Chapter 1185: Neutralize a Bit

Outside the cave, Yun Mengmeng used an unripe immortal spiritual fruit as a makeshift sandbag, throwing it at Gantian. Gantian deftly dodged, and the fruit was caught by Qinghe, who stood behind her. Qinghe then threw it back at Gantian, who continued to evade. The three girls were having a wonderful time.

Lu Yang took two deep breaths, a calm smile on his face, and walked unhurriedly out of the cave. Though he didn't know what kind of heavenly tribulation awaited him, he decided to project an air of complete control first.

"Sister Mengmeng, my cultivation is about to break through, and I need to face my tribulation. You all should go down the mountain first…"

Yun Mengmeng was surprised by the Second Boss's sudden appearance and accidentally fumbled the immortal spiritual fruit thrown to her. The fruit dropped to the ground. It then exploded with a loud boom, drowning out Lu Yang's voice. Unripe immortal spiritual fruits are highly explosive.

Startled, Yun Mengmeng quickly asked Lu Yang with concern, "Second Boss, are you alright? Did you just say you're about to face your tribulation?"

Lu Yang, his face smudged with ash, coughed twice, his calm demeanor entirely gone. "Cough, I'm fine. Please, hurry down the mountain."

"Alright, alright." Yun Mengmeng quickly carried a bag full of unripe immortal spiritual fruits down the mountain. She worried that if a lightning tribulation bolt went astray and hit one of the fruits, it would surely blast the Second Boss sky-high.

After the three girls departed, Lu Yang was left alone on Tianmen Peak. He took another deep breath, calmed his mind, and spread his arms, embracing the vast sky. He fully unleashed his cultivation level, ready to welcome the heavenly tribulation.

"I am ready, heavenly tribulation, come!"

Lu Yang stood with his arms outstretched like a cross, waiting for a long time, but the heavenly tribulation was slow to descend.

"That's odd, where's the heavenly tribulation?"

"Tell me how you want this tribulation to be, and I shall strike accordingly."

Ying Tianxian pondered seriously, concluding that the type of heavenly tribulation should not be decided by him. After all, his understanding of Lu Yang was far inferior to that of Daoist Yunzhi and Immortal Incorruptible. Only the person most familiar with Lu Yang could determine what kind of heavenly tribulation to send.

Upon hearing Ying Tianxian's words, Immortal Maiden Incorruptible seemed overjoyed. "That's wonderful! Just pick a gentle lightning tribulation, strike a couple of times as a formality, and that'll do."

"Alright, then I shall send down…"

"That's not appropriate. Junior brother hasn't achieved immortality yet and lacks experience. If he starts slacking during tribulation now, how will his future cultivation progress? A heavier lightning tribulation should be sent."

"Alright, then I shall send down…"

"I think Xiao Yangzi is doing quite well right now; he's energetic, vibrant, and sturdy. He's not lacking in experience, so a standard lightning tribulation should suffice."

"As Senior Immortal Maiden said, Junior Brother is full of vigor, spirit, and strong in physique. However, there's still room for improvement. Wouldn't it be even better for him to strive for greater heights?"

"Ying Tian, you tell us, what tribulation should Xiao Yangzi face?"

"Senior Ying Tianxian should know that the stronger the lightning tribulation, the better."

Both simultaneously turned their heads to look at Ying Tianxian. Cold sweat beaded on Ying Tianxian's forehead; he didn't know which side to choose.

"Is Lu Yang undergoing tribulation, or am I?"

"Since ancient times, strength has been revered. Immortal Incorruptible, perhaps you and Daoist Yunzhi could have a match, and the stronger one can make the decision."

Immortal Maiden Incorruptible, whose small face had been tight and serious, suddenly began to cough. "This Immortal's injuries are too severe; I require quiet recuperation and haven't recovered to my peak state yet. Young Yun would surely not bear to contend with me as I am now."

"Once my injuries have healed, I'll definitely compete with Young Yun!"

Yunzhi felt a touch of regret. She had accepted Siming as hush money, but was that price too low?

