Chapter 130: The Unfairness of the Heavenly Dao

Mo Shanhai stood there, utterly stunned, a look of bewilderment washing over his face.

Cultivation techniques that treat heavenly tribulations as food? What did that even mean? What kind of nonsense was this guy spouting? Was he claiming that he remained unscathed after being struck by the tribulation because he had devoured the lightning? How on earth was that possible? Had he been struck stupid by the heavenly thunder?

"Such powerful tribulation energy! My physical body has actually broken through!"

Just then, Xu Zhe, hovering in mid-air, spoke with a look of astonishment, his tone clearly laced with pleasant surprise. Before, at the Immortal Burial Valley, his physical body had already reached the Golden Body stage. After being tempered by the Origin Sun Golden Mist, he had been infinitely close to the true Tyrant Body stage, lacking only a final push. Yet, he had not encountered any tempering force powerful enough since then. Even after entering the Divine Pill Grotto and being affected by pill toxins, he had remained stuck at that critical threshold.

He never expected that during this tribulation, a single strike of the Purple Heaven Lightning would not only fail to harm him in the slightest but would actually propel his physical body into the First-Turn Tyrant Body stage in one go.

A First-Turn Tyrant Body meant that he could contend with Nascent Soul stage cultivators using raw physical strength alone. While his overall combat prowess had long since surpassed the Nascent Soul level, this breakthrough was crucial; it provided a massive boost to his comprehensive strength, giving him a distinct advantage even against Spirit Severing stage cultivators.

"Boom!"

The thunder continued to rumble across the skies. But this time, the lightning was not aimed at Xu Zhe; it had locked onto Mo Shanhai.

"This is unfair! This is completely unfair! The heavens have no eyes!" Mo Shanhai roared, filled with extreme grief and indignation.

He felt the terrifying aura of the lightning above and knew full well that even if he could withstand it, he would be severely crippled. This was standard for a tribulation, but why? Why did the person actually undergoing the tribulation attract the Purple Heaven Lightning only to be left unscathed, while even breaking through his physical cultivation? Where was the justice in that? The more Mo Shanhai thought about it, the angrier he became, to the point of nearly coughing up blood in his fury.

"Boom!"

Time was in short supply for Mo Shanhai. Before he could finish his lamentations, a bolt of lightning, thick as a waterfall and carrying a world-destroying momentum, poured down from the clouds.

"You thieving heavens! Are you determined to destroy my Mo family and force me into a dead end?" Mo Shanhai looked up and screamed, pulling out the spirit tablet of his ancestors, prepared to summon them to save his life.

But before he could act, a black shadow flashed before his eyes.

"Don't panic, Patriarch Mo. Let me handle this tribulation."

Xu Zhe’s fair, clean-shaven face appeared before him, offering a smile. In that instant, Mo Shanhai froze, his mind trembling violently. How was this possible? He was actually stepping in to take the tribulation for him? How could such a noble person exist in this world? We were clearly hunting him down, yet he repaid malice with kindness?

"Bang!"

In his daze, a massive fist loomed large in Mo Shanhai’s vision, putting an end to his wild thoughts. Xu Zhe was also surprised; he had only intended to force Mo Shanhai back so that the tribulation wouldn't be dispersed by hitting him. He hadn't expected Mo Shanhai to simply stand there, stunned, and take the punch head-on.

*Good grief! If I’d known you wouldn't dodge, I wouldn't have punched you in the face.* Still, the Patriarch of the Mo family was a Body Integration stage cultivator; surely he could handle one punch, right? With that thought, Xu Zhe glanced at the Patriarch, whose body was flying backward with a trace of blood—which, upon closer inspection, seemed to be flowing from his nose.

"Is his physical body really that weak?" Xu Zhe frowned. It was his first time encountering such a fragile Body Integration stage cultivator; he wasn't used to it.

Boom!

At the same time, the lightning strike that originally belonged to Mo Shanhai slammed directly into Xu Zhe, engulfing him completely. Although this was not the Purple Heaven Lightning, its power was several tiers higher, as it was scaled for the Body Integration stage.

"Pfft!"

