"Only a Grade 2 tribulation," Slifer murmured with relief, watching the electric dance of the clouds with a hint of amusement. This shouldn't take too long.

Turning to Hughie, he clapped a heavy hand onto the boy’s back, causing him to wince. "You really are my lucky charm," Slifer declared, a broad grin on his face.

Confusion marred Hughie's features. He couldn’t fathom why his master needed him for what appeared to be a Foundation Establishment realm tribulation. It all seemed so... ordinary.

Slifer's gaze wandered to the Critical Block Card. The Crimson Wave Tribulation was ideal for his current predicament. The fact that his disciples hadn’t primarily trained in defensive techniques meant he couldn't use the Mirror technique to replicate any form of protective measure.

Just one card... he thought, hoping it would be enough.

Finally, the charged clouds released their pent-up fury. Five brilliant, red lightning strikes, like the fingers of an angered deity, snaked their way down from the heavens, aimed directly at Slifer.

Hughie’s eyes widened in disbelief as he observed his master, who made no move to prepare any defensive technique. Can an Ascendent cultivator's body withstand such strikes without any protection? he wondered, doubt clouding his mind.

In the next heart-stopping moment, the five lightning bolts descended as one, aiming straight for Slifer. Just as they were about to make contact, the Critical Block Card activated. An invisible barrier shimmered into existence around him, just in time to intercept the heavenly onslaught. The lightning was easily repelled by the barrier and sent shooting outwards, striking the courtyard with deafening cracks.

The dust settled slowly, and there stood Slifer, unscathed, with a triumphant grin plastered across his face.

Hughie had seen such a phenomenon before, where attacks seemed to refuse to land on his master. Is it even possible for a lower realm attack to touch an Ascendant Realm master? he wondered, utterly baffled.

As Slifer absorbed traces of the heavenly qi, he felt a profound sense of satisfaction. The energy merged with his nascent pillar, a feeling that left him momentarily lost in its pleasure. Gazing at the dissipating remnants of the tribulation, Slifer scoffed, "I didn’t even need to prepare for this."

Hughie could only manage a nervous sweatdrop. Why is Master so proud of overcoming a tribulation meant for the Foundation Establishment realm? he thought, not daring to voice it out loud.

But then, Slifer’s expression abruptly changed. His self-satisfied smile faltered, replaced by a frown of confusion. Wait a minute, why hasn’t my first pillar been completed? he thought anxiously.

It was common knowledge that the Foundation Establishment realm consisted of nine qi pillars. Surviving the tribulation should have solidified the first one. Yet, nothing happened.

Determined, Slifer attempted to manually complete the pillar by manipulating his qi. Despite his efforts, frustration mounted as the pillar stubbornly remained 90% complete. After several failed attempts, he couldn’t help cursing under his breath, suspecting the System's involvement. Is the System preventing my progress?

His thoughts, however, were abruptly interrupted by Hughie’s soft muttering. "Obsidian Monarch Tribulation," the disciple whispered, seemingly to himself, but the words caught Slifer’s attention immediately.

Slifer snapped his head towards Hughie. "What did you just say?" he asked sharply, the previous issue with the pillar momentarily forgotten.

Hughie's hand trembled as he pointed upward, drawing Slifer's gaze to the heavens. The elder cultivator's eyes widened in disbelief, taking in the sight of an unnaturally darkened sky. Mid-day, yet the heavens were consumed by an inky black. An unmistakable sign of... the Obsidian Monarch Tribulation.

Ding! Warning Heavenly Tribulation Triggered

Shit... this... this isn’t even fair, Slifer cursed inwardly. He had scoured the original's memories and found no mention of facing multiple tribulations in succession.

With an accusing glance towards Hughie, Slifer muttered, "I expected more from you."

Bewildered, Hughie responded, "Master, what did you want from me?" His thoughts raced. If Master feels lonely, surely the sect has many maidens eager for his company. Why drag me into this?

Slifer's thoughts raced even as the tribulation gathered momentum. I need that impeccable card now. But when he tried to purchase it, an unwelcome message from the System interrupted him.

