"So what if there are ice spikes raining down from the sky? I'll treat this as spear training. In ancient times, people practiced with spears and lances under jujube trees. As ripe jujubes fell from the branches, they would instantly pierce and smash them mid-air. No matter how many fell, they would strike them all. Compared to spears that can bend and flow like a dancing serpent, battle spears are firm and unyielding, focusing solely on direct strikes, not curved movements. One strike must be lethal, pushing forward with unstoppable force, advancing without retreat. Piercing falling jujubes is even more difficult, but once mastered, a battle spear can be even fiercer and more powerful than a flexible spear."
"These ice spikes are perfect for spear training. They allow a faster understanding of spear techniques. A spear dances with flowers, but a battle spear shakes the heavens—shaking the heavens collapses the sky, shaking the earth causes it to sink, shaking mountains causes them to crumble, shaking rivers causes them to break apart."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, wielding his battle spear in repeated thrusts. Each strike was perfectly straight, precise, and powerful, shattering every falling ice spike into icy dust that scattered through the air.
In ancient times, spears were among the first weapons humans created.What is a spear?The ancients would sharpen a wooden stick and use it for hunting and defense—that was the earliest form of a spear.Later, through the evolution of warfare, the long spear gave birth to the halberd, and then to the lance and other polearms.Yet no matter how they evolved, the spear remained the ancestor of long weapons.The reason the battle spear was less widely adopted was because it was extremely difficult to master—easy to learn, hard to perfect. Unlike the spear, which allowed more flexible techniques, the battle spear demanded a fearless spirit, a willingness to risk death, a belief in invincibility. It required pure, unshakable martial will.
Without it, one could not control the battle spear, nor comprehend the Spear Will left behind by the ancient warriors who fought beasts in brutal life-or-death struggles.
Yet in Yi Tianxing's hands, the battle spear moved as naturally as an extension of his arm.Every thrust naturally conveyed a pure Spear Will, and without even realizing it, his comprehension of the spear deepened.He advanced, shattering countless ice spikes one after another, his internal power seeming endless as he tirelessly swung his battle spear. His entire body was like a battle spear.
Yaoyue was nearby as well, fending off the incoming ice spikes.Countless ice spikes were shattered. Her Flower Shifting technique grew increasingly smooth and flawless, her colorful ribbons dancing through the air without even a trace of smoke or fire.
Unknowingly, the endless barrage of ice spikes disappeared without a trace.Looking ahead, they found themselves at the edge of the glacier.They had crossed it.
The surrounding cold had even weakened significantly.
Looking forward, the endless sea still stretched out.However, on the frozen ground ahead, there was a solitary island.
This island stood amidst the sea, barren and desolate, with nothing growing on it.Above it, suspended in the sky, was the platform of the Martial Arts Tournament.From this distance, they could clearly see figures like Carefree Brother and Black Handsome standing on the platform.Even faintly, they could sense countless eyes in the heavens gazing down at them.
"Is that... the finish line?" Yaoyue looked at the barren island and the enormous platform overhead.
At the glacier's edge, they could see that they weren't the only ones who had made it. Quite a few participants had already arrived, standing at the boundary, their faces serious as they stared ahead.But the time difference between arrivals wasn't large.
"This should be the final stretch. That island is the goal. Beyond it, it's all mist—clearly, the race track ends here. From here to the island isn't far. This is the final sprint. But... weren't there supposed to be three calamities and nine tribulations? Counting the cold winds and ice spikes, that's two more tribulations. That's only ten in total. Where are the last two?" Yi Tianxing frowned slightly, silently contemplating.
"Take a look!" Carefree Brother said with a laugh, "The elites among the participants have reached the glacier's edge. They've already crossed most of the three calamities and nine tribulations. Only the final tribulation remains. Cross it and reach the island, and you'll win the tournament! The first eleven tribulations were already brutal enough, but the last one—it's a calamity of lightning. If you can't survive it, everything you've achieved will be for nothing."
