Tyler had only seen a single other tribulation before, and, at the time, he was sitting on the edge of Three Heritage Haven, overlooking Edge City.

Back then, his divine sense barely reached a few hundred meters, and honestly, he couldn't understand 90% of what he was sensing. His understanding of the world, laws, and energies was too shallow back then.

Even now, he couldn't say with certainty that he understood any of them completely.

When the True Essence seed within Kenshiro fully germinated, it was like his entire body had come to life, his laws on full display for all to see.

Tyler observed everything cautiously, including the skies above.

First, Kenshiro's laws were an odd mix that Tyler couldn't really name but could easily classify them. The man had three distinct ones that overpowered everything else surrounding him.

One of them caused Tyler to feel like he was staring at an abyss, where everything he had once known disappeared. It was so dark and twisted that if he had to guess, it had something to do with loss. There were also heavy flavors of water essence, similar to the death essence inside Tyler's Deathroot.

The other wrapped around the abyss, like a root feeding off the endless energy of loss in order to nourish a growing tree. Both laws seemed to forge a cycle, not unlike Tyler's recently modified formation on changing the nature of his Qi. However, this wasn't energy amorphic like his formation; it only worked with those two laws. This law felt similar to the Wood laws he felt all across the forest but had its own peculiar flavor.

The last of these three laws was much more timid, as it did not outwardly influence the world but was nestled deep into Kenshiro. It was warm. Calm. It gave off the same charm as a still pond, with the energy of an eternal fire. With a single wave on the pond's surface, Kenshiro's entire being radiated with a brilliant light, and the man punched toward the heavens. Waves of fire Essence flew forward.

The moment the punch's energy flew upwards, Tyler felt the air change, and before lightning fell, he knew that both phenomena would cancel each other out.

A man's battle against the heavens had started.

From the depths of the skies, deep inside one of the darker clouds that seemed to rebuff any and all senses, Tyler detected a door swiftly opening, and a presence came out of it before sealing the doorway again. It wasn't exactly human, nor was it a beast. If anything, it was a humanoid construct.

Early Sea Formation Stage.

Where humans and spirit beasts were generally filled with hundreds and thousands of forms of energies, laws, and other forces that enabled everything to exist, this entity was made entirely of a single one—Water.

The water construct had a singular goal as it jumped down towards Kenshiro, and at the same time, rain fell.

Tyler felt a shift in the atmosphere as water essence, even purer than what he had tempered his kidneys with, fell onto the world for a dozen kilometers, accompanied by a light show of thunder and lightning.

Oddly enough, the lightning had stopped falling onto Kenshiro as if waiting for something. Instead, it was streaking across the skies.

He wasn't sure whether or not he should intervene on Kenshiro's behalf or let this happen, so he moved closer to the man and stepped into the air, questioning. "Do you need me to deal with this?"

Kenshiro sent a kick upwards, and what seemed like a water snake appeared into the world. Both Kenshiro and the snake he rode on rushed up to the skies with its forward momentum, and he answered. "No. This is part of my tribulation. The 5 elements and four major laws I cultivated throughout my life shall form avatars and confirm whether or not I am worthy of using their powers. Such is the [Sea Formation Tribulation Quest.]"

Tyler observed the man rise up and, shortly after, clash into the skies, exchanging technique after technique with the so-called avatar.

The battle lasted about 10 minutes before the rain stopped, and the avatar dissipated into a misty cloud of vapor, which Kenshiro seemed to absorb a portion of.

A fraction of a second after his absorption began, a single lightning bolt struck down Kenshiro, sending him flying back onto the ground, leaving no room to fight back against this mighty tribulation or absorb more water vapors. Luckily, this lightning’s goal wasn’t to destroy Kenshiro, but to push him away from the dissipating Avatar.

Kenshiro slowly got back up, and a challenging smile appeared on his fight as his eyes grew excited. "COME!" He yelled at the skies.

Up high, Tyler felt a second presence appear from the clouds, and this time, with it came a soft breeze that Tyler recognized all too well as it was the same breeze Maximus used to communicate. It was also a warm spring breeze. A thick scent of oak came with it, followed by pine and fresh-cut grass. Tyler recoiled slightly as the air tasted… Sour.

Simultaneously, a third and fourth presence appeared from the edges of his divine sense, but these were not elemental avatars. They were cultivators. Early-stage Sea Formation cultivators at that, and they were making their way here, weapon in hand. They were incredibly fast.

Tyler did not recognize these people, so he turned to Kenshiro. "It would seem there are intruders here tonight. Unless it is common to have people show up at Tribulations with weapons drawn?"

The germinating seed within Kenshiro seemed to undergo a rapid change after absorbing that tiny amount of water vapor, as the roots reached every part of his body, through most of his meridians and thick Qi, interwoven with True Essence radiated from his entire being. "With every tribulation comes its cultivators who would take advantage. Their goal should be to absorb some of the avatar's powers as they dissipate."

Starting to understand how this process went, Tyler quickly circulated his own cultivation and unleashed his Qi. While he would love to observe the Tribulation in excruciating detail, he had promised Kenshiro that nothing would disturb him during his breakthrough and would deliver on that promise.

