Qi and Blood surged throughout Lin Wudao's body, and the Chaos Sword hummed incessantly in his hand. Facing encirclement by the Heavenly Mysteries Sect, he abruptly drove the sword's tip into the ground. Vast spiritual power flowed down the blade into the earth, and countless black lines spread outward from him like a spiderweb.
"Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction-Dragon-Luring Break!" Lin Wudao roared. Rumbles rose from underground as three enormous black dragons condensed from Spiritual Qi burst through the earth and lunged at the Heavenly Mysteries Sect disciples surrounding him. Wherever the dragons passed, ripples spread through space itself, and their terrifying pressure made everyone's expressions change abruptly.
Tianxuzi's pupils contracted slightly. He had not expected Lin Wudao to unleash a move of such power. His hands moved rapidly as he chanted, and a golden protective barrier instantly enveloped him and several core disciples. The ordinary disciples were not so fortunate. Struck head-on by the dragons, they immediately spat blood and were sent flying backward, gravely wounded.
However, the Heavenly Mysteries Sect had deep reserves and soon regained its footing. An elder in red Daoist robes brought forth an archaic bronze mirror, which shot a brilliant beam of light straight at Lin Wudao. Lin Wudao swung the Chaos Sword, trying to cleave the light apart, only to discover that it was incredibly resilient. Its collision with the sword actually unleashed a string of dazzling sparks.
Just as Lin Wudao was putting all his strength into resisting the bronze mirror's light, Tianxuzi seized his chance. A longsword shimmering with blue light appeared in his hand, and he appeared behind Lin Wudao like a phantom, thrusting at his back toward his heart. At that critical instant, the system within Lin Wudao suddenly issued a warning: "Danger! Host, evade immediately!"
Lin Wudao had no time to think. Acting on instinct, he lunged forward. Tianxuzi's sword grazed his back, leaving a long slash in his clothing and cutting a bloody line across his back.
"Brat, you will die today without a doubt!" Humiliation turned to fury, and Tianxuzi attacked again. At the same time, the other Heavenly Mysteries Sect disciples brought forth their Law Treasures one after another. For a moment, lights of every kind flashed and Law Techniques flew, completely engulfing Lin Wudao in attacks.
The powerful attacks battered Lin Wudao until his head spun and his vision swam. Wounds covered his body, and blood poured out continuously, staining his clothes red. Just as he thought he would lose his life here, the sky suddenly turned pitch-black. Dark clouds gathered at a speed visible to the naked eye, and bolts of purple lightning as thick as the mouth of a bowl snaked through them amid rolling thunder.
"Is this... a lightning tribulation?" Tianxuzi's expression changed drastically as he stared at the sky in terror. He had never imagined that a lightning tribulation would appear in the midst of this fierce battle.
Lin Wudao also felt the terrifying pressure in the sky. A thought stirred within him, and he realized that this might be his chance to turn things around. Forcing himself to endure the pain of his injuries, he circulated the Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction, frantically absorbing the Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth as he prepared to face the approaching lightning tribulation.
Boom! A massive bolt of purple lightning descended from the sky, striking straight at Lin Wudao. He raised the Chaos Sword and hurled all his strength into meeting it. Sword and lightning collided with a deafening blast, and the powerful shock waves sent the nearby Heavenly Mysteries Sect disciples staggering in all directions.
Tianxuzi was aghast. Well aware of the terror of a lightning tribulation, he no longer dared continue attacking Lin Wudao. He hurriedly led the Heavenly Mysteries Sect members backward, seeking to get far away from this dangerous area.
However, the lightning tribulation's power went far beyond that. Bolt after bolt struck down without pause, and Lin Wudao darted through the lightning. With every collision, he could feel his body enduring tremendous pain, but at the same time, his cultivation was rising at an astonishing speed.
Tempered by the lightning tribulation, Lin Wudao's wounds healed rapidly, and his understanding of the Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction deepened as well. The Chaos Sword continuously absorbed the power of lightning within the tribulation, its blade gleaming with dazzling purple light as it grew ever stronger.
Standing in the distance, Tianxuzi watched Lin Wudao being reborn through fire within the lightning tribulation, his heart filled with resentment and fear. He knew that if Lin Wudao survived the lightning tribulation today, he would surely become a grave threat to the Heavenly Mysteries Sect in the future. But the lightning tribulation was far too terrifying, and he did not dare approach rashly.
"Retreat!" Tianxuzi gritted his teeth and gave the order to withdraw. As though granted a pardon, the Heavenly Mysteries Sect members fled the ancient battlefield on their flying swords.
Lin Wudao, however, was completely immersed in the lightning tribulation. His gaze was firm and blazing, and beneath the lightning's illumination, his figure seemed incomparably towering. As the final bolt struck, Lin Wudao's presence erupted in full. He successfully broke through to the Tribulation Transcendence Realm, becoming one of the most powerful experts on this continent...