Wanxi Rebirth - Chapter 55

That being said, they still had to attempt leaving the tribulation zone.

However, after just one strike, Qin Suoliu shook her head. “No, we are destined to undergo the tribulation together.”

Her strike, aided by the Gray Moth, had concentrated her spiritual energy to the maximum, but the barrier didn’t even show a single crack.

Yue Tingxi had initially wanted Qin Suoliu to stay hidden in the inner chamber, letting her face the thunder tribulation alone.

Yet the young lady firmly refused: “The inner chamber is also part of your power. Without me, it only serves as storage. You’d always be distracted worrying about me if I weren’t there.”

“Besides, since the heavenly thunder is actively restraining us, doesn’t that mean it has bound us together according to unseen causal chains?” Qin Suoliu glanced at the sky gathering thunder. “It’s ironic—last life, after the fox clan demons forced and devoured my soul, my cultivation reached the Out-of-Body stage, but I never faced a thunder tribulation.”

“According to the Gray Moth’s assessment, my current ‘hidden realm’ is mid-Out-of-Body stage. Perhaps this thunder is aimed at me as well.”

With that, regardless of what Yue Tingxi was about to say, Qin Suoliu immediately deployed all her defensive artifacts, drew her twin blades, and ignited flames along the blades. Soon, her body was surrounded by fire spiritual energy, fully prepared to confront the tribulation.

“…Fine. If you sense danger, protect yourself immediately!” Feeling the pressure from above intensify, Yue Tingxi hurriedly warned, gripping the Wuhe Whip. “The Out-of-Body tribulation consists of seven strikes: the first five are the Five Elements thunder, then the Soul Tribulation and the Heart Demon Tribulation. Whether the Heart Demon Tribulation occurs depends on the person; if it doesn’t, it will only come when breaking through the tribulation stage.”

From the texts she had studied and the accounts of powerful demons who had passed the Out-of-Body tribulation, the Five Elements thunder was relatively easy. It mainly tested one’s understanding of the elements. One could use the generative-restrictive laws of the elements to gain an advantage—for instance, some artifacts could convert the input spiritual energy into a different element.

Of course, one could also rely on a single strong element to block the thunder or use it to refine their body. As long as the thunder was endured, the tribulation was considered successful.

Yue Tingxi had prepared two strategies: first, test the thunder’s strength using the Wuhe Whip and the Salvation Scales, and if possible, let her demon form absorb the subsequent strikes for body refining.

However, when the first gold-element thunderbolt struck, she realized she might not yet be strong enough.

The blinding lightning felt like an unshaped sharp sword, and countless other points of light above were gathering energy.

If these swords fell all at once before she could deflect the main strike…

Before her thoughts could finish, Qin Suoliu enlarged a magical artifact.

It was a massive shield, fire trailing along her hand and spreading across its surface.

Yue Tingxi, not expecting help, inexplicably relaxed. She shouted and channeled a massive surge of water spiritual energy into her Wuhe Whip, attempting to break through the golden sword.

The simplest solution to the Five Elements thunder was a clash of spiritual energies.

As the two spiritual energies collided, Yue Tingxi noticed the gold energy subtly entering her meridians. She had experienced this during her previous tribulation—it signaled approval from Heaven.

She had also heard of extreme cultivators who deliberately prolonged thunder tribulation to absorb its energy, waiting until all energy was exhausted before reluctantly ending it.

The problem: all her prior knowledge assumed a solo tribulation. Now, they were facing it together.

Suddenly, a “clang” sounded above, with swords raining down on the shield like a torrential storm on an iron roof.

Qin Suoliu did not relax for a moment, continuously replenishing the fire on the shield, lest a sword pierce through.

Yet, before they could handle the swords, a fresh scent of vegetation entered their noses.

Yue Tingxi, sensitive to poisons, instinctively looked down and saw plants rapidly growing on the previously cleared platform.

…It was the wood-element thunder!

The Five Elements thunder could materialize, and this mountain area was rich in spiritual energy; gathering wood energy was effortless.

“Hold your breath!” she warned Qin Suoliu.

Before the warning, Qin Suoliu had already sealed all orifices to block toxins. Having fought with Yue Tingxi and inhaled poisonous blood mist before, she could respond immediately to any potential poison.

Thinking of Lian Fengqing’s “Constructed Tree Illusion” in the secret realm, Yue Tingxi worried these plants might form the same attack.

Recalling “metal restrains wood,” she twisted her legs into a snake tail and swam toward the nearest overgrown plants, drawing the giant sword along.

However, both sword and plants avoided each other, focusing solely on attacking Yue Tingxi.

