Infiltrating the righteous path? Just another place to be a sycophant.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Why Didn't This Unfilial Disciple Get Struck?

According to the rules of tribulation, one should not casually help others undergo tribulation, even if their cultivation level is lower than yours. Otherwise, it will inevitably affect the power of the tribulation lightning and the karma of their future tribulation.

Although he didn't know why Lu An would form his Golden Core in front of him, the aura of this Golden Core formation during the tribulation had already attracted the tribulation clouds and tribulation lightning, which were right above the Heavenly Demon Peak!

The aura of the tribulation lightning caused countless creatures to scatter and flee, fearing that they would be affected by it.

The power of Heaven quickly locked onto the people inside Heavenly Demon Peak; even Li Podao felt the power of Heaven locking onto him.

"Master, what are those thunderclouds in the sky?"

"Those are tribulation clouds. You need to condense your golden core, so you are about to undergo tribulation."

Li Podao was in a panic. He hadn't expected that his good disciple would undergo tribulation so close to him, dragging him into it without any warning or preparation.

"Disciple, your master cannot help you through this tribulation of lightning; you must rely on yourself!"

As Li Podao was about to leave, he suddenly felt a weight on his thigh, as if something had been tied to his leg.

Looking down, he saw it was his good disciple, Lu An.

"Master, you can't leave! If you leave, I won't be able to undergo tribulation and become a Golden Core cultivator!"

Lu An clung tightly to Li Podao. Li Podao wanted to kick him away, but the boy was holding on so tightly that if he didn't use his magic properly, it would probably affect Lu An's legs.

Moreover, if I were to make a move now and expose myself, I would likely anger the Heavenly Dao, causing it to amplify the power of the tribulation lightning.

“Disciple, you can only rely on yourself to overcome the tribulation, not on others!” Li Podao earnestly advised.

"I don't care! Master! I want to become a Golden Core cultivator! Help me!" Lu An acted like a rogue.

Li Podao sighed as he looked at Lu An's appearance.

Helping this kid overcome his tribulation isn't difficult, but what if it affects my own future tribulations?

If I help him like this, I'll probably have to endure dozens or even hundreds more lightning strikes during my future tribulation stages!

This heavenly tribulation lightning will settle scores later!

"Good disciple, let go quickly and try to save yourself first. If it doesn't work, your master will step in to help you!"

"No! I need Master to take action now!"

Lu An wasn't stupid; if he had a powerful backer, why wouldn't he take advantage of it?

He understood the laws of tribulation, but as for whether it would affect Old Deng's future tribulation? He didn't care. After all, Old Deng hadn't been considerate of him when he participated in the sect competition.

Just as the two were struggling to their limits, the tribulation clouds in the sky had already condensed and taken shape, and the tribulation lightning was ready to strike. The deafening thunder was so loud that the entire Heavenly Demon Sect could hear it.

"Someone is undergoing tribulation!?"

"The power of this lightning tribulation is at least at the Nascent Soul stage!"

"Who on earth possesses such power? And which elder is it?"

"This direction leads to Heavenly Demon Peak!!"

"Wait a minute, if it's a split-point spiritual cultivation, the scale of this tribulation is too small, isn't it?"

Within the Heavenly Demon Sect, everyone released their divine senses, searching together for the source of the lightning tribulation, eventually finding it above Heavenly Demon Peak.

However, the power of this lightning tribulation is quite different.

It possesses the power of a spirit undergoing tribulation and refining emptiness, but the range of this thundercloud is excessively small.

It's somewhat similar in scale to the Heavenly Tribulation of the Foundation Establishment to Golden Core stage, but its power is more like that of the Nascent Soul to Void Refinement stage.

In short, everyone was completely bewildered and had no idea what was going on.

Li Podao was also stunned; the tribulation lightning had indeed increased in power.

Although he is at the Tribulation Transcending stage, the Heavenly Tribulation from the Foundation Establishment stage to the Golden Core stage, and then to the Heavenly Tribulation from the Nascent Soul stage to the Void Refining stage, is just too deadly, isn't it?

If someone takes an exam for another person, who knows what kind of trouble God will bring upon them in the future.

But this guy is like a piece of chewing gum, you can't shake him off!

Boom! Boom!

