The week following Axel's ascension to fourth rank was chaos wrapped in ceremony and political maneuvering. Every major faction sent representatives offering "guidance and resources," which translated to recruitment attempts disguised as generosity. Several inner disciples requested "exchanges of cultivation insights," meaning they wanted to assess his techniques and capabilities up close. And the summons from various elders accumulated faster than Axel could reasonably respond to them.
"You need a strategy for managing all this attention," Liu Feng advised as they reviewed yet another stack of jade slip invitations. "Accept everything and you'll never have time to cultivate. Refuse everything and you insult people who could make your life difficult."
"What do most disciples do in this situation?" Axel asked.
"Most disciples never reach this situation. Fourth rank at Foundation Establishment Late after only a month in the sect is unprecedented. You're writing new rules as you go." Liu Feng sorted the invitations by sender rank and affiliation. "But generally, the strategy is to accept invitations from elders and high-ranking inner disciples while politely declining from peers unless they offer genuine value."
Axel spent three days in a whirlwind of political meetings. An inner disciple from the Modernist faction offered access to their advanced technique library in exchange for "friendly cooperation." A Traditionalist elder proposed sponsoring his future advancement if he would "honor established cultivation methods." The Pragmatist faction was more direct—they simply stated that talented disciples who remained independent were wasting opportunities for mutual benefit.
Elder Shen watched Axel navigate these waters with what seemed like amusement. "Everyone wants to own you because they can't predict you," the Formation Master observed during their daily training session. "Independent disciples who rise too quickly disrupt established power structures. The factions are trying to either bring you into their hierarchies or neutralize you before you become impossible to control."
"What should I do?" Axel asked while practicing a particularly complex spatial formation that created temporary dimensional anchors.
"What you've been doing—accept their 'gifts' politely without making commitments, maintain your relationship with me as primary mentor, and focus on cultivation advancement rather than political games." Elder Shen adjusted Axel's formation with a gesture, stabilizing a section that had been fluctuating. "Once you break through to Core Formation, your status changes fundamentally. Core Formation cultivators are inner disciples with real authority. The factions can pressure outer disciples endlessly, but inner disciples have rights and protections that make casual manipulation much more difficult."
"How long until I can attempt Core Formation breakthrough?" Axel asked, though he suspected the answer.
"Normally? Six months to a year at your current pace. Your foundation needs to reach absolute Peak, your Qi accumulation needs to maximize, and you need to prepare mentally for what's actually a major tribulation, not the minor ones you've experienced." Elder Shen paused, studying Axel's spiritual pressure carefully. "But you're not normal. Your foundation is optimizing faster than standard cultivation allows. I'd estimate you could attempt breakthrough within a month if you pushed hard."
"Is pushing hard advisable?"
"Normally no. Rushed breakthroughs kill more cultivators than anything else except tribulation failure. But your Mythical-grade foundation seems to have built-in safeguards that prevent the usual complications." Elder Shen manipulated the spatial formation Axel was practicing, showing him a more efficient configuration. "The real question is whether you're mentally prepared for what Core Formation actually entails."
"What does it entail?" Axel asked, realizing he knew remarkably little about the specifics.
"Core Formation is the first true transformation in cultivation. Foundation Establishment enhances what you are—makes you faster, stronger, more capable versions of human. Core Formation changes what you are fundamentally. Your Golden Core becomes a second heart, a spiritual organ that generates power independently of external Qi sources. Your lifespan extends to several centuries. Your techniques can affect reality in ways that shouldn't be possible."
Elder Shen's expression became more serious. "But the tribulation tests whether you deserve that transformation. Heaven itself judges whether your foundation is stable enough, your mind is strong enough, and your purpose is clear enough to wield power that can reshape landscapes. Most cultivators spend years preparing for Core Formation specifically because they're terrified of failing the tribulation."
"What happens if you fail?"
"Best case? Your cultivation drops back to Foundation Establishment Peak permanently, unable to ever attempt breakthrough again. Worst case? The tribulation lightning kills you or leaves you so damaged that death would be mercy." Elder Shen met Axel's eyes directly. "This isn't like Foundation Establishment where you triggered lightning but it was relatively gentle. Core Formation tribulation is actively trying to destroy you. Only cultivators strong enough to survive deserve to advance."
The sobering explanation made Axel reconsider his timeline. Maybe pushing for breakthrough within a month wasn't wise, regardless of his foundation's unusual capabilities.
