The next lightning spear descended like divine judgment, striking the sacred garden with the force of a thousand storms.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion was catastrophic. The earth trembled as an incandescent blast wave spread outward, uprooting trees and shattering the alchemic formations placed around the area. Dust and debris shot into the air, obscuring everything in a swirling tempest of destruction.
Many among the onlookers had seen Emery’s pitiful condition before the attack. Bloodied, broken, barely standing—there was no way he could have survived such devastation.
“He’s finished,” one whispered, shielding his face from the gale of energy.
“No one could endure that…”
But as the smoke thinned and the fiery embers faded, a dark silhouette emerged from the wreckage.
A ripple of shock passed through the alchemists as the figure became clear.
“What… what is that?!”
“That’s not human—what kind of beastman is he?!”
The being standing amid the ruin was no longer the Emery they knew. Towering and monstrous, his form was a terrifying fusion of man and beast. Thick, obsidian-hued fur covered his frame, and his muscles bulged with primal power. His once-human features were now dominated by sharp fangs and glowing golden eyes that burned with untamed fury.
This was his Primal Form, the last resort—his ultimate defense against the heavens.
ROAAAAAARRR!!!
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he threw his head back and unleashed a deafening howl, his body trembling as it absorbed the lightning’s residual energy. The Star Devourer Beast within him was the only reason he still stood, its innate devouring capability allowing him to absorb the divine punishment rather than be annihilated by it. But even so, the pain was unbearable.
The celestial lightning surged through his veins, burning, tearing, rending his very essence apart. His primal heart pounded erratically, his muscles spasming under the raw power coursing through him. Every nerve in his body screamed in agony.
But still—
“I WILL NOT GIVE IN!!!”
Another lightning spear took form in the heavens, its power even greater than the first. The pressure in the air became suffocating, as if the sky itself was preparing to crush him.
Emery steadied himself. He would not run. He would not cower. He had to endure.
The clouds rumbled as the next lightning spear descended.
KABOOOOOOMMM!!!
The impact was brutal.
Pain unlike anything he had ever felt exploded through his body. The sheer force shattered dozens of his bones, tore through his flesh, and sent him crashing backward. His Primal Form, mighty as it was, had reached its limit.
The beast within him faltered. His fur receded, his monstrous frame shrinking as he collapsed to the ground, forcibly returned to his human form.
Blood gushed from his wounds, soaking into the ruined earth. His vision blurred, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He could barely move. The pain was so overwhelming that his mind teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
Did I… succeed?
A stunned silence filled the garden. Even the spectators dared not breathe as they waited. Was it over? Had he passed the trial?
Then, the heavens answered.
The sky roared louder than ever, an ominous, echoing fury that sent a fresh wave of terror through the alchemists.
Emery forced himself to look up—his body screaming in protest.
There, above him, the storm clouds churned violently, forming not one, not two—but three more lightning spears.
His heart sank.
Is this it? Is this the end…?
The next lighting descended.
A colossal bolt of divine wrath, falling like the hammer of the gods.
KABOOOOOOMMM!!!
No human or beast could have stood this.
Yet—Emery did not die.
A blinding light erupted above him.
A protective barrier—shimmering with intricate runes—formed just in time, intercepting the strike. The energy clashed violently against the defense, sending waves of force outward. Cracks formed across its radiant surface, but before it could shatter, the runes pulsed, repairing the damage, absorbing the brunt of the attack.
Some sparks slipped through, lashing at Emery’s already broken form, but compared to the full force of the attack—it was nothing.
Emery’s breath hitched as he turned his gaze toward the one responsible.
Standing before him, hand raised in a flawless display of control and mastery, was Grandmaster Caliborne, the patriarch of the Skyroot faction.
The Grandmaster glanced at him, his expression unreadable, but Emery could barely make out his presence through the haze of agony clouding his senses. The Supreme Being’s voice echoed in his mind.
<I cannot let you fall here.>
Through his blurred vision, Emery saw the Grandmaster reach into his ring and pull out a gleaming artifact—the [Cosmic Conductor]—the very same tool he had seen used during Livi’s ascension. The artifact pulsed with energy, drawing in a portion of the chaotic lightning, momentarily relieving the overwhelming pressure.
Then, the Grandmaster tossed a pill toward him. The small object glowed with intricate golden runes, its radiance unmistakable—a high-grade Tier 8 recovery pill.
With the last of his strength, he grasped the pill, crushed it between his teeth, and swallowed, letting its magic spread through his shattered form. A soothing warmth flooded his veins, mending torn muscle, restoring fractured bones.
But the trial was far from over.
The sky crackled with renewed fury. More lightning spears gathered above, forming an even more devastating assault.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The barrier of runes shielding him trembled under the relentless onslaught. Hairline cracks formed across its surface, struggling to contain the divine punishment. Sparks of residual lightning seeped through, lashing at Emery’s skin, causing fresh burns across his already scorched body.
By now, the alchemists watching had fallen into stunned silence. Many had witnessed tribulations before—but never one like this. The sheer ferocity of the storm… It was as if the heavens themselves refused to let Emery ascend.
Despite the Grandmaster’s intervention, Emery was still fighting a desperate battle within. The chaotic energies rampaged inside his core, threatening to tear him apart. Clenching his teeth, he focused, forcing the Dao of Heaven and Earth to consolidate the cosmic energy, trying to stabilize himself.
[Forming Cosmic Circle…]
[Soul force improving exponentially…]
[Your comprehension of the Law of Nature has improved.]
[49… 50… 51…]
His comprehension surged at an unprecedented rate, pushing the boundaries of his understanding. But there was a limit—his Primal Core resisted, fighting against the transformation. The energies within him clashed violently, the conflict pushing his body and soul to their breaking point.
It was then that the Supreme Being’s voice returned, piercing through the chaos in his mind.
<You are attempting to break through into a dual cosmic circle… This is possible… but I sense a power that is not yours… A power of darkness… This is what has led to such a catastrophe.>
Emery gasped, feeling the truth in those words. His body trembled—not just from pain but from realization.
The heavens rumbled, preparing another strike.
And Emery stood at the precipice—on the verge of either ascension… or oblivion.