"Having achieved complete mastery over the Way of Nature, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth will fully infuse the body. The internal energy transforms entirely into spiritual energy—a qualitative leap for the cultivator. It is precisely this immense condensation of heaven and earth spiritual energy that alters the cultivator's physique, provoking the vigilance of the Great Dao, thus initiating the Heavenly Tribulation!"

In the courtyard, Zhang Pinglu suddenly uttered these words slowly. Qu Meilan froze for a moment before excitement surged through her, bringing a blush to her pale cheeks.

Qu Meilan was unaware why advancing to the Fifth Layer would trigger a Heavenly Tribulation, but she knew that once Zhang Yang survived it, he could break through to the Great Perfection and ascend to the Fifth Layer of power.

Such arcane secrets were understood only by those at the Great Perfection level, for they were beings with one foot already planted in the Fifth Layer.

Unfortunately, having only one foot across the threshold meant their foundation remained internal energy. They could only harness the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to utilize a fraction of the Fifth Layer's might, lacking its true, formidable strength.

Just how powerful the true Fifth Layer was remained a mystery even to Zhang Pinglu, a Great Perfection master; he had only heard tales, never witnessed it firsthand.

Within one of the private chambers of the Long Family Palace, Master Shi Ming recited a passage almost identical to the one Elder Zhang Pinglu had just spoken.

Behind him, Long Feng and Long Haotian reacted much like Qu Meilan. Long Jiang, in particular, who shared the closest bond with Zhang Yang and knew his breakthrough was imminent, was naturally overjoyed, cheering him on wholeheartedly.

"Rumble!"

In the sky, the tribulation clouds emitted another deep roar, descending even lower.

From a distance, Zhang Yang appeared to draw closer and closer to the dark mass above, as if the clouds intended to engulf and directly devour him whole.

"It's starting!"

Zhang Pinglu softly breathed out a few words. The smile on his face had vanished completely, replaced by intense tension.

Rumor held that the success rate for Fifth Layer tribulations was high, but rumors were just rumors; failure was not impossible. Zhang Pinglu was now lost in worry, his heart clenched with fear for Zhang Yang.

He was not alone. Zhang Daofeng, Zhang Yunan, and Master Shi Ming all grew incredibly tense.

Zhang Yang's advancement to the Fifth Layer brought the greatest benefit to the Zhang Family, followed closely by the Long Family. With such a powerful protector at the Fifth Layer, no other family or sect would dare harbor ill intentions toward the Long Family again.

Yet, conversely, if Zhang Yang failed the tribulation and met misfortune, while Zhang Pinglu succumbed to his severe injuries, the Zhang Family—now in control of immense wealth and having made enemies of several Great Perfection masters—would face the onslaught first. In that scenario, it wouldn't be a few Great Perfection masters offering apologies; it would be the dwindling Zhang Family forced into a life of constant hiding.

And whether they could successfully evade ruin remained an uncertainty.

Similarly, the Long Family could no longer safeguard the Long Family Plains, as there would be no other Great Perfection master as mighty as Zhang Yang to come to their rescue.

"Rumble!"

Amidst the collective apprehension, the third massive boom echoed, louder this time, carrying greater pressure.

Even on the tower, the assembled Fourth Layer experts felt significant strain, watching the distance with worried eyes.

"Three roars from the thunder clouds—the tribulation has begun!"

Zhang Pinglu rose, walking to the very front, staring straight ahead. He was the most grievously wounded present, but simultaneously the most unburdened; his immediate power was gone, but his realm remained, lessening the cloud's oppressive weight upon him.

As if confirming his words, a blinding flash erupted from the thick, swirling mass of tribulation clouds.

The Heavenly Tribulation had officially commenced.

The dark mass unleashed a bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl, tearing across the heavens and momentarily illuminating the entire Long Family Plains.

The bowl-thick lightning struck directly toward Zhang Yang.

"Boom!"

The lightning vanished, leaving behind a massive, deep crater on the ground. Those atop the tower craned their necks to look, and soon, a figure slowly emerged from the bottom of the pit. Seeing this silhouette, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

Zhang Yang had endured that terrifying first strike.

At this moment, Zhang Yang’s body radiated a pure, saintly luminescence—armor formed by the materialization of energy covering him. Though he had not yet fully ascended to the Fifth Layer, he had previously achieved the Dao of Nature and completely converted his internal energy into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Even without his restored strength, this spiritual energy demonstrably possessed the power of the Fifth Layer.

If not for this transformation, he would never have attracted the Heavenly Tribulation.

"Elder, is the Heavenly Tribulation over?"

In the courtyard, Qu Meilan turned back, quietly asking Zhang Pinglu in a small voice. The first lightning strike had fallen; perhaps the trial was complete.

Zhang Pinglu’s lips curved into a faint, wry smile as he gently shook his head. "From what I know, predecessors who underwent this trial faced at least three bolts of lightning, some even five. Spirit beasts face a minimum of five, sometimes even seven bolts in a Great Heavenly Tribulation. As for how many bolts Zhang Yang will face, I truly do not know!"

"A minimum of three?"

