Moving on

As the lightning energy surrounds our souls, Eve starts cursing at me, while trying to absorb as much of the lightning as she can, so that she doesn't die. I carefully circulate the energy around, so it doesn't overwhelm us. Our souls are the most vulnerable to lightning after all, and she apparently isn't a lightning type spirit, just one that has a high affinity controlling it. Probably metal type, then? That would mean that the heavenly tribulation screwed up big time, but it's all in my favor, so no complaints here.

As the lightning tempers my soul, it starts to grow at a visible rate... well, if it would be visible at least. I feel like it reached five meters already, but I can only vaguely sense it, I'm not at the level where I can materialize it outside my body, yet. Eve calms down too, and devotes all her attention into absorbing the pure lightning energy, probably upgrading her thought processes with it. She loves doing that, so I can only consider her previous behaviour as tsundere bullshit. She'd never admit it, of course.

Several soul strengthening methods and techniques unravel themselves due to the research, and I utilize some of them in the process of my soul growth. Eve also gets these analysis reports and adapts a few of them to herself too. I also gained the 'Advanced Elemental Manipulation' ability, and feel like being on the verge of grasping its higher levels too. The lightning energy runs out at this point though, so I'm forced to stop all research for the time being, so I don't sap myself dry of energy with them.

The scene must be baffling from an outside perspective: a guy sitting in the middle of the lightning-charred marketplace, cultivating, while three of the most horrifying lightning tribulations ever seen fall upon him. And the most shocking part: he survives, and remains sitting, while the last lightning bolt stops to a crawl above him and slowly enters his body, disappearing completely. Then all the clouds disperse and the sun shines down again. The scene is still even after all this, since all the surrounding people are too shocked to even breathe.

-Eve. You there?

-What is it, you stupid asshole?

-Wow, you sure got a lot of spunk as a spirit.

-Yeah, I have organic feelings now. So right now it's not my programming or routines that are speaking, but my true consciousness and the depths of my heart. So sue me. Screw you.

Yeah, completely tsundere.

-You fucking shithead, I have a mental connection with you, and know everything you think. I'm not tsundere, you shit-for-brains, I'm a pissed off spirit that got hit by a lot of lightning recently, so SOOOORRY for being a bitch about it.

-Ahem. Okay. I'll get you something nice to make up for it later.

-You fuckface think that it's that simple, huh?

-I liked the "machine" you better.

-And I liked the "let's not zap Eve with seven gigavolts while she's a fragile spirit" you better. But at least I'm not bitching about it. Oh wait, I totally am, BECAUSE IT FUCKING HURT!

-Okay, okay. Let's get moving. We still have a galaxy to conquer.

-Hmph. Friggin assface changing topics like this...

She starts grumbling, so I guess she's starting to get over it. Maybe I underestimated her first reaction to pain. That has to be rough, since she never really experienced it before.

-Let's 'Rewind' one month to the Inner Trials, shall we? We will need to relocate to a bigger sect for better opportunities of powering up.

-I already calculated the temporal coordinates, you genius, I'm just waiting on you.

-Okay. 'REWIND'!

I activate the temporal ability, and disappear in a temporal vortex. In the next moment I fall face first on the floor in the bathroom of my small lodge.

-Eve?

-Yeah, I did it on purpose.

-Well, whatever makes you happy.

I can't even get angry at her. Well, with my previous life experiences I can't really get angry, period. It takes a lot of effort to anger me in any way.

I stand up from the cold floor and hug the toilet, while vomiting out the contents of my stomach. I knew any kind of temporal displacement played marvels with a person's innards, but this was too much even for me. I have the ability to perfectly control my body, and a cultivation level of Beginner Soul Severing - Peak Soul Growth Stage, and I still couldn't keep my breakfast down.

After I wash myself and drink some water, I head towards the general gathering that's about to start - the Inner Trials, which is the selection ceremony for inner sect disciples. Well, rather than calling it a ceremony, it would be more apt to call it a contest. I buy some good quality food from a stall with a low grade spirit stone that I teleported out from the merchant's stash, and listen to all the talk about the Inner Trials around me. Nothing new or interesting though, mainly just blabbering about "Senior This is sure to succeed" or "I'll cheer for Brother That today". I arrive at the gathering precisely as the elder in charge starts the announcements.

-Our True Fate sect holds the Inner Trials Ceremony every two years in hopes of finding true talents for the inner sect. You outer sect disciples are the hope for the future of the sect.

I wonder how the elder will react in a month, when an unknown assailant kills a couple of hundred of his "hope", then lightning strikes yet another few hundred.

-You sure had fun yesterday, didn't you.

-Well, it was necessary. I'm sure they'll get an adequate karmic compensation. The way I see it, they were lucky to be killed by me, even if nobody in their right mind would see it that way.

Knowing the truth about karma and reincarnation is in fact a godly license to kill. And the funny thing is that I don't even have to worry about the negative effects, since I'm completely immune to it. As for it affecting me in the next life? I'm currently trying to save two galaxies, that should compensate for pretty much anything I do while I'm here.

-8000 of you are qualified to undertake the trials today, but know that only 256 of you will be given the privilege to enter the inner sect! With that in mind, do your best!

And may the odds be ever in your favor. Eve snickers at my thoughts, I guess this speech reminded her of the same thing.