Wait, How Did My Digital Girlfriend Become a Sword Immortal? Chapter 711: The Self-Sacrifice Ruse

Chapter 711: The Self-Sacrifice Ruse

…

“What? Chen Huaian?!”

The Mountain-Moving Sage let out a stunned cry, a sentiment of pure disbelief shared by the other four Demon Saints.

It was common knowledge that Chen Huaian sat at the pinnacle of the First Tribulation within the Great Ascension Stage. However, confronting a heavenly tribulation was a gamble between life and death. Any rational cultivator would wait until they reached their absolute peak, having prepared every possible resource, before challenging the laws of the universe.

He had just concluded an exhausting battle and exhausted himself further by manifesting a massive sword formation that dominated the sky. His true essence had to be nearly spent.

In the eyes of the Five Demon Saints, triggering a tribulation in such a depleted state was nothing short of a suicide mission.

Chen Huaian was essentially wagering his very existence just to keep the five of them trapped there…

Was he truly willing to throw his life away for a swarm of insignificant ants?

By now, the heavens were completely buried under a thick layer of tribulation clouds. An immense, crushing weight born from the laws of heaven and earth bore down, making the very atmosphere feel like solid stone.

Under such pressure, who would dare to take flight?

The Mountain-Moving Sage was the first to retract his demonic cloud, descending quickly to the earth.

Black Wind, the Manifestation Sage, and the Toxic Enemy Sage followed suit, landing one after the other.

Only the Golden-Winged Roc, confident in its legendary speed, continued to beat its wings in a desperate attempt to outrun the deadly lightning zone. It failed to notice that the clouds, stretching for thousands of miles, followed it like a shadow. Deep within that darkness, a blinding golden bolt of lightning had already formed, ready to strike!

“Roc! Do you have a death wish?!” the Manifestation Sage bellowed. His colossal form lunged upward, his iron-like claw snatching the Golden-Winged Roc by the wing and dragging it violently back to the ground.

“Escape is impossible! The laws of heaven and earth have already locked onto our Qi!” The Manifestation Sage glared at the trembling Roc, his voice rumbling like low thunder. “Our only hope is to remain still, suppress our breath, and avoid drawing the wrath of the heavenly lightning. Once Chen Huaian concludes his tribulation—whether he lives or dies—that is when we strike!”

“But…” the Roc stammered, his voice shaking with terror, “what if he actually succeeds? Even now, with his sword formation, he can hold the five of us back. If he reaches the second tribulation of the Great Ascension Stage and fights us directly, who among us could survive a single blow? Even if we wipe out these sects now, when he comes for revenge later, wouldn't we be—”

“It won’t be that simple!” the Manifestation Sage sneered, cutting him off. He fixed his gaze on the figure sitting cross-legged amidst the swirling storm, his eyes filled with cold malice. “Forcing a heavenly tribulation while unprepared is a death sentence. Even if he survives by some miracle, he’ll be battered to the brink of death by the lightning. He won’t recover quickly. That will be our window of opportunity!”

To the Manifestation Sage, Chen Huaian’s move was a desperate ploy to protect the foundations of those pathetic sects by forcing the demons to stay put.

And the price of that gamble would likely be his life.

Previously, they had no certainty they could kill Chen Huaian.

But after he faced the tribulation… the scales would tilt.

“Everyone, take your positions and wait. Today shall be the day Chen Huaian dies!”

With those words, the Manifestation Sage’s massive body hit the ground as he took a seated posture. He reined in his demonic aura, his eyes tracking the figure in the clouds like a venomous serpent.

Now, he wouldn't leave even if someone begged him to.

The remaining four Saints looked at each other, murderous intent flickering in their eyes.

They followed his lead, sitting down to circulate their demonic Qi, desperate to return to their peak condition before the final strike.

…

The mood within the sword formation was a world apart.

Seeing Chen Huaian forcibly detain the Five Demon Saints—sacrificing his own safety to shield their sects and braving a heavenly tribulation while surrounded by enemies—the hearts of every cultivator present tightened with emotion.

Fu Hongyu, the leader of the Blade Sect, gripped his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. Tears welled in his fierce eyes as he spoke in a choked voice: “Elder Chen… would actually put his life on the line for us!” He looked up at the silhouette in the clouds, his doubts replaced by profound respect and iron-clad loyalty.

Originally, many had only accepted the title of honorary elder of the Moon Shadow Sect because of the benefits Chen Huaian offered.

Fu Hongyu himself had felt no real connection to the Moon Shadow Sect.

But witnessing Chen Huaian’s selfless heroism, he could no longer view the man or his sect as a mere business arrangement.

Look at the others!

The Burning Heaven monk had fled the moment he saw Tu Shan Yue’s ascension. Other Great Ascension experts in the Void Abyss had witnessed the arrogance of the Five Demon Saints and chosen to stay out of it, washing their hands of the conflict.

Only Elder Chen had stood his ground!

Is such a man not worth following to the very end?!

“Amitabha…” Fa Dahai of the Zen Sect whispered a holy name, his fingers flying across his prayer beads. To him, Chen Huaian seemed to be draped in a divine Buddhist glow. “The Elder’s deeds are not for himself, but for the sake of all living beings. Such compassion and bravery are the ultimate examples for us all!”

Behind him, the Zen disciples watched with reverence and pity, their hands joined in prayer.

The usual mockery had vanished from the face of Wang Dagen, master of the Bliss Sect. He gritted his teeth, his expression uncharacteristically grave and moved.

