Second Time

Chapter 67 - Tribulation

Shao Yue's Emperor Realm tribulation started like any other, with lightning pouring down towards her from the sky.

However, it quickly escalated into something that struck fear into the hearts of the spectators.

The volcano, which had long been dormant, erupted without warning. The smoke rose up to join the tribulation clouds until they seemed like one and the same.

Pillars of water burst out from the ocean, forming into the shape of flood dragons as they rushed towards Shao Yue.

The forests were uprooted and flew into the air. The trees rotated until the tips pointed at Shao Yue, as if nocked in invisible bows, thousands upon thousands of them.

"Last time, water was added to my tribulation," Shao Yue thought. "This time, it's water, wood, and fire. Maybe I'll need to face all five for my Void Traversal breakthrough."

She swung her sword and pointed it at the trees. "Bashe!"

The snake woman appeared, standing on the blade of the sword. She leapt into the sky, spreading out her arms and sending purple clouds of poison sweeping through the air towards the trees. Any that it touched withered, rotted, and practically melted into sludge.

Shao Yue pointed towards the ocean dragons. "Hu'er!"

The eight-tailed fox flew out, her hands extended behind her. Her fingernails extended into claws and glowed with a blue light. She raised her hands, then swept them down in a cross pattern. A crescent of light shot out from each of her claws, sending ten overlapping blades shooting through the nearest dragon, tearing the water apart and sending heavy rain down onto the island.

Shao Yue herself then leapt into the air, moments before the ground beneath her feet split open, splashing lava onto the surroundings. She summoned three flying swords, sending one to the Bashe and one to Hu'er. She stood on the final one herself.

"Three element tribulation," Liezhu said. "Not bad."

"I've never heard of tribulations involving anything other than lightning," Lai Qiao said.

"Have you heard of someone doing their tribulation for the second time, after already succeeding?" Liezhu asked. "What would be the point of the heavens giving someone like that a normal tribulation? Well, there's more to it than that, but I won't expose her secrets."

Cai Fei kept her eyes glued to the tribulation, but transmitted her voice to ask, "Is it because of her Beast Core?"

"Yep," Liezhu replied in the same manner. "You can think of it as her attracting a monster beast tribulation at the same time as her human tribulation. And, the monster beast she's become is one of the highest grade ones."

Shao Yue sat down cross-legged on her flying sword. Lighting repeatedly fell and struck her. The lava leapt towards her like spitting oil.

Shao Yue shrugged off the lightning and made a peculiar hand seal. A bird's cry pierced through the air as a projection of a Three-Legged Golden Crow unfurled its wings behind her. A bowl of golden flames appeared beneath her, providing a barrier between her and the lava.

When the lava struck the barrier, the golden flames consumed it. Rather than weakening, the barrier only grew stronger the more lava it consumed, the fires being tempered.

Shao Yue smiled and turned her attention to her two helpers. Hu'er was still doing fine, seemingly enjoying herself as she fought the water dragons. The Bashe was struggling a bit.

Hu'er and the Bashe were both Spirits, but Hu'er had a direct connection with Shao Yue. The Bashe couldn't draw upon Shao Yue's qi and had to build up energy slowly.