The bolt of heavenly lightning descended with terrifying speed and immense power; Li Yundong barely had time to react before it struck him squarely.

In that instant, Li Yundong’s manifestation within the Minor Thousand World was utterly consumed by the celestial bolt, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The moment his self inside the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk’s Minor Thousand World was instantly struck dead, the Li Yundong outside snapped his eyes open, looking around in a panic, his hands frantically patting his body as if checking to see if any essential parts were missing.

Ziyuan, standing nearby, couldn't help but suppress a smile. "What are you doing?"

Li Yundong, still reeling from the shock, managed to ask, "I'm still alive?"

Ziyuan turned her face away, letting out a small chuckle, then turned back, struggling to keep a straight face. "You've already died once."

Li Yundong’s mouth fell open. "Didn't you just say that if I was struck dead by the lightning inside, my physical body outside would die too?"

Ziyuan laughed. "I was teasing you. Is that not allowed?"

Li Yundong offered a wry smile. "You nearly scared the life out of me just now! The moment the lightning hit, I was so terrified my soul nearly fled; I truly thought I was done for!"

Ziyuan’s smile faded, and she looked at Li Yundong with genuine seriousness. "What did it feel like to be struck by the heavenly lightning? Did you experience the profound terror that lies between life and death?"

Li Yundong’s expression grew solemn. Recalling the instant he was hit, he couldn't help but shudder. "I did. That feeling is truly horrifying! In that split second, it seemed I could see every moment I had shared with Su Chan in the past. I'd always heard that people recall their happiest memories just before death, so I really thought I was finished."

"In that moment, I felt a sense of everything—the four elements—becoming empty, as if I ceased to exist; there was nothing in the world but that terrifying bolt of lightning!"

Li Yundong continued, "The heavenly lightning is the might of Heaven, and Heaven’s might is inscrutable. That saying is certainly true."

Ziyuan inquired, "Then, do you wish to try that feeling again?"

Li Yundong took a deep breath. He hesitated for a moment, but then declared with resolute certainty, "Yes!"

Ziyuan nodded. "Just now, I told you that if you were struck dead inside, your physical body outside would die too, because I wanted you to experience the great terror between life and death. You can only truly grasp it the first time; trying to recapture it later will be much harder."

Li Yundong laughed. "You sly, sly thing! You clearly want to settle a personal score, don't bother denying it—the eyes of the people are sharp!"

Ziyuan pursed her lips and smiled. "Stop with the slick talk. Do you want to go back in or not? You need to think carefully. The more times you enter, the stronger the lightning becomes. When its power reaches a certain level, the damage you suffer inside the Minor Thousand World will be greater. While this can enhance your magical power and vital essence, it will also affect your state of mind and spirit, causing you to subconsciously grow more and more fearful of the lightning! Have you thought this through?"

Li Yundong waved his hand dismissively with genuine disregard. "What is there to think about? Whether I stick my head out or hide it, it’s still one swing of the blade. Hurry up, let me go in and play again!"

Ziyuan looked at Li Yundong with considerable admiration. Cultivators in the cultivation world feared the heavenly lightning as if it were a life-reaping ghost, but this man showed no sign of fear at all; instead, he kept urging her on.

Ziyuan gently brushed her palm across the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk before her, and the artifact began to spin rapidly once more, emitting a brilliant golden light that forced Li Yundong to shut his eyes.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer suspended in mid-air, but standing with his feet planted on a vast, level grassland, with towering mountain ranges behind him.

Li Yundong looked around curiously and found that Ziyuan had followed him in. She wore a loose, deep purple Daoist robe, her garments flowing, making her look transcendent, like an immortal.

Li Yundong smiled. "Esteemed Immortal, where have you come from, and where are you headed?"

Having spent time with Li Yundong, Ziyuan had picked up some of his earthy demeanor. She cooperated fully, forming one hand into a palm and offering a polite bow. "May your fortune be boundless. I come from Mount Longhu, heading towards the Ninth Heaven. May I ask, Great Master, whence do you hail, and whither do you journey?"

Li Yundong mimicked Ziyuan’s formality, speaking with grave seriousness. "Amitabha, this humble Daoist comes from the Great Tang of the Eastern Lands, specially journeying to the West Heaven to seek the Buddha and a spouse."

