Rui sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, his breath slow and steady. The air around him hummed with energy, a thick and palpable force that seemed to pulse in time with the rhythm of his heart.

He had been in this state for days, his consciousness focused inward, preparing for the moment that was about to come. The True Core within him was throbbing, a dense sphere of energy that had reached its absolute limit. It was time to break through.

Ning Xiao stood on standby, making sure his cultivation progressed smoothly. Originally Rui didn’t wish to break through with her here since it would be a major risk for him, especially since he would be going through a tribulation.

However, they had formed a partnership soul contract not too long ago, which relieved him greatly. The one to initiate the contract was Ning Xiao, which was out of his expectations.

No matter how powerful Ning Xiao was, even she couldn’t escape the dangers of a soul contract.

He hadn’t been in the Rune Core stage for long, yet he was already about to advance to the fourth rank. As he approached the cusp of Rank 4, the Rune Soul stage, he knew that the challenges ahead would be far greater.

The inner demon tribulation was a test that few could survive. It was said that this trial could destroy even the most resolute of cultivators, shattering their minds or dragging them into madness. Rui had no intention of being one of them.

As the energy within him surged, Rui’s body began to tremble. He could feel the bottleneck—the invisible barrier that stood between him and the Rune Soul stage. It was as if he were standing before a towering wall, its presence both daunting and undeniable. But he had come too far to turn back now.

With a deep breath, Rui pushed his energy against the barrier, willing it to break. The pressure mounted, his Rune Core vibrating violently within his dantian. Suddenly, everything around him shifted. The world went dark, and Rui found himself in a vast, empty void. He had entered the realm of his inner demons.

From the shadows of the void, figures began to emerge, each one taking on a familiar form. The first was a younger version of himself—thin, frail, and filled with doubt. This was the Albert who had once questioned his worth, who had wondered if he would ever escape from his father’s grasp. The shadow looked at him with cold, mocking eyes.

“You’re weak,” the younger Rui spat, his voice dripping with contempt. “You’ve always needed someone to carry you. Do you think you can continue as you are? You’re destined to fail, just like before.”

Rui’s chest tightened, the words cutting deep. But he forced himself to stay calm. He knew this was a test, a trial he had to overcome.

“I’m not the same person I was,” Rui said firmly, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

“I’ve faced my doubts and conquered them. You have no power over me.”

The shadow scoffed and lunged at him, but Rui didn’t flinch. With a surge of runic energy, he unleashed a blast of light, tearing the shadow apart.

The shadow dissipated, its dark tendrils unraveling in the wake of Rui’s runic energy. The void around him began to shift and twist as if reacting to the destruction of the first demon. But Rui knew that his trial was far from over. This was just the beginning.

The void trembled, and more shadows emerged, coalescing into forms that were all too familiar. All the shadows represented a moment in his life, they were all him in different stages.

Each of them carried a different expression—disappointment, anger, resentment, and betrayal. They were manifestations of every failure, every regret that Rui had buried deep within his heart.

However, Rui noticed something odd, one of the figures resembled the spectral figure he had seen while undergoing the heart demon tribulation.

Its form was now more distinct, its features more clear and Rui was sure he had never seen this person before, however, there was a strong connection, as if he was staring at a different version of himself.

Rui’s breath caught as he faced the spectral figure, a presence that had haunted the edges of his consciousness for so long. This time, however, it was different—clearer, more defined. The figure stood tall and imposing, his long black hair cascading down his back like a river of ink.

His sharp black eyes gleamed with an intensity that sent shivers down Rui's spine, their depths hiding untold secrets and a fierce power that radiated outward, almost tangible in its force.

The man’s features were strikingly handsome, his face carved with a precision that seemed almost unnatural.

Yet, it was the aura that surrounded him—a mix of fierce determination and mischievous energy—that unsettled Rui the most. It was as though the figure was both challenging him and toying with him, testing his resolve in ways that the other shadows could not.

For a moment, Rui and the figure simply stared at each other, the void around them silent, heavy with tension. The other shadows seemed to fade into the background as if even they recognized the significance of this encounter.

Rui’s heart pounded in his chest, a rhythm that matched the pulsing energy of his True Core, still thrumming within his dantian.

“Who are you?” Rui demanded, his voice steady, though his mind was swirling with confusion. “Why do you keep appearing before me?”

The spectral figure tilted his head slightly, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. But he said nothing, his eyes locking onto Rui’s with a gaze that seemed to pierce through him as if he could see every corner of Rui’s soul.

Rui felt a strange familiarity with this figure, as if he were looking into a mirror that reflected not just his current self, but something deeper, something buried in the recesses of his being.

The silence stretched on, thick with unspoken words, until the figure finally moved. He raised a hand, pointing at Rui with a slow, deliberate motion. It was a gesture that felt both accusatory and guiding as if he were directing Rui toward some unseen truth.

