No matter who harbored ill intentions below, I would seek trouble with them.
Shen Wushuang then transmitted the pressure layer by layer, invisibly targeting everyone.
Shen Wushuang was indeed taking it seriously, being exceptionally diligent and responsible. He immediately handpicked a group of capable individuals to form a protective force, encircling the perimeter. With sentries posted every three steps and guards every five paces, not even a flying bird could get in.
Concurrently, those pulling the island were ordered to temporarily retreat to the island. Even with only the push of fish schools, the entire island continued its slow movement.
Although Shen Wushuang had made thorough arrangements and meticulous plans, he still didn't believe Mo Qi could successfully protect Su Yuer during her tribulation. He felt this was akin to sending Su Yuer to the execution ground.
"People like this will appear at any time in the skies above the Southern Sea of Hongmeng. They scout everywhere, searching for those undergoing tribulations, and seize the opportunity to snatch their spiritual energy to enhance their own cultivation, taking a shortcut. If you harbor any侥幸心理 (jǐng xìng xīn lǐ -侥幸心理), hoping that no one will take advantage of your misfortune, then you should give up now," Shen Wushuang told Mo Qi.
His words left Mo Qi feeling utterly disheartened.
At this moment, Peng Hechang and Wang Daoxuan also stepped forward, saying, "We will do our utmost to defend against external enemies, but we truly feel the situation is not optimistic."
"Can you give me a little confidence?" Mo Qi said with his last shred of stubbornness.
Shen Wushuang still shook his head, sighing.
Mo Qi was instantly enraged. "You don't think the situation is not optimistic, you simply look down on me. Let me tell you, I refuse to believe it."
"Today, we will sign a military order here. Your task is to ensure that no internal strife occurs within Jingxing Island, while I will fully defend against those unknown, external forces attempting to sneak attack Miss Su and take advantage of her predicament. If, due to my shortcomings, Miss Su's tribulation fails and she perishes, I am willing to accept death. And if you are negligent in your duties, you shall all commit suicide as atonement."
His words were resonant and filled with heroic spirit.
Everyone was stunned into silence, then quietly retreated, each returning to their posts.
Su Yuer felt a surge of emotion. *You don't have to go to such lengths. I'm just undergoing my tribulation, and it feels like defending the nation.*
But seeing everyone's emotions roused and the atmosphere established, she couldn't bring herself to disrupt it.
At this moment, she didn't even dare to speak, trembling.
Whatever Mo Qi told her to do, she did.
Yu Sheng was also frightened. Recalling how she had tried to dissuade Su Yuer earlier, she felt some regret.
At this point, she quietly retreated into the house.
Mo Qi then took Su Yuer on a tour of the mountain, finally finding an open space on the mountainside. Su Yuer sat cross-legged on the ground, and Mo Qi set up a Qian Yuan Jin Guang Formation around her. This formation could resist some of the lightning and fire energy and prevent ill-intentioned individuals from suddenly intruding.
Soon, Su Yuer entered a state of meditation.
Her internal spiritual energy circulated wildly, like a roaring volcano, crashing beneath the earth, preparing to erupt and incinerate everything.
The skies churned with wind and clouds, and the dark clouds in the distance gradually moved towards Jingxing Island.
Above the island, a dense, dark dome formed.
The world gradually darkened!
It was a scene as if some disaster was about to befall them.
Many people felt a sense of unease.
However, Shen Wushuang had already disseminated instructions, telling everyone not to panic or be disoriented, as everything was under control.
Therefore, despite their worry, there was no major panic or chaos.
Tribulation was something everyone yearned for and pursued, but many never reached such a height in their lifetimes, nor had they ever witnessed such a scene.
To be fortunate enough to witness all this, some felt an immense honor, and even a little excitement deep within their hearts.
Mo Qi, however, felt even greater pressure. Such a grand display for a tribulation was bound to attract people with ulterior motives.
With such earth-shattering events, it would be strange if others didn't notice!
The dark clouds swirled rapidly, forming a massive vortex in the sky, like the opening of a demon's eye.
Thunder rumbled faintly, and lightning flickered, distinct and web-like.
People grew more tense, staring intently at the sky, as if a single misstep would cause the heavens to collapse.
Mist began to swirl above Su Yuer's head, rotating rapidly. Within the dense mist, faint light energy flickered.
The light energy grew brighter and brighter, forming a dome-like structure tens of feet above her head, intangible yet substantial.
Concurrently, the spiritual energy within her body circulated rapidly through her meridians, completing the grand and minor heavenly cycles.
After seventy-seven forty-nine cycles, the mist above her head spun rapidly and extended upwards, quickly forming a misty passage that pierced through the dome of light energy, reaching straight into the heavens. However, the higher it went, the thinner it became, almost imperceptible.
The dark clouds in the cloud layer churned, as if filtering out some light energy. The light energy continuously condensed and strengthened, finally flowing down like a gentle stream.
