Wu Li's face lit up with excitement as he successfully condensed the Infernal Lightning Dao Mark. He couldn't help but express his joy.
"Ha! Yang Chen, I have just condensed my very first Dao Mark - the Infernal Lightning Dao Mark. Let's see if you still have the guts to be arrogant in front of me," Wu Li proclaimed, wearing a smug expression on his face.
For a long time, Yang Chen had suppressed Wu Li with his Silvermoon Metal Slash. Although Liang Xia's words had given him a glimmer of hope, Wu Li now felt confident that he would emerge victorious.
"I can't believe it! Wu Li has broken through to the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm. This is unprecedented!" murmured one of the spectators in amazement.
"What? How could he have broken through while in the middle of a fight? I could barely believe that he was improving his Extreme Lightning Strike during battle, but now you're telling me he's also advancing his cultivation level during battle?" another spectator exclaimed in disbelief.
Yang Chen's eyes narrowed, refusing to believe that Wu Li had broken through so quickly. "You're lying to me! It takes at least a week of preparation to break through. There's no way you've done it in the middle of a fight," he said, his voice laced with disbelief.
Wu Li merely shrugged. "I suppose we have different levels of talent," he replied nonchalantly.
With his breakthrough and newfound confidence, he was now ready to face Yang Chen's ultimate strike of the Silvermoon Metal Slash technique.
Wu Li's initial excitement was quickly replaced by a sense of foreboding as he noticed dark clouds forming above the Life and Death Platform, centered on him. The clouds grew thicker and more ominous, casting a shadow over the entire arena.
Wu Li's brow furrowed as he sensed the intense aura emanating from the clouds, which was just as strong as Yang Chen's.
Li Yun's surprise was evident in his voice as he spoke, "This is unbelievable. Wu Li has summoned the wrath of the heavens while still in the Core Formation Realm. He is not ordinary."
Liang Xia's voice was worried. "Punk, you need to end this fight quickly. Let Yang Chen strike the final blow and unleash your Extreme Lightning Strike, or else if you drag out the fight, you will die without a burial place!"
The clouds above Wu Li's head grew darker and the pressure intensified, causing him to stagger. "I'll do my best," he replied with determination.
With determination in his eyes, Wu Li stepped back and infused the Fire Element Chaotic Lightning Qi into the Primordial Abyss Sword. The sword glowed with a fiery aura, crackling with chaotic lightning. Wu Li let out a fierce roar, "Yang Chen, let's end this with one strike!"
Yang Chen's face grew pale as he also felt the presence of the heavenly tribulation. He knew he had to defeat Wu Li quickly, or else he would be implicated in the tribulation.
As Wu Li stood amidst the dark clouds gathering around him, the energy around the sword began to surge. The power of the Fire Element Chaotic Lightning Qi made the sword hum and vibrate with an intense energy that seemed to shake the entire platform. The heavenly tribulation was drawing near, and Wu Li knew he had to act fast.
Yang Chen also understands that he has to finish off Wu Li before the heavenly tribulation arrives, or else he would have to give up. Although he could escape from the stage and survive, his pride wouldn't let him do so. Besides, it would be seen as him running away from the fight. How could he face the sect after that? He's in a life and death duel, after all.
Yang Chen sneered and declared, "Fine, let's settle this with this one move. I want to see if you are a dragon among men or just a paper tiger."
He infused his Ninefold Metal Annihilator Blade with Metal Qi, and the moon behind him started to expand.
The moon grew larger and larger, from seven thousand to eight thousand to nine thousand to ten thousand meters in diameter. Its appearance was now ethereal, giving off a killing intent that made even the Foundation Building Realm spectators tremble with fear and despair. The moon's aura was so intense that it seemed to be a living entity, ready to consume everything in its path.
Wu Li's Extreme Lightning Strike was no longer just a simple display of Lightning Dao. The infusion of Fire Element Chaotic Lightning Qi into his sword had transformed the attack into a dazzling display of both Fire Dao and Lightning Dao. Infernal Flames danced along the length of the sword, weaving in and out of the electric currents that crackled around it, both belonging to the Infernal Thunder Dao Mark. The resulting energy was a potent mix that could destroy anything in its path.
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With his sword imbued with this newfound power, Wu Li launched his final attack with boldness and precision. Yang Chen, equally determined, unleashed the massive moon behind him, sending it hurtling towards Wu Li with all the force he could muster. The two attacks hurtled towards each other, crackling and sizzling with power.
The Fire Element Chaotic Lightning Qi infused into the Primordial Abyss Sword intensified the attack, causing a dazzling display of lightning and fire to erupt from the blade. As the two powerful forces clashed, the ground beneath them shook violently and a shockwave rippled through the air, causing the onlookers to stumble backwards.
The moon projection that Yang Chen had summoned shattered into countless pieces, releasing a burst of spiritual energy that dispersed in all directions. He stood frozen, horrified by the realization that he was about to face Wu Li's powerful attack, which could be the end of his life.
