A joyful shout resounded through the mountain range; momentarily stilling the chatter of wild animals. Leaning against one of the trees that lined a small clearing, stood a man that looked neither young nor old. He stood looking at the clearing inspecting his work. Covering it was a complex, swirling design; a formation that had been branded into the ground. In his path of cultivation he had established this place deep within the forest-filled mountain ranges of Tai; a secure resting place, a haven, a home, and now the bed place for his ascension into immortality.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMjf9iWD8l
Moving to the middle, he pushed a sliver of spiritual sense into the formation, probing its functionality. Seeing everything was working to his satisfaction, he sat down and started to prepare. He took out a flat object. The complex designs and patterns were dizzying to look at but immediately noticeable were a few engravings etched deeper than the rest, forming the characters for “transcend.”1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW5IEYtPSj
He started to pour Qi into the object and the formation. As he did so dark clouds started billowing out from the sky directly above him. Soon day turned into a simulated night as the sun was blotted out. The clouds started to crackle with an ethereal energy casting a bluish tint to everything in sight. A bolt of lightning sped out causing a fearsome rumble and turning the surroundings back into day for just a moment. Rain started to fall, then pour, seeping the environment in a chilling air. Hail mixed with the rain and the heavy pitter-patter of water in both its forms enveloped him. The chittering of animals earlier in the day had been replaced by the rumbling of thunder and the drumming of rain and hail.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyuQN1QVtq
An immense pressure suddenly suffocated the environment. The first strike of the tribulation approached. He stood up, took out a leaf and bit into it. The trees on the boundary of the formation shivered and twisted forming a canopy above him. Lightning dove from the clouds, hammering into his formation and into the canopy above him. As the lightning strike faded, diffusing into harmless energy, the formation glowed golden, channeling the energy towards him. More and more bolts rained down upon him but none could penetrate his formation. Each strike caused the area to shake tremendously and even caused the ground where the formation laid to sink down. The storm paused for a moment, as if to gather breath, then lighting started to pour down like rain. He braced himself and as it hit the barrier he spit out a mouthful of blood. With a swirling gesture the formation shifted; the lightning was no longer resisted but repelled like water from a leaf. The impacts churned up the ground and the canopy could no longer withstand it; their branches retreating back to the edges of the formation, smoking and charred. The surrounding forests suffering a worse fate.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCTnYyk2Ul
The formation could no longer bear the pressure; it cracked and splintered. He gave a defiant roar and raised his fist to meet with the descending force of the heavens. Immense pain flooded his senses as he felt his bones fracture and his flesh burn. He had to endure!1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFx9UtiGyo
An eternity passed in a moment; it was over. The clouds dissipated as quickly as they came and once again it was a normal day. Blood flowed from the seven facial orifices and his wounds were great but he was alive. The remnants of his formation grumbled as a seat rose from the ground for him. He sat down and inspected himself. He had many injuries but he lived; he had passed the tribulation. It would take a while to fully recover but he had all the time he needed. The heavenly Qi remaining from the storm still saturated the area and it all belonged to him; his prize, his door to immortality.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeos8j7GB2S
He could feel the energy flow into his body; slightly painful; a dull, throbbing sort of itch; breaking him down and mending him, transforming him, making him immortal. He reveled in this feeling, this feeling of transcending his mortality. He started to meditate.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh49LdHtbxz
A moment passed before he snapped his eyes open; something was wrong. The heavenly Qi was gone. All of it. Not only was the Qi from the tribulation gone something else was off. He couldn’t place it but he felt immense despair and loneliness. Blood flowed from the corner of his lip as he gnashed his teeth and bit his tongue.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDITyMRo3W
He was cut off from the heavens. A feeling he had never experienced throughout his entire path of cultivation even when he was a mere mortal. The heavens had rejected him. They had found him unworthy to be among their ranks.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDfzpuTWGs
“I-I have passed the tribulation! Y-your test. Why have I been set aside?” he shouted towards the heavens.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRjY3EwhD3
Smoke and ash continued to rise as nothing responded.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwo0ESLShTC
“What else must I do? I have proven myself. Walked the path of a mortal. Grasped the profound nature of immortality. I have broken through each of the mortal binds.”1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct8RBfFAuV
With every word he grew more frantic; every phrase becoming more crazed and animalistic.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTFs07A90b
“Why? Why? Why. Why. Damn you. Damn you. Damn the arrogant heavens. You dare look down upon me?”1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6wBx9hPcG
Smoke billowed out in greater amounts as something caught aflame.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFhp3bMNWD
“I will be a curse to the heavens. The stars of heaven will be trampled; their skies torn. I will rend their immortality; strip it from them. Grind their bones to dust; their skulls to gravel. I swear this.”1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjz4rqi1Nh
The surrounding forests could no longer be seen only a raging inferno and an impenetrable smog. A roar echoed out within the smoke; a bestial cry, something not quite reaching a man or maybe something beyond man. Dark clouds gathered again in the sky and thunder rumbled. A flash of crackling light smashed into the midst of the smog.1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwcDePrGs6
“I SWEAR IT.”1046Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DAlwG8Gbk
