Chapter 091: The Descent of the Heavenly Tribulation

  Sensing the terrifying power of the lightning, Yang Tian's body shot upright. His energy river surged above his head, his aura climbing to new heights. The golden acupoint within him spun at full force, its radiant light projecting into the energy river.

  *Boom!* Yang Tian's foot slammed into the ground, his black hair whipping through the air as his robes fluttered wildly. Like a cannonball, he launched himself toward the descending lightning.

  "Yang Tian's gone mad! He's trying to block the lightning with his body!" Many onlookers gasped in shock. No matter how strong one's physical body was, how could it possibly withstand the might of heavenly tribulation?

  "That little brat, I knew he didn’t have any protective treasures. He’s done for!" Li Hongtao laughed maniacally, as if he were the one presiding over Yang Tian's fate.

  "You all know nothing!" Qing Yuan snapped, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a blade. He knew Yang Tian's body was incredibly strong, and with the Water of Life at his disposal, this level of lightning wouldn’t be enough to take him down.

  The crowd fell silent, not daring to argue. Qing Yuan's reputation was too fearsome, and his temper was legendary.

  *Boom! Boom! Boom!* The lightning flashed brilliantly as Yang Tian's fist collided with the arc of thunder. His energy roared, shattering the surrounding vacuum.

  *Crack!* The lightning tore through Yang Tian's seemingly indestructible body, burrowing deep into his flesh.

  *Thud!* Yang Tian's body convulsed, and he crashed onto the stone platform. His arm was nearly shattered, bones broken, and blood poured from his wounds.

  "Good, good!" Li Hongtao cackled, his laughter filled with malicious glee.

  "Yang Tian is too arrogant. How could he think he could withstand the power of a heavenly tribulation?" The crowd whispered, their eyes filled with disdain.

  Qing Yuan and Xing Hao exchanged puzzled glances. They knew Yang Tian possessed powerful Dao artifacts, yet he hadn’t used them, choosing instead to rely solely on his physical body.

  *Cough!* The lightning arcs wreaked havoc within Yang Tian's body. His once-strong muscles now seemed fragile under the tribulation's power, torn apart as if they were paper. Yang Tian spat out a mouthful of blood.

  "Damn, this hurts!" Yang Tian grimaced, his face twisted in pain. Layers of skin peeled away, revealing raw, bloody flesh. His vitality was at its lowest, and the flickering lightning arcs threatened to pierce through his body.

  "This tribulation is brutal," Yang Tian muttered through gritted teeth. He forced himself to sit cross-legged, suppressing the searing pain.

  "War Heaven Copper Body, refine!" Yang Tian roared, swallowing a Heavenly King's Heart Pill. His nearly depleted energy river stirred, and the surrounding ancient energy surged toward him.

  Within his body, countless vortices of ancient energy formed, swirling around the lightning arcs. The scene was both mesmerizing and terrifying. At the same time, the rate at which he absorbed energy skyrocketed.

  A massive vortex appeared above Yang Tian's head, drawing in the ancient energy from the surroundings.

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  "Such an insane absorption rate!" The crowd gasped. The ancient energy on the Martial Dao Platform was rapidly diminishing. Those who hadn’t yet broken through cursed Yang Tian silently, their cultivation disrupted by both the energy drain and the oppressive aura of the tribulation.

  On Yang Tian's body, the flickering lightning arcs were gradually refined. Countless vortices churned, channeling the refined lightning energy into his flesh. His physical strength was increasing at an alarming rate.

  "Absorbing the power of the tribulation to forge the War Heaven Copper Body... Whoever created this technique was a madman!" Yang Tian thought, enduring the excruciating pain that only seemed to grow worse.

  *Rumble...* After about half an hour, just as Yang Tian was about to fully refine the lightning arcs within him, the tribulation above stirred again. This time, the aura was even more menacing, its power increased by a third.

  Yang Tian's body radiated astonishing vitality. Silver light shimmered across his skin, and his physical strength had not only increased but also contained an even vaster reservoir of energy.

  *Boom!* The suppressed energy erupted as another bolt of lightning descended, tearing through the void with a terrifying force aimed directly at Yang Tian.

  "Come on!" Yang Tian's eyes snapped open, a flash of silver light gleaming within them. His energy surged to its peak as he faced the oncoming lightning.

  *Boom!* His foot slammed into the ground, and the stored energy within him erupted, colliding with the lightning.

  *Crack!* The moment his fist met the lightning, Yang Tian's newly refined body was torn apart. The violent lightning surged into him, sending his body flying dozens of feet before crashing to the ground.

  *Cough! Cough!* Yang Tian spat out blood, his bones shattered and his flesh torn. He struggled to sit upright, desperately absorbing the surrounding ancient energy.

  Many in the crowd couldn’t bear to watch. The tribulation was too brutal, nearly obliterating Yang Tian's body. Yet, their respect for him grew. The pain he endured was unimaginable.

  *Boom!* Another bolt of lightning, as thick as an arm, struck down. Yang Tian's body was pierced, smoke rising from his wounds. The pain was beyond comprehension.

  Yang Tian continued to cough up blood, frantically restoring his energy. He couldn’t afford to slow down, and he dared not use the Water of Life unless absolutely necessary. If others discovered it, the consequences would be dire.

  Above, the dark clouds churned, lightning snakes dancing within them. The oppressive energy spread, forcing the onlookers to retreat further. It was a pressure that struck at the very soul.

  "The fourth lightning strike is coming. Shouldn’t it be over soon?" Xing Hao muttered, his face grave as he stared at the roiling clouds. The power within was too terrifying—he wasn’t sure he could survive it.

  "Let’s hope so," Qing Yuan sighed. He had a feeling the tribulation wasn’t going to end so easily. Surviving four strikes was already extraordinary, but if Yang Tian could endure more, his future would be fraught with even greater challenges.

  "I think there’s more than four," Shan Qu said softly, his scholarly face filled with concern.

  As they spoke, the lightning snakes in the sky writhed violently. A bolt of lightning, as large as a baby's head, descended with overwhelming force, its destructive aura bearing down on Yang Tian.

  "Here we go," Yang Tian stood up, silver light flickering across his body. His physical energy pressed against the vacuum, his vitality astonishing. He shot toward the lightning like a comet.

  *Boom!* His fist met the lightning, but the newly refined body was instantly torn apart. The violent lightning surged into him, sending his body flying over thirty feet.

  *Cough! Cough!* His bones were shattered, his arm reduced to pulp. Yang Tian struggled to sit, frantically absorbing the ancient energy around him.

  Many in the crowd closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight. The tribulation was too cruel, nearly destroying Yang Tian's body. Yet, their admiration for him grew. The pain he endured was beyond comprehension.

  "Is it over?" Qing Yuan murmured, noticing the energy in the sky beginning to dissipate. But then, his expression froze.

  The clouds above had barely begun to fade when the surrounding ancient energy surged back, flooding into the clouds with even greater intensity than before.

  The sky seemed to transform into a sea of lightning, a breathtaking yet terrifying sight.

  "The fifth lightning strike!" The crowd gasped in horror. Surviving four strikes was already a miracle, but the fifth strike was exponentially more powerful.

  "Haha, Yang Tian, let’s see how you handle the remaining strikes!" Li Hongtao's face lit up with malicious joy as he laughed maniacally.

  "If Yang Tian can survive eight lightning strikes, he might one day rival the divine children of the Holy Lands," Qing Yuan muttered, sitting down cross-legged. There was nothing more they could do. Yang Tian's path was his own to forge, and he would have to fight for his place in this world.