A few days later--
The Dragon Blood warriors had consolidated their finally stabilized their realms, stepping into the Peak of the Tendon Transformation Realm—the Great Circle.
This was the absolute pinnacle of the Tendon Transformation Realm. One more step, and they would enter the Bone Forging Realm—The Realm where their bones would be transformed into divine structures, further amplifying their power.
For now, however, they remained in the half-stage between the Tendon Transformation and Bone Forging Realm, preparing themselves for the impending tribulation.
They had consolidated their power.
They had mastered their newfound strengths.
They had rested, celebrated, and said their goodbyes.
Now, all that remained was to face the wrath of the heavens.
In a place far from the 1st – Xuantian Monastery, all of the Dragon Blood Legion members stood – all prepared for their trial.
Guo Ran yelled:
"Come, heavens. Let's see if your lightning can break us."
And with that, Pillars of Energy—as Dragon Blood Legion let out their Suppression and at once released their Energy to Breakthrough.
And as soon as the Pillars of Light hit the sky, the heavens began to stir.
The atmosphere shifted, and an unseen pressure settled upon the land for the Dragon Blood Legion stood ready.
Long Chen clenched his fists, his blood boiling with anticipation.
The sky rumbled with an ominous growl, and the heavens stirred. A terrifying force gathered above the Dragon Blood Legion, a force that defied logic and the very fabric of the world. Normally, only Sea-Forming Realm cultivators would ever endure a heavenly tribulation, but here, 30,000 warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion stood, ready to challenge fate itself.
The air grew thick with tension. The heavens had sensed their defiance.
The clouds churned, swirling like an angry vortex. A sharp crack echoed through the sky, and from the depths of the heavens, the first blue lightning bolt descended. It was beautiful, almost mesmerizing, like a divine stroke of light slicing through the void.
Then—BOOM!
The first bolt struck the ground, sending a deafening shockwave that trembled through the entire battlefield. The warriors gritted their teeth, bracing themselves against the raw power. This was not ordinary lightning.
Each bolt carried a will, the wrath of the Heavenly Dao itself.
Lei Ling'er, the half-dragon winged serpent, emerged from Long Chen's body, her form flickering between corporeal and ethereal. She spread her wings, her serpentine body coiling midair, her golden lightning eyes glowing with divine wisdom.
"This lightning…" she murmured, her voice carrying excitement.
She extended her claws and reached toward the lightning.
The moment her body touched the tribulation energy, lightning runes surged into her. They danced around her scales, crackling as they were absorbed while Lightning energy and Heavenly Dao energy as constantly being transferred to Dragon Blood Legion refining their bodies.
The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion steeled their wills, their bodies shuddering as wave after wave of blue lightning crashed upon them.
Some warriors staggered, their bodies trembling violently. Some even coughed blood, their internal meridians overloaded by the sheer might of the tribulation.
But not a single one fell.
Their bones absorbed the energy, their tendons hardened, and their flesh was tempered anew.
This was not merely a punishment from the heavens—it was also an opportunity.
And the Dragon Blood Legion refused to waste it.
As the first stage neared its end, the lightning clouds began to change.
At first, they were deep blue, but now…
They darkened.
Not to the absolute blackness of ultimate destruction, but to a sinister, storm-like darkness, like the forewarning of a disaster.
A new hum filled the air—a vibration so deep it seemed to resonate within their very souls.
The next round of lightning bolts descended.
And they were no longer blue.
Instead, the bolts shimmered with streaks of violet, carrying a far more terrifying power than before.
Each strike now felt like a mountain crushing down on them.
The weaker warriors fell to one knee, their bodies smoking, their weapons trembling.
Yet, they did not scream.
They did not beg.
They stood up again, their faces twisted in determination.
Lei Ling'er, who had absorbed the runes from the first stage, now took action.
Her body flashed with golden lightning, and from her serpent tail, arcs of purified lightning energy began to flow into the warriors.
She was tempering them further, channelling the raw tribulation energy into their bodies, helping them survive the onslaught.
Long Chen observed her actions with satisfaction.
"She's grown stronger," he murmured.
But even with Lei Ling'er's support, the second stage of tribulation was brutal.
The warriors fought not only the lightning raining upon them but also the very limits of their endurance.
Each strike carved pain into their bones.
Each bolt burned through their flesh, only to have it regenerated stronger than before.
Yet, even as they endured the torment, a greater storm loomed ahead.
Then…
The final transformation occurred.
The clouds, once dark, began twisting violently, as if sentient, as if recognizing that these warriors refused to kneel.
The heavens, angered by their defiance, let out a roar of absolute fury.
CRACK!
BOOM!
The third stage of lightning descended like divine judgment.
These bolts no longer simply struck the warriors—they took shape.
