Is that a Wisp?

Moments later, Krune rushed out from the spiritual vein lake room, heading outside as well. Ruik noticed him and was surprised as he said with shock.

"You succeeded in your breakthrough!"

Krune heard Ruik but couldn't pay attention to him at the moment. He kept feeling that something was wrong with those clouds in the sky. At this moment, his instincts were telling him that it was dangerous nonstop. Only after a few seconds did he look at Ruik and ask.

"Do you know what's happening? As soon as I succeeded in my breakthrough, those clouds came. Also, I think they're targetting me."

Krune's words left Ruik speechless!

"What? They came for you?! That shouldn't be possible! Heavenly Tribulations are things that should only happen when you're entering Core Formation or the higher realms. There is no way those clouds are here for you!"

Krune didn't expect that. To think it was something that only Core Formation Realm cultivators and above should see, he couldn't help but wonder if this phenomenon was also attributed to him being a wisp. However, he immediately rejected the idea. If anything, the heavens would rather look down on wisps. Most likely, it had something to do with his Universe Foundation or his Myriad Energies Technique. Krune quickly got back on track, though, as it wasn't the right time to ponder why it's happening. Right now, he needed to find a way to deal with it.

"Ruik, I can't really say why it came for me since I have no idea, but it's definitely targeting me. But it most likely has something to do with my Universe Foundation. Let's talk about it later, though. If you know what it is, then hurry up and tell me."

Although Ruik still couldn't believe his words, he knew that Krune wasn't joking either, so he quickly calmed himself and started to explain.

"I don't know much myself either. Simply put, to cultivate is the same as going against the will of the heavens. So, once you enter the Core Formation Realm, the heavens will send down Tribulation Lightning to wipe out that anomaly, in other words, the beings that have reached the Core Formation Realm. You can also consider it as a test. I have seen a tribulation from a distance in the past. Of course, I didn't dare to get close to it. I heard that no one could help the target with his tribulation, either. It seems like if they do, the power of the tribulation will only increase. At the same time, those helping the one undergoing the tribulation also become targets. Also, keep in mind that the area around you will be affected as well, so you better not let anyone get close to you."

Krune was shocked to hear that! Tribulation Lightning? He was a wisp! How the hell would he even be able to resist such a thing? If there was one thing that Krune had always done, that was him always keeping his distance away from his opponents. A wisp's energy body was very weak. Any powerful hit wouldn't just tear it apart. It would surely hit its core as well. And now, he needed to go through such a calamity? Fuck you, heavens! Although he wanted to complain even more than that, Krune quickly calmed his emotions instead. There was no point in him getting angry right now. There was lightning coming at him, and he needed to find a way to block it.

Unfortunately for Krune, Ruik's next words almost made him fall into despair.

"Oh, right. Tribulation Lightning always comes in batches of nine strikes, so you'll need to endure all nine hits, or you're done for."

Krune wanted to cry but had no tears (Literally). Why the hell was it made this way? One lightning strike was probably enough to turn his core to a crisp already. But there were, in fact, nine strikes coming down. Krune howled to the heavens with immense fury.

"Are you kidding me?!"

No one answered, though.

"Ruik, how much time do I have until it comes down?"

Ruik pondered for a bit before answering.

"I'm not so sure myself, but at the last time I saw the Heavenly Tribulation, it took around ten minutes for the lightning to come down when compared to the time I first sensed it."

Krune understood that the Tribulation Lightning needed time to charge first. From the moment when he had completed his breakthrough up to now, only two minutes had passed, so he had at least eight more minutes if Ruik wasn't wrong.

Just as Krune was about to leave, Lakin came out as well. As for the Lizard Dragons, they were so frightened that they didn't dare to come outside. The power of Tribulation Lightning was especially effective on demon beasts.

"Master, what's happening?"

Krune just looked at him as he succinctly replied.

"I can't explain right now. Just head back into the cave for now. This isn't something you can help with."

Lakin was taken aback by such a blunt answer from his master. Although Lakin didn't understand what was happening, he wasn't happy with Krune's answer either. He wanted to help even though he didn't know what the situation was. Lakin had always felt like he was a burden and wanted to change that.

"But Master, I already broke through the 8th stage! I also created my second Spiritual Energy Meridian. Master, I can definitely help you!"

Krune felt like giving him a beating now. The situation was already as bad as it was. Yet, his disciple decided to throw a tantrum at such an untimely moment. Krune was about to shout back at him when suddenly, his mind felt like it was the one struck by lightning instead. He then looked back at Lakin with surprise as he told him.

"Repeat what you said to me."

Repeat? Perhaps his master didn't hear him correctly.

"I said that I'm at the 8th stage already."

"No, not that. After that one."

Lakin thought his master was acting weird for some reason but answered nonetheless.

