The exile of Wang Hao had left a scar on the Order of the Jade Dawn, but Li Wei refused to let it derail his path. The scroll, his unwavering guide, spoke of trials that forged the cultivator's spirit, and he saw the betrayal as just another test—one he had passed by purifying his sect. The warmth in his dantian, now a constant companion, pulsed with a quiet strength, urging him to push forward. His clearing on Mount Tai, with its stone altar and scattered "Spirit Root Herbs," remained his sanctuary, but the forest felt restless, as if the mountain itself sensed the next challenge approaching. The scroll's next passage confirmed it: "The Lightning Tribulation, where heaven's wrath tests the cultivator's resolve. Stand firm, and the spark of divinity shall ignite within."
Li Wei had read enough cultivation novels to know that lightning tribulations were pivotal moments, often depicted as cataclysmic events where cultivators faced bolts from the sky to ascend to new realms. The scroll's description was less dramatic but no less daunting: "Absorb the heavenly lightning to temper the body; falter, and the spirit shall scatter." Li Wei wasn't sure if this was literal or metaphorical, but the idea of harnessing nature's fury thrilled him. His recent trials—the boar, the fasting, the betrayal—had strengthened his belief in the scroll's truths. If the heavens sent lightning, he would face it, not as a mortal but as a cultivator on the cusp of greatness.
The weather on Mount Tai had been unsettled for days, with dark clouds gathering over the peaks, their edges tinged with an ominous silver. Li Wei spent the morning preparing, reinforcing his altar with heavier stones and securing his tarp against the wind. He meditated with the jade slip, its faint carvings seeming to pulse under his touch, and reviewed the scroll's instructions: "Stand atop the highest point, open the heart to the heavens, and channel the lightning's essence into the dantian." He packed his notebook, the scroll, and the jade slip into a waterproof cloth, determined to protect them at all costs. His body, still weak from the meridian-opening ritual and the lingering infection, protested, but Li Wei ignored it. Pain was the forge of immortality.
As evening approached, the air grew heavy, charged with the scent of ozone. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Li Wei felt a thrill of anticipation mixed with dread. He climbed to a rocky outcrop above his clearing, a jagged pinnacle that jutted toward the sky like a natural altar. The wind whipped his tattered jacket, and the first drops of rain stung his face. He stood tall, the jade slip clutched in one hand, and raised his arms as the scroll instructed, visualizing his qi as a conduit for the heavens' power. "I am ready," he whispered, his voice lost in the growing storm. "Test me."
The storm unleashed its fury with a deafening crack. Lightning illuminated the mountain, casting stark shadows across the rocks. Li Wei's heart pounded, but he held his stance, chanting the scroll's incantations with fervent intensity. "Heaven's spark, temper my soul!" he shouted, his words swallowed by the wind. He focused on his dantian, willing the warmth to expand, to reach out and meet the lightning's energy. Another bolt struck nearby, the shockwave rattling his bones, and for a moment, he swore he felt a surge of heat, as if his qi had connected with the storm's raw power.
Emboldened, Li Wei raised his voice, chanting louder, his arms outstretched as if to embrace the sky. The scroll had warned of danger, but he saw only opportunity—a chance to transcend his mortal limits. A third bolt struck closer, singeing the air and leaving a scorched patch on the outcrop. His hair stood on end, and a tingling sensation raced through his body, not unlike the qi he'd felt during meditation. "It's working!" he cried, convinced the lightning was purifying his meridians, igniting the "spark of divinity" the scroll promised.
Then, a bolt struck the outcrop itself, mere feet away. The explosion of light and sound threw Li Wei to the ground, his ears ringing, his vision swimming. Pain seared his scalp where a stray spark had singed his hair, and the smell of burnt fabric filled his nostrils. For a moment, he lay stunned, the rain lashing his face, doubt creeping in. Had he misread the scroll? Was this madness, not cultivation? But the warmth in his dantian pulsed, stronger than ever, as if the lightning had indeed touched his spirit. He scrambled to his feet, laughing into the storm. "I've survived!" he shouted. "The heavens have spared me!"
The storm subsided as quickly as it had come, leaving the mountain drenched and silent. Li Wei staggered back to his clearing, his body trembling but his spirit alight. His notebook, soaked but intact, recorded his triumph: "Lightning Tribulation faced. Qi ignited. Singed but unbowed." He shared the story with the Order of the Jade Dawn during their next call, his singed hair and wild grin earning gasps from Zhang Wei and Liu Mei. "You're insane," Zhang Wei said, half-admiring, half-concerned. Liu Mei urged him to rest, but Li Wei was already planning his next step.
Under the starry sky, he sat by his altar, the jade slip in his hands, the scroll open before him. The tribulation had been terrifying, but he had faced it and emerged stronger—or so he believed. The warmth in his core felt electric, as if the lightning had left a piece of itself within him. The scroll promised greater trials ahead, but Li Wei was undaunted. The heavens had tested him, and he had answered. With the Order's support and the scroll's guidance, he was ready to ascend further, one perilous step at a time.