Feng Xi sat on the back of the Purple-Eyed Gale Leopard, chewing medicinal herbs as she asked, "Where does the mist of the Mysterious Mist Forest come from?"
Jun Wen said, "I heard it spreads from the core region, but no one knows what's going on exactly. After all, when there's mist, no one dares enter."
The Mysterious Mist Forest is divided into three areas, the outer region, the inner region, and the core region.
The range of Feng Xi's group's trial was mainly within the inner region, because the core region is territory of Nascent Soul demon beasts. If they approached it, it wouldn't be a trial but courting death.
Feng Xi only asked casually and soon changed the topic.
While they were talking and laughing, Feng Xi suddenly felt the light dim. At first she thought it was due to the trees blocking the sky, but her dantian soon transmitted a faint pain.
She looked inward and saw that the five spiritual roots had formed a star-shaped formation.
Feng Xi: …
Was this another false alarm, or the real thing?
She didn't dare be careless and quickly took out her self-made lightning rod, ready to divert disaster.
Jiang Ji and the others were bewildered.
"Little Junior Sister, you-what are you doing?"
Feng Xi sighed, "Ever since I accepted the Heaven-and-Earth Banner, I've felt uneasy. I always feel like I'll be struck by lightning again, so I'm preparing in advance."
Jiang Ji and the others: …
That's unnecessary, isn't it?
Heavenly lightning is usually a one-time event. Who has ever heard of it coming in installments?!
Besides, will that thing of yours even work?
Heavenly lightning isn't ordinary lightning, can it really be diverted?
Feng Xi continued, "If heavenly lightning really comes to strike me, all of you stay far away. I'm afraid I might accidentally divert it onto you.
And don't think of helping me share the burden, I'd have to distract myself to take care of you.
Fifth Senior Brother, you're a sensible person. If the time comes, drag the other two away!"
Jun Wen instantly felt a sense of honor and mission!
"Little Junior Sister, don't worry. Leave it to me!
I guarantee they won't hold you back!"
Jiang Ji: "..."
Jing Yan: "..."
It was at that moment, the sky completely darkened.
Feng Xi had Jiang Ji and the others move farther away and dissolved her contract with the Purple-Eyed Gale Leopard.
The leopard originally thought that it would die alongside Feng Xi, but didn't expect her to actually grant it freedom.
The Purple-Eyed Gale Leopard was moved, and then… immediately ran off.
Being moved is one thing, freedom is more important!
Feng Xi was also too preoccupied to pay any attention to it and said to the Heaven-and-Earth Banner, "If I can't divert the tribulation lightning later, and I can't withstand it, you must take me into the Heaven-and-Earth Banner, understood?"
The Heaven-and-Earth Banner also knew that this was life and death and readily agreed.
At worst, it would fall into a deep sleep, it couldn't stand by and watch its master be struck to death.
After all, it was the one who drew the lightening over.
It had let master down terribly!
This debt of gratitude it owes master could never be repaid, not even in eight lifetimes!
Sensing its thoughts, Feng Xi's long-absent conscience ached slightly.
But what she wanted to know more right now was whether the lightning rod would work…
Just as she was thinking this, a purple bolt of lightning tore through the night sky and struck directly toward her direction.
Jiang Ji and Jing Yan instinctively moved forward but were grabbed by Jun Wen.
"If you were in Soul Transformation Stage, I wouldn't stop you. At your current cultivation, you'd only cause trouble for Little Junior Sister!"
Jiang Ji and Jing Yan could only clench their teeth and stayed put.
As the purple lightning was about to strike Feng Xi, Feng Xi… ran.
Jiang Ji and the others: "..."
Right, only a fool would stand there waiting to be struck!
Feng Xi ran ahead while the purple lightning chased closely behind.
At first she ran in a straight line, then began circling around large trees.
As she ran, she wrapped black iron wire around the trees.
While chasing her, the purple lightning accidentally touched the black iron wire. With a flash, the lightning power was conducted along the lightning rod into the tree.
The tree instantly became charcoal.
Half of the lightning's power was consumed.
Feng Xi: (✧◡✧)
It seems tribulation lightning is still lightning. Even if it has some intelligence, it must obey instinct!
The purple lightning crackled angrily and struck again toward Feng Xi.
Feng Xi ran away wildly.
She even maliciously tossed segments of black iron wire behind her.
When the lightning accidentally touched another segment, more lightning power was wasted.
The lightning was nearly angered to death!
It had struck so many people before, yet this was its first time encountering someone this shameless!
At that moment, Feng Xi suddenly bled from all seven orifices and collapsed unconscious on the ground.
Lightning: "..."
Huh?
What trick is this now?
Should it strike or not?
Perhaps wait and see?
Inside Feng Xi's dantian, the earth spiritual root suddenly grew rapidly, catching up to the other four spiritual roots.
Five roots assembled, dantian reforged!
This was the reason Feng Xi had fainted.
The metal, wood, water, and fire spiritual roots almost strangled the earth spiritual root to death. You could have grown earlier or later, but you just have to do it right now, are you courting death?!
The earth spiritual root was also very helpless!
Feng Xi had eaten too many medicinal herbs earlier, it had been forcefully stimulated!
Fortunately, Feng Xi quickly regained consciousness and made a decision in an instant.
Foundation Establishment!
She would break through to Foundation Establishment immediately!
She would use the power of lightning to break through!
The jade slip recording the technique stated that cultivators who reforged their dantian should best break through at the moment of recovery. Not only would the success rate be higher, but it would also benefit future cultivation.
Moreover, Foundation Establishment requires massive spiritual power. One may take a Foundation Establishment Pill or use heavenly treasures.
Feng Xi felt like none of those were as good as the power of lightning.
Because the power of lightning is the purest and it's… free!
With that thought, Feng Xi sat cross-legged and began forming seals according to the jade slip's method of establishing a foundation.
She frantically absorbed the surrounding spiritual qi, soon a spiritual qi vortex formed around her. The lightning, which had been observing her, was swept into the vortex.
As it felt its power being gradually absorbed by Feng Xi, the purple lightning finally understood her intention!
She wanted to use its power to establish a foundation!
I came to strike you!
And you want to use my power to break through to Foundation Establishment?
You're really fucking shameless!