The morning after his breakthrough, Axel woke to find his body aching in ways he hadn't experienced since his first days of cultivation. Every muscle felt bruised, every meridian tender, as if he'd run a marathon while simultaneously being struck by lightning.
Which, in a sense, he had.
He sat up slowly, wincing at the sharp pain that lanced through his abdomen where his newly formed Primordial Pillars resided. The nine structures within his dantian pulsed with contained power, creating resonances that his body was still learning to accommodate.
Wei Chen was already awake, sitting by a small fire and preparing tea. He looked up as Axel stirred, his expression mixing relief with concern.
"You've been unconscious for sixteen hours," Wei Chen said without preamble. "After Elder Shen left last night, you collapsed completely. I was starting to worry you'd damaged yourself permanently with that insane breakthrough."
"Sixteen hours?" Axel checked his internal state, feeling the flow of Qi through his newly enhanced meridian system. "I feel like I got hit by a truck."
"You got hit by tribulation lightning. Repeatedly. While forming a foundation that apparently made heaven itself take notice." Wei Chen poured tea and brought it over. "Drink. It's a spiritual recovery blend—cost me two spirit stones at the market, but you need it."
Axel accepted the tea gratefully, the warm liquid immediately beginning to soothe his battered system. The spiritual herbs in the blend were potent, sending waves of healing energy through his meridians with each sip.
"The examination is in eight days," Wei Chen continued. "Elder Shen gave you automatic admission, but you still need to be functional by then. Right now, you can barely stand."
It was true. Axel tried to rise and immediately had to sit back down, his legs refusing to support his weight properly. The breakthrough had taken more out of him than he'd realized.
"I need to stabilize," Axel said, assessing his condition more carefully. "The foundation is complete, but my body hasn't fully adapted to the new power level. Give me a few days of focused meditation and I should be operational."
"A few days of meditation while your body heals," Wei Chen corrected. "No combat practice, no technique experimentation, no pushing yourself. Just rest and internal cultivation until your meridians finish adapting to your new foundation."
Axel knew his companion was right, even if his instincts rebelled against the enforced idleness. In the cultivation world, weakness was an invitation to be exploited. But pushing too hard too fast would do more harm than good.
He spent the rest of that day in careful meditation, not trying to cultivate actively but simply allowing his Qi to circulate naturally through the new pathways his breakthrough had created. The Primordial Pillars within his dantian regulated the flow automatically, creating patterns of energy distribution that were far more efficient than anything he'd achieved at Stage 3.
By evening, he could stand without assistance and walk short distances without exhaustion. Progress, even if it was slower than he would have liked.
The second day brought new challenges. As Axel sat in meditation, working on stabilizing his foundation, the system interface flickered back into visibility:
[FOUNDATION STABILIZATION: 23%]
[PRIMORDIAL PILLARS INTEGRATION IN PROGRESS]
[ESTIMATED TIME TO FULL ADAPTATION: 4 DAYS]
[WARNING: INCOMPLETE STABILIZATION DETECTED]
[RECOMMENDATION: MEDITATION TRIAL REQUIRED]
[INITIATING FOUNDATION TEMPERING SEQUENCE]
Before Axel could process what "Foundation Tempering Sequence" meant, his inner vision was suddenly pulled deeper into his dantian than ever before. The external world vanished completely, leaving him floating in a vast internal space where the nine Primordial Pillars rose like cosmic towers.
But he wasn't alone.
Shadows moved between the pillars—not physical shadows, but manifestations of doubt, fear, and negative emotion given semi-solid form. They circled him like predators, and Axel understood with terrible clarity what was happening.
This was an inner demon trial, a test that many cultivators faced during major breakthroughs. The tribulation lightning had tested his body and foundation. This trial would test his mind and will.
The first shadow coalesced into a recognizable form—himself, but twisted, corrupted by doubt and self-loathing. The shadow-Axel spoke with his voice, but the words dripped with venom.
"You don't belong here. You're not a cultivator—you're just some dead corporate drone playing at being powerful. Everyone can see it. The sect disciples laugh at you behind your back. Wei Chen only tolerates you because you're useful. Even Elder Shen's interest is just curiosity about a freak, not genuine respect."
The words cut deeper than they should have, finding vulnerabilities Axel hadn't known existed. Part of him had always felt like an imposter in this world, like someone wearing a costume that didn't quite fit.
But he'd fought too hard, come too far, to let doubt win now.
