Above the heavens, dense dark clouds had gathered at some unknown time, covering the sky and blocking the sunlight from reaching the ground, plunging everything into ink-like darkness.
Crack—
A thick silver bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, startling everyone awake. Looking up, they discovered that clouds covering an area of dozens of miles had gathered above their heads without them noticing, layer upon layer, flashing with brilliant arcs of lightning that illuminated heaven and earth.
The deafening roar of thunder, carrying the immense might of the heavens, pressed down upon the world, causing all living beings to tremble, not daring to move.
"Heavenly tribulation? Is someone undergoing the Heavenly God tribulation?"
Everyone was quite astonished. Not long after the young great demon king broke through to the Martial God realm, someone was already undergoing a tribulation. Which peak Martial God was breaking through to the Heavenly God realm?
On the path of cultivation, when advancing from Martial God to the Heavenly God realm, heavenly tribulation would appear to obstruct the way.
Only by enduring the baptism of heavenly tribulation could one truly become a Heavenly God, reigning supreme over the world.
The reason for undergoing the heavenly thunder tribulation when breaking through to the Heavenly God realm was that the advancement from Martial God to Heavenly God represented a sublimation and transformation in the level of life, a promotion from mortal to divine.
It was also the true beginning of a cultivator's journey on the path of cultivation, comprehending the Great Dao of heaven and earth. Cultivation was inherently an act of defying the heavens, constantly seizing longevity from the heavens to live longer, something not tolerated by the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, one must undergo the thunder tribulation, passing through layers of calamities.
"Which peak Martial God in our Tian Du Academy is breaking through to the Heavenly God realm? Is it Elder Li Qing, Elder Huaigu, or Elder Xueqing? This is a joyous occasion. Our Tian Du Academy will gain another Heavenly God, worthy of celebration." Even the elders of Tian Du Academy were speculating.
However, when they saw a brilliant azure light shoot from between Ye Chen's eyebrows into the heavens above, they were immediately stunned. That heavenly tribulation seemed to have appeared because of Ye Chen.
Could it be that Ye Chen had also broken through to the Heavenly God realm?
This thought horrified everyone. Hadn't he just become a Martial God not long ago? Why had he broken through to the Heavenly God realm so quickly? It was all too incredible.
"Impossible. Ye Chen's aura is clearly still at the fourth level of the Martial God realm. He cannot possibly be at the Heavenly God realm. I recognize that kind of foundational aura."
A Supreme Elder at the Heavenly God realm shook his head, denying this. He could sense Ye Chen's foundational aura. Although it was very powerful, capable of battling super Martial Gods, the foundational aura was clearly at the fourth level of the Martial God realm, let alone the Heavenly God realm.
"That's not the Heavenly God tribulation, but the Martial God tribulation!"
The Supreme Elder understood and breathed a sigh of relief. If the other party had truly reached the Heavenly God realm so quickly, then he, an elder who had painstakingly spent over a hundred years to step into the Heavenly God realm, might as well find a block of tofu to knock himself out.
But the next moment, upon realizing something, he couldn't help but suck in a cold breath, staring in horror at Ye Chen atop the mountain peak.
Although it wasn't the Heavenly God tribulation, it was even more terrifying than the Martial God tribulation.
Undergoing tribulation upon advancing to the Martial God level was unheard of. Even the four Ancient Talents had never undergone tribulation at the Martial God realm. But undoubtedly, the appearance of heavenly tribulation was impossible unless a person was extremely monstrous.
This indicated that Ye Chen's potential was many times more terrifying than imagined, to the point where the Heavenly Dao sensed it and descended the Martial God tribulation.
Even Old Yan was shocked. For such a great tribulation to appear upon advancing to the Martial God realm was unheard of, not just in the mere Tian Du Continent, but even in the vast and boundless myriad realms throughout history. Very few could contend with heavenly tribulation.
Truly worthy of being the successor of the legendary strongest lineage, the Battle Saint. To begin undergoing heavenly tribulation at the Martial God realm meant his future potential could likely catch up to those Emperor's Sons and Imperial Daughters rumored to be sealed away by the Great Emperors.
Those were the true young generation's supremes, each peerless in the world, with bloodline power defying the heavens, capable of slaying immortals while at low realms, unmatched and invincible among their generation.
"Ye Chen, it's you. You're actually undergoing tribulation, a great tribulation that appears upon breaking through to the Martial God realm. Is this the Martial God tribulation?"
The five Ancient Talents all showed astonishment. For a great tribulation to appear upon breaking through to the Martial God realm was unprecedented. Even prodigies like them, the Ancient Talents, had never experienced it.
Generally, the heavens envied geniuses. Only the more monstrous individuals would attract the descent of heavenly tribulation. It was both an obstacle and a baptism. Those who experienced heavenly tribulation would become even stronger.
Ye Chen had no mind to answer their questions. At this moment, he looked up at the heavenly tribulation above his head. The thunder tribulation was accumulating more and more massively. A vortex of dark clouds spanning dozens of miles swirled, with arcs of silver lightning flashing, galloping, and roaring.
Boom—
A silver thunderbolt as thick as a water vat descended head-on, carrying immense thunderous might assailing their faces.
Even Yang Wushuang and the others felt their hair stand on end, sensing the threat of the silver thunderbolt, capable of harming powerful experts at the fifth level of the Martial God realm.