Error: Shop Unavailable During Tribulation

He stood there, stunned. Face turning a shade of red from frustration. The System... It knew! It knew my plan all along! His thoughts were abruptly halted by the sight of the first black lightning strike descending upon him.

Without wasting another moment, Slifer activated the Peak Slifer Card. Immediately, nine sturdy qi pillars took shape within him but just as swiftly as they formed, they shattered, coalescing into a golden core. The core quickly dissolved, giving way to a Nascent Soul, which expanded continuously, threatening to burst from the immense power it contained.

"I missed this," Slifer whispered, a surge of near-Origin realm power coursing through him, invigorating every fiber of his being.

The first lightning bolt hurtled towards him with alarming speed. Reacting instantly, Slifer channeled qi into his palms and forcefully slapped the strike away, redirecting it into a nearby tree. Watching the tree burst into a fiery blaze, Slifer’s eyes widened in alarm. Not a tree... anything but a tree! He chastised himself.

Almost instantly, two more lightning bolts rushed at him. With swift reflexes, Slifer diverted them upwards, redirecting their trajectory back towards the heavens. Take that! he defiantly thought, fully aware that such an act couldn't possibly injure the heavens, but the symbolic gesture brought him satisfaction.

The onslaught ceased momentarily after the third bolt, and Slifer lifted his gaze to the skies. He recognized the pattern – every three strikes grew in ferocity. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Come on! Give me your best shot!" Every second counted with the Peak Slifer Card's time constraint.

The Heavens responded with a thunderous roar, sending three more bolts. With graceful motions, Slifer repelled them one by one. But the presence of the 13th strike was undeniable, even Hughie shifted uncomfortably from the aura it released.

With a resounding crack, Slifer met the strike head-on, deflecting it with a powerful swipe of his hand. After the last assault, he inspected his hand, noting the scorch marks with a pained grimace.

As the last remnants of the tribulation clouds disappeared with a roar, Slifer sighed in relief. It's finally over.

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However, his relief was short-lived. Peering within himself, he discovered the Foundation Establishment pillar was stuck at 99%.

He shot a wary glance at the sky, squinting against the dissipating clouds. Don't you dare send another one, he mentally warned the heavens.

The Heavens didn’t seem to have taken Slifer’s warnings seriously as a multi-coloured cloud began to take shape in the sky.

"No," Slifer whispered, dread apparent in his eyes. Beside him, Hughie, already pale, stuttered, "Ce... Celestial Prism."

Yet, to their astonishment, the swirling cloud didn't coalesce. Instead, it crumbled apart, the sky gradually returning to the calm blue of midday. Slifer's body sagged with relief. That was too close. A strike from the Nascent Soul realm... he mused, shuddering at the mere thought.

However, before he could process the turn of events further, an overwhelming dizziness gripped him. Clutching his head in bewilderment, he tried to steady himself. When his vision cleared, he found himself surrounded by an endless expanse of white, the familiar surroundings nowhere in sight.

Outside, Hughie's demeanor shifted to an unusual seriousness. He recognized the signs - his master had entered a state of Enlightenment. Grasping Slifer's hand more firmly, he stood guard. Any disturbance during such a pivotal moment could have grave consequences.

Where am I? Slifer wondered, but then a sliver of memory from his predecessor surfaced. During Enlightenment, a cultivator's consciousness transcended, supposedly establishing a faint link with the heavens.

With this realization, Slifer closed his eyes, surrendering to the meditative state that he'd become familiar with through countless cultivation sessions. But nothing could have prepared him for what followed. An influx of information, vast and dense, cascaded into his mind with crushing weight. He felt as though his mind would be pulverized under the relentless torrent of knowledge.

I must focus, he reminded himself amidst the chaos, recognizing the monumental opportunity before him. This was more than just survival; it was his chance to create a technique of his own.

Slifer decided on creating a defensive sword technique. He already possessed the Sunrise Slash, an attack method, and he reasoned that a corresponding defense technique would make a complete set.

