Chapter Fifty-Seven: Preparing for the Heavenly Tribulation

Chen Xiang was momentarily stunned, feeling the soft sensation against his chest. Inwardly, he thought, “Qin’er is really bold, isn’t she? How can she take such liberties with me? If she keeps this up, how will I ever survive in the cultivation world?”

Without further hesitation, Chen Xiang wrapped his arm around Li Qin’er’s slender waist, his hand gently patting her back.

He said, “No need to thank me, no need! I was planning to tease you anyway… Oh, wait, I mean, it was of my own accord. As long as it worked out, haha, as long as it worked out!”

The moment Li Qin’er threw herself into Chen Xiang’s arms, she sensed something was off. But before she could react, Chen Xiang held her tightly and responded with such composure that a flush rose swiftly to her cheeks.

Since she was a child, she had never been so physically close to a man—not even her father had embraced her like this. The masculine aura emanating from Chen Xiang made her heart tremble uncontrollably.

“Sir, please… please let me go,” Li Qin’er whispered shyly, her breath coming in soft gasps.

Her warm breath brushed against Chen Xiang’s ear, and with such a beauty in his arms, his lower body involuntarily pressed against her abdomen.

“What’s so hard down there?” Li Qin’er asked, puzzled.

Chen Xiang wasn’t about to lose his head over desire. He’d already enjoyed the moment and immediately released Li Qin’er, stepping back several meters in an instant.

“Ahem, Qin’er, why are you so eager? I know I’m charming and alluring, a man of unrivaled appeal, but you must restrain yourself!” Chen Xiang said, his face unflushed and his heart steady.

If one wonders what shamelessness looks like, or what it means to have a thick skin, Chen Xiang embodied it perfectly.

Li Qin’er, hearing his words, blushed even more. She didn’t pursue the matter, merely shot him a glare and quickly turned away.

“By the way, Qin’er, you’d better refine the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Essence soon. If you don’t perfect your Heavenly Yin Meridian, relying solely on the Ice Condensing Beauty Pill won’t sustain you for long,” Chen Xiang reminded her.

“Yes!” Li Qin’er nodded and sat cross-legged, taking out the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Essence to continue refining it.

With nothing else to do, Chen Xiang sat down to ponder his impending lightning tribulation. If he didn’t pass it, he couldn’t advance to the Nascent Soul stage, nor continue leveling up.

He had already endured a lightning tribulation earlier. Though it was merely pill lightning, not the advancement tribulation, it still counted as a tribulation. In a fit of inspiration, he had exchanged for a Negative Pole Cloak and a Demoness Veil—both excellent for resisting tribulation. He intended to wear them during his ordeal.

“System, what’s my current success rate for passing the tribulation?” Chen Xiang asked.

“The host’s current level requires passing the standard triple-nine tribulation to advance. Based on your current strength, the success rate is 60%,” the system replied coldly.

“What? Only sixty percent?” Chen Xiang was clearly dissatisfied. A sixty percent chance means there’s still a forty percent possibility of dying. The odds were far too risky.

“Is there any way to improve my chances?” Chen Xiang pressed.

“It is recommended that the host cultivate techniques that absorb the power of thunder or purchase the Three Pure Lightning Avoidance Talismans, which can effectively resist the tribulation,” the system replied.

“Absorbing the power of thunder? That sounds promising.” Chen Xiang’s interest was instantly piqued. If such methods existed, it greatly boosted his confidence.

“System, tell me—what techniques can absorb thunder’s power?” Chen Xiang asked.

“Heavenly Thunder Destruction: A technique from another realm, classified as Earth-rank Advanced. Inherited from the Thunder Emperor, it centers on cultivating the Sacred Body of Heavenly Thunder, tempering the bones, flesh, meridians, organs, and even the soul with lightning.

Immortal Golden Thunder Body: Earth-rank Advanced technique. Absorbs thunder’s power to temper oneself, progressing through Immortal Copper Body, Immortal Silver Body, Immortal Jade Body, Immortal Golden Body, and finally Immortal Golden Thunder Body.

Great Sun Thunder Physique: Earth-rank Advanced technique…
…”

The system recommended several, ranging from Earth-rank Advanced to Earth-rank Lower, but they all shared one trait: every single one was a body refinement technique! Moreover, they required actively seeking out lightning strikes to cultivate.

Chen Xiang skipped over the intermediate and lower ranks, focusing only on the advanced Earth-rank techniques.

Though one had to endure lightning strikes to cultivate them, the resulting strength was extraordinary. With a powerful physique, he could wield even more formidable techniques. In this world, cultivators rarely valued body cultivation; if his constitution surpassed others, he’d have many advantages.

“All right, let’s do it!” Chen Xiang gritted his teeth and bought an Earth-rank Advanced technique.

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’ has exchanged for the Earth-rank Advanced technique ‘Heavenly Thunder Destruction,’ costing nine hundred reputation points!”

“Ding! Would you like to cultivate ‘Heavenly Thunder Destruction’?”

“Yes!”

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’ has successfully cultivated ‘Heavenly Thunder Destruction!’”

Immediately, a surge of electricity coursed through Chen Xiang’s body. His bones suddenly shone, streaked with threads of lightning, before dimming again.

Chen Xiang could distinctly feel his constitution had strengthened.

“System, now what’s my success rate for passing the tribulation?” Chen Xiang asked uneasily.

“Ding! Scan complete. Based on the host’s current condition, the success rate is 75%,” the system replied.

“What the hell, only three out of four? There’s still a quarter chance I’ll die! System, what are you playing at?” Chen Xiang complained.

If others knew he had a seventy-five percent chance of surviving the triple-nine tribulation, they would probably cough blood on the spot.

It was well known that Nascent Soul cultivators were far fewer than those at the Core Formation stage, precisely because of the tribulation hurdle. Cultivation is a path against the heavens; most people would thank their lucky stars for a thirty percent chance. Forty percent would be considered divine favor.

And yet, he wasn’t satisfied with seventy-five percent? He might as well not attempt the tribulation!

In Chen Xiang’s eyes, seventy-five percent was still not enough. His life was at stake—he couldn’t afford to be careless.

“System, give me… two of the Three Pure Lightning Avoidance Talismans. I need a backup,” Chen Xiang said.

“Ding! Congratulations, host ‘Chen Xiang’ has successfully exchanged for two ‘Three Pure Lightning Avoidance Talismans,’ costing three hundred reputation points.”

Two jade talismans appeared instantly in his hand. Chen Xiang slapped them against his palm and asked, “With these talismans, what’s my new success rate?”

“Ding! Scan complete. Based on the host’s current condition, the success rate is 95%!”

“Phew!” Chen Xiang breathed a long sigh of relief.

With the Negative Pole Cloak and Demoness Veil he’d already exchanged, this tribulation was now virtually foolproof!

“Damn it, so it’s just a heavenly tribulation? I’ll stand and let it strike!” Chen Xiang boasted.

He had no idea what it meant to be shameless; already he was shouting and eager to find an opportunity to undergo the tribulation so he could keep leveling up!

Meanwhile, Li Qin’er had refined the eleventh drop of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Essence—one more than she expected, reaching perfect saturation.

She slowly opened her eyes. Next, she would have to expel the Yang energy!

“To be continued…”