Ascension of the immortal Asura

John instantly understood what Araxus was talking about. When he had first received the Primordial Extermination Lightning cultivation technique from Celestial Soulrend, it had been famed as a cultivation technique that focused on the aspect of destructive lightning. While normal lightning was itself destructive in nature, it could not be considered destructive lightning. True destructive lightning was akin to that of Heavenly Tribulations, where the very nature of the lightning itself focused on causing as much destruction and damage as possible. Not only was the lightning more powerful, it was also much more efficient at causing more damage and pain, amplifying the physical and mental anguish it could unleash on an enemy.

True destruction lightning was different from a fusion between the Daos of Destruction and Lightning as well. While a fusion between those two Dao's would result in something similar to true destruction lightning, it was still considered an inferior version. True Destruction Lightning, such as Heavenly Tribulation lightning or John's lightning was born, or created, from the Dao's of Lightning and Destruction. It was a perfect combination between the two with no flaws, unlike fusion, where there were still inefficiencies in the fusion process.

In John's case, his destruction lightning had come about as a combination of his Primordial Extermination Lightning cultivation technique, which altered the very nature of his Dantian to produce true destruction lightning, as well as the Heavenly Tribulation lightning, he had absorbed during his tribulations. The latter had been possible thanks to cultivating the Celestial Lightning Script, which turned his body into an Origin-Grade Lightning Attribute Body, allowing him to not only absorb tribulation lightning, but contain it within his body without it rampaging and killing him.

After absorbing tribulation lightning, John had stored it inside his body for years. Over that time, the Tribulation Lightning came to infuse into his very being, including his Dantian, empowering his ability to unleash true Destruction Lightning as quickly and naturally as normal lightning, making each and everyone one of his lightning based attacks a potentially deadly one.

Back on his homeworld, the knowledge of the Dao's was far less than that of the Nine-Dao World. On his homeworld, his enemies and the powerhouses of the world could tell John's lightning was special and dangerous, but didn't know exactly why.

For someone like Araxus however, who not only had the teachings of a pinnacle sect of the Nine-Dao World, but also had an Awakened King-Grade Lightning Attribute Body, spotting the difference was beyond simple. He had been able to discern at a glance the truth of John's lightning, especially when comparing it to his own tribulations, in which he had studied the Heavenly Tribulation lightning with extraordinary care.

"Oh, that," John said with realization, scratching his chin in an awkward manner. While he did like Araxus, he couldn't just outright tell him of his Primordial Extermination Lightning technique or his Celestial Lightning Script, at least not in front of everyone here.

"I…I absorbed my Tribulation Lightning, and made it my own," John decided to say, giving a partial truth. While his claim was still beyond shocking, it didn't reveal any hints towards his secretive cultivation techniques.

Araxus' eyes went wide upon hearing this, as did every single person in the crowd. Almost everyone present had experienced tribulations themselves, and knew how horrifying Tribulation Lightning was. When undergoing tribulation, every cultivator focused on surviving first and foremost.

To absorb Tribulation Lightning, when one was already fighting for their life, was an unheard of concept, as well as a suicidal one. Only John, with his incredible inheritances could accomplish such a thing. For anyone else who attempted to do that, death would be the only outcome, Araxus included.

Araxus stared at John with a bewildered expression for a moment, then began to break out into loud, almost crazy laughter.

"Hahaha, there's just no competing with you, is there?" Araxus said while shaking his head. "No, but you can still put up a good fight nonetheless," John replied truthfully. Such words would normally ignite Araxus' ire, as they were completely overbearing and confident, but when it came from John, it was as if he were merely speaking the truth.

A wide grin appeared on Araxus' face as he pointed his lance directly at John.

"You might be more talented than me, and might be stronger, but that doesn't mean I can't win," Araxus said with unwavering resolve. "Until I'm lying on the ground, unable to move, this battle isn't done."

Boom!

The ground beneath Araxus' feet shattered as lightning sprung into existence all around him. The lightning arced high into the sky, smashing against the nearby formation barrier, then returned towards Araxus, slamming into his body.

More tendrils of lightning flew off him and returned, the process quickly forming the shape of two massive wings. John looked at the wings and instantly recognized what they were stylized after, as he had seen those wings before in real life.

A Lightning Dragon!

"Rush of the Lightning Dragon!" Araxus roared as the earth shattered around him like brittle glass. With no warning at all, Araxus surged forward through the sky, his body almost appearing like it had become a bolt of lightning itself. His speed was absolutely incredible as he sped towards John far faster than John had ever seen an opponent move. It was as if Araxus had transformed himself into the concept of lightning, focusing only on moving fast, powerfully, and most importantly, unpredictably.

