Xue Sha could only leave dejectedly.
She knew she had suffered a great loss. Not only had she failed to achieve her goal, but she had also been hit several times by Yun Fan. She had to admit, the feeling was rather… indescribable.
At this moment, Zi Xuan was about to break through to Saint Emperor. With Mu Qing Xian's help, she had completed all the necessary preparations for the breakthrough.
However, there was still one final step: transcending the tribulation.
Although Zi Xuan was confident, a tremor of fear ran through her heart.
It wasn't for any other reason than that her mother had died during her Saint Emperor tribulation years ago. Even though her father was already a renowned Immortal Emperor at the time, he couldn't intervene during the tribulation, ultimately leading to her mother's demise. She had been young then.
Recalling it now, besides endless sorrow, there seemed to be no other feeling. And now, it was finally her turn.
In truth, her mind was in turmoil, preventing her from focusing her full energy on the tribulation.
Just then, Yun Fan arrived.
"Husband!"
Zi Xuan looked at Yun Fan with deep affection. If anything were to happen, she would have no regrets in this life.
Yun Fan spoke, "Zi Xuan, your emotions are quite turbulent! Is something wrong?"
In Yun Fan's eyes, such a state was not conducive to transcending tribulation. If she failed, the consequences would be unforeseeable, making him deeply worried.
Their Zhan Tian clan was formidable and didn't need to undergo tribulations, but others did. Worse still, regardless of who underwent the tribulation, they had to face it alone; others could not interfere.
This was precisely what caused Yun Fan to worry.
"Husband, I'm afraid I'll fail the tribulation and won't be able to be with you!"
At this moment, Zi Xuan voiced her deepest fear.
Upon hearing this, Yun Fan pulled her into his embrace. "It's okay, aren't we still here together?"
"No matter what, we won't let anything happen to you!"
This was Yun Fan's solemn promise.
"Senior Sister Zi Xuan, don't be afraid, face yourself bravely!"
Mu Qing Xian also offered words of encouragement to Zi Xuan.
Finally, Zi Xuan resolved to take that step. With their companionship and encouragement, Zi Xuan began to transcend the tribulation, her mind clear of distractions.
It had to be said that due to her exceptionally high talent and her sufficient strength, her breakthrough to Saint Emperor was exceptionally smooth.
Although lightning tribulations descended, she ultimately managed to withstand them.
Just as she was about to achieve Saint Emperor, a Heavenly Dao curse suddenly struck.
It appeared to be aiming to agitate the suppressed Heavenly Dao curse within Zi Xuan, thereby causing her to perish.
This sudden attack of the Heavenly Dao curse startled Zi Xuan greatly.
In this critical moment, Yun Fan moved swiftly, shielding Zi Xuan with his own body.
He intercepted the invasion of the Heavenly Dao curse.
"Ugh!"
Yun Fan let out a muffled groan. Although the Heavenly Dao curse couldn't infect him, such a massive influx of it was a severe blow, and he wasn't sure if he could withstand it.
"Husband, no!"
Zi Xuan exclaimed with concern, but she was powerless. At this moment, she still had to contend with the lightning tribulation.
Yun Fan urged, "Break through quickly, don't worry about me!"
Mu Qing Xian, helpless, summoned the other five. Upon seeing Yun Fan resisting the Heavenly Dao curse, the five were greatly shocked.
Previously, they had thought Yun Fan was merely ordinary, aside from his Zhan Tian clan lineage. Now, they realized Yun Fan could actually resist Heavenly Dao curses.
Undoubtedly, they were astonished beyond measure.
At Mu Qing Xian's command, they continuously channeled their internal strength to Yun Fan.
Although they lacked the ability to resist Heavenly Dao curses themselves, Yun Fan did! Yun Fan's resistance to the Heavenly Dao curse was only lacking in raw power.
If he were just an ordinary Zhan Tian clan member, he might not have endured, but let's not forget, he was an enhanced version of the Zhan clan.
His enhanced bloodline was not to be trifled with.
With the combined strength of the five, Yun Fan not only repelled the Heavenly Dao curse but also continuously strengthened his own power.
Ultimately, without him even realizing it, he broke through to the third stage of Saint Emperor, the peak of Saint Emperor.
While this realm represented the pinnacle of Saint Emperor, it was still far from being the existence just below Saint Emperor.
He was still tens of thousands of miles away from breaking through to Saint Emperor.
Eventually, the Heavenly Dao curse was dispelled, and Zi Xuan also broke through to Saint Emperor. Undeniably, Zi Xuan was the first young cultivator to achieve Saint Emperor in the entire Great Thousand World.
No one before her had managed to accomplish this.
Zi Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. If the external Heavenly Dao curse had entered her body and activated the one sealed within by Yun Fan, she would have perished instantly. This breakthrough had indeed been perilously close.
The five also exhaled in relief. They never expected anyone could actually resist a Heavenly Dao curse, and right before their eyes.
While they had lost some power, it wasn't truly a loss. If the Heavenly Dao curse had struck them, they would likely have died as well.
Furthermore, their lost power wasn't wasted; after being absorbed by Yun Fan, it directly propelled him to the peak of Saint Emperor.
Their actions weren't entirely for Yun Fan's sake, but rather a matter of loyalty. When a sovereign commands, a subject must obey, and in that moment, as long as Mu Qing Xian hadn't commanded them to personally face the Heavenly Dao curse, they were willing to pay any price.
Now that the immediate crisis had passed, the five finally relaxed their hearts.
Zi Xuan then said to Yun Fan, "If it weren't for you and Sister Qing Xian, I would have surely perished today!"
"We are all family. Even if it means sacrificing our lives, it is only right!"
Yun Fan replied, "However, one thing puzzles me! You only broke through to Saint Emperor, and it triggered a Heavenly Dao curse. Shouldn't that only happen when breaking through to Saint Venerable?"
At these words, the expressions of the two women changed instantly. Indeed, they now realized the gravity of the situation. Even breaking through to Saint Emperor could be infected by Heavenly Dao curses.
This was too bizarre! They had never witnessed such a terrifying phenomenon. It seemed the Great Thousand World was no longer the same, and Heavenly Dao curses were silently infiltrating it. Except for the Zhan Tian clan, no one could escape. The thought of this made it impossible for the two women not to feel afraid.
After all, in the entire history of the Great Thousand World's development, such a widespread issue had never occurred. Zi Xuan's breakthrough this time was the first, but would it become the norm in the future?
In the view of the two women, it was likely because Zi Xuan already carried a Heavenly Dao curse within her, which resonated with the external Heavenly Dao curse.
Of course, this was just their speculation, and they couldn't be certain.
Yun Fan, however, felt it was an ominous sign. Could it be true, as the Forest Lord had said, that a crisis was imminent?