Chapter 44 - Embers Dynasty

The statue looked ancient and was made out of stone. The same ancient stone that the frame entrance to the tunnels was made out from. The statue was holding in one hand, behind its back a double-sided halberd that even in rock looked extremely sharp and deadly.

Also, this statue had one of its hands cliched into a fist that was holding real, elemental lighting that was buzzing and zipping in one spot. The lighting was yellow in colour and with some sparks of orange in it.

The statue looked very lifelike, as if the real cultivator was standing in front of Kyle. As Kyle entered the ravine, the tunnel behind him flicked and disappeared.

Suddenly a voice started coming from the statue, "Welcome to the trials of embers! You chose to go through the lighting ember, and I approve of that choice!" The voice was clearly recorded and was something that activated after someone entered the ravine.

"You now will be faced with 10 levels of trials. Each harder than the next one. If you would like to give up, you would be sent out from the embers chamber, and you will never again be able to attempt the trials! But if you succeed, you will be able to enter the Lightning Forest Heart and choose immense rewards!" The statue's voice sounded very proud and excited.

Kyle was taken aback by this escalation of the situation. He wasn't expecting to get such a great encounter here.

The statue paused and then continued, "Embers are the group of the strongest cultivators, made out from the all races. Only the strongest and the most skilful geniuses can become an ember. If you don't pass 3rd trial and below, you will be teleported out. After the 3rd trial, you will get a low-level life pill, after the 6th trial, you will get a medium level life pill, and after the 9th trial you will get a high-level pill!" The voice resounded.

Kyle didn't know the effect of low-level life pill, but considering how overbearing and magical this place was, he could guess it was incredible.

"If you can't benefit from the life pill, you can change for other items of equivalent value that you can find in the heart of the forest."

Kyle was digesting this information, he still hasn't recovered from the injury fully, and it seemed that he would have to face the trial here and now as the tunnel that could take him back has disappeared.

"Once you are ready, channel lighting into the cube bellow my feet and the trials will start." Statue resounded, and the eyes that were once yellow flames extinguished.

'Phew, I have time to regain some of the qi and meditate to familiarise myself with the lighting step technique.' Kyle clenched his fists in excitement.

'The statue said about channelling lighting into the cube, I have only gotten the affinity to the lighting, so learning that would take some time…' With that said, Kyle sat down and started meditating, trying to make sure that he was in the most optimal condition before starting.

—

Three days have passed, and Kyle was now fully recovered, he was fully concentrated on familiarising himself with the body and all the changes.

The cube in the centre of the 8 orbs was rotating and consuming from time to time the energy that the lighting sphere gave, while the lighting element sphere has gotten brighter and the surface itself of the ball seemed to be made out of lighting. The black element that once was the base of it was nowhere to be seen.

But right now, Kyle had the biggest headache because he couldn't use the lighting no matter how he tried. Even using the lighting step was the same as before. The lighting sphere that he had did not help or let him use the lighting.

The system also seemed to be silent as no matter how he tried, he couldn't use it to bid the lighting. Kyle didn't know what to do as he was stuck, and his food and water stocks that he stored in the storage area were not unlimited.

—

After 4 more days passed, Kyle was stuck for a week in the ravine. Every single moment was spent on researching and trying to use the lighting. Kyle's eyes were bloodshot, and he had a gaze of a person that was about to go mad. Nothing that he tried seemed to be working.

Kyle already tried even rubbing himself with a cloth and charging himself with static to let some lighting strike him, but it was all in vain.

At last point as Kyle had no more food left in his storage area, he decided to cook the only food he had. The lighting monkey that he had killed when he just entered the forest.

With everything happening around Kyle, he completely forgot about that thing and how he also nearly died by the plasma that it shot out. Now Kyle had no other choice but to eat it instead of absorbing.

Kyle just took out the body when something incredible happened. The lighting sphere started activating when it saw the dead monkey body. Without any notification, the first lighting that Kyle absorbed and that started the progress of lighting affinity formation, came out from inside the sphere. It now seemed to be more alive than it was before with even small black eyes like objects and small moth with black like teeth. It looked scary and even the power it radiated, surprised Kyle himself.

The lighting was very excited and seemed to be awakened from the deep slumber. It now seemed to feel the monkey's lighting energy and wanted to use to as a nice meal.

It uncontrollably rushed out from Kyle's dantian and started rushing through the meridians to exit Kyle's body. At the last moment, as it reached Kyle's skin, it stopped fully, as if asking for Kyle's approval.

After Kyle nodded, the lighting rushed out and went into the monkey's body, at the back where the lighting inscription was.