"It seems the earlier one awakens, the weaker the strength," Ningguang glanced at Zhongli and the others who were still sitting with eyes closed, shaking her head helplessly.
For the first time, she felt an intense longing to improve her own strength.
"Our Visions…"
Keqing's exclamation drew Ningguang's attention. Looking down, she saw her own Vision had gone completely dim and lifeless, like it had never been activated.
She frowned slightly and instinctively gathered jade energy in her palm.
A sphere of jade appeared — brighter, more dazzling than ever before, and of incredibly high quality.
Ningguang froze for a moment, then thought about forming a defensive barrier.
In an instant, golden light shimmered around her body.
"True essence is a power that can be wielded almost as freely as thought. Anything you can imagine, you can likely use it for — though without careful refinement, the effect won't be strong," Jiang Yan explained softly.
"This is the same reasoning that leads geniuses to create new cultivation techniques — and why I say a cultivator can casually invent martial arts."
"But to use true essence to its fullest, you should still rely on a complete and well-founded cultivation method."
"As for your Visions, they are essentially external vessels that store elemental energy. Now that you can store power in yourselves, the elemental energy inside them has been absorbed — so they are useless."
Keqing froze for a moment, then her face lit up.
"So… that means we no longer need Visions?"
"With your own true essence, why borrow from an inferior external source?" Jiang Yan countered with a question.
Keqing was silent for a few seconds, then pulled off her Vision and put it away. Ningguang did the same.
Seeing this, Jiang Yan smiled in satisfaction.
Visions were not, in essence, a good thing. If you could avoid relying on them, it was best not to use them at all.
As for their spatial storage… Jiang Yan could, with a flick of his fingers, create a Sumeru Pouch far larger than a Vision's space.
Before long, Mountain Shaper and Ganyu also woke up, and the once quiet main hall began to grow lively.
On Jiang Yan's behalf, Ningguang explained the situation to everyone.
Hearing that their lifespans had been greatly extended didn't surprise them much — they were immortal beings to begin with.
What truly mattered to them was the endless path of cultivation ahead, the vast future that awaited them…
And most importantly — no more erosion to fear!
Ganyu touched her horns happily, her eyes turning softer as they looked at Jiang Yan.
"Only after truly stepping onto the cultivation path do I realize how much we've been frogs at the bottom of a well," Cloud Retainer sighed, gathering true essence in her palm. The sheer quality of this power made her feel she could crush her old self with ease.
No wonder Jiang Yan looked down on their old 'cultivation.'
With this… who would want to practice fake cultivation?
"Pity… I've only reached late-stage Essence Refinement into Qi…" Cloud Retainer grumbled.
Ningguang teased, "That's already impressive, True Lord Cloud Retainer. We're only at early-stage Essence Refinement into Qi. And besides, in Mount Shu, we'll break through quickly."
Cloud Retainer didn't argue for once, instead nodding with agreement.
"Indeed. I'm confident I can quickly become a Essence Refinement into Qi cultivator!"
Truth be told, Cloud Retainer was among the better ones — she, Mountain Shaper, and Xiaoyue at least reached late-stage Essence Refinement into Qi. The less famous immortals only managed mid-stage.
But they had been frontline fighters once, so it made sense.
"There are two things you must all remember," Jiang Yan suddenly said.
"First, while true essence has endless applications and I encourage you to create your own techniques, always consult the classics. Otherwise, you risk going astray."
"Second, the Zhou Tian Circulation Method I've taught you is Mount Shu's method. It must never be passed to outsiders. If it is, Mount Shu will hunt them to the ends of the earth."
Everyone's expressions grew solemn.
"We will remember, Master."
Ningguang chuckled.
"Master may be worrying too much — we barely understand Zhou Tian Circulation Method ourselves. How could we pass it on?"
Jiang Yan laughed, then turned to the two who were still unconscious — Xiao and Zhongli.
At that moment, Xiao slowly opened his eyes, looked at his palm, and clenched it into a fist.
The usually cold-faced Yaksha now wore a genuine smile.
"Power! Unparalleled power!"
"The erosion is gone — and karmic debt will never return!"
"With my current strength, I should be able to fight an average demon god!"
"So this is cultivation? Truly extraordinary! This endless, inexhaustible force — this is true essence!"
"And the surrounding energy is spiritual qi? So the elemental power we once used was just an insignificant part of it…"
"Eye-opening, indeed."
That Xiao could speak so many words in one breath showed how excited he was.
"How does it feel?" Jiang Yan asked with a smile.
"Thank you, Master, for passing me the method," Xiao replied solemnly. "I feel better than ever — ready to fight for Liyue and Mount Shu for thousands of years!"
Jiang Yan nodded.
"You're now at peak Essence Refinement into Qi. With true essence of this quality, you can indeed fight an average demon god. Once you master proper spells, you could suppress them with ease."
"But beware — the next step, Essence Refinement into Qi, requires enduring the Lightning Tribulation. Pass it, and you advance. Fail… and you vanish."
