Huh? A lightning tribulation?
Why so soon?
Lu Li's expression shifted slightly.
Then, without another word, he rushed back to his cultivation chamber, put away the spirit stones, picked up the jade pendant, and shot out of Star Gazing Tower in a flash.
"Senior Brother Bai, what's going on? Why did the lightning tribulation descend all of a sudden?"
Lu Li asked solemnly.
"Junior Brother, get on the boat! There's no time to explain!"
On the Gold Jade Painted Boat, Bai Jinfei beckoned him over, his expression grave.
"Okay!"
Lu Li didn't waste any words either. He leaped three zhang into the air and landed on the boat.
The next moment, the boat flashed with Lingguang and shot away with a roar. After several quick bursts of speed, it had flown far from Ghost Peak Mountain.
Boom.
Just then, an even more immense and terrifying peal of thunder erupted, resounding throughout heaven and earth.
The entire Gold Jade Painted Boat shuddered violently, its Lingguang flickering wildly.
"Not good! The lightning tribulation's striking!"
Bai Jinfei cried out, flustered and alarmed.
Lu Li looked up and saw ink-dark clouds boiling across the highest heavens, countless silver serpents writhing through them as if about to crash down and wipe out everything within Ghost Peak Mountain.
It was terrifying beyond words!
For the first time, Lu Li felt the boundless might of heaven and the helpless insignificance of man!
Just as the lightning was about to crash down, a cold snort rang out from deep within the Yin Underworld Ghost Sect.
Immediately, streams of dark ghostly energy burst up from the mountains and earth, thick as pillars supporting the sky. They surged upward and spread like fountains.
In the blink of an eye, a shell-shaped canopy of ghostly energy took form, covering the heavens and the earth.
The aura of the destructive lightning above Lu Li's head weakened at once.
"Good thing the sect's mighty experts stepped in and activated the Supreme Demon Array! We're safe, Junior Brother!" Bai Jinfei let out a long breath beside him.
Hearing this, Lu Li's heart settled. "Then can we go back to Ghost Peak Mountain?"
"I'm afraid not."
Bai Jinfei shook his head and gazed at the thunderclouds in the highest heavens. "This Nascent Soul Lightning Tribulation covers a vast area, at least a thousand li. If we stay on Ghost Peak Mountain, we could still get caught up in it!"
What a hassle.
Plans never kept pace with change.
Lu Li furrowed his brow slightly.
He had intended to cultivate in his cave abode until he reached the fifth level of Qi Refining. He had never imagined that Ghost Demon True Person would suddenly advance to the Nascent Soul stage.
Now his breakthrough to the fifth level of Qi Refining would have to be delayed again.
"Junior Brother, I'm going to Ten Thousand Demon City to prepare a congratulatory gift for Master. Want to come with me?"
Bai Jinfei asked with a smile.
"Huh? Don't we have to stay here and wait for Master to finish his tribulation?"
Lu Li looked puzzled.
"It's not time yet. The sect's mighty experts have already acted, raising the Supreme Demon Array to sever heaven's perception and buy Master time to prepare for the lightning tribulation. He'll need at least five days to find out what kind of tribulation it is and prepare a magic treasure specifically for surviving it. We can come back in five days and watch Master undergo the lightning tribulation."
Bai Jinfei explained.
He smiled as if he had absolute confidence in Ghost Demon True Person.
"I see."
Lu Li nodded, beginning to understand.
The Yin Underworld Ghost Sect had managed to enter the Ten Demon Sects for a reason. It truly had some strength—to think it could even sever heaven's lightning tribulation.
"Junior Brother, Ten Thousand Demon City! The nuns and little nuns you've been dreaming of, even snake demons—you can find them all there! They're just a little pricey. A thousand gold a day! Heh heh heh!"
Bai Jinfei wore a smile that every man would understand.
"Well... How could I let a beautiful woman wait when I'm as poor as a church mouse? Senior Brother, I'd better not go. I'll stay in Ten Thousand Ghost Cave and see if I can find another Low-grade Spirit Ghost."
Lu Li put on a look of slight temptation, but ultimately declined.
"What a pity. I was hoping to compete with you, Junior Brother Lu!"
Bai Jinfei shook his head, looking regretful.
Good grief!
He really was worthy of being a disciple of the Demonic Sect! They certainly knew how to let loose!
Lu Li's heart stirred slightly. He didn't waste any more words and cupped his hands. "Senior Brother, I'm off to Ten Thousand Ghost Cave. Have fun in Ten Thousand Demon City! Farewell!"
With that, he leaped down.
Thump.
His body plummeted straight down more than thirty meters and slammed into the earth, leaving a huge crater one zhang deep.
The next moment, Lu Li jumped out of the pit.
Without a scratch.
Indestructible Vajra Divine Art really packed a punch!
Lu Li brushed the dirt off his clothes and shot away, transforming into a streaking phantom as he sped toward the passage in the back mountain.
