"Finally, time to settle some old debts," Atop the High peak of the Kidron Sect, a lone figure stood against the autumn breeze. His black robes swaying gently, contrary to the gathering clouds above him. His pitch-black hair having grown longer over the years in seclusion—danced wildly to the rhythm of the wind.

  For the past four years, Tian had been behind closed doors—refining and pushing himself to the edge. But now, he had encountered a bottleneck—the threshold (level 9) of the Nascent Soul Stage (Saint Realm). His usually calm eyes of nothing but pure darkness gleamed with a silver touch as he prepares to face the 3-9 Soulflare Tribulation.

  Certain realms required a tribulation to get through, with a total of three tribulations to withstand for one to become immortal. The intensity of the tribulation varied with different individuals, but followed the same path—3-9 Soulflare Tribulation, 6-9 Heavenly Axis Tribulation, and the legendary 9-9 Life Reversal Tribulation.

  To breakthrough to the Spirit King Stage (King Realm), the soul had to be tempered by the Heavenly Thunder, a crucial stage in a cultivators life where most failed to survive the tribulation, as one needed to withstand a total of sixty lightning bolts, each one stronger than the last.

  Having reached the Saint Realm at fifteen, Tian was a straight-up born Taboo, an anomaly who constantly defied logic. He should have already broken through to the Martial King Realm, but he sought to reach the Nascent Soul Ultimate realm first.

  These Realms represented a secret, forgotten, or nearly impossible-to-reach stages that exist between the major cultivation realms. They are secrets mostly only known to those in power, or at least has some connections to some great sect or clans. These realms require not only immense talent but also the right circumstances, environment, and resources to unlock.

  Within Kunlun, cultivation followed the following ranks: Mortal, Earth, Sky, Saint, King, Emperor, Heaven, and Void-Break Realm. With each realm divided into nine levels with the only exception for the Earth Realm which only has three levels.

  Rumble!

  Thunder rumbled and the sky fractured with streaks of golden lightning.

  Tian sat cross-legged, preparing for his breakthrough. He could feel his tribulation approaching. If he wanted to reach the Soul-Ascendance Ultimate level and possibly awaken his bloodline, he had to endure the tribulation without any external help.

  He began with the basics, focusing on meditative exercises that would help him harness his internal energy. Each moment, he pushed himself a little harder, his determination unyielding. As he activated the first level of the Taiyin Meridian, he felt a surge of energy course through his body, igniting his veins with a fiery intensity.

  The Taiyin Meridian technique focused on enhancing the body's natural meridians, channels through which Qi flowed, to an extreme degree. The process was arduous, requiring intense concentration and a profound understanding of one's inner workings.

  Tian visualized the meridians within his body, as divine branches interwoven into various paths, and began to channel his Qi through them, following the complex pathways outlined in the Reincarnation Book.

  Below the High Peak, a sea of disciples gathered in the Martial Arena, their focus on the gathering storm. Even those seasoned elders watched in a terrifying silence.

  "This…" a young disciple spoke, looking in the direction of the High Peak.

  They could all feel the violent clouds approaching the peak.

  Leaning against a tree in the High Elder's garden was Yingsha, his hands on his sword as always but this time his usually composed demeanor shifted—his eyes narrowing as he turned his gaze towards the High Peak.

  “He’s out.”

  Yingsha’s voice, though quiet, carried a hint of uneasiness. It was enough for the High Elder to turn his head sharply. His fingers tightened as he thought of the implications.

  "This... Young Master came out of seclusion?" Elder Wang spoke, his shock evident.

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  Rumble!

  The sky above the High Peak darkened ominously, swirling with thick, foreboding clouds. For miles around, the once peaceful sky seemed to bow under the weight of something unfathomable, like the heavens themselves prepared to witness a cataclysm. At the heart of it all, Tian sat secluded atop the mountain peak, deep in meditation. His mystical mask concealing his face, but beneath it, his reddish-black eyes gleamed with a cold, penetrating light.

  "This tribulation should be at least ten times stronger than a normal one," High Elder explained. "My tribulation and that of the other elders were not as terrifying. This cloud has a diameter of at least a hundred miles. Normally, they are only ten miles at most, and usually just five miles. A ten-mile diameter is already a great feat. But this..."