Now, 1,001 lightning beasts emerged from the storm and it was for each 1001 Beast Parade for each person present i.e. for 30,000 people of Dragon Blood Legion—There were 30,000 Beast Parades with each parade consisting of 1001 beasts.
Each beast was at the Peak of the Xuantian Realm, massive and radiating celestial power.
They were not mindless lightning strikes anymore—they were enemies.
Enemies formed by the will of the heavens.
Enemies that sought to erase the Dragon Blood Legion from existence.
But…
The warriors did not falter.
Instead, they welcomed the challenge.
"FORM RANKS!" one of the squad captains roared.
The Dragon Blood warriors split into formation, their battle instincts taking over.
And then—
WAR ERUPTED.
The battlefield was thrown into chaos as thousands of warriors clashed against 1,001 lightning beasts.
Blades clashed against lightning fangs.
Spears pierced through crackling forms of celestial energy.
Bodies were thrown, but none of them fell completely.
Each warrior, despite their wounds, rose again and again.
The clash raged on for an entire day.
The battlefield was a war zone of flashing lights, the screams of beasts, and the roars of the Dragon Blood warriors who refused to die.
And then—finally—
The last lightning beast was slain.
A piercing wail echoed across the battlefield as the final tribulation creature dissipated into streaks of lightning, absorbed once again by the storm clouds above.
The Dragon Blood Legion panted heavily, their bodies battered but not broken.
They had defied the heavens.
They had won.
And yet…
Just as the storm clouds began to disperse, signifying the end of tribulation—
Long Chen suddenly moved.
The warriors barely had time to react as their leader attacked the heavens itself.
With a casual punch, he struck toward the clouds—
And the sky itself seemed to break.
The scattering tribulation clouds, which were meant to fade, suddenly coiled back together, condensing into a massive vortex.
A new force descended.
A force stronger than anything before.
The warriors were horrified.
"Boss—what did you do?!" someone shouted.
Long Chen merely grinned.
"Why stop at three stages?" he said. "If the heavens want to fight, let's fight until the end!"
The Dragon Blood warriors stared at him, stunned—but then, they gritted their teeth.
"Hmph! If the boss isn't afraid, why should we be?!" one by one warriors roared.
"Well shall never bow to Evil, we shall never fall to Heavens!"
"All Hail -- Dragon Blood Legion!!!"
And once again—
They prepared for battle.
The heavens would not break them.
And this time, it was the Dragon Blood Legion who challenged the Heavens themselves.
They Struck the Sky till they could strengthening the Tribulation upto maximum limit.
The sky rumbled violently once again, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. The air grew heavy, as though the very foundation of reality was trembling beneath the weight of an unimaginable force. The fabric of space itself seemed to split apart, the vast expanse cracking like fragile glass, and from within these cracks poured an endless abyss, an infinite chasm that seemed to devour everything in its wake.
From this abyss emerged figures, their silhouettes flickering in and out of focus with a haunting familiarity. They were the very experts the Dragon Blood Legion had slain in previous battles, their forms not ghosts, but solid, tangible, reborn entities summoned by the heavens themselves. Their eyes were hollow, their gazes devoid of emotion, yet there was a burning resentment that emanated from them. These figures stood at the Sea Forming Realm, their auras suffused with a terrifying power, and among them were several who exuded the immense might of the Peak Sea Forming Realm. As they materialized, their presence twisted the very space around them, distorting the battlefield in waves of overwhelming force. Their collective killing intent descended upon the Dragon Blood Legion like an unrelenting storm, pressing down on them with a suffocating weight.
The Dragon Blood Legion warriors, sensing the looming threat, gripped their weapons, their knuckles white. They had fought these warriors before—slain them in battle—but now, they had returned, summoned by the heavens. And this time, they would not be able to rely on one another. The battlefield was set, and it would be a battle of one-on-one combat.
Amidst the chaos, Long Chen stood at the front, his battle robes torn and stained from past fights, yet his demeanor unshaken. The wind howled around him, whipping his hair and robes, but his eyes remained calm, unwavering. His voice rang out, firm and confident, cutting through the tension in the air.
"Do not fear. If we killed them once, we can kill them again!" His words were like a spark, igniting the flames of battle within his warriors. But the storm that loomed above them offered no room for comfort. This time, the warriors would have to face their enemies alone, each forced into their own battle, unable to assist their comrades.
The fallen experts, their forms devoid of emotion, surged forward, charging toward the Dragon Blood Legion with relentless speed and ferocity. The battle began instantly, a brutal clash of titanic power. Blade auras, elemental bombardments, and spiritual shockwaves rained down upon the warriors, each attack powerful enough to tear the very earth apart.
