Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Dark clouds gathered and soon covered the whole sky. It was as if the end had come. The sea was also churning. The whole cruise ship was heaving under the impact of the waves, and it looked in a rather dangerous situation.
The scene made the captain and the sailors controlling the cruise ship feel panic. The most fearful thing for those sailing the sea was to encounter this kind of stormy weather. However, they had checked the weather before they sailed today, and it was supposed to be clear and sunny. How could there be a storm? The oppressive storm made them a little breathless.
Inside the cruise ship, the feeling was not so obvious. The competition was still going on.
Because they had eaten Bu Fang’s instant noodles, the five main judges became even more critical, causing the following chefs to experience what seemed like a nightmare. Their dishes were rejected and even criticized as being useless. Some of the dishes were dismissed in disgust as soon as they were served. One chef after another was eliminated…
The already cruel competition became even more brutal.
1
The viewers who were watching the broadcast were dumbfounded. That was when they began to feel the cruelty of the competition. Many dishes that seemed so delicious to them that their mouths watered were dropped by the judges with only a wave of a hand. Was this really just a cooking competition?
Many chefs felt indignant. They did not believe that their dishes were no match for a bowl of instant noodles, but the cruelty of the judges was beyond their imagination. As a result, a long time passed and the only dish that successfully advanced was Bu Fang’s instant noodles.
However, as time passed, perhaps because the impact of the instant noodles had waned, the judges’ evaluation process was gradually becoming more forgiving. There were now contestants who succeeded in advancing, and these contestants all burst into tears of joy.
Rumble!
The sky began to thunder, causing the sailors and crew to be frightened out of their wits! They could only pray that the storm was not too terrible!
On the twentieth floor of the cruise ship, Bu Fang and Yu Ge sat together. Bu Fang was taking a nap with his eyes closed. He simply did not take this kind of competition to heart. After all, he was not in the same league as the chefs on Earth.
“Hmm? What an oppressive aura…” Yu Ge’s expression suddenly changed. He went to the window, looked out, and his pupils constricted immediately. “Which senior is transcending the tribulation here?!” he cried out in disbelief.
When Qi cultivators on Earth reached a high level of cultivation, they needed to transcend the tribulation. As a Qi cultivator, Yu Ge knew this very well. Based on the weather outside, where it only thundered without rain, it was very likely that some almighty expert was going to transcend the tribulation.
‘The thunder tribulation hangs over the ship… Is this almighty expert on the cruise ship?!’ Yu Ge was shocked. ‘Who exactly is this expert? I’m also on the ship, but why can’t I sense the existence of this expert? Could it be a certain Immortal on Earth?’
“Hmm… a thunder tribulation.”
Suddenly, an indifferent voice rang out in Yu Ge’s ears, startling him as he watched the thunder cloud intently. “The f*ck… Senior, you almost scared the hell out of me.” He patted his chest and rolled his eyes.
“You’re a Qi cultivator. How can you be so easily frightened?” Bu Fang said, giving Yu Ge a faint glance.
“Because I’m concentrating on analyzing the cause of the thunder tribulation. Now is a sensitive period, but an almighty expert is going to transcend the tribulation… Is this a sign of something? An omen to tell us what was about to happen?” Yu Ge analyzed seriously.
‘He’s analyzing the thunder tribulation?’ Bu Fang twitched the corner of his mouth and looked at Yu Ge. ‘Who does he think he is?’ He stood up and put his hands behind his back. “Come with me…” After saying that, he turned and walked toward the top deck of the cruise ship.
From a distance, Xiao Ai saw the two of them talking furtively. Pushing the glasses up her nose, she sneaked along behind them. Yu Ge did not understand where Bu Fang was taking him, but he followed anyway.
Soon, the three of them left the cabin and arrived at the sightseeing deck on the top floor. There were few people here at the moment. The crew and sailors were all inside the cabin trying hard to control the cruise ship.
