Chapter 1178: Sacred Eye Transforms into Thunder Tribulation

Thunder rumbled. Thick thunderclouds rolled across the sky, blotting out the sun. The destructive fluctuations they emanated caused the world to tremble violently.

Xulei sat cross-legged deep within the thunderclouds, his expression remarkably calm, clearly brimming with confidence in his technique. He knew that once he manifested the lightning tribulation using his Holy Eye, even Gatu would encounter significant trouble if he entered it.

The technique, however, had a flaw: it couldn't be used for active offense. If the opponent retreated, the lightning tribulation would become nothing more than a display. But for the current situation, it was absolutely perfect. He had used the lightning tribulation to surround the spatial portal. If Zhou Yuan wanted to reach the core of the Holy Evolution Grand Formation, he would have to brave the lightning tribulation. Thus, Xulei felt completely in control, as if sitting on a fishing platform.

Although he was somewhat reluctant to be forced into such a defensive posture, as long as he could hold Zhou Yuan back and prevent him from disrupting the Saint Race's plan for sole domination, it would all be worthwhile.

A rumble echoed. Zhou Yuan looked up at the thick thunderclouds, sensing the dangerous fluctuations they contained. Yet, without much hesitation, he calmly took a step forward. With that single step, he stepped directly into the tribulation clouds.

The moment he stepped inside, the thunderclouds churned, forming a massive vortex. Within it, boundless lightning furiously gathered, merged, and compressed. Moments later, a thousand-zhang lightning tribulation, imbued with a destructive aura, crashed down.

Platinum Genesis Qi roared forth from above Zhou Yuan's head, forming a massive Auspicious Cloud that descended to shield him. The lightning tribulation struck the Genesis Qi Auspicious Cloud, causing it to vibrate violently and rapidly shrink in size.

Boom! Within the thunderclouds, lightning tribulations continued to form, each one striking down with unparalleled ferocity. In just a few dozen breaths, Zhou Yuan watched as his Genesis Qi Auspicious Cloud suddenly shattered. A bolt of lightning, seemingly piercing through space, appeared directly above his head and struck violently.

"Great Blazing Demon!" Fiery red, lava-like patterns emerged on Zhou Yuan's body. A high temperature radiated from him, distorting the space around him, as immensely powerful energy surged within. The lightning tribulation struck his body with full force. Lightning scattered everywhere, and Zhou Yuan was directly blasted a hundred zhang downwards before he could stabilize himself. White mist rose from his skin, which was subtly scorched, indicating a significant impact. "What powerful lightning tribulation!"

Zhou Yuan was slightly startled. The lightning tribulation’s power was indeed incredibly fierce; even his fully defended body felt a faint stinging pain from the impact. What was most troublesome was that the lightning contained a trace of destructive intent. This unique power, upon entering his body, even began to slightly corrode his flesh and blood.

"If the Great Blazing Demon hadn't also advanced to the Mahayana state during that mystic relic encounter, my body might truly be unable to withstand the power of this lightning tribulation right now," Zhou Yuan muttered, his expression solemn. He fully circulated his Genesis Qi and the power of his flesh and blood, diligently eroding the destructive intent that had invaded his body. With this two-pronged approach, the destructive intent raging within his body was gradually cleared away.

"Huh?" The moment the destructive intent was cleared, Zhou Yuan's heart suddenly stirred, and a wave of surprise washed over him. At that moment, relying on his divine sense's subtle perception of his body, he faintly sensed that his physical body seemed to have strengthened.

"Could this be... tempering from the destructive power within the lightning tribulation?" A flash of insight struck Zhou Yuan. At his current level of physical cultivation, ordinary tempering and forging no longer had much effect. However, Xulei's lightning tribulation contained a trace of destructive power. If he could endure it, it would be precisely what his current physical body needed for further tempering.

"Such an unexpected benefit?" But then Zhou Yuan's brows furrowed slightly. "If I want to use this guy's lightning tribulation to refine my body, I'll definitely need to draw in a large amount of it. But this lightning tribulation is extremely powerful, containing destruction and ferocity. Simply absorbing it into my body, if accumulated, might even disturb my mind, and a single misstep could lead to disaster."

"If only I could weaken the lightning tribulation's power and eliminate the violent intent within it, that would be perfect!" Zhou Yuan scratched his head, feeling he might be asking for too much. However, just as he was about to abandon the thought, his eyebrow suddenly twitched.

"Actually... it might not be impossible."

Zhou Yuan's eyes flickered. The next moment, his figure appeared deep within the thunderclouds. Platinum Genesis Qi burst forth, forming a light shield around him that also served to block any prying gazes.

Meanwhile, from within the thunderclouds, Xulei sneered at the sight. "Playing tricks, are we? No matter what you are, today you will be annihilated by my lightning tribulation!" With a thought, he caused the thunderclouds to churn, and dozens of thick, dragon-like lightning tribulations roared down, fiercely striking the Genesis Qi light shield.

Inside the light shield, Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged. Watching the astonishingly powerful lightning tribulations descend, he softly uttered, "Heavenly Punisher Law Domain." A hum resonated. A mysterious Law Domain, roughly a zhang in size, spread out from him as its origin. The lightning tribulation surged down, directly breaking through the light shield and plunging into the one-zhang Law Domain. The moment the lightning tribulation entered the Law Domain, it was abruptly weakened by an indescribable force. Most astonishingly, the violent intent contained within it was also forcibly erased by the power of the Law Domain at that very moment.

Such was the might of a Law Domain! Even though Zhou Yuan's Law Domain was only about a zhang in size, far from comparable to that of a true Law Domain expert, anything that entered it would be suppressed by its power. To contend against the power of a Law Domain, only another Law Domain would suffice. Or... by directly burning it with an even more powerful Saint Flame. Although Xulei's lightning tribulation was formidable, it ultimately remained power at the Heavenly Sun stage. Therefore, as long as it entered this one-zhang range, it would be at Zhou Yuan's mercy.

"As expected of a Law Domain," Zhou Yuan secretly praised. Unfortunately, his Law Domain, like Xulei's tribulation clouds, had a limited range. This one-zhang radius was too narrow; it would be difficult to use it to trap anyone.

As his thoughts turned, the lightning tribulations, weakened and stripped of their violence by the Law Domain, struck his body one after another. Instantly, lightning glow circulated over his body. Patches of scorched skin continuously appeared, and faint traces of blood even oozed from his pores. Zhou Yuan's brows furrowed tightly. Even though the lightning was weakened, such a relentless onslaught still brought immense pain. He gritted his teeth, enduring the intense pain, then circulated his power, beginning to wear away the destructive intent within his body.

A moment later.

Zhou Yuan's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, replaced by an irrepressible sense of pleasant surprise. As he completely wore away the destructive intent, his physical body had indeed subtly strengthened once again.

"This... truly is an unexpected bonus."

A smile spread across Zhou Yuan's face. He raised his head, his gaze, somewhat fervent, passing through the light shield to look at the churning tribulation clouds above. Perhaps he could use the power of Xulei's tribulation clouds to help his physical body advance another step. At that time, perhaps he would even be able to experience the mysteries of the Saint Glazed Body... After all, it would be a lie to say he wasn't envious of Bai Xiaolu's Saint Glazed Body!

"Xulei..."

"You'll have to give it your all. Whether I can reach that stage depends on you now."