The Atmosphere Is Off

Generally, those who dare to watch a Golden Core cultivator's Heavenly Tribulation up close are at least formidable Golden Core cultivators themselves.

But facing this anomalous tribulation, even those formidable cultivators had retreated further.

Especially since, to get a better view of the surroundings, everyone except Wang Li and his senior sister was flying in the air using their flying artifacts.

In fact, no one had really noticed the two of them so far.

Especially with the cold tide forming thick fog at the moment, and with neither of them having deployed any defensive artifacts, it was likely that even fewer people would notice their presence.

With a muffled "poof" and a dull "buzz," Old Ancestor Tong Hui's other two artifacts also succumbed to the impact of the power and shattered almost simultaneously.

As the last of its power was squeezed out, the already damaged purple bellyband burned into flakes of snow-white ash. Old Ancestor Tong Hui's white jade ancient coin, with its warm luster, did not sustain damage after a dull thud, but it no longer emitted that hazy white glow.

The moment the hazy white barrier around him vanished, Old Ancestor Tong Hui gritted his teeth, flicked the sleeve of his Daoist robe on the left, and unleashed hundreds of crimson-gold talismans.

These talismans were lightning-attracting talismans he had refined and accumulated over the past century. Although they were single-use consumable magic tools, the spiritual materials used to craft them were extremely precious. In his original plan, they were meant to be used during the third wave of the thunder tribulation.

But he couldn't afford to worry about that now. Since he didn't know why the tribulation had started with such an anomalous lightning strike, who knew what the second wave would be? He could only hold on for as long as possible.

The lightning-attracting talismans, specifically prepared for this kind of tribulation, possessed an extraordinary aura the moment they appeared. Each crimson-gold talisman instantly let out a loud "kang ang" sound, transforming into a crimson-gold dragon shadow that charged towards the dense golden tribulation clouds above, exuding an aura of defiance against heaven and self-reliance.

Countless small but incredibly powerful Ice Soul Heavenly Thunders were drawn by these crimson-gold dragon shadows, like tender roots growing out of the void, binding themselves to the dragon shadows. As these dragon shadows plunged into the golden tribulation clouds, astonishing cold energy spread within the clouds. The chill around the desolate mountains below instantly lessened compared to before.

"These lightning-attracting talismans must have been refined using True Dragon blood. This Old Ancestor Tong Hui is indeed extraordinary!"

True Person Baixi's expression grew even more solemn. He had no idea that Old Ancestor Tong Hui was already using treasures meant for the third wave of the tribulation; he only felt that Old Ancestor Tong Hui's actions were incredibly generous.

"What's going on now?"

Old Ancestor Tong Hui had bought himself a little time to think. He quickly reviewed all the artifacts in his hand and deployed a set of fishbone magic swords that he deemed suitable for the current situation. However, as the one hundred and eight pale yellow fishbone magic swords hovered around him, and before they could truly form a sword formation, he suddenly noticed that the coldness within the tribulation clouds was rapidly dissipating, and the eerie milky white tribulation lightning had become noticeably sparser.

Besides him, Wang Li, who was closest to the center of the Heavenly Tribulation, also sensed this anomaly immediately. He turned to the female cultivator beside him and said, "Senior sister, this doesn't seem right. Why does it feel like the first wave of tribulation lightning is almost over? Why is it lasting such a short time?"

The female cultivator transmitted her voice, "Mm."

"What do you mean by 'Mm'?" Wang Li looked at her speechlessly. "Senior sister, I feel like I can't even communicate with you normally."

The female cultivator replied, "That's normal. I'm a mushroom right now."

Wang Li: "..."

"What is this?" Old Ancestor Tong Hui looked at the tribulation clouds in the sky with great distress.

In just a few short breaths, the Ice Soul Heavenly Thunders in the sky had almost completely disappeared. However, the bottom of the original golden tribulation clouds in the sky had turned scarlet, as if firelight was about to surge from beneath them.

The one hundred and eight pale yellow fishbone magic swords were slowly turning pale blue, their inner power beginning to be released. He was now hesitant.

He was probably the first cultivator in Lesser Jade Continent's history to hesitate during a Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation.

Had the first wave truly passed?

Was the second wave of tribulation lightning about to begin?

He didn't know what kind of tribulation lightning the second wave would be, and he was unsure whether to release his fishbone magic swords now.

BOOM!

A deafening thunderclap suddenly sounded.

"What kind of anomalous tribulation lightning is this now?"

