As soon as they got in the car, Sherry Shawn teased Shawn Young with a hint of jealousy in her voice, "Wow, two gorgeous ladies just left, and you look so reluctant to say goodbye!"
"Alright—look at you, all anxious—" Sherry Shawn glanced at him, started the engine, and sped onto the highway, heading straight for the Southern Military District Headquarters.
"Alright—look at you, all anxious—" Sherry Shawn glanced at him, started the engine, and sped the car onto the highway, heading straight for the Southern Military District Headquarters.
"Hehe—looks like you're planning another trip, aren't you?" Sherry Shawn asked while driving.
"Yeah, that's right!" Shawn Young nodded.
"Oh, so you're heading out because of that little Japanese ninja girl, aren't you?" Sherry Shawn pressed.
"Huh? How—how do you know all that?" Shawn Young asked in surprise.
"Haha—I'm a master at predictions, you know! I can totally figure it out from your recent moves!" Sherry Shawn joked.
Shawn Young paused, then asked curiously, "You—you know everything I've been up to lately?"
"Of course! The whole thing with Andrew Qi and Daniel Feathercloud really blew up—so many people died at Greenhill Psychiatric Hospital. Our National Paranormal Task Force and the three great Chinese clans naturally helped you clean up the mess. Then you rushed off to Xilin City to deal with Maggie Chang’s situation, which got Admiral Nathan Holland and Director Tyler Cui involved, plus you busted that Beast Bro’s criminal gang. I know all about it!" Sherry Shawn chatted away, sounding like she had the inside scoop.
"Whoa—this all happened in just a couple of days? Sherry, your intel is seriously impressive!" Shawn Young couldn’t help but marvel at how fast she gathered information.
"Hehe—don’t forget what I do for a living! When it comes to collecting and analyzing intel, I might not be number one in all of China, but I’m definitely top three. Actually, I even know about the stuff that went down between you and those two beauties—Minnie Wang and Maggie Chang. You, mister, sure leave your mark everywhere you go! Such a flirt!" Sherry teased, her cheeks turning rosy as she shot Shawn a shy glare.
"Uh—no way? You—you even know about that?!" Shawn’s eyes went wide in shock as he realized just how freakishly good Sherry was at intel gathering. He felt like he had no secrets left in front of her.
"Haha—don’t look at me like that! I didn’t watch you and those beauties live, you know! It’s just that you’ve been making waves lately, so our people naturally collect and file all the relevant info. As for me, I’m just naturally good at piecing together your personality from the tiniest clues and guessing what you’ll do next!" Sherry explained, sticking out her cute little tongue.
"Uh—" Shawn was speechless. He couldn’t help but feel a little helpless in front of this quirky, super-smart intel genius.
"Hehe—don’t look at me like I’m some kind of alien. Once you get to Hong Kong, you’ll need my help for all sorts of things!" Sherry pouted playfully at him.
"Uh—yeah, you’re right!" Shawn paused, then nodded in agreement. Sherry was telling the truth—on this trip to Hong Kong, her top-tier intel skills and the National Paranormal Task Force’s support would make everything way less of a headache.
The two chatted away, hardly noticing as the car drove through the gates of the Southern Military District Headquarters. Thanks to Sherry’s special license plate from the HQ, they cruised right past all the strict security. Soon, they pulled up outside a white, three-story office building. Sherry stopped the car and said to Shawn, "Here we are! Tiger’s in his office inside. If you have any questions, go ask him. I’ve got stuff to take care of, so I’ll leave you to it!"
"Thanks, Sherry! See you!" Shawn hopped out and waved goodbye.
"Hehe—once you’re in the wild world of Hong Kong, surrounded by beautiful women and endless temptations, don’t forget to keep in touch with me between your flings! Bye-bye!" Sherry said, her cheeks flushed, waving shyly before quickly driving off.
Watching Sherry leave, Shawn turned and walked into the office building. The moment he stepped inside, he was met by a tall, imposing older man in a black Tang suit, staring at him with a strange look—none other than Howard Tiger himself!
Howard Tiger didn’t say a word at first. He just sized Shawn up with a piercing gaze. After a long moment, he suddenly asked, "Shawn Young, looks like you’ve run into some serious trouble with your cultivation, haven’t you?"
