After their night-long conversation, Nie Shiyun returned to his quarters to cultivate with his usual composure, leaving Nie Li alone to process the shock of his son’s extraordinary talent.
The next day, Nie Li visited Sect Leader Nie Mingde to inform him of Nie Shiyun’s intention to advance. Initially, Nie Mingde harbored the same concerns, fearing that Nie Shiyun was being too impetuous due to his youth. However, with Nie Li’s staunch guarantee that his son never acted without certainty, Nie Mingde finally nodded in agreement and personally began overseeing the preparations for the breakthrough. If successful, this would bring nothing but prestige to Yunqing Pavilion, so everyone involved took the matter very seriously.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Nie Li discreetly led Nie Shiyun to a restricted area of Yunqing Pavilion, descending into the basement of the Library Pavilion.
Nie Shiyun followed him through a series of twists and turns. Despite his excellent memory, the path was dizzying. He couldn't help but admire Duan Mingyu’s "luck" for having stumbled upon the secret manual here by sheer accident in the original story.
When they finally arrived at the shelf holding the ancient texts, it became clear that Yunqing Pavilion had indeed grown lax in its security. Perhaps because immortal artifacts had not been seen for thousands of years, these texts held the status of sect heritage but lacked practical utility. To most cultivators, they were likely less valuable than a single Spirit-grade pill.
Originally, this item was of little consequence, lying here quietly and inconspicuously—so low-profile that even the people of Yunqing Pavilion had nearly forgotten its existence.
Yet, in the original work, it was during this period that an immortal artifact surfaced. Duan Mingyu, initially having no guard against the Yingyue Sect, had relayed every bit of information to his master, Qu Zhanmeng. He had no idea that his thoughtless actions would bring ruin to an entire sect.
Nie Shiyun read the manual, finding it dense and obscure. It felt as though a barrier stood between him and the text, likely a restriction imposed by his cultivation level.
He could only etch the contents entirely into his sea of consciousness, intending to study them carefully in the future. However, even this cursory reading made him realize that there were always higher heavens and greater people; he was far from his journey's end.
Once he had finished transcribing the manual into his mind, Nie Shiyun finally felt at ease. Even if something happened to the physical copy in the future, he at least possessed a backup. Furthermore, even without Nie Shiyun saying a word, Nie Li intended to tighten the security of the Library Pavilion. Like his predecessors, he had once believed immortal artifacts no longer existed. Now that Nie Shiyun had obtained one, there was no telling if a second might appear. If one did exist and fell into the hands of someone unreasonable, Yunqing Pavilion would suffer for "harboring a jade" they could not protect.
Feeling a rare surge of motivation, Nie Shiyun returned to his quarters and spent several days immersed in the study of artifact forging. During his seclusion, Yunqing Pavilion had once again prepared a grand formation for him. Unlike the location for his Golden Core tribulation, the sect had arranged for him to use a secluded cave dwelling in the back mountains. Firstly, it was quiet and would not be disturbed by other disciples. Secondly... remembering the lightning tribulation from Nie Shiyun’s previous advancement, the sect elders felt that Yunqing Pavilion might not survive another lashing if he stayed in the main residential area. Moving him was a necessary precaution.
Several peaks in the back mountains of Yunqing Pavilion were vacant. Two of them were technically reserved for Nie Mingde and Nie Li, but the two men usually lived in the main mountain residences unless they were in seclusion. Nie Shiyun felt that Yunqing Pavilion resembled a mortal aristocratic clan more than a typical cultivation sect.
"If you find the cave dwelling peaceful, you can live here permanently in the future," Nie Li said, fussing over the clutter in the cave as he tidied it for his son. Perhaps because it was close to the town, although the mountains were lush, the natural aura was slightly lacking, and there weren't many spirit herbs or wild animals. Nevertheless, Nie Shiyun was quite satisfied, finding it a pleasant place to live.
"I find the front mountain quite comfortable. Like you, if I need to go into seclusion or focus on research in the future, I’ll come here. It’s only a short trip anyway," Nie Shiyun said, unable to let Nie Li do all the work. He reached out to take over the cleaning. "I can just sit on the ground. Otherwise, once the lightning tribulation arrives, no matter how well we tidy up, it will just become a mess."
