143: Chapter 143 A stunningly beautiful woman with a fiery figure! Her alluring charm…

Beside the beautiful woman, an elderly man in Daoist robes with white hair had a cold look between his brows, along with a hint of undisguised envy and jealousy. He let out a cold snort and spoke: "What kind of Genius of the Gongye Family is this! This body belongs to that old bastard Gongye Hong! I've fought him my whole life, and I would never mistake his Aura! I never expected this old bastard, after being a bastard his whole life, to get such dog-shit Luck at the very end, performing Possession on such a once-in-ten-thousand-years Prodigy!"

The Daoist-robed old man's words were full of envy, even a hint of jealousy.

Everyone knew that after Possession, one could inherit the original owner's talent. Gongye Hong's situation was practically a leap to the heavens!

On another mountain Peak not far away, two people stood, a man and a woman.

The man was handsome, wearing brocade clothes with an extraordinary temperament, while the woman was stunningly beautiful, wearing a white dress, exuding Immortal Qi.

The man looked at Zhou Liangan, who was Undergoing Tribulation in the Void Realm, a strange look appearing in his eyes. He spoke in a solemn tone: "In this way, it is highly likely that the Gongye Family will not be removed from the list of meritorious families."

As soon as he said this, the other three people standing beside him all had flashes of deep solemnity in their eyes.

These people all came from other top-tier meritorious families and had long coveted the great secret hidden by the Gongye Family.

Over the years, the Gongye Family had been declining, and it looked like they were about to be removed from the list of meritorious families. When that time came, without the constraints of the Meritorious Family Protection Law, they could unscrupulously attack the Gongye Family and divide up the Gongye Family's Legacy and secrets.

But now, Gongye Hong had suddenly become so much of a Prodigy. Once he successfully finished Undergoing Tribulation, the Gongye Family would not only not be removed from the list of meritorious families, but they would soar to the heavens instead.

By then, let alone dividing up the Gongye Family, it was questionable whether they could even protect their own families.

So, after the man said this, the other three people all had a cold chill rise in their eyes.

For a moment, dark currents surged throughout the mountain range, and countless thoughts converged on Zhou Liangan, who was Undergoing Tribulation in the Void Realm.

At this moment, within the safe zone of the Gongye Family.

Gongye Peining stared fixedly at the figure in the Void Realm with her beautiful eyes, her pink fists clenched tightly together, her knuckles turning white from the force.

She was still whispering to herself: "Father, you must hold on, you must safely pass this Lightning Tribulation."

Unfortunately, Gongye Peining would probably never know that the father she was praying for had long since had his Divine Soul completely crushed by the Zhou Liangan before her, using the soul suppressing tower within the Sea of Consciousness.

Even the pure Soul Power that Gongye Hong had cultivated his whole life had become nourishment for Zhou Liangan, helping him strengthen his Divine Soul.

If not for the help of Gongye Hong's pure Soul Power, Zhou Liangan might not have been able to comprehend the Nirvana Power so easily, let alone attract this world-destroying Heavenly Tribulation.

Of course, not only did Gongye Peining not know this, but everyone in the entire Gongye Family was kept in the dark.

Except for Liu Meihan, who had already tried her best to escape, no one else knew the truth.

The Grand Elder standing beside Gongye Peining heard her muttering. There was a look of deep solemnity between his aged brows, along with a hint of undisguised anticipation.

He stroked his grey beard and said in a deep voice: "That's right! The Family Head is a heaven-sent talent; he will definitely be able to pass this Lightning Tribulation! If he can successfully pass this tribulation and step into the Nirvana Realm, our Gongye Family will inevitably welcome a revival and return to the Peak!"

Gongye Peining nodded heavily, her beautiful eyes still fixed on Zhou Liangan in the Void Realm, praying for him in her heart, praying that he could safely pass the tribulation.

At this moment, Zhou Liangan, who was within the thunderclouds, had already received the fifth and sixth Lightning Tribulations and absorbed them all into his body.

He was practically overjoyed in his heart right now.

This Lightning Tribulation wasn't here to take his life; it was clearly here to deliver him an Opportunity!

In a short amount of time, a massive amount of Origin lightning power had already been stored in his body.

Although this lightning power could not be completely refined for the time being, if it were all released at a critical moment, even a true Nirvana Realm powerhouse would likely suffer heavy injuries—if not dead, they would at least lose a layer of skin!

Of course, Zhou Liangan had long since noticed those who were secretly observing him. Especially the two stunning beauties hidden in the mountains; Zhou Liangan was even more tempted, his mouth almost grinning to his ears.

Zhou Liangan touched his chin, rolled his eyes, and instantly had an idea.