This Ye Chen was monstrous to an absurd degree. Not only did breaking through to the Martial God realm attract heavenly tribulation, but it was also a great tribulation capable of harming fifth-level Martial Gods.
Boom—
The heavenly thunder fell like lightning, directly striking Ye Chen. This was an unavoidable calamity; the Heavenly Dao would pursue relentlessly.
The lightning exploded, sending a cloud of dust soaring. Many were worried about Ye Chen. Even someone as strong as Ye Chen might not emerge unscathed under heavenly tribulation.
But when the dust settled, only Ye Chen could be seen still standing atop the mountain peak. Although his clothes were tattered, the robust physique revealed clearly indicated that Ye Chen was unharmed. His entire body shimmered with faint radiant light.
To suffer no harm at all after enduring heavenly tribulation—this physique was absurdly powerful.
Everyone sucked in a cold breath, filled with shock. But at this moment, from the vortex-shaped tribulation clouds, five heavenly tribulations, each as large as a water vat, descended together, all striking towards Ye Chen. Not only were there more of them, but their power was also greater, tinged with a golden edge.
"Hmph, do you think this can hurt me?"
Ye Chen snorted coldly. Under everyone's dumbfounded gazes, he actually shot straight up into the sky, raising a fist to punch, colliding with the heavenly thunder, producing a terrifyingly loud explosion.
The heavens erupted with dazzling radiant light, forcing many to close their eyes.
When everything dissipated, Ye Chen still stood in the void. His clothes were even more tattered, but his treasure body remained undamaged. Only a few white marks were left on that fist, with wisps of green smoke rising.
"Truly worthy of being the young great demon king. This treasure body is too strong." Everyone couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. Even something as terrifying as heavenly thunder could only leave such scorch marks on his body. It was evident that Ye Chen had not only broken through in cultivation but had also advanced further in body refinement, becoming even more fearsome.
Boom—
An even more terrifying sound exploded. Experts like Yang Wushuang could open their eyes and clearly see everything happening in the heavens. The vortex-shaped tribulation clouds continuously rotated and intertwined, with thick bolts of thunder constantly falling, like a forest of lightning—twenty-three bolts in total, filling every inch of space.
Extremely terrifying thunderous might spread out, shaking the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, exploding through the vast clouds, dazzling and eye-catching to the extreme.
Everyone felt their scalps tingle. What kind of Martial God tribulation was this? It was almost comparable to the Heavenly God tribulation. Even a super Martial God going up would likely not return.
Even the several Ancient Talents felt a chill, sensing that if they went up, they would probably lose a layer of skin if not die.
But what about Ye Chen? Even something as strong as an Indestructible Golden Body would probably explode under such a terrifyingly powerful Martial God tribulation.
"Ye Chen!"
"Brother Ye Chen!"
Thirteenth Prince, Vivian, Princess Hong Rong, Xia Yang, and the others witnessed this scene, their hearts filled with worry.
But the next moment, an aura of supreme and overwhelming power exploded from within the heavenly tribulation, something even the vast thunder tribulation could not conceal.
Boom—
As if a volcano were erupting, or a divine furnace from the heavenly realm had overturned, within the heavenly tribulation, boundless crimson blood energy actually exploded, spreading out like a sea of flames, engulfing and annihilating swathes of thunder.
There stood a figure, majestic and heroic, with black hair dancing wildly in the wind. His body was like a divine furnace, releasing a supreme blood energy, deep as an abyss and vast as the sea, vigorous and boundless.
He was like an invincible Divine Spirit, bathing in the heavenly tribulation unharmed, even blocking all the tribulations, preventing them from reaching his body.
Too powerful, unmatched!
This invincible might made everyone's hearts race, truly peerless.
"Such powerful blood energy. Even ordinary Heavenly God experts cannot compare." A Supreme Elder at the Heavenly God realm praised. Such vigorous blood energy far surpassed the Martial God realm, incomparable.
Yang Wushuang, Li Taixu, Long Gu'ao, Wu Yunyan, and the other Ancient Talents fell into a rare silence.
Yuan Jiu's eyes flickered as he muttered to himself, "No wonder Ye Chen said we would see the outcome in three months. So that's it. Peerless blood energy, invincible battle body—is this Ye Chen's true confidence? Truly remarkable. We cannot compare."
The whole world was shaken. Even the slumbering ancient recluses were awakened, sighing in admiration from afar at this vigorous blood energy.
Now, whether in Tian Du Academy or Tian Du City, many powerful divine senses probed in, investigating everything.
"Heavenly tribulation, do you also want to kill me?" Ye Chen's indifferent voice rang out, like a great bell, echoing over Tian Du Academy, deafening.
"A mere Martial God tribulation won't do. In the past, even the simultaneous appearance of ten Heavenly God avatars couldn't kill me, let alone these low-realm heavenly tribulations. Disperse for me!"
Under everyone's horrified gazes, Ye Chen did not employ any divine ability to resist. He simply punched directly upwards, a supreme will of the Great Dao erupting, unparalleled across past, present, and future.
With a boom, the accumulated tribulation clouds in the sky were actually blasted apart just like that, leaving nothing behind.
The heavens were cleared, punched open by Ye Chen into a bright and clear world!