The combat trial section of the evaluation grounds was an impressive display of sect resources. Multiple arena platforms had been erected, each surrounded by advanced protective formations that could withstand techniques from Peak Foundation Establishment cultivators. Observation towers ringed the area, filled with inner disciples and elders who would assess performance and assign scores.
Axel joined the queue of disciples waiting for their combat assignments, using the time to observe the ongoing matches. The evaluation wasn't conducting ranked challenges—those were separate formal processes. Instead, disciples would face opponents selected by the judging committee to test specific capabilities.
Elder Wu's Perspective - Observation Tower Three
Elder Wu adjusted his position in the observation tower, his Core Formation Late cultivation allowing him to perceive details that younger observers would miss. As one of the senior judges for this month's evaluation, he'd been reviewing disciples for three hours now, and most had been predictably mediocre.
"Next assignment," Junior Judge Chen called out, consulting the evaluation roster. "Axel King to Arena Seven."
Elder Wu's attention sharpened immediately. The infamous newcomer who'd climbed to third rank in a single month. Wu had heard the stories—defeated Zhou Ming in under two minutes, claimed fourth rank by overwhelming Chen Hua, demonstrated formation-enhanced combat techniques that shouldn't be possible for someone so recently trained.
But stories were just stories. Wu wanted to see the reality.
Axel King appeared at Arena Seven, moving with the controlled grace of a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator who understood his own power. The young man's spiritual pressure was carefully suppressed, but Wu could sense the quality beneath—exceptionally pure Qi, foundation that radiated stability far beyond normal Peak cultivation.
"Interesting," Wu murmured. "His foundation structure is unusual. Very unusual."
"His opponent is Feng Yun," Chen noted. "Twelfth rank, offensive specialist. We're testing his defensive capabilities."
Wu nodded approval. Feng Yun was perfect for this—relentless assault without unnecessary flourish, the kind of pressure that revealed whether a cultivator's defense was genuine skill or just good luck against weaker opponents.
The match began.
Feng Yun's Perspective - Arena Seven Platform
Feng Yun sized up her opponent carefully as they took positions. Axel King looked young—maybe twenty-three or twenty-four—but his spiritual pressure suggested Peak Foundation Establishment cultivation that was recently achieved but already stable.
Don't underestimate him, she reminded herself. He defeated Chen Hua, who was a full year at Peak. There's something more here than just talent.
"I'm Feng Yun," she introduced herself with a formal bow. "Ranked twelfth. The judges selected me to test your defensive capabilities specifically. I specialize in overwhelming offense, so this should be an interesting match."
"Axel King," he replied, his tone neutral and professional. "Fourth rank. Looking forward to the exchange."
Polite. Controlled. Either very confident or very good at hiding nervousness.
The judge confirmed rules and signaled the start. Feng Yun didn't waste time with probing attacks—overwhelming offense meant exactly that. Her hands blurred through the Crimson Phoenix Barrage seal sequence, and dozens of flaming projectiles manifested in the air around her.
Let's see how you handle this.
She directed the flames toward Axel from multiple angles simultaneously—a technique that had forced most of her previous opponents into purely reactive defense. The key was maintaining relentless pressure without giving them time to counter.
But Axel's response was remarkable. His hands moved in smooth circular patterns—Flowing Water Palm technique, Feng Yun recognized—deflecting her flames with minimal energy expenditure. Not blocking directly, just redirecting force along tangential paths that caused the projectiles to dissipate harmlessly.
Excellent form. Better than Chen Hua's defense was. But can he maintain it?
Feng Yun increased the assault's intensity, cycling through variations of her offensive techniques. More flames, different angles, unpredictable timing meant to force mistakes through confusion rather than pure power.
Five minutes passed. Feng Yun's Qi reserves were depleting noticeably—maintaining overwhelming offense was energy-intensive by design. But Axel's defense showed no signs of weakening. His circular deflection patterns continued with mechanical precision, wasting minimal energy on each redirection.
His foundation efficiency is incredible. He's spending perhaps half the Qi I am, and his defense isn't even straining.
"Adequate defense," Elder Wu's voice announced from the observation tower. "Now demonstrate offensive capability."
