65: Chapter 65 Tribulation

Outside Baili Mountain, in midair.

The first Lightning Tribulation descended without any warning.

That crimson-gold lightning bolt struck straight down from the eye of the clouds, so fast that there was not even time to blink.

Wang Shouren only had time to hold the iron rhinoceros shield horizontally above his head, having no time to cast any defensive Spells.

Boom, the lightning radiance pierced down from the horizon, crashing directly into the iron rhinoceros shield above Wang Shouren's head.

The small Medium Grade Magical Artifact did not play much of a role in front of the heavenly lightning.

"Crack."

Wang Shouren widened his eyes in shock, "A Medium Grade Magical Artifact shattered just like that?"

That Medium Grade defensive Magical Artifact that had accompanied him for several years emitted an unbearable groan, its shield surface cracking inch by inch in the lightning radiance, and dazzling golden light leaking from the cracks.

"Terrible."

It was too late to cast Spells, so he could only hurriedly pull out a few Talismans, but these Talismans could not play the slightest role at all; the talismanic spiritual light shattered layer by layer, shattering neatly and cleanly, shattering without hesitation.

The residual thunder might pierced through all defenses, striking solidly upon his body.

Wang Shouren was blasted flying backwards by the lightning, his back breaking two giant trees as thick as two people could embrace before he barely managed to stop.

He lowered his head to look at his chest; his clothes had turned to flying ash, his exposed skin was charred black, and fine cracks spread from his chest to his lower abdomen, with blood beads seeping from the edges of the cracks.

His hair stood on end, and the black lotus mark between his brows could no longer be seen against the charred skin.

"I underestimated this Lightning Tribulation." He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, "The Fierce Thunder Transformation states 'attracting heavenly thunder for Body Tempering', and I thought it was about the same as Body Refining pills or soaking in medicinal baths."

He grabbed another handful of defensive Talismans from his storage ring, slapping them rapidly onto his body. Spiritual light lit up layer by layer, even denser than before, overlapping by at least a dozen layers.

"The first one is already this ruthless, and there are still two more."

On the distant ridge, Wang Yaozu clenched his fists, while Wang Chongyang stood with his hands behind his back, looking calm, yet the hand hidden in his sleeve had quietly gripped a crimson jade Talisman.

That was his ultimate life-saving means; if Shouren could not hold on, even if it cost him his old life, he would charge into the Lightning Tribulation area to snatch the person out.

"Good! Hit him well!" Hua Shaoyang's wild laughter exploded on the other side of the mountain peak, his folding fan rattling as he shook it, his face filled with gloating pleasure.

"The first lightning strike was blasted like this, what can he use to withstand the next two? Once he dies, this Young Master wants to see where that treasure is actually hidden on his body."

Elder Hua behind him narrowed his eyes, staring at the charred figure beneath the thunder clouds, a trace of contemplation flashing in his eyes.

"The power of this Lightning Tribulation does not seem very great, far from being comparable to the world-destroying might of an artifact tribulation, but... even ordinary heavenly thunder is something the Qi Refinement Stage can absolutely not withstand."

Holding the same thought was Hu Shan; the county magistrate's fingers behind his back moved slightly, wondering what he was calculating.

"If this child can truly survive, his future will be immeasurable. I originally thought that recommending Tian Zhen was a heaven-sent Opportunity, but if I can also introduce him into the mountain gate, then the benefits—"

Clicking his tongue twice, he became troubled again. With no other reason, Tian Zhen and the Wang family had a blood feud, and he did not have the strength to reconcile the contradictions between the two sides.

He was only a Foundation Establishment Early Stage Cultivator, and there were many whose strength exceeded his. Even Wang Chongyang, who was on the verge of death, was someone he had to fear somewhat.

The thunder clouds were still surging.

The second heavenly thunder was brewing deep within the cloud layer, the purple light growing brighter and denser.

Wang Shouren lowered his head to look at the cracked skin on his chest.

The cracks were still spreading, yet no fresh blood gushed out. At the edge of every crack, a layer of extremely faint crimson-gold light was flowing—that was the residual might of the heavenly thunder sucked into his body, infiltrating his muscles, bones, and Dantian along the Meridians.

