Thunder surged and lightning danced wildly. Thunderclouds piled up like mountains in the void. Streaks of purple lightning, like celestial calamities, crashed down with destructive laws that transcended everything, striking the majestic and mysterious ancient tower.
"Boom--!!!"
A deafening thunderclap pierced the heavens and earth, and a bolt of purple lightning ripped through the sky, striking a point a hundred feet in front of the Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower. The lightning exploded, the void was annihilated, and the earth trembled. Several disciples retreated in horror.
The female disciple covered her face with her hands, her breathing erratic and labored, her voice filled with lingering fear. "Luckily we dodged in time... that purple lightning... it would probably annihilate even True Soul Realm Peak instantly!"
Si Yao regained her composure, her gaze already fixed on Zhou Yu. A slightly embarrassed smile appeared on her face as she cupped her hands and said:
"Brother Zhou is indeed incredibly composed. If it weren't for your leadership, we would probably have already been obliterated by that bolt of lightning."
"However..." He paused slightly, his tone sincere yet laced with a hint of enticement and calculation. "Brother Zhou, as a disciple within the top 100 of the sect's inner circle, your cultivation has reached the True Soul Realm Second Stage, and you also possess sword techniques. Could you perhaps test us out for us?"
Upon hearing this, the other disciples' eyes flashed with complex emotions, and for a moment, no one uttered a sound.
The sea of purple lightning, with its endless thunderbolts coiling around the tower, seemed like a heavenly tribulation descending; how could an ordinary person dare to take a single step forward?
However, Si Yao's words drew everyone's attention to Zhou Yu.
"If Brother Zhou can get through this... we will do our best to help. If we get the opportunity, Brother Zhou will take it first, and we will have no complaints." Si Yao's tone became more and more sincere, and his attitude was extremely humble.
Zhou Yu remained silent, his expression unchanged, though a faint glint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He naturally understood Si Yao's intentions; this kind of tactic of using someone else to test the waters might have been exploited by others.
But after all, he was a True Soul expert who had followed Qin Yu in cultivation until now, and he was no longer the boy who was led by the nose.
He neither agreed nor refused, but instead raised his head and looked at the deep sea of lightning in the depths of the Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower, his gaze gradually becoming solemn and profound.
"This tower must hold a great secret," he whispered, his voice soft yet carrying an undeniable certainty.
Within the sea of lightning, the ancient tower seemed to have heard something, and a deep, ancient bell sound faintly emanated, resonating deep within everyone's hearts!
The Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower seems to be awaiting the arrival of a truly destined person...
The wind howled, the sea of lightning was like a prison, and purple lightning transformed into chains thousands of feet long, wrapping around the ancient Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower. Zhou Yu stood in front of the tower, his body fluttering in the wind, but his expression remained calm.
Si Yao's fake smile appeared beside him once again, his voice so hypocritical it was almost dripping with honey. "Brother Zhou's strength is extraordinary. If you can draw a line from this lightning tribulation, we can seize the opportunity to enter. Brother Zhou has made a great contribution."
Zhou Yu's eyes were deep and unwavering. He smiled faintly and said, "Very well, since you trust me so much, I'll give it a try."
He took a step forward with light steps, seemingly about to step into the range of lightning. But the instant he took that step, he suddenly turned to the side and struck out with a palm like a raging storm, using lightning patterns as its sharp edge, his True Soul energy directly hitting Si Yao's back!
"Puff--!"
Caught off guard, Si Yao was blasted dozens of feet away, crashing heavily onto a lightning-patterned stone in front of the lightning tower. His internal organs trembled, and he spat out a mouthful of scarlet blood.
Several disciples exclaimed in surprise, not expecting such a sudden infighting.
As Si Yao fell, he touched the edge of a purple lightning rule. The lightning bolt crashed down, and Si Yao used his divine power to dodge quickly, leaping onto a rock in an instant. The purple lightning law cleaved a deep gash on his body, burning his skin and soul patterns, causing him unbearable pain and almost making him faint.
Zhou Yu stared coldly at him, her tone as sharp as thunder. "Si Yao, while I may not be exceptionally intelligent, I am not utterly foolish either. Your schemes are laughable if you think they can work on me."
Si Yao curled up on the ground in agony, her body steaming, her eyes filled with horror and hatred, but she had no power to refute him.
"Before the Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower, those with wicked intentions will not be tolerated." Zhou Yu's eyes sharpened as he swept over the other disciples, his voice low and powerful, "If you still harbor any selfish motives, then stay away from me."
The group exchanged glances and retreated, already feeling a sense of awe towards Zhou Yu.
Before the storm had even subsided, the situation had already reversed.
Zhou Yu composed himself and looked at the Thunder Tower, saying in a deep voice, "As expected... this tower not only tests cultivation level, but also trials the soul."
