ISWI Chapter 233-234

Chapter 233: Thunder Tribulation

The Old Sect Master didn't have time to mourn the escape of his two-hundred-pound Silver Dragon Fish. He hurriedly turned to face Gu Yunyun, her expression cool and resolute.

It was common for cultivators to travel after a breakthrough, especially in a small sect like Green Cloud, where resources were limited. Gu Yunyun's ninth-grade Golden Core gave her the talent to aim for Nascent Soul, but she'd need to seek out her own resources. Still, her sudden decision, right after her breakthrough and without prior mention, had to be linked to yesterday's visit from the Divine Will Sect's Grand Elder, An Miaoli.

"You're not waiting for Ye Chen?" the Old Sect Master sighed.

Gu Yunyun shook her head. "No. I have little left to teach him, and now that he's reaching Golden Core, I can no longer shield him. I'll return in twenty years. With the Misty Sect gone, the sect has no enemies. Ye Chen's strength and ties to Divine Will Sect ensure he can protect Green Cloud if anything arises. I'll leave this Concentric Sword Talisman. If the sect faces true danger, crush it, and I'll return as fast as I can."

Her resolve was firm, her arrangements meticulous. The Old Sect Master had no counterargument. The sect was indeed free of threats, and he could still live another twenty years. Plus, there was Ye Chen. While it was unclear what grade of Golden Core he'd form, his success was almost certain. Two Golden Core cultivators were enough to secure Green Cloud Sect's stability. Gu Yunyun's travels to grow stronger would only benefit the sect.

He nodded. "Alright, but take this." He handed her a jade talisman. "If you encounter danger, use it. The sect will know your location and come to your aid. Remember, you're always part of Green Cloud Sect. No matter how big the trouble you stir outside, you can always return. We may not be able to fully protect you, but we'll never abandon you."

Gu Yunyun accepted the talisman with a solemn nod. Then, from her storage ring, she produced a pile of items and handed them to the Old Sect Master. "Please pass these to Ye Chen for me."

He accepted them with a nod. Gu Yunyun took a step, ascending into the sky, and returned to her small courtyard. Peach blossoms bloomed vibrantly, and a spring bubbled gently.

Gu Yunyun surveyed her surroundings, her gaze lingering. With a gentle lift of her hand, she plucked a purple wind chime from a tree, its crisp notes ringing softly. With a thought, the chime shrank, and she fastened it to her wrist. A slight shake produced a delicate jingle.

Ascending into the sky, she cast one final, deep glance at Ye Chen's seclusion chamber. She'd always liked the story he once told her. If she couldn't accept his complexities, she'd leave for twenty years. If, upon her return, Ye Chen still waited for her with unwavering devotion, she'd embrace it all. If his passion had cooled, that wouldn't be a bad outcome either—she'd remain his master forever.

Her departure wasn't solely to escape her conflicted feelings. The Sword Peng's inheritance she'd received was incomplete. If she could complete it, not only could she break through to Nascent Soul, but she might even reach Deity Transformation. As a sword cultivator, her sword heart was clear. Once decided, she harbored no regrets.

Withdrawing her gaze, Gu Yunyun tossed out her sword and soared away on its edge. No one in Green Cloud Sect noticed her departure. Only the faint chime of the wind bell lingered, carried away by the breeze.

...

In the blink of an eye, a year passed since Ye Chen entered seclusion. Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er visited daily. Sun Ruoxin even managed a trip back to Green Cloud Sect. Yao Xi's cultivation deepened steadily.

An Miaoli returned once more, this time with An Yuyi, who had successfully broken through to Golden Core, only to leave disappointed when Ye Chen remained in seclusion.

People came and went, all concerned for him, but his seclusion chamber remained silent, stirring anxiety in their hearts.

Only the Old Sect Master's smile never faded. As he often said, a long core-forming seclusion meant one of two things: either the cultivator was mediocre, grinding through by sheer persistence, or they were exceptional, forming a formidable Golden Core.

Ye Chen clearly wasn't the former. That left one possibility: he was forming a ninth-grade Golden Core. Two ninth-grade cores in one sect!

The thought kept a grin plastered on the Old Sect Master's face round the clock. His only regret was the three-hundred-pound fish that got away—a true pity. So, he fished with even greater fervor.

A dragon's roar reverberated through Green Cloud Sect, sending disciples pale and trembling. Even the Foundation Establishment elders felt their hearts race, their spiritual Qi stalling. The spiritual Qi not just within the sect, but beyond, surged toward Sword Peak, forming a dense cloud layer that plunged Green Cloud Sect into darkness.

