The morning sun’s rays had ceased to leak out Chaoyangzi's spiritual energy, but Xiao Zi still seemed unsatisfied, as if it hadn't absorbed enough. Ye Ju knew her spiritual ship needed her care, and she had completed the formation of the superimposed arrays. Ye Ju sat cross-legged, concentrated her spirit, and channeled her dantian's fire element, pointing her sword-finger towards the purple bamboo ship. A wave of fire instantly enveloped it.
The ship spirit, Xiao Zi, had been within the Heart of the Earth fire. When Ye Ju's fire spirit energy surged, it immediately and disdainfully returned the Heart of the Earth fire to Chaoyangzi. Chaoyangzi leaped up; the spot where he had been meditating was instantly blasted into a large pit by the Heart of the Earth fire. Fierce flames burned. Chaoyangzi performed a spell to retrieve the Heart of the Earth fire and landed from mid-air. He watched Ye Ju's spellcasting expressionlessly.
This was the first time he had encountered such a picky spirit choosing its master.
Ye Ju closed her eyes and entered a meditative state, activating her dantian's Qi sea. Within her pupils, black and white twin fish eyes each contained a golden core, with three beads rotating around them. A certain profound dao filled her entire dantian, and the two golden cores madly absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy.
No one had ever witnessed Ye Ju cultivating before, so she herself did not know that when she entered meditation, all the surrounding spiritual energy was drawn to her. The spiritual energy of the five elements condensed into a tangible form, visibly pouring into her body.
Chaoyangzi almost exclaimed aloud. What was this? No one had ever been able to absorb spiritual energy to form a domain.
Could Daoist Ye possess the five-element spiritual root? However, no one with such a root had ever cultivated to the Golden Core stage, as the spiritual energy accumulated in the dantian was far from enough to form a core. Yet, Daoist Ye had already formed two golden cores, meaning she had endured two heavenly tribulations!
Chaoyangzi was extraordinarily gifted; his divine sense could see through others' cultivation. Normally, Daoist Ye’s body seemed to be shielded by treasures, concealing her cultivation. If not for this coincidence today, exposing her while absorbing spiritual energy, no one would have been able to uncover Daoist Ye's true capabilities.
At this moment, the entire open space had become a spiritual energy field, dense with spiritual energy. Xiao Bai and Xiao Mo were ejected from the spiritual pet pouch and gathered around Ye Ju, autonomously absorbing spiritual energy. Xiao Zi, being tempered by the continuous fire spirit energy, joyfully swayed its hull.
Chaoyangzi also sat down cross-legged, his body automatically absorbing the spiritual energy. It was true, then, the legendary cultivators of the five elements attracted various spiritual beings during their cultivation. Proximity to a five-element cultivator allowed one to benefit and absorb spiritual energy without cultivation.
He knew that all the spiritual energy above Pearl City would be drawn here, inevitably causing a massive stir.
Suddenly, Xiao Zi let out a contented burp.
"Master, I'm full. I haven't grown much yet, so I don't eat much." Ye Ju was speechless. It had nearly drained Chaoyangzi dry, and it still claimed not to eat much.
Ye Ju withdrew her fire spirit energy. Suddenly, she felt a premonition. This was not good; she couldn't suppress her realm anymore. She had absorbed too much spiritual energy just now and couldn't stop it. The five elements were still pouring in continuously. Indeed, a yellow bead spun wildly like a greedy child, madly absorbing the earth element's spiritual energy. Ye Ju wailed inwardly. She had said they would return to the island; why the haste? She didn't have much spiritual spring water left. What if she was half-killed by the heavenly tribulation? She quickly put Xiao Zi into her spirit ring.
There was no choice. She had to face it!
Chaoyangzi's eyes snapped open. This was bad; Daoist Ye was about to break through. If she underwent tribulation here, it would likely affect a radius of a hundred li. Hot Pot City would be razed to the ground.
"Daoist Chao, I'm about to break through. Please inform me where a suitable place would be to undergo a small tribulation?"
Chaoyangzi's mouth twitched. You call this a small tribulation?
"Follow me." Chaoyangzi took out his treasured sword and ascended on it.
