Kieran exited the sphere with a tranquil mind and pulsing veins. Beneath the aged peach tree in his new courtyard, he sat cross-legged, the glow of dusk bathing the stone tiles in golden light. His breaths were slow and steady, each inhale drawing in the rich spiritual chi from the fresh morning air, and each exhale expelling the lingering impurities from his body.
The Divine Dragon Sutra circulated within him, slowly refining Roulan's Yin essence. A river of pure refined chi flowed through his meridians, melding with his qi, circulating with profound efficiency. The edge of the Viridian Realm was within reach. His body had become a crucible, his soul a vessel ready to be reforged.
For hours, he tempered himself, the energy within repeatedly washing over his flesh and bones, fortifying him. He had not broken through directly, but had stepped into a level that was between the peak of the Neophyte realm and the Viridian realm. Just as his determination wavered and he considered the possibility that he might not break through, the flow within him shifted—sharp, potent, and he felt the barrier to the next level begin to break. The heavens noticed.
A sudden heaviness descended. The wind stilled. The peach blossom tree ceased swaying.
He opened his eyes.
The sky was slowly darkening.
Without hesitation, Kieran stood and rushed toward the back mountain's open training field. The tribulation followed above him as the sky boiled into a cauldron of clouds. He could feel an immense pressure swelling above.
Lightning flashed, painting the sky in seven vivid colors: red, blue, green, silver, white, black, and finally, a brilliant gold. Each hue snaking its way within the tribulation clouds like divine dragons.
"A seven-colored tribulation," Sindra's voice whispered into his mind, brimming with solemn awe. "Don't resist it. Let the lightning refine you."
Kieran nodded internally, his gaze unwavering. He spread his arms as if to welcome the tribulation, his chest bare to the heavens. As if provoked by his defiance, the sky roared, the storm intensifying.
Far across Yidu and throughout the Long Clan, people paused what they were doing and turned their heads to the sky. Awe and fear painted their faces. The only question in their minds....
"Who could be undergoing a tribulation like that?"
Even deep within the back mountain of the Long clan, two secluded elders playing chess looked to the sky. One bore the calm, aged air of a middle-aged man, the other the quiet menace of one in his prime. The older-looking one frowned. "When did our clan produce a genius like this?"
Then, the first bolt struck.
Crack!
Seven colors fused into a single spear of lightning, piercing Kieran's body. He grunted, knees buckling, but he remained standing. Pain tore through him. Every muscle screamed, every vein surged with searing energy. Still, he endured.
The second bolt followed soon after. Then the third.
Each bolt struck harder than the last. But with each strike, his body grew tougher as impurities were burned away, his soul stronger. The sphere rotated rapidly, absorbing only what his body could not handle.
—
Within the sphere, Roulan and Baixue knelt beside the now-blooming herb garden, tending to the plants when a gentle glow suffused the world around them.
Roulan looked up. "Do you feel that?"
Baixue closed her eyes. "He's breaking through."
The ground beneath their feet trembled as the space around them began expanding. The Phoenix Tear Tree bore fruit with alarming speed. All around them, the small shoots sprouted, their leaves unravelling.
The quality of the sphere's energy was shifting, becoming purer.
Alarmed, both women exited the core and appeared in their respective courtyards. Their worried gazes directed at the tribulation in the distance.
The lightning danced.
"Kieran…" Roulan murmured.
—
Inside the sphere, the transformation continued. A massive Yin-Yang diagram unfurled at the center, the landscape reshaping itself. Two trees burst from the opposing eyes of the diagram—the Yang tree a deep purple, the Yin tree shimmering rose. Balance.
Sindra whispered, exhilarated, "The space has grown bigger. Your realm shapes the world within the sphere."
But Kieran had no time to respond. He was watching as the tribulation lightning accumulated strength, preparing to strike him. His body was battered and bruised, but he still stood straight, waiting to face the final strike.
Then the ninth bolt arrived, bigger, stronger, and faster. It sliced through the heavens, instantly arriving before him.
A radiant explosion enveloped him as the lightning charred his body. When the light faded, he remained—kneeling, breathing heavily, his body screaming in pain.
Kieran looked to the sky and noticed that the clouds were not dispersing but accumulating more strength.
It's not over!. Kieran almost cried, wondering if he could withstand another strike. He sat down cross-legged, watching the tribulation accumulate strength.
A few minutes later, it fell, crashing upon him like a waterfall. The hearts of everyone watching tightened, Baixue and Roulan falling to their knees. Everyone believed the chances of surviving something like that were slim.
As the torrent ended, Kieran was left lying inside a crater formed by the tribulation. He looked to the sky with a smile, feeling the energy flowing within him.
I have finally broken through.
Viridian Realm.
He exhaled, and with it, a pulse of power burst from his body. Something awakened within him.
His eyes turned slightly purple.
Pellucid Insight.
From his inherited memories, he knew that it was an innate ability from the divine dragon blood flowing in his veins. He could now see through illusions, read spiritual roots, bloodlines, even soul strength. His perception had also been strengthened.
Then, he felt them—two familiar auras radiating worry.
Roulan. Baixue.
He projected his consciousness through the sphere. "Can you hear me?"
In her courtyard, Baixue gasped. "Kieran?"
Roulan's eyes welled. "You're okay..."
"I am," he said softly. "Thank you for watching over me."
Baixue's voice held relief. "We always will."
Roulan nodded. "Always."
The skies above the Long Clan trembled one last time—then, to everyone's astonishment, a gentle rain began to fall. The droplets were warm, luminous, and fragrant, each one carrying an extremely pure spiritual chi.
"It is not rain!" Someone shouted in disbelief.
This wasn't ordinary rain. It was condensed energy, pure and potent. Cultivators across the estate quickly tried to absorb it, their instincts screaming at them not to waste a single drop. The two elders from the back mountain stood above the clouds, silently watching. They could hardly believe that they had witnessed something that they only ever heard of in legends.
"This is tribulation dew! Heaven's reward for a successful breakthrough—gather itquickly!" The voice of the middle-aged-looking elder boomed across the Long Clan like thunder on a calm lake.
"Do it!" Draco Long ordered. He immediately knew that the voice belonged to an ancestor of their clan.
The clan responded more to the patriarch's words since most of them knew nothing about their ancestors. A frenzy broke out as alchemists, elders, and disciples scrambled with jars, bowls, and formation arrays to collect the shimmering droplets, realizing that such a heavenly treasure could greatly assist in their future cultivation.
In the crater, Kieran's charred skin slowly peeled off as the tribulation dew fell on his body. His body was rapidly healing as new skin was formed.
When the shower stopped, Kieran opened his eyes and stood up.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough master." Sindra appeared on his shoulder, jumping up and down excitedly.
But before Kieran could enjoy the feeling of breaking into the Virdian realm, he suddenly fell to his knees, groaning in pain.
[Dear readers, please support me with power stones and some constructive criticism in the comments to help me improve the quality of my content. Also, share my story with friends who like this kind of genre. Thank You.]