Chapter 1025: Divine Damnation Shenanigans

The fourth wave arrived, unleashing nine bolts simultaneously. Ye Mo, startled, immediately released Zi Xu. Even he couldn't handle such an onslaught.

Crack crack crack

He cleaved three bolts; the remaining two struck him. Three more were stored within his storage formation; he could only absorb one. Fortunately, his power had increased after the first three waves; otherwise, the damage would have been far more severe. Still, the two bolts tore his flesh. His half-dao artifact provided protection, preventing serious injury. Using the Three Birth Chant, he quickly consumed the lightning in the formation and fully recovered.

Examining Zi Xu, he found it undamaged. His kitchen knife, he mused, was truly exceptional.

The divine damnation ceased. Ye Mo breathed deeply. It was intense, yet within reason. The lightning waves had significantly increased his power. He wondered, Is this Nascent Soul state power?

Then, he remembered his cracked golden core. He hadn't formed a Nascent Soul. What was happening? Had he failed?

As he examined himself, the surrounding spiritual energy surged toward him like a breached dam. He didn't even need to absorb it; it flowed directly into his body. Shocked, he immediately activated the Three Birth Chant. Fortunately, it was powerful enough to handle the influx.

His power increased even faster, causing his meridians to burst with pain. His golden core threatened to rupture. He hadn't anticipated such a terrifying situation.

Before he could devise a solution, the sky rumbled again, and more lightning crackled—bolts thick as a baby's arm. Dazed, Ye Mo wondered if the heavens intended to obliterate him. They were already falling, however, leaving no time for curses. He released Zi Xu again, frantically infusing it with cultivation essence.

How could a Golden Core cultivator endure such a terrifying divine tribulation? He roared, "Illusion Cloud Exert Will, break!" You want my life, but I won't give it! Countless purple sword rays erupted, clashing with the dense lightning. Though his power far surpassed its previous level, the lightning's force far outstripped his sword rays' defenses.

Twenty more bolts struck; eight were absorbed into the storage formation. The rest impacted Ye Mo. He knew his formation could hold at most eight bolts before exploding.

Crack, rumble

Despite the Three Birth Chant's power, he was nearly torn apart. His half-dao artifact, undamaged until now, shattered. He spat blood, crawling from a deep trench. The divine damnation almost claimed his life, but he'd survived. However, he was severely wounded. He noticed the pressure in his meridians had vanished. His shattered golden core seemed to have consumed this energy, forming a new type of energy.

He realized his divine damnation differed from others. It seemed to harbor hatred, intent on killing him.

Too exhausted to curse, he counted: thirty-six bolts in the last wave, totaling seventy-two—equivalent to eight waves. Seventy-two? He was undergoing the Nine-Nine Divine Damnation; the final wave was yet to come.

Fuck!

Grumbling, he knew he must absorb the lightning in the storage formation; otherwise, the final wave would be even more brutal.

The sky's rumbling subsided; it even seemed clearer. Yet, Ye Mo remained wary. He knew this divine damnation was insidious; resting now might invite immediate retribution. He quickly consumed recovery pills and began absorbing the eight lightning bolts.

Suddenly, his sea of consciousness brightened, and his injuries healed faster. His meridians expanded, his cultivation essence thickening. He was relieved. As long as his injuries healed, he could withstand even a more powerful final wave.

Then, he saw a woman charging toward him.

"Move aside, it's my divine damnation!" he exclaimed, recognizing her instantly. It was Mu Xiaoyun.

Ye Mo was shocked. "Xiaoyun, what are you doing here? Move aside…"

"Husband, I've been looking for you. I finally found you. I'm not leaving you again!" Mu Xiaoyun cried, rushing forward.

Rumble rumble

Before he could respond, the final wave struck. The first two bolts aimed at Mu Xiaoyun, clearly due to her interference. He couldn't let her be struck. This wave was twice as powerful as the previous one, and Mu Xiaoyun, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, would certainly die.

Without hesitation, he charged toward her, releasing Zi Xu. Two bolts were intercepted, one striking him. He lacked his half-dao artifact; even with the Three Birth Chant, he spat blood.

Before attending to his wounds, he urgently asked, "Xiaoyun, are you alright?"

Then, he sensed something amiss. Such a coincidence? While undergoing his divine damnation, she'd charged into the lightning's range? This area was deserted for miles.

It wasn't Xiaoyun; it was a heart demon tribulation!

Mu Xiaoyun vanished; seven more bolts appeared.

Fuck! He'd been tricked, lured outside his lightning storage formation. Fortunately, he reacted quickly. Before the bolts struck, he returned to his original position.

The seven bolts fell. Enraged, he released Zi Xu, forgoing Illusion Cloud, infusing it only with cultivation essence, hacking at the sky.

Crack crack

Without Illusion Cloud, Zi Xu's divine damnation defense was far stronger. Two bolts were cleaved. Of the remaining five, two entered the formation, one was absorbed with the Three Birth Chant, and the final two struck him, heavily injuring him.

He had no time to analyze Zi Xu's enhanced performance; he noticed the immense change in his dantian. The shattered golden core had formed a small Nascent Soul, an exact replica of himself. It entered his dantian and began using the Three Birth Chant to absorb spiritual energy.

The Three Birth Chant accelerated, sweeping away the surrounding energy. More rumbles echoed in the sky, seemingly in dissatisfaction. His injuries healed, yet the heavens shifted again.

I can't be this unlucky, he thought.

But this time, it wasn't the divine damnation. A vast expanse of rainbow clouds emerged from the void, settling above him. The familiar feeling—he'd seen rainbow clouds when he formed his core, but this time, the colors were even more vivid.