Ascension of the Silent Guardian

Five years passed like leaves in the wind. For mortals, it might seem like a long time, but for cultivators, it was merely a nap.

Tian Ling slowly opened his eyes, and a powerful aura emanated from his body, signaling that his spiritual core was about to form. The air around him trembled as if the very atmosphere acknowledged his newfound strength.

"Ninth level of the Spiritual Core... I'm about to break through... incredible," he murmured to himself, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. His eyes sparkled with determination, knowing he was on the verge of reaching a new stage in his cultivation, and the thought only fueled his anticipation.

He took a deep breath, feeling the flow of Qi within his body. Each breath felt heavier, laden with power.

"I need to inform the master and find a safe place to transcend the tribulation," he said, rising quickly, his body light as a feather.

As he exited his cave, Tian Ling accidentally bumped into Yu Meilin, who was passing by at that moment. The collision made him step back.

"Sorry, sister, I didn’t see you," he said quickly, bowing slightly as an apology.

"No problem," she replied coldly, her eyes fixed on him. She frowned as she thought, "I can't sense his cultivation? But I'm already at the sixth level of Foundation... strange." A flicker of curiosity crossed her mind, but she held back, continuing on her way.

Tian Ling mounted his sword and flew directly towards his master. The wind cut across his face, but his mind was focused solely on the moment he would break through to the next level.

Upon arriving before Mei Lianhua, he immediately knelt.

"Master, I’ve reached the final level of the Foundation Realm and am about to break through. I need a place to undergo my tribulation," he said, his voice filled with excitement and anxiety.

Mei Lianhua raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised. Her eyes gleamed as she examined his cultivation.

"What? You’re already about to break through?" Her voice, for a moment, broke her usual composure. "This boy... he’s already surpassed the seventh level of the Foundation Realm? How is that possible?" she thought. But she quickly regained her serene posture, not letting him see her astonishment.

"Hm, very well. Follow me."

Tian Ling followed her without hesitation as she led him to an island near the central island. The vastness of the place was impressive, and a mystical silence prevailed. All that could be seen were floating vortices, each containing a different image, like portals to distant realms.

"Enter this vortex and begin your tribulation," Mei Lianhua said, pointing to one of the vortices that displayed the image of a towering, solitary mountain.

Without delay, Tian Ling stepped into the vortex. As soon as he passed through, he felt immense pressure. He found himself on a vast plain surrounded by colossal mountains. The sky was heavy and dark, a forewarning of the impending tribulation.

He sat cross-legged and began channeling his Qi, focusing on forming his spiritual core. A slight tension gripped his body. He knew that upon reaching the seventh level of the Foundation Realm, a cultivator had to face the heavens' tribulation — a series of lightning bolts charged with spiritual energy that had to be absorbed to form the core. However, Tian Ling had surpassed that level and reached the ninth, making his tribulation even more intense and dangerous.

The wind began to howl around him, and the clouds in the sky swirled violently. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Tian Ling felt a drop of sweat roll down his forehead.

"Come on... I’m ready!" he murmured, closing his eyes, fully focused.

Suddenly, the system echoed in his mind, its unmistakable presence:

[DETECTED THAT THE USER IS ABOUT TO UNDERGO THE TRIBULATION OF THE PERFECT SPIRITUAL CORE. DUE TO THE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF SPIRITUAL QI IN THE LIGHTNING, THE SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE A BARRIER THAT REDUCES DAMAGE BY 50% AND INCREASES SPIRITUAL QI ABSORPTION BY 100%.]

Tian Ling smiled.

"It will halve the damage and increase my absorption? Incredible!" he exclaimed, astonished.

A golden barrier formed around him, shimmering in the air, as the first lightning bolt tore through the sky and struck him. The impact was terrifying. Even with the system's protection, he felt the overwhelming force of the spiritual energy being absorbed into his body, and the pain was intense. His muscles trembled, and the pressure on his body was immense. He clenched his teeth, determined.

The lightning bolts continued to fall, one after another. With each strike, Tian Ling's core solidified further. The mountains around him shook, and the sound of thunder seemed to tear through the very air. For seven days and seven nights, he endured the tribulation, absorbing every bolt and transforming it into power.

