War God Long Ao

One man, one saber.

The white-haired, black-clad youth with his Blood-Drinking Mad Saber.

The Thunder Tribulation. There was only one way for a Unity Martial Artist to successfully overcome it: they had to use every trick in the book to withstand its terrifying power.

When the Thunder Tribulation descended, eighty percent of Martial Artists were unable to withstand it and were annihilated on the spot.

But what about Long Ao?

Instead of trying to figure out how to withstand the Thunder Tribulation, he was actually charging toward it with his saber in hand. Wasn't this just asking to die?

'Has Long Ao cracked under the pressure? Has he lost his mind?'

Everyone stared at the scene overhead in horror. The Thunder Tribulation was one of the most terrifying forces in existence. Most people would be desperate to dodge it, let alone actively attack it. Even if someone had a death wish, they wouldn't choose such a direct path to their own demise.

Ignoring the gasps of the crowd, Long Ao gripped his Blood-Drinking Mad Saber and shot resolutely toward the thundercloud overhead.

Propelling himself higher and higher with a mid-air stepping technique, his power stacked with each step, and his speed was incredible.

Long Ao channeled all his strength into his arms. He had just reached the base of the thundercloud and was staring at it, only inches away. Before he could even react, a bolt of lightning as thick as a tree trunk viciously struck down.

The terrifying, purple-black thunderbolt struck him dead-on, completely engulfing him.

"AHH!"

Everyone was stunned to see Long Ao struck by the lightning. Some cried out in alarm, squeezing their eyes shut, unable to bear the sight. It was a true shame for a generational genius to fall in such a way.

A surge of delight filled Ouyang Zhong and Ouyang Feng's hearts as they watched Long Ao get swallowed by the Thunder Tribulation.

"He overestimated himself."

"Old Ancestor, I have already ordered Fei'Er to go to Red Fire Town. I believe by dusk tomorrow, Red Fire Town will be razed to the ground."

Seemingly quite satisfied, Ouyang Zhong nodded. "The boy is dead. Your next task is to restore the National Protection Hall."

"Understood, Old Ancestor."

Struck by the Thunder Tribulation, Long Ao's entire soul trembled. This was one of the most terrifying forces in existence—no laughing matter. Yet, Long Ao wasn't dead. On the contrary, the general outline and cultivation method for the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique had just appeared in his mind.

The Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique.

Long Ao had originally obtained this Peerless Technique from the Dragon Seal Space. It had a total of nine major Levels. This was the first time he had achieved a breakthrough since he started cultivating the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique.

A breakthrough.

'A part of him couldn't believe it, but Long Ao knew it was true. Not only had he survived being struck by the Thunder Tribulation, but the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique, which he had been unable to advance for so long, was finally loosening up.'

Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately began to circulate the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique in his mind.

The Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique. Each transformation, an ascension. Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all creation as expendable. At that moment, a stream of information flooded Long Ao's mind, revealing the core tenets of the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique.

The Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique. First Transformation Reincarnation, and one shall not enter the Netherworld.

WHOOSH! Long Ao found his body was no longer under his control. He was enveloped by a Mysterious Power that had appeared from nowhere and begun a Refinement of his body. He was horrified, but powerless to stop it, completely at the mercy of this force.

And so, as Long Ao circulated the Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique in his mind, a terrifying power surged through him, tempering his entire body.

At that moment, the crowd's initial shock and pity gave way to astonishment. The bolt from the Thunder Tribulation that had struck Long Ao hadn't vanished. Instead, it had formed a giant cocoon around him.

'A cocoon formed from a Thunder Tribulation? What in the world is going on?'

No one had any idea. After all, no one had ever seen such a thing. Even Ouyang Zhong, who had successfully passed his own Thunder Tribulation, had no clue and could only stare intently.

The Thunder Tribulation varied from person to person. Some would only trigger a single bolt, while others might trigger two or even three. But for a tribulation bolt to not disappear after striking and instead form a cocoon—that had never happened before.

"Old Ancestor, what's happening? Is it possible Long Ao isn't dead?"

Waving his hand dismissively, Ouyang Zhong's expression grew incredibly grim. He had originally assumed that being struck by the Thunder Tribulation meant certain death, but now, it seemed highly probable that the boy was still alive.

'If that's true, is this kid even human?'

For some reason, a nagging premonition took root in the hearts of both Ouyang Feng and Ouyang Zhong.

However, Ouyang Zhong wasn't the least bit worried. As a Transformed Martial Artist, he had never taken Long Ao seriously. In his eyes, even if the boy did manage to overcome the Thunder Tribulation, he would merely become a Thunder Tribulation Martial Artist. And a Thunder Tribulation Martial Artist was nothing but a joke to a Transformed Martial Artist.

Precisely for this reason, Ouyang Zhong snorted coldly. "No matter what happens today, that boy will die."

While he didn't consider Long Ao a present threat, Ouyang Zhong was deeply concerned about his potential. He had just witnessed firsthand the meaning of a true peerless genius.

'He broke through to the Unity Realm less than a few months ago, yet under the pressure of my own Momentum, he managed to trigger his Thunder Tribulation. Such talent and potential were enough to make him tower over all his peers.'

'Ouyang Zhong was no fool. He knew that with Long Ao's talent and potential, it wouldn't even take a few years for him to mature into a threat.'

If you don't pull out the roots, the weeds will grow back.

"Old Ancestor, as long as the Thunder Tribulation continues, we can't make a move."

When a Martial Artist was undergoing their tribulation, others dared not get close. If the Thunder Tribulation locked onto them as well, the consequences would be unthinkable. This was precisely why Ouyang Zhong didn't dare approach Long Ao—he was afraid of becoming collateral damage.

Ouyang Zhong sank into thought. As long as the Thunder Tribulation lingered, they had no opportunity to strike. If their target successfully overcame the tribulation and escaped, he would become a mortal enemy of the Nebula Royal Family.

The more he thought about it, the darker Ouyang Zhong's expression became. For the time being, he couldn't come up with a good way to kill him.

「Above the rooftops.」

In the pitch-black night, the massive cocoon of lightning looked exceptionally eerie. Above it, the terrifying thundercloud had yet to disperse. It swirled violently, a frenzied mass that seemed ready to unleash another strike at any moment.

RUMBLE, RUMBLE... RUMBLE, RUMBLE...

The thundercloud let out an earth-shattering roar that echoed across all of Nebula City. This was the kind of Thunder Tribulation one would expect from a Transformed Martial Artist; one didn't need to experience it firsthand to feel its shocking power.

HSSSS, HSSSS, HSSSS...

Just then, the massive lightning cocoon began to hiss. Someone in the crowd cried out as cracks started to appear all over its surface. Before anyone could react, the entire cocoon exploded.

He broke free from the cocoon.

Long Ao had been swallowed by the Thunder Tribulation, but not only had he survived, his long-stagnant Ninth Transformation Reincarnation Technique had successfully broken through to the First Transformation. With the First Transformation Reincarnation, one would not enter the Netherworld.

Having been reforged by the Mysterious Power, Long Ao's strength had increased exponentially, undergoing a fundamental transformation. Man and saber burst from the remains of the cocoon, shooting once more toward the thundercloud.