The gray space hung like solidified amber. Chaos Qi had ceased its flow; time itself seemed to have lost all meaning.

  Lin Chen sat cross-legged beside the massive corpse of the Thunder?horned Rhino, cradling a fist?sized purple core in his palm. Fine arcs of electricity danced across its surface like living creatures, each flash releasing a burst of pure thunder?attribute source spirit qi. The surrounding Chaos Qi, stirred by this thunderous power, swirled into a visible gray?purple vortex that turned slowly around him.

  With Stellar Eye turned inward, he observed the turbid Chaos Star Vortex in his dantian—it trembled violently.

  Not with fear, but with … hunger.

  Of the nine attributes of source spirit qi, only thunder was missing. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—the five elements—together with Wind, Light and Darkness were all present. This single thunder attribute was the key to achieving nine?attribute balance, the threshold that would allow the Chaos Stellar Body to step into true “minor completion.”

  But refining a thunder?attribute core was perilous in the extreme.

  Thunder was the most yang, the most rigid force in heaven and earth—wild, violent, unforgiving. The slightest misstep could shatter meridians, or even … annihilate soul and spirit alike.

  And he was still wounded. Forcing the refinement now was like dancing on the edge of a blade.

  “No time left …”

  Lin Chen’s murmur was swallowed by the gray mist.

  Shi Meng’s aura was drawing nearer—at most an incense?stick’s time away. But close behind it came three chilling, evil presences—Netherworld Palace pursuers, at least two of them at the Spiritual Light Realm!

  In his current state, facing Spiritual Light Realm cultivators meant certain death.

  His only hope was … to refine the core and break through before the hunters arrived!

  Even if the chance was slim, he had to gamble.

  “Father, watch over me …”

  Lin Chen closed his eyes. The blurred image of Lin Xiaotian flashed through his mind. Now he finally understood the look of utter gravity in his father’s eyes ten years ago, when he had hurried away—the last protection a Star?pattern Bearer could offer his kin while being hunted by his own kind.

  He could not disappoint his father again.

  He must … survive!

  With that resolve, the Chaos Star Vortex abruptly accelerated its spin!

  Nine?attribute source spirit qi surged through his meridians like nine roaring dragons, gathering at last in his palms. Starlight condensed there into two intricate symbols—the “Star?refining Formula” recorded in the Chaos Stellar Scripture, crafted specifically for refining demon?beast cores.

  “Refine!”

  Lin Chen’s shout cut through the stillness. He brought his hands together!

  The symbols erupted in a blaze of silver light, wrapping the thunder?glowing core in a cocoon of stellar radiance.

  The core shuddered as if sensing the threat. Arcs leapt wildly from its surface, transforming into purple thunder?snakes that slammed frantically against the star?radiant seals. Each impact thundered through the gray space, shaking the very air!

  Chaos Qi churned into turbulent, chaotic flows.

  Lin Chen’s body convulsed. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

  But his teeth were clenched, his hands like iron vices—not the slightest loosening!

  The Star?refining Formula operated at full power.

  Like millstones, the stellar symbols ground against the core’s surface, slowly crushing its thunder defenses, penetrating inward to draw out the most essential thunder?attribute essence.

  The first wisp of thunder?attribute source spirit qi peeled free.

  A slender thread of purple lightning, yet it held heaven?destroying, earth?shattering force. The moment it left the core it struggled wildly, desperate to escape.

  Lin Chen would never let it go.

  “Enter … me!”

  He opened his mouth and inhaled sharply.

  The purple lightning thread shot down his throat, plummeting straight into his dantian!

  BOOM—!!!

  Like a volcanic eruption!

  Thunder power exploded inside his dantian, clashing violently with the Chaos Star Vortex!

  The delicate balance of the nine attributes shattered. Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Light, Darkness—nine utterly different energies fought, collided, devoured each other! His dantian became a battlefield; every conflict brought heart?tearing, gut?wrenching agony.

  Lin Chen’s face turned deathly pale. Cold sweat poured from him like a storm, soaking his robes.

  But he clung to clarity in his spiritual platform, driving the “Star?fusion Chapter” of the Chaos Stellar Scripture with desperate will—guiding the nine attributes to merge.

  This was a contest of spirit.

  The slightest slip meant death, the dissipation of dao.

  Time flowed, breath by breath.

  Thread after thread of thunder?attribute essence was drawn from the core and injected into his dantian.

  Lin Chen could feel the “personality” of each attribute.

  Metal’s sharpness. Wood’s vitality. Water’s suppleness. Fire’s violence. Earth’s heaviness. Wind’s swiftness. Light’s purity. Darkness’s devouring.

  And thunder … supremely yang, supremely rigid, domineering beyond compare!

  The moment it entered his dantian it tried to suppress the other eight, to reign alone.

  Metal, provoked, turned into countless sword?gleams to meet the thunder head?on!

  Wood became vines seeking to bind the lightning.