Stepping onto mists he created using the Stride technique, Tyler swiftly rose into the skies, passing by the Wood Avatar and falling onto the ground so it could test Kenshiro. He sent a single message to both intruders using his control over the winds.

"Leave here. Or die." He was short and to the point. These people hadn't caused any trouble yet, so he wouldn't outright kill them. But, should they continue, he wouldn't care to slay a few eager chickens.

Seeing as the message hadn't been telepathically transmitted or yelled from afar with Qi or True Essence, both cultivators stopped mid-air, and from what Tyler could tell, they were hesitant as they looked toward him.

These people were close by this point, a kilometer at most. From their point of view, all they could probably see was Tyler standing casually in the skies above the tribulation clouds, hands in his pockets as he alternated his gaze between the two of them, his eyes shining with a deep blue.

One of the cultivators scoffed after seeing him, "Pah! A mere trick to make me believe you have the power to stop me, Ren Zou of the Flying Demon Sect! Don't think I can't see you're flying using some type of Qi! Now, step aside, little guy. I have Wood True Essence to absorb!"

This person's speech also caused the other cultivator to relax as both charged forward again.

Tyler sighed, "Don't say I did not warn you."

Quickly, Tyler summoned one of the Tier 3 swords from his inner world, absorbed just a tiny bit of True Essence from a spirit crystal, and swung vertically.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Lightning Rain Strikes, an attempted variation to the Torrential Rain Strikes.

The world, the tribulation, everything seemed to come to a standstill for a fraction of a second as Tyler attempted to replicate the feeling he had when he had unleashed his domain during his fight against the Sword Sect.

He had been able to manipulate the elements back then as if second nature, unleashing lightning as if it was an extension of his own body, and he wanted to see if he could replicate this here and now.

The tribulation even seemed to resonate with his movements ever so slightly as the clouds below seemed to grow by a small amount. A single lightning bolt struck the air above rather than below.

Unfortunately, all that came was a single thunderous clap, followed by the expected rain. The domain had failed to expand. It was still quite a sight as the rain, originating from the tribulation clouds below, climbed towards the heavens rather than falling to the earth.

Tyler could tell that his world and the outside were not connected; thus, the storm inside couldn't show its true majesty again. While the attack hadn't been what he desired, the rain was filled with much of his Qi and soul power.

Both Sea Formation cultivators sensed danger and also unleashed their techniques. The skies filled with colors. A giant replica of the cultivator appeared on one side, shining with green hues as it slammed its palm towards the incoming rain. The other, Ren Zou, brandished his spear, and a roiling red river dragon manifested into the world as it ignored the rain and went straight for Tyler.

Sensing the technique's failure and somewhat diminished power due to his attempt at modifying it, he swung the sword once more, this time meeting the incoming spear head-on as the tier 3 sword in his hand started to glow with a multitude of hues.

Feeling his sword connect with his opponent’s weapon, Tyler deflected the spear to the side as he had long anticipated the attack's trajectory and weak points. With a quick movement, he thrust forward, unleashing another experimental technique along with the power behind the modified One Finger, One Sword.

Thunder Thrust.

Winds gracefully flew forward, and before their sound could make the technique's name proud, Ren Zou, who was a few meters away, had lost his spear arm.

Blood gushed out of the man's shoulder as his spear fell to the ground, and the sound of Tyler's sword slicing forward echoed out. The world once more seemed to become still momentarily as a loud crackle was heard, followed by the cry of a man.

This time, the technique was successful as it was heavily based on the Thundering Winds and Sword Clouds Method.

"Impossible!!" was the only thing Tyler heard before the rest of the man's body was sliced apart by the winds.

So weak... Thought Tyler. This person was in the Sea Formation stage but was weaker than most of the Qi Transformation disciples of the Sword Sect... Thoughts swirled in Tyler's mind as he still wasn't accustomed to this world's power levels. There seemed to be a significant variance even within both cultivation stages. This Ren Zou was, at most, a bit stronger than the bandit leader.

As the battle continued, Tyler had kept a watchful eye on the other cultivator, gauging his strength and capabilities. When the second cultivator managed to fend off Tyler's Sword technique, he was briefly surprised but not really worried.

However, what followed took Tyler by surprise. The second cultivator's Giant Green Avatar suddenly dissipated, and he dropped to his knees in mid-air, bowing deeply and begging for mercy. His expression shifted from defiance to sheer terror as he pleaded for his life. "Spare me! I was wrong!"

Tyler stood there, watching the man as he dispelled his own Finger Sword technique and stored his sword. He assessed the situation, uncertain of the man's intentions or if this was a ploy to buy time.

Realistically, however, it didn't matter much. After clashing with the Sword Sect's Sea Formation cultivators, Tyler had learned the limits from which his Ten Direction Sword would be effective, and neither of these two cultivators was close to that limit.

Observing the man, Tyler noticed a pin on the man's collar. It was round, depicting a man's punch, and after a careful scan, Tyler felt a formation of some type inside the pin. Poking further into it, a single phrase was held within. Vanguard of Titans.

