Thunder roared for a thousand li, lightning illuminated the mortal sky like a waterfall.

Storm winds raged across the sea surface for a thousand li, and within a hundred li radius of the tribulation site, the waves rose frighteningly high.

Within several thousand li, the world’s spiritual energy converged toward Li Changshou’s tribulation location, transforming into the ‘raw essence’ of lightning in the tribulation cloud’s lightning pool, pouring down again and again.

Nearly half of the island below had been destroyed. Fortunately, when Li Changshou chose his tribulation sites, he had selected barren islands with no living creatures…

And the sea creatures had fled even earlier…

Lightning waterfalls came one after another, the storm growing increasingly fierce.

What should have been a small-scale immortality tribulation for a Qi Refining cultivator unexpectedly created the impressive spectacle of a great demon being punished by heaven.

The immortality tribulation was considered one of the lesser tribulations in power, as achieving immortality was a rather unremarkable matter in the Primordial Chaos.

The truly formidable tribulations would be the ‘Changshou Tribulation’ that descended when breaking through from peak Celestial Immortal to Golden Immortal if one’s karmic obstacles far exceeded their merits the He hurriedly changed his words: “Many thanks, brave warrior for your rescue!”

“Hm?”

A robust figure emerged from behind the door curtain, first a pretty face, then an iron tower-like short stature, and those three thousand strands of silky hair flowing down…

Then a rough voice came from this young girl’s mouth:

“Ah! Immortal, you’re awake!”

Immortal?

Li Changshou keenly caught this detail, wariness arising in his heart.

According to the fishermen’s previous form of address, shouldn’t they be calling him Sea God? avenly Dao refused to allow that immortal eternal life.

That was a tribulation capable of striking down Golden Immortals, with tribulation clouds routinely covering thousand li, and not merely a single type like thunder tribulation.

Boom!

Rumble—

Meanwhile, thirteen hundred li southeast of the tribulation site.

“Master, why have we stopped again?”

On that same southbound cloud, the young girl named Han Zhi asked softly;

The old Daoist slightly furrowed his brows, using his powerful immortal sense to observe the sea surface a thousand li away.

Even with strength at the half-step Golden Immortal realm, the old Daoist still couldn’t see through the layers of tribulation clouds;

There, the power of the Heavenly Tribulation was unusually dense.

But from the continuous shaking and trembling of the tribulation clouds, he could deduce whether thunder tribulation had fallen.

“This tribulation seems unusual. It’s already the seventh bolt, yet it hasn’t dispersed!”

The old Daoist made calculations with his fingers, suddenly turning around and staring at the now more distant tribulation site.

“There seems to be something else besides the tribulation…”

Young Han Zhi asked puzzledly: “Master, why don’t we go over and take a look?”

“If we get too close and witness such an immortality tribulation, your Master fears you might develop a fear of tribulations in the future,” the old Daoist frowned, “No rush, let’s watch here and see if he can endure the eighth bolt. By reason, he shouldn’t be able to…”

Rumble!

The world shook again as the eighth tribulation descended, the lightning waterfall visible from a thousand li away!

The tribulation clouds still hadn’t dispersed.

“The tribulation-transcender survived the eighth bolt? Could this be some ancient great power reincarnated?

Hiss—

Come, Han Zhi, let’s go take a look together!”

The old Daoist drew in another sharp breath, who knows which time this was, and pulled his disciple toward Li Changshou’s tribulation site, the white cloud beneath their feet flying very swiftly.

But they had barely set out when they saw a huge silver-white lightning ball with hints of purple condensing from within the tribulation clouds a thousand li away!

It was as if a lightning divine crow had risen from the sea, like a second sun appearing between heaven and earth!

The lightning ball crashed down with a boom, the tribulation power there reaching its peak, the sea surface below exploding into thousand-layered angry waves!

The old Daoist continued flying forward—even for his realm, over a thousand li was not a short distance.

Whoosh—

Sudden gusts of wind appeared above the sea surface, as spiritual energy from several thousand li around surged toward the tribulation site.

The spiritual energy gathered so quickly that streaks of seven-colored light could be seen in the sky.

“Master, the wind has risen!”

Han Zhi called out in shock, “That person has passed through the tribulation!”

“Correct!

This is the absorption of spiritual energy after passing through the Heavenly Tribulation to become immortal!”

The old Daoist’s expression also showed some excitement, “Come, this must be some great figure reincarnated. Look at the amount of spiritual energy—perhaps this person, no, this immortal is about to directly ascend to Celestial Immortal!

Quick, let’s go make their acquaintance!

If we could have them join our Severing Sect, that would be a fine thing!”

However, just as the old Daoist finished speaking, a purple lightning bolt suddenly appeared in the world, manifesting from the Nine Heavens, instantly piercing through the tribulation clouds and striking down on that island!

The old Daoist’s eyes bulged, and his ruddy round face turned the color of eggplant in the purple divine lightning’s reflection…

What was wrong with him today?

When he thought poorly of someone, they successfully transcended tribulation;

Just as he said they had stably passed through tribulation, suddenly another divine lightning struck…

By the Sect Leader above, this truly wasn’t caused by his words!

