Dark lightning struck the ground around them. The group were unfortunate enough to enter a "kill zone" in the Dark Lightning Valley. A kill zone is an area in any place that would usually claim the lives of any experts unfortunate enough in that area.
Sheng Tian however, didn't see this as a curse but more like a blessing. Crazy plans formed in his head as he watched the approaching storm. With his newly obtained spirit fruit and high ranked core and neidan, he could sit atop a peak and use the lightning to temper himself and obtain elementary understanding of lightning laws. Doing so would allow him to enter the Foundation realm and reach the ninth rank of body and soul all in one go.
It sounded crazy as even Sheng Tian might not be able to withstand the lightning with his bare body for long. Most would probably explode on contact with just one bolt yet Sheng Tian wanted to take several.
A voice pulled him out of his thoughts "I have a formation that I can set up somewhere and it should be enough to withstand the storm"
He turned towards Bing Xue and saw that she was holding several formation flags and plates. They quickly dug several meters underground and set up the formation. A multicolored dome appeared and covered them. The lightning above shook the ground and rattled the formation. Occasionally, one or two bolts would strike the dome and the dome would shake violently.
Their faces were grim as they sat there and looked. This should only be the outer edge of the storm yet its power could heavily injure or even kill them. Sheng Tian decided that he would go out once most of the storm passed by to ensure that he could safely break through with the help of the women. Sheng Tian was not naïve to trust everyone but the women were truly righteous and would not turn on him.
"How long would the storm last?" Xiao Hua asked.
Bing Xue replied "judging by the looks of it, it might last a week. Though this formation might only last four or five days. We will have to support the formation after that"
The situation wasn't looking too well, though if he could break through then they would have an easier time.
"Not necessarily" Wu Di suddenly said "don't forget that the heavens will strive to kill you"
Sheng Tian frowned "what do you mean?"
"You would probably have to face the tribulations"
Sheng Tian's heart almost leaped out of his chest. If he truly broke through with the women here then he would be putting them in danger. However that would mean he needed to wait for another opportunity.
"You can just find another storm after you part ways. It's not like the storms are rare in these parts"
Sheng Tian sighed. It seems he would have to delay his breakthrough for a while more. If anyone were to hear his thoughts and know of his absurd cultivation speed they would cough blood in anger and jealousy.
They continued to wait for the storm to pass. Their muscles were tense as they watched bolts of lightning strike the dome protecting them. As time passed the lightning only grew more powerful.
On the fifth day.
"The storm should pass in another day but we can't relax. The lightning is still quite dangerous and we now have to support the formation"
Bing Xue offered to support the formation first. Her qi flowed into the formation to support it. Every time lightning struck the dome her face would turn pale. She managed to last three hours before her qi ran out and a trace of blood could be seen at the corner of her mouth.
Next, Xiao Hua supported the formation with her qi. She only managed to last two hours however, as her qi reserves are lacking compared to Bing Xue's.
And then it was Sheng Tian's turn. Because he has a core, neidan, and nucleus, his reserves of qi and his endurance far surpassed any cultivator's. He managed to take a small portion of the lightning and refine it to temper his cultivation. The women were surprised to see that Sheng Tian was doing much better and took that opportunity to recover.
Sheng Tian lasted six hours before Bing Xue took over again, and they repeated this process several times until the storm passed. They stayed in the dome to recover before leaving and saw the destruction caused by the lightning.
Countless trees were scorched and felled and small craters peppered the ground. Everything in their line of sight had been leveled and destroyed. It's no wonder that so many had died to the storms.
"Luckily Bing Xue had a protective formation otherwise we would be fried" Xiao Hua commented.
Sheng Tian nodded in agreement. Even he would suffer injuries staying in the storm at his level.
They were in the core regions of the Dark Lightning Valley and had gathered quite a large number of precious herbs and materials. Even if they didn't find a rumored expert's tomb, the resources gathered made this trip worth it.
"Seeing the destruction caused by just one storm makes my skin crawl" Xiao Hua said, "if this happens regularly then would there still be a tomb left for use to plunder"
Her words made sense. No matter how powerful an expert is in the Mortal Realm, their remains would also succumb to the effects of time. It would be surprising if a tomb survived for more than a decade in this hellish environment.
Sheng Tian turned towards the two women "we've gained quite a lot from exploring this place either way. I still have to meet my quota for a sect mission I had picked up so I will take my leave. I advise that you two should also"
They all nodded after they had experienced the dangers of the Dark Lightning Valley. This place could not be easily traversed without a high cultivation base.
"I guess we will see you during the competition," Xiao Hua said.
Sheng Tian was already gone before she finished talking. Xiao Hua was speechless though with the constant nagging from Bing Xue, they finally left.
Sheng Tian on the other hand was searching for a storm. His mind was focused as he prepared himself to break through to the next realm and experience his first heavenly tribulation.