  Water whirled into vortices, trying to overcome rigidity with softness.

  Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

  Fire blazed into raging flames, blasting against the thunder.

  Earth raised barriers, blocking the impacts.

  Wind darted and weaved, hunting for weaknesses.

  Light purified taint; Darkness devoured energy.

  Nine energies in chaotic war. Each collision pushed his meridians to the brink of collapse.

  Yet Lin Chen did not retreat. Instead he guided their fusion with even stronger will.

  “Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal …”

  The five elements’ mutual generation, an endless cycle.

  “Wind fuels Fire’s momentum; Thunder borrows Wind’s power; Light and Darkness complement each other …”

  Different attributes working in harmony.

  Gradually the nine energies ceased fighting. They began to move according to a profound, inherent pattern.

  Metal’s sharpness gave Thunder a carrier.

  Wood’s vitality repaired lightning?caused damage.

  Water’s suppleness softened thunder’s violence.

  Fire’s intensity resonated with the thunder.

  Earth’s heaviness stabilized the energy core.

  Wind’s swiftness hastened the fusion.

  Light’s purity refined the thunder essence.

  Darkness’s devouring absorbed excess power.

  Nine?colored radiance flowed within the Chaos Star Vortex.

  At first each hue was distinct, but with time the boundaries blurred.

  Gold interwove with purple; green merged with blue; red glowed beside yellow; azure harmonized with white. Black threaded through it all, a bond connecting everything.

  The gray, turbid vortex began to show … a ninth color.

  Purple.

  The hue of thunder.

  At first just a faint wisp, like the first glow of dawn.

  As thunder?attribute essence poured in, the purple grew richer, until it stood equal with the other eight.

  Nine colors flowing, mutually generating and restraining, yet harmoniously unified.

  The Chaos Star Vortex … had finally achieved nine?attribute balance!

  Hum—!!!

  Inside his dantian, the gray vortex transformed completely.

  Gold, green, blue, red, yellow, azure, purple, white, black—nine?colored light flickered in turn. Each rotation released vast, ocean?like stellar power.

  Lin Chen could feel it clearly—his strength was now at least ten times greater than before!

  But at that moment, change struck again.

  Above the gray space, the calm Chaos Qi suddenly churned violently!

  Streaks of purple lightning began weaving through the mist, swimming like thunder?dragons, radiating heaven?destroying, earth?shattering force.

  The whole space trembled.

  “Stellar tribulation?!”

  Lin Chen’s pupils constricted.

  He had never imagined that refining the thunder?attribute core would trigger the legendary “stellar tribulation”!

  This was the trial of heavenly laws against cultivators who defied the heavens. Only those with heaven?defying talent, whose breakthrough stirred celestial phenomena, would face it. Pass, and strength would soar; fail, and turn to dust.

  And what descended now was … thunder tribulation!

  The first bolt struck without warning!

  Thick as a bucket, the purple lightning tore through the gray mist, aimed straight at Lin Chen!

  Even before it arrived, terrifying pressure solidified the surrounding space.

  Every hair on Lin Chen’s body stood on end. The shadow of death enveloped his heart.

  Yet in his eyes flashed a wild light.

  “Just in time!”

  He had been worried that his physical body was not strong enough to withstand the power surge after nine?attribute fusion.

  This thunder tribulation was perfect for … body?tempering!

  “Stellar Body Refinement Technique … activate!”

  Lin Chen ceased all suppression. Instead he opened his defenses wide, letting the purple lightning strike him directly!

  KABOOM—!!!

  Thunder exploded!

  Lin Chen’s body was instantly engulfed in purple electricity. Every inch of skin, every bone, every meridian was scoured by the raging thunder?force!

  Skin tore, flesh split. Bones shattered. Meridians snapped!

  Agony surged in waves, nearly blasting his consciousness away.

  But he bit his tongue tip stubbornly; blood flowed from his lips, mingling with the smell of scorched lightning.

  The Stellar Body Refinement Technique whirled frantically.

  His shattered body began … to be reborn under the tempering of thunder power.

  New bones gleamed with faint silver radiance, hard as spirit artifacts.

  New meridians widened threefold, incredibly supple, able to endure more violent energy impacts.

  New skin bore fine stellar patterns on its surface—defensive power skyrocketing.

  Even … the Star Pattern on his forehead grew more solid, more dazzling under the tribulation’s baptism.

  First thunder tribulation—endured!

  But the Chaos Qi above churned even more fiercely.

  A second bolt followed at once!

  This lightning was twice as thick as the first!

  Within the purple thunder?gleam appeared faint golden patterns—the “Gengjin Divine Thunder,” bearing metal?attribute sharpness, made to break physical defenses!

  Lin Chen’s eyes turned solemn.

  Yet he did not retreat. Instead he shot upward, meeting the strike head?on!

  “Starfall Fist · Meteor Descent!”

  His right fist gathered nine?colored stellar radiance and smashed boldly into the thunder!

