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RENSHEN'S POV

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I knew it wouldn't be easy to accept reality right away, but I at least hoped they wouldn't object to it.

Liuyue, as expected, didn't argue. Liu Ming and Wu Tao mostly seemed confused and full of questions that they dared not ask.

While I waited for them to come to terms with my revelation, my senses picked up a weird feeling coming from my mental galaxy. Clay's star was shining extra bright while pulsing.

I immediately realized that something was going to happen to him, if it hadn't already happened.

Frowning, I shot to my feet. "Let's go home."

"Mas-"

I opened the portal and rushed through it, eager and worried about what it could be. Was the sect under attack again? Being miles away from it, I just couldn't help but frown, anxious, as I went through the void with my disciples behind me.

Stepping out of the void, the strong energy hanging in the air almost ate away my skin if I hadn't put up a shield when I first felt it.

"Master!" Ling yelled from the pagoda where they seemed to have taken shelter from the potential danger looming in the sky.

A tribulation. But, who was being tested?

I didn't need to search further when I heard a roar shake the air before Clay emerged from the pagoda in his original body which now looked a lot like a dragon.

It continued flying up, roaring and emitting its full breath, ready to take on...

"The Nine Divine Lightning tribulation," Liuyue half whispered from her surprise as she stared open-mouthed at the darkened sky that had already blocked the sunrays reaching my sect.

I had read about this tribulation. It was rarer than the Immortal tribulation, but not any weaker. I had been expecting it when Clay would finally form a core; I just didn't think it'd be this early or right here.

I pinched the bridge of my nose closing my eyes to think. If I allowed it to take place, it would surely attract the attention of so many people from the nearby sects and even mortals. This would either lead to envy from them or admiration. Knowing half their greedy characters, the former result had a high chance of becoming true.

'What should I do? How did I handle it before?'

It was only in such a moment that I wished my future self had provided more guidelines about such a thing. Or did I just let it happen and draw in more enemies than friends?

Clay's roar woke me from my thoughts. "Master. You, came." He sounded glad.

"Yes, Clay. Now tell me, can you handle this or do you need my help?" I asked through our link.

He stopped flying and looked in my direction. With a nod of his head, he answered, "I can. But, my core...will, cause-"

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"Do not worry about that. Concentrate on surviving the tribulation. I will take care of the rest. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mas-ter."

His speech had slightly improved but was still not smooth. Regardless, it was a big improvement that I was proud of. He, just like everyone in the sect, was putting some effort to grow, both in strength and mentally. They didn't complain about anything I had been doing, instead, they had been obediently following me, allowing me to guide them.

It wasn't about the curse in them because I had already given each of them a choice to stay or leave yet they had all chosen to stay.

With so many loyal subjects, how could I afford to let them down in any way? I had already done that weeks ago but the vengeance had been quite satisfying.

And now, I had to go all out again for Clay, or his tribulation would be interrupted, and he'd lose his core and, possibly, his life.

I opened a black hole, and from it, I brought Xu'er and Xian into the barrier. I mostly cared about Xu'er since her master had trusted me with her safety. Xian, er, not much, but it would be useful to block any stray energy if the unlikely event of my barrier-breaking happened.

I faced all of them.

"I need to go to the pagoda to set up a barrier that will cover the whole sect. Stay here and watch Clay as-"

An agitated roar exploded in the atmosphere and my head jerked to face Clay.

He was challenging the tribulation as if it had a soul. But I couldn't tell why he was doing this instead of waiting for the nine thunder and lightning strikes to come to him.

"What's he doing?" Liu Ming questioned sounding as surprised as I was.

He roared again, exuding his breath to its strongest while facing the eye of the tribulation that was sizzling with black and white lightning as it prepared to test Clay and his foundation.

I had my faith in him. He was by far the strongest beast I had met since I came to be, and I could feel that he'd one day make the worlds tremble and the skies shake.

Seeing his determination, I left the barrier and appeared right above the sect's source.

They were already alert, men and beasts alike because the tribulation of a powerful beast would attract other beasts who hoped to steal the newly made core. Just like cultivators wanted to steal it to absorb it.

I sat cross-legged right above the source and calmed myself to begin the process.

The barrier would be the biggest I have set up. It would have been easier if I had learned array formations, but, I was lacking in that part and had to use what I could afford.

Maybe after this tribulation was over, I'd do more research about arrays.

I opened a black hole and drew out the source. It now had a lustrous golden color that felt warm to my dantian, making its origin even more mysterious.

But now was not the time for that.

'Focus,' I reminded myself as Clay's thunderous roars competed with the tribulation thunder for supremacy.

Using my evolved perception, I drew out a map in my mind of the border I wanted the barrier to stand. Not too wide to consume much of my energy, but not too small to give Clay the room he deserved to stretch and fly.

I'd have to cover at least half of the sect's land to achieve this goal.

I took a sharp inhale, readying myself.

'It's time.'

Indeed. For I could feel a nosy cultivators flying towards the sect. He was the first to take care of, which I did by opening a small void hole in front of him.

"Turn around and leave!" I ordered, transmitting my voice through the portal.

"Who are you, why should I listen to you?"

When I felt him try to attack the portal, I shot my root through it and wrapped it around his neck to strangle and absorb his cultivation until it reached one.

Done with that nosy fly, I went back to erecting the barrier.

The first step was to draw energy from the source before me to directly support the barrier while using myself as the link to the two.

Other than the source, I also tapped some of the void's energy to make the barrier as strong as it could by giving it the power to absorb any attacks or cultivation if anyone stupid touched it.

Beads of thick sweat started forming on my forehead and temples as the overwhelming energy passing through me slightly bruised my dantian and soul as well.

I'd explode if I grew greedy and tried to keep this energy within me. It needed someone with a cultivation level of over forty thousand for this little energy I was passing to the barrier through the void.

Not forgetting the void's extra energy that was as mysterious as the source.

The barrier had risen only halfway when more flies showed up.

"Master?" Liu Ming's voice came. "Let us go out and protect Clay and the sect."

"No! I want you to stay there and help him if anything goes wrong."

But there was one being that I didn't need to help Clay.

I opened a portal inside their barrier and yanked Xian through it, depositing him outside the larger barrier that was half-done.

Even though our link wasn't that strong, I still managed to talk to it. "Depending on how much effort you put into this task, I'll reward you with more of your freedom."

"Tsk! I'm now your dog."

"Yes. Now guard the sect but don't kill recklessly. Fight if they disobey your orders."

To give it more authority, I sent my token through the void. "Order any disciples of Soul Sect to push back any invaders. They still owe me a lot."

"Whatever you say," Xian responded with a sassy attitude that made my fists harden with the ache to drill them through its face.