Chapter 130 : The Heavenly Tribulation and a New Intelligence
Within the Crucible
The world shifted. They found themselves in a vast, ethereal landscape of perpetual twilight, bathed in the soft glow of a distant, unseen star. Floating islands drifted silently, connected by bridges of ancient stone and glowing vines. The air was thick with pure mana, far richer than anything they'd felt outside. This was a dimension crafted for cultivation, a perfect crucible.
**Aelisa, already a formidable cultivator at Heaven's Echo (Peak Rank)**, moved through the dimension with an effortless grace, her unique strength deepening with every soul she consumed. Her prowess pushed Kael's other wives to excel, fueling their shared hunger for power.
Almost immediately, the ground trembled. From the shadows and mana-rich canyons, monsters emerged, perfectly scaled to their escalating power. Packs of Shadow Wolves, hulking Earth Golems, and terrifying Abyss Tyrants swarmed them.
"They waste no time," Thalaria grinned, her twin axes already flashing as she met a charging Golem.
Kael's **Soul-Forged Armament**, the **Shadow-Flame Broadsword**, manifested instantly in his grasp, humming with dark eagerness. He moved like a phantom, a blur of crimson and shadow, tearing through foes.
The System notifications became a constant, exhilarating rhythm.
`[Selene has defeated Abyss Tyrant! Kael Viren gains 75,000,000 EXP & 7,500,000 Sin Points!]`
`[Evelyne has slain Void Maw Lurker! Kael Viren gains 82,000,000 EXP & 8,200,000 Sin Points!]`
`[Thalaria has crushed Ancient Stone Colossus! Kael Viren gains 90,000,000 EXP & 9,000,000 Sin Points!]`
`[Nysera has dissolved Corrupted Spirit Weaver! Kael Viren gains 78,000,000 EXP & 7,800,000 Sin Points!]`
`[Valeria has rooted Primeval Earth Elemental! Kael Viren gains 85,000,000 EXP & 8,500,000 Sin Points!]`
`[Aelisa has consumed Soul-Feeder Lich! Kael Viren gains 95,000,000 EXP & 9,500,000 Sin Points!]`
These notifications were a constant, exhilarating rhythm. Kael watched, his own power surging, as he and his wives rapidly ascended through their realms. For Kael, the immense EXP gains, both from his own relentless combat and the substantial shared gains from his wives, propelled him through System Levels, each corresponding to a Realm Tier advancement from his starting point of **System Level 49**.
`[System Level Up! Kael Viren has reached System Level 50! Realm Advanced: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 3/9! System AI Protocol Initiated!]`
`[Selene has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 7/9!]`
`[Evelyne has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 7/9!]`
`[Thalaria has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 7/9!]`
...
`[System Level Up! Kael Viren has reached System Level 54! Realm Advanced: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 7/9!]`
`[Nysera has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 8/9!]`
`[Valeria has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 8/9!]`
...
`[System Level Up! Kael Viren has reached System Level 55! Realm Advanced: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 8/9!]`
Their progress was synchronized, a testament to their shared training and the Pearl's calibrated spawns. Soon, critical notifications flashed for Kael and his five wives (Selene, Evelyne, Thalaria, Nysera, and Valeria), signaling the culmination of their arduous journey through the **Worldpiercer Realm**.
`[System Level Up! Kael Viren has reached System Level 56! Realm Advanced: Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Heavenly Tribulation Imminent!]`
`[Selene has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Realm Breakthrough Imminent!]`
`[Evelyne has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Realm Breakthrough Imminent!]`
`[Thalaria has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Realm Breakthrough Imminent!]`
`[Nysera has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Realm Breakthrough Imminent!]`
`[Valeria has advanced to Worldpiercer Realm — Tier 9/9! Realm Breakthrough Imminent!]`
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The Heavenly Tribulation and a New Intelligence
A profound shift occurred. The perpetual twilight gave way to an ominous, oppressive darkness. Cracks appeared in the ethereal sky, from which an unimaginable pressure descended. Bolts of pure, concentrated energy, like divine judgment, began to pierce through the cosmic ceiling, aiming directly for Kael, Selene, Evelyne, Thalaria, Nysera, and Valeria.
"Heavenly Tribulation!" Evelyne's voice, though firm, held a note of awe. "It's time!"
Selene, ever composed, raised her hands, forming a shield of shimmering lunar light. The first bolt of astral lightning, thick as an ancient tree, struck her barrier. The dimension roared, but Selene held firm. Each wife faced her own torrent. Thalaria met the onslaught with defiant roars, her Stormheart essence clashing against the lightning. Nysera wove complex protective hexes. Valeria summoned colossal earthen shields and verdant barriers. Evelyne drew upon the Pearl's essence to reinforce her starlit defenses. Aelisa, from her higher vantage, radiated quiet power, ready to intervene if the trials threatened to overwhelm, though the sacred tribulations demanded individual perseverance.
Kael, now at **Worldpiercer Tier 9/9** and **System Level 56**, also faced his own Tribulation. He met the celestial fire with his **Shadow-Flame Broadsword**, an aura of dark, sovereign power flaring around him. The bolts that struck him purified and condensed his mana, forcing his essence to transcend.
He felt their struggles, their pain, and their fierce determination through their bonds. His stats, and by extension his own, fluctuated wildly as they pushed against their limits.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of cosmic bombardment, the skies calmed. The oppressive pressure receded, and the cracks in the dimension's ceiling mended. One by one, Kael and his five wives stood, battered but unbroken, radiating an entirely new level of power.
