The terrifying pressure was like the heavens collapsing and the earth caving in.
All of that pressure bore down on Niu Ben alone, as though it intended to crush him flat.
The disciples of the Three Pure Ones watching from the outskirts
all wore worried expressions.
"Can Senior Brother Niu Ben withstand it?"
Zhao Gongming asked anxiously.
Worry filled Qiongxiao's eyes. She lightly bit her pearly teeth and said firmly, "I believe in Senior Brother Niu Ben!"
Bixiao nodded heavily as well. Though her pretty little face was clearly full of concern, she forced herself to say, "Senior Brother Niu Ben will definitely withstand the Heavenly Tribulation."
Yunxiao said nothing and simply watched the Heavenly Tribulation in silence.
The Heavenly Tribulation had already built up to its peak. Its terrifying pressure seemed ready to crush people completely into the dust.
The discussions gradually faded away, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the Tribulation Cloud.
At that moment, the entire world seemed to dim. Only the first Thunder Tribulation shone like the brightest light between heaven and earth, as though it had split the sky apart. Carrying the power to create the world, it crashed down upon Niu Ben's head.
"Moo!"
His deep bellow was like the furious roar of the earth itself. Baleful energy rapidly gathered around him, containing immense power of the earth.
The Heavenly Tribulation seemed to tear through space as it struck directly onto Niu Ben's head.
Yet Niu Ben did not move.
He allowed the Heavenly Tribulation to fall upon him, using the terrifying lightning it contained to temper his body.
There was an interval between every Thunder Tribulation.
That gave Niu Ben sufficient time to refine his physical body.
His eyes were filled with determination as he felt the endless power of the Thunder Tribulation within him constantly washing through every cell.
He could clearly feel his constitution continuously growing stronger.
His Bloodline Ancestral Return was also rapidly transforming.
Not only did he feel no pressure at all, but his entire body felt pleasantly numb. It was so comfortable that he nearly moaned aloud.
If the later Thunder Tribulations were all like this, he felt he could simply lie down and coast through them.
However, he knew it could not possibly be that simple.
This was only the first Thunder Tribulation. It was not his first time experiencing one, and he knew each would definitely be more terrifying than the last.
When this scene fell into the eyes of the disciples outside Kunlun Mountain,
all of them were dumbfounded. The shock in their hearts refused to fade, and they stood rooted in place.
It felt as though their hearts had been struck by lightning.
The scene before them was simply too shocking.
Others crossed tribulations with utmost caution, exhausting every possible method to defend themselves.
Yet when it came to their Senior Disciple Brother, he directly withstood it with his physical body and even used the heavenly lightning to temper himself.
They had never experienced such shock before.
It was not only the disciples. Even the Three Pure Ones were deeply shaken.
Tongtian turned to look at Taishang.
"Eldest Brother, let's discuss this. Give me your mount as a disciple, will you?"
"It's far too wasteful for him to remain a mount."
Primordial Heavenly Lord, standing beside them, regretted not speaking sooner, but he had to fight for him.
Such an excellent prospect would become at least a Quasi-Saint giant in the future, and among Quasi-Saints, his combat power would certainly rank near the top. That terrifying physical body involuntarily reminded Primordial Heavenly Lord of those brutish fellows from the Wu Clan!
When the Twelve Ancestral Witches had been Grand Luo Golden Immortals, had they possessed a physical body as formidable as Niu Ben's?
Just as Primordial Heavenly Lord was about to speak and snatch the disciple away,
Taishang gently swept his Fly Whisk through the air. Though he only smiled without speaking, how could he possibly agree?
This ox suited him very well. He was sensible and never arrogant. Despite his great strength, he had never bullied the weak, and he handled the relationships among the fellow disciples under the Three Pure Ones exceptionally well.
Where else could one find such a fine disciple?
Of course, he could not agree.
At that moment, the second Heavenly Tribulation descended.
Niu Ben raised his head and let out a deep bellow.
He directly swallowed the divine lightning unleashed by the Heavenly Tribulation into his stomach. Then, dazzling flashes of divine lightning burst forth from his body.
His body trembled slightly.
This scene left everyone present so shocked that they went completely numb.
They simply could not imagine how Niu Ben had done it.
Even the Three Pure Ones could not calm the shock in their hearts.
Had they possessed such strength when they entered the Grand Luo Golden Immortal realm?
Tongtian and Primordial Heavenly Lord exchanged a glance.
Sparks flashed in both their eyes.
Both were inwardly eager to fight for him. Tongtian in particular had already made up his mind that, no matter what, he could not yield this time. Niu Ben had the best relationship with the Three Xiaos, his disciples.
If he took Niu Ben as a disciple, then if Second Brother ever again talked about those born from dampness and eggs, covered in fur and bearing horns, he would simply send Niu Ben out to beat up every disciple under Second Brother.
Just imagining that scene made him want to laugh.
He had endured for far too long. Second Brother always used his status as an elder brother to suppress him, and he had not wanted to clash with him.
Now was the perfect opportunity.
At that moment, Primordial Heavenly Lord thought that Niu Ben did not count as one of those born from dampness and eggs, covered in fur and bearing horns. He was surely the first Azure Ox in the world, merely taking the form of an Azure Ox after transforming. He was an Innate Being.
The third Thunder Tribulation descended.
Niu Ben met the heavenly lightning with the horns atop his head, using the entire third Thunder Tribulation to temper them.
Then came the fourth Thunder Tribulation.
Niu Ben continuously refined himself, feeling as though his bloodline had condensed to its absolute limit and would explode in the next instant.
By then, he had already endured eight Thunder Tribulations.
Every single Thunder Tribulation had been Nine Heavens Divine Thunder.
The ninth Thunder Tribulation took a long time to gather, yet he himself felt stronger than ever.
His condition had reached its peak.
He raised his head toward the sky.
The lightning within the Tribulation Cloud no longer flashed. Instead, it slowly condensed.
Everyone watched this scene.
Yet no one believed Niu Ben would perish beneath the Thunder Tribulation. They still worried, however, because the ninth Thunder Tribulation was equivalent to combining all the power of the previous eight, and it might even be stronger.
That terrifying pressure made even the watching disciples feel as though endless fear had shrouded their hearts.
No one knew just how powerful the ninth Thunder Tribulation would be.
It had been gathering for far too long, already exceeding their understanding.
Taishang frowned slightly as well.
Primordial Heavenly Lord and Tongtian also furrowed their brows tightly.
The Three Pure Ones stared fixedly ahead. If Niu Ben's Origin Essence was harmed, they would immediately intervene. They could not allow him to perish beneath the lightning.
Finally, beneath everyone's watchful eyes,
the ninth Thunder Tribulation suddenly descended.
This ninth Thunder Tribulation was grayish-brown.
"Chaos Divine Thunder!"
Tongtian cried out. The Four Immortal Slaying Swords abruptly appeared around him, ready for action at any moment.
He reacted the fastest. By now, he already regarded Niu Ben as a disciple he absolutely had to take.
Primordial Heavenly Lord brought out the Pangu Banner, his expression equally grave.
Meanwhile, Taishang held the Taiji Diagram, with the Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda above his head.
Chaos Divine Thunder—the most terrifying Thunder Tribulation in the world.
None of the Three Pure Ones had expected Niu Ben's Heavenly Tribulation to be so terrifying. The ninth bolt of heavenly lightning was simply trying to destroy Niu Ben outright.
Yet Niu Ben understood that his Bloodline Ancestral Return was equivalent to restoring the bearing of an Innate Demon God within the Primordial Wilderness.
Before you continue