Heavenly Tribulation

The electricity within the sky crackled, converging at the center of the black mass. Suddenly, an unnatural silence descended. Then, with a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning several feet wide shot straight down from the center of the black clouds towards Bai Yu. Its power seemed to hold the will to rend the heavens and earth asunder.

Bai Yu watched, unblinking, as the terrifying bolt descended. He felt a destructive will emanating from it, a primal force seeking to annihilate. With a roar that echoed through the clearing, he raised his sword and slashed it in defense against the oncoming onslaught.BOOM! The impact sent shockwaves through the earth, causing rocks to crumble and dirt to fly in every direction.

The stench of ozone filled the air as Bai Yu coughed up three mouthfuls of blood. He could smell his own flesh searing, his body a charred canvas of pain.BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Consecutive lightning bolts followed, each one fiercer than the last. Bai Yu vomited again, his vision blurring at the edges. His body, pushed to its absolute limit, felt like it was on fire.

As the ninth bolt of lightning descended, the clouds parted, revealing the sun's golden glow. The heavenly tribulation was over. Bai Yu lay sprawled in a pit, his body charred and blood leaking from his lips. His bones were fractured, his muscles torn. He couldn't move an inch.

As the last wisps of clouds dissipated, a majestic aura erupted from Bai Yu. His old, battered skin flaked away, revealing smooth, pale skin beneath. His broken bones mended themselves at a visible rate, the torn muscles knitting back together. After thirty minutes, he was fully healed. The aura emanating from him pulsed with newfound power – the undeniable mark of the Bone Forging Realm.

"Thanks to the tribulation, my entire body is far stronger than before," Bai Yu thought, marveling at his revitalized form. "A benefit normal cultivators wouldn't get." He noticed he'd grown a few centimeters taller – another unexpected consequence of the ordeal."First, let's get back to the Sect," he thought, grimacing as he surveyed the charred pit