Encountering the First Hurdle

Gilgamesh had no idea how much time had passed before he opened his eyes and ended his period of cultivation. He had pushed himself all the way to what the book told him was the height of refinement for the first meridian, yet he felt as though he could push it even further.

Even so, he did not want to overdo it and cause himself harm instead. After all, he was perhaps the most inexperienced person in the entire sect.

When he saw Little Feather next to him, he was taken aback before smiling with a chuckle. He eased off of the bed, grabbed one of the outfits he had gotten from Pacifist Guardian, and went off to the bath.

When Gilgamesh came out of the bath, feeling refreshed, he took some time to walk around his abode. As he did so, he slowly circulated his energy to refine his body, counting the cycles as he went along.

If the Condensation Manual was right, then after the eight cycle he should feel his true energy rushing toward the second meridian he needed to refine in order to go progress further.

While he walked, he admired the ancient feel of the abode, as well at the mountains he could see over the walls. The backyard was quite magnificent as well, with tiny artificial mountains and bonsai trees, as well as a tiny stream of running water.

There was even a little pavilion in the backyard, so he decided to go there to sit.

Once he got there, he had just started the eight cycle. Once it was completed, however, he furrowed his brows as his mouth fell open slowly.

After the eight cycle was completed, Gilgamesh could clearly feel that his true energy was about to begin a ninth cycle for some reason, but he instantly felt himself beginning to run out of energy, so he stopped.

"There was nothing in the book about a ninth cycle... What do I do?"

When he thought about it, Gilgamesh decided to inspect the first meridian with his spiritual sense. He saw what looked like a small web of veins all connected to a larger vein, and could see that it was glowing with true energy.

However, as he inspected it closely, he got the instinctive feeling that it had yet to reach the threshold. Swallowing a large amount of saliva, Gilgamesh said, "Fuck it," and decided to continue cultivating.

He would use the Energy Gathering Method to replenish his reserves, then expend all of his true energy in the attempt to get his first meridian to the height of its throughput capacity.

The amount of true energy in his sea of energy steadily grow with time; the more he refined his meridian, the more true energy he was able to circulate in his body. Though he did not try to refine his body again, he knew that he had enough for nine cycles and then some.

Gilgamesh kept at it, without tiring. The fatigue would creep up on him, but it would then be quelled by his use of the energy gathering method, allowing him to return to something of a peak state by the end.

He continued to push himself, and his true energy reserves continued to grow and grow. Before long, his sea of energy had upgraded from a tiny spring to a tiny pond, and that pond was slowly getting larger.

Gilgamesh was uncertain of whether or not continuing this way would harm him, but as long as he did not feel any discomfort, he thought it would be fine.

This was his "expert" opinion.

After an hour of cultivating, Gilgamesh deduced that he had enough energy for fifteen cycles.

After another hour, he felt as though he had enough energy for twenty cycles.

After the third hour, it was thirty cycles.

After the fourth, it was forty-one cycles... and after the sixth hour, it was seventy cycles.

Finally, he felt his first meridian exude an intense pressure, and he knew that he had arrived at the upper limit.

At first, Gilgamesh felt as though it would go on forever, but when he had gotten around to having enough energy for sixty cycles, he felt his first signs of strain coming from the meridian. Once he felt that he could go on no more, he felt both relieved and disappointed, but glad nonetheless.

Now he could attempt to feel the second meridian.

Not wasting any time, he started to refine his body by circulating energy through the first meridian and then to the rest of his body. Other than the area where the first meridian was located, the rate of circulation was quite slow, and a lot of the potency of the true energy was not absorbed by his body.

Even so, a decent amount of that potency was still able to refine his body, and it was slowly bringing about a change in him.

It took him a while before his substantial reserve of true energy was depleted, and as he finished the seventieth cycle he bit down on his lip, becoming anxious.

Fortunately, the instant the seventieth cycle was finished, the final wisps of his true energy rushed toward the location of the second meridian, and tears of joy formed in Gilgamesh's eyes.

"Finally! I finally did it!"

Gilgamesh was understandably ecstatic, and he initiated the energy gathering method to replenish his true energy before attempting to refine the second meridian.

"Hm? What did you do Big Brother?" Little Feather came out from the house, rubbing her eyes.

When Gilgamesh turned to look at her, he was shocked to see her back in her servant clothes, looking as though she was ready to go back to work.

"Little Feather, did you sleep well?"