The observing cultivators present were all inwardly shaken. It was clear that this was indeed the second wave of tribulation lightning descending. The Ice Soul Heavenly Thunders, which contained astonishing coldness, had completely vanished. Now, surging out of the tribulation clouds were streams of blood-red tribulation lightning that seemed almost solid.

This second wave of tribulation lightning seemed even stranger than the first. Not to mention the thunderclap only sounded once, these streams of tribulation lightning, as dense as vibrant red coral, emerged from the bottom of the tribulation clouds but did not fall directly. Instead, they continuously gathered and joined together in the air.

"I...!"

Old Ancestor Tong Hui had never encountered such tribulation lightning in any records. He was truly speechless. Since he had no idea what kind of tribulation lightning this was, he gritted his teeth and, with a flick of his finger, released all the fishbone magic swords surrounding him.

Chichichichi... With countless cracking sounds, these fishbone magic swords, several feet long, turned completely azure the moment their power was activated, enveloped by a layer of extremely tough watery light.

These magic swords frantically absorbed water vapor from the surrounding space, instantly forming a continuously expanding vortex of white waves around each sword. At the same time, these swords, like living creatures, charged forward one after another towards the areas where the blood-red tribulation lightning was most concentrated.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! ...

These magic swords, enveloped in surging waves, collided with the blood-red tribulation lightning in the sky, instantly resembling vast, surging rivers spread across the sky. Yet, under the impact of these majestic waves, the blood-red tribulation lightning remained motionless in the air. As they continued to accumulate, they vaguely began to form the shape of lotus flowers.

"It's actually already Form-Shaping Tribulation Lightning?"

Old Ancestor Tong Hui's face turned ashen. He no longer bothered to guess what kind of tribulation lightning it was. A streaky, murky black light flew out from his sleeve, instantly transforming into a large, round umbrella that he held above his head.

The moment this murky black light appeared, Wang Li's eyes lit up.

He also heard his senior sister's transmission in his ear, "Apart from those fragments, if you can't get any other artifacts, forget them. But you must get this Yin Thunder Umbrella."

Wang Li nodded subconsciously.

Actually, he knew this even without her reminder.

This was their original purpose for coming here.

The aura of this artifact was so unique that he absolutely couldn't mistake it.

"Yin Thunder Umbrella, this is a Cosmos Grade Spirit Treasure. It really is with Old Ancestor Tong Hui!"

This round, canopy-like umbrella spun above Old Ancestor Tong Hui's head. At this moment, the murky black light spilled out, obscuring its exact appearance. However, the gazes of most of the people present were already firmly fixed on it, and they became increasingly fervent.

The round umbrella, emitting murky black light, continued to spin. The black light at the edge of the umbrella gradually solidified, and then, within the black light, lightning began to emerge.

This was no illusion.

In an instant, countless sharp crackling sounds erupted around the large, circular umbrella that completely obscured Old Ancestor Tong Hui's figure. A pungent, burnt smell filled the air.

Streaks of lightning, like grotesque claws, continuously extended outward from the edges of the large umbrella.

Unlike ordinary lightning, the lightning emanating from this large, circular umbrella appeared sinister, even seeming to possess a watery sheen within.

But as the lightning expanded, a terrifying pressure, almost comparable to tribulation lightning, made the Golden Core cultivators present feel their scalps tingle.

The sound of crashing waves in the sky also diminished.

The fishbone magic swords, which Old Ancestor Tong Hui had painstakingly refined, quickly began to falter. The watery sheen enveloping them didn't disappear, but it was permeated by the red light of the blood-red tribulation lightning, turning red. Subsequently, the Vital Energy within these fishbone magic swords became chaotic and ran wild.

The fishbone magic swords, which had become sapphire blue and crystal clear, soon flew erratically in the sky like deflating sheepskin rafts. Large amounts of powdered red smoke were then ejected from the ends of their hilts.

After dancing in the air for about ten breaths, these magic swords lost all their power, becoming transparent shells. They then continuously fell into the desolate mountains below, shattering upon impact.

The number of cultivators observing the tribulation present was unnervingly large, yet not a single one could discern what kind of tribulation lightning this was. They only felt that this tribulation lightning was deeply unsettling, capable of directly eroding the very essence of magic artifacts.

But at this very moment, the atmosphere seemed to shift again.

The lightning emanating from the Yin Thunder Umbrella thrashed about wildly. The tainted black lightning even seemed on the verge of penetrating the golden tribulation cloud above.

These terrifying blood-red tribulation lightning bolts had also begun to thin out.

"Is this second wave of tribulation lightning over?" Wang Li stared, dumbfounded.

"Mm." The female cultivator beside him finally moved, nodding.