Chapter 248 - 241: Crossing the Tribulation and Advancing, Refining the Tribulation Thunder

Chapter 248: Chapter 241: Crossing the Tribulation and Advancing, Refining the Tribulation Thunder

With the Secret Realm on the verge of collapse, some deeply hidden Demon Beasts frantically rushed out, trying to escape with their lives.

However, there weren’t many such Demon Beasts.

Upgrading the Pet Beast Spirit Garden, which was in the form of a Miniature World Prototype, required a variety of plants and Demon Beasts. Over the years, Jiang Zuo had already moved some of most species from the Daoist Talisman Secret Realm into his Pet Beast Spirit Garden.

Before the Secret Realm completely collapsed, Jiang Zuo used his authority over the Dao Talisman. With a flash of light, he vanished from the Daoist Talisman Secret Realm.

Jiang Zuo departed, taking the Dao Talisman with him. Deprived of the Dao Talisman, the Daoist Talisman Secret Realm instantly and utterly collapsed.

A massive spatial vortex suddenly appeared, swallowing everything within the Daoist Talisman Secret Realm like a black hole.

In the blink of an eye, the vast Daoist Talisman Secret Realm vanished completely, turning to nothing.

「Endless Sea Island.」

Inside his secluded cave, Jiang Zuo lay quietly on the ground.

After a while, he finally recovered from his daze.

After checking his belongings and confirming nothing was missing, Jiang Zuo breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Zuo then looked into his Pet Beast Spirit Garden.

The Spirit Vein had been absorbed into it, but when he looked inside, there was no trace of it.

After communicating with Great Black and the others, Jiang Zuo learned that when the Spirit Vein entered the Spirit Garden, it had plunged headfirst into the earth like a giant dragon.

Immediately after, the Spiritual Qi in the Pet Beast Spirit Garden began to surge dramatically.

’The Pet Beast Spirit Garden has met the conditions for an upgrade. I’ve already stuffed it full of Spiritual Objects, plants, and Demon Beasts,’ Jiang Zuo thought.

’However, it has almost no Spirit Plants or Sea Beasts from the ocean.’

’Since I’m right by the sea anyway, I can spend some time collecting them.’

There was no rush to upgrade the Pet Beast Spirit Garden. A little preparation now would save time later.

Just as Jiang Zuo was preparing to explore the surrounding sea, his expression suddenly changed.

’I wasn’t ready to go through my tribulation and advance, but my Celestial Tribulation is about to descend?’

’It’s because I raised my Cultivation so quickly by killing Demon Beasts!’

’The Celestial Dao Rules must have sensed the anomaly in my Spiritual Power. I was already at the Perfection of the Divine Body Realm and about to face my tribulation anyway. Now it’s being forced upon me!’

’It seems the consequences of rapidly increasing my Cultivation by changing the Secret Realm’s rules are more severe than I anticipated!’

’I can handle it, but Great Black and the others, especially the Pale Moon Ice Wolf, shouldn’t leave the Spirit Garden anytime soon.’

’Otherwise, if the Celestial Tribulation descends, they’ll surely die!’

’I can’t avoid it. I’ll just have to face the tribulation now.’

With a flicker of movement, Jiang Zuo broke open the sealed entrance of his cave and shot out.

The entrance to the valley had been sealed by someone unknown, but Jiang Zuo didn’t exit that way.

With another movement, he flew through the air toward the coast.

He had a feeling that the power of this Thunder Tribulation would be immense.

Crossing the Tribulation on the island would likely cause significant damage.

WHOOSH!

Jiang Zuo flew off the coast and stopped a short distance from the shore.

He wanted to fly farther out, but the sky was already thick with dark clouds, and a powerful, unknown force had locked onto him.

’When advancing from the Divine Body Realm to the Three Flowers Realm, only Tribulation Thunder appears during the tribulation.’

’Most Cultivators only need to endure nine bolts of Tribulation Thunder to advance successfully.’

’However, one can’t use Spiritual Artifacts to block all the Tribulation Thunder. A portion of it must strike the Cultivator’s body to temper the flesh and the Divine Body.’

