Chapter 97: Wind and Thunder Union

This Jade Pool is a supreme dharma artifact of the Tongshan Dao Tradition.

It is also an object that suppresses qi luck.

The illusory qi luck of the Tongshan Dao Tradition was invisibly gathered here; as it changed, several lotus flowers with green bases and gold wrapping appeared within the seven-colored light.

The lotus is delicate and dewy, with flowing golden light, extraordinarily marvelous.

The Daoist by the lotus pond slightly nodded at this sight.

The qi luck of the Tongshan Lineage also increased considerably.

Usually only after the increase in qi luck reaches a certain level will the azure lotus bloom within the Qi Luck Pool.

His eyes flickered; he turned and transmitted the various phenomena outward, ordering the cultivators outside the hall to record them.

Every fluctuation of the Qi Luck Pool is fully recorded for the sect's reference; this is also precious experience gained from the sect's operations.

……

Fengxi County, Zhang Family, deep within Zhu Feng Mountain.

When Zhang Jian assisted the Feng Ling Ghost King in shedding its ghostly form and returning to a divine body, he saw that deep within Zhu Feng Mountain also had threads of invisible qi flowing in and merging into the depths of Zhu Feng Mountain.

After this invisible qi flowed in, the entire Zhu Feng Mountain seemed to become more towering; the shapes of the surrounding peaks subtly changed, and one peak gradually evolved into a peculiar form.

In the Zhang Family manor, Zhang Jian sat with closed eyes, partly reflecting on the gains and losses of this trip, and also awaiting news from the Tongshan Dao Tradition.

Having passed the three trials of the Tongshan Dao Tradition, news should arrive shortly.

Zhang Jian also noticed that, after defusing the time bomb bred in Feng Nest Mountain by the Feng Ling Ghost King, a stream of invisible qi continually surged from the void into his two life formats within his fate palace, causing subtle changes in both.

In his vast divine sense's inward vision, he could see that the Dragon Chapter Phoenix Appearance life format, originally gathering gold and azure, now had invisible qi luck flowing into it, making the whole pattern more special, as if undergoing a transformation, turning pure azure.

As for the other life format he named Red Virtue True King, its outer light was mainly azure with a hint of pale purple; now the purple light became rich.

With the two life format changes, Zhang Jian felt no change in his own strength, but he noticed that the speed of absorbing heavenly and earthly spiritual qi was increasing.

At this moment, the mana gathered deep in his dantian was vast and surging, with a magical spring gradually forming within.

That magical spring is the core of the Fortune-telling Foundation Establishment cultivation practice.

At this time, the magical spring and the omnipresent heavenly and earthly spiritual qi between heaven and earth seemed to become more intimate.

Breathing and absorption capacity greatly increased.

Casting ability trended toward strengthening!

This change was still quite substantial for Zhang Jian.

……

After the hidden danger in Feng Nest Mountain was resolved, the Zhang Family also quickly embarked on a fast track, and all expansions proceeded smoothly.

The clan chief of Fengyang Prefecture, Zhang Yi, sent news that, through negotiation, they quickly secured the Prefectural Supervisor Yao He.

Moreover, the expansion in the prefectural city also went very smoothly; after allying with the Qi and Gu families, the Zhang Family obtained the quotas for several key official posts inside and outside the city, allowing them to recommend a few of their own people to fill them.

Although those posts are low in rank, their authority is not small.

Iron-clad clerks, flowing officials!

Many officials of rank in the prefectural city, under the Great Qian Dynasty court system, need frequent rotation, but these clerks are different; having served long term, they hold the posts of grain, prisons, documents, accounts, and catching thieves, etc.

Placing their own people in these positions is extremely beneficial for the development of a clan.

Moreover, within the prefectural prefect system, the Zhang Family also actively helped Zhang Kui to campaign for a transfer to the prefectural city.