Young Han Zhi asked puzzledly: “Master, what is this now?”

“Heaven’s punishment, true Heaven’s punishment,” the old Daoist said deeply, “The Heavenly Dao considers him an anomaly. Even though he passed through the tribulation, it still sends down Heaven’s punishment.

It’s over, this person will surely die. Heaven’s punishment isn’t something that can be easily…”

This time before the old Daoist could finish, just as the words “surely die” fell, fierce winds rose again around them, and boundless spiritual energy once more converged toward the tribulation site.

“Ah? This mouth of mine!”

Slap!

The young girl’s small hand reached over from the side, quickly covering her Master’s mouth, “Master, please stop talking and hurry to take a look.”

The old Daoist smiled and shook his head, pointing forward with his finger as the white cloud flew even faster.

They were still eight hundred li from the tribulation site when auspicious clouds shaped as lingzhi mushrooms appeared there.

The tribulation clouds in the sky transformed into vast white clouds, then quickly condensed into a funnel shape, with the tribulation-transcender at the narrow end;

Within the white clouds, streams of pure spiritual energy surged downward, merging into that now faintly visible human figure below.

A beam of golden light shone down from the Nine Heavens, enveloping this person within.

Within this pillar of light, ethereal immortal maidens danced to heavenly music, scattering flower petals with their hands;

White-haired elders came riding cranes, repeatedly offering congratulations to the figure below.

These were all heaven and earth phenomena.

—By now the tribulation force had become very thin.

When the old Daoist and his companion were still over six hundred li away, before the celestial phenomena had dispersed, the figure who had finished absorbing the tribulation clouds suddenly turned around and jumped into the sea…

The old Daoist was stunned and hurriedly used his immortal power to shout, employing thousand-li voice transmission:

“Fellow Daoist!

We are cultivators from Golden Tortoise Island, especially coming to congratulate you!”

However, immortal light flashed in the seawater, and that person had already vanished without a trace.

“Master, what is he running from?” Han Zhi frowned, “As if we were villains.”

“Sigh, how would he know whether we’re good or bad?”

The old Daoist showed emotion, then made calculations with his fingers, but after a while, gained nothing.

“Avoiding heaven’s mechanisms?

Must be some great figure’s reincarnation without a doubt, otherwise, he wouldn’t be so cautious.

Your Master’s calculation methods are somewhat accomplished, yet I can’t find a trace of him.

One look and you can tell he cultivated in ancient times, deeply knowing the world’s dangers.

Han Zhi, do you still want to go look? The person has already left.”

“Let’s go look, Master. This disciple also wants to see the power of this tribulation.”

“Very well,” the old Daoist’s gaze was full of doting affection as he brought his disciple forward on the cloud.

Moments later, these two figures finally stood above the tribulation site, but the young girl’s pretty face…

Was covered in black lines.

Less than half of the small island remained below, and in the destroyed half, beneath the seawater, appeared a square deep pit.

“Master, is this what an immortality tribulation is like?”

“Don’t worry,” the old Daoist said with a smile, staring at the blood-stained tattered clothing floating on the sea surface, casually saying, “Your tribulation definitely won’t be this strong, at most only one-tenth of this level.”

Han Zhi’s mouth twitched, and these words sounded somehow…

The old Daoist pointed his finger, and the tattered clothes below were immediately wrapped in flames, quickly burning to ashes.

“This person left in such a hurry, leaving behind such an item,” the old Daoist smiled, “Clearing away some hidden dangers for him, also counts as creating some good karma.

Let’s go, otherwise more experts will come to watch soon, and explaining would be troublesome.”

Han Zhi nodded gently, looking down at the dark deep pit under the sea surface one last time before being pulled by her Master to continue flying southeast.

…

‘Wonder if anyone discovered the blood-stained clothes I left behind.’

Li Changshou calculated in his heart as he used the immortal power within his body to fully employ the water escape technique, rapidly darting westward.

He had detected that pair of old Daoists and a young girl rushing toward his tribulation site, which was why he gave up healing on the spot, took one last breath of spiritual energy, and quickly fled.

That blood-stained clothing was taken from a fallen mortal soldier when walking in the mundane world, soaked in spiritual energy for a while, and should be able to interfere with those trying to track him.

—That soldier received a transcendence sutra personally chanted by him and reincarnated quite quickly in the underworld.

“Cough!”

The water flow formed by the water escape technique shook slightly, with traces of blood seeping out from within, but before these blood traces could spread, they were carried away again by the returning water flow.

At this moment, Li Changshou’s entire body shone with seven-colored immortal light, but from his chest to his abdomen, his immortal body had web-like cracks.

His immortal body was still acceptable—his immortal infant was in worse condition now, lying weakly in the middle dantian position, unable to move at all…

The principle was understandable, but why…

Would nine thunder tribulations have a tenth?

“Cough! Cough!”

Li Changshou couldn’t help coughing twice more. The intense pain throughout his body was a small matter—the constant blood-spitting was harder to deal with.

Throughout history, how many who successfully passed tribulation would be as miserable as him?