She fled awkwardly under the combined assault, eventually summoning the Salvation Scales to gamble using her “Law Power.”

At the last moment, she channeled the golden energy of the Scales to meet the giant sword.

Everything follows certain laws, natural or cultivated over time. Since swords cutting plants were uncommon, the sword transformed into a scythe.

Miraculously, Yue Tingxi felt a subtle connection and grasped the golden scythe.

Meanwhile, Qin Suoliu burned a portion of the overgrown plants with Red Lotus Fire. Seeing Yue Tingxi wielding the scythe, she assumed she was controlling the gold thunder and moved to assist, only to be stunned.

Plants taller than them fell, their writhing vines crushed by a black snake tail.

Yue Tingxi continued cutting and consuming some plants, absorbing wood energy.

Qin Suoliu only watched, occasionally refining sword fragments with fire energy.

Suddenly, a downpour began—water-element thunder.

The water didn’t collect on the ground but rose along the barrier formed by thunder.

Qin Suoliu’s expression changed. “Water thunder!” she transmitted.

Yue Tingxi had just finished consuming the last plants when she looked up and saw water rising. Her expression turned grave.

She remembered how much Qin Suoliu hated water. Even in humid or aquatic environments, she couldn’t perform at her peak.

Instinctively, Yue Tingxi swam over and carried Qin Suoliu before the water reached her neck.

The overgrown plants revived under the water-element thunder, forcing Yue Tingxi to act fast. She had already absorbed the wood energy but needed to refine the water and fire energy as well.

Qin Suoliu noticed the Shuo Han flower in her dantian attempting to break free. She used Gray Moth to isolate it, daring to “cheat” a little.

Yue Tingxi felt her body lose support, separated from everything by an invisible barrier, observing the whirlpool and quicksand below.

“You used the Gray Moth?” she asked.

“Yes,” Qin Suoliu replied, silver light still on her fingertips. “But only ‘isolation,’ not enough to break the tribulation.”

Seeing no new thunder, Yue Tingxi asked cautiously if the Gray Moth could help create a Constructed Tree, like Lian’s illusion.

With water and fire energy now absorbed into the Salvation Scales, it was only a matter of time.

Qin Suoliu agreed but required wood energy to do so. Yue Tingxi immediately supplied it.

In an instant, a Constructed Tree appeared, rooted deeply in the quicksand, growing at visible speed into the giant tree Yue Tingxi had seen in the secret realm.

Even though she hadn’t refined the energy herself, she felt drained and fatigued. Still, she continued channeling water and fire energy into the Scales.

Exhausted, she lost the ability to float, landing on the tree’s branch.

“Yue Tingxi?! Tingxi…!” Qin Suoliu’s anxious voice echoed.

…After the Five Elements thunder, wasn’t it time for the Soul Tribulation?

Yue Tingxi struggled to stay conscious, realizing her mind was sinking into a deep abyss. Blood scent grew stronger.

Was this a dream, or had she failed the Soul Tribulation?

She opened her eyes in shock, seeing a familiar yet unrecognizable face, being held in her arms, bleeding.

“…Qin Suoliu?” she called cautiously.

They were at the entrance of Xishan, in winter snow, not summer.

The person in her arms murmured something; Yue Tingxi focused, realizing this was likely Qin Suoliu’s Heart Demon.

She remembered the tribulation sequence—after the Out-of-Body thunder, it should have been the Soul Tribulation, but this appeared to be the Heart Demon Tribulation.

Seeing the young lady’s state—corrupted by demonic energy—Yue Tingxi knew she couldn’t ignore it and carried her into the mountain barrier.

However, they collided with the barrier.

“Humans may enter, demons may not,” a voice from within warned.

“She hasn’t harmed the world!” Yue Tingxi argued.

“Her soul is corrupted; how can you guarantee she won’t harm others?” the voice questioned.

Understanding the concern, Yue Tingxi placed Qin Suoliu in her inner chamber, providing a soft bed borrowed from Yun Ruan, waiting quietly for her to awaken.

Three days passed.

On the fourth morning, she noticed something fluffy brushing her hand—a snow-white fox tail.

Looking up, she saw Qin Suoliu sitting upright, blood-red eyes devoid of life.

“Qin Suoliu?” she called gently.

The young lady didn’t respond but leaned forward, grabbing Yue Tingxi’s wrists, pinning her down, biting her neck, drinking her blood.

Yue Tingxi froze, realizing the young lady was a demon craving the spiritual energy in her blood. She quietly activated a poison within herself, letting water energy guide it into her bloodstream.

After a short while, a scream of pain erupted from Qin Suoliu, who rolled on the ground, writhing—the poison had taken effect.

Support