The Darkness surged outward like a living tide, swallowing nearly half the sky — but even so, it couldn’t completely envelop the entire Tribulation cloud.
But Yu Xuan did not give up.
His body was broken, charred, and barely holding together, but his eyes burned with a maddened determination.
If there was anything more precious than lightning itself... it was the Tribulation Clouds that produced it.
And so Yu Xuan continued to devour them.
The mont the Darkness absorbed the clouds, a flood of insights crackled through him — each gust, spark, and thunderous beat refining his understanding of Lightning.
But the strain was imnse.
His soul trembled.
His bones scread.
And still he pulled.
Finally, the clouds began to thin and dissipate.
Yu Xuan noticed it at once.
He clicked his tongue but stopped, he had already pushed his body and soul far enough. If he kept devouring, he might get so backlash.
The mont he ceased, the tribulation clouds retaliated and he was blasted downward.
He flipped midair and landed perfectly on the ground with a soft thud.
And then—
A mysterious energy descended from the fading clouds, sinking into his battered flesh and weary mind.
A cooling, soothing presence flooded him.
Yu Xuan exhaled sharply.
’Shhh... at last.’
The Heavens’ Reward.
The purest essence between Heaven and Earth poured into him, knitting torn flesh, repairing cracked ridians, and cooling the burning agony of his soul.
As the glow dimd, Yu Xuan finally looked around.
The ground in front of his master’s mansion was completely destroyed — shattered stone, burnt earth, and lingering lightning scars everywhere.
And standing amidst it all were several people watching him.
Too many people on this silent peak.
Yu Xuan’s eyes widened slightly — and then he realized.
He was naked.
In an instant, with the speed of soone whose survival depended on it, Yu Xuan used [Telekinesis] to snatch the two space rings sitting beside his master.
One sect-issued.
One gifted by his parents.
He had removed them before his Tribulation, least they would beco damaged and destroyed, and so random greedy disciple decided to start the plot.
He materialized a multicolored robe and threw it on with practiced desperation.
Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
If these old fogies saw him naked for even a second longer...
He would have lost massive face.
Once clothed, Yu Xuan slumped down cross-legged.
This tribulation had been far more dangerous and more rewarding than he expected.
His body was strengthened.
His core was perfected.
His mind was expanded.
And the insight he had gained during his epiphany — the one cut short by the Tribulation Beasts, was still lingering at the edge of his awareness.
So Yu Xuan closed his eyes once more.
He needed to stabilize his new realm... and complete the evolution of his cultivation technique while the epiphany was still lingering.
For a long while, he remained seated, quietly cultivating, letting the storm settle inside and outside.
***
anwhile, within the Elental Heaven Peak.
Rumors and news were circulating through the sect at the speed of light.
dallions buzzed.
ssages flew.
Gossips exploded.
The entire peak was boiling.
"Woah, did you see those Tribulation clouds? That wasn’t a breakthrough, that was an apocalypse!"
"Yeah! I even saw Heavenly Punishnt Lightning! Whoever that expert is... their life must be real spicy."
"Hey, hey, hey, did the information finally arrive? Who’s the lucky bastard breaking through at the Main Peak?"
"Apparently... the Peak Master’s disciple."
"WHAT?! We actually had one?!"
And then:
"Wait, updates coming in. So people who were with Yu Xuan during the Disciple Assignnt are speaking up!"
"Who’s the main witness?"
"A PANDA nad Po."
"Oh. Credible."
"Yeah, Po’s the Yin-Yang Peak Master’s disciple! If even he said Yu Xuan is freakishly strong, then he may be strong. He also stated that they are rivals."
Mission Hall, near the Main Peak
A monk with an overly serene expression silently sorted mission scrolls while disciples rushed in and out.
Then she heard the rumor.
Her eyebrow twitched.
"Eh? So he was the Peak Master’s disciple... no wonder he was handso."
She muttered quietly as Yu Xuan’s photo began circulating.
Now that her Heart Demon apparently had high-status, she suddenly felt safe for unknown reasons.
Prison.
A certain disciple surnad Zhou sneezed violently.
He didn’t know why... but he suddenly had a very bad feeling.
But the rumors didn’t stop there.
They mutated.
They intensified.
They multiplied like rabbits.
Soon, a second wave appeared like a particular virus, this ti, far more dramatic.
"Did you hear? So people say Yu Xuan is a DEMON who eats flesh and bones!"