  Fist and lightning collided with a deafening roar!

  Most of the thunder blasted apart, but the golden patterns left deep, bone?revealing gashes on his fist like sharp blades.

  Blood streamed; white bone showed.

  Lin Chen paid no heed. His left fist struck again!

  “Starfall Fist · Comet Assault!”

  The third thunder tribulation was punched to smithereens!

  Fourth bolt: “Yimu Divine Thunder,” holding wood?attribute vitality. But excessive vitality would only hasten physical collapse.

  Lin Chen used water?attribute stellar radiance to dissolve it, while guiding the wood?attribute vitality to heal his injuries.

  Fifth: “Guishui Divine Thunder,” supremely yin and soft, specialized in attacking the soul.

  The Star Pattern on his forehead erupted in dazzling silver light, directly resisting the soul?impact.

  Sixth: “Lihuo Divine Thunder,” blazing and violent.

  Lin Chen raised barriers with earth?attribute stellar radiance, while using metal?attribute radiance to guide the thunder—turning the opponent’s force against itself.

  Seventh: “Wutu Divine Thunder,” heavy as a mountain.

  Lin Chen was struck to the ground, smashing a deep crater; seventy percent of his bones broke.

  But he struggled to his feet. The fighting spirit in his eyes burned fiercer than ever!

  Because … he could feel his physical body undergoing a qualitative change!

  Every thunder?tribulation baptism pushed the Stellar Body Refinement Technique through another limit.

  A realm that would normally demand years of bitter cultivation was crossed in mere dozens of breaths under the furious tempering of thunder tribulation.

  At last the eighth thunder tribulation descended.

  This bolt was no longer a single attribute.

  It was … nine?colored divine thunder!

  Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Light, Darkness—nine attributes of thunder interwoven, forming a nine?colored thunder?dragon that opened its massive jaws, seeking to devour Lin Chen whole!

  This strike’s power matched a full?force attack from the Spiritual Light Realm · Moon Radiance Stage!

  A hopeless situation!

  Yet in Lin Chen’s eyes shone a radiance never seen before.

  “Now!”

  He gave up all defense. Instead he spread his arms and let the nine?colored thunder?dragon swallow him!

  BOOM—!!!

  Nine?colored thunder?light exploded, illuminating the entire gray space like daylight.

  Lin Chen’s body began to disintegrate bit by bit within the lightning.

  Skin turned to ash. Bones shattered inch by inch. Meridians snapped completely.

  Even the Chaos Star Vortex in his dantian began to crack.

  Death stood right before him.

  But Lin Chen’s spiritual platform was clearer than ever.

  His mind flashed back to his father Lin Xiaotian’s teaching from years past:

  “Chen’er, remember—the core of the Chaos Stellar Body is not power, but … balance.”

  “Nine attributes mutually generating and restraining, yin and yang flowing … that is Chaos.”

  “When you truly comprehend the Dao of balance, you can … be reborn through nirvana!”

  Nirvana … rebirth!

  Silver light erupted from Lin Chen’s eyes!

  His disintegrating body suddenly halted.

  Then shattered bones began to reassemble. Broken meridians reconnected. Scattered skin regrew.

  The nine?colored thunder light no longer destroyed. Instead it became the most fundamental nourishment, bathing his physical form.

  Inside his dantian, the cracked Chaos Star Vortex spun frantically.

  Each rotation absorbed vast thunder power.

  The cracks were repaired.

  The Star Vortex grew more solid, more dazzling.

  Even … its volume doubled!

  Nine?colored radiance flowed like a miniature universe, holding endless mysteries.

  Cultivation … broke through as naturally as water flowing downhill!

  Condensation Stage Level 7!

  Not Level 8, not Level 9, but Level 7—the very peak of the Condensation Stage!

  Only a hair’s breadth now from the Spiritual Light Realm!

  And his physical strength … had reached an unimaginable plane.

  Below the Spiritual Light Realm, no one could break his defense!

  Even early?phase Starlight Stage attacks could be resisted several times without falling.

  The thunder tribulation slowly faded.

  The gray space returned to calm.

  Lin Chen lay at the bottom of the deep crater, breathing heavily. Each breath carried the scorched scent of lightning.

  But the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

  Because … he had survived.

  And he had grown stronger!

  Just then, a faint glow deep within the cavern finally cleared.

  It was a broken stone slab—a fragment of a star?path map. The marked location read: “Meteorite Valley.”

  Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed. A star?path map fragment … the very clue his father might have left.

  But before he could examine it closely, anxious shouts echoed from the gray mist:

  “Brother Lin!”

  Shi Meng’s burly figure charged into view, covered in wounds, left arm hanging limp. Behind him, three chilling auras closed in—Netherworld Palace hunters, at least two at the Spiritual Light Realm.

  Time had run out.

  Lin Chen rose, clutching the stone slab fragment. The real trial was only beginning.