"Alright."Although Di Tian didn't understand Yunze's intentions, he followed obediently.
Lifting his palm, he channeled soul power and raised the fifteen pieces of spirit metal, setting them all inside the liquid-like soul power barrier.
When he saw how easily objects could pass through this semi-fluid shield, Di Tian felt uneasy. Could this really withstand heavenly lightning?
Boom!
The thundercloud above had finally brewed to its peak. A deafening roar split the sky, and a pillar of violet lightning descended.
The main bolt was as thick as a barrel, jagged and irregular, accompanied by countless branching arcs. Its momentum was overwhelming, a force that could split a mountain apart.
Yet when it struck the liquid-like soul power dome, it vanished like a stone sinking into the sea. Despite its destructive might, it caused no real disturbance.
The countless small vortices spun at high speed, catching the descending lightning and rapidly absorbing it.
The terrifying thunderbolt was continuously devoured. Some of the soul power dissolved under the impact, but the barrier as a whole remained stable.
Within the liquid shield, the absorbed lightning transformed into writhing serpents of electricity. They slithered about viciously, crackling with ferocity.
Immediately, the fifteen pieces of spirit metal became their target. The electric serpents lunged and bit at them, staining the blazing red metal with a purplish glow.
Di Tian and the others, who had been ready to unleash their strength against the heavenly tribulation, froze mid-motion. They could only stare blankly at the liquid soul barrier.
Boom!
A second bolt crashed down, larger and more savage than the first, brimming with annihilation.
Yet the result was the same—the soul power dome absorbed it, dispersing it into more electric serpents that rushed eagerly at the metals.
What shocked them even more was that the spirit metals weren't afraid at all. Instead, they radiated a kind of excitement—like children seeing their favorite food. They absorbed the thunder greedily.
The very lightning that could obliterate life was now nourishment, strengthening the metals.
Boom! Boom!
Two more bolts roared down, loud enough to make the heavens seem as if they were breaking apart.
Through the semi-transparent dome, Di Tian and the others could vaguely see the massive twin bolts descending. Alarmed, they readied themselves for defense.
But the soul power dome held firm. Even the dual strikes failed to shake it.
"No need to be nervous," Yunze said evenly, without raising his head. "This level of lightning cannot break the array."
"Xiong Jun, channel your soul power into me."
"O–okay!" Xiong Jun, a step behind, quickly poured his energy into Yunze, transmuted into neutral attribute energy.
Yunze's focus never wavered. He continued refining the pill as though nothing in the heavens could disturb him. His composure radiated mastery, as though everything lay firmly in his grasp.
Di Tian's heart burned with excitement as he watched the array deflect bolt after bolt. Hope surged within him.
He had long been suppressing his nine-hundred-thousand-year tribulation, never daring to face it without certainty. But this miraculous formation…
If I had a stronger version of this during my tribulation… would survival finally be possible?
Even Di Tian's normally unshakable heart began racing. His breath came uneven, almost uncontrollable.
Bi Ji, too, seemed to realize it. She reached for his hand. Their eyes met, and both understood what the other was thinking.
Meanwhile, Gu Yuena's beautiful eyes remained fixed on Yunze's back. She stared quietly for a long time, and without realizing it, a gentle smile graced her lips.
Half an hour later, the tribulation faded. The thunderclouds scattered, and the heavens cleared.
Below, the semi-spherical dome of liquid soul power was still intact, untouched by the storm.
Yunze finally pulled the central cone from the ground. The array's glow dimmed instantly, and the gathered energy dispersed.
High-density soul power flooded the area, making the air unimaginably fresh. One breath filled the body with exhilaration.
Yet this soul power was unsuitable for cultivation—it still contained traces of lightning.
The pill furnace descended with a dull thud. Four days and nights of alchemy had finally reached its end. The tribulation had passed. The pill was complete.
No fragrance escaped yet; the pill scent was sealed within the furnace.
"Yunze…" Gu Yuena immediately rushed forward, supporting his weary body. His face was pale from exhaustion, and her heart ached at the sight.
"I'm fine." Yunze shook his head lightly. From his storage ring, he drew out six white jade bottles and handed them to her.
"Help me collect the pills."
"Miss, allow me," Bi Ji stepped up quickly, volunteering for the task.
Gu Yuena didn't object, passing the jade bottles to Bi Ji while she continued to steady Yunze.
When the furnace opened, an otherworldly fragrance surged out. The aroma was so rich it seemed to open every pore, uplifting even the soul itself.
Six pills the size of lychees emerged, their bodies a translucent pale green, brimming with vitality.
Bi Ji carefully sealed them into the jade bottles with her soul power.
One was meant as a gift to Gu Ming. The other five would be auctioned.
As she gazed at the perfectly round, luminous pills, Bi Ji's eyes shone with envy. When will I ever reach this level of alchemy?
Di Tian approached, holding up the fifteen pieces of spirit metal that had endured the lightning baptism.
They now crackled with arcs of electricity, snapping like beans in a hot pan. Their energy was wild, yet their strength, toughness, and spirituality had all been greatly enhanced.
"Was that tribulation just now… summoned by you?" Gu Yuena finally voiced the question in her heart.
Yunze shook his head, glancing toward the jade bottles in Bi Ji's hands."Strictly speaking, it was these pills that summoned it."
Their gazes followed his, landing on the jade bottles.
"Life and death follow the laws of heaven. Lifespans are set by nature. To defy that order—to extend a life beyond its limit—is to provoke heaven's punishment.
A single year means little. But a hundred years… that is no small defiance. The rules of the world forbid it.
Thus, heavenly tribulation descends to destroy the pills. I laid this array in advance precisely to counter such punishment."
His voice was calm but hoarse, worn from sleepless days and nights.
Of course, Yunze had not merely prepared defenses. He had also used the heavenly lightning as a tempering forge, to refine and strengthen the spirit metals.
"I see…" Gu Yuena and the others exchanged looks, their doubts resolved.
"Y–Young Master," Di Tian asked eagerly, "how powerful a tribulation can your Lightning Array withstand at its peak?"
Bi Ji and Xiong Jun stared at Yunze with nervous anticipation, dreading a disappointing answer.
Yunze thought for a moment, then replied:"When I reach the realm of Soul King, the array I set down will be able to resist a divine-level tribulation."
His reasoning was based on his earlier perception of Gu Yuena's godly strength.
"What? Truly?!" Di Tian and the others exclaimed together. Their excitement could not be restrained. To them, this was like a mountain of death being lifted from their shoulders.
Gu Yuena, too, smiled with joy. For soul beasts, this was an immeasurable blessing. It meant that one day, they might never need to fear tribulation again.
(End of Chapter 28)