"What? I heard he massacred thousands during the golden night!"
"No, no, no, that was a trial ground! They say all disciples were teleported to claim so ancient ancestor’s legacy or sothing!"
"Damn, why wasn’t I teleported? I too want free fortuitous encounters!"
"Also... rumor has it that Yu Xuan walks on five legs."
"FIVE?!?!"
"..."
"...you sure that wasn’t just the rumor mixing with the wrong imagination?"
"Who knows? Rumors don’t need logic."
By the next morning—
Yu Xuan had beco the most talked-about person in the entire Elental Heaven Peak.
People now "knew" three things:
Yu Xuan is the disciple of the Elental Heaven Peak Master.
Yu Xuan survived a Heavenly Punishnt Tribulation.
Yu Xuan is a Demon in human skin.
And possibly walks on five legs.
Such was the birth of a legend.
***
Yu Xuan opened his eyes after quite so ti.
Literally an entire day later.
Still seated in the sa ditative posture, he slowly lifted himself.
’Hahaha...’ he laughed inwardly, proud of surviving a tribulation that should’ve erased him.
He turned toward his master, who was the only one still present.
Landing softly on the ground, Yu Xuan walked toward her, expecting praise, perhaps a "not bad," or even a nod of approval.
Instead—
SMACK!
A perfect headshot.
"AH—! Master, WHY!?" Yu Xuan yelped, holding his head.
The Elental Heaven Peak Master stared at him with a rage.
"When," she said very calmly, too calmly, "did you learn the Language of the Heavenly Gods?"
Yu Xuan stiffened.
His gaze drifted to the sky, to the ground, to the rocks, anywhere except her face.
"I-I guess... yesterday...?" he said weakly.
The Peak Master inhaled sharply, the type of breath one takes before strangling a disciple and sending him to et his ancestors.
She resisted.
Barely.
"You surely provoked the Heavens for a good reason, right?" she asked, deadpan.
Yu Xuan froze.
Blank expression.
Blank mind.
Even he didn’t know why Heavenly Punishnt ca.
Maybe Old Yu had done sothing.
Yes.
Bla Old Yu.
Everything suspicious can be Old Yu’s fault.
He now held a tiny grudge against Old Yu.
But the loot was good, so he forgave Old Yu.
[A/N: Old Yu is literally Yu Xuan, btw...]
"Anyway, Master," Yu Xuan said, trying to change the subject, "I want to access the Heaven’s Great Library."
The Heaven Immortal Sect’s greatest treasure trove, containing techniques, martial arts, divine arts, and secret manuals, was spread across major towns.
Which ant he needed to leave the peak.
The Elental Heaven Peak Master felt her eyebrow twitch.
Her disciple still looked like a burnt sweet potato.
Before she could reply, the two caterpillars jumped from her shoulder and suctioned themselves onto Yu Xuan’s face.
"P-Pff—hey, not the nose—!"
They were absolutely not normal caterpillars to jump like that.
"You," she said with finality, "are NOT getting my permission to leave this peak."
Yu Xuan’s soul collapsed.
"Why am I PEAKED!?" he shouted in grievance.
Was this the tax for being a genius?
Was he grounded?
Grounding existed in cultivation worlds!?
His eyes turned distant.
A lonely expert aura appeared around him, as if he’d lived through countless winters.
The Peak Master’s forehead vein bulged.
She almost coughed blood. If they had no connections, she was sure that even at the cost of her own life, she would not accept Yu Xuan as a disciple, because he was the worst type of disciple.
But as usual Author had other plans.
"...I will teach you personally this ti," she finally said.
"Really?" Yu Xuan asked, suspicious but hopeful.
Until now, she’d done nothing but stare at him, judge him, and look when he makes a breakthrough.
Was she actually going to teach him a technique?
His lonely expert aura evaporated replaced by a bright, unbelievably filial expression.
Yu Xuan bowed deeply and accidentally blurted:
"Master for a day, father for a lifet—"
He froze mid sentence.
Because a terrifying pressure descended.
Yu Xuan began sweating like a sinner in court.
"I—I apologize, Master! This disciple will follow every instruction!"
Her eyes turned completely red from contained fury.
"We, have a lot to talk about." she said with seriousness.
"Who were those people that arrived at my breakthrough Master?" Yu Xuan questioned.
The Elental Heaven Peak Master felt another wave of headache, hearing about that.
For Heaven’s sake, why can’t her disciple be normal!
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