Ziyuan couldn't help but erupt in loud laughter. "If Liu Huayang and Wu Shouyang knew you were such a synthesis of Daoism and Buddhism, they would likely die of rage, their three demons dancing wildly."

Li Yundong chuckled back. "I cultivate my path; why should I concern myself with them?"

Ziyuan’s laughter gradually subsided. She looked up at the sky, where the previously clear, azure expanse was rapidly gathering dense layers of dark clouds, within which electric arcs rolled menacingly.

She said, "The heavenly lightning will arrive soon. You must remember: dodge as many strikes as you can. Because at the precise moment the lightning strikes, a tremendous force—the Might of Heaven—leaks out from it. What you must do is absorb as much of this Might of Heaven as possible while evading."

Li Yundong asked, puzzled, "Isn't this Minor Thousand World virtual? How can the Might of Heaven captured here be used in the Greater Thousand World?"

Ziyuan explained, "Why did you appear in this Minor Thousand World in the first place? Wasn't it because the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk captured a sliver of your vital essence, and then constructed a person like you based on that essence? Likewise, the heavenly lightning and the world here are scenes conjured by the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk drawing upon the spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth."

"You must understand, the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk has existed for over a thousand years. It has absorbed the energy of Heaven and Earth for millennia, storing an immensely powerful reserve. Though the simulated lightning is not truly comparable to genuine heavenly lightning, the difference is negligible."

A spark ignited in Li Yundong's mind. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed loudly, "I get it! This is just like grinding dungeons in an online game! Damn, this artifact is too strong; it allows infinite grinding! Doesn't that mean one's power can increase infinitely?"

Ziyuan couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, chiding, "You dream big. The energy stored in the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk is so great that even I am reluctant to use it! Besides, this is taking a shortcut, stealing from Heaven’s workings. Using it too much will surely invite heavenly retribution! Moreover, power gained through such expediency can never be as useful as what is earned step by step through one's own grounded cultivation!"

Li Yundong grinned slyly. "Since you’re reluctant to use it, give it to me. How should I repay you then?"

Ziyuan pouted playfully. "Stop joking with me; that will be repayment enough!"

Li Yundong adopted a serious expression. "Rest assured, I absolutely won't joke with you again. If I joke with you again, may I be struck by lightning and perish!"

Saying this, he immediately plastered a flirtatious look on his face and asked, "Esteemed Flower Maiden, how old might you be this year?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a bolt of heavenly lightning descended violently from the sky, instantly pulverizing the Li Yundong within the Minor Thousand World into dust.

Li Yundong jolted awake, finding Ziyuan beside him, her chest shaking with laughter. He couldn't help but say, annoyed and embarrassed, "Damn it! If this lightning is going to strike people, couldn't it at least give a heads-up beforehand!"

Ziyuan laughed sternly. "That’s divine payback, for your glib tongue! If you keep acting like that, I won't let you go in again."

Li Yundong offered a sheepish smile. "Immortal Sister, this junior knows his error; I offer my humblest apologies, is that not enough?"

Ziyuan gave Li Yundong a sidelong glance and smiled, pursing her lips. "Your attitude is acceptable enough. Fine, I forgive you."

With that, she once again activated her divine power, guiding Li Yundong back into the Minor Thousand World.

This time, Li Yundong was prepared. The instant the lightning struck, he keenly sensed a vast power descending from the sky, causing the hairs on his body to stand on end!

Li Yundong moved with blinding speed, shifting his position in a flash. With a thunderous boom, the spot where he had just stood was gouged out by the lightning, emitting wisps of smoke from the deep pit.

Li Yundong cautiously approached to peer into the crater. It seemed bottomless, horrifying to behold. He let out a dry chuckle. "Such terrifying lightning, and yet I still dodged it?"

But before he could finish speaking, another bolt of lightning slammed down from the heavens, striking him squarely.

Li Yundong was instantly flung back to the Greater Thousand World. He grumbled, "How can there be another strike even after I dodged it?"

Ziyuan couldn't help but laugh beside him. "Did you think the Heavenly Tribulation consisted of just one bolt? You underestimate the Tribulation far too much. Why do we cultivators turn pale at the mention of it? Because once the Heavenly Tribulation commences, there will be eighty-one bolts of lightning—each stronger and fiercer than the last—a relentless sequence until the target is struck dead; otherwise, the Tribulation will not cease!"