"The part where I said I opened my second Spiritual Energy Meridian?"

Krune was ecstatic after he heard that. He finally saw a sliver of hope as he laughed out loud.

"That's it! Well done, Lakin! You just gave me an idea. You two, stay far away from me to not get in the range of the tribulation. Ruik, explain things to him. I need to hurry."

Ruik then sent a Divine Sense message to Lakin, and the latter eventually understood the situation. Just as he was about to say something, Krune had already used his Wind Movement and rushed out to find an open space.

Ruik was astonished when he saw that.

'What kind of speed is that? He just broke through the Foundation Establishment Realm, but he's already as fast as an ordinary 5th Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, maybe even the 6th Stage for some! Is that REALLY a wisp?!'

Unfortunately, Krune didn't have time to pay attention to Ruik's expression at the moment. He then quickly calmed his mind and made sure to concentrate to the fullest. After that, he looked up and thought.

'You want to wipe me out? Then, see how I shall devour you!'

Krune had already come to the conclusion that he didn't have the ability to block a lightning strike, much less nine of them. Since he couldn't block it, then he wouldn't.

'My Spiritual Energy Meridians can absorb all types of energies as long as there's spiritual energy involved. I'm sure this Heavenly Tribulation definitely isn't just any normal lightning, either. I'm absolutely certain that it's purely made out of spiritual energy. Since that's the case, today, I'll have a feast!'

But there was one problem. There was no way Krune could absorb so much energy at once. In fact, his Spiritual Energy Meridians wouldn't be able to convert anything above their max capacity. Not to mention that those lightning strikes definitely had much more energy than his meridians could absorb and convert.

'That's why I only have one alternative.'

Krune didn't focus on his three Spiritual Energy Meridians. Instead, he put all his thoughts into creating more of them. He wasn't going to create just one Spiritual Energy Meridian, but three Spiritual Energy Meridians at the same time!

'There's only one moment where my Spiritual Energy Meridians absorb spiritual energy like black holes, and that's at the moment they're about to form. Every time I create a new meridian, it absorbs several times more spiritual energy than the previous one. Since that's the case, If I can create three at the same time, maybe the energy of the Heavenly Tribulation will just suffice that criteria.'

Although that was the plan, Krune had never created more than one meridian at once before. Not to mention that it usually took a lot of time to do it. Of course, it wasn't like Krune couldn't do it quickly. It's just that the process was really complicated. He needed to make sure that the balance between all nine pseudo-energy meridians was just right until they fused as one, and that was a very delicate job. Nevertheless, Krune had no time to think of that right now.

'It's do or die at this point! Then again, it's not like I don't have an advantage right now.'

Krune was right. The biggest improvement with him breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm wasn't his cultivation. He hadn't even stabilized his cultivation, to begin with. As for taking on a human form, he couldn't use it yet. That's because his breakthrough process wasn't over, and his future golden core hadn't appeared in his foundation yet. Which meant that it would probably be truly over when the Heavenly Tribulation was done with.

What Krune was thinking about was Divine Sense! Krune had already tried it out while making his way into an open space. His Divine Sense could now cover a radius of three kilometers! But that's not the part that would help him at the moment. What helped him out was having greater control over spiritual energy. As mentioned before, when a cultivator opened their Divine Sense, their control over spiritual energy would improve severalfold. Not to mention that Krune's Divine Sense was already as good as someone at the late stages of Foundation Establishment!

Krune didn't spare any spiritual energy while keeping his Divine Sense at max power. He only had seven minutes to finish all three of them anyway. If he couldn't do that, then what's the use of the remaining spiritual energy after he's dead?

Krune wasn't having a great time, though. Creating a Spiritual Energy Meridian was a stringent process that placed a taxing burden on the mind. Let alone creating three at the same time and having to finish it in just a few minutes. After two minutes, Krune was feeling immense pain in his soul already. If not for the tempering brought by the shattering process, he might have fainted right there and then.

Krune didn't dare to slack off, though. That's because he wasn't planning to finish it within the last five minutes. The reason was simple, that was a time based on what Ruik saw in the past. Not to mention that it was a Core Formation Realm level tribulation to start with. Who said that his Foundation Establishment Realm tribulation would take the same time to come down? Krune wasn't going to take any chances. If everything went well with his meridian creation, just to be shot dead moments before completing them, it would definitely be an unsatisfying death.

'Two more minutes. I'll finish them within two more minutes! When the moment to give the final push comes, I'll stop there and wait. Although I don't know if the lightning would come earlier, I also don't know if it would come later. If that happens and I don't have any spiritual energy to feed my new meridians, they'll simply break apart. I definitely won't be in the condition to recreate them again, not to mention that I might not even have the time to do so anyway.'

