I opened my eyes to see a blinding light, master was sitting infront of me looking worried.
"How long was I out this time?"
"A year."
"Haha very funny." Master just looked at me with a hint worry in his eyes.
"You're joking right? Right?"
He just shook his head without answering. I felt cold sweat form on my brow. I had really been asleep for an entire year, I would have to rush to get to Nascent Soul, what's happened to Zhenzhen? What about my family?
I wasn't too concerned about my family because they were strong but what about Zhenzhen? She was alone without any way to contact me, she probably didn't even know something bad had happened. She was probably still doing fine, but I would have to wait even longer to see her now.
Master put his hand on my shoulder, "what happened to you to put you in a coma for an entire year?" I could see the concern on his face. He would usually just use me to have a laugh but I guess he is my master after all, it makes sense that he's worried.
"I tried reading that blank book that you gave me. I didn't know you couldn't see it's contents before you said something about it being blank. I tried to read what was inside and only read a few lines before this happened."
Master waved his hand and the book floated towards him. He opened the book to look through it and sighed. "You can actually see words in this book? What is it?"
"Its a sword art.
"The name itself is imposing. If this is your state after a little reading perhaps this is a Godly treasure."
"What's that?"
"Treasures that are beyond the understanding of even the strongest person. There aren't many records of them as even if one showed up anyone that knew about it would be killed. You must keep this a secret! Even if you're the only one who can read it no one will believe you and will covet this anyway."
"I understand." This book could potentially end my life if anyone knew about it, I had to keep this matter between me and master.
"The secret realm will be opening in a few years you need to reach Nascent Soul as quickly as possible. And don't try reading that book until you get stronger."
"I'll listen to your advice, thank you for everything master."
"I'm just doing what anyone else would do."
He didn't stay long after that. I needed to go into seclusion so I could make it on time. I was already at the third stage of the Golden Core realm from the qi I've accumulated in my sleep. It would still take a few years until I could breakthrough, I had to use my time wisely.
I started learning the palm technique first before I started cultivating. It took nearly two months to perfect it, I didn't need any actual combat as the technique wasn't reliant on the movement of opponents to strike.
It was now time to start cultivating. I sat in a lotus position and began to circulate my qi according to my breathing method. A massive amount of qi was being absorbed and refined in my core with every breath. The amount of qi I would need to breakthrough would be astronomical compared to others. I already had as much qi as a normal Nascent Soul and would only need an increasingly large amount everytime I moved a minor realm ahead.
It took me three months without moving to reach the fourth stage. It took five months to reach the fifth stage. Eight months to reach the sixth stage. Ten to reach the seventh. A year to reach the eigth. Fourteen months the reach the peak.
Starting at the Nascent Soul realm there would be a tribulation to breakthrough.
***
"Master I'm about to breakthrough."
"Very good, I'll sheild you from the tribulation so you can rest assured."
I was touched at masters consideration towards me. I wasn't sure if the tribulation could reach me in the void but better safe than sorry.
"Thank you." I cupped my fist and lowered my head.
"As you probably already know, the more rare constitution or spirit root you have the more deadly the tribulation, you will need to prepare yourself. This isn't a bad thing though as the more harsh the tribulation is the stronger your foundation will be. We'll go to the peak of the mountain to undergo your tribulation."
It only took a few minutes to reach the peak while I was traveling with master. There was a grand formation on the peak of the mountain surrounded by a myriad of mysterious runes.
"Sit here and we'll begin."
I had sat in the center of the formation to undergo my tribulation while master started injecting his qi into the formation. I pushed on the paper thin wall that was keeping me from the Nascent Soul realm.
Even though we were above the clouds it didn't take long for the Sect to be covered with clouds completely. Thousands of miles around there was almost no light to be seen, I was at the center of it all. A terrible pressure descended on the sect, everyone below the Dao Forging realm was forced to their knees.
***
The sect went from normal to almost devoid of light in less than a minute. Countless disciples started to fall to their knees at the same time.
"An elder must be breaking through!" Someone said
"This pressure is terrifying, I can't move at all!"
This was happening all over the sect. No one would be able to tell who was breaking through until the heavenly tribulation began.
***
Being at the center of the pressure was a thousand times worse! I could barely move and it was almost impossible to circulate my qi. I originally wanted to try taking the tribulation head on but changed mind. I'd surely die if I took the entire thing head on.
A golden barrier was erected around me from the formation. I covered myself in qi without holding anything back. Master pulled out some talisman and started chanting, he had a worried look on his face.
Lightning started shooting through the clouds at a rapid speed. The lightning cycled through thousands of different colors, some of which I hadn't seen before, until it stopped on the color white. A large divine white tiger descended from the sky, the pressure increased to an unbelievable degree, I immediately coughed up blood.
I was terrified beyond reason. I immediately shifted to the void. It would turn out to be pointless though as the white tiger that was made of lightning raised its paw and slashed in my direction. I was torn out of the Void almost as soon as I went in.
White lightning started to rain down on me, with every strike a talisman would burn. The tribulation was relentless as hundreds of bolts would come down every minute. In only five minutes all of the talisman were turned to ash, the only thing protecting me was the formation and master.
The number of bolts had decreased but the power had multiplied.
Loud explosions were heard throughout the sect for a while.
The barrier started to crack, master started to pour his qi into it at an unbelievable speed. Even master eventually coughed up blood. After a dozen minutes the lightning had stopped and the formation fell apart, master had fallen to his knees.
I sighed, even though nothing had happened to me my master had suffered a lot, I would definitely find a way to pay him back. I looked over at master who was looking up at the sky. My gaze followed his as I saw a lightning bolt, larger than the others, descend on me.
As the lightning struck I didn't feel anything except my blood boiling it was excruciating but not as bad as I thought it would be. I was writhing in the ground because of the heat that could be felt through every vein in my body.
Everything went blurry and I don't remember much, I went to the secret realm and got stabbed in the back. I was stuck there for a while before I could finally leave. I was greeted by a bloody battlefield covered in corpses. I was walking around confused. I didn't understand what was happening.
"How did I get here? Wasn't I just struck by lightning?"
I looked around and saw only dead bodies, everything was covered in blood, there was only red. Red buildings, red streets, red clothes, red bodies. There was only a hint of color among the sea of red.
I saw something familiar and approached it, I turned over the body with horror on my face.
"No! Nonononononononono!"
I started crying and hyperventilating.
I felt something shake me violently.
I opened my eyes to see a blinding light, master was sitting infront of me looking worried.
I threw up and started repeating the word 'no' I was curled up in a ball breathing heavily.
"What happened?!" Master asked with worry evident in his voice.
I couldn't her him though I could only rock back and forth trying to forget what I had just seen.