At the third quarter of the midnight hour, the night sky above Kunlun Mountain was utterly torn apart.
At first, merely a vortex appeared above the enlightenment platform, about the size of a teacup, slowly rotating and swallowing starlight. But within three breaths, this vortex expanded at a terrifying speed, one hundred li, one thousand li, ten thousand li! Eventually it covered the entire Kunlun mountain range and continued spreading outward.
This was not ordinary dark clouds, but tribulation clouds condensed from pure heaven and earth laws. Within the clouds were not water vapor but countless minute lightning runes appearing and disappearing. Each rune contained traces of the Dao, emanating a suffocating pressure. Cultivators of slightly lower cultivation could no longer stand; even Nascent Soul stage elders felt breathing difficult.
"This... this is the Deity Transformation heavenly tribulation?" An overseas cultivator's voice trembled. He had cultivated for eight hundred years and never seen such a terrifying celestial phenomenon. Beneath the tribulation clouds, even heaven and earth spiritual energy was expelled, as if this space had become independent of the world.
Mu Qingfeng tightly clenched his fists, his fingernails cutting deep into his palms. As the closest person, he could most keenly feel that world-destroying pressure. This was merely the prelude to the heavenly tribulation; the true tribulation lightning had yet to descend.
Third Senior Sister Liu Yun's Judgement Sword trembled violently in its sheath, not from fear but from excitement at encountering a strong enemy. She could sense that the Dao laws contained within this heavenly tribulation far exceeded anything she had seen in her lifetime.
Far beyond, ordinary people on the mortal realm were startled. They saw the entire northwestern sky had turned deep purple, lightning like dragon serpents swimming through the clouds. Some claimed to hear roarings from the heavens, as if gods were furious.
At Kunlun's summit, Tang Xiao Qi slowly stood.
His blue robes fluttered in the violent spiritual pressure, his long hair flying behind him. Facing this heavenly might sufficient to make any cultivator despair, his eyes were nonetheless calm as still water. The Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword sensed its master's fighting spirit and let out a clear hum; the Creation Universe Wok slowly rotated, its taiji diagram at the base projecting chaotic brilliance.
"The first stage, the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Tribulation." Xiao Qi murmured to himself, naming this heavenly tribulation.
According to the Scripture of World Purification, the Deity Transformation heavenly tribulation had three stages, each more dangerous than the last. The Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Tribulation was merely the beginning, specifically testing the cultivator's body and cultivation. Afterward would come the Myriad Phenomena Demon Tribulation targeting the Dao heart, and finally the Heaven-Human Five Decay Tribulation testing one's understanding of the Dao.
But merely this first stage exceeded everyone's imagination.
The tribulation clouds slowly rotated, and at their center, a vast Thunder Eye condensed. Within the Thunder Eye, nine-colored lightning alternated and flickered, crimson Departing Fire Divine Thunder, golden Geng Metal Divine Thunder, azure Wood Divine Thunder, black Water Divine Thunder, yellow Earth Divine Thunder, plus four types of never-before-seen mutated divine thunders.
Each type of divine thunder represented a heaven and earth law, now gathered here, seemingly determined to blast this cultivator going against heaven into ash.
"Bring it on."
Xiao Qi's voice was soft, yet it clearly spread across all of Kunlun Mountain. His right hand gripped the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword, his left palm held the Creation Universe Wok, and the Green Lotus origin around him fully bloomed. The three self-created techniques circulated within his body, elevating his state to an unprecedented peak.
As if sensing his challenge, the nine-colored divine thunders within the Thunder Eye suddenly erupted!
The first crimson divine thunder crashed down! This bolt of lightning was only as thick as an arm, yet contained the true meaning of fire that could incinerate all things. Where it passed, space itself was scorched and twisted.
Xiao Qi did not dodge or evade; instead, the Nirvana Crimson Flame Sword flew upward against heaven! The sword's tip precisely struck the lightning, and the Phoenix Divine Gold within the Crimson Flame Sword blazed brilliantly, actually absorbing all of this Departing Fire Divine Thunder!
