Tian Ling was now at the ninth level of the Spiritual Core Realm, with all of his elemental cores completed. It had taken him only six months to stabilize his central core.
“Finally, I can break through now. Should I inform my master?” he muttered, pondering his next step.
"Maybe it’s better not to tell her just yet... Breaking through to the True Soul Realm at the age of sixty would be shocking," Tian Ling thought as he stood up and walked out of his cave.
He took a deep breath, feeling the calm before a great breakthrough. Every step he took toward the exit felt heavier, not with doubt, but with a sense of responsibility. Breaking through to the True Soul Realm was a milestone, and he knew what lay ahead.
“Well, let’s head to the Mythic Realm of Tribulations,” he said, with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. He knew he was close to a decisive moment in his journey.
Upon reaching the vortex that led to the Mythic Realm of Tribulations, he was greeted by a disciple on guard.
“Welcome, junior brother. Are you planning to use the Mythic Realm of Tribulation?” the disciple asked, looking at him respectfully.
“Yes, senior brother. Could you keep an eye on the vortex while I undergo the trial?” Tian Ling responded with determination.
“Of course, no problem,” the disciple nodded in agreement.
Tian Ling crossed the vortex, and upon entering the Mythic Realm of Tribulations, he saw the same devastated landscape he remembered. Lightning sliced through the skies, filling the air with the scent of ozone, while a constant buzzing reverberated through the ground. The place resembled a celestial battlefield, with mountains around being struck relentlessly by lightning.
He took a deep breath, feeling the electricity in the air, and made his way to the center of the realm. He was eager to break through, but he knew the tribulation for reaching the True Soul Realm would be far more dangerous than any he had faced before. Especially for someone like him, who had multiple elemental cores. His mind wandered over these thoughts as he prepared his body and spirit.
“Am I ready? All the masters said that fusing multiple cores is extremely risky... This could destroy me.” Tian Ling shook his head, pushing away the doubts. He knew this was the next step, and there was no turning back.
“System, if I start the trial, will you help me like last time?” Tian Ling asked out loud, seeking the familiar response from the system.
Silence lingered for a moment, and he was reminded of how unpredictable the system could be.
"This system is a bit odd... It only answers specific questions and rarely anything random. But in the end, it helped me get this far. I can’t complain," he thought, sighing as he accepted the peculiarity of his power source.
Resolving himself, he sat in a lotus position, ready to face the trial, even knowing the risks. Quickly, he entered a meditative state, drawing the tribulation toward him.
Suddenly, thunder roared with deafening force. The mountains around trembled, and the sky darkened as if night had come prematurely. Lightning tore through the sky with a fury that seemed to want to rip the heavens apart. Even in his trance, Tian Ling could feel the crushing pressure of the tribulation, and his heart raced for a moment. Worry tried to creep into his mind, but then:
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[Detected that the host is undergoing a tribulation in a perfect state. The system will create a barrier that will reduce the thunder’s power by half and assist in the absorption of Qi for fusing the central core.]
A wave of relief washed over him.
"What a relief! If it weren’t for the system, who could withstand this tribulation? This is ridiculous," he thought, relaxing his mind. Even though the system wouldn’t directly help with the core fusion, the support in absorbing Qi and the protection against the thunder was more than enough.
A golden, radiant barrier formed around him, covering an area of one kilometer. The first bolt of thunder descended from the heavens, massive and charged with devastating power. Tian Ling slowly opened his eyes, watching the approaching thunder, but he didn’t feel fear. On the contrary, he was eager to absorb all that power.
When the thunder collided with the barrier, its power was halved. Even so, the force was immense. Tian Ling quickly raised a Qi barrier, channeling his elements to strengthen it. He began absorbing the energy of the thunder, allowing it to flow through his meridians while simultaneously fusing his elemental cores into the central core.
Tian Ling faced relentless bolts of thunder, each one stronger than the last, fusing his cores for an entire month. It was an exhausting mental and spiritual battle, but finally, as the skies calmed, he slowly opened his eyes.
“What an amazing feeling... I can sense everything within a fifty-kilometer radius. Is this what it feels like to be in the True Soul Realm?” he murmured, marveling at his new powers. He felt much more confident in his strength now. Slowly, he stood up and examined his robes.
“Hm... They didn’t even tear. Even though those bolts were so powerful... I guess a treasure capable of defending against someone in the Perfected Soul Realm isn’t a joke.”
Satisfied with his progress, he headed toward the vortex to return to the sect. Upon reaching the exit, he glanced back, contemplating the Mythic Realm of Tribulations.
“The tribulation covered an area of thirty kilometers this time... What will the size of the tribulation for the Perfected Soul Realm be? Will this mythic realm even be able to withstand it?” Tian Ling wondered before crossing the vortex and returning to the sect.
Back at the sect, the disciple who had been waiting greeted him again, with renewed respect.
“Congratulations on your achievement, junior brother,” said the disciple, though his thoughts betrayed his curiosity: "What realm did he break through to? The tribulation lasted for a month and could be heard even from here. That’s insane!"
“Thank you, senior brother. I’ll be retreating now. I need to consolidate my cultivation.”
“Very well, brother. Take care,” the disciple said, bowing slightly.
Tian Ling returned to his cave to consolidate his cultivation. Now, the next step required patience.
...
Six months passed, and Tian Ling had finally consolidated his cultivation completely. As expected, the system echoed in his mind, announcing the options he had been eager to hear.
[Congratulations on breaking through to the True Soul Realm and taking another step in your cultivation. Now, you have the following paths to choose from:]
[1- Leave seclusion, show the world your power, become famous, and the genius of this generation. You will receive an Earth-grade treasure and a jar of True Soul pills.]
[2- Continue in seclusion, keep a low profile, and grow stronger to protect yourself and those around you. You will receive new system functions, an Immortal-grade technique, a jar of True Soul pills, and a random defensive treasure.]
Tian Ling widened his eyes as he read the options and seriously pondered. "Why does staying in seclusion offer so many benefits? Is the system guiding me toward something bigger than I can understand? Well... either way, I don’t want to reveal myself just yet. I’m not ready to show my strength to the world."
With his mind focused on his path, he chose the second option without hesitation.
Golden lights shone brightly, illuminating his face and making the entire cave shimmer. This was a crucial point in his evolution, and he felt that the path ahead would prepare him for something much greater.