Chapter 267: The Return of Xuanyuan

Finally, the last wave of six bolts of lightning descended from the sky, each as thick as an adult’s thigh! They rushed down like fierce dragons and pierced into Rod’s body.
A fierce battle ensued within Rod’s body as the lightning ravaged his soul. Once again, Rod had underestimated its power; he accidentally spat out a mouthful of blood and his face turned pale.
The strength left to him by Xuanyuan was miraculous, but it had been nearly depleted by the previous waves of lightning. Thus, at this moment, Rod could rely only on his own fighting spirit to protect his vital organs and resist the force of the lightning.
After this wave of lightning passed, the world fell into silence—a deathly stillness that was eerily quiet, causing concern.
The thunderclouds in the sky spun wildly once more. This time, they condensed again, shrinking from thousands of meters in size to less than a hundred meters, yet their pressure reached an extreme level of terror.
Even in Dark Moon City, dozens of miles away, martial artists below the divine level felt uneasy, as if someone were choking them, making it hard to breathe. The entire space seemed trapped and lifeless.
Everyone looked at each other, their expressions complicated as they stared toward the thunderclouds. If black lightning had appeared in the second wave, what about the third? What kind of lightning would it be? Could it be the legendary white lightning, the kind that harms mental strength? If so, what kind of damage would it cause? Harming mental strength was the most direct and deadly form of damage. Moreover, white lightning not only inflicted mental harm but also possessed a power comparable to purple lightning, capable of destroying everything.
Yang Xuan’s thunder tribulation was indeed terrifying. At the thought of it, everyone couldn’t help but take a step back, as if afraid of being drawn into it. The pressure made everyone’s heartbeat accelerate.

“Pfft…” Spitting out a mouthful of blood violently, Rod’s eyes flashed with a cruel intent as he finally dispelled the black lightning within his body. His soul still suffered some damage; it seemed he would need to rest for a while to return to his original state. It was all his own fault—was it someone else’s? He wondered what they had become by now. Yet, the gains were significant. If his soul had been like that of a child before, it could now be considered adult after undergoing this refinement, achieving a qualitative leap.

The lightning flashing in the sky turned into white lightning at this moment. As expected, seeing this, Rod smirked coldly. White lightning—capable of destroying everything.

He refused to believe it and decided to give it a try to see how strong his mental power really was. Rod had always known that his mental power far surpassed his current combat strength, reaching an terrifying level. It was just that he hadn’t had the chance to refine it until now. With this opportunity, if he seized it well, he would advance further. The strength of his mental power would bring him unimaginable benefits. At the very least, it would greatly reduce the chances of hitting a bottleneck in his cultivation, providing immeasurable help in reaching the Yin Yellow realm. More directly, in battles, it would allow him to more clearly track his opponent’s every move, laying the best foundation for gaining the upper hand.

There were sixteen bolts in this wave, divided into three layers. The first layer should have two bolts, the second layer five, and the third layer nine. Nine times nine equals one—after such trials, it would help Xuanyuan withstand all the thunder calamities, allowing him to be born smoothly.

Boom! Finally, the first wave of lightning descended. Two white bolts, glowing brightly, sliced through the dark sky and rushed straight toward him!

The next moment, they silently entered Rod’s body, heading straight for his consciousness sea and wreaking havoc there.

The most crucial part of a person’s mental power is the consciousness sea, and only a strong mental power can sustain its existence. The consciousness sea can be regarded as the stronghold of mental power. Truly a terrifying foe—attacking right at the core from the start.

Not only that, but even more terrifyingly, it emitted energy on par with purple lightning, ravaging every part of his body, even carrying the soul-destroying power of black lightning.

