All the immortal sects across the Southern Region had witnessed this unparalleled spectacle.
Which sect’s disciple was so blessed? Or was some old ancestor undergoing tribulation?
Everyone asked the same question, but no one could answer.
Jingnan Prince Manor.
Before Bai Shuangshuang could even open her mouth to comfort Zhao Qingyue, the multicolored glow above suddenly dissipated.
The radiant light vanished in an instant, replaced by an impenetrable mass of dark clouds surging from all directions, converging over the Royal City like an overturned black iron cauldron.
Thunder rumbled from deep within the clouds, heavy and continuous, as if a massive beast were roaring above.
Bai Shuangshuang’s small face turned pale instantly.
Heavenly Tribulation.
It was the Heavenly Tribulation!
In her past life at the Qingyun Sword Sect, she had heard her Master say that a Heaven-grade Dao Seed would attract tribulation.
It wasn’t like an Earth-grade seed that merely triggered a celestial phenomenon—this was a true thunder tribulation, one capable of reducing a person to ash.
Bai Shuangshuang’s heart sank like ashes.
Why are you directly striking me?!
This isn’t how cultivation works!
I refuse to accept it!
The path of cultivation began with condensing a Dao Seed and was divided into six realms:
Miao Seed, Xuan Root, Qing Ya, Chou Zhi, Sheng Hua, Jie Tian.
Each realm’s name corresponded to the intuitive process of the Dao Seed’s growth.
In her past life, her cultivation had only reached Qing Ya, still a step away from Chou Zhi.
And her Master was a great power at half-step Sheng Hua, a notable figure throughout the entire Great Yan Dynasty.
But even someone of Master’s caliber would not find it easy to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation of a Heaven-grade Dao Seed.
And she, Bai Shuangshuang, had just condensed her Dao Seed and hadn’t even stabilized in the Miao Seed realm.
What could she possibly use to withstand it?
The clouds grew denser, and within them, arcs of lightning could be seen darting about.
Sharp tearing sounds rang out one after another, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
The commoners in the Royal City, who had been kneeling and worshiping the Mountain God’s manifestation moments before, were now terrified and had hiding inside their homes.
Those from the immortal sects naturally recognized this as the thunder tribulation triggered by the condensation of a Heaven-grade Dao Seed—not something trivial.
Some gloated, while others sighed with their hands to their foreheads.
“A Heaven-grade Dao Seed? No wonder it caused such a commotion.”
“What a pity. The Southern Region has almost no great powers capable of blocking the Heavenly Tribulation.”
“Those mountain and water spirits are themselves part of the power of heaven and earth; they cannot go against the tribulation. This genius… I fear they are doomed.”
All the radiant phenomena had faded, leaving only that overturned black cauldron and Bai Shuangshuang’s ghastly pale face.
Her hands were trembling.
She looked inwardly at her Dantian.
That golden-red Dao Seed still floated silently, lush with green, full of vitality.
It didn’t know what was happening outside.
It didn’t know it had attracted tribulation.
It didn’t know it was about to be struck to ashes.
But Bai Shuangshuang knew.
She also knew that she could voluntarily shatter the Dao Seed right now.
If she shattered it, the tribulation would dissipate, and she could live.
But her hands trembled even more.
Because she couldn’t bear to.
How many people in the entire cultivation world could condense a Heaven-grade Dao Seed?
In her past life, she had an Earth-grade upper-rank, which already made her a notable prodigy in the Great Yan Dynasty.
She understood all too well what a Heaven-grade Dao Seed meant.
If she shattered it, there would be nothing left.
But she really couldn’t withstand it.
She had no support, no one could help her.
Once the tribulation struck, Zhao Qingyue could only cry, Qiu Yue could only stare blankly, and the Prince could only stand far away, anxious.
In the entire Southern Region, there was no one who could block this tribulation for her.
Bai Shuangshuang was still hesitating, but the tribulation wouldn’t wait.
The clouds pressed down; the thunder drew near.
Suddenly, Bai Shuangshuang thought of something.
After a moment of hesitation, she began madly pouring spiritual qi into her Dao Seed.
I won’t give up on you.
The tribulation was angered, clearly displeased with Bai Shuangshuang’s almost provocative act.
The lightning that had been gathering in the clouds for a long time came crashing down.
A silvery-white bolt tore through the sky, smashing toward Bai Shuangshuang with an aura of utter destruction.
The Heavenly Tribulation had its own consciousness.
It would not harm the innocent, but its target was doomed.
Bai Shuangshuang didn’t open her eyes.
She was waiting.
In the last moment before the lightning struck, a ball of white ethereal flame emerged from her side.
Without warning, without cause, as if it had squeezed out of the void, it was icy cold yet blazing fiercely.
The ghostly flame shot up to meet the lightning.
The moment they collided, heaven and earth fell silent.
The two forces exploded high in the clouds, like two stars crashing into each other.
The burst of light illuminated the entire Royal City as if it were noon.
The lightning shattered, scattering into countless tiny arcs that fell like a silver rain.
The white flame rose and spread across the sky, shielding Bai Shuangshuang, allowing no harm to touch her.
But the Heavenly Tribulation would not let it go.
It gathered strength.
A second bolt struck down, fiercer than the first.
The white ghostly flame did not retreat.
It transformed into the shape of a white dragon, biting down on the lightning and tearing it apart.
Third, fourth, fifth…
Each strike of the tribulation grew stronger, and each time the white dragon grew more violent, shredding every bolt that descended.
The clouds churned, the thunder roared.
The white dragon fought the tribulation round after round high above.
Bai Shuangshuang opened her eyes, watching that battle beyond the mortal world.
A slight smile curved her lips, carrying a hint of smugness.
Her gamble had paid off.
Mo Zhuozhuo really didn’t dare let her die.
Mo Zhuozhuo’s earlier behavior in the dream had given birth to a bold idea in her.
She didn’t know the specifics, but she guessed that some kind of connection existed between them—something like a life-and-death bond.
If she died, Mo Zhuozhuo would die too.
So, if she were about to be struck dead by the tribulation, would Mo Zhuozhuo act?
It was a huge gamble, and she had won.
There was also another point: Did Mo Zhuozhuo have a way to interfere with reality?
After all, the other party had only appeared in dreams before.
Could she break through that limitation this time?
Bai Shuangshuang wasn’t sure either, but she bet that an existence at Mo Zhuozhuo’s level must have some way to do it.
It might just come at a great cost—too great to use casually.
But at the critical juncture of life and death, she had no choice but to use it.
This too was a huge gamble, and she had won again.
At this moment, under the temptation of the Heaven-grade Dao Seed, she had become an utter madwoman, gambling twice in a row.
But she had won both times.
She had survived, and her Dao Seed was safe.
For the last time, the white dragon soared upward, its entire body crashing into the deepest part of the dark clouds, like a sun exploding over the Royal City.
The clouds shattered.
The tribulation dispersed.
The sky directly turned from deep night to noon, blindingly bright.
All the immortal sects fell silent.
No one had ever seen such a scene.
After a long while, someone muttered a sentence under their breath.
“There’s still a hidden expert?”
Bai Shuangshuang sat where she was, looking at the sky, her lips curled.
Suddenly, her body swayed, like a small tree that had been battered by a strong wind for too long and could no longer hold.
Zhao Qingyue rushed over and just managed to catch Bai Shuangshuang’s collapsing form.
Bai Shuangshuang’s face was buried in the hollow of Zhao Qingyue’s shoulder.
Her eyes were still open, but her pupils had already glazed over.
Her lips moved slightly, as if to say something, but nothing came out.
She fainted.