"Huh? Yeah! How did you know? Howard, I came here especially to see you, hoping you could check me out and tell me what’s going on!" Shawn was stunned—he didn’t expect Howard Tiger to spot his abnormal condition with just a glance. The National Paranormal Task Force’s number two was truly something else.
Howard didn’t explain, just said, "Your situation looks pretty unique. Give me your left hand—I’ll check your pulse and see for myself."
"Oh, okay!" Shawn quickly stretched out his left hand as instructed.
Howard gripped Shawn’s wrist, narrowed his eyes, and channeled his true energy to check carefully. The deeper he probed, the more serious Howard’s expression became, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter, making Shawn’s heart pound with anxiety.
After a long while, Howard finally opened his eyes and said with a strange look, "Kid, you’re in real trouble this time. I never expected the pure yang energy inside you to be so intense! An ordinary cultivator would’ve already been burned out, their energy in chaos, and died from going berserk. But what’s weird is, your true energy is extremely pure and refined—not at all like someone who’s gone off track during cultivation. This is a whole different situation!"
"A different situation? What do you mean exactly? Please explain, Howard!" Shawn asked anxiously.
"Lately, have you found it hard to control the power in your Sea of Illusions? Whenever your true energy stirs or your emotions flare up, do you start seeing hallucinations? Getting irritable and angry? Feeling a crazy urge to destroy things?" Howard asked.
"Uh—yeah, yeah, that’s exactly it! My true energy flows just fine, but there’s this weird force in my mind that makes my emotions burn out of control. I feel like I can barely keep the madness in check!" Shawn replied urgently.
"I see. That’s because your power has increased and you’re about to reach the peak of the Condensing Pill stage. Your channels and blood are undergoing huge changes, automatically cleansing and refining themselves. That’s why your pure yang energy is surging so fiercely. Shawn, all these signs point to the arrival of a Heavenly Tribulation!" Howard said, his eyes flashing with excitement.
"Heavenly Tribulation? Howard, you mean—I’m about to face the legendary cleansing of the Heavenly Tribulation? I can’t believe I’m actually running into this!" Shawn was shocked. He remembered the detailed records of 'Heavenly Tribulation' in the Codex of Ascension, so he knew exactly what it meant for him. His mind was in chaos.
"That’s right, it’s definitely a Heavenly Tribulation. There are very few cultivators in the world who ever reach the point of triggering it! For your pure yang energy to rage so wildly and not blow you up is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s both a blessing and a curse from the heavens. So, even if the tribulation comes, don’t panic!" Howard reassured him, seeing Shawn’s confused face.
"Howard, what should I do?" Shawn asked urgently. He knew the Heavenly Tribulation was the ultimate test for any cultivator—if he survived, he’d step into the world of immortality; if not, he’d be utterly destroyed. Most who face it perish, making this the biggest and scariest challenge he’d ever encountered.
"Sigh—this is a Heavenly Tribulation. You have to overcome it yourself; I honestly don’t know what you should do! You know cultivation is all about defying fate—fortune and misfortune go hand in hand. As the saying goes: 'Disaster is where fortune hides, and fortune is where disaster lies.' You can plan all you want, but in the end, it’s up to the heavens! Shawn, you know what they say—‘The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be struck by the wind; the highest mound by the river is the first to be washed away.’ You’re so young, yet your cultivation has reached heights most can only dream of. With such blessings, the heavens will naturally test you harder than anyone else. In the end, only fate can decide!" Howard’s voice was filled with a deep sense of melancholy and helplessness.
Shawn was stunned by Howard’s words. He was right—Shawn had been lucky, gaining incredible power and fortune at a young age. Though he’d faced challenges, things had mostly gone his way, making him a true outlier. Now, the heavens wouldn’t let him coast forever, bringing the terrifying Heavenly Tribulation to test him. He realized this was the greatest challenge he’d ever face, and there was no running from it. Only by fighting back could he hope to survive. With this new understanding, the gloom in his heart vanished, and he suddenly felt bold and heroic. He shouted, "No! My fate is mine, not heaven’s! I refuse to believe I can’t overcome this Heavenly Tribulation!"