NABC Chapter 298 Golden Core Tribulation
Chapter 298 Golden Core Tribulation
In the distance, the three elders watched with trepidation. Seeing their young master stubbornly rise again and again, only to be slammed back into the scorched earth by the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning time and time again, the three old men's cloudy eyes involuntarily welled up with tears.
At the bottom of the deep pit, Lin Yan endured the excruciating pain and circulated his internal energy to heal his injuries, his mind racing. He clearly sensed that the next two tribulation lightning bolts would not give him another chance to "exploit the bug." In a flash, he recalled drawing talismans in mid-air when he first learned talismans. Could he use eight different artistic conceptions to draw talismans and then form a talisman array?
"Fine, might as well try anything!"
With his injuries slightly healed, he immediately struggled to climb out of the deep pit. Using his divine sense as a brush and the eight fundamental concepts as ink, he wielded them in mid-air! Eight translucent talismans, each imbued with a different Daoist aura, sprang to life, intertwining and combining before him, rotating counter-clockwise faster and faster. At the center of the formation, a chaotic vortex slowly took shape, radiating a profound devouring power.
Just then, a humanoid bolt of lightning crashed down from the clouds! Clad in lightning armor and wielding a sharp blade, it was like a god descending to earth.
Lin Yan gritted his teeth and activated the rune array to counterattack. The chaotic vortex and the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning collided with a deafening roar, and for the duration of an incense stick, the lightning was gradually disintegrated and devoured. He keenly sensed that the lightning intent in his sea of consciousness was like drinking fine nectar, undergoing a transformation towards a certain profound rune!
However, at this crucial moment—
"Snap!"
The rune array eventually reached its limit and collapsed with a crash.
Although the humanoid lightning bolt had dimmed somewhat, its fighting spirit remained overwhelming. Lin Yan took a deep breath, the Star Sword now in his hand, and the Starfall Breaking Qi Sword Technique revealed its sharpness in this world for the first time!
Seeing the talisman array collapse, and the humanoid tribulation lightning, though dimmed, still radiating killing intent, charged forward with a sword, Lin Yan's pupils shrank. He knew that there was no longer any chance to take shortcuts; the only option was to fight to the death!
He let out a long roar, suppressing the surging blood and qi within his body. The Star Sword in his hand emitted a clear and melodious ringing sound, as if responding to its master's resolute fighting spirit.
Lin Yan transformed into a streak of light, neither dodging nor avoiding, and charged straight at the humanoid lightning. He unleashed the first move of the Starfall Shattering Sword Technique, the starlight on the sword blazing brightly, condensing into a sharp sword aura that could pierce through anything, carrying an unstoppable momentum, and stabbing straight at the lightning general's heart.
Lei Jiang reacted faster than anyone could imagine; his Thunder Sword struck first, precisely hitting the spine of the Star Sword.
"clang--!"
The clang of metal against metal resounded through the sky, and the shockwave from the explosion shrank the surrounding scorched earth by another three feet. Lin Yan felt an irresistible force travel along the sword, his tiger's mouth instantly split open, blood gushing out, and his entire right arm bones emitted a teeth-grinding groan, almost shattering.
He used the momentum to fly backward, dissipating some of the force. With his left hand, he quickly made a series of "Golden Rays of Infinity" like venomous snakes spitting their tongues, aiming cunningly at Lei Jiang's joints and vital points.
However, the warrior formed from the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning had an extremely condensed body. When the golden light struck, it only exploded into a few tiny sparks, leaving a faint white mark.
Lei fixed his empty eyes on Lin Yan, took a step forward, and traversed spatial distance. The Thunder Sword transformed into countless lightning shadows, completely enveloping Lin Yan. Each sword shadow contained terrifying power capable of tearing apart the soul.
Lin Yan pushed the "Soaring to the Nine Heavens" movement technique to its limit, weaving through the gaps in the lightning shadows with difficulty. His Star Sword dance was impenetrable, and the follow-up moves of the Starfall Breaking the Qi Sword Technique unfolded one after another.