Nie Li realized he was right and finally stopped. He explained the functions of the grand formation designed to help withstand the lightning and then stuffed a multitude of defensive magical treasures into Nie Shiyun’s hands. Nie Shiyun accepted them all with a smile. He vaguely remembered that this body’s mother had died while attempting to break through to the Nascent Soul stage near the end of her lifespan. He had been too young then, so the memory was blurry.
He could sense Nie Li’s tension and concern. Remaining silent, he patiently listened to his father’s detailed instructions and the experiences Nie Li had gained during his own advancement.
Once the breakthrough was successful, his cultivation would be on par with Nie Li’s. Yet, a father’s worry for his son seemed to have nothing to do with cultivation level; he would always be unable to let go.
Generally, one would spend a long time preparing to advance to the Nascent Soul stage. However, Nie Shiyun didn't care for such formalities. He didn't even bother greeting the other disciples. Once the cave dwelling was ready, he entered and began his seclusion.
He had told Nie Li and Nie Mingde that he would begin the breakthrough in ten days at the earliest and three months at the latest. Because of this, Nie Li set aside his work and visited the back mountain almost every day. Nie Mingde tried to persuade his younger brother several times, noting that once the celestial signs appeared, there would still be several days before the lightning fell, so there was no need for such anxiety. But Nie Li wouldn't listen, and Nie Mingde could only let him perform his daily checks. He knew that the death of Nie Shiyun’s mother during her failed breakthrough had likely become a knot in Nie Li’s heart. If Nie Shiyun could successfully cross this hurdle, Nie Li’s long-stagnant cultivation might finally have a chance to advance.
Inside the cave, Nie Shiyun’s mindset was peaceful. He had been at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage for a long time; had he not been suppressing it, his cultivation would have broken through that ceiling long ago. All he needed to do now was mobilize the spiritual energy accumulated in his body, circulating it slowly until it reached its absolute peak.
Meiqiu flew out of the jade pendant and settled beside Nie Shiyun. Nie Shiyun told him that once the lightning tribulation appeared, he should decide for himself how much to help shoulder. If it became too difficult, he was to return to the jade pendant immediately. Meiqiu knew that tempering his body would be beneficial, but having heard how miserable Nie Shiyun had looked after being struck by lightning last time, he feared this time would be even more violent.
He paced nervously around Nie Shiyun, who had been meditating with his eyes closed for nearly a month. He didn't dare make a sound to disturb him, but he couldn't relax either, fearing the lightning would strike the next second and catch them both off guard.
Finally, after a month of seclusion, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky.
"It’s coming," Nie Li declared, his voice full of worry.
Forget Qi Xuan’er and the other disciples; even Nie Xing’an and Du Zhi, both Golden Core cultivators, could not approach the back mountain. The reason was simple: Nie Shiyun’s lightning tribulation was just as terrifying as expected.
"Senior Brother..." Qi Xuan’er watched from the front mountain as thick black clouds gathered in the distance. Clouds from all directions raced toward the peak where Nie Shiyun was located. She wasn't the only one worried; almost all the disciples of Yunqing Pavilion had come out, gathering in the front courtyard with trepidation.
Even though Nie Xing’an had seen it once before, his heart hammered at the sight of this terrifying display. But while others could show fear, he could not. He suppressed the primal fear cultivators felt toward the Heavenly Dao and said in a heavy voice, "My cousin’s cultivation speed is divine, so it is only natural that he attracts a more fearsome tribulation. When you all advance, it likely won't be this difficult."
Most of the disciples present had never experienced an advancement themselves. They recovered slightly from their shock and nodded dumbly.
"He is incredibly strong; nothing will happen to him!" Du Zhi had not known Nie Shiyun for long, but he had absolute faith in him. He spoke with total conviction.
Inside the cave, Nie Shiyun naturally felt the approach of the heavenly tribulation. Prepared for anything, he sat quietly, waiting for the lightning to fall.
Meanwhile, the news that Nie Shiyun of Yunqing Pavilion was about to advance finally spread.
Nie Shiyun acted with such low-profile efficiency that there was usually no warning. Normally, if a cultivator was about to reach the Nascent Soul stage, rumors would circulate long before they entered seclusion. In Nie Shiyun’s case, it wasn't until the lightning was practically ready to strike that nearby cultivators realized something was wrong and rushed to Yunqing Pavilion to ask who was in seclusion.
The entire sect had been temporarily closed. Only the outer disciples had the leisure to tell the visitors that Senior Nie Shiyun was about to undergo his Nascent Soul transformation.
