Chapter 155: Almost Struck to Death
Boom!
With a sharp jolt of pain, a terrifying force blasted Yao Yan from midair, slamming him violently into a cliff wall. A thunderous crash echoed out as the silver glow on his body dimmed noticeably. His current physique was clearly not strong enough to withstand the pill tribulation summoned by a tier-seven pill.
However, taking the tribulation head-on wasn't without its benefits. The power of lightning was the fusion of destruction and life—it contained the essence of rebirth.
Yao Yan's body perfectly resonated with it. The immense life force within him was continuously stimulated amidst the tribulation's destruction, causing his body to evolve, cycle after cycle, between death and rebirth. The silver glow on his skin gradually sank into his flesh, no longer dazzling but instead growing more restrained. Yet the power within his body became increasingly terrifying.
Of course, Cai Lin didn't know any of this. Seeing Yao Yan fall, she clenched her fists and was about to rush over—but Yao Lao raised his hand and stopped her.
"No need to go. Feel his vitality. Does that feel like someone seriously injured?"
Yao Lao gently shook his head, eyes fixed on the impact crater in the cliff wall. Even he couldn't help but sigh. What a little monster. It was already frightening enough that Yao Yan's alchemy talent was so strong, but now even his body was this durable. If he didn't know for certain Yao Yan was human, he might've suspected him to be a powerful magical beast in human form.
The life force within him was overwhelming—like a small sun. And after being tempered by tribulation lightning, his body had activated some sort of emergency response.
Whoosh—
Just then, Yao Yan shot back into the sky, laughing freely. He ripped away the remnants of his tattered upper garments and stared at the storm above with blazing eyes. "Come on, give me more!"
With that, he punched toward the sky. The force of his strike created a vacuum in front of him, condensing the surrounding air into a shockwave that blasted upward like a cannon shell.
Zzzzz…
The punch pierced a section of the thunderclouds directly. But this action seemed to infuriate the storm that was brewing more tribulation bolts. Countless silver thunder-dragons began writhing in the clouds, and the pressure blanketed the land as if even the air itself had grown heavy.
Yao Lao frowned. "The kid disrupted the formation of the tribulation, which is causing the sequence to break apart…"
"What does that mean?" Cai Lin asked in alarm.
Yao Lao stroked his beard, slowly explaining, "It means the tribulation bolts will become stronger, come faster… but they'll also end sooner. He knows exactly what he's doing."
A normal alchemist might not know this, but Yao Yan was clearly not ordinary. As someone from the Yao Clan, he had likely seen many tier-seven pill tribulations. It was very possible he was intentionally provoking the tribulation to increase its intensity and improve his body-refinement results.
This kid was truly ruthless—to himself.
Boom!
As they spoke, the clouds grew thicker, their blackness deeper than ink. Silver lightning flickered erratically, and the next bolt fell—a bolt several times thicker than the last. It didn't even give Yao Yan time to react. It struck him directly, slamming him once more into the cliff with a deafening boom. Lightning exploded in all directions.
It was a scene of pure devastation.
Unlike the previous bolts, which struck and vanished, this one—like a waterfall of lightning—lasted for several full breaths before it dissipated.
As the smoke cleared, Cai Lin saw a field of scorched earth. Her brows furrowed, and her hands clenched over her abdomen. Even though she could still sense Yao Yan's aura, there was no way he was unharmed.
But she quickly suppressed her anxious expression. She didn't want Yao Lao to notice anything.
Yao Yan, lying where the lightning had struck, wasn't thinking about Cai Lin. His whole body ached, but a wave of indescribable satisfaction coursed through him. Maybe all body-refiners were masochists—he was starting to enjoy this, even hoping the next bolt would hit even harder.
It wasn't masochism—it was necessity. To strengthen the body, one had to destroy the weak parts first. Only then could it regrow, tougher and stronger.
Hoo~
He slowly stood up. His skin had lost its silvery glow and was now charred black like charcoal. Even his breath released puffs of ashen smoke. But he simply grinned, his white teeth gleaming, eyes fixed brightly on the sky. The tribulation clouds still lingered, preparing the next strike.
Tribulation lightning really is something else… Yao Yan thought, marveling at how much his body had improved. Compared to grinding his body using spatial force, the tribulation lightning was more thorough—it refined inside and out. Its destructive force was on par with heavenly flame. The difference was, heavenly flame stopped affecting the user once it fused. But tribulation lightning? It never stopped being useful.
And don't forget—there were still nine-colored tribulation bolts… and even Black Demon Lightning.
As expected, compared to the heavens' wrath, the demonic poison spot doesn't hold up. Yao Yan could feel the majority of the demonic poison spot inside him being burned away. It was now pure energy, nourishing his body and helping it transform further.
Boom!
The tribulation didn't let him rest. Just over ten breaths later, another bucket-thick bolt fell, once again slamming into Yao Yan. It no longer cared about the Ice Heart Pill in the cauldron.
"Bring it on! I can take it!" Yao Yan roared with laughter.
Boom!
Another bolt, even stronger than the last, smashed him deeper into the rock face. The surrounding cliffs turned glassy from the heat.
