How strange, why was Master’s tribulation so painful?

Was it because he didn’t thank the Heavenly Dao?

Li Changshou pondered these doubts as he experienced his second tribulation bolt, analyzing how the great dao’s power had just impacted him…

It probably wasn’t because of whether one thanks the Heavenly Dao before the tribulation;

The Heavenly Dao was completely impartial—he had just tried it earlier with an attitude of neither merit nor fault, which itself should have no effect.

The reason the first two bolts felt quite comfortable was purely…

The first two tribulation bolts couldn’t yet cause him substantial harm.

This principle wasn’t hard to understand.

It was like different customers visiting a pleasure house being coquettishly hit by the same courtesan saying “Oh my, why did you come so late?”

Due to professional standards, the courtesan’s coquettish strike used the same force, but depending on the customer’s level of weakness, their feelings would differ…

It was roughly this kind of situation.

As the third tribulation bolt brewed overhead, many insights arose in Li Changshou’s heart.

The previous two thunderbolts were like splitting open a crack in a great door before him—he had already seen a mysterious and profound world.

‘This should be the Great Dao, or Heavenly Dao, continuously colliding with one’s dao.’

Could this be the key to ascension?

Boom!

The thunder made ripples spread across the sea surface.

Within the thunder, several lightning marks flashed, and another thick thunderbolt smashed down!

Li Changshou, suspended in midair, was pressed down three zhang by the lightning but stabilized his form again, blocking most of the falling lightning pillar. Streams of lightning split above his head, striking toward various parts of the sea surface.

Fortunately, those twelve Law Lord bird cages were somewhat far away, otherwise several might have perished by now.

This time…

The tribulation caused some damage.

Li Changshou looked at a strand of hair in his hand, still dyed grey-white from his disguise, feeling somewhat relieved in his heart.

—His tribulation was no different from other cultivators’ tribulations.

His Daoist robe also showed a streak of scorching.

Before crossing tribulation, he had already cleared all metal items from his body, and this streak of scorching on his Daoist robe was caused by an ornamental jade bead exploding just now.

At this moment, tiny electric arcs still flickered all over Li Changshou’s body;

Streams of immortal spirit energy gathered at his arms and shoulders, and a fingernail-sized portion at the top of his dao body had already begun transforming into an immortal body.

He returned to the height of nine zhang, simultaneously channeling his spiritual power and the current immortal spirit energy, waiting for the fourth tribulation bolt to descend.

Roars appeared in the vortex above, tribulation clouds continuously surging;

The tribulation clouds again showed various strange phenomena, as if dozens of fierce beasts were locked within the tribulation clouds, wanting to break free and rush down to devour Li Changshou.

“Changes come with three, the tribulation is about to transform.”

A rusty simple carving knife appeared in Li Changshou’s right hand, but he hesitated slightly, put away the knife, and continued using his physical body, primordial spirit, and spiritual power to directly withstand the tribulation, letting the Great Dao continue colliding with his dao.

He needed this collision!

That door with a crack opened earlier had already been pushed open halfway—he had already seen many beautiful sights of the path ahead.

His primordial spirit was immersed in the lightning, entering a mysterious state, even beginning to absorb those tiny electric arcs, undergoing its own transformation.

These conditions indicated that Li Changshou only needed to endure the tribulation to welcome ‘ascension’!

Just that the current extent of ascension probably wasn’t too great yet—it depended on whether he could gain greater opportunities from the next few lightning bolts.

Sizzle—

Six well-mouth-sized lightning marks appeared in the vortex above, arranged in a six-pointed star pattern, with a white tiger’s face faintly visible within.

The next instant, the white tiger roared, and lightning surged, gathering into a pillar and smashing down again!

The fourth tribulation bolt fell fiercely!

That abundant Great Dao power, accompanied by lightning impact striking down, made Li Changshou grunt, his form pressed down several more zhang!

On the seashore hundreds of li away, a group of fishermen gazed far toward this place, many already beginning to kowtow and pray for blessings;

Within three hundred li, several immortals and cultivators passing by also gazed from afar, feeling that fierce tribulation power.

“Who would cross tribulation in such a place?”

“Such powerful tribulation clouds, covering ten li of area—could it be the legendary eight thunderbolts?”

When encountering someone crossing tribulation, one naturally had to stay far away to avoid being accidentally injured by the tribulation.

As the lightning dispersed, Li Changshou’s form flew into the air again.

