From above, it slowly descended, growing from the size of a sesame seed to a housecat. At that point, it was only a few metres above her.

"Um..."

Did it really need to come so close? At this distance, the streaks of lightning flashing through it were particularly intimidating. From the size of it, she had been expecting it to be easy, but now she was feeling a little uneasy. She decided to cover her head with her hands, just in case.

In the next moment, a tiny streak of lightning only as thick as a strand of yarn struck her.

White-hot pain shot through her entire being!

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Mei collapsed to the ground. She clutched her back, where the lightning had struck. Oh god. It hurt so much...

She tried her best not to cry, unwilling to let such a huge audience see her like that. A few droplets came out, but it wasn't enough to be seen, with how her dangling hair hid her face.

She looked up weakly, and to her horror, the cloud was still floating above! She quickly looked down again and braced herself, but the cloud seemed to have lost interest and floated higher up.

"Are you okay?" the sect master's voice entered her head. "The tribulation clouds bypass painkillers, so not much we can do about it. By the way, did you do something bad recently? You only attract tribulations when your karma is low enough!"

"Shut up..." Mei grumbled.

"I recommend spending some time to do community service! Judging by that tribulation, your wrongdoings are small, so it should be easily fixed."

"Do I get paid..."

"Would it really be community service then?"

Seriously?!

"Since you've completed the tribulation, sit at the other side of the colosseum. Those who have passed the tribulation wait there."

That was fine with her. She really didn't want to face anyone right now.

Mei silently walked to the other side and took her seat.

Having just broken through, she felt like energy was surging through her entire body. Something within her felt different too, in a positive way. If not for the tribulation lightning, she would have been over the moon.

Those main characters withstanding thousands of lightning bolts... they were masochists!

Mei never wanted to go through a tribulation ever again. Community service... she didn't like the sound of that, but she decided tomorrow- later this week, she would apply. Even at this distance, simply staring at that "housecat" filled her with trepidation.

From the looks of it, the other disciples had been scared too, having quietened down. The disciple who had been called next was inching his way down the steps slowly.

Then the sect master must have spoken into his mind because he suddenly jumped and hurried down the stairs.

He swallowed the pill hastily and began glowing with energy as she did. Shortly, he broke through, starting nervously at the "housecat".

Mei couldn't help but feel... anticipation? It was wrong, but she kind of wanted others to feel her pain as well. Er... was this going to lower her karma? She really hoped not.

...

It didn't strike. The disciple heaved a sigh of relief and headed to the other side of the colosseum as well.

Unfair...

As it turned out, the disciples that came after were spared by the tribulation cloud, much to their relief.

Even Yingyi, who was 11th, got away scot-free.

Mei wanted to lodge a complaint to the tribulation cloud. She wasn't anywhere as rude as him! Were the heavens blind?

For a moment, the tribulation cloud seemed to shift, as if looking to her. A chill ran through her spine; she quickly averted her eyes and began apologising mentally over and over. That had to be her imagination, right?

A while later, Junwei, the 16th broke through.

He stood confidently, but much to Mei's glee, the cloud decended!

It wasn't so much because she had a grudge against him, she only found him weird. She just wanted to see someone else finally get hit as well.

Junwei screeched and tried to run away, but the cloud caught up with ease. Then it dropped something shiny before him, before floating upwards again.

Mei stared, as stunned as him.

He turned his head, evidently having heard the sect master's voice. His puzzled look quickly turned into one of glee as he rushed over... to her? Urgh...

"Hey! Mei Xiu! See this?" he shouted, holding up whatever the shiny thing was.

As he grew closer, she saw that it was a thumb-sized glowy white crystal, with faint specks of rainbow light.

"The sect master said it's a heaven stone! He says it's what the heavens reward to virtuous cultivators!"

"And it's real virtuous of you to come goad at me."

Junwei paused.

"Oh. Sorry, I was just a bit excited. I didn't mean to be rude."

Che! He had the audacity to look guilty now?

There was an awkward pause.

"Can I see your back?" he asked.

Mei grumpily turned around. She didn't have the best impression of him, but she sort of wanted to see his reaction.

"Weird, I don't see anything."

"What?"

Mei tried to twist her neck around to confirm what he said, but sadly, she wasn't an owl.

"Tribulation lightning bypasses walls and equipment, to prevent cheating." the sect master explained to them both. "If you want to look at your injury, you should look at a mirror in private later."

"Ah..." Junwei said.

Mei was starting to feel really peeved.

"What did you do to get rewarded like that anyway?" she glared at him.

"Huh? Oh... back when I was younger, before I joined the sect, I donated some of my allowance to charity." he looked embarrassed.

"What? That's enough to get good karma?"

"Well... I came from an affluent family... so I had a lot of pocket money."

"W-what? That's cheating! This is just unfair!"

Mei was starting to get really angry. She got off her seat and stomped away. She had never liked the nobles, whom she always viewed as losers who got everything they wanted for nothing. And now even money could be used to buy good karma?

"Wait, I get how you feel, but-"

"Don't talk to me!"

She took a seat far away from all the disciples who had broken through, sulking.