'Thunder Bull Horns… Thunder Hawk Claws… Lightning Serpent gallbladder…'
Ailsa guided Ryu in slowly absorbing the lightning qi of these materials through the Incubator. As expected of an Origin Grade treasure, the process was incomparably smooth. What should have racked Ryu's body with pain actually felt like a refreshing time within a hot spring.
[Tribulation Nine Clouds] was split into ten stages, the first of which was further split into three portions of its own. The first, and Ryu's current stage, was entirely focused on non-tribulation lightning and the priming of the body for absorption of true tribulation lightning. Essentially, the pure lightning qi of these materials, as well as the lightning dense peak of Flash Mountain, all fell within this first of ten stages.
Of course, there was a heavy component of comprehension that went with [Tribulation Nine Clouds]. But, for Ryu, the wielder of the first ranked Heavenly Pupils, the first stage posed no issue for him, he saw through its complexities with a single glance.
The goal of the cultivator of this technique was to form his or her own Tribulation Clouds. This required the use of lightning qi to create lightning dense formations within the body. If one wanted to use it for the Body Realm, you would have to form the first stage's formation at the base of your brain stem. If one wanted to use it for the Qi Realm, you would have to form the lightning formations upon your Spiritual Foundation. And, if one wanted to use it for their Mental Realm like Ryu, it would have to be formed within your Spiritual Sea.? Of course, one's Spiritual Sea wouldn't be truly open until one entered the Soul Birth Realm, so this process actually took place in the thin fog of Spiritual Qi that would one day become Ryu's Spiritual Sea.
'Guide the lightning qi into your Mental Realm, don't lose your focus just because it's easy. It will soon be impossible to improve in this technique without taking in natural, unpurified lightning qi. You need to take this opportunity to learn the process inside and out so that you can do while screaming in pain…'
'… Remember, this technique had degrees of completion attached to it. The more perfectly fused with your body the Thunder Formations are, the easier the next stages will become.'
'… These materials will be enough for you to form the first Thunder Formation of the first stage, but to form the latter two, we'll have to enter the lightning storm…'
At this point, Ailsa was only speaking as a method of ignoring her own nervousness. She knew that not only could Ryu's Heavenly Pupils see through the depths of mystery hidden within the Thunder Formations, but their cool qi also helped him Focus. It was just that she was worried about the future…
The pure lightning gently wisped into Ryu's Mental Realm. Ryu took control of it with ease. On the one hand, the qi was gentle to begin with thanks to the Incubator, and on the other, his lightning affinity was frighteningly high thanks to his mother and Grandpa Kunan.
He quickly formed the formation, a complex, crackling magic circle, imbued with countless complex symbols. It was hard to believe that this was just the first of three formations tied to the simplest of ten stages. However, he wasn't quick to lay it down.
As Ailsa had said, while normal cultivation techniques were marked by improvement in power or advancement in comprehension, the [Tribulation Nine Clouds] was focused on two things. The first was the Degree of Completion: How perfect was the drawn formation. And the second was the Degree of Fusion: How perfect was the fusion of said formation to the cultivator's body.
For Degree of Completion, Ryu definitely received full marks. The formation he formed was without flaw and perfectly emulated the will of the technique's creator. However, Degree of Fusion was a bit more complex.
If Ryu was using this technique for his Qi Realm or his Body Realm, it would likely require forcefully etching the formation into the bones that protected his brain stem or into his Spiritual Foundation. However, Ryu was working with his Mental Realm, and currently, it was nothing but a fog of Spiritual Qi. There wasn't exactly anything to anchor onto or etch into…
'Perfect fusion, huh…?' Ryu's eyes, hidden behind their lids, blazed with a thought.
Ailsa, who was paying great attention to Ryu's thoughts, bit her lip. 'That would indeed result in a perfect fusion, but keep in mind how difficult doing such a thing will be while in pain…'
Ryu smiled lightly. 'If I don't go all out, there's no point.'
Ryu could already feel his Mental Realm expanding just the presence of the Thunder Formation. He hadn't even laid it down yet, but he had already gained almost five meters. After seeing how effective the technique was in aiding him, there was no need to hold back anymore.
If one peered into Ryu's Mental Realm, they would see a beautiful sight. A fog of white-gold slowly churned below a bright yellow formation of only a meter across. The yellow formation crackled with lightning, striking down occasionally upon the fog, but if one looked closely, it almost seemed as though the fog was happy to be treated this way as it expanded further and further outward.
Suddenly, the fog surged upward and into the small yellow formation. In response, the formation greedily swallowed the fog, expanding outward from its one meter width faster and faster.
Just now, Ryu had a thought. The essence of [Tribulation Nine Clouds] was to use lightning qi to create other qis. Due to the use of the technique, then, there was an inherent connection between Ryu's Spiritual Qi and the lightning qi that formed his first Thunder Formation. So, what it he completely did away with his Spiritual Qi fog and used the Thunder Formation itself as the foundation of his Mental Realm?!
The Thunder Formation crackled wildly as it expanded, striking outward with furious strokes of lightning against the outer edges of Ryu's Mental Realm. Barriers shattered and collapsed as Ryu continuously absorbed more lightning qi, unsatisfied with his already blinding speed. It was then that Ailsa spoke.
'Ryu, you need an anchor. Quickly, Visualize [Immortal Sakura].'
Ryu didn't doubt Ailsa's guidance. He acted immediately, Visualizing a beautiful Immortal Sakura.
Unlike what he projected outward, the Immortal Sakura that appeared within Ryu's Mental Realm was solid and lifelike. It filled one with a sense of security, as though it would remain standing even to the end of time itself. Its short trunk anchored to the Thunder Formation, protecting it under its large canopy.
It was then that a magnificent change took place.
Lightning surged upward, coursing through the Immortal Sakura and up through its large looming branches. The crackling of a beautiful yellow complemented the transparent petals, evolving together…
Even without fully saturating the first formation, Ryu's Mental Realm reached two hundred meters.