The golden ancient pool, though not large, was filled to the brim with Tribulation Lightning Liquid. A single whiff of it could make one feel as if they were ascending to immortality.
Shi Hao was utterly exhausted, sprawled on the ground, unable to move a muscle. His body was in ruins, with not a single bone intact—all shattered.
*Gulp!*
Shi Hao gulped down the golden Tribulation Lightning Liquid greedily. At this moment, he had no strength to do anything else, for his injuries were too severe—he was practically a walking corpse.
Having braved the Nine Heavens and ascended to the Tenth Realm, there wasn’t a single undamaged part of his body. Even his forehead bone had fractured into over a dozen pieces, forcibly held together.
As for his flesh, it was riddled with gaping wounds, charred black, with many holes piercing straight through. His organs emitted a burnt stench, and the extent of his injuries was nothing short of horrifying.
That he was still alive, with faint signs of life, was nothing short of a miracle!
The golden pool, about half a meter wide, appeared to have been carved from rock. Touching it, it didn’t feel like it was formed from lightning, which astonished him.
How could such an ancient, rock-carved immortal pool exist within the sea of thunder? It was a mystery that sparked endless speculation.
This wasn’t the first time Shi Hao had encountered such a thing. The last time, the Tribulation Lightning Liquid had been purple, far less potent than this golden variant.
*Gulp!*
With this mouthful of liquid, Shi Hao felt his withered and broken body rapidly regain vitality, pulling him back from the brink of death.
At his current level, his physique and mana far surpassed his past self. Had this been the weaker Tribulation Lightning Liquid from before, it wouldn’t have had such a profound effect.
“This is the essence!” Shi Hao marveled.
A single drop of this golden liquid was equivalent to a small cluster of the previous version, brimming with boundless vigor and vitality.
Tribulation Lightning symbolized destruction, yet within this annihilation lay an ancient immortal pool harboring life—proof of its immeasurable value!
“My injuries this time are truly severe!” Shi Hao shuddered. Only now, in calm reflection, did he realize just how perilous this tribulation had been.
Was this even his body anymore? Shattered beyond recognition, every bone bore at least dozens of cracks, barely held together by three strands of immortal energy.
His flesh and organs were nearly necrotic, devoid of life, charred and cold.
This time had been brutal. Only three strands of immortal energy remained within him, sustaining him—otherwise, he would have long collapsed into a lifeless husk.
*Crackle!*
Even now, arcs of lightning still flickered from his body, piercing through his flesh—remnants of the formidable tribulation’s power, not yet fully dispersed.
His soul was no better—dim, fractured, and flickering with residual lightning, a pitiful sight.
Though the tribulation had tempered his flesh and soul, granting immense benefits upon recovery, his current state was undeniably wretched.
After drinking the golden Tribulation Lightning Liquid, Shi Hao’s condition improved rapidly. His senses awakened fully, as if bathed in divine elixir, an indescribable comfort.
His withered body began to glow, gradually filling out. His shattered flesh reassembled, and his broken bones *clicked* back into place.
In the distance, many witnessed this spectacle.
“That’s Tribulation Lightning Liquid—golden, no less! A whole pool of it! Who has ever seen such a thing?!”
In this era, heavenly tribulations had vanished, making the appearance of this golden ancient pool an earth-shattering event.
Though Shi Hao had been on the verge of death, this pool of treasure was restoring him, possibly even triggering a metamorphosis!
“This is our only chance! Shi Hao just survived the tribulation—he’s at his weakest. Kill him now, and all will be calm!” someone whispered.
Hostile eyes gleamed with urgency, eager to strike.
“Legends say that golden rock pool is an ancient immortal relic from the previous era. Drinking its liquid grants immense benefits for future cultivation!” another couldn’t resist adding.
It was said that such immortal pools never perished, manifesting within tribulations and containing unimaginable fortune. Nourished by this liquid, even one’s latent potential could expand.
Human limits were finite—every bit of unlocked potential could shape one’s future achievements!
“Shi Hao has spilled too much blood. Let us join forces and eliminate him while he’s weak!”
“That pool of Tribulation Lightning Liquid—we can split it among ourselves!”
Some couldn’t hold back. Killing Shi Hao was secondary; seizing the ancient immortal pool was their true goal. Faced with such a divine opportunity, they sought to steal the prize.
“Attack!”
Over a dozen beast fangs lit up, transforming into flying swords that streaked through the air, their dazzling blade rays slashing toward Shi Hao by the pool.
A luminous pagoda, wreathed in five-colored radiance and towering like a mountain, descended from the sky, enveloping Shi Hao in its shadow.
Simultaneously, a celestial parasol spun, blotting out the sky as streams of azure energy cascaded down, drowning the area.
…
In an instant, dozens of weapons materialized, each formidable, as numerous experts struck in unison.
Among them were prodigies from the Three Thousand Provinces and natives alike—some driven by enmity, others by greed. Some truly bore grudges against Shi Hao, while others simply coveted the Tribulation Lightning Liquid, seeing this as the perfect chance.
“How dare you?!”
Others roared in defiance—like the Divine Striking Stone and Cao Yusheng—stepping forth to block the onslaught.
At this moment, Shi Hao was at his weakest. Fresh from the tribulation, his body and soul were nearly destroyed, his combat power reduced to less than a tenth. He had no strength left to fight.
*BOOM!*
A deafening thunderclap erupted, defying all expectations. The fading layer of lightning suddenly reappeared, unleashing a world-shaking peal.
But this time, it wasn’t aimed at Shi Hao—it surged toward the weapons instead.