The light energy flowed down the passage, directly reaching Su Yuer's head. It converged into her meridians through the Baihui acupoint and was absorbed by her own spiritual energy, gradually impacting the vital gate of life.
Undergoing tribulation was essentially stealing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to achieve a breakthrough. Since it was stealing, it was bound to incur the "punishment" of heaven and earth, hence the tribulation of lightning and fire.
At this moment, the tribulation of lightning and fire slowly approached, fully armed.
A bolt of lightning descended from above. Initially as thick as a bowl, it grew larger as it traveled, eventually forming a pillar of light as vast as a mountain, striking down with immense force.
It was like the Milky Way breaking its banks, with scorching, fiery magma cascading down.
In mid-air, under the searing intensity of the massive lightning, the air itself seemed to ignite, with fiery flames dancing like fire dragons, baring their teeth and claws.
The surrounding people let out a collective gasp and scattered in all directions.
Who could withstand such a world-ending onslaught?
Many watched from afar at Su Yuer within the ball of light and mist, their scalps tingling, thinking that this girl was surely finished.
The lightning and fire descended from above, causing the surrounding air to boil.
An immense wave of heat struck in advance, and the surrounding trees crackled as they were scorched, first curling, then bursting into flames.
Mo Qi saw that Su Yuer's internal spiritual energy exchange had not yet been completed. If she were to forcefully withstand the heavenly tribulation at this moment, it would be too strenuous.
Therefore, he had to intervene.
He immediately formed a hand seal, unleashing the Sun-Chasing Star-Plucking Art!
The Sun-Chasing Star-Plucking Art was originally a technique meant to be executed from bottom to top, otherwise, how could it chase the sun and pluck stars?
However, in combat, enemies were rarely in the sky, so it had become a top-down technique.
In reality, executing it from bottom to top allowed for its full power to be unleashed.
A ball of fierce fire erupted from the ground, like a radiant sun suddenly igniting, dazzling and emitting ten thousand rays of light. Simultaneously, it roared upwards, shooting directly towards the pillar of lightning.
Behind it, a figure appeared, appearing slender and small within the fiery mass. Yet, his resolute gaze and courageous actions made him seem infinitely tall.
The onlookers were all shocked!
Was this truly the power emanating from a cultivator in the Tribulation Stage?
At this moment, some people finally realized that he might not have been lying!
The next instant, the two fiery masses collided, emitting a deafening, earth-shattering roar. Sparks flew outwards like fireworks, scattering towards the sky.
People fled in all directions.
The red light ascending from the ground was instantly scattered, gradually dissipating in the air. Mo Qi's figure rapidly fell back to the ground.
The pillar of lightning, however, had suffered a fatal blow. Its front end was caved in destructively, and its rear section could no longer maintain its integrity. Countless crimson light spots deeply embedded themselves within it, riddling it with holes and tearing it apart.
But the tattered pillar of light still roared like a tidal wave, its momentum immense, still carrying a destructive force!
At this moment, Su Yuer had also finished absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The mist around her suddenly thickened, and the light energy within became more substantial, emitting intense radiance!
The dome of light energy also became thicker, its radiance fierce and dazzling!
Meanwhile, Mo Qi's entire body was scorched black, with barely any intact skin. He let out a heart-wrenching scream that made everyone around tremble with fear.
Many people couldn't understand, muttering amongst themselves, "Is it necessary to try so hard? It's not even his own affair."
"Exactly, I wonder what he's thinking."
At some point, Yu Sheng also emerged from the house. Seeing this scene, her heart felt as if it were being twisted.
Mo Qi painstakingly retrieved a healing pill from his storage bag. After consuming it, his body gradually began to recover.
Once his strength was restored, he immediately unleashed the Sun-Chasing Star-Plucking Art again, from bottom to top, conjuring another "red sun" that charged towards the latter section of the lightning-fire pillar.
The front end of the lightning-fire energy had already descended. With a roar, the dome of light energy was easily broken through, and the mist dissipated in an instant.
Su Yuer's body was instantly bathed in a fiery red glow.
A collective gasp of alarm arose from the surroundings!
Did this mean Su Yuer would be utterly annihilated?
However, at that very moment, a wisp of mist suddenly emerged from Su Yuer's body, spreading outwards, gradually merging with and diluting the lightning-fire.
The sky boomed once more. The sea of fire Mo Qi had conjured was ultimately scattered. Mo Qi was once again thrown back to the ground, still scorched black, still screaming in agony.
Shen Wushuang and the others watched in great shock. At this point, a few timid individuals, seeing how perilous the protection was, secretly began to flee into the distance.
Shen Wushuang saw this and was enraged. He unleashed several palm lightning strikes, blasting those individuals into bloody pulp.
"Those who retreat in the face of battle shall be killed without mercy!" Shen Wushuang roared, his eyes bloodshot, surveying the surroundings.
Everyone present was terrified and no longer dared to consider escaping!