Chapter 113: The First Tribulation

“Su Ye—are you asleep?”

Outside the door, Ling Zhu’s timid voice sounded, as if she had hesitated for a long time before daring to speak.

Su Ye hadn’t slept all night. Upon hearing the voice, he immediately rose from his bed, deliberately altering his tone to sound as if just awakened, murmuring groggily, “Who is it?”

He carefully opened the door.

Outside, Ling Zhu saw the door open and instinctively took a few steps back, startled.

“Hm? Ling Zhu, what are you doing looking for me so late?” Su Ye asked softly, already alert, ready to act at any moment.

Ling Zhu’s face was pale, looking even more unwell under the lamp’s glow. Fearfully, she asked, “You... you want to kill me? Why?”

Su Ye, feeling as if his thoughts had been seen through, hurriedly denied, “What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I kill you?”

“But the light surrounding you clearly looks like it’s meant to kill... Don’t you believe me?” Ling Zhu’s eyes widened. Even in the dark, her gaze emitted a strange, enchanting glow, as if capable of seeing through the cycles of heaven and earth.

“You must have misread things. I don’t know who’s outside the door. Why are you looking for me so late? Can’t sleep?” Su Ye quickly changed the subject, inwardly puzzled—could it be that Ling Zhu’s eyes were different from others’?

Still frightened, Ling Zhu took a few more steps back and whispered, “I thought, since no one’s around at night, I’d ask how far you’ve progressed in cultivating the ‘Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations.’ Since you’re practicing the Human Emperor’s technique, you’re destined to be targeted by countless evil beings. Are you prepared?”

“Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations... are there really three thousand tribulations?” Su Ye only knew a few lines about this Human Emperor’s technique from the Heavenly Thunder, and his understanding was far from complete.

Since Ling Zhu brought it up, he decided to turn the question back to her, hoping this little girl of secrets might know more.

“You don’t even know that?” Ling Zhu looked at Su Ye in surprise, scanning him up and down with a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes. She murmured, “The Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations aren’t just tribulations but three thousand great divine powers. If you can fully comprehend and cultivate them all, traversing these divine powers, you can be imbued with the Yan Huang spirit and ascend to the position of Human Emperor.”

This was the first time Su Ye had heard such an explanation. His heart was both shocked and filled with yearning. Could it be that the Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations passed down through Heavenly Thunder truly were the legacy of the Human Emperor?

Ling Zhu shook her head in disappointment and said softly, “Maybe my grandmother was right. We’ve already been abandoned; it’s impossible to attempt this defiance of heaven’s path. What you’re doing is fine too—at least you can live a peaceful life.”

“Hey, hey, don’t leave! What exactly is going on?” Su Ye hurriedly called after her.

Ling Zhu shook her head again. “I don’t know. I’ve studied secret arts with my grandmother for one hundred and thirty-three years, yet I still can’t see through this heavenly secret. If by now you haven’t even comprehended the first tribulation, maybe you really aren’t the chosen one.”

Su Ye’s eyes widened in shock. How was it possible that this twelve or thirteen-year-old Ling Zhu had been studying with her grandmother for one hundred and thirty-three years? What was going on?

---

“How old are you then?”

“I... I...” Ling Zhu’s eyes suddenly showed a timid look again. Her hunched posture made her seem more like some creature. She whispered, “I’m not pure human blood.”

“Are you a monster?” Su Ye blurted out, immediately feeling as if he had spoken nonsense.

“I’m half human... but don’t worry, I won’t harm you or anyone else! I look like a monster because I learned the secret arts. I was very pretty as a child...” Ling Zhu said, sneaking a glance at Su Ye before continuing, “The Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations are divided into Heaven’s Tribulations, Earth’s Tribulations, and Human Tribulations! Among the Heaven’s Tribulations, there are major and minor tribulations. If you truly cultivate the Human Emperor’s technique, you must comprehend the first tribulation—the ‘Black Heaven Tribulation.’ Otherwise, not even the Yangtze or Yellow Rivers can stop the overwhelming murderous aura!”

