Chapter 10: Core Formation, New Sword

Arc 1: The System Of Unlimited Cunning

Chapter 10: Core Formation, New Sword

Over the past three days, Jett had devoted himself entirely to cultivation. Each day, he visited the tower, spending four hours on the final floor before returning to either the first or second floor and entering one of the rooms. His goal was to reach the Core Formation Stage before the test, so he focused on absorbing Qi throughout.

Finally, on the third day, when Jett emerged from the tower, he was on the brink of breaking through to the Core Formation Stage. People took notice of his heightened aura, and nearly everyone followed him as he sprinted toward the hill where he had achieved his previous breakthrough. Jett swiftly reached the top of the hill and took a seat.

Meanwhile, everyone else gathered at the base of the hill to observe. As Jett awaited the formation of the clouds, he pondered, "Should I absorb the lightning or use it to temper my body? Given that there should be six strikes, I could absorb the initial three, and then utilize the final three for body tempering. Alternatively, I could do the reverse... Perhaps, one round of tempering followed by one round of absorption. This way, I'd temper with the weakest lightning, which would better prepare me for the stronger ones."

Just as he concluded his thoughts, the clouds had fully formed. By this time, Jong and Shen Wei had arrived to witness the event. When the initial bolt struck Jett, it startled many observers. They were surprised to see Jett face the bolt directly without attempting to absorb it. They were aware of his proficiency in the , but they hadn't anticipated him using it in conjunction with Tribulation Lightning.

The first bolt's impact left a substantial burn mark on Jett's shoulder. Shen Wei and Jong were visibly alarmed, and they urgently cautioned Jett against repeating the feat. So, when the second bolt descended and Jett absorbed it, they felt a wave of relief that he heeded their advice. However, their concern resurfaced when, a few seconds later, the third bolt struck down. They watched in apprehension as Jett once again confronted the lightning directly, resulting in another extensive burn mark, this one notably larger than the previous.

"He must be alternating between tempering his body with stronger lightning and absorbing the lightning he needs," Jong mused.

"Yes, that must be it. I hope he's safe because it's going to be tough," Shen Wei added, still fixated on Jett.

As the fourth strike passed, people grew increasingly concerned about the fifth bolt, as they had surmised that Jett would face it head-on. Just as they anticipated, Jett allowed it to strike him without attempting to absorb it. Some spectators turned away, fear in their eyes. When they saw Jett emerge from the ordeal alive, there was a collective sigh of relief. This time, his back was charred, but it should heal over time. Everyone was grateful that Jett had successfully navigated the tribulation.

Jett swiftly absorbed the sixth lightning bolt. Some individuals began to ascend the hill to congratulate him. Jang-mi was also making her way up with a first aid kit to offer assistance. Just then, Shen Wei noticed something alarming and shouted.

"RETREAT!"

This prompted everyone to dash back down the hill, and Jong pulled Jang-mi away, creating distance. Before Jett could comprehend what was happening, a seventh bolt of lightning descended, striking his shoulder. Jett let out a scream of agony, capturing the attention of everyone around. Many had to avert their gaze, some even cried out in shock. Jang-mi, in particular, let out a scream and began to weep. The flesh on Jett's shoulder had been seared off, revealing the bones beneath.

Jett wore a pained and determined expression as he glanced up, noticing another lightning bolt beginning to form. "Why are there two more bolts? No, it can't just be eight, it must be nine," Jett thought to himself. The eighth bolt soon came down and he had absorbed it. As he continued to contemplate, Jett had a sudden realization, "How foolish of me. I forgot about the one rule in most cultivation worlds. Everything comes in nines. Six can't fit into nine, but three can." Then it dawned on him even further, "Crap, that means my next Tribulation will consist of 18 bolts, not nine."

As the ninth bolt began to form, Jett contemplated a crucial decision, "Should I absorb this final strike or use it to temper my body? Tempering might be lethal, but if I survive, it could offer more benefits than absorption. On the other hand, it would likely leave me bedridden for longer. And would Shen Wei allow me to postpone the test?" After pondering for a few moments, Jett affirmed his choice.

