Lightning Law Body Tempering, Wind Fire Two Tribulations!

Outside the mountain cave, beneath the heavens, the thunderclouds grew increasingly dense, as though the weight of the entire sky had gathered here. At the center of the ink-black clouds, a deep vortex slowly turned. Silver lightning brewed and surged within it, producing teeth-gritting crackles. A destructive heavenly might far more terrifying and pure than before had firmly locked onto the newly born spiritual pill below.

Inside the cave, Xiao Yao held the Human-Supplementing Immortal Pill, its surface marked with mysterious purple patterns and wreathed in seven-colored pill aura. His expression shifted from initial shock to wild delight, before finally becoming an odd mixture of laughter and tears.

"First time refining pills... a Seventh Grade pill... Pill Lightning descending..."

He muttered to himself. Even with the composure of someone who had lived two lives, he felt wave after wave of dazed disbelief.

This was a Seventh Grade pill!

Across the entire continent, a sixth-grade alchemist was enough to drive countless experts mad and be treated as an honored guest by a sect. Yet Seventh Grade pills were the supreme glory that countless alchemists could pursue for their entire lives without even glimpsing from behind!

And now, this ultimate dream sought by countless mediocre alchemists had been achieved so effortlessly by him on his very first attempt at pill refinement?

"Heh..." Xiao Yao could not help laughing softly. His laughter was filled with indescribable emotion and pride. "Even Gu He, the Pill King of the Jia Ma Empire, is only sixth grade. On my first attempt at refining pills, I've already surpassed this empire's legend. Hahaha."

Then he remembered how Old Man Yao had once judged him to lack talent in alchemy, and Xiao Yao could not help smiling teasingly. "When fate brings opportunity, who can deny it?"

If Old Man Yao witnessed him drawing Pill Lightning on his first attempt at pill refinement, would the shock make Venerable Yao's jaw drop?

"Hmph! Brat, stop getting carried away!"

Just as Xiao Yao's emotions surged, Grandpa Lu's voice rang out in his mind. He tried to sound stern, but the thick approval in his tone could not be concealed.

"To draw Pill Lightning and achieve Seventh Grade on your first attempt at refining pills, your talent truly is something I have never seen before in my life. You are a monster among monsters! But this is not entirely your own achievement!"

Xiao Yao's heart trembled. He put away his pride and humbly accepted the lesson. "Please enlighten me, Grandpa Lu."

"You think you could refine a Seventh Grade pill with merely magical beast materials no higher than sixth grade in this world, along with some ordinary Spirit Grass that are a thousand years old? What a foolish dream!" Grandpa Lu snorted. "If I had not helped you at the crucial moment by purifying and elevating the medicinal properties of those inferior ingredients, breaking through the material-grade limitations of this world, you could at most have refined a high-grade sixth-grade pill!"

"Furthermore, do not underestimate the Alchemy Dao! Today's success was only achieved because you relied on the powerful control of your Spirit Realm Divine Soul, with my assistance from the side. Your understanding of the Alchemy Dao, knowledge of medicinal principles, and even your control over heat are still exceedingly immature! At present, you have merely placed one foot through the gates of the true Alchemy Dao!"

Grandpa Lu's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the flames of pride in Xiao Yao's heart. Rather than becoming angry, his respect for this proud "Grandpa Lu" only deepened.

A fine teacher and a true friend—nothing could be better.

Moreover, this refinement method was even more terrifying than Old Man Yao's Spirit Ascension Method. It could actually raise a pill's grade!

"I have learned my lesson. I still have so much to learn." Xiao Yao spoke sincerely. He could feel that after this round of pill refinement, his already powerful Spirit Realm Soul had become more condensed and transparent, as though it had undergone perfect tempering.

"You can be taught." Grandpa Lu's tone softened somewhat. "However, do not belittle yourself either. This Pill Lightning is both a tribulation and a fortune! Look closely—the manifestation of this world's Heavenly Dao will has arrived!"

"Boom-crack—!"

As though confirming Grandpa Lu's words, the thundercloud vortex overhead, which had brewed to its limit, suddenly contracted. A silver Lightning Dragon more brilliant and terrifying than all the previous lightning combined roared as it tore through space, carrying the will to purify all things and destroy everything, then viciously devoured the place where Xiao Yao stood!

The might of this Pill Lightning was enough to make ordinary Dou Zong experts' scalps tingle and fill their hearts with despair!

Yet Xiao Yao's eyes held not the slightest fear. Instead, they erupted with unprecedented, dazzling light!

"Pill Lightning? A tribulation that ordinary Dou Zong experts avoid at all costs is, to me... a great tonic!"

He recalled how the Heavenly Demon Puppet Xiao Yan possessed in the story could absorb the power of Pill Lightning to advance. He had cultivated the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts and forged an immortal body with an Innate Dao Body. This Pill Lightning was perfect for tempering his body!

"Come at me!"

Xiao Yao let out a long cry. Without the slightest hesitation, he pushed off with his feet and shot out of the cave like a golden arrow, charging directly toward the violent silver Lightning Dragon!