"Gu Yunyun formed a ninth-grade Golden Core, but her phenomenon wasn't even a tenth of this," the Old Sect Master muttered in disbelief. He recalled his own core-forming, a meager wisp of spiritual Qi—how could the gap be so vast?

Another dragon's roar echoed. The sea of spiritual clouds blanketing the sect began to swirl, forming a vortex like celestial waters pouring into Sword Peak.

Half a day later, the sect brightened as the spiritual cloud dissipated, but the shock on everyone's faces lingered. Feeling the thinned spiritual Qi around them, a single question burned: what kind of Golden Core could consume such an immense amount of spiritual Qi without bursting?

All eyes turned to Sword Peak, eager to see Ye Chen emerge. But then, the sky darkened again. The crowd gaped—more spiritual Qi?

No, something was different. A black cloud had formed above Sword Peak, crackling with terrifying thunder.

A heavenly tribulation? For a Golden Core breakthrough? Impossible! Tribulations were for Nascent Soul, not Golden Core. Had the heavenly tribulation become so weak it now targeted Golden Cores? What was happening?

Green Cloud Sect was thrown into a frenzy of shock.

...

Atop Sword Peak, Ye Chen, having successfully formed his core, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was deeper, more radiant, like a starry river. Sinking his consciousness inward, he saw a perfectly round, five-colored Golden Core floating in his dantian, etched with divine patterns. Each pattern resembled a true dragon, shifting and flowing, expounding the essence of the True Dragon Treasure Technique.

The only pity was that the technique was too powerful. The Ancestral Dragon could rival Immortal Kings, and most of its moves were beyond Ye Chen's current capacity—using them might make him explode. Still, the spiritual enhancement alone boosted his combat power tremendously.

What intrigued him most was the five-colored Golden Core. Weren't Golden Cores supposed to be golden, varying only in brightness by grade? Why was his five-colored? He couldn't fathom it, but he knew it was extraordinary. Its unique abilities were yet to be explored.

Now wasn't the time for that, though. Ye Chen raised his head, mist swirling in his eyes as he gazed at the sky. First, he'd face the thunder tribulation summoned by his five-colored Golden Core.

Chapter 234: Natal Spiritual Artifact

The heavenly thunder, embodying the will of the Dao, struck fear into the Old Sect Master and others just by its presence. A Golden Core cultivator facing a heavenly tribulation? It was astounding.

The Old Sect Master recalled his youth, battered during his travels for opportunities. He'd once met a Holy Land direct disciple who mentioned that while most cultivators faced tribulations only at Nascent Soul, true prodigies—those who amassed unimaginable foundations in their realm—might trigger tribulations as early as Foundation Establishment or Golden Core.

Such prodigies were rare, perhaps a handful per century, treasured by great sects and clans, their existence closely guarded to prevent assassination. This secrecy led ordinary cultivators to believe tribulations began at Nascent Soul.

For Ye Chen to draw a tribulation at Golden Core—how formidable was his strength? The Old Sect Master even began to doubt: had Old Monster Wang really been killed by a sneak attack during a critical moment of possession, or was there more to Ye Chen's power?

...

Above, thunderclouds churned, as if countless thunder dragons swam within. Inside the seclusion chamber, Ye Chen remained calm. The tribulation was fearsome, but it didn't feel overly dangerous.

As a second-grade perfected artifact refiner, he knew divine thunder was the ultimate tool for tempering materials. He'd been fretting over how to refine his Black Yellow Primordial Essence—now, the tribulation offered the perfect solution. He'd use it to forge his natal spiritual artifact.

The first bolt of divine thunder descended, silver and brimming with destructive force. Ye Chen didn't resist. Instead, he raised his hand, meeting it head-on. His Myriad Star Body, Primordial Supreme Heart, and Ancestral Dragon Blood-forged Golden Core had elevated his physique to an extraordinary level. Emboldened, he dared to channel the thunder into his body.

The divine thunder surged through him, its destructive aura seeking to obliterate everything. Yet, his body radiated divine light, and the thunder's power was weaker than expected. What it destroyed, he rapidly restored. Guiding the thunder through his body, he treated it as a tempering process.

After the first refinement, he moved his hands, summoning the mountain-like Black Yellow Primordial Essence. Using the divine thunder's power, he began tempering it. The Primordial Essence flowed, and with his eyes closed, Ye Chen unleashed his top-tier techniques, weaving mysterious patterns into it. Bolt after bolt of thunder fell, but they didn't disrupt his focus.

