Chapter 749: The Divine Lotus Surviving the Calamity

The moonlight was like water, pure and warm.

The lake shimmered brilliantly, akin to divine nectar and jade liquor, exuding a fragrant aroma as misty radiance rose in wisps.

“It’s working—my body’s vitality is increasing, enhancing my life essence,” Shi Hao murmured to himself, sensing the most immediate effect.

This was a celestial pool, infused with innate essence, said to carry the aura of the immortal path. For the Celestial Academy, it was one of the most treasured sites, second only to the remnants of the Human Immortal.

Of course, all the immortal essence was sealed beneath the lake, not gushing forth all at once but flowing steadily, nourishing the entire academy and making it a land of spiritual abundance.

There were even rumors that beneath the lake lay the corpse of an immortal, fused with the Dao, transformed into sweet springs that bubbled forth endlessly. A true immortal, even in death, would not decay but become the purest essence of immortality.

In the past, many had sought to claim this lake, including Qi Daolin in his youth, yet all had returned empty-handed.

“What a marvelous place. If I can get close to the Tribulation Divine Lotus, I might truly refine the Golden Bodhi Fruit here.”

Shi Hao quickened his pace, reaching the lake’s center. Here, everything was different—he had stepped into a miniature world, where clouds and mist swirled, and divine light surged in torrents.

Array formations were densely arranged, bone scripts undulating, dazzling and crystalline. This place was extraordinary, forming its own miniature world.

Even more astonishingly, there was lightning here!

Shi Hao was startled but dared not release the black metal token in his hand. He was certain it was a crucial treasure ensuring his safety, allowing him to approach the Tribulation Divine Lotus.

Sure enough, he passed through unharmed, and the life essence in the lake water surged tenfold!

“Incredible! This could truly be called a divine spring. If one were grievously wounded, soaking here would surely heal them swiftly.”

Suddenly, he caught sight of a figure—snow-white and radiant. He immediately sank to the lakebed, suppressing all signs of life, motionless.

He hadn’t expected anyone else besides Yue Chan to be here. Clearly, it was a young woman, cultivating and bathing in the waters.

The Celestial Academy was generous, allowing gifted disciples to enter here for secluded cultivation each month, though they usually staggered their visits to avoid encounters.

The figure was about to leave, gliding across the lake’s surface like a pristine mermaid, leaving behind an alluring and breathtaking silhouette.

Shi Hao watched her depart before slowly resurfacing, continuing toward the center. The fragrance grew stronger, making his body feel light and buoyant, as if about to float away.

Moreover, the radiance here was blindingly vivid, almost too dazzling to behold.

“Something’s not right!” Shi Hao frowned. Deep within this miniature world, his spiritual senses were suppressed, and his divine perception couldn’t extend far, limiting his ability to scout ahead.

Even when he summoned his dual-pupils, they proved ineffective.

Strands of radiant light overflowed, forming rainbows that filled the void, interweaving in mesmerizing splendor, while streaks of lightning flashed, adding to the spectacle.

The area was vast, and with his senses dulled, he might not notice others until they were right upon him.

Yue Chan was on the opposite side, unlikely to come this way. Shi Hao figured that even if they did meet, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“Ah, I’ve arrived!”

He felt a surge of vibrant life energy, as if his entire body were about to levitate. It was a divine essence, brimming with vitality.

Shi Hao looked ahead and was stunned. The so-called Tribulation Divine Lotus was actually an ancient tree!

Lush and golden, its trunk was gnarled like a dragon, too thick for even several people to encircle. It resembled an ancient golden dragon lying in repose, sprouting countless golden lotus leaves.

It could still be considered a lotus, for upon closer inspection, the gnarled trunk was merely the manifestation of an immensely thick lotus root, though its scale was staggering.

It stood here, vast and imposing, occupying a massive expanse of the lake.

Most astonishingly, it was surrounded by lightning—dense, colossal bolts coiling around it like silver, golden, and violet dragons, guarding it fiercely.

The lightning varied in color, but all were terrifyingly powerful!

This was the Tribulation Divine Lotus, defying expectations in both form and state.

“No wonder it’s named so—it truly endures tribulation, perpetually wreathed in lightning,” Shi Hao mused.

Legends abounded about the Tribulation Divine Lotus.

After the Immortal Ancient Era, the world had changed, its laws altered. Most beings no longer faced heavenly tribulations when breaking through, with the Tribulation Divine Lotus being the sole exception.

Of course, there were rare cases, like the Demon Sovereign of Demon Island, who had attempted to defy the ages but perished in his tribulation.

Many powerhouses had come to study this lotus.

A terrifying theory suggested that the Tribulation Divine Lotus, by some anomaly, had connected with the world’s calamities, allowing it to thrive in this era while other beings accumulated tribulations to face in the future.

An unparalleled figure had glimpsed destiny, declaring that one day, tribulations would return when beings advanced or broke through life’s barriers—and when that day came, it would be a catastrophe.

All the tribulations that had been absent would descend at once, merging into an unfathomable horror.

Especially for prodigies and geniuses, the danger would be greater, as such individuals should have faced tribulations long ago, yet none had appeared in this era.

All these would accumulate for the future.