He stopped in the seawater to check the ‘fire’ character jade fragment on his body, as well as the other small ‘items’ he had previously removed.

His vision was somewhat dizzy, his form beginning to sway in the seawater.

Li Changshou naturally knew that the final purple divine lightning was Heaven’s punishment, a punishment sent down by the Heavenly Dao for his previous concealment of Heaven’s mechanisms…

His current severe injuries were all caused by Heaven’s punishment.

Fortunately, Li Changshou reacted quickly, taking out his few defensive treasures the instant he sensed the Heavenly Dao was about to send down punishment.

While immortality tribulation couldn’t be resisted with treasures, Heaven’s punishment could be slightly defended against with treasures.

Although these treasures were of poor quality, they still managed to buffer some of Heaven’s punishment force for Li Changshou, giving him a chance to escape…

After the purple divine lightning struck, Li Changshou was somewhat relieved.

He had not owed any karmic debt to the Heavenly Dao.

“Puh!”

A mouthful of blood surged up, which Li Changshou firmly pressed down.

His primordial spirit and immortal infant were too severely injured—he must find a place to quietly recuperate, otherwise the realm breakthrough he achieved from frantically absorbing spiritual energy after passing tribulation might fall back…

In his heart were still countless insights produced during the tribulation, which were the foundation for his continued ‘ascension’, and must be quickly accepted.

Li Changshou spread his immortal sense, frantically searching in the vast sea, and soon showed a slight smile as he rapidly escaped toward the deep south sea.

Before long, deep rumbling calls came from the depths of the ocean as a strange fish over twenty zhang long left the sea area where it had lived for several hundred years, swimming rapidly westward.

In the raised area on this strange fish’s back, immortal light gently flickered, occasionally floating out a white jade lotus…

But Li Changshou inside the strange fish didn’t leak half a breath of aura.

Even when severely injured, Li Changshou still didn’t forget to circulate the Turtle Breathing Technique;

And this strange fish didn’t know what had happened to itself, constantly wanting to swim westward, maintaining a fixed distance of several hundred li from the coast…

Li Changshou had originally planned to heal inside this strange fish, but after several days, his injuries had stabilized, and his immortal body and immortal infant could slowly recover on their own.

As his mind relaxed, those insights came pouring in, forcibly pulling Li Changshou’s consciousness into that mysterious immortal realm…

This gate is named All Mysteries, this realm is called Profound Profound.

Li Changshou fell into a marvelous state where he could sense the environmental changes around him and roughly control the strange fish’s swimming direction, but couldn’t wake himself up.

Swimming in that mysterious Dao realm, he couldn’t perceive the passage of time at all;

But a thread of divine thought always floated around the strange fish’s body, able to warn him in time.

The strange fish kept swimming westward, and gradually three to five months passed. One day, two huge iron spikes suddenly probed down from the sea surface, piercing through this big fish’s chest and belly.

Li Changshou was ‘startled’ for a moment then, but feeling no danger still didn’t leave that mysterious Dao realm;

He just stayed quietly in the fish’s back, continuing to comprehend and understand that realm.

He wanted to leave but couldn’t…

Afterward, Li Changshou was dragged back to shore with the strange fish by two large ships and pulled back to a sizeable village by a group of primitively dressed, strong, and robust young men and women.

Barely dividing out a strand of immortal sense to sweep outside, he discovered that the vast majority here were mortals, with only a few having Qi Refining and Form Transformation realm strength.

The strange fish was dissected, and Li Changshou felt himself slide out from the fish’s back.

Then, a dramatic scene occurred.

This group of remote fishermen took Li Changshou for a sea god, kneeling and prostrating around him, performing prayer dances, and even holding several days and nights of celebration feasts, enshrining him…

—When he slid out from the fish’s back, immortal light shone around him, his body untainted by any filth, his appearance quite heroic and dignified.

For the next two months, Li Changshou maintained this mysterious state, enshrined by this group of fishermen in their village;

A twelve or thirteen-year-old girl was chosen as an attendant, guarding Li Changshou day and night.

Half a month later, Li Changshou finally fully accepted those insights, breaking free from the mysterious realm. After closing his eyes to rest and inspect internally for a while, it was already early morning, and that girl was waking up in the next room…

Hearing light footsteps, Li Changshou also opened his eyes and rose, preparing to thank this girl and then quickly leave this place.

As the girl was tiptoeing about to enter, Li Changshou had already started speaking:

“Thank you, young la—”

The door curtain was lifted, and an arm as thick as Li Changshou’s thigh reached in.

Li Changshou blinked.

Had his perception been wrong? Not a young lady but a young man?

He hurriedly corrected himself: “Many thanks for your rescue, mighty warrior!”

“Hmm?”

A robust figure emerged from behind the door curtain—first a delicate face, then an iron tower-like petite body, and those three thousand strands of silken hair flowing down…

Then a rough voice boomed from this young lady’s mouth:

“Oh! You’re awake, Immortal!”

Immortal?

Li Changshou keenly caught this detail, wariness rising in his heart.

According to how those fishermen had been addressing him before, shouldn’t they be calling him Sea God?