"You're right," Axel said calmly to his shadow-self. "I don't belong here. I died in another world and woke up in this one with no warning, no preparation, no reason to exist. But I've survived anyway. I've adapted. I've grown. Belonging isn't something you're given—it's something you earn through action."
The shadow-Axel wavered, losing coherence. Not destroyed, but weakened by the refusal to accept its premise.
A second shadow emerged, this one taking the form of his old boss from Earth—the man who'd wanted Axel to help cover up the safety violations, whose face had twisted with contempt when Axel refused.
"You always were too principled for your own good," the shadow said in that familiar condescending tone. "Look where it got you on Earth—fired, blacklisted, starting over in your thirties while your former colleagues advanced past you. And here? You think your principles matter in the cultivation world? Power is all that matters here. Morality is a weakness the strong exploit in the weak."
This doubt cut deeper. Axel had watched the cave operation, seen how casually cultivators discussed stealing others' life force, how readily they accepted that might made right. What if his Earth-learned morality really was just naiveté that would get him killed?
But then he remembered Lian Fei, injured and desperate, who'd still trusted him enough to ask for help. Wei Chen, who'd chosen exile over participating in his sect's corruption. Even Elder Shen, who'd offered protection based on potential rather than demanding immediate subservience.
"You're wrong," Axel said firmly. "Power might be supreme here, but there are still people who choose to use that power with principle. The world is brutal, yes. But that doesn't mean I have to be. I can be strong and ethical. I can pursue power without losing myself."
The second shadow dissipated, its poison neutralized by conviction.
More shadows came. Some took recognizable forms—the rogue cultivator from the cave, his parents from Earth, even the original owner of this body, accusing Axel of stealing his life. Others were more abstract—fear of failure, terror of the unknown, the existential dread of facing a universe that didn't care whether he lived or died.
Each shadow tested a different vulnerability, probed a different weakness in his mental defenses. And each one Axel faced directly, acknowledging the truth in their accusations while refusing to accept their conclusions.
Yes, he was afraid. But fear was information, not paralysis.
Yes, he would fail sometimes. But failure was education, not condemnation.
Yes, the universe was indifferent to his existence. But that meant he was free to define his own purpose, create his own meaning.
The trial lasted hours, or maybe days—time became strange in the inner world of the mind. But gradually, as Axel faced and overcame each shadow, the space around the Primordial Pillars began to change.
Light emerged from the pillars themselves, golden and pure, pushing back the darkness that had spawned the inner demons. The nine structures resonated together, creating harmonics that sounded almost like music—a fundamental frequency that represented Axel's true nature, his core identity beneath all the doubt and fear.
The last shadow to appear was the most dangerous—it wore no face, took no specific form, but radiated pure nihilistic despair.
"What's the point?" it whispered, its voice somehow both loud and distant. "You'll cultivate, grow stronger, reach higher realms. And for what? Everyone dies eventually. Every achievement turns to dust. Even immortals can be killed. Why struggle so hard when the end result is always the same?"
This was the deepest doubt, the one that had haunted Axel occasionally in his old life during long sleepless nights. If everything was temporary, if nothing lasted forever, what was the point of trying?
But three months in the cultivation world had taught him something important.
"You're asking the wrong question," Axel said to the formless shadow. "It's not 'why struggle when we all die eventually.' It's 'what kind of person do I want to be while I'm alive?' The point isn't to avoid death—that's impossible. The point is to live with purpose, to grow, to become something more than I was. The journey is the destination."
The formless shadow paused, as if considering his words. Then, surprisingly, it spoke again with less hostility.
"And what happens when you reach the end? When you've cultivated as far as your potential allows, when there are no more realms to break through to, no more enemies to overcome? What then?"
Axel smiled. "I'll figure it out when I get there. That's a problem for future-me to solve. Present-me just needs to keep moving forward."
The shadow laughed—not mockingly, but with genuine amusement. "Insufficient answer, but sufficient conviction. Very well, Axel King. You pass."
The formless shadow dissolved, and with it, the last of the darkness between the Primordial Pillars vanished. The nine structures blazed with golden light, fully integrated now, working in perfect harmony to regulate his cultivation.
Axel's awareness returned to the external world with a rush that left him gasping. He was still sitting in meditation position at his campsite, but the sun had moved significantly across the sky—it was late afternoon now, meaning he'd been in the inner demon trial for at least six hours.
