Infinite Awakening: My Exp Doubles Everyday novel Chapter 156

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Chapter 156: Thunder Core

Li Yao gritted her teeth as another wave of excruciating pain shot through her being. She deconstructed yet another portion of her core painstakingly, her hands trembling slightly from the strain. Despite having repeated this process countless times throughout the night, the agony remained just as intense with each attempt—a burning, tearing sensation that threatened to break her concentration.

"Why isn’t this getting any easier?" she thought, sweat beading on her forehead as she pushed through the pain.

She examined her core, noting with satisfaction that it now pulsed with pure lightning energy, the transformation nearly complete. Only a few sections remained untouched by her reconstruction process.

"Just a few more," she encouraged herself, drawing a deep breath before continuing the grueling task.

The Empress’s voice resonated within her consciousness, carrying a note of urgency. [Be ready, the tribulation is almost starting.]

Several miles away, restlessness spread through the band of cultivators who had been waiting since the previous night. One of the men shifted impatiently, casting an anxious glance toward their leader. _{f|ree(w)ebn\o.vel.com}

"Boss, how much longer do we have to wait? We’re getting late. The elder might scold us," he complained, his expression pinched with concern.

Another cultivator nodded vigorously in agreement. "That’s right, boss. How come it’s taking so long to just breakthrough to the Golden Core realm? We took almost two hours max, yet it’s been nearly half a day for this one."

"Should we just interfere after all?" a third suggested, his hand drifting meaningfully toward his weapon.

The leader’s face had darkened with suspicion, his thoughts mirroring his subordinates’ concerns. What could possibly explain such an extended tribulation period? Could they have miscalculated the breakthrough’s nature entirely?

Just as doubt threatened to overwhelm his patience, the thunderclouds above began shifting dramatically, swirling with renewed intensity. His expression immediately brightened, a satisfied smile replacing his previous scowl.

"Don’t worry," he assured his men with newfound confidence. "It’s about to start now." He gestured toward the gathering storm. "It’s just that the one breaking through has such poor talent that it took them this long to start the process."

Relieved laughter rippled through the group at this explanation.

"It indeed sounds reasonable," one cultivator remarked.

"Can someone really have such poor talent?" another asked between chuckles.

A particularly boisterous member slapped his companion’s shoulder. "Vice captain, we finally found someone even less talented than you!"

"What? Why am I catching a stray?" the vice captain protested, triggering another round of laughter among the gathered men.

Meanwhile, Li Yao completed the reconstruction of the final section of her core, feeling the circuit close with a satisfying resonance. Power began building within her at an alarming rate, her body humming with barely contained energy.

[It’s coming,] the Empress announced, her voice carrying both excitement and caution.

She materialized behind Li Yao, placing a hand on her back. [Don’t try to reject it. With your lightning core, it won’t hurt... much.]

"What?" Li Yao questioned, alarm flashing across her face. The Empress, however, continued as if she hadn’t heard the interruption.

[Just distribute the energy in the method I taught you,] she instructed firmly. [I’ve activated the rebirth pill. Your body will start undergoing a rebirth effect.]

The Empress’s voice grew more urgent as she continued. [I want you to guide the lightning energy through as your body gets reconstructed. If you do it correctly, your body will be transformed into the Nine-Heavens Thunder Body.]

Her form began fading, retreating toward Li Yao’s spiritual sea. [At my current level, I won’t be able to survive the heavenly tribulation, so it’ll be all you from now on.]

"Wait, you can’t just say that and—" Li Yao began to protest, but her words died in her throat as she looked upward. The sky had split open, a massive bolt of lightning already descending toward her with unstoppable force.

"Oh crap..."

...

When the first lightning bolt struck Li Yao, her entire body went numb. Despite her extensive practice with high-level lightning techniques that had built up her immunity, the heavenly tribulation lightning operated on an entirely different scale. This pain transcended anything she had previously experienced—even the agonizing deconstruction and reconstruction of her core paled in comparison to this divine punishment.