The rock-carved pool was dull and lackluster, bearing only the ancient aura accumulated over time.
This was the Immortal Pool within the Sea of Lightning, but the Thunder Tribulation Liquid it contained was unlike before—now it shimmered with five-colored mist, swirling immortal vapors, surging auspicious light, and an intoxicating fragrance.
This treasure was priceless. Shi Hao drank sip after sip, feeling his body rapidly restore to its peak. Both his flesh and spirit were nourished, and all previous hidden injuries vanished completely.
Under the countless burning gazes from all directions, he remained expressionless, closing his eyes to meditate and deeply comprehend the laws of heaven and earth.
This tribulation had brought him immense gains. His flesh and spirit had shattered and reforged repeatedly, tempered by the lightning—an ancient method that bestowed tremendous benefits.
The reason the Immortal Ancient Era was so powerful, producing long-lived beings, was due to the natural conditions of the world. All who sought strength had to endure the tribulation of thunder!
In this era, the conditions of the world no longer permitted it. No matter who provoked the tribulation, the resulting lightning would be ferocious beyond measure, surpassing the natural punishment it should have been.
Every inch of Shi Hao’s flesh now glowed with radiant light, internal brilliance flowing within, mysterious symbols blooming—making him appear even more formidable and extraordinary.
He could feel himself growing stronger. Three strands of immortal qi hovered above his head, faintly coalescing into the form of a Dao Flower.
The Divine King Tribulation—he had overcome it just like that!
“A Divine King… a young cultivator, merely twenty years old. Truly, this shakes the past and present!”
His youth was excessive. To possess such cultivation at this age was terrifying, leaving even the older generation sighing in awe. What kind of monstrous genius was this?!
Yun Xi stood in the distance, her expression complex. This old acquaintance of hers was too heaven-defying—successfully overcoming the tribulation, he had become a Divine King!
Her thoughts raced, recalling their journey together across hundreds of thousands of miles, how close they had once been. Yet, in the end, a rift had formed between them due to the actions of her clan, leading to a series of events that made her sigh softly.
Looking at the figure seated amidst the sea of lightning, she knew without a doubt that the Celestial Clan must now be filled with regret—they had lost an ally whose brilliance would shine through the ages.
Who could have imagined that the youth from back then would rise so swiftly, never faltering, breaking through every obstacle to become a Divine King at the age of twenty?
“Yue Chan, are you really not involved with him?” whispered a Heavenly God from the Heaven-Mending Sect.
“Uncle, if you keep spouting nonsense, I won’t speak to you anymore!” Yue Chan bristled, thoroughly exasperated. Her own uncle actually held Shi Hao in such high regard!
“You’re still young, shyness is natural. But I’m your uncle—you can tell me the truth. Even if you’re the Holy Maiden, if there’s something between you two, it’s not impossible to make arrangements. We could even ask the Sect Master to reconsider your position. A young man like this, so astonishingly powerful at such an age—if he could join our Heaven-Mending Sect, it would be worth everything!” The Heavenly God, who appeared quite young himself, spoke earnestly.
Dark lines appeared on Yue Chan’s fair forehead, and she nearly punched her uncle in the face.
Her relationship with Shi Hao was like fire and water—too much had happened between them. The thought of yielding to him, of humbling herself to win him over, was unbearable.
Yet, whenever she recalled the events in the Cold Realm—the tangled mess between Qing Yi, Shi Hao, and herself—her heart would flutter with unease, and she would grit her teeth in frustration.
“Ah, my master once said that in the end, a particularly gluttonous person would bury me. Could it be this bastard?!” Cao Yusheng sighed, then glared at Shi Hao.
“Who would have thought he’d reach this point?” The Dragon Maiden, her beautiful blue hair cascading to her waist, blinked her eyes and exchanged a glance with Chang Gong Yan—both were stunned.
To rise in a single lifetime, unrivaled across heaven and earth—this was Shi Hao. His journey had been nothing short of astonishing.
“Hmm?”
Shi Hao opened his eyes. He had already consumed a great deal of the Thunder Tribulation Liquid, certain that his cultivation had improved. Continuing to drink would no longer have any effect, so he stopped.
“I believe that within the Sacred Sacrifice Realm, my cultivation has stabilized considerably. I should be able to rival a Heavenly God for a long time without suddenly regressing.”
This was his intuition. He firmly believed that this was the breakthrough of the Sacred Sacrifice Realm—once his strength no longer fluctuated wildly, he would directly ascend to the rank of a Divine King among Heavenly Gods.
“Eh?”
Shi Hao was surprised. Five-colored mist rose from the Immortal Pool, transforming into swirling vapors that drifted into the distance. Was the Thunder Tribulation Liquid evaporating?
This had never happened before—why now?
Soon, he noticed anomalies in the lightning. Crackling sounds filled the air as the once-calm tenth layer of the tribulation surged violently, thunderbolts raging with terrifying force.
“Someone is stealing my Thunder Tribulation Liquid?” Shi Hao was furious.
The mist was being drawn in one direction. Though it was only a small amount for now, it still shocked him—whoever was doing this had extraordinary methods!
**Boom!**
Shi Hao acted, sealing the Immortal Pool to prevent the mist from escaping. Every drop of this liquid was priceless, enough to make even the Heavenly Gods of the Immortal Ancient clans bow in reverence.
**Rumble!**
The world seemed to turn upside down as an immense suction force tore through the void, distorting the heavens in an attempt to forcibly seize the Thunder Tribulation Liquid.