"Star Strike!" The sword speed increased dramatically, like a meteor chasing the moon, pointing, stabbing, flicking, and slashing, fighting against the lightning sword with speed. In the air, only starlight and lightning could be seen colliding and annihilating wildly.
"Shattering Star Style!" He seized the moment, changing his skill into force, and his sword strike became as heavy as a mountain, as if drawing upon the power of the stars in the sky, and he slashed down fiercely!
"boom!"
This sword strike finally forced Lei Jiang's Thunder Sword to deflect slightly. Lin Yan's chest was wide open, and Lei Jiang, without hesitation, delivered a destructive palm strike to his chest!
"puff--!"
The protective aura shattered instantly, and Lin Yan's chest visibly caved in, with countless ribs broken. He coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, and his body was thrown backward like a kite with a broken string.
The intense pain nearly made him faint, but with his indomitable will, he forcefully twisted his body in mid-air and stomped his feet hard in the void, managing to stop his retreat.
A glint of madness flashed in his eyes. Ignoring the burning pain and suffocation in his chest, he poured all his remaining true essence, along with the deeper understanding of the thunder's intent he had just grasped, into the Star Sword.
"You too... take this sword strike!"
He transformed himself into a sword, becoming one with the sword, transforming into a stunning swan burning with the light of life and stars. It was no longer any fixed move, but a desperate strike that condensed all his strength, will, and intent at this moment!
This sword strike was faster than thought, and it pierced through space.
"laugh--!"
Starlight pierced through Lei Jiang's body and shone from behind him.
Time seemed to stand still.
Lin Yan knelt on one knee, using his sword to support himself, barely managing to stay upright. His clothes were torn to shreds, leaving him shirtless, his body covered in charred lightning strike marks and deep, bone-revealing sword wounds, blood almost turning him into a blood-soaked figure. The charred palm print left by the lightning strike on his chest was particularly gruesome, still crackling.
Behind him, the humanoid lightning bolt froze completely. Then, starting from the pierced wound, streaks of starlight burst forth, and its entire body collapsed, transforming into the purest lightning spirit energy, dissipating into the world.
The eighth bolt of Purple Heaven Divine Thunder has been overcome.
But Lin Yan also paid a heavy price. His meridians were riddled with holes, his internal organs were displaced and shattered, and his sea of consciousness was dimmed due to overexertion, making it extremely difficult for him to even move a finger.
He lay on the edge of the deep pit, gazing at the last and most terrifying tribulation cloud in the sky. His vision was beginning to blur, but only his indomitable will continued to sustain him.
In the distance, the bloodshot roars of Elder Dan and the other two pierced through the thunderstorm, exploding in his mind: "Young Master! Don't sleep! Only one more path left! Hold on, Young Master!"
Lin Yan knew all too well that he absolutely could not fall at this moment. But he had already used all his trump cards, and his meridians were like broken strings, making even lifting a finger incredibly difficult. He wearily closed his eyes, letting the elixir slowly dissolve in his body, repairing his battered and bruised form.
In that instant of introspection, he suddenly froze—
The ethereal human figure, which had always been dormant deep within his sea of consciousness, radiating a gentle glow, now stood silently. This thing had no instruction manual; he had never truly wielded its power, nor did he know how to use it. But at this moment, a sudden inspiration struck him, and the grand ambition he had made on that night in Beijing during his advancement in humanity exploded in his mind like a thunderclap:
With humanity as our soul and the way of Heaven as our sword!
"So that's how it is...so that's how it is!" Lin Yan's blood-stained lips curled into a wild smile. "You old scoundrel, even your ancestors...couldn't bear to see me die!"
Using his remaining Daoist will as a guide, he recklessly crashed into that illusory figure!
