In fact, Qiao Chu's consideration was quite practical. The material of his cultivation robe was incredibly rare and sturdy; it was unclear where he had obtained it.

The thunderbolts from the heavens grew increasingly fierce and relentless. Although Qiao Chu appeared more and more distressed, his eyes shone even more brightly.

Every time someone thought that the next thunderbolt might be the end of his life, he would shatter all limits and expectations, repeatedly enduring with unyielding tenacity.

In the end, nine bolts of heavenly thunder cascaded down like a waterfall, engulfing him completely in a sea of lightning.

Zhang Yiyi had nearly forgotten to breathe, her mind a blank as she stared blankly, waiting and hoping.

After an unknown amount of time, when she saw Qiao Chu again and saw his current state, she could not help but laugh.

At this moment, Qiao Chu's skin was lacerated, flesh and blood scattered, barely retaining any semblance of human form.

Most of the tribulation artifacts given to him by his senior brother had turned to dust, but the cultivation robe remained intact on his tattered body, its resilience truly astonishing.

Indeed, there were extraordinary and almost perverse existences in this world. Qiao Chu treated the Ninety-Nine Thunder Tribulation, which others regarded as a disaster, as if it were mere rain, cleansing his body and mind. Even Jiang Heng could not help but inwardly curse him as a freak. All the concerns of the onlookers had dissipated or become numb amidst the increasingly frenzied thunderbolts, replaced by indescribable excitement and pride.

The Ninety-Nine Thunder Tribulation gradually receded with reluctance, and Qiao Chu stood firm, successfully breaking through to the Divine Transformation Realm.

He truly was the prodigious genius who had astonished the entire cultivation world hundreds of years ago!

Such a defiant Thunder Tribulation could not hinder his path. Today, his powerful promotion proved that his innate talent was not a fleeting phenomenon.

After the thunder tribulation, the sky cleared up with auspicious clouds, a sign of the Heavenly Dao's favor.

Countless surges of vitality poured into Qiao Chu's body, healing all his injuries at a visible rate, and the power of the Transformation Realm reached its peak, with his condition at an unprecedented zenith.

Seizing this momentum, Qiao Chu fully opened his spiritual consciousness and began to evolve his own path.

"Look, the path is beginning to manifest."

"Even the vague image of Master Qiao's path is making people's souls tremble."

"Master Qiao's path must be extraordinary. I wonder what the Path Establishment Tribulation will be."

"If the Ninety-Nine Thunder Tribulation could not stop Master Qiao, then this Path Establishment Tribulation will surely be fine!" ... The crowd discussed in low voices, clearly filled with absolute confidence in Qiao Chu due to his successful overcoming of the Thunder Tribulation.

As Qiao Chu's manifested path became clearer, Zhang Yiyi grew increasingly alarmed. Until the path was fully revealed and clearly displayed, the scene fell into stunned silence, with everyone gaping at the enormous path image above Qiao Chu's head, unable to speak.

The Three Thousand Paths certainly encompassed more than just three thousand methods, but regardless of which path, they all fell under the Heavenly Dao's recognition. However, the path Qiao Chu was showing was actually himself?

In other words, he intends to make himself the path, the path being him, and he being the path? Was this madness? Since the beginning of cultivation, such madness had never been heard of. Even though cultivation itself defies the heavens, no one had ever truly established a path with themselves as the path, challenging the celestial authority.

Indeed, once Qiao Chu's enormous golden path image was fully revealed, the previously clear sky abruptly turned dark, and the entire world seemed to fall into an abyss.

A thunderous hum of fury from the heavens rolled in from all directions, mercilessly targeting the only tiny golden source of light in this place—Qiao Chu's path image.

That sound struck the soul as if everything could be crushed to dust, intending to eradicate any existence the Heavenly Dao did not wish to preserve, to completely destroy and erase Qiao Chu's path image.

This was the Heavenly Dao's explicit attitude: Qiao Chu's path would not receive its recognition. Without even receiving recognition, how could the rules of heaven and earth allow his path to succeed?

Thus, the Path Establishment did not trigger any tribulations, only the Heavenly Dao's thunderbolts, in anger, mercilessly erasing it.

"Perfect timing, I've been waiting for this!"

Unexpectedly, Qiao Chu showed no fear at all.

As if he had anticipated this, he laughed maniacally towards the sky, operating his life and death techniques to their utmost, using all his strength to manipulate the path image to fend off the attack.

At this moment, not only the Yunxian Sect but the entire world's heavens and earth changed color, falling into a realm of illusion.

All the secluded old experts in every corner were abruptly interrupted, suddenly realizing that someone was confronting the celestial authority, intending to make themselves the path. Such awareness shocked everyone profoundly.

Fortunately, this confrontation did not last long, for even the Heavenly Dao, bound by rules, could not remain continuously.

Yet, the brief moments felt as long as several lifetimes, even observers felt as though they had lived and died multiple times. It was unimaginable how terrifying the confrontation was for Qiao Chu.

Fortunately, the power of the Heavenly Dao ultimately did not destroy that unique path image, nor did it erase Qiao Chu. After a single strike, it finally dissipated into the heavens and earth with lingering anger.

The world finally returned to normal, gradually calming down.

"This... Did his path establishment succeed or not?"

The voice of the Eastern Sect Leader trembled uncontrollably, unable to distinguish whether he was shocked or excited by what he had just witnessed. Without a Path Establishment Tribulation, but with the Heavenly Dao's erasure not being recognized, and yet Qiao Chu withstood the Heavenly Dao's wrath, maintaining his path image intact...

"It certainly succeeded. To establish a path with oneself as the path, creating a world from it. From now on, he is the path, and the path is him!"

Jiang Heng laughed heartily, pride evident in his voice. "Qiao Chu's path is not subordinate to this world's Heavenly Dao, so naturally, the Heavenly Dao's tribulations have no right to strike him! Regardless of whether it is recognized by the Heavenly Dao, his path already exists, so the rules of heaven and earth cannot affect him. He needs no recognition!"

The words of the True Saint immediately put everyone's minds at ease, instantly changing the previous expressions to ones of excitement and joy.

After the Divine Transformation Realm and Path Establishment were completely finished, everyone quickly gathered around to congratulate Qiao Chu.

The Eastern Sect Leader, overjoyed, asked Qiao Chu about the date for the Transformation Grand Ceremony, stating that Yunxian Sect would definitely invite everyone to celebrate the newly promoted Transformation Realm True Master.

"There is no need for the Transformation Grand Ceremony. I need to continue seclusion to stabilize my realm and to gain deeper insights. The duration of my seclusion will be no less than three to five years, and possibly up to several decades. Unless it concerns the sect's life and death, no one should disturb me."

Qiao Chu shook his head and briefly explained to the Sect Leader.

He then thanked and sent off the various congratulatory disciples, leaving only his senior brother and his disciples.