As the pitch-black storm clouds gathered in the sky, a heavy sense of oppression spread across the heavens and occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the world.
If the cultivators at the top of the mountain were merely solemn, then the mortals at the foot of the mountain were completely horrified by this strange phenomenon.
“It’s thundering! And there is a hole in the sky!”
“Run!”
The adult mortals who had brought their children to participate in the trial panicked and fled toward the outer perimeter, unable to even imagine the terrifying oppression of the heavenly laws that the boy at the center, Qi Hanzhou, was facing.
Lin Shuyi leaned forward, looking at Qi Hanzhou halfway up the mountain, his dark hair whipping in the wind. “He’s coughing up blood!”
Qi Hanzhou had already braced himself against the stone steps with a muffled groan, and blood was slowly trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The moment qi entered his body, the immense surge of power and control that came with it now seemed completely fragile under the crushing weight of the laws of heaven.
Yet even so, Qi Hanzhou still struggled to stand in the pouring rain, lifting his gaze toward the thunder forming in the sky.
So this was a tribulation?
As long as he endured it, he would be able to step onto an entirely different path?
“This guy is crazy. He’s not even trying to dodge and is instead staring directly at the tribulation?”
Senior Brother Jiang Ting was at a loss for words over the orphan’s actions.
With no magical weapons for protection and no elixirs to aid him, he had chosen to face it all head-on in the most reckless manner possible.
“But perhaps, by sheer coincidence, he has chosen the best method.” The elder’s voice was low and grave.
When facing tribulation, every cultivator had their own approach, but the most crucial thing was that their Dao heart could not waver.
If one faltered under the oppressive force of the tribulation, even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would have no hope of ever advancing to the next stage in the future.
“It’s about to strike!”
With Senior Sister Mu Ling’er’s startled exclamation, the long-brewing thunderbolt finally crashed down toward the mountainside with a deafening roar.
In an instant, all the crying and chaos were swallowed by the thunder, and the world seemed to be consumed by that blinding white light.
Lin Shuyi’s fingertips turned pale as he clenched the spirit stone jade furnace in his hand, staring in disbelief at the gray silhouette completely engulfed by the electric light. The next second, the overwhelming brightness forced him to shut his eyes.
For the first time since transmigrating into this cultivation world, Lin Shuyi truly felt the terrifying reality of this unfamiliar world.
Here, human lives could be snuffed out in an instant.
“Boom!”
A huge thunderbolt struck the ground, shaking the entire mountain where the Cloud Ascension Stairway stood. A deep gorge was split into the mountainside, and thousands of meters of the staircase shattered.
Everything fell into an eerie, absolute silence.
When people slowly reopened their eyes, they realized that the ominous storm clouds had miraculously vanished without a trace, and the sky stretched endlessly in a pure, cloudless blue.
After the tribulation, the qi in the air had thickened by several hundred times within a radius of thousands of miles.
Despite their bodies still trembling slightly, Fu Yuan and the other young masters from prestigious families immediately sat cross-legged on the spot, seizing the opportunity to absorb the residual qi of heaven and earth left by the tribulation.
For an entry-level cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage, the qu left over from the thunder tribulation was an extremely precious and powerful tonic.
For Qi Hanzhou’s fellow orphans, however, it was a completely different scene.
The ones who had tried to stop him earlier now crawled out from the bushes, cliffs, and rocks, scrambling on all fours.
Many were sobbing hysterically and screaming, “I never want to cultivate again!” and “I want to go home!”
“Quickly report to the elders, this child isn’t dead!”
The evaluators and guards responsible for the security during the trial immediately rushed toward the charred crater. The next second, their voices rang out in astonished delight.
The orphan who had ascended midway and triggered the tribulation was alive!
Like wings, this news spread rapidly throughout the Miao Xuan Sect.
The annual entrance examination, which had never got that much attention from the sect elders, had drawn unprecedented attention this year due to its successive anomalies.
“This year’s test shall end here. Although the Cloud Ascension Stairway has suffered its first damage in a thousand years, the results are already clear.”
