The birth and spread of thunderclouds was rapid.
While the Qingluan was still wrapped in a cocoon of azure radiance, seemingly in the midst of evolution, the tribulation clouds had already spread across tens of thousands of miles.
Peals of thunder rolled, and countless lightning serpents converged toward the very center—where the Qingluan was.
Ganyu had already been forced to retreat with Yae Miko to an area untouched by the storm clouds.
Now, her face was full of worry as she stared at that faint speck of azure light beneath the dark clouds.
Before long, streams of light shot over from Mount Shu itself, descending by Ganyu's side.
Ningguang and the others gazed solemnly at the distance.
"It's the Qingluan crossing a tribulation? But… why suddenly now?"
Lisa furrowed her brows, also looking worriedly at the scene.
That little Qingluan, though Ganyu's spirit beast, often played with others.
Mischievous and lively, she brought vitality to Mount Shu.
Everyone in the sect was fond of her. She was less Ganyu's pet than the sect's mascot.
Now that she was to face tribulation, how could they not worry?
Especially since Jiang Yan had once said: spirit beasts and monsters face trials harsher than those of humans.
The stronger the talent, the stronger the heavenly tribulation.
With the Qingluan's talent…
Zhongli looked up, sighing inwardly.
This tribulation was almost no weaker than the one he himself had faced.
Back then, he had relied on his late-stage Spirit Transformation cultivation and Jiang Yan's spiritual artifacts to endure.
But the Qingluan hadn't even taken human form. She couldn't use artifacts…
How could she survive? By brute force?
Even the most physically powerful beasts couldn't withstand more than a few strikes.
And unlike Zhongli and Venti, who had been placed directly at late-stage Spirit Transformation, the Qingluan had climbed step by step.
Her foundation might not be as deep.
If anything happened during the tribulation, Ganyu would be devastated.
"So this is the legendary heavenly tribulation?"
Diluc looked up at the sky, where it seemed as though heaven itself was collapsing.
For the first time since beginning his immortal cultivation, he felt fear deep in his bones.
He had thought himself on the path of strength, with nothing left to fear.
But now, heavenly tribulation reminded him—before heaven's judgment, all cultivators were mere ants.
"Lumine, the Qingluan will be okay, right?"
Paimon clutched Lumine's arm nervously, glancing timidly at the tribulation.
"These clouds are so scary… what if she gets hurt?"
"She promised she'd take me to catch the tastiest beasts… what if she can't anymore?"
Hearing this, even Lumine fell silent.
Kaeya pressed his lips together and murmured:
"If the Qingluan fails the tribulation, she will—"
"Turn to ash, her soul extinguished."
Alice said softly, her gaze pained as she looked toward the Qingluan.
"There are only two outcomes when one faces tribulation: succeed and live free, or fail and perish utterly."
"Every cultivator must understand: when tribulation comes, the path splits into only two choices."
"To live, or to die."
At that, Jean and the others shivered, then all glared at Kaeya.
"If you can't say anything helpful, don't say anything at all."
Diluc snapped, irritated.
Kaeya knew he'd spoken poorly. Scratching his head awkwardly, he forced a smile:
"I was just talking nonsense. The Qingluan is so strong, she'll definitely succeed."
Yae Miko, seeing the worry on Ganyu's face, gently held her hand.
"Sister Ganyu, it'll be fine. With luck like yours, the Qingluan won't be any different."
"…Thank you, little sister Miko."
Ganyu smiled weakly, saying no more.
"But why so suddenly? Just before she left, the Qingluan showed no sign of tribulation. Why now, out of nowhere?"
Ningguang asked, confused.
After all, both Xiao and Ganyu were at the peak of Qi-Refining, but neither could tribulate at will.
Even the Qingluan, though also at the peak, was weaker than Xiao and hadn't prepared.
Ganyu hadn't even given her any defensive measures.
Such a sudden tribulation was far too dangerous.
Ganyu lowered her head, guilt in her eyes.
"It's my fault. She saw a strange herb, and before I could stop her, she ate it. Then the tribulation came…"
"Not just tribulation. Doesn't it seem like she's evolving?"
Venti scratched his cheek in puzzlement.
Suddenly, a warm voice soothed their worries:
"Venti is correct. The Qingluan isn't just tribulating—she's evolving."
A dark silhouette appeared silently by Ganyu's side.
Everyone immediately bowed.
"Sect Master!"
Yae Miko's eyes brightened as she looked at Jiang Yan.
In that instant, the world, which had felt vast, seemed small before him.
Simply by standing there, it was as though the heavens themselves bowed to him.
Such supreme yet transcendental presence…
It left Miko briefly entranced.
Jiang Yan turned, nodding kindly at her.
