The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

"You're even more handsome with your hair grown out!" Tian Qian said, reaching for Chen Dong's face.

Chen Dong's brow twitched. Sensing a murderous intent, he quickly shoved Tian Qian aside and dodged back.

Two beams of blade light slashed through the spot where they had just been standing, crashing into the rockery behind them with a loud BOOM!

If Chen Dong had been even a fraction of a second slower, they would have been hacked into four pieces.

Tian Qian was still reeling from the shock when an icy voice drifted over. "Attendant Tian Qian, are you that lonely?"

Tian Qian scrambled to her knees, trembling as she begged for mercy. "Divine Department Head, spare my life!"

Tian Sisi slowly emerged. She wore a flowing, wide-sleeved, cyan gown. Her cascading black hair was still damp with mist, suggesting she had just bathed, but her stunningly beautiful face was an icy mask.

"Get out. And don't you dare set foot in my estate ever again."

Tian Qian quickly expressed her thanks before scurrying away.

Tian Sisi turned her cold gaze on Chen Dong.

Chen Dong felt a chill run down his spine. 'This woman just tried to cut me down along with her.'

He cleared his throat, feigning a serious tone. "Today at eight in the evening, there will be an eruption of Spiritual Qi. It's the perfect opportunity for Core Formation!"

"Let's go," Tian Sisi said coldly.

"Aren't you going to prepare?" Chen Dong asked.

"There's no need."

Chen Dong nodded and took the lead, flying toward the teleportation point.

The two of them waited by the teleportation point until 7:50. Chen Dong took out a vial of medicinal pills and offered it to Tian Sisi.

"What are these?" Tian Sisi asked.

"Nine Yang Pills. They can replenish your True Qi."

Tian Sisi gave a cold snort before accepting the vial.

"Your hand."

Tian Sisi frowned, extending her hand to Chen Dong with a look of utter disgust.

Chen Dong didn't take it. Instead, he said coldly, "Are you trying to kill yourself? Going into a tribulation with a mindset like this?"

Tian Sisi didn't respond. She took the Ancient Mirror from her sleeve, channeled Spiritual Qi into it, and showed it to Chen Dong.

The words on the mirror read: Core Formation Today!

Chen Dong retorted, "You still trust this stupid mirror? Hasn't it already caused you enough misery?"

"There's nothing wrong with my state of mind," Tian Sisi said softly.

Hearing this, Chen Dong had no choice but to take her hand. If she didn't face the tribulation today, she might not get another golden opportunity like this Spiritual Qi eruption.

The two stepped into the array. Chen Dong circulated his True Qi, activating the beast bone. In a flash of light and shadow, they arrived in the mortal realm.

The drizzling rain that had persisted for three straight months had finally stopped. The last rays of the setting sun were still visible in the gloomy sky. Behind the crimson sunset, a dark red, illusory ring lingered.

Chen Dong glanced at the time. Three minutes left. It seemed the Celestial Dao had already sensed Tian Sisi's presence, as thunderclouds began to gather.

Tian Sisi gave Chen Dong a nod, then flew off into the distance, settling on a high mountain peak.

The last sliver of the setting sun was suddenly devoured by the dark red illusion behind it. A tremendous gale erupted, stirring up a massive surge of Spiritual Qi.

Above Tian Sisi, thunderclouds that blotted out the sky were already brewing the first bolt of Celestial Thunder.

She soared into the air, ready to defy the heavens.

In an instant, the sky lit up as if it were day. A staggering bolt of lightning struck down at her with devastating force. The tribulation had begun, and a torrential downpour engulfed the entire world!

A flash of blade light cut across the firmament, splitting the terrifying lightning bolt in two!

The Profound Pill within Tian Sisi's body suddenly flared with a golden light. The first wave of the Thunder Tribulation was overcome; a Ninth-grade Profound Pill had formed.

If all she wanted was to reach the Profound Pill Realm, she could stop the tribulation now. By severing her connection to the heavens, the Thunder Tribulation would cease. However, she would be stuck with a Ninth-grade Profound Pill for the rest of her life, with no hope of further advancement.

Tian Sisi had waited too long for this moment to stop now. What she sought, of course, was a High-grade Profound Pill.

Another lightning bolt crashed down. Tian Sisi had to strike thirteen times with her blade to dissipate it, and the surrounding Spiritual Qi formed a swirling vortex that converged upon her.

The third bolt of the tribulation was even thicker and larger than the first two, hurtling straight for Tian Sisi.

Tian Sisi sheathed her blade, then gripped the hilt in a reverse hold. She waited until the very last second before the lightning reached her, then unleashed a single slash. The lightning vanished.

The tribulation clouds instantly transformed, swelling to more than double their previous size.

A blinding flash erupted as a bolt of lightning as thick as a barrel shot out from the clouds.

Her bladework was no longer enough to defend against this. Even as Tian Sisi desperately channeled her Spiritual Qi into her weapon and sent a slash surging upward, it was simply swallowed by the massive bolt.

She was horrified. 'Impossible! Absolutely impossible! This is only the fourth bolt. How can it be this monstrous?'

'I refuse to believe that with my talent, I can't even reach the level of an Eighth-grade Profound Pill.'

She circulated her Spiritual Power with all her might, raising a protective barrier of light to endure the hit. 'Even if I have to take it head-on, I'll endure until I form at least a seventh-grade pill!'

The barrel-thick lightning instantly pierced her barrier and surged through her body.

Huh?

'It's not... the all-consuming destruction I expected from a body full of lightning. Instead, countless insights are flowing with the Spiritual Qi, washing over my entire being.'

'Could it be that surviving the tribulation isn't about destroying the lightning?'

Tian Sisi was dumbfounded. 'This apocalyptic-looking lightning... doesn't actually hurt you?'

'But that aura of absolute destruction felt so real.'

Another terrifying bolt of lightning crashed down, and Tian Sisi once again channeled her Spiritual Qi to meet it head-on.

As the lightning filled her body, Tian Sisi could feel it burning away her Spiritual Qi, converting it into insights of the Dao. At the same time, a peculiar energy was generated, flowing toward the Profound Pill in her Dantian.

After bolt after bolt of Celestial Thunder, Tian Sisi finally understood the true nature of this tribulation.

It wasn't her fault, really. She was, after all, the first person in this world to face a tribulation for the Profound Pill Realm in over a hundred thousand years. All records and secret texts on the subject had been lost to time.