A sudden feeling of regret washed over him as he remembered that all of this happened because he offended Wu Li. "No, this can't be happening!" he cried out, trying to find a way out, but it was too late. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable impact, his heart heavy with the knowledge that he will die.
Wu Li's Extreme Lightning Strike unleashed a devastating force that shattered Yang Chen's spiritual moon projection and cut him in half. The impact was so powerful that it shook the jade platform beneath them, leaving a deep sword mark on its pearl-white surface.
The spectators were stunned into silence, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Wu Li stood there, panting heavily, as he gazed down at the two pieces of Yang Chen's body lying on the ground.
One spectator gasped in disbelief, "Did Wu Li really defeat Yang Chen? I can't believe it! He's two minor realms below him."
"Actually, Wu Li broke through to the middle stage of Core Formation while fighting," a cultivator corrected, "so technically, he was only one realm lower than Yang Chen."
The spectators shook their heads in awe and sorrow. "Poor Wu Li," one of them said, "he's going to face the heavenly tribulation now. It's a pity that his talent has attracted the heavens' jealousy."
Another added, "It's true. Usually, only those at the Nascent Soul Realm have to face the heavenly tribulation, but Wu Li triggered it in the middle stage of Core Formation. He's truly a rare talent, but it's also a bad thing for him."
Lin Dong didn't respond to the comments of these people, but he sneered inwardly at their hypocrisy. They had looked down on Wu Li before, but now that he had won the fight, they were showering him with compliments.
Wu Bailian, on the other hand, wore a look of despair on her face, knowing that Wu Li would seek revenge sooner or later.
As the minutes passed, the number of dark clouds surrounding Wu Li continued to increase, and the distance they covered grew wider and wider. First, it was only a hundred meters, then two hundred meters, and soon it reached three hundred meters.
The onlookers watched in awe as the clouds spread, creating an ominous atmosphere that made them feel uneasy. Within a few more moments, the clouds expanded to a kilometer in radius, blotting out the sun and covering the sky in darkness.
Lightning bolts began to flash within the clouds, and thunder rumbled so loudly that it felt like the entire platform was shaking. The spectators watched with bated breath as they realized that the heavenly tribulation was finally descending upon Wu Li, and they could only hope that he would be able to survive it.
Wu Yang eagerly turned to his master, "Do you think I made the right decision by staking the Sealed Flame Sword?"
A smile crept onto Li Yun's face as he patted Wu Yang's shoulder, not caring about the danger Wu Li is going to face, "You made a wise decision, my boy. I'm proud of your judgment! Your wealth should now be one of the highest in the inner sect with all those high-grade Spirit Stones you won."
Venerable Li Yun was delighted since he had been scorned by other elders for taking a disciple who staked a Soulbound Treasure. He felt like he had been slapped in the face back then.
Now, he will slap their faces hard!
Of course, if Wu Yang had lost the bet, Li Yun would have felt disappointed and angry at his disciple's lack of judgment.
Wu Li sat on the jade platform, thinking of how to endure the punishing onslaught of the heavenly tribulation. He had exhausted all of his Qi during his fight with Yang Chen, leaving him defenseless against the tribulation.
"Master, I don't know what to do. I've used up all of my Qi. How can I withstand this heavenly tribulation?" Wu Li asked anxiously.
Liang Xia furrowed his brows in deep contemplation. "I'm not sure," he admitted, his tone grave. "This is a difficult situation."
Wu Li felt his hope dwindling as even his master seemed unsure of how to save him from the deadly tribulation.
An idea struck him and he asked, "Master, what if I cultivate the Divine Lightning Physique during the heavenly tribulation? Could I absorb the lightning?"
Liang Xia's brow furrowed as he contemplated the idea. "The chances of failure are too high. The heavenly tribulation's lightning is incredibly powerful and could easily overwhelm you, shattering your body into pieces," he warned.
"If you choose to defend yourself with all your might against the heavenly lightning, you might survive the tribulation, but you will be left crippled," Liang Xia explained, his expression serious.
Wu Li's face fell at the news. "What if I try to absorb the lightning using my Divine Lightning Physique? Will I be able to cultivate?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear.
Liang Xia hesitated for a moment before responding, "The chances of survival are lower, but you might be able to cultivate and advance your Divine Lightning Physique. It's even possible that your Spiritual Root affinity could improve."
Wu Li didn't even think of asking what the odds against him are, and said resolutely, "Master, I will try to absorb the heavenly lightning using my Divine Lightning Physique!"
Liang Xia nodded and said, "Good, good! That's the spirit that a powerhouse should have! Not fearing the tiger in front or the wolf behind!"
As the first strike of the heavenly tribulation descended upon him, Wu Li let out a fierce roar that echoed through the sky. He summoned all his strength and channeled his Divine Lightning Physique, determined to absorb the turbulent Qi into his own without any regard for his own safety.