The dark clouds thickened, becoming an oppressive curtain that seemed to descend upon the earth, smothering the light and filling the air with tension. Silver lightning flickered within the storm, casting fleeting glimpses of the writhing thunder serpents within.

  “It’s coming…”

  A hushed whisper broke the silence, marking the arrival of the Thunder Tribution.

  CRACK!

  A thunderbolt as thick as an arm split the heavens and descended with a roar, heading straight for Mr. Bai. The bolt was a destructive force of silver light, carrying an aura comparable to the full power of a Pathseeker expert.

  Mr. Bai’s expression turned grave as he readied himself. With a deep breath, he gathered every ounce of spiritual power within him. In his hands, a weapon appeared—an ominous bck spear adorned with scales that seemed alive, radiating an ancient, fearsome aura.

  “The Bck Dragon Spear!”

  “Such power… Truly worthy of the Bck Spear God!”

  Gasps and murmurs erupted from the onlookers. The Bck Dragon Spear was Mr. Bai’s legendary weapon, an artifact he had uncovered in ancient ruins during his youth. Rumors spoke of a bck dragon’s remnant soul sealed within it, granting the spear extraordinary power. Decades ago, Mr. Bai had carved his name into history with this spear, earning the moniker "Bck Spear God."

  However, since he had entered the service of the Heavenly Star Emperor Ji Wuhui, the spear had been set aside, its legend fading into memory. Now, its reappearance rekindled fear and reverence in the hearts of those who had witnessed its power in the past.

  “Break!”

  With a thunderous roar, veins bulging on his arms, Mr. Bai thrust the Bck Dragon Spear toward the descending lightning. A fierce dragon-shaped phantom emerged from the spear, coiling in defiance as it met the thunderbolt head-on.

  BOOM!

  The csh shook the heavens, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The dragon phantom shattered into fragments of light, and the thunderbolt dissipated. But the impact sent Mr. Bai hurtling backward, his figure skidding dozens of feet through the air.

  Breathing heavily, he steadied himself, eyes bzing with determination.

  "One down… eight to go." He muttered under his breath.

  The Thunder Tribution for a peak Pathseeker typically consisted of nine bolts, one for each rank within the realm. For ordinary cultivators, this was already daunting. For geniuses or monstrous cultivators, the heavens were even harsher—thunder that sought not just to test but to destroy, often striking dozens of times.

  In ancient legends, there were accounts of tributions so fierce that the lightning took humanoid forms to fight those who defied the heavens.

  ---

  Before Mr. Bai could catch his breath, the dark clouds above churned violently. Another bolt of lightning, fiercer and more destructive than the first, tore through the sky, bearing down on him.

  The oppressive energy rippling from the clouds caused weaker cultivators nearby to clutch their chests, gasping for air as the weight of the tribution bore down on them.

  “Hahaha! Good! Let it come!”

  Mr. Bai’s ughter rang out like a war cry. His tattered robes fpped wildly in the storm as he readied himself again. The Bck Dragon Spear glowed with an eerie light, and spectral dragons swirled around him, their roars mingling with the rumbling thunder.

  For him, there was no fear—only an indomitable will and fighting spirit. Decades of preparation and suppression had led to this moment.

  "Thunder Tribution is nothing to him," someone murmured from the crowd.

  “After years of patience, his breakthrough to peak Pathseeker is inevitable,” another agreed.

  Bolt after bolt descended, each more powerful than the st, and Mr. Bai met every one with unyielding determination. The air was filled with the csh of lightning and the resounding roar of the Bck Dragon Spear.

  ---

  After eight tributions, Mr. Bai stood battered and bloodied. His breathing was bored, and his body bore visible injuries. Yet his grip on the spear remained firm, and his eyes burned with defiance.

  “It’s almost over…” he muttered, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

  Above him, the dark clouds began to churn and condense, forming a vortex spanning nearly a hundred meters. The ominous spiral of energy radiated pure destruction.

  A sense of unease washed over him as he narrowed his eyes, sensing the lethal power gathering within the vortex.

  CRACK!

  The final bolt descended, a column of lightning several feet thick, its intensity tearing through the fabric of space. Bck cracks appeared in the air as the lightning roared toward him, an embodiment of the heavens’ wrath.

  This was the final trial, the most dangerous and destructive of them all. Mr. Bai gripped the Bck Dragon Spear tightly, his spiritual power surging to its peak as he prepared to face it.

  Would he overcome this ultimate challenge, or would the heavens cim him? The answer y in the moment to come.