Chapter 1423: Bold Beyond Measure

**”Crack!”**

Nine thousand bolts of lightning descended simultaneously, striking Shi Hao until his entire body trembled violently. In some places, his flesh was torn apart, revealing bone.

The lightning of the tenth heavenly layer was originally serene. Even if it had turned violent due to him stealing the Thunder Tribulation Liquid, it shouldn’t have been this extreme. The reason for this was his attempt to take the Thunder Pool itself.

**”Rise for me!”**

Shi Hao unleashed his divine abilities—his Inner Sea glowing, the Kun Peng’s strength surging, and the Willow God’s techniques activating—all to wrest control of this ancient pool.

Everyone was dumbfounded, at a complete loss for words. Not long ago, they had witnessed his divine might as he repelled the thunder tribulations, standing heroically against the heavens.

Now, he had become… this.

**”Just moments ago, Shi Hao was slaying elders of the Wang and Jin families, so dashing and heroic. But now… he’s stealing a Thunder Pool? It feels so mismatched,”** a beautiful maiden whispered.

Mismatched? It was more like two entirely different people! Now, Shi Hao looked like a greedy miser, clinging to the Thunder Pool with all his might, refusing to let go as he strained to lift it.

**”Hey, Shi Hao, what are you doing? Stop this—it’s embarrassing!”** The Lunar Grace Fairy blushed on his behalf. This was just too reckless.

**”The Thunder Pool is formed from lightning—it’s not real. Only the Thunder Tribulation Liquid is a heavenly treasure born from destruction, something that can be taken,”** the Leviathan Roc chimed in, trying to educate him.

**”I don’t need your advice. I know exactly what I’m doing,”** Shi Hao retorted, unmoved. He was certain the Thunder Pool was real—every test he had performed confirmed it.

Of course, he wasn’t neglecting the Thunder Tribulation Liquid either. He used his bone cauldron to collect it, fearing that if he failed to take the pool, he’d end up with nothing.

Sure enough, he could only gather half a pool’s worth of the liquid—just like before.

But then, the Thunder Pool began to rumble, preparing to vanish.

The tribulation was ending, yet the lightning remained as violent as ever—even more so than when Shi Hao had faced the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths’ calamity. He was severely wounded.

Even he hadn’t expected this. At the final moment, when everything should have calmed down, he was once again torn apart, his body charred black.

**”Rise!”** Shi Hao roared, still struggling with all his might.

Then, he felt the void tremble. Massive cracks spread across the sky, and the lightning intensified manifold. The entire tribulation was about to vanish into the fissures.

**”Halt!”**

Shi Hao bellowed, unleashing everything he had—the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art, the Indestructible Scripture, the Primordial True Explanation—all while his Inner Sea blazed with light, attempting to suppress the pool.

At the last moment, the Thunder Pool dragged him toward the massive crack in the heavens.

**”No! Stop! Going in there means certain death!”** Cao Yusheng screamed.

Everyone was stunned—then horrified.

According to legend, anyone who reached the source of the thunder tribulation would perish, body and soul, without exception.

Since ancient times, no one who had entered the origin of the tribulation had ever returned alive.

Thunder tribulations didn’t come from rain clouds—they descended abruptly from the heavens. But they had to have a source. Now, Shi Hao was about to follow it inside, leaving everyone aghast.

**”You brat, get back here!”** Even the Great Elder, Meng Tianzheng, was alarmed. A chill ran down his spine—he feared Shi Hao’s recklessness would lead to his demise.

This kid was too bold! Many elders arrived, witnessing the scene in utter disbelief. They had never seen someone so audacious!

What was he thinking? Stealing half a pool of Thunder Tribulation Liquid wasn’t enough—now he wanted the pool itself? The elders felt dizzy just watching him, unsure how to even judge him.

Was he a peerless genius or just a reckless fool?

**”One last try!”** Shi Hao shouted, refusing to give up.

Above, strange fissures appeared in the sky, the lightning retracting into them. Everyone shuddered in terror.

This had never happened before—or rather, no one had ever witnessed it. It was only spoken of in legends. The thunder tribulation truly had a place to return to!

In the past, people had only sensed the tribulation vanishing. But now, they saw it retreating into a mysterious realm.

**”You fool! Are you trying to get yourself killed? Stop this now!”** the Great Elder bellowed.

Shi Hao made one final attempt—only for the dissipating tribulation to surge back with even greater fury, all of it crashing down upon him.

The strange fissures in the sky, accompanied by multicolored light, stood out starkly against the darkness. They were slowly closing.

**”Mine!”**

With a final roar, Shi Hao poured all his strength into his Inner Sea, which blazed brilliantly—and the Thunder Pool vanished into his body.