Xiao's expression darkened, and he nodded seriously.
"I will make full preparations before facing it!"
"Treat it with a calm heart," Jiang Yan advised. "You're very gifted — once you learn some spells, you should pass. Don't be too nervous, but don't be careless either."
"And try to undergo your tribulation either in the Outer Sea or within Mount Shu's cave-heavens. The destructive force can be immense."
Everyone nodded, making mental notes.
"With your talents, you won't remain at Essence Refinement into Qi for long. So start thinking about the tribulation."
"If nothing unexpected happens, in as little as three to five years, or as many as ten to twenty, you'll face it. Prepare ahead of time."
Xiao hesitated.
"Master… will it really take that long?"
"Of course," Jiang Yan chuckled. "Cultivation is about fighting against heaven for life. Every step forward is a huge leap in power — that's why breaking through to Essence Refinement into Qi within a century marks a genius."
Everyone sighed. Cultivation was good, but the hundred-year, thousand-year timelines were daunting.
"But that's just the usual case," Jiang Yan added. "If you find great opportunities — rare pills, treasures — progress can be much faster. That's why so many disciples of Mount Shu love exploring secret realms."
At this, everyone instinctively looked at Ganyu.
Opportunities? That meant luck. And when it came to luck… no one in Liyue could match Ganyu.
But Ganyu only looked at Jiang Yan with a dazed, slightly flushed expression, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Cloud Retainer gasped.
"Wait! If breaking through to Essence Refinement into Qi requires tribulation, then the Emperor — he's already late-stage Essence Refinement into Qi — doesn't that mean…"
Jiang Yan nodded, and with a wave, the dome of the grand hall opened to reveal the sky.
Above, the heavens were already covered with dark clouds. Purple lightning writhed within, sending shivers down everyone's spines.
"This is… the Lightning Tribulation!" Cloud Retainer stood up in alarm. She had seen its power before, and now Zhongli was about to face it himself.
She panicked.
"Master! Is there no way to avoid the tribulation? If the Emperor falls, all of Liyue will be thrown into chaos!"
The others looked equally grave. Only after stepping onto the cultivation path could one truly understand how terrifying the tribulation was — easily capable of wiping out Liyue Harbor.
Jiang Yan shook his head.
"It can't be avoided. The tribulation is the Dao's test for cultivators — it follows you everywhere. Only by passing it will Morax's path as an immortal be complete."
Cloud Retainer bit her lip.
"But the Emperor doesn't have your methods for resisting it!"
"Trust him," Jiang Yan said. "With his talent, he won't fall here."
Xiao, however, was still anxious.
"Master, could I take the tribulation in his place?"
"Impossible," Jiang Yan rejected firmly. "The tribulation is the Dao's manifestation. Any interference will cause it to intensify rapidly, ultimately destroying both the helper and the one crossing it."
"Don't worry — I believe Morax will not fear this."
As if on cue, Zhongli's calm voice rang out.
"Indeed. If I can't even pass this tribulation, how can I speak of cultivation?"
Everyone turned to see Zhongli fully awake, an unprecedented aura boiling around him.
This strength far surpassed even his prime. Cultivation and non-cultivation were worlds apart.
Right now, Zhongli could probably fight those two peak Essence Refinement into Qi demon gods in the sea.
The long-lost battle spirit burned within him again — this time, he would walk further than ever before.
Seeing this, Cloud Retainer and the others felt as if they had returned to the days of the Archon War, when Zhongli's confidence inspired them to follow him into fire and blood.
"Emperor… your strength…" Xiao's voice was tinged with awe. At this moment, Zhongli felt like an unshakable sky — deep, unfathomable, absolutely sovereign.
Simply put, if Zhongli had been like this during the Archon War, fighting demon gods would have been like swatting chickens.
"I've reached late-stage Essence Refinement into Qi, though not yet perfected," Zhongli said, his gaze fixed on the brewing lightning above, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
If he passed this tribulation, he would become a perfected late-stage Essence Refinement into Qi cultivator.
In that case, what was there to fear?
Jiang Yan, seeing his fighting spirit, laughed heartily.
"Good! Cultivation requires such unwavering determination. Morax, go and pass this tribulation — achieve Essence Refinement into Qi!"
Zhongli nodded.
"So it should be."
In a flash, he vanished from the hall.
Jiang Yan waved his hand, covering the entire Tongtian Peak in a layer of golden light. The panicking Millelith calmed instantly — as if that golden light guaranteed safety.
Everyone looked up through the open dome.
In the sky, Zhongli stood beneath the roiling clouds, face solemn, Vortex Vanquisher in hand.
But in the face of a cultivator's lightning tribulation, the divine spear trembled.
Zhongli knew. His old friend, the Vortex Vanquisher…
Today, it might serve him for the last time.
It was, after all, not a true spiritual weapon.
Suddenly, Jiang Yan spoke:
"It would be a pity for such a fine weapon to be destroyed in the tribulation. Morax, would you like me to reforge it?"
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