Far above, in the cloudy skies near the Silent Lotus temple, the Saintess watched quietly. Her eyes softened with a rare smile.
"As expected of you," she murmured, her voice almost tender. "Even before the wrath of the heavens, you find time to train. You never slack."
Her words were carried away by the wind, unheard by anyone but herself.
Back within the tribulation, Lin Mu's grin widened.
He could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of the heavens bearing down. But he also felt exhilaration. Each wave that struck him refined his understanding of flow, force, and balance. Each dodge honed his mastery of the Cloud Dragon Stride.
"This tribulation…" he thought, weaving through yet another collapsing tsunami, "…isn't just a test. It's a gift."
The ocean above raged louder, preparing its next escalation. Lightning crackled within the clouds, flashes of silver illuminating the endless waters. The tribulation was far from over.
And Lin Mu welcomed it.