At last, the final burst of energy flashed across the sky, and the storm dissipated.

"Finally... what a dominating experience," Tian Ling murmured, feeling his spiritual core pulsing within him. He had broken through.

Upon exiting the mystical realm, Mei Lianhua awaited him.

"Congratulations on reaching the Spiritual Core Realm," she said with a slight smile. However, in her mind, something kept echoing: "This child... his Qi aura is absurdly pure." She silently admired Tian Ling's talent.

"What do you plan to do now? Maybe take on some missions?" she asked, trying to hide the expectation in her voice.

"No, master. I plan to return to cultivation and stabilize my foundation before venturing out."

"I understand that diligent cultivation is important, but you need opportunities to advance. Simply cultivating won’t be enough to reach the next levels."

"I understand, master, but I don’t like taking risks. When I feel powerful enough, I’ll go out and explore the world," Tian Ling replied firmly, with conviction.

She observed him for a moment, astonished by the firmness in his words. "He has so much talent, but he needs to go out and seek opportunities..." she thought, though she knew he wouldn’t budge.

Without further delay, Tian Ling returned to his cave to stabilize his cultivation. Six months passed, and finally, he had consolidated his core. At that moment, the system echoed once again in his mind.

[DETECTED THAT THE USER HAS ADVANCED TO THE SPIRITUAL CORE REALM. YOU WILL RECEIVE TWO JARS OF SPIRITUAL CORE PILLS AND AN EARTH-GRADE TREASURE.]

[CONGRATULATIONS ON OBTAINING THE EARTH-GRADE TREASURE: DIVIDING SWORD.]

His eyes lit up, focusing on the sword the system had just announced. Another message appeared:

[DIVIDING SWORD: AN EARTH-GRADE TREASURE, DEVELOPED THROUGH YEARS OF ACCUMULATED QI FROM HEAVEN AND EARTH. IT CAN WITHSTAND LARGE AMOUNTS OF SPIRITUAL QI AND STRENGTHEN ALONG WITH ITS WIELDER.]

Tian Ling was thrilled. In a month, the treasure recognized him as its master, after he continuously injected spiritual energy into it.

Soon after, the system surprised him again.

[DETECTED THAT THE USER LACKS COMBAT EXPERIENCE. THE SYSTEM WILL CREATE A SPECIFIC AREA FOR YOU TO TRAIN YOUR POWERS. THIS AREA WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR BODY OR MIND. SIMPLY THINK OF THE SIMULATION ARENA.]

Tian Ling felt intrigued but quickly focused. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a completely white, empty room. A screen appeared in front of him, displaying the names of several people he had known over the years, including his disciple sister, his master, and the sect leader.

"What is this? Am I supposed to choose someone?" he murmured, still confused, but ended up selecting the sect leader.

In an instant, the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect appeared before him, expressionless.

"Hello, mast—" Before he could finish his sentence, the sect leader raised his hand, and with a single motion, Tian Ling’s body and soul were destroyed. Instant death.

He woke up in his cave, disoriented, his breath ragged.

"Huff, huff... what was that?" he murmured to himself, inspecting his body. Everything was fine, as if nothing had happened.

"So, I can fight everyone from that list?" As soon as he asked the question, another screen appeared before him.

[YES, BUT TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST, YOU MUST HAVE MET THE PERSON.]

Tian Ling was excited about this new feature. Finally, he could gain the combat experience he lacked without any real risk. He returned to the simulation room with renewed enthusiasm, determined to improve his skills. He once again chose the sect leader, but this time he moved first, charging forward to attack. In the blink of an eye... instant death.

"Ah... I’m still no match for someone in the True Soul Realm," he muttered, frustrated.

Suddenly, he remembered Jiang Zenhai, a cultivator he had trained with before. Perhaps it would be wiser to start by facing opponents closer to his own level, gradually developing his strength and combat experience.

Determined to follow this plan, Tian Ling sat in the lotus position again, focused on honing his skills. He knew that, with time, he would be able to defeat even the sect leader.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for reading! 😊 If you're enjoying the story, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to leave a comment below and share your favorite moments, theories, or even what you’d like to see next! Your feedback really helps motivate me to keep improving and bringing you more chapters. Let’s chat—don’t be shy! 😄