As the people present were still trying to recover from the sudden change in the weather, they heard Jing Li speak and turned to look at him. However, they only caught a glimpse of his hastily departing figure.
At that moment, Hu Li, who was closest to the door, hesitated for a moment before abruptly standing up. His movements were a little too rushed, causing the chair to scrape across the carpet with a muffled sound.
This behavior was obviously impolite, but Hu Li couldn’t care less at the moment.
“I’m going to the restroom too,” he hurriedly said before swiftly following Jing Li out the door.
The remaining three felt that Hu Li’s reaction was a bit hasty, as if he had deliberately made up an excuse to follow Jing Li and talk to him in private. However, assuming that Hu Li indeed had something he couldn’t say in front of everyone, they eventually averted their gazes.
Only Gu Tingshen sensed something was wrong. When he thought about the sudden abnormal weather, he wondered if they had encountered some supernatural force again. Worried that Hu Li might cause trouble for Jing Li, he couldn’t help but rise from his seat as well.
“I’ll go take a look.” He nodded to the remaining two before quickly exiting. However, by the time he stepped outside, the two had vanished without a trace. Even after searching the restroom, he couldn’t find a single person.
Coincidentally, a muffled thunderclap echoed from outside, accompanied by howling winds and rustling leaves, causing the curtains to flutter as if a storm was approaching.
Observing this situation, Gu Tingshen grew more convinced of his suspicions. Without hesitation, he took out his phone and called Jing Li, but after a while, he only heard the electronic voice stating, “The number you dialed is not in service.”
After unsuccessfully trying several times, Gu Tingshen frowned but didn’t want to raise suspicion from the two remaining in the private room by staying out too long. He could only temporarily suppress his worries, retrace his steps, and contact someone to investigate the surveillance cameras around the restaurant.
*
On the other side, Hu Li sensed the unusual celestial phenomenon, a clear indication that a demon was about to break through a bottleneck and enter a new realm. As he witnessed Jing Li’s hurried departure, he inwardly sighed, wondering which demon was suddenly transcending.
On the other side, Hu Li noticed something strange in the sky, which was obviously the appearance of a demon trying to overcome the calamity. He inwardly sighed as he wondered which demon had broken through the bottleneck and entered a new realm. Then he saw Jing Li’s back as he hurriedly left his seat.
Upon noticing the chaotic golden-red aura above Jing Li’s head, a telltale sign of core formation, Hu Li couldn’t remain calm. He hastily stood up and followed, witnessing Jing Li struggling to maintain his barrier as he dashed outside.
Without further ado, Hu Li erected a barrier, transformed into his true form, swept up Jing Li, and swiftly vanished from the spot.
Hu Li brought Jing Li to the outskirts of the deep mountains, eventually stopping in front of an open space.
The area seemed to have been excavated by massive machinery, with numerous uneven pits scattered around, along with countless broken, fallen trees, indicating its age.
At the center of the pits, however, was a flat surface surrounded by white stones arranged in various shapes, forming a circular pattern from which white mist continuously emanated.
“You should start meditating to condense your core. This is the Qi-Gathering Array I used when I condensed mine, which should make the process smoother for you.”
Hu Li spoke as he set Jing Li down on the circular space, “However, although the spiritual energy here is more abundant than outside, it’s still quite difficult to successfully condense your demonic core and withstand the tribulation lightning. So you need to hurry and condense your demonic core as soon as possible.”
Jing Li gave the surroundings a cursory glance, well aware of the grave situation. He immediately sat down and began absorbing and meditating, circulating the spiritual energy within his body.
Previously, he had intensified his cultivation, fully restoring his spiritual veins, which had even expanded compared to before. The recent hot search incident drew countless people’s attention to him once more, exponentially increasing his faith-driven power. Before dinner, he had already sensed signs of an impending breakthrough.
He had initially planned to give it a try after returning to his room following dinner. He never expected the sudden spiritual energy fluctuation that triggered this celestial phenomenon in the middle of their meal.
Jing Li frowned deeply, struggling to control the chaotic spiritual energy around him, gradually gathering it towards his dantian while enduring the excruciating pain of his spiritual veins being incessantly battered and expanded by the raging forces.
Meanwhile, the surrounding winds grew increasingly ferocious, whipping up branches and sand that relentlessly assaulted Jing Li. The wind blades sliced through his clothes like sharp knives, cutting countless holes and lacerating his flesh, drawing fresh blood.
Hu Li watched from the side, powerless except to worry. To avoid drawing the Heavenly Dao’s attention and incurring heavier lightning tribulations, he had to retreat, silently awaiting Jing Li’s successful demonic core condensation.
As time passed, the surrounding air grew increasingly oppressive. Jing Li’s seated position was completely engulfed by howling gales, leaving only glimpses of his tattered clothing amidst the swirling debris before being obscured again by surging sandstorms.
The muffled thunderclaps finally lost patience, raining down successive bolts of lightning that streaked across the sky, momentarily illuminating the dark world before striking Jing Li’s gale-shrouded figure, emanating the acrid stench of burnt flesh.