"Buzz—"
A phantom appeared behind him, initially blurry, then solidified, as if it had stood between heaven and earth since time immemorial. Lin Yan swallowed the last Taiqing Spirit Nourishing Pill, and with his divine sense as nimble as an arm, he forcibly merged the eight dim points of spiritual intent in his sea of consciousness—metal, wood, water, fire, earth, ice, wind, and thunder—transforming them into eight radiant swords of Dao intent, resonating and circling around him!
The illusory human figure seemed to be infused with a soul, revealing its own will for the first time. Lin Yan recklessly devoured the Rejuvenation Pills, and a massive amount of true essence, like a burst dam, poured into the illusory figure in the instant before the final cataclysmic lightning tribulation descended!
"boom!"
The phantom, enveloping Lin Yan's true form, transformed into a beam of light that pierced through heaven and earth, fiercely rushing towards the final judgment!
When the final bolt of tribulation lightning tore through the sky, it was no longer a simple bolt of lightning, but transformed into a world-destroying thunder dragon that stretched across the heavens and earth! In the dragon's eyes was the pure majesty and indifference of the Heavenly Dao, as if it wanted to completely wipe this ant that defied the heavens from the world.
Faced with this ultimate attack, the solid humanoid phantom behind Lin Yan moved. It seemed to carry the prayers and wills of countless living beings, and with a wave of its hands, the eight swords of intent surrounding Lin Yan emitted a soul-stirring hum!
"go!"
Lin Yan and the illusory figure became one, and Lin Yan roared angrily.
Eight swords flew together, transforming into a dazzling galaxy that stretched across the sky! The sharpness of metal, the vitality of wood, the endurance of water, the ferocity of fire, the weight of earth, the sealing power of ice, the unrestrained nature of wind, the judgment of thunder... Under the control of the illusory figure, the eight kinds of artistic conception power were no longer scattered individuals, but formed a supreme sword formation that was ever-evolving and capable of all kinds of evolution!
The sword formation clashed violently with the thunder dragon!
There was no sound, only the annihilation of ultimate light and energy. Space collapsed in pieces at the center of the collision, revealing the deep darkness behind it.
The thunder dragon roared, each swipe of its tail and each reach of its claws carrying the power of the Heavenly Dao to judge all things, blasting and shattering the swords of intent. The sword light dimmed continuously, yet supported by the illusory image of humanity, it absorbed Lin Yan's nearly depleted essence, reforming itself time and time again, fearlessly meeting the attack once more!
This was an extremely fierce and protracted battle. Golden blood continuously spilled from Lin Yan's seven orifices, and his sea of consciousness felt as if it were being pierced by billions of needles, but the flame in his eyes never went out. Supported by his will, the illusory image of humanity swung its arms, causing the sword formation to evolve into endless variations, sometimes as steadfast as a rock, sometimes as torrential as a downpour, actually fighting the world-destroying thunder dragon with great skill, going back and forth!
"roar--!"
Enraged by the fierce resistance, the Thunder Dragon suddenly contracted its massive body, concentrating all its destructive energy into its head, transforming it into an ultimate lightning spear that pierced through the void and shot towards Lin Yan's core! This was an attack that transcended the concept of speed, leaving no room for evasion!
"Now!"
Lin Yan and the phantom made their decisions simultaneously! The remaining eight swords ceased their defense and instead merged into one, transforming into a "Sword of Original Intention" that carried the will of humanity, and faced the doomsday lightning spear!
"boom!!!!!!"
An indescribable explosion swept everything away. Light engulfed the entire Rockel Island and even briefly illuminated the dark depths of the North Atlantic.
When the light faded, the World-Destroying Thunder Dragon had vanished. Lin Yan's illusory human form flickered a few times like a candle in the wind before completely disintegrating. He hovered in mid-air, his body covered with spiderweb-like cracks, like a piece of porcelain that would shatter at the slightest touch. His consciousness seemed to be sinking into a bottomless abyss, rapidly drifting away from him.
"Is it... over...?"