Lightning danced wildly, and countless lightning patterns cascaded down like waterfalls. The palm strike in front of the Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower stunned the entire audience.
Si Yao lay beneath the Thunder Pattern Stone, his robes charred black and his hair singed. His face was filled with horror and shame. As a True Soul Realm First Stage cultivator, he had been severely injured by Zhou Yu in a single palm strike, without even the strength to retaliate. The residual thunder power within his body twisted and writhed like a venomous snake, continuously damaging his sea of consciousness and meridians.
Those disciples—three at the Initial Yuan Realm Peak and one who had just entered the True Soul Realm Initial Stage —were already pale with fright and their spines were chilled when they saw Si Yao's fate.
They finally understood that although Zhou Yu was usually low-key, he was meticulous, ruthless, and decisive. Moreover, if Zhou Yu hadn't held back, Si Yao would probably have been killed long ago.
"I..." A disciple's throat moved, wanting to speak in defense, but in the end he lowered his head. "Senior Brother Zhou's abilities are unparalleled. We were foolish and presumptuous in discussing what just happened. From now on, we will dare not disobey any orders."
"I have no intention of being disrespectful; from now on, I will follow Brother Zhou's lead!"
The group bowed their heads, sweat pouring down their foreheads, but dared not look up at Zhou Yu even once.
Zhou Yu's gaze swept coldly over the crowd like a blade, but he said little. He simply walked slowly to the tower, looked up at the towering structure with its surging sea of lightning, and said calmly, "Beneath this tower, deceit and vain thoughts are forbidden. If anyone harbors any ill intentions... their life and death are in the tower's hands, not mine."
The wind and thunder reverberate, their echoes lingering.
At this moment, he was no longer seen as a "test-taker" by others, but as an irreversible force, becoming the undisputed leader of this temporary team.
Only now did Si Yao, who was struggling on the ground, truly realize that he had provoked an untouchable being.
The purple lightning surged endlessly, the thunder roared like the might of heaven descending, and the entire sky seemed to be split into countless fragments. Zhou Yu in the storm, his gaze deep and focused, a faint golden light reflected in the depths of his pupils. He had already discovered that hidden within the boundless purple lightning was a nearly imperceptible strand of golden lightning—as thin as a hair, appearing and disappearing.
That was no ordinary lightning bolt; it was the true core of this formation!
"So that's how it is..." Zhou Yu murmured softly, the Flame-Bearing Sword in his hand trembled slightly, the flames at the tip of the sword surged, like the blazing sun burning the world, and the sword intent gathered in an instant.
He circulated the power of his True Soul and slowly uttered a combat technique:
--"Burning Radiance Star Trace!"
This move is the first move in the "Burning Radiance Sword Chapter," containing the power to burn stars and shatter the universe. The Sword Qi condenses, the flames turn into marks, piercing through the void and striking the golden lightning line hidden in the sea of lightning with perfect accuracy!
Boom!!!
In an instant, the entire lightning array trembled as if collapsing, and purple lightning swept outwards like a tide. The thunderous sea in front of the ancient tower shattered with a deafening roar, and thousands of lightning bolts exploded into the sky, as magnificent as a starry river bursting apart!
Si Yao and the others all staggered back, their faces filled with shock and disbelief as they watched this scene unfold.
"He... broke the formation?"
"How is this possible? That's... the legendary Thunder Sea Barrier, which even those at the True Soul Fifth Stage Perfection wouldn't dare to easily venture into!"
Si Yao's eyes trembled violently, his lips twitched, and his heart was filled with anger and humiliation. He originally wanted Zhou Yu to step on the lightning and die, but he didn't expect that Zhou Yu would see through his plan and even successfully break the formation!
Zhou Yu turned around, her gaze sweeping coldly over Si Yao, but she showed no murderous intent. Instead, she spoke calmly:
"Senior Brother Si, the ancient pagoda is a shared opportunity for the entire sect. Don't let selfishness ruin the bonds between fellow disciples. Considering you haven't caused a major disaster, I will not pursue this matter further."
Though the words were not harsh, they struck like thunder. Si Yao's face flushed red with shame and indignation, yet she dared not utter a single word in rebuttal.
After witnessing Zhou Yu's displayed strength, the other disciples were filled with awe and no one dared to act rashly. They all sincerely followed Zhou Yu and slowly stepped into the mysterious ancient tower that had been baptized by lightning...
The ancient pagoda's doors were wide open, revealing a dark and deep interior, filled with an unknown aura. Amidst the flickering light, ancient divine patterns seemed to emerge on the pagoda's walls, as if whispering secrets of countless ages.
This is only the beginning of the Ancient Thunder Tribulation Tower.