The elder swept his gaze across the stairway, let out a sigh, and issued his command.]]
[What? The thunder tribulation is really over? I held my breath while reading…now I can finally exhale. My scalp is tingling. Did our Hanzhou actually survive!?]
As the storm dissipated and the rain cleared in the story, the tension that had gripped the readers also began to ease. Everyone outside the book also felt as if they had survived a disaster in a different world.
The thunder tribulation in this cultivation world was far too terrifying.
And to have it strike right after a breakthrough…the excitement brought by the test of extreme joy and worry was definitely multiplied.
[I also realized how difficult the path of cultivation is for ordinary people. Those orphans only knew how to cry and beg to go home, while the children from noble families immediately sat down to meditate and absorb the qi left behind by Hanzhou’s tribulation.]
[Exactly! And someone like Hanzhou, who had to face the tribulation so abruptly, is an extreme rarity. No elders to protect him, no magical weapons or elixirs to aid him…he survived purely by enduring it head-on. QAQ. My heart aches for him, who else feels this way?]
[+1. I really hope Shuyi’s presence in the story changes things for the better. The original author was too cruel! Teacher Fish Soup Noodles, you’re too heartless!]
The thunder tribulation also revealed the vast disparity in the cultivation world.
The price and hardships that the protagonist Qi Hanzhou, an orphan, has to pay when embarking on this journey are unimaginably heartbreaking.
But if analyzed carefully, the one responsible for this heart-wrenching ordeal is none other than the demon behind the book, Fish Soup Noodles!
[I finally understand, Teacher Fish Soup Noodles knows exactly how to torment us, and the worst part is, I’ll always fall for it. I just want to see Hanzhou carve out a new destiny and shine brilliantly in this life. Who understands this feeling?]
[Same here. Reading about this tribulation has completely changed my perception of the cultivation world. But at least the storm has passed. Does this mean Hanzhou has passed the trial? Will the big shots finally recognize his talent?]
Everyone couldn’t help but relax along with the atmosphere.
However, the development of the plot quickly took a new turn.
[[Half a stick of incense later, the admission results were officially announced.
The lowest-ranked candidates received a few taels of broken silver and were sent back the way they came, forever severing their fate with the path of immortality. Nine out of ten children were placed in this category, their faces filled with fear and disappointment.
The next tier consisted of those who performed decently during the tribulation. They were selected as outer disciples. Though they could not truly embark on the path of cultivation, diligently serving the sect would ensure their families’ lifelong stability. If they encountered great opportunities, they might even be promoted to the inner sect.
The highest tier naturally belonged to young masters of noble families like Fu Yuan or exceptionally talented individuals who had reached the forefront of the Cloud Ascension Stairway.
And, of course, there was also Qi Hanzhou…the biggest variable.
Just as Fu Yuan and the others were secretly growing anxious, worried that this orphan’s sudden rise would steal their spotlight and resources, the latest news arrived.
“This boy may have successfully endured the tribulation and refined Qi into his body, but due to insufficient protection, his right shoulder was injured, and the meridians in his arm are completely destroyed. In the future, he may not even be able to wield a sword.”
The diagnosis from the divine physician of Miao Xuan Sect’s Spiritual Medicine Valley instantly caused many elders, who had rushed over in interest, to lose their enthusiasm.
They had originally thought the sect might receive a brilliant talent from humble origins this year, only for fate to deal an unfortunate blow at the final step.
After all, Miao Xuan Sect’s most renowned inheritance was the sword cultivation technique, the God-Slaying Sword Art.
“If that’s the case, then let Fu Yuan follow me instead.”
Elder Fu stroked his beard, deliberated for a moment, and ultimately chose Fu Yuan from the new disciples.
Fu Yuan, who was not far away, was overjoyed and immediately bowed respectfully.
Before coming to the selection, his older sister had already told him that Elder Fu’s swordsmanship was unparalleled within Miao Xuan Sect, exactly what he had always dreamed of learning!
One by one, the other elders also selected their preferred disciples, leaving only the still-unconscious Qi Hanzhou.
