Hui hopped back from the fight. He reached into his storage ring and drew out a barrier talisman and one of Xixing’s crystal pills. Only a few remained of each. I’ve been using too many resources during the fight. I need to take a break and create new, stronger talismans the next time I get a chance… and restock, too!

He passed both to Zhubi, pasting the talisman to Zhubi’s back. “Put some qi into the talisman to activate the barrier—it should stave off the first blows of the tribulation. This pill, too, should help you survive.”

Zhubi bobbed is head, obedient. He snapped his head out and swallowed the pill, then leaped off Hui of his own accord and flew a short distance away. The clouds grew darker. The aura of the Heavenly Tribulation grew stronger and stronger, until the first blot blasted down from the sky. A golden barrier popped up over Zhubi, only for the lightning to instantly destroy it. Still, it blocked the first blow and gave Zhubi a moment to adjust his state before the rest of the blows rained down.

“Me, ready to ascend? Did you mistake my aura with that of a random spirit beast?” Hui said, laughing.

Lu Lintei frowned. “It’s that snake spirit beast you found earlier, Zhi Ahn. Did you pick it up?”

Hui froze. He licked his lips, not sure how to respond, then nodded. “Ah, yeah. I er, I sensed it was near its tribulation and brought it along. Fifth stage spirit beasts are rare, after all.”

“You didn’t create a bond? Quickly, bond with it! If it becomes higher realm than you, it might attack you!” Lu Lintei shouted, even as she sent Bai Jingwen flying. For the second time that night, Bai Jingwen slammed through Unrivaled Peak’s barrier and slammed to the ground, her body little more than tatters. She screamed out, furious.

Mount Mu shuddered. Its petrified branches clattered, clinking together. Gold motes of life qi spread on the air like pollen and settled over her. Bai Jingwen stood. Her body repaired itself, then more. Her cultivation rocketed up as she absorbed the massive gift of life qi.

The sky grew darker. More lightning flickered overhead. This time, it centered over Bai Jingwen, not Zhubi.

Not her, too? Dammit, no. I knew she was on the verge of her tribulation! Argh. Alright, two tribulations. That’s… that’s not too big a deal, right? Hui drew a breath. He touched his pils and talismans, but didn’t draw any out. It’s fine. Even if Bai Jingwen fails the tribulation, it won’t seriously injure her. She’s already failed once, after all, and it didn’t effect her. The lotus pill plant’s vitality is just that monstrous.

Lu Lintei stared over her shoulder, wide-eyed. “That monster plant… it’s facing a tribulation, too?”

“What a coincidence,” Hui agreed, backing away. He signaled subtly toward Jin Xian. Now, while Lu Lintei is distracted, come to me! I’ll put you away, and that’ll be one down and another step toward getting out of here as soon as possible after Zhubi and Bai Jingwen’s tribulations!

Jin Xian staggered back. She buried her face in her hands, then turned toward the sky and roared.

Eh? Oh, no, did the yin qi make Jin Xian go berserk? Hui quickly shaped his death qi into a string and gathered it in his hand, preparing to throw it to Jin Xian. Time for the wired-controller technique…

Black clouds gathered under Jin Xian, the clouds practically scraping the ground. The same as with the other two, lightning gathered in them, but unlike Zhubi and Bai Jingwen’s lightning, this lightning was pitch-black and emanated the aura of the Underworld rather than the aura of Heaven.

“No way. An Underworldly Tribulation? Those are the stuff of legend. So few undead reach fifth stage in the first place, to see a live Underworldly Tribulation is incredible,” Lu Lingtei gasped. She backed away, throwing her hand out toward Hui. “Zhi Ahn, we need to get out of here. This many tribulations at once… when the tribulation gathers to this degree, it isn’t impossible for it to pull unrelated cultivators in, and start their tribulation early!”

“Ah. And… just hypothetically, but… if I was already suppressing my cultivation?” Hui asked, looking up.

“Then… I’d only be able to wish you good luck,” Lu Lintei said.

Hui laughed dryly. He looked downward and took a deep breath. “I’ll need that luck of yours, Elder Sister.”

A set of clouds gathered over Hui, and a mirrored set gathered beneath him. He licked his lips, then quickly swallowed Xixing’s pills and threw out his barrier talismans, wrapping himself in several layers of barriers. Two sets of clouds? A Heavenly and Underworldy Tribulation? What did I do to piss off the Underworld? Is this the reaper getting back at me for leaving my body so much?

Wait, hold up. He looked at Zhubi, then at the lotus beast. Qi and life qi, Heavenly Tribulation. Hui turned to Jin Xian. Death, blood, and yin qi, Underworldly Tribulation.

This… this is because I cultivate both life and death qi, isn’t it?

Dammit! Couldn’t someone have warned me? This small Hui doesn’t want to die! Two tribulations at once, isn’t that the same as asking the world itself to kill me? Ah, but that’s what I want the least! Zhu Diyu, reaper, please! Can’t someone help me? Stop this tribulation, I don’t want it! I’ll be a good little fourth-stage cultivator forever!

Chen Wuya fluttered off Hui’s shoulder and circled nearby, cawing his laughter to the skies. “Nice knowing you, kid.”

Lu Lintei frowned at Hui. “Zhi Ahn… how can this be? What have you done to attract the Underworldly Tribulation?”

“I—I don’t know either, Elder Sister!” Hui replied, letting his very real panic out in his voice. I know why, but I’m still unwilling, extremely unwilling!

Flustered, Lu Lintei rushed toward him. Just as she was about to cross the edge of the clouds, she flinched back, afraid to draw closer. She gestured at him, waving desperately. “Dispel it, dispel it while you still can!”

“How?” Hui shouted back. It’s not like there’s a ‘cancel’ button on the Heavenly Tribulation! Or the Underworldly one, for that matter!

Lu Lintei grit her teeth. “I don’t know!”

Over on Unrivaled Peak, lightning struck down at Bai Jingwen. Mount Mu glowed, providing her life qi as she fought back against the tribulation.

Beside Hui, Jin Xian screamed. The first bolt of black lightning slammed toward her. Rather than passively let it hit her, Jin Xian kicked it back. Yin qi boiled in the air around her, rushing into her body even as she fought against the tribulation.

To his right, Zhubi rolled over and played dead, but the tribulation didn’t stop. His body shuddered under the force of the lightning, and Hui’s heart strained. Zhubi…

Still, despite playing dead, Zhubi seemed mostly unharmed. It didn’t make Hui any less anxious about the snake, but he at least felt confident about Zhubi’s chances.

“Quickly, Zhi Ahn! You aren’t ready!” Lu Lintei insisted.

Hui threw his hand out. “Elder Sister, get back. There’s nothing anyone can do anymore. I’ll just have to—overcome it!”

Dammit, what am I supposed to do? I… I guess… I guess I just… have to face it head-on!