Tribulation

A tribulation is a process a cultivator must endure when ascending to the next stage of power or refining a celestial grade pill.

When a cultivator has accumulated enough qi or an alchemist is in the process of refining a high level pill, storm clouds will assemble and attempt to strike the cultivator with lightning. In order to progress, the cultivator must survive the lightning strikes.

There are various methods used to help survive. One way is to use a lightning rod. A cultivator at Yan Mo Ge's level can outright intimidate the beings responsible for the lightning into backing off. However, depending on the circumstances, the cultivator often needs to be directly hit to reinforce their body or ascend, and must therefore endure it on their own.