The system said solemnly, "Host, there is one thing you must understand. No matter the reason you summon heavenly lightning, that lightning will eventually split Jade Heng Mountain and strike you. This is unavoidable."
"Oh, that's fine. Strike away. It won't kill me anyway," Jian Lin gazed at the peach blossom mark on the back of her hand, her heart utterly at peace.
What was a bit of heavenly lightning compared to losing her freedom, to her Peach Blossom maiden? It was nothing significant.
Outside the Jade Heng Mountain range.
It had been a day and a night since the four great demon tribes opened the spiritual vein gate. The demons gathered outside came and went, their numbers only increasing. They all thought that if dragon bones could truly be obtained, it would be worth it just to catch a glimpse, and they had to guard the exit to join the excitement.
As for what was inside, apart from the Bear Tribe, after the patriarchs of the three demon tribes descended, the elders of their tribes with high cultivation and status gradually gathered before the spiritual vein gate. They gazed at the narrow opening, hesitating and probing, but no demon dared to venture down to investigate.
Another portion of the demons kept their eyes fixed on the coiled dragon jade pendant on the altar, harboring wicked intentions.
Whoever possessed the coiled dragon jade pendant would be the patriarch.
If the true patriarch descended, and then took the jade pendant and closed the spiritual vein gate, it would be killing two birds with one stone, allowing them to firmly secure the position of patriarch.
However, no demon dared to make the first move.
Time flew by in this stalemate, and it was already evening.
The clouds in the sky were as rich and vibrant as fire, casting a glow on the land, as if the entire world was burning.
A small bird demon circled once, gazing at the dark red sky, feeling a sense of foreboding.
It landed on a branch and asked its brother, "Second Brother, doesn't this sky look strange? Is it because we disturbed the spiritual veins, and it's going to incur punishment from the divine realm? It looks bad."
"What are you thinking about?" the stronger bird demon beside it replied. "The spiritual veins belong to us, the four great demon tribes. It has nothing to do with the divine realm. We can do whatever we want. If the divine realm is unwilling, they can simply take it back. Why should they punish us?"
The small bird demon was not convinced. It continued to look up at the sky. In what seemed like an instant, the dark red sky turned purplish-black, and dark clouds pressed down, with flickers of lightning.
"Second Brother, let's go home," the little bird demon tugged at its brother's wing and said timidly, "I'm a little scared."
"What are you afraid of? You..."
Suddenly, a fierce wind arose, scattering the second brother's words. The sky darkened abruptly. The demons finally sensed something was wrong. How could it get so dark so quickly?
Before they could react, a rolling bolt of heavenly lightning descended, striking with a deafening roar. The ground shook, and sparks flew, stunning all the demons.
"Look, look," a demon stammered, pointing upwards, "Mother Peak is gone!"
Mother Peak was the highest peak in the Jade Heng Mountain range. The demons called it Mother Peak, revering it as the source of life for the four great demon tribes.
Now that the source was gone, the demons panicked and scattered.
Someone shouted, "The divine realm is punishing us!"
Following this shout, another bolt of heavenly lightning struck, this time splitting the Jade Heng Mountain range open. Huge rocks tumbled down, and the demons fled in all directions.
At the spiritual vein gate, it was also chaos. Unbeknownst to them, a demon reached out and took the coiled dragon jade pendant. With a click, the spiritual vein gate began to close.
The demon elders began to fight amongst themselves, killing the patriarch's trusted subordinates. Disregarding the falling rocks at the exit, they continued to fight to the death for the jade pendant.
"Run! The main hall is collapsing!"
Blood, fleeing, fighting to the death, the coiled dragon jade pendant appearing and disappearing, demons with bloodshot eyes hacking off the arms of their kin, only to be crushed by falling rocks moments later.
Outside, a torrential rain began to fall. A bolt of heavenly lightning struck, and the entire mountain forest emitted a scorched smell. Thick smoke billowed everywhere, stinging the demons' eyes.
With a rumble, another strike. This time, the falling rocks directly blocked the entrance to the cave.
Meanwhile, in the demon city.
The Grand Priest, observing the celestial phenomenon in the northwest, suddenly spat out a mouthful of dark red blood and murmured, "It's heavenly lightning. Who in the demon realm is undergoing tribulation to ascend?"
He then negated his own thought, "It can't be a demon. Could it be the Demon Lord?"
With this thought, he ignored his weakened body and summoned his crow guards, "Go inform the Demon Emperor. We are going to the northwest. Quickly, depart!"
Not long after, outside the demon city.
Boss Snake stared motionlessly at the sky. First, the Ling Yu Guards, then the Demon Emperor's palanquin, followed by the crow guards, and finally a pure white sedan chair.
His pupils suddenly contracted. His withered fingers scratched his chin. "Interesting, very interesting. The Grand Priest has gone out. What major event has happened in the northwest?"
His gaze returned to Jade Heng Mountain. The downpour was mixed with strong winds, and later, hail. Bolt after bolt of heavenly lightning struck, as if inexhaustible, intending to tear heaven and earth apart.
However, deep within the underground spiritual veins, after forty-five bolts of heavenly lightning, they only felt a slight tremor.
"It's finally here!" Jian Lin stood up, spread her arms, and said fiercely, "Hurry! Let the storm rage even more!"
With a rumble, the depths of the spiritual veins shook. Accompanied by Jian Lin's frantic laughter, there was another muffled thud.
The Demon Lord stood quietly behind her, his eyes dark and unfathomable, as if contemplating something.
Hong Qu returned to the jade pendant, and was carefully placed in the Demon Lord's embrace. He reached out and touched Xiao Li, asking softly, "Are you afraid of heavenly lightning?"
