THE REAL PROTEGE Chapter 401: SHI MIN COLLAPSED

Li Tianyuan crossed his arms, an exasperated scoff escaping his lips. "About ti you decided to show up!"

Li Shenwu’s brow furrowed, a disdainful snort escaping him. "Did you even have the decency to inform ? Barat! Hmph!"

He stepped forward, his piercing gaze scanning the ominous storm that lood ahead.

"You two — if you intervene, you’ll only deepen the chaos."

"But you can help him!" Li Tianyuan protested, desperation etched across his face.

The old cultivator snorted once more, dismissing their concerns with a wave before vanishing without another word.

Bolt 42: The Mont of Collapse

Inside the chamber, under the weight of dread, the forty-second bolt of energy descended like an unforgiving celestial hamr.

Shi Min knelt, his fra shaking violently, blood escaping his lips in crimson rivulets, a stark contrast against the stone floor.

His spirit fought valiantly, anchored by will, but his body had reached its breaking point.

And then—

A figure materialized before him, tall and radiant, an embodint of unyielding power.

"Focus!" Li Shenwu’s resonant voice rolled through the chamber like a divine bell tolling, awakening the very air.

Shi Min’s eyes fluttered open, a flicker of hope igniting within him.

"Concentrate, Shi Min. You cannot surrender."

A gasp escaped Shi Min as he fought to grasp the reality of his situation.

"Focus. Harness your qi."

With a deliberate inhalation — slow, deep, and steady — Shi Min closed his eyes to the chaos around him.

He reached into the depths of his being, casting aside doubt and fear.

And there, in the crucible of turmoil, he found his center and refocused.

Bolts 43–49: The Final Strikes of Tampering

Under the unwavering guidance of Li Shenwu, Shi Min steadied his trembling form, preparing to confront the tempest within him.

The forty-third bolt crashed down like a celestial blade, cleaving through the last threads of his spiritual frailty. A violent convulsion rippled through Shi Min’s body, yet his spirit remained unyielding, a fortress against the chaos.

Then ca the forty-fourth and forty-fifth bolts, descending in a fierce tandem — a jolt upon his crown, while the other struck deep at his root. The heavens were orchestrating a symphony of alignnt, forging his qi into a seamless stream of energy. As his bones audibly cracked and reford, his blood surged like molten lava, only to cool and settle in a subli calm.

Li Shenwu stood resolute amidst the storm, his presence a beacon of stability.

"Good," he murmured softly, like a master sculptor witnessing the clay take shape. "Let it shape you."

Then, with a rciless crack of thunder, the forty-sixth bolt lashed out, targeting the very essence of Shi Min’s mories. It clawed at his identity, attempting to erase the tapestry of his being. But Shi Min didn’t yield; he roared — a primordial force awakened within him, his determination surging forth like an unstoppable tidal wave.

"I am Shi Min!" he bellowed, defiance ringing in the air. "I will not be remade!"

The Awakening Within: Azure Dragon and Fire Phoenix

As the tempestuous fury of the lightning intensified, sothing ancient stirred deep within Shi Min’s core.

The essence of the Azure Dragon, slumbering within his marrow, t the fiery heart of the Fire Phoenix, nestled within the Nirvana Elixir’s life-giving blood. Instead of clashing in conflict, they danced in a breathtaking harmony, weaving an intricate tapestry of power within him.

Qi spiraled in a magnificent whirl, a spectral fusion of azure and crimson — a striking contrast of cold power and searing heat. The dragon’s essence coiled protectively around his spine, awakening instincts as old as ti itself — wisdom, sovereignty, and the fierce instinct to defend. The fla of the phoenix surged through his heart, igniting rebirth and insatiable passion, transforming despair into transcendence.

Together, the Azure Dragon and the Fire Phoenix entwined, gaining sentience, forming a dual soul — a breathtaking combination of two divine beasts, irrevocably bound by Shi Min’s overwhelming will. His form glowed radiantly, shimring with the energy of their fusion, and his aura expanded, eclipsing the realms of mortal comprehension.

Hidden Valley Reacts: The Ancestor Has Returned

Across the expanse of Hidden Valley, a palpable shift reverberated through its very fabric.

In the Hei Clan, Hei Yanshi, poised with elegance, dropped her intricately patterned fan. "Li Shenwu has returned," she breathed, awe evident in her voice. "And he’s chosen a successor."

In the Crimson Feather Pavilion, the elders fell to their knees, humility washing over them. "The bloodline stirs from its slumber," one elder proclaid, reverence threading through his words. "The dragon breathes once more."

In the Moonshadow Courtyard, a chorus of rogue cultivators scattered like leaves before a storm. "We cannot face him," one wailed, terror palpable. "He is no longer one of us."

In the Iron Bell Monastery, the abbot’s tears flowed freely, mingling with joy and sorrow alike. "The heavens have failed to shatter him. Now, they must crown him."

In the Beast Tars’ Grove, spirit beasts bowed in reverence. A phoenix screeched a song of honor, while a serpent coiled in humble submission.

Even the Seven Shah, scattered across the vast expanse of the realm, halted their rigorous training, captivated by the tidal wave of power.

Veyron whispered, "He has beco both dusk and dawn," while Pyrrha’s smile danced across his features. "The fla did not consu him — it crowned him."

The 50th Bolt: Ascension

Then, the world fell silent, as if the very heavens held their breath.

Amidst this stillness, the fiftieth bolt descended — not a strike of destructive fury, but a beacon of pure light, untainted and radiant.

It surged forth, a brilliant cascade that struck Shi Min’s core. Rather than burn, it rged seamlessly, igniting a transformation within. Shi Min roared with a primal intensity, the sound reverberating across the valley, a declaration of rebirth.

His body levitated gracefully from the ground, engulfed in a cocoon of swirling qi, suspended between earth and sky. Then, as if the very fabric of the universe unraveled, the heavens split open.

__________

Shi Min says:

"Fifty bolts of lightning, a dragon, a phoenix, and I still can’t get a mont’s peace. But hey, thanks for reading. Vote, comnt, and recomnd if you want to keep breaking the heavens. Power Stones and Golden Tickets are qi boosters. Gifts? Optional — but I’ll roar louder."