Feng Yun immediately began gathering energy for her strongest defensive technique, expecting a powerful counter-assault. Axel's spiritual pressure shifted subtly as he transitioned from defense to offense—
—and then he was right in front of her, having closed thirty feet of distance in perhaps half a second.
That speed!
His palm struck toward her shoulder. Feng Yun's barrier technique activated automatically, a reflexive defensive formation she'd trained for years. The impact crashed against her barrier with Core Formation level force, creating visible cracks in the energy structure.
But Feng Yun realized immediately that the strike was a feint. Even as her barrier absorbed the first impact, Axel's second hand was already moving, gathering energy that felt different from standard Qi—it had a spatial quality that made her skin prickle with instinctive alarm.
Formation technique? In direct combat?
The spatial energy compressed the space around her defensive barrier, creating dimensional stress that disrupted the formation's stability. Feng Yun's carefully maintained defense wavered for just a moment—
Axel's follow-up strike slipped through the gap his spatial manipulation had created, connecting cleanly with her shoulder. Not a devastating blow—this was assessment, not elimination—but perfectly controlled force that sent her sliding backward across the platform while leaving her essentially uninjured.
"Sufficient," Elder Wu announced. "Combat trial complete. Both participants return to staging area."
Feng Yun recovered her balance, genuinely impressed despite the loss. She performed a respectful bow, meeting Axel's eyes directly. "Your spatial technique is unusual. Formation-enhanced combat methods?"
"Elder Shen's instruction," Axel confirmed. "He's been teaching me to integrate formation principles into direct combat."
Elder Shen is teaching him personally? That explains the spatial manipulation, but not the foundation quality or that ridiculous defensive efficiency.
"That explains your rapid advancement. Having a Formation Master as personal teacher is a significant advantage." She smiled slightly. "Good luck with the remaining evaluations. I suspect you'll place highly."
As they left the platform, Feng Yun's mind was already composing her report to the judges. Axel King wasn't just talented—he was operating on principles that most outer disciples never encountered. Formation-enhanced combat, exceptional foundation efficiency, spatial manipulation that suggested understanding far beyond his apparent cultivation level.
He's either going to become an inner disciple within months or make so many enemies that he won't survive long enough to advance. Possibly both.
Elder Wu's Perspective - Later That Day
Elder Wu reviewed the combat trial recordings with increasing interest. Axel King had participated in three separate matches throughout the day, facing different opponent types to test various capabilities. Each match revealed new aspects of the young cultivator's abilities.
Against Feng Yun: exceptional defensive technique and spatial manipulation.
Against Liu Zhang, a defensive specialist: overwhelming offensive capability that broke through Peak Foundation Establishment barriers.
Against a pair of Mid-stage cultivators in a two-versus-one scenario: tactical flexibility and formation-based area control that neutralized numerical advantage.
"His combat score is in the top five percentile," Junior Judge Chen reported. "Possibly top three. The spatial manipulation techniques are particularly noteworthy—I've never seen an outer disciple apply formation principles to direct combat so effectively."
"That's Elder Shen's influence," another judge commented. "Formation Masters can do remarkable things when they take personal students."
But Elder Wu was seeing something the others weren't. He'd reached Core Formation Late through five hundred years of careful cultivation. His experience let him perceive subtleties that younger cultivators missed.
That's not just Elder Shen's teaching. The boy's foundation is fundamentally different from normal cultivation. The way his Qi circulates, the efficiency of his techniques, even his spiritual pressure has unusual harmonics that suggest...
Wu couldn't quite identify what made Axel's cultivation unique. But whatever it was, it was significant enough that several factions would almost certainly try to either recruit or eliminate him before he became too powerful to control.
"Mark him for priority observation," Wu instructed. "I want reports on his progress every evaluation cycle."
"Priority observation is reserved for disciples with exceptional potential," Chen objected. "We only have five such designations across all outer disciples—"
"Then this makes six," Wu interrupted. "Axel King has demonstrated capabilities that exceed his cultivation level significantly. Either he has access to resources we're unaware of, a special physique, or some other advantage that merits investigation. Priority observation. That's final."
Disciple Han Wei's Perspective - Staging Area
Han Wei watched Axel King's final combat match from the staging area where participants waited between assignments. He'd spoken with Axel briefly after the newcomer's first day in the sect, impressed by the younger cultivator's willingness to exchange pointers without arrogance.
