"Rumble...!!!"
"Boom, boom, boom...!!!"
Dark clouds pressed down overhead, as if the sky were collapsing. An endless river of lightning poured down from above.
It slammed into Snow Valley, flattening it in the blink of an eye!
The terrifying might of the heavens seemed intent on destroying the world.
The Ferocious Beasts scattered in every direction, scared witless!
They fled in blind panic, darting around like headless flies.
Flames blazed around the Three-Eyed Golden Lion as she hurriedly chased after Liu Feng and fled.
Even Di Tian didn't dare stay there any longer. He tore open a spatial rift and quickly escaped with Bi Ji.
Before leaving, he glanced back at Snow Empress through the flashes of lightning.
A trace of regret flickered in his eyes.
This tribulation was far more powerful than he'd expected!
Forget Snow Empress—even he wasn't confident he could survive it!
So... Snow Empress was doomed.
Snow Empress immediately soared into the air, flying toward the tribulation clouds instead.
A snowy-white barrier rose around her, warding off the pillars of lightning that kept crashing down.
She was like a fish swimming upstream, or a moth flying into a flame.
"I'm going to die..."
Snow Empress murmured to herself.
Without a doubt, she had no hope of surviving.
This sudden tribulation had undoubtedly come for her life.
But what worried her more was whether it would drag the other Ferocious Beasts, like Ice Empress, into it.
Ice Empress would face her own tribulation in a few years.
If Snow Empress's tribulation triggered it, it might descend early as well!
"Boom...!!!"
A massive pillar of lightning struck the barrier head-on.
It shattered like a bubble in an instant, and the lightning crashed down upon her!
Snow Empress hurriedly raised a hand and struck out. Boundless icy snow burst forth, meeting the lightning head-on.
They held in a stalemate for a split second...
Then she plummeted like a cannonball!
As she fell, she struck out with one palm after another, each one stronger than the last, constantly fighting back against the lightning pursuing her.
"There are nine rounds to the tribulation, and each one is more powerful than the last!"
"I struggled this much just to get through the first round. I doubt I'll make it to the fifth..."
Snow Empress sighed. She understood her predicament, yet her fighting spirit only burned brighter!
Even if she died, she would fight back with all her might!
Across a vast expanse of snow.
A streak of golden light raced away from the pillars of lightning, carving a furrow through the snow.
"Huff, huff, huff...!!!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion ran as if she'd forgotten everything, driven by nothing but sheer will.
Suddenly, her Soul Power seized up. She dropped from the air and tumbled more than two hundred meters across the snow.
Liu Feng descended from above. The Night Sprite Dragon set him down beside the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
It was nearing dusk, and he had transformed into the appearance of a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old boy.
"Golden Lion, don't be scared..."
Liu Feng gently stroked the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head. She quickly shrank until she was no bigger than a kitten, then leaped into his arms.
Her big, watery eyes were filled with fear.
"That was terrifying, Liu Feng!"
"How could there be such a terrifying tribulation?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion trembled, her fur standing on end. She'd been scared out of her wits.
Liu Feng soothed her again and again as he looked toward the distant tribulation.
The oppressive feeling was still intense, even from dozens of miles away.
He couldn't understand why Snow Empress had drawn such a powerful tribulation.
With him and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion there, the tribulation's power should have been greatly reduced!
"Whoosh...!"
A spatial rift appeared.
Di Tian and Bi Ji stepped out together.
Bi Ji swept out a wash of gentle green light, enveloping the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.
"This tribulation isn't right. It's as if someone is targeting Snow Empress."
Di Tian spoke in a low voice, his expression dark.
At his words, a figure immediately appeared in Liu Feng's mind.
Sea God Tang San...!
He'd appeared in Liu Feng's mental space before.
Now he was meddling again, preventing Snow Empress from successfully overcoming her tribulation. It made perfect sense!
After all, before the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had even gained sentience, he'd stuffed her into Tang Wutong's divine consciousness!
Liu Feng closed his eyes and carefully smelled the air from afar.
Through the smoky scent of the tribulation, he faintly caught a trace of malice.
He couldn't be sure it was Sea God Tang San, but this tribulation was definitely no accident!
It was a malicious attempt on her life!
"Does Heaven truly have to treat Soul Beasts so unfairly?"
Bi Ji sighed, gazing sadly toward the distant tribulation.
By then, Xiong Jun and the other Ferocious Beasts had all gathered.
Fear showed on every face.
Ferocious Beasts feared tribulations most of all!
In particular, they couldn't risk coming into contact with a tribulation's aura, or it might strengthen the power of their own tribulations in the future.
They were all lucky. Though they'd suffered some injuries, none of them were seriously hurt.
"Let's go! This place is too cursed! That tribulation could wipe us all out!"
"Exactly! What did Snow Empress do to draw a tribulation this terrifying?"
"Run for it! Forget the Extreme North!"
"..."
The Ferocious Beasts were unanimous. They all looked toward Di Tian.
They didn't want to stay another moment.
Di Tian nodded slightly. "In that case, then..."
He hadn't finished speaking when he suddenly turned to look at Liu Feng.
Liu Feng was still standing there, motionless, staring fixedly at the tribulation.
But an even more mysterious aura was emanating from him.
"Comprehending Heaven and Earth...?!"
Di Tian was slightly startled.
It wasn't surprising that witnessing the might of Heaven and Earth had led Liu Feng to comprehend it...
Besides, the Laws of Heaven and Earth and the Law of Nature were closely related.
Di Tian changed tack. "Let's stay a little longer. Liu Feng is at a critical moment."
"..."
The Ferocious Beasts nodded one after another, but unease still gnawed at them as they stared hard at the distant tribulation.
If its range expanded, they'd have to flee immediately.
At that moment, Liu Feng seemed to have transcended his body.
His soul roamed between Heaven and Earth, drawn to the tribulation, and naturally drifted toward it.
He "saw" streaks of white light raining down on Snow Valley.
The Ice Crystal Palace within had long since been destroyed.
Snow Empress struggled desperately beneath the tribulation. The holy, serene air about her had vanished. Blood stained her body, her hair was a disheveled mess from the blows, and her face was blackened with soot.
He looked farther up, toward the end of the tribulation.
Deep within the darkest clouds, he faintly saw a blue-haired figure looking down with scorn.
The figure stood high above, radiating a divine and noble air.
"Sea God Tang San...!"
Liu Feng gritted his teeth, filled with indignation.
At the same time, inside the Sea God Palace in the Divine Realm.
Sea God Tang San was indeed increasing the tribulation's power!
He wasn't in charge of tribulations, but with a God King's authority, he could trigger one ahead of time and secretly intensify it.
"Though I've interfered with the lower realm, I did it through a Soul Beast's tribulation. Soul Beasts have always been despised by the Divine Realm. Even if Destruction finds out, he won't be able to do anything to me!"
"Forcing Snow Empress to transform and cultivate anew, then sending the gravely injured Ice Empress to Huo Yuhao—that's all it will take for me to succeed!"
Sea God Tang San smirked to himself, pleased with his handiwork.
Even if things didn't go according to the script, he could force them back on track!
But he hadn't noticed the purple figure that had entered his palace.
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