He clearly sensed that the muscle fibers torn apart by the thunder might were regrowing at a speed visible to the naked eye, the newborn flesh being tougher, tighter, and more elastic than before.

The more cracks there were, the deeper the thunder might penetrated, and the stronger the newborn flesh became.

He suddenly froze.

Could it be that he had been wrong all along? Undergoing Tribulation was not about enduring it, but letting the Lightning Tribulation strike inside.

"This heavenly thunder Body Refining is not about resisting heavenly thunder to complete a simple transformation, but thoroughly absorbing the heavenly thunder?"

Recalling the scene of meeting the Thunder Emperor, wasn't the other party bathing in a sea of thunder, as if he were the Dominator of the thunder sea? Those thunders were not destruction to him, but rather extremely amiable.

He raised his head to look at the surging thunder clouds, took a deep breath, and completely removed the dozen or so defensive Talismans on his body.

The spiritual light extinguished, and the Talisman papers drifted down. He stood bare-chested on the charred earth without any protection on his body, save for that layer of faint crimson-gold lightning radiance flowing on the surface of his skin.

"What is Shouren trying to do!" Wang Yaozu cried out in shock.

Hua Shaoyang's laughter grew even louder: "He's scared crazy! Struck crazy by the lightning!"

Elder Hua's brows furrowed even tighter.

The second heavenly thunder crashed down with a roar.

This time's lightning radiance was thicker, brighter, and more violent than the first.

Wang Shouren did not dodge; he even opened his arms facing the lightning radiance, allowing that crimson-gold thunder pillar to pierce through his chest.

The moment the lightning radiance entered his body, he was blasted onto one knee, his knees shattering the rocks beneath his feet, and the ground exploded into a charred pit three zhang in radius centered around him.

The thunder might rampaged through the Meridians, tearing apart everything along the way—muscles, bones, and Meridians all shattered inch by inch in the lightning radiance.

Yet at the exact same moment of shattering, the Ten Directions Fierce Thunder Transformation operated crazily, transforming those violent thunder spiritual energies into a scorching and pure power, feeding back into every torn corner.

Flesh was reborn in the lightning radiance, Meridians were reshaped in the lightning radiance, and bones became denser and harder in the lightning radiance.

The hanshui earth fiend that he had completely absorbed within his body suddenly moved.

That extremely yin and extremely cold Evil Qi had originally been dormant deep within the Dantian, slowly nourishing the Dantian. At this moment, stimulated by the thunder might, it spread along the Meridians, colliding with the violent thunder spiritual energy.

One cold and one hot, one yin and one yang, two completely opposite forces violently clashed within his flesh, yet achieved a delicate balance amidst the conflict.

The cold fiend suppressed the violence of the thunder might, and the thunder might vaporized the sinister poison of the cold fiend. The two strangled each other while nurturing each other, finally transforming into a gentle yet majestic vitality that permeated into all four limbs and hundreds of bones.

"There is still one more." Wang Shouren stood up from the charred pit, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked up at the thunder clouds that had yet to dissipate above his head. The corners of his mouth curved up slightly, and two crimson-gold lightning radiances lit up in his eyes, "Come on."

The third heavenly thunder seemed to be angered by his provocation; when it descended, it was no longer in the shape of a pillar, but transformed into a crimson-gold thunder dragon as thick as a water bucket, pouncing towards him with bared fangs and brandished claws.

Heaven and earth changed color, the sun and moon lost their light, and the entire mountain field was illuminated into daylight by this lightning radiance.

Wang Shouren stamped his feet on the ground, roaring towards the sky. The Ten Directions Fierce Thunder Transformation operated to its absolute limit, the crimson-gold lightning radiance around his body flourished greatly, and his entire person transformed into a crimson-gold lightning bolt that was brighter and fiercer than the heavenly thunder.

The thunder dragon collided with the lightning.

The moment the two collided, a visible shockwave swept out in all directions. Wherever it passed, ancient pine trees were snapped in half, rocks turned to fine powder, and a layer of the ground was shaved off raw.

Hua Shaoyang's laughter abruptly ceased.

Elder Hua's pupils shrank abruptly, and Hu Shan's fingers held behind his back stopped.

The lightning radiance completely dispersed.