"Rumble, rumble!"
The ominous storm clouds churned, weighing heavily on the hearts of all disciples of the Great River Sect.
The first layer of calamity clouds over Tianfeng!
The second layer of calamity clouds over Xuanfeng!
Logically, the pressure from the second layer of calamity clouds should surpass that of the first layer, and certainly provide a more captivating spectacle.
However, at this moment, countless disciples were fixated on the first layer of calamity clouds.
The first layer of calamity clouds was something everyone could withstand, yet none had ever faced such a formidable one! The tumultuous clouds loomed overhead, with thunder rolling in unison, shaking the heavens and the earth—what a magnificent sight.
On the main peak, Feng Taiyan stood with the three peak masters, all gazing at the two layers of calamity clouds.
"A first layer? Three thousand people crossing the calamity? This is a historic event!" Gao Bufan exclaimed with a smile.
"What historic event? It's merely a first layer!" Mo Wuhui retorted sharply.
"Your disciple is not wrong; Yan Chuan stirs up trouble wherever he goes, just like Yan Tao did back in the day," Feng Taiyan replied with a pleased smile.
"Is it really the same? Hmph!" Mo Wuhui scoffed.
Feng Taiyan glanced at Mo Wuhui, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
Xuanfeng.
"Boom, boom…"
The second round of nine heavenly thunderbolts struck down again. Jiang Nan retaliated against the heavenly thunder while casting a worried glance toward Tianfeng.
At Tianfeng, the black clouds erupted with a thunderous roar.
"Boom!"
The first round of heavenly thunder commenced.
"Boom, boom, boom, boom…"
The world was illuminated!
Three thousand bolts of heavenly thunder descended like a cascading river, an utterly spectacular sight, yet this celestial river did not pour forth water, but rather endless bolts of lightning. The tempestuous thunderstorm surged forth like a great river.
"Hiss!"
Disciples of the Great River Sect collectively gasped in awe. Never before had they witnessed such a grand spectacle. Was this crossing the calamity? Was this a cleansing shower of heavenly thunder? It was a life-or-death struggle.
The first layer of calamity thunder had somehow produced an effect akin to that of the fourth layer—no, even the calamity of the fourth layer lacked such shock and grandeur.
So much was happening, so quickly.
"Boom, boom, boom…"
Lightning rained down ceaselessly, as if Tianfeng were suffering divine retribution, a continuous torrent, relentless and overwhelming.
Xuanfeng.
Jiang Nan's expression darkened, as the fleeting sense of pride he had felt vanished entirely.
He had aimed to overshadow Yan Chuan with the momentum of the calamity, but now it felt like a stinging slap to his own face—one that echoed.
In this moment, for some inexplicable reason, Jiang Nan found himself recalling a term… "overreaching"!
"Boom, boom, boom…"
The second round of nine heavenly thunderbolts descended.
"Ah!" Jiang Nan unleashed his frustrations upon the heavens.
"Boom!"
The blinding lightning flashed as he cleaved through the third round of heavenly thunder. His sword strike was ferocious, its energy radiating outward, a model for countless cultivators.
That stunning strike, under normal circumstances, would have garnered applause, yet now…
Countless cultivators ignored Jiang Nan, as though he were merely chopping wood in a dull chore.
One by one, their eyes remained glued to the direction of Tianfeng, sparkling with fervor.
Jiang Nan felt a surge of frustration wash over him.
"Boom!"
With his emotions unstable, the fourth round of heavenly thunder struck down. Jiang Nan, caught off guard, was suddenly hit by a bolt, his hair disheveled, looking utterly disheveled.
"Ah!" Jiang Nan roared, venting the inexplicable grievance within.
Last time, he hadn't even drawn his sword before Yan Chuan had dealt with him; this time was even more humiliating—he had charged in for a 'sneak attack,' only to be derided by Yan Chuan's calamity clouds, leaving him in tatters.
This was not merely about losing face; it was about dignity. Once again, his pride had been trampled. Previously, it had been forced upon him, but this time he had willingly offered himself at another's feet.
Above Xuanfeng.
Feng Shao glanced down at Jiang Nan with slight sympathy.
At Tianfeng.
Yan Chuan observed the multitude enduring their tribulations.
In the seventh round, a tempest of lightning relentlessly cleansed the three thousand soldiers. Some soldiers were injured, collapsing to the ground, appearing utterly drained.
"Stand up!" Yan Chuan commanded.
The fallen soldiers, devoid of strength, caught sight of Yan Chuan's earnest gaze from the mountain.
One by one, they felt a tightening in their chests, gritting their teeth, slowly rising to their feet.
"I'll die standing if I must! Damn it!" The soldiers rallied their spirits once more.
"Rumble, rumble!"
A torrential downpour of lightning rained down again.
"Roar!"
Three thousand soldiers let out a unified roar, standing firm against the lightning, refining their bodies with the heavenly strikes.
As another round of heavenly thunder washed over them, many soldiers truly found themselves devoid of strength. Yet others quickly came to their aid. The army was not a disjointed mass but a cohesive unit, refusing to abandon or forsake one another!
"Just one more round; no one is allowed to bring shame upon the king!" someone shouted.
"No one is allowed!" They supported each other as they braced for the final round of heavenly thunder.
"Roar!"
"Boom!"
With a collective roar, they faced the final onslaught of heavenly thunder.
The entire valley was illuminated with dazzling arcs of electricity.
The three thousand soldiers withstood the last bolt of heavenly thunder, almost everyone collapsing together.
"Rumble, rumble!"
The thunderclouds in the sky gradually dispersed.
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
…
Though the fallen soldiers were charred and battered by the heavenly thunder, they still had breath in their bodies. Despite their exhaustion, they laughed joyously.