Qu Meilan started slightly, then her expression immediately tightened with renewed anxiety. If the first bolt was this ferocious, she dreaded what would follow.

The celestial clouds seemed to validate Zhang Pinglu’s words, continuing to condense and churn. Soon, the Third Layer masters sheltered by the Fourth Layer experts, including Long Feng, retreated from the tower; they could no longer bear to remain so close.

Beneath the cloud mass, Zhang Yang watched the sky calmly.

He possessed limited knowledge of the Heavenly Tribulation, but now counted as a Fifth Layer expert, giving him the sharpest perception of it. He knew clearly that the tribulation clouds had not dispersed; they were still brewing a fatal blow.

"Crack!"

A colossal sound shook heaven and earth, instantaneously turning the Long Family Plains white again. The second bolt of lightning descended.

This bolt was at least double the size of the previous one, its power vastly amplified. The deafening explosion caused many low-level Zhang Family disciples (First and Second Layers) to instinctively clamp their hands over their ears, and several ordinary servants were knocked unconscious by the shockwave.

On the tower, the expressions of the onlookers lost all trace of ease.

This bolt’s sheer power was something none of them could resist; even Zhang Pinglu at his peak would not have been certain of blocking such a strike.

This Heavenly Tribulation was truly terrifying.

Beneath the cloud cover, another gigantic pit formed. A figure slowly climbed out from the bottom, and seeing him, everyone let out a long, slow breath.

As long as Zhang Yang was unharmed, it was a relief.

Unfortunately, they could not see that Zhang Yang’s expression had also grown grave. The tribulation's might exceeded his expectations. Based on past discussions with the Elder and other Great Perfection masters, the tribulations of old did not seem this overwhelming.

As he pondered this, Zhang Yang’s brow twitched sharply, and his body vanished from the spot.

The medicinal furnace in the quiet room had been agitated by the tribulation's pressure and had become somewhat volatile. Zhang Yang had to secure the furnace; he could only divert his focus during the trial to prepare medicine.

He poured a large quantity of heaven and earth spiritual energy into the furnace.

If the Elder were here now, he would certainly erupt in curses. Distracting oneself during a tribulation was one thing, but wasting such precious universal energy was an act of suicidal folly, which he would never permit.

When the Heavenly Tribulation manifests, the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth is forced outward and compressed. The energy Zhang Yang was using now was solely that which his internal energy had already converted; using it meant depleting his reserves, receiving no replenishment. At this juncture, he should be conserving every scrap of strength.

Seeing that the furnace was stable again, Zhang Yang withdrew.

He was aware that preparing medicine at this moment was perilous, but he had no choice.

Ever since Zhang Yang reincarnated and returned to the Zhang Family, the Elder had cared for him relentlessly, even personally accompanying him to the Long Family Plains when he was only at the Third Layer of internal energy for protection.

Later, the Elder risked everything by turning against the entire Huyun Family to protect him, leading to their destruction.

When vying for the Immortal Peach, it was also for Zhang Yang that the Elder suffered such grievous wounds. The depth of the Elder's grace was something Zhang Yang felt he could never repay. If he failed to save the Elder this time, it would become the greatest regret of his life.

He would not allow such a regret to materialize; the Immortal Peach had to be secured.

Returning to the exterior, Zhang Yang looked up at the sky once more.

The tribulation clouds continued to churn, emitting deep, guttural sounds—sounds like roars, or perhaps the clouds expressing their dissatisfaction, warning Zhang Yang that they would certainly eradicate him.

After a short while, the churning clouds unveiled another dazzling flash of light.

"Boom!"

A colossal sound shook the entirety of the Long Family Plains; some First Layer disciples could no longer maintain their footing and fainted, prompting many Second Layer disciples to hurriedly lead them away from the plains. For them, even proximity to this level of power was detrimental.

On the tower, both Zhang Daofeng and Zhang Pinglu couldn't help but lean halfway out, their bodies exposed. Three lightning strikes—they could only wonder about the outcome, but they all hoped Zhang Yang could survive this one and that the trial would conclude.

The Heavenly Tribulation was exhilarating, but it was also a massive test for their hearts.

The reason was simple: Zhang Yang was too vital to both the Zhang and Long Families.

The Zhang and Long Families with Zhang Yang, versus the Zhang and Long Families without him, were assuredly two entirely different situations, leading to two distinct outcomes.

On the other side of the tower, Zhuifeng stood quietly. Wuying perched on its head, and Shandian lingered behind.

The three little ones watched the events unfold without blinking. They were aware of Zhang Yang's trial, but pitifully, they could offer no aid.

Furthermore, due to the tribulation's presence, they could not sense Zhang Yang’s inner thoughts, only dimly grasping his general condition.

The three small creatures remained relatively calm. They sensed that Zhang Yang still existed after that powerful bolt; for them, as long as Zhang Yang existed, that was enough.

"The cloud hasn't dispersed?"

After the lightning strike passed, Zhang Daofeng cried out, his voice hoarse. The tribulation clouds were still churning, not scattering as the legends suggested, meaning Zhang Yang's trial was far from over.

If it continued, there must be at least two more bolts, as tribulations always came in odd numbers—never even ones.