NOVPUBChapter 783: Chapter 423: Surviving the Heavenly Tribulation_2 Chapter 783: Chapter 423: Surviving the Heavenly Tribulation_2 Otherwise, even if he could withstand the first layer of Thunder Tribulation, he wouldn’t be able to avoid injury.
Now, he was only experiencing some disturbance in his qi and blood; such minor injuries had a negligible impact on his strength and could be entirely disregarded.
Knowing this, Lin Tianming’s face regained some color, and he then took out an elixir and swallowed it, making the most of this precious interlude to recover some spiritual power.
A moment as brief as a cup of tea passed.
In the sky, thunder roared tumultuously, and the lightning brewing within the dark clouds surged violently, looking ready to fulfill the requirements of the Heavenly Tribulation and descend at any moment.
At this moment, Lin Tianming gazed at the thunderclouds and noticed that the lightning within them had grown even more massive and their numbers had significantly increased.
Not only that but the aura of the lightning had become much stronger as well. Compared to the first layer, it had clearly ascended several levels.
...
It appeared that the second layer of Thunder Tribulation would far surpass the first.
Seeing this, his expression became even more solemn and he hastily began to prepare for the impending Thunder Tribulation.
“Rumble, rumble…”
Just a few breaths later, the clouds churned violently and from within emerged a massive Thunder Dragon.
At a glance, this Thunder Dragon appeared majestic. Although there was only one, and its number was less than during the first layer of Thunder Tribulation, the Dragon’s form was unbelievably huge, and its aura was far more terrifying.
At the moment the Thunder Dragon appeared, the entire sky flashed with silver light, and the temperature between heaven and earth dropped sharply.
Although Lin Tianming had anticipated that the second layer of the Thunder Tribulation would be terrifying, upon witnessing it firsthand, he realized that he had underestimated its power.
As Lin Tianming was momentarily stunned, the second layer of the Thunder Tribulation leaped forth from the dark clouds and struck directly towards him.
Then, with a slap to his storage bag, several defensive artifacts appeared, which he swiftly sacrificed, forming barriers that he firmly placed above his head.
Having learned from the ordeal of the first layer of the Thunder Tribulation, Lin Tianming was extra cautious. This time, he directly sacrificed five defensive artifacts, among which three were of Second Order Superior quality.
This lavish approach was something most cultivators could hardly afford.
After all, the value of each Second Order Superior Defense Artifact was not low; for an ordinary Foundation Establishment Late-Stage Cultivator to own one or two Second Order Medium to Superior Quality Defense Artifacts was already considered quite wealthy.
Take Ye Pinghai as an example; when he faced his tribulation, he used only seven or eight Second Order Defense Artifacts.
Keep in mind that he was a well-known alchemist among loose cultivators, having refined elixirs for many. Over a hundred years of cultivation, he had accumulated a large wealth, his fortune being rather substantial among Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
Even so, the defense artifacts he used during his tribulation numbered only seven or eight, hardly comparable to Lin Tianming’s resources.
Luckily, Lin Tianming’s fortune was even more formidable; he had obtained a large number of Defense Artifacts and numerous Spirit Ore and Materials in the Tianfeng Wind Secret Realm.
These spoils of war came from Foundation Establishment Late-Stage Cultivators, most of which were at least Second Order Medium Quality.
With the full support of Lin Shilu, the Artifact Refiner, and the Lin Family’s collective efforts to help acquire them, he could afford to utilize these Defense Artifacts so lavishly against the Thunder Tribulation.
Such an expansive outlay was something even Inner Sect Disciples of the Zhenyang Sect rarely possessed the resources to employ.
Yet now, Lin Tianming was using them without a second thought as if these Defense Artifacts were worthless.
But upon closer reflection, others did not act this way simply due to constrained means. After all, if one were to perish in the Heavenly Tribulation, no matter how abundant the fortune or how many treasures one held, what significance would they have?
Once a cultivator falls, everything dissipates like clouds, all possessions become irrelevant to them.
Understanding this, Lin Tianming did not hesitate to deploy so many Defense Artifacts without a trace of reluctance or pain.
And his grand gestures truly played a crucial role.
The moment the Thunder Dragon descended, it struck directly upon the first barrier.
The first Defense Artifact, being only of Second Order Medium Grade, briefly stalled the Thunder Dragon before it was pierced through.
Subsequently, the next two artifacts also failed to stop the Thunder Dragon and were easily penetrated.
However, as the grade and quality of the subsequent Defense Artifacts increased, so did their defensive power.
As the force of the Thunder Dragon dwindled, the power balance shifted; the further back, the less force the Thunder Dragon possessed.
Soon, the fifth Defense Artifact also broke under the impact of the Thunder Dragon, the diminished form still relentlessly striking forth, no possibility of halting.
By this time, the Thunder Dragon had significantly reduced in size, its presence and momentum nowhere near that at its peak.
Clearly, the power of the Thunder Dragon was now greatly reduced, its threat much diminished.
Lin Tianming, aware of this, launched a punch before the Thunder Dragon’s descent, striking it head-on.
He had fully prepared for this attack, not only successfully dissipating the Thunder Dragon but also bracing for the destructive force of the lightning.
As the Thunder Dragon finally vanished into the skies, the second layer of Thunder Tribulation passed, and the heavens temporarily returned to a brief calm.
This second layer had come ferociously yet had not stirred up too great a turmoil, merely causing Lin Tianming to expend a great deal without suffering much injury.
Now that the second layer of Thunder Tribulation was behind him, only the last layer remained. As long as he managed to pass through that successfully, he would be able to formally step into the Golden Core Stage.
