Daoist Shen Mu sat upon the summit of Azure Peak, cross-legged, calm yet trembling within.
Around him, oceans of golden light swirled — the accumulated merit of his conquests.
Within his dantian, the Golden Core cracked like an egg, leaking radiant energy.
> "At last… after three centuries… the Nascent Soul Realm!"
He roared, and the sky answered.
The heavens were silent for a heartbeat.
Then the world screamed.
Above the Azure Sky Sect, clouds twisted into spirals of abyssal darkness, streaked with violet lightning that didn't belong to this world.
It was not Heaven's wrath — it was the Void's gaze.
Every living creature felt it — a cold, endless awareness pressing down upon them.
Even the mountains trembled, their roots whispering in ancient fear.
A massive vortex tore open above the world — a rift that pierced into the Void.
From it, tendrils of shadow and lightning spilled out, twisting into colossal storm clouds.
Then came the first strike.
Not mere lightning — it was void energy, condensed into a beam of annihilation.
It crashed down upon Shen Mu, erasing half of Azure Peak in an instant.
Every cultivator watching fell to their knees.
Their senses could not comprehend the energy before them.
Arin, watching from the unseen realm of the System, froze.
He recognized that frequency.
> "That's not heaven's power... it's the Void."
His world — his creation — was being observed by the cosmic nothingness that existed beyond all dimensions.
---
As the tribulation deepened, a strange phenomenon occurred.
The flow of energy within the world accelerated.
Mana veins pulsed faster, the skies shimmered brighter, spiritual density doubled.
Even the weakest life forms subconsciously absorbed more essence.
> "The world itself is feeding on the Void's output…" Arin realized, eyes wide.
"The tribulation... it's not just a test. It's nourishment."
He watched as every bolt that fell didn't just punish Shen Mu — it enriched the world, strengthening its spiritual ecosystem.
Each impact increased the planet's synchronization with the Void, allowing it to absorb energy more efficiently.
What looked like destruction was, in truth, evolution.
-----
The second, third, and fourth strikes fell in relentless succession.
Each time, Shen Mu's golden defenses shattered, his body torn apart and reformed under impossible pressure.
Yet with every hit, his aura grew more refined.
His soul burned brighter.
> "So… this is the test of the Void," he murmured, half in awe, half in agony.
"To rise beyond mortal limits… we must survive the gaze of nothingness itself."
Blood streamed from his eyes and mouth, but he refused to kneel.
The fifth bolt came — a spiraling torrent of violet flame that threatened to erase him completely.
In that instant, Shen Mu burned his life force and cried out,
> "If the Void wishes to test me, then let me answer in kind!"
His entire being erupted into a storm of golden light, fusing body, soul, and will into one.
The final strike came.
It was silent.
The world dimmed — not from light being swallowed, but from existence being thinned.
For one heartbeat, everything — mountains, wind, sound — vanished into nothingness.
Then the light returned.
Floating above the shattered peak was Shen Mu, reborn.
His flesh glowed faintly, his veins carried starlight, and within his chest floated a miniature version of himself — his Nascent Soul.
Around him, space rippled as the Void's rift slowly sealed, leaving only silence behind.
----
Arin exhaled
He looked toward Shen Mu, whose aura now resonated subtly with the Void itself — half mortal, half cosmic.
> "Congratulations, Shen Mu," Arin whispered.
Arin also got detailed knowledge about tribulation and its benefits.
Everyone and everything except worlds will face tribulation while crossing certain thresholds. Passing the tribulation heals all injuries of cultivator and increases hos potential and talent.
As for world, the first being crossing each tribulation will permanently increase the speed of void energy absorption subsequent ones of same threshold only temporarily increases it.
Also that creatures of his world upto dantain opening realm are considered tier-0 lifeform.
Creatures of foundation and golden core realm are considered tier-1 lifeforms.
Nascent Soul Realm is tier 2.
As for weather truth realm are tier 3 or are also included in tier 2, he will only know when someone crosses that threshold
----
After breaking through and stabilizing his realm Shen Mu wanted to go and wipe out his enemies before they can become nascent soul realm and he want to rule this world. But then he stopped.
He remembered another law that came with merit. Law of Karma.
If he really slaughtered his past enemies, he will get massive amount of Karma.
After knowing power of Merit which let him breakthrough he feared karma more.
So he didn't dare to slaughter them until they come to his doorstep
He then went to sect hall and called sect eders.
"Everone the dungeons that appeared are best resources one can get"
"Inside it there are monsters killing which grants merit"
"Dungeons can't be destroyed permanently and monsters will regenerate overtime"
"There is a peak foundation realm monster in minor dungeons and peak golden core realm in major dungeon"
"I want all of you and core sect disciples to take turn and acquire merit points"
"Also keep yourself and disciples in check least someone cause sect to incure Karma"
----