Above the Nine Heavens’ Sea of Thunder—the Tenth Realm—resembled a paradise, with pavilions, divine birds, immortal beasts, towering mountains, and sacred herbs aplenty.
Fading moments ago, it now manifested anew under attack. Countless auspicious creatures, many wreathed in immortal energy, lunged forward.
*CRACK!*
Instantly, every weapon shattered, reduced to dust under the assault of the lightning-born beings—no resistance possible.
For a moment, everyone stood stunned. Why had the tribulation returned?
Was the heavens favoring Shi Hao?!
Worse yet, the lightning followed the trajectories of their weapons, surging forward. Some of the divine birds and immortal beasts dove after it.
“Ah—!”
Screams erupted as most of the attackers were struck by lightning, slaughtered on the spot by the celestial creatures.
Blood sprayed as bodies exploded within the thunder.
“What kind of power is this?!” The crowd trembled in terror.
Not everyone possessed Shi Hao’s strength. Even geniuses couldn’t withstand the tribulation—they perished instantly, without exception.
Over half of the attackers died, their unreserved assault drawing the full force of the tribulation.
The survivors, grazed by residual lightning, were left charred and smoking, grievously wounded.
“Heavenly tribulations are ancient legends—modern cultivators don’t understand them. Interfering with another’s tribulation is suicide!” an elder remarked, his gaze profound. Clearly, he was a Heavenly Deity.
He left unsaid that even he wouldn’t dare provoke such forces lightly. The greater the interference, the fiercer the lightning’s retaliation!
“Serves them right! Attacking Shi Hao at such a time—they brought this upon themselves!”
“Deserved! Trying to steal his fortune? How despicable! They deserved to be struck down!”
The Divine Striking Stone and Cao Yusheng muttered sarcastically, drawing dark glares from some.
“Fellow Daoists, Shi Hao is about to complete his tribulation. Aren’t you afraid? Will you stand by as he ascends to glory, leaving us all in his shadow?” someone hissed covertly.
“Exactly! With such an opponent, who could rival him in the fight for the Ancient Immortal Fortune? We must eliminate him now!”
A faction remained unwilling, eager to see Shi Hao fall at the cusp of his transcendence, their malice palpable.
“Elder of the Eight-Armed Soul Race, please act!” A silver-haired girl called from the crowd, her ruby-like eyes gleaming—Little Rabbit.
“These people are vile. They should all be tossed into the tribulation!” Xue Lin added, her peerless beauty complementing Little Rabbit’s as they stood side by side.
“Very well!” An elder billowed his sleeves, summoning a tempest that plucked over a dozen figures from the crowd and hurled them into the lightning.
This was the rescue team Little Rabbit and the others had painstakingly assembled—an elder of the Eight-Armed Soul Race, a supreme Heavenly Deity.
In truth, this elder had led a rescue mission for Shi Hao over half a year prior but had been in seclusion since.
“Ah—!”
The victims screamed in terror as they were engulfed by lightning, forced to endure the tribulation—a gruesome sight.
Before a supreme Heavenly Deity, their earlier concealment was futile. Their schemes had been exposed, and now they faced divine retribution.
The contrast only highlighted Shi Hao’s terrifying prowess. He had endured the tribulation head-on, while these intruders exploded instantly upon entry.
Of course, this didn’t mean the victims were weak—this was the Tenth Realm’s tribulation, the highest tier. Any True God without immortal energy would perish without exception.
*BOOM!*
The last victim detonated, and silence returned.
In truth, the tribulation had long ceased targeting Shi Hao—he had already passed. Only residual lightning lingered, not yet fully dispersed.
By the ancient immortal pool, Shi Hao sat cross-legged, his condition improving rapidly. Once on the verge of death, he now brimmed with vitality, his body glowing.
Soon, his flesh gleamed like seven-colored divine glass, flawless and radiant. His bones, once shattered, were now pristine and luminous.
His dim soul blazed anew, shining like a golden sun.
Within his forehead, a miniature figure sat in solemn meditation, exuding an aura of invincibility—his soul had taken on the presence of a Heavenly Deity!
Clad in battle armor woven from soul energy, the figure formed hand seals, unyielding to heaven and earth—a sovereign unto itself.
Seated in stillness, it radiated an aura of the Great Dao, as if capable of suppressing all realms across time!
In moments, Shi Hao had consumed a third of the Tribulation Lightning Liquid, fully recovering—vigorous, radiant, and transcendent.
The distant onlookers stared, swallowing hard. That was Tribulation Lightning Liquid—golden, a rarity since antiquity! Envy burned in their eyes.
Its efficacy was undeniable. In mere moments, the near-dead Shi Hao had revived, surpassing his former self.
“He’s still evolving! He’s truly undergoing a metamorphosis!” the crowd gasped.
From the brink of death, Shi Hao had not only recovered but was now transcending, his life force surging.
His transformation as a True God had begun, far surpassing ordinary ascensions—this was true, supreme evolution.
Layers of dead skin sloughed off Shi Hao, along with fragments of bone expelled from his body.
His blood roared like thunder, scouring his flesh until it gleamed like the sun!
Shi Hao was reborn, his life ascending, consolidating his Dao fruits with unstoppable momentum. His primal energy was staggering—he had never been stronger.
Much later, as the lightning faded, Shi Hao exhaled a breath of shocking vitality. His eyes snapped open, their gaze sharp as lightning splitting the sky!
Then, he produced a white jade cauldron and swiftly collected the remaining Tribulation Lightning Liquid.
Even Heavenly Deities couldn’t hide their greed. That was liquid from a golden ancient immortal pool!
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