He bowed deeply toward the figure in the storm and declared in a heavy voice, “Elder Chen’s righteousness is unparalleled! He is staking his life to safeguard our disciples—this is a debt I, Wang, shall never forget! From this day forward, the Bliss Sect shall follow the lead of the Moon Shadow Sect!”

Other nearby sect leaders glanced at Wang Dagen with a hint of scorn.

Following the Moon Shadow Sect and Elder Chen? That was a noble alliance. But the Bliss Sect? They were hardly a "proper" sect; most suspected they’d be turned away even if they begged to join.

Wang Dagen’s announcement was clearly a bit opportunistic.

“Master…” Within the protection of the Moon Shadow formation, Li Qingran stood in her white gown, the winds of the formation whipping her clothes about.

She gazed up at the solitary figure at the heart of the lightning, biting her lip so hard it nearly bled.

Her eyes were clouded with an agonizing mix of worry and sorrow.

She understood his plan perfectly.

But if she had a choice, she would rather he wasn't the hero protecting the world. She just wanted him to be safe.

Yet, the die was cast.

All she could do was offer silent prayers—praying that the heavens would show mercy to Chen Huaian for his selfless sacrifice.

“Heaven, please… let my master survive this tribulation…”

The collective gaze of the cultivators focused on a single point, their worry and admiration merging into a silent, powerful force.

They pushed themselves to keep the sword formation active, pouring their cultivation into the core without hesitation, hoping to ease even a tiny portion of the burden on the man facing the divine wrath.

At the center of the storm, Chen Huaian sat with a heart as still as a frozen lake.

The power of the heavenly laws he had summoned spiraled around him like a massive whirlpool.

“Boom—crack!”

The first bolt of heavenly lightning finally tore through the clouds, carrying the majestic weight of the heavens as it lunged down like a snarling violet serpent!

The sheer force of it made the surrounding mountains tremble.

Chen Huaian didn't flinch. He extended a finger like a blade, and a dense, silver-white sword aura shot upward to meet the destructive bolt with surgical precision.

Rumble!

A flash of blinding light erupted as chaotic energy scattered in every direction.

Chen Huaian’s body jolted, but he merely raised an eyebrow.

Something was wrong.

This tribulation… it felt significantly weaker than it should be.

It lacked the world-shaking power described in ancient texts for a first strike.

Typically, the first bolt is incredibly powerful, designed to break the cultivator's spirit. The second is usually a bit weaker, with the intensity ramping up steadily afterward.

But this first strike was barely an itch. If that was the case…

The thought flickered through his mind and vanished as the second and third bolts fell in rapid succession. Each was larger and more menacing than the last.

Chen Huaian remained focused, his sword finger striking repeatedly. Sword auras clashed with the lightning, sometimes parrying, sometimes neutralizing the force.

Even under the pressure of the tribulation, his mastery of the sword was breathtaking.

Then came the tenth bolt—a crimson-gold spear of lightning that tore through the sky with an aura of total annihilation!

Chen Huaian let out a sharp cry. With a powerful flourish, his “Silver River Swordfall” technique surged upward, his sword intent colliding violently with the golden thunder.

Boom—!!!

An explosion that seemed to shake the foundations of the world echoed through the air.

Chen Huaian’s frame shuddered. His protective sword Qi was shredded, and his chest and shoulder were instantly charred by the raw lightning. The wounds turned black before blood could even flow—the intense heat vaporized it instantly—and a searing pain shot through his nerves.

“Now that’s more like it…” Chen Huaian grunted.

The earlier bolts had been like scratches, but this tenth one finally had some bite.

Still, it was manageable. He estimated he could handle it even if the power increased tenfold.

However, as the sharp pain hit, a strange, warm energy began to seep from the lightning’s remnants into his injuries. His mangled flesh started to knit back together at an incredible speed. The charred skin fell away, replaced by new flesh that shimmered like jade.

Chen Huaian looked down at his healing wounds in shock, then glanced up at the indifferent golden Thunder Eye in the sky.

“Wait… what?!”

“You’re actually holding back? You’re really pulling your punches, aren’t you?!”

Being healed by a heavenly tribulation?

It was absurd!

But as he stared at the golden Thunder Eye, which appeared perfectly solemn and serious, Chen Huaian realized the Heavenly Dao wasn't playing a joke.

He felt no relief—only a growing suspicion.

If a demon with as much negative karma as Tu Shan Yue could ascend without a scratch, it wasn't just luck.

It seemed the Heavenly Dao was being disturbingly “merciful” toward all Great Ascension cultivators lately.

But why?

Chen Huaian’s gaze tried to pierce the storm clouds, as if trying to look past the veil of the world to see the entity pulling the strings.

The Heavenly Dao was practically forcing Great Ascension cultivators to become immortals as fast as possible…

Something was fundamentally wrong with the world.

But that wasn't a puzzle he could solve today. After this, he would only be at the Second Tribulation of the Great Ascension Stage.

Instead of worrying about the intentions of the heavens, he needed to focus on the performance at hand.

“Boom—!”

Another bolt, thick with the essence of destruction, crashed down.

“ARGH!!!” Chen Huaian screamed, a mix of genuine pain and exaggerated theatrics.

While howling, he kept a close eye on the expressions of the cultivators below.

Then, he made his screams sound even more agonizing.

Heh heh!

Once this "self-sacrifice" act is finished, these sects will be tripping over themselves to join the Moon Shadow Sect!