Chen Jinshu had not expected the purified spiritual energy from her lotus petal birthmark to benefit her so greatly. She felt as if a massive square seal, weighing hundreds of thousands of catties, was crashing down on her skull.
The pressure pinned her in place, leaving her unable to move an inch. Her throat tightened from anxiety, nearly silencing her voice. Cold sweat gathered on her furrowed brow. In an instant, the skies darkened again. Through the cloud breaks, everything below was shrouded in a somber, slate-gray light.
"I made it through the first two waves. This last one won't defeat me either."
She reached into her storage bag and pulled out the Lüqi Zither.
This instrument had been with her for many years, now upgraded to a mid-grade tier-three artifact. If tempered under the violet-gold lightning, it might evolve to high-grade tier-three, perhaps even peak-tier. With that, her confidence in the upcoming Golden Core duels at the Five Continents Alliance would soar.
"It can also upgrade the Genesis Alchemy Furnace by absorbing tribulation lightning?"
The Genesis Alchemy Furnace's internal spirit field had long since grown unusual. Its spiritual farmland had expanded to unmanageable levels, gaining several more acres with each major cultivation breakthrough. From early to peak Foundation Establishment, she had gained nine new acres.
The area had multiplied, and its time flow had now doubled compared to the outside world. If she reached the Golden Core stage, it might increase to triple speed.
From Golden Core to Nascent Soul might not take as long as she once feared.
At this moment, the cauldron sent her a thought: it wanted to absorb some of the violet lightning, to develop a lightning-aspected field where she could grow elemental herbs.
Lightning-element spiritual plants were extremely rare due to the harsh conditions required for their growth. If she could cultivate even one or two acres of them, the returns would be enormous—whether used to refine lightning pills, temper the body, or simply sell on the market.
"Jinshu, this violet-gold tribulation is one in ten thousand. An extremely rare opportunity. You must seize it. If you can absorb just a few strands of it, it will benefit your future cultivation tremendously."
Her master Shui Huanmeng's voice echoed in her mind, pulling her focus back.
"Thank you for the reminder, Master."
Chen Jinshu responded quietly, then pulled out the defensive pearl her master had given her. It could block the most intense strike from a Golden Core tribulation.
Boom—
She looked up and saw thunderclouds descending like molten lead over the mountaintop, with countless serpents of lightning slithering between the gaps in the sky.
"Is this tribulation really something I can endure?" The doubt flickered through her mind, but she had already steeled herself.
She rose to her feet, and the soft ground beneath her sank under her weight, leaving behind two deep footprints.
Crack!
The first bolt of lightning split the sky. Chen Jinshu immediately activated the pearl's defensive shield. Yet, even with the barrier in place, a trace of violet-gold electricity still pierced the air and reached her hand. Searing pain burst from the torn flesh between her thumb and index finger, radiating up her arm. Beads of blood oozed from every pore across her body.
"It cracked the first layer!"
To her shock, one of the pearl's three defensive layers shattered with a sound like breaking glass. A burnt scent rose in the air, a mix of scorched weeds and insects. Though in agony, she had no intention of backing down from this rare chance to temper her body.
She began drawing the lingering violet lightning into her body, guiding it through her meridians. Her dantian roared with spiritual energy. Her golden core, tinted faintly purple, spun wildly under the lightning's stimulation as if devouring its power.
Moments later, her body gave out. Unable to stand, she collapsed to a crouch, gasping for breath. As the pillar of lightning faded, it seemed to leave behind one last crushing weight, enough to grind her bones to dust.
"Is Junior Sister alright?" her senior siblings called out in concern.
"I'm fine. Just exhausted. I only need a short rest."
Chen Jinshu pulled out a high-grade second-tier spirit restoration pill and swallowed it. With help from the lotus birthmark on her brow, the pill dissolved almost instantly, sending its refined medicinal essence rushing into every cell and pore.
Not long after, the second wave of lightning finished building. It struck with thunderous force, amplified by the remnants of the first strike, several times stronger than before.
The second layer of the pearl's shield shattered just as easily. No wonder her master had said it could only block one real strike. Halfway into the second wave, the pearl's entire defense was gone. The next moment, Chen Jinshu was swallowed by a pillar of lightning.
As the surge crashed down, all 36,000 of her pores burst open, spraying blood mist. Her bones screamed under the weight, like a massive iron hammer had slammed through her body.
"Aaah—!"
The agony was unbearable.
Just then, the lotus birthmark on her forehead bloomed into a blue lotus platform that enveloped her in protection. Seizing the moment, she activated the jade pendant at her waist. A stronger barrier shimmered into form around her.
Watching from a distance, Shui Huanmeng and the others were tense. Their hearts had been in their throats from the moment the lightning struck.
"Will Junior Sister be alright?"
"Trust her."
Inside the lotus platform, Chen Jinshu looked even more fragile. She gripped her Green Zither for balance, using it to prop herself up.
"That was close..."
But she had experienced firsthand the brutal power of being struck head-on by lightning. Her entire skeletal system felt like it had been broken and scattered.
Meanwhile, deep within her sea of consciousness, the Genesis Alchemy Furnace absorbed more of the violet-gold lightning than she could estimate. A faint purple glow now encircled it, and its surface lit up with strange, never-before-seen runes.
As the second bolt faded, Chen Jinshu slumped again, unable to hold herself upright. The lightning's residue still flickered through her meridians like trapped dragons. Her once smooth and thick hair now gave off a faint scent of singed silk. Seeing her survive, everyone watching finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Half an hour passed.
When the tribulation was over, a glowing blue lotus platform surrounded Chen Jinshu. Soft spiritual light spread from it in all directions. In its center, golden brilliance pulsed like a beating heart. It looked as if a violet-gold Golden Core had just been born, illuminating the entire area.
"Junior Sister succeeded!"
"That lotus platform really was a heaven-sent blessing!"
Chen Jinshu hadn't expected the final bolt of lightning to contain the combined force of the first two, multiplied many times over. When it hit, she had been too weak to move. The lotus platform still shielded her, so she simply collapsed where she stood.
Above her, the storm clouds finally dispersed, revealing a sky clear and boundless.
"Someone's transcended here more than once. There must be a treasure nearby."
A voice came from the distance. Shui Huanmeng and the others narrowed their eyes, irritation flashing in their gaze.