Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 387 Tribulation

A gentle breeze caressed the mountains, like nature's tender touch, making them tremble slightly as if they were alive. Wherever the breeze passed, ripples spread, like waves on a calm lake. This breeze seemed to carry some mysterious power, bringing tranquility and harmony to the entire world.

In this place of cultivation, everything is so peaceful and serene, as if time has stood still. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating dappled shadows that bring immense comfort. The air here is fresh and invigorating, brimming with life and vitality.

However, the news of Jiraiya's death did not have a significant impact on this place. Although Jiraiya was once a highly respected ninja in the world, his departure did not disrupt the tranquility of this land. People continued to train silently here, pursuing higher levels of skill. Perhaps they knew that only by constantly improving their strength could they better protect themselves and those around them.

Hyuga Kanan's invincible image has deeply influenced the people of this land. His courage, wisdom, and kindness have become role models for everyone, inspiring them to keep moving forward. Although he has not appeared before everyone for a long time, his story continues to spread among the people, and his feat of easily wiping out thousands of ninjas in Konoha Village remains an indelible memory in everyone's hearts.

Therefore, the death of Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, did not have a significant impact on the people at the training grounds. At most, they simply remarked on the enemy's impressive strength, noting that they had managed to kill such a powerful ninja as Jiraiya.

Two days had passed since they received news of Jiraiya's death, and the sense of urgency in Hyuga Neji and Orochimaru had intensified. They had both been warned by Hyuga Kanan that there was an even more powerful enemy behind the Akatsuki. Their only task now was to quickly complete this stage of their breakthrough in order to prepare for the impending crisis.

At this moment, both of them had returned to their cultivation grounds and devoted themselves entirely to seclusion. Their minds were completely immersed in the world of cultivation, and everything outside seemed irrelevant to them.

Their cultivation had reached a bottleneck; just one more step forward would allow them to break through to a new realm. It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to leap across the chasm and enter a new world.

Both of them are now only a hair's breadth away from breaking through. If it weren't for wanting to have more confidence and assurance when facing the challenges ahead, they could have achieved it at any time. But they know that a breakthrough is not just about improving one's cultivation level, but also a test of oneself.

They need time to adjust their mindset, time to solidify their foundation, and time to accumulate more strength. Only in this way can they reduce risks and ensure safety during breakthroughs. At the same time, this will also give them greater strength after the breakthroughs, enabling them to cope with potential future crises.

Therefore, they chose to wait, to retreat into seclusion, and to exchange time and effort for greater success. During this period, they will continuously hone and improve themselves until the time is ripe, allowing them to break through and become even stronger.

However, both of them knew very well that there was no time for them to continue refining their skills. They both decided to complete their breakthroughs immediately, even if they lacked complete confidence in facing the tribulation, they had to complete the breakthroughs as quickly as possible.

In reality, with their existing foundations, they were fully capable of handling the Heavenly Tribulation and successfully breaking through. However, the fierce confrontation between Hyuga Kanan and the World Will terrified them. The torrent of power formed from endless rules displayed by the World Will brought them unimaginable shock. Even though Hyuga Kanan repeatedly emphasized that their Heavenly Tribulation could not possibly possess such power, it still could not dispel the fear deep within their hearts. Therefore, they chose to continue to bury themselves in rigorous training, repeatedly honing their skills, hoping to accumulate more strength and confidence before attempting a breakthrough.

However, at this moment, they both knew that their time was running out, so they had no time to dwell on the intense shock deep within them. They knew they had to go all out to face the impending tribulation in order to achieve their own breakthrough. Therefore, they resolutely threw themselves into preparations, focusing all their attention on welcoming this crucial moment.

Orochimaru was the first to adjust his mindset. As a seasoned ninja, he was incredibly mature in both his mentality and experience. He also possessed a stronger sense of crisis. Having grown up with Jiraiya, his feelings for him, no matter how much he tried to hide them, would never disappear. Achieving his breakthrough and avenging Jiraiya overcame his fear of the heavenly tribulation, and his desire to increase his strength also helped him overcome his fear of the world's will.

