Chapter 11: Killing the Demon and Crossing the Tribulation

The Tribulation Cloud gradually grew thick and heavy, with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder; Tribulation Lightning could descend at any moment.

"Meow~" Da Miao called out to Su Xi.

【She wants you to stay further away.】

Su Xi stepped back a distance.

Seeing that she was far enough away, Da Miao curled up on the ground and seized the time to cultivate. Although Xie Guanyu had injured her and made her spit blood, it had not damaged her foundation, and she would recover quickly.

*Gurgle~* Su Xi's stomach growled with hunger again. She looked around and said to Er Miao: 【Open the map; I want to see if there is anything to eat nearby.】

【Okay.】 Er Miao activated the System Map.

Everything in the surroundings appeared clearly in Su Xi's consciousness; even the ants biting at grass seeds and struggling forward could be seen with perfect clarity.

【Can you look underground? Is there any root-type food?】

【A burial depth of three meters will limit the map's range.】

【That's fine.】

Five meters above ground and three meters below appeared in Su Xi's consciousness in exhaustive detail.

Suddenly, her expression changed drastically!

Directly beneath where she was standing, a Red-Backed Black Lizard was looking up toward Da Miao, its gray-blue long tongue flicking in and out; its saliva dripped down, instantly corroding a patch of soil.

【Host, it's a Grassland Poison Lizard!】 Er Miao said.

Su Xi said: 【It has its eyes on Da Miao. But why isn't it looking at me? I'm standing right on top of its head.】

【Because of the spell left by Master, in its eyes, the Host is just like an ordinary human, someone it can deal with at any time.】

【…Uh, how did I forget that? Master said that anyone with a cultivation lower than his cannot harm me, which means that although I have no strength, I have defense.】

Su Xi immediately took a gleaming Spirit Sword out of her Storage Bag.

【What is the Host going to do?】

【Kill the poison lizard to prevent it from hindering Da Miao's tribulation!】 Su Xi narrowed her eyes slightly, aimed at the grass beneath her feet, and stabbed down with her sword!

The Red-Ringed Black Lizard sensed the crisis and burst out from the soil.

The lizard body, which had originally been only a meter or so, began to grow larger and larger... finally becoming a giant lizard about five meters long!

Its entire body radiated thick, black demonic energy!

Da Miao sensed the situation here and immediately wanted to rush over, but the Tribulation Cloud above her head held her in place; she could not break free within the surrounding area.

Su Xi shouted to Da Miao: "You focus on your tribulation; it can't do anything to me."

*Hiss—* The giant lizard stared fixedly at the sword in Su Xi's hand, looking quite wary.

Seeing this, Su Xi grew more confident and lunged forward with her sword to kill it.

【Host, can you see the position marked by the red dot on the map? That is its heart meridian; pierce it and you can kill it!】

【Got it!】

The giant lizard whipped its tail, swinging it toward Su Xi's waist!

If not for the defensive spell protecting her body, Su Xi might have been cut in two by this blow.

Su Xi felt a natural sense of fear, but her hand movements showed no hesitation as she continued to stab fiercely...

Da Miao looked at Su Xi in surprise; although her sword-wielding movements were full of openings, her momentum was remarkable.

【Teleportation!】 Er Miao commanded.

Su Xi's body suddenly vanished from where she stood, narrowly avoiding the giant lizard's tail swipe.

At the same time, Su Xi heard the system's reminder—【Reversal System spent 100 points to unlock the Teleportation skill for 7 days. Each time this skill is activated, the usage time is 15 minutes, the maximum distance is 10 kilometers, and the cooldown time is 20 minutes. Remaining Reversal System points: 4904.】

【Er Miao?】

【Host, Er Miao is not stingy; this is called spending money where it counts.】

【……】

【Host, please fight with all your might.】

【Mm!】

Su Xi had no spiritual power, but the Spirit Sword was a Superior Spiritual Tool; even without the reinforcement of spiritual power, its own sharpness pierced the giant lizard's tough outer skin, driving straight toward its heart core!