The waves were constantly crashing against the ship’s steel plates, making a rumbling noise, while the vessel was rocking up and down with great degrees.
Xiao Ai gripped the handrail on the deck tightly, her face pale. Even though she was a C-class superhuman, the magnitude of rocking still made her a little seasick. In the distance, Bu Fang and Yu Ge stood calmly at the bow of the ship. She was impressed by their composure.
The close contact with the thunder tribulation made Yu Ge feel even more depressed. He felt as though a sharp knife was hanging over his head, and once it fell, his blood would spill everywhere. He even felt a little out of breath.
“Senior… This is a thunder tribulation! An almighty expert is transcending the tribulation in the ship!” Yu Ge said gravely.
“Oh.” Bu Fang nodded in response to him.
“Shall we go back in first? Once the thunder tribulation falls, the ripples are too wide and can easily cause casualties. It would be a disaster if Qi cultivators like us are swept by it.”
Yu Ge’s face was pale, and he looked a little frightened. To become an Immortal, a Heaven Qi cultivator had to transcend a tribulation, and when he reached the realm of Immortals, he had to transcend a tribulation every time he broke into another major realm. Judging by the magnitude of this thunder tribulation, it must be an unusual one!
Bu Fang put his hands behind his back and stared at the thunder clouds in the sky with a deep look in his eyes. “I had only used a little trick and cooking skills to make a few bowls of instant noodles, and I was targeted… And the warning this time is a thunder tribulation?” he murmured.
Yu Ge paused for a while. He did not quite catch it. “What did you say?” he asked aloud.
Bu Fang glanced at him and did not say anything.
Rumble!
The dark clouds rolled in the sky, and then a deafening rumble that seemed to tear the sky apart erupted. The next moment, a bolt of lightning came down from the sky, aimed directly at Bu Fang.
Yu Ge was almost scared to death. ‘Dammit! This thunder tribulation is coming at me?!’
The lightning ripped through the air with a continuous explosive sound, making the hearts of those who heard it beat faster and faster. Yu Ge’s legs went weak, and his body stiffened.
In the distance, Xiao Ai’s face was bloodless as she held onto the handrail. ‘I’ve just come out of the cabin, and the lightning is going to strike me?!’
As the bolt of lightning fell, its bright light dazzled all the people—they could not help but close their eyes. Yu Ge went limp on the ground. Although he was an Earth Qi cultivator, he was no different from an ant in front of the power of heaven and earth.
In the face of the natural power of heaven and earth, humans were insignificant. Although Qi cultivators were stronger than ordinary humans, they had to conform to nature and cultivate nature before they could jump out of the bondage of heaven and earth and become Immortals.
‘I’m going to die!’ This was the thought that came to Yu Ge’s mind.
Suddenly, Bu Fang, standing next to him, slowly raised his hand and closed his palm into a fist. The next moment, the lightning was caught by him. Numerous tiny arcs exploded and spread all over the top of the cruise ship in an instant.
Xiao Ai and Yu Ge were frozen at the same time. ‘He caught the lightning with his bare hand? Is he a f*cking human being? He’s looking for death!’ There was a deafening explosion, and they were forced to close their eyes, blinded by the glare of lightning.
After a while, they slowly opened their eyes. Bu Fang still stood where he was, motionless. His palm was as fair as jade, without the slightest hint of scorching, as if the lightning had not caused any damage to him.
‘How is this possible? He was obviously struck by the lightning, but why is he unharmed?! Senior is really… too formidable!’ Yu Ge’s jaw dropped as a dumbfounded look came over his face.
Bu Fang clapped his hands and frowned. “This thunder tribulation is a bit weak,” he said, curling his lips.
Xiao Ai and Yu Ge could not have been more shocked. Just then, several crew members ran out from the cabin. When they saw the lightning smashing down on the cruise ship just now, they were scared out of their wits.
