481: Long dead

Wen Xinghai agreed, “That’s right, this matter is strange. If the Empty Nether Grotto-Heaven already had means to attract Lightning, and Star Fiend needed the Lightning Tribulation to achieve Breakthrough, why would he wait until now? He should have broken through back when the Kongming Dao Lineage was at its peak.”

Ye Chun thought for a moment and then said, “I recall an old matter. A long time ago, people from Duan Kong Cave used Attracting Lightning Talismans.”

Wen Xinghai nodded, “That did happen, but that wasn't the Lightning Tribulation; it was just regular Lightning Attraction. The Lightning in the Lightning Tribulation is merely an external manifestation. Its essence is the Heavenly Dao's tempering of the Cultivator; it is a true Dao method, incomparable to the natural Lightning of heaven and earth.”

Ye Chun nodded in acknowledgement, then fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

He was once a Professional Player, skilled in combat, but also adept at tactical and strategic planning.

However, after entering the Xuanhuan World, because the realism of the Xuanhuan World was too high, the intelligence of the NPCs exceeded imagination, and the various characteristics of Xuanhuan were extremely shocking, he once lost confidence and didn't know what to do.

Now, he was slowly regaining his confidence, and with it, his intuition returned. This intuition led him to a crucial question:

“Since the Lightning during the Lightning Tribulation is just an external manifestation, now that the Heavenly Dao has changed, is there a similar Calamity? One that is not Lightning?”

“Hmm?”

Wen Xinghai was clearly stunned; he hadn't considered this possibility.

He quickly checked various data on the Player Forum, contacted the Players from Baiji Pavilion, and finally said:

“At least in the data we Players currently possess, it hasn't been mentioned. Players on the Burial Emperor Star also said they haven't heard of it.

“If there truly was a Calamity similar to the Lightning Tribulation, I don't think these Big Figures from the Eastern Domain would have come over. Therefore, the Lightning Tribulation is still unique and hasn't been replaced.”

Then, Wen Xinghai thought of something else and said:

“I also thought of an old matter. Back then, Ye Hei was found to possess the Saint Physique, which was said to be a superb Physique of the past. But with the Changing Times and the Heavenly Dao Change, it has turned from a Saint Physique into a Crippled Physique.

“I think, even though the Heavenly Dao has changed, the characteristics of the Saint Physique haven't changed; it hasn't followed suit and transformed into some similar Special Physique.

“Therefore, the Lightning Tribulation should be the same.”

The discussion between the two seemed profound, but in reality, it was extremely superficial, lacking crucial Karma logic.

This wasn't their fault. After all, anything involving the Heavenly Dao Change is a Supreme Issue, something a mere Fifth-Rank Cultivator cannot comprehend.

Let alone Fifth-Rank Cultivators, even these Fourth-Rank Cultivators who came from the Eastern Domain were almost completely ignorant of this matter. They had no idea what would happen next, nor what kind of change this Star Fiend had actually brought about.

Boom!

Just as everyone was curious, a Deafening Thunderclap came from the depths of the Empty Nether Grotto-Heaven.

“Look—”

Wen Xinghai's voice abruptly stopped mid-sentence, drawn out by shock, making him sound somewhat strange and ridiculous.

But not a single Player laughed at him at this moment. Everyone held their breath and focused their minds, gazing in shock toward the depths of the Grotto-Heaven.

They saw a dazzling Lightning Bolt suddenly flash within the Thunder Clouds, followed by a roar of Lightning as thick as a mountain. Then, with a massive boom, it was like a colossal Lightning Dragon, whistling down and smashing onto the earth!

This one strike immediately turned the entire Grotto-Heaven into a Sea of Lightning. The dazzling light obscured everything, and the terrifying boom shattered eardrums.

A bold Player activated their Spiritual Sense to probe, only to be violently repelled from afar. They immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, slammed onto the ground with a crash, and had their Meridians shattered.

