Chapter 266: Tempering the Soul

After six bolts of lightning, after a brief pause, seven deep purple lightning bolts descended from the sky with terrifying speed, rushing forward like nine fierce dragons.
Seeing this, Rod’s expression turned grim. The first two waves of lightning had already dealt him a severe blow; now his entire body was blackened with traces of white smoke, in a state of disarray, barely resembling his original appearance.
There was still some residual energy left in his body, raging violently, causing his speed to slow down significantly due to the tingling sensation.
Upon seeing these lightning bolts approaching, he roared in anger and charged headlong at them. He could no longer endure them passively as before—doing so would result in a miserable death.
Boom! Boom! Boom! With fists and feet, Rod clashed head-on with the lightning, using all his strength to shatter the bolts into pieces. Although some remaining energy flowed into his body, it was much less harmful than before.
Lightning flashed everywhere, thunder rumbled, and those watching from afar were shocked. They realized this guy dared to confront such thunderstorms head-on. This… For a moment, countless terrifying thoughts filled everyone’s minds.
Was this even something a warrior could do? They knew very well what these lightning bolts represented. Even the most skilled electric users, like the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles, whose attack power was said to be the strongest—capable of severely injuring experts at the Yin Huang realm—with their “Nine Heavens Thunder” was only this powerful. Yet here, someone was confronting such lightning, and not just one, but seven? Could this really be something a high-tier divine warrior could do?
Of course, Rod had no idea what others were thinking. His physique was unique in the world. Perhaps other things might pose difficulties for him, but lightning posed no threat to him—at least not yet. He could hold on.
In the blink of an eye, another two waves of lightning followed: eight and nine bolts.
The two waves struck almost simultaneously, one after the other, leaving everyone watching from afar on the edge of their seats.
If he could truly survive such extreme thunderstorms, they couldn’t imagine how powerful this warrior must be. At the very least, he could be considered a super-strong expert at the Yin Huang realm.
Some even began to speculate whether this wasn’t the usual thunderstorm for entering the Yin Huang realm, but rather one for advancing from the Yin Huang realm to the Yang Xuan realm—only such a trial could possess such immense power.

If that’s really the case, it’s a huge deal. For tens of thousands of years, who has ever heard of the Yangxuan Thunder Tribulation? Who has ever seen it? It’s said to have appeared only three times, and each appearance gave rise to three peerless warriors—each one a force capable of destroying the world. What about this time? Could another such warrior be born? Discussions are rampant, and Dark Moon City is in an uproar; the entire city is shaken. Even the powerful beings within the Dark Source are looking in this direction, sensing the extraordinary aura and terrifying pressure emanating from there.

These two waves of lightning caused Rod quite a bit of trouble. Although he struck seventeen times in just one second, the remaining energy still dealt him a devastating blow. A trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, and the surroundings were crumpled and filled with white smoke, creating an otherworldly scene—though one that claimed lives. Fortunately, Rod finally got some time to catch his breath.

The thunder clouds in the sky spun wildly, continuously condensing and merging. What was once several miles wide had now shrunk to less than a kilometer, yet this smaller cloud exuded an even more terrifying presence. The flashes of lightning inside it shifted from blue to purple. Previously, blue lightning could produce purple flashes—so what kind of lightning would fall this time?

Rod didn’t have the heart to pay attention. He quickly took several deep breaths to adjust his state and process the remaining energy in his body. Closing his eyes to meditate, he knew time was running out—the second phase was approaching, and he had to get himself in top shape, or failure would bring serious trouble.

“I’m almost there. Hold on a little longer, damn thing! This Dark Dragon Sword is truly extraordinary. It seems I’ll have to put in a lot of effort!” Not only was Rod in trouble, but Xuan Yuan was also facing huge difficulties. Although the Dark Dragon Sword had lost its sword spirit, it was still not ordinary. Unlike other weapons, which lose their internal world and become utterly mundane once their sword spirit is gone, this sword still had its own world, its own realm. Xuan Yuan needed to subdue this realm before he could begin his own transformation, which made things much more complicated.

If it weren’t for Rod helping to withstand the thunder tribulation, it might have already been reduced to ashes by now.

“The second phase has arrived!” From a distance, observing the situation over there, Melon said in a deep voice. Who exactly was the expert undergoing the thunder tribulation over there? His heart was filled with shock—could such a powerful person truly exist? Although he had passed the first wave of thunder tribulations relatively easily, those tribulations had been much milder than these. Even the second wave might not be that intense. But what about that mysterious person? If the first wave was already so terrifying, what would the second phase be like? Could he hold on? Could it really be the thunder tribulation of the Yang Xuan realm? His mind was filled with doubts.

