Even as Li Guanqi faced the tribulation alone with sword in hand, a very unusual heart was delivered to the Taixuan Sword Sect.
He Yuanting was shocked to the core upon receiving this news.
Paying no further heed to the people here in Yuntian City, he instantly tore through space and returned to the Taixuan Sword Sect.
*Boom, crack!*
Li Guanqi allowed the thick lightning to crash against his body, instantly flaying his flesh and charring his skin black.
Yet sheer madness burned in his eyes and brow. Madly circulating his internal cultivation method, he devoured every shred of the lightning's power.
The lightning arcs entering his body served as the finest nourishment, refined by him into the purest primal energy.
Standing behind Meng Wanshu, Li Changqing clenched his hands within his sleeves, staring fixedly at the young man suspended in midair.
"He is... devouring the heavenly tribulation's lightning!"
"What a mad junior!"
With that, the elder turned to Meng Wanshu and asked with a peculiar expression, "Saintess, you know this man?"
Meng Wanshu gazed tenderly at the high-spirited Li Guanqi beneath the firmament, whispering softly, "Far more than just knowing him... We grew up together."
At those words, the elder already sensed that something was amiss.
Meng Wanshu looked at him, the corner of her lips curving slightly. "Childhood sweethearts."
Only then did dawn break upon the elder's face. No wonder she had remained completely unmoved when the Domain Lord introduced her to so many outstanding young talents back then.
It turned out her heart had long belonged to someone else.
The elder failed to notice, however, that Meng Wanshu rolled her eyes as she looked at Li Guanqi. After all, Li Guanqi had bullied her plenty when they were little.
*In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. To think you've managed to grow into a formidable powerhouse in your own right.*
*You truly haven't changed...*
At the thought, Meng Wanshu suddenly covered her mouth and giggled.
A shrewd light flashed in her eyes. Clasping her hands behind her back, she murmured with a touch of bashfulness, "Old Meng, oh Old Meng, it seems... you knew something all along, didn't you?"
By now, as bolt after bolt of lightning crashed down, Li Guanqi's aura grew increasingly powerful.
The onlookers watched the scene in utter horror.
It was simply too shocking. Someone facing a heavenly tribulation harbored not the slightest fear of the lightning's power; he even caught the stray lightning arcs and shoved them into his mouth...
Who among men did not make exhaustive preparations before daring to undergo a tribulation?
The more defensive barriers and formations, the better; people were eager to empty their family fortunes for protective magic treasures.
Yet no one had ever witnessed such a... savage way of enduring a tribulation.
Cang Lu watched with calm eyes. Ignoring the Black Armor Guards surrounding him, he sat serenely in the sky.
His gaze was fixed on Li Guanqi's sword coffin. Finally, a bitter smile tugged at his lips, and he gave a slight shake of his head.
He knew he would certainly die today. However... he had already achieved some of his objectives.
Cang Lu lowered his head and stroked the zither, sending forth resonant, chilling notes.
It was as though he were composing a battle hymn for his final fight.
With head bowed, Cang Lu murmured, "Neither of those two swords... is it."
"Wrong again..."
*Rumble!*
The heavy tribulation clouds churned violently, twisting like giant dragons.
Li Guanqi knew that the lightning tribulation was beginning to gather its final strength.
By now, every building within a radius of three thousand zhang across Yuntian City had been reduced to rubble.
The spectating cultivators had retreated thousands of zhang away, terrified of being caught in the crossfire by accident.
After all... this was a Void Refinement major heavenly tribulation!
*Gulp...* "How could this guy's tribulation lightning be so terrifying?"
A burly man stared wide-eyed at the firmament, whispering in astonishment.
"Indeed. The first tribulation strike was already that thick—it rivaled the final strikes of tribulations I've seen others face."
"Not only did that guy withstand it directly with his flesh, but he even grabbed stray lightning and shoved it down his throat. Truly terrifying."
A sharp light gleamed in the cloudy eyes of an elder in opulent robes beside him.
"His tribulation... has no heart demon tribulation!"
Hearing this, the crowd immediately looked up at the dense tribulation clouds overhead!
Shen Bing and Ji Shaolin exchanged a glance, suddenly realizing that something was unusual about this tribulation.
Li Changqing's eyes shone brightly, and he exclaimed, "Good! Good! Good!"
"This young man actually tempered his state of mind before facing the tribulation."
"It is unimaginable... just how monstrous his talent is, and what he must have endured in the past."
Ye Feng, on the other hand, was entirely unfazed. Could Li Guanqi's tribulation being a little strange ever compare to the man himself being strange?
He then turned to Meng Wanshu, squeezing out a brilliant smile as he asked, "Sister-in-law, could you remove these chains from me first?"
Meng Wanshu blushed fiercely at the title.
"You are?"
Ye Feng tossed his flashy golden hair with his head held high and said with a broad grin, "My name is Ye Feng, just call me Xiao Ye."
"Brother Guanqi and I are martial brothers from the same sect, sworn brothers who'd lay down our lives for each other."
Meng Wanshu nodded blankly, then turned to the elder.
Li Changqing instantly understood her gaze, raising his hand and drawing his sword to sever the chains binding everyone.
Looking up at the ceaselessly churning lightning above, the elder's expression gradually turned grave.
He turned to Meng Wanshu, bowed, and said in a deep voice, "Saintess, we should withdraw for now."
"The power of this tribulation... is rather formidable."
For the elder to say such a thing caused Meng Wanshu to knit her brows slightly. Looking at Li Guanqi's silhouette, she couldn't help asking with concern, "Will he be in danger, then?"
Ye Feng stretched his limbs, hoisted that big white radish onto his back, and said nonchalantly, "Nothing could possibly happen to him. Rest assured, Sister-in-law."
With boundless confidence, Ye Feng added, "It's merely a Void Refining Realm tribulation. My big brother fears nothing."
Ye Feng had always possessed a blind reverence and faith in Li Guanqi.
It felt as though... he believed in Li Guanqi even more than Li Guanqi believed in himself.
Jiuxiao had also just awakened, his aura exceedingly feeble.
Meng Wanshu walked over to Jiuxiao, gazing with wonder at the enormous dragon before her.
"You're hurt."
Jiuxiao opened his draconic eyes to look at the woman before him. He paused, then actually stretched his head forward to nuzzle against her.
Afterward, he turned his head to lick his own wounds.
A look of heartache flickered in Meng Wanshu's eyes at the sight.
Reaching into her storage ring, she retrieved several healing pills and three jade boxes.
Inside the boxes lay two rank-five monster cores and one rank-six monster core.
Jiuxiao's draconic eyes lit up, and he nuzzled Meng Wanshu with great affection.
Opening his maw, he swallowed the pills and monster cores all at once.
His draconic eyes slid shut, and lightning immediately surged across his scales. A powerful, ancient aura gradually emanated from Jiuxiao's body.
Everyone began moving away from Yuntian Square, only coming to a halt after retreating a thousand zhang into the distance.
Chapter 504