Chapter 96

Cheng Xinzhan certainly would not feel pain, but upon seeing the look of surprise on Daoist Jianxian's face, he knew it was about time, so he spoke up,

"Master, that is enough."

Daoist Jianxian nodded and said,

"Your aptitude is very high, and consuming the thunder Qi has gone very smoothly, so let's leave it at that for today. After you go back, continue applying the cooling ointment. After the discomfort is relieved, then rush the thunder apertures; do not be too eager for speed. As for thunder techniques, the thunder Qi in your body is still too little to perform them. Wait until you have accumulated more, and I will teach you then."

"Additionally, be prepared at all times; the timing cannot be missed. When the next thunderstorm comes, I will lead you out of the sect."

Cheng Xinzhan agreed, told Daoist Jianxian the location of his Carefree Cave on Mount Mingzhi, and then asked a question, "Master, just now I used magic power to refine the thunder liquid and send it to the nasal aperture. I wonder if this action can be replaced by willpower?"

Daoist Jianxian was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, but he still nodded and said,

"Essence, Qi, and Spirit are the three treasures of the Daoist body, meaning that willpower, magic power, and essence blood can all be used to refine external objects. There are different names for these, respectively called Spirit Refining, Magic Refining, and Blood Refining. And generally speaking, Spirit Refining and Blood Refining are even faster than Magic Refining."

"Things like flying swords or other Purple Palace treasures generally require Spirit Refining. If it is an urgent matter, Blood Refining is used, and the Mo Sect is especially fond of Blood Refining, as it can enhance the evil Qi of magic treasures."

"It is just that because willpower is sensitive, if used to refine violent objects like thunder liquid, the pain will be magnified, and it is also easy to damage the spirit. And losing blood damages the body; the time required for the Daoist body to replenish essence blood is relatively long, so generally, magic power is used for refining."

Cheng Xinzhan bowed in thanks, then took out a pill bottle, holding it with both hands to present to Daoist Jianxian,

"Master, this is a thank-you gift prepared by my master, a bottle of Hundred Herb Lung-Moistening Pills. Please, you must accept it."

Seeing this, Daoist Jianxian waved his hands repeatedly, "Teaching you is the order of the Mountain Master; how can I accept another gift from Mountain Master Wenshan? Quickly take it back. Many thanks for Mountain Master Wenshan's kind intentions."

Cheng Xinzhan placed the pill bottle on the small table and said again, "Master, my master said this is her intention, and it has nothing to do with how Mountain Master Zhao arranges things."

Immediately, he rose to take his leave, not giving Daoist Jianxian a chance to refuse.

————

He returned to the Carefree Cave.

He first took out a green branch from the cave stone; this was something he had exchanged for while drawing talismans at the Miao Border market. It had no special name, just a piece of ordinary spirit wood.

He drew out "Autumn Water" and whittled the spirit wood into five small spoons, each capable of holding just one drop of thunder liquid. He had seen that Daoist Jianxian's small spoons were also just ordinary spirit wood, nothing special.

Subsequently, he poured a drop of thunder liquid from his gourd onto one.

"Crack!"

The thunder liquid crackled on the wooden spoon, but fortunately, the wooden spoon was not damaged.

Cheng Xinzhan felt relieved. He dripped thunder liquid onto all five small spoons, refined the thunder liquid with magic power, then placed the wooden spoons by the stone bed and immediately attached his consciousness to his physical body.

The familiar feeling of confinement returned; only the Heart Mansion and Purple Palace could be perceived through the Zhou Tian hundred apertures, only now there was an extra trace of a cooling sensation at the nasal aperture.

He projected his willpower, which landed on the thunder liquid on the wooden spoons.

Sure enough, as Daoist Jianxian had said, even after being refined by magic power, touching it with willpower at this moment still produced a burning and numbing sensation.

Enduring the pain, he wrapped the thunder liquid with willpower and sent it toward the nasal aperture. Although this process was unpleasant, the willpower also allowed him to more clearly comprehend the intent of the thunder law.

The thunder liquid struck the nasal aperture, and a huge, tidal wave of pain submerged this physical body, causing this long-dormant frame to tremble involuntarily.

This pain did not originate from the thunder liquid striking the aperture, but because the Purple Fire Rotten Peach Sha clogging the aperture was startled by the thunder, beginning to stir and dart about chaotically within the aperture.

However, the pain causing the body to tremble involuntarily could no longer disturb Cheng Xinzhan's resolve.