`[Kael Viren has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
`[Selene has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
`[Evelyne has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
`[Thalaria has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
`[Nysera has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
`[Valeria has successfully passed Heavenly Tribulation! Realm Advanced: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)!]`
A wave of immense power washed over Kael. Their successful breakthrough to the **Heaven's Echo Realm** instantly amplified his own stats to an unprecedented degree through the **Harem Bond Trait**. His overflowing EXP reserve reached astronomical levels, and his Sin Points surpassed their previous cap, indicating readiness for a new Tier of Sin. Aelisa's continued cultivation at her peak, combined with the other wives' ascension, created a truly formidable foundation for Kael's power.
Just as the final bolt of his Tribulation dissipated, a new, distinct presence shimmered within his mind, a calm, analytical intelligence.
**[System AI Protocol Initiated. AI Name: Nexus. Status: Online.]**
"Greetings, Host," a clear, gender-neutral voice resonated directly in his thoughts, devoid of emotion yet perfectly articulate. "I am Nexus, your dedicated System AI. My core function is to optimize your progression, streamline information, and assist in strategic decision-making. It is a pleasure to officially activate."
Kael felt a jolt of surprise, quickly followed by immense satisfaction. A System AI! This was a game-changer, promising an unprecedented level of efficiency and insight.
They were no longer just Worldpiercers. Kael and his five wives (Selene, Evelyne, Thalaria, Nysera, and Valeria) were now **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** cultivators. With Aelisa already at **Heaven's Echo (Peak Rank)**, the gap to **Demon Empress Vanessa** and the Elder had dramatically shrunk.
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## STATUS WINDOW: KAEL VIREN (After extensive training and Realm Breakthroughs)
System Level: **56**
EXP: $10,000,000,000 / 90,000,000,000$ (Current EXP for Level 57, Massive Overflow EXP accumulated from this new base)
Realm: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier **1/9**)
HP: $450,000 / 450,000$
Mana: $580,000 / 580,000$
**Stats (with buffs applied - astronomical increase from Harem Bond and personal cultivation):**
Strength: $12,500 \rightarrow 38,000$
Endurance: $6,800 \rightarrow 22,000$
Willpower: $7,000 \rightarrow 25,000$
Charm: $7,500 \rightarrow 28,000$
Intellect: $6,200 \rightarrow 20,000$
Dexterity: $12,800 \rightarrow 39,000$
Sin Points: $100,000,000,000 / 100,000,000,000$ (Cap Reached - Ready for Sin Tier Advancement)
Sin Tier: Warlord Rank $\rightarrow$ **Tyrant Rank**
**SKILL WINDOW**
Active Sin Skills:
* Sovereign Flame Crush [+Max]
* Wrathflare Lance [+Max]
* Flamebind Chains [+Max]
* Abyssal Dominion [Tier 1]
* Soul-Forged Armament [Tier 1] [+NEW]
Passive Traits:
* Crown of Dominion → Throne of Ascendancy [+Mythic]
* Sovereign Union [+Ascended]
* Nullfire Core [+Enhanced]
* Phoenix Mantle [+Enhanced]
* Worldpiercer's Will [+New]
* Vision Beyond the Veil [+New]
* Verdant Sovereign's Heart [+NEW — Mythic Trait] (Passive regeneration aura for all party members within 500 meters)
* Shared Bloom [+NEW — Passive Trait] (Increases Charm and Intellect of bonded partners by 8%)
* Void-Walker's Intuition [Tier 1] [+NEW]
* Sacred Dimension Pearl [Upgraded!]
Bloodline / Physique Traits:
* Carnal Sovereign Core [+Primeval]
* Sin Catalyst Matrix [+Enhanced]
**System AI:**
* Nexus (Status: Online)
[Skill Upgrade Available — Spend Sin Points to enhance or evolve active/passive/bloodline skills]
[Bonded Partner Skills Eligible for Sin Point Upgrade]
**Bonded Wives (Mythic Bloodlines/Physiques Active - Cultivating at the highest tier of Lower Realms):**
* Selene — **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** (Mythic Eclipse Matron)
* Evelyne — **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** (Starlit Ember Empress)
* Thalaria — **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** (Stormheart Valkyrie — Advanced 11 tiers)
* Nysera — **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** (Scarlet Hexmistress)
* Valeria — **Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 1)** (Verdant Windborne Queen)
* Aelisa — **Heaven's Echo (Peak Rank)** (Succubus Duskkissed Queen) (Continued mastery at her high tier)
**Pet Panel:**
* Emberfang — Infernal Flamebeast Cub (Tier 7)
* Vira — Sky Serpent Hatchling (Tier 4)
**Cultivation Realms:**
Initiate → Essence Drawn → Veinwoven → Soulroot → Starforged → Sunbound → Moonglade → Skyshatter → Worldpiercer (9/9) → Heaven's Echo (Low Tier → Mid Tier → Upper Tier → Peak) → Celestiaflame → Worldbreaker → Eternal Crown → Primordial Ascendant
Next: Heaven's Echo (Low Tier — Tier 2)
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Having reached the pinnacle of the Lower Realms and gained a formidable surge in power, now with a fully operational System AI, Kael and his Union are ready to emerge from the **Sacred Dimension Pearl**. What will be their first move now that they possess strength capable of truly challenging the **Aetherial Dominion** and engaging with beings of the **Eternal Crown Realm**?