Tribulation

...

Wind—the first thing Ye Chuan felt upon arriving at the Tianxuan Continent was the wind rushing against his face.

The iron-forged flying vessel cut through the azure sky, its surface shimmering with spirit runes that writhed like living creatures, dispersing the howling gales into scattered motes of light. At the prow stood Cang Wu and Ademi, gazing at the scenery ahead.

They had long left the Jade Dragon Mountain Range behind, and the biting cold had given way to a warmth akin to melting spring snow.

"Immortal Master, ahead lies the Kingdom of Xiluo," Cang Wu announced.

"Mm. Once we arrive, you two may disembark," Ye Chuan replied, his mind preoccupied with breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm. "I have another matter to attend to. You may return on your own. As for your payment, I’ll collect it in due time."

"Your generosity knows no bounds, Immortal Master!"

Cang Wu hadn’t expected Ye Chuan to part ways with them, but since they had already reached the Kingdom of Xiluo, the journey back would take little time.

"Immortal Master, I will never forget your kindness," Ademi added.

"You are my sun."

"You came from Dandong, returning to me a city of pure snow~" Ye Chuan muttered reflexively. Noticing the puzzled looks from Cang Wu and Ademi, he cleared his throat. "Alright, off you go."

Once they crossed into Xiluo’s borders, Ye Chuan waved his hand, and a surge of spiritual energy gently deposited the two on the ground below.

"Immortal Master, you must visit the royal capital!" Cang Wu’s voice echoed from below as the flying vessel soared away.

Ye Chuan casually flicked his wrist, and the vessel vanished like a streak of light.

"Truly a transcendent being," Cang Wu murmured, staring at the sky.

"Let’s go, Cang Wu. I must see my father at once."

"As you command, Princess."

...

Meanwhile, Ye Chuan had already stowed away the flying vessel—it was far too conspicuous for his current needs.

He needed a secluded spot to attempt his breakthrough to the Nascent Soul realm. The heavenly tribulation would summon rolling thunder, and since he couldn’t very well let it strike the Qingyun Sect, he had to find a suitable place to endure the ordeal.

"Good, this area seems uninhabited," Ye Chuan mused as he landed on a cliff. Extending his spiritual sense, he confirmed the absence of any human presence before relaxing.

Finding a clearing, he pointed a finger, and a burst of spiritual energy blasted a two-meter-deep pit into the ground.

"That should do."

After reinforcing the edges with scattered rocks, he reached into his spatial storage and summoned water from the Sacred Pool—a treasure looted from the Qingyun Holy Land. With over seven million tons at his disposal, he had no qualms about using it liberally.

The sacred water cascaded into the pit, filling it to the brim. Ye Chuan then heated it with fire-attribute spiritual energy before slipping inside. Before attempting a breakthrough, it was crucial to bring his body to peak condition.

"Ahh~" Ye Chuan stretched his legs in the makeshift hot spring. A floating water orb to play with would’ve been nice.

"..."

After a moment’s consideration, he dismissed the thought as impractical.

"Alright, time to get serious."

After soaking for a while, he rose, changed into fresh robes, and returned to the cliff’s edge.

Taking a deep breath, he downed a vial of elixir.

"Dragon Bone Pill—fortifies sinew and bone!"

"Golden Spirit Elixir—toughens flesh!"

"..."

Gulping down four or five different elixirs in succession, he wiped his lips and smirked. "Heh."

Tossing aside the empty vials, he could already feel subtle transformations rippling through his body. Running a hand over his skin, it now felt as though an extra layer of resilience had been woven into it.

"Shhhk." Even the friction between his fingers and forearm produced a coarse, grating sound.

"Mountain-Crushing Art!" Ye Chuan began circulating his cultivation techniques.

"Blood Spirit Technique!"

"Ten Thousand Forms Art!"

"Turtle Shell Technique!"

"..."

One after another, defensive spells wrapped around him like layers of armor. His spiritual energy drained rapidly, but for Ye Chuan, it was barely a concern.

After stacking seven or eight defensive techniques, he continued casting:

"Barrier Blessing!"

"Healing Surge!"

"Death Ward!"

"Fortune’s Favor!"

"Dragon Scale Enchantment!"

"Regenerative Aura!"

"..."

Having cycled through nearly every buff in his arsenal, he still seemed uneasy. From his spatial storage, he retrieved additional defensive talismans and crushed them one by one.

Now, his body shimmered like a kaleidoscope, pulsing with radiant hues.

"Bring it on."

[Breaking through to Nascent Soul—]

[Heavenly Dao Nascent Formation]

[Guide the heavenly tribulation to temper your Golden Core’s energy]

[Due to your unique constitution, survival is mandatory]

In an instant, the world darkened.

To Ye Chuan, it was as if he had blinked—the once-clear sky was now swallowed by an abyss of roiling tribulation clouds.

"BOOM—"

Tribulation lightning coiled like golden dragons within the clouds, their aura oppressive and terrifying.

Alongside them, a second, slightly weaker storm of crimson lightning condensed, twisting into scarlet serpents that writhed alongside their golden counterparts.

The two intertwined, every crackling arc radiating apocalyptic might.

Standing atop the cliff, Ye Chuan’s throat tightened involuntarily.

"Wait—this feels a bit too intense, doesn’t it?"

Despite his mountain of buffs, facing the heavenly tribulation without relying on his Chaos Body left him uncertain.

A cold sweat trickled down his back.

"Come on!"

With no time to hesitate, he levitated, summoning dozens of spirit swords that whirled around him in a protective formation.

Simultaneously, he conjured a mana shield, sacrificing a portion of his spiritual energy to mitigate damage.

Then—the first bolt struck.

A golden thunderbolt split the darkness, lancing toward Ye Chuan with divine fury.

The first tribulation lightning descended like a dragon’s claw, its screech tearing through the void. Ye Chuan stood firm, but his protective barriers shattered on contact. White-hot currents surged through his meridians, searing every inch of his flesh as his techniques forcibly channeled the energy into his bones—tempering his Golden Core.

"Fck!" The sensation of being impaled from within forced a grunt from his lips. His skin blackened instantly, yet beneath the charring, a jade-like luster began to emerge.

The second bolt—this one tinged with crimson—followed without mercy, shearing his robes to ashes. Lightning patterns spiderwebbed across his bare back, his muscles convulsing as if countless needles were purging impurities.

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

"BOOM!"

The dual tribulations gave him no reprieve, striking in relentless tandem.

His body felt on the verge of disintegration. Ye Chuan fought to stay conscious, casting healing spells in the fleeting moments of clarity while absorbing every ounce of tribulation energy.

And within him, his Golden Core trembled—on the brink of shattering under the heavenly onslaught.