Now, watching Axel fight, Han Wei felt a mixture of admiration and unease.
He's only been in the sect a month. One month. And he's fighting like someone with years of training.
The current match pitted Axel against a pair of Foundation Establishment Mid cultivators—a test of how well he could handle numerical disadvantage and coordination between opponents. Most Peak cultivators struggled with two-versus-one scenarios because even weaker opponents could create openings for each other.
But Axel was dominating.
He'd created some kind of spatial formation on the platform—Han Wei couldn't follow the technique's complexity, but the effects were obvious. Space seemed to bend around Axel, making him appear closer or farther than he actually was depending on viewing angle. His opponents kept overshooting attacks that looked like they should connect, their strikes landing on empty air while Axel appeared behind them for devastating counters.
"Formation combat," someone muttered nearby. "He's turned the entire platform into a tactical array."
"That's supposed to take years to master," another disciple objected. "You need Core Formation level Qi control to maintain combat formations while simultaneously fighting."
"Apparently not if Elder Shen is teaching you."
Han Wei studied Axel's movements more carefully. The formation was impressive, yes, but it was the underlying combat skill that truly stood out. Even without the spatial manipulation, Axel's technique was refined beyond what a month of training should provide. His strikes found pressure points with surgical precision. His defense redirected attacks with minimal wasted motion. His footwork positioned him perfectly for counters that exploited his opponents' overcommitment.
This isn't just talent or good teaching. This is someone who understands combat at a fundamental level. Like he's been fighting his entire life.
The match ended with Axel's opponents both disabled—not injured seriously, but struck precisely enough that they couldn't continue. The younger cultivator stood calmly in the center of his formation, not even breathing hard despite the intense three-minute engagement.
"Combat trial complete," the judge announced. "Axel King's overall combat score: exceptional. Proceed to cultivation assessment."
As Axel left the arena platform, Han Wei intercepted him. "That formation technique—Elder Shen taught you that?"
"The principles, yes," Axel replied. "The application in combat is something I'm still developing."
"Still developing," Han Wei repeated. "Right. You just defeated two Mid-stage cultivators simultaneously using a technique you're 'still developing.' That's terrifying."
Axel smiled slightly. "I've had good teachers and a lot of motivation to learn quickly."
"Motivation because of the political pressure?" Han Wei asked carefully.
"Motivation because the alternative is being weak in a world that crushes the weak." Axel's expression became more serious. "I've learned that the only real security is personal power. Everything else—faction backing, elder protection, political alliances—those can disappear. But capability is permanent."
The philosophy was pragmatic and slightly bleak, but Han Wei couldn't argue with it. The cultivation world did indeed crush the weak, and all the political maneuvering in the world wouldn't save someone who couldn't defend themselves.
"Well, your capability is certainly impressive," Han Wei said. "Though it's going to make you a lot of enemies among disciples who were comfortable with the previous ranking structure."
"I know. But I'd rather face enemies as a strong cultivator than die as a weak one."
Han Wei watched Axel walk away toward the cultivation assessment chambers, and felt a strange certainty settle over him. This young cultivator—this newcomer who'd appeared seemingly from nowhere—was going to change the sect's power dynamics whether anyone wanted him to or not.
Just hope he survives long enough to make that change. Because the factions aren't going to let him keep climbing without serious opposition.
The cultivation assessment came next—a process that tested Qi purity, foundation stability, and overall cultivation quality. Disciples entered specialized formation chambers that measured these parameters objectively, removing favoritism or politics from the scoring.
Axel's turn came in the afternoon. He entered the assessment chamber to find it filled with complex analytical formations similar to what Elder Shen had used to evaluate his foundation.
"Release your spiritual pressure fully," an elder's voice instructed through the formation. "The chamber will measure your cultivation quality."
Axel complied, allowing his Peak Foundation Establishment spiritual pressure to radiate without suppression. The formations activated immediately, analyzing every aspect of his cultivation base.
The process took perhaps five minutes. When it completed, the elder's voice returned with a note of surprise: "Qi purity: ninety-four percent. Foundation stability: exceptional. Overall cultivation quality: superior grade. Your scores are among the highest recorded for outer disciples this cycle."
