124: The triple calamity of thunder, gale and flame!

Before Li Shengyuan could even stand up, the azure lightning from above the Nine Heavens fiercely struck his physical body.

Aside from causing slight damage to his golden armor, it didn't harm his physical body in the slightest!

Li Shengyuan stood up expressionlessly, looked up at the sea of lightning above the Nine Heavens, and a smile of disdain appeared on his lips.

"The Tribulation of Breaking Through, it's nothing more than this!"

At this moment, his Yin Spirit detached from his body, the same size as him, and the two stood face to face!

The next instant, an azure lightning bolt once again struck Li Shengyuan's physical body.

Li Shengyuan made no attempt to counter it, simply stood with his hands behind his back, allowing the lightning to strike his physical body.

However, not only did the lightning not harm Li Shengyuan, but it also helped temper his physical body; faint azure lightning arcs appeared on the surface of his newly formed Undying Golden Body!

"Comfortable…"

Li Shengyuan let out a contented groan.

At this moment, the heavens and earth suddenly underwent a great change, and a fierce wind began to rage around the Yin Spirit that stood opposite his physical body!

The biting cold wind, like a bone-scraping steel knife, battered Li Shengyuan's Yin Spirit!

After the gale, a ball of fierce flames emerged out of thin air, simultaneously incinerating his physical body and Yin Spirit!

Li Shengyuan, however, remained unmoved. When he felt that his recently breakthrough physical body and Yin Spirit had actually made further progress under the pounding of lightning, gale, and fierce flames, his eyes immediately lit up!

"I didn't expect this Heavenly Tribulation to have such an effect. Then let the storm and lightning come even more fiercely!"

Li Shengyuan even took off his golden armor. Without the armor's defense, his physical body could more intimately endure the baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation!

Moreover, a physical body fused with the Intent of Destruction could comprehend the Dao of Destruction more easily!

The end of the Heavenly Tribulation destroying all living beings is new life and transformation. As long as he can withstand it, Li Shengyuan's strength will undoubtedly reach a higher level!

However, Li Shengyuan's actions caused the onlookers, who were watching his tribulation from afar, to feel their hearts pound and repeatedly gasp in cold air, as if the lightning had struck them directly…

"To what extent has Lord Li's Undying Golden Body reached? Under the baptism of the wind, lightning, and fire triple Heavenly Tribulation, he is actually completely unharmed!"

"Too strong! Beings below the Third Rank would probably be blasted into dust by the residual effects of the Heavenly Tribulation if they got within a hundred meters of him. He can actually withstand it without injury; it's terrifying!"

"This is my first time seeing a Heavenly Tribulation, and it's truly shocking. It was worth coming tens of thousands of miles to witness!"

"…"

Feeling Li Shengyuan's Heavenly Tribulation from several miles away, the several Third Rank cultivators who had come to this place could no longer remain calm.

The Heavenly Tribulation was actually so terrifying!

And this was only the lightning, gale, and fierce flames triple Heavenly Tribulation. To break through to the Second Rank, one must at least experience five layers of Heavenly Tribulation!

Can one truly break through to the Second Rank?

All the Third Rank cultivators felt uncertain in their hearts. Facing the Heavenly Tribulation from a distance for the first time made them feel their own insignificance…

Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin, located at the Qingyang Sect's position, watched Li Shengyuan undergoing the tribulation with an expressionless face. Among those present, he had the highest cultivation, and he was also the closest to undergoing the Second Rank Heavenly Tribulation!

Others might not have noticed, but he clearly sensed the changes in Li Shengyuan under the Heavenly Tribulation.

At this instant, Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin had some sudden enlightenment in his heart!

"The Heavenly Tribulation is not meant to destroy every breakthrough cultivator, but rather to leave a glimmer of hope and bestow a test of transformation!"

"To ascend the immortal path, one can only gradually shed their mortal body and forge an immortal physique by undergoing the baptism of the Heavenly Tribulation!"

"There's nothing to fear about the Heavenly Tribulation!"

A smile appeared on Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin's face. He felt relieved at this moment.

The fear of the Heavenly Tribulation in his heart completely vanished, and the inner demon of breakthrough that had plagued him for many years finally disappeared while watching Li Shengyuan undergo the Heavenly Tribulation.