Li Yundong gasped in horror. "Eighty-one strikes? Having to dodge eighty-one times consecutively? That, that's completely absurd!"

Ziyuan stated, "Of course. Otherwise, why would cultivators change color upon hearing the words 'Heavenly Tribulation'?"

Li Yundong sucked in a sharp breath. His expression shifted wildly. After a long moment, he said gravely, "I understand. Let me go in again."

When Li Yundong re-entered the Minor Thousand World of the Purple-Gold Luo Jade Disk, he was mentally prepared. After successfully evading the first bolt of lightning, he managed to dodge the second immediately after.

But when the third bolt arrived, its speed and power had abruptly doubled compared to the previous two. Caught off guard, Li Yundong was struck and expelled back to the Greater Thousand World in the blink of an eye.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Li Yundong shouted indignantly, "Again, again! I refuse to believe this!"

Ziyuan smiled faintly and once more used her power to send Li Yundong back into the Minor Thousand World.

This time, Li Yundong was fueled by sheer stubbornness. He focused completely, concentrating on sensing the power of the heavenly lightning. After dodging three consecutive bolts, he suddenly felt a trace of the power emanating from the lightning unknowingly integrate itself into his own body as he moved to evade.

At first, Li Yundong couldn't grasp why he could absorb this power, but after a moment's thought, the logic became clear to him.

He mused: This principle is similar to basking in the sun. Why do turtles often crawl onto the shore in the morning to sun themselves? Because their backs are Yang, and the morning is when Yang energy is most abundant. Basking then is absorbing the Yang energy between Heaven and Earth. Turtles absorb Yang energy for extended periods, which is why their shells can be used in medicine—a potent tonic.

Modern cultivators combine cultivation theory with modern science. They believe life is an energy body, and according to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, stronger energy attracts weaker energy towards itself.

Although the energy of the sun far surpasses that of a turtle, by the time the sunlight reaches the distant ground, that energy has become extremely dispersed and weakened. The energy of the turtle, as an energy body, surpasses this weakened solar energy, allowing it to absorb this subtle energy.

The heavenly lightning is the same. When a bolt strikes, its power is naturally astonishing, but after the strike, some residual energy inevitably scatters between Heaven and Earth. This residual energy is far weaker than Li Yundong himself, so it is naturally attracted and assimilated by Li Yundong's energy body.

Realizing this, Li Yundong couldn't help but become excited. But just as his excitement peaked, the fourth bolt of lightning struck him, instantly sending him back to the Greater Thousand World.

Upon opening his eyes, Li Yundong tasted the sweetness of absorbing celestial power. With a face full of excitement, he urged Ziyuan, "Again, again!"

Seeing Li Yundong eager to try, buzzing with energy, Ziyuan cautioned him, "Be careful not to get too excited; maintain a calm heart and clear mind—that is the ultimate path of cultivation." Having said that, she sent Li Yundong into the Minor Thousand World once more.

Li Yundong went back and forth, shuttling between the Greater and Minor Thousand Worlds thirteen times consecutively. By the fourteenth attempt, he could successfully dodge thirty-two bolts of lightning.

When he emerged the fourteenth time, although Li Yundong felt his own vital essence was significantly stronger than before, he also felt profoundly exhausted.

Li Yundong waved a hand at Ziyuan. "Let me rest a moment, catch my breath."

As he spoke, he tilted his head and suddenly started laughing. "Why do I feel like I'm playing a game called If You're a Man, Go Down 100 Floors?"

Ziyuan blinked in confusion. "What did you say?"

Li Yundong laughed. "Nothing, just a small game." He closed his eyes, circulated his energy for a while, allowing the power he had absorbed to integrate fully, and then opened his eyes.

When he looked up, it was already dawn. Ziyuan was setting out bowls and chopsticks in the living room.

She called out to him, "You're awake? Come eat."

Li Yundong made no ceremony of it, sitting down and devouring the food heartily. Then, he waved his hand grandly, urging Ziyuan, "Again, again! I must pass sixty dodges today! Hey, this is actually quite fun—if you're a man, dodge eighty-one times!"

With that, he burst into loud laughter himself.

Frustrated, I deleted a post, and all the first version's posts, and all the pinned posts vanished. I'm driven mad with frustration~H