Chapter 147: Such a huge calamity cloud

Black clouds rolled.

Tribulation energy surged.

A group of powerhouses from the Eternal Teachings Sect floated a thousand li away, most of them wearing expressions of amusement as they watched Ziyang Daoist begin his tribulation.

Ziyang Daoist and Ziquan Daoist were twin brothers, both at the Tribulation Crossing Realm, and had once made a name for themselves in the Wildlands.

"After nearly a thousand years of cultivation, today I finally get to undergo my tribulation and ascend. From this day forth, I will be one step closer to the Grand Dao. Truly, a moment filled with deep emotion!"

"Hahaha, the road of cultivation is destined to be riddled with tribulations. But crossing countless mountains and forging through crashing waves—what could be more exhilarating?"

"Indeed. Elder Ziyang possesses the Ziyang Divine Body, and his cultivation has already reached perfection. There is nowhere left to advance within the Tribulation Crossing Realm. With the Tribulation Crossing Pill and thorough preparation, this tribulation should be [N O V E L I G H T] no more difficult than reaching into a sack!"

"The Great Ascension Realm... ah, how enviable!"

Watching the ever-growing tribulation cloud—

The crowd sighed again.

"Ziyang Daoist is indeed formidable. The scale of this tribulation cloud is immense. If he succeeds, he may well leap to become a top-tier Great Ascension cultivator!"

"The cloud’s radius has already expanded to 300 li. Impressive!"

"Thankfully he has the Tribulation Crossing Pill. Otherwise, this tribulation would indeed be extremely perilous."

The tribulation cloud continued to grow.

"Why is it still expanding? It must be over 400 li now?"

"Hiss... is this the true terror of the Ziyang Divine Body?"

Still growing.

"500 li! A tribulation cloud of 500 li! It’s been ages since the Wildlands has seen one this large. Elder Ziyang is mighty! The Eternal Teachings Sect is mighty!"

600 li!

Now, at last, everyone’s expressions began to shift.

This cloud... something wasn’t right.

Why was it still so overwhelming?

700 li!

800 li!

Beneath the tribulation cloud, Ziyang Daoist looked up at the boundless sky. The heavenly might poured down in a torrential wave—heaven and earth were deathly still.

At first, Ziyang Daoist was rather pleased. After all, the size of one’s tribulation cloud was a direct reflection of one’s strength.

A large tribulation cloud was a matter of great face.

But now... this cloud was getting out of hand.

1000 li!

The group of experts from the Eternal Teachings Sect all panicked and retreated quickly, horror written all over their faces.

No, how could this be happening?

A tribulation cloud of 1000 li? No matter how strong the Ziyang Divine Body was, it shouldn't be to this degree!

Still expanding!

The smile on Ziyang Daoist’s face froze.

He had only one thought left in his head:

"Boundless be your ass, Heavenly Venerable..."

Boom!

Thunder roared through the cloud.

Pure silver lightning erupted with devastating divine might.

Done for!

At that moment, Ziyang Daoist went ice cold to the core.

Silver lightning?! Wait—shouldn’t it start with white lightning?

Then gradually shift into silver?

The Eternal Teachings Sect had already cleared this entire area—nothing remained that could possibly interfere with the tribulation.

And still... that big a tribulation cloud?

"Boundless Heavenly Venerable—fck...*"

BOOM!

Silver serpents danced wildly across the sky.

The dark world was suddenly brighter than ever before.

A tremendous rumble echoed so far it was impossible to measure. The earth trembled violently.

BOOM!

A second bolt struck almost before one could even breathe.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Each successive bolt more terrifying than the last.

From the thickness of an arm, to the girth of a water barrel, to the width of several people locked arm-in-arm.

One minute.

Three minutes.

Ten minutes.

The lightning ceased.

On the surface of the earth, a massive black crater steamed with white smoke. The ground had turned to sand-like granules from the intense heat.

Ziyang Daoist—wasn’t even dust anymore.

"G-Geh!"

Ziquan Daoist let out a wail of grief.

"Elder Ziyang!"

As the tribulation cloud dissipated, a crowd of people rushed toward the center of the tribulation.

A small, ruined storage ring—its very setting chipped and fractured—was all that remained of Ziyang Daoist in this world.

Tragic.

Utterly tragic!

"Why did it end like this?!"

Ziquan Daoist could not accept it and roared in rage.

Heavenly tribulation was a trial, a tempering—not a guaranteed death sentence.

Why had this one been so catastrophically terrifying? A mere Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivator triggering a 1000-li tribulation cloud—and starting with silver lightning? It gave the tribulant no chance to survive!

"Where did it go wrong?!"

Everyone in the Eternal Teachings Sect felt a creeping chill in their scalps. None of them could figure it out.

"Could it have been... the Tribulation Crossing Pill?"

One elder suggested, hesitantly.

Other than the pill, everything else had been Ziyang Daoist’s own preparation. Surely he hadn’t sabotaged himself?

The only variable was the Tribulation Crossing Pill.

"Impossible!"

Feng Changye instantly rejected the idea.

"That Tribulation Crossing Pill was gifted by one of our allies—also a top-tier power. There’s no reason they’d harm us without cause. It makes no sense!"

"Then how do we explain this situation?"

Silence.

"Could it have just been a freak occurrence? Should we... try another one?"

The elders looked at each other—then slowly, unanimously shook their heads.

Crossing a tribulation wasn’t like eating or taking a bath. It was the most significant event in any cultivator’s life.

"Forget it. Delay the plan. I’ll consult the Upper Realm..."

Ding, I laugh in triumph, I laugh in joy, forgetting all worldly sorrow...

Shen Xitong was already humming happily.

Hum hum hum—so you lot wanted to use Heaven-Severing Techniques, huh? Sever this, let’s see you sever when you’re ash and dust!

BOOM!

A thunderclap cracked out of the clear sky.

Shen Xitong looked up. "Shut it. I only wrote six names in my little book. Don’t tell me I’m not allowed even that much power?"

Lu Ye glanced at Shen Xitong’s baffling antics and remembered the little black notebook she’d written names in earlier.

He understood at once—someone had gotten smited.

When this matter was settled, it looked like he needed to pay the Eternal Teachings Sect a visit.

He was the type who hated being remembered by others.

The moment someone had their sights set on him, his whole body got itchy—if he didn’t go have a little chat, he’d feel like he was letting them down.

Lu Ye refocused his thoughts.

He gazed at the illusory Sword Mountain before him. The stone sword buzzed.

A streak of flowing light fell onto the Sword Mountain, and in an instant, countless strands of sword intent resonated with the stone sword.

The stone sword absorbed the sword intent nurtured by the Supreme Sword Sect through countless years, and under Lu Ye’s guidance, began to generate an entirely new sword intent.

A supreme sword intent—aloof and unfeeling as the Heavenly Dao, unified with all things—manifested atop the stone sword.

In that moment, the sword intent rose rapidly, descending upon the peak of the Sword Mountain with overwhelming might. Tens of thousands of sword intents let out soft chimes, expressing their reverence and submission to the Supreme Sword Intent.

Done!

Lu Ye reached out—Sword Mountain transformed into a stream of light and shot into his sleeve.

"Come back. Let’s go out for a walk."

Lu Ye called out to Shen Xitong.

Ding! Got it!

The system abruptly transformed into countless points of light and merged into Lu Ye’s body.

Lu Ye’s figure vanished.