"I remember him. He participated in the Cultivation Assembly just a few years ago."
"It’s him? Doesn't that mean he’s not even fifty yet?" A passing cultivator looked at the pitch-black sky and shook his head repeatedly. "Too impatient! Looking at this, I don't believe he can survive it."
"Indeed, I’ve never heard of such a perilous omen..." The cultivator beside him urged, and the two quickly departed. The aura of this heavenly tribulation was unprecedented. They watched from the foot of the mountain for a few days, seeing the clouds grow denser and denser until the area around the back mountain was as dark as night. Following this was a sense of suffocation that even the passersby at the foot of the mountain could feel, as if the Heavenly Dao were clutching their throats.
Usually, when the clouds became this severe, the lightning would fall within a few hours. But Nie Shiyun’s tribulation had been brewing for three full days. No one was foolish enough to think it would simply pass; everyone knew it was likely building up for something massive.
Finally, the first bolt of lightning fell.
Before anyone could even catch their breath, the second bolt followed immediately. With just these two strikes, the expensive defensive formation Yunqing Pavilion had painstakingly prepared for Nie Shiyun shattered. The smaller formations within the cave likely perished as well, leaving only a transparent barrier with a massive hole floating in the air.
Not long after, the third bolt fell.
Inside the cave, Nie Shiyun knew the first two had been barely blocked by the grand formation. From now on, he could only rely on himself. Without hesitation, he summoned a vast number of defensive treasures. In the past, he had prioritized quantity over quality; now, he had both. During his years in the Hantian Secret Realm, he had spent his free time refining defensive artifacts, accumulating a significant stockpile.
However, most of these were high-grade treasures or ordinary spirit tools, which could only serve as temporary shields. As several artifacts shattered simultaneously, the lightning finally reached Nie Shiyun’s body.
The fourth and fifth bolts fell in such quick succession that outsiders could hardly distinguish the individual claps of thunder. Normally, there would be a brief pause between bolts to give the cultivator a chance to breathe, but for Nie Shiyun, this was not the case.
Nie Mingde gasped, unable to help but exclaim, "Is this truly a lightning tribulation for a Nascent Soul cultivator?"
If he, or most people today, had encountered such a tribulation during their transformation, the number of existing Nascent Soul cultivators would likely be reduced by eighty percent.
Nie Li was so tense his palms were sweating. He couldn't speak, his eyes fixed on the cave entrance, his lips trembling slightly.
By the sixth bolt, most of Nie Shiyun’s treasures had been reduced to ash. His body was covered in charred wounds, wisps of smoke rising from his skin. He made a split-second decision and ducked into the jade pendant. Just like last time, he immediately began consuming handfuls of Spirit-Restoring Pills and healing medicine.
The flow of time within the space was even slower than before, but this tribulation was far more vicious than the one for his Golden Core. Nie Shiyun was certain the Heavenly Dao would give him the full nine bolts again. This "treatment" would likely continue without discount until he ascended.
When he emerged again, he had returned to his normal state.
"You scared me to death!" Meiqiu roared. "You suddenly went into the space and left me outside! I thought you were going to let me take the hit alone!"
The next bolt was about to fall. Meiqiu was terrified, but Nie Shiyun said, "If you want to go, go now. It only gets more violent from here."
"Really? It can get worse?" Meiqiu cried out exaggeratedly. Closing his eyes and hardening his heart, he released all his power, spreading his wings to meet the lightning.
Struck squarely, Meiqiu let out a pathetic "Awoo" and turned completely charred—though he was already black to begin with.
His feathers were all standing on end, looking quite miserable. Seeing him stunned by the electricity, Nie Shiyun quickly waved his sleeve, calling Meiqiu back into the space to rest.
Meiqiu’s injuries weren't severe; it was mostly the shock of the first "electrocution." Inside the jade pendant, he ate two Spirit-Restoring Pills. As he breathed, he began to feel the tempering effects of the lightning. However, his heart still lingered with fear, and he didn't dare enjoy the benefit any further. He cowered in the space, thinking that unless Nie Shiyun couldn't hold on, he wasn't going back out.
By the eighth bolt, Nie Shiyun had finally sacrificed all his defensive treasures. Watching his years of accumulation, as well as the artifacts Nie Li had spent a fortune on, vanish in an instant, Nie Shiyun felt a pang of heartache. If he weren't so hated by the Heavenly Dao, he could have saved a lot of wealth.