’Only then, once the Cultivation has advanced, will the flowers blooming on the Divine Tree carry Tribulation Thunder Power. That’s what it means to be a true Three Flowers Realm expert.’

’If you don’t withstand the Tribulation Thunder Power, you’ll never be able to advance beyond the Three Flowers Realm. Furthermore, the Divine Tree Flowers won’t contain any Tribulation Thunder Power, making you much weaker than a Cultivator who advanced normally.’

Jiang Zuo had long since learned all this information about the Three Flowers Realm’s Thunder Tribulation.

Not all Cultivators could survive the Thunder Tribulation.

Even when using Magical Artifacts to block most of its power, the might of the Tribulation Thunder was not to be underestimated.

Some Cultivators with unstable foundations or those of advanced age would try to find ways to completely avoid the Tribulation Thunder during their advancement.

The price for doing so was that their strength would be far inferior to a normal Three Flowers Realm expert, and they would have no hope of ever advancing again.

But regardless of the price, for the vast majority of Cultivators, as long as they could get through the Thunder Tribulation and advance successfully, it was undoubtedly worth it.

Even the weakest Three Flowers Realm expert was far stronger than someone in the Divine Body Realm.

Moreover, their lifespan would increase dramatically upon advancement.

’Looks like this Celestial Tribulation of mine is anything but ordinary.’

The tribulation clouds in the sky grew ever denser, and the pressure they exuded became more and more powerful.

For most Cultivators ascending to the Three Flowers Realm, the Tribulation Thunder was purple and known as a lesser form of the Purple Sky Divine Thunder.

By withstanding it, one could gain an effect similar to being struck by the true Purple Sky Divine Thunder.

The only difference was that the Tribulation Thunder’s power was far lower.

Before his Tribulation Thunder had even fallen, Jiang Zuo could already sense that it wouldn’t be purple.

BOOM!

Soon, a bolt of gleaming black Tribulation Thunder struck down from the sky.

Jiang Zuo didn’t dodge or evade, allowing the black Tribulation Thunder to strike him directly.

With a loud CRACK, Jiang Zuo’s entire body shuddered, his skin instantly charring.

’Not bad. Its power is comparable to a Three Flowers Realm Cultivator attacking with the full force of the Tribulation Thunder Power from their Divine Tree Flower. Maybe even a little stronger.’

’It’s very powerful and can cause me significant harm.’

’If this were a hundred years ago, before I entered the Daoist Talisman Holy Land Secret Realm, it would have been very difficult for my physical body to withstand this.’

’But now... it’s nothing special.’

Jiang Zuo thought. He then shook his body, and the charred flesh immediately sloughed off, revealing pristine skin underneath.

’Letting this Tribulation Thunder just hit me seems like a waste. My Primordial Flesh and Blood feels a little... hungry. I wonder if I can refine and absorb the Tribulation Thunder Power.’

Another thought surfaced in Jiang Zuo’s mind.

It was well worth a try. As the second bolt of Tribulation Thunder descended, at the exact moment of impact, Jiang Zuo furiously activated his Refining Technique, refining the Tribulation Thunder Power and feeding it to his Primordial Flesh and Blood.

’It works! And it seems the Tribulation Thunder Power is incredibly nourishing for the Primordial Flesh and Blood. It’s like it’s been stimulated and wants to devour it in vast quantities!’

’Unfortunately, the thunder comes and goes in a flash. I can only refine a tiny amount from each bolt.’

Jiang Zuo’s spirits lifted.

’Refining Tribulation Thunder to feed my Primordial Flesh and Blood... I bet even the great expert who created the Body Freedom Technique never imagined it could be used this way!’

The Tribulation Thunder continued to descend. As Jiang Zuo endured its tempering baptism, he simultaneously refined it as sustenance for his Primordial Flesh and Blood.

On the island, dark clouds loomed overhead.

The island’s inhabitants had assumed the sudden change in weather meant a hurricane was approaching.

But unexpectedly, the island itself remained calm and windless. Instead, the continuous roar of thunder echoed from the distant coast.

Even so, the tribespeople on the island remained huddled within their village, not daring to venture out.

"Cang, do you think it could be the Master? Has he returned?" Xiao asked, looking up at the sky.