Xu Zhe was left dizzy on the spot, a mouthful of blood spraying from his lips. Yet, his entire body entered a state of jubilation. Every strand of spiritual energy, every drop of blood, and even every cell felt like a fish returning to water—overflowing with excitement. His body was hungrily devouring the power of the thunder, and his internal organs, which had been ruptured by the strike, were now being nourished and repaired at a speed visible to the naked eye. Within mere seconds, the waterfall-like lightning vanished.

Xu Zhe kept his eyes closed, suspended in mid-air, with only a few arcs of electricity flickering across his body, leaving him completely unharmed.

"What the hell..." Nearby, Mo Shanhai watched, dumbfounded, letting out a curse. He finally understood; Xu Zhe could truly devour lightning. The guy hadn't punched him to save him from the tribulation; he had just rushed over to gobble it up. *That dog of a man! He’s not even human!* Mo Shanhai felt deeply insulted and devastated.

"Huh, although this tribulation was more powerful, its tempering effect on my body is actually inferior to my own Purple Heaven Lightning," Xu Zhe muttered to himself, finally digesting the energy. Mo Shanhai’s tribulation was scaled to the Body Integration stage, but through the devouring of the Righteous Sealing Demon Scripture, the usable power he could extract was negligible. It was like needing salt: Mo Shanhai's tribulation was a giant basin of water with a pinch of salt—lots of volume, little substance—whereas the Purple Heaven Lightning was like salt with a drop of water—small in volume, but pure, concentrated essence.

"Boom!"

Thunder rolled through the heavens again. This time, it wasn't Xu Zhe’s own tribulation, but that of the unconscious Mo family elders and several other Body Integration stage cultivators from the Monkey Hall. The entire sky was blanketed by thick, dark clouds, dimming the light to a gloomy gray. Over a dozen tribulations were brewing simultaneously, preparing to descend.

Xu Zhe, however, didn't want to steal them; those ordinary tribulations were of little use to him. He looked up at his own cloud, watching the purple lightning hiding within like a shy maiden, refusing to descend. He was getting impatient. *What are you afraid of? I’m not going to eat... oh, wait, I am. But it has to come down sooner or later, so why be so coy?*

"Xu Zhe! Can't you devour the tribulation? Go devour the tribulation of my Mo family elders! Those are Tribulation Transcendence stage bolts—they are even more powerful!" Not far away, Mo Shanhai shouted in desperation. Several Tribulation Transcendence stage bolts were brewing, and he dared not go near them, but seeing that Xu Zhe had no intention of interfering, he grew anxious. He knew that while his elders were in the Tribulation Transcendence stage, their strength had long since declined, and they were currently unconscious. How could they possibly survive?

"No need, I want to wait for the Purple Heaven Lightning," Xu Zhe replied politely, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"You..." Mo Shanhai was so angry he couldn't speak. *Is this guy getting arrogant? He doesn't even want the Tribulation Transcendence lightning? He only wants the Purple Heaven? Wait, if that's the case, then my next tribulation...*

Boom!

Just as he thought this, a thunderclap echoed from the cloud following Mo Shanhai. His expression changed, and as he looked up, a bolt of lightning, even thicker than the previous one, crashed down upon him.

"No..." Mo Shanhai let out a heart-wrenching scream, which was quickly drowned out by a sea of lightning.

"This..." Xu Zhe turned his head, eyes wide, then looked back at his own sky, his expression hardening. "What is the meaning of this? I arrived first! Why is his second bolt faster than mine? Is there no justice? Are you looking down on me?"

Rumble!

The only response was the deep, rumbling growl of the clouds, sounding like a beast. But if one listened closely, the roar was low and melodic, sounding less like a beast and more like a giant, creature-sized "meow."

"This is outrageous! The Heavenly Dao is unfair! Everyone else is undergoing their tribulation normally, but when it comes to me, you're delaying the delivery? I want to file a complaint!" Xu Zhe was getting anxious. He was seriously getting impatient.

"Whoosh!" With a dull thud, Xu Zhe shot into the sky and dived straight into the thundercloud.

***

"Bang!"

