Chapter 78: The Terrifying Talent from Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment

Now only one slot remains; Zhou Qing originally intended to bind Sikong Yan with it, but after thinking it over, he decided against it.

In this ambush incident, even if he wasn’t the mastermind, he was still an accomplice—no need to waste this slot on him.

Better to keep it for a rainy day.

Then, with a flick of his mind, the interface unfolded.

【Name: Zhou Qing】

【Age: Nineteen】

【Cultivation Base: Foundation Establishment Late Stage】

【Meditation Technique: Taiqing Xuanyi Jue】

【Talent Skill: One Inspection Per Day,

Heart-Insight Vision—LV3 (69/300),

Reduced Presence—LV3 (3/100)】

【Skill Fragments: 0/3 (Unobtainable)】

It seems Heart-Insight Vision will take a long time to reach Level 4.

I must also focus on catching those missed points.

Watching Zhou Qing’s ever-changing expression, Lu Yaoyao beside him felt at a loss.

Wait, weren’t you not fond of Xuanyou Immortal?

So now that you see her with Sikong Yan, you’re jealous?

You won’t see her anymore?

What are you really thinking?

…………

Along the way, Zhou Qing frowned deeply; his Talent Skill Heart-Insight Vision had now bound seven people.

They were Lu Yaoyao, Li Daoxuan, Yan Xiaohu, Shi Zhen, Second Elder, Gao Xuan, and Xuanyou Immortal.

The final slot should at least be reserved for the suspicious individual who once went on missions with Senior Brother Gao Xuan but has rarely shown up since.

“Now that Qingyu Immortal Sect has been ruled out, Cangyan Dao Palace is confirmed—so the other faction must be either Jin Leizong or Tianji Gate.”

“But Tianji Gate has always been reclusive, valuing tranquility and desirelessness; conversely, Jin Leizong’s disciples, due to their thunder cultivation, are all hot-tempered and warlike—they’re likely secretly allied with Cangyan Dao Palace.”

“Of course, things aren’t absolute—even a mother hen can deceive, let alone a vast sect.”

Zhou Qing had vaguely formed a tentative answer in his mind.

Now it depends on what the sect thinks.

“If the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up—for now, I’m focused on saving myself. One is a peak master, the other a sect master—they both want me dead!”

Zhou Qing couldn’t help but scratch his head in irritation.

Better to focus on cultivating the Canglei Sword Art—it’s the strongest technique he currently has.

Two days later, Qingyu Immortal Sect and Cangyan Dao Palace departed.

Watching the two warships successively pierce through the clouds, Cao Zhengyang frowned tightly.

“What do you make of this?” Cao Zhengyang asked.

Master Tong Min of Yuzheng Peak said: “Hard to say. Can’t fully trust it.”

“I think Sikong Yan is highly suspicious—almost certainly involved in this plot. The only question is who the other side is!”

Master Gao Xuan of Jinyang Peak spoke slowly, hands behind his back.

Cao Zhengyang looked at Gao Xuan in surprise, then said: “Last night, Xuanyou Immortal found me and swore a Heavenly Dao Oath—if she or her Qingyu Immortal Sect participated in harming Taiqingmen, she will be struck by five thunderbolts and die a wretched death.”

“So severe?” Mo Xingjian said, startled.

Cao Zhengyang sighed lightly: “Yes, I’m confused too. Anyway, stay vigilant. By the way, what’s the situation with Jin Leizong and Tianji Gate?”

“They’re still observing—no movement whatsoever!” The commander of Baizhan Peak stepped forward.

Cao Zhengyang chuckled.

Then he said nothing more and turned to enter.

…………

At the mountain peak!

Zhou Qing sat cross-legged, like an immovable stone mountain.

His eyes closed, expression solemn, his aura deep and still as an abyss; inside his body, the thunder-shaped sword embryo glowed brilliantly, as if countless divine thunderbolts surged and roared within.

As his body trembled slightly, boundless thunder energy surged from all directions, converging into him, resonating with the thunder-shaped sword embryo.

Lightning flashed, illuminating Zhou Qing’s face with divine majesty, his hair dancing in the radiance, his robes snapping loudly.

The next instant, he abruptly opened his eyes—thunder flashed within them, as if two lightning bolts tore through the void.

In his hand, a rusted broken sword had appeared without warning.

He rose slowly, posture straight as a pine, aura vast as a mountain; as he guided the sword formation, the thunder-shaped sword embryo instantly transformed into a brilliant sword light, leaping onto the broken blade.

And the previously clear sky instantly churned with wind and clouds.

Silver arcs flashed beneath Zhou Qing’s feet—he stepped forward sharply and was already midair.

He swung the broken sword, and a thunder-sword qi roared forth—sword within thunder, thunder within sword; the terrifying power warped the very void.

His figure moved like lightning, thunder-sword qi crisscrossing wildly; wherever it passed, rocks shattered, trees turned to dust, and the earth was carved with deep gashes.

In this undisturbed realm, he resembled an invincible war god, unleashing the full might of the Canglei Sword Art across heaven and earth.

His form flickered like a phantom; each sword swing carried boundless thunder energy.

With a low roar, he raised the broken sword high—thunder blazed across the sky.

“First Form: Canglei Breaks the Void—Break!”

With this roar, an extraordinarily brilliant thunder-sword qi shot forth.

Where the sword qi passed, space itself seemed torn, emitting heart-stopping roars.

The unstoppable momentum instantly ionized the surrounding air, forming visible concentric ripples.

The sword qi struck a mountain peak ahead.

A deafening explosion rang out—the peak collapsed under the thunder-sword qi’s impact, shattering into countless flying fragments.

The violent thunder energy still leapt and sparkled among the debris, emitting a chilling crackling sound.

Zhou Qing panted heavily, drenched in sweat, then staggered down from the air, eyes blazing with excitement.

“Such immense power!”

Seeing the devastating destruction before him, Zhou Qing was overjoyed.

The Canglei Sword Art has three forms, each stronger than the last.

The first form can only be used at the peak of Foundation Establishment, as its demands for spiritual power and mental energy are immense; luckily, as a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment cultivator with yin-yang mutual generation, he could barely perform it—and its power was impressive.

The second and third forms can only be used at Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.

Probably even Elder Duanmu Shu never expected Zhou Qing would master the first form so quickly.

No—he probably didn’t even think a thunder-shaped sword embryo could form at Foundation Establishment.

After all, he still had to spare attention to cultivate the Silver Dragon Hand, second only to this technique.

Yet who could have imagined that, so soon, he had already fully mastered the first form?

“Now I have another means of self-preservation!”

Zhou Qing beamed and quickly pulled out a spirit egg to begin absorbing.

In the afternoon, he found Yan Xiaohu and handed him fifteen thousand lower-grade spirit stones, asking him to exchange them for middle-grade ones.

He kept two thousand for daily expenses and feeding the mother hen.

“All of it?” Yan Xiaohu asked, surprised.

Zhou Qing nodded, then took out two hundred more: “Third Senior Brother, I know the exchange ratio is 1:100, but exchanging lower-grade for middle-grade still has some variance—please help me out.”

Yan Xiaohu waved his hand: “You’re underestimating your third senior brother. Don’t worry—leave it to me!”

“Then it’s settled—afterward, Yushantang’s on you!”

“You said it—when the time comes, I’ll feast on you!” Yan Xiaohu laughed heartily, licking his lips.

Zhou Qing hesitated, glancing at Yan Xiaohu’s forehead note: 【Little Brother Like a God of Wealth】, then couldn’t help asking:

“Third Senior Brother, what do you really think of me?”

(End of Chapter)