With the first lightning strike, rain began pouring down. It was initially a drizzle before escalating into a torrential downpour that pounded the ground with a cacophony, painting the surroundings increasingly harsh and treacherous.
“Why did it suddenly start thundering and raining?” Wang Lele asked in surprise, glancing out the private room’s window. “I checked the weather forecast before coming, and it said it would be sunny.”
“The forecast must have been wrong,” Jing Yu remarked, also glancing outside before frowning towards the exit. “Xiao Jing and the others have been gone for quite a while.”
Even a private conversation shouldn’t take this long.
“They should be back soon,” Gu Tingshen reassured absentmindedly, his eyes fixated on his phone as he awaited the surveillance results.
At that moment, a brilliant white lightning bolt flashed outside, followed by a deafening thunderclap that made their hearts skip a beat.
Gu Tingshen paused, turning towards the window as a familiar sensation washed over him—one he had occasionally experienced during past thunderstorms, but never as intensely as now.
Gu Tingshen frowned, staring intently at the pouring rain in the night, inexplicably restless.
“That thunder scared me!” Wang Lele exclaimed, patting his chest before joking, likely to lighten the somber mood, “It’s like a demon is undergoing tribulation, the commotion is just grand.”
However, his unintentional remark struck a chord with Gu Tingshen, whose expression shifted as he turned towards the window with a grave look.
If a demon was indeed undergoing tribulation, the sooner it ended, the better.
Gu Tingshen stared at the pitch-black sky outside, his thoughts trailing off.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the night sky seemed to pause for an instant before suddenly accelerating, as if someone had hit a fast-forward button. One lightning bolt after another illuminated half the sky, the muffled thunderclaps becoming incessant.
Gu Tingshen: “……”
“What’s wrong?” Jing Yu suddenly sensed the low pressure beside him and turned to see his friend glaring grimly out the window. He couldn’t help but follow his gaze.
Outside, the rain grew heavier, punctuated by flashes of lightning and roars of thunder. It was quite a miserable weather.
Assuming his friend was worried about the inconvenience of traveling later, Jing Yu quickly reassured him, “The restaurant should have spare umbrellas. Once they return, we can just go straight to the car. No need to worry too much.”
Gu Tingshen nodded absently, his eyes still fixated on the scene outside.
Seeing this, Jing Yu didn’t press further.
*
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the deep mountains, the tribulation continued.
After the first lightning strike, each subsequent bolt grew increasingly ferocious, the acrid stench emanating from Jing Li’s figure intensifying with each scorching hit.
Hu Li watched from the perimeter, his expression growing more anxious by the second. Yet fearing any disturbance to the core condensation process, he held his breath tightly, his unblinking gaze locked on the figure within the Qi-Gathering Array.
Another lightning bolt streaked across the sky. This was already the fourth one. Its force became even more formidable than before, its oppressive aura forcing Hu Li back several steps despite his distance.
Hu Li’s heart leapt into his throat as he watched the bolt descend towards Jing Li, unblinking.
However, right before it struck Jing Li’s head, it inexplicably paused for a moment before crashing down, its remaining force significantly weakened.
Hu Li: “……”
The lump in his throat remained firmly lodged there.
He stared incredulously towards Jing Li, briefly wondering if he had imagined it.
Then, within the next moment, he witnessed the sky suddenly illuminated by several blinding bolts before the usually formidable thunderclaps rained down upon Jing Li in rapid succession, as if being chased, hastily trying to complete their task.
As the nine tribulation lightning bolts concluded, the surrounding winds instantly dissipated, even the scattered leaves and sand swiftly settling to reveal Jing Li still seated in meditation, condensing his core.
His tattered, charred clothes hung loosely, yet several pieces remained intact. Apart from a scorched patch on his back, his skin appeared flawless. This was almost impossible for a demon undergoing tribulation.
Hu Li: “………..”
No longer just dumbfounded, Hu Li stared at this baffling phenomenon in utter shock, his mind overflowing with questions.
However, he didn’t remain stunned for long. As a golden radiance flashed around Jing Li, his entire being seemed reborn, instantly restored to his original state while emanating an even denser aura than before.
Realizing Jing Li had successfully condensed his core, Hu Li hastened towards him.
*
Back in the restaurant’s private room, the abrupt end of the rain left everyone perplexed.
“This rain…it stopped as suddenly as it started, like the weather machine malfunctioned,” Wang Lele couldn’t help but comment.
Gu Tingshen gazed out the window, a hint of contemplation in his expression. He inexplicably sensed a connection between the abnormal weather and his earlier thoughts.
Before he could think further, his phone rang. He glanced at it and saw that it was Secretary Qin calling. Assuming it was about the surveillance results, he quickly answered, “Hello?”
“President Gu, we’ve checked the surveillance footage but couldn’t find any trace of Er Shao. The intersection camera across from the restaurant doesn’t even show him leaving,” Secretary Qin reported gravely. “Did something happen to Er Shao? I suggest sending someone to search inside the restaurant.”
Gu Tingshen paused at his words, about to respond when the private room door suddenly opened, revealing Jing Li and Hu Li entering together.
TLN: I hate cultivation terms.
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