Chapter 345: You Are Lu Shanjun?

Ji Yuan, far away in a guesthouse within the Dragon Rock Island Water Mansion in the North Sea, frowned deeply. The thunder tribulation Lu Shan Jun was facing was far too exaggerated, many times more severe than any demon's thunder tribulation he knew of.

Especially the lightning's color change from red to cyan—this was completely unprecedented. How could it still be an ordinary heavenly thunder that a common demon could avoid?

If every shapeshifting demon had to face such heavenly thunder, it was almost impossible for any to survive.

Why did Lu Shan Jun have to face this kind of heavenly thunder? Was it because he was undergoing a complete transformation, about to turn into a different kind of being?

But even for creatures like dragon-jiao...

No! The Dragon Transformation Tribulation was also no small matter. Dragon clans across the land even pooled their great wisdom over a long history, developing the miraculous path of "water-walking" to gradually contend with the tribulation of dragon transformation.

But that was a transformation into a dragon, not a jiao. No matter how powerful Lu Shan Jun's former self was, he was merely a tiger spirit who had refined his horizontal bone. He was far from reaching the realm of an old jiao transforming into a dragon.

Ji Yuan's mind raced, swiftly pondering the causes and effects. However, this was clearly not the time for deep thought; he couldn't grasp the crucial insight instantly, nor could he afford to hesitate further.

"Lu Shan Jun absolutely cannot die!"

This was not merely a matter of Ji Yuan's strategic plans; it was also because Lu Shan Jun was his only prominent disciple, and it was impossible for there not to be emotional involvement.

Within the conceptual realm of mountains and rivers, Ji Yuan's gigantic, towering form had already manifested. He reached skyward and took a brilliant black chess piece into his hand. From the piece, the faint sound of wind and thunder could be heard.

With a wave of Ji Yuan's hand, wisps of profound yellow energy were drawn from around the alchemy furnace at the peak of the mountain, converging like delicate yellow ribbons.

Then, at this moment of karmic connection with Lu Shan Jun, Ji Yuan's colossal Dharma Idol, holding the star-like black piece, closed its eyes and concentrated for a moment.

The next instant, its eyes snapped open. At the same moment, heaven and earth came into being...

The conceptual realm flowed and transformed like smoke and mist. The surrounding landscapes and rivers shifted into different shapes, bearing a slight resemblance to Niu Kui Mountain.

Ji Yuan held the chess piece with a sword finger. The profound yellow energy at his fingertip swirled as he swiftly pointed downwards. The alchemy furnace blazed with intense flames, and spiritual power surged, giving birth to the world. His will seemed both present and detached; what appeared casual was, in fact, his full effort. Although the mist and blur before him were thick, the moon platform faintly manifested as if it were a dream.

"Lu Shan Jun, allow me to lend you a hand!"

On Niu Kui Mountain, atop the enormous moon platform, the mighty tiger roared with perseverance. His defiant challenge echoed through the sky, while above, the clouds brewed new thunder—a bolt of death.

It was at this moment that a vast, ethereal voice reverberated in the ears of the tiger spirit, Lu Shan Jun.

"Lu Shan Jun, allow me to lend you a hand!"

The tiger, startled and delighted, looked around, but the voice seemed to have no origin, appearing out of thin air.

"Master!?"

Immediately after, wisps of profound yellow energy, seemingly substantial yet insubstantial, descended like a vortex, accompanied by an immensely heavy but non-threatening pressure.

Although the sky still flashed with lightning, at this moment, Lu Shan Jun closed his eyes. The surrounding colors did not fade, and he "saw" a new scene.

A colossal, illusory hand, wreathed in boundless mist, pointed at him with a sword finger. The arm, accompanied by profound yellow energy, was clad in familiar long green sleeves.

A muffled thud resonated in his mind, striking his forehead as if touched by a giant finger.

*Whoosh...*

Streams of profound yellow energy flowed into his forehead with that single touch, pouring into all his limbs and bones, and finally, most of it converged into his bone marrow.