This oppressive, dark sky, completely devoid of wind, with only the constant thunder in the distance... it was unlike anything the islanders had ever seen.

"It’s possible," Cang nodded. "If you and I were both at the Perfection of Blood Exchange, we could return unharmed even from a sudden hurricane. Let’s go take a look together."

More than ninety years had passed for Jiang Zuo inside the Daoist Talisman Holy Land Secret Realm, which amounted to over twenty years in the outside world.

Xiao and Cang were now middle-aged men, approaching forty.

The two elderly shamans of the Bone-piercing Tribe had long since passed away. Now, Xiao and Cang were the tribe’s shamans.

Because of their deeds over the years, they now held immense prestige within the Bone-piercing Tribe.

Even the tribal Chieftain’s reputation was far from matching theirs.

However, in the history of the Bone-piercing Tribe, a shaman had never vied for the Chieftain’s authority, and neither of them had any interest in the position.

Their only interest lay in deciphering the tribe’s Knowledge Stone Tablets and ensuring their legacy was passed down.

"It’s still too dangerous for just the two of you to go."

"Take the tribe’s warriors with you."

"They’ve had success cultivating the Blood God Skill. Although they’re not as strong as you, they can at least buy you some time if trouble arises."

The Chieftain, an old man approaching sixty, heard their idea. He didn’t object to them going out, only offering his advice.

"Very well."

Neither Xiao nor Cang refused.

Their actions were risky, but they were doing it for the sake of the Bone-piercing Tribe.

Soon, a dozen or so strong young men from the tribe had gathered. They followed behind Xiao and Cang, hurrying to the coast.

When they arrived, Jiang Zuo was in the middle of enduring the ninth bolt of Tribulation Thunder.

BOOM!

The ninth bolt of Tribulation Thunder was thirty to forty percent more powerful than the first.

Jiang Zuo hung in mid-air, his entire body charred black from the strike.

"It really is the Master! He’s back!"

"Why is the Master being struck by lightning?!"

"It’s over! The lightning turned the Master into a piece of charcoal!"

Jiang Zuo’s appearance hadn’t changed at all, so Xiao and Cang recognized him instantly.

After Jiang Zuo’s sudden disappearance, the two had been dejected for some time.

Seeing him reappear, both were overjoyed at the thought of having someone to teach them again.

But their joy was short-lived, as they watched a black bolt of Tribulation Thunder slam down from the sky, turning Jiang Zuo into a charred husk.

Their hearts sank, thinking the Master they had just been reunited with had died right before their eyes.

But to their astonishment, the next moment, the charred Master shook his body, and the blackened skin sloughed off, revealing him to be completely unharmed.

While Xiao and Cang were utterly stunned, the tribespeople who had followed them had already fallen to their knees, prostrating themselves in worship.

Jiang Zuo didn’t notice their arrival; he was just looking up at the sky.

Nine bolts of Tribulation Thunder had descended, but the tribulation clouds in the sky showed no signs of dispersing.

’I knew it wouldn’t be this simple!’

Jiang Zuo wasn’t surprised.

He’d long had a premonition that the Celestial Tribulation wouldn’t let him off so easily.

One bolt of Tribulation Thunder fell after another, each more powerful than the last.

After eighteen bolts, the Tribulation Thunder still showed no sign of stopping.

By this point, the power of the Tribulation Thunder had reached a level that even Jiang Zuo could no longer fully withstand.

Jiang Zuo had no choice but to activate a series of fourth-tier Defense Talismans to block a portion of the thunder’s power.

In the blink of an eye, the bolt count surpassed twenty-seven, yet the thunder still didn’t cease.

Starting with the twenty-eighth bolt, the power of the Tribulation Thunder began to skyrocket.

If not for the considerable number of fourth-tier Talismans he possessed and his own astonishingly tough body, it would have been truly difficult for him to hold on.

BOOM!

After the thirty-sixth bolt—a thunderclap tinged with red-black light—crashed down, the tribulation clouds in the sky finally began to disperse.

Jiang Zuo let out a breath. Only then did he have a moment to take in his surroundings.

Then he noticed that on the surface of the sea below him, two massive phantom images and a third, much smaller one had appeared at some point.