He could feel that many of these people harbored hostility toward him, surely wanting to jump out and pick up a bargain when he was at his weakest after the tribulation, and attack him.

Since that was the case, he might as well go with the flow, pretend to be in a sorry state, and let these people think he was at the end of his rope and couldn't hold on.

When the time came, these people would surely be unable to resist jumping out to make a move, and then... hehehe... how could he refuse the treasures and beauties delivered to his door?

Thinking of this, Zhou Liangan deliberately staggered, pretending to be injured by the Lightning Tribulation, and spat out a mouthful of blood directly.

He also deliberately used his Spiritual Qi to shatter his robes until they were tattered, his whole body covered in dust and bloodstains, looking extremely wretched.

At the same time, he specifically restrained his Aura, making his Aura appear chaotic, looking as if he were at the end of his strength and could no longer withstand the next Lightning Tribulation.

Yet, deep in his eyes, a flash of cunning and ruthless amusement flickered as he quietly waited for those hiding in the dark to jump out and seek their own deaths.

The thunderclouds above the Void Realm were still rolling and condensing frantically. The seventh Lightning Tribulation was already brewing, descending slowly with even more terrifying pressure.

Above the firmament, the tribulation clouds surged like ink waves, layering over each other, pressing down so hard that the entire Gongye Family's restricted area couldn't breathe. The Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth was torn to pieces by the violent lightning power, and the air was filled with a heart-palpitating Aura of destruction.

Just at this moment of silence, with only the rumbling of thunder, Zhou Liangan, in the center of the tribulation platform, slowly raised his eyes. A sharp cold light flashed through his pupils, piercing through the thick tribulation clouds and reaching deep into the Void Realm.

He could clearly perceive that in the Void Realm above, a tribulation force far more vast and bizarre than the previous six Lightning Tribulations was brewing. That power was no longer just pure destructive lightning energy, but instead hid some unfathomable profundity.

"Starting from this seventh Lightning Tribulation, perhaps some interesting things will appear." Zhou Liangan's lips curled slightly, his tone flat but filled with certainty. His clothes were whipped by the tribulation wind, and his Aura was as steady as a mountain, without any of the panic that someone Undergoing Tribulation should have, looking instead like he was quietly waiting for an Opportunity that belonged only to him.

Not long after his voice fell, everything was indeed as he had expected.

In the Void Realm, the originally rolling purple lightning suddenly receded, and the center of the tribulation cloud began to twist and collapse frantically. There was no dazzling lightning, no deafening thunder; a colorless, formless, and untraceable bizarre tribulation force quietly crushed down toward Zhou Liangan.

This was by no means the common Heart Demon tribulation of the cultivation world, nor was it an ordinary Five Elements Lightning Tribulation, but a kind of Devouring Power akin to a black hole. It could devour Spiritual Qi, consume Divine Soul, and shred the Physical Body. Wherever it passed, even space was gnawed into fine cracks, and the surrounding rocks, grass, and trees were instantly sucked into dust, leaving not even a trace.

Zhou Liangan only felt his whole body instantly wrapped by countless pulling forces, as if countless invisible hands were pulling his Physical Body, Divine Soul, and even his Dantian and Qi Sea from all directions, as if they wanted to tear him into pieces and devour him completely.

If it were an ordinary Enlightenment Realm Cultivator facing such bizarre tribulation force, they would likely have been pulled until their Divine Soul was destroyed instantly, without even a chance to resist.

But this level of pulling was not too painful for Zhou Liangan, whose Physical Body and Divine Soul had been tempered countless times.

He closed his eyes slightly, his mind sinking into his Dantian, letting the Devouring Power clash within his body. He just tightly guarded his mind and Origin, endured slightly, and operated his own cultivation to steadily protect his heart and meridians. In less than half an incense stick of time, he had lightly withstood this seventh Lightning Tribulation.

When the last trace of Devouring Power merged into his body, Zhou Liangan opened his eyes abruptly, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He could clearly perceive that a wisp of extremely pure and domineering strange power had quietly merged into his Dantian and Qi Sea. This power was completely different from the lightning power, possessing a very strong devouring attribute, capable of absorbing all surrounding energy for his own use. This was precisely the black hole Devouring Power from the Lightning Tribulation just now.

"It's actually the embryo of Devouring Power!" Zhou Liangan rejoiced in his heart. This kind of power was far rarer than simple lightning power, being a top-tier power found in one in ten thousand in the cultivation world. Ordinary Cultivators only sought to save their lives while Undergoing Tribulation, but he could comprehend new power from the Lightning Tribulation; this was the uniqueness of having great Luck bestowed upon him.

