Breaking Through Level Thirty, the Second Heavenly Tribulation Arrives!

The points of light grew at a speed visible to the naked eye, eventually stabilizing into a blue crystal core the size of a dragon's eye.

The crystal core rotated slowly, crystal clear throughout, radiating a pure and powerful chill!

It remained distinct from Xue Chen's own thunder soul power and blood energy, yet it subtly formed a marvelous balance and connection with them.

The thick layer of ice around Xue Chen began to creak, developing countless cracks before finally shattering with a boom, the shards turning into pure energy that was absorbed by the blue crystal core on his body.

He slowly opened his eyes, a flash of ice-blue light flickering deep within his pupils.

He had successfully condensed the Ice Attribute Origin Seed within his body!

Feeling the blue crystal core in his dantian radiating that familiar chill, and sensing his body's newfound affinity for the surrounding ice elements—as if they were an extension of his own limbs—a weary yet incredibly excited smile appeared on Xue Chen's pale face.

He knew that from this moment on, his path would become much broader!

And the Snow Emperor's ultimate techniques had also opened their doors to him.

Several months passed quietly in focused cultivation.

On this day, inside the Ice Crystal Palace, Xue Chen was guiding the fusion of his ice and thunder soul powers to temper his body when his aura suddenly surged, his soul power fluctuations breaking through a critical threshold—he had successfully broken through to level thirty!

However, the moment he broke through!

Outside the Ice Crystal Palace, the previously clear and pale sky of the Far North was covered without warning by thick, dark clouds surging in from all directions.

The clouds hung low, rolling like ink, with purple lightning flickering within them, emitting a dull roar.

The world dimmed in an instant, and a heart-palpitating, destructive pressure enveloped the wilderness; it was so similar to the blue lightning tribulation from months ago, yet it seemed somewhat different!

The Snow Emperor sensed the anomaly in the heavens and earth immediately. She appeared outside the palace in a flash, looking up at the churning purple thunderclouds. Her eyes were filled with shock and worry, and she could not help but cast her gaze toward the side hall where Xue Chen was cultivating.

"Could it be... that Chen'er has attracted this again?"

Almost simultaneously, Xue Chen was startled out of his cultivation. He clearly felt the second seal within his body trembling violently, as if summoned by some external force, and it was on the verge of losing control.

He walked quickly out of the side hall and came to the Snow Emperor's side, his small face wearing a look of helplessness, yet he remained strangely calm.

"Mother," Xue Chen said, looking up at the purple thunderclouds with a tone of certainty:

"This lightning tribulation... it seems I have attracted it again.

I feel... just like the first time, there shouldn't be any real danger."

Hearing this, the Snow Emperor's expression grew even more solemn on her beautiful face.

She naturally trusted Xue Chen's perception, but this concerned the might of the heavens. Especially since the aura radiating from this purple lightning was even more unsettling than the previous blue lightning, how could she not be worried?

She feared that this tribulation was different from the last, and if an accident occurred, the consequences would be unimaginable.

She wanted to speak up and stop him, to have Xue Chen take cover.

Xue Chen saw the anxiety in the Snow Emperor's eyes. He stepped forward, took her hand, and looked at her with clear, firm eyes:

"Mother, don't worry.

I can clearly feel that although the power contained in this lightning tribulation is more terrifying, its core intent is no different from the last time; it holds no malice toward me.

It feels more like... a tempering and a liberation.

Mother, please help me; just send me up."

Looking into Xue Chen's trusting eyes, the worry and reason in the Snow Emperor's heart clashed violently.

In the end, her love and trust for Xue Chen gained the upper hand.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the unease in her heart, gripped Xue Chen's small hand tightly in return, and nodded.

"Very well! Mother believes you."

Her voice remained cold and clear:

"But remember, the moment you feel something is wrong, call for me immediately!

No matter what, Mother will keep you safe!"

"Mm!" Xue Chen nodded heavily, his eyes sparkling with gratitude and confidence.

The Snow Emperor did not hesitate further. She lifted her jade hand, and a pure, gentle stream of soul power lifted Xue Chen, steadily sending him toward the sky above the Ice Crystal Palace to face the rolling purple thunderclouds.

The scale of this lightning tribulation seemed less vast than the first, which had covered the entire Far North, but the pressure was far more concentrated.

At the center of the thunderclouds, purple electricity gathered frantically.

"BOOM--!!!"

The first bolt of purple lightning, like a roaring purple dragon, tore through the sky and struck Xue Chen with a thunderous crash!

The anticipated pain did not fully manifest; the moment the purple lightning touched his body, it once again displayed its strange side. The violent thunder power was reined in, leaving only the purest, most primordial thunder energy.

It then surged frantically into his body, rushing straight toward the second, violently trembling seal deep within his dantian!

"Crack..."

A clear sound of shattering echoed deep within Xue Chen's soul.

Following that, the second, the third...

Purple bolts of divine thunder descended one after another, striking Xue Chen with unerring precision and transforming into a torrent that shattered his seals.

The entire process was faster than the first time; after only seven strikes, the purple thunderclouds in the sky began to slowly dissipate as if their mission were complete, allowing dazzling sunlight to spill through the gaps once more.

Xue Chen hovered in mid-air, bathed in the lingering purple electricity, appearing like a god of thunder descended upon the world.

Within his body, the second, incredibly complex dark-light runic seal had crumbled under the continuous bombardment of the seven purple bolts, dissolving into pure energy that merged into his very limbs and bones.

Yet, the gift brought by this broken seal was not the mysterious blue soul ring from before, but a clear enhancement to his thunder attribute!

The phantom of the Thunder Dragon Emperor emerged behind him involuntarily, and strands of noble, violent purple electricity began to weave across its originally azure dragon body.

The phantom of the Radiant Thunder Dragon Spear in his hand also solidified; the edges of the blue dragon-scale patterns on the shaft were now tinged with a deep purple, radiating a terrifying aura that made one's soul tremble.

His Ultimate Thunder attribute had evolved further!

It had transformed from pure blue lightning into a blend of blue and purple, with its power, speed, and destructive potential all elevated by more than a single tier.

Within that purple lightning, there seemed to be a trace of a supreme intent of judgment and evil-breaking.

Feeling the surging, more powerful, and purer thunder energy within him, as well as the blue-purple thunder origin that stood alongside his ice origin without conflict, Xue Chen revealed a brilliant smile.

He descended slowly and looked down at Snow Emperor, who had been watching him nervously, nodding firmly.

The second seal had been successfully broken!

His strength had once again achieved a qualitative leap!

Seeing the thunderclouds disperse and Xue Chen's aura stabilize to a level even greater than before, the heavy stone in Snow Emperor's heart finally fell.

She beckoned with a jade hand, and the gentle soul power that had been supporting Xue Chen slowly receded, setting him down steadily before her.

She reached out to brush away the remaining sparks of electricity from his hair, her eyes filled with concern and curiosity as she asked softly, "Chen'er, how do you feel? Did this tribulation bring you another strange origin soul ring like the last time, or perhaps some other new ability?"

Hearing this, Xue Chen closed his eyes and carefully inspected his inner self.

The originally azure thunder origin had now transformed into a deeper blue-purple; though the purple did not dominate, it imbued all his thunder power with a supreme aura of judgment and destruction.