Chapter 344: 代师问苍天

“Boom, boom, boom…”

The thunder made the large floral bowl of braised pork trotters on the table tremble violently. It was a while before the quiet room was filled with sound again, but by then, no one dared to speak of monsters.

The old saying goes, "Don't talk about people during the day, and don't talk about ghosts at night." Similar taboos were observed in the old village chief's house at that moment.

Niu Kui Mountain stretched for over two hundred li, crossing the border of Desheng Prefecture, traversing Dingyuan Prefecture, and brushing past Tianyue Prefecture. As the thunderclouds in the deep mountains grew larger, various extraordinary beings frequently gazed towards Niu Kui Mountain.

In Ning'an and Baoshun counties of Desheng Prefecture, Chengze and Caiming counties of Dingyuan Prefecture, and Dakang County of Tianyue Prefecture—all large counties near Niu Kui Mountain—golden statues of deities appeared above the City God Temples. The City Gods from each county stood at the highest points of their respective temples, gazing into the rolling thunderclouds deep within Niu Kui Mountain.

Of these, Ning'an County was closest to the center of the thunderclouds.

“Rumble…”

The world brightened with a flash. Another extraordinarily powerful bolt of lightning struck down from the thunderclouds, plunging straight into Niu Kui Mountain like a sharp sword.

On top of the City God Temple in Ning'an County, the elderly City God, Song Shichang, stood solemnly, gazing at Niu Kui Mountain with a grave expression, silent.

“My Lord City God,” the Chief of the Yin and Yang Bureau said, worriedly advising the old City God from the side, “this thunder doesn't seem to be from an ordinary storm. It might be a celestial anomaly. Either a supreme treasure has appeared in Niu Kui Mountain, or something extraordinary is unfolding! It's even possible that a terrifying demon is about to achieve enlightenment!”

“Indeed,” the City God replied, “these thunderclouds are truly unusual, resembling a tribulation cloud. But in such circumstances, the might of Heaven is unfathomable!”

In the distance, silver lightning snakes danced. Some thunderclaps were loud, others weak, but some of the bolts put even spirits and deities like themselves under immense pressure.

The old City God subconsciously looked towards a certain part of the county town. At that hour, after nightfall, visibility was very low due to the dark clouds and heavy rain, but in one corner of the town, a faint spiritual light still glimmered faintly.

That direction was Ju'an Xiaoge.

“But there's no need to worry too much,” the Martial Judge on the other side said, stroking his beard. “That gentleman resides in Ning'an County, and he has often visited Niu Kui Mountain. If something malevolent in the mountains were truly on the verge of a significant breakthrough, how could it possibly escape his discerning eye?”

“Who knows, it might even be related to him!”

“Could it be that red fox? No, that's not right. That fox's cultivation is still far from ready, isn't it?”

“How can we presume to discuss the actions of such a being?” the City God interjected sternly. “Even if he lives a life of calm detachment and tranquility, you all must be careful with your words!”

“Yes, no more discussion.”

Meanwhile, beneath Dragon Rock Island in the southeastern corner of the North Sea, Ji Yuan lay on his side in a guesthouse, resting. His eyes were slightly closed, eyelids twitching, and with his mind and intentions fully collected, the internal landscape of his body appeared in a misty state.

Ji Yuan was in a state that was neither a dream nor wakefulness, a special condition he had experienced several times before. In a trance, a spiritual connection reached Niu Kui Mountain in western Qizhou.

His vision seemed to pierce through mountains and rivers, revealing the scene there: rolling leaden clouds, flashing lightning, and roaring thunder.

What was strange was that in other parts of Niu Kui Mountain, and even in the surrounding villages, towns, and counties, areas shrouded by dark clouds experienced both thunder and rain. However, this particular spot had only wind and thunder, but no heavy rain.

Lightning twisted and flowed within the clouds, some below, some above, some from within, and some seemingly born from the void. From all directions, they converged at the center of the thunderclouds, brewing distorted and erratic bolts of lightning.

“CRACK... BOOM…”

White light filled the heavens and earth, accompanied by a tremendous roar. A bolt of lightning descended from the thunderclouds, twisting and flashing as it instantly struck a certain spot on the mountain.

“ROAR—”

“BOOM…”

Large amounts of electrical current flowed through the surrounding mountain forests, slithering like silver snakes across the cliffs and ridges.

‘What courage! He didn't even try to evade the lightning tribulation!’

The moment Ji Yuan saw this scene in his trance, he couldn't help but marvel in his mind.

Cultivation is an act against Heaven's will, and lightning is a symbol of heavenly might. Plants, birds, and beasts are particularly afraid of heavenly thunder. Some spirits who have awakened their intelligence instinctively hide and seek shelter during thunderstorms, as if carrying a deep-seated fear in their very souls.

Moreover, when a spirit, particularly a malevolent one, is on the verge of reaching a significant stage, its location often becomes more prone to thunderstorms, sometimes even triggering severe storms out of season, as if Heaven's will itself disapproves.

On the other hand, no matter how terrifying these lightning bolts are, they are merely natural phenomena. True demons possess considerable intelligence and don't necessarily have to endure a barrage of lightning when its power is at its peak. They could easily hide first, consolidate their cultivation, and when their practice naturally progresses, their aura would be much milder, and any subsequent lightning tribulation would be significantly weaker.

At that point, finding a more suitable place to endure the lightning would be much safer.

But Lu Shanjun was clearly not like this. Ji Yuan knew this fierce tiger well; rather than saying he didn't know when to advance or retreat, it was more that he was incredibly confident and proud.

