[Host, do you wish to purchase a 'Lightning Rod'?]

'Wha's that? Why would I buy a lightning rod? I thought Ye Qingqiu was the one getting struck?'

[Do you wish to purchase the consumable, 'Lightning Rod'?]

System, very professionally, repeated its question.

The lightning bolts had already vanished. Shi Sheng looked at the sky. 'It's clear for miles so where did that lightning come from? Were they leftovers from Ye Qingqiu's ascension tribulation? Also, what would I want a lightning rod for? To stick on my head?'

"What was that just now? I though the tribulation was over? Why was there still lightning?"

"I don't know. Never heard of this happening before."

"Did you guys notice those lightning bolts were thicker than the ones from earlier? And I feel like they're even more powerful as well. I was standing so far away yet even I felt uncomfortable."

"Some people near the front look like they've spit out blood due to the pressure"

"What?! That powerful?! Just what kind of lightning was that?! Is Sect Head Ye going to become a god?!"

"Quit joking. The God World's been gone for ages, how would she become a god?"

The last sentence was accompanied by scoffing laughter.

The person who had spoken had only been speaking casually but after having been humiliated by others, he became pissed off and started arguing. But just as it was about to evolve into fisticuffs

Darkness suddenly befell the place as the clear skies were replaced by thick dark clouds. Those clouds seemed to have come out of nowhere as they appeared in the blink of an eye.

Shi Sheng would never have expected those lightning bolts to be coming for her!

The moment the storm clouds appeared, Feng Ci was repelled by a formless energy. At the same time, more than ten lightning bolts descended from the heavens without warning.

These lightning bolts were larger than Ye Qingqiu's. 'Dammit, why are more than ten striking me at the same time while Ye Qingqiu got to deal with them one at a time?! This is too biased!!!'

The lightning was unavoidable; the bolts wouldn't disappear unless they struck their target.

'Those ten or so bolts before were clearly for the sake of clearing out the area! Now I know why System wanted me to get a lightning rod! But why isn't it reacting now ah?! I(bbb) want to buy a lightning rod!!!'

From the outside, the area around Shi Sheng was surrounded by a purple light, blocking the view of the person inside.

Though the noise wasn't as loud as during Ye Qingqiu's tribulation, everyone there could feel that the pressure was much greater. They all retreated to a safer distance.

Jun Wuqi and the rest of the Demon Race present also retreated.

"Demon Lord, this tribulation seems a bit off." One of the older and more experienced demons spoke, "Shang Shu and Ye Qingqiu were both at the Immortalisation stage. Ye Qingqiu's tribulation was already much stronger than a normal tribulation. According to logic, Shang Shu's tribulation shouldn't be as strong but now it's clear the power of the tribulation has increased by a fold! Could it be she is one of those favoured by Heaven?"

Everyone knew that those who were favoured by the Heavens received the blessings and protection of the Heavenly Dao. But because of this, those people's tribulations were much harder than normal.

This was the so called concept of give and take. The Heavenly Dao wouldn't give you great fortune for free.

Jun Wuqi had no way of replying to that. 'What kind of fortune would someone secretly plotting to steal that position of the Celestial World have? It's more like misfortune!'

Quite a few people were thinking along the same lines as the demons. Thinking of Shang Shu's past actions though, their expressions turned very colourful. 'Is Heaven blind? This kind of person is fit to have great fortune?'

Ye Qingqiu returned to the area the Misty Sect disciples were and heard them discussing Shang Shu. Her already dark expression turned even darker. 'I only just finished my tribulation and this woman's tribulation came too. And it's even stronger than mine'

Upon seeing Ye Qingqiu's expression, those disciples immediately shut up and lowered their gazes as they moved backwards. Even the male cultivators who usually accompanied her didn't dare to make a peep.

"Keke looks like your spotlight got stolen."

"Shut up!" Ye Qingqiu roared in rage in her mind.

"Keke little girl, don't be an ingrate. If it wasn't for me helping you, did you think you would have succeeded in your tribulation?" The voice had a mocking tone. Just now, Ye Qingqiu had nearly died because the Heavenly Dao wouldn't acknowledge someone like her who was cultivating an unorthodox technique.

"If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have become like this." A nameless anger surged in Ye Qingqiu's heart.

"Don't forget back then when you fell off the cliff. Would you have survived without signing the contract with me? Since I extended your life, you have to help me. Everything afterwards was your own choice; did I force you?"

Ye Qingqiu was stumped for words. She tightened her fists as her cold eyes stared at the clusters of lightning in the sky. 'This is all Shang Shu's fault. She killed my Master, otherwise I wouldn't have to go through any of this.'

"Little girl, if she succeeds, it'll be harder for you to deal with her."

"Do you have any methods?" Ye Qingqiu had a premonition that if Shang Shu didn't die, even if she went to the Celestial World, she wouldn't have it easy.

"Keke I don't even have a fleshly body right now, what methods could I have?"

If he had a body, he might have a way. But he didn't, so there was nothing he could do. Ye Qingqiu clenched her teeth. 'Do I have to just watch as she succeeds in her tribulation? No! Isn't there a chance she'll fail? And the power of this tribulation is so big perhaps she really won't be able to make it?'

Ye Qingqiu comforted herself inwardly as her gaze remained fixed at the sky. The surrounding Misty Sect disciples retreated when they felt the pressure around the area intensify.

The only person here who was worried about Shi Sheng was Feng Ci. Even though he was powerful, he had no way of approaching the area of this tribulation so he could only nervously stare at the area getting struck by lightning.

Lightning fell by the droves and without any pause either, proving the person undergoing the tribulation was still alive. The tribulation lasted an entire day; no one had ever seen anything like it before.

When the lightning finally stopped, a blackened Shi Sheng fell from the sky. Feng Ci was the first to charge over and catch her. "Xiaoshu."

Feng Ci's voice was shaking. Had he known that her tribulation would be so hard, he wouldn't have let her undergo it. He would be willing to stay with her in the Cultivation World indefinitely.

Shi Sheng was charred from head to toe. Her clothes had been struck into tattered rags and her hair was sticking up. Her image was really terrible at the moment.

"Ah Ci." Shi Sheng weakly opened her eyes. "Hurry up and help me change my clothes."

'I don't even want to look at myself right now. I'm a villain! I can't show up looking this horrible! Heads can be severed and blood can flow but you must never let your image go!'

Feng Ci's anxious heart was finally able to calm down. 'If she's able to worry about her image, it proves she's fine.'

Feng Ci hurriedly helped Shi Sheng change her clothes before using a spell to tidy up her hair. Only after he had finished did the ethereal music arrive from the heavens, rather late.

Authors note:

This is a heart wrenching chapter {for single people} Ow, my heart hurts. Hurry up and use votes to comfort me! *sobs*