"Well done!" Zhao Tiezhu could not help but cheer. Body cultivators valued momentum most, and Xiao Qi's head-on collision was exactly to his taste.
But this was merely the beginning.
The second golden divine thunder followed immediately! This bolt of lightning was incomparably sharp, carrying the metal's cutting nature that could sever everything.
Xiao Qi pivoted his sword technique, the Crimson Flame Sword drawing an arcane trajectory. This time he did not directly intercept but used skillful force to deflect the lightning. The golden divine thunder crashed into empty ground outside the enlightenment platform, blasting a bottomless crater in the ten-thousand-year mystical ice.
The third, fourth, fifth...
Azure, black, and yellow divine thunders crashed down in succession! Wood Divine Thunder was full of vitality yet hid killing intent; Water Divine Thunder was soft yet unyielding; Earth Divine Thunder was heavy as a mountain. Xiao Qi either intercepted, deflected, avoided, or dissolved, taking down all five basic divine thunders.
But his arms were already slightly numb, and blood oozed from his wrists. And these were merely the five most basic divine thunders.
Within the Thunder Eye, the remaining four mutated divine thunders began to condense. These four thunders had bizarre colors, gray, white, purple, and transparent. They emanated even more terrifying auras, having exceeded the scope of ordinary laws.
"Chaos Divine Thunder, Silence Divine Thunder, Primordial Divine Thunder, Void Divine Thunder..." Ouyezi murmured. "These are all thunders that only exist in legends..."
The gray Chaos Divine Thunder struck first! This lightning's path turned all things to chaos; even light was devoured.
Xiao Qi finally employed the Creation Universe Wok! The taiji diagram at the wok's base rotated rapidly, projecting countless streams of chaotic energy that collided with the gray divine thunder. There was no earth-shaking explosion, only intense collision at the law level. Ultimately, the Chaos Divine Thunder was slowly absorbed by the Universe Wok, transforming into pure chaotic qi.
But Xiao Qi also grunted, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Directly receiving the Chaos Divine Thunder had caused him considerable internal injuries.
The white Silence Divine Thunder followed immediately! This lightning carried the aura of ending everything; even time seemed to still before it.
"Green Lotus Opens Heaven!"
Xiao Qi finally deployed his first self-created technique! The Green Lotus origin bloomed above him, pure purifying force colliding head-on with the Silence Divine Thunder. White light and azure light intertwined, ultimately both annihilating.
However, before he could even catch his breath, the purple Primordial Divine Thunder had already crashed down before him! This lightning contained the primordial force from when heaven and earth were created, as if it could re-establish the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind.
Xiao Qi gritted his teeth and swung his sword. The dragon and phoenix patterns on the Crimson Flame Sword simultaneously illuminated! The true dragon's might and phoenix spirit merged into one, barely stopping this opening-heaven divine thunder.
But the cost was a tiny crack appearing on the Crimson Flame Sword, the sword spirit sending back a pained lament.
The final transparent Void Divine Thunder descended silently. This lightning had no aura whatsoever, yet gave an absolute sense of nothingness. It did not destroy; instead it directly erased existence.
Xiao Qi's expression turned grave, crossing the Crimson Flame Sword and Universe Wok before his chest. The three techniques operated simultaneously, Green Lotus, Chaos, and Nirvana, forming a three-colored light shield before him.
"Boom—"
There was no sound, no light, only intense tremor at the law level. When the fluctuations settled, Xiao Qi knelt on one knee, blood staining his lapels crimson. But he had ultimately survived this final divine thunder.
The first stage, the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Tribulation, passed!
However, the tribulation clouds in the sky did not dissipate; instead they began changing color. From deep purple to gray-white, emanating a strange aura.
Everyone knew the more terrifying Demon Tribulation was about to begin.
Xiao Qi wiped the blood from his lips, his gaze still resolute. He gazed upon the vast rivers and mountains below, upon his family and friends guarding him, upon that world he had sworn to protect.
On this path, he would walk to the very end.