‘Didn’t the captain read the almanac before he set sail today? Why were we struck by lightning not long after we were at sea?’ thought one of the crew. However, he and his peers were soon struck dumb. The top of the cruise ship was unscathed, showing no sign of being struck by lightning.
“Where… Where is that thunder tribulation?” Yu Ge asked, horrified, as he leaned closed to Bu Fang.
“Crushed,” Bu Fang said indifferently. He then turned and walked back into the cabin. The cooking competition was still going on, and he was not in a hurry.
“Crushed?!” Yu Ge was stunned. ‘He crushed the thunder tribulation with bare hands? Who does he think he is? The God of Thunder?’
2
Xiao Ai was so scared that she could not speak.
Yu Ge had been thinking that the thunder tribulation was triggered by some almighty expert in the ship, but it turned out to be Bu Fang! “Senior… Are you the one who is transcending the tribulation? Are you… are you a legendary Immortal?” he stammered. The more he asked, the more excited he became.
“Me? No… I do not transcend tribulation.” Bu Fang shook his head. “It’s the instant noodles…” he said.
‘It’s the instant noodles that were transcending the tribulation?’ Yu Ge was taken aback, then the expression on his face became very comical. ‘Does Senior mean that the one who just transcended the tribulation is his instant noodles? How’s that possible?!’
He felt like laughing, but when he saw Bu Fang’s expressionless face, he could not laugh. ‘Could it be that what he said is… f*cking true? The lightning was here to strike the… instant noodles?!’
“What do you think? Such a weak thunder tribulation is not even strong enough to scratch my itch…” Bu Fang said indifferently, then looked up at the sky.
Yu Ge was speechless. He was an Earth Qi cultivator, but he had not transcended any thunder tribulation. Was he weaker than a bowl of instant noodles?
Xiao Ai, on the other hand, was at a loss and trembling with fear. ‘Chief Luo, it’s a terrifying world out here… I want to go home…’
They returned to the cabin. The competition was still going on. Finally, under the evaluation of five strict judges, the teams that would compete in the next round were selected. There were about two dozen teams, which was quite many. Of these teams, only five would make it to the finals to compete in the final venue.
Bu Fang knew that the final venue would be the spiritual energy sealing point.
The cruise ship sailed on the vast ocean, turning up white waves wherever it passed. Its interior was luxurious. Those who did not qualify could also enjoy the ultimate vacation brought by the cruise ship. The organizers were very generous.
Bu Fang went back to his room. It was specially prepared for him by the organizers after he advanced to the next round. Every team that had advanced had a room like this. The room was very luxurious and spacious, with a full-height glass panel that provided a great view of the ocean. It was one of the most luxurious rooms on the ship.
Yu Ge and Xiao Ai were also in the room.
It was late at night. A bright moon hung high in the sky, and the dark sea sparkled in its light.
Xiao Ai was sitting on the sofa in a bathrobe, her fair legs propped on the coffee table. She had a computer on her lap, and her hands were dancing on the keyboard.
“Here’s the information of the nineteen teams that have advanced to the next round you want.” She turned the computer over and handed it to Yu Ge, who was still wearing his ancient style robe and sitting next to her.
“These teams are unusual… Eight of them are Hua’s teams. Besides, all of them have superhumans. They cannot hide their spiritual energy from me,” Xiao Ai said after taking a sip of iced juice.
In the distance, Bu Fang was resting with his eyes closed.
Yu Ge and Xiao Ai continued their discussion. They noticed something unusual about the competition. For example, all the teams that advanced to the next round had superhumans. It was a very interesting discovery.
Suddenly, numerous black shadows descended outside the full-height window. Xiao Ai and Yu Ge, who were talking and laughing and analyzing the contestants, were stunned. They both turned their heads at the same time and looked at the window.
The shadows raised the weapons in their hands. One by one, black gun muzzles were aimed at them. The next moment, flames spurted out from these muzzles, and the window shattered with a loud crash!