“It’s alright! It’s alright, you’re still alive!” Lin Yun forced a smile.
Before Yun Shang’s tribulation, Lin Yun had found her a ten-thousand-year Immortal Fate Fruit to protect her. Though she failed the tribulation, it fortunately preserved her life.
“I’m… I’m so useless… I can’t achieve immortality, so I can’t stay with you forever,” Yun Shang said, tears streaming down her face.
“It’s fine. We’ll find a way,” Lin Yun said, trying to comfort her despite the pain in his heart.
Though Lin Yun had become an invincible existence in this world, he was powerless when it came to helping others pass their tribulations.
The tribulation was the Heavenly Dao’s interference with humanity. Immortality was something the Heavenly Dao’s rules did not permit.
Thus, succeeding in a tribulation was incredibly difficult.
After Yun Shang’s failure, Lin Yun did his best to remain optimistic to spare her feelings, and their friends and family did the same.
That night, under the pretext of wanting to read, Lin Yun locked himself in the study.
He stayed awake the entire night.
Lin Yun pondered if there was any way to alter the tribulation process, any method to achieve immortality even after failing a tribulation. But no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn’t change it.
The Heavenly Dao’s rules were immutable.
Over the next three hundred years, many of Lin Yun’s friends and family, now advanced in age, faced their tribulations.
If they didn’t attempt it soon, reaching the end of their lifespans would make success even less likely.
The Holy Temple’s Grand Elder failed his tribulation.
Prince Ige of Shalai failed his tribulation.
Elder Xiong of the Holy Temple failed his tribulation.
Liu Bo failed his tribulation.
Grandfather Liu Zhizhong failed his tribulation.
Qin Shi failed her tribulation.
Zhao Ling’er failed her tribulation.
Jiang Jingwen failed her tribulation.
Lone Wolf failed his tribulation.
Liang Yuan failed his tribulation.
The Wanderer failed his tribulation.
One by one, his friends and family, due to their advanced age, chose to face their tribulations.
Of all of them, only two succeeded: Yu Ying and Wei Qi.
The rest who attempted their tribulations failed, succumbing to various stages of the ordeal.
Most of them had relied on Lin Yun’s resources to reach their current level, but their resolve was not strong enough. Despite years of effort to strengthen it, the tribulations were simply too formidable.
Even among the countless geniuses and prodigies of the cultivation continent, those who succeeded in their tribulations were exceedingly rare.
The tribulation was indeed far too difficult.
Fortunately, Lin Yun had used Qiankun Crystal Stones to acquire precious treasures, which protected them and ensured they survived their failures.
But this meant they had entered the Tribulation Realm.
It also meant they could not achieve immortality, and their lives would eventually end.
Most of the friends who failed their tribulations remained relatively optimistic.
Liu Zhizhong told Lin Yun that he had originally expected to live only a few decades. Having lived so long, seen so much, visited the imperial palace with Lin Yun, and been respectfully addressed as Elder Liu by emperors and Immortals, he had no complaints.
He comforted Lin Yun, telling him not to grieve, as a normal human’s lifespan was naturally limited, and Lin Yun had already extended their lives significantly.
Lin Yun understood these truths, but he still couldn’t bear to see them leave.
Perhaps this was a trial all Immortals faced: watching their loved ones pass while they remained. Lin Yun was no exception and now faced this ordeal.
Today marked eleven hundred years since Lin Yun defeated the Demon Lord.
It was the day his son, Lin Yi, would attempt his tribulation.
In the outskirts.
Lin Yun and Yun Shang stood at a distance, watching Lin Yi’s tribulation.
Lin Yun hadn’t allowed other friends or family to come, as Yun Shang was Lin Yi’s mother, so only she was present.
Their hands were clasped tightly, their eyes fixed ahead.
Hopeful, anxious…
Lin Yun could feel the sweat on Yun Shang’s palm.
His own heart was heavy with suspense.
“It’s the Reincarnation Tribulation,” Lin Yun said, his gaze locked on the distance.
“Oh no!” Yun Shang suddenly gripped Lin Yun’s hand tightly.
In the distance, Lin Yi, blood gushing, plummeted downward.
“Why!?”
Lin Yun roared in frustration, then rushed forward to catch Lin Yi.
“Father, I… I was so close to passing the Reincarnation Tribulation,” Lin Yi said, his face pale.
“You did well, Yi’er,” Lin Yun said, forcing a smile.
Surviving the earlier stages was proof of Lin Yi’s strength. Many of Lin Yun’s friends hadn’t even reached the Reincarnation Tribulation before failing.
Failing at this stage showed that Lin Yi’s resolve was still lacking, falling short in some way.
Lin Yun brought Lin Yi back to Yun Shang.
“It’s fate’s cruel trick. Yi’er… he too fell at the Reincarnation Tribulation,” Yun Shang sighed deeply.
“Yi’er did his best,” Lin Yun said.
When it came to tribulations, there was little Lin Yun could do.
Even Emperor Fire Cloud, over the years, hadn’t had a single child succeed in their tribulation, showing that background and resources could only help so much.
At that moment, Lone Wolf flew in urgently from the distance.
“Yun Bro, something’s happened!” Lone Wolf’s expression was grave.
“What is it?” Lin Yun sensed something was wrong and pressed him.
“White Shark… he’s passed away,” Lone Wolf said, lowering his head.
Boom!
To Lin Yun, it was as if the sky had collapsed, the earth had shattered.
“Yun Bro!”
“Lin Yun!”
Yun Shang and Lone Wolf quickly supported him.
“Let’s go back!”
Lin Yun gritted his teeth and rushed toward the capital.
At the Lin Residence.
Lin Yun hurried to the room where White Shark resided.
White Shark lay on the bed, lifeless.
When the demon beast war first broke out, White Shark had entered the Tribulation Realm, the first to do so, and now he was the first to reach the end of his life.
“White Shark!”
Lin Yun grabbed his hand, calling out loudly.
His hands trembled uncontrollably, his heart pierced as if by needles.
Just yesterday, he had been chatting with White Shark, and now they were separated by life and death?
“Yun Bro, White Shark had no regrets. He was content to have lived so long. He told me that many times,” Lone Wolf said from beside him.
Lin Yun nodded faintly.
Over the years, since retiring, Lin Yun had spent much time with everyone.
He had often drunk and chatted with White Shark.
White Shark had indeed told him multiple times that he had no regrets.
These years, White Shark had lived happily.
He hadn’t even left a final message, as he had already said everything to Lin Yun over the years.
But to Lin Yun, this news was still unbearable.
