Chapter 112: The Core Formation Stage (Part One)

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Le Hao gradually regained his senses. He rushed into the treasure vault, only to be met with such complete devastation that he felt like weeping. It was as if the thief had stripped the place clean, leaving not even a scrap behind.

"You brat! It was you!" Upon finally spotting Lin Yanghao, Le Hao’s despair ignited into a vengeful fury. He lunged at him, realizing that Lin Yanghao was the culprit. Thank heavens he had arrived in time! Fortunately, the boy hadn't escaped yet. This time, he would not only retrieve the stolen treasures but also extract Lin Yanghao’s soul and refine his spirit to quench his burning hatred! He would make the boy taste the bitterness of a failed scheme and teach him that Le Hao was not someone to be trifled with.

Meanwhile, Zeng Quan had already fled far away; staying by Lin Yanghao’s side was a death sentence. As the saying goes, it is better to live in disgrace than to die in honor. If he survived, he might have a chance to avenge Lin Yanghao later. Staying would only add one more corpse to the pile. Thus, the moment he realized Lin Yanghao was forming his core, Zeng Quan had retreated along the path he came.

...

"Wait, you are forming your core!" Just as he was about to strike, Le Hao realized that Lin Yanghao was in the midst of core formation. Judging by his progress, he was nearing success. This was the precursor to the Core Tribulation! Was he not courting death by standing here? Wouldn't he end up acting as a shield for the lightning? Furthermore, his presence would only amplify the power of the tribulation. Under such a force, he might actually die.

However, he reasoned that his own cultivation at the Spirit Severing stage should be more than enough to handle a mere Core Tribulation. Yet, since he had arrived, how could Lin Yanghao let him leave so easily? If he didn't leave a profound impression, the boy would think he was an easy target. Just as Le Hao attempted to retreat, the tribulation struck. It was too late for him to run; he had no choice but to bite the bullet. If he didn't resist, he would be obliterated by the lightning. He could only pray that Lin Yanghao would finish the tribulation quickly.

Under normal circumstances, the Core Tribulation would have been a piece of cake for Lin Yanghao. But because of Le Hao’s interference, the power of the tribulation was magnified several times over.

If it weren't for Le Hao absorbing the brunt of the strikes, even with Lin Yanghao’s strength, he likely wouldn't have survived. Soon, layers of clouds gathered, turning the surroundings pitch black. Dozens of purple lightning bolts churned in the sky, ready to strike at any moment.

*Boom! Boom!*

Accompanying the thunder, a bolt of tribulation lightning descended, nearly overturning the entire treasure vault. Lin Yanghao knew his tribulation had arrived. He stared blankly at the roiling lightning, cursing the damned Le Hao for making the tribulation so monstrous. "Fine! If we’re going to die, we die together!" he thought, closing his eyes to focus on condensing his golden core, leaving Le Hao to act as his meat shield. Had Le Hao known he was being used as a lightning rod, he would have surely crushed Lin Yanghao on the spot.

The bolts began to rain down, unerringly striking Le Hao as if he were a beacon. His clothes were instantly reduced to nothingness. Each bolt was as thick as an arm, crackling in the clouds as if to tear both men apart. "Damn it! This is a hundred times stronger than my own Spirit Infant Tribulation!" Le Hao howled in despair, feeling as though he were bowing to the inevitable. Nine bolts had already struck—the number typically seen in a full Spirit Infant Tribulation—and there was no sign of the lightning stopping.

"Damn you!" Le Hao cursed, enduring the relentless bombardment. He was battered beyond recognition. He regretted not assessing the situation before rushing in. Now, he was trapped in a dilemma, and he might very well lose his life today. "Damn it, Lin Yanghao, what kind of sins have you committed to deserve such a punishment from the heavens?" Le Hao screamed.

Lin Yanghao merely cast a look of disdain. He was at the critical moment of core formation and had no time to spare for Le Hao. He thought to himself: *Who is the one committing sins? A person of my character wouldn't! It must be you, you old wretch, who has done something so heinous that the heavens despise you.*

Le Hao finally realized that Lin Yanghao’s tribulation was far from ordinary; it was meant to kill him. And he, poor fool, was suffering right along with him. *My life is over...*

At this point, Le Hao lacked the strength to curse. His spiritual energy was exhausted, and his protective artifacts were all destroyed. But the real problem was that the tribulation showed no signs of stopping; instead, it grew even more intense. After enduring dozens of bolts, Le Hao finally collapsed.

"Master! Are you alright?"
"Father! You cannot die! What will become of me if you die?"

Outside the tribulation zone, the elders and disciples of the Heavenly Martial Sect had gathered. Le Hao was the pillar of their sect; if the pillar fell, they would surely meet their doom. Meanwhile, outside the sect, Zeng Quan watched the spectacle, thinking his boss was truly formidable for neutralizing Le Hao without breaking a sweat. Once Le Hao was dead, the others would be nothing more than grass before the scythe. The boss was right: faith in Brother Hao brings eternal life. He hurried back toward the sect.

"Come then, lightning! Let me see how powerful you truly are!" Lin Yanghao shouted, raising his middle finger to the sky.

*Boom! Crack!*

With Le Hao having fallen, Lin Yanghao became the sole target. *Oh, damn it! I was wrong! Can't I take it back?* Lin Yanghao nearly tripped. The lightning bolts had doubled in size, and their power was exponentially greater than before. Could he survive a strike from this? But the tribulation did not care. It crashed down upon him.

"Damn!" The impact shattered his high-grade protective armor instantly. The power was unimaginable. Even worse, another bolt followed immediately. He had no armor left, and even high-grade spiritual weapons would be useless.

*I have it!* In this life-or-death moment, Lin Yanghao drew the Heaven-Shaking Divine Sword to ward off the lightning. Though damaged, the blade was mighty enough to withstand this minor Core Tribulation.