Natural King, Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace

"Ding! You have defeated a Void Returning Stage Myriad Flowers Elder, gaining 50 million experience points and 1 Random Teleport Stone."

"Ding! Level increased by 2, 2 Skill Point gained, current level is Divine Ability Realm Third Layer".

"Ding! Quest 'Miracle' completed, level +5, reward: Intermediate Big Turntable *1, random reward: two Treasure Artifact items, reward drawing in progress, please wait."

"Ding! You have obtained 'Green-Faced Fangs' and 'Time Headwear'. Please check your Bag Space."

"Ding! Quest 'Void Realm's Wrath' completed. Reward: Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect Scroll *1, Level +2."

"Ding! Level up, gained 1 Skill Point, current level: Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage".

As Myriad Flowers Elder's physical body was destroyed by the Heavenly Tribulation of Immortal-Demon level, only his Nascent Soul managed to escape. The continuous system notifications rang in Zhuge Xiang's mind, almost knocking him unconscious.

As the system prompted him, a warm current flowed through Zhuge Xiang's body, and his cultivation level soared like a rocket, directly rising from the Divine Ability Stage First Layer Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage.

As the old saying goes, high risk brings high reward. Facing Void Realm Great Expert head-on, Zhuge Xiang had no hope of success with his strength. However, by borrowing the rules of Heaven and Earth, as well as abilities like Upgrade Scroll and Ice Barrier, he survived by the skin of his teeth and finally succeeded without serious danger. The fruits of his labor were naturally very heavy.

In the blink of an eye, he advanced from the Divine Ability Stage First Layer to the Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage, a leap of nine levels. If this had happened before, Zhuge Xiang would never have dared to imagine it.

When the quest to kill Myriad Flowers Elder was triggered, Zhuge Xiang was rewarded with a 5-level boost. Killing Myriad Flowers Elder naturally meant escaping Myriad Flowers Elder's pursuit, which rewarded Zhuge Xiang with another 2 levels. In addition, the Experience Points from defeating Myriad Flowers Elder, who was above his level, brought Zhuge Xiang to a total of nine levels, allowing him to instantly advance from the Divine Ability Stage First Layer to the Tenth Layer of the Divine Power Realm.

However, despite the gratifying harvest, Zhuge Xiang cannot relax at all, because he has not yet fully overcome his Heavenly Tribulation.

After Myriad Flowers Elder was blasted to death, the terrifying Crimson Firmament Immortal Lightning quickly dissipated, and its power returned to its proper level. With the obstacle removed, the Heavenly Tribulation's test for Zhuge Xiang officially began.

The Hundred Strikes of Lightning Tribulation, with Tribulation Lightning descending from the sky. However, for Zhuge Xiang, this Heavenly Tribulation, though powerful, posed little threat. It was Heavenly Tribulation designed to test Cultivator at the Divine Ability Stage First Layer. And Zhuge Xiang, at full health and in top condition, was already facing a formidable opponent. Need I say more?

With the Sword of Judgment in hand, sharp Sword Qi shot out, blocking all the Tribulation Lightning falling from the sky. For every hundred Tribulation Lightning that fell, a hundred sharp Sword Qi soared into the sky.

"Is it over?" After the last bolt of Tribulation Lightning was blocked by Zhuge Xiang stared at the sky and murmured to himself.

He then shook his head. No, it's not over yet. The Tribulation Lightning in the sky hasn't dissipated. Clearly, with Zhuge Xiang's talent, after the Hundred Strikes of Lightning Tribulation, Sword of Heavenly Punishment will appear.

"Zhuge Xiang, be careful..." Phoenix Winged Black Tiger shouted loudly to Zhuge Xiang while carrying Su Huayu on its back. Myriad Flowers Elder had just survived, and Phoenix Winged Black Tiger did not want Zhuge Xiang to die under the Sword of Heavenly Punishment now.

"The Sword of Heavenly Punishment?" He raised his head, staring intently at the Tribulation Lightning slowly gathering in the sky, his mind fully prepared.

Zhuge Xiang had already witnessed the Sword of Heavenly Punishment when Xiao Yue Tribulation Transcendence. Now that it was his turn, Zhuge Xiang dared not relax in the slightest. He had already used up all his invincible Skill. He could only rely on his own strength to forcefully withstand the Sword of Heavenly Punishment.

The Sword of Judgment emitted clear ringing sounds in Zhuge Xiang's palm. At this moment, the Heaven and Earth Vital Energy frantically converged towards Zhuge Xiang. With his cultivation at the Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage, Zhuge Xiang could manipulate this Heaven and Earth Vital Energy with ease.

The Sword of Heavenly Punishment descended, countless Thunderclap converging to form a blood-red, towering Giant Sword that crashed down from the sky.

The enormous Lightning sword, several tens of feet long, made Zhuge Xiang appear extremely small. The terrifying destructive power of the Heavenly Sword of Heavenly Punishment was even stronger than that of Spell attack from a powerful cultivator at the Spell Control Stage.

"Vast Sword Qi!" Staring at the Lightning sword falling from the sky, Zhuge Xiang suddenly swung his Sword of Judgment, which also transformed into a Giant Sword that could support the sky.

The enormous pillar of Sword Qi was no smaller than the Sword of Heavenly Punishment in terms of scale. It was unleashed by someone who had broken through to the Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage Vast Sword Qi and had consumed half of their Qi Energy. Naturally, its power and scale were incomparable.

Faced with this Sword of Heavenly Punishment, capable of annihilating over 99% of the world's geniuses, Zhuge Xiang actually intended to use his own attacks to forcibly defend against it!? At the Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage, could Zhuge Xiang truly succeed?

