CHAPTER 193: CHAPTER 61: CROSSING THE HEAVENLY TRIBULATION

"Take your people and get back to the Blood Sect!" Yue Zhao looked at Li Jingquan, whose face was unsightly, and said coldly.

It was rare for him to be so sharp, the jade-like demeanor completely vanished, making him resemble an unsheathed sword, somewhat like Si Lin.

This scene reminded Li Jingquan of White Banner Mountain a year ago, where Yue Zhao also pressed a dagger against his throat, making him feel extremely stifled and humiliated!

"Next time, I will definitely defeat you and make you kneel at my feet!" Li Jingquan spat harsh words, stepped back a few paces, waved his hand, and, with a tap of his toe, swiftly left.

The four who carried him followed closely behind with a soft sedan chair, leaving with Li Jingquan.

Yue Zhao put away his dagger, the cold and stern aura disappeared, and a smile spread across his face, returning to the appearance of Young Master Ruyu.

"Thank you, Young Master Yue!" The Shangguan Sect Master, accompanied by Shangguan Heng, approached Yue Zhao, clasped his hands in respect, and gave him a deep bow.

If it weren’t for Yue Zhao this time, the situation would not have been resolved so easily. The Shangguan Sect Master sincerely thanked Yue Zhao, showing even more respect.

"No need to be polite, Shangguan Sect Master. The Wuji Sect is a subordinate sect of the Lingxi Sacred Land, and it’s our duty to protect the subordinate sects. It’s what I should do," Yue Zhao waved his hand, not dwelling on the matter, "Shangguan Sect Master, please continue entertaining your guests. The dual cultivation ceremony of the Young Sect Master isn’t over yet!"

With Yue Zhao’s reminder, Shangguan Sect Master and Shangguan Heng quickly realized that the dual cultivation ceremony was not yet finished. Shangguan Heng and Lin Rui’er went to change clothes, while the Shangguan Sect Master returned to the main hall to continue the ceremony.

Gu Qing and the others also returned to their table to enjoy the delicacies prepared by Wuji Sect, with their mood undisturbed by the recent incident.

Not until late at night did everyone disperse. However, given their high status, Gu Qing and the others left early and were asleep early.

...

Floating Island, Lingxi Sacred Land.

Toward evening, a mass of dark clouds suddenly gathered over the Lingxi Sacred Land, covering the entire island. The sky darkened abruptly, and everyone felt a sense of danger.

Wen Guiyun and the others had just emerged from a secret room. Upon seeing the outside situation, they all proceeded to the place where the clouds were thickest, which was the courtyard where Si Lin resided.

"Saint Master, does this mean Si Lin is about to break through?" Lan Chi, standing beside Wen Guiyun, asked with a hint of excitement, watching the clouds continuing to gather in the sky, along with the brewing lightning.

Wen Guiyun nodded, and then, realizing something, looked to the others, "Si Lin is about to ascend to a Half-step Immortal Rank, so the heavenly tribulation may be quite formidable. Make sure to evacuate disciples with lower cultivation levels from the Holy Land and set up an array to protect the island’s structures and people."

"Yes, I’ll go and inform the disciples to evacuate right away." Zhao Tonghai acknowledged, turning around and quickly disappeared from sight.

"I’ll take the disciples to set up an array." Ye Shenglan, as the Hall Master of the Array Hall, also acknowledged and turned to leave.

"The three of us should stand as protectors for Si Lin. If he can’t withstand it, we’ll find a way to assist him." Yao Leming, being the most senior, though Si Lin wasn’t his disciple, was quite pleased to see Si Lin’s promotion and advised Wen Guiyun and Lan Chi.

Wen Guiyun didn’t need Yao Leming’s reminder and was already prepared to intervene at any moment, while Lan Chi also nodded in agreement.

At their level, although they usually compared their disciples against each other, at a critical moment, they focused more on the overall interest of the Lingxi Sacred Land rather than personal interests.

Si Lin was indeed Wen Guiyun’s disciple, but he was also a disciple of the Lingxi Sacred Land. Once he ascends to the Half-step Immortal Rank, it would mean that Lingxi Hall gains another Half-step Immortal Rank, further solidifying its position in the Sub-immortal Realm!

Therefore, they must ensure that Si Lin successfully ascends this time!

Soon, with the combined efforts of the disciples from the Martial Hall and Law Enforcement Hall, those with cultivation levels below the seventh rank were evacuated to a relatively distant place, while higher-ranking disciples stayed nearby to observe the heavenly tribulation. If they could gain some insight at this time, it would be extremely beneficial for their cultivation. Even if they didn’t gain enlightenment, this group was highly likely to ascend to the Half-step Immortal Rank, and understanding the power of the heavenly tribulation early on would help them make plans.

The clouds in the sky grew denser, turning from gray to black, with the lightning appearing thicker and the pressure increasing. Wen Guiyun and the others didn’t feel it much, but the disciples closer by had a different experience; they felt their hackles rising, as if they were the ones to be struck by lightning!

