A Girl's Feelings

The two lightning dragons descended in an instant, one transforming into Tribulation Fire that filled the sky, the other into Tribulation Lightning that filled the sky.

"Boom... boom... boom..."

Before Lu Chen could react, the Heavenly Tribulation had already struck him, blasting his clothes to pieces and exposing the defensive treasure Nantian Xiu had given him.

"Pah." Lu Chen spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. "It's more than a little stronger than the earlier Heavenly Tribulations."

"Spirit Summoning."

The Primal Chaos Greatsword grew large again, helping the two of them withstand the descending Heavenly Tribulation.

"Boom..." A bolt of Tribulation Lightning struck Lu Chen.

"No, the Heavenly Tribulation covers too wide an area. The Primal Chaos Greatsword can't shield enough."

"Boom... boom..."

In the time it took to speak, Lu Chen was already covered in wounds. The injuries from the lightning strikes were burned again by Tribulation Fire, releasing a scorched stench.

"Brother Lu, don't worry about me anymore. If you face the Heavenly Tribulation alone, you might still succeed."

Protected behind Lu Chen, Nantian Wan'er had suffered almost no injuries. Seeing Lu Chen's wounds being charred again and again, she blamed herself deeply. If Lu Chen had not been protecting her, he would not have suffered such grievous injuries.

"Wan'er, don't worry. I definitely won't abandon you and flee alone. I promised Grandpa Xiu that I would always protect you."

Lu Chen glanced back at Nantian Wan'er, raising the massive Primal Chaos Greatsword with both hands as he continuously poured spiritual energy into it.

"I'm... sorry, Brother Lu. It's all because I'm useless. I always need you to protect me."

Two streams of clear tears rolled down Nantian Wan'er's face. Ever since she had been afflicted with Cold Poison, everyone in the Nantian Sect aside from her grandfather and elder brother had avoided her as though she were the plague.

Unable to bear that feeling, Nantian Wan'er had followed her grandfather out to search for a solution.

And now, this was the first time she had ever been protected behind a man, a man who had even said he would use his life to protect her safety.

At that moment, Nantian Wan'er's thoughts became even more delicate. Her feelings toward Lu Chen were no longer merely curiosity, but a deeper admiration and devotion.

"Brother Lu, I like you. I will definitely marry you."

Standing behind Lu Chen, Nantian Wan'er's eyes sparkled like stars as she stared intently at his face and cheek, whispering into his left ear.

"Boom..." A massive clap of thunder struck before Lu Chen, its sound resounding through heaven and earth.

"What... Wan'er, what did you just say? I didn't hear it." Lu Chen asked.

"Ah... it was nothing. Brother Lu, be careful, Tribulation Fire is falling."

"Boom..."

Bolts of Tribulation Fire and Tribulation Lightning continued to fall around them. Lu Chen could only focus on dealing with them and dared not be distracted.

An hour later, the Heavenly Tribulation grew increasingly fierce.

Lu Chen's aura became weaker and weaker, while the defensive treasure on his body had long since been shattered by the heavenly lightning.

There was almost no uninjured spot left on Lu Chen's body. It was all rotting flesh left behind by severe burns from the Tribulation Fire.

Wind Dragon stared at the continuously falling Heavenly Tribulation and began gathering his origin power.

"Little Lu, let go of the Primal Chaos Greatsword. Let me deal with the Heavenly Tribulation."

"Roar..."

A Dark Green Dragon Shadow flew from the greatsword. Dark green scales and fur emerged one by one, condensing into an enormous dragon body.

The Primal Chaos Greatsword automatically slipped free from Lu Chen's hand and attached itself between Wind Dragon's horns, its blade pointed straight at his nose. The violent aura within the Primal Chaos Greatsword surged endlessly into Wind Dragon's body.

This was a special method Wind Dragon had left behind. At a critical moment, he could borrow the Primal Chaos Greatsword to unleash the power of his peak state.

"Roar..."

Wind Dragon shot into the air, whipping up a violent hurricane around Lu Chen and blocking the Tribulation Fire and Tribulation Lightning. After Wind Dragon displayed his peak strength, he gradually withstood the Heavenly Tribulation's might.

"It's Wind Dragon's aura. Wind Dragon is in the tribulation zone."

