852: A vast expanse of thunder, tempering the spirit and refining the Dao.

“…”

Ye Anlan's gaze sharpened, and she quickly mobilized her strength to resist.

Boom!

The lightning struck, shattering Ye Anlan's power. Her body trembled, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out.

Her skin was scorched black, and dense cracks appeared all over her body, with blood continuously gushing out.

Her face was extremely pale. Enduring the pain, she tried to move forward, but found it impossible to advance further, seemingly trapped in this small square.

“It seems my limit is here.”

Ye Anlan took a deep breath and immediately sat down cross-legged.

Since it was difficult to move forward, she would first adapt here and use the lightning to temper her physical body.

“…”

Xie Weilou then arrived at the ten-thousand-step platform.

Rumble!

Lightning struck from all directions, causing cracks to appear in his clothes and some blood marks on his body, but he wasn't too severely affected.

“Your Highness, it seems this is your limit.”

Xie Weilou looked at Ye Anlan.

Ye Anlan glanced at Xie Weilou, a hint of unwillingness in her eyes: “I lost.”

She had used her Eastern Wasteland Scripture and reached this point, which was already her limit, making it impossible to advance further.

In contrast, Xie Weilou still had energy, seemed quite relaxed, and could definitely continue forward.

She had lost this gamble, and she admitted defeat wholeheartedly.

Xie Weilou's physical body was truly terrifying. She was very curious to see how far he could go.

Xie Weilou smiled and said, “Since you lost, then wait for me to touch your leg next time. Right now, you’re covered in blood and your skin is scorched black; it wouldn’t feel good to touch.”

With that, his figure moved, and he continued to rush upwards.

Ye Anlan: “…”

Below, at the nine-thousand-step mark, Ye Cangxiao, Fu Longxiang, and Emperor Evil had already reached their limits. They all sat down, unable to move forward.

At this moment, a sense of inexplicable despair filled their hearts. Climbing a single Great Dao had already revealed many issues; they truly could not compare to Xie Weilou and Ye Anlan.

As for the others, they were even worse off; some had already fallen at the three-thousand-step mark.

Those with slightly stronger talent and strength could only reach just over five thousand steps by fighting to the death.

— — — — — —

After an unknown amount of time.

At the twelve-thousand-step mark, Xie Weilou stopped.

At this moment, his clothes were torn, and dense cracks appeared all over his body. His bones and internal organs also had cracks, and blood stained his entire body, turning him into a bloodied person.

Around him, ancient thunder roared, and black lightning continuously emerged, captivating the soul and carrying terrifying power of annihilation, seemingly capable of destroying all things, extremely dreadful.

Even a Dao Seeking Realm expert coming here would likely have their physical body shattered, unable to advance.

His physical body was comparable to a top-grade dao artifact, but it couldn't withstand the lightning power here.

Xie Weilou said in a deep voice, “The lightning here can shatter a top-grade dao artifact. If I continue upwards, my body won’t be able to bear it…”

Wu Xiaoying had previously mentioned that when climbing, his arm was blasted off by a terrifying lightning bolt, and at that time, he was already at the late stage of Creation.

Now it seemed Wu Xiaoying must have reached an even higher position.

This place could already crush top-grade dao artifacts. Further up, it could probably shatter even Creation treasures.

“The lightning here is terrifying, but it’s an excellent place. I’ll cultivate here first.”

Xie Weilou took a deep breath, waved his hand, and a formation plate and several formation flags flew out, forming several grand formations.

He immediately sat down cross-legged.

Buzz!

Xie Weilou moved his finger, and the formation activated, causing powerful spiritual energy from heaven and earth to surge towards him frantically.

Rumble!

The surrounding lightning, without needing to be drawn, continuously struck him.

He decisively activated the Nirvana Sutra and the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Punishment Body. Ten thousand bolts of lightning struck, instantly tearing his body apart, and blood splattered out.

The lightning did not dissipate but remained within his body, continuously tempering his physique.

“Hiss!”

Xie Weilou felt pain all over his body, and even breathing brought an endless sense of agony.

If it were an ordinary person, they would have certainly fainted, but he had experienced such pain every time he resisted lightning, so he was used to it.

“Just body tempering isn't enough; I need to temper my spirit and Dao principles!”

Xie Weilou took a deep breath.

Buzz!

His Six Profound Aspects, divine soul, and the taiji diagram of Dao principles within his dantian simultaneously flew out, suspended above him.

The heavenly book flashed with a faint light, and a mysterious power permeated, forming a special blockade that concealed the Six Profound Aspects, the divine soul manifestation, and the taiji diagram, making it difficult for outsiders to detect anything.

Rumble!

Ten thousand bolts of black lightning transformed into pillars of lightning, frantically striking Xie Weilou.

The Profound Manifestation, divine soul, and taiji diagram above his head were all enveloped by the lightning and continuously struck.

The Profound Manifestation and divine soul resisted the lightning, being tempered, strengthened, and enhanced.

And the taiji diagram, on the other hand, was devouring the lightning, and the power of Dao principles contained within it was gradually increasing.

Yin and Yang, Five Elements, Demonic Dao, Devil Dao, Ghost Dao, Void, Stars, Curses, Reincarnation, Time, Chaos, and other Dao principles simultaneously emerged.

Numerous Great Dao principles were continuously intertwining and evolving, seemingly on the verge of undergoing peculiar changes if they continued… Seven days later.

Xie Weilou had completely adapted to the lightning here. His body had fully recovered and significantly strengthened.

The Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Punishment Body became even more formidable, but it did not advance further; the seventh layer was still not successfully cultivated. The lightning power here was no longer able to meet his requirements.

“Continue upwards.”

Xie Weilou stood up, put away the surrounding formation plate and flags, and rushed towards the steps above.

Half an hour later.

He reached the thirteen-thousand-step mark. The lightning power here could instantly blast a top-grade dao artifact into dust. Without a body comparable to a Creation treasure, one simply couldn't withstand the lightning here.

His body once again shattered, and his internal organs, bones, dantian, Profound Manifestation, divine soul, etc., all developed dense cracks, with the possibility of disintegrating at any moment.

“…”

Enduring the pain, Xie Weilou once again set up a grand formation.

He sat down cross-legged, continuing to cultivate the Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Punishment Body. Powerful lightning energy frantically struck him, instantly disintegrating his body, and his flesh and blood were evaporated.

Even with his Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Punishment Body and Nirvana Sutra, he found it difficult to resist.

Xie Weilou quickly took out a bottle of medicinal pills and swallowed them. As the pills entered his stomach, a powerful force surged through him, yet it couldn't withstand the lightning power here, and his divine soul continuously shattered.

“…”

Seeing that the medicinal pills were ineffective, Xie Weilou decisively took out the ageless spring, not bothering to care if it was Imperial Abyss's bathwater, and directly drank a large gulp.

The ageless spring entered his stomach.

His wounds instantly healed. His physical body, dantian, Profound Manifestation, divine soul, etc., all returned to their original state, and even strengthened considerably.

“As expected of the ageless divine spring, it’s truly powerful, and it tastes so good!”

Xie Weilou closed his eyes, and his Six Profound Aspects reappeared. The Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Punishment Body, Nirvana Sutra, and Eastern Wasteland Scripture were all operated to their maximum.

Rumble!

Countless bolts of annihilating lightning struck, directly enveloping Xie Weilou, forming a gigantic cocoon of lightning…