The giant lizard's long tongue, coated in venom, lashed toward Su Xi's head!

Su Xi teleported again to avoid it, then made a desperate, all-out thrust...

The giant lizard collapsed to the ground and died.

Da Miao let out a "Meow—" at Su Xi, a sound that was crisp and melodious.

This time, without needing Er Miao's help to translate, Su Xi knew what she was saying; she was surely praising her.

The thunder in the Tribulation Cloud stopped.

A bolt of Tribulation Lightning as thin as a strand of hair descended rapidly.

Da Miao acted as if facing a formidable enemy and tried to dodge, but the Tribulation Lightning seemed to have eyes, chasing her closely until it finally submerged into her from the top of her head.

Su Xi was incredibly nervous, 【Will she be alright?】

Er Miao replied: 【This is a tribulation she must face; others cannot help her.】

【What happens if someone helps?】

【Er Miao is not entirely sure; the Host can ask Master about it later.】

【Mm.】 Su Xi looked at the giant lizard again, 【I didn't expect that I could slay a demonic lizard.】

【Its cultivation is not high, roughly equivalent to the Qi Refining Late Stage.】

【Whatever realm it is, can the meat be eaten? I'm very hungry right now!】

【The meat of a demonic lizard carries demonic nature; it is not recommended for the Host to consume. But its corpse should be sellable; there are usually places that specialize in purchasing demonic creatures.】

【Alright, then when we reach Mo Yu, we'll sell it.】 Su Xi put the demonic lizard into her Storage Bag.

Afterwards, she took out another Water Storage Gourd, which was filled with Spirit Spring Water from Ling Shou Yuan.

Throughout this journey following Xie Guanyu, she had relied entirely on the Spirit Spring Water to sustain her life.

Thunder rumbled in waves, and the Tribulation Lightning began to descend densely; Da Miao was clearly struggling to hold on.

Su Xi was worried about her and walked a little closer.

【Is undergoing a tribulation this dangerous?】

【Yes, Host. Demon cultivators, human cultivators, and demonic cultivators, although their paths differ, all lead to the same destination: they are all acting against the heavens. They either seek the profound meaning and truth of the Dao, or they desire immense power and to live as long as heaven and earth—that is, immortality.】

【Does immortality truly exist?】

【Yes, it requires immense destiny.】

The Tribulation Cloud churned violently, and Da Miao's body was already covered in bloodstains; her once beautiful fur had now become a ghastly sight.

Suddenly, a bolt of purple Tribulation Lightning, about the thickness of a chopstick, struck straight into Da Miao's arched back!

After letting out a shrill cry, Da Miao collapsed to the ground, her life or death unknown.

"Da Miao—" Su Xi cried out in anxiety.

The Tribulation Cloud in the sky began to disperse at this moment.

The transformation tribulation had ended.

To live means the tribulation was successfully overcome.

To die means the tribulation failed.

On Da Miao's cat body, purple lightning still flickered and roamed.

Su Xi's heart jumped to her throat, and she reached out to test Da Miao's breath...

However, before she could get close, a bolt of purple lightning shot out from Da Miao's body and burrowed into her palm!

She hurriedly looked at her hand, but there was nothing unusual at all.

Was her vision blurring?

【Er Miao, did you notice that a bolt of purple lightning just burrowed into my palm?】

【Yes, Host. Cultivating the Profound Penetration Five Thunder Jade Body requires absorbing the Thunder Origin Power of heaven and earth; that purple lightning just now was Thunder Origin Power.】

【Are you talking about my body?】

【Yes. To Thunder Origin Power, the Profound Penetration Five Thunder Jade Body is like returning to a nest; it is very active within the Host's body and will actively strengthen the Host's Dao Body to accommodate more Thunder Origin Power.】

As soon as Er Miao finished speaking, the Thunder Origin Power scattered in the air all scrambled toward Su Xi.

Even the roaming lightning on Da Miao's body detached itself from her and, with the force of a thunderbolt, burrowed into Su Xi's body, heading straight into her Origin Spirit Mansion.

?? Sending hearts, good morning~