297 - After Defying the Villain’s Fate for Nine Lifetimes, the Heroines Turn Mad!

**Chapter 297: The Ninth Reincarnation Villain, The Female Protagonists Have All Turned Dark** Jiang Chen observed keenly but noted no particular changes in his own physique. He concluded, “Hmm, the tribulation lightning cannot temper the body. It seems the key is simply to find a way to survive the lightning tribulation.” “……” The expression of the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries darkened even more! “Boom!!” The rumbling of thunder was deafening as the storm clouds rapidly spread across the entire Qingyun City. Seeing this, the voice of 九衍老祖 (The Old Ancestor of Nine Evolutions) rang out in alarm, “We must flee! The power of this tribulation has increased! We should leave the city immediately!” At these words, everyone, including Xiao Hongyi and the other onlookers—both cultivators and mortals—snapped out of their shock and rushed madly towards the city’s outskirts. In just a few moments, the once bustling Qingyun City emptied out, leaving only Jiang Chen and the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries behind. The Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries also wanted to escape, but each time he tried to leave the range of the lightning tribulation, he was mysteriously knocked back by a jade coffin! He was furious! As the patriarch of the Seven Luminaries Sword Pavilion, someone who had practiced swordsmanship for hundreds of years and lived for centuries, he had never felt so humiliated! Yet, what could his anger achieve? To avoid bearing the heavenly lightning, he had only two options: escape the lightning’s range or distance himself from Jiang Chen. The first path was blocked by the Old Ancestor of Nine Evolutions. As for the second path, if Jiang Chen had been willing to help him, he wouldn’t have pulled him into the lightning tribulation zone! He could certainly forcefully drive Jiang Chen away. But, given that Jiang Chen was at the center of the tribulation, taking action would mean he’d have to endure the tribulation himself! Moreover, he'd have to consider whether the Old Ancestor of Nine Evolutions would stand by if he made a move. After much contemplation, the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries came to a conclusion: he couldn’t escape the tribulation lightning… ‘What a curse!’ lamented the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries in his heart. He never expected that, at his age, he’d end up being used by someone else to bear the heavenly lightning! Becoming nothing more than a tool! Perhaps because he showed no signs of leaving, another long-prepared purple lightning bolt appeared! “Boom!!” The purple lightning transformed into a dragon, emerging from the firmament, roaring as it descended directly. Its target was none other than the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries! Sensing that this lightning was far more powerful and intense than the previous, the Sword Ancestor turned serious. He mobilized his own spiritual energy, transforming his fingers into swords, slashing out sword energies to defend himself. “Bang――!” The sword energy clashed with the purple dragon, producing a dull sound. The two were deadlocked in the sky for several moments. Then, with another “boom,” another lightning bolt poured down from the clouds, merging with the previous one, drastically increasing its power and instantly shattering the sword energy! Then it struck the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries directly on the head! In a crucial moment, the Sword Ancestor used all his cultivation to form a shield from the surrounding spiritual energy, barely resisting the strike. While his life was not in danger, he still “pfft” spat out old blood from his mouth! Seeing this scenario, Jiang Chen continuously nodded, “The intensity of the tribulation is proportional to the cultivator’s strength. It seems the heavens have detected that the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries intended to help me resist the tribulation, thus strengthening its power!” “???” The Sword Ancestor looked utterly baffled! He was helping Jiang Chen resist the tribulation? Anyone with eyes could see he was being forced, right?! “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” Suddenly, three lightning bolts struck simultaneously, their target still the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries. Cursing constantly in his mind, the Sword Ancestor summoned seven ancient swords of varying colors, each glowing brilliantly, and formed a seven-layer sword formation to defend himself. “The Seven Killing Star Swords!” Jiang Chen’s pupils contracted. Unlike other top-tier sects, the Seven Luminaries Sword Pavilion possessed two divine-grade spiritual weapons. One was the ancient swords of Seven Luminaries. The other was precisely these seven deadly swords! To be specific, these seven deadly swords were top-grade spiritual weapons, but when utilized together, collectively known as the “Seven Killing Star Swords,” their power could rival that of divine-grade spiritual swords! To force the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries to use such a trump card underscored just how much stronger the lightning tribulation had become! Soon, the three lightning bolts collided with the seven-layer sword formation. Thunder was like spears, while the sword formation acted as a shield. The fierce clash generated a spiritual energy gale, its aftermath ripping through the surroundings, causing houses to collapse and the ground to crack. The might of the heavenly lightning was not to be underestimated. After several tense moments, the three lightning bolts converged once more into a dragon, with an exceedingly formidable presence, striking at the seven-layer sword formation. In the span of a single breath. “Crack!” The first layer of the sword formation shattered. In the second breath, “crack, crack!” the second and third layers shattered. In the third breath, the sequence of shattering sounds was continuous, as the lightning dragon, with malevolent roars, broke through the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers! Finally, due to a lack of continuation, the lightning dragon dissipated in front of the seventh layer of the sword formation! “Whew!” The Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries exhaled deeply. Jiang Chen also felt a cold sweat for him. Quietly estimating, he thought if he were to face such a potent lightning tribulation, even with all his cards out, he might struggle to resist! With the mindset of “let others withstand the lightning while I watch the show,” Jiang Chen cheered, “Old man, give it your all!” “……” The face of the Sword Ancestor of Seven Luminaries turned even more sour as though he’d just swallowed something vile. “Boom!!” The thunder resounded once more, more muffled than before. Lightning flickered densely across the firmament, like a web obscuring the entire sky. Despite waiting a long while, the lightning did not fall, nor did the storm clouds dissipate. At this moment, the Sword Ancestor had no mind to deal with Jiang Chen. Instead, he gazed at the sky, his aged face full of gravity! He didn’t know how long this tribulation would last, but he guessed that the next wave of lightning would be the climax! The lightning hadn’t fallen yet, only because it was gathering strength. Gathering strength for an even more powerful strike! “What a predicament…” the Sword Ancestor shook his head in resignation. He had come to Qingyun City to take in the proud disciples of the sect. Who knew that all the prodigies of the Seven Luminaries Sword Pavilion fell to Jiang Chen’s hand! He stayed to protect the last prodigy. Who could’ve expected! He ended up unable to protect himself! At this moment, he regretted it. Had he known sooner, he wouldn’t have come to this icy city! Nor remained here to be used by Jiang Chen as a tool to endure the lightning tribulation! “Jiang Chen, you truly are a scourge!” the Sword Ancestor shouted angrily. “Thank you for the compliment,” Jiang Chen replied with a light-hearted smile. “……” Once again, the Sword Ancestor was left speechless. And just then… “Boom!!” “Boom!!” “Boom!!”