Xiao Li hugged the Demon Lord tightly and replied in a small voice, "I'm not afraid."
"Oh? Why?" the Demon Lord asked with interest. "You, a little cat demon who hasn't formed a demon core, if struck by heavenly lightning, you might be utterly annihilated."
"I was born in a place of storms," Xiao Li looked up at the void, saying with immense confidence, "I am not afraid of these things."
The Demon Lord raised his eyes and glanced at Xiao Li's golden eyes, as if understanding something. "That's good. Take care of yourself. I won't be able to look after you then."
Xiao Li lowered her gaze, looked at the Demon Lord, and then at the tall, slender, and crazed figure in front of her, instantly understanding something.
The Demon Lord wouldn't be able to look after her because he had someone more important to look after.
The Demon Lord's last lightning tribulation was about fifty years ago, when he entered the Nascent Soul stage. He had not achieved any major breakthroughs since then, and naturally, had not undergone another lightning tribulation.
Now, using those lightning-repelling spells again felt a bit rusty.
Another bolt of heavenly lightning struck. This time, the sound was closer. Giant rocks fell from the void, and the rapidly flowing dark river also rippled, its surface no longer calm.
The Demon Lord focused his mind, calculated with his fingers, and suddenly took a step forward, embracing Jian Lin and retreating. A massive stone cone fell, struck the edge of the cliff, and plunged into the dark river.
"It's coming."
Jian Lin first heard the Demon Lord's low murmur, followed by a crack and a deafening rumble that shook the earth and sent rocks flying.
Amidst the chaos, with another roar, this bolt of heavenly lightning finally split Jade Heng Mountain.
In an instant, shattered stones, soil, rain, and hail, mixed with refreshing air, rushed directly towards Jian Lin.
Jian Lin was stunned. Only by feeling the Demon Lord's presence, as he held her, stepped onto a giant rock, and maneuvered nimbly, did she realize they were rushing upwards.
A flash of lightning illuminated the exit. Immediately after, a bolt of heavenly lightning struck. The Demon Lord narrowly dodged it, and Jian Lin watched as the giant rock they had been on disappeared.
"Demon Lord, after we get out, let me go," Jian Lin said anxiously, turning her head. "This heavenly lightning is aimed at me. Stay away from me, don't get hit!"
"Stop the nonsense. We haven't gotten out yet. Be careful of the falling rocks," the Demon Lord said coldly. "Look up, use your magic to shatter the rocks. You should be useful for something."
As he spoke, a sharp giant rock grazed past them, tearing a hole in Jian Lin's apricot robe with a ripping sound. It swiftly tumbled into the abyss.
"Ahhhhh, don't come near me!" Jian Lin formed hand seals with both hands, using all her magical power to deflect the giant rock, carving out a path of survival for herself and the Demon Lord.
Through the lightning, hail, and rain, Jian Lin truly had never suffered so much.
After about seven or eight lightning tribulations, the Demon Lord finally brought her out of the abyss in one go and onto the mountaintop.
Before she could enjoy the joy of escaping death, Jian Lin turned and pushed the Demon Lord away, shouting loudly, "Stay away from me!"
As she spoke, a bolt of heavenly lightning struck. The sensation was like an electric shock throughout her body. Jian Lin fell straight onto the cold, giant rock in a spread-eagle posture.
Flashes of lightning flickered, and Jian Lin, terrified, quickly closed her eyes, feeling as if this lightning would strike her brain directly.
After the deafening sound, she did not feel the numbing pain. She thought she had been stunned silly and opened her eyes, only to meet the Demon Lord's gaze.
He knelt beside her, leaning over to shield her from the bolt of heavenly lightning.
The rain poured down. The next flash of lightning illuminated his eyes: strong, peaceful, and eternally trustworthy.
Jian Lin could not describe her feelings at that moment. No matter how much the Demon Lord distrusted or doubted her, in this moment, she was moved to tears by him.
"Lord Demon Lord!" Jian Lin leaped up and stood behind him, shielding him from a bolt of heavenly lightning.
After the heavenly lightning passed, she collapsed into his arms, in pain and numb, saying intermittently, "I... I'm fine. Look... I can do it myself."
The Demon Lord turned and held her hand, saying calmly, "I'm fine too. A mere lightning tribulation is nothing."
Since they both claimed they could handle it, they would face it together.
They quietly endured the remaining dozen or so bolts of heavenly lightning until all eighty-one were completed.
During this time, Jian Lin communicated with the system, asking if it could stop the heavenly lightning now that she was out.
The system replied with difficulty that to ensure the divine realm could be split, it had applied for the highest authority. Eighty-one bolts of heavenly lightning had been requested, and once started, it had to be completed.
Fine, Jian Lin thought, the system was also ensuring foolproofness. She endured it.
After the eighty-one bolts of heavenly lightning, the rain lessened and soon stopped.
The dark clouds dispersed, and a bright moon hung high in the sky, its silver glow spilling onto the earth. The air was fresh after the rain, and the world was quiet and beautiful.
Jian Lin stared blankly. If not for her drenched state and the lingering pain, she would have thought everything that had just happened was merely a nightmare.
Xiao Li jumped onto her, nudging her nose with its wet snout. "Sister A'pei, you're still alive."
"Yes, I'm alive," Jian Lin said weakly, looking up at the Demon Lord. She saw his firm, chiseled jaw and his bright eyes, reflecting the moonlight. "Lord Demon Lord, are you alright?"
"Quite well, and I've had some realizations. Get up and guard me. I need to cultivate," the Demon Lord said domineeringly.