But the system had different ideas. That evening, as Axel settled into cultivation in his quarters, the interface appeared with an urgent notification:
[CRITICAL THRESHOLD APPROACHING]
[FOUNDATION OPTIMIZATION: 94%]
[QI ACCUMULATION: 89%]
[BREAKTHROUGH CONDITIONS: NEARLY OPTIMAL]
[WARNING: MINOR TRIBULATION IMMINENT]
[FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT LATE → PEAK TRANSITION]
[ESTIMATED TIME: 12-24 HOURS]
[RECOMMENDATION: PREPARE IMMEDIATELY]
[SECURE LOCATION REQUIRED]
[TRIBULATION DIFFICULTY: MODERATE]
"Liu Feng," Axel said urgently, "I need to get to Elder Shen's workshop immediately. My foundation is about to trigger breakthrough to Peak."
His roommate looked up sharply from his own cultivation. "Now? You just reached Late three weeks ago. That's..." He stopped himself. "Right. Your foundation is unusual. Does Elder Shen know?"
"Not yet. I need to inform him before the tribulation starts." Axel was already gathering his essential belongings. "If anyone asks where I am, tell them I'm in seclusion for advanced formation training."
Liu Feng nodded. "I'll handle it. Go. And try not to trigger lightning that damages the sect formations—Elder Shen would be annoyed."
The Formation Research Pavilion was quiet when Axel arrived, most disciples having returned to their quarters for evening cultivation. He found Elder Shen still working at his primary bench, apparently not requiring sleep like younger cultivators did.
"Breakthrough imminent?" the old master asked without looking up. "I can sense your spiritual pressure fluctuating. Foundation Establishment Peak transition?"
"Within twelve to twenty-four hours according to my... instincts," Axel confirmed.
"Use cultivation chamber three again. The formations there can handle Foundation Establishment tribulation easily." Elder Shen set aside his work. "Though I should warn you—Peak breakthrough tribulation is more intense than the transitions you've experienced so far. Not Core Formation level, but not trivial either."
"What should I expect?"
"Lightning, obviously. But also spiritual pressure that tests your mental fortitude, and possibly minor manifestations of inner demons if your foundation has any flaws." Elder Shen pulled out several jade bottles. "These pills will help stabilize your breakthrough and reduce tribulation intensity slightly. Take them when you feel the threshold approaching."
Axel accepted the resources gratefully and made his way to the cultivation chamber. The isolated space felt familiar now, a sanctuary where he could undergo transformation without the entire sect analyzing his spiritual pressure.
He settled into meditation and allowed his foundation to proceed with its optimization. The Primordial Pillars were restructuring again, preparing for the final stage of Foundation Establishment. This would be the peak of this realm—the absolute limit of what could be achieved before attempting the major transformation to Core Formation.
The breakthrough began six hours later, in the dead of night when most of the sect was deep in cultivation or sleep.
Axel felt the familiar surge of power as his foundation initiated its evolution. But this time, the process was more intense than previous transitions. The Qi flowing through his system increased to torrential levels, demanding accommodation from meridians that were already operating at enhanced capacity.
His dantian expanded again, growing perhaps forty percent larger to contain the increased energy. The nine Primordial Pillars developed additional complexity, their internal structures becoming even more intricate as they prepared to eventually transform into the foundation for his Golden Core.
Then the tribulation began.
The first lightning bolt struck without warning, bypassing the cultivation chamber's protective formations to target Axel's spiritual body directly. The formation prevented the lightning from damaging the physical room but couldn't completely shield him from heaven's judgment.
The bolt was powerful—significantly more so than anything he'd experienced during Foundation Establishment Early breakthrough. It tore through his spiritual defenses and struck his dantian directly, testing whether the Primordial Pillars were stable enough to withstand Core Formation level power.
The pillars held, their Mythical-grade structure distributing the tribulation force across their entire network. But the stress was real—Axel felt hairline cracks forming in several pillars before the formation's self-repair functions activated and sealed them.
The second bolt came thirty seconds later, then a third, each one testing different aspects of his foundation. His meridian integrity. His Qi purity. His mental fortitude under extreme pressure.
Axel endured, drawing on the Foundation Establishment pills Elder Shen had provided to stabilize his cultivation during the assault. The pills worked remarkably well, providing just enough support to prevent catastrophic damage without interfering with the tribulation's testing function.
The fourth bolt was when things became complicated.
Instead of pure lightning, this strike carried spiritual weight—a pressure that tested not just physical endurance but mental and emotional resilience. Axel found himself confronting manifestations of doubt, fear, and uncertainty that the tribulation had drawn from his subconscious.
Visions appeared unbidden. His death on Earth, the confusion and terror of waking in a hostile world. The desperate fights for survival in those early weeks. The constant pressure of sect politics and the weight of knowing that any mistake could be fatal in a world where power was everything.