Nearby, Mo Shanhai, who had witnessed everything, lay on the ground, white smoke rising from his charred body, covered in blood and gore. The power of that strike exceeded his imagination; despite all his efforts, he had been instantly crippled. What made him despair most was that the tribulation was far from over. According to the rules of the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, there were four bolts in total, each more terrifying than the last. This was only the second; the third would surely kill him.

He had expected this, but he couldn't stomach the injustice—especially seeing Xu Zhe voluntarily charging into the thunderclouds. Mo Shanhai finally understood the saying, "Comparing yourself to others will only drive you to your grave." *No, that guy isn't even human!*

"Pfft!" Mo Shanhai coughed up another large mouthful of blood, his internal injuries worsening.

Boom!

The thunder continued to roar. The dim light suddenly brightened. Mo Shanhai seemed to realize something and closed his eyes in grief.

"Boom!"

A massive explosion rang out near his ears, a blast so powerful it nearly blew him away. "My Mo family... is finished." Mo Shanhai sobbed, his voice filled with sorrow. He didn't even need to look; the sudden disappearance of several familiar auras told him that his family elders had just perished in the tribulation. The same fate had befallen the Monkey Hall cultivators. This was such a humiliating, pathetic way to die—not in heroic battle, but drugged by toxins and then senselessly struck down by the heavens.

He knew he would soon follow. His only hope was to activate the spirit tablet and summon the power of the ancestors. But he was already severely wounded; even if he succeeded, his life force would be completely drained.

"Heh, death is inevitable either way..." Mo Shanhai smiled self-mockingly, his expression turning vicious. "But even if I die, I’ll drag you down with me! If I can't kill you, I'll let the ancestors of the Mo family finish you off!" He stared fiercely at the cloud Xu Zhe was in, pouring his remaining life force into the tablet. "Unworthy descendant Mo Shanhai begs the ancestors to descend, to avenge the Mo family and slay the one who destroyed us!"

"Hum..." The tablet began to glow with a brilliant, intense light, vibrating violently.

Boom!

A monstrous aura descended from the heavens. The world itself seemed to tremble, and for a moment, all the power of the tribulation was suppressed. A speck of light, no larger than a grain of rice, appeared in the sky and gradually expanded. Then, the void twisted as if torn apart by a terrifying force, and a tall, blurred figure slowly emerged.

"Ancestor!" Mo Shanhai stared, dumbstruck. This was his first time seeing an ancestor descend in this form. Although the figure was misty and ethereal, like a reflection in water, he could still feel the heaven-shaking power emanating from it—the black hair flowing in the wind, the sheer dominance of the figure. "I, Mo Shanhai... have failed our ancestors!"

How could such a powerful figure have once led the Mo family, only for it to fall to this? It was all because of that beast, Xu Zhe! "Ancestor, please, avenge us!" Mo Shanhai cried, tears streaming down his face.

However, the figure merely glanced at Mo Shanhai before its cold gaze swept toward the cloud where Xu Zhe was hidden.

"This bloodline and aura... no, how is this possible?" The blurred figure trembled, letting out a cry of shock that echoed through the heavens, deafening in its intensity. Mo Shanhai was left stunned. What was wrong with the ancestor? Why was he so shocked by Xu Zhe?

"How could the Leader have offspring wandering outside? Impossible, this is impossible..." The figure seemed confused, its power beginning to dissipate.

Mo Shanhai was baffled. What was happening? But he didn't have time to think; seeing the ancestor he had summoned with his final life force fading away, he panicked. "Ancestor, I am a descendant of the Mo family! This man destroyed our entire clan! Please, avenge us!"

"Impudence! How dare you show disrespect to the Young Leader!" The figure suddenly let out a roar of fury and swiped a hand. An invisible palm wind, carrying a violent howl, descended from the sky.

Mo Shanhai’s mind went blank. The words "Young Leader" echoed in his ears. *What did he mean? Young Leader? Was the ancestor saying I was disrespectful to Xu Zhe?* A flash of realization hit him—he remembered the moment he had tried to investigate Xu Zhe’s identity, only for the power of the ancestors to suddenly vanish.

"Could it be..." Mo Shanhai gasped.

"Bang!" He exploded into a mist of blood on the spot, vanishing into nothingness.

