Chapter 120: Epilogue (3)
Finally, within the stage of Heaven Trampling, cultivators embark on a path that defies and transcends the very Laws of Heaven. As the name suggests, Heaven Trampling signifies the act of trampling upon the heavenly laws that govern the universe, surpassing their limitations and reaching unprecedented heights of power and enlightenment.
To enter this final stage, the cultivator must possess an Imperishable Body and be at the very peak of Empyrean. With the Imperishable Body as their foundation, cultivators set out to construct nine metaphorical bridges, each representing a crucial aspect of their cultivation journey. The crossing of these bridges becomes a profound test of their strength and resilience, as the Heavenly Way unleashes its full force in an attempt to hinder their progress.
The first bridge, known as the Bridge of the Will, subjects cultivators to the Dao Heart Tribulation, testing the steadfastness and purity of their Dao Heart. If they fail to pass, they will lose control of their cultivation.
The second bridge, the Bridge of the Inner Demon, presents the cultivator with the Heart Demon Tribulation, a trial that challenges their ability to conquer and transcend their inner demons and doubts. If they fail the tribulation, their Inner Demon will take control of their body and their cultivation will regress to peak of Empyrean, without ever being able to advance to the Heaven Trampling stage again.
Continuing on their arduous path, cultivators face the Bridge of the Universal Laws, where they confront the formidable Heavenly Tribulation. This tribulation serves as a comprehensive examination of their comprehension and mastery of the intricate laws that govern the universe. If they fail this tribulation they will be stripped of their cultivation and need to start once again from zero. The next are the Bridge of Life and the Bridge of Death.
During the crossing of the Bridge of Life, cultivators are confronted with the daunting Life Tribulation. In this trial, the cultivator experiences being completely forgotten by all forms of life. The very essence of life turns against them, manifesting as hostility and animosity. The cultivator must navigate through this tempest of enmity, seeking to pacify the storm without resorting to wanton destruction. It is a test of their ability to maintain composure, to find harmony within chaos, and to restore balance in the face of overwhelming opposition. If they however begin to slaughter all opposition, they will be immediately fail this tribulation and their body and soul will be disintegrated by the powers of heaven. Zenith Heaven Emperor made it so that after failing this tribulation even the imperishable body will not be able to protect them. This tribulation ensures no cultivator like the Fourth Heaven ever gains a position of ultimate power.
As cultivators progress further along their path, they encounter the Bridge of Death, which presents them with the formidable Death Tribulation. During this tribulation, the cultivator is imprisoned within the confines of the Heavenly Way Prison, isolated and once again forgotten by all living beings. Their existence fades from the memories of those who once knew them, and they become an ethereal presence lost to the annals of time. Only through the collective power of strong memories and the genuine desire for their return can the cultivator break free from this cosmic prison and once again emerge into the realm of the living. If however no one remembers them they will be imprisoned for all eternity.
As cultivators progress further, they confront the Bridge of Space, traversing through the Space Tribulation and expanding their understanding of spatial manipulation.
The Bridge of Space presents cultivators with the Space Tribulation, a trial divided into two distinct parts: Banishment and Deep Space. During the Banishment phase, cultivators are exiled to a shallow dimensional space, where they must navigate and adapt to unfamiliar spatial distortions and fluctuations. While challenging, this phase serves as a stepping stone, preparing cultivators for the more formidable Deep Space phase. In Deep Space, cultivators are further exiled to a deeper dimensional level, where they encounter intensified spatial complexities and disturbances. This phase tests their ability to comprehend and manipulate space at a profound level, requiring them to overcome the chaotic and disorienting nature of the extradimensional realm and return to the present world. This tribulation can not be failed, as it continues on until they succeed.
The Bridge of Time follows, presenting cultivators with the Time Tribulation, wherein they delve into the mysteries of temporal manipulation and confront the relentless march of time.
The Bridge of Time, on the other hand, subjects cultivators to the Time Tribulation, a trial that transports them into an alternate timeline. In this tribulation, cultivators are required to make their comeback, navigating through the intricacies of a different temporal reality. They must navigate the complex web of cause and effect, leveraging their understanding of temporal manipulation and their accumulated wisdom to navigate the divergent timeline and find a way back to their original timeline. This tribulation challenges cultivators to grasp the nuances of temporal fluctuations, master the manipulation of time, and make calculated decisions that can alter the course of events in their favor. The failure of this tribulation is considered to have the least consequences for the cultivator from all the tribulations during this stage, as here they can still continue on living comfortable, although in another timeline.
The penultimate bridge, the Bridge of Destruction, unleashes the Annihilation Tribulation, a trial that tests cultivators' ability to confront and wield the forces of destruction.
During the Annihilation Tribulation, the cultivator is confronted with the daunting task of enduring the obliteration of All Heavens and Myriad Realms. Transported to a specific period in time that marked the end of the Sixth Heaven's era, the cultivator witnesses the aftermath of the Fourth Heaven's successful destruction of All Heavens and Myriad Realms. However, the selfless sacrifice of the Sixth Heaven enabled a reboot of All Heavens and Myriad Realms, breathing new life into the shattered cosmos. In this tribulation, the one undergoing the tribulation needs to survive without the Sixth Heaven's interference. If they fail they are dead.
Finally, cultivators face the final and most formidable bridge, the Bridge of Creation. This bridge subjects them to the Profound Creation Tribulation. The Profound Creation Tribulation presents cultivators with a formidable trial where All Heavens and Myriad Realms cast them out of their boundary into nothingness. Exiled from the domain of creation, the cultivator is thrust into the depths of emptiness, devoid of the familiar structures and laws that governed All Heavens and Myriad Realms. To overcome this tribulation, cultivators must reenter All Heavens and Myriad Realms. If they however fail, the outcome of them is uncertain. Some manage to enter another domain of creation like the Black Dragon World, while others forever remain in nothingness.
With each successful crossing of these bridges, cultivators gradually trample upon the heavens, defying the limitations imposed by the Heavenly Way and ascending to unprecedented realms of power, insight, and enlightenment. After crossing the last bridge they become a transcendent.