Chapter 164: The Women’s Tribulation (First Update)

"Old habits die hard."

Lu Ye watched as Chu Ling was being chased by cultivators from the Jiezong Sect in the light screen.

However, Chu Ling was an Emperor in her past life and had now reached the Tribulation Realm's ninth heaven. One could say that, with Lu Ye absent, she was nearly invincible.

The Jiezong Sect was bound to suffer this silent loss.

But there was another issue—the meager spiritual treasures from the Jiezong Sect were clearly insufficient to help Shangguan Huanling reach the ninth heaven of the Tribulation Realm.

So, who would Chu Ling target next?

The Taishang Sword Sect?

The Central State Empire?

Surely not the Great Dao Sect?

In the end, Chu Ling did not go after any of these three forces but instead turned to the Buddhist sect.

After a fierce battle, Chu Ling's sword no longer seemed as sharp as before, yet she still fought her way out, slaying several eminent Buddhist monks.

Lu Ye knew exactly why Chu Ling's sword had lost its edge.

When she had the sturdiest shield behind her, she could wield her sword fearlessly, striking down anyone. No matter how much trouble she stirred, Lu Ye would always clean up the aftermath—that was why her sword was so sharp.

But now, that shield was gone.

Every time she drew her sword, she had to consider the consequences.

Such was reality.

Shangguan Huanling reached the ninth heaven of the Tribulation Realm.

Tribulation!

Lu Ye suddenly felt a flicker of anticipation—what would these four women feel upon ascending and realizing he wasn’t in the second heaven? And how would Jiang Die react upon seeing them ascend?

*Ding! Hurry up and finish the tribulation! I want to see them meet Jiang Die!*

The system sounded impatient.

"You can observe the second heaven too?" Lu Ye was slightly surprised.

*Ding… Shouldn’t I be able to?* The system hesitated.

"Of course, you can."

*Ding! Then I can watch!*

Lu Ye was also curious—what would happen when these five women met?

Jiang Die wanted so badly to kill him—would she capture these four to force him out?

The tribulation continued.

In their previous life's tribulation, some of these women succeeded on their own, some relied on treasures given by Lu Ye, and others had Lu Ye help them endure it.

How did he help?

Simple. As soon as one began their tribulation, Lu Ye would step forward and share the ordeal with them.

The Heavenly Dao would never allow such cheating, so it struck Lu Ye with relentless fury.

Yet, through this, Lu Ye managed to forcibly cultivate the Nine Tribulations Indestructible Physique to perfection.

Recalling the bittersweet experience of helping these women through their tribulations, Lu Ye almost wished for the lightning to strike him a few more times.

First, Bai Qiulan successfully transcended her tribulation.

The aura of the Mahayana realm radiated from her, marking a major breakthrough. She seemed instantly lighter, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted.

Advancing a major realm would grant her some respite in the days to come.

Next was Yue Hongling’s turn.

Yue Hongling was actually struck so hard by the tribulation lightning that she coughed up blood. Her fists and seals seemed far weaker than before?

Unable to accept this, she nearly charged straight into the tribulation clouds.

Still, she succeeded in transcending.

Yet, there was no joy on her face.

Fearless and unyielding?

Her fearlessness now seemed greatly diminished. No—this couldn’t be. How could she possibly feel fear?

She had to find a way to reclaim her fearless heart and grow stronger.

If she continued like this, she would only end up as just another face in the crowd.

Chu Ling was the third to succeed.

Her condition was slightly better than Yue Hongling’s. After all, her swordsmanship was formidable, and with the *Great Slaughter Sword Scripture*, overcoming a minor heavenly tribulation was no issue.

Finally, it was Shangguan Huanling’s turn.

"Huanling, are you sure you’ve mastered the *Heaven and Earth Protection* I taught you?" Bai Qiulan asked.

Shangguan Huanling nodded solemnly.

"I have, and it suits me perfectly!"

"Good. Stay relaxed and give it your all!"

Shangguan Huanling nodded firmly.

Her figure stirred the tribulation lightning.

The clouds churned, expanding from ten miles to twenty, thirty, forty…

Shangguan Huanling’s brows furrowed so deeply they could crush a fly.

Wait—others’ tribulation clouds spanned hundreds, even thousands of miles. Bai Qiulan’s had stretched thirteen hundred miles in one go.

What do you mean by this tribulation cloud now?

Adding ten miles at a time for me?

So annoying, even the heavenly tribulation looks down on people, how infuriating!

Why does no one want to pay attention to me?

"Go ahead and strike me dead if you dare!" Shangguan Huanling shouted at the tribulation cloud.

"Boom!"

A white tribulation lightning descended from the sky, appearing vast, but the lightning was white!

Under normal circumstances, only the most ordinary Tribulation Realm cultivators would face white tribulation lightning.

Don’t be fooled—though the first bolt of white lightning was as thick as a bucket, like a pillar of light piercing the heavens.

In reality, its power was still weaker than a silver tribulation lightning bolt as thick as a thumb.

"Boom!"

The earth turned pitch black, and the ground beneath her feet formed a shallow crater.

Shangguan Huanling raised the Heaven and Earth Protection, enduring the strike head-on.

Clearly,

this tribulation lightning was easily blocked.

After that, bolts of tribulation lightning continued to fall.

White, white… all of them white, not a single hint of silver light.

"Did you do this?" Lu Ye turned to Shen Xitong and asked.

"Ding, not me. If they couldn’t even pass a normal heavenly tribulation, I’d truly be too lazy to play with them," the system denied outright.

"Then why is Shangguan’s tribulation lightning so weak?" Lu Ye couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

In her past life, Shangguan Huanling also cultivated the *Primordial HeavenDevouring Scripture*, and the tribulation lightning it triggered wasn’t strong, but it wasn’t this weak either, right?

"Ding, in her past life, what kind of treasures did you feed that Shangguan fool? And what is she devouring now? One child eats husks and scraps every day, while another feasts on delicacies—how could they grow up the same?"

Lu Ye suddenly understood.

Since the heavenly tribulation was this weak, Shangguan Huanling could ascend now.

A force of summoning descended from the heavens.

A rainbow of light burst from the clouds, enveloping four figures.

Bai Qiulan reached out her hand.

Yue Hongling didn’t move, Chu Ling didn’t move, and Shangguan Huanling, after a brief moment of sadness, became cheerful again.

After all, she wasn’t pursuing the path of invincibility anymore—as long as she had the cultivation method, her path of cultivation would never be cut off.

So Shangguan Huanling placed her hand on Bai Qiulan's.

"Hurry, grab hold, we're ascending together again!"

"What awaits us is a brand-new beginning!"

"We'll catch up with Brother Lu Ye again!"

Shangguan Huanling's voice brimmed with unconcealable joy as she reached out to Chu Ling.

Chu Ling hesitated slightly but eventually placed her hand on Shangguan Huanling's, then extended her other hand toward Yue Hongling.

"What a shame, senior brother isn't here!"

Yue Hongling sighed.

"And Vermilion Bird too!"

In their past life, the six of them held hands and ascended together.

This time, only the four of them remained—the most important one was already gone!

But it didn't matter. Sooner or later, they would reunite!