The deafening thunder roared again. Even though he was already at the Tribulation Transcending stage, Li Podao still felt a lingering fear upon hearing the sound.

Whether you cultivate immortality or demonic arts, there are no mock exams. Every time you face the Heavenly Tribulation, it's a life-or-death test for the vast majority of people.

There are people who can safely pass through tribulations, but those people are either chosen by fate or exceptionally talented geniuses. After all, even at the same realm, their strength is completely different.

As for Li Podao, although he can be considered a chosen one, he is not yet at the point where he is full of confidence every time he undergoes a tribulation.

He was also filled with fear and trepidation throughout the journey, each time wondering if he could successfully overcome the next tribulation after this one.

After all, failing to transcend the tribulation means serious injury, or even death. Who wouldn't be scared of that?

There are no mock exams; every exam is a life-or-death struggle. This is what is known as the path of self-cultivation.

The first bolt of tribulation lightning had already struck, and Li Podao didn't care about anything else. He immediately erected a barrier above his head to block the lightning.

boom! boom! boom!

The lightning bolts struck one after another, each time becoming increasingly powerful and frequent.

The moment the barrier was erected to help Lu An withstand the tribulation lightning, the intensity of the lightning increased continuously, and the frequency of the strikes became more and more frequent, from a few lightning bolts at a time to dozens of lightning bolts at a time, and then to hundreds of lightning bolts at a time.

In just ten breaths, the heavenly lightning had already enveloped the entire Heavenly Demon Peak. When everyone scanned it with their divine senses, they were all shocked by the power of the tribulation lightning.

This tribulation lightning actually possesses the power of a tribulation-crossing cultivator!

Who exactly is undergoing tribulation?!

Could it be that the sect leader has broken through the Dao?!

However, this tribulation lightning seemed to be much weaker compared to a true tribulation stage.

"Could it be that Lu An has undergone tribulation!?"

Suddenly, this possibility came to everyone's attention.

Lu An's strength is unknown to everyone. He is said to be at the seventh level of the Nascent Soul stage, but after this sect competition, many people have changed their opinion.

One person alone made it impossible for two Nascent Soul stage cultivators to gain an advantage, and even before they could make a move, Liu Zhengxuan, who had just broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, was too scared to make a move.

How could someone with this level of strength possibly be at the Nascent Soul stage?!

Some people had already suspected that Li Podao, that old scoundrel sect leader, was never honest and might manipulate his disciples' strengths, sending them into secret realms with mismatched strengths in order to obtain better rankings.

Now, the lightning tribulation that appeared above Tianmo Peak further confirms the speculations of those who have these ideas.

Well, that old scoundrel! He was definitely up to no good!

Next time I must find a chance to get back at that old scoundrel!

However, while everyone was maliciously speculating about Li Podao, Li Podao was struggling to withstand the tribulation of his good disciple.

The tribulation lightning and tribulation clouds were like madmen, striking one after another. Logically speaking, according to the number of times the Heavenly Tribulation of the Fourth Nine Heavens has occurred, it should have passed long ago, but it still shows no sign of stopping.

Should we forcibly disperse the tribulation clouds? But wouldn't such a heaven-defying approach be digging a huge pit for our next tribulation?

boom! boom! boom!

As the lightning struck, Lu An covered his ears. He didn't know anything else, but he knew that lightning flashed all around him, followed by deafening thunderclaps, more thrilling than setting off firecrackers during the Lunar New Year.

If everyone undergoes tribulation during the Lunar New Year, then the cost of fireworks can be saved. What fireworks are more impressive than a tribulation of lightning?

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the tribulation clouds gradually dissipated, and the tribulation of lightning finally ended.

Although Li Podao was unharmed at this moment, his clothes had been ripped to shreds, leaving them riddled with holes, a truly horrifying sight.

"it is finally over."

Li Podao sat on the ground and let out a long sigh. He hadn't expected that this Heavenly Tribulation of the Forty-Nine Heavens would take up so much of his mind.

Is this the terrifying aspect of taking the tribulation for someone else? Not only does it increase the difficulty of the lightning tribulation, but it may also offend the Heavenly Dao.

Li Podao turned around and found that Lu An, who had just been clinging to his leg, was nowhere to be seen. Lu An was now hiding behind a rock, trembling.