Boom! Boom!
Two more in succession. Less than ten seconds apart. The violent strikes drowned out Yao Yan's laughter. For a full quarter of an hour, thunder continued falling—nearly a hundred bolts total.
By now, even Yao Lao was stunned. Even if the tribulation was disrupted, this is too much. The Ice Heart Pill is only tier-seven—not some heaven-defying tier-eight pill. Why so many bolts?
Could it be that this kid's talent had angered the heavens, drawing down extra tribulation?
Cai Lin couldn't help but ask, "Is it normal for tribulation lightning to last this long?"
She had little knowledge about this and had only witnessed one before—when Yao Yan crafted the Instant Qi Pill. But this was on another level entirely. Just watching it made her scalp go numb. If it were her under the lightning, she'd be crushed in moments.
Zzzzzz…
The clouds above still hadn't dispersed. Lightning continued to gather. Even more disturbing, some bolts were beginning to shimmer with color, as if evolving into a higher form.
"Nine-colored lightning? That's impossible!" Yao Lao could no longer stay calm. He cried out in disbelief.
Boom!
Another tribulation bolt fell. This one glowed with a faint red hue—like lightning infused with fire—as it crashed down toward Yao Yan.
"Again? Seriously?!"
Yao Yan finally moved. He had been enduring them until now—but this time, he erupted with fury, punching straight at the oncoming bolt. His entire body was wreathed in Green Lotus Core Flame. His explosive force distorted the air itself, creating shockwaves that burst from his fist like crashing waves.
Crack!
His fearsome punch met the red lightning head-on. Time seemed to freeze. A heartbeat later, a deafening explosion rocked the sky. Space fractured at the point of impact, splitting with pitch-black cracks.
The two forces clashed, trying to erase each other. The red lightning aimed to wipe Yao Yan from existence—but that only ignited his fury.
"Break!!"
Yao Yan roared. The silver aura around him surged, his strength peaking. His eyes shone with blood-red light, and even a third eye began to faintly form on his forehead. His power spiked dramatically—his fist shattered the red lightning completely and pierced through the clouds, revealing the starry night sky.
Yao Yan's cold gaze fixed on the sky, crimson light flashing in his eyes. His aura turned fierce and wild. Deep down, he felt a chill—he hadn't expected the bloodline within him to provoke such a change in the tribulation.
At first, he didn't notice. But as the lightning tried to destroy his innermost bloodline, it triggered something hidden.
That power—he had always buried it, but it had now been stirred.
But with that punch, the thunderclouds seemed exhausted. They began to dissipate. Yet Yao Yan didn't feel any joy.
Instead, he felt a deep sense of hostility from this world.
And this was just the Dou Qi Continent. If he entered the Greater Thousand Worlds, such tribulations might be far more terrifying.
Heh… world will, huh… Yao Yan sneered inwardly and immediately suppressed the devouring bloodline within him. The eerie energy was forced deep into his core once again.
Truthfully, his strongest power wasn't his body—but the sinister energy born from his devouring bloodline. That force was more dominant than Dou Qi, filled with corruption and predation. It could even devour tribulation lightning to grow stronger.
Even Yao Yan felt unease toward it. He'd underestimated how dangerous the foreign races really were. If he wasn't careful, their power could turn him into a puppet.
I can't let this bloodline take root. I have to make it mine. His eyes glinted with determination. He thought of the Dou Di bloodline. Perhaps when he reached that realm, he could completely refine the devouring bloodline instead of just fusing it crudely.
Because right now, while it seemed like it belonged to him—it still originated from the foreign races. If he encountered a higher-level member of that race, he might not be able to stop himself from submitting.
And that… he could never allow.
For now, though, he was too weak to do anything about it.
As the clouds finally dispersed, the clear night sky returned. Yao Yan's tension eased. He collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. That last punch had drained him. Without the eerie energy's help, he might've been obliterated.
Swish!
Cai Lin suddenly appeared at his side, shoving several pills into his hand. Her deep violet eyes showed a trace of concern, but her mouth still snapped coldly, "Serves you right for showing off. Surprised the tribulation didn't fry you to death."
"Almost did," Yao Yan chuckled, swallowing the pills in one go. He let their effects spread through his battered body, still smiling.
Yao Lao floated over as well, holding the Ice Heart Pill carefully in his palm. After handing it to Yao Yan to store, he finally asked, "What just happened?"
He stared at Yao Yan with obvious suspicion. That power just now—it wasn't Dou Qi, nor soul force, nor physical strength. It was something else… something eerie that made even his soul tremble. Like prey meeting a predator. Like a man facing a tiger in the wild—a fear that came from the blood.
"Just a secret art I found. It temporarily boosts strength but damages the body," Yao Yan answered smoothly, not even blinking as he lied. He was relying on Yao Lao's ignorance. The truth about the foreign races… was not something he could tell anyone on this continent.
Yao Lao nodded and didn't press further. Instead, he asked, "Why did the pill tribulation change today?"
Yao Yan simply shook his head.
Yao Lao frowned, unable to figure it out either.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997