"You're out of your depth," a voice whispered—his own voice, twisted by doubt. "You're playing at being a cultivator, but you're just a dead man who got lucky. Eventually that luck will run out, and you'll die again. Permanently this time."
Axel recognized this as tribulation-induced inner demon manifestation—the same test he'd faced during Foundation Establishment, but more intense. The tribulation was testing whether he had the mental fortitude for Peak cultivation, whether his resolve was strong enough to support the power he was claiming.
"I've died once already," Axel responded to his own doubts. "Death doesn't scare me anymore. What scares me is wasting this second chance, failing to become everything I could be. That's the real death—living without purpose, cultivating without conviction."
The inner demon manifestation wavered and dissipated. The tribulation apparently found his resolve adequate.
The fifth and final lightning bolt struck with enough force to light up the entire Formation Research Pavilion despite the isolation chamber's formations. Disciples throughout the sect probably sensed the spiritual pressure spike, though they wouldn't be able to identify its source through Elder Shen's concealment arrays.
This bolt was pure judgment—heaven's final assessment of whether Axel deserved Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation. It struck every aspect of his spiritual body simultaneously, testing everything at once in a way that would have killed a cultivator with weaker foundation.
The Primordial Pillars blazed with golden light, their Mythical-grade structure processing the tribulation lightning and actually using it to refine themselves further. What should have been destructive testing became constructive enhancement, the tribulation's power being absorbed and integrated rather than simply endured.
Then, suddenly, it was over.
The lightning ceased. The spiritual pressure lifted. And Axel found himself sitting in the cultivation chamber with his foundation fully transformed to Peak stage.
The system interface appeared, displaying the results:
[BREAKTHROUGH COMPLETE]
[FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT PEAK (EARLY)]
[MINOR TRIBULATION: SURVIVED]
[FOUNDATION QUALITY: MYTHICAL (ENHANCED)]
[CULTIVATION EFFICIENCY: +178% FROM PREVIOUS STAGE]
[QI CAPACITY: +156%]
[SPIRITUAL SENSE RANGE: +134%]
[COMBAT CAPABILITY: ESTIMATED CORE FORMATION EARLY EQUIVALENT]
[CORE FORMATION BREAKTHROUGH: POSSIBLE IN 2-3 WEEKS]
[HONGMENG BLOODLINE AWAKENING: 5% → 6%]
[NEW CAPABILITIES UNLOCKED:]
[SPATIAL ANCHOR CREATION]
[DIMENSIONAL PERCEPTION (ADVANCED)]
[QI MANIFESTATION (BASIC)]
[TRIBULATION RESISTANCE (ENHANCED)]
Foundation Establishment Peak. Combat capability equivalent to Core Formation Early. And the bloodline had awakened another percentage, providing new spatial manipulation capabilities that went beyond anything his previous cultivation could access.
Axel opened his eyes to find Elder Shen standing outside the cultivation chamber, apparently having monitored the tribulation through his formation arrays.
"That was a Foundation Establishment Peak tribulation," the old master said without preamble. "Five lightning bolts, spiritual pressure testing, minor inner demon manifestation. Standard progression for someone with solid foundation." He paused. "Except you somehow used the tribulation lightning to enhance your pillars rather than just enduring it. That's not standard at all."
"My foundation has unusual properties," Axel said, which was becoming his universal explanation for anything that defied normal cultivation.
"Your foundation has impossible properties," Elder Shen corrected. "But I'm not complaining. You're now Peak Foundation Establishment, which means you're qualified to participate in the monthly evaluation as a serious contender rather than just a promising newcomer. It also means you're about two to three weeks away from being able to attempt Core Formation breakthrough."
"Two to three weeks?" Axel repeated. "That seems incredibly fast."
"For normal cultivators, yes. For someone whose foundation apparently optimizes itself continuously and whose bloodline provides shortcuts through standard cultivation requirements?" Elder Shen shrugged. "I've stopped trying to predict your progression using normal timelines. You operate on different rules."
He handed Axel several more jade bottles. "These are Core Formation preparation resources. Normally I wouldn't provide them to a Peak cultivator who just broke through, but nothing about your situation is normal. Study them, understand what Core Formation actually requires, and start preparing mentally for what's probably going to be the most intense tribulation you've faced yet."
Axel accepted the resources, noting their value—each bottle probably represented weeks of an elder's time to refine. "Why are you investing so much in my advancement?"
