Chapter 53: Heavenly Tribulation, Please Love Me Once More

Why was Master in such pain during his tribulation? Was it because he hadn't thanked the Heavenly Dao? Li Changshou pondered these questions as he felt the second heavenly tribulation he had just endured, analyzing how the Great Dao's power had just impacted him.

It likely wasn't about whether he thanked the Heavenly Dao before the tribulation. The Heavenly Dao is utterly just and selfless; his earlier attempt with a neutral mindset was probably ineffective. The real reason the first two lightning bolts felt comfortable was simply that they couldn't inflict substantial harm on him yet.

The principle behind this was not hard to grasp. It was akin to different patrons visiting a brothel, receiving the same playful slap from a courtesan feigning annoyance, saying, 'Oh, why are you only just arriving?' Due to her professional skill, the force of her playful slap was consistent, but each patron's experience would vary based on their individual physical robustness.

As the third tribulation lightning gathered overhead, Li Changshou was overcome with numerous insights. The previous two bolts of heavenly lightning had seemed to crack open a door before him, revealing a mystical and profound world. "This must be the Great Dao, or perhaps the Heavenly Dao, constantly colliding with my own Dao," he mused. Could this, then, be the moment for his ascension?

Boom! The sea rippled from the thunderous impact. Amidst the roar, several flashes of lightning illuminated the sky as another massive bolt struck down. Li Changshou, suspended in mid-air, was pushed down three zhang by the force, but he quickly stabilized, deflecting the brunt of the falling lightning column. Streaks of lightning branched off above his head, striking various points on the sea's surface. Thankfully, his twelve protective artifacts were a safe distance away; otherwise, some might have been destroyed.

This time, the tribulation inflicted some damage. Li Changshou looked at a strand of his long, gray-white hair—dyed as part of his disguise—in his hand and felt a slight sense of relief. His heavenly tribulation, it seemed, was no different from any other Qi Refiner's.

A scorched mark also appeared on his Daoist robe. He had removed all metal objects before the tribulation, so the scorch mark on his robe was due to a decorative jade bead that had just shattered.

Small electrical arcs still flickered across Li Changshou's body. Wisps of immortal spiritual energy gathered around his arms and shoulders, and a fingernail-sized portion of his Dao body at the crown of his head had already begun its transformation into an immortal physique. He ascended back to a height of nine zhang, simultaneously drawing upon his magical power and the nascent immortal spiritual energy within him, ready for the fourth heavenly tribulation.

Roars echoed from the vortex above as the tribulation clouds churned incessantly. Various ominous signs reappeared within the clouds, as if dozens of ferocious beasts were trapped, desperate to break free and descend to devour Li Changshou.

"Things change after the third," he murmured, recognizing that the heavenly tribulation was about to shift. He had a simple, rusty carving knife in his right hand, but after a brief hesitation, he put it away. He would continue to face the tribulation with just his physical body, primordial spirit, and magical power, allowing the Great Dao to continue its collision with his own. He needed this collision!

The door that had previously been cracked open was now pushed ajar, revealing many promising prospects ahead. His primordial spirit was immersed in the lightning, entering a profound state where it even began to absorb the tiny lightning arcs, undergoing its own transformation. These developments indicated that once Li Changshou survived the tribulation, he would certainly achieve 'ascension.' However, the current extent of his ascension seemed limited; further opportunities would depend on the next few lightning strikes.

Sizzle— Six lightning spots, each the size of a wellhead, appeared in the vortex above, arranged in a hexagram, faintly outlining the face of a white tiger within them. The next instant, the white tiger roared, and lightning surged, coalescing into another massive pillar that slammed down! The fourth heavenly tribulation descended with immense force!

The abundant power of the Great Dao, accompanying the lightning's impact, caused Li Changshou to groan as his body was pushed down several more zhang. On the coast hundreds of li away, a group of fishermen watched from afar, many already bowing and praying towards the scene. Within a three-hundred-li radius, a few passing immortals and Qi Refiners also observed from a distance, sensing the furious power of the heavenly tribulation.

"Who would choose to undergo tribulation in a place like this?" someone wondered. "What formidable tribulation clouds, covering a ten-li area! Could it be the rumored eight bolts of lightning?" It was natural for others to keep a significant distance when someone was undergoing tribulation, to avoid being inadvertently harmed.