Even the high and mighty Fourth-Rank Cultivators were terrified. All of them frantically cast methods to protect themselves, flew further away, and hid far off, not daring to approach again.

Curious about the Players inside, Wen Xinghai quickly went onto the Forum to check the situation.

Sure enough, Players had already posted crying complaints, saying they were instantly killed by the Lightning, dying cleanly without any room for resistance.

Moreover, the Lightning came extremely fast, preventing many Players from reacting quickly enough to transfer the Treasures they had acquired using the Trading System, meaning they died in vain.

For a time, the Forum was filled with cries and wails of indescribable misery.

The Players hiding outside secretly celebrated their fortune, then looked fearfully toward the Lightning Marsh.

Someone suddenly spoke up:

“Has Star Fiend gone mad? Even if this kind of fierce Lightning is just an external manifestation, it will absolutely target Evil Cultivation Methods. It is the thing all Evil Cultivators fear the most.”

“He is a Leader of Evil Cultivators, who has directly and indirectly slaughtered countless people and carries unknown amounts of Evil Qi and Resentment Qi. How dare he use the Lightning Tribulation to achieve Breakthrough?”

This was the point that puzzled everyone.

This was precisely the reason why they had previously thought this was not a genuine Lightning Tribulation, but merely something similar to an Attracting Lightning Talisman.

Star Fiend is an Evil Cultivator. According to records, the Lightning Tribulation specifically targets Evil Cultivators.

Unless Star Fiend was completely insane, it would be impossible for him to draw down the Lightning Tribulation for a Breakthrough.

“Look, the Lightning Marsh is dispersing. The first strike should be over.”

Someone shouted again.

The Lightning in the Empty Nether Grotto-Heaven indeed dispersed, revealing a scene of utter devastation.

Most of the Immortal Peaks within the Grotto-Heaven were toppled, with only a few protected by Formations barely remaining intact.

Suddenly, a Cultivator from the Eastern Domain let out a surprised cry, shot forward recklessly, and violently struck out a Stream of Light.

The Stream of Light flew across the ravaged Grotto-Heaven, hitting a sunken Cave and forcefully blasting it open.

“That is...”

Wen Xinghai and the others suddenly gasped in cold air.

A Dead Infant was lifted out of the Cave by the Stream of Light.

The Dead Infant was semi-transparent and blood-red, with unsettling Evil Qi flowing around it, though it was rapidly dissipating.

“Star Fiend? He failed?”

The Players who witnessed this scene felt complex emotions. Clearly, Star Fiend's Breakthrough had failed, and his unformed Nascent Soul was about to dissipate.

Some shook their heads, believing the Lightning Tribulation would also dissipate, and Star Fiend's efforts had ultimately been in vain.

However, Wen Xinghai noticed that the expressions of the Cultivators from the Eastern Domain had drastically changed, appearing somewhat horrified.

He couldn't help but frown, carefully observing the Dead Infant. Combining this observation with the Knowledge of Forming Nascent Soul previously taught by the Qingling Sect Old Ancestor, he truly grasped the key point.

“No, wait, the timing is wrong... Star Fiend didn't just fail. This appearance of his has probably lasted for a month. He failed a long time ago... No, wait, it's not failure. Did he... Sacrifice himself?”

Although he knew some Nascent Soul Formation Methods, and even some Path Continuation Marvelous Methods, Wen Xinghai could not draw a conclusion at this moment, as he was merely a Fifth-Rank Cultivator.

He only knew that the expressions of the Fourth-Rank Experts in the sky were growing increasingly shocked. They began arguing and shouting, seemingly because some Major Event was about to happen... Burial Emperor Star.

Jian Family.

Jian Linran had just received a Player and had not yet dismissed them.

That Player provided him with the latest situation in the Prison Land, discussing the Evil Cultivator Star Fiend and the Lightning Tribulation.

After listening, Jian Linran narrowed his eyes and asked, “Did you hear the sound of a Dragon Roar?”