“Is this another test?” Rui asked, his voice hardening as he tried to shake off the unease that crept through him. “Another demon I need to conquer?”

The figure’s smile widened, though it did nothing to ease Rui’s discomfort. If anything, it only deepened the sense of foreboding that hung between them. Rui braced himself, preparing to unleash another wave of runic energy, but something held him back.

This encounter felt different, more significant. There was a sense of finality in the air, as if this confrontation was not merely a test, but a revelation waiting to unfold.

As the figure continued to point, Rui noticed something strange—a faint, almost imperceptible connection that seemed to stretch between them. It was as if an invisible thread tied them together, a bond that was both foreign and intimately familiar.

The realization hit Rui like a bolt of lightning: this figure, whoever he was, was not just another demon. He was connected to Rui in a way that went beyond the trials of cultivation, beyond the tribulations of the mind and soul.

The figure began to step forward, each movement fluid and deliberate. With every step, the connection between them grew stronger and more pronounced. Rui could feel it now, a deep, resonant pull within him, as if the figure was drawing something out from the depths of his being.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Why do you feel so familiar?” Rui whispered, more to himself than to the figure.

The figure stopped, now only a few paces away, his smile fading into an expression of solemnity. For a brief moment, his eyes softened, the fierce intensity giving way to something that resembled pity, or perhaps sorrow. It was a look that spoke of countless lifetimes, of burdens carried and sacrifices made.

And then, without warning, the figure’s hand shot forward, not to strike, but to touch—his fingers brushing against Rui’s chest, right above his heart.

The moment their skin made contact, Rui’s mind exploded with visions, flashes of memories that were not his own. He saw places he had never been and faces he did not recognize, and yet they all felt achingly familiar.

In one vision, Rui saw himself—or rather, the figure—in a different time, a different world. The man was leading armies, his fierce aura commanding respect and fear in equal measure.

In another, he was standing alone on a mountaintop, the wind whipping through his long black hair as he gazed out at a world that seemed both beautiful and tragic. And in yet another, he was surrounded by darkness, his hands stained with blood as he faced down enemies that seemed to rise from the very shadows.

These were not just memories—they were fragments of a life, a life that Rui had no recollection of living, and yet they resonated with him on an almost primal level.

The figure before him was not just a demon or a trial. He was a part of Rui, a piece of a past that had been buried deep within his soul, now surfacing in this moment of tribulation.

As the visions faded, Rui found himself gasping for breath, his body trembling with the weight of the revelations. The figure stepped back, the connection between them fading into the background, though it did not disappear entirely. It lingered, a constant reminder of the truth that had been unveiled.

“You… you’re a part of me,” Rui murmured, his voice hoarse. “A part of my past…”

The figure nodded slowly, his expression unreadable.

“You’ve recovered from the mirage sufficiently to learn more, but it’s not adequate. The Abyssal Arcane Realm can restore our memories, especially since you’re undergoing an inner demon tribulation, but it’s nowhere near enough for you to learn the whole truth.”

The man’s voice sounded distant, his cold eyes now containing a hint of melancholy. Glancing towards the black void, he once again spoke.

“I can’t stay longer, it seems the guardians have taken notice of us. We will meet again in your next advancement. Also, make sure to evolve your true core into a true soul, it's important for our future.”

Rui stood in the void, his heart still racing from the encounter with the spectral figure. The figure’s words echoed in his mind, each syllable laden with a weight that pressed down on his soul.

"A part of my past…"

Rui whispered to himself, the realization both liberating and terrifying. There was a life he had lived before, a past that had shaped him in ways he had yet to understand. But now was not the time to dwell on it. The tribulation was far from over.

The void around him began to shift again, the shadows that had faded into the background now re-emerging, more ominous, and more hostile. Rui steeled himself, knowing that the final test was at hand.

The figures that materialized were not just memories or fragments of his mind—they were his deepest fears, his darkest regrets, coalescing into tangible threats.

The first to step forward was a figure bathed in flames, its face a twisted mask of rage. Rui recognized it immediately—it was the embodiment of the anger he had buried deep within, the fury that had once driven him to the brink of destruction.

The figure’s eyes burned with a fiery hatred, and it lashed out with a whip of flame, the heat searing the air as it approached Rui.

Rui dodged the attack, his movements swift and precise. He could feel the energy within him, the power of his True Core surging as he prepared to counter.

But the flames followed him, relentless in their pursuit, as if determined to consume him whole. Rui knew that he couldn’t simply outrun this demon—it was a part of him, and he had to face it head-on.

With a deep breath, Rui gathered his energy, focusing it on a single point. He extended his hand, and a beam of pure runic energy shot forward, colliding with the flaming whip. The two forces clashed, the air crackling with power as they struggled for dominance.

But Rui didn’t relent. He poured more of his essence into the attack, pushing back the flames with everything he had.

