With the appearance of the Bloodline figures, the environment itself responded.

The winds spiraling inward, the qi-rich lava and ground trembling as the figures greedily devoured energy. With each breath they grew more corporeal, their once-transparent outlines hardening into near-real beasts.

Far away in meditation, Lin Mu’s link with his companion pulsed violently. His eyes snapped open.

’It’s happening.’

Without hesitation, he vanished from his chamber and reappeared in the valley, just as the seven figures reached their peak brilliance. He gazed at Little Shrubby’s towering form, his expression solemn yet resolute.

"So... it is finally time."

Crossing his legs in midair, Lin Mu began to chant the Nurturing Heart Sutra of the Beast Path . His qi surged like an ocean, shifting its nature, flowing into the unique cadence of beastly essence. His body trembled slightly from the strain, yet his voice remained steady, ancient syllables weaving together into a grand hymn.

One by one, streams of shining Beast Qi poured from his palms into the seven figures, each absorbing their share equally. He carefully maintained the balance, ensuring none dominated the others, his mind sharper than a blade’s edge.

But balance was short-lived.

KUWAAAAA

The Thunderbolt Cheetah let out a piercing cry, its body suddenly flashing with arcs of blinding light.

The skies themselves seemed to answer, a low rumble echoing across the horizon. Clouds spiraled above the valley, coiling tighter and tighter until the heavens darkened. Lightning bolts flickered within the roiling mass, each strike sharper, more furious than the last.

Lin Mu’s gaze hardened.

"This tribulation... it isn’t one he triggered by stepping forward. It’s one born from the bloodline’s awakening itself."

His heart thudded with both tension and excitement.

’Little Shrubby... your bloodline is growing once again.’

The clouds roared louder, and streaks of silver-blue lightning crawled like serpents across the sky. The oppressive aura descended upon the land, so intense that even the twin snakes coiled protectively around each other, their scales sparking in nervous anticipation.

Lin Mu narrowed his eyes as he identified the element.

"A Lightning Elemental Tribulation..." His voice was grave, yet tinged with certainty.

Little Shrubby had already endured Fire and Wood elemental tribulations, each difficult in their own right. But lightning... lightning was ruthless, its judgment absolute.

Yet Lin Mu clenched his fists and smiled faintly.

"This is the way forward. You’ll endure this, just as you’ve endured everything before."

High above, the tribulation clouds swelled to their limit, as though preparing to unleash their wrath.

And the Thunderbolt Cheetah bloodline howled defiantly at the heavens, calling forth the storm.

RUMBLE

The clouds above churned like a cauldron of fury.

Lightning snaked through the roiling dark mass, each flicker painting the valley in sharp relief. The oppressive pressure was suffocating, every breath heavy with the scent of ozone. Even the ground seemed to crackle as sparks leapt from stone to stone.

Lin Mu hovered in the air, eyes sharp and focused. His chest rose and fell steadily, the words of the Nurturing Heart Sutra still vibrating in the depths of his being. Yet his gaze was not on himself, but on the magnificent sight before him.

The seven bloodline figures circled Little Shrubby, glowing with power.

But it was the Thunderbolt Cheetah that rose above all others, its eyes like twin orbs of lightning, its body wrapped in arcs of destructive energy. The beast’s roar split the heavens, sharp and piercing like a thunderclap.

RUMBLE

Then, the sky answered.

The first bolt descended, a spear of pure lightning that seemed as though it could shatter mountains. It streaked down faster than the eye could follow, aiming straight for Little Shrubby’s body. But before it could land, the Thunderbolt Cheetah with its blinding speed leapt skyward, its form turning into a streak of light.

BOOMMMMMMMMM

The collision was deafening.

Instead of being burned or scattered, the cheetah’s illusory body absorbed the lightning whole. Sparks danced across its skin, arcs running through its muscles, yet its form only grew denser, more defined. The jagged aura it released expanded outward, shaking the rudimentary barriers set up at the valley’s edge.

Lin Mu narrowed his eyes. "As I thought. This is not a punishment. This is nourishment for him... just like me."

The tribulation bolts were meant to temper and test, to force the cultivator or beast to prove their worth. Yet here, the Thunderbolt Cheetah was not resisting, it was devouring. Every strike from the heavens only fed its growth.

The second bolt fell, larger than the first.

The Thunderbolt Cheetah howled and bounded forward again, its claws raking through the air as it seized the lightning and dragged it into itself. Its body rippled with brilliance, fur outlined in blinding arcs, every breath now accompanied by a hum like vibrating metal.

The twin snakes watched in awe. Xiao Yin’s dark body coiled tighter, and Xiao Yang’s bright eyes were wide with astonishment.

"Big brother’s bloodline... it is eating the tribulation too!" Xiao Yang whispered.

The third bolt came almost immediately, but this time it was joined by another, the clouds unleashing a double strike. The ground quaked as the two beams fell in unison, splitting the sky apart.

Yet the Thunderbolt Cheetah was faster still. It darted between the bolts, its form multiplying into afterimages as it weaved and caught both streams. The resulting explosion should have torn apart the entire valley, but instead it was drawn into the cheetah’s chest, vanishing like water into a parched desert.

The beast threw back its head and roared, the sound sharper than any blade. Its form grew clearer, its muscles more distinct, the illusion now closer to reality. Lightning danced endlessly around it, wrapping its limbs in radiant chains of energy.

The tribulation clouds boiled in fury, unwilling to yield.

A fourth strike followed, thicker than the last three combined. The cheetah did not dodge this time. It stood tall, glaring at the heavens, and opened its jaws. The lightning slammed into its mouth, but instead of burning it apart, the energy was swallowed whole.

HUMMMM