Chapter 1776: Chapter 1775 - Mystery Lightning

There were many scholars that studied tribulations. It was one of the few areas that both wicked and righteous powers had strong vested interests in. It had happened on more than one occasion that an expert making progress on such research was spared during invasions of powers.

Even all their research materials were carefully escorted outside the battles! It made for some awkward events but it showed how much cultivators valued such experts that even hostilities could be set aside if something critical could be harvested from them.

The reason such events ever occurred was usually for the same reason cultivation powers attacked each other. A leader or prominent person needed critical resources, security, or any advantage they could get.

The other reason the research was important was because delaying a tribulation, while possible, usually made it much worse. Heaven and Earth did not play favorites and while reaching peak condition never seemed to affect anything, trying to tilt the odds in one’s favor artificially once begun definitely caused a reaction.

It was why many tried to coincide with their best condition when they were near a breakthrough. It was their strongest and the tribulation’s weakest moments.

There were also branch studies of Heavenly Wrath, Judgment, and so forth. It was why such extensive knowledge existed on the various tribulations in the first place! The desire to overcome and advance to the next step in the path made any investment in research critical to everything else.

Some hoped to discern the secrets of Heaven and Earth as well but that had limited returns.

What all the researchers agreed with, however, was that the lightning in the greatest tribulations recorded never went beyond peak Dao Grade in power. Divine Realm cultivators faced different pressures.

The path they walked would be tested as well as the Mysteries they condensed. It would be closer to call them trials than tribulations. Heaven and Earth were making them affirm what they wanted to become and that they had mastered it.

Not one person, ever, in the history of cultivation ever thought to ask what would happen if a Divine Fiend had to face Heavenly Tribulation like a normal cultivator. It was assumed it would be a Wrath or other appropriate destructive event, yet they would be wrong.

Heavenly Wrath seemed like the anger of Heaven and Earth but it was the imbalance caused by actions that triggered it. Breaking the rules caused that punishment, yet one had to be bound by the rules of the moment to do it.

The Bastard had broken just about everything yet he, himself, had avoided Heavenly Wrath. The reason was because there was no way to counter such a massive imbalance as a simple punishment.

Tribulation, however, had been stacked realm over realm. Minor or major, it all added up and now black clouds covered the entirety of all the Divine Lands. There was nowhere the pressure and lighting did not exist.

It did not strike down indiscriminately, but its power had kept building until the current generation of scholars felt their scalps go numb.

It existed! It really existed! Mystery Lightning! Pure unadulterated Mystery Tribulation Lighting!

The first bolt blinded anyone looking at it with aura or eyes. Only 2 beings were spared as they were in the middle of it!

Lind felt his body spasm but he did not stop as he dove onto the howling Bastard! His black blood flowed like rivers until the healing took over once more. Tribulation was a 3 edged sword in the current battle.

It was a danger to the Bastard but also a boon if he could survive it. The final edge, however, could kill Lind just as easily.

He got zero benefit from the current situation whether he was struck or not! He could not let the Bastard slip into a city or other gathering as it would wipe out everyone with ease.

The souls could then be used by the Bastard to grow stronger! The only solace was that tearing through space was now impossible.

Heaven and Earth had seemingly slammed the doors shut on any chance of either of them getting away.

The massive emerald claws slammed into the ground, trying to hold the Bastard in place. The sky rumbled in anger as the Fiend slipped just barely away. He lost another arm to do it, yet he had escaped.

"I will not fall here! Heaven and Earth will not bind me! I will live forever and you will feed my rise!" The Bastard was no longer calm nor clever. He was desperate and ranting.

His power, however, was no less formidable. Despite the size difference, Lind was sent flying by a kick, his upper body recoiling.

Another lighting strike slammed into both at that moment. The Bastard was not ready that time and blood burst from every orifice. He gouged out a scar on the surface as Lind fell as well.

The dust cloud caused by his impact obscured anything to be seen but his mane moved instantly to create a weaving to disperse it.

Lind stood up and saw the Bastard was also alive. His ashen face was covered in black streaks of blood. Lind wasted no time.

Emerald flames shot out and his staff reappeared. It whiled in midair as he controlled it but vile blades met everything. The flames consumed the blade but his staff was sent flying away.

