437: Chapter 437 Tribulation

Amidst the scattered remnants of the dissipating golden phantom...

Chen Xuan and his group of over thirty people charged together into the Thunder Pool, where purple-gold lightning coiled and writhed like Horned Dragons.

It was a spectacular sight, much like moths flying into a flame.

The moment he stepped into the range of the Thunder Pool, Chen Xuan felt a completely different pressure surge toward him.

This pressure did not come from the violent power of the lightning itself, but was a scrutiny that pierced straight through to the Divine Soul, as if an invisible pair of eyes were peering through flesh and blood to spy on the deepest secrets in everyone's hearts.

Purple-gold lightning whistled and darted past him.

However, it did not actively attack as expected; it merely circled three feet away from his body, transforming into screens of light that isolated everyone from one another.

"This Thunder Pool..."

"Judging by the knowledge of my past life, the Three Tribulations of Wind, Fire, and Lightning correspond to outer lightning striking the body and inner lightning breaking the heart; inner fire burning the body and destroying the Primordial Qi; and astral wind piercing the body, causing both Spirit and Form to dissipate."

To put it simply, the Lightning Tribulation tests the Dao Heart, the Fire Tribulation tests the Dao Foundation, and the Wind Tribulation tests the Primordial Spirit.

Only by passing all three tribulations can one possess the potential for Immortal Ascension. Of course, how far one can ultimately go still depends on the Cultivator's own Opportunity and skill.

"This is..."

Xie Xingchen also sensed something strange. He tried to reach out and touch the lightning beside him. As soon as his fingertip drew near, a tiny current surged into his body. It didn't cause any harm; instead, an indescribable wave of emotion welled up in his heart.

"It seems Revered Master was right; this lightning truly tests the Dao Heart."

Chen Xuan had already closed his eyes, allowing the power of the lightning to roam around his body. He could clearly feel the power of the Thunder Pool guiding his Divine Soul, diving into the deepest corners of his heart.

In a daze, the surrounding lightning suddenly vanished, and the violent pressure disappeared without a trace.

In its place was a familiar scent—a mix of mold and cooking fumes—and the humming sound of an old air conditioner's outdoor unit reached his ears.

Chen Xuan opened his eyes. What met his gaze was not the perilous Thunder Pool, but a rented room of less than ten square meters. The walls were yellowed, decorated with several curled-up calendars. A familiar Yellow Vest was piled on the table, and half a box of instant noodles sat in the corner.

He was all too familiar with this place.

This was the rented room where he had struggled for three whole years in his past life.

"Where the hell did this bring me?"

"Knock, knock, knock—"

A crisp knocking sound suddenly rang out, breaking the dead silence in the room.

Chen Xuan's heart stirred as memories of his past life flooded back like a tide. He remembered that at this point in time, he was cooped up in his rented room playing games to drown his sorrows because he was unemployed. No one should have been knocking.

Could it be... he had ordered takeout?

He got up and walked to the door, looking through the peephole. He saw a sweet-looking girl standing outside. She wore a white dress, her long hair fell over her shoulders, her eyes were curved in a smile, and her figure was so hot it was hard to look away.

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Xuan pulled open the door.

"Hello, may I ask who you are..."

"Chen Xuan, right?" the girl spoke first, her voice soft and pleasant. "My name is Su Qing. I took a flight for over a dozen hours to find you."

Chen Xuan was stunned: "Do we know each other? I feel like... I've never seen you before."

"Don't we know each other now?" Su Qing smiled, her eyes lively. "Actually, we were classmates in kindergarten. We even had a Childhood Betrothal back then, though you might not remember."

Without waiting for Chen Xuan to react, she continued on her own: "When you were three, you hid your deskmate's lollipop in your sock at kindergarten. When you were ten, you secretly changed your test score and got beaten by your parents. In university, you had a crush on the department belle for three years but didn't dare to confess until graduation."

Are you insulting me?