"Awoo roar----"

Lu Shan Jun roared again. Although he felt no recovery in his physical strength or spiritual power, a new kind of power surged within him, as if he had regained the confidence to face the thunder tribulation once more.

After a final tiger's roar, the mental image quickly receded, and a realization dawned upon him.

'Master is not nearby; he is assisting from afar using some mystical power.'

"Crack-la-la... crack-la-la-crack-la-la..."

The bones in his body emitted strange sounds. Parts that had already undergone transformation after several heavenly thunder strikes now began to grow rapidly. The entire mighty tiger trembled slightly, and his spine and head underwent subtle changes in form.

"Roar-woo... awoo... roar..."

His roars grew deeper, each one containing a suppressed power, and from them emanated an aura that swept across the entire moon platform.

'Something is still missing, something is still missing...'

Lu Shan Jun trembled uncontrollably, understanding in his heart that the moment of his true metamorphosis was imminent, yet something was still lacking.

"Rumble..."

Thunder rumbled overhead, causing Lu Shan Jun to snap his head up. Within the dark clouds, a bolt of lightning, radiating a blue-red glow, had already formed.

'You are all that's left!'

"Crackle... Boom..."

A flash of blue-white light illuminated everything between heaven and earth, from Niu Kui Mountain to the surrounding counties and towns. Both deities and mortals heard that deafening final thunderclap.

At this instant, the lightning struck, directly hitting Lu Shan Jun's head. It was as if divine thunderous liquid from the nine heavens poured down, pressing the colossal tiger to lie prostrate on the massive moon platform.

"Rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble..."

Streaks of electricity ceaselessly flickered around, igniting large swaths of mountain forest, which then carbonized instantly before a large fire could even erupt.

More intense pain deluged Lu Shan Jun. The threat of death never retreated, but it could no longer hold absolute dominance.

"Roar... roar...!"

The mighty tiger trembled as it stood in the lightning. Its skin rapidly charred and carbonized, while the blood within its body became scalding hot and even thicker.

"Sizzle-sizzle-sizzle..."

"Crack-crack-crack..."

The lightning and the sound of grinding bones continued for a long time, until finally, everything ceased, or rather, everything became silent, leaving only the distant sound of rain.

Lu Shan Jun stood motionless on the moon platform, having completely transformed into a carbonized tiger statue.

*Whoosh... whoosh...*

The mountain wind blew.

Suddenly, all the black char on his body crumbled away. Lu Shan Jun appeared to have dramatically thinned, his bones now exposed. Although some flesh still clung within the skeletal frame, he stood like a terrifying skeleton on the massive moon platform, appearing gaunt and emaciated.

"Thump... thump... thump..."

A sound like a great hammer striking a drum emanated from within the colossal tiger's skeleton—it was the powerful beat of a heart.

The vitality of spring, giving birth to all things, re-emerged.

Within the colossal tiger's heart, a surge of new spring vitality, gathered with the help of the immortal sword, spread throughout its entire body.

The colossal tiger's life force began to permeate anew with the newly formed blood.

Bit by bit, strand by strand, piece by piece, Lu Shan Jun's tissues all over his body began to regenerate.

Its form was still tiger-like, yet subtly different.

New fur began to grow, deep black and yellow, but the down on its face became very short, and its muzzle grew more elongated. Its eyes were no longer round like a tiger's, but narrow and long with a large black brow, resembling human eyes. Its triangular ears appeared more rounded, and beneath each ear, two long strands of black and white fur entwined and grew, puffing up into small tufts at the ends, like a pair of unique, long earrings.

Its entire face was both tiger-like and human-like.

"Crack-la-la... crack-la-la..."

As bones extended and flesh grew, Lu Shan Jun's body continued to enlarge, far surpassing his previous massive tiger form.

A deep black and yellow, mottled and coiled tail once again swished behind him, momentarily trailing wisps of smoke, as if there were phantoms of many tails.

"Hoo... hoo hoo hoo..."

The pain in his body gradually diminished, replaced by a tingling, itchy, yet very comfortable sensation.

