After a moment of enlightenment post-battle, Shi Hao secluded himself here to transcend his own tribulation!
Everyone was astounded. What kind of monstrous genius was this, who could decapitate Jin Zhifei across realms, achieve a resounding victory, and now sought to temper his body with heavenly tribulation lightning?
“As expected of Shi Hao! After his legendary exploits at the Great Scarlet Sky’s border, sweeping through enemies from foreign realms, it’s only fitting he possesses such invincible might.”
“But is he truly going to undergo a heavenly tribulation? At this level, especially for someone as extraordinary as him, it might summon one of the legendary thunder calamities—unimaginable and likely fatal!”
Amidst the shock, many also worried for him.
Undergoing tribulation at this stage was no trivial matter; it was nearly insurmountable. The heavenly tribulation grew infinitely more terrifying with each realm, becoming increasingly difficult to endure, especially in the later stages.
Moreover, the world’s fundamental conditions had changed. Heavenly tribulations no longer existed naturally. Forcing one to manifest would provoke powers far beyond the original scope, with a ninety-nine percent chance of death.
“Shi Hao, be careful! With your unparalleled talent and immense potential, invoking a tribulation might awaken one of the top three most devastating calamities in history. If that happens, survival would be nearly impossible!” Cao Yusheng warned.
This was the truth. The strongest heavenly tribulations, once unleashed, could leave one with no place to bury their remains.
Even though Shi Hao now seemed to command the tribulation lightning, wielding it for his own use, when it came to facing it himself, it was an entirely different matter. As he himself had said, the heavenly tribulation could not be avoided—only confronted head-on with sheer force!
“I know!” Shi Hao replied.
At the same time, he took out several artifacts and handed them to Cao Yusheng, Tianjiao Ant, and others for safekeeping. Among them were two hair ornaments—one a lustrous stone, the other a coiled golden sphere.
While others were unaware, the Lunar Jade Rabbit and a few close companions knew what these were: two living beings!
The former was the Divine Striking Stone, which had devoured too many heaven-defying treasures and now lay dormant, undergoing metamorphosis. Items like the Ten Thousand Laws Stone and the Destiny Stone—any one of which could shake the world, even serving as supreme materials for True Immortals to forge artifacts—had been casually consumed by it years ago. Since then, it had rarely awakened, remaining in a state of continuous evolution!
The latter, the coiled golden sphere, was none other than the Emperor Butterfly!
Over four years ago, in the ruins of an ancient immortal battlefield, it had encountered the corpse of an ancient Emperor Butterfly and obtained an immense fortune. Absorbing all the residual essence of the ancient butterfly, it had formed a cocoon and remained motionless ever since.
Both of these beings possessed extraordinary origins and immeasurable potential.
*Crack!*
The next moment, the sky full of lightning vanished, and with one final tremor, the heavens cleared.
Wasn’t Shi Hao supposed to undergo tribulation? Why had the lightning disappeared? The crowd was baffled.
Shi Hao closed his eyes, deep in contemplation. The mysteries of the Thunder Pool surfaced in his mind, and he pondered deeply—how had the Thunder Emperor once commanded heavenly tribulations to judge all living beings?
Of course, some said that while the Thunder Emperor’s power was unparalleled, his ability to pass judgment on all creatures was still in its infancy, not yet fully mastered.
The Thunder Emperor’s strength lay in his unmatched combat prowess and indomitable courage, not in being the true sovereign of heavenly tribulations—he had only just begun to tread that path.
It was said that this very ability had terrified countless beings, especially those from foreign realms. Upon learning of it, they had united to hunt him down without hesitation, ultimately slaying him.
Had the Thunder Emperor succeeded, the consequences would have been unimaginable—he might have become a ruler of an entire realm, invincible across time.
Alas, the Thunder Emperor’s path, though brilliant, was cut short before he could ascend to unfathomable heights.
Suddenly, a faint and diminutive Thunder Pool materialized inexplicably before Shi Hao’s brow.
Only an inch in size, it hovered, exuding wisps of chaotic energy. Faint bolts of lightning trickled from the ancient-looking pool, illuminating Shi Hao’s forehead with a radiant glow.
Everyone was stunned. What was this?
No thunder, no overwhelming lightning—just a tiny Thunder Pool appearing out of nowhere. What was happening?
