Multiple Thunder Tribulations

Three days later, dark clouds still lingered above the Sword Tomb, accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbling thunder.

The entire mountain peak was shrouded by black clouds, appearing exceptionally gloomy.

As the range of the Heavenly Tribulation expanded, Su Qing and Tang Yueling also had to retreat a considerable distance, so as not to disturb Tian Ning’s tribulation.

Tian Ning was the most talented among the three of them.

Logically, Su Qing shouldn’t have been so worried, but for some unknown reason, she always felt a sense of unease.

It was as if… things wouldn’t go as smoothly as expected.

Tang Yueling had the same feeling about this.

When a student went into seclusion, teachers naturally stood guard.

In fact, when the first clap of thunder from the tribulation sounded, Chen Yu, the steward, was the first to arrive.

Immediately after, Lin Hebai arrived. In addition, Senior Sister Qin Zhen also came.

She possessed lightning-attributed spiritual roots and had a perception of heavenly thunder completely different from ordinary people.

She immediately noticed that this lightning tribulation was extremely abnormal, entirely unlike an ordinary Golden Core stage tribulation.

She speculated that on one hand, it was due to the tribulation-taker’s talent far surpassing everyone else, but it was more likely that… the karma was wrong.

She bore karma that did not entirely belong to her, which thereby provoked the wrath of the Heavenly Tribulation.

With Qin Zhen present, the tribulation gained an extra layer of assurance.

If things truly escalated to an uncontrollable point, Qin Zhen would guide the heavenly lightning, while the others would seize the opportunity to rescue Tian Ning.

Qin Zhen came, and Yang Xi also followed.

Su Qing had heard of his great name, but this was her first time meeting him up close.

He was a very refined young man.

Because of his baby face and perpetually smiling demeanor, one might mistakenly think he was easy to talk to.

In reality, not only was this person seemingly innocent but secretly cunning, but he also had a damp, gloomy feeling completely at odds with his name.

Yang Xi’s strength was considerable. At just under three hundred years old, he had already advanced to a Tier 4 top-grade alchemist.

However, what attracted Tang Yueling’s attention most was that he was the owner of a Tier 3 spirit fire.

Although Tier 3 spirit fire was lower in rank than Tier 4 earth fire, spirit fire, formed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, was inherently superior to earth fire and could not be judged solely by its tier.

The Sword School lacked inheritance regarding fire, and Tang family had never produced a physique like Tang Yueling’s. She felt somewhat moved to discuss it with this person.

When Tang Yueling was observing Yang Xi, Yang Xi, whose cultivation was far above hers, naturally noticed immediately.

His smiling gaze, which had been fixated on Qin Zhen, paused slightly, then he turned his head and curled his lips at Tang Yueling with a harmless expression.

Although he was smiling, his eyes were clearly calm, like an ancient well, and his dark pupils inexplicably gleamed with aloofness and malice.

Tang Yueling “tsk”-ed in displeasure. ‘What a terrible personality this person has.’

She rolled her eyes and turned her head away.

What she didn’t realize was that Yang Xi’s subduing of the Tier 3 spirit fire was a recent event, meaning he had tamed a Tier 3 spirit fire while at the Nascent Soul cultivation stage, whereas Tang Yueling had attracted a Tier 4 earth fire to voluntarily acknowledge her as its master while only at the Foundation Establishment stage. The nature of the two situations was completely different.

How could Yang Xi possibly teach such an exceptionally talented junior? Was he waiting to be surpassed?

Although there was a difference of over two hundred years between them, in the cultivation world where vast changes were but a flick of a finger, he and Tang Yueling were actually of the same generation.

It was merely because the Sword School’s history was too short that they appeared to be separated by four generations.

The thunderclouds above the Sword Tomb lingered for three days.

There were thirty-six small thunderbolts and six large thunderbolts.

Su Qing consulted the notes from the “Heavenly Tribulation Response Theory and Methods” elective course, which she had borrowed from Chen Minjing. “Lightning tribulations are mostly divided into three stages: initial tribulation, middle tribulation, and final tribulation. Generally, their power increases progressively. The final tribulation is the strongest, followed by the middle tribulation, and the initial tribulation is the weakest.”

“The common number of lightning tribulations is nine, symbolizing ‘nine returns to one,’ but it can also increase due to the cultivator’s talent or the intensity of the Heavenly Dao’s trial. Nine lightning tribulations are evenly distributed among the three stages; each stage has three major thunderbolts and several minor thunderbolts.”

