Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 123 - 125: Thunder Tribulation

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”Uncle Lian, is Second Uncle really going to undertake the Tribulation Transcendence?” As soon as Li Shiren spoke up, he attracted everyoneʼs attention, and this question was also what they all wanted to know.

Li Shilian nodded affirmatively, his face unable to hide his excitement, and said, ”You all sensed that surge of spiritual energy just now, what else is there to doubt?”

Yes! They had all personally felt that distinct fluctuation a quarter of an hour earlier.

”We should leave now.” Li Zhirui, who had been watching the sky intently, hastily said, ”The Tribulation Clouds have begun to gather above us, and if we stay here, we might intensify the Heavenly Tribulation.”

Although dark clouds densely covered the sky, the pitch-black Tribulation Clouds were still distinctly visible.

”Letʼs go, we canʼt help with the Tribulation, and we mustnʼt hinder Second Brother.” Li Shilian declared.

Naturally, no one had any objections, and they hurriedly retreated over ten miles away, arriving almost at the edge of the clanʼs territory.

”Rumor has it that observing a cultivatorsʼ Tribulation Transcendence could benefit oneʼs own cultivation, but I donʼt know if weʼll be that lucky,” said Li Zhirui, brimming with anticipation.

After so many years of cultivation, although he was still far from reaching the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, perhaps if he could comprehend something, it might enable him to break through several years earlier.

”Thatʼs just to deceive Loose Cultivators,” Li Shiting shook her head and said, ”If the rumor is true, then it has nothing to do with us Foundation Establishment Cultivators.”

To gain enlightenment from Thunder Tribulation, one needed to at least glimpse the tail of The Great Tao in the Golden Core Realm. Foundation Establishment Cultivators who are still spinning in circles at the start, only cultivating mana, do not possess such ability.

This was something she had read in an ancient tome within the Scripture Pavilion.

”Thatʼs true.” Everyone says Qi Cultivation is entering the path of immortality, but whatʼs the reality? Foundation Establishment is the real starting point!

”Speaking of which, this storm does seem to have come at the right time.”

Li Zhizhun laughed and said, ”With the natural storm to cover up, no one besides us knows about Uncleʼs breakthrough, and we donʼt have to worry about someone causing trouble.”

If someone intentionally entered the range of the Heavenly Tribulation, causing the Thunder Tribulation to intensify, then Li Shiqing would be in danger!

And this was precisely why one needed senior cultivator protectors during a breakthrough.

Unfortunately, the Li family didnʼt have such conditions, but luckily enough, they encountered a stormy day. Unless someone observed at a close range, it would be difficult to notice that someone was undergoing Tribulation here.

”The Thunder Tribulation has begun!”

As several people were chatting, the Tribulation Clouds in the sky had completely formed, a mass of black clouds three miles square directly above the rear hall. The Tribulation Clouds churned, the power of thunder and lightning roamed within them, and even just looking up at them made Li Zhirui and the others feel a hint of fear in their hearts.

This scene made Li Zhirui and the others even more worried. Those Golden Core powers might have methods to weaken the Tribulation Thunder, but that was not something the Li family could obtain, and they could only let Li Shiqing tough it out.

Boom—

The first Tribulation Thunder fell, its terrifying aura causing Li Zhirui and the others to turn pale. The Golden Core Thunder Tribulation consisted of three bolts of Tribulation Thunder, and this was just the beginning, so why was it so terrifying?

But it turned out Li Zhirui and the others were simply inexperienced. The Heavenly Dao is impartial, treating all beings as mere grass. Unless someone disrupted or endangered the world, its attitude towards any living being was the same, and so was the power of this Tribulation Thunder.

Just as Li Zhirui and the others were fraught with concern, a dazzling blue spirit light suddenly exploded from the rear hall.

The terrifying force intertwined; the blue light was supported by Li Shiqing at its back, but the Tribulation Thunder, directionless as a duckweed, was eventually completely eroded by the blue light.

Boom—

Before Li Zhirui and the others could even take a breath of relief, the second bolt of Tribulation Thunder fell from Tianming. This bolt of Thunder Tribulation was indeed much stronger, but it was still limited, roughly five or six tenths of the first.

However, Li Shiqing had long been clear about the insights on the Tribulation Transcendence of a Loose Cultivator in the Golden Core Realm and had prepared ways to cope with it in advance.

A volley of blue glowing swords burst forth, weakening the Tribulation Thunder with a skyful of murderous intent.

The sheer number of glowing swords, however, worried Li Zhirui and the others. The endless barrage of swords was already beyond what a Foundation Establishment Cultivatorʼs mana could handle, and it was a mystery how Li Shiqing managed to execute them.

Fortunately, in the end, he managed to withstand the second bolt of Tribulation Thunder.

Boom—

The third bolt of Tribulation Thunder fell, and its speed was so swift that Li Shiqing had no time to react. The fearsome thunder engulfed him, appearing as though it had been lying in wait, ready to strike as soon as the second bolt was completely eroded.

”Second Brother!”

”Second Uncle/Uncle!”

Li Zhirui and the others shouted in panic, but the Thunder Tribulation had not dissipated, and they dared not enter for fear that their intrusion would cause Li Shiqing, who was struggling desperately, to fail.

In the midst of the terrifying thunder, a thin layer of blue spirit light, like a lone boat amidst torrential waves, appeared incredibly fragile yet always managed to narrowly escape destruction.

As the focal point of this Thunder Tribulation, Li Shiqing was frantically channeling his mana, resisting the force of the thunder.

This third bolt of Tribulation Thunder was a maelstrom of destruction and creation, opposing yet entangled with each other.

And to achieve a Golden Core, one must withstand the third bolt of Tribulation Thunder on their own. By harnessing the forces of destruction and creation within it to temper oneself, melding essence, energy, and spirit, one solidifies an immortal True Intent, the so-called Golden Core!