"Because I'm six hundred years old and I've seen perhaps a dozen truly exceptional cultivators in my lifetime—people who might eventually transcend normal limits and reach heights that reshape the cultivation world." Elder Shen's expression was unreadable. "You're the first one I've encountered who might actually have the potential to reach realms beyond what most cultivators dare dream about. Investing in you is investing in the future of cultivation itself."
The weight of that assessment settled heavily on Axel's shoulders. He'd been thinking of his advancement in personal terms—getting stronger, surviving challenges, climbing the rankings. But Elder Shen was suggesting something far more significant—that Axel's potential might extend beyond personal power into realm-changing capabilities.
"What realms are you talking about?" Axel asked. "Beyond Core Formation, beyond Nascent Soul... what's actually possible?"
"In the Mortal World? The absolute peak is True Immortal—Stage 15, the threshold of immortality. Maybe a dozen cultivators in this entire world have reached that level." Elder Shen's eyes gleamed. "But the Mortal World is just the beginning. Beyond it lies the Immortal World, with cultivation realms that go far higher. And beyond that..." He paused. "Well. Those are mysteries for cultivators who survive long enough to discover them."
The Immortal World. Axel had heard the term mentioned occasionally but never explained. A separate realm where cultivation continued beyond what was possible here? That suggested a multiverse of sorts, different planes of existence with different rules and power ceilings.
"How does one reach the Immortal World?" Axel asked.
"By reaching True Immortal cultivation and undergoing ascension—a final tribulation that tests whether you're worthy of transcending mortal limits. Most True Immortals spend decades or even centuries preparing for ascension because the failure rate is catastrophically high." Elder Shen returned to his workbench. "But that's a problem for far-future you. Present you needs to focus on surviving Core Formation breakthrough and the monthly evaluation that's now five days away."
Five days. The monthly evaluation would test disciples across multiple categories, with rankings and resources redistributed based on performance. Axel's fourth-place ranking gave him certain advantages, but maintaining it would require demonstrating capabilities across combat, cultivation understanding, contribution missions, and sect knowledge.
"What should I focus on for the evaluation?" Axel asked.
"Combat will be your strongest category—you've proven that by defeating Peak cultivators. Cultivation understanding is adequate but not exceptional—you're self-taught with gaps in theoretical knowledge. Contribution missions are your weakest area—you've been focused on training rather than sect service." Elder Shen considered. "I'd recommend spending the next few days completing several high-value missions to shore up your contribution score. That plus your combat performance should be enough to maintain top five ranking."
Axel spent the next four days in a whirlwind of mission work. He accepted assignments from the contribution board that played to his strengths—formation maintenance, spatial distortion investigations, and one particularly interesting mission to map Qi flow patterns through a newly discovered spirit vein.
The missions provided practical experience that complemented his theoretical formation training. Maintaining sect formations taught him how arrays degraded over time and what maintenance they required. Investigating spatial distortions showed him how natural phenomena could create effects similar to deliberate formations. And mapping the spirit vein gave him insight into how Qi naturally accumulated and circulated through geographic features.
By the morning of the monthly evaluation, Axel had completed enough missions to place him in the top ten percent for contribution scores. Combined with his fourth-place ranking and recent advancement to Peak, he was positioned as well as possible for whatever tests the evaluation would include.
The evaluation grounds were massive—an entire valley set aside specifically for testing disciples across multiple categories simultaneously. Hundreds of outer disciples gathered, along with inner disciples and elders who would serve as judges and observers.
An announcement formation activated, projecting a voice across the entire valley: "The monthly evaluation will proceed in four categories. Combat trials, cultivation assessment, mission contribution review, and comprehensive knowledge examination. All outer disciples must participate. Rankings will be adjusted based on total performance across categories. Begin."
The valley erupted into organized chaos as disciples moved toward different testing areas. Axel followed the crowd toward the combat trial section, where ranked duels and skill demonstrations would determine combat scores.
His Peak cultivation and fourth-place ranking meant he would face serious opposition. But after everything he'd endured over the past month—the ranked challenges, the tribulations, the intensive formation training—Axel felt more prepared than ever.
The Primordial Pillars pulsed steadily within his dantian, their Peak configuration stable and powerful. Six percent bloodline awakening provided capabilities that most cultivators wouldn't access until realms far higher. And Elder Shen's formation training had given him tactical options that went beyond standard combat techniques.
Axel King was ready for whatever the monthly evaluation would throw at him.
The minor tribulation was complete. Foundation Establishment Peak was achieved.
Now came the test of whether he could leverage that power effectively in an environment designed to separate the truly talented from the merely competent.
The real cultivation journey continued, each challenge overcome bringing him closer to Core Formation and the transformations that awaited beyond.
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