Su Qing mused, “That means Tian Ning has already passed the middle tribulation, and next is the most powerful final tribulation.”

“The time taken for a tribulation varies greatly depending on personal aptitude and experience, but through years of personal experimentation by the Sword School, patterns have gradually been discovered. The initial lightning tribulation for advancing from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core usually lasts from three days to three months. Data comes from the records of past seniors—”

“Year 01, Student Li, Three Spiritual Roots Aptitude Period: Twenty-three days.”

“Year 01, Student Wang, Five Spiritual Roots Aptitude Period: Sixty-five days.”

“Year 05, Student Song, Dual Spiritual Roots Aptitude Period: Forty-five days.”

“Year 05, Student Ji, Single Spiritual Root Aptitude Period: Five days.”

“Year 09, Student Zhu, Five Spiritual Roots Aptitude Period: Ten days.”

“Year 09, Student Yi, Single Spiritual Root Aptitude Period: Twenty-five days.”

Su Qing’s generation was precisely the tenth, full circle.

In her generation, Daozi of the Qi family was the first to break through to the Golden Core stage, but he did not suffer the pain of a lightning tribulation when he broke through.

Therefore, the very first person to genuinely undergo a lightning tribulation was actually Tian Ning.

Su Qing looked at the increasingly dark and gloomy tribulation clouds, and whispered, “Only three more… hang in there.”

However, another three days passed, and six more major thunderbolts struck.

The tribulation clouds lingered, showing no sign of dissipating.

A burnt smell constantly permeated the air above the Sword Tomb.

The exposed rocks were charred black like charcoal, riddled with cracks.

Beneath the thunderclouds, it was pitch black, and Tian Ning’s figure was completely obscured amidst the lightning flashes and thunderclaps.

Su Qing stood in the wind, feeling the continuous spiritual energy fluctuations around her surging rapidly beneath the thunderclouds, indicating that Tian Ning was still enduring.

It was at this moment that the results of the Sword School’s midterm exam were delivered to the Lingtong. Su Qing also received an additional pick-up code from a relay station. She didn’t remember ordering anything.

However, she really wasn’t in the mood to look at these things.

Instead, she had already memorized the tribulation notes she had been constantly reviewing. “There are no special rules to follow for the duration of a lightning tribulation. Blindly extending its length may not be a good thing. According to the Sword School’s memoirs, Student Wang from Year 01 once attempted to prolong the Heavenly Tribulation time, gathering accomplices to collect and sell heavenly thunder, trying to fleece the heavens. As a result, he was chased by heavenly thunder, which struck down ten mountain peaks. Fortunately, his teachers intervened in time…”

“If the tribulation time exceeds the usual period and number of tribulations, one must consider whether the tribulation taker has triggered a ‘tribulation within a tribulation,’ i.e., ‘multiple lightning tribulations.’ In this case, the power and duration of the lightning tribulation will far exceed ordinary ones.”

“The advice here is that tribulation-takers need not write a last will and testament. Under the Heavenly Tribulation, the complete annihilation of the body is common. A will cannot be left behind. Please be sure to leave no room for doubt and focus wholeheartedly on the tribulation. If the tribulation is successful, please come to Limitless Pavilion promptly to update your data for a compensated questionnaire survey, with a reward of one hundred spirit stones.”

In other words, Tian Ning had triggered a tribulation within a tribulation.

Su Qing looked around.

She didn’t see any sign of the Qi family.

She clenched her fists, an unidentifiable anger surging in her heart. It was truly hateful.

The anomaly of this lightning tribulation had long caused a stir within the school.

The midterm exam results were directly posted on the confession wall.

All students within the school knew that the person undergoing tribulation in the Sword Tomb was the first-year new student who had eliminated twelve Golden Core cultivators single-handedly, and that this first-year was currently breaking through to Golden Core, with tribulation clouds so vast they surpassed those of ordinary people.

Actually, logically speaking, after the exam, there would inevitably be a reckoning, but because Tian Ning was undergoing tribulation and Su Qing was observing it, these two had thus escaped it.

However, three months passed, and this lightning tribulation had still not ended.

The area of the Sword Tomb struck by the tribulation had been blasted into a massive, deep crater.

However, the old plum trees around it, perhaps due to some divine anomaly, appeared even more ancient and vigorous, glowing like fire.

Above the pervasive burnt smell, the unique, subtle fragrance of plum blossoms quietly drifted.

