Golden Bones
*Ding*
Congratulations Host on achieving Minor Success in Body Refinement.
James was now grinning ear to ear. He'd finally done it.
'After months of arduous Body Cultivation, day after day of painful medicine baths, I finally did it.'
He almost had tears in his eyes. Body Cultivation was far harder than the traditional mana cultivation he was use to. Just absorbing the medicinal properties from his baths every day felt like being stabbed by tiny needles all over his body.
The pain had been so bad that more than once he wanted to give up and just remain in the Mana Gathering realm for the rest of his life. But he then remembered the Demon attack that took the lives of his birth family and hardened his resolve to ensure he never feels that helplessness again.
James was eager to see if Minor Success was enough for his Mana to stop resisting and so he ignored the pool of sludge nearby and began cultivating. He directed his mana towards his bones and while it still showed some resistance, it was far less than before, allowing him to forcefully push the integration.
The mana, upon coming into contact with his bones, stopped it's resistance and began integrating on it's own. The feeling of his mana stengthening his bones was a pleasure like he'd never felt. The contrast of the suffering he'd gone through these last 4 months while cultivating his body made James feel like he was soaring to heaven from the depths of hell.
James became lost in the warm comfortable feeling of his mana washing over his bones. As time went on, his bones began to change color, going from their original white to a light yellow. Approximately 4 hours later, his bones suddenly sucked up the mana surrounding them like a black hole. The bones then turned completely golden with a slight glow and cloud patterns drifting along their surface.
*BOOM*
*RUMBLE*
The air quaked, a sound of thunder struck and the entire sect began to shake as if experiencing an earthquake. Storm clouds began to gather above the Enlightenment Peak, centering above James' house.
——
"What the hell is going on?!"
"Why is everything shaking?!"
"Is the sect under attack? Someone go inform the nearest elder!"
"Wait look over there at Enlightenment Peak! Are those storm clouds? What the hell is going on?!"
Chaos erupted throughout the sect. Disciples began panicking, wondering why everything was shaking and scrambling to the nearest Elder they could find to try and get answers. The Elders were just as baffled as the Disciples, completely unaware of what was happening.
——
The Sect leader left his pavillion and gazed towards Enlightenment Peak where storm clouds were gathering.
'Hmm? Who could have provoked the world's anger to this extent?'
——
Liz rushed out of her house and saw the situation around her. She looked at the storm clouds above and immediately thought of the tribulation clouds from the records she had read. She began making her way over to James' house to warn him and take him away from the mountain, as if lightning struck down from the clouds above they would both be killed. She was forced to halt her steps halfway there however as she began to feel like she was being watched and if she took another step closer she would be in great danger.
Liz immeditately retreated and then rushed to her master's pavillion, hoping he was with James and that she was worried for nothing. She was about to knock when she saw Faldon coming out.
Faldon walked out of his pavillion, gazing up at the sky with a terrified expression. Being in the Nascent Soul realm, he could perceive far more than Liz. When he looked up at the gathering clouds above, he felt anger, like the world was angry at the appearance of something that should not exist.
'James has been working towards establishing his foundation…don't tell me he finally succeded and caused all of this? No that's impossible, outside of Tribulation Transcendance realm cultivators, only those rejected by the world like Demons and Demonic cultivators will attract tribulation clouds…could such an evil being have snuck into our sect without our knowledge?'
Faldon then noticed Liz standing nearby and asked her, "Where is James?"
They both looked at eachother in silence. Then Liz began to tell him about the feeling she got when approaching James' house earlier.
"Impossible…I need to verify this myself!"
Faldon then flew as fast as he could towards James' house. When he approached within 50 meters however, he felt his surroundings grow cold, sweat beaded on his forehead and he knew that if he took another step he'd be struck dead.
*BOOM*
Just then, a booming voice resounded in the ears of everone in the sect.
"THE LAWS OF THE WORLD ARE ABSOLUTE. THOSE UNDERGOING TRIBULATION SHALL RECEIVE NEITHER HELP NOR HARM. THE JUDGEMENT SHALL BE CAST AND ANY THAT INTERFERE SHALL BE STRUCK DOWN."
After voice finished speaking, the sect fell into an eerie silence. No one spoke, no one moved, everyone stood as still as they could afraid that even the breath they released could result in being killed. The voice that had spoken not only was loud but carried a pressure as heavy as the world itself.
——
At this moment, James slowly opened his eyes. He was completely oblivious to everything happening outside, as if his house was isolated from the chaos of the outside world.
'Phew, that was an incredible feeling. To think I now have golden bones inside of me like some divine being hahaha. The weird thing is that I seem to still have plenty of mana within me. The Foundation Establishment technique that master gave me stated that i'll know i've entered level 1 of the Foundation Eatablishment realm once every drop of mana within me gets absorbed into my bones. Maybe I should check my Profile to see…'
'Open Profile'
*Ding*
Name: James
Race: Human
Soul: Undeveloped
Cultivation: Mana Gathering level 1000 (Max)
Body Cultivation: Minor Success
Bloodline: Human
Stats
Physical: 30
Mental: 12
Spiritual: 0
Luck: 10
Techniques:
- Ascent of the Heavenly Cloud (Mana Gathering chapter (Max))
- Basic Sword Technique (Perfect)
- Breeze Body technique (100/100)
- Cloud's Acent (Foundation Establishment chapter) - (100/100)
Spells: None
Intent:
- Sword (Elementary)
Innate ability: System
'Wait, my cultivation is still within the Mana Gathering realm but my experience with the Foundation Establishment technique is already at 100. Maybe I just have too much mana the technique to fully work for me? I'll have to try the Advancement function on it like I did a few times with the Mana Gathering chapter.
My Physical stat has increased dramatically…must be a combination of achieving Minor success in Body Cultivation using the Breeze Body technique. Speaking of that technique, my experience with it is '100/100' but i'm only at Minor success…maybe technique XP doesn't exactly follow your cultivation realm but your theorectical and practical knowledge of it.'
'Open Advancement'
*Ding*