‘This fourth tribulation bolt was quite good—precise force, moderate intensity, giving more insights, and not harming my primordial spirit.’

This was already quite a good lightning tribulation. If the upcoming fifth and sixth bolts were like this too, that would be excellent.

But faintly, Li Changshou felt somewhat depressed in his heart.

According to this level, plus the rate of tribulation cloud consumption, plus the patterns he had summarized before, calculating by substitution, his tribulation should undoubtedly be eight tribulation bolts.

Although he had known very early that his advantages lay in comprehension, active thinking, and flexible learning methods, rather than innate talent.

—One’s talent when beginning cultivation determined today’s tribulation—this was the Heavenly Dao’s rule.

Moreover, his tribulation wasn’t going crazy.

But when the tribulation came, finding it different from the ‘Nine Extreme Lightning Tribulation’ he had worried about for over sixty years.

Inevitably, there was also a tiny bit of disappointment.

However, everything had two sides—with an eight-bolt tribulation, he should be able to pass steadily, without needing to expose too much.

More precious was the collision between the Great Dao and his dao, giving him many benefits, steadily seeing more realm levels, and producing vast amounts of insight into his heart.

‘Ascending a bit more is also good.’

Boom—

The fifth tribulation bolt fell, Li Changshou wholeheartedly resisting, immortal spirit energy growing stronger and stronger;

Seven-colored light appeared on his forehead, a sign of accelerating transformation into an immortal body!

Then, the sixth…

The seventh…

Looking from afar.

Those tribulation clouds continuously surged, various ancient fierce beasts appearing above them.

A Qiongqi spreading wings to fly, a Qilin covered in grey flames, a Taotie with a huge mouth on its belly, a Taowu covered in spikes…

All sorts, thirty-two fierce beasts in total, appearing in turns above the tribulation clouds.

Each time these fierce beasts collided, they would burst forth a huge lightning pillar, chopping at the figure suspended in midair below.

A thousand li away, an old Daoist returning from visiting friends with his disciple, heading to a fairy island in the South Sea, looked somewhat doubtfully toward Li Changshou’s tribulation location.

This old Daoist calculated with finger formations, divine light flashing in his eyes, saying somewhat startled:

“That is…

The legendary fourth-ranked tribulation!

Thirty-two Fierce Beasts Eight Extremes Eight Wastelands Immortal Summoning Tribulation!”

The beautiful young girl beside him asked puzzled: “Master, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” the old Daoist shook his head, sighing, “A cultivation genius is about to perish under his tribulation. Let’s go, Hanzhi.

Such a tribulation… is purely one’s destined tribulation.

Sometimes having too good talent isn’t a good thing!

Like you Hanzhi with your superior cultivation talent, you’ll need to spend some thought on facing tribulation in the future.”

With that, the old Daoist took his disciple riding clouds toward the deep South Sea.

This was the only immortal who could threaten Li Changshou’s tribulation crossing in the entire process;

But this immortal didn’t look much longer, taking his disciple, along with some slight regret for the tribulation crosser’s imminent demise…

Quietly leaving, purely passing by.

This was also an affirmation of Li Changshou’s tribulation preparation work—not wasting his painstaking efforts to find such a tribulation location.

Looking at the tribulation site.

Seven consecutive lightning pillars struck down, continuous thunder echoing between heaven and earth, creatures in hundreds of li of sea all anxious and uneasy.

At this time, less than one incense stick’s time had passed since the tribulation first descended.

The tribulation clouds in the sky had already reduced by more than half in volume, the fierce beasts’ roars deafening, thirty-two lightning marks above continuously flashing, brewing this tribulation’s final bolt!

Below the tribulation clouds, Li Changshou frowned tightly, and took a deep breath, suppressing the tremors from spiritual power and immortal power colliding within his body.

Just now, the seventh lightning pillar already had a zhang diameter.

This time, it should be thicker, and stronger!

Li Changshou’s Daoist robe had over ten holes, but from forehead to neck, all emitted seven-colored immortal light.

This immortal light would quickly hide away after his immortal foundation stabilized.

But…

His tribulation… unexpectedly…

Wasn’t very powerful.

Being an excellent tribulation should involve giving cultivators sufficient benefits, strong enough tempering, and helping cultivators complete the process of spiritual transformation, becoming true immortals.

His tribulation seemed to have a deviation in intensity.

A bit too gentle.

