Thunder rolled low in the distance, like the growl of a slumbering beast. In the stillness of the Qingye Sect's night, most disciples had already returned to their quarters, exhausted from the first day's duels. But atop a secluded cliff behind the outer sect grounds, one silhouette remained seated in deep meditation.
Lin Ho.
His breath was slow but deep. Chaos Qi swirled around him in thin streams, gently tugging the ambient spiritual energy of the surroundings into himself. The meridians in his body were glowing faintly with golden-black light, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Tonight, he would attempt to break through to Meridian Forging – Late Stage.
But unlike others who prepared pills, formed defensive arrays, or summoned elders to guard them, Lin Ho simply sat alone — as though the heavens themselves would bend to watch.
A faint crack in the sky. Thunder again, closer this time.
Then the spiral in his dantian contracted.
And with it, the world reacted.
A pressure descended like a falling mountain. The sky above Lin Ho darkened unnaturally. Clouds swirled directly overhead, converging into a vortex. From within it — blue and silver arcs of lightning began to flicker.
The Tribulation Lightning had arrived.
---
In the elder's peaks, several powerful cultivators stirred from meditation.
> "Another tribulation? Didn't someone cross to Late Meridian Forging yesterday?"
> "No… this is different. Look at that energy fluctuation. It's too stable. Too vast."
Elder Qiu narrowed his eyes, staring toward the distant cliff.
> "It's him."
---
Back on the cliff, Lin Ho opened his eyes.
The first bolt struck like a silver dragon. But Lin Ho didn't move. He raised his arms and let it hit him square in the chest.
BOOM!
A golden-black shield of Chaos Qi emerged around him, dispersing the lightning and absorbing part of it into his meridians. His flesh trembled, but his foundation held strong.
Then came the second bolt. Faster. Hotter.
Lin Ho leapt upward, spinning midair, and sent a fist wrapped in spiraling energy to meet it.
CRACK!
The two collided, forming a shockwave that flattened nearby vegetation and shattered the cliff's edge. But Lin Ho landed on his feet, breathing calmly.
By the time the third and final bolt descended — wider than a tree trunk — Lin Ho wasn't resisting it. He welcomed it. Let it burn him. Let it stretch his limits.
> "Chaos reshapes. Chaos consumes. Chaos becomes."
The final lightning bolt crashed into him.
Silence followed.
Then a low hum — the spiral in his dantian expanded like a galaxy blooming into existence. New meridians lit up across his body, glowing with the fusion of Qi and chaos essence. He had stepped into Meridian Forging – Late Stage.
The thunder clouds dispersed. Moonlight spilled onto the smoking ground.
Lin Ho rose to his feet, steam curling off his robes. His eyes were sharper now — their irises tinged faintly with chaotic gold.
---
At that moment, in the deepest underground chamber of Qingye Sect, a hidden crystal flickered to life.
A figure wrapped in shadows opened his eyes.
> "That energy… something old. Something forbidden. Has it returned?"
But before he could trace it, the crystal dimmed.
> "No matter. If it's a threat, the sect will handle it."
And he returned to his silent vigil.
---
Meanwhile, Lin Ho returned to his quarters before dawn. He didn't celebrate. He didn't speak.
He simply sat again, and began to circulate his Qi.
The path was still long. But with every storm, he grew stronger.
---
End of Chapter 15