Slowly, the fire began to wane, the rage-filled figure losing its form as the runic energy overwhelmed it. With a final burst of power, Rui shattered the flames, the demon disintegrating into nothingness.

The void was silent again, but Rui knew that the next challenge would come soon.

And it did. The shadows shifted once more, and another figure emerged—a tall, imposing man with eyes as cold as ice.

This was the embodiment of Rui’s regrets, the failures that had haunted him throughout his life. The man’s gaze was piercing, filled with the silent accusations of every mistake Rui had ever made, every opportunity he had missed.

“You’ve wasted so much potential,” the man said, his voice echoing in the void. “You could have been great, but instead, you faltered. You let fear and doubt hold you back. You are nothing but a failure.”

The words cut deep, but Rui refused to let them take hold. He knew that these regrets were real, that he had indeed faltered at times.

But he also knew that those failures had shaped him, and had made him stronger. He wasn’t the same person who had made those mistakes. He had grown, he had learned, and now he was ready to move forward.

“I’ve made mistakes,” Rui admitted, his voice steady. “But I’ve also learned from them. I’m not defined by my failures, but by how I rise above them.”

The man’s cold eyes narrowed, but before he could speak again, Rui unleashed another blast of runic energy. This time, the energy was infused with a sense of resolve, a determination that cut through the man’s icy demeanor.

The figure began to crack, the cold exterior shattering as the energy took hold. And then, like the flames before, the man dissolved into nothingness, leaving Rui alone in the void once more.

The trials continued, each shadow representing a different aspect of Rui’s inner demons. There was the figure of despair, trying to drag him into a pit of darkness; the figure of doubt, whispering that he was not worthy of power or love; and the figure of loneliness, reminding him of the isolation he had felt in his youth.

But Rui faced each one with unwavering resolve, drawing upon the lessons he had learned in his life, and the strength he had gained through his experiences.

Finally, the void began to change. The darkness lifted, replaced by a soft, golden light that bathed Rui in warmth.

He could feel the presence of his True Core, now pulsating with a new, more powerful energy. The bottleneck that had stood before him was gone, shattered by the trials he had overcome.

With a deep, calming breath, Rui felt the energy within him begin to shift, the dense sphere of his True Core starting to unravel, transforming into something new.

The process was slow but steady, the energy gradually coalescing into a more refined, more potent form. Rui could feel his consciousness expanding, his senses sharpening as he ascended to a higher level of understanding and power.

The light grew brighter, enveloping him completely as his True Core evolved into a True Soul. The transition was smooth, the energy flowing through him like a river, cleansing him of the last remnants of doubt and fear.

His true core smoothly cracked, revealing a small pure white soul covered in countless golden patterns. The soul resembled a child-like version of Rui, seemingly sleeping calmly until needed.

Rui felt a profound sense of peace, a calm that he had never experienced before. He had done it—he had broken through to the Rune Soul stage.

As the light began to fade, Rui opened his eyes, finding himself back in the physical world. The air was still humming with energy, but it was different now—more vibrant, more alive.

He could feel the power of his True Soul within him, a constant, steady presence that filled him with confidence.

Ning Xiao was standing nearby, her eyes wide with awe and relief. She had felt the shift in the energy and had seen the light that had surrounded Rui during his breakthrough. Now, she smiled a rare expression of genuine happiness on her face.

“To think you’d create the nascent soul like that is fascinating.”

Rui’s eyes widened in confusion as he tried to process what Ning Xiao had just said.

"Nascent Soul…”

He repeated, the unfamiliar term rolling awkwardly off his tongue.

"What do you mean by that?"

Ning Xiao chuckled softly, a hint of amusement twinkling in her eyes.

"Ah, I forgot for a moment,"

She said, shaking her head slightly

"You're from a different world, so of course, you wouldn't know. In my world, what you've just achieved is known as the formation of the Nascent Soul. It's a critical stage in cultivation, where the core of your power—what you call the Core—evolves into a soul that resembles your true self. It’s classified under the mortal ranks, but it’s a major step forward."

Rui blinked, trying to reconcile this new information with what he knew of his own cultivation path.

"Nascent Soul, huh… In my world, we refer to this as the Rune Soul stage."

He explained, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"But it seems like the concepts are similar. My Runic Core has evolved into a Runic Soul, and I can feel it—its presence within me is strong, almost as if it’s a living part of me."

Ning Xiao nodded, her expression turning serious.

"It is a living part of you. Your Runic Soul—or Nascent Soul, as we call it—represents your innermost self, your essence. It holds not just your power, but your memories, your will, your very spirit. Losing it means losing everything that makes you… well, you."

Rui couldn’t help but feel a shiver run down his spine. The weight of the breakthrough suddenly seemed even more significant.

"I see… So, it’s not just a new level of power, but a new stage of existence."

"Exactly," Ning Xiao agreed. "But remember, this is just the beginning. The formation of the Nascent Soul opens the door to even greater challenges and opportunities.”