In the chaos, the warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion fought fiercely, but their situation was vastly different. Each warrior was now alone, forced to confront an enemy of equal or greater strength in a one-on-one battle. Yue Zifeng's sword swung through the air in blinding arcs, severing enemies in a single stroke, but the next enemy appeared before him, and his battle had only just begun. Shi Feng's fists tore through the void, his blows leaving shockwaves that rippled across the battlefield. Yet, each strike was met with an equally powerful response. Chen Hong moved like a phantom, his spear a blur of deadly precision, but his every move was countered by a relentless opponent.
No longer could they rely on each other's strength; no longer could they turn to their comrades for aid. Each warrior of the Dragon Blood Legion was forced to face their enemies alone, pushing their limits in ways they never had before. Yet despite the overwhelming pressure, the warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion did not falter. They fought with the same resolve that had brought them victory in the past.
The enemies they fought were no longer just mortal experts; they were reborn by the will of the heavens, their bodies fuelled by the tribulation itself. Their strength was terrifying, and with each strike, the battlefield shook, the heavens themselves seeming to tremble under the weight of this brutal confrontation.
The fight continued, and the fallen experts were slowly pushed back and once again made to be fallen.
But even so, the tribulation clouds above them began to churn and expand. The air grew thick with the scent of power as the sky compressed once more, and from within the storm, radiant orbs began to materialize—each one pulsing with an energy that threatened to overwhelm the entire battlefield.
These orbs, countless in number, shimmered with divine energy, their power unmistakable. Each orb radiated the boundless might of the Peak Xuantian Realm, and as they hovered in the sky, their presence cast a heavy shadow over the battlefield. The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion fought with everything they had, their weapons clashing against the forces of their enemies, but these orbs were something far more dangerous. As they coalesced, they began to take shape.
The energy within them twisted and expanded, and slowly, each orb elongated and coiled into a familiar, yet alien, form. Dragons began to emerge from the radiant spheres—infant Green Dragons of the Sovereign Dragon Race. These dragons were not mere projections or illusions. They were real. Their emerald scales glistened with divine might, and their eyes burned with an ancient fire. They roared in unison, their cries so powerful that the very heavens seemed to tremble at their might.
But these dragons were not simply beasts—they were living embodiments of divine power. The battlefield was instantly plunged into chaos as the infant Sovereign Dragons clashed with the Dragon Blood Legion. Their claws slashed through the air with terrifying speed, their jaws snapping shut with bone-crushing force. Their tails whipped through the air, sending warriors crashing through the sky. Each breath they released sent waves of destruction across the battlefield.
The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion fought valiantly against the dragons, their strength tested like never before. But the dragons were simply too powerful. Even the fiercest strikes from the Dragon Blood warriors seemed to have little effect on their divine forms.
Lei Ling'er, her golden lightning-infused serpent body coiling and twisting through the air, unleashed waves of tribulation lightning in a desperate attempt to counter the dragons' divine energy. But even her most powerful attacks were only met with resistance. The dragons, though weakened by her strikes, pressed on with relentless fury on the Dragon Blood Legion ignoring Lei Ling'er.
And she continuously absorbed lightning runes while allowing the tempering of the Dragon Blood Legion which means each second—each breath, the Dragon Blood Legion members were getting stronger by both body and Soul.
But now, they were not only facing the dragons; they were also facing the full force of the tribulation itself. The skies darkened further as the tribulation clouds compressed, and with each dragon that fell, the storm above seemed to grow more agitated, its power intensifying. The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion, despite being in separate one-on-one battles, found themselves pressed to their limits, fighting not only against the dragons but against the very wrath of the heavens.
It seemed as though there was no end to this brutal conflict, but the warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion were no strangers to adversity. They had faced the wrath of the heavens before, and they had survived. As they fought, something began to shift within them. The Sovereign Dragon Blood Essence within them, once dormant, began to resonate with the energy of the dragons. Each clash, each strike, each moment of struggle allowed them to absorb more of the divine Qi, pushing their bodies and spirits to the limit. Their power grew exponentially as they drew upon this newfound strength.
One by one, the infant Green Dragons began to weaken. Their once-imposing forms began to flicker, their energy faltering as they struggled to maintain their divine presence. The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion seized this opportunity, unleashing their final, coordinated assaults.
The battlefield exploded in a cataclysmic wave of divine energy, the roars of the Sovereign Dragon Race's Green Dragons fading into countless runes as the storm above them dissipated. The sky cleared, and the battle came to an end.
Silence enveloped the battlefield. The warriors of the Dragon Blood Legion, exhausted but victorious, stood alone amidst the destruction. They had fought against impossible odds, facing not only the resurrected enemies but the wrath of the heavens itself. And though they had been forced to fight alone, each warrior had conquered their own tribulation.
Their bodies, bloodied and battered, now radiated with newfound experience and capabilities of theirs. They had not just survived—they had conquered their trial. The heavens had thrown everything they could at the Dragon Blood Legion, but in the end, it was the warriors' strength and unity of spirit that had prevailed. Even in their solitude, they had overcome.
To Be Continued...