On the boat, Bai Jinfei withdrew his gaze and turned to ask, "Tsk, Second Senior Sister, our Junior Brother certainly has a lot of secrets. He's already reached the fourth level of Qi Refining so quickly, and that body-tempering technique of his—is it any match for your Dragon Transformation True Body?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a snow-white python slithered out from behind the boat's beaded curtain.
Lingguang flashed.
The python transformed into a woman dressed in white, tall and shapely, with a high, graceful figure.
Her delicate, oval face was adorned with features as fine and white as jade carvings.
Barefoot, she swayed forward with the elegance of a snake gliding through water. She went straight to the edge of the boat, narrowed her golden snake eyes slightly, and stared at Lu Li darting nimbly through the woods.
She said nothing.
An aura of a dangerous great demon began to radiate from her.
Bai Jinfei didn't dare ask any more questions. He immediately piloted the boat and shot toward the horizon.
By this time, Lu Li had already passed through the Blue Light Barrier Restriction and entered Ten Thousand Ghost Cave.
He had originally planned to go to the Scripture Depository.
But an ill-intentioned old man with a skull necklace was there.
Lu Li was worried the man would notice that his Vajra Art had mutated, so he came to Ten Thousand Ghost Cave instead, intending to level up White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm.
He didn't want that skill to stay stuck at the fourth level, going nowhere.
Besides, there was no Spirit Gathering Array in Ten Thousand Ghost Cave, and he couldn't cultivate using large quantities of spirit stones. Blood-Devouring Heaven-Swallowing Art definitely wouldn't be satisfied, so it would probably go out.
Maybe he'd really find a Low-grade Spirit Ghost.
"Huh? Green Lotus didn't come?"
Lu Li waited there for a while and realized that Green Lotus hadn't shown up.
That was fine; it saved him from being pestered by that woman.
He liked drinking newly released tea, but he didn't like Green Tea.
Unless it was especially beautiful, of course.
Lu Li drifted forward at an unhurried pace, carefully studying the parchment map in his hand.
There were quite a few Extreme Yin Lands nearby.
The closest was five hundred and twenty li to the north.
After a brief moment of thought, Lu Li headed straight there.
Soon, he arrived at this Extreme Yin Land, a small Black Water Lake.
Pure, dense Yin energy poured from the lake, cold enough to chill one to the bone.
A thick forest of Soul Burial Trees surrounded the lakeshore.
Several stone huts stood by the water, each sealed behind an array that blocked the view.
But from one of the huts, a bamboo fishing rod jutted out, its silver line dangling into the lake.
A fishing enthusiast!
Lu Li's eyes lit up. He drifted forward, darted across the ground several times, and stopped ten zhang from the stone hut. He cupped his hands and asked, "Senior Brother, any luck? May I see your fish basket?"
"Nothing. Got skunked again. You came at just the right time. If I don't catch a single fish again, I'll be so angry I'll go into cultivation deviation. You can have this spot."
As a deep voice spoke, a burly, fierce-looking man with a face full of thick flesh emerged from the stone hut.
He casually set down his fishing rod, nodded at Lu Li, then crouched by the lake, lowered his head, and took a hearty gulp of the inky water.
Then he stood up, wiped his mouth, flashed away as a streak of black light, and vanished.
Sure enough, a fishing enthusiast never went home empty-handed.
"Thanks."
Lu Li cupped his hands toward the departing man. He didn't mind and went straight into the stone hut.
He glanced at the fish basket. As expected, it was completely empty.
"The feng shui here is pretty good. This is the spot!"
Lu Li looked around. He didn't bother looking for another place and sat down cross-legged. He grabbed the fishing rod, swung it out, baited the hook, and started fishing.
At the same time, he circulated his blood and qi to attract ghosts.
Before long, a vicious Ghost Infant at the seventh level of Qi Refining floated out of the woods and crept closer, trying to ambush him.
"Go!"
Lu Li had sensed it long ago. He formed a hand seal, condensed Blood-Devouring Demon Light, and flicked it out.
Aah!
A piercing shriek from a fierce ghost rang out at once.
The Big-Headed Ghost Infant was struck in the forehead by the Blood-Devouring Demon Light, which punched a tiny hole through it, no bigger than one made by an embroidery needle.
Blood-colored light swirled inside the hole, fierce and relentless as it began devouring the Ghost Infant.
The Ghost Infant felt a sharp, searing pain. Its ghostly body trembled violently, and it turned to flee.
But just then, Lu Li charged forward like a tiger breaking out of its cage, his palm snapping out like an eagle's talon.
Bone Claw Heart-Grasp!
Thump.
The fierce ghost exploded, bursting into a cloud of ghostly energy.
"Your Spirit Ghost Phantom Step absorbed pure ghostly energy, filling it with vigor and increasing its cultivation effect by 50%." "White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm was ravenous and finally got its fill. Its cultivation improved greatly, increasing its progress by 20%!" "White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm has broken through to the fifth level." "With its realm improved, White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm's confidence soared. It immediately went to settle an old score with Indestructible Vajra Divine Art, only to be taught a lesson and dealt a heavy blow." "After suffering a crushing defeat, White Bone Heart-Destroying Palm reflected on its failure and decided to join the Buddhist Sect camp."
Before you continue