Ninety-four percent Qi purity was apparently remarkable—most Peak cultivators achieved perhaps seventy to eighty percent even after years of refinement. The Primordial Pillars' automatic purification processes were showing measurable advantages.
The mission contribution review was straightforward—an administrative assessment of completed missions, their difficulty ratings, and overall sect service. Axel's recent burst of high-value missions had boosted his score significantly, though he still lagged behind disciples who'd spent months accumulating steady contributions.
"Mission contribution score: above average," the evaluation coordinator announced. "Weighted toward recent high-difficulty assignments rather than consistent long-term service. Acceptable for a newer disciple, but improvement recommended for future cycles."
Fair assessment. Axel had prioritized combat and cultivation advancement over steady mission work. He'd need to balance better going forward if he wanted to maintain top rankings.
The final category—comprehensive knowledge examination—was where Axel expected to struggle. The test covered sect history, cultivation theory, formation principles, alchemy basics, and general knowledge that disciples were expected to accumulate over years of sect education.
Axel had been in the sect for just over a month. His knowledge was fragmentary at best, focused heavily on formation theory from Elder Shen's instruction but lacking breadth in other areas.
The examination took place in a large hall filled with hundreds of disciples seated at individual desks. Jade slips containing questions were distributed, with answers recorded through Qi-based formation interfaces.
Axel worked through the questions methodically. Sect history questions were mostly guesses based on what he'd overheard in conversations. Cultivation theory was solid—his practical experience and system analysis had given him deep understanding of principles even if he lacked formal terminology. Formation questions were his strength, thanks to Elder Shen's intensive instruction. Alchemy questions were pure guesses.
Two hours later, the examination concluded. Disciples filed out discussing answers and comparing scores, though official results wouldn't be announced until all categories were compiled.
"How did you do on the alchemy section?" Liu Feng asked as they left the examination hall. "I think I failed half those questions."
"Worse than you, probably," Axel admitted. "My knowledge is heavily skewed toward formations and combat. The breadth requirements caught me unprepared."
"Most disciples score poorly on knowledge examination in their first few cycles," Liu Feng assured him. "The judges weight it less heavily for newer disciples anyway. Your combat and cultivation scores should carry you."
The final rankings were announced that evening in the main assembly hall. All outer disciples gathered as the evaluation coordinator projected results through formation arrays that displayed names and scores for everyone to see.
"The monthly evaluation is complete," the coordinator announced. "Rankings have been adjusted based on comprehensive performance across all categories. New resource allocations will be distributed according to updated positions."
The display activated, showing the top one hundred outer disciple rankings:
Rank 1: Zhang Wei - Foundation Establishment Peak (Late) - Overall Score: 94Rank 2: Su Lin - Foundation Establishment Peak (Mid) - Overall Score: 91Rank 3: Axel King - Foundation Establishment Peak (Early) - Overall Score: 89Rank 4: Chen Hua - Foundation Establishment Peak (Early) - Overall Score: 85Rank 5: Wang Jun - Foundation Establishment Peak (Peak) - Overall Score: 84
Third rank. Axel had climbed from fourth to third through strong combat and cultivation scores, offset partially by weaker knowledge examination results.
Elder Wu's Perspective - Assembly Hall
Elder Wu observed the announcement from his position among the judging panel, watching disciple reactions carefully. Axel King's placement at third rank caused exactly the ripple of shock and calculation he'd expected.
Some disciples looked impressed. Others looked threatened. More than a few exchanged glances that suggested political discussions would be happening tonight about how to handle this rapidly rising talent.
And so it begins. The factions will make their moves now that his ranking is official.
Wu had already received three discrete inquiries from different faction representatives, all essentially asking the same question: was Axel King worth recruiting, or should he be considered a threat to be neutralized?
Wu's answer to all three had been carefully noncommittal. His role as judge required political neutrality, but he'd also made his personal assessment clear through the priority observation designation.
The boy is exceptional. Whether that makes him valuable or dangerous depends entirely on which side of him you're standing.
But Wu had also noticed something else during the evaluation—something that made him uneasy despite his six centuries of cultivation experience.
Axel King's spiritual pressure had shifted several times throughout the day, each time becoming slightly more refined, slightly purer. That shouldn't happen during evaluation stress. Spiritual pressure became more turbulent under pressure, not more refined.