  "This naughty boy is truly attempting the Ultimate level," High Elder sighed, a mix of pride and unease in his voice. "His tribulation is already an anomaly. The Heavens won't let him ascend that easy."

  "What? The Ultimate realm?" Elder Wang couldn't believe what he was hearing.

  Ultimate Realms offered a transitional phase that allows cultivators to deepen their understanding, refine their power, and sometimes unlock hidden abilities tied to their bloodline or martial arts techniques.

  A few cultivators could ever boast of accessing these Realms, and even fewer made it out alive. One had to go beyond every conventional methods of advancement to enter these stages.

  "Tch, Young Master had already reached it in the Mortal Realm," Yingsha sneered.

  "He... he has... already broken through the Ultimate realm?" Elder Wang was in disbelief.

  High Elder smiled, "This boy defies common sense, Elder Wang. Judging him with normal standards will only strain your mind."

  “Tch. Four years in seclusion and he’s already breaking through? Showoff.” Tang Ai folded her arms standing beside Yingsha, her crimson eyes flashing with intrigue.

  However, despite her words, there was no mistaking tension in her posture. Unlike the rest of the sect, who was just watching in awe—she knew this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park.

  As if to confirm her fears, at the peak, Tian had now completely cleared his thoughts and was ready for the tribulation. His blood was boiling with anticipation. He couldn't believe it himself, but he had to be careful as the violent clouds seemed intent on ending him.

  He activated the Empyrean Compendium also known as the Reincarnation Book within his Sea of Qi and ran the Tao of Taiqing. This was a profound philosophy that emphasized harmony with the universe, the flow of energy, and the balance between offense and defense. It required a deep understanding of natural laws and the ability to adapt to various situation.

  Not wanting to risk anything, he also activated the No-Thought Sutra, which in contrast, was a mental discipline that allowed the practitioner to void their mind of all distractions, achieving a state of pure clarity. It was a technique that focused on enhancing one's ability to react instinctively and efficiently, making it a perfect complement to the Tao of Taiqing.

  The Empyrean Compendium itself was made from a rare, ethereal Silver Spider silk that shimmered with a faint, otherworldly glow. The inscriptions were written in pure golden ink that never faded. The tome was adorned with intricate symbols and diagrams, each representing a different aspect of the martial techniques it contained.

  Tian raised his gaze, his expression void of any concern as the first bold charged toward him.

  “Here we go.” Tian smiled as he watched the first strike descend like holy grail.

  This was it, the moment he’d been working so hard for.

  Tian exhaled, and in the next instant… the heavens erupted.

  Boom!

  The first strike hit, and the entire land shook violently. The skies turned black, and the phenomenon could be seen throughout Persian Desert.

  Rumble!

  Tian gritted his teeth as the thunder sought to tear apart his body. This was just the first lightning strike, yet it had already shaken the entire land.

  Gasps rippled through the watchers. Even the most composed instinctively took a step back.

  Some were stone-frozen, their expressions filled with awe and fear as they watched Tian endure the tribulation. The sight of him facing such a terrifying tribulation was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

  Disciples and Elders alike clustered at a distance. The once lively air had become cold, an eerie chill creeping through the valley as if death itself lurked in the shadows.

  “B-Black lightning?” one of them pointed toward the stormy clouds. “Impossible…!”

  “Have you ever seen anything like this?” whispered another disciple, his breath visible in the suddenly freezing air.

  “No,” another answered, his voice trembling. “Four years ago, when Young Master fought the Sword Emperor, I thought I had seen his limit. But now… his aura alone is terrifying. It’s like there’s a monster awaiting to be unleashed.”

  The tribulation lightning continued its relentless descent on Tian like a torrential rain. His body was battered and bruised, blood oozing from the cracks. The scene was both awe-inspiring and horrifying. The members of the Hidden Sect could only watch in anticipation, hoping their Holy Son would succeed.

  The High Elder’s face darkened. In all his years, he had seen all kinds of prodigies and their journeys—but this… this was on a league of its own. The storm itself seemed to be alive, as if the heavens themselves wanted to erase him.

  Yingsha remained silent, but this time—his fists were clenched beneath his sleeve, one gripping tightly to the sword. In his short life, he’d seen and survived a lot of challenges—but right now… he couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. And once that happens, there won’t be going back.