Soul Severing Tribulation

The metal-clad assassin, unable to match Ming Ren's blistering speed, found himself overwhelmed. Each cut from Ming Ren's blade chipped away at the armor's defenses, leaving gashes in the once impenetrable metal and even drawing blood from the flesh beneath. The intricate cloaking runes, unable to withstand the assault, fractured and faded, leaving the assassin exposed.

"Ugh!" he grunted, his voice thick with pain and frustration.

Ming Ren, his eyes locked onto his target, pressed his advantage. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, his sword aimed at the assassin's heart. A shimmering rune, activated in desperation, manifested as a barrier, deflecting the killing blow. The assassin, his armor crumbling around him, retaliated with a desperate thrust of his dagger, fueled by his dwindling life essence. Ming Ren, anticipating the move, leaped back, narrowly avoiding the attack.

His spiritual energy nearing depletion, Ming Ren knew this was his final opportunity. He released his sword, letting it fall as he soared through the air, his body a projectile aimed directly at his foe.

[Ming Ren Style Palm Art: Collapsing Sky Palm]

His palm, empowered by the remnants of his strength and imbued with the weight of a collapsing mountain, descended upon the assassin's chest. The remaining armor shattered under the impact, bones crunched, and a spray of blood erupted from the assassin's mouth. He crumpled to the ground, utterly defeated.

Ming Ren staggered back, his body drained, the effects of the Fire Qi leaving his dantian nearly empty. The parasitic presence within him writhed in its death throes, a final, futile struggle against their inevitable demise.

"To... think... I would... perish... here..." The assassin rasped, his voice filled with hatred. "This... changes... nothing... Even I... cannot halt the array now...!"

As if responding to his dying words, the array within the chamber surged to life, sending tendrils of chaotic energy throughout the mountain. The temple, struggling to contain the unleashed power of the origin energy, trembled violently. The formation, corrupted and twisted, amplified the core's output, pushing it towards an imminent and catastrophic explosion.

The formation that was supposed to enhance its suppressive abilities now not only reduced its power but also increased the origin energy's output forcibly. It was a matter of time before the core overcharged, and exploded. The range of the explosion would be enormous.

Ming Ren, despite his exhaustion, remained composed. "For someone to be able to modify a formation of this level to this extent, this young lord of yours is truly a genius. However, his opponent is me."

Extending his hands, Ming Ren summoned countless thin spiritual threads, each one connecting to the weapons he had scattered throughout the chamber. "Every formation has its weaknesses," he explained, "and a hastily altered one has many. By sending my spiritual energy into these points, I will render this trump card of yours useless."

Spiritual energy surged from his fingertips, flowing through the threads and into the formation's weak points. The chaotic energy subsided, replaced by a calming hum as the array reverted to its original function, suppressing the volatile origin energy.

"This... this... impossible..." The assassin's eyes widened in disbelief as his master plan crumbled before him.

Ming Ren, his gaze cold and resolute, flicked his wrist, drawing the weapons suspended by his Qi threads into a deadly constellation above him. "You and your master will pay for your crimes," he declared. "To endanger countless lives, to bring suffering upon innocents for your own selfish goals... This burning rage within me will not be quelled until you pay. Have no doubts, your lord will follow you some day!"

With a downward gesture, he unleashed the suspended weapons. They rained down upon the assassin, piercing his mutated flesh and silencing his hateful words forever. As life drained from his body, the parasitic presence within him withered and died, releasing a wave of pure spiritual energy. The remaining Spirit Bugs squirmed, struggled, and died. 

Relief washed over Ming Ren, but exhaustion threatened to consume him. Yet, the influx of energy from the dissolving parasites revitalized him. It was the perfect opportunity to cultivate.

Assuming the lotus position, he circulated the One Breath Luminescence Art, drawing in the potent energy with astonishing speed. His body, perfectly attuned to the cultivation technique, absorbed the essence of the countless spirit bugs he had accumulated, propelling him to the peak of the Body Tempering Realm and even halfway into the Spirit Sea Realm.

With his inner sea already consolidated, he entered a trance, delving deeper into the mysteries of cultivation, seeking his true elements and rare energies.

A brilliant light emanated from his body, filling the chamber with its radiance. The True Element of Light had awakened. The light then receded, swallowed by an abyssal darkness – the True Element of Darkness. From the darkness, a gentle warmth emerged, a healing touch – the True Element of Wood, which then intensified, mending his wounds with renewed vigor – the True Element of Life.

The manifestation of four True Elements, including the coveted Light, Darkness, and Life, was a feat rarely witnessed even in the Upper Realms. But Ming Ren's ascension was far from over. A fissure appeared within his soul, releasing a shimmering, silver thread – the True Element of Soul. The thread then dissolved into nothingness, replaced by an immense pressure that threatened to tear apart the fabric of reality – the True Element of Space-Time.

As space and time stabilized, a whirlwind of fire erupted, followed by cascading water that froze into solid ice – the True Elements of Fire, Water, and Ice.

Ten True Elements, including the rare and powerful combination of Space and Time, had manifested within him – an unprecedented achievement that defied all known laws of cultivation.

Yet, the revelations continued. An oppressive force surged forth, seeking to bind and seal all that it touched – the Sealing Rare Energy. Then, a wave of invigorating life force pulsed outward, embracing all living beings within its reach – the Healing Rare Energy.

His mind, honed and sharpened, unleashed a torrent of mental energy, capable of shaping thoughts and influencing reality. The stars themselves seemed to align with his destiny, granting him the Astral Energy. A second source of fire, even more potent than the first, erupted within him – True Fire Energy. This inferno then solidified into impenetrable ice – Ice Energy. Finally, he transcended the limitations of space and time, entering a realm of pure existence – Space-Time Energy.

His soul, resonating with newfound power, revealed its true potential – True Soul Energy.

As the torrent of energies subsided, a final tremor echoed from the depths of his being. A power so immense, so primal, that its mere presence threatened to unravel the world. Yet, before it could be unleashed, the fissure within his soul sealed shut, averting catastrophe.

Ten True Elements. Eight Rare Energies. Even in the Upper Realms, this was unheard of. It could only be thought as Heaven-defying!

The shackles of the Body Tempering Realm shattered, and the path to the Spirit Sea Realm lay open before him. As he attempted to cross this threshold, a celestial phenomenon manifested above – the Heavenly Tribulation – many kilometers above the mountain core, as if Heaven itself was trying to stop him from crossing that bridge.

Tribulation, typically reserved for those ascending to the Realm of Immortals, had descended upon a mere Body Tempering Realm cultivator. Powerful beings across the land sensed the anomaly, their divination techniques failing to pinpoint its source or purpose.

This was no ordinary tribulation, but the dreaded Soul Severing Tribulation, designed to rip the soul from its mortal shell. Ming Ren's soul, having touched upon realms beyond mortal comprehension, had drawn the ire of the heavens. Unbearable pressure bore down upon him, as if his very essence was being torn asunder.

Yet, this was not a battle of physical strength, but one of sheer willpower. The pressure inside his body was almost unbearable, as if something akin to his heart was being ripped away. The excruciating pain he had endured while mastering the Bright Scripture's eye technique had forged his spirit into an unyielding force. The heavens could not break him.

With a surge of defiance, Ming Ren broke through the tribulation, the celestial phenomenon erupting into a blinding pillar of light before fading into nothingness. He opened his eyes, his perception forever altered. The world shimmered with newfound clarity, revealing secrets previously hidden.

It was the birth of a heaven-defying cultivator. The birth of the Bright Immortal.