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Thunder engulfed Li Shiqing, and he dared not absorb the entire tribulation thunder at once, so he used defensive spells to gradually draw the power of the thunder into his body.

As soon as the tribulation thunder entered, it wreaked havoc on his body, but the rich vitality within it repaired his injuries in a short amount of time. It was incredibly painful, almost to the point where he considered giving up multiple times.

Yet whenever he thought of the clanspeople on Da Rong Island, of the fervent expectations from the likes of Li Zhirui, Li Shiqing could only grit his teeth and endure the heart-piercing pain.

The tribulation thunder roamed throughout Li Shiqingʼs entire body before finally arriving at his dantian, where the tribulation thunderʼs energy had been reduced to its purest essence.

As soon as it reached his dantian, Li Shiqing felt a hunger emanating from deep within. His Golden Core Sprout, nurtured for so many years, pulsated continuously, yearning to swallow this final bit of tribulation thunder.

Li Shiqing knew this was the final test of the thunder tribulation; if the sprout managed to consume it, he would be a step closer to forming a Golden Core. If the sprout was destroyed by the tribulation thunder, then his foundation would be shattered, and he would perish along with his path!

Holding onto a resolve that if he did not succeed, he would die in the attempt, Li Shiqing spurred the sprout to swallow up the remaining tribulation thunder.

Boom!

Heavenly lightning sparked earthly fire, and a terrifying shockwave erupted within his dantian.

Looking back now, Li Shiqing realized that the pain heʼd previously endured was relatively insignificant. Compared to what he was enduring now, it was countless times weaker!

But he could not retreat now, for to do so would mean plummeting into an abyss. All the pain he had suffered would have been for naught.

Li Shiqing clenched his teeth and lifted his spirits to help the sprout engulf the thunder.

Hum!

After an indeterminate period of time, Li Shiqing, who was now numb from the pain, found his whole body suddenly enveloped by a force of creation. The damage caused by the tribulation thunder within him no longer existed.

If it werenʼt for the unforgettable pain, Li Shiqing might have thought that all of the suffering he had experienced was nothing but an illusion.

At the same time, the magical liquids used for Foundation Establishment within Li Shiqingʼs dantian began to congeal, wrapping around the core essence that had transformed from the sprout into the Golden Core True Intent, and ultimately formed a resplendent Golden Core!

Outside, people like Li Zhirui witnessed the tribulation clouds above the firmament transform into pure spiritual energy which entered Li Shiqingʼs body, and they fell into a delirious stupor!

”Heʼs succeeded! Second Brother has really succeeded!” At first, Li Shilian only repeated this softly, but as his voice grew louder, he finally used all his mana to shout, ”A Golden Core Master! The Li family has a Golden Core cultivator now!”

Unfortunately, the fierce winds and relentless thunder made it impossible for the sound to travel more than two miles.

”Yes, our Li family has a Golden Core now!” Li Zhirui murmured in agreement,

It was Li Zhizhun who managed to retain a bit of calmness, saying, ”Thereʼs the Heart Demon Tribulation apart from the Thunder Tribulation.”

Though his words were poorly timed, in a moment of great sorrow or joy, a Heart Demon was likely to be invoked.

”Big Brother,” Li Zhirui said with a smile, ”It shows you havenʼt been diligently practicing the Visualization Skill.”

”Hmm?” Li Zhizhun looked at him, puzzled, failing to see the connection to the Visualization Skill.

The smile on Li Zhiruiʼs face grew as he explained, ”When the Visualization Skill is mastered, itʼs not just for launching Divine Sense Attacks; it also strengthens oneʼs state of mind and resists Heart Demons.”

”Otherwise, why do you think the clan places such importance on the Visualization Skill?”

Even if Li Zhizhun had already been chosen as the next Clan Leader, even if Li Zhiyue was the most talented member of the clan, they werenʼt permitted to practice the ”Divine Turtle Ocean-Suppressing Chart,” the Visualization Skill, until they broke through Foundation Establishment.

Li Zhirui was the only exception, but the Visualization Skill was his own fate, it was his own fortune, and naturally, the clan could not prevent him from practicing it.

”It seems I need to diligently practice the Visualization Skill after I return,” Li Zhizhun murmured, having only read the cultivation chapter of the Wanling Sutra, let alone the Visualization Skill.

Hum!

Hours later, a mighty and terrifying pressure emanated from the rear hall. Even though Li Zhirui and the others were more than ten miles away, they could feel it distinctly.

”Shilian, Shiting, Zhirui... youʼve done well, and itʼs been hard on you these years!” Li Shiqingʼs voice came out, saying, ”I will need more time to consolidate my realm. After I leave seclusion, we will celebrate this event!”

”Yes!” Li Zhirui and the others answered excitedly.

Regrettably, they did not get to hear Li Shiqing speak again.

After a long while, when the excitement inside everyone had somewhat settled, they arranged to take turns guarding the place, with Li Shilian staying temporarily while the other members flew out of the clan grounds to help commoners survive this natural disaster.

With the inclusion of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the disaster that had already been weakened by the East Mountain became even less destructive.

Because the clanspeople were busy with disaster relief, working to the point of exhaustion every day, Li Zhirui and the others found no opportunity to share the news of Li Shiqingʼs Golden Core formation with everyone.

Only five days later, when the storm had finally subsided and the clan had helped the people to clean up the shattered remains, was the matter considered resolved.

Li Zhizhun also decided to call a full clan meeting the next day to announce the good news of Li Shiqingʼs breakthrough, wanting everyone to share in the joy.

That night.

Though the storm had passed, the air still hung heavy with moisture, and the barren land of Da Rong Island was mired in mud.