"Master...Master, has the tribulation passed?"

"That's all in the past, but I'd like to ask you a question."

"Master, please speak."

"Why weren't you struck even once?"

Chapter Twenty-Six: How Dared You Hit Your Master?

Why didn't a single lightning bolt strike Lu An? That's a good question!

Good question! A really good question.

If you were to ask Lu An why he wasn't struck by lightning, even Lu An himself wouldn't know the answer.

Anyway, he closed his eyes, covered his ears, and hid under the rock, trembling.

These tribulation lightning bolts seemed to have eyes; instead of striking Lu An, they relentlessly struck Li Podao, as if he were the one undergoing tribulation.

Therefore, Rihado was very puzzled by this.

Even if I, as the master, am helping him through his tribulation, surely I shouldn't completely abandon this wicked disciple?

Judging from the appearance of this wicked disciple, it seems that not a single bolt of lightning struck him.

Looking at himself, with only half of his clothes left and his hair all black, he looked just like him undergoing tribulation.

Even if it's just taking the exam for someone else, it's still too shameful for someone at the Tribulation Transcending stage to help someone at the Foundation Establishment stage pass the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, and the result is like this.

"Master, I don't know why either, but..."

Before Lu An could finish speaking, a golden light appeared from his abdomen. Lu An felt the surrounding spiritual energy rushing towards his abdomen, and then his abdomen felt warm.

As the golden core gradually solidified, several arcs of electricity appeared on Lu An's body.

Seeing this, Rihado was even more bewildered.

This kid didn't even get hit by the lightning tribulation, so how come there are electric arcs on his body?

Li Podao quickly came to Lu An, grabbed his wrist, and then channeled his spiritual energy into his body to examine the wicked disciple's body.

"It's... exactly the same as if it had been struck by lightning!?"

Li Podao was stunned. This guy's body was exactly the same as after being struck by lightning. Not only was a golden core forming inside his body, but his body was also constantly expelling impurities.

This is the kind of treatment one receives only when their body has endured tribulation lightning.

Oh my god, oh my god! I'm risking my life to help this kid withstand the tribulation lightning, and I haven't gained any benefit from it. This kid doesn't even know why, it's no different from him undergoing tribulation himself.

So Li Podao watched as his wicked disciple emitted golden light, which then transformed into a pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.

The colorful clouds in the sky transformed into seven-colored rays of light, a phenomenon that only occurs when a rare treasure appears in the world.

"what?"

Li Podao was dumbfounded. How come this wicked disciple's breakthrough was different?

And what's with all this seven-colored light filling the sky? What's going on?

Could it be that this seemingly useless disciple actually possesses some hidden, precious body?

Only after the seven-colored glow disappeared did Lu An slowly land on the ground, and then he felt his body filled with power.

"Is this... the Golden Core stage?"

Lu An clenched his fists. The power within his eight extraordinary meridians was different from before. If the Foundation Establishment stage was the threshold of cultivation, then the Golden Core stage was the first hurdle on the path of cultivation.

Entering the Golden Core stage signifies taking the first true step on the path of cultivation, and one's lifespan will break through to nearly a thousand years.

Actually, he's around 600 to 800 years old. Lu An hadn't researched the specifics, and he never thought he could reach the Golden Core stage.

Who knew that I would run into my master to help me take the exam? With a Tribulation Transcending expert here, passing the Lesser Heavenly Tribulation of the Fourth Nine is just a piece of cake.

As long as we cling to the thigh of the Heavenly Demon Sect Master, the Nascent Soul stage, the Spirit Division stage, the Void Refining stage, the Tribulation Transcending stage, and even the Great Ascension stage will be a piece of cake.

If Li Podao knew what Lu An was thinking, he would definitely want to strangle this wicked disciple right now.

One Golden Core tribulation wasn't enough; they wanted him to take the exams for Nascent Soul, Spirit Division, and Void Refinement cultivators too? Wouldn't it be more agonizing to just send him to reincarnation?

Taking the exam for someone else will increase the power of the lightning tribulation. Moreover, the increased power of the lightning tribulation after this wicked disciple took the exam for someone else is obviously greater than that of others. Otherwise, how could the Heavenly Tribulation of the Forty-Nine Heavens have struck him like this?