Su Ye was even more alarmed upon hearing this. He hadn’t expected such mysteries within the ‘Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations.’ Just as he was about to ask more, Ling Zhu began trembling violently.

She said shakily, “I can’t say anything more. You just focus on cultivating and comprehending it!”

After sending Ling Zhu away, Su Ye found it even harder to sleep.

If he hadn’t met Ling Zhu, he might never have discovered this secret, even in ten years. Yet what troubled him most was knowing that within the Human Emperor’s technique, there was a divine power called the “Black Heaven Tribulation,” and he couldn’t even begin to approach it.

What exactly was this “Black Heaven Tribulation”?

At that moment, a piercing scream suddenly shattered the night sky outside.

“Ah... Someone’s broken in!” An angry shout rang out.

Su Ye’s heart jolted. He immediately looked toward the sound from the balcony and saw shadowy figures flickering beneath the streetlights. They were clearly not warriors of the Jiang family.

From every corner, the sounds of fighting erupted.

“Who dares trespass on the Jiang family estate? Show yourselves!” Jiang Ziyang’s furious voice boomed into the darkness, his fierce gaze sweeping across the night.

At this moment, the steward, Uncle Zhong, and many Jiang family members also woke up.

None of them expected that simply staying an extra night here would lead to an attack by formidable enemies. Looking across the entire Yang City, no other forces dared to strike the Jiang family at this time.

Su Ye clenched his fists tightly. In the darkness, he couldn’t discern the enemies’ positions.

“There are seventy-five of them in total. They smell strongly of seawater, and one of them wears a shell necklace over a hundred years old. They’re surrounding us...” Suddenly, Ling Zhu’s eyes stared blankly into the night as she spoke quickly.

“Your eyes can see them?”

Su Ye was astonished. He thought he was talented enough, but Ling Zhu’s gift surpassed his imagination. Without hesitation, he gathered his true energy and shouted, “Identify yourselves immediately—or I’ll make sure none of you seventy-five leave the sea alive!”

His booming voice caused the advancing enemies to freeze in shock, all staring toward Su Ye’s direction.

Seeing this perfect opportunity, Su Ye’s body erupted with lightning and fire, arcs of electricity flashing constantly, especially vivid in the dark.

Suddenly, an arrogant voice echoed through the night: “Ha ha ha, it seems the Jiang family from the mainland still has some skill. No wonder our Phantom Sea Sect members died at your hands.”

Phantom Sea Sect?

That was the sect of the old Wen woman whom Su Ye had slain back at Yi Dan Residence.

They really had come!

“Phantom Sea Sect, seeking revenge? You’ve come to the wrong place!” Jiang Ziyang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Though he didn’t understand how Su Ye had known, knowing who they were made things much easier.

“Heh heh, avenging our sect and restoring its honor is only part of it. We also heard you have rare treasures in this estate and came to borrow the Jiang family master’s permission to take a look.”

As he spoke, an elderly man dressed as a fisherman stepped out from the shadows.

Under the streetlight, his dusty appearance was clear. He wore a huge bamboo hat on his back, and his hunched posture made it seem as if he might shrink entirely inside the hat.

Su Ye leaped down from the villa and landed beside Jiang Ziyang.

Earlier, while absorbing spiritual energy, even the character “Yan” had floated into the night sky, unexpectedly attracting the attention not only of nearby villagers but also the Phantom Sea Sect.

But Su Ye was fearless. Having absorbed so much spiritual energy, he had reached the third level of Qi Gathering, and now aware of the might of the ‘Three Thousand Yan Huang Tribulations,’ he was eager for a decisive battle.

With fierce anger, Su Ye shouted, “Phantom Sea Sect—you and that old Wen woman are blinded by greed and tried to kill me! I haven’t even come to your sect to demand justice, yet you dare show up here! You seek death!”

“Oh? It seems the Phantom Sea Sect hasn’t been to Yang City for a long time, and even such youngsters dare to be this reckless! Then tonight, I will crush your Jiang family!”