The young girl nodded as she sat in the pavilion next to Gilgamesh and gave him a hug as she yawned, "Good morning Big Brother. Did you cultivate all night again?"

"I did. Wait, what do you mean 'again?' Have I done this before?"

Little Feather nodded tiredly, "Mhm. You used to do it all the time. You must not remember."

Gilgamesh nodded as he looked up at the sky, and then he paused, "It's still nighttime isn't it. Why did you say good morning?"

Little Feather yawned again and stood up, "The sky never changes in the Ancient Forest Nation, Big Brother. That's 'cause the trees require constant moonlight for their survival, so the Forest Master made it so that it would always look like this here."

Gilgamesh was astonished, "Just who is this Forest Master?"

Little Feather was already walking off when he asked this, and she waved, "Heh, heh! Big Brother Gilgamesh, you ask as much questions as I did back then, so I'll tell you what you used to tell me: If you're destined to find out, then I'm sure you will."

"Now I gotta go to work, Miss Nightshade said she would come by to see you later, and Outer Disciple Law is returning from a sect mission tomorrow morning, so I'm sure he'll come see you when he gets the news. Bye!"

Gilgamesh had no idea who these people were, but he smiled and nodded anyway, "Okay, thanks for the heads up! See you later, Little Feather!"

Once she was gone, Gilgamesh stood up for the first time in a while and felt his joints pop. He stretched a bit then went inside to search for something to eat, but found that Little Feather had actually left something for him, wrapped in cloth in the kitchen.

After having breakfast, Gilgamesh decided not to waste time and settled down in his bedroom to try to refine the second meridian.

He had a full reserve of true energy, and one fully refined meridian, so he was confident that he could pull it off.

He took a second to glance at the Condensation Manual before taking a breath and beginning the process.

As soon as he did so, the hairs on his neck stood on end, he broke out into a cold sweat, his heart started racing and a sense of impending doom overcame him.

Out of pure instinct, Gilgamesh's eyes turned to look at the ceiling, and he quickly ran to the window to look at the sky, where he saw a sight that made him gasp.

Though they were barely noticeable, there were faint traces of storm clouds receding in the sky and, by the look of them, they were going to become tribulation clouds.

If he had not stopped when he did, he would have initiated another tribulation.

Petrified, Gilgamesh ran over to the bed to look at the Condensation Manual.

"Just as I thought. Where the fuck does it say that I have to face a tribulation for this!?"

Feeling as though he was facing injustice, Gilgamesh paced in his room for a while as he fell into thought, occasionally spewing curses and angry remarks toward the heavens.

As he did so, he heard a loud knock coming from the front.

"Gilgamesh? It's me, Hunter Guardian. I'm coming in."

By the time Gilgamesh opened the front door of his home, he saw Hunter Guardian standing in the courtyard, looking at him with a strange expression. "I take it you know why I'm here?"

Gilgamesh nodded furiously, looking every bit pissed.

"What the fuck!?"

After venting some of his rage, Gilgamesh explained exactly what had happened, excluding the details of his seventy cycles. It made no sense to try to deny it, since Hunter Guardian- and likely the others- had sensed the potential formation of a tribulation.

What made it even more obvious was the fact that the fluctuations came from the sky just over Gilgamesh's abode.

Hunter Guardian was at a loss and shook his head. "There are people like my master who must face a tribulation with each advancement in their realm, but that shouldn't happen unless your cultivation base is incredibly profound. I really can't understand why this is happening to you."

Though Gilgamesh was raging, he had a good idea of why this was happening to him. His eyes surveyed the sky above as he thought back to the image of the four Divine Ones gathered before him, and the words they had spoken to him before departing.

He gave an exasperated sigh before his signature smirk reappeared. When Hunter Guardian saw that smirk, he could not help smirking himself.

"It's only my second day back, but oh well. I guess I'll just have to face down another heavenly tribulation."

Hunter Guardian chuckled, "Do you mind if the others Guardians and I come watch you?"

Hearing this, Gilgamesh folded his arms behind him and started walking out of the courtyard, "I don't care if the entire sect wants to come watch me. It might do them some good to see how to properly stand against the heavens."

"Heh!"

Hearing Gilgamesh's choice of words, Hunter Guardian's eyes narrowed and he seemed to regard Gilgamesh in a new kind of light. There was a hint of assessment in his gaze, but he soon returned to normal and followed Gilgamesh to the Forest-Gate.