Three days later.
Yun Jin sat cross-legged within the formation, maintaining her peak state.
Suddenly.
Her heart stirred. She raised her head to glance at the heavens.
The heavenly tribulation… was coming!
Yun Jin looked at Di Xiao, who was guarding by her side.
Three days ago, Di Xiao had already informed Lin Xiao, telling him the time had come. Afterward, Di Xiao received a message—Lin Xiao claimed he was already nearby. When the moment arrived, he would strike together with Di Xiao.
Yet even after Yun Jin had Yuan Yuan investigate the surroundings, there was no trace of Lin Xiao at all.
Which proved one thing. Her caution was correct. That Lin Xiao was of the outer-realm demon race and had lived in this world for who knew how long. He fused together the cultivation methods of both worlds. No one could say for certain—just how terrifying had his true strength become?
To kill Lin Xiao, one could not be cautious enough. Now that he had not appeared, it mattered little. Yun Jin would give him the perfect chance to act.
Above the skies.
Layer upon layer of dark clouds gathered.
A terrifying pressure seeped from the depths of the storm, its weight aimed squarely at Yun Jin. Yet the entire Spirit Beast Forest, and even lands far beyond, felt its crushing oppression. Within the Spirit Beast Forest, in the tribe of the Lava Dragons.
Rong Zhou and Rong Huo sat together, quietly sipping tea.
Suddenly, Rong Zhou glanced upward, his expression changing slightly.
"Someone is attempting a heavenly tribulation?" Rong Huo frowned in surprise. "Judging from the direction of the clouds, could it be…"
"The Divine Palace," Rong Zhou replied in a low voice, his gaze tinged with shock.
The storm had only just begun to form. This was still only the preparation stage of the heavenly tribulation. But even the occasional strands of pressure leaking from its edges made his heart tremble!
When the heavenly tribulation fully descended, what kind of world-destroying power would it unleash? Looking at this scale, the one undergoing heavenly tribulation had to be a peerless genius.
A heavenly tribulation.
It was the final life-and-death gate before ascension. If one survived the thunder's judgment, they would be freed of shackles, truly stepping upon the path of power.
The stronger the heavenly lightning, the greater the gift of the Heavenly Dao, and the higher the chance of becoming one of the pinnacle experts.
One thought to rise.
One thought to perish.
That was the essence of heavenly tribulation.
Even now, Rong Zhou still shuddered recalling his own trial all those years ago. Among geniuses, countless had fallen beneath the judgment of Heaven. And this time—no one could know whether the one within the Divine Palace would transcend, or be reduced to ashes.
"Who is it within the palace, crossing a heavenly tribulation?" Rong Huo muttered in confusion.
All knew that place was the residence of the Beast Kings, and those kings were currently visiting the Wushuang Sect.
Wait.
Rong Huo suddenly remembered. He shot up to his feet, his voice trembling. "It is the Sect Master! The Sect Master is about to cross heavenly tribulation!"
Rong Zhou's face stiffened as he realized as well.
With the King's pride, besides Yun Jin, how could he allow anyone else to undergo heavenly tribulation within the Divine Palace?
Rong Huo snapped his gaze to the sky. The clouds were swirling at terrifying speed. Lightning bolts the size of mountains flickered within the roiling layers.
With Yun Jin's talent…
This would surely be the strongest heavenly tribulation in history!
"No, this is too dangerous! If enemies strike during her heavenly tribulation, what then? I must go protect the Sect Master!" Rong Huo launched forward toward the Celestial Divine Palace.
But in the next instant—
He froze.
The voice of Di Xiao echoed directly into his mind.
All spirit beasts were forbidden from approaching within a hundred li of the palace.
This time, Di Xiao himself would guard Yun Jin's path.
Rong Zhou too received the command, and he let out a faint sigh. "With the King's personal protection, you need not add to the chaos."
Di Xiao's strength was beyond question. Rong Huo finally nodded.
"Come. We retreat to a hundred li away."
The gathered spirit beasts withdrew from the core region, gathering upon a vast plain. Together, they looked up at the sky once more.
The clouds boiled and churned faster and faster.
The entire sky seemed to become an ocean, each cloud a towering wave. The storm surged like tides of fury, as if countless beasts were hidden within, baring their fangs in preparation to strike!
From a hundred li away it was already awe-inspiring beyond words.
As for Yun Jin, standing at the center of the heavenly tribulation—the oppressive force made her feel as though, with just a stretch of her hand, she could touch the storm above.
The lightning.
Still brewing.
Normally.
A heavenly tribulation would take only a few hours to form.
For geniuses, a single day.
And for peerless monsters—
Like the Wan Dao Saint—their storm took three full days and nights just to prepare.
After that, thunder raged against him for nine days and nights without pause.
It was said Wan Dao Saint' trial marked the peak of heavenly tribulation within this world.
But now.
Yun Jin's lightning had come.
The storm churned for one day and one night.
Yun Jin waited in complete readiness.
The storm churned for two days and two nights.
Yun Jin's expression grew graver.
The storm churned for three days and three nights.
Yun Jin: "…"
What in the world?
Some kind of psychological warfare?
Three days and nights was already equal to Wan Dao Saint' level.
But it did not end.
On the fourth day.
The storm continued gathering.
The once-blue lightning now condensed into dreadful crimson bolts, and still grew more refined.
After six days and nights, the crimson began to deepen into purple.
After nine days and nights—
The lightning turned fully violet, dragons of thunder roaring within the clouds.
Di Xiao's eyes widened, shock flashing deep within them.
Nine days and nine nights!
Yun Jin's heavenly tribulation had taken nine days and nights just to prepare.
And violet lightning!
Such a thing had never been heard of!
Di Xiao's heart trembled. He was wrong. He should never have agreed to Yun Jin's plan, to use this heavenly tribulation as bait to kill Lin Xiao!
With a storm this monstrous, Yun Jin would need all her strength simply to survive. And yet they still had to worry about Lin Xiao, hidden in the shadows.
This was heavenly tribulation!
The slightest misstep meant annihilation. A pang of regret pierced him, but it was already far too late.
"Senior Di, the play goes on as planned." Yun Jin's calm voice echoed in his mind.
Di Xiao's expression twisted. The heavens themselves had birthed such a terrifying heavenly tribulation, and she still thought of the plan?
Lin Xiao was not worth her life!
"Trifling thunder will not defeat me. Senior Di, do not miss the chance," Yun Jin said firmly.
Even now, her voice brimmed with unshakable confidence.
Looking at Yun Jin's steady, fearless stance, Di Xiao could only grit his teeth and nod. He did not know why Yun Jin was so obsessed with eliminating Lin Xiao. But if she was determined, there must be a reason. He would support her still—though he would judge in the moment whether to let her push recklessly to the end.
Yun Jin slowly rose to her feet.
She gazed at the heavens and smiled faintly.
"The thunder is about to descend."
Perfect.
Let this thunderous judgment be the measure of her fifty years of cultivation.