The final three bolts of tribulation lightning slammed Wei Yunxi into the ground. Her robes were now in tatters, barely covering the essential parts of her body, and her consciousness grew faint.
But Yunxi knew full well that this was the most critical moment. She forced what remained of her spiritual sense to activate a third-rank formation disk from her storage pouch, shielding herself before lying flat and bracing for the internal battle with the rampaging lightning force inside her.
The old man who had watched the entire ordeal twitched at the corner of his mouth. He now had a whole new understanding of just how stingy this girl was. It wasn't that she had no defensive formations. She had simply refused to use them unless absolutely necessary, clearly afraid of being ambushed when vulnerable.
"Tch. Treating a noble person with a petty heart. If this Zhēnjūn can't even protect a low-level cultivator who rented one of my dwellings, I might as well quit my business in Baohua City."
Muttering to himself, the old man waved a sleeve and dispersed the crowd that had gathered to gawk at Yunxi's tribulation. Those who dared stir up trouble on his turf clearly didn't know who they were messing with.
With that handled, the old man leisurely returned to his shop and resumed his nap. He had done his part. Whether the girl survived to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be up to her own fortune.
Yunxi ignored the pain coursing through her body and grit her teeth as she faced the last three waves of lightning. Bit by bit, she unraveled the chaotic energy inside her, guiding it through her meridians to complete circulation before drawing it into her dantian. The speed at which the spiritual energy liquefied increased with each round.
Once the spiritual liquid filled a third of her dantian, she slowly opened her eyes. The oppressive aura locking onto her had faded, and soft, drizzling spiritual rain began to fall. It was the Heavenly Dao's gift.
The rain seeped through Yunxi's charred outer layer, entering her body and quickly repairing her damaged meridians and internal organs. A portion of the purified energy even flowed into her sea of consciousness, clearing her mind and gently expanding the borders of her spiritual awareness.
Suddenly, images flashed across her vision. They came so quickly she could barely see them, but one figure burned itself into her memory—a girl in red robes. Her expression held a sorrow too deep for words, her eyes heavy with unspeakable grief.
In a daze, Wei Yunxi's spiritual sense returned to her body. The light came back into her eyes as she slowly sat up. As she moved, the scorched shell covering her body cracked and crumbled away, revealing the flawless, snow-pale skin beneath.
Wei Yunxi frowned, exhaled a long breath to clear the stale air from her lungs, and stood. She dusted off the remaining fragments of the charred shell, cast a quick Cleansing Technique, and tidied herself up. Then she removed her destroyed robes and changed into a spare robe from the Haoran Sect—her only remaining outfit in the storage pouch.
After finishing, Yunxi retrieved her third-rank formation disk and turned back into her rented cave dwelling. She needed to stabilize her cultivation and investigate any changes to her body.
Once inside, the cave's isolation array activated again. Those who had been secretly observing her backed off. She had successfully passed her tribulation and become a Foundation Establishment cultivator. She was no longer someone they could easily scheme against.
Still cautious by nature, Yunxi reactivated the third-rank formation disk, blocking out any possible surveillance. Only then did she release the Xianling Grass.
"Xiao Xian, I've reached Foundation Establishment!"
"Congratulations. You've officially set foot on the path of cultivation. The road ahead is long and filled with thorns. I hope you hold onto your original heart and keep moving forward."
The Xianling Grass, understanding the gravity of the moment, offered its heartfelt blessing.
"Thank you!"
After expressing her gratitude, Yunxi asked, "Xiao Xian, during the tribulation, I saw some flashing images. It happened really fast, but I remember the figure of a woman in red robes. Her expression was so sorrowful. Do you know what that was?"
The Xianling Grass shook its leaves slightly, as if thinking carefully about how to answer.
"Is it something you can't say?"
"It's not that. I'm just thinking about how best to explain it. What you saw during the tribulation was likely a few fragments of the future."
"Future?" Yunxi was stunned. "You mean I can glimpse the future?"
"Your ancestors could. You're still far from that. What you saw happened because the tribulation briefly connected you to the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao. That's how you caught a few glimpses of the future."
The Xianling Grass didn't want to dampen Yunxi's spirit, but honesty came first. It was afraid she'd get the wrong idea otherwise.
Yunxi looked a little deflated but quickly adjusted her mindset. After thinking it over, she asked,"Could it have something to do with the Witch Tribe bloodline in me?"
"Yes. Before cultivators existed, the Witch Tribe served as the bridge between Heaven and Earth. That bloodline allows you to sense fragments of the future. But given your current level, what you saw must relate only to your own path."
"Still," it added, "the future is called the future for a reason. Nothing is set in stone. Don't try to manipulate events based on those images."
The Xianling Grass offered a final reminder.
This time, Yunxi didn't agree or deny. In her heart, she believed she was the greatest variable of all. Whether or not she'd one day meet the girl in red was still unknown. For now, she could only take one step at a time.
"Don't take my warning lightly. The Witch Tribe fell in ancient times precisely because they interfered too much in the Heavenly Dao's workings. That's why they vanished from this world."
The Xianling Grass was doing its best to be patient and sincere.
"I understand. With my meager Foundation Establishment cultivation, I'm in no position to meddle with fate. Cultivating properly is the real path forward."
"Good. It's best that you think that way."
With the conversation concluded, Yunxi closed her eyes and began to meditate. With the Xianling Grass feeding her energy, she focused on stabilizing her early Foundation Establishment stage and began practicing the Foundation-level chapter of Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind.
For now, she had no leads on suitable lightning or ice techniques, so she stuck with basic spells and began learning techniques for spiritual sense manipulation. She also wanted to study sword flight, but the limited space in her rented cave dwelling made it impossible to train properly. For now, that plan would have to wait.
When her five hundred spirit stones were finally used up, Yunxi brought her jade token to the front to settle the account.
The old man greeted her with a cheerful smile. "Congratulations, Xiaoyou, on successfully reaching Foundation Establishment. You've officially set foot on the Dao!"
Yunxi returned the gesture with proper respect. "Many thanks for your protection, Senior. It's because of you that I was able to pass my tribulation safely. Please accept my formal thanks!"
The old man didn't dodge the bow. He felt he'd earned it. He accepted the jade token that had controlled the dwelling and added, "I see you're a disciple of the Haoran Sect. Next time, bring your fellow disciples here too."
Yunxi grinned. "Of course. Your dwellings are both safe and affordable. I'm sure my sectmates will love this place."
Her sect identity had already been revealed by her robe, so there was no need to hide it any longer.
After saying farewell to the old man, Yunxi went to the robe shop he had recommended. She spent two thousand low-grade spirit stones to purchase two new sets of robes, one black and one light gray—simple, practical colors.
She changed immediately into the light gray robe, then reapplied her makeup, this time opting for a semi-permanent style that would stay intact even in rain or battle. Only then did she head toward the Haoran Sect's stronghold in Baohua City.