Of course, many wouldn’t live to see that day, having long perished before its arrival.

But when it did come, it would spell disaster for both geniuses and ancient sect masters alike!

“This thing holds great secrets. Why are you the only one enduring tribulations now?” Shi Hao whispered.

He suddenly recalled the legacy of the Thunder Emperor and resolved to study it meticulously later, then refine his body with lightning during thunderstorms.

“This is the true celestial pool!”

Shi Hao noticed that the Tribulation Divine Lotus was rooted in an inner lake—a massive pool glowing like golden magma, bubbling and surging.

The ancient tree stood there, its branches and leaves intertwined with lightning and golden light, obscuring everything. Divine perception couldn’t penetrate it.

“Yue Chan is on the other side, separated from me. We won’t notice each other.”

Shi Hao cautiously approached the divine lotus, hoping to draw near, absorb its divine liquid, or even pluck its leaves. Yet he was disappointed—the true celestial pool was densely inscribed with bone scripts.

Even with the black metal token, he couldn’t pass through. The barrier repelled all, forbidding anyone from nearing the lotus.

Moreover, as he drew closer, the thunderclaps were deafening, like the roar of an army, churning his blood and qi. An ordinary person would faint on the spot.

Shi Hao focused, noticing golden liquid occasionally seeping from the pool’s edge into the outer lake, causing spiritual energy to skyrocket and immortal mist to spread.

This was the source. Though he couldn’t enter the celestial pool, he could collect this golden liquid nearby. It wasn’t ideal, but it would suffice.

The liquid’s life force was immense. Standing here, his body underwent immediate changes—his bones crackled as if growing.

“Hmm, the Tribulation Divine Lotus is ripe, about to dissolve entirely into the celestial pool. The golden liquid is the result of its essence merging with the pool’s treasure.”

Shi Hao grasped the truth. No wonder lightning flickered here—the lotus’s life force had peaked.

He steadied his breath, bringing himself to his peak state, his body covered in bone scripts, his blood qi boiling. Then he produced a fist-sized golden fruit.

“Tsk, these two resonate perfectly, almost like a match made in heaven.”

Shi Hao inhaled sharply, astonished. Upon closer inspection, the Golden Bodhi Fruit and the Tribulation Divine Lotus faintly harmonized—both golden, both extraordinary, now linked in some way.

“Could it be… these two are naturally complementary?” Shi Hao’s heart stirred.

He then calmed himself, beginning to absorb the golden liquid from the celestial pool. His body acted like a bottomless pit, storing it all.

Had others seen this, they’d have been dumbfounded. Though priceless, consuming the liquid directly was wasteful.

A mere Venerable One couldn’t withstand so much golden liquid, let alone refine it.

After all, even Heavenly Gods coveted the Tribulation Divine Lotus for breakthroughs, let alone a youth like Shi Hao.

Sure enough, before long, he faced immense pressure. His body swelled like a balloon, golden light flooding the air, his life force surging.

He even felt on the verge of enlightenment.

“It’s beginning!” Shi Hao bit into the Golden Bodhi Fruit, carefully sipping a small amount to refine.

Instantly, his body convulsed as if struck by lightning. The fruit’s essence dissolved on its own, surging through his limbs and attacking his divine sense with overwhelming force.

*Cough!*

Blood spilled from his lips, his bones fracturing. The small sip he’d taken didn’t allow refinement—it ravaged his body, inflicting severe damage.

His face paled. This thing was truly deadly—for humans, it was a potent toxin, containing a terrifying Dao that could destroy one’s cultivation.

Any other Venerable One would’ve exploded on the spot.

Even Shi Hao suffered multiple broken bones, enduring excruciating pain.

It was unimaginable—just a portion of the fruit’s juice could wreak such havoc, specifically targeting powerful beings!

The essence of the Tribulation Divine Lotus and the celestial pool finally took effect, rapidly repairing his body, mending bones, and restoring his fading vitality.

*Boom!*

A mysterious Dao rule struck Shi Hao’s primordial spirit—clearly from the Golden Bodhi Fruit he’d ingested—nearly shattering his Dao heart and splitting his soul.

“Seal!”

Shi Hao roared, activating the Primordial True Explanation. The most ancient bone scripts intertwined, resisting the mysterious rule’s force.

This was a life-and-death trial. In mere moments, Shi Hao’s body and soul had nearly been torn apart, bringing him to the brink of death.

Even a Divine Flame Realm expert would’ve perished, yet he endured.

“It’s working!”

Shi Hao rejoiced. His body’s immunity to magic grew clearer, and most importantly, he sensed a burgeoning vitality that could nurture this ability as he grew!

He then settled his mind, sipping the celestial pool’s golden liquid while cautiously consuming bits of the Golden Bodhi Fruit. By midnight, he’d refined most of it.

But the process was perilous. Despite the divine lotus, his body exploded multiple times—once even dismembered, limbs torn apart, shoulder blades blasted away.

Another hour passed, and three-quarters of the Golden Bodhi Fruit was gone!

“Hmm? Is that a ripple of mysterious order spreading?” murmured a flawless, jade-like maiden on the other side of the celestial pool, bathing in its treasure liquid, her beauty peerless.