Thunder echoed for a thousand miles, and lightning cascaded like a waterfall, illuminating the mortal sky.
Within a thousand-mile radius, the sea was engulfed in a fierce storm. The waves surged to terrifying heights in the hundred-mile area where the tribulation was taking place.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth from thousands of miles around converged upon the site of Li Changshou’s tribulation, forming into the raw essence of lightning within the tribulation clouds, which continuously poured down like a thunderous downpour.
The island below had already been half-destroyed. Fortunately, Li Changshou had chosen an uninhabited barren island for his tribulation. As for the sea creatures nearby, they had long since fled.
Bolts of lightning struck one after another, and the storm intensified.
What was originally meant to be a relatively small-scale tribulation for a Qi Refiner’s ascension had unexpectedly taken on the grandeur of a calamity meant for an infamous demon facing divine retribution.
The Tribulation of Immortal Ascension was considered one of the lesser tribulations. After all, in the grand scheme of the primordial world, achieving immortality was a relatively minor event.
A truly formidable tribulation was the “Tribulation of Longevity,” which occurred when a peak Heaven Immortal attempted to break through to the Golden Immortal stage. If one’s karmic debts outweighed their merits, the Heavenly Dao would deny them eternal life, bringing down a calamity capable of annihilating a Golden Immortal.
Such tribulations could span over a thousand miles and were not limited to just lightning strikes.
BOOM!
A deafening roar resounded across the sky.
At that moment, 1,300 miles southeast of the tribulation site…
“Master, why have we stopped again?”
On a drifting cloud heading south, a young girl named Han Zhi asked in a hushed voice.
The elderly Daoist beside her furrowed his brows, extending his powerful immortal senses toward the distant sea.
Even with his near-Golden Immortal cultivation, he still could not penetrate the layers of tribulation clouds covering the area.
The density of heavenly tribulation energy there was beyond reason.
However, from the tremors and fluctuations within the clouds, he could deduce the frequency of the lightning strikes.
“This tribulation… something is off. That was already the seventh bolt, yet the clouds have not dispersed!”
The old Daoist performed a quick calculation, then suddenly turned to glare at the distant tribulation site.
“It seems… there is something else besides the heavenly tribulation itself.”
Han Zhi tilted her head in confusion. “Master, why don’t we go take a look?”
“If you witness such a tribulation up close, you may develop a fear of heavenly tribulations in the future,” the Daoist said, still frowning. “No rush. Let’s see if the tribulant can endure the eighth strike. By all logic, he shouldn’t be able to…”
RUMBLE!
The heavens quaked once more. The eighth bolt had descended, and even from a thousand miles away, the waterfall-like lightning was clearly visible!
And yet… the tribulation clouds still did not disperse?
“The tribulant withstood the eighth bolt? Could he be the reincarnation of an ancient great power?”
The old Daoist sucked in a sharp breath.
“Hurry, Han Zhi! We must go see for ourselves!”
Without hesitation, he grabbed his disciple and urged their cloud forward at full speed.
However, just as they set off, a massive silver-purple lightning sphere condensed within the tribulation clouds a thousand miles away.
Like a divine bird of thunder rising from the sea, it radiated a brilliance akin to a second sun in the sky!
The lightning sphere crashed down with an earth-shattering impact, sending tidal waves surging a thousand layers high!
The old Daoist continued advancing. A thousand miles was not a short distance, even for someone of his cultivation level.
Suddenly, powerful gusts of wind swept across the sea—spiritual energy from thousands of miles around was rushing toward the tribulation site at an unprecedented speed.
The concentration of energy was so dense that multicolored halos could be seen forming in the air.
“Master, the wind is picking up!” Han Zhi exclaimed in awe. “He made it through the tribulation!”
“Indeed! This is the influx of spiritual energy that follows a successful tribulation!”
The old Daoist’s expression turned serious. “Let’s go! This must be the reincarnation of a great figure. Just look at the sheer volume of spiritual energy… He may ascend directly to the Heaven Immortal stage!
If we can recruit him into our sect, it would be a great fortune!”
However, just as he finished speaking, a blinding purple lightning bolt suddenly descended from the heavens, piercing through the clouds and striking the island below!
The old Daoist’s eyes widened in shock. His once ruddy complexion turned ashen from the reflected light of the divine thunder.
What was going on today?!
Whenever he doubted the tribulant’s survival, the tribulant overcame the tribulation.
But the moment he acknowledged their success, an even greater calamity struck!
“Master, what was that?” Han Zhi asked, puzzled.
“The Heavenly Punishment… a true Heavenly Punishment,” the Daoist said grimly. “The Heavenly Dao deems him an anomaly. Even though he survived the tribulation, it has decided to smite him down.”
“It’s over. No one survives a Heavenly Punishment… Not unless they are…”
Before he could finish his sentence, another gust of wind surged, and even more spiritual energy rushed toward the tribulation site.
“Wait—what?! He’s still alive?!”
Han Zhi, without missing a beat, reached out and covered her master’s mouth with her small hand.
“Master, please stop talking,” she said sternly. “Let’s just go and see for ourselves.”
The old Daoist chuckled wryly, nodding as he sped up their cloud.
By the time they were six hundred miles away, the tribulation site was still surrounded by celestial phenomena.
The one who had absorbed the last remnants of the tribulation clouds turned around… and suddenly leaped into the sea!
The old Daoist was momentarily stunned. Then, he quickly used his immortal power to transmit his voice across the distance:
“Fellow Daoist!
My disciple and I are cultivators from Jin’ao Island! We have come to congratulate you!”
However, a flash of immortal light appeared beneath the water’s surface, and the figure vanished without a trace.
“Master, why did he run away?” Han Zhi frowned. “It’s as if he thinks we’re villains.”
“Sigh… How would he know whether we’re good or bad?”
The old Daoist sighed in contemplation, then attempted to divine the tribulant’s whereabouts.
But no matter how he tried, he found nothing.
“He’s concealing his presence?
There’s no doubt… He must be the reincarnation of a great figure from ancient times.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this cautious.
Han Zhi, do you still want to go after him? He’s already gone.”
“Master, let’s go take a look! I want to see just how powerful this heavenly tribulation is.”
“Very well,” the old Daoist said with a fond smile, leading his disciple forward on their cloud.
Moments later, the two figures finally arrived above the tribulation site. But on the young girl’s delicate face…
Black lines of frustration were evident.
Below them, only half of the small island remained. The other half had been destroyed, and beneath the seawater, a massive square-shaped crater had formed.
“Master, is this what a tribulation to become an immortal looks like?”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152