"Greetings, Sect Master of Mount Shu."
For once, Miko didn't speak playfully. Instead, she bowed seriously.
Jiang Yan smiled, then looked at Ganyu.
"Don't worry. This isn't disaster for the Qingluan—it is fortune."
"Fortune? You mean that flower?"
Relief flickered across Ganyu's face.
Jiang Yan nodded slightly.
"Yes. I've long kept watch over that bloom. It is a rare spirit herb born during the evolution of the Mount Shu, imbued with its power."
"The Feather-Shedding Rebirth Flower."
"It is the primary ingredient for refining the Grade Four 'Sunlight-Cleansing Pill.'"
"I had planned to harvest it once it matured. Who knew this little one would eat it first?"
Ganyu's heart jolted.
A main ingredient for a Grade Four pill—something even Jiang Yan valued greatly.
And the Qingluan had simply eaten it raw.
Her guilt deepened.
"Forgive me, Sect Master. I failed to restrain her…"
"No matter. All things follow fate." Jiang Yan shook his head, unbothered.
"Then… what kind of treasure is this Feather-Shedding Rebirth Flower?"
Venti asked curiously. With Jiang Yan here, he felt reassured enough to ask.
"The flower only grows where yin and yang intertwine. It matures once in a thousand years, glowing with azure radiance."
"Consumed raw, it can awaken innate divine abilities in Spirit Transformation cultivators. Refined into the Sunlight-Cleansing Pill, it even strengthens techniques for Return-to-Void cultivators."
"In short—it is priceless."
"Now that the Qingluan has eaten it, her innate abilities will fully awaken, perhaps even surpass themselves."
"Thus, it is not wasted."
"She is evolving, and in doing so will break through into Spirit Transformation."
"This is her great fortune. And if she engraves heaven's lightning into her innate bones during tribulation…"
Jiang Yan smiled faintly.
"…she may grow even further. Truly remarkable luck."
Everyone looked at the Qingluan with envy.
A treasure that could awaken divine abilities for Spirit Transformation cultivators!
Zhongli and the others knew its value all too well.
Had it been theirs, their power would soar.
"It seems it's Ganyu's fortune that rubbed off on her spirit beast. Without it, the Qingluan could never have found such a place."
Jiang Yan teased gently, glancing at Ganyu.
The flower's location was surrounded by natural formations. Even a Spirit Transformation expert would struggle to find it.
Yet Ganyu and the Qingluan had stumbled through by sheer luck.
Absurd, but… a good result.
The Qingluan's breakthrough would strengthen Mount Shu.
Even if Jiang Yan had refined the pill himself, it would only be useful up to Return-to-Void.
For him, already at the peak of Return-to-Void, such things were secondary.
What he truly needed were Grade Six and higher elixirs.
Those existed only in places like the Xuanming minor world, but Jiang Yan wasn't planning to venture there yet.
His current realm would naturally reach its next stage within a century. There was no rush.
With that thought, Jiang Yan drew out the long-sealed Pure World Glazed Bottle.
He flicked out a drop of divine water, which sank into the Qingluan's body.
Then he turned to Ganyu.
"Don't worry. With her talent, she will not stop here. You should look forward to it."
He paused, smiling teasingly:
"Once she passes this tribulation, she will take human form. Then, you may need to learn how to raise a child."
Relief spread across Ganyu's face, but at the thought of raising the Qingluan with Jiang Yan, her cheeks flushed red.
Miko caught that flicker of change in her expression, amusement glinting in her eyes.
Her Sister Ganyu… seemed to be changing.
Time passed.
At last, the azure cocoon around the Luan burst apart.
She raised her head and cried out—a cry that shook the eight desolations.
The soundwaves swept the land, toppling forests, waves of power visible to the naked eye.
For a moment, even the air itself seemed solidified.
Jiang Yan sighed with a wry smile. Such a child's heart.
She had just gained new strength, and already she had to show it off.
The tribulation hadn't even struck yet, but she was already wreaking havoc.
Most of the others endured fine, but Miko—who lacked cultivation—was not so lucky.
Though far away, the surging force struck her hard.
Her face paled, her spirit weakening.
Ganyu noticed immediately, laying a hand on her shoulder.
Gentle true essence flowed, and Miko quickly recovered.
She gave Ganyu a grateful look, then turned back in shock to the Qingluan.
It was hard to believe that this terrifying, majestic beast—whose presence now dwarfed even gods—was the same gentle creature who had carried her on its back through Mount Shu just the other day.
With power like this, even Raiden Shogun's puppet body would be crushed.
Even Ei herself… might lose to the Qingluan.
Now Miko was certain.
This Qingluan… was far beyond her god.
Or rather, the beings of the cultivation world were simply far too powerful.
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