The heavenly thunder, embodying the will of the Dao, struck fear into the Old Sect Master and others just by its presence. A Golden Core cultivator facing a heavenly tribulation? It was astounding.

The Old Sect Master recalled his youth, battered during his travels for opportunities. He'd once met a Holy Land direct disciple who mentioned that while most cultivators faced tribulations only at Nascent Soul, true prodigies—those who amassed unimaginable foundations in their realm—might trigger tribulations as early as Foundation Establishment or Golden Core.

Such prodigies were rare, perhaps a handful per century, treasured by great sects and clans, their existence closely guarded to prevent assassination. This secrecy led ordinary cultivators to believe tribulations began at Nascent Soul.

For Ye Chen to draw a tribulation at Golden Core—how formidable was his strength? The Old Sect Master even began to doubt: had Old Monster Wang really been killed by a sneak attack during a critical moment of possession, or was there more to Ye Chen's power?

...

Above, thunderclouds churned, as if countless thunder dragons swam within. Inside the seclusion chamber, Ye Chen remained calm. The tribulation was fearsome, but it didn't feel overly dangerous.

As a second-grade perfected artifact refiner, he knew divine thunder was the ultimate tool for tempering materials. He'd been fretting over how to refine his Black Yellow Primordial Essence—now, the tribulation offered the perfect solution. He'd use it to forge his natal spiritual artifact.

The first bolt of divine thunder descended, silver and brimming with destructive force. Ye Chen didn't resist. Instead, he raised his hand, meeting it head-on. His Myriad Star Body, Primordial Supreme Heart, and Ancestral Dragon Blood-forged Golden Core had elevated his physique to an extraordinary level. Emboldened, he dared to channel the thunder into his body.

The divine thunder surged through him, its destructive aura seeking to obliterate everything. Yet, his body radiated divine light, and the thunder's power was weaker than expected. What it destroyed, he rapidly restored. Guiding the thunder through his body, he treated it as a tempering process.

After the first refinement, he moved his hands, summoning the mountain-like Black Yellow Primordial Essence. Using the divine thunder's power, he began tempering it. The Primordial Essence flowed, and with his eyes closed, Ye Chen unleashed his top-tier techniques, weaving mysterious patterns into it. Bolt after bolt of thunder fell, but they didn't disrupt his focus.

Ye Chen's body underwent a rapid transformation, each surge of divine thunder refining him further. Before him, the Black Yellow Primordial Essence shimmered, its mysterious patterns glowing as they took shape.

After a moment's hesitation, he began channeling the divine patterns he'd comprehended from his Primordial Supreme Heart, imprinting them into the Primordial Essence. With each strike of divine thunder, more patterns fused, causing the Primordial Essence to radiate a faint divine light, growing increasingly extraordinary.

By the sixth bolt, Ye Chen hesitated again before imprinting patterns from his five-colored Golden Core—the True Dragon Treasure Technique. His understanding was limited, so he could only embed a few.

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Moments later, he added patterns from his Heavy Pupils, unsure of their effect but driven by instinct. A natal spiritual artifact grew stronger the more it resonated with its master. By weaving in patterns from his innate Divine Abilities and Golden Core, he ensured maximum compatibility.

Thus, he faced the ninth and final bolt of divine thunder—the most terrifying yet, as if the heavens themselves were enraged by his audacity, intent on obliterating him.

Gazing at the still-unformed Black Yellow Primordial Essence, Ye Chen realized he hadn't decided on the weapon's form. Sword, spear, staff, or club? Axe, halberd, or hook?

The ninth bolt was coalescing. If he didn't choose soon, he'd have to rely on his seventh-grade Myriad Star Fire to slowly refine the Primordial Essence—a process that could take ages given its resilience.

After a brief pause, an idea sparked in his mind.

The final bolt descended, thick as a barrel, roaring with destructive fury. Ye Chen met it calmly, using its power for the last refinement. Amid the terrifying thunder, a small bell slowly took shape.

As the tribulation concluded, the onlookers stared at Sword Peak, dumbfounded. The peak's protective array had been obliterated by the thunderous ordeal. Since Ye Chen had broken through at the mountainside, the once-towering Sword Peak was now half-destroyed, its upper portion reduced to rubble by the tribulation's fury. A scorched, flattened expanse remained at the midpoint.

A single tribulation had leveled half a mountain—an awe-inspiring, terrifying feat. Doubt crept into the crowd's hearts: could Ye Chen have survived such a cataclysmic ordeal?

The Old Sect Master, most anxious of all, confirmed the tribulation had fully dissipated before rushing to Sword Peak. Losing a genius like Ye Chen to a heavenly tribulation would be a heartbreaking tragedy.

...

Amid the ruins, Ye Chen stood unscathed. Above his head floated a bronze-colored ancient bell, wreathed in flowing Black Yellow Primordial Essence that draped around him like tassels, shielding him completely. His face radiated joy.

The moment the bell took shape, it had hovered above him, blocking every strike of the tribulation. Even if it was only a Golden Core tribulation, its ability to withstand heavenly thunder spoke volumes about its defensive power.

In future battles, activating the bell would render him impervious to countless techniques. Its offensive capabilities were still untested, but given the rarity of Black Yellow Primordial Essence and the myriad mysterious and divine patterns he'd etched into it, its attack power was likely formidable, perhaps capable of shattering all techniques with a single strike.

As his natal spiritual artifact, the bell had immense potential. As Ye Chen grew stronger, awakening more innate Divine Abilities and deepening his mastery of the True Dragon Treasure Technique, he could imprint more divine patterns. He could also refine it with other top-tier materials. The bell's future filled him with anticipation. With it, his path on the immortal road would be smoother than ever.

He hadn't named it yet—there'd be time for that later.

...

Sensing someone approaching, Ye Chen willed the Black Yellow Primordial Essence to retract. The bronze bell shrank and sank into his dantian, where it floated, nurtured by his body—a key advantage of a natal spiritual artifact, requiring no storage ring.

"Ye Chen, are you alright?" the Old Sect Master's voice called from above.

Ye Chen floated up to join him, replying, "I'm fine."

The Old Sect Master's eyes widened at the sight of Ye Chen, completely unharmed. Sensing his aura—still unrestrained from the fresh breakthrough—he felt a pang of awe. Ye Chen's mana was so profound it dwarfed his own, giving him the surreal sensation of facing a senior.

Ye Chen, meanwhile, scanned the surroundings, his brow furrowing. He saw Lu Jing and Lin Ke'er, Yao Xi, and the sect's elders and disciples. But one person was missing.

Where was his master?

Glancing at the halved Sword Peak, his eyes widened in disbelief. During his tribulation… could his master still be in seclusion?

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