At this time, his entire dao body only had the head above the neck transformed into an immortal body;

This was even with Li Changshou only using spiritual power, physical body, and primordial spirit to directly resist, without using any of his prepared various methods to defend.

‘It’s alright, there’s still the eighth thunderbolt.’

Li Changshou consoled himself thus, but his heart had already begun having some ominous premonitions.

Above, lightning marks continuously flashed, lightning constantly gathered, tribulation power frantically surging, seemingly tearing Li Changshou apart in the final thunderbolt.

In his heart, Li Changshou saw scene after scene appears.

He repeatedly suppressed his realm with all his might, continuously accumulating insights, treating each small breakthrough as a great step in life, enduring hardships, and bitterness, cultivating for a hundred years, treading carefully as if on thin ice…

Dao’s body, solid as a treasure;

Primordial spirit, perfect without flaws.

Finally, his efforts, his struggle, and his life-risking crazy suppression received today’s reward.

Thirty-two lightning marks simultaneously burst forth, countless electric snakes and lightning pythons dancing wildly in the sky, gathering in the vortex into a three-zhang diameter huge lightning pillar, carrying dazzling brilliance, fiercely smashing down toward Li Changshou below!

Heaven and earth are filled with electric light!

At the edge of the mortal world, above the South Sea, divine thunder purifies the world!

Li Changshou’s mindset rarely wavered at this moment, opening his arms to welcome his life’s transformation!

Heart surging!

Only because he had already felt the ten-thousand-zhang heroic spirit of his dao standing firm between heaven and earth hereafter!

From today stepping on the immortal path, tomorrow seeking ten thousand ages in stability!

Whoosh—

The lightning tribulation instantly devoured Li Changshou, melting the coral reef below, the sea surface full of electric light!

Shortly after, as the lightning scattered, heavenly music sounded between heaven and earth, a small lingzhi mushroom-shaped celebration cloud rose from the sea surface, supporting Li Changshou’s form.

A beam of immortal light fell from the tribulation clouds, enveloping Li Changshou, his heart unable to hide his excitement.

Becoming immortal!

Completing dao!

This was the immortal path, this was!

This!

Wait, something wasn’t right!

Li Changshou looked down, his gaze instantly becoming… dazed…

His body above the abdomen had transformed into an immortal body, emitting seven-colored immortal light, but his hands, forearms, and everything below the chest-abdomen dividing line, all the way to his toes, were still the same as before.

Merely adding some streams of immortal spirit energy to the original dao body foundation…

Looking exactly like a defective statue, half made of premium colored jade, half of muddy dirt!

His internal primordial spirit also sometimes flowed with seven-colored immortal power…

Was the same as before!

Seemingly also noticing something wrong on Li Changshou’s side, the heavenly music above stopped, that celebration cloud dispersed, and various strange phenomena disappeared;

But the tribulation clouds that had already turned white were still rapidly dispersing…

Li Changshou quickly came to his senses.

What was this?

He hadn’t seen this kind of situation in ancient texts either!

The tribulation was finished, but the tribulation power’s quantity wasn’t enough.

Had he built his foundation too solidly, so eight thunderbolt tribulation couldn’t strike through, thus unable to transform his dao body into an immortal body?

Damn…

Then, what should he do now?

Actively amputate? Let the upper body ascend?

The lower body was also very important!

Moreover, the primordial spirit was also in a half-cooked state unable to transform into an immortal infant—he couldn’t just cut the primordial spirit too!

How does one even cut a primordial spirit? It’s not like practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique where some things can be given up just like that!

Li Changshou looked up at the tribulation clouds about to completely disperse in the sky, rapidly thinking in his heart, his expression also somewhat anxious.

At this time he couldn’t care about so much, he had to resolve this awkward situation right now…

He didn’t want to be a half-cooked immortal!

The door to the immortal realm had been pushed open, successfully passing the tribulation, but because his dao foundation was built ‘too strong’, he got stuck in the doorway!

Raising his hand, Li Changshou rushed forward two steps, hurriedly shouting toward the remaining tribulation clouds in the sky:

“Wait!”

Those tribulation clouds throughout the sky paused, but then accelerated their dispersal, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Li Changshou: …

They… ran away?

Before he could even complain, suddenly he heard a ‘thud’ of muffled sound, his primordial spirit and dao body trembling together.

An indescribable pressure descended from the sky, locking onto him!