Chapter 131: Absorbing the Essence of the Sun and Moon

Thunder roared as terrifying bolts of lightning descended from the firmament, striking Liu Pan directly at the bottom of the crater.

Liu Pan felt truly miserable. He had never expected the Nether Magic Flood Dragon to return so quickly, nor had he anticipated facing another heavenly tribulation so soon. Influenced by the aura of the Flood Dragon’s tribulation, Liu Pan had been thrust into the Three-Nine Tribulation immediately after surviving the Two-Nine Tribulation. However, because he had not yet reached the perfection of the Martial King realm, even if he survived, he could never break through to the Martial Emperor realm. Thus, this Three-Nine Tribulation was nothing but pure torment for him.

The power of the Three-Nine Tribulation was incomparable to the Two-Nine. With Liu Pan’s cultivation at the early Martial King stage, it was impossible for him to withstand such a strike. Although he had elixirs from Li Tu’s storage ring to assist him, they were not inexhaustible. In fact, after the first tribulation, seven or eight-tenths of his stock had already been depleted; relying on the remainder to survive the current ordeal was nothing but a fool’s dream.

Sensing that Liu Pan’s tribulation had been triggered, the Nether Magic Flood Dragon was overjoyed. Though too weak to strike at Liu Pan himself, he was certain the young man would perish beneath the lightning, a thought that washed away his own deep sense of defeat. Watching the small fry before him struggle in vain, the Flood Dragon felt a strange sensation; he finally understood why his own tribulation had become so terrifying—it was entirely due to the influence of Liu Pan’s aura!

*How could there be such a horrifying tribulation?* Watching three consecutive bolts strike Liu Pan without a moment’s respite, the Flood Dragon grew increasingly bewildered. Yet, even in his confusion, his vision began to blur, and he could no longer focus his energy. Finally, he felt his body shudder under the lightning; his eyelids grew heavy as lead, and after a brief flutter, they remained closed forever.

In the deep crater, Liu Pan lay charred black. His blood had ceased to flow, and countless bones within him were shattered. The elixirs were exhausted, and the storage ring lay discarded nearby. Gazing at the churning clouds above, Liu Pan felt true despair.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Three violent crashes echoed in succession. As the final bolts struck, Liu Pan’s body convulsed once before falling still. In that very moment, his heart stopped beating.

Liu Pan looked down at the carbonized husk of his own body, his eyes filled with bewilderment. His soul had left his body once again, just as it had when he first ascended to the Martial Master realm, yet he could not fathom why this was happening.

Because he had perished, the unfinished Three-Nine Tribulation dissipated, and the gale-force winds and turbulent seas began to subside. Before long, the clouds vanished, and a bright moon emerged in the sky.

After a moment of hesitation, Liu Pan swept his spiritual sense out, enveloping the charred remains and carefully lifting them onto level ground. After a brief reflection, he flicked his mind, and the discarded storage ring floated toward him. He quickly retrieved a pill cauldron, along with medicinal herbs and the necessary equipment for alchemy.

Liu Pan felt a stroke of fortune. As a water-element alchemist, Li Tu had kept these items in his ring; otherwise, Liu Pan would have found no way to treat a body scorched into a mere cinder. The herbs were few, but fortunately, they were practical. Fearing that he might be unable to return to his body if he lingered too long, he quickly refined some simple healing elixirs and stopped. He crushed a few for external application, swallowed the rest, and laid his soul back into the physical form.

"Hiss!"

The pain hit him instantly, causing him to gasp. But soon, Liu Pan froze, his gaze fixed upon the bright moon above.

The full moon—traditionally a time for looking up and longing for one’s homeland. Yet, Liu Pan had no time for such thoughts. Within his body, strange energies were forming and surging through his limbs and bones, mending his wounds. Upon closer inspection, he was shocked to discover that the source of this power was the moon itself.

This energy was similar to what Li Feiyang had once studied, yet distinct. Due to his rise in cultivation, Liu Pan could faintly perceive the origin, and he was stunned. *The moon? What the hell? It absorbed solar energy before, but now... is this body capable of absorbing the essence of the sun and moon? Is it really that heaven-defying?*

Recovering his wits, he couldn't understand how his body possessed such a monstrous function, but he remembered that when he accelerated his cultivation, the absorption of solar energy increased. *Does that mean...* With a thought, he accelerated the circulation of his Profound Ice Art, and to his delight, the absorption of lunar essence sped up.

Though he did not know why he could absorb the moon’s essence, he knew it was beneficial. Just as solar essence repaired and strengthened his bones, this energy seeped into his flesh and blood, seemingly dedicated to fortifying them. Having swallowed the elixirs, he lay on the ground, unable to move due to the severity of his injuries. Initially, he had expected to be bedridden for at least a day and night, but with the lunar essence accelerating his recovery, he realized he would be back on his feet much sooner.

However, this only deepened his confusion. *What exactly is this body? Is it normal for a human to absorb the essence of the sun and moon?* He wasn't sure, but having read plenty of novels and watched dramas on Earth, he knew that certain demons could cultivate by absorbing such celestial essence.

*A demon? Am I a demon?* Liu Pan was noncommittal, knowing that demons required specific cultivation techniques, which he lacked. Furthermore, he sensed that his body was absorbing the essence actively.

*Wait... actively?* His heart skipped a beat. *Could it be...*