Lind was irritated. The Bastard was able to deflect with simple conjured weapons, not even a Mystery Weapon. It showed he had a deeper grasp of the Master Tier even when cornered by Heavenly Tribulation!

The battle became part slugfest and part torture. After 3 more rounds of lighting, Lind had to give up his dragon body. He was taking too much damage!

Crimson blood flowed from all over his body. The Bastard was missing an arm and his robes were essentially gone. Black blood and veins were exposed as he was breathing heavily.

They had both been deeply hurt to the point that recovering was no longer simple. Lind was only slightly better because he had stayed on the offensive while the Bastard had to not only defend but prepare.

The lighting above seemed to condense even more to the shock of all. Was there lightning beyond Mystery Grade?

Both men paused as even they could not have foreseen that! Lind then smiled and began to laugh.

The Bastard stared at him before finally bringing out all he had. The world distorted and even wailed as the dark glaive took shape. It seemed to shift even as one looked with the trillions of lives used to make it.

Lind had thought he could not loathe the Bastard anymore but he did.

The glaive seemed to leave a trail of horror in the very air as it swung at him. Lind used his staff to stop it. The clash usually would have ripped open the world, but now space was far more stable than ever before.

Both paused at the realization and glanced above. The Bastard actually became paler than Lind thought possible with all his blood loss.

"It is not poss–" All the hair on Lind’s body stood on end and his emerald eyes went wide. He instantly held up his staff as a massive sheet of lighting slammed into them.

Eternal Grade Lightning! It was the next realm power and both of them recognized it!

That tribulation had tapped into something else entirely! It was not possible for Eternal grade anything to exist in the Divine Lands!

Lind could neither hear nor see for quite a while. His aura let him know he was alive but his legs were gone! His body was regenerating far slower than normal. Eventually he was able to summon an elixir and down it.

His body recovered quickly and he saw the Bastard lying not far away. The glaive was snapped in 2 and smoking. He had done the same as Lind but came out worse than him.

His main torso was seared like a steak with intricate patterns from the lightning. Lind realized if it was true Eternal Realm power, they would both be more than dead.

Their existence would have been obliterated.

What was that power? Lind looked up and saw the clouds were not done. The power was building again but he frowned.

It felt similar but not quite up to par with true Eternal Realm power. He had limited exposure but even the Bastard, who arguably had far more, thought it had been that too.

He then snapped his eyes down as vile energy covered the Bastard’s body as it healed. He looked exhausted and no longer seemed to care about Lind as he looked above.

"You are not supposed to interfere! You are not allowed to!" Confusion flared in Lind’s heart. Who was he talking to? It can’t be his original self as he was terrified of him. Another Eternal Realm would likely have the same fear.

So who could–?! Lind snapped up his head in shock. It couldn’t be! His eyes glowed as his Mystery Eyes tore the clouds aside. The storm of Qi, Dao, and all energies were familiar but there was another!

Beyond the tribulation, above the clouds, he saw it. The sphere of white and black in the shape of yin and yang. It was a tear into the spirit world! It was a direct enhancement of the tribulation by Heaven and Earth directly!

The Bastard, for all his faults, was right. It should not be interfering! The consequences could not be good.

The rules of Heaven and Earth bound it as much as the rest of existence. Directly tipping the scales would–

Lind then froze. No, the Bastard was wrong! Heaven and Earth was not interfering! It was compensating! It was required for all the tribulations the Bastard had skipped! The normal process could not produce the correct amount of strength.

The power level made him nearly grasp something yet the rumble of thunder snapped him back. He looked over and saw the Bastard slowly repairing his Mystery Weapon.

The Fiend no longer cared about him. He was scared. His true enemy was involved now. The one that had bound him and tried to kill him. Lind was an enemy but for reasons the Bastard understood.

It was the ultimate power of the Divine Lands that had always been his foe. The one he wanted to tear down and consume to live forever!

"You want to break your rules?! Fine! I will show all how petty you are!" Lind felt all the pressure fall away. Fey had tried to tell him and he had used it as a mental strike against the Bastard too but he finally understood.

"You were a child when you died the first time." The Bastard froze and even the tribulation paused. The revelation seemed to freeze the world.

A tantrum. It was all a child’s tantrum at the unfairness of life. He had died a child and was then told others could live forever but not him. The Bastard was a child that never grew up.