Lin Hebai was already preparing to tear apart the lightning tribulation and directly retrieve the person. Although failing the tribulation was a heavy matter, saving a life was still a good thing.

But then, the situation changed again. Centered beneath the tribulation clouds, a layer of hard frost, extending for a hundred li, formed.

The frost covered the scorched earth, stretching endlessly, clearly signaling a refusal. Tian Ning was refusing external intervention.

The greatest advantage of Body Cultivators was their endurance.

If it were another sect, they would probably have already rescued the student.

But Lin Hebai, after careful thought, actually found it a good thing. “Since that’s the case, let’s wait a little longer. As long as she doesn’t die.”

Chen Yu nodded solemnly. “In any case, we’ll observe first. If it’s truly impossible, we’ll ask the Sect Leader to personally come and protect her.”

However, inviting the Sect Leader even once would incur massive debts.

For the student’s future development, it was better to wait and see.

In a sense, the Sect Leader had plenty of time when it came to making money; he was practically on call, so there was no rush.

Time flowed by day after day, and no one could ascertain how much longer Tian Ning would hold on inside.

Undergoing a Heavenly Tribulation was a personal karmic destiny; besides oneself, there was no one to rely on. Even if others were anxious, it was useless.

Su Qing stood guard, trying to calm her restless heart and cultivate diligently.

It was at this moment that she saw Qi Liwei’s figure.

She came alone, without any other Qi family disciples, but she also did not step forward, quietly lingering among the distant crowd, inconspicuous.

Su Qing withdrew her gaze, no longer concerned.

Another month passed.

By now, thirty-five major thunderbolts had already struck.

According to the elders’ estimations, the next would be the final lightning tribulation.

Su Qing had no other choice.

She reverted to her old ways, silently drawing good luck talismans in her mind.

Tang Yueling also seemed very irritable.

She had been incredibly rough lately.

Although she had become noticeably more uninhibited and rugged during her time on the beast tide front, she had reverted to her refined self after returning to the Sword School. However, being subjected to this incessant four-month lightning tribulation had made her coarse again.

She said indifferently, “Even if she doesn’t succeed, there are many ways to re-cleanse her marrow and bones, and mend her foundation. It’s just quite time-consuming. In the end, this breakthrough of hers was an act of bravado, and ending up in this state, she can only blame herself.”
Finally, ten days later, at midnight, the long-final lightning tribulation descended.

The sky above the Sword Tomb, burdened by tribulation clouds, had not seen the sun, moon, or stars for a long time.

At this moment, the thunderclouds in the sky surged to their extreme, so thick they seemed about to crush the earth below.

Cold winds and bitter rain, lightning and thunder, and a thunder dragon roared and coiled within the clouds.

With a deafening “rumble”—Su Qing’s heart almost leaped out of her throat.

At this moment, the darkness was briefly illuminated into day by the lightning. She looked around, clearly seeing the various expressions on the faces around her.

And just as the next lightning flash arrived, she finally saw the figure standing at the bottom of the pit.

The person was so charred black that Su Qing could no longer recognize if it was her beautiful and powerful mountain spirit-like Tian Ning, crafted from ice and snow.

Her throat tightened, and she let out a barely audible whimper: “No—”

The cloud layer split in two, cracking into halves.

A frost-colored lightning bolt, a hundred zhang thick, struck down from the rift.

The lightning was incredibly dazzling, as if it had dyed heaven and earth in frost and snow.

Wherever its light passed, space itself was torn, revealing black void cracks.

The terrifying pressure solidified the air; she could barely breathe.

This colossal lightning strike hit the bottom of the pit, pressing the deep pit down even further with irresistible force.

The ground manifested thick cracks like giant snakes.

For a moment, the world spun, trees shattered, rocks shifted. Amidst the earth-shaking tremors, Su Qing couldn’t even stand steadily.

She stepped on Man Qing Sword, flew into the air, dodged the scattered stones that spun like a storm, and ascended upwards.

At this time, the long-circling dark clouds, finally as if all their strength had been discharged, slowly dissipated in a vortex shape towards the horizon.

The lightning tribulation came quickly and left quickly.

The Sword Tomb was silent, with only the deep pit left by the lightning strike.

Su Qing and Tang Yueling rushed over simultaneously, but Lin Hebai, who had flown into the air, picked up one with each hand and threw them backward.

“What are you running so fast for, trying to get struck? Adults are handling things, kids step back a bit.”