No one paid any attention to Yuan Shizi's hearty laughter; even Ling Chun, Ling Xue, and the others were intently focused on Lu Fan. This scene was perhaps the most precious wealth of their lives, something that would greatly benefit them in the future.
Crack... Another lightning tribulation descended, like a fist-thick rod crackling with electricity, smashing down towards Lu Fan's head.
Whoosh... Lu Fan drew the Luoying Sword, infused his arms with internal energy, and a sword light slashed through the air, meeting the lightning.
Crack... The sword light on the Luoying Sword dimmed the moment it encountered the tribulation lightning. Whoosh... The precious sword instantly lost its luster. The residual power of the lightning struck Lu Fan's arms, turning them into charcoal-black sticks. They seemed incapable of bending.
"Damn it! This is my treasured sword!" Lu Fan felt a pang of heartache. This was an heirloom from the Luoyan Sect! And he had ruined it. And this was only the third tribulation.
He remembered the scruffy old Taoist saying there were many types of lightning tribulations: three, five, seven, nine, twelve! Perhaps it varied with the cultivator's strength. Lu Fan didn't know how many tribulations he would face, but it was clear these three were not the end. However, the tribulation lightning in the dark clouds seemed to be taking longer to brew.
The infant above Lu Fan's head also seemed to sense the approaching danger, its face contorted in anger, its tiny fists waving.
Crack... A fist-thick bolt of lightning struck down towards Lu Fan. Lu Fan dared not take out his dark blade, fearing he would ruin that too. Gritting his teeth, he resolutely met the lightning with his already blackened arms.
Boom... Lu Fan instantly turned into a completely black person. The infant on his head was knocked over, looking dusty and disheveled. However, the little fellow seemed to have gotten angry too. It stood up and waved its fists at the thunderclouds as if issuing a challenge.
Crack... Another bolt of lightning struck down, each one stronger and more ferocious than the last.
Lu Fan's eyes blazed with fury, his killing intent soaring to its peak. Damn it! You think I'm a sick cat when I'm not showing my strength. He stomped his feet fiercely, and his entire body lunged towards the lightning descending from above.
Crack, boom... Lu Fan was struck back, falling to the ground with a scorched smell emanating from him. Damn it! Do they think I'm a roasted pig?
"Kid! I told you I could help you find a way in the cave, but you insisted on undergoing the tribulation here! It's already the fifth tribulation, and it doesn't seem to be stopping. You're in for it this time," the scruffy old Taoist muttered worriedly from the side.
"Hmph! He's just courting death," Yuan Shizi said coldly.
Ling Chun, Ling Xue, and the others nearby were stunned. An ordinary person would likely turn to ash and be finished by a single tribulation. This kid had endured five tribulations; he was truly formidable.
Lu Fan got up from the ground. The nascent soul above his head coughed a few times, also dusty and disheveled, seemingly less arrogant after the tribulations.
"Tribulation lightning! You're nothing more than this! Come at me if you dare," Lu Fan shouted up at the still gathering lightning in the dark clouds.
Crack... Suddenly, a lightning bolt as thick as a water bucket roared down.
"Holy cow..."
"Ah..."
The scruffy old Taoist and the others watching from the side were instantly terrified. This bolt of lightning was clearly intended to blast Lu Fan into dust!
Lu Fan was also a bit bewildered. Such a powerful bolt of lightning appearing so suddenly, and it was even thicker than him. Damn it... what would it feel like to be hit by this?
"Ah..." Lu Fan let out a great roar, meeting the lightning with all his might using both fists.
Boom... The bluestone ground of the arena instantly collapsed half a meter deep. Lu Fan hunched over, curled up on the bluestone. This single thunderbolt was too powerful; it had nearly scattered his soul.
After lying on the ground for a while, Lu Fan finally recovered. He slowly got up. The infant above his head seemed to have suffered severe damage, its head drooping, its body limp and slumped on Lu Fan's head. It felt as though it had almost reverted to its original form.
However, the tribulation lightning showed no signs of receding; it was brewing the next bolt.
"Stop... stop! Otherwise, he'll die!" Ling Xue exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock.
"Alas! His second primordial spirit is still there, so the tribulation lightning won't stop! It's either success or failure. Failure means the second primordial spirit dies!" the scruffy old Taoist said, shaking his head.
Rumble... Crack... As expected, another tribulation lightning descended. It was still as thick as a water bucket.
Everyone immediately covered their mouths. Lu Fan was clearly heavily injured; could he withstand another bolt?
"Hahaha! Kid! You're dead for sure this time!" Yuan Shizi burst into laughter.
Just as everyone looked on with concern, a golden little figure suddenly emerged from Lu Fan's body. The little figure looked up at the water-bucket-thick lightning descending from the sky, raised its tiny fist, and with a boom... punched out.
Bang... The water-bucket-thick lightning exploded like fireworks in mid-air, filling the sky with sparks, incredibly spectacular.
"Dual... dual primordial spirits?" the scruffy old Taoist's eyes flashed with surprise.
"Impossible! How is this possible? How is this possible?" Yuan Shizi's eyes widened in shock, and he muttered to himself repeatedly, as if he had been scared silly.
Ling Chun, Ling Xue, and the others were also speechless with shock, their eyes fixed on Lu Fan. This kid was too miraculous.
Rumble... Rumble... The clouds grew even deeper, and dense clouds rolled in from all directions. It seemed as if the entire sky was sinking, about to press down onto the ground.
Crack... Another, even stronger tribulation lightning.
Bang... The golden infant still punched out. Its fist, no bigger than an egg, once again shattered the lightning, turning into a beautiful firework blooming in the sky, incredibly brilliant and spectacular.
The ninth... the tenth... the eleventh, the twelfth... Just when the scruffy old Taoist thought the tribulation lightning should have dispersed, the thirteenth bolt descended.
Only after the fifteenth tribulation lightning passed did the dark clouds in the sky slowly dissipate.
"Bastard! Bastard! Why fifteen tribulation lightning bolts! You're bullying honest people! You bastard!" the scruffy old Taoist cursed, his leg propped up. The tribulation lightning should have been at most twelve bolts; why was it fifteen for Lu Fan?
"Old fellow! If you have the energy, shouldn't you help me up?" Lu Fan said, lying on the ground and rolling his eyes.