Tyler didn't know the organization, but from the craftsmanship alone, he could tell they were somewhat wealthy and talented. Otherwise, this person wouldn't have been able to repel his technique.

Having no actual enmity with this person, Tyler waved him away. "Go. Tell your organization that for a first encounter, I'm not impressed. Vanguards of Titans. It's a big name for such a small man like yourself. Real Titans would probably be laughing at you right now." He said thoughtlessly. If demons, spirit beasts, and life-draining plants existed, why not titans of legends?

Tyler saw the man's expression change when he casually named his organization, but he said nothing and raised his head before flying away. A few seconds later, when the man was apparently feeling safe due to the distance, he yelled out. "This is not over!"

Sighing, Tyler sent a single Ten Direction towards the man. It wasn't aimed at him, however—but his pin. Said pin shattered into a million pieces moments later, sending shrapnel into the unknown cultivator's body. To a Sea Formation cultivator, this was nothing but a flesh wound. It did an excellent job showing the man he wasn't as safe as he thought.

Tyler whispered to the winds. "Consider yourself lucky that no one else was in danger here. Otherwise, you'd already be dead. Now scram."

Scanning the surroundings, Tyler also felt a few spirit beasts make their way over, most of them in the Qi Transformation stage. They all appeared curious rather than eagerly waiting for an opportunity to pounce. There was even a tier 3 beast, which Tyler was pretty confident wasn't looking to exploit another's tribulation.

Remembering Big Cat's words about spirit beasts learning to speak in the Sea Formation stage, he also sent the beast a message. "Little Rabbit, please don't disturb my friend Kenshiro. If you want, however, find a Nethermist Panther named Daredevil. If you teach him to speak, I'll reward you handsomely."

The rabbit seemed startled by Tyler's voice but quickly regained his composure. "The only thing I'm interested in is grabbing some of the Metal Essence! Your friend is wasting tons of the Avatar's dissipating powers... If sir allows me, I will gladly try and teach Daredevil!"

Tyler considered the matter a bit and turned his attention back to Kenshiro, who was still fighting with the Wood Avatar. He nodded to himself before returning to the ground. "Fine, but if you cause my friend to miss out on some of what he could absorb, we'll have problems, okay?"

Tyler crushed a Condensate and replenished his inner world with Qi. He couldn't help but notice the contrast between the blue Qi from the Condensate and the yellowish Qi of his ocean. The dilution of his unique Qi was a concern, and he knew he needed to address this soon if he wanted to retain his current strength.

Tyler returned to Kenshiro, sat down, and closed his eyes before forming the Essence Alteration formation once more as he funneled Qi through it. A couple minutes passed as an entirely white rabbit approached Tyler cautiously before silently sitting down next to him.

Even with his eyes closed, Tyler could tell the beast was curious and confused about his presence here. If Tyler's guess was correct, the rabbit probably thought there was no way he was the one "allowing" it to be here. There must have been an invisible protector nearby.

Eventually, the Wood Avatar was also defeated, turning into decaying plant matter, and slowly seeping into the ground. Testing the waters, Tyler extended his divine sense and attempted to grab at a portion of the dissipating energy. To his surprise, the handful of withering plants were transferred to his inner world without any problems.

Another lightning strike aimed at Kenshiro pushed him away, rendering the rest of the energy unreachable by the man and Tyler swiftly yoinked the rest before it completely disappeared. Having noticed that part of the essence had vanished before the lightning appeared, Kenshiro looked for Tyler and saw a tiny White rabbit next to him. "Was this you?"

Without opening his eyes, Tyler answered. "Hm. I was testing something. This little guy will grab a portion of the Metal Essence later. He agreed to teach Daredevil a bit."

Kenshiro seemed confused, as Tyler was so far away he couldn't understand how that had happened but decided not to press the matters any further. He had another tribulation to deal with.

There was a brief respite in the storm before the sky above transformed dramatically once more. Once dark and brooding, the clouds now churned into a deep yellow, painting the heavens with an ominous hue. It was as if the very essence of the storm had morphed, no longer content with mere rain and wind.

The tranquility was shattered by a sound so deep that it seemed to emanate from the earth's core. It was a primal roar reverberating through the trees and across the landscape. The sound was not just heard; it was felt, vibrating through the bones of every creature in the forest; even the white rabbit trembled slightly.

With the roar came an intense surge in temperature, as if spring gave way to late summer heat. The coolness left by the previous rains was swiftly usurped by the heat. Steam began to rise from the ground in ethereal wisps, curling and twisting as if in agony, creating a surreal landscape that blurred the line between earth and sky.

The animals of the forest, instinctively sensing the change, retreated far from the tribulation to whatever shelter they could find. Birds took flight, their silhouettes stark against the yellowing sky, while smaller creatures burrowed deeper into the earth, seeking refuge from the oppressive heat.

In the midst of this chaos, the flora responded, too. Leaves that had luxuriated in the rain now recoiled, wilting under the sudden dryness. Flowers closed their petals in a desperate attempt to conserve moisture while the bark of the trees cracked and groaned.

The air tasted sweet; although he had never encountered this particular essence, Tyler knew what it was.

The Earth Avatar was here.