It was the day of Yi Jue's ascension—the most anticipated event the Golden Sky Sect had witnessed in decades. From every peak and pavilion, disciples and elders gathered in droves, whispering in awe. Today, their proudest disciple, Yi Jue, would attempt to break through from Peak Core Formation to Early Nascent Soul.
He was the youngest to ever reach Core Formation in sect history, and the most talented among his generation. The strongest in the Golden Sky Sect, unmatched among his peers.
But even his strength paled in comparison to the man standing silently behind him—his master, Shen Tianlei. A late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, Shen Tianlei was a living legend, one of the few cultivators in the entire land of Praxia to touch that lofty realm. His cold gaze was locked on Yi Jue, unreadable.
By Shen Tianlei's side stood Wei Lianfeng, Yi Jue's sworn brother and lifelong friend, arms folded and jaw tense with concern. Not far behind, wrapped in soft blue silks and with worry clouding her eyes, was Lan Meiyu, Yi Jue's lover.
Yi Jue stepped onto the Ascension Altar, the sky still bright and calm. His long golden hair drifted in the wind, his broad shoulders straight with pride, and his piercing blue eyes closed as he sat and began to meditate. Golden qi slowly spiraled around him, growing thicker with each breath as he prepared to confront the heavenly tribulation.
Time passed in heavy silence.
Then the sky darkened.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. A vast cloud, black as obsidian, began to swirl overhead. The air grew oppressive, thick with celestial might. Lightning crackled within the clouds, and the very ground trembled beneath the weight of Heaven's judgment.
Yi Jue opened his eyes. They glowed faintly with golden light.
He stood and raised his arms, layering barrier upon barrier of golden qi around himself. Dozens of defensive formations rotated and clicked into place, glowing with intricate runes of protection.
And then the first bolt came.
A golden spear of lightning, seething with divine qi, shot down from the heavens. It pierced through the clouds with a roar and crashed into Yi Jue's first barrier.
It shattered instantly.
Then the next, and the next.
The lightning tore through every defense as though they were made of paper. It struck Yi Jue directly on the crown of his head. His body convulsed violently, muscles seizing, his mouth opening in a silent scream as divine lightning coursed through every meridian, every vein.
He collapsed to his knees, his hands clawing at the stone beneath him.
His soul trembled. His dantian cracked.
The clouds rumbled one final time… and faded. The sky cleared. Silence returned.
Yi Jue lay still.
Shen Tianlei was the first to move, appearing at Yi Jue's side in an instant. He placed a hand over his disciple's chest and sent a thread of qi into his body. He frowned.
Yi Jue was alive. Barely.
But his cultivation…
His dantian was damaged, a deep fracture spreading like a spiderweb, leaking qi with every passing second. And worse—his cultivation had plummeted all the way to early Foundation Establishment. His meridians were scorched, his foundation in ruins.
The master rose slowly, his expression unreadable—but his voice was sharp as a blade.
"Yi Jue has failed his tribulation. His cultivation is broken, his core destroyed. From this day forward… he is no longer a disciple of the Golden Sky Sect."The crowd erupted into hushed murmurs. Some in disbelief. Others in cruel satisfaction.
Wei Lianfeng stepped forward, eyes filled with anger and pain. He stared down at his fallen brother and clenched his fists.
"I thought you'd rise above us all… I thought we'd rise together. But I can't walk this path with someone who's fallen so far behind."
He dropped his sword at Yi Jue's side and turned away without another word.
Lan Meiyu approached last. She knelt beside him, her hand trembling as she touched his scorched cheek.
"I loved you, Yi Jue. But not like this… not when you're no longer the man I believed in."
Tears slipped down her face, but she didn't try to stop them. She leaned down, pressed a final kiss to his forehead, and stood.
Yi Jue, once the Golden Sky Sect's brightest star, was now alone.