“This boy cannot be allowed to live!” muttered Wang Xi’s granduncle from afar, his voice laced with fear and urgency as he communicated with his companions. That young man had actually achieved this level.
“He is comprehending the Dao, visualizing and reconstructing the Thunder Pool within his mind!” Jin Zhan’s granduncle declared, revealing the truth.
This was terrifying. Did Shi Hao truly aspire to become the master of heavenly tribulations, wielding divine punishment over the world?
Some believed his earlier success was due to both his innate ability and a stroke of luck—chance outweighing true skill. But now, he sought to turn that improbable feat into a genuine power of his own!
This… was horrifying!
“We must stop him before he fully succeeds. If he does, he’ll become a problem in the future. Since he’s an enemy of our clan, we have no choice but to sever his path!” Wang Xi’s granduncle’s eyes gleamed with cold malice.
This revealed his priorities—personal grudges outweighed the greater good, and his desire to kill Shi Hao remained unshaken.
“Is this appropriate? Under the watchful eyes of so many, any underhanded tactics would disgrace our Wang Family,” Wang Xi cautioned.
“Child, such kindness is unnecessary. Some threats must be eliminated early, or they’ll grow into calamities. Besides, we have our methods—there’s no risk of exposure,” her granduncle replied with a sinister chuckle.
“Why resort to such measures? I’ll challenge him directly in the tribulation later. It’s not like I’ve never endured one before!” Jin Zhan said coldly.
He was hailed as a peerless genius precisely because he had long since overcome the tribulation of the Virtual Dao Realm—and done so with overwhelming force, suffering no grievous losses.
That day, all the teachers and students of the Sacred Academy had witnessed him sitting cross-legged at the critical moment, absorbing the remaining lightning to temper his body.
That very tribulation had shaken the world.
It was one of the top three most devastating tribulations in history for that realm, and he had not only survived it but absorbed it entirely. How could that not awe the masses?
Jin Zhan feared no heavenly tribulation. Thus, he had always intended to charge into the lightning sea and behead Shi Hao.
“Let’s first see if the tribulation he summons ranks among the top three. If not, his potential pales in comparison to the Jin Family’s prodigy, and we may not need to lift a finger,” Jin Zhan’s granduncle remarked.
*Boom!*
At that moment, a thunderclap erupted in the clear sky, and countless bolts of lightning exploded.
The source was the inch-sized Thunder Pool before Shi Hao’s brow. It shattered, unleashing a myriad of auspicious rays and countless bolts of lightning.
“What happened? Did Shi Hao encounter a catastrophe?” Many gasped in shock. If that strike had pierced his brow, the consequences would have been dire.
“Overestimating himself! Trying to become the master of heavenly tribulations, only to be struck down by his own folly?” A few sneered maliciously in the shadows.
The Jin and Wang Families watched intently, their anticipation palpable.
Soon, the thunderclouds dispersed, and the lightning vanished.
Shi Hao remained seated, unharmed, his body enveloped in an aura of tranquility.
At his brow, radiant light coalesced as bolts of lightning converged, forming the imprint of a tiny Thunder Pool at the center of his forehead.
The imprint was mysterious and awe-inspiring, lending Shi Hao—usually gentle in appearance—an imposing majesty.
“Only profound comprehension and gains could manifest such an imprint!” Tuogu Yulong murmured, deeply shaken.
The masters of the Five Spirit War Chariot, Qi Hong of the Wei Family’s Four Phoenixes, the Ten Crown King, the Banished Immortal, Shi Yi, Great Xu Tuo, the Little Heavenly King, and others all wore grave expressions.
None had ever underestimated Shi Hao, but witnessing this still left them astonished. His monstrous talent had allowed him to achieve such profound insights in such a short time.
Then, Shi Hao opened his eyes—deep and serene. Without moving, he lifted his gaze to the heavens above.
Everyone knew: he had attained enlightenment, and now, he would summon the tribulation to temper his body.
At this moment, the world fell silent. All eyes were fixed on the young man in the center, the genius assembly momentarily forgotten.
An oppressive atmosphere descended. Many could sense something lurking in the sky, ready to strike and devour lives.
What kind of heavenly tribulation was this? Why did it feel so eerie, as if it had a will of its own?
“It’s beginning!” Qi Hong, master of the Five Spirit War Chariot, whispered.
For something had appeared in the sky, rapidly descending.
“What… is that?” Many stood dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes.
A grand and majestic shadow pressed down from above.
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