Unless the cultivator was on the verge of breakthrough to a higher realm.
Core Formation? No, that's impossible. He only reached Peak a few days ago. Even prodigies need months to prepare for Core Formation.
But Wu's instincts, honed through five hundred years of cultivation and observation, were telling him something significant was about to happen with Axel King.
I should probably warn the Sect Master. If the boy attempts Core Formation and succeeds, the political situation becomes exponentially more complicated. Core Formation cultivators are inner disciples with protections that make casual manipulation impossible.
Wu made a mental note to submit his concerns through proper channels. Let the leadership decide how to handle it. His responsibility was just to observe and report.
Though he suspected, whatever happened next, it was going to be interesting.
The celebration was muted. Axel appreciated the recognition, but he was acutely aware that high ranking brought increased scrutiny and expectations. The disciples ranked first and second were now watching him as potential competition. The factions were intensifying recruitment efforts. And multiple inner disciples had already approached with "opportunities" that were thinly veiled attempts to assess or control him.
More concerning was a private message delivered later that evening—a summons from Supreme Elder Jiang, an Ascendant Realm cultivator who rarely involved himself in outer disciple affairs.
"Supreme Elder summons are not optional," Liu Feng said nervously when Axel showed him the jade slip. "Ascendant Realm cultivators are several stages beyond even Golden Core. They're basically sect leadership, third only to the Sect Master and his direct deputies."
"What could he want with me?" Axel wondered.
"Probably to assess whether you're worth the sect's advanced investment. Third rank at Peak Foundation Establishment after one month suggests either exceptional talent or something unusual. Supreme Elders pay attention to unusual."
The summons specified tomorrow morning at the Supreme Peak—the highest point of the sect where only the most powerful cultivators dwelled. Axel would have preferred more time to prepare, but delaying was apparently not an option.
That night, as Axel cultivated in preparation for meeting an Ascendant Realm cultivator, the system interface appeared with an unexpected warning:
[CRITICAL THRESHOLD DETECTED]
[CORE FORMATION CONDITIONS: OPTIMAL]
[BREAKTHROUGH POSSIBLE IMMEDIATELY]
[WARNING: UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY WINDOW]
[CELESTIAL ALIGNMENT DETECTED]
[NEXT 48 HOURS: REDUCED TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY]
[RECOMMENDATION: ATTEMPT BREAKTHROUGH BEFORE ALIGNMENT ENDS]
[STANDARD TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY: EXTREME]
[ALIGNED TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY: HIGH]
[SUCCESS PROBABILITY: 71% (CURRENT CONDITIONS)]
[SUCCESS PROBABILITY: 43% (STANDARD CONDITIONS)]
Axel stared at the interface in shock. The system was suggesting he attempt Core Formation breakthrough immediately, taking advantage of some celestial alignment that would reduce tribulation difficulty significantly.
But he'd just reached Peak a few days ago. Attempting Core Formation this quickly seemed reckless, even with the system's statistical analysis suggesting better odds during the alignment.
"Liu Feng," Axel said carefully, "what's a celestial alignment in cultivation context?"
His roommate looked up from his own meditation. "Rare astronomical events where heavenly bodies align in patterns that affect spiritual energy flows. They happen maybe once or twice a year and last only a day or two. Tribulations during alignments are significantly easier because heaven's judgment is... distracted? Diluted? Nobody fully understands why, but it's well-documented that breakthroughs during alignments have higher success rates."
"If someone wanted to attempt a major breakthrough during an alignment, would that be advisable?"
Liu Feng's eyes widened. "You're thinking of attempting Core Formation breakthrough during the current alignment? Axel, you just reached Peak. The standard recommendation is to spend at least three months stabilizing before attempting Core Formation."
"But the alignment reduces risk significantly?"
"Yes, but—" Liu Feng paused, clearly wrestling with how to respond. "Core Formation is dangerous even with reduced tribulation difficulty. You'd be attempting one of cultivation's most critical transformations after minimal preparation. The smart move is to wait, prepare properly, and accept slightly higher tribulation risk in exchange for better readiness."
"What's the success rate for properly prepared cultivators during standard tribulations?" Axel pressed.
