During these three months, Yao Xiao continued to engage in hand-to-hand combat with magical beasts in the Magic Beast Mountain Range to temper his human physique and cultivation. At this moment, his cultivation had reached the Nine-Star Battle Spirit.
On this day, Yao Xiao stood atop a peak in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, overlooking the boundless expanse of land beneath his feet.
Yao Xiao's breathing was heavy and powerful, as if every breath could draw in the essence of heaven and earth.
He had just concluded an intense battle, successfully slaying a powerful peak-fourth-rank magical beast.
However, when he checked his physical condition, he discovered that it was still difficult to further improve his human physique.
Damn it! Yao Xiao cursed in a low voice, his fists clenched with bulging veins.
Yao Xiao knew that a breakthrough in his human physique was crucial for him, yet now, he was stuck at this bottleneck, unable to advance.
It seemed that only by breaking through to the Dou Wang, welcoming the arrival of the tribulation lightning, and accepting the baptism of heaven and earth energy after successfully surviving it could he advance further to reach the Minor Achievement Realm.
On a mountain peak, a youth sat cross-legged as the Dou Qi between heaven and earth gathered toward him.
As time passed, he slowly opened his eyes, looked at the solid Dou Qi within his body, and softly said, "A half-step Dou Wang. It is time."
As his voice fell, Yao Xiao took out the fifth-grade pill, the Battle Spirit Pill, that he had refined previously, and immediately tossed it into his mouth.
Yao Xiao quickly closed his eyes and concentrated, absorbing with all his might the dense Dou Qi energy between heaven and earth around him, coupled with the massive energy emanating from the Battle Spirit Pill within his body, calming his mind to make the breakthrough.
His breathing grew deeper and heavier, as if merging into one with heaven and earth.
A crisp sound echoed from within his body, and a certain change seemed to take place inside Yao Xiao. His aura grew even more formidable, feeling as though he had been reborn.
He slowly opened his eyes, looked at his hands, and felt the surging power within his body, shouting excitedly, "I've finally broken through and reached the Dou Wang!"
At this moment, Yao Xiao sensed a change in the aura of the sky and muttered to himself, "It's coming!"
As his voice fell, the sky abruptly changed. Layer upon layer of cumulus clouds piled up to form Shrouding the Heavens thunderclouds, and one could see that those thunderclouds contained a terrifying power capable of destroying heaven and earth.
Yao Xiao stood atop the mountain peak, his gaze like torches, piercing through the rolling layers of dark clouds.
He felt a strong aura of destruction approaching, and the surrounding air grew abnormally oppressive, as if an invisible force were bearing down on him.
He could feel the strength and terror of that force, but he did not retreat; instead, he met the challenge head-on.
Yao Xiao watched as the thunderclouds rolled across the sky with lightning flashing and thunder roaring, while behind this layer of thunderclouds, two even more terrifying tribulation clouds were hidden, still brewing at this moment and not yet manifested.
This Shrouding the Heavens spectacle covered the entire Jia Ma Empire. The members of the mercenary groups situated on the outer fringes of the Magic Beast Mountain Range saw this abnormal change in the weather, with terrifying bolts of lightning brewing in the air and emanating a terrifying aura.
They stopped what they were doing one by one, raising their heads to look at the sky with panic-stricken expressions on their faces.
They had never seen such a breathtaking spectacle, and in their hearts, they couldn't help but guess whether some major event was about to occur.
Some timid individuals began packing up their things, preparing to flee this place. They were afraid of being dragged into it and becoming sacrifices to this disaster.
Meanwhile, some courageous individuals chose to stay, wanting to see what was truly happening, perhaps hoping to gain some enlightenment or fortuitous encounters from it.
At this moment, Yun Yun, located in the Misty Cloud Sect, also saw that the epicenter of this spectacle lay within the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Yun Yun wore a look of astonishment; she had never witnessed such a breathtaking spectacle and couldn't help but worry for Yao Xiao in her heart.
She knew that after she left, Yao Xiao had remained inside the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
Yun Yun took a deep breath, striving to calm the worry in her heart, and silently prayed, hoping that Yao Xiao would be safe. She murmured softly to herself, "Yao Xiao, I hope that when you see this spectacle at this moment, you can avoid this tribulation lightning."
Located in the central position of the Jia Ma Empire, two Dou Wang powerholders suddenly appeared high in the air: Teng Shan of the Mittel Family and Nalan Jie. Teng Shan looked toward the epicenter of the tribulation lightning and said, "Old fellow, do you know what has happened in the Magic Beast Mountain Range? Exactly what kind of person could trigger such a terrifying tribulation lightning?"
Nalan Jie was slightly startled, shook his head, and said, "I have never heard of any expert in the Jia Ma Empire reaching such a stage where they could draw down tribulation lightning. Looking at this kind of terrifying tribulation lightning, this old bone of mine dare not go over, lest I get locked onto by the tribulation lightning as the person undergoing the tribulation. Why don't you go take a look at just which expert is capable of drawing down this sort of tribulation lightning?"
Upon hearing this, Teng Shan tightly furrowed his brows, a sense of curiosity and worry stirring in his heart.
He knew Nalan Jie made sense; this kind of tribulation lightning was indeed extraordinary, and the slightest carelessness could result in being dragged into it.
Just as they were discussing these matters, an expert with an even stronger aura flew over and landed before them. He was Jia Xing Tian, the ruler of the Jia Ma Empire. He looked at Teng Shan and Nalan Jie and said, "It seems this disturbance has attracted quite a few people. Judging by the appearance of the two of you, you must have come here for this disturbance as well, right?"
Teng Shan and Nalan Jie exchanged glances and nodded. They knew Jia Xing Tian's Nine-Star Dou Emperor strength was considered the highest within this Jia Ma Empire, and they also knew his vision was unique.
"That's right, we came for this disturbance," Teng Shan said. "We want to understand just what is going on, and why such a powerful tribulation lightning has appeared."
Jia Xing Tian listened to their words and furrowed his brows slightly. "This disturbance is indeed extraordinary, and I have noticed it as well. However, the specific cause remains unclear to me. Still, I can tell you that this tribulation lightning is not something the likes of us can attain. Therefore, we should simply observe it from afar."
Teng Shan and Nalan Jie exchanged glances and then stood in the distance, gazing toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
At this moment, dark clouds slowly enshrouded Wutan City. The ordinary people inside Wutan City continued their work as usual, and only those cultivators could sense the unusual nature of these dark clouds.
In the main hall of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan sat at the head, speaking with a stern expression to the three elders seated nearby, "I wonder if magical beasts are undergoing tribulations over at the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Let us hope it causes no loss to our interests, seeing as the place we live is far too close to the Magic Beast Mountain Range."
Xiao Zhan looked at the three elders and nodded in acknowledgment, a worried expression of concern clouding his face. Xiao Zhan's lips moved slightly, and if anyone approached him, they would hear him say, "Yao'er, are you still in the Magic Beast Mountain Range? You must protect yourself well."
In a courtyard of the Xiao Clan, beneath a lush, leafy tree, a girl dressed in a light cyan dress leaned against the tree trunk.
At this moment, she sensed an unusual aura, gracefully stood up, and raised her head to look in the direction of the distant Magic Beast Mountain Range. In those autumn-water-gentle eyes, a trace of worry flashed past. She placed her right hand over her chest and murmured in a low voice.
"Brother Yao Xiao, are you still in the Magic Beast Mountain Range right now? I don't even know if Elder Ling can protect you. Xun'er is very worried about you, and I hope you are safe and sound."
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