As Guo Xingyue executed a series of hand seals, streams of pale golden true essence struck the cauldron. The furnace fire within flared up briefly and then gradually extinguished, signaling the completion of the pill. Just as Guo Xingyue finished the final hand gesture, the sky darkened ominously. Thick dark clouds gathered overhead, lightning flickered within the murky layers, and a gigantic Yin-Yang fish materialized amidst the clouds, its eyes sparkling with the electric light, threatening to strike at any moment.
The many experts guarding the corners of the open space quickly retreated, knowing that this was the tribulation for the Recovery Pill. For anyone not involved in the pill refining, getting caught in this event could lead to catastrophic chain reactions. Since all present were above the Spirit Transformation stage, if one person were to face the tribulation, it could trigger a cascading effect that would put everyone at risk—only a fraction would likely survive.
Guo Xingyue and Cheng Qian each took a Recovery Pill into their mouths, preparing for the unforeseen. They exchanged glances, and Guo Xingyue unleashed his flying sword, letting it hover above him. He shouted, "Open!" and executed a series of hand seals to lift the cauldron's lid.
As the lid opened, a thick bolt of lightning shot out from the fish's eye, zapping toward the cauldron.
Cheng Qian disregarded the descending lightning. He took a jade bottle from his storage bracelet and performed a hand seal, drawing one of the Recovery Pills from the cauldron into the bottle. The pills could only be collected one at a time; gathering multiple pills simultaneously would cause multiple tribulations to strike down at once, a scenario no one could survive, resulting in the destruction of both the pills and the collector.
With the first pill secured in the jade bottle, the lightning struck down.
Guo Xingyue, his flying sword at the ready, launched it to meet the lightning, producing a loud crash as it deflected the bolt. However, he understood this was merely the weakest strike. He knew subsequent strikes would grow increasingly powerful, and unless he could endure all nine tribulations and collect all the pills, the lightning would not cease.
Cheng Qian glanced at Guo Xingyue, silently inquiring if he could handle it. Guo Xingyue nodded, indicating for Cheng Qian to continue collecting the pills. Cheng Qian swiftly secured the next Recovery Pill in a jade bottle, then prepared for the next strike.
The Yin-Yang fish's eye glimmered again, and the second lightning bolt descended with double the power of the first. Guo Xingyue successfully repelled it once more, but he felt the strain.
After successfully collecting four pills, the energy of the fifth lightning strike was significant. Guo Xingyue began to feel the pressure, his true essence depleted substantially. Although he had taken two Recovery Pills, his energy was still waning. The sixth bolt of lightning was the strongest yet; while he managed to deflect it, he was nearing his limits.
Cheng Qian, noticing the toll it was taking on Guo Xingyue, asked with concern, "Are you sure you can keep going?"
Taking a deep breath, Guo Xingyue replied, "I can still manage; let's continue." He was determined not to waste any of the precious materials gathered with great effort.
Knowing the seventh bolt would be powerful, he summoned his flying sword back into his hands, transforming it into a long sword that he gripped firmly against his chest, signaling for Cheng Qian to proceed with collecting the pills. Cheng Qian acted quickly, securing another pill.
The Yin-Yang fish blinked, and the seventh bolt of lightning struck down. Guo Xingyue launched into the air, unleashing the technique of Heavenly Integration. He channeled his true essence vigorously, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy, combining it with his own. As his sword arc met the lightning, a tremendous noise erupted, and he managed to repel it once more. However, he was left reeling from the blow.
With a trickle of blood flowing from his mouth, Guo Xingyue remained momentarily dazed, lost in thought. Cheng Qian rushed to him, worried. "Are you alright? We can stop here."
Snapping back to reality, Guo Xingyue wiped the blood from his mouth and looked up at the ominous clouds above. The eighth bolt was gathering power, taking its time to prepare before it would strike. Guo Xingyue steadied himself, thinking back to the first few tribulations.
Despite the difficulty of the current situation, he felt a newfound strength surging from within. The previous lightning strikes, while fierce, had helped to amplify his inner lightning ball, which now radiated with a faint golden glow, larger than before and swirling vigorously in his dantian.
Feeling his resilience restored, Guo Xingyue resolved to face the eighth tribulation. The moment the flash of lightning descended, he leaped into action, unleashing another Heavenly Integration technique. Guo Xingyue, fully focused, aimed to redirect as much of the bolt's energy as possible.
The eighth lightning bolt, far more potent than the previous ones, surged down toward the cauldron. Guo Xingyue used the unloading technique to absorb most of the energy, but the remaining force was too strong for him to completely dissipate. Exhausted from the effort, he could only watch helplessly as the bolt slammed into his chest.
The impact was devastating, launching him backward and causing him to spew blood, his body thrown against the ground. The energy from the lightning roared through his system, wreaking havoc in his meridians.
However, the pain did not dissuade Guo Xingyue's spirit. Even in his dire state, he focused on the last bit of power remaining in him, determined not to let the tribulation win.
The next thunderous strike loomed in the sky, and Guo Xingyue's eyes blazed with resolve. As long as he had strength, he would fight until the end.