His willpower did not waver in the slightest, capturing all the tiny liquid droplets that shattered and exploded after the thunder liquid struck the aperture, binding them into a bundle and rushing into the meridians.

But the meridians were still clogged with Sha Qi, like continuous, endless mountains blocking the way. After this small bundle of thunder liquid traveled an imperceptible distance, it dissipated within the mountain of true Sha. And the dissolved true Sha formed a tiny drop of Sha water, stopping in the minute gap just opened by the thunder liquid.

The physical body shook like chaff, but his willpower radiated a sense of joy.

It really worked!

Even though the amount of true Sha dissolved this time was so minuscule.

He struck while the iron was hot, capturing the remaining thunder liquid droplets on the wooden spoons one by one to strike the nasal aperture.

Later on, he simply used willpower to refine the thunder liquid directly, skipping the process of the soul entering the bamboo body and then using the bamboo body's magic power to refine the thunder liquid.

Later still, he even became numb to the pain of refining thunder liquid with willpower.

Thus, on the fourth day, he suddenly heard a shout,

"Xinzhan, follow me out of the sect!"

He hurriedly attached his consciousness to the bamboo staff and exited the Carefree Cave, finding Daoist Jianxian outside the mountain.

He rode a cloud to approach him and also discovered a patch of dark clouds brewing in the north.

"Did you bring everything?"

Cheng Xinzhan nodded.

Thus, the two headed north. In Mount Sanqing, the area north of the Lotus Blessed Land was much more desolate; there were continuous mountains, but people were rarely seen. Those here were all reclusive elders.

Not long after, they reached the edge of the Nine Heavens Cloud Prohibition Grand Array, and the two flew in the clouds for quite a while before exiting the sect.

"Boom—"

Thunder was already brewing in the clouds in the distance, emitting a huge sound.

"It sounds like Abundant Thunder; your luck is not bad."

Daoist Jianxian said with a smile. Seeing Cheng Xinzhan's surprise, he added, "When you have seen more, you will naturally be able to distinguish them."

The two increased their speed and finally arrived at the place before the thunder fell.

This was a desolate place in the wild, with some low mountains scattered sporadically. With no one around, Daoist Jianxian chuckled,

"This time the thunder is in the north, which actually let us pick up a bargain. The other two families haven't come yet, though it's also possible that during the recent Awakening of Insects solar term, spring thunder was dense, and they have already harvested it. It would be best if they don't come at all."

Daoist Jianxian took Cheng Xinzhan to occupy the highest mountain peak, prepared the guiding and containing vessels, and waited for the heavenly thunder to fall.

However, before the heavenly thunder fell, a sound of breaking through the air came from the southwest.

"Sigh, people have come after all."

Daoist Jianxian sighed.

Three people came from afar, and when they were closer, Cheng Xinzhan could see them clearly.

The arrivals were all dressed in blue with silver embroidery, wearing cloud-stacking crowns. The leader was an elderly man, bringing a young man and a young woman.

"They are people from the Shenxiao Sect. Sigh, they are acquaintances; how annoying."

Daoist Jianxian said to himself.

Once the three arrived, they naturally looked for a mountain peak and caught sight of Jianxian and Cheng Xinzhan at a glance.

"Fellow Daoist Jianxian, what a coincidence!"

The leading old man greeted them enthusiastically upon seeing them.

Daoist Jianxian squeezed out a smile, "Fellow Daoist Yibi."

This Daoist Yibi was very enthusiastic, and seeing that there were not many people today, he wanted to chat for a few sentences.

"Is this your high disciple, Fellow Daoist?"

Daoist Yibi pointed at Cheng Xinzhan and said.

Daoist Jianxian explained, "Not so, he is a disciple from another branch of the sect. Entrusted by others, he is just learning thunder arts from me for a period of time."

Cheng Xinzhan bowed, "Little Daoist Cheng Xinzhan, greetings to the Daoist."

Daoist Yibi returned the bow and pushed the two twelve or thirteen-year-old children behind him to the front, saying:

"Oh, oh, so that's how it is. Come, come, Fellow Daoist Jianxian, Little Friend Xinzhan, these are my two disciples, Meng Xuqi and Meng Xuyi."

The two handsome children with similar features offered their greetings. Jianxian and Cheng Xinzhan both returned the greetings.

"Little friend looks unfamiliar. Is this the first time Fellow