Several leaders in the Secret Realm stared at the enormous dragon shadow appearing in the sky and cried out in alarm. Though this dragon shadow differed greatly from Wind Dragon, they could confirm that it was Wind Dragon.

Throughout the Secret Realm.

Those fleeing the Secret Realm noticed the dragon shadow rising into the sky to contend against the Heavenly Tribulation, and they fled even faster.

"Hurry up! The sleeping demonic beasts in the Secret Realm have been awakened. We must find the treasures and withdraw quickly." Jun Wudi, Yao Buting, Zi Long, and the other sect leaders all warned their disciples to speed up.

Within the tribulation zone.

The eleventh wave of Heavenly Tribulation was nearing its end. The Heavenly Tribulation and Wind Dragon both paused, gathering power for their final offensive.

"Boom..."

Wind Dragon collided with the Tribulation Fire and Tribulation Lightning. The fire and lightning exploded outward like blooming fireworks, illuminating the entire Secret Realm.

Wind Dragon's enormous body vanished, and his phantom returned to the Primal Chaos Greatsword, which fell from the sky.

Lu Chen leaped up and caught the Primal Chaos Greatsword. Its color was somewhat dim now, its red and blue streams of light had vanished, and the black-and-white twin fish had returned to Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool.

"Wind Dragon, how are you?"

"I'm fine. These old bones won't die just yet. I'm only a little weak, so I won't be able to come out of the sword for some time." Wind Dragon's weak voice came from the greatsword.

"The final tribulation can only be faced by you. No matter what method you use, as long as you endure the final Heavenly Tribulation, you will receive the blessing of the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. That power will be enough for us to restore our physical strength." Once he finished speaking, Wind Dragon weakened and could no longer continue.

"Brother Lu, are you all right?" Nantian Wan'er hurriedly took out medicinal pills from her storage space and treated Lu Chen's injuries.

"I'm not seriously hurt. Wind Dragon just blocked more than half of the Heavenly Tribulation for us. We can still withstand what remains."

Lu Chen swallowed the medicinal pill. At this moment, the Azure Emperor Bloodline's powerful restorative spiritual energy revealed itself, and the injuries on his body recovered rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"There's only one wave left. I wonder what kind of Heavenly Tribulation we'll face." Lu Chen stared at the dark clouds overhead, his face full of worry.

The final wave of Heavenly Tribulation in the sky had yet to descend, as though it were giving Lu Chen a chance to catch his breath.

"Zzzzz."

The dark clouds in the sky began to gather and contract continuously.

An hour later.

The dark clouds in the sky had contracted to less than ten meters across, yet the power within them was thousands upon hundreds of times denser than before.

"It's coming."

Lu Chen stared at the final wave of Heavenly Tribulation descending from the sky. It was only the most ordinary bolt of heavenly lightning, lacking all the imposing might of the previous eleven waves.

Yet the energy contained within that bolt of heavenly lightning gave Lu Chen an oppressive feeling that could not be resisted.

Lu Chen felt somewhat despairing. He wanted to open the Twin Fish Plate's space and send Nantian Wan'er inside, but discovered that the connection passage to the Twin Fish Plate had already been suppressed by the power of the Heavenly Tribulation.

"Are we really going to die here today? But I still haven't found Grandpa. I still carry the hopes of the villagers on my back, and I promised Grandpa Xiu that I would protect Wan'er and let her live!"

"Brother Lu, until the very last moment, we still have a chance to turn the tables." Nantian Wan'er reached out and took Lu Chen's hand.

"That's right! We still have a chance. I refuse to accept this! I still want to live. I still have to seek my own path of cultivation!"

"I, Lu Chen of Qingtian Workshop, will definitely, definitely survive."

"Ah... come!"

Lu Chen shouted toward the sky. A powerful force of aspiration shot out from his body and pointed straight toward the vault of heaven.

"Bang!"

A tiny bolt of lightning shot from the depths of the firmament straight toward Lu Chen and entered his Heavenly Pool. At that moment, Lu Chen seemed to receive the acknowledgment of heaven and earth, and the Heavenly Tribulation could no longer oppress him.

A profound voice came from some unknown depth within Lu Chen's body: "Heaven and earth assume their places; mountain and marsh exchange their breath; thunder and wind press against one another; water and fire do not strike each other; the Eight Trigrams interlock. The innate has formed, and the acquired is born."

