Immortal Supreme: Sovereign of the Grand Dao-Chapter 275: Old Man Whitebeard’s Breakthrough! All Submit!

Old Man Whitebeard looked at the pill Arthur offered. His eyes studied it carefully for a brief moment. He didn’t hesitate or question its authenticity. He trusted the emperor completely. He trusted Arthur even more. Years of service had built absolute faith.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Whitebeard said. His voice carried genuine gratitude. He reached out and took the pill from the jade bottle. It sat in his palm, glowing softly. He swallowed it immediately without any ceremony or preparation.

The effect was instant. Whitebeard’s eyes closed as he entered deep meditation. His entire body went still. His breathing slowed to almost nothing. His body began glowing with a soft golden light that spread from his core outward. The light grew brighter with each passing second.

The spiritual energy in the arena started moving. It began as a gentle pull. Then it grew stronger. It flowed toward Whitebeard from every direction. The convergence grew stronger and stronger until it became visible to the naked eye. Streams of spiritual energy formed in the air like glowing rivers. They all led to where Whitebeard sat.

People felt their own cultivation bases stir. The spiritual energy in their bodies wanted to move toward Whitebeard as well. They had to actively suppress it.

*Rumble!*

Dark clouds formed above the barrier. They appeared from nothing. Swirling into existence like ink spreading in water. Everyone looked up in shock. Their heads tilted back. Their mouths opened. They recognized what was happening.

"Tribulation clouds!" someone shouted. Their voice cracked with excitement and fear. "He’s actually breaking through!"

This was the legendary Martial Saint breakthrough tribulation. No one alive had witnessed one before. Stories existed in ancient texts. Paintings showed what they supposedly looked like. But seeing it in person was completely different. The last recorded breakthrough happened over ten thousand years ago.

The clouds grew darker and more menacing. They spread across the entire sky above the barrier. Lightning crackled within them. Each bolt contained power that could destroy mountains. The sound of thunder rolled continuously. The air felt heavy with suppressed energy.

*CRACK!*

The first tribulation bolt descended. It moved faster than most eyes could follow. A pillar of white lightning struck down from the clouds. It struck Whitebeard’s body directly. The impact sent shockwaves through the arena. His meditation remained unbroken. His body didn’t move. The golden light around him intensified, defending against the lightning. The two forces clashed. Light and lightning fought for supremacy.

The lightning dispersed after several seconds. Whitebeard remained seated. Unharmed. Unchanged.

Seven more bolts followed in rapid succession. Each one stronger than the last. The second bolt was twice as thick as the first. The third was even larger. They came down one after another with barely any pause between them. The arena shook with each impact. The ground cracked beneath Whitebeard’s position. Stone split and fractured from the force.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as Whitebeard endured the tribulation. No one spoke. No one moved. They couldn’t look away. This moment would be burned into their memories forever. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The fourth bolt made some people scream. The fifth made others cover their ears from the thunder. The sixth bolt was so bright it left spots in people’s vision. The seventh bolt caused the barrier itself to ripple from the force.

By the eighth bolt, several weaker cultivators had collapsed from just the pressure of watching. The spiritual energy in the air had become so dense it was hard to breathe.

Finally, the ninth bolt fell. It was three times larger than all the others combined. The entire sky seemed to open up. Lightning descended like the wrath of heaven itself. The bolt struck with apocalyptic force. The sound was deafening. The light was blinding. Many people had to close their eyes and cover their ears.

When the light faded slowly, Old Man Whitebeard stood there in the same position. His body showed no injuries. No burns or wounds. But his aura had transformed completely. The pressure radiating from him was different. Stronger. More refined. It felt purer somehow. More concentrated.

He had succeeded. He was now a true Martial Saint. A real one. Not just someone who called themselves that title. He had passed through the tribulation and emerged transformed.

Whitebeard opened his eyes slowly. They glowed with new power. A faint light shone from them. He bowed deeply to Arthur from his standing position. His movements showed reverence and gratitude. "This servant thanks Your Highness for the gift of advancement."

The arena remained silent for several long moments. No one knew what to say. Every rebel stared at Whitebeard in disbelief. Their minds struggled to process what they’d witnessed. The pill actually worked. It really could guarantee breakthrough to Martial Saint. Arthur hadn’t been lying. He hadn’t been exaggerating. It was all true.

Arthur silently commanded the Soul Gem’s power. The energy moved invisibly through the arena. No one noticed the subtle influence spreading through the gathered rebels. It touched their minds gently. Pushed at their resistance.

’A little push will end things faster,’ Arthur thought to himself. ’I have better things to do than waste time here.’

The resistance in the rebels’ hearts crumbled instantly. It happened all at once. Like a dam breaking. Even the proudest sect leaders felt their resolve break. Their determination shattered. Their stubbornness vanished.

What was pride worth compared to reaching Martial Saint? What was independence worth compared to that power? What was freedom worth compared to immortality?

That meant longevity! A thousand years of lifespan! Maybe more! They could live to see their great-great-grandchildren. They could become legends themselves. All they had to do was kneel.

Moreover, Arthur had enough power to kill them outright. The demonstration with Telford had proven that. The captured invaders showed it clearly. They had no leverage. No bargaining position. No hope of escape.

They could only blame themselves. They’d gambled and lost. Now they had to pay the price or die trying to resist.

A certain sect elder sighed deeply. His shoulders slumped. He thought of what his late master once said to him decades ago.

’Disciple,’ his master had said. ’The reason master failed is simple. I had eyes but failed to see Mount Tai.’

The elder hadn’t understood then. He’d been young and arrogant. But now the words made perfect sense. He’d made the same mistake his master had. He’d underestimated what stood before him. He’d failed to recognize true power when it appeared.

One by one, they began dropping to their knees. The sound of bodies hitting stone filled the arena. *Thud. Thud. Thud.* Like a wave spreading outward.

"Please, Your Highness!" Thomas Hartfield was first to beg. He prostrated himself completely. His forehead pressed against the ground. "I submit! I’ll accept the soul seal! Please give me a chance to advance!"

"I submit as well!" Kaiser Hartfield followed immediately after his brother. He knelt beside Thomas. His pride was gone completely. Only desperation remained.

The other sect leaders rushed to kneel and pledge loyalty. They pushed forward. Some crawled. Some ran and then dropped down. All of them begged for the opportunity Arthur offered. Their voices overlapped. Creating a chorus of submission.

They begged because they knew the truth. Even though Arthur seemed calm, any attempt to resist would result in death. They’d seen what Telford could do. They’d felt that power. They knew they stood no chance.