"Victory, the championship, the precious treasures—all will depend on whether you have the strength. Luck is useless here. Only absolute strength can claim victory. If no one reaches the island, then this tournament will have no winner, and no prizes will be awarded,"Black Handsome said coldly.
This was the cruel rule of the tournament.If the course wasn't completed, no matter how well someone performed before, they would not be ranked, nor win.
"Come! Give it your all! Reach the finish line! If you succeed, you will gain unimaginable rewards. Your names will spread throughout the Eternal Continent and become immortal legends! Go! Go! Jimmy, Aja..." Carefree Brother shouted with excitement.
"Hmph! Yi Tianxing, don't think I'll just let you off after taking advantage of me! I, Yaoyue, will remember this!" Yaoyue shot a fierce glance at Yi Tianxing and snorted coldly.
Swish!
As soon as she finished speaking, the Moonlight Butterfly beneath her took flight, charging toward the island.
"Hmph, how could I, Yi Tianxing, let a woman charge ahead for me? If I want the championship, I'll seize it myself. Jinpeng, let's go!" Seeing this, Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate.
The Golden Roc let out a proud cry and soared into the sky.
"Wait for this emperor!"A flash of green light appeared, and Green Emperor suddenly landed on Jinpeng's back.
"Hey! Another leg has grown green fur! All four legs are now fully covered. Looks much more pleasing to the eye!" Yi Tianxing noticed that the Green Emperor had undergone another transformation—now all four of his legs had grown thick green fur.However, the body, head, and tail were still completely bald.
"Hehe, I definitely look even more handsome now! I'll be even more attractive to those dog-girls. If they can't hold themselves back, can I even handle it? Hmm... that's a big question." The Green Emperor grinned and began to ramble.
"I heard tiger whips and donkey whips are good for, uh, enhancements... which one should I get? Tiger whip or donkey whip? Tough choice!" He continued muttering to himself.
Yi Tianxing shot him a helpless glare."Green Emperor, shut up! After this is over, I'll find someone to listen to your endless rambling. If you help me win this, I'll find you ten dog-girls. You'll live in endless bliss!"
"Really?" The Green Emperor's eyes sparkled with excitement."Boss, don't worry! With me around, all those dumb tribulations, even lightning tribulations, are just paper tigers!"
He puffed out his chest proudly.
Right then—
Crack!!The moment participants began charging toward the island, streaks of lightning exploded from the sky like a tidal wave, instantly filling the sky between the glacier and the island.
A terrifying sea of lightning covered everything.Even glancing at it made one's scalp go numb.
The moment anyone left the glacier and stepped onto the sea, the lightning storm struck without mercy.This wasn't just one or two bolts—it was an endless, dense barrage, all aimed to annihilate them.It was pure destruction, no mercy, no hesitation.
Lightning was the embodiment of heaven's might—the most extreme force of nature.
A single bolt could instantly kill a Sea of Divine Power cultivator.And now, tens to hundreds of bolts bombarded them simultaneously, with more coming endlessly from behind.
"Flower Shifting!"Standing atop the Moonlight Butterfly, Yaoyue's face paled at the sight of the incoming lightning.No matter who you were, facing thunder and lightning evoked primal fear—fear rooted deep within your bloodline.
Without thinking, she danced her colorful ribbons again, trying to divert the lightning away.
"So powerful... Shifting this lightning is dozens of times harder than moving ice spikes. And whenever the lightning touches my ribbons, it causes terrifying destruction!" Her body trembled. Even though she managed to divert some bolts, the energy still partially transferred along the ribbons, battering her.
The savage power of lightning rampaged through her flesh and meridians, threatening to shatter her true energy and numb her entire body.If not for the instinctive protection of her True Astral Shield, she might have already suffered serious injuries.
Even so, the shield couldn't fully block the lightning's destruction.
Boom rumble!!
"Ouch! That hurts! Not my fur—NOOO!" On Jinpeng's back, the Green Emperor, who had stood proudly at the front, was struck by lightning.
Initially, he thought this tribulation would be like before—lots of thunder, but little real danger.He was dead wrong.