Chapter 398: Chapter 398

Chatty and Fatty Worry for Four Eyes

In the dimly lit gazebo at Peonies Castle, Chatty paced with frenetic energy, his fingers twitching anxiously as if they had a mind of their own.

"Where is he?" He muttered under his breath, glancing towards the window where shadows danced ominously. "He promised he’d return before sunset."

Fatty sat nearby, holding Lily’s delicate hand within his own, her wide, fearful eyes wary of the darkening sky. "Four Eyes went to find Ling Li," Fatty said, trying to instill a sense of calm that felt just out of reach. "He’s probably with her right now. Safe."

"But the sky — look at it!" Chatty pointed out, his voice rising with panic. "That’s not normal lightning. That’s... divine!"

Fatty pulled Lily closer, shielding her from the growing unease outside. "It’s Shi Min," he murmured, a subtle tremor of concern in his voice. "He’s ascending."

Lily’s bottom lip trembled, a soft whimper escaping her. "Will he die?"

Fatty shook his head, though foreboding gnawed at his heart. "Not Shi Min. He’s stronger than anyone I’ve ever known."

Chatty ceased his restless pacing, a knot of dread tightening in his stomach. "Then why does it feel like the heavens want to kill him?"

Silence enveloped them, thick and suffocating, as their questions hung in the air, unanswered.

Shinsei and Ren: The Hidden Temple Trembles

Within the temple’s concealed depths, Shinsei and Ren sat cross-legged, encircled by a fragile glow of flickering lanterns and the scent of old scrolls, reeking with time’s passage.

Ren’s eyes burst open, wide with alarm. "Master... do you feel that?"

Shinsei remained still, a mountain of serenity amid chaos. Yet the air around him throbbed with restless energy.

"Yes," he acknowledged, the weight of knowing pressing on his shoulders. "The tribulation has commenced."

Ren rose abruptly, fists clenched in determination. "It’s Shi Min, isn’t it?"

Shinsei nodded solemnly, the corners of his mouth drawn tight. "The heavens are testing him. And their discontent is palpable."

Ren’s voice wavered with confusion and hurt. "But... why? He’s done nothing wrong."

Finally, Shinsei lifted his gaze, his eyes heavy with the burden of centuries. "Sometimes," he remarked with a tinge of regret, "the heavens don’t punish wrongdoing. They punish potential."

Ren’s breath caught in her throat, the truth striking like a thunderclap.

Shinsei stood resolutely, the gravity of the moment settling around him. "Come. We must prepare. If Shi Min endures this... the world as we know it shall change."

Purification: The Lightning That Burns Without Mercy

The sky throbbed ominously, a heartbeat echoing across the heavens. This time, the lightning did not roar — no, it hissed, an eerie sound reminiscent of silk being violently torn, or of breath being sucked through a clenched throat.

Then came the tenth bolt, slender yet fierce, a luminous ribbon of white-blue electric energy, its edges woven with strands of fiery gold. It descended, not with the violent crash of a storm, but with a haunting grace.

It flowed through the chamber’s defenses like molten gold spilling through cracks in ancient stone, bypassing barriers and formations as if they were mere illusions. This lightning was not a harbinger of destruction; it was a beacon of refinement.

The Purification phase had begun.

Inside the Chamber: Shi Min’s Trial of Flame

Shi Min’s body arched rigidly as the bolt enveloped him — not with brutality, but with an intimate caress. It wound itself around his bones, coiling through his organs, intertwining with the very threads of his soul, igniting a burning that transcended the physical realm.

Every impurity coursing through his blood was consumed in a brilliant inferno, ash and smoke spiraling upwards. Every flaw in his spiritual lattice melted away, molded anew in the crucible of his essence. Lingering emotions — fear, doubt, anger — were laid bare, stripped of their facades and tested against the raw, unyielding light of truth.

His skin radiated from within, veins aglow like rivers of molten gold threading through the shadow of his form. Each breath he took was deliberate, a testament to his resilience; he did not scream.

His soul quivered as the lightning peeled back the layers that defined him — stripping him down to the very essence of his being. Visions burst forth in a kaleidoscope of memories.

He saw his mother’s tears, glistening like dew drops at dawn. He heard his sister’s laughter, ringing like chimes on a summer breeze. He glimpsed his own face, once youthful, frail, riddled with fear.

And then — all faded to nothingness.

The Heaven’s Fury Deepens

Above, the heavens roared with wrath. They had anticipated defiance. They had prepared for collapse. But Shi Min stood unwavering. He did not resist the powerful purification; he welcomed it, embracing the transformative fire that raged around him.

And that only fueled the rage of the heavens.

They watched as the Nirvana Elixir stabilized his core, ancestral qi encircled his soul like a guardian spirit, and an unyielding love enveloped him, forming a shimmering barrier against the storm. They loathed it.

They loathed Shi Min.

And so, they conjured more lightning — not as mere bolts, but in cascading waves of fury and blinding brilliance. The purification would be relentless, a tempest of immaculate judgment.

Outside: Ling Li Feels the Flame

Ling Li staggered as the fifth bolt struck, her senses overwhelmed. She felt it deeply — not in flesh and bone, but through the unbreakable bond she shared with Shi Min. Her very essence pulsed with heat, with a fusion of pain and clarity.

"He’s burning," she breathed, her voice barely a whisper lost in the chaos.

Four Eyes steadied her, his grip firm against the swirling tempest. "He’s being refined," he reassured her, though unease flickered in his gaze.

Li Tianyuan, determined and resolute, activated yet another layer of protective barrier, his expression darkening. "The heavens are escalating. They seek to shatter him before the final judgment."

Ling Li’s eyes narrowed into slits of resolve. "Then let them try."

The storm loomed, and she was ready to stand by her son, heart and soul intertwined, against the fury that sought to consume them both.

*** Thump Thump Thump ***

My heart aches for Shi Min.