Chapter 621: There is no such thing as too much deception in war

Translator: GodBrandy Editor: Kurisu

　　Song Shuhang felt awful.

　　He had concentrated all the power of his body and cultivation techniques into this fist, ready to meet the lightning dragon head-on.

　　But his fist had yet to bump into the lightning dragon when the latter self-detonated.

　　This heavenly tribulation had consciousness and was nothing like the methodical tribulation that other cultivators had transcended in the past.

　　“Boom~”

　　The radiance of the exploding lightning dragon covered Song Shuhang’s body. Next, the power of tribulation within the lightning dragon directly attacked Song Shuhang’s physical body, ignoring the defensive items he had with him!

　　Although the defensive formation on the emerald-green kasaya had been smashed to pieces, the emerald-green kasaya itself was still a powerful piece of defensive clothing.

　　But right at this time, the power of tribulation within the lightning dragon directly passed through the emerald-green kasaya and bombarded Song Shuhang’s physical body.

　　The power of the lightning dragon burst forth. In the blink of an eye, the defense that the ❮Immovable Body of the Buddha❯ provided to Song Shuhang’s body was breached. The ❮Steel Hands Technique❯ that covered his arms was also rendered useless and broken through.

　　The power of the lightning of tribulation entered his body, wreaking havoc in there.

　　The power of the heavenly tribulation had the special ability to suppress the true qi and spiritual energy of cultivators. After the lightning of tribulation seeped into his body, the true qi of his body was continuously suppressed.

　　Next, the power of the lightning passed through his meridians and started to invade Song Shuhang’s eighth dantians!

　　Song Shuhang felt his whole body becoming soft due to the electricity, and his muscles were also out of control. This feeling of not being able to control his body was truly infuriating.

　　Song Shuhang clenched his teeth and said, “Dammit.”

　　He wouldn’t give up so easily.

　　He no longer restrained the mental energy between his eyebrows and fully mobilized it, controlling the Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Innate True Qi inside his body and using it to resist the power of the lightning dragon the heavenly tribulation generated.

　　The dual pain derived from his physical body and usage of mental energy made Song Shuhang growl in pain.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　I’m dying! I’m dying! Of course, the pitiful Lady Onion was also calling out in pain while inside the size-reducing purse.

　　Song Shuhang forgot to take her out of his purse before transcending the tribulation. Therefore, she was still with him at this time.

　　Song Shuhang managed to ward off the previous waves of the heavenly tribulation with his ❮Inverted Scale Saber Technique❯ and wasn’t wounded in the process. As a result, Lady Onion wasn’t injured in the slightest, either.

　　But when the lightning dragon directly attacked Song Shuhang’s body, ignoring all of his defenses, Lady Onion wasn’t able to escape her fate as well. Although the one that was transcending the tribulation was Song Shuhang, Lady Onion just happened to be very close to his body and was thus affected by the power of the lightning dragon of tribulation. At this time, she felt as though someone was roasting her, with all the water fluids in her body quickly evaporating.

　　But what made Lady Onion even sadder was that the lightning dragon reduced to ashes the green onion sprout she grew back with much difficulty.

　　If not for the fact that she had taken root in the enlightenment stone, receiving its protection, this lightning dragon would have taken her life!

　　I refuse to accept it! After I diligently practiced for so long and finally descended from the mountain, a buddhist nun kidnapped me and locked me up for several hundred years! Then, when I finally managed to regain my freedom, I was captured by this small cultivator that even cut off my green onion sprout! When I managed to grow it back with much difficulty, it melted inside the golden coffin! And now, I’m accompanying him and dying in the heavenly tribulation together with him!

　　I refuse to accept it! I don’t want to die yet!

　　But so what if she didn’t accept it?

　　Unfortunately, there was nothing Lady Onion could do about this matter.

　　At this time, Lady Onion wished she could get out of the size-reducing purse and immediately get away from Song Shuhang. However, it was impossible for her to do so. After all, she was unable to assume human form now that her green onion sprout had been reduced to ashes.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　In a distant place, Yu Jiaojiao was anxiously looking at Song Shuhang. The way the heavenly tribulation was behaving was simply too strange. It was nothing like this when she transcended the heavenly tribulation back then.

　　Is it possible that the way the heavenly tribulation works has changed? Or is it just Song Shuhang’s heavenly tribulation that is a bit special? Yu Jiaojiao thought to herself, worried to death.