Wei Chen was nearby, maintaining a watchful perimeter. When he saw Axel open his eyes, relief flooded his features.
"You're back. I was starting to worry—your spiritual presence went completely dormant for hours. What happened?"
"Inner demon trial," Axel managed, his voice hoarse from disuse. "The foundation needed tempering before it would fully stabilize."
"Inner demon trial at Foundation Establishment Early?" Wei Chen looked shocked. "Those usually don't happen until Nascent Soul at the earliest, sometimes not until Soul Projection. What kind of foundation did you build that requires trials meant for cultivators three realms higher?"
Axel didn't have a good answer for that. The Primordial Pillars Formation was apparently so far beyond normal foundation methods that even the stabilization process was unprecedented.
"I passed," Axel said simply. "That's what matters. How long was I out?"
"Six and a half hours. The sun will set in another hour or so." Wei Chen offered him water and food. "How do you feel?"
Axel assessed his condition carefully. The aching weakness that had plagued him since the breakthrough was gone, replaced by a sense of solid stability. The Primordial Pillars within his dantian no longer felt foreign or uncomfortable—they were integrated now, a natural part of his spiritual architecture.
"Better. Much better, actually." He stood and was pleased to find his legs steady, his balance perfect. "I think the trial completed the stabilization process. My foundation is fully settled now."
He extended his spiritual senses, testing his new capabilities. The range was incredible—he could perceive Qi signatures over three miles away, where before his breakthrough he'd been limited to perhaps half a mile at best. The clarity was equally improved—he could distinguish not just the strength of distant cultivators but subtle details about their cultivation methods and elemental affinities.
Most remarkably, he could feel the ambient Qi of the region as a coherent system rather than just random energy. The ley lines that ran beneath the earth, the concentrations of power around certain geographic features, the way spiritual energy flowed like invisible rivers through the landscape—all of it was visible to his enhanced perception.
"This is..." Axel searched for words. "This is incredible. I can see the whole region's Qi network."
Wei Chen smiled. "Welcome to Foundation Establishment. The increase in spiritual sensitivity is one of the most dramatic changes. You're perceiving what Stage 3 cultivators can only vaguely sense." His expression became more serious. "But you're also more visible now. Other cultivators can sense you more easily too, especially ones at higher realms. Your spiritual presence is distinct, memorable. You'll need to learn to control it, to hide your power level when necessary."
That was a valid concern. The auto-concealment formation the system had activated would hide the true quality of his foundation, but it wouldn't completely mask his power level. Anyone with decent Qi sense would know he was Foundation Establishment, even if they couldn't tell exactly how exceptional his foundation was.
"The sect will teach me concealment techniques?" Axel asked.
"Probably. They're basic skills for any cultivator who wants to survive in contested territories." Wei Chen stood and stretched. "Come on—you should practice moving with your new power level. Foundation Establishment doesn't just enhance your Qi, it fundamentally changes how your body operates. You need to relearn basic motor control before you accidentally break things."
That seemed like an exaggeration until Axel tried to pick up his water flask and crushed it with barely any pressure. The wooden container splintered in his grip, water spilling everywhere.
"Ah. I see what you mean."
They spent the rest of the evening with Axel carefully practicing basic movements, relearning how much strength to apply to everyday tasks. His Foundation Establishment body was significantly more powerful than his Stage 3 body had been, and the adjustment period was surprisingly difficult.
Picking up objects without crushing them. Walking without leaving footprints in solid earth. Even eating required conscious control to avoid accidentally biting through his chopsticks.
"It gets easier," Wei Chen assured him as Axel accidentally shattered his third tea cup that evening. "Give it a few days and the control will become automatic. Your body just needs time to recalibrate."
By nightfall, Axel had achieved reasonable control over his enhanced strength. He could pick up objects without destroying them, walk normally without disturbing the ground, and eat a meal without breaking his utensils.
Progress.
As they sat by the fire after dinner, Wei Chen brought up an important topic.
"Six days until the examination. Well, five now since you've technically already been admitted. What's your plan for the time between now and then?"
Axel considered. His foundation was stable, his body mostly adapted to the new power level. But he was still adjusting, still discovering what his Mythical-grade foundation could actually do.
"Practice, mostly. I need to understand my new capabilities before I start sect life. The Primordial Pillars are creating cultivation effects I don't fully understand yet—my Qi purity is higher, my spiritual senses are enhanced beyond normal Foundation Establishment levels, and I can feel something else, like... potential waiting to be unlocked."