As everyone exchanged glances, an inexplicable silence filled the air.]]
[Ah!? Teacher Fish Soup Noodles, what kind of plot is this about the genius being envied by the heavens?]
While the atmosphere inside the book fell silent, the readers outside the book exploded in outrage. Their comments flooded the Huanyu platform and sent engagement numbers soaring to new heights.
Many had believed Qi Hanzhou would finally make a big splash, yet fate had played a cruel joke on him.
[But honestly, this isn’t entirely unreasonable. He survived a tribulation with no prior preparation, just being alive is already incredible. If he had emerged completely unscathed, then the golden finger would be too strong.]
[Yeah, Teacher Fish Soup Noodles’ upgrade style has always been like this. Even in *Rebirth Of The Interstellar Soldier King*, Lin Mu’s growth never involved any over-the-top, bug-like plot points. That said, I’m still really sad…]
Although many readers were furious and shocked, others acknowledged that the plot twist, while unexpected, was within reason.
[[“Then… can he follow me?”
Just as the heavy silence lingered over the scene, an unexpected voice broke through.
Lin Shuyi suddenly stepped forward and requested custody of Qi Hanzhou.
“Young sect master, are you saying… you want this boy to follow you and study under you?”
The elders were momentarily stunned, but after thinking for a moment, they felt that this might not be a bad idea.
Qi Hanzhou’s situation was indeed troublesome.
Despite having successfully refined Qi and triggered a heavenly tribulation, an extraordinary feat worthy of being admitted to the inner sect, the meridians of his right arm were destroyed, rendering him permanently handicapped in swordsmanship, so his potential was significantly diminished.
Since the inner sect would not accept him, his only option was the outer sect.
But, recalling how the boy had stood against the thunder tribulation, the elder felt that simply casting him into the outer sect would be a great loss.
Now that the young sect master had suddenly spoken up, an alternative path had emerged.
Even so, he maintained a cautious stance. “I must still discuss this with the sect master and the other elders.”
“The young sect master seems to have a strong affinity with this orphan. During the trial, he was the first to notice something unusual about him. Perhaps it’s fate?”
Several elders who had watched Lin Shuyi grow up naturally spoke in his favor.
While the discussion was going on in the meeting hall, Qi Hanzhou, who was still unconscious on the other side, finally woke up.
He had survived the tribulation, but in doing so, his right arm’s meridians were damaged, making it difficult to wield a sword or channel Qi.
When he learned of this, those around him had expected him to be devastated. But, to their surprise, Qi Hanzhou’s expression showed little reaction.
Perhaps it was because he had faced so much hardship since childhood that he had unknowingly grown used to it.
He had never been one of the lucky ones.
But now that no elder had chosen him, would he still have a chance to stay here?
“Martial uncle, my father and the others have agreed! From now on, Hanzhou will follow me, he’s my junior brother now…”
Before Qi Hanzhou could ask the elder beside him, his dazed gaze turned toward the figure that had suddenly burst into the dimly lit medicine hall.
The curtain at the entrance was lifted by two attendants, allowing soft sunlight to stream in. The incoming figure’s ink-black hair shimmered under the golden glow, and Lin Shuyi’s breathtaking features, even in a world filled with beauties, still stood out with an immortal radiance.
He was the very embodiment of an immortal.
Only the heavens knew how happy Lin Shuyi was at that moment.
He had finally managed to alter the course of the plot a little. Now that Qi Hanzhou would be by his side, at least the plot wouldn’t unfold as disastrously as in the original novel.
For the first time since entering this world, Lin Shuyi was in high spirits. He rushed into the room and looked at Qi Hanzhou in front of him with a smile as if he had found a rare treasure.
‘Junior brother?’
‘Is he referring to me?’
Many years later, no matter how many times Qi Hanzhou recalled this moment, he always felt that the hollow emptiness he had carried for so long had, unknowingly, begun to be filled, piece by piece, by the person before him.
Countless times when his inner demons had almost dragged him into the abyss, he was always pulled back and held in an embrace without the slightest disgust.
“Did his throat get injured too? Why can’t he speak?”]]