"Xiao Bai!" Ye Ju shouted. Xiao Bai responded and, in a flash, transformed into its true form – a six-tailed beast over three meters tall. Ye Ju leaped onto Xiao Bai's back. Xiao Mo also followed, flying through the air. The person and two pets flew after him.
Amazing! Xiao Bai grew an extra tail just by sleeping!
The entire Pearl City was in an uproar. All the spiritual energy was frantically surging into the backyard of Hot Pot City. Everyone was speculating about who was absorbing spiritual energy with such terrifying power! But before they could react, a sword silhouette flashed across the sky, followed by a familiar figure – a nine-tailed fox divine beast. What followed behind? A dragon? A flood dragon? It vanished in a flash, moving incredibly fast. Before the Pearl City's guardian powerhouses could react, they were gone. This demonstrated Chaoyangzi's unfathomable cultivation.
Chaoyangzi arrived at the peak of Thousand Mile Mountain, three hundred li away from Pearl City. Below the mountain was Thousand Mile Lake. It was a deserted area. Ye Ju followed closely, then jumped off Xiao Bai's back and bowed respectfully, thanking him.
"Daoist Chao, please depart quickly. Please protect me after the lightning tribulation; a great gift will be given afterward!"
Chaoyangzi nodded. There was no point in saying more now!
Ye Ju could barely suppress her realm anymore. After Xiao Bai, Xiao Mo, and Chaoyangzi flew away, she sat down on the spot, relaxed her mind, and let what was coming arrive! She summoned her Imperial Guard artifact and prepared herself!
Suddenly, thunder rumbled overhead, and dark clouds gathered. It was evening, but the black clouds obscured the sky, making it as dark as night.
The lightning tribulation was brewing. Ye Ju channeled her spiritual energy, condensing it at her fingertips, ready to unleash.
Rumble ~ Rumble ~
An blinding white light flashed. In less than two breaths, lightning as thick as a bowl struck down. Ye Ju waved her sword-finger: an ice and fire ball collided head-on, exploding with a boom.
Following that, a thicker bolt of lightning, mixed with a fierce white light, descended directly upon her…
Ye Ju condensed her spiritual energy onto the Imperial Guard artifact and swung it with full force. A powerful ice blade tore through the air, cleaving the lightning tribulation in half. It turned into sparks and vanished.
After resisting two bolts of lightning, Ye Ju gained confidence. Although this lightning tribulation was stronger than before, she herself was also growing stronger, so there was nothing to fear!
The lightning tribulation suddenly stopped. The clouds churned, and thunder roared, as if in a threat.
Ye Ju gave a middle finger to the sky. Hurry up, I have things to do!
The lightning tribulation was enraged by Ye Ju's audacious demeanor and unleashed nine consecutive bolts without any pause.
Ye Ju was also furious. She leaped up:
"Imperial Guard, transform!" Ye Ju mobilized all her spiritual energy, condensing it into the Imperial Guard staff. She directly swung it horizontally, then unleashed an ice and fire ball.
After blowing up three bolts of lightning in succession, she landed and flicked the staff upward, channeling the earth element. A giant, spherical lump of earth shot up and collided with the lightning tribulation. Instantly, the soil scattered, and the lightning tribulation was completely annihilated.
With five bolts of lightning remaining, Ye Ju internally cursed herself for being too arrogant, realizing she was about to be reduced to ashes.
Simultaneously, after quickly casting two ice blades and two ice and fire balls, she directly faced the final bolt with the Imperial Guard staff. Using the principle of wood being a non-conductor, she swung it to the right, diverting the lightning tribulation. With a massive explosion, a large pit was blasted into the ground! However, the moment the lightning tribulation collided with the Imperial Guard artifact, intense electric currents scorched her hands black. The excruciating pain ignited Ye Ju's fighting spirit!
Ye Ju circulated her dantian, madly absorbing spiritual energy, and cast a healing spell to restore her palms. The surrounding spiritual energy surged into Ye Ju's body. Ye Ju shot up thousands of meters into the air. The Imperial Guard artifact instantly became dozens of meters long, gathering all her spiritual power and condensing it into a giant ice and fire ball that struck the lightning tribulation. It instantly penetrated the tribulation clouds. With a deafening roar, the heavenly lightning tribulation was blasted apart and could no longer reform.
Ye Ju, exhausted, fell from the sky…