Beneath Dragon Rock Island in the North Sea, Ji Yuan held the chess piece, somewhat shocked, sensing Lu Shan Jun's transformation. Given this appearance, he harbored a peculiar suspicion about its form, yet dared not confirm it.

As the thunder tribulation concluded, coupled with Ji Yuan's slight mental tremor at that moment, the connection between him and the chess piece during this critical special period rapidly weakened, on the verge of breaking—something Ji Yuan could not control.

Fortunately, what needed to be done was done, and Lu Shan Jun had successfully passed the tribulation. The next moment, the connection finally severed, and the somewhat weary Ji Yuan could at last get some proper rest.

Meanwhile, on Niu Kui Mountain, Lu Shan Jun's transformation was not yet complete.

About half an hour later, a colossal beast appeared on the moon platform, tiger-like in form yet no longer merely a fierce tiger. Lu Shan Jun himself understood this new appearance without the need for a mirror.

'Is this what Master meant by complete metamorphosis?'

As this thought settled, Lu Shan Jun comfortably stretched his body on the massive moon platform. His already immense frame now seemed even more muscular and colossal. His long fur undulated like waves with his body's movements, and faint halos of light subtly appeared.

Afterward, Lu Shan Jun rose to his feet, covering his face with his two clasped forepaws.

*Whoosh... whoosh... whoosh...*

The mountain wind began to pick up again, sweeping away the black ash around the colossal beast. At this moment, Lu Shan Jun parted his two great paws.

At this moment, spiritual power circulated within him, and his entire body glowed, a stream of light originating from his face and winding around his form.

It was as if countless golden specks of light shimmered around him. Much of his body seemed to flow like dust in the wind, and the luminescence, which now intensified, did not spread outwards but instead contracted inwards.

The entire colossal beast seemed to transform into a faint light, growing smaller and smaller, eventually taking on a human form.

A quarter of an hour after the thunder ceased, Hu Yun, who had been hiding in his cave, could no longer restrain himself. Unable to hear Lu Shan Jun's roars any longer, the red fox, anxious, had already bolted out of his cave, running deeper into Niu Kui Mountain, towards the moon platform where the teachings had once been given.

It was at this exact moment that he arrived at the moon platform and witnessed the transformation unfolding within the stream of light.

When the luminescence dissipated, Hu Yun became the first witness to Lu Shan Jun's human form.

The red fox stared wide-eyed, jaw agape, gazing blankly at the "person" before him. All the red fur on his body stood on end, and he raised a fox paw, pointing towards the moon platform.

"You, you are Lu Shan Jun!?"

The person on the moon platform turned slightly, smiling as he looked at the red fox not far away, and bowed respectfully to him with clasped hands.

"It is indeed I, Lu!"

At this moment, Lu Shan Jun had a jade-like complexion, black hair, and a slender physique. He wore a light yellow, wide-sleeved long robe with subtle black cloud patterns. He appeared calm and handsome, refined like a scholar, elegant and free-spirited like a gentleman.

"No! You must have shapeshifted wrongly; you shouldn't look like this!"

Hu Yun now understood very clearly what shapeshifting meant: it was not an illusion but a true human form. One could not simply choose any form; it had to align with one's heart and the Dao.

Hu Yun found it somewhat absurd. Why would Lu Shan Jun's human form be so "frail"? Shouldn't he be a muscular strongman with arms thicker than others' thighs, a waist comparable to a large millstone, and a head capable of smashing through walls?

The man on the moon platform lowered his hands, waved a sleeve by his side, and ignored Hu Yun's exaggerated reaction. Instead, he looked up again at the dark clouds in the sky, which now showed no signs of unusual lightning. The aura of the thunder tribulation was dissipating.

"I, Lu, ask the heavens once more: Who is the orchestrator of this lightning?"

His voice was calm and unwavering, yet remarkably loud, echoing through the mountains and lingering for a long time. However, there was no reply.

"Pitter-patter-patter..."

The thunder tribulation was over. The dark clouds it left behind finally transformed into an ordinary thunderstorm. Though previously rainless, the area now received large raindrops, nourishing the mountain peaks and earth that had been ravaged by lightning for half the night.