I Was the Sun Before I Became an Immortal

Si Chen: "......"

Hearing the intent transmitted by the Yang Thunder within his body, Si Chen was momentarily at a loss for how to react.

This strand of tribulation lightning of the dragon's transformation — which should by all rights have been wild and domineering — had not only been diligently working away inside him, but had even learned to "pledge its loyalty"?

"Afraid that my lord might misunderstand"……

Where on earth had it picked up that kind of language?

Still, it had always been obedient, so Si Chen let it be. His full attention was now fixed on the "infant" that was about to take shape.

That strange core — forged from the fusion of his star origin and the power of Yang Thunder — was continuously absorbing the pure energy delivered by those few earlier "heavenly tribulation massages."

White-gold and violet lightning intertwined. The Golden Core showed no sign of evolving into a humanoid form; instead, it looked ever more like Si Chen's original form…

A stellar core on the verge of ignition!

Terrifying energy surged within it, but the force was far too powerful — and far too unstable.

Scorching streams of fire and violent bursts of thunder erupted intermittently, as though at any moment they might spiral out of control and completely shatter the physical body he had worked so hard to adapt to.

Just then, an even more immense pressure began to gather in the sky above.

That aura clearly intended to descend with a force far beyond this world's limits — no matter the consequences — in order to stop what was happening.

Si Chen sensed it, tilted his head skyward, and gave a gentle shake of his head.

"Don't worry. I can handle this myself."

After conveying that thought, the Heaven's Wrath that had been building actually hesitated for a moment, then slowly withdrew.

In the sky, the roiling tribulation clouds began to disperse, and the suffocating Heaven's Wrath gradually receded.

In no more than a short while, the sky above the Demon-Subduing Sea had cleared completely, as though the world-shattering spectacle moments before had been nothing but an illusion.

And Si Chen closed his eyes, sinking his entire consciousness deep within himself.

* * *

"Is — is it over?"

In the distance, Heishan rubbed his eyes vigorously and stared at the rapidly clearing sky, hardly daring to believe it.

"The heavenly tribulation has dispersed… Did Si Chen succeed?" Chifeng also fixed his gaze on the distant figure hovering in the air, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

But had he succeeded?

Something still felt off.

Si Chen was indeed still floating there, but his eyes were shut tight, his face expressionless, with no reaction whatsoever to his surroundings — including the two of them urgently calling out through Divine Sense.

He looked like an empty shell that had lost its soul.

"Brother! Si Chen! Can you hear me?" Heishan tried sending another message, but still received no response.

The two demons exchanged a glance, each seeing the unease in the other's eyes.

"Could it be… a heart-devil tribulation?"

Chifeng's voice dropped, voicing the worst possibility.

A body unharmed while the consciousness sank into darkness — that was the hallmark of a heart-devil tribulation. If that were truly the case, no outsider could intervene; Si Chen would have to break through it on his own.

A heavenly tribulation could be endured, but a heart-devil was nearly impossible to guard against. Many a genius Cultivator had fallen at this very hurdle.

While they were consumed with worry, Li Tiezhu — hiding in the shadows — was also so anxious he was scratching his head and ears.

"What's wrong with Master? Did he fall asleep? That doesn't seem right…"

He was muttering to himself when a piercing alarm suddenly blared in his mind.

[WARNING: Detection of ultra-high-concentration unknown energy in formation. Extremely dangerous!]

[Recommend host immediately perform interstellar-level distance evasion!]

Li Tiezhu stared blankly. "Speak plainly!"

[He's going to explode! Run!]

Li Tiezhu: "........"

* * *

While everyone was gripped by shock and uncertainty, the Fang Clan Cultivators who had been watching from the shadows finally could hold back no longer.

Whatever Si Chen's condition might be, this was undoubtedly his most vulnerable moment!

The lead Cultivator, a middle-aged man named Fang Li, let a vicious gleam flash through his eyes. "The heavenly tribulation has dispersed — now's the time! Activate the Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Formation!"

