons continued to surge forward. General Lu roared, and three feet of brilliant flame erupted around him, making him look like a burning man from a distance.

The demons that made even slight contact melted away like snow and ice, vanishing silently. "So powerful!" Feng Zikang became even more reluctant to approach. He felt no camaraderie with these demons; watching them throw themselves into the fire and court death did not stir any sense of shared enmity within him. If things went poorly, he would retreat beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens and wait for the next opportunity! A quarter of an hour of the Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation had passed. "Billions of demons are mostly expended. I believe Brother Lu will be fine," The withered Taoist announced cheerfully, his eyes already showing a tinge of envy. Surviving the Formless Celestial Demon Tribulation meant ascending to the Immortal Realm—a feat unseen in the cultivation world for seven hundred years! "Even climbing nine-tenths of a mountain can result in failure at the last step. Everyone, remain vigilant," The young monk, however, still had not relaxed. The onset of Inner Demons was silent, and even a single remaining demon could overturn the outcome. The Pure Glazed Realm could finally hold no longer. With a faint sound of shattering, it dissipated without a trace. The golden light flared once and then vanished completely.

The Buddha statues scattered across the mountains emitted a mournful cry simultaneously before crumbling into pieces. Meanwhile, the three feet of flame surrounding General Lu had shrunk to less than half a foot, flickering faintly, having lost its initial imposing momentum. Unfortunately, only a mere handful of demons remained, and they huddled fearfully in the rear, daring not advance. By this point, General Lu's success in the tribulation seemed almost guaranteed.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" General Lu burst into laughter, yet tears streamed down his face. Hundreds of years of arduous cultivation had finally culminated in this day. For anyone, how could this not stir overwhelming emotion! "Xiao Die! Xiao Die! I can finally ascend to the Immortal Realm and stand above countless others! Did you see?"

General Lu roared to the heavens. The flames around him receded, and he stood holding his saber, towering above everyone else. His face was filled with longing and nostalgia, and even his tiger eyes held a hint of exhaustion following his success. "Not good!" The monk opened his eyes and cried out in alarm. The black gold thread holding his prayer beads snapped, and the beads scattered into the clouds, flying in all directions.

"An opportunity!" A sudden surge of heat flooded Feng Zikang's mind.

Seeing that General Lu had let down all his defenses—and considering his naturally cautious nature might otherwise have kept him from acting rashly—he saw the last few companions around him surge forward. Driven by a strange impulse, he followed instinct and lunged toward General Lu. That single lunge would inadvertently carve a legendary chapter into the history of Formless Celestial Demons in the cultivation world.