Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Duan Ling Tian was still in a state of confusion as the thunder continued to rumble above him!
The dark clouds that converged above Duan Ling Tian seemed terrifying and oppressive. When Duan Ling Tian saw this, he felt as though the end was near.
Meanwhile, the number of violet lightning bolts in the clouds increased and seemed bigger in size. If the previous lightning bolts were small violet snakes, then, the lightning bolts now were like huge pythons. Apart from that, the bolts of violet lightning became blindingly bright!
"This Heavenly Tribulation... doesn't seem small or weak..." Although the Heavenly Tribulation had yet to begin, Duan Ling Tian could feel the immensity of its strength. Needless to say, it was a lot stronger than the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation he had experienced in the past. In fact, it was not fair to compare the two tribulations since the difference was like heaven and earth!
There's one more possibility left if this Heavenly Tribulation isn't caused by me breaking through to the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage!' Duan Ling Tian thought to himself, 'It must be my black Innate Spiritual Root!'
Duan Ling Tian recalled the Heavenly Tribulation had appeared when he was trying to sense and absorb the Heaven and Earth Spirit Energy after his Innate Spiritual Root had turned black. Maybe it was not a coincidence!
To a certain extent, a black Innate Spiritual Root can be considered as going against Heaven's will. After all, I wasn't born with it. I improved my Innate Spiritual Root into a black one. This could be the reason for the Heavenly Tribulation...' Duan Ling Tian was quite certain about this.
After a while, Duan Ling Tian put the Super Saint Weapon, the Devilseal Tablet, that was still hovering in the air away as he gazed at the dark clouds that continued to gather and the bolts of violet lightning that were the size of a huge python.
"I wonder how strong is this Heavenly Tribulation?" Duan Ling Tian could not help but worry about the impending Heavenly Tribulation he had to face. After all, he did not know the strength of this Heavenly Tribulation, and the unknown was the most frightening.
As Duan Ling Tian waited with bated breath, the Heavenly Tribulation finally finished brewing.
It was not that Duan Ling Tian was staying still because he had a death wish, but he knew even if he tried to flee, the Heaven Tribulation would follow after him. There was no way to escape this. He could only wait and face the Heavenly Tribulation.
When the Heavenly Tribulation finished brewing, the dark clouds stopped increasing in size, but the bolts of violet lightning flashed impatiently as though they could not wait to strike.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Apart from that, thunder rang in the air with alarming frequency. In the end, it sounded at the frequency of an exploding firecracker.
After roughly fifteen minutes, Duan Ling Tian who was staring at the dark clouds suddenly widened his eyes. "It's coming!"
The Heavenly Tribulation that was brewing for quite a while finally showed its great strength!
Boom!
A deafening sound rang in the air as though a thunder god was present.
Crack!
A bolt of violet lightning the size of a child struck at Duan Ling Tian, accompanied by the sound of thunder.
The Heavenly Tribulation had begun!
"Elementary Devouring Tactic! Golden Crow Wings!" Naturally, Duan Ling Tian did not stay idle. He began to cast his Divine Abilities. He raised his Sun Saint Origin with the Elementary Devouring Tactic to the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage and used the Golden Crow's Wings to dodge the first bolt of lightning. Although he did not think the first bolt of lightning posed a threat to his life, he would be more than happy to dodge it. Since he had experienced the Six-Nine Heavenly Tribulation, he knew for sure that the lightning bolts would only increase strength. For this reason, he planned to conserve as much strength as he could to deal with the last few lightning bolts.
Generally, the Saint Origin used by a movement Divine Ability was a lot less compared to a direct attack.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
When Duan Ling Tian cast his movement Divine Ability, the Golden Crow's Wings, he became as swift and agile as a bird. He flew and swerved here and there in hopes to dodge the terrifying lightning strike. Unfortunately, it seemed as though the bolt of lightning had a pair of eyes as it chased after him persistently regardless of where he went!
"It seems there's no way for me to avoid this... I'm only delaying the inevitable..." When Duan Ling Tian realized there was no way for him to escape this, he stopped moving immediately.
Then, he raised his hand to manipulate and gather his Sun Saint Origin and formed a three-foot-long sword qi.
"Sword Defense Art!"
As soon as the three-foot-long sword qi formed, Duan Ling Tian threw it out before it vanished suddenly. All it left in its wake was its afterimage.
The sound of a sword whistling rang in the air when the sword qi reappeared and collided with the terrifying lightning strike.
Surprisingly, the collision between the two did not produce thunderous noises. Instead, only a cacophonous grating noise could be heard. However, there was no doubt the strength of the lightning strike was not to be trifled with.
Although this was just the first strike, its strength was equivalent to the full strength of a martial cultivator at the Sixth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage! However, this strike was still easy for Duan Ling Tian to deal with. He had used his Sun Saint Origin to form a sword qi and had struck with the third stage of the Sovereign Heart Sword, the Sword Warding Heart, to destroy the lightning strike.
Duan Ling Tian managed to destroy the first bolt of lightning, but he did not feel joy at all. Instead, his expression turned even more somber.
"The first lightning bolt's strength is as strong as a martial cultivator at the Sixth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage... The second strike will probably be as strong as the attack from a cultivator at the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage! These are only the first two strikes... The subsequent strikes will only get stronger... Will I be able to deal with it?" Duan Ling Tian's expression was grim and a hint of worry could be seen in his eyes as well.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Thunder continued to rumble in the sky. Boom!
Suddenly, another deafening clap of thunder rang in the air, signaling the coming of the second strike.
The second lightning bolt was much thicker than the first. The first was only as thick as a child's body, but the second one was as thick as a woman's body! In terms of strength and speed, it was far superior compared to the first strike!
"Sword Defense Art!" Duan Ling Tian raised his hand again to form a sword qi with his Sun Saint Origin to deal with the lightning bolt. However, his sword qi and the lightning bolt were evenly matched. After a while, his sword qi was destroyed by the lightning strike that seemed to have infinite strength; and the lightning bolt continued its trajectory toward him. It seemed so powerful as though it could destroy the entire world!
The strength of the second strike is definitely as strong as the attack from a cultivator at the peak of the Seventh Form of the Saint Celestial Stage!" Duan Ling Tian was extremely annoyed. He had dealt with the first strike easily. His Sun Saint Origin was currently at the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage, but he could not block the second strike at all. Although he did not strike back with all his might, the strength of the second strike had shocked him.
Duan Ling Tian raised his hand again. His Sun Saint Origin circulated through his 99 Saint Veins before they surged out to form a sword qi again.
Whoosh!
Although Duan Ling Tian was using the same technique, this strike was much faster and stronger. He had unleashed this attack with all his might. The result was, naturally, vastly different this time around. The sword qi managed to destroy the second bolt of lightning!
It did not take long before the third strike came. It was as strong as the attack from a powerhouse at the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. He managed to defend himself with his Thousand Inscriptions Saint Sword.
The fourth strike was much stronger. Its strength was comparable to an attack of a cultivator at the peak of the Eighth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage. It was evenly matched with his current strength.
Duan Ling Tian tried to defend himself by hurriedly flying to a few different places to raise his Sun Saint Origin with the Elementary Devouring Tactic. Boom!
The deafening sound of thunder reverberated in the air, accompanied by the fifth strike.
"This strike's strength should be on par with the attack from an ordinary cultivator at the Ninth Form of the Saint Celestial Stage... I'll have a difficult time defending against it even if I attack with all my strength!" Duan Ling Tian's expression turned grimmer when he sensed the immense strength of the fifth lightning bolt. He did not think he would be able to defend against it.