Yet the shattered arcs of lightning still scattered across his body. Wherever they wandered, they tore through his robes and ripped his flesh open!
Even so, the electric arcs from the tribulation lightning were forging and tempering the unformed golden core inside him bit by bit.
Within his dantian, the uneven core gradually turned rounded and smooth, undergoing countless subtle transformations.
On the other side, Zhao Beichen stood atop his mountain peak, frantically hurling out defensive robes and talismanic seals as he desperately endured his own heavenly tribulation.
What was more, the might of Zhao Beichen's tribulation lightning was less than half the size of Li Guanqi's.
Right after, the onlookers watched that emaciated silhouette charge into the heavens time and time again!
Amidst the howling wind and snow, he looked like a valiant warrior raising his sword against fate and injustice.
This was his, Li Guanqi's, heavenly tribulation!
The path to immortality, the bridge of eternal life—only by crossing this could one truly claim to practice the Dao and attain immortalhood!
The sixth strike! The seventh! The eighth!
That silhouette grew slower and slower...
Yet every time the lightning descended, he still managed to vault from the ground, sword held high toward the sky!
By now, Li Guanqi was charred black from head to toe, his body covered in countless wounds torn open by the lightning.
Mangled flesh hung loose, exposing bone beneath!
The robes on his upper body were already tattered beyond recognition. In one swift motion, he ripped away the shredded cloth.
Planting his feet in the charred, gaping crater atop the mountain, he spat out a surge of churning blood and slowly raised his head.
Looking up at the churning thunderclouds, his left hand had already been blasted into a mangled mess, and his arm was flayed and bloody.
With blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, he roared toward the heavens, "Come at me!!"
Boom!
The roiling thunderclouds brewed the final strike of tribulation lightning. A bolt as thick as a water barrel suddenly crashed down, sending a jolt of terror through the watching crowd!
"Th-this... its power is enough to obliterate an early Core Formation cultivator!!"
Li Guanqi pushed down hard with both legs, and the crater beneath him shattered violently!
Tightly gripping the Red Lotus sword with his right hand, using his hand as a scabbard, his left hand lashed out swift as lightning in a strike of Rushing Thunder!!
He channeled all the origin power remaining in his body into the blade, and the Red Lotus sword let out a resonant, ringing cry.
Clang!!
In the next instant, everyone witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
A figure blackened by soot soared into the air, lightning coiling around his longsword as he slashed upward with fury!
They could even clearly see a zhang of purple light surging from the blade!
The figure split the lightning down the middle, like an axe cleaving a log!!
Boom!
A deafening roar erupted. Bathed in blood, that figure let both arms hang down limply.
He simply stood there beneath the vault of heaven, and before his eyes, the lightning was no more.
Hum!
In that split second, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth boiled over, surging toward Li Guanqi.
At that very moment, the golden core within him became perfectly smooth and round, and countless intricate, profound patterns even surfaced across its shell!
Moreover, the color of the golden core shifted from brilliant gold to a resplendent purplish-gold!
As seven-colored misty vapors emerged between heaven and earth and merged into his body, his injuries began healing at a rate visible to the naked eye.
His charred skin flaked away like scabs.
Feeling the incomparably vast power coursing through him, Li Guanqi offered a faint smile.
Then, he turned his gaze toward Zhao Beichen!
Zhao Beichen was still facing his final strike of tribulation lightning!
Struggling bitterly to hold on, Zhao Beichen had already exhausted all of his magic treasures and talismanic seals. His injuries were just as gruesome as Li Guanqi's had been moments ago.
Yet right then, Li Guanqi made a move that caused everyone's jaws to drop!
Li Guanqi transformed into a purple streak of light, darting toward Zhao Beichen at blistering speed!
In the blink of an eye, he was right beneath Zhao Beichen's heavenly tribulation!
This sight made everyone suck in a sharp breath.
A nearby Core Formation cultivator couldn't help but cry out in shock, "Is he crazy?! Charging into the heavenly tribulation like that means he'll have to endure that final bolt of lightning too!"
No sooner had the young man spoken than a middle-aged man nearby curled his lip.
"He just cleaved straight through a two-hundred-zhang heavenly tribulation. Do you think he gives a damn about a lightning bolt of a hundred-odd zhang?"
A flash of panic flitted through Zhao Beichen's eyes!
Forcibly circulating his origin power, he retreated frantically!
"Are you fucking insane?! Madman!! You're a lunatic!!"
"Are you trying to get me killed?!"
Yet Li Guanqi stared at him in utter silence and suddenly slashed out with his sword!
"Ziwei Demon-Cleansing Sword!!"
In an instant, countless purple sword shadows filled Zhao Beichen's vision. The surging killing intent smothered any will he had to fight.
The roiling thunderclouds above were still brewing the final bolt.
He did not want to die—at least, not like this!!
Beneath the heavenly tribulation, Zhao Beichen still chose to cast out his final protective jade pendant, raising his sword to strike at Li Guanqi!
Many onlookers saw this, and someone sneered, "Heh, Ziyang Palace's so-called prodigy isn't all that impressive after all. He relies entirely on magic treasures to pass his tribulation!"
Yet those words immediately drew several mocking retorts.
"Heh, looking at you, I doubt you even have any magic treasures to rely on."
"That boy clearly wants to kill him. If he doesn't fight back now, is he supposed to hold his sword up to the sky like that blind youth and let someone slaughter him? Are you stupid?"
The rebuked man held his tongue.
In a flash, Li Guanqi charged straight toward Zhao Beichen's sword!!
Li Guanqi's silhouette grew larger in his vision, and wild joy surfaced in Zhao Beichen's eyes!
Yet just as the blade seemed about to sink into Li Guanqi's chest, Zhao Beichen's vision suddenly blurred!!
A golden sword light traced a profoundly subtle arc through the air toward Li Guanqi, but the strike hit nothing!
Suddenly!!
Two bolts of lightning from the sky crashed down upon the two of them simultaneously!!
Yet Li Guanqi paid the tribulation lightning no heed at all, swinging his sword toward Zhao Beichen without the slightest hesitation!!
A shout suddenly exploded in his ear like thunder!!
"Impudent cur, how dare you!!"
Boom!!
In an instant, Li Guanqi's head spun, and blood leaked from his seven apertures!!
The sword in his hand was parried away by Zhao Beichen.
With no time to think, Li Guanqi immediately pulled back to flee. Before leaving, he glanced at the elder whose palm was outstretched, trying to pull Li Hua away.
As he leapt back in retreat, Li Guanqi whispered softly, "Detonate."
Boom!
A haze of light enveloped Li Hua, and the roar of an explosion rang out.
Yet this time, the detonation of the Thunder Spear only blew away half of Li Hua's shoulder, failing to take his life.
Looking at Zhao Beichen, who was slipping into unconsciousness beneath the lightning, a look of reluctance flickered in Li Guanqi's eyes as he prepared to withdraw.
Suddenly!
Whoosh!!
A piercing, shrill shriek tore through his ears!
A silver spear radiating golden radiance came shooting toward him at terrifying speed!
This spear had been hurled by the white-browed elder!
The power unleashed by the spear caused the space along its path to warp slightly!
A chill ran down Li Guanqi's spine. He knew with absolute certainty that if the force behind this spear struck him, he would die without a doubt!!
Chapter 159