Before he could contemplate it carefully, the tribulation cloud above the Void Realm became restless again, and the eighth Lightning Tribulation followed closely. This Lightning Tribulation was essentially similar to the seventh, still an invisible Devouring Power, but both the duration of the continuous pulling and the strength of the power far exceeded the seventh one. The pulling force surged several times, and even the tribulation platform under Zhou Liangan's feet was gnawed into pieces inch by inch by this power.

Zhou Liangan still stood steadily in place, letting the Devouring Lightning Tribulation wash over his Physical Body, resisting while fully comprehending the Law of Devouring within it, taking this power little by little into his Dantian and merging it with his own cultivation.

This time, although he felt obvious pressure and fine beads of sweat oozed from his temples, he was still calm and composed, forcibly digesting the eighth Lightning Tribulation completely.

And the ninth one, which was also the last Lightning Tribulation of this nine-nine-returning-to-one, had its power directly doubled compared to the eighth one!

The speed at which the Void Realm collapsed became more rapid, and the Devouring Power became violent to the extreme, as if it wanted to swallow Zhou Liangan, along with his body and Divine Soul, completely into the abyss of the Void Realm. The energy between heaven and earth was sucked dry by this tribulation force, and the surroundings fell into a deathly darkness.

This was the most dangerous tribulation, and also the one with the greatest Opportunity.

Zhou Liangan's clothes were instantly torn into pieces by the violent power, his skin cracked with fine bloody openings, looking tattered, his whole body covered in dust and bloodstains, looking wretched, and even his Aura became somewhat chaotic.

But only he knew that beneath this seemingly wretched appearance, his strength was experiencing an unprecedented surge.

The nine bolts of Lightning Tribulation fell completely, the tribulation clouds slowly dissipated, and the light of heaven shone down once again.

Zhou Liangan not only completely integrated the vast power of the lightning into his Physical Body, tempering a more formidable body for Undergoing Tribulation, but he also fully comprehended the Devouring Law within these nine Devouring Lightning Tribulations. Within his Dantian, he had planted an incomparably pure seed of Devouring Power; as long as he nurtured it slowly in the future, he could make the Devouring Power his own, and his cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

This was the way of Undergoing Tribulation for someone with truly great Luck; not only did he not fear the Lightning Tribulation, but he was instead able to use it to temper his body, comprehend the Law, and obtain Opportunity. The life-saving tribulation that ordinary Cultivators dreamed of was, to him, a massive stroke of fortune.

After Undergoing Tribulation, Zhou Liangan slowly retracted the Aura around his body, his eyes sweeping indifferently across the darkness in the surroundings, a sneer of disdain curling at the corner of his lips.

From the moment he began Undergoing Tribulation, he had sensed several powerful Auras hidden in the surroundings, watching him like tigers stalking their prey. They were fixated on his every move, coveting the Opportunity and treasures on him, waiting to see him fail his tribulation so they could reap the benefits.

"Since so many clowns have been hiding and spying for so long, today I will simply entrap and kill you all, eliminating future troubles once and for all." Zhou Liangan thought to himself, a glint of calculation flashing in his eyes.

He immediately circulated his Cultivation Technique, deliberately suppressing the surging power within his body. He slowed his breathing, made his steps unsteady, and swayed slightly, his face turning pale. He appeared as if he had exhausted his cultivation during the tribulation and was weak to the extreme, with his Aura becoming so faint that it seemed he might collapse at any moment.

The members of the Gongye Family stood guard outside the tribulation platform, their nerves taut. Seeing Zhou Liangan in such a weak state, their expressions instantly became vigilant. They gripped their Magical Artifacts, their Auras tense, standing ready in full battle formation, fearing that the enemies in the shadows would take the Opportunity to attack.

The Gongye Family's Grand Elder, Grand Elder Gongye Dan, stood at the very front of the Family Disciples. His hair and beard stood on end, and his gaze was as heavy as iron. Sensing Zhou Liangan's weakness and detecting the hidden Auras in the darkness, he dared not be the least bit negligent. The formidable Aura of his Enlightenment Realm cultivation instantly erupted, rolling waves of energy spreading outward to protect the members of the Gongye Family behind him.

His eyes were cold as ice as he shouted sternly toward the darkness. Channeling his Spiritual Qi, his voice sank into his Dantian, rolling like thunder and piercing the heavens, spreading throughout the entire restricted area of the Gongye Family: "You rats, trespassing into my Gongye Family's Forbidden Ground and spying on the Young Lord's Undergoing Tribulation—are you intending to openly ignore the Human Alliance's covenant, provoke the entire Human Alliance, and commit the great crime of betraying the Human Race?"