"That's the foundation quality showing," Wei Chen explained. "A good foundation doesn't just support your current realm—it enables techniques and abilities that shouldn't be accessible until higher stages. Your foundation is apparently exceptional enough that you're getting benefits that normal Foundation Establishment cultivators never see."
The system interface flickered briefly, confirming Wei Chen's assessment:
[PRIMORDIAL PILLARS EFFECTS:]
[QI PURITY: +300% (ALLOWS MYTHICAL-GRADE TECHNIQUE USAGE)]
[SPIRITUAL SENSE: +500% (EARLY ACCESS TO NASCENT SOUL SENSING ABILITIES)]
[CULTIVATION SPEED: +200% (INCREASED QI ABSORPTION EFFICIENCY)]
[TECHNIQUE COMPREHENSION: +400% (ENHANCED UNDERSTANDING OF CULTIVATION PRINCIPLES)]
[TRIBULATION RESISTANCE: ACTIVE (REDUCED TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY FOR FUTURE BREAKTHROUGHS)]
[BLOODLINE RESONANCE: 2% (HONGMENG CAPABILITIES PARTIALLY UNLOCKED)]
Two percent bloodline awakening had given him this much advantage. What would ten percent do? Twenty? Full awakening?
The implications were staggering and slightly terrifying.
"I also need to work on that concealment technique you mentioned," Axel said, pushing thoughts of the bloodline aside for now. "If my spiritual presence is too distinctive, I'll be a target for everyone who thinks they can steal my cultivation or eliminate a potential rival."
"Smart thinking. I can teach you the basics—it's not my specialty, but I know enough to get you started. The sect will have better instruction, but you should have some ability to hide your power before you arrive."
They spent the next hour with Wei Chen explaining the principles of Qi concealment. It wasn't about completely erasing your spiritual presence—that was impossible for anyone below Saint Realm. Instead, it was about dampening your signature, making yourself appear weaker or less distinct than you actually were.
The technique involved creating a thin shell of circulating Qi around your core that absorbed and diffused outward-radiating spiritual pressure. Done correctly, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could appear to be Stage 3 or 4, significantly less threatening than their true power level.
Axel practiced the method, finding it surprisingly difficult. His Primordial Pillars generated so much spiritual pressure that dampening it was like trying to hide a bonfire by putting a handkerchief over it. But with persistence and Wei Chen's guidance, he eventually managed to reduce his apparent cultivation level from Foundation Establishment Early to Stage 4 Peak.
Not perfect concealment, but enough to avoid immediate attention from anyone who wasn't specifically examining him with focused spiritual sense.
"That'll do for now," Wei Chen judged. "Practice maintaining it unconsciously—you want concealment to be your default state, not something you have to actively think about."
As they prepared for sleep, Axel reflected on the past two days. He'd completed an unprecedented breakthrough, survived tribulation lightning that shouldn't have appeared until far higher realms, passed an inner demon trial, and stabilized a Mythical-grade foundation.
In five more days, he would officially join the Azure Sky Sect as an outer disciple. His real cultivation journey would begin—not the desperate survival of the past three months, but proper training with resources, guidance, and the backing of a major power.
The thought brought equal parts excitement and apprehension. Sect life meant opportunities, but it also meant politics, rivalry, and dangers that were subtler but potentially more deadly than simple beast attacks.
Axel lay down on his bedroll and stared up at the stars visible through the forest canopy. The Primordial Pillars within his dantian pulsed steadily, a rhythm of contained power waiting to be properly utilized.
Two percent bloodline awakening. Foundation Establishment Early cultivation. Mythical-grade foundation that gave him capabilities far beyond his nominal realm.
He was stronger than he'd ever been, but he was also stepping into a world where that strength would make him both valuable and vulnerable in equal measure.
The next five days would determine whether he could adapt to sect life, whether the advantages his foundation provided would be enough to navigate the complex social and political landscape waiting for him.
But those were challenges for tomorrow. Tonight, exhausted from the inner demon trial and still adjusting to his new power level, Axel simply rested.
The pulse of his Primordial Pillars beat steady and strong, a promise of power yet to be fully realized.
The meditation trial was complete. His foundation was stable.
Now came the real test—learning to thrive in a world where everyone was either a potential ally or a potential enemy, and the difference between the two could change in an instant.
patreon account to be created for this novel looking forward to it