On the platform in Niu Kui Mountain where Ji Yuan had once preached to Lu Shanjun, a hairless giant tiger lay prostrate on a disc-like boulder, gazing at the sky. The giant tiger already bore multiple scorch marks, but they seemed to have no effect on him.

However, only three true bolts of tribulation lightning had fallen so far, each stronger than the last, and the thunderclouds in the sky continued to expand.

“Rumble.... Rumble.... Rumble....”

In between, ordinary lightning bolts continuously fell, occasionally striking the fierce tiger. Yet, the tiger neither dodged nor avoided them. Though he felt some pain, he knew that compared to the true test, ordinary lightning was merely a tickle.

“ROAR!”

The fierce tiger's roar echoed throughout the mountain wilderness. The already considerable winds grew even more furious, and the clouds in the sky appeared heavier. Looking up from the platform, one could feel the clouds rolling in from all directions and converging towards the center.

At such a moment, his already charred skin felt both itchy and painful, but Lu Shanjun could no longer pay attention to such discomfort.

“CRACKLE... CRACKLE…”

In the sky, amidst the dense dark clouds, thunder rolled once more. The sound of electrical currents was clearly audible even on the ground.

Lu Shanjun's pupils contracted. He noticed that the central lightning bolt subtly displayed a hint of crimson, and a feeling of extreme dread surged within him.

‘Run... run... run...’

This thought arose uncontrollably, but the giant tiger's facial expression became increasingly ferocious and terrifying.

“Gah... gah-gah…”

The corners of the fierce tiger's mouth curled up, revealing pale fangs and sharp teeth. The beast bared its teeth menacingly at the sky, and the sharp claws on all four paws extended. His entire skin seemed to ripple in waves as his muscles tensed ferociously.

The next moment, the fierce tiger's four paws slowly lifted off the ground. A gust of wind enveloped him, raising him dozens of feet high, lifting him from the platform. Lu Shanjun, who shouldn't have been able to fly yet, arched his body as if treading on air, and facing the crimson lightning bolt about to descend from the sky, let out a furious roar.

“ROAR—”

“CRACK... BOOM…”

The lightning struck down almost simultaneously with the tiger's roar, directly piercing through the black wind enveloping him and hitting his body.

“BOOM…”

Drenched in crimson lightning, the fierce tiger was slammed onto the platform below. Endless bolts of lightning enveloped not only him but also the entire platform.

Immediately after, another crimson lightning bolt fell, striking the fierce tiger directly on the colossal stone platform.

“CRACK... RUMBLE…”

“AOW…”

Lu Shanjun let out a cry of extreme agony.

At this very moment, throughout Niu Kui Mountain, all beasts fell silent, and countless birds retreated into their nests. Innumerable animals hid as best they could in places offering shelter from wind and rain, trembling in fear before the divine might of the lightning.

Hu Yun also huddled in his fox den. His den was halfway up a high peak; besides the warm central chamber, it had two openings, one large and one small, at the front and back. One faced Ning'an County, and the other faced the depths of Niu Kui Mountain.

Hu Yun was now looking through the opening towards the depths of Niu Kui Mountain, anxiously watching the lightning fall. From his perspective, however, he couldn't see the crimson lightning; it still appeared to be ordinary.

“Shanjun, oh Shanjun,” he murmured, “don't let anything happen to you. Sir isn't here. If something happens, no one can save you!”

“AOW…”

A faint, agonizing howl from the fierce tiger reached his ears, startling Hu Yun and making him tremble as his entire red fur puffed up.

On the platform, Lu Shanjun lay half-prostrate and half-fallen on the colossal boulder. Half of his face was charred, and there were barely any unburnt patches of skin left on his body. The charred skin in some places flaked off bit by bit with the electrical arcs, and his body would occasionally tremble. Streaks of tiger blood seeped from his numerous wounds; he was a sight of utter devastation.

“Gah... gah... gah-gah-gah…”

Half of Lu Shanjun's lips were charred and had fallen off, leaving his fangs constantly exposed. He propped himself up with his forelegs and looked up again. The charred skin on his head, mixed with bloodstains, flaked away, revealing not just flesh and blood underneath, but also deeper patterns. His tiger brows were now more distinct and elongated, his tiger nose narrower and more refined…

In the sky, the sixth true bolt of lightning was brewing. This lightning twisted and shifted in Lu Shanjun's vision, its color changing erratically, appearing sometimes green, sometimes crimson…

“Even if I've underestimated the power of this lightning tribulation,” he gasped, “even if I, Lu Shanjun, am to perish here today… I will not, I will not bring shame upon my Master…”

The fierce tiger shook his body, trembling as he struggled to stand, shaking off the bloodstains.

He had clearly already grasped the profound mysteries of achieving enlightenment; he was only one step away. Lu Shanjun felt a pang of unwillingness, but looking at the lightning in the sky, a sense of inevitability was so overwhelmingly strong, as if even fleeing back to his den would be futile.

“If one learns the Way in the morning, one can die in the evening without regret… Gah…”

The entire fierce tiger straightened his cold body, gazing coldly at the thunderclouds in the sky. The remaining demonic energy throughout his body surged, and his aura reached its peak since the start of the tribulation. It was neither a tiger's roar nor a shriek, but a great, howling roar directed at the sky.

“On behalf of my venerable master, I ask Heaven: Who commands the thunder?”

“…Who commands the thunder?”

“…Who?”

Lu Shanjun's roar reverberated throughout all of Niu Kui Mountain, and even more so, through the heavens and the earth.