By speaking first, Grand Elder Gongye Dan seized the moral high ground of the Human Race, labeling their actions as a betrayal of the Human Race, hoping to make them hesitant and afraid to act rashly. After all, the Human Alliance's covenant was strict; if labeled with such a crime, even a top-tier Family would struggle to escape the fate of having their entire clan purged.

No sooner had his voice fallen than the Void Realm nearby rippled a few times, and four figures slowly emerged from the shadows. Their Auras were formidable, in no way inferior to Grand Elder Gongye Dan. Each of them exuded the pressure of the Peak of the Enlightenment Realm, pressing down on the Gongye Family Disciples until their faces turned pale and their bodies became unsteady.

The leader, Family Head Nie Zining, wore a long robe that outlined her enchanting and exquisite figure. Her skin was as white as jade, and her eyes sparkled with brilliance. Every movement she made exuded a captivating and charming allure, yet deep within those beautiful eyes lay cold Killing Intent; she was by no means as weak as she appeared on the surface.

Beside her, Family Head Li Yunxin possessed a completely opposite temperament. Wearing a long dress, her Aura was cold and aloof, like a winter plum blossom on a snow-capped mountain. Her beauty was stunning, yet she carried a coldness that kept people at a distance. Her Aura was icy, her eyes indifferent, and her gaze toward Grand Elder Gongye Dan lacked any warmth.

Beside them, Family Head Gongxi Xingde was dressed in a navy blue Daoist robe, with white hair and beard. Holding a whisk, he looked like a transcendental master with the bearing of an immortal, yet the calculation and greed in his eyes were not concealed in the slightest.

Finally, Family Head Qi Wencheng, dressed in brocade robes, carried himself in a dashing and handsome manner. His face was like polished jade, akin to a graceful and handsome man of the world, yet the might he exuded was incomparably sharp, and his eyes held a hint of arrogance and impatience.

These four were the current Family Heads of the other four great families on this Transit Planet, besides the Gongye Family. Each of them was a Peak Enlightenment Realm powerhouse who held dominion over their own territory, wielding immense power in this Star Domain. Even the Gongye Family dared not easily offend them on normal days.

After the four appeared, their gazes swept coldly across Grand Elder Gongye Dan in unison. They made no attempt to conceal the pressure radiating from their bodies, locking it tightly onto the members of the Gongye Family, and the atmosphere instantly became tense, as if on the verge of a battle.

Family Head Nie Zining spoke first, covering her mouth with a coy laugh. Her voice was charming and melodic, yet carried a sharp edge: "Old man Gongye Dan, stop trying to suppress us with the big hat of the Human Alliance. That trick doesn't work on us."

She stepped forward slowly, her red robe fluttering in the wind. Her beautiful eyes looked directly at Zhou Liangan on the tribulation platform, her tone turning cold suddenly: "We didn't come here this time to deal with the Gongye Family, let alone to betray the Human Race. We are simply here to settle a private grudge with this young man. It has nothing to do with the Gongye Family. If you are sensible, step aside quickly to avoid bringing disaster upon yourself."

Family Head Gongxi Xingde followed closely, gently stroking his whisk with a faint smile, his tone carrying an unquestionable firmness: "Family Head Nie is right. Several months ago, this young man forcibly snatched away our clan's Legacy treasure, causing our clan heavy losses. Since he has appeared here today Undergoing Tribulation, he must give us an explanation. Hand over the treasure, or there will be no peaceful resolution today."

Family Head Qi Wencheng snorted coldly, the Spiritual Qi fluctuations around his body becoming increasingly violent. His formidable might crushed toward Grand Elder Gongye Dan, his tone icy and bone-chilling: "That's right! The Human Alliance covenant does indeed state that one cannot arbitrarily annihilate meritorious families, but it doesn't say we aren't allowed to settle private grudges. Furthermore, our four great families are also meritorious families of the Human Race; in terms of status, we are no worse than your Gongye Family."

He stared at Grand Elder Gongye Dan, his eyes filled with threats: "If you don't want to bring the calamity of annihilation upon the Gongye Family because of an outsider, you had best move aside immediately and stop meddling in other people's business!"

Although Family Head Li Yunxin did not speak, she slowly unleashed her own Aura, forming a siege with the other three. The four Peak Enlightenment Realm pressures intertwined, like four great mountains, pressing down on the Gongye Family members until they couldn't breathe. Many Disciples with low cultivation were already trembling at the knees, their faces pale as paper, nearly collapsing to the ground.

