Overlord of the Wilderness

After flying for millions of miles without stopping, Zhaang Ye finally landed on a desolate mountain peak. For tens of thousands of miles around, the land was covered by a lush forest, completely devoid of human life. It was an ideal place for Healing and facing his tribulation.

He casually carved out a hidden cave and had the Fire Spirit set up a protective Array at the entrance. Then, Zhaang Ye retreated into the cave and silently began the Healing process for his injuries.

Zhaang Ye’s regenerative abilities were extremely potent. It only took five days for his injuries to heal completely. Now, only nineteen days remained until his third Celestial Tribulation.

With the Celestial Tribulation fast approaching, Zhaang Ye took out a Barbaric Beast Core the moment he recovered. He began to frantically absorb the Essence Qi within it to increase his strength.

Time flew by during his Cultivation. One day, Zhaang Ye suddenly felt an indescribably immense pressure descend upon him.

Zhaang Ye let out a soft sigh. He knew the third Celestial Tribulation was imminent.

Zhaang Ye retrieved four sets of Treasure Armor from his Little World and put them on one by one. He smiled wryly and said, ”I paid a fortune for these four sets of Treasure Armor. I hope they can help block the Celestial Tribulation.”

The Fire Spirit inspected the four sets of Treasure Armor. ”The quality of this armor is decent,” it said. ”It should be able to withstand the second bolt of lightning. As for the first and third bolts, you’ll have to shatter them yourself.”

At this, the Fire Spirit said gloomily, ”At such a critical moment, I can’t help at all. Sigh.”

Zhaang Ye offered a few words of comfort. ”Don’t worry. For this Celestial Tribulation, I’ve prepared more than just the four sets of Treasure Armor. I have a few other little things ready, and I hope they’ll be useful.”

The Fire Spirit was slightly taken aback. ”What did you prepare?”

With a wave of his hand, Zhaang Ye moved a pile of long horns from Barbaric Beasts onto the ground. Pointing at them, he explained, ”These Barbaric Beast horns are metallic, extremely hard, and can conduct electricity. I’m going to use them to set up an Array, hoping they can divert some of the lightning’s power.”

As he spoke, Zhaang Ye quickly began to set up the Array. The Array he was arranging was, in fact, based on the Lightning Rods from his past life. A Lightning Rod is erected high on a rooftop and connected to a metal strip that runs to the ground. When lightning strikes, the Lightning Rod channels the electricity safely into the earth, protecting the building and its contents from damage.

Zhaang Ye’s movements were exceptionally fast, and the Lightning Avoidance Array was soon complete. Eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns, each several dozen feet long, now towered over his head. When the lightning struck from the heavens, it would hit these eight horns first. If everything went according to plan, the horns would divert a portion of the lightning’s power, significantly reducing the difficulty of his tribulation.

By now, the dark clouds in the sky were sinking lower and lower, pressing down like a great mountain. The Celestial Tribulation had yet to descend, but the pressure alone was already suffocating.

Zhaang Ye calmly drew the Punishment Whip. The Celestial River Righteous Qi within him slowly poured into the Long Whip as he silently awaited the arrival of the Celestial Tribulation.

RUMBLE!

After gathering its power, the Celestial Tribulation finally descended. The world suddenly lit up as a bolt of lightning, as thick as a tree trunk, crashed down from the sky!

This massive bolt of lightning was like a beam of light tearing open the heavens, like a great Long Sword stretching from sky to earth. Its destructive aura was enough to terrify anyone who saw it.

CRACK!

When the lightning descended to a hundred feet above Zhaang Ye’s head, it struck the eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns. Just as Zhaang Ye had predicted, upon impact, the bolt weakened by a full thirty percent amid a bizarre crackling sound. By the time it reached him, the lightning was only as thick as a bucket!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye lashed out with his whip. The Punishment Whip sliced through the air in a brilliant golden arc, and with a tremendous roar, it shattered the bucket-thick bolt of lightning. He had easily passed the first wave of the Celestial Tribulation!

”Hahaha! These Barbaric Beast Metal Horns really can divert some of the lightning’s power!” Having successfully passed the first wave, Zhaang Ye was overcome with a burst of elation.

The Fire Spirit, which had been watching the eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns intently, cheered and jumped for joy when it saw them successfully divert the lightning.

Soon after the first wave passed, the second wave of the Celestial Tribulation descended.

CRACK!

This bolt was much larger than the last one, bigger than a bucket and only slightly smaller than a water cistern. The massive bolt of lightning split the void, bleaching the world in a vast expanse of white light that instantly overwhelmed the glow emanating from the Fire Spirit.

In the face of this terrifying lightning, the entire world seemed to freeze. The wind ceased, dust motes hung suspended in the air, and even the stream at the base of the mountain stopped flowing!