**”Huh?”**

Everyone gaped. He had actually succeeded! The Thunder Pool, less than a foot wide, was gone—swallowed into his belly!

But this was like poking a hornet’s nest. From the darkness, countless bolts of lightning erupted from the fissures, each one terrifying beyond measure.

In the next instant, Shi Hao was bombarded relentlessly. His hair stood on end before turning black and falling out. His body was pierced by countless bolts, leaving gaping, bloody holes.

Even his heart was visible through one of the wounds, nearly charred. The lightning was unimaginably fierce, accompanied by strands of chaotic energy that engulfed him.

**”Fool!”** The Great Elder was both exasperated and terrified, fearing Shi Hao would perish on the spot.

This tribulation was far more terrifying than before, as if intent on annihilating all life. It even seemed to be spreading.

Shi Hao had provoked the heavens by forcibly taking the Thunder Pool, and now the wrath of the tribulation was upon him.

Gritting his teeth, Shi Hao resisted, but his body was charred, on the verge of collapse. This was the greatest crisis he had ever faced.

Faintly, the Execution Platform of Immortals began to materialize again—hazy, flickering—preparing to deliver another fatal strike.

Everyone was speechless. This guy really knew how to stir up trouble!

Since ancient times, how many had ever provoked the Execution Platform? Yet in a single day, during one tribulation, Shi Hao had summoned it twice. It was as if he had a death wish!

The only hope Shi Hao clung to was that, despite the relentless lightning, the fissures in the sky were still closing.

They were shrinking rapidly, about to vanish entirely.

But the lightning seemed to hold a personal grudge against him, surging forth with increasing intensity, like water from a whirlpool.

**”No need for that! I’ve already faced the Execution Platform once—no need for a reunion! Let’s never meet again!”** Shi Hao shouted.

Because he could see it—the most dangerous thing was taking shape. The Execution Platform was becoming clearer, the dark-red guillotine blade nearly visible.

**”Boom!”**

Lightning rained down, each bolt intertwined with chaos, devastating Shi Hao’s body until his bones were exposed.

Though he laughed and joked, his situation was dire.

The Great Elder watched with deep concern, but outsiders couldn’t interfere—doing so might trigger even more catastrophic lightning.

**”If you can’t do it, just return the pool!”** Cao Yusheng yelled.

**”It’s just a stupid pool—throw it away!”** the Lunar Grace Fairy and Leviathan Roc shouted.

The Imperial Butterfly fluttered its wings in agreement—survival was more important than stubbornness.

**”Boom!”**

At the final moment, bolt after bolt struck Shi Hao, piercing through him. Even his skull cracked—true divine retribution.

Anyone else would have perished long ago.

Shi Hao pushed the Indestructible Scripture to its limits, using the Primordial True Explanation to neutralize the tribulation’s power.

His Inner Sea flickered erratically, refusing to release the Thunder Pool, suppressing it completely.

**”You… really are forming!”** Shi Hao stared at the Execution Platform, the dark-red blade sending chills down his spine.

Then—**”Hm?”**—he noticed the last few fissures closing. The lightning pouring out diminished, the exit too small for more to emerge.

But what did escape was swift and merciless.

**”Clang!”**

The guillotine blade on the Execution Platform lifted, emitting a cold, crimson light—terrifying beyond measure—ready to strike Shi Hao down once more.

Now, he had to make a choice: persist or retreat?

Suddenly, someone shouted: **”The fissures are closing—time’s up!”**

At the same moment, the guillotine blade on the Execution Platform blazed with radiant light, soaring into the fissures before vanishing. Its time had expired.

**”Crack!”**

The massive fissure sealed, cutting off the remaining lightning—and even part of the Execution Platform. A wisp of its essence remained, about to dissipate.

**”Mine!”**

Shi Hao roared, shocking everyone as he opened his mouth and swallowed all the remaining lightning, using it to temper his body.

Then, his abdomen glowed as he released the Thunder Pool, using it to absorb the lingering radiance of the guillotine blade’s essence.

No matter what, he wanted that wisp of light. Whether forged into a sword or fused into his flesh, it would grant unimaginable power—capable of severing all things.

At that moment, a group of elders lunged at Shi Hao, their eyes bloodshot—their target: the Thunder Pool.

This thing was beyond rare. Since ancient times, no one had ever been insane enough to forcibly keep a Thunder Pool!

**”Let me see what this thing really is! How can it have a physical form?”**

**”Let me examine it first! What secrets does it hold?”**

The elders were frenzied, nearly coming to blows in their desperation to be the first to hold it.

Compared to the legendary Thunder Spirits, this Thunder Pool was far more enticing—unprecedented in history.

**”The military parade was majestic. May everyone enjoy their holiday!”**