He arrived before John in an instant, his momentum completely overwhelming. Lightning roared to life on his lance, which thrust out with his full power. The world around John became lightning, his vision fully encompassed by ruinous lightning.

"Thundersurge Lance!" Araxus roared as his lance thrust forward, piercing directly towards John's chest. John felt as though a true Lightning Dragon was approaching him, with one of its massive claws surging directly towards his heart. This was the most powerful attack he had faced head on since in quite some time, eclipsing the power of the World Expansion cultivators he had fought roughly a year ago.

Only the Eight-Seal Gravity Field Art had been more powerful, and that was only the final attack after Chloe had channeled her ability for a long time, draining her Qi in the process. If he took this attack head on, without using his Dragon-God Shift or Asura Transformation, he would take considerable damage despite his Lightning Attribute Body.

Roar!

John roared outwards, unleashing a Roar of the Jade Dragon, as it was his fastest use battle art. The powerful roar slammed against Araxus' who pierced through its power as if it were made of paper. However, that momentary pause was enough for John to raise his arms in time, just before the lance pierced into his chest. .

Hands raised to both sides, his mental focus was pushed to the absolute limit as Araxus' lance reached him. With another roar, not of a dragon, but of one mustering his full strength, John's body exploded into a shower of lightning, covering him fully like armor. At the last possible instant, his hands surged with his full power towards one another, palms slamming against both sides of the lance as the tip just reached his chest.

Boom!

The sky rumbled and the ground far beneath their feet shattered as Araxus' lance slammed against John with incredible power. Araxus' eyes flickered with surprise for a moment as he watched John inexplicably catch his lance, which was moving so fast that most in the crowd couldn't even see it move. He then sneered and summoned even more of his power, pushing forward with everything he had.

Due to his monstrous momentum, Araxus surged forward, pushing John backwards with the lance against his chest.

The two sped through the sky like a bolt of lightning, speeding across the hundred-mile-wide arena in less than in mere seconds before slamming into the defensive formation on the other side of the arena. John's back slammed into the formation screen without any slowing down or using a defensive technique, causing a calamitous boom to crack across the stadium, while the lance pushed against his chest with the power of exploding volcanoes and the weight of mountains. The formation screen flared to life, lightning up brightly as it used its full power to defend against the monstrously powerful collision. Lightning exploded from Araxus' lance, drowning the nearby area in an explosion of lightning as he unleashed the final portion of his attack. The crowd gasped as the attack finally ended, although lightning continued to flicker on the location where John was pressed against the formation screen. They all exchanged glances with their neighbors, the same though visible in each of their expressions.

'Was it possible to survive such an attack?'

That attack was more than powerful enough to easily kill a typical Late Dao Transformation cultivator, and then some. While John was not a typical cultivator, he had not been using the Dragon-God Shift he had revealed earlier. Without that, his survival was questioned by all.

A moment later, they looked towards the formation screens displaying his information, which updated a moment later. Their eyes went wide with shock as they stared at the number detailing his health, which had hardly moved at all.

Health: Ninety-Six Percent!

"Hahaha," boisterous laughter came from within the explosion of lightning, which faded away a short distance later as Araxus hovered a short distance away, staring into it with a stern expression. "I thought you had me for a second there," John said as his form was revealed to all. Araxus studied John's body, noticing a small wound on his chest where the lance had pierced, as well as some blood on his back from directly smashing into the formation screen head on without any protection. Those wounds began to heal instantly as John's Limiters and natural healing factor activated. Araxus turned to look at the formation screen, which showed John's health quickly return to one hundred percent, undoing all the damage he had just done. "Fucking monstrous," Araxus said flatly, not expecting this attack of his to do so little damage to John. With John's healing factor on top of that, he realized he would need to exhaust John's Qi and prevent his healing before he could even think about winning the battle.

"Surprised?" John asked with a smile. Most opponents would have expected John to perish or at least become gravely injured upon taking such a powerful attack head on, but Araxus only stared at him with an even, yet stern expression.

"On the contrary," Araxus sneered, a small smile appearing on his face as his aura began to surge once more. "The tougher you are, the more times I get to unleash my full powered battle arts without any concern. This is quite a rare opportunity for me to test my limits, so be a good target dummy and take more of my attacks."

"I could say the same to you," John said, then pressed off the formation screen and sped towards Araxus to resume their battle of lightning.