With a deafening roar, the first bolt of lightning crashed down.
The surrounding trees were all snapped in half, the terrifying force seemingly about to overturn the entire circular platform.
The elders protected Lingxiao while also resisting the subtle attacks of lightning from the surrounding area.
Even if it was tiny, it was still a tribulation lightning strike for a peak Nascent Soul cultivator undergoing tribulation. Several elders with lower strength even had their hair stand on end from the shock.
At first glance, I thought it was some kind of Black Mountain Demon.
Lingxiao Zhenren remained expressionless as he circulated his spiritual energy, his eyes as arrogant as ever, showing no regard for the sixty-four lightning tribulations.
He knew in his heart that the lightning tribulation was nothing compared to the tribulation of inner demons.
Therefore, what he needs to do at this moment is to try to calm his mind and maintain inner peace, and focus all his attention on the breakthrough.
Yes, the focus is on breakthroughs.
The second lightning bolt struck, illuminating Lingxiao Zhenren's sharply defined face, his eyes appearing slightly cold.
What happens after that breakthrough?
After the breakthrough, he can go and bring Shen Sangruo back.
He wouldn't even give a second thought to the Ninghua Sect or the Immortal Lord Changli.
As the third lightning tribulation struck, amidst the blinding light, Lingxiao Zhenren slowly clenched his fist, gathering his inner energy.
Under the cover of the ominous clouds, the light briefly shone before plunging back into darkness.
It wasn't completely dark; something on the round platform seemed to be emitting tiny specks of light.
But no one noticed this tiny change; everyone was focused on Lingxiao Zhenren's tribulation.
Lingxiao Zhenren's face remained unchanged, but he tightened his grip, his fingertips digging into his palm.
After bringing Chen Sangruo back, he will take her back as his disciple, so that she will be his youngest disciple again, just like before Bai Mumu came.
He will hold a grand disciple-acceptance ceremony, which will be ten or even a hundred times more grand than when Immortal Lord Changli accepted his disciples!
He will then remove that lowly cultivation technique and personally teach her the Profound Fire True Dragon Technique, which will surely make her happy.
If Shen Sangruo could understand, he would be the most suitable person to be her master, and only under his tutelage could she truly improve!
The fourth lightning bolt struck, its pale light illuminating Lingxiao Zhenren's face.
His brows were furrowed, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth, his fingers clenched so tightly that the tips turned white.
Shen Sangruo can only be his apprentice!
What Immortal Lord Changli? What worthless scoundrel! He is not worthy of being her master at all!
During the sect competition, he dared to say that he was unworthy. Now that he is about to break through to the Void Refinement stage, who is truly unworthy?!
What right does Immortal Lord Changli have to avenge his disciple, True Man Lingxiao? He even went so far as to burn his own soul to severely injure him—how laughable! How foolish!
Is there a chance he could surpass him and become the number one cultivator in the world?
He wanted the world to open their eyes and see who had broken through to the Void Refinement Realm and who dared only cower in the Ninghua Sect to watch him break through.
Immortal Lord Changli could never compare to him!
How dare he steal his apprentice?
The fifth lightning bolt struck, its light flashing briefly, yet the circular platform shone brightly.
The array on the circular platform was fully activated, emitting a dazzling light.
Shen Daochen's expression was grim. Those were formations meant to stabilize one's mind, and the fact that they were all lit up now could only mean that Lingxiao Zhenren's Dao heart had encountered a problem.
The other elders also realized this and all looked in the direction of Master Lingxiao.
Even without the light of the formation, they could clearly see that a flame had ignited between Lingxiao Zhenren's brows, with wisps of black mist mixed in with it.
This is a sign of being influenced by inner demons and falling into demonic possession.
They all confirmed that Lingxiao Zhenren was experiencing a tribulation of inner demons.
Shen Daochen's expression turned even uglier.
This is only the fifth tribulation, and Lingxiao Zhenren has already been affected to such an extent by the inner demon tribulation. How will he withstand the next fifty-nine tribulations?
Although he had long anticipated that Lingxiao Zhenren would experience a tribulation of inner demons, he did not expect it to come so quickly and so fiercely.
Shen Daochen believed that with Lingxiao Zhenren's temperament, he could at least survive half of it.
However, he underestimated Lingxiao Zhenren's obsession with Shen Sangruo.
Seeing Lingxiao Zhenren's condition, some of the elders realized that his tribulation was likely doomed, and they began to have second thoughts.
If Lingxiao Zhenren fails to overcome his tribulation, the best outcome would be the complete dissipation of his cultivation or his body exploding and dying.
However, if they become corrupted and fall into demonic ways, losing their reason, the first to suffer will be the elders who protect the Dharma.
Before they knew it, they had gone from being a group of guardians to a group of those who were buried alive.
Their cultivation wasn't easy either; they lived most of their lives to reach their current level and become elders of the Flying Cloud Sect. They haven't lived enough yet!
At this moment, Shen Daochen's insight was exceptionally strong, and he immediately sensed the instability in people's hearts.
He immediately retorted, "What's the panic! It's only just begun, and you're already afraid? Are the elders of my Flying Cloud Sect so cowardly?"
"The one undergoing tribulation is True Person Lingxiao, the number one cultivator in the current cultivation world. You've been in the Flying Cloud Sect for many years, don't you know his strength?"
"Don't blame me for speaking harshly, but even if you yourselves perish during your tribulation, Master Lingxiao will not suffer any consequences!"
"Everyone, perk up! We must help Master Lingxiao turn the danger into safety and achieve his breakthrough!"
Shen Daochen's words promptly calmed everyone down.
The elders who had panicked and wavered suddenly realized, "That's right, that's Master Lingxiao!"
If we can help Lingxiao Zhenren successfully break through, it will be a great achievement.
Soon, the Dharma Protectors reunited.
Under Shen Daochen's command, some resisted the lightning tribulation, while others poured spiritual power into the protective formation.
Lingxiao Zhenren was completely unaware of all this; he had already fallen into the clutches of his inner demons.
It was as if countless images were flashing before his eyes.
In those images, there was a small child named Shen Sangruo who had just become his disciple, looking at him with a pair of bright eyes filled with curiosity and admiration.
The voice was clear and crisp: "Father, no, it was my Uncle who said that you will be my master from now on."
"I'm very capable. My martial uncle has already taught me how to guide qi into the body, so I won't cause Master any trouble."
Shen Sangruo was not wrong; she was indeed very talented, and she could learn almost anything he taught her in no time.
But he didn't have the time or energy to care about her at the time, and he was quite dissatisfied with Shen Daochen's decision to send a half-grown child to Zhenlin Peak.
He is the number one cultivator in the cultivation world, a master who teaches disciples cultivation, not a nanny who takes care of children.
He then entrusted Shen Sangruo to his four disciples.
Feng Heyun and the others would then be even less likely to teach her cultivation.
All day long, Feng Heyun would secretly feed her wine, making her drunk, and then take the opportunity to ravage her flushed cheeks.
Even when Luo Chu took her out for a run, she would struggle to keep up with him with her short legs, and she would be exhausted after just one trip.
There was also Lu Shiqing. Back then, Lu Shiqing was just a teenager, and his personality wasn't as cold as it is now; he was more lively.
She would often be startled by strange and unusual insects that would suddenly appear.
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