"Maybe thirty to forty percent for talented disciples with solid foundations. Sixty percent if you have exceptional resources and guidance." Liu Feng's expression was troubled. "But those statistics are for cultivators who've spent months or years preparing. You'd be attempting it after weeks."
Seventy-one percent success probability during the alignment versus forty-three percent under standard conditions. The system's analysis suggested the rushed attempt during favorable conditions was actually safer than a properly prepared attempt during normal circumstances.
But could Axel trust the system's calculations? It had been accurate so far, guiding him through breakthroughs and providing reliable tactical analysis. Yet this recommendation seemed almost reckless.
"I need to consult Elder Shen," Axel decided. "He'll know if this is viable or suicidal."
He found the Formation Master still awake despite the late hour, working on some complex spatial array that required his full attention.
"Elder Shen," Axel began, "there's a celestial alignment happening. My... instincts suggest I should attempt Core Formation breakthrough during it, within the next forty-eight hours. Is that advisable or insane?"
Elder Shen set down his tools immediately, his full attention shifting to Axel. "Your instincts are telling you to attempt Core Formation right now?"
"The conditions are optimal. The alignment reduces tribulation difficulty significantly. Waiting means facing harder tribulation later."
"That's technically true," Elder Shen acknowledged. "Alignments do reduce tribulation difficulty, which is why many cultivators deliberately wait for them before attempting major breakthroughs. But you're Peak Foundation Establishment for less than a week. The conventional wisdom says that's insufficient preparation time."
"But my foundation isn't conventional," Axel pointed out.
"No, it's not." Elder Shen studied Axel's spiritual pressure intently. "Your Primordial Pillars are already restructuring themselves in preparation for Core Formation. Your Qi purity is exceptional. Your mental fortitude has been tested repeatedly. And your bloodline..." He paused. "Your bloodline is probably providing guidance that goes beyond normal cultivation instincts."
"So you think I should attempt it?"
"I think you're going to attempt it regardless of what I recommend," Elder Shen said dryly. "The question is whether I provide support or let you do it alone. Obviously I'll provide support—having a student die from an ill-advised breakthrough would be embarrassing."
He pulled out multiple jade bottles and formation arrays. "These are Core Formation support resources I've been saving for when you eventually reached this point. I didn't expect to use them this soon, but apparently your cultivation timeline operates on different rules than normal."
"What's the actual risk?" Axel asked directly.
"With the alignment reducing tribulation difficulty, proper support resources, and your exceptional foundation? I'd estimate perhaps twenty to thirty percent chance of catastrophic failure. Not good odds, but better than most cultivators face during standard Core Formation attempts." Elder Shen began activating formation arrays. "The real question is whether you're mentally ready. Core Formation is more than just surviving tribulation—it's accepting transformation into something fundamentally different from human. Some cultivators fail not because they're weak but because they can't psychologically accept that change."
"I've already died once and awakened in a different body in a different world," Axel pointed out. "I think I can handle transformation."
"Fair point. Very well—you'll attempt the breakthrough tonight in my most advanced isolation chamber. The formations there can protect you from the worst of the tribulation while still allowing heaven's judgment to test you properly. If something goes catastrophically wrong, I may be able to intervene, though that would damage your foundation permanently."
They spent the next hour preparing the specialized chamber. Elder Shen activated layer after layer of protective formations, each one designed to shield against specific aspects of Core Formation tribulation. The final result was a space that existed partially outside normal reality, connected to the mortal world but also touching higher dimensions where tribulation lightning originated.
"Once you enter, the chamber seals automatically," Elder Shen explained. "The tribulation will be contained, but you'll be completely isolated until the process completes. If you fail catastrophically, the formations will eject you back to normal space before you die, but your cultivation will be permanently damaged."
"Understood." Axel accepted the Core Formation support pills—expensive resources that would stabilize his transformation and help his Golden Core form properly.
"One more thing," Elder Shen said seriously. "Your Golden Core will define your future cultivation. Its quality determines your potential in higher realms. Most cultivators form basic Golden Cores—simple structures that provide power but limited advancement potential. With your foundation, you could form something far more sophisticated. Don't settle for adequate when exceptional is possible."