"Azure Emperor Divine Tree."

A sturdy Azure Emperor Divine Tree emerged from the void. Its branches spread out, forming a giant umbrella that protected Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er. As the Heavenly Tribulation descended, it transformed into energy for the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, unable to harm the two of them in the slightest.

An obscure chanting voice spread between heaven and earth.

The innate Five Elements gathered within Lu Chen's Heavenly Pool flew out one after another. Zhen was thunder in the northeast, Xun was wind in the southwest, Li was sun and fire in the east, and Kan was moon and water in the west.

Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er stood at the black-and-white fish eyes of the central taiji diagram, while the Azure Emperor Divine Tree stood at its center.

An Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram radiating blue light formed beneath the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, gradually spreading outward.

Looking at the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram forming beneath his feet, Lu Chen understood that the elements which had previously appeared in special positions within his body around the Azure Emperor Divine Tree should have been the rudiment of the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram.

"Boom..."

The Heavenly Tribulation continued to descend and bombard the Azure Emperor Divine Tree, but all its energy was absorbed and purified.

Part of the energy was used to perfect the external Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram, while another part flowed into Lu Chen and Nantian Wan'er's bodies, beginning to perfect the Acquired Eight Trigrams Diagram within them.

"The Heavenly Tribulation was blocked just like that? And... and our Heavenly Pools have become so powerful. I've never seen such powerful Heavenly Pools before."

When Nantian Wan'er saw the Tribulation Lightning fall, she had already prepared herself for death. Yet now, the Giant Tree that had suddenly appeared effortlessly blocked the oppressive Tribulation Lightning, leaving her stunned.

"Whew... I think so. We should count as having passed this Tribulation Lightning."

Lu Chen let out a long breath, feeling the aura in his Heavenly Pool continuously transform. Though he did not know why the Azure Emperor Divine Tree had appeared, a feeling told him that it shared the same origin and bloodline as him and would not harm him.

Nantian Wan'er quietly took Lu Chen's hand, seemingly rejoicing that they had escaped this calamity. Her gaze remained fixed on Lu Chen, filled with admiration.

Lu Chen looked back at Nantian Wan'er, then tightened his grip around her hand slightly, giving her a measure of security.

Girls all liked powerful men, especially when that man was willing to give his life for them. In this moment of surviving a calamity, Nantian Wan'er's heart had become completely bound to Lu Chen.

Not far from where Lu Chen was undergoing tribulation, Blind Lu watched the two of them face the Heavenly Tribulation.

"My lord, it seems someone is interfering with our plan. A second Azure Emperor Divine Tree should not have appeared in this world."

Blind Lu watched the process of the Innate Eight Trigrams evolving around Lu Chen and continuously pondered who was interfering with their plan.

"Someone is indeed interfering, and their strength is far greater than ours. But it does not matter. Who on this continent is not a chess piece of those beyond this realm? All we need to do is make the Young Master stronger."

"But, my lord, the Young Master has already begun making heaven and earth fear him while still in the Qi Gathering Realm. I fear what comes next..." Before the man in black could finish, Blind Lu interrupted him.

"So what if heaven and earth fear him? Back then, did we not also make heaven and earth fear us? Every day, we were suppressed by the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and unable to cultivate, yet in the end, did we not rely on our Great Dao of Heaven and Earth to recover the memories of the Ancient Era that had been severed?"

Blind Lu thought for a moment before continuing, "Let Little Lu deal with it himself."

The man in black pointed at Nantian Wan'er. "What about this woman born from the Yin Sea Pearl? In the current situation, it is already impossible to make her a sacrifice."

Blind Lu looked toward Nantian Wan'er. When the Innate Eight Trigrams Diagram had formed beneath the two of them, he had already understood that Nantian Wan'er was no longer suitable for sacrifice.

"The original plan remains unchanged. Go create an opportunity for Nantian Wan'er to follow Lu Chen to Fengtian Prefecture."

The man in black said, "Yes, my lord. Then should the trial subject for the Young Master's entry into the Breath Regulation Realm make its appearance?"

Blind Lu said, "Arrange that as you see fit. But more importantly, we need to meet the several demonic beast leaders left behind by the Sixth Ancestor."