Ye Chen's body underwent a rapid transformation, each surge of divine thunder refining him further. Before him, the Black Yellow Primordial Essence shimmered, its mysterious patterns glowing as they took shape.

After a moment's hesitation, he began channeling the divine patterns he'd comprehended from his Primordial Supreme Heart, imprinting them into the Primordial Essence. With each strike of divine thunder, more patterns fused, causing the Primordial Essence to radiate a faint divine light, growing increasingly extraordinary.

By the sixth bolt, Ye Chen hesitated again before imprinting patterns from his five-colored Golden Core—the True Dragon Treasure Technique. His understanding was limited, so he could only embed a few.

Moments later, he added patterns from his Heavy Pupils, unsure of their effect but driven by instinct. A natal spiritual artifact grew stronger the more it resonated with its master. By weaving in patterns from his innate Divine Abilities and Golden Core, he ensured maximum compatibility.

Thus, he faced the ninth and final bolt of divine thunder—the most terrifying yet, as if the heavens themselves were enraged by his audacity, intent on obliterating him.

Gazing at the still-unformed Black Yellow Primordial Essence, Ye Chen realized he hadn't decided on the weapon's form. Sword, spear, staff, or club? Axe, halberd, or hook?

The ninth bolt was coalescing. If he didn't choose soon, he'd have to rely on his seventh-grade Myriad Star Fire to slowly refine the Primordial Essence—a process that could take ages given its resilience.

After a brief pause, an idea sparked in his mind.

The final bolt descended, thick as a barrel, roaring with destructive fury. Ye Chen met it calmly, using its power for the last refinement. Amid the terrifying thunder, a small bell slowly took shape.

As the tribulation concluded, the onlookers stared at Sword Peak, dumbfounded. The peak's protective array had been obliterated by the thunderous ordeal. Since Ye Chen had broken through at the mountainside, the once-towering Sword Peak was now half-destroyed, its upper portion reduced to rubble by the tribulation's fury. A scorched, flattened expanse remained at the midpoint.

A single tribulation had leveled half a mountain—an awe-inspiring, terrifying feat. Doubt crept into the crowd's hearts: could Ye Chen have survived such a cataclysmic ordeal?

The Old Sect Master, most anxious of all, confirmed the tribulation had fully dissipated before rushing to Sword Peak. Losing a genius like Ye Chen to a heavenly tribulation would be a heartbreaking tragedy.

...

Amid the ruins, Ye Chen stood unscathed. Above his head floated a bronze-colored ancient bell, wreathed in flowing Black Yellow Primordial Essence that draped around him like tassels, shielding him completely. His face radiated joy.

The moment the bell took shape, it had hovered above him, blocking every strike of the tribulation. Even if it was only a Golden Core tribulation, its ability to withstand heavenly thunder spoke volumes about its defensive power.

In future battles, activating the bell would render him impervious to countless techniques. Its offensive capabilities were still untested, but given the rarity of Black Yellow Primordial Essence and the myriad mysterious and divine patterns he'd etched into it, its attack power was likely formidable, perhaps capable of shattering all techniques with a single strike.

As his natal spiritual artifact, the bell had immense potential. As Ye Chen grew stronger, awakening more innate Divine Abilities and deepening his mastery of the True Dragon Treasure Technique, he could imprint more divine patterns. He could also refine it with other top-tier materials. The bell's future filled him with anticipation. With it, his path on the immortal road would be smoother than ever.

He hadn't named it yet—there'd be time for that later.

...

Sensing someone approaching, Ye Chen willed the Black Yellow Primordial Essence to retract. The bronze bell shrank and sank into his dantian, where it floated, nurtured by his body—a key advantage of a natal spiritual artifact, requiring no storage ring.

"Ye Chen, are you alright?" the Old Sect Master's voice called from above.

Ye Chen floated up to join him, replying, "I'm fine."

The Old Sect Master's eyes widened at the sight of Ye Chen, completely unharmed. Sensing his aura—still unrestrained from the fresh breakthrough—he felt a pang of awe. Ye Chen's mana was so profound it dwarfed his own, giving him the surreal sensation of facing a senior.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, scanned the surroundings, his brow furrowing. He saw Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er, Yao Xi, and the sect's elders and disciples. But one person was missing.

Where was his master?

Glancing at the halved Sword Peak, his eyes widened in disbelief. During his tribulation… could his master still be in seclusion?