Prefect Wang Shao, in this Fengyang Prefecture reshuffle, consistently leaned toward neutrality and vagueness, which also drew dissatisfaction from the Four Great Families; moreover, he was directly sidelined by Qi Yuansi, the Regional Inspector just below the prefect, and actually wielded little authority.

The Zhang Family still had room to maneuver in transferring Zhang Kui from County Magistrate to Commander-in-Chief of the prefectural city, and Zhang Yi's reply letter conveyed optimism.

Furthermore, in part of the counties under Fengyang Prefecture's jurisdiction, the Zhang Family also stationed personnel to expand its influence.

It seemed that everything was moving toward a better direction.

At this juncture, Zhang Jian also completely fused the Wind Movement Technique and Walking Thunder Formula within the Wind and Thunder Technique, condensing into a Wind and Thunder Talisman.

In the suburban villa, Zhang Jian stood on the ground with his whole body; under the impetus of magical power, countless red electric threads seemed to appear on him, red lightning leapt, and with a casual swing he saw a bolt of red lightning pierce the void directly, striking a rock and completely shattering it into powder.

The lightning blazed.

Zhang Jian's speed of executing the technique markedly increased greatly, and the area it covers and the controllable distance have also seen breakthroughs.

Furthermore, from a single lightning structure, it evolved into multiple lightning strands.

This made a faint smile appear in Zhang Jian's eyes; compared to other external forces, he still trusted more in the techniques he mastered.

"It's not quite what I expected; I didn't anticipate that after unifying the Wind and Thunder Technique, it merely improved a single direction, not a true union of wind and thunder!"

Zhang Jian thought to himself.

The power formed by the unification of the Wind and Thunder Technique is not a weaving of wind and thunder; rather, it is chiefly the Walking Thunder Formula, with the Wind Movement Technique integrated, merely boosting the speed of the Walking Thunder Formula by more than double.

After successfully cultivating the Wind and Thunder Technique, Zhang Jian instantly turned his attention to the Flying Sword Technique.

This Flying Sword Technique played a significant role in the Feng Nest Mountain expedition; Zhang Jian valued it greatly, as it is the foundation of his swordsmanship, not to be underestimated.

Only with a solid foundation can one stand upon it; only then can there be hope to reach higher-level swordsmanship!

As for the Diamond Mantra and Purify Soul Talisman, he temporarily set them aside; the Diamond Mantra, a defensive technique, he had not yet found any use for, and after a while, once he obtains the method for acquiring the primary magical artifact from the Tongshan Dao Tradition, this technique can be set aside from practice.

The Purify Soul Dharma Spell, however, has decent power, but its cultivation conditions are special; it requires continual purification of fierce ghosts, otherwise even arduous practice yields little effect.

……

Yet while the Zhang Family was expanding rapidly, inside the prefectural city the Yu Family's interior was outwardly lax but inwardly tense.

Sitting in the position of family head, Yu You felt a sense of inner distress.

He rubbed his aching temples.

The situation inside and outside Fengyang Prefecture was greatly disadvantageous for the Yu Family; as Prefectural Secretary, with the Prefect currently absent, he acted as Acting Prefect and took charge of the Prefect's office, appearing prosperous and renowned as the foremost great clan of Fengyang Prefecture, but only he knew the hardships involved.

Not only did he have to face the pressure from the union of the other three prefectural great families, but he also constantly harbored a worry in his heart.

The relationship between Yu Tongguang and the Yu Family is a major hidden danger.

Once it erupts, the three great prefectural families will certainly not let the Yu Family off.

For this, Yu You has been actively plotting.

"Strike first to be strong!"

Seated, Yu You has always upheld this idea; his expression was cold. In his opinion, Yu Tongguang lost due to being hesitant and restrained, worrying about this and that, and in the end the Zhang Clan seized the opportunity and completely turned the tables.

He will not make that mistake again.

No matter how much Fengyang Commandery is turned upside down inside and out, as long as the Yu Clan survives, it is more important than anything.