As the lightning dissipated, Li Changshou ascended back into the air. "This fourth lightning tribulation was quite good," he mused. "The force was precise, the intensity moderate, and it provided me with even more insights without harming my primordial spirit." This was an excellent tribulation; if the fifth and sixth were similar, it would be truly remarkable.

However, a subtle sense of disappointment crept into Li Changshou's heart. Based on the current intensity, the rate at which the tribulation clouds were dissipating, and the patterns he had previously deduced, his heavenly tribulation would undoubtedly consist of eight lightning bolts.

He had long known that his strengths lay in his comprehension, active mind, and adaptable learning methods, rather than inherent talent. The talent one possessed at the outset of cultivation determined the nature of their heavenly tribulation—this was a rule of the Heavenly Dao. Moreover, his tribulation wasn't behaving erratically.

Yet, as the heavenly tribulation unfolded, he found it somewhat different from the 'Nine Extremities Lightning Tribulation' he had worried about for over sixty years. Inevitably, a hint of disappointment lingered.

Still, every situation has two sides. He was confident he could safely navigate an eight-bolt tribulation without revealing too much of his true capabilities. More importantly, the collision between the Great Dao and his own Dao was profoundly beneficial, allowing him to steadily glimpse higher realms and generating a wealth of insights. 'A bit more ascension would be good,' he thought.

Boom— The fifth lightning tribulation descended, and Li Changshou resisted with all his might. The immortal spiritual energy enveloping him intensified, and a seven-colored light began to emanate from his forehead—a clear sign that his transformation into an immortal body was accelerating. Then came the sixth... and the seventh...

From a distance, the tribulation clouds ceaselessly churned, revealing a succession of ancient fierce beasts: the Qiongqi poised for flight, the Qilin wreathed in gray flames, the Taotie with a gaping maw on its belly, the Taowu covered in thorns, and many more. In total, thirty-two distinct fierce beasts appeared one after another above the tribulation clouds. Each time these beasts clashed, a colossal pillar of lightning would erupt, striking the figure suspended below.

A thousand li away, an old Daoist priest, returning from visiting a friend with his disciple and bound for an immortal island in the South Sea, glanced with a hint of suspicion toward the site of Li Changshou's tribulation. The old Daoist performed a quick calculation with his fingers, his eyes glinting with sharp insight, and exclaimed in surprise: "That is... the legendary fourth-ranked heavenly tribulation! The Thirty-Two Fierce, Eight Extremities, Eight Desolations Summoning Immortal Tribulation!"

The graceful young girl beside him asked, perplexed, "Master, is something wrong?" "Nothing," the old Daoist replied, shaking his head with a sigh. "A cultivation prodigy is about to perish under his own heavenly tribulation. Let us go, Hanzhi. Such a tribulation... it is purely his destined calamity. Sometimes, having exceptional talent isn't necessarily a blessing! With your superior cultivation talent, Hanzhi, you too must be very careful when facing heavenly tribulations in the future." With that, the old Daoist and the girl rode their cloud toward the deeper reaches of the South Sea.

This old Daoist was the only immortal during Li Changshou's entire tribulation who could potentially pose a threat. Yet, he didn't linger, merely departing quietly with his disciple, carrying only a faint pity for the cultivator he believed was about to perish. He was, purely and simply, passing by. This outcome affirmed Li Changshou's meticulous preparation for his tribulation, proving that his efforts to find such a secluded location had not been in vain.

Now, back at the tribulation site. Seven consecutive lightning pillars had struck, and the constant roar of thunder echoed between heaven and earth, leaving all sea creatures within hundreds of li trembling in fear. Less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed since the heavenly tribulation first began.

The volume of the tribulation clouds had already diminished by more than half, and the roars of the fierce beasts were deafening. The thirty-two lightning spots on them flickered incessantly, brewing the final bolt of this heavenly tribulation. Beneath the clouds, Li Changshou frowned deeply, took a steadying breath, and suppressed the internal tremors caused by the clashing magical and immortal energies. The seventh lightning pillar had just been one zhang in diameter. This one, he expected, would be even thicker and more powerful!

Li Changshou's Daoist robe now had over ten holes, yet from his forehead to his neck, he glowed with a vibrant, seven-colored immortal light. This light would quickly subside once his immortal foundation stabilized. But... his heavenly tribulation... unexpectedly... wasn't very strong.

An ideal heavenly tribulation should provide a Qi Refiner with ample benefits and rigorous tempering, aiding their transformation from a mortal into a true immortal. His tribulation, however, seemed to lack sufficient force. It was, in fact, a bit too gentle.