The light essence from the Sunrise Slash was already a part of his repertoire. It only makes sense to continue this path. Light is both illuminating and forceful, he thought. There weren’t clear guides or structured lessons in the information, but rather raw and powerful insights about the sword's essence.

The accelerated speed of his thoughts astounded him, making complex tasks seem simple. He swiftly sifted through the overwhelming influx of information, zeroing in on details related to sword techniques and the light element.

Condense light through sword strikes... create a shield... explode outwards upon impact... Slifer pondered, his mind working feverishly. He envisioned a technique that channeled light through the sword, solidifying into a radiant shield. This shield would then burst outward when struck, repelling incoming attacks.

The number of strikes determines the shield's potency, he surmised. The first strike could probably hold off an Early Foundation Establishment attack, and with the third strike, it could resist even a Late Foundation Establishment assault.

He fine-tuned his method, occasionally discarding certain steps. "The angle of the second slash needs to be sharper," he murmured, "and the timing between the strikes... it's crucial. Too fast, and the light won't condense properly. Too slow, and the defense will be riddled with gaps."

After what felt like a lifetime, Slifer felt his consciousness begin the journey back to his physical form as the separation between the enlightenment state and the tangible world blurred, then solidified. The sounds and scents of the outside world flooded back to him.

Opening his eyes, a contented sigh left him, and he whispered the name of his newly crafted technique, "Stellar Nova Strike." Though the name hinted at aggression, the 'strikes' were, in fact, the foundation of his defense.

Upon hearing his master's whisper, Hughie's eyes sparkled with a trace of respect. A new technique crafted by an Ascendent being, he thought, filled with wonder. Perhaps Peak Earth rank, or maybe even Heaven Rank.

Hughie was curious about what sort of heaven-defying technique his master had created during his state of enlightenment, but he held his tongue, aware of his master’s... slight paranoia.

Slifer sighed, a hint of longing in his breath. He missed the exhilarating clarity of enlightenment; now, his thoughts trudged along at a pace that felt painfully slow. He looked down, surprised to find his hand still clasped in Hughie's. He quickly released it. Best not give my disciples the wrong idea.

Congratulations On Creating A Technique Reward: 200 Karmic Credits Technique Name: Stellar Nova Strike Rank: Mid-Earth Description: A light-element defensive sword technique that harnesses consecutive strikes to form an explosive shield of condensed light

Mid-Earth Rank. Not too shabby. Slifer nodded with satisfaction.

Congratulations on successfully breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm Reward: 100 Karmic Credits

One step closer to the original's cultivation, Slifer thought. Foundation Establishment might be insignificant, but for an out-of-shape man from another world, it’s a huge accomplishment. Though this blasted System's a double-edged sword...

With a simple wave of his hand, Slifer dismissed Hughie, who didn’t waste any time and scampered off.

Once alone, Slifer entered his quarters and with a faint smile, summoned his status screen.

Name Slifer Race Human Alignment Demonic Cultivation Early Foundation Realm (1/9) Lifespan Remaining 45 Days Karmic Credits 1600 Skills Insight (Basic) Items Reversal Cards x2, Peak Slifer Card, Whimsical Wind Card Abilities Mirror Mastery: Level 1 Techniques Sunrise Slash: Level 2, Stellar Nova Strike: Level 1 Weapon Mastery Sword: 5%

However, his grin quickly turned into a frown as he saw there was no change in his lifespan, not even by a single year.

Typically, reaching the Foundation Establishment realm should've added a century to my life. But since this body already achieved that once... He mused, the realization sinking in. Makes sense, I suppose. Otherwise, we'd all just yo-yo between realms for eternal life.

With a resigned sigh, he muttered, “I'll have to rely on those Reversal Cards then.”

Slifer then shifted his focus to the anticipated new bloodline — a reward for conquering the Obsidian Monarch Tribulation.

A Peak Slifer Card for a bloodline? Definitely worth the trade, he consoled himself, still somewhat skeptical. Yet, his anticipation turned to annoyance when he found no trace of any new bloodline. Did the Heavens scam me?

Congratulations On Acquiring A New Bloodline Bloodline Name: ??? Requirements to Unlock: ???