The blurred figure didn't even glance at him again, its gaze locked onto the thundercloud, as if it could see the person within. "So alike, so very alike... but alas, I am only a manifestation of will, unable to inform them..." The figure sighed, its voice fading. Finally, with a sigh of regret, it dissipated completely, vanishing into thin air.

In the vast sky, only the purple thundercloud remained, crackling with lightning.

"Hey! Why is the thundercloud starting to disperse? Don't think I don't know that the Four-Nine Heavenly Tribulation has four bolts! Where is the fourth one? You can't just cut corners like this!" An anxious voice echoed from the cloud, but no one was left to hear it or respond.

***

Outside the exit of the Divine Pill Grotto, Gu Jia'er and Qu Hongxiu stood with solemn expressions. Behind them, dozens of disciples from the Putuo Holy Land stood in silent, somber rows. The atmosphere was heavy.

"Holy Master Gu, is there really no other way?" Qu Hongxiu’s eyes were red, tears staining her cheeks. "How could they do this? Allowing a Body Integration stage cultivator to attack Uncle Xu!"

"It was our oversight. We thought that within the Southern Heaven Continent, on the territory of the Putuo Holy Land, they wouldn't dare... but we were wrong. Sigh." Gu Jia'er stroked Qu Hongxiu’s head, sighing softly. She felt a deep sense of regret, though not as much grief as Qu Hongxiu. After all, she and Xu Zhe were not that close. Even though he had saved her, the debt of gratitude was one thing, but she felt helpless in the face of his impending demise. *What can be done?* She could only feel sorry that such a peerless talent, a future hegemon, was about to fall so soon.

"Don't worry, your master and I will definitely avenge Xu Zhe," Gu Jia'er said, her expression grave. If she couldn't save him, she would at least repay the debt by avenging him.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the entrance of the secret realm. Gu Jia'er and Qu Hongxiu’s expressions changed, their eyes snapping to the exit.

"Little Hongxiu, step back. That Body Integration cultivator is coming out!" Gu Jia'er’s gaze sharpened, killing intent surging as she rushed toward the exit. She didn't know who the attacker was, but she would strike the moment they appeared. The other disciples followed suit.

"No, I want to avenge Uncle Xu!" Qu Hongxiu looked determined, her body wreathed in flames, two massive Eight-Trigram Li-Fire Formations gathering intense power.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a black shadow streaked out from the vortex of the exit. Without hesitation, Gu Jia'er unleashed a palm strike. With a dull thud, the shadow was shattered into pieces, only half of the body hitting the ground.

"Huh?" Gu Jia'er froze. Qu Hongxiu was equally stunned. *Was it that easy?*

Whoosh!

Another dull thud, and a second figure streaked out from the vortex. Gu Jia'er reacted instantly, striking again. Bang! That figure was also shattered, slamming into the ground.

"???"

Gu Jia'er and Qu Hongxiu were collectively bewildered. What was going on?

"Holy Master, these... these two seem to be the elders of the Mo family!" A disciple who had gone to check the corpses reported back.

"What?" Gu Jia'er was shocked. Qu Hongxiu remained confused. *Wasn't only one Body Integration stage cultivator supposed to have gone in? Why were there two Mo elders, and weren't they supposed to be stronger than that?*

"Whoosh!"

Another figure was tossed out of the vortex. This time, Gu Jia'er didn't strike. Everyone could see that the figure hadn't rushed out; it had been thrown. Crucially, the person was already dead—a corpse, covered in gore, as if it had been struck by a terrifying force before dying.

"This one... is also an elder of the Mo family!" Gu Jia'er recognized the body immediately, her heart filled with horror. What was happening?

Whoosh!

Soon, one corpse after another was tossed out from the vortex. Gu Jia'er and her group were stunned, their horror growing with every body. The Mo family elders, all above the Body Integration stage, were now all corpses. There were also several other strong, unfamiliar faces, all dead.

Just as the crowd was becoming numb, two more figures were tossed out from the vortex. Gu Jia'er and the others froze. They watched as the two figures hit the ground, but suddenly, one of them "came to life," and before anyone could react, it transformed into a blur and streaked into the sky.