Boom… After a long period of buildup, the second wave of thunder tribulations was finally about to arrive.

The thunder tribulations were divided into three waves. What Rod had experienced earlier counted as the first wave. The second wave now was far more powerful, consisting of five layers and twenty-five strikes. After that would come the third and final wave.

Boom… With a loud noise, a black lightning bolt as thick as an adult’s calf descended from the sky, carrying an apocalyptic force. The appearance of this lightning bolt not only shocked Rod but also those watching from a hundred miles away. Black thunder tribulation—this only appeared during the third layer of the Yin Huang realm, the last and most powerful thunder tribulation. So why was the first strike of the second wave already black?

The black thunder tribulation was incredibly powerful. Not only in terms of force but also in its terrifying ability to harm souls. That was the most critical aspect. The soul was often the weakest part of a cultivator and the easiest to damage. Yet, there were no techniques in the world that could harm souls—only this eerie black lightning could do so.

Once a soul was damaged, it might take a hundred years to recover, at best reaching about 70-80% of its original state. A slight injury could turn someone into an idiot or fool, while more severe cases could result in a vegetative state, with no response at all—like a living dead person. That’s why black lightning had always been something people feared above all else.

“Yang Xuan Thunder Tribulation!” Someone shouted first, and soon everyone was in an uproar.

The thunder tribulation of the Yang Xuan realm—someone is actually attempting to reach it. How powerful is this person? Although the Dark Source is incredibly strong with countless mighty beings, including many from the Yin Huang realm present in various clans and the Netherworld, numbering over ten, there isn’t a single one at the Yang Xuan realm. In tens of thousands of years, only three people have ever entered this realm, with the latest one having been over five thousand years ago. Could it be that another master of the Yang Xuan realm is emerging today, after five thousand years? Who is he? A member of which clan or faction? Everyone was discussing fervently, their eyes fixed on the distant thunderclouds, awaiting the outcome.

They waited for this historic moment. If successful and another master of the Yang Xuan realm appeared, the balance of power in the Dark Source would truly be disrupted. Such a master would surely be sought after by all factions; whoever could win him over would be able to dominate the entire Dark Source.

Boom… The second wave of lightning arrived—two streaks of dark lightning that gave off an eerie feeling. Rod quickly closed his eyes, afraid to look, fearing he might be trapped by them. The first wave of lightning had already caused him great suffering, nearly damaging his soul, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.

Yet, this wave of lightning made a faint smile appear on Rod’s lips. In fact, he preferred facing such lightning. Black lightning harmed souls, so its true power wasn’t great; his body could fully withstand it. As for his soul, with the righteous energy left by Xuanyuan within him, along with his own peculiar combat energy, it wasn’t in great danger!

The two streaks of lightning struck Rod and vanished in the blink of an eye, as if they had never existed. Inside his body, though these lightning strikes seemed formidable, they were quickly absorbed by Rod’s combat energy and utilized. His combat energy also gradually transformed, integrating the characteristics of the black lightning.

As for Rod’s soul, it was continuously tempered through repeated trials—just like the thunder tribulation. For the weak, it was the most terrifying force, a deadly threat. But for the strong, it was the best nourishment, the best opportunity to advance, helping them rise to a higher level and strengthen themselves in every aspect.

The first wave targeted the physical body, the second the soul. What about the third? What would it be? Could it be mental strength? Rod wasn’t sure, but he was filled with anticipation now.

After two flashes of lightning came three in the third wave, followed by four in the fourth wave and five in the fifth wave. Though these flashes were fierce, they couldn’t cause Rod any trouble. Unnoticed, Rod’s entire body began to emit a dark glow, with black lightning coiling around him like dragons, moving back and forth. His soul was continuously tempered and elevated.

There was still one final wave—six flashes of lightning. Once this wave ended, it would mean Rod had passed the second stage of the thunder tribulation, leaving only the final stage with sixteen flashes!

To Rod, dealing with the thunder tribulation seemed simple—quiet and uneventful. Yet those in the distance were in an uproar, staring in shock. Was this still a human? Those black lightning bolts were soul lightning—how could that guy pass through it so easily as if nothing had happened? Would the final wave be the same? To what extent was his soul strong enough to withstand such intensity? It should be noted that among those who failed the Yin Yellow Thunder Tribulation, 60% died from the last lightning strike—precisely these black lightning bolts! This already demonstrated the terror of soul lightning. But now… it all seemed like a dream.