　　Her mental energy had firmly locked Song Shuhang. If his life aura were to fall below the safety threshold, she would immediately take action and scatter the heavenly tribulation in the sky.

　　Although this lightning dragon was scary, Yu Jiaojiao had an 80% assurance of scattering the heavenly tribulation in the sky.

　　But if that 20% probability were to come out on top, for the sake of their friendship, she would prepare a luxurious tomb for Song Shuhang at the bottom of the sea.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　The power of the lightning dragon was still wreaking havoc in Song Shuhang’s body.

　　However, the Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Innate True Qi inside his body had managed to stabilize the situation under the direction of his powerful mental energy of the Third Stage rank, starting to drive out the power of the lightning dragon.

　　If he was given two hours’ worth of time, Song Shuhang should be able to drive the strength of the lightning dragon out of his body on his own. However, he didn’t have that much time at this moment!

　　In the sky, the next wave of the lightning of tribulation was ready to start trouble.

　　Was it possible that he had no choice but to accept his defeat?

　　But right at this time, a glistening metallic luster covered Song Shuhang’s body bit by bit.

　　At first, only his chest and abdominal area were emitting this weak light, but afterward, the light got brighter and brighter and quickly spread to the rest of his body.

　　His physical body had already broken through the bottleneck of the Second Stage and was slowly evolving into the ‘Body of the Battle King’ that cultivators of the Third Stage Realm possessed.

　　But when the power of the heavenly tribulation seeped into his body and started to wreak havoc, it stimulated Song Shuhang’s physical body and increased the speed of the transformation, directly pushing it toward the final stage!

　　That glistening metallic luster was the sign that his body was about to evolve and transform into the ‘Body of the Battle King’.

　　A feeling of power welled up in Song Shuhang’s heart.

　　Next, the feeling of numbness the power of the lightning dragon caused immediately disappeared.

　　Song Shuhang’s eyes lit up.

　　Although his realm had yet to reach the Third Stage, his mental energy and physical body had reached the Third Stage ahead of time.

　　Just as the strength of his constitution increased, the true qi inside his body obtained a powerful boost.

　　“Bang, bang, bang~” The Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Innate True Qi inside Song Shuhang’s body made one vigorous effort and drove the strength of the lightning dragon out of his body.

　　“Get out!” Song Shuhang roared.

　　When he roared, the remaining power of the lightning dragon inside his body was transported toward his right arm.

　　In the end, the leftovers of the heavenly tribulation were driven out of his body.

　　But right at this time, the treasured saber Broken Tyrant in Song Shuhang’s hand generated an attractive force. Next, the saber quietly gobbled up the remaining power of the lightning dragon.

　　The treasured saber Broken Tyrant had experienced the flames of tribulation back then when the sect master of the Moon Saber Sect—Ba Qianjun—faced his tribulation of the Fourth Stage Realm. Afterward, the blade changed a little and could now store some of the power of the heavenly tribulation. After absorbing the power of the heavenly tribulation, its dark blade became a little brighter.

　　The lightning dragon had finally disappeared…

　　At this time, Song Shuhang’s whole body was charred black due to the electricity. At the same time, both his hair and eyebrows had been reduced to ashes after experiencing the power of the heavenly tribulation. Still, he had ultimately managed to survive that fearsome lightning dragon.

　　The sixth wave of the heavenly tribulation was now over!

　　“Still four waves to go!” Song Shuhang raised his head and looked at the sky.

　　At this time, the seventh wave of the heavenly tribulation had already taken shape, and four streaks of lightning of tribulation rained down with all their might.

　　Song Shuhang closely stared at the lightning of tribulation. Then, just as the lightning rained down, he ruthlessly slashed out with the treasured saber Broken Tyrant in his hands.

　　He didn’t use the ❮Inverted Scale Saber Technique❯ this time. Instead, he just operated the ❮Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Technique❯ and used the strongest saber slash at his disposal.

　　When the saber slashed out, the cry of a whale was transmitted from Song Shuhang’s body. However, the roars of all kinds of animals were mixed within this cry, making it somehow resemble the cry of a dragon.

　　“Bang!”

　　The four streaks of lightning of the fourth wave of the heavenly tribulation were scattered and destroyed.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　Next, the three streaks of lightning of tribulation of the eighth wave of the heavenly tribulation were also scattered.

　　After that, the two streaks of lightning of the ninth wave of the heavenly tribulation were also scattered.

　　Just as he was warding off the incoming waves of the lightning of tribulation, the metallic luster covering his body got brighter and brighter. It was a sign that the Body of the Battle King that only cultivators of the Third Stage possessed was continuously consolidating.

