[Chapter 264: Core Formation]
After checking the Thunder Security Team, he naturally returned to the villa at night to happily play with the three ladies while honing his Starlight Spark abilities.
The next day, Linton went to the Thunderstorm Protection Array site for a final inspection.
In the very center of the sprawling estate, on a vast blanket of white snow, stood a 45-meter-tall sturdy iron tower.
Directly beneath the tower lay a one-feet-thick layer of snow.
Linton extended his spiritual awareness, scanning carefully.
The tower's structure was sound.
The foundation was solid.
All the hundred copper conduits were intact.
To ensure nothing went wrong, he asked Danny to drive the Hummer and verify each of the copper pipes along their paths.
With his skill now reaching the pinnacle of the Radiant Core stage, his spiritual perception effortlessly covered a radius of 2 kilometers and penetrated 150 meters underground.
A focused scan in one direction consumed minimal energy and could be sustained for long periods.
Piercing through a car body and six meters underground was naturally no problem, and it would not consume too much spiritual energy.The full inspection of the formation took two full days, confirming everything was stable.
---
Relaxing next to Catherine, Jennifer, and Winona, Linton enjoyed his days filled with games, focusing on boosting his power and preparing for his breakthrough.
A week passed swiftly.
---
Late one night, while playing with the trio, an inexplicable pounding struck his heart.
He suddenly realized his breakthrough moment had arrived.
Seizing the chance, he finished the play with quickly.
Gently, he put the three women into a deep sleep.
He changed into his training clothes, grabbed his wooden sword prepared for the trial, and flew to the tribulation field.
Under the tower, he used powers to clear the snow from a 300-square-meter patch, revealing withered grass beneath.
...
Linton sat cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed, steadying his breath as he activated the Red Dust Ascension Protocol -- a technique designed to regulate and channel internal energy flow.
Ten minutes in, a soft hum began within his chest. Streams of raw energy started circulating through his system, slow and subtle at first.
The movement gradually accelerated. Threads of energy formed a spiral within his core, turning in a gentle loop. The more he focused, the tighter the rotation became.
Thirty minutes passed. The energy streams twisted faster, drawing in every trace of loose power from his body and compressing it toward the center.
A golden vortex emerged within him, spinning like a whirlpool. His body trembled under the pressure. His skin flushed with heat, and golden light bled faintly through his pores. Veins rose along his neck and arms, glowing faintly.
This was the stage where control was most critical.
He grit his teeth, guided the spiral with focused intent, and forced it to compress further.
Suddenly, golden light burst outward. The spinning vortex collapsed inward, the speed doubling in a violent surge. At the center of his core, the energy condensed, into a dense orb, swirling within itself like molten gold.
Its surface rippled like mercury, glowing with quiet intensity.
The pressure in the air dropped. Linton's body stilled, the aura around him pulling tightly inward.
He exhaled slowly.
Linton now radiated immense spiritual pressure.
...
At that moment, an unprecedented thunder -- a rare winter storm for Montana -- rumbled.
Snowflakes suspended midair as a massive dark cloud hundreds of kilometers wide materialized above him.
"Boom!"
A silver lightning bolt as thick as a bucket shot from the cloud directly at Linton.
"Damn, that's brutal," Linton thought, startled by the Thunder Trial's power.
Thankfully, he had prepared well and erected a powerful formation array to handle this.
Otherwise, he might have been seriously injured or worse.
He drew his wooden sword and shielded his body with layered barriers.
With a loud crack, the silver lightning struck the top of the iron tower, causing sparks to fly along its frame.
Only scattered lightning penetrated past the protection, hitting Linton's body lightly, making him tingle but nothing severe. His clothes were torn in a few places.
His Thunderstorm Protection Array worked as intended.
His thoughts confirmed that 95% of the lightning was intercepted by the tower.
The current was safely directed underground through the hundred copper pipes.
After breathing easier from surviving the first strike, less than ten minutes later, an even thicker silver bolt, stronger by at least 20%, swooped toward him.
Still, the tower took the brunt, diverting most of the electricity.
Only small currents passed through, causing minor clothes rips but no injury.
He didn't even need to use his weapon against this one.
According to his understanding, this stage involved six Thunder Trials, each more intense than the last -- the final one capable of completely reshaping his power and potential.
Thus, he remained cautious.
Linton summoned all his strength, his mind focused as he gripped his wooden sword tightly.
The third thunderbolt...
The fourth thunderbolt...
The fifth thunderbolt...
With his array formation, Linton weathered every strike, his energy essentially intact though his clothes grew more ragged.
Unexpectedly, the thunderstorm ceased.
But dark clouds persisted and expanded across hundreds of kilometers.
They appeared to be gathering energy, brewing a mightier storm, giving a brief respite to those enduring the trial.
Only the final and strongest thunderbolt remained.
Success depended entirely on this last strike.
Linton's heart pounded nervously.
Pouring all his power through his body, he gripped his sword tighter than ever.
Half an hour later, dark clouds swirled overhead.
A massive purple thunderbolt, unlike any before, descended like a furious wyvern with wings spread and talons outstretched.
Its main body slammed into the top of the tower, but sensing resistance, it fractured -- splitting off into a smaller, basketball-sized thunder wyvern. It veered from the top, spiraled around the tower midair, and struck its midsection with a piercing vortex of energy.
Two earth-shattering booms followed, the entire structure trembling violently.
The thunder's roar tore through Linton's chest, the force shaking his soul to the core.
As bolts scattered in every direction, the purple thunder wyvern shrank to the size of a clenched fist and launched itself directly at him, wings tucked, fangs bared.
"Holy hell, did that thing grow a brain?" he thought, eyes narrowing.
It offered no mercy -- no pause -- just a single, deadly strike.
Without the Thunderstorm Protection Array, he wouldn't have stood a chance. Not even nine lives could've saved him.
The little thunder beast had burned through most of its energy after two failed strikes against the formation.
Now, with what strength remained, Linton summoned every ounce of his power and swung the wooden sword with raw, brutal force straight at the incoming wyvern.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion accompanied by dazzling purple lightning engulfed him.
After the storm cleared, his clothes were shredded, breath shallow, and faint blood stains marked his body.
Then wild laughter erupted.
After enduring this grueling ordeal, the golden elixir was finally complete.
*****
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