“What is this?!” Others were startled, finally realizing what was happening, their expressions filled with disbelief.
Some of the native powerers even grew eager, hoping to snatch a share of the treasure.
A treasure basin, carved from five-colored divine bone, emerged from the dark clouds—massive as a mountain, radiating brilliance that illuminated the sky.
Within the basin’s mouth, an inexplicable power wove together the laws of order, attempting to forcibly absorb the spiritual essence of the world and seize the Thunder Tribulation Liquid.
This was a blatant act of stealing the fruits of another’s labor. After Shi Hao had endured the tribulation and finally obtained the divine liquid, someone was interfering, trying to plunder it.
Naturally, this caused an uproar, stirring unrest among the Immortal Ancient natives.
As for the Eight-Armed Soul Clan and others, they were furious. They had protected Shi Hao, only for someone to brazenly snatch the divine liquid at the last moment—how could they tolerate this?
“The Thunder Tribulation Liquid belongs to us—it can dissolve the curse! He must hand it over!” voices clamored from the shadows.
Shi Hao’s gaze turned icy as he stood by the Immortal Pool, firmly sealing the precious liquid to prevent any loss.
The treasure basin was indeed formidable, its power surpassing even that of Heavenly Gods. But this very strength also provoked the lightning, drawing the tribulation’s wrath.
The hidden assailant immediately grew cautious, releasing the basin and not daring to press too close. If the tribulation corresponding to his own realm were triggered, the consequences would be disastrous.
“Hand over the Thunder Tribulation Liquid—it belongs to us, the descendants of Immortal Ancient!” someone shouted fervently.
This cry resonated with many. They longed for rebirth, for the curse to be lifted—regardless of who had created it.
“I see now—the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan. How bold of you to try and rob Shi Hao’s Thunder Tribulation Liquid. Though I must say, I’m curious to see if you’ll succeed.”
The ancient ancestor of the Eight-Armed Soul Clan spoke, his words sending tremors through the crowd.
Soon, Shi Hao understood. Earlier, when five Heavenly Gods had entered the tribulation to kill him, a sect master had intervened, blocking the Soul Clan’s ancestor from aiding him—it was this very person.
“Silverblood Demon Tree Clan!” Shi Hao’s gaze grew colder.
“Young friend, you possess so much Thunder Tribulation Liquid—more than you need. Why not share it with your fellow cultivators and save us from suffering? Many would remember your kindness,” the sect master of the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan said.
He revealed his true form—an elderly man, vigorous in spirit, with a towering silver ancient tree behind him, its radiance dazzling.
“My belongings are mine to handle. Who I give them to is none of your concern,” Shi Hao replied flatly. This sect master had targeted him multiple times.
First, he had attempted to abduct Shi Hao from Soul Island. Then, when chaos erupted due to the Heavenly Gods from the outside world, he had reached out to kill Shi Hao. Now, during the tribulation, he interfered again. How could Shi Hao show him any respect?
“Young friend, one must have a compassionate heart. So many suffer under the curse—with such an abundance of Thunder Tribulation Liquid, how can you stand by and watch without helping?” the ancient ancestor of the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan sighed.
“Old fool, how noble of you—using my possessions to win favor, rallying everyone while painting me as the villain,” Shi Hao retorted coldly.
Then he declared, “I will not keep the Thunder Tribulation Liquid. I will give it all to the natives. But the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan? Not a single drop for you!”
His words were decisive, his face etched with a cold smile.
“Young friend, your heart is too cold. Why go to such extremes? If you were truly benevolent, you would divide the liquid equally among all clans, not just those you favor,” the ancient ancestor said, his tone indifferent yet clearly attempting to sow discord.
“You want it so badly? Then I’ll deliver it to your clan myself—let’s see if you dare take it!” Shi Hao said. He began traversing the void, vanishing from the scene with the thunder sea in tow.
This clan had tried to kill him multiple times. This old man had not only schemed against him from the shadows but now sought to forcibly take what was his, even trying to turn the Immortal Ancient natives against him. How could Shi Hao let this slide?
Without hesitation, Shi Hao charged toward the ancestral lands of the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan.
The tenth layer of the tribulation had not yet dissipated. He stormed into a mountain range where silver light blazed, divine radiance piercing the heavens.
Silverblood Demon Trees stretched as far as the eye could see, rooted across the mountains, their essence surging like geysers. Among them stood countless palaces and floating islands—the heart of the clan’s territory.
“Brat, how dare you?!” Many gave chase, including the ancient ancestor of the Silverblood Demon Tree Clan, who knew exactly what Shi Hao intended—to unleash the tribulation here.
“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Shi Hao sneered.
The tenth layer of the thunder sea, once calm, now erupted as he struck at the living beings below. Countless bolts of lightning descended upon the mountains.
“Retreat, now!”
The ancient ancestor roared in panic. This young man’s ruthlessness exceeded his expectations—he was willing to provoke the tribulation again, as if he cared not for his own life.
Yet the ancestor dared not approach. If the tribulation corresponding to his realm struck, the accompanying curse would annihilate him utterly.
“Brat, if you do this, there will be no place for you in all the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!” the ancient ancestor bellowed in rage.
“Oh? You can play the villain, but I can’t retaliate?” Shi Hao’s voice was icy as he gazed at the countless cultivators who had followed. “Whoever kills this old man will be my friend—I will give their clan Thunder Tribulation Liquid!”
His voice shook the heavens. Among the many races of Immortal Ancient, there were certainly no shortage of experts!
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