Boom!

The blood-red Thunderclap sword, like Sword of Judgment falling from the Nine Heavens, and the enormous pillar of Sword Qi, equally unyielding, shot into the sky in direct confrontation, as if the indomitable will of living beings were fighting against the heavens.

The lightsabers collided, creating a terrifying explosion. The shockwave traveled very far, even causing the Fairy- level Phoenix Winged Black Tiger to lose its balance in flight.

The impact was so intense it was almost indescribable that Zhuge Xiang was thrown back uncontrollably, his face pale and ashen. Although the Vast Sword Qi was powerful and Zhuge Xiang's strongest single-target attack Skill, it was still the Sword of Heavenly Punishment. With Zhuge Xiang's strength, it was still somewhat insufficient to completely block it.

However, although Zhuge Xiang could not completely block the Sword of Heavenly Punishment, the Vast Sword Qi also eliminated most of the Sword of Heavenly Punishment's attack power. Although the remaining attack landed on Zhuge Xiang, it was not enough to kill him. It only reduced Zhuge Xiang's 8,000 HP to 3,000.

"It was blocked, it was blocked after all..." Although the power of the Sword of Heavenly Punishment Human Heart, thankfully, it was passed.

"As expected, with my talent, it's only natural that the Sword of Heavenly Punishment would appear..." After eagerly anticipating his breakthrough to the Deity Transformation stage and reaching the Tenth Layer of the Divine Ability Stage, Zhuge Xiang couldn't hide his joy. He took a potent healing potion, and his injuries were slowly healing. Zhuge Xiang even felt a little proud of the Sword of Heavenly Punishment.

Rumble...

However, the thunder in the sky still hadn't disappeared. Zhuge Xiang's smug expression froze. He looked up in horror, his pupils suddenly shrinking to the size of pinpoints. The Tribulation Clouds in the sky still hadn't dissipated...

Azure Lightning gathered and roared in the sky, miraculously merging together. The power emanating from the Tribulation Lightning in the sky was more terrifying and more violent than the Sword of Heavenly Punishment...

"It hasn't disappeared yet? Could it be? After the Sword of Heavenly Punishment, are there other trials?"

Zhuge Xiang's pupils contracted; he could hardly believe it. If the Sword of Heavenly Punishment appeared after the Hundred Strikes of Lightning Tribulation, it meant that the person being tested was a genius chosen from among thousands. But what was the trial after the Sword of Heavenly Punishment? What was it? Zhuge Xiang truly had no idea.

"What is this feeling? The Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace!? The Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace, which is said to appear only once in 100,000 Cultivator? The strongest Heavenly Tribulation?"

A hundred miles away, a Demon Monster hidden deep in the mountains had already transformed into human form. Looking at the Thunderclap gathering in the sky, which was vaguely forming the shape of the Palace, his eyes were filled with horror.

Zhuge Xiang's ignorance doesn't mean others are unaware. Ordinary people will face Hundred Strikes of Lightning Tribulation Heavenly Tribulation, while exceptionally gifted individuals, the Dragon Among Men of the crop, will naturally experience far more than just Hundred Strikes of Lightning Tribulation during their Tribulation Transcendence.

Heavenly Dao is impartial, and for geniuses, there must be tests. Therefore, the Heavenly Tribulation that Dragon Among Men face are the Sword of Heavenly Punishment.

Ninety-nine percent of the Dragon Among Men in the world are of mediocre talent, while the outstanding and exceptional are one in a thousand. However, it must be admitted that among the billions of living beings on the entire continent, there are still those who surpass geniuses. Such people are so rare that it is said that only one in a hundred thousand will appear. These people are called Natural King.

Natural King are geniuses among geniuses. Their achievements far surpass those of others. Once they grow up, such talents will either become giants in the Large Sect or peerless powerhouses whose fame resounds throughout the entire Cultivation World.

These Natural King face Heavenly Tribulation a hundred times more ferocious than the Sword of Heavenly Punishment —the Thunder Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace, representing the highest level of Heavenly Tribulation...

Azure Lightning gathered in the sky. The raging Lightning, after converging, strangely calmed down, and the stabilized Lightning coalesced in the air to form a huge and magnificent Palace.

Around the Palace, a five-clawed dragon can be seen circling around the Palace, its body radiating terrifying Lightning power. It is a dragon formed entirely of Thunderclap.

In the Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace, Zhuge Xiang didn't understand what it meant, nor did he understand what a so-called Natural King was. But one thing Zhuge Xiang was certain of now was that his Heavenly Tribulation had not yet been completely overcome, and the Heavenly Tribulation to come would be an attack even more terrifying than the Sword of Heavenly Punishment.

The Sword of Heavenly Punishment had already reduced Zhuge Xiang's HP by more than half. Not daring to waste any time, Zhuge Xiang gazed at the magnificent Dragon Palace in the sky, flipped his hand, took out a bottle of golden potion that radiated a light like sunlight, and drank it.

Potent Sun Water can instantly restore 2000 HP and 1000 MP, with a 10-second cooldown.

This is a potion that Zhuge Xiang refined using a two-thousand-year-old Ginseng at the Sword Peak Auction. Only ten bottles of this Potent Sun Water could be refined from one Ginseng.

After using two bottles of Potent Sun Water, Zhuge Xiang's strength and HP had been restored to about 70-80%. Gripping the Sword of Judgment tightly in his hand, Zhuge Xiang's eyes were fixed on the Lightning Crystal Dragon Palace in the sky.

Even Cultivator at the Void Returning Stage couldn't kill him; he'll definitely be able to overcome this mere Heavenly Tribulation... (To be continued...)