As Bai Qiuran moved forward, the sky suddenly darkened. Not long after he took a few steps, a thunderous crack resonated, and a bolt of lightning flashed overhead, tearing through the clouds on either side of him. He stored away the spirit stones and then pulled out a new iron sword from his storage bag, dashing toward the higher levels of the white jade corridor.
The white jade corridor where Bai Qiuran stood was a path that rose from lower grounds to higher altitudes. It could be said that it connected from the clouds below to the clouds above. Thus, there were still many layers of clouds above him, and at that moment, those clouds began to gather around, sandwiching the white jade corridor between them. The clouds rubbed against each other, creating a faint rumble of thunder.
"Fighting monsters and earning treasures, how impressive!" The scene moved Bai Qiuran greatly, prompting him to shout, "Wait a minute!"
But just after taking a few more steps, the sky darkened once again. A massive winged serpent opened its gaping mouth, unleashing a bolt of thunder that was as thick as a barrel, its immense power comparable to the full attack of a Spirit Transformation cultivator, aimed straight at Bai Qiuran.
Once again, a thunder clap echoed as a flash of lightning ran overhead, slicing through the clouds to his left and right. He pondered briefly before gathering the few high-grade spirit stones that had fallen and continued onward.
There stood a figure on a platform in the clouds, facing away from him, dressed in snow-white robes. Though he could only see her back, Bai Qiuran immediately recognized her identity. As he approached, the person turned to look at him, revealing her enchanting beauty, adorned with a small, captivating beauty mark beneath her eye—indeed, it was Su Xiangxue's stunning visage.
After walking several miles, the altitude of the white jade corridor gradually increased, and the tumultuous storm clouds receded. Upon passing through yet another decorative small heavenly gate, Bai Qiuran spotted a familiar figure on the white jade corridor.
Bai Qiuran calculated the power of the lightning and discerned that it was not mere natural lightning. Instead, it possessed a might beyond that, infused with the rules of Heaven itself, aimed squarely at stubborn cultivators—these were the heavenly tribulations of Immortal practitioners.
A sword rang out, and the lightning suddenly split in two. The great serpent that expelled the lightning lost its head to an invisible blade qi, and its head crashed to the white jade corridor, shattering a long railing, while its monstrous body fell from the clouds, vanishing from sight.
With the tumultuous clouds rumbling with thunder and lightning, the first trial of this challenge finally revealed its scales and claws. Bai Qiuran picked up the fallen high-grade spirit stones from the ground, counting them, and to his surprise, the quantity far exceeded that which had fallen from the previous giant serpent.
He exchanged glances with the figure and remarked, "Su Xiangxue is far more beautiful; she is naturally charming and captivating. You, on the other hand, look like a doll that came off an assembly line, quite disappointing." He gasped in awe, "What an incredible place! No wonder it’s the abode of Earth Immortals; it’s high-tech as well—will there be more treasures dropping later?"
The trials of this place seemed to be signaling the start of a new challenge. Following the first tribulation came more bolts of heavenly thunder, crisscrossing right above Bai Qiuran. The nearest bolt was only a few meters from him, and he could even smell the ozone from the ionized air.
There were no ordinary cultivators here, only those bound by the powerful array of this heavenly abode, which created a ghostly image of Su Xiangxue from Bai Qiuran’s memories. He couldn't help but feel touched by the scene, calling out, "Wait!"
Bai Qiuran's heart stirred as he saw the manifestation before him, feeling a mixture of longing and fear. This Su Xiangxue figure, who appeared to know nothing of his existence yet acted out as if she were real, reflected his inner turmoil as she faced him with an all-too-painful smile, turning to walk toward the brink of the platform, her every move reminiscent of a tragic beauty.
The huge serpent's head quietly turned into flickering light points as it faded away, yet as it vanished, chunks of brilliant high-grade spirit stones fell to the ground, igniting a true sense of joy within Bai Qiuran.
"Fighting monsters and dropping treasures—it’s truly remarkable!" he exclaimed again.
In the turbulent storm of thunder and lightning, the great serpent unleashed another thunderous roar, as if to convey the gravity of this trial. It was a test of strength and wit as Bai Qiuran prepared himself for the challenges that lay ahead in the heart of the trial and the spiritual treasures waiting for him.
With determination, he advanced, aware that the road ahead would grow even more treacherous, but his resolve to seize victory and uncover the secrets of this heavenly domain remained unshaken.