Axel entered the isolation chamber and settled into meditation position at its center. The space felt strange—simultaneously vast and intimate, as if occupying multiple dimensions at once. He could sense the protective formations surrounding him, layer upon layer of Elder Shen's most advanced work.
The chamber sealed. Axel was alone with his cultivation and whatever judgment heaven would render.
He consumed the support pills and began the breakthrough sequence. The Primordial Pillars responded immediately, their structure beginning to transform. This wasn't just optimization or enhancement—this was fundamental restructuring toward a completely different configuration.
The nine pillars began to collapse inward, their energy condensing toward a central point in his dantian. This was the core formation process—taking the distributed structure of Foundation Establishment and compressing it into a single, incredibly dense core of power.
The tribulation began.
Lightning struck from directions that didn't exist in normal three-dimensional space. The alignment had reduced the difficulty, yes, but "reduced" was relative. This was still Core Formation tribulation—heaven's judgment on whether a mortal deserved to transform into something beyond human limits.
The first wave tested his foundation's structural integrity. Could the Primordial Pillars actually compress into a Golden Core without shattering? Most formations would fail this test, which was why Foundation Establishment cultivators spent months or years building up their structures before attempting the compression.
But Mythical-grade formations operated on different principles. The Primordial Pillars didn't resist compression—they embraced it, using the tribulation's pressure to accelerate their transformation. What should have been destructive became constructive, the lightning's power being integrated into the forming core.
The second wave tested his Qi purity. Impure energy would poison a forming Golden Core, crippling future advancement. Heaven's lightning burned away anything that didn't meet its standards, which killed roughly half of all cultivators who attempted Core Formation.
But Axel's Qi was ninety-four percent pure—far beyond normal Foundation Establishment standards. The tribulation found almost nothing to burn away, the lightning passing through his energy systems without finding sufficient impurities to target.
The third wave was where most prepared cultivators failed—the test of purpose. Heaven demanded to know why this cultivator sought power beyond human limits, what they would do with Core Formation strength, whether their intentions justified the transformation.
Visions flooded Axel's mind. Possibilities branching into infinite futures. Paths he could take with the power he was claiming.
He could pursue pure combat strength, becoming a warrior who dominated through force. He could focus on formation mastery, becoming an architect of reality who shaped the world through arrays. He could chase cultivation advancement for its own sake, seeking ever-higher realms simply because they existed.
But none of those felt complete. They were aspects of cultivation, not its purpose.
"I cultivate," Axel spoke into the tribulation's spiritual pressure, "because I died once and refuse to die again. Because power is freedom in a world that crushes the weak. Because there are mysteries in this universe I want to understand and heights I want to reach. I don't need noble purpose or cosmic destiny—I just need to keep moving forward, keep growing, keep refusing to accept limits."
The tribulation considered this answer. Not heroic. Not particularly noble. Just honest determination to advance regardless of obstacles.
Heaven apparently found it sufficient. The third wave passed without destroying him.
The fourth wave tested his mental stability during transformation. Core Formation changed cultivators fundamentally—enhanced lifespans, altered perception, power that could reshape landscapes. Some minds couldn't handle that change and broke during the process, leaving the cultivator alive but insane.
But Axel had already experienced more radical transformation than Core Formation provided. He'd died, transmigrated, awakened in a different body in a different world with different rules. Compared to that, gaining a Golden Core and living a few centuries seemed almost mundane.
The mental stability test found no weaknesses to exploit. Axel's mind was already adapted to fundamental change in ways that most cultivators never experienced.
The fifth and final wave was pure judgment—heaven's assessment of whether this cultivator's foundation, power, purpose, and mental state justified Core Formation.
The lightning came from every direction simultaneously, striking every aspect of Axel's spiritual body at once. It tested everything—structure, power, intention, stability—in one final comprehensive evaluation.
The Primordial Pillars completed their collapse into a single point at Axel's dantian center. For a moment, there was nothing—the pillars were gone, but the Golden Core hadn't yet formed. Axel existed in a strange liminal state between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation.
Then, with a flash that lit up Elder Shen's workshop despite all the isolation formations, his Golden Core ignited.
It was golden, yes, as the name suggested. But it was also more—a structure that existed in multiple dimensions simultaneously, that contained spatial patterns most cultivators would never perceive, that resonated with frequencies beyond normal reality.
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