Following the same procedure as before, Nie Shiyun recovered and prepared to face the final bolt.
If not for the fact that the continuing lightning meant the cultivator was still alive and well, many would have assumed Nie Shiyun had been struck dead by now.
The Heavenly Dao wished to wipe him out, but despite an onslaught that would have destroyed an average Nascent Soul cultivator, Nie Shiyun was merely looking a bit disheveled.
Nie Shiyun felt that with each fierce bolt, although difficult to block, the spiritual energy gathering in the cave afterward was exceptionally dense. As the final bolt descended, Nie Shiyun brought out the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover to defend himself. As if in a final struggle, this bolt lasted longer than the previous ones. Since he found the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Cover useful and didn't want it reduced to ash, he finally retracted it just before its durability was exhausted, taking the final half of the strike with his own body.
He let out a long breath. Instead of rushing to clean himself up, he immediately sat down to digest the incredibly thick spiritual energy surrounding him.
Outside, the cultivators stared at each other. Seeing the sudden silence in the back mountain, they didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse. Just as their hearts were in their throats, a dazzling white light suddenly pierced through the black clouds. The darkness that had shrouded Yunqing Pavilion for days was instantly replaced by sunlight. Simultaneously, the shattered clouds turned into a fine drizzle, each drop carrying spiritual energy as it fell from the sky.
Everyone was overjoyed. They knew the concentration of this auspicious rain would be highest where Nie Shiyun was, while the front mountain only received the remnants. Even so, for the disciples who were mostly at the Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment stages, this was a godsend. They quickly closed their eyes to absorb the blessing, unwilling to waste a single drop.
Feeling the spiritual rain hit his skin, Nie Xing’an’s tense expression finally relaxed. He shared a smile with Qi Xuan’er and Du Zhi.
Inside the cave, after absorbing the dense spiritual energy, Nie Shiyun finally remembered to stand up and pull out a new robe to replace his tattered, charred clothes.
Meiqiu came out and circled him happily for a long time, offering a rare moment of sincerity: "Haha, I knew you were the best!"
Nie Shiyun rubbed his head. He sensed that Meiqiu’s cultivation had also improved thanks to the tempering of that one lightning bolt. He could have tried to train him harder, but Nie Shiyun felt a rare bit of pity; Meiqiu cherished his feathers so much that being blasted into a mess must have been distressing for him. Besides, in terms of his age since hatching, he was still just a child; there was no need to rush his cultivation.
Once his appearance and physical state were fully restored, Nie Shiyun finally emerged from seclusion.
Although the auspicious rain meant the tribulation had passed, Nie Li had still been frantic without seeing Nie Shiyun in person. Now, seeing his son standing before him with the cultivation of a Nascent Soul master, Nie Li nearly shed tears of relief.
"Father, this is a time for celebration," Nie Shiyun said quickly.
"You’re right, you’re right..." Nie Li laughed, patting Nie Shiyun’s shoulder with a complex expression. He started to say something several times but ultimately remained silent, simply smiling with pride.
Looking at his expression, Nie Shiyun felt that Nie Li had finally let go of something.
"Such a young Nascent Soul cultivator... your future is limitless," Nie Mingde marveled. "Our Yunqing Pavilion is about to become very busy."
Nie Shiyun paused, then realized what he meant.
Although he had been quiet before his advancement, the scale of his heavenly tribulation had been far too sensational. Even if he wanted to keep a low profile, it was no longer possible.
According to custom, if a sect member advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, they were considered a sect elder. Sects and cultivators wishing to curry favor would likely already be preparing gifts and planning visits. Nie Shiyun didn't intend to avoid this—though he disliked trouble, who didn't like receiving gifts?
"I’ll have to trouble Uncle and Father to arrange things," Nie Shiyun said respectfully, bowing his head. Although his cultivation had reached the required level, he knew nothing of sect affairs; the visiting cultivators would mostly have to be handled by his elders.
"Don't you worry about that. Go and rest well to stabilize your cultivation. I’ll handle everything else for you."
Nie Shiyun had actually already stabilized his cultivation at the early Nascent Soul stage and had no intention of pushing further for the time being. However, he obediently nodded, accepting the kindness of his elders.
***
**Glossary**
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 97 | Reaching the Nascent Soul Stage | Novela.app | Novela.app