He settled into a cross-legged position and awaited the impending strike. When onlookers realized what he was about to do, fear gripped many of them. They understood that Jett had resolved to face the ninth bolt head-on. Jang-mi urgently called out to him, but Jett, overwhelmed by the ringing in his ears, couldn't hear. As the ninth bolt descended, Jett steeled himself for impact. It struck his back with force, slicing through about four inches depth of flesh. Jett clenched his teeth, determined not to cry out.

Once the ninth bolt had landed, the clouds dissipated. Nobody dared to ascend the hill, only until Jang-mi broke free from her father's grip and rushed over to Jett. By this point, Jett had already lost consciousness due to the excruciating pain. Lifting him gently, they carried him to the main hall and lowered him into a large vat of water. They added a mixture of medicine and herbs, allowing it to soak into his wounds. As time passed, the burnt skin began to heal rapidly, but the deep gashes in his flesh took longer to mend.

After spending a day in the water, Jett stirred awake. Realizing he was submerged in a medicinal bath, he sat cross-legged and promptly started absorbing the healing properties. The deep gash had sealed, but the skin had not completely regenerated. Just then, Shen Wei entered.

"You foolish child, why did you choose to face that final strike? I know you didn't see the seventh one, but you willingly took the ninth, knowing it could cost you your life," Shen Wei bellowed upon seeing Jett awake.

"I understand it was a gamble, but it's for the best. If I had absorbed it, I might not have been prepared for the next tribulation, which is said to have 18 bolts," Jett explained.

"Good that you recognize it. None of us anticipated it would be this intense. You should have only faced a tribulation at the Golden Core level. It's unusual for it to occur so early, especially when you only had three last time," Shen Wei mused, adding more medicine to the water.

"That's what we thought. There's a saying you may have heard," Jett began.

"Oh, and what's that?" Shen Wei inquired.

"It goes like this: everything comes in nines. Six cannot make nine, but three can. So by nature, it should have been nine, following the law of the heavens," Jett explained.

Shen Wei pondered this for a moment. "Indeed, it's typically a concern for the powerful. Due to your unique skills, it seems you already have to consider such matters."

After their conversation, Shen Wei bid Jett farewell. Once Jett had fully healed, he stepped out of the tub, dressed, and left the room. There, he found Shen Wei, Jong, Jang-mi, and Jack waiting for him.

"You're looking much better," Jack observed. Jett nodded in response.

"It's your last day to prepare. We'll depart tomorrow at noon," Jong informed him.

Realizing the time, Jett mentioned that he needed to find a sword. Before anyone could respond, he hurried off to the markets. Along the way, he realized he didn't have enough money for a decent sword. He only had one Spirit Stone left. Upon arriving at the market, he quickly sought odd jobs. After a day of hard work, he had earned enough to purchase a cheap, mediocre sword. He hadn't been able to find enough jobs for a better one.

Returning to Jang-mi's house, he was disheartened. Upon arrival, he spotted Jang-mi waiting for him, even though it was already pitch black outside.

"What are you doing up? If you're still worried about me, don't be. I'm doing fine, I can move around easily," Jett reassured her. He then noticed Jang-mi shake her head, and she retrieved a package from behind her, handing it to him.

"I have something for you," Jang-mi said.

Opening it up, Jett discovered a beautiful sword, adorned with text he couldn't read. Swinging it once, he realized it was a Tier 1 Spirit Sword, something he couldn't have acquired from the market.

"Why are you giving me this?" Jett asked.

"I just want you to have it. I'll never use it, and it should be with you," Jang-mi replied.

"Thanks," Jett said with a grateful smile. As it was already late, Jang-mi headed upstairs to bed. Jett followed suit, wanting to be well-rested for the upcoming day. He removed his weights and lay down, aiming to relax completely.