In Si Lin’s courtyard, the disciples who attended to him had long been dismissed, leaving only Si Lin. At this moment, he was wrapped in intense Spiritual Energy, continuously flowing into his body, while his aura grew stronger and stronger. His complexion didn’t look too good, with furrowed brows, appearing somewhat uncomfortable.

As the Spiritual Energy entered his body, he transformed it into Spiritual Power, gradually accumulating in his Dantian. The Spiritual Power in the Dantian increased, and as it was about to be fully occupied, he was on the brink of a transformation, signaling the moment of his breakthrough to the Half-step Immortal Rank.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a golden light flashing through his pupils.

"Zheng!"

The Dragon Capturing Sword let out a sharp cry, automatically appearing beside him, hovering in mid-air, as the golden dragon phantom on the sword circled him restlessly.

He stretched out his hand, and as the Dragon Capturing Sword flew into his grasp, the golden dragon phantom halted behind him, and like him, raised its head to gaze at the sky.

In the sky, the dark clouds were so thick as if they would fall down, and lightning became more and more frequent.

"Boom!"

Under everyone’s gaze, the first heavenly lightning descended from the clouds, striking the house where Si Lin was located.

The purple-black lightning was very thick. When it hit the roof, a big hole was directly opened, disappearing into the house.

In the room, Si Lin looked at the heavenly lightning above his head, merely gripping the Dragon Capturing Sword, his body unmoving, letting the lightning strike him. The first lightning was generally not too severe, Si Lin grunted, feeling his body numb, losing sensation, but not injured.

The second lightning brewed for a while, then quickly fell again.

This time, Si Lin still stood in place, waiting for the lightning to strike him again. He grunted once more, the body that had just regained feeling became numb again, as a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, having suffered slight internal injuries.

Not giving him a chance to breathe, the third lightning struck down.

This time, he slightly conducted his cultivation, forming a protective shield around his body to resist the heavenly lightning.

When the lightning hit the protective shield, a crack immediately appeared on the shield, and the cracks grew larger until it completely shattered, leaving the remaining lightning to strike Si Lin. However, the power was somewhat less than before.

Next was the fourth strike. Si Lin flew from the room into the sky, holding the Dragon Capturing Sword, a giant golden dragon’s virtual image behind him. He looked up, watching the descending lightning, and slashed forcefully.

Golden light and purple lightning met mid-air, both energies were too strong, resulting in an explosion, creating fireworks in the sky, and then disappearing together.

The fifth strike took slightly longer than the previous but descended quickly as well. As before, Si Lin forcefully slashed at the lightning.

As the two collided again, this time, not even fireworks were produced, they merely disappeared into the sky.

Then came the sixth, seventh, eighth... Si Lin’s spiritual power had been mostly exhausted, and he was covered in wounds, even the golden dragon’s virtual shadow behind him looked much weaker.

"The last one, I wonder if Si Lin can make it through?" Lan Chi said worriedly, looking at the brewing lightning in the sky.

"He definitely can!" Wen Guiyun glanced at Si Lin, saying with confidence.

Yao Leming glanced at Wen Guiyun and then focused again on Si Lin, nervously stroking his beard, the spiritual power in his fingertips appearing and disappearing, appearing and disappearing, hesitating indefinitely.

Not far away, other disciples watching the heavenly tribulation were also discussing the final lightning.

"The last heavenly lightning is generally the most powerful, I wonder if Senior Brother Si can withstand it?"

"Senior Brother Si is so powerful, surely he can!"

"Exactly, I heard others were quite miserable when crossing the thunder tribulation, but look at Senior Brother Si, how cool he was when slashing the lightning earlier!"

"As long as he withstands this final lightning, Lingxi Sacred Land will have another Half-step Immortal, Senior Brother Si is amazing!"

"..."

At this moment, Si Lin couldn’t hear these discussions, his eyes were only on the heavenly tribulation brewing above. He tightened his grip on the Dragon Capturing Sword, blinked, and his body’s spiritual power circulated wildly, while absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, converting it into his own spiritual power, preparing for the final strike.

Under the attention of all, the last lightning finally descended.

If the previous heavenly lightnings were as thick as an adult’s arm, then this last one was as thick as an adult’s thigh, and the pressure it contained was enough to crush a person with low cultivation to death!

Si Lin faced this pressure head-on, feeling his bones crackling. He gritted his teeth, and before the lightning completely fell, he leaped up, charging towards the heavenly lightning above.

With both hands gripping the Dragon Capturing Sword, he poured all his spiritual power into it, turning the Dragon Capturing Sword into a golden sword, then he gazed at the lightning, and fiercely slashed towards it.

The lightning, with a devastating force, neutralized his full-force slash, striking his body. The golden dragon’s virtual shadow behind him was directly dispersed, and his body was struck down to the ground, creating a large pit upon impact.

His entire body was charred black, even his hair had become slightly curled.

Just when everyone thought he had failed, his fingers twitched, and then, struggling, he sat up from the ground.

The dark clouds in the sky instantly vanished, replaced by seven-colored auspicious clouds.