Time ticked as the pain in Krune's soul gradually intensified. Then again, he ignored all of it. In his mind, only the three Spiritual Energy Meridians existed in front of him. Pain? What was that? During this limited amount of time, there was no such thing as pain. There was no such thing as tribulations, no distractions at all. His spiritual energy was being depleted quickly, though. After all, not only was he keeping his Divine Sense at full power, the creation of the meridians themselves also consumed spiritual energy. Fortunately, he had just broken through, so he was at his peak condition when he started.

Crackling sounds could now be heard from above, while the world in a hundred kilometer radius was dark. It felt like the sun would never appear again. The oppressive energy from the Heavenly Tribulation made all beasts tremble as they lied down. The only ones doing fine at the moment were Ruik and Lakin. One was at the Foundation Establishment Realm, while the other one ignored everything and only paid attention to Krune.

Ruik was looking attentively at the sky, only to notice something.

"Not good. I think it's going to come down faster than that time when I watched the tribulation happen."

But after thinking about it for a moment, he quickly calmed down. He knew very well just how intelligent Krune was, and there was no way that Krune hadn't thought of such a possibility. Even if he hadn't, there was nothing they could do anyway. Heavenly Tribulations were something that must be conquered alone.

Krune was close to fainting when he finally finished creating the three meridians. Though, he couldn't relax at all. Not to mention that even though he finished the process, it still needed that final push. Krune would need to keep that balance until the lightning came down. He couldn't finish it earlier than that, or he would be done for. The problem, though, was that keeping this balance was as strenuous as the formation process itself. He wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer.

Fortunately for Krune, he was right about the fact that the tribulation would come down before ten minutes were up. Krune then looked up at the sky. Although the tribulation hadn't come down yet, he could now feel when it was going to happen. Krune then gave the final push not long after, and with that, the three Spiritual Energy Meridians were finished.

"Click! Click! Click!"

Krune soon heard that familiar sound, and just a few moments later, the three meridians started to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as if it was the bountiful air in the surroundings. Within one second, all the spiritual energy from the surroundings disappeared without a trace. The spiritual energy absorption rate was so terrifying that even Krune's own spiritual energy started to flow into the meridians, and Krune couldn't stop it at all! If it continued like that, he would definitely be siphoned to death in the next seconds. Fortunately for him, his prediction was right. The first bolt came crashing down like a divine beast of lightning. It was determined to end all life.

Unfortunately for that lightning bolt, Krune's three new Spiritual Energy Meridians seemed like they had smelled the most delicious food in their lives. They immediately positioned themselves above Krune's heads, and surprisingly, enlarged? Krune wasn't sure if it was him hallucinating or if it was reality. Nevertheless, he didn't have the time to think anyway. His meridians ate up the lightning bolt in just a second! Krune could only wonder if that thing was actually Heavenly Tribulation Lightning at all.

'Holy crap! All that energy wasn't even enough to fill the hole in the teeth of those guys! How do you expect me to create more meridians like you guys in the future when your appetite only grows with more of you around?'

Krune couldn't help but think after seeing this, but he wasn't the least bit sad. That just showed how powerful his Spiritual Energy Meridians were. As for the spiritual energy necessary for the future meridians, he could think about that later.

The second lightning bolt came down, and just like the first one, it was eaten up entirely. Then, the third, the fourth, the fifth, all the spiritual energy from the lightning bolts disappeared as they went into Krune's Spiritual Energy Meridians like drops of water falling in the ocean. You couldn't even see a trace of them anymore.

This process continued all the way up to the 8th bolt of Tribulation Lightning. Only after this lightning bolt did his Spiritual Energy Meridians finally settle down. They returned to their original size while the formation process was finished.

It was supposed to be a joyous moment, but Krune wasn't the least bit happy after seeing it.

"Fuck you! There's still one more lightning bolt coming down! Can't you three eat a little more?"

Krune received no answer, though. At this moment, he felt gloomy, though he quickly regained his composure. He looked up at the sky, noticing that most of the clouds in the distance had disappeared already. It was evident that the next bolt would be the last one. Crackling sounds could soon be heard from above. With that, Krune then made up his mind and shouted to the heavens.

"I told you I'm going to devour you, didn't I? Up to now, the only ones feeding were my meridians. After all this shit, my core is almost completely empty anyway, and I refuse to believe that you wouldn't provide a good meal!"

Krune then pointed all six of his Spiritual Energy Meridians at the sky.

And surprisingly, as if they heard Krune's provocation, the last bolt came down!

Just before it hit, Krune noticed something strange. If he had his human form right now, he would definitely be smiling bitterly.

'Is it me, or does this last Tribulation Lightning seem a lot stronger than the previous ones?'

Krune was right. In fact, the last bolt of Tribulation Lightning was very famous outside. So much so that the cultivators even gave it an adorable name. The name?

Life Ending Strike.