Chapter 887: Heavenly Punishment

Although Ye Mo knew Zhang Chengfeng possessed considerable spirit stones, he didn't request a loan. He'd accept any offer from Zhang Chengfeng, but soliciting funds would offend the man. Furthermore, Ye Mo knew Zhang Chengfeng wouldn't want them to succeed.

Yan Zheng, though only at the tertiary stage of Foundation Establishment, offered assistance. He approached Ye Mo, handing him a bag. "Use these for now. If you need more, I'll get some."

The bag contained 50,000 top-grade spirit stones, astonishing Ye Mo. He wondered how a mere manager could possess such wealth.

"Brother Yan, thank you. I'll repay your kindness," Ye Mo said, taking the stones. He then observed Zhang Chengfeng casually conversing with another Golden Core cultivator, seemingly oblivious to Yan Zheng's generosity.

Ye Mo sneered; his earlier gift of a face-preserving pill felt wasted.

Yan Zheng smiled, about to speak, when a sneer interrupted. "Manager Yan, using the Immortal Treasure Tower's spirit stones to make gifts? Hehe! You're bold."

Yan Zheng frowned. "Manager Pei, this is my own money, given to Brother Ye. Is there a problem?"

Ye Mo saw the speaker: a corpulent man with a pot belly and triangular eyes—the ugliest man Ye Mo had ever seen.

Manager Pei, seeing Ye Mo's scrutiny, sneered contemptuously. "Really? I heard Manager Yan personally granted China Pharmaceuticals that land. Did I mishear? Is that land your personal property?"

Humiliated before Ye Mo, Yan Zheng retorted, "I gave it to him, so what? Pei You, what right do you have to question me?"

Pei You laughed bleakly. "I fear betrayal. That person's support might crumble; I want to see how they fare then."

Ignoring Pei You, Yan Zheng apologized to Ye Mo. "Sorry, Brother Ye."

Ye Mo smiled calmly. "Don't worry, Brother Yan. I won't concern myself with barking dogs."

Pei You's expression darkened. Before he could respond, Ye Mo, ignoring him, instructed Zhen Xiaoshan, "Sister Zhen, kill anyone venturing more than a kilometer into the formation. I'm checking on Sister Li."

As Ye Mo re-entered the formation, Zhang Chengfeng's gaze followed, his face still bearing a seemingly genuine smile.

After contributing her spirit stones, Li Yuqian felt her spirit chi replenished; her cracked core began forming a nascent soul. Ye Mo observed the growing spirit chi whirlpool above her, realizing the crucial need for vast spirit chi. Without hesitation, he added all his spirit stones—including Yan Zheng's gift—to the gathering formation.

Everyone gasped at the sudden influx of spirit stones. While not significant for a Golden Core cultivator, it was a fortune for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Zhang Chengfeng's calm demeanor shifted. He knew Yan Zheng had aided Ye Mo, but hadn't anticipated Ye Mo's own substantial reserves. Was China Pharmaceuticals so lucrative? He decided to investigate further.

Feeling the surge in spirit chi, Li Yuqian gratefully looked at Ye Mo. While prepared, her funds were limited.

A rumble echoed—the spirit chi whirlpool shook, as if lightning surged within. The heavenly punishment was imminent. Ye Mo quickly returned to the lightning attraction formation. To everyone's shock, he remained, facing Li Yuqian's nascent soul tribulation.

Li Yuqian, expressionless, summoned a blue light sword and aqua spirit armor.

Ye Mo was pleased; she'd prepared a low-grade spirit artifact armor and even a top-grade spirit artifact flying sword.

Nine lightning bolts, thin as chopsticks, struck Li Yuqian and her sword. Ye Mo withheld his formation, knowing she needed to withstand the initial three waves. His formation could only attract lightning once during a Nascent Soul tribulation.

After the first wave, Li Yuqian's hair was disheveled, but her armor only slightly cracked. She'd handled the first wave with ease.

Encouraged, Li Yuqian felt confident in overcoming the four nine heavenly punishments.

The second wave arrived more slowly. Fifteen minutes later, nine thumb-sized lightning bolts struck.

A powerful rumble shook the ground. Ye Mo worried; the second wave far exceeded the first in intensity. He noticed a burning smell; Li Yuqian's hair was burnt, her low-grade armor spiderwebbed. The armor couldn't withstand the third wave.

The third wave arrived, the bolts again thumb-sized, but this time, a single bolt struck first, shattering her armor before the remaining eight followed. Li Yuqian spat blood; her flying sword was destroyed.

Ye Mo's heart sank. Though she'd survived three waves, her defenses were gone. Could she withstand the fourth, strongest wave?

The terrifying power of the three waves shook some cultivators' resolve.

The fourth wave was delayed. Li Yuqian consumed pills, accelerating her soul formation. Her expression became strange. Was the fourth wave, the heart tribulation, beginning?

After 45 minutes, Li Yuqian howled, producing a gray shield and a middle-grade spirit artifact flying sword.

Ye Mo was relieved; she was better prepared than he’d thought.

Zhang Chengfeng, sneering, saw this and his expression shifted.

Three unexpected lightning bolts struck, surpassing the third wave in intensity. Li Yuqian's shield and sword cracked.

Her expression changed drastically; she hadn't anticipated such ferocity. Before she could recover, another three bolts struck.

Zhang Chengfeng, seeing her shield and sword shatter, felt relief. She wouldn't survive.

Ye Mo, witnessing her being smashed to the ground, activated the lightning attraction formation. Without his intervention, Li Yuqian would perish.