Triple convergence, a three-pronged attack—its effectiveness goes without saying. More importantly, it disrupts Rod’s defense system, leaving him wanting but unable to act, distracting his mental focus. Yet sometimes, even the plans of fate can go awry! If someone else were standing here, they might succeed, perhaps even two bolts of lightning could settle everything—but it’s Rod standing here. He isn’t afraid of the power of the purple lightning, let alone just two bolts of energy; his body can easily withstand them. As for the energy of the black lightning? Having endured six bolts of energy before and having his soul elevated, how could he possibly fear just two bolts of black lightning? It’s simply impossible. All he needs to do is resist the mental assault with all his might.
……
“Whoa…” As the white lightning appeared, chaos erupted in Dark Moon City in the distance. Indeed, it was white lightning—terrifying white lightning, the thunder tribulation of the Yang Xuan realm. It was indeed the thunder tribulation of that realm. Which god-like man was undergoing such a trial? To what extent was he so powerful?
With two bolts of white lightning falling, could he still defend against them as easily as before?
“Break through!” Finally, the critical moment arrived. Along with Rod’s furious roar in his heart, his mental power surged violently, shattering the energy of the two bolts of lightning. He felt a hint of exhaustion. The lightning had tempered and concentrated his mental power, with remarkable results, but at a great cost. He might be able to withstand five bolts of lightning in his second layer, but what about the third layer? Nine bolts of lightning in the third layer were definitely beyond his capacity! After experiencing its power, Rod inwardly groaned in pain.
Looking down at Xuan Yuan, who he continued to protect, he silently prayed that he would finish his fusion soon, so that he could at least help him then.
“Crackling…” This time, the sound of the lightning wasn’t dull but instead extremely clear. Perhaps due to constant provocation from humans, its own lightning failed to have any effect and was instead used against it—heaven was now enraged.
The crisp sound of the lightning was even more terrifying. White lightning sliced through the darkness, as if trying to tear apart the entire sky, illuminating the land more brightly than the sun during the day. The crackling noise was spine-chilling as it rushed straight toward Rod.
“Break through!” Feeling the terrifying aura, Rod knew he couldn’t sit idly by. If these lightning bolts penetrated his body again, the consequences would be unimaginable!

In a flash, he dodged to the side and unleashed fifteen consecutive punches. Each lightning bolt endured Rod’s three attacks, with continuous roars, fierce winds, and flying sand and stones. The clashes with the lightning produced wave after wave of white light. The trees around vanished like dust, as if they had never existed.

Eventually, everything dissipated, and more than half of the energy rushed into Rod’s body. Another internal battle ensued, but Rod, now depleted from the lightning attacks, was confident he could withstand it.

A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, his face pale and terrifying. His body trembled incessantly, and crisp cracking sounds came from within. At this moment, Rod was undergoing a completely new ordeal—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Pfft… He spat out more blood. Although his energy had been greatly depleted, it still exceeded Rod’s expectations. His mental strength wavered, causing him to spit blood again. He swayed, nearly falling to the ground.

The energy of the lightning pressed closer and closer. Rod’s last line of defense was on the verge of collapsing, and his consciousness sea seemed about to be breached.

It was then that Rod realized his estimates had been far off. This lightning was beyond his current ability to resist. Damn Xuan Yuan—what kind of calamity had he brought? Was this really the end?

His body felt as if it were being torn apart, and his soul was struck again. Rod’s consciousness gradually blurred. He felt as though his soul was being pulled out of his body and soaring into the sky. His mental strength was fading, and he was at a disadvantage in the battle, with the possibility of being completely shattered at any moment.

“I’ll help you!” Just as Rod was on the verge of collapse, a voice as melodious as celestial music appeared in his consciousness.

Immediately afterward, he felt a mighty force surge into his body—utterly warm. It swept through everything in its path with lightning speed, wiping out the energy of the lightning. His soul was pulled back into his body, and his consciousness sea became stronger. Then came a thorough purge, and the crisis was resolved in an instant. The power of the lightning was completely driven away. Rod, who had been on the brink of death, finally breathed a sigh of relief and showed a genuine smile.

The situation just now had been terrifying. “Damn you, have you completed the fusion?” The one who helped him was none other than Xuan Yuan. Sensing this, Rod vaguely guessed that it had probably succeeded.

“Hmm, it’s merged! Come, let’s face the first battle together!” Xuan Yuan was overjoyed after the fusion and said to Rod with great confidence, as if thinking no one else in the world could take on this task.
“Alright, let’s fight together!” Rod shouted loudly, a slight smile on his lips.
This final wave of lightning seemed to sense Xuan Yuan’s successful fusion as well; it spun wildly, refusing to subside, continuously circling as thunderclouds gathered. By the time it merged into a mass about ten meters in size, it resembled a black hole, exuding immense power.
Whoosh… Nine bolts of lightning merged into one, striking Rod with a thickness comparable to that of an adult’s waist.
“Watch me break the heavens!” Rod roared with heroic spirit, his aura of invincibility shining through as he raised his sword.