In an instant, the lightning reached the point a hundred feet above Zhaang Ye, striking the eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns. Visible arcs of electricity shot down from the horns into the ground. Before this terrifying current, the eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns suddenly glowed red-hot, then completely melted away!

Although the eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns had been melted, they had successfully weakened the lightning’s power by another thirty percent. By the time the bolt reached Zhaang Ye, it had shrunk back to the thickness of a tree trunk, its might greatly diminished!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye’s whip lashed out, striking the lightning head-on. The immense power contained within the Punishment Long Whip slammed into the bolt, shattering it. However, the lightning’s power surged along the whip and into Zhaang Ye’s body. He felt a wave of numbness, his entire body went rigid, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying backward.

After flying back several hundred feet, Zhaang Ye flipped in mid-air and landed safely. He checked his internal condition and found that although the direct impact had scorched his skin black and burned his hair away, his internal organs and Meridians were completely unharmed.

In other words, he had weathered the second wave of the Celestial Tribulation with only minor injuries. To Zhaang Ye, such light wounds were negligible and did not impact his ability to fight.

’Excellent! Thank goodness for those eight Barbaric Beast Metal Horns, or I would have been severely injured by that second wave!’ Zhaang Ye’s heart was a mix of alarm and delight.

He was delighted to have passed the second wave at such a small cost. But he was also alarmed. If the second wave was already that powerful, the third would be even more terrifying. The Barbaric Beast Metal Horns had been melted by the lightning and could no longer help him. For this final wave, he would have to rely on himself alone.

CRACK!

The Celestial Tribulation was merciless. Zhaang Ye had only just recovered from the second wave when the third suddenly descended—a bolt of lightning as thick as a water cistern, crashing down with a deafening roar!

This cistern-thick bolt of lightning blazed with a resplendent golden light, descending from the sky like a king from the heavens. Before the bolt itself arrived, an incomparably noble and majestic Suppression washed over Zhaang Ye.

Lightning is the sovereign of the heavens and the earth. As its Suppression fell upon him, Zhaang Ye felt a sudden, powerful urge to kneel and prostrate himself in worship. At that same moment, all the flowers, grass, and trees on the mountain bowed in unison, as if to welcome the arrival of this most terrifying bolt!

’I can’t kneel! I can’t! I am a cultivator! I will not yield! I absolutely will not yield! Even if everything else in the world submits, I will not! I must withstand this pressure! I must face this Celestial Tribulation! ROAR!’

Zhaang Ye knew that if his will faltered and he submitted to the tribulation, he would have no hope of surviving it. Relying on an iron will forged through countless trials, he forcefully resisted the Celestial Tribulation’s Suppression. He poured every last ounce of Celestial River Righteous Qi into the Punishment Whip and lashed out at the descending lightning!

Pushed by Zhaang Ye’s full power, the Punishment Whip swelled to the size of a water cistern. Its body glowed with a brilliant golden light, resembling a golden dragon soaring through the sky as it viciously slammed into the bolt of lightning!

BOOM!

Zhaang Ye had put his all into that strike, but he still failed to completely shatter the cistern-sized bolt. His whip managed to neutralize about seventy percent of the lightning’s power, but the remaining thirty percent struck him directly!

BANG!

The instant the lightning struck him, Zhaang Ye saw a flash of brilliant gold. An intense, searing heat enveloped him, a deafening roar exploded in his mind, and he lost consciousness.

An unknown amount of time passed before Zhaang Ye regained consciousness. Before he even opened his eyes, a rich, savory aroma of cooked meat filled his nostrils. Zhaang Ye opened his eyes to find himself lying naked on the ground; his clothes and all four sets of Treasure Armor were gone. Steam was rising from his muscles, and he realized with a start that the meaty smell was coming from his own body.

Zhaang Ye was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. In a hoarse voice, he exclaimed, ”Excellent! I’m not dead! I finally passed the third Celestial Tribulation! This is fantastic!”

WHOOSH!

The Fire Spirit suddenly appeared at Zhaang Ye’s side. ”You’re awake! Oh, this is wonderful! Hehe, we finally passed the third Celestial Tribulation!”

Zhaang Ye chuckled. ”Fire Spirit, how long was I unconscious?”

The Fire Spirit said happily, ”You were only out for a little while. Master, your physical body is truly formidable! You took a hit from such a powerful Celestial Tribulation and weren’t even blown to bits! Hehe, now the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi is about to descend! I can’t wait!”

FWOOSH!

The Fire Spirit had barely finished speaking when the dark clouds in the sky began to dissipate. A moment later, a faint beam of white light shot down from above, shining directly onto the Fire Spirit and Zhaang Ye. Zhaang Ye felt a cooling sensation as an endless stream of Heaven and Earth Essence poured into him, nourishing and repairing his body.

-(To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.com to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)