Midair, facing the silver lightning that could destroy all things, Xiao Yao neither dodged nor evaded. He let out a low shout!

"Eight-Nine Arcane Arts, Lightning Law Body Tempering!"

"Buzz—!"

At that moment, his entire body erupted with dazzling golden light! Mysterious golden runes flowed endlessly across his skin, as though he had donned sacred armor woven from the laws of the Great Dao!

The next instant, the savage silver Lightning Dragon struck his seemingly unremarkable body head-on!

"Sizzle—!"

The ear-piercing sound of exploding lightning arcs resounded through the skies!

Endless violent lightning power surged into Xiao Yao's body like billions of steel needles, recklessly destroying his meridians, bones, and flesh!

An unimaginable agony instantly swept through Xiao Yao's entire body! It felt as though his body were being torn apart alive, crushed into dust, and then reassembled over and over again. It was enough to make even the strongest-willed person collapse in an instant!

But Xiao Yao endured it by sheer force!

He clenched his teeth, his eyes bloodshot. Not only did he not resist, he actively circulated the Great Grade Heavenly Immortal Art, madly guiding the lightning power to temper his body!

"Brat, activate your system!" Grandpa Lu's voice entered his Sea of Consciousness.

Xiao Yao immediately activated the Daoist Immortal System, modified by his master, and looked at its current changes.

[Name: Xiao Yao]

[Cultivation: Refining Essence into Qi, Complete (Quasi-Dou Zong)]

[Physique: Minor Achievement in Innate Dao Body]

[Cultivation Method: Great Grade Heavenly Immortal Art (Beginner), True Explanation of Alchemy (Beginner), Eight-Nine Arcane Arts (Beginner), Ming Xin Jian Xing Jue (Minor Achievement)]

[Divine Abilities: Heaven Burning Martial Arts (Beginner), Eight Extremes Fist Technique (Minor Achievement), Wind Fire Two Tribulations (Awaiting Unlock in Mall)]

[Merit: 1000 points (Merit Mall activated)]

Xiao Yao stared blankly at the merit points. When the Supreme Master had modified the system, he had even converted the thousand-point reward for changing the original plot into merit!

He could never repay such a master's kindness.

Among the dazzling treasures and Divine Abilities in the mall, Wind Fire Two Tribulations, an immortal art, was lit up. Exactly one thousand merit points were needed to unlock it!

"Exchange for the Divine Ability, Wind Fire Two Tribulations."

[Ding! Wind Fire Two Tribulations unlocked. Swift as wind, still as forest, surging into fire; the body becomes light as wind and swift as a flying rainbow. Ride mountain fire, and the world brightens in an instant; transform into lightness of body, dispel the Three Calamities, and evade the Nine Tribulations.]

It was actually a superior Immortal Dao Movement Technique. Once cultivated to great mastery, it would be enough to dispel calamities and evade tribulations.

Xiao Yao was overjoyed. He immediately used the Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering to comprehend and practice the movement technique.

Midair, facing the swift silver lightning, Xiao Yao neither dodged nor evaded. He let out a low Daoist shout!

Under the tyrannical lightning power, every inch of flesh and every cell in his body underwent a transformation of destruction followed by rebirth! His bones became more crystalline and tougher than divine iron; his meridians became broader and more resilient, capable of containing greater magical power; after being cleansed by lightning, the mysteries of Wind Fire Two Tribulations became purer as well, carrying an additional domineering aura of majestic heavenly might, like a thunderbolt!

"Aah—!"

Xiao Yao threw back his head and let out a roar filled with both pain and exhilaration!

He could feel the strength of his physical body soaring madly at an unimaginable rate!

Who knew how long passed before the glow of the silver Lightning Dragon in the heavens dimmed somewhat. Then a divine light suddenly burst from Xiao Yao's eyes!

"Break for me...!"

Having absorbed enough lightning power, he gathered the strength of his tempered body into his right fist and ruthlessly punched at the core of the thunderclouds overhead, which still refused to disperse!

This punch contained the divine might of lightning, with wind feeding fire, and carried the purest, most primal, and most terrifying physical strength!

"Boom!!!"

A rift suddenly burst open in the sky. A visible golden fist force, like a giant dragon rising against the heavens, tore through space and instantly pierced the heavy thunderclouds!

The Pill Lightning clouds, which had refused to disperse, let out an unwilling wail before finally exploding with a thunderous crash. They turned into a rain of light that scattered between heaven and earth.

The sky became clear once more.

Xiao Yao tossed out a jade vial and stored the pill, which gave off a pill fragrance and bore pill patterns across its surface. It was a low-grade Seventh Grade pill, with quality close to perfect!

He floated in midair, his entire body charred black and his clothes utterly shredded. Yet his eyes shone like the brightest stars in the night sky. He slowly clenched his fist, sensing the explosive power within him, and a satisfied smile rose on his lips.

He slowly descended to the ground, but his thoughts lingered on the descending Pill Lightning and the Merit Mall.