At his command, twelve Fang Clan Cultivators who had been lying in ambush all around simultaneously revealed themselves, each taking up a position.

Hum——

Twelve pillars of light shot into the sky, folding and weaving together in the air before converging into a single, far thicker golden pillar that descended from above, enveloping Si Chen within it.

Si Chen inside the pillar of light remained motionless, eyes still closed.

"It worked!" The Fang Clan Cultivators broke into smiles of delight.

"Under the Spirit-Locking Dragon-Trapping Formation, even if he truly is a dragon, his spiritual power should be completely sealed off right now!" Fang Li let out a cold laugh, his heart settling with satisfaction.

"What the hell?! Where did these bastards come from, daring to touch my brother!!"

Heishan took one look at the situation and roared, transforming into his true form — a massive bear — and swung a mountain-sized, shaggy paw straight at the golden pillar of light!

Chifeng wasted no words either, shifting into his true form as countless wind blades slashed toward the formation casters!

"Stop those two beasts!"

Fang Li snorted coldly and immediately split off half his men to intercept them. In an instant, demonic energy and spiritual light clashed violently in midair, erupting in thunderous explosions.

Li Tiezhu, hiding in the shadows, was so frantic he was hopping in place, screaming at the System in his mind:

"Damn System! Whatever Magical Artifacts or forbidden techniques you've got — lend them to me! I'll owe you the points! Even a million or two, I'll take it! Hurry!"

[WARNING: Host credit rating too low. Request denied…]

Li Tiezhu: "........"

[Friendly reminder: Host is advised to watch quietly from the sidelines. You might at least leave a whole corpse behind.]

Li Tiezhu: "…Damn it, I'll go down fighting with you!"

* * *

Fang Li watched the battle rage on with Si Chen still showing no reaction whatsoever, and the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished.

He clasped his hands behind his back, a smug, triumphant smile spreading across his face. He cleared his throat, preparing to deliver a grand victory speech:

"Si Chen, you little wretch — no matter how gifted you may be, today you shall…"

BOOM——!!!

A bolt of lightning so violet it was nearly black struck down from the void without any warning, landing squarely on the crown of Fang Li's head.

Fang Li didn't even have time to let out a scream before he… vaporized in the blinding white light.

Truly vaporized.

Not even a speck of ash remained.

Everyone froze. Even Heishan, Chifeng, and the Fang Clan Cultivators who had been mid-battle all stopped simultaneously, staring at the scene with their mouths agape.

"Elder — Elder Fang Li?!" one of the Fang Clan Cultivators stammered.

Before they could even process what had happened —

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The lightning struck again and again in rapid succession, each bolt fiercer than the last, every single one landing precisely where Fang Li had stood — as though desecrating a corpse that no longer existed.

"H-heavenly tribulation?!"

Hadn't the heavenly tribulation already dispersed?!

Where the hell was this lightning coming from?!

And the Elder wasn't even the one undergoing tribulation! How could the lightning strike him?! And strike him this savagely?!

As if in answer to that question…

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One bolt of violet lightning after another leapt among the Fang Clan Cultivators as though it had eyes of its own.

With every flash of lightning, another Fang Clan Cultivator vanished from the face of the earth.

High above in the nine heavens, the Tower Master of Night Rain Tower — who had been watching from within the clouds — had already raised her hand, but upon seeing this, she slowly lowered it again. A flicker of astonishment passed through her beautiful eyes.

Even she could not make sense of what was happening.

One of the Fang Clan Cultivators, watching his companions disappear one by one, screamed in terror toward the sky: "No——! The Heavenly Dao is unjust!!"

The words had barely left his mouth when a bolt of lightning thicker than all the others came crashing down directly onto him, vaporizing him so completely that not even a wisp of smoke rose — he simply ceased to exist.

An emotion that required no words was made perfectly clear:

— These blind fools are exactly who deserved to be struck!

Everyone: "……"