It must be known that the Enlightenment Realm is already the Peak cultivation level in the cultivation world. Every step of progress is a transformative evolution, and the difference in strength is vast. A single Peak Enlightenment Realm expert is enough to sweep through a territory, let alone four of them joining forces. Such might is absolutely not something the Gongye Family can withstand alone.

Grand Elder Gongye Dan's expression was ugly to the extreme, turning a livid blue. He clenched his fists tightly until his knuckles turned white. Facing the pressure of four powerhouses of the same level, even if he exhausted all his strength, it would be difficult to resist. Yet, he remained steadfastly guarding in front of the tribulation platform, not yielding in the slightest.

"Stop spouting nonsense!" Grand Elder Gongye Dan shouted sternly. "This young man has already been successfully subjected to Possession by my Family Head, Gongye Hong. The one on the tribulation platform right now is my Gongye Family Head, not the young man you speak of! The one who previously stole my Family Head's Opportunity was the original owner of this body. Now that my Family Head has purged the sect, he has actually helped you avenge yourselves. Come to think of it, you should be thanking my Family Head!"

His words were intended both to make the four great families retreat and to provide cover for Zhou Liangan, but to the four Family Heads, this explanation was merely an excuse.

Upon hearing this, Family Head Nie Zining's coy laughter stopped abruptly. A cold sharpness flashed in her beautiful eyes as she took another step forward, her tone filled with ridicule: "Whether Possession took place depends entirely on your word; why should we believe you? If it really is Family Head Gongye Hong, let him open his Sea of Consciousness and allow the four of us to inspect it. As long as the Possession is confirmed to be true, we will turn around and leave immediately, and we will absolutely not pester you further."

The Sea of Consciousness is the foundation of a Cultivator, hiding their lifelong cultivation and secrets; how could it be allowed to be inspected at will? Once the Sea of Consciousness is opened, it is equivalent to handing one's life over to the other party. A moment of carelessness would result in a Divine Soul attack, leading to the end of having one's Divine Soul completely destroyed.

Grand Elder Gongye Dan's expression became increasingly ugly as he sternly rebuked: "That is simply daydreaming! How important is the Sea of Consciousness? How can it be allowed to be inspected? You are clearly making things difficult on purpose!"

"Since you are obsessed and insist on protecting this outsider, then don't blame us for being impolite!" Family Head Nie Zining's beautiful eyes turned completely cold. The charming Aura around her body was entirely retracted, replaced by monstrous Killing Intent. "Since words are useless, then there is only one option now: battle!"

As her voice fell, the four Family Heads stepped forward in unison. Four Peak Enlightenment Realm Auras erupted completely, crushing toward Grand Elder Gongye Dan and the members of the Gongye Family. A great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

Just at this critical moment, on the tribulation platform, Zhou Liangan, who had previously appeared weak, suddenly threw his head back and laughed. His laughter was loud and full of vigor; where was there any sign of weakness? The previous paleness and unsteadiness vanished instantly. His Aura surged, the Devouring Power and the power of lightning intertwining, and a formidable pressure instantly swept across the entire scene, overpowering the Auras of the four Family Heads.

His eyes were sharp as knives as he swept them over Family Head Nie Zining and Family Head Li Yunxin, a playful smile appearing on his face. His tone was incomparably arrogant: "I didn't expect that just as I finished Undergoing Tribulation and my cultivation surged, two stunning beauties would voluntarily deliver themselves to my door. Such excellent Human Furnaces—this generous gift, I shall accept!"

As these words fell, the entire scene fell into dead silence.

The expressions of the four Family Heads changed drastically. Only then did they realize that from the very beginning, they had fallen into Zhou Liangan's trap; the so-called weakness was merely a lure to draw them out!

Of course, these four great families were naturally not to be trifled with.

Upon hearing Zhou Liangan's words about "Human Furnaces," Family Head Nie Zining and Family Head Li Yunxin's faces instantly turned livid. The charm and coldness in their beautiful eyes faded away completely, leaving only bone-chilling coldness. The air around them suddenly dropped in temperature, and intense Killing Intent was released without reservation, causing the surrounding Spiritual Qi to churn violently.

"Human Furnace?" Family Head Nie Zining laughed out of anger, her tone full of violence and ridicule. She raised her eyes, staring fixedly at Zhou Liangan, her red lips curling slightly with extreme disdain. She deliberately took a step forward, proudly puffing out her curvaceous figure, and lifted her chin in provocation, shouting and scolding: "Old thing, this lady is standing right here. If you have the ability, come and enjoy me. I want to see if you have the life to savor it!"

Watching the hot figures of the two women, Zhou Liangan couldn't help but feel a surge of heat in his heart...