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　In the end, the tenth and last wave of the heavenly tribulation was finally approaching.

　　The tenth wave of the heavenly tribulation was made up of only one streak of lightning.

　　But this single streak of lightning was going to be stronger than all the previous waves of the heavenly tribulation.

　　“This is the last wave! If I survive this wave, I’ll become a Third Stage Battle King!” Song Shuhang shouted. Afterward, he spun his wrist and flames started to burn on the treasured saber Broken Tyrant.

　　It was the ❮Heaven Burning Flaming Saber Technique❯ he had obtained from Daoist Priest Scarlet Heaven. He had decided to use this saber attack to deal with the last wave of the heavenly tribulation!

　　“Boom…”

　　The last streak of lightning of the heavenly tribulation rained down.

　　As before, it had the appearance of a lightning dragon. However, it was much smaller than the lightning dragon in the sixth wave of the heavenly tribulation.

　　It seemed that the heavenly tribulation was at the end of its wits.

　　“Is it trying to appear weak again?” Song Shuhang smiled gently.

　　The ten waves of the heavenly tribulation were supposed to be one stronger than the other. Such being the case, how could the strength of the last four waves be weaker than that of the first six?

　　It’s all useless. You already used this trick once, and now, you want to use it again?

　　Do you really think that I’ll fall for it again?

　　This lightning dragon was surely going to be stronger than the previous one. No matter how weak it appeared, Song Shuhang would attack it with all his might.

　　Song Shuhang poured all his strength into the treasured saber Broken Tyrant. The Thirty-Three Divine Beasts’ Innate True Qi inside his eighth great dantians also endlessly poured into the blade.

　　The flames burning on the blade of the saber got stronger and stronger, wrapping up Song Shuhang’s whole body. Everything within a range of three meters was shrouded in the saber qi of the ‘Flaming Saber Technique’.

　　This flaming saber qi was filled with saber intent capable of burning the heavens and all other things in the universe!

　　This was the Heaven Burning Flaming Saber Technique!

　　It was Song Shuhang’s first time using an all-out slash of the ❮Heaven Burning Flaming Saber Technique❯ after advancing to the Second Stage.

　　In the next moment, the lightning dragon descended!

　　Song Shuhang grabbed the saber with both hands and suddenly slashed out. “Break it!”

　　As soon as he slashed, all the flames covering his body turned into a blazing sun made of saber qi that chopped toward the lightning dragon in the sky.

　　“Boom, boom, boom~” The lightning dragon issued a dragon cry.

　　“Burn, burn, burn~” The Flaming Saber Technique was ready to burn everything in its path.

　　The lightning dragon and the Flaming Saber Technique finally clashed.

　　It was surely going to be a fierce battle between formidable foes— eh?

　　Unexpectedly, when the Flaming Saber Technique attacked, the lightning dragon didn’t put up much resistance.

　　In the sky, as the lightning dragon and the sun-shaped disk of saber qi clashed against each other… the former immediately collapsed!

　　That lightning dragon baring its fangs and brandishing its claws was thoroughly destroyed.

　　The blazing sun-like flaming saber qi gobbled up the remaining power of the heavenly tribulation that the lightning dragon had left behind and burned it down completely.

　　The sound of the unwilling roar of the lightning dragon was transmitted from within the flaming saber qi.

　　From the looks of it, the lightning dragon wasn’t just pretending to be weak… but really was weak?

　　Was it possible that the heavenly tribulation had concentrated all its strength in that lightning dragon that appeared during the sixth wave of the heavenly tribulation?

　　In any case, the ten waves of the heavenly tribulation were now over.

　　Song Shuhang propped himself up with the saber and laughed cheerfully.

　　He had managed to successfully transcend the heavenly tribulation of the Second Stage!

　　He had somehow managed to crash his way through this situation where he had a 99% probability of dying and only 1% of surviving. Although he was frightened, he was still safe.

　　After laughing cheerfully, Song Shuhang raised his head and looked at the sky.

　　The fact that the last lightning dragon appeared so weak was rather weird.

　　Well, perhaps the strength of the ❮Heaven Burning Flaming Saber Technique❯ that Senior Scarlet Heaven had passed on to him was simply too high?

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　In a distant place, Yu Jiaojiao secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Then, she laughed heartily and said, “Shuhang, congratulations!”

