Ever since he successfully absorbed the soul ring, that feeling of being locked onto by heavenly tribulation had become stronger and stronger.
If he wanted to cross it, he could trigger the thunder tribulation immediately right now, but he still wasn't mentally prepared.
"I wonder if I could ask Tang Hao to help? He's a Titled Douluo, blocking the heavenly tribulation of a little soul master like me shouldn't be too difficult for him, right?" he thought to himself.
Just as he was thinking this, the system's prompt suddenly sounded again:
[If you ask someone else to help you cross the tribulation, it will attract a thunder tribulation corresponding to the strength of the person helping. Host, please consider carefully!]
"My god!" Jiang Chen's face turned green.
He had actually planned to ask Tang Hao for help a long time ago. During these past two months, he frequently went to Tang Hao's blacksmith shop to work iron for this very reason, but he never expected the system to suddenly say at this moment that he couldn't ask for help.
"Sigh, looks like I can only rely on myself." Jiang Chen sighed dejectedly.
He looked at the system panel. His information had already changed:
[Host: Jiang Chen
Soul Power Rank: 13
Zombie Rank: 1/12
Soul Ring: 1100 years
Soul Skill: Stiff God Armor
Items: Dark Blessing Potion, Soul Ring Upgrade Coupon (Levels 11~20)]
The Dark Blessing Potion was used to recover from injuries, and it should play a huge role during the tribulation.
There was also the Soul Ring Upgrade Coupon, which could be used to increase the level of the soul ring.
Moreover, after absorbing the soul ring, his physical condition had become much stronger than before. If he used this Soul Ring Upgrade Coupon now, he should still be able to raise his first soul ring by another one or two hundred years, and correspondingly, the various effects of this soul skill would also be enhanced.
However, this upgrade coupon could be used between levels 11~20. Unless necessary, he didn't want to waste it during the tribulation.
Previously, he couldn't accurately determine his soul power level just by feeling, but the system clearly displayed his current soul power rank.
Sure enough, the diligent cultivation he did before was effective. After absorbing the soul ring, his soul power immediately jumped three levels.
"Sigh, I'll think about it more..." Jiang Chen said dejectedly, hugging his blanket as he headed back toward Holy Soul Village.
At noon, Old Jack returned. His lips were practically worn out from talking, but he finally managed to get a working-student spot at Notting Academy from several neighboring villages.
Jiang Chen felt genuinely moved. From childhood until now, Old Jack had truly treated him like his own grandson.
He didn't dare tell anyone about his upcoming tribulation. If he failed and died, Old Jack would surely be devastated.
Since he couldn't ask anyone for help, he planned to find a deep mountain forest in two days and secretly undergo the tribulation there.
He wasn't worried about Old Jack's retirement and funeral arrangements, after all, there was Tang San. What he was worried about was that if he died, Old Jack would spend the rest of his life missing him.
...
Two more days passed. It was now the third day. Today, he had to find a place to undergo the tribulation.
For the past two days, he had made big fish and meat dishes for every single meal, making Old Jack grin from ear to ear and constantly praise Jiang Chen for being filial. But Old Jack had no idea that once Jiang Chen left today, he might never come back.
Early in the morning, Jiang Chen met with Tang San and earnestly instructed him to take good care of Old Jack in the future, leaving Tang San completely stunned and confused.
Even when Tang San pressed him for answers, Jiang Chen still didn't reveal anything. After all, even if Tang San knew, he wouldn't be able to help.
At noon, after eating what might be his last meal with Old Jack, Jiang Chen tidied up his room, folded his blanket neatly, took one long, deep look at the room, didn't dare look at Old Jack again, and quietly left the village.
He had heard long ago that if you walked south from the village for half a day, there was a fairly large stretch of mountain forest where few people ever went. That was the most suitable place to undergo tribulation.
Jiang Chen moved very quickly. In just two hours, he arrived and entered the mountain forest.
There were no soul beasts in this forest, only ordinary wild animals. After all, this place wasn't far from several villages; if there were soul beasts, they would pose a threat to the nearby villages.
Apart from the major forests like Star Dou Forest, the Extreme North Frozen Forest, and Sunset Forest, almost all other soul beasts had been rounded up by the Heaven Dou Empire and kept in various Hunting Soul Forests.
If soul beasts ever appeared near villages, it would usually be reported to the city, and then the army would be dispatched to either kill them or capture them and place them into a Hunting Soul Forest.
Although there were no soul beasts, the wild animals in this mountain forest were still extremely ferocious and dangerous to ordinary people. Except for soul masters or some hunters, basically no one dared to enter this place.
Jiang Chen advanced through the mountains. The terrain here consisted of undulating high peaks covered with dense forest.
As Jiang Chen continued forward, the trees grew taller and taller, and gradually all traces of human activity disappeared.
From time to time, the roar of tigers could be heard. Very few hunters ever came this deep.
Jiang Chen stopped and looked at the tall mountain in front of him, revealing a smile.
"This is the one."
This mountain should be the very center of this forest. Even on a clear sunny day, thunder here wouldn't attract anyone's attention.
There was no path up the mountain, but with his powerful strength, climbing it posed no difficulty for Jiang Chen.
The sharp thorns of the bramble vines tore his clothes, but they couldn't break his skin.
Ten minutes later, he reached the summit.
The trees on the mountaintop were much sparser, with little soil and large patches of gray rock exposed.
Jiang Chen scanned the area and chose a relatively flat, fairly large rock, then sat cross-legged on it.
It was now two or three in the afternoon — the time when the sun was fiercest. The huge rock beneath his butt felt scorching hot.
There was no wind around, and even flying birds were scarce. All the plants and animals seemed to have wilted under the blazing sun.
Jiang Chen sat there cross-legged, recalling in his mind the scene of that zombie undergoing tribulation before.
That zombie had only triggered heavenly tribulation after it had already become extremely powerful; of course, it wasn't comparable to the tribulation this weak chicken Jiang Chen was about to face.
Still, he could learn some experience from it.
A moment later, he withdrew his thoughts and gave a bitter smile. It seemed that aside from tanking it head-on, there was no other way.
"Come then, come." He encouraged himself.
After all, he had transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, possessed his own cultivation technique and system, there was no way he would just die like this, right?
Besides, he suddenly remembered there was still a strand of golden lightning inside his body. Maybe this time it would come out again and help him block the heavenly tribulation?
He sat cross-legged, slowly circulating the Heavenly Corpse Transformation technique, emptying his mind and adjusting his condition.
Half an hour later, he suddenly opened his eyes. Deep black eyes, two sharp fangs, he had entered his zombie form.
Immediately after, he released his zombie martial soul and fused with it, raising his defense, strength, and other attributes once again.
"It's coming." He raised his head to look at the clear blue sky, his pitch-black eyes flashing with eerie light.
As if sensing his will, that feeling of being locked onto by heavenly tribulation grew increasingly intense.
Boom!
A thunderclap exploded across the clear sky for thousands of miles. A massive dark cloud suddenly condensed above Jiang Chen's head, pitch-black and emanating a terrifying aura.