At this point, only the portion of his Dao body above his neck had transformed into an immortal physique. This was despite Li Changshou having relied solely on his magical power, physical body, and primordial spirit to endure the tribulation, without deploying any of the extensive defensive measures he had prepared.

"It's fine, there's still the eighth heavenly lightning bolt," Li Changshou reassured himself, though a faint sense of foreboding had begun to settle in his heart.

Above, lightning spots flashed incessantly, and bolts continued to converge. The power of the heavenly tribulation surged wildly, seemingly intent on tearing Li Changshou apart with this final strike. Yet, in his mind's eye, Li Changshou saw vivid images: himself repeatedly suppressing his cultivation realm, diligently accumulating insights, treating each minor breakthrough as a monumental step in life. He remembered the arduous cultivation of a century, the cautious steps as if treading on thin ice. His Dao body was as sturdy as a magical treasure, and his primordial spirit was perfect and flawless. Finally, his persistent efforts, his struggles, and his desperate, life-risking suppression had yielded their reward today.

Thirty-two lightning spots burst forth simultaneously, countless silver serpent-like lightning bolts danced wildly in the air, converging within the vortex to form a massive lightning pillar three zhang in diameter. With blinding radiance, it slammed down fiercely toward Li Changshou. The heavens and earth were engulfed in a flash of electric light! At the edge of the mortal realm, above the South Sea, divine thunder cleansed the world!

Li Changshou, whose mental state rarely wavered, now embraced the sublimation of his life with outstretched arms. His heart surged with emotion, for he could already feel the boundless ambition of his Dao standing firm between heaven and earth in the future! From this day forward, he would tread the immortal path, seeking eternity through steadfastness.

Whoosh— The lightning tribulation instantly consumed Li Changshou, melting the coral reefs below and filling the sea's surface with electric light. A moment later, the lightning dispersed, and strains of immortal music resonated through the heavens and earth. A small, reishi-shaped auspicious cloud rose from the sea, supporting Li Changshou. A beam of immortal light descended from the vanishing tribulation clouds, enveloping him. Li Changshou could barely contain his excitement. Becoming an immortal! Achieving the Dao! This was the immortal path, this was it! This! Wait, something felt wrong!

Li Changshou looked down, his gaze instantly blank. The part of his body above the abdomen had transformed into an immortal physique, radiating a vibrant, seven-colored light. Yet, his hands, forearms, and everything below the dividing line of his chest and abdomen, right down to his toes, remained unchanged. Only faint wisps of immortal spiritual energy had been added to his original Dao body. He looked like a defective statue, half crafted from exquisite colored jade and half from rotten mud and silt! Inside, his primordial spirit sometimes flowed with colorful immortal power, but at other times... it was just as it had been before!

As if detecting that something was amiss with Li Changshou, the immortal music above ceased, the auspicious cloud dispersed, and all other auspicious phenomena vanished. However, the tribulation clouds, now white, continued to dissipate rapidly.

Li Changshou quickly snapped out of his daze. What was happening? He had never encountered such a situation in any ancient texts! Was the heavenly tribulation finished, but the amount of tribulation power insufficient? Had he built his foundation too solidly, making the eight-bolt tribulation unable to break through and thus incapable of fully transforming his Dao body into an immortal physique? What the hell... So, what now? Should he voluntarily amputate himself, letting his upper body ascend? His lower body was quite important too! Moreover, his primordial spirit was also half-formed, unable to transform into an immortal infant. He couldn't possibly amputate his primordial spirit! How would one even amputate a primordial spirit? It wasn't like cultivating the Bixie Sword Manual, where some things could simply be discarded!

Li Changshou looked up at the rapidly dissipating tribulation clouds, his mind racing and his expression growing anxious. At this moment, he couldn't afford to consider anything else; he had to resolve this awkward predicament immediately. He absolutely did not want to be a "half-baked immortal"! The door to the immortal realm had been pushed open, and he had successfully weathered the heavenly tribulation, yet he was stuck in the doorway because his Dao foundation was "too robust"!

Raising a hand, Li Changshou lunged two steps forward and hastily shouted at the lingering tribulation clouds, "Wait!" The vast clouds paused for an instant but then accelerated their dispersal, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Li Changshou: "..." "They... ran away?"

Before he could voice his frustration, he suddenly heard a dull 'thud.' His primordial spirit and Dao body subtly quivered as an indescribable pressure descended from the heavens, locking onto him.