Merlin felt a storm brewing within him, a tempest born of power, memories, and raw emotion. He knew that if he didn't consolidate this influx of mana, it could tear him apart. Sitting cross-legged on the stone floor of the private chamber, he began to meditate. His breathing slowed, and he drew upon the Echoing Thunder Foundation Technique, the lightning-element cultivation method provided by the Dawnsedge Sword Sect.
The technique was straightforward and reliable, designed for beginners to stabilize their mana flow. Merlin guided his mana along the prescribed pathways, but as he repeated the cycles, something felt amiss. The flow of energy was sluggish, restrained, as though he were trying to funnel a river through a narrow pipe.
As he struggled to progress, fragments of Myrddin Wyllt's memories surfaced, unbidden but welcome. A flood of ancient knowledge coursed through his mind, and with it came clarity. Merlin realized with a start that the Echoing Thunder Foundation Technique was not an original creation—it was a pale imitation of something far greater. The Rolling Thunder Ascension Technique, a masterpiece of cultivation, was the source from which this lesser method had been derived. Myrddin himself had developed the original technique to harness the unyielding power of lightning.
With this revelation, Merlin hesitated only briefly before abandoning the sect's method. Closing his eyes, he visualized the steps of the Rolling Thunder Ascension Technique. The cycles were more complex, more demanding, but they promised far greater rewards. He began the first cycle, drawing mana into himself like a storm gathering energy.
The process was transformative. Unlike the rigid structure of the sect's technique, the Rolling Thunder Ascension Technique mirrored the natural rhythm of a thunderstorm. The mana moved through his pathways in waves, each cycle purging impurities and strengthening his core. First came the calm, where mana settled and balanced. Then, the buildup, where energy gathered in intensity, culminating in the crackling strike of lightning that tempered his spirit and body alike.
As the cycles continued, the bottleneck that had stifled him for 15 years began to loosen. The stagnant mana in his core dissipated, replaced by a vibrant, crackling energy. The oppressive weight that had hung over him for so long was gone, shattered by the relentless power of the storm within.
Hours passed, then days. When Merlin finally opened his eyes, his aura had changed entirely. The faint glow of lightning surrounded him, and his presence was sharper, more focused. He had broken through the 1st Circle Initiate Realm and ascended to the 2nd Circle Novice Realm. His mana was denser, purer, and his connection to the lightning element was deeper than ever.
Merlin stood, his body brimming with newfound strength. He clenched his fists, and arcs of electricity danced across his skin. The memories of Myrddin Wyllt were no longer a burden—they were a guiding light, showing him the path forward.
"I wasted 15 years trapped by my own fear and doubt," Merlin thought, his resolve hardening. "No more. I will rise, no matter how long it takes. I will master this power and forge my own destiny."
The storm within him had only just begun.