Chapter 40: Crossing the Tribulation Once More

Between survival and betraying the Change of Heaven organization, Huang Xu ultimately chose survival.

His power allowed his arm to transform into a golden blade. At this moment, his right arm had changed into a golden blade, while his left arm, embroidered with a dark cloud tattoo, slowly lifted.

With a resolute bite of his teeth—

With a sickening sound, he sliced off the skin bearing the tattoo, taking some flesh with it.

Huang Xu trembled with pain, his body drenched in sweat, his face deathly pale. Yet he dared not utter a sound, only gritted his teeth and endured.

Then, raising his voice, he swore:

“I, Huang Xu, from this day forward have nothing to do with the Change of Heaven organization. From now on, I pledge my loyalty to Qin Xiaofan. Should I break this vow, may I meet a miserable end!”

Qin Xiaofan smiled with satisfaction.

He then proclaimed loudly to everyone in the cave:

“You have all seen! I, Qin Xiaofan, am not unreasonable. As long as someone is willing to renounce the darkness and embrace the light, I will accept them. Huang Xu is living proof. So, if there are still hidden members of the Change of Heaven, come forward now. If you turn to the light, I promise to let bygones be bygones and treat you as equals!”

Qin Xiaofan’s words rang out with fervor.

But after a long wait, there was no response.

No one stepped forward to admit being a member of the organization. Some, afraid Qin Xiaofan might suspect them, even hurriedly took two steps back.

The air grew silent.

Qin Xiaofan was momentarily stunned.

Was his promise lacking in credibility? Or were there truly no hidden members among his ranks?

He shook his head, a touch of disappointment in his expression.

He waved his hand, signaling the crowd to disperse.

And so, Huang Xu severed his ties with the Change of Heaven and merged into this group.

Yet Qin Xiaofan remained cautious. If Huang Xu could betray one organization, what was to stop him from betraying again?

For several days, Qin Xiaofan kept him in the cave, observing his every move.

At the same time, Huang Xu was made to divulge all the information he knew about the Change of Heaven members, and later, to attempt drawing a map to the perilous region they guarded.

With no other choice, Huang Xu scratched his head, forcing himself to recall the route.

Days passed one after another.

One day, Qin Xiaofan stepped out of the cave and looked up to see the sky shrouded in thick, ominous clouds.

A dreadful aura seemed to be brewing among the storm.

Thunder rumbled.

As the heavens roared, a slow smile spread across Qin Xiaofan’s face.

He stretched, feeling every cell, every fiber of his being rejoice and surge with energy.

This time, no one tried to stop him.

Everyone stood below the cave, watching attentively as Qin Xiaofan stood above, ready to face the baptism of heavenly thunder.

Thunder crashed among the clouds.

A torrential rain began to pour.

In the downpour, Qin Xiaofan stood bare-chested, his body wrapped in lightning, thrilled beyond measure.

Yet, in the next instant, a bolt of lightning struck him directly, and Qin Xiaofan let out a blood-curdling scream.

The sound sent shivers down every spine.

One bolt after another rained down upon him.

At first, someone was so terrified they wet themselves, but gradually, everyone grew accustomed and could only marvel at Qin Xiaofan’s terrifying resilience.

No one knew how long it went on, or how many times he was struck.

As the clouds finally parted, they saw that Qin Xiaofan was nowhere to be seen atop the cave—only a charred lump of blackened flesh remained.

“Boss… Boss… Was he really struck dead by lightning?” a new member cried out in terror.

Panic rippled through the crowd.

Yet some veterans only chuckled dismissively.

“Clearly, you’ve never seen the world,” one veteran mocked the newcomers. “This is nothing. Who is our boss? He’s the Chosen One! How could lightning possibly kill him? Even a pig could figure that out.”

He spoke with smug confidence, full of disdain for the newcomers.

He had already forgotten that, the first time he saw such a scene, he had been so terrified he’d wet himself as well…

Sure enough.

Moments later, the charred lump slowly rose.

Before the stunned eyes of the crowd, Qin Xiaofan began to peel off the blackened skin, revealing fresh, new flesh beneath.

A completely renewed body stood before them all.

Within those muscles, a power of destruction greater than ever before simmered.

Qin Xiaofan stretched lazily, feeling utterly refreshed, as if every movement brimmed with world-shattering might.

He felt stronger than ever.

At that moment, a voice sounded in his mind—

“Congratulations, Host. Your ability has advanced to Grade A.”

“You have acquired a new skill: Thunder Armament!”

Thunder Armament: Allows lightning to be transformed into a variety of weapons, each more powerful than ordinary arms!

Qin Xiaofan was overcome with excitement.

Without hesitation, he began practicing the new skill.

He opened his hand and controlled the lightning that danced within his palm.

Instantly, the wild electricity condensed into a silver spear, so sharp it seemed to slice the very air.

Then, he experimented further, forging blades and bows of pure lightning. Each weapon delighted him.

Now, he thought with glee, he would never again have to worry about lacking a weapon in battle.

The longbow of lightning especially filled him with joy.

When he plucked the bowstring, it loosed a bolt of lightning that shattered a massive boulder in a single shot—its power was truly awe-inspiring.

After dressing, Qin Xiaofan waved everyone away to resume their respective duties.

The crowd dispersed.

Yet in their minds, the thunder still echoed, and the image of that solitary figure beneath the tempest, enduring the wrath of the heavens, lingered on.

In that moment,

Qin Xiaofan’s strength and mystery climbed to yet another height in their hearts.

…

That night, Huang Xu finally completed the map.

Though he alone could decipher it, Qin Xiaofan still offered his approval.

He sent Huang Xu out of the cave and arranged a small cabin for him, granting him a place of his own.

Only now did Huang Xu truly become part of the group.

Deep into the night,

While all others slept, shadows stirred in the darkness.

A terrified scream broke the silence.

Then came a desperate cry: “Help! Help! Someone’s trying to kill me!”

Everyone was startled awake.

The security captain, Li Tai, rushed to Huang Xu’s cabin, torch in hand and sweat on his brow, anxiously asking, “What happened? What’s wrong?”

Inside,

Huang Xu lay on the floor, his arm slashed to the bone. Clutching his wounded limb, he shouted in terror, “Someone’s trying to kill me! Someone’s trying to kill me!”

Li Tai pressed urgently, “Tell me clearly—who tried to kill you?”

Huang Xu’s face was ashen as he answered, “I didn’t see… No, I simply couldn’t see. Because the one who attacked me was a shadow—a black shadow that could twist and change shape…”