"Senior Immortal Maiden, how about we find a compromise?" Yunzhi proposed proactively. "You see, there are eighty-one lightning tribulations in total. We can take turns: one light, then one heavy. If the light ones are eighty-one in total, and the heavy ones are also eighty-one in total, then all our requirements will be met."

Immortal Maiden Incorruptible considered it seriously for a moment and decided it was a good idea. Although it didn't reduce the power of all the lightning tribulations as she had originally wanted, reducing half of them was still fair to Xiao Yangzi.

Word spread that the legendary Lu Yang was undergoing tribulation for his cultivation breakthrough, and everyone in the Wen Dao Sect came to watch, even those who ran barbecue restaurants and slaughterhouses. Lu Yang's previous heavenly tribulation for the Nascent Soul stage had been truly eye-opening, so this Void Refinement stage lightning tribulation was expected to be equally extraordinary.

"Why hasn't the heavenly tribulation descended yet?" The crowd whispered amongst themselves, sensing something unusual about the delay. "I've never heard of a heavenly tribulation being late before."

Everyone was extremely confused. It was an iron rule of the cultivation world that a lightning tribulation would descend immediately upon a cultivation breakthrough. For 300,000 years, from ancient times to the present, no one had ever been an exception.

"Why is Senior Brother Lu standing with his arms outstretched? Is it some kind of ritual?"

"Perhaps that's why Senior Brother Lu is so powerful?"

Boom—

The long-awaited lightning tribulation finally descended. A pillar of lightning struck Lu Yang, blindingly bright. Even from their distant vantage point on Tianmen Peak, the lightning tribulation was deafening, causing their chests to vibrate as if in resonance with the thunder. One could only imagine the immense pressure Lu Yang faced at its epicenter.

"It's here, it's finally here! What kind of lightning tribulation is this? It looks incredibly powerful!"

"I don't recognize it."

"Quickly, go to the Sutra Depository and borrow the 'Compendium of Lightning Tribulations'!"

"I've already memorized the 'Compendium of Lightning Tribulations,' and there's no such tribulation in it!"

"Who told you to flip through the 'Compendium of Lightning Tribulations'? You're supposed to attach a blank page to the back; the list of tribulations is about to be updated!"

"That makes sense, that makes sense!"

At first, Lu Yang was startled by the lightning tribulation. "Is Senior Ying Tianxian truly this ruthless?" he wondered. But he quickly noticed something strange: while the lightning tribulation looked formidable, it actually felt tingly and quite comfortable, almost like a massage.

"It seems Senior Ying Tianxian is still treating me well… Ah—"

Lu Yang didn't finish his sentence before he was hit squarely by the second lightning tribulation. The power of this bolt was a world apart from the first. Lu Yang had initially relaxed his guard, thinking the tribulation was harmless, but the second bolt struck him so hard he nearly went into convulsions.

"First, use a weaker tribulation to make me relax, then suddenly unleash a powerful one?"

"Senior Ying Tianxian, you wouldn't resort to tactics against me, would you?"

It was always cultivators who used tactics against lightning tribulations; this was Lu Yang's first time encountering a tribulation that used tactics.

Just as Lu Yang was fully prepared for the third lightning tribulation, it reverted to the familiar tingling sensation. Lu Yang dared not slacken, and sure enough, the fourth lightning tribulation struck with astonishing power, far exceeding what a Void Refinement stage tribulation should possess.

"Hiss, that really hurts."

With so many admirers watching below, Lu Yang bore the pain silently, showing remarkable fortitude. Lu Yang repeatedly hypnotized himself internally: "Eighty-one lightning tribulations, just get through them, and it will be fine. Eighty-one lightning tribulations, just get through them, and it will be fine."

After eighty-one lightning tribulations had descended, Lu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Though the process had been brutal, he had barely managed to endure it. "Just a mere lightning tribulation, nothing too special."

Then the eighty-second lightning tribulation gathered momentum.

"Wait a minute, why is there still a lightning tribulation?!"