Then he let out a long sigh, exclaiming, "If my state of mind hadn't gained clarity today, when the day of undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation truly arrived, just the inner demon tribulation alone would have probably doomed me to eternal damnation!"

If one is terrified of the Heavenly Tribulation before even undergoing it, how can they possibly pass?

Li Shengyuan's calm endurance of the Heavenly Tribulation allowed Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin to release the heavy burden in his heart.

It's just the Heavenly Tribulation; facing it fearlessly is enough!

Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin smiled easily at the nervous Chen Qingxuan beside him:

"Qingxuan, the subsequent matters here will be left entirely to your discretion."

"Yes, Sect Master."

Chen Qingxuan turned his head, nodded in agreement, and then looked at the Sect Master with surprise. He felt that the Sect Master had changed somewhat, but couldn't quite put his finger on it, and asked in confusion:

"Sect Master, are you going to…"

Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin gazed at Li Shengyuan's figure and chuckled:

"Today, seeing Fellow Daoist Li break through and undergo the Heavenly Tribulation, I had some insights. I want to go back and cultivate in seclusion. I feel that the time for breaking through to the Second Rank is almost here."

"Breaking through to the Second Rank?!"

Chen Qingxuan was greatly alarmed upon hearing this. Breaking through to the Second Rank was a near-death experience!

He couldn't help but say nervously and worriedly, "Sect Master…"

Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin, however, waved his hand and smiled calmly.

The next instant, his figure disappeared from the spot.

There were many strong cultivators present, and although they were somewhat far away, they still heard Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin's words.

This caused a huge uproar!

Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin was preparing to break through to the Second Rank!

This was a major event in the entire Northern Region!

For hundreds of years, there had been no native Second Rank strong cultivators in the Northern Region. Although every few decades, Third Rank strong cultivators would attempt to break through to the Second Rank,

they either failed midway through the breakthrough or were mercilessly blasted into dust by the Heavenly Tribulation.

Some strong cultivators in the Northern Region even suspected if the Northern Region was cursed, making it impossible to break through to the Second Rank here?

It wasn't until over two hundred years ago, when a prince guarding the Northern Region's border for the Great Qian Dynasty successfully passed the seven-layer Heavenly Tribulation and advanced to the Second Rank under everyone's watchful eyes, that this suspicion disappeared.

It wasn't that the Northern Region couldn't allow breakthroughs; it was simply that the strong cultivators of the Northern Region weren't capable enough…

This also caused a heavy stone to weigh on the hearts of every strong cultivator in the Northern Region who wished to break through to the Second Rank, making them feel there was no hope for a breakthrough.

The world yearns to break through to the Third Rank and become a top strong cultivator, but every Third Rank cultivator's heart is filled with the gloom of the Heavenly Tribulation.

The Third Rank Sect Masters of the various major sects looked at the spot where Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin had stood earlier with complex expressions, all sighing in their hearts.

They knew that the possibility of Sect Leader Fang Xiaolin breaking through was not high; it was quite possible this was the last time they would see him…

On the bow of Li Shengyuan's colossal ship, Princess Pingyang listened to the exclamations of the various sects and couldn't help but curiously ask Wenren Qingxuan:

"Mother, I think that Sect Master Fang is quite formidable, so why do so few people believe he can break through to the Second Rank?"

Wenren Qingxuan glanced at the Qingyang Sect's position, then turned back and smiled slightly at Princess Pingyang, explaining:

"Do you see how terrifying the Heavenly Tribulation Shengyuan is currently undergoing is? But this is only a triple Heavenly Tribulation. To successfully break through to the Second Rank, one needs to pass at least five layers of Heavenly Tribulation, which will only be stronger than the one Shengyuan is undergoing!"

"Not to mention there are many other difficulties in breaking through to the Second Rank. It can be said that this step is a near-death experience!"

"Oh…" Princess Pingyang nodded, then added:

"If he can't break through, then don't break through. Can't he just live well? He's still the most powerful person in the Northern Region!"

Wenren Qingxuan, however, let out a faint sigh, a hint of melancholy appearing in her eyes.

"Once one breaks through to the Third Rank, the matter of the Heavenly Tribulation is no longer up to oneself…"