The calamity clouds over Tianfeng had all dissipated.
The first layer of thunder tribulation had concluded.
This was not merely a crossing of calamity, but a grand visual feast.
All disciples of the Great River Sect who had been focused on this tribulation felt their hearts surge with excitement. Likewise, the contrast with Tianfeng had piqued everyone's interest completely.
"Rumble, rumble!"
The tribulation over Xuanfeng continued.
The second layer of thunder tribulation, the ninth round of calamity. There were as many as eighteen rounds in total, and at this moment, only more than half had descended.
With each round, nine bolts of lightning fell in a spectacular display.
However, recalling the earlier deluge of thunder, almost everyone felt a sense of monotony when looking at Jiang Nan's calamity clouds.
Stimulated by the events, Jiang Nan experienced immense inner turmoil, his previous composure swept away, even finding himself in precarious situations.
Watching Jiang Nan endure his tribulation elicited a sense of sorrow in everyone.
After just a brief observation, no one continued to pay attention.
"Rumble, rumble!"
"Slash!"
Jiang Nan shouted, struggling alone.
At Tianfeng, Jiu Jiansheng and others turned their gazes toward Xuanfeng.
"It's Jiang Nan, what a pity…" Jiu Jiansheng remarked, his expression complicated.
"He brought this upon himself. The king warned him yesterday not to cross the calamity, yet he insisted on showing off; now he's suffering the consequences!" Huo Guang said bluntly.
Jiu Jiansheng and the others exchanged wry smiles.
Yan Chuan merely smiled faintly, offering no further comment.
"Huo Guang!" Yan Chuan called out.
"Your servant is here!"
"Stay behind and look after everyone. This crossing of calamity was quite successful. With their morale and merits, all have broken through, which is excellent! When I return, I'll commend everyone!" Yan Chuan said with a smile.
"Understood!"
"I'll go meet Feng Taiyan; wait for me to return."
"Understood!"
…
Not long after, before the Great River Hall.
Yan Chuan and Feng Taiyan stood at the railing, leaning against the white jade balustrade, gazing toward the direction of Xuanfeng together.
"Boom, boom…"
The last nine bolts of heavenly thunder struck down, and Jiang Nan barely managed to withstand them.
Yet at that moment, Jiang Nan's clothing was tattered, and his body was marred with charred marks.
Once the last bolt of heavenly thunder finished, he collapsed with a 'thud,' unconscious.
"Senior brother, no, uncle!" Two guardians rushed in a panic.
In front of the Great River Hall, Feng Taiyan wore a slight bitter smile. "That child Jiang Nan should not have had to endure this torment!"
"Is that so?" Yan Chuan replied with a calm smile.
"Of course! Although Jiang Nan has advanced quickly, I can see his foundation is quite solid. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have suffered a single scratch while crossing the tribulation!" Feng Taiyan said with a bitter laugh.
"A strong sense of competition isn't a bad thing, but failing to see the situation clearly can be fatal. It's better for him to endure some hardships at home than to learn them from others outside," Yan Chuan remarked with a smile.
Feng Taiyan looked at Yan Chuan with curiosity. "Are you truly only eighteen?"
"What do you think?" Yan Chuan smiled, unfazed.
"Impressive!" Feng Taiyan nodded, revealing an expression of admiration.
The first layer of calamity clouds over Tianfeng had caused the disciples of the Great River Sect to burst into laughter.
Noticing the intensity of the calamity clouds, they understood that this wasn't mere chaos. Yan Chuan was genuinely remarkable.
"Boom!"
Amidst the waves of applause, Jiang Nan abruptly regained consciousness, shouting angrily, "Shameless! That Yan Chuan is utterly shameless! I'll kill him, kill him!"
The entire scene fell silent as all eyes turned toward Jiang Nan, who had barely managed to recover from his tribulation.
"Are you sure you want to kill him?" Yan Chuan chuckled lightly.
"Y-you…" Jiang Nan's furious expression faltered, suddenly filled with fear.
"Have you thought about what you're going to do next?" Yan Chuan smiled as he stepped forward.
"I…" Jiang Nan stammered, unable to form a coherent response.
"What are you doing?" Yan Chuan continued, glancing at Jiang Nan as he casually entered the Great River Hall, leaving him standing there, dazed.
Everyone else looked on, speechless, unsure of what to say.
"Why?" Jiang Nan suddenly felt utterly confused.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Jiang Nan suddenly shouted.
"The competition is about to begin, and you're already thinking of killing someone else? You're foolish!" someone whispered.
"Foolish!" Another disciple couldn't help but chime in, echoing their sentiments.
"You…" Jiang Nan's face flushed crimson. He was utterly bewildered, not knowing how to respond.
"Remember, this is just the beginning!" someone said, the disdain clear in their tone.
"Wait until Yan Chuan returns…"
"Enough, get out of my sight!" Jiang Nan furiously waved his hand, storming off toward the mountain summit.
The disciples exchanged glances, unsure of how to react to the unfolding events.
Amidst the grandeur of the heavenly thunder, everyone understood this would be a monumental event in the Great River Sect's history.
…
A new dawn broke, and the sun illuminated the Great River Sect once more.
"Hahaha!"
Countless disciples gathered, recounting the stories of yesterday's calamity, and the excitement surged anew.
Yan Chuan stood in front of the mountain peak, feeling a rush of pride. "A good day!"
Looking down at the bustling disciples, Yan Chuan felt the weight of his responsibility. This wasn't merely a calamity—it was the dawn of a new era.
In the distance, the vibrant peaks rose like an ocean of brilliance, blending seamlessly with the blue skies, a breathtaking spectacle.
The Great River Sect's future was ever-bright.