Su Qing blinked, her eyes sparkling. "Also, you were just fired by your company last week, and now you're worrying about next month's rent, right?"

Chen Xuan asked in return, "How do you know all this?"

"Because... I've always been watching you." After the girl finished speaking, she stepped forward for a hug, her soft body pressing tightly against him.

Chen Xuan's heart jolted, and he instinctively took a step back. "Who are you exactly?"

"Your fiancée."

Su Qing continued with a sweet smile, "You might not believe it, but besides these things, I even know your future. If you look for another job, you'll only hit walls everywhere and be trapped in this tiny place for the rest of your life, living in a muddle. But I can take you away. We can quit together and go south to live. There's endless money to be made there, and everything you want."

Go south? Endless money?

Chen Xuan stared into Su Qing's eyes, which looked innocent but actually hid greed. He asked in a low voice, "Where is that place?"

The smile on Su Qing's face became even sweeter. She leaned close to his ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"In Northern Myanmar, I know a way, darling."

Northern Myanmar!

These two words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly splitting everything around him apart.

In an instant, Chen Xuan felt his Divine Soul shake. The rented room and Su Qing's figure all shattered and dissipated like bubbles.

When he opened his eyes again, he was still in the Thunder Pool. Purple-gold lightning flowed slowly around him, and that scrutinizing force that pierced his Divine Soul had vanished. Ahead, a spatial rift had appeared.

He had passed the Lightning Tribulation.

Good heavens... no wonder people say the antidote is always within seven steps of the poison.

If it hadn't been for that last sentence, Chen Xuan naturally... wouldn't have been fooled either.

It seemed the Dao Heart Tribulation of the Thunder Pool was not meant to destroy a Cultivator's past, but to see through obsessions and perceive falsehoods. Only by not being deceived by appearances can one guard their original heart and pass this tribulation.

Xie Xingchen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the throbbing in his heart, and no longer resisted the power of the Thunder Pool.

The current traveled through his Meridians, seeping into his Divine Soul bit by bit.

In the next moment, the surrounding lightning collapsed.

A pungent smell of medicine rushed at him. The cold, damp stone wall pressed against his back, and the chill was bone-piercing.

Xie Xingchen snapped his eyes open, his pupils suddenly contracting.

With just one look, he recognized this place—it was the Spiritual Vulture Mountain Range in the Middle Region, a part of his past that he could never erase.

"You're awake?"

Xie Xingchen turned his head and saw several sallow, emaciated youths with numb expressions lying haphazardly on the ground.

The one who had spoken was Xu Mo.

"Junior Brother Xu, there's no need to worry. Nothing will happen."

Xu Mo looked up blankly at the gentle-looking man beside him.

Junior Brother Xu... is he calling me?

Crack—

With a soft sound, the shackles on his ankles snapped.

He saw the man beside him take out a completely emerald-green wooden sword. With a flash of sword light, all the chains binding the group shattered.

Xie Xingchen said softly, "Everyone, leave quickly. From tomorrow onwards, the Medicine Pavilion will no longer exist in this Middle Region."

"Come out!"

A cold shout exploded from outside the cave.

Two Medicine Pavilion Cultivators dressed in gray robes stood with their hands behind their backs. Their gaze fell on him, as indifferent and emotionless as still water.

"Kid, don't just stand there. It's time for you to come out of the cave today."

"Did you hear me? Are you deaf?"

The Medicine Pavilion Cultivator's gaze turned sharp as he stepped toward him. "If you keep dawdling, don't blame me for breaking one of your legs first."

Before he could finish his sentence, the long sword was already unsheathed, its cold light flashing for an instant.

Pfft—

Two soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

Blood splattered against the cold stone wall. The two Medicine Pavilion Cultivators fell straight down without even uttering a scream.

"I thought it was already in the past. It seems I must personally sever this history after all."

Xie Xingchen walked slowly out of the cave, looking toward the direction of the Medicine Pavilion, and whispered to himself.