　　He had succeeded. Even though he wasn’t prepared in the least, he had managed to transcend the incredibly dangerous heavenly tribulation.

　　Now, he was about to become a cultivator of the Third Stage Battle King Realm.

　　Nowadays, after reaching the Third Stage Realm, direct line disciples had technically completed their apprenticeship and could leave the sect. The Third Stage was the realm that implied that one’s apprenticeship was over in the current world of cultivators.

　　Time surely flew by! When Yu Jiaojiao first met Song Shuhang, he was just a small cultivator of the First Stage Dragon Gate Realm.

　　She still remembered that Venerable White had him experience the ‘shapeshifting dragon gate’ together with her so that he could jump through the dragon gate more easily.

　　But now, Song Shuhang had already grown up and become a cultivator of the Third Stage Realm. Time really flew by!

　　Wait, time flew by your sister!

　　It had been a little more than a month since she had met Song Shuhang! Absolutely nothing flew by!

　　This bastard had managed to achieve in one month what cultivators with average talent took tens of years to achieve!

　　Yu Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at the sky. She felt rather sad at this time.

　　Just as she sorrowfully looked at the sky, Miss Yu Jiaojiao’s small eyes opened wide.

　　The reason was that the clouds of tribulations in the sky had yet to disperse.

　　Usually, the clouds of tribulations would immediately disappear after one had successfully transcended the tribulation. But this time, the sky was still full of dense, dark clouds.

　　Just what was happening?

　　Was it possible that the heavenly tribulation wasn’t over yet?

　　“Shuhang, be careful!” Yu Jiaojiao didn’t have the time to think and shouted loudly, “The heavenly tribulation might not be over yet—”

　　Yu Jiaojiao had yet to finish her sentence when a pillar of lightning descended from the sky.

　　It wasn’t a lightning arc, but a thick pillar of lightning.

　　Without anyone noticing, a huge pillar of lightning had taken shape.

　　Soon after, the lightning pillar completely enveloped Song Shuhang.

　　Actually, there was no need for Yu Jiaojiao to remind him. Song Shuhang had also noticed that there was something wrong with the clouds of tribulation in the sky. After the tenth wave of the heavenly tribulation, he had been closely watching the sky.

　　Therefore, Song Shuhang grasped his treasured saber tightly and used the Flaming Saber Technique as soon as the ‘lightning pillar’ rained down.

　　“Tsk, eat my move again!” Song Shuhang roared.

　　But this time, it was the Flaming Saber Technique’s turn to be gobbled up by the ‘lightning pillar’.

　　It was like a small torch falling into a pool of water: the flames immediately died out.

　　Soon after, the lightning pillar covered Song Shuhang and the power of the lightning of tribulation inside the pillar bombarded his body.

　　There was no such thing as too much deception in war. Who said that the heavenly tribulation of the Second Stage could only have ten waves?

　　To tell the truth, the heavenly tribulation of the Second Stage could have up to eleven waves in total. However, the moral behavior of most cultivator was good enough, so they wouldn’t get to experience the eleventh wave.

　　As for that small portion of cultivators with a bad moral behavior that had faced the eleventh wave of the heavenly tribulation of the Second Stage, they were all dead already.

　　For this reason, the eleventh wave of the heavenly tribulation had almost become a legend. As such, cultivators slowly started to believe that there were only ten waves.

　　“Crackle, crackle, crackle~” The heavenly lightning inside the lightning pillar exploded.

　　“Aaaaaah~” The electricity made Song Shuhang call out in pain, and his body began to shiver.

　　No wonder he’d felt that there was something wrong with the tenth wave of the heavenly tribulation… after all, the whole strength of the heavenly tribulation was concentrated in this wave!

　　Didn’t they say that the heavenly tribulation had only ten waves? Why the hell did the eleventh appear?!

　　It’s bad! Even the Body of the Battle King of the Third Stage Realm can’t resist the power of this heavenly tribulation!

　　His whole body had become soft due to the electricity, and he couldn’t even move his fingers.

　　The power of the heavenly tribulation seeped into his body once more.

　　This time, even the true qi inside his body was influenced by the lightning of tribulation and he couldn’t revolve it anymore.

　　I’m dying, I’m dying… this time, I’m really dying…

　　❄️❄️❄️

　　In the airspace of the Pacific Ocean, on that hidden island slowly drifting about in the sky.

　　In the deepest part of the floating island, that powerful senior wearing a mask and residing inside the cold bronze palace seemed to have sensed something as she opened her eyes.