Heaven's Might, Like the Abyss

"Heavenly Tribulation—this is actually Heavenly Tribulation. Throughout the ages, only certain heaven-defying beings and peerless prodigies have been able to draw down Heavenly Tribulation before severing the Dao. Most cultivators only get to experience such might of heaven and earth when they stand upon the Immortal Platform."

Above the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, layer upon layer of thunderclouds filled countless demons with dread. This kind of power from heaven and earth suppressed them far too much.

"Among our Demon Race, only a few legendary prodigies from ancient history encountered Heavenly Tribulation below the Immortal Platform. I never imagined that Brother Li, merely by refining a single pill, would actually draw down Heavenly Tribulation."

Old Crane and Monkey spoke in turn. The Second Valley Lord, Spirit Cat, was not familiar with Yan Kuan and said nothing, but as the bearer of the Ten Thousand Demons Valley's highest inheritance, his knowledge was the most profound, and he naturally understood how extraordinary this situation was.

The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker and heavier, and from a distance, they seemed about to press down upon the ground, giving people an intensely oppressive feeling.

Silver lightning slithered in all directions, occasionally colliding with each other and erupting with tremendous thunderclaps. That heavenly might made one's heart tremble with fear.

Crack!

Amid the spreading dark clouds, a silver bolt as thick as an arm suddenly shot out from within, its dazzling light brightening the dim sky.

Monkey reacted swiftly, rushing to the front of the Medicine Cauldron as a Golden Staff appeared in his palm. This was also part of their earlier agreement with Yan Kuan—Yan Kuan's current strength was insufficient, and handling the thunder tribulation himself would be quite difficult.

"Boom!"

The silver lightning clashed more and more fiercely within the dark clouds, and the atmosphere of the entire sky grew extremely oppressive. About a dozen seconds later, the clouds suddenly split open with a crack.

A silver thunderbolt, half a chi wide and long, carrying a roar that shook heaven and earth, shot violently out of the dark clouds like a giant silver python. Its target was unmistakably the blood-red pill inside Yan Kuan's Medicine Cauldron.

The silver thunder crashed down, and a long staff met it with the sound of wind and thunder. The silver thunder was shattered by that single strike, and countless tiny bolts of lightning were flung out by the staff's shadow, dense as tiny silver snakes screeching in all directions.

"Hahaha, what a thrill!"

Monkey laughed loudly, twirling his staff and swinging it, slamming fiercely into the remaining silver thunder, splitting it apart completely.

"Come again!"

He slowly raised his staff, pointing it straight at the sky. As if provoked by Monkey's challenge, the pitch-black clouds churned more violently. With another crack that resounded across the heavens, a silver thunderbolt twice as thick as the previous one shot forth.

"This Old Man has never crossed a thunder tribulation before, so today I'll take it back from the Old Man in the Sky."

Monkey laughed wildly as his golden staff danced, its whistling shadows instantly shattering bolt after bolt of thunder. Vast silver light exploded across the sky like fireworks. His final swing magnified the Golden Staff countless times, and one blow nearly blasted apart the tribulation clouds in the sky.

"Third Valley Lord, well done!"

"The King is mighty, mighty!"

"Third Valley Lord, I want to bear your children!"

Cheers and screams erupted throughout the Ten Thousand Demons Valley. Thunder tribulation was a fear etched into the bones of the Demon Race, and a great demon who could withstand it would naturally receive endless adoration—even if this tribulation was not triggered by Monkey himself and its power seemed not particularly strong.

The laws of thunder tribulation in the Shrouding the Heavens universe were quite unique, showing special favor to prodigies and geniuses. At the very least, the Four Extremes realm would invite Heavenly Tribulation. Even for those lacking talent, as long as they had a chance to sever the Dao, the severing tribulation was almost impossible to avoid.

It also had a characteristic: the stronger the interference, the stronger the tribulation. If a powerful being recklessly meddled in a weaker one's tribulation, it would instead draw down a tribulation of their own level. If their talent was insufficient to face such heavenly might, their end would surely be miserable.

Many young prodigies and experts, when facing shameless old undying ones, could use this method to turn the tables and kill them.

Monkey, Old Crane, and Spirit Cat—these three demons were considered peerless in talent for this era, having cultivated to the Transforming Dragon realm in just a few centuries. Placed in the Big Dipper, they could at least reach the Immortal Platform and be called Great Divine Power Experts.

Yet even with talent like theirs, they had barely experienced any thunder tribulation. Compared to true prodigies, they ultimately lacked foundation. So when Monkey learned he needed to help the pill overcome the tribulation, he couldn't contain his excitement.

Old Crane and Spirit Cat watched as Monkey shattered the thunder tribulation with strike after strike of his staff, marveling, "Such might of heaven and earth—truly magnificent!"

Spirit Cat silently glanced at Yan Kuan. "This Pill Tribulation Lightning is somewhat different from the Heavenly Tribulation recorded in ancient texts. It's more like a special method of drawing lightning to refine pills, and it doesn't invite more heavenly might due to outside interference. Truly a marvelous path of alchemy!"

Old Crane looked at Spirit Cat and said calmly, "Second Brother, remember this: Brother Li is a friend of the Ten Thousand Demons Valley."

Spirit Cat nodded. "Big Brother, I understand your meaning. I'm not so shortsighted. And if what you say is true, this Brother Li is no simple figure."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

One after another, tribulation thunders descended, only to be shattered by Monkey's staff. The dark clouds seemed to grow even more enraged, and countless silver lights flickered. Lightning bolts, like silver pythons, broke free from the clouds' restraint, then slammed one after another fiercely at the Medicine Cauldron and Monkey on the stone platform.

Monkey stared at the dense silver thunder falling from the sky, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes. "Watch this Monkey King—a single staff strike to the sky!"

Monkey gripped his staff with one hand and swung it. The massive Golden Staff instantly erupted with shocking divine power, a mighty force that seemed to shake heaven and earth, smashing the dark clouds apart.

After withdrawing his staff, Monkey shouted to the surroundings, "Little ones! Thunder tribulation baptism—it is both calamity and fate. Since ancient times, our Demon Race has legends of crossing tribulation to attain the Dao. All demons, hear my command: form the formation and face the tribulation!"

Countless demons stirred up demon clouds that covered the sky, forming a startling formation. Endless thunderbolts rained down, instead becoming a tempering tool for these demons. Some demons screamed and fled amid the lightning, but more wore excited expressions as they grew stronger through the pain.

"Monkey, retreat quickly!"

Just as the demons thought everything was over, an even stronger thunder descended from the sky. Heavenly might was like an abyss, never something anyone could control. But Yan Kuan's warning came in time—Monkey slapped all the demons away and leaped clear himself.

Just a few breaths after Monkey fled, a sea of silver, a Thunder Pool, descended upon the plaza. Endless lightning engulfed Yan Kuan along with the Medicine Cauldron. Heaven and earth were a vast expanse of silver—a sea of thunder. The terrifyingly extreme phenomenon made countless demons tremble uncontrollably.

"Boom!!!"

On the thunder-sea-covered plaza, the dazzling Empyrean Flame suddenly burst forth, instantly enveloping all the lightning within it. Under the power of the Empyrean Flame, even heavenly thunder could be refined.