At dawn, as the sky began to lighten, a pale, fish-belly white appeared in the eastern sky. The air was fresh and pleasant, yet carried a slight chill, causing one to shiver involuntarily. Atop a towering mountain in his training grounds, Orochimaru sat quietly, cross-legged. His eyes were closed, as if he had become one with his surroundings. He was diligently regulating his internal energy, ensuring a smoother flow. Simultaneously, he was also calming his mind, attempting to quiet his heart in preparation for the challenges to come.

Orochimaru knew that today would be a crucial day. He had decided to face the Heavenly Tribulation, a key step in breaking through his limits and enhancing his strength. He took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning breeze on his cheek, and a firm resolve welled up within him. He believed that as long as he gave it his all, he would surely succeed in overcoming this Heavenly Tribulation and achieving his breakthrough.

As time passed, the sun gradually rose, its rays bathing Orochimaru and bringing him warmth. But he remained focused on his training, undistracted. His aura gradually stabilized, and he emanated a powerful presence. The surrounding air seemed to tremble slightly, influenced by his aura.

Finally, Orochimaru opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. He stood up, stretched his body, and then looked up at the sky. At that moment, clouds began to gather, forming a dark, oppressive mass that completely obscured the rising sun, making the entire area feel incredibly oppressive. Orochimaru knew that the heavenly tribulation was imminent. He took a deep breath, preparing to face this trial.

Suddenly, dazzling bolts of lightning began to flash within the already gloomy clouds, as if to tear the world apart. Then, a bolt of lightning ripped through the dark, oppressive sky, accompanied by a deafening roar that echoed across the entire mountaintop. At the same time, the lightning rapidly converged above Orochimaru, transforming into a gigantic thunder dragon that roared continuously. A fierce wind howled around them, creating a scene reminiscent of the apocalypse.

Orochimaru, looking down at the churning dark clouds above, felt a growing unease. He could clearly sense a powerful energy gathering within those clouds, an energy that contained not only violent lightning but also a familiar force of rules. This gathering of rules brought Orochimaru an unprecedented sense of pressure.

He knew that once this power erupted, it would pose a great threat to him. He couldn't help but sigh to himself, "It seems this tribulation is weaker than I imagined! Just as Kanan-kun said, tribulations always leave a chance for survival for those who undergo them." However, Orochimaru did not lower his guard. He gripped his natal magic weapon tightly, preparing to face the impending tribulation.

Orochimaru activated his body's energy, continuously channeling power into his dantian. As time passed, the vortex within his dantian spun, concentrating all the power. This vortex had been compressed to its limit, seemingly poised to explode at any moment. However, at that instant, Orochimaru took a deep breath, mobilizing all his strength to forcibly condense this powerful vortex.

In an instant, the previously turbulent vortex calmed down, but the energy it contained became even more powerful. Guided by Orochimaru, the vortex began to solidify, as if condensing into a golden core. This process was extremely difficult, requiring a great deal of mental and physical exertion, but Orochimaru did not falter, resolutely pushing the process forward.

Finally, after much effort, the energy vortex in his dantian successfully condensed into a golden core. This golden core radiated a dazzling light, as radiant as the sun. It represented a major breakthrough in Orochimaru's cultivation path and was the key to his increased strength.

However, just as Orochimaru was celebrating his achievement, the celestial tribulation in the sky suddenly changed. The once calm clouds began to churn, and streaks of lightning ripped across the sky like ferocious thunder dragons. These thunder dragons roared and pounced towards Orochimaru, their bodies covered with countless sharp wind blades, sending chills down one's spine.

Faced with such a terrifying, apocalyptic tribulation, Orochimaru showed no fear. He gripped his natal weapon tightly, his eyes unwavering. He knew this tribulation was punishment for his condensation of his golden core; only by passing this test could he truly stabilize it and achieve his breakthrough. Therefore, without hesitation, he channeled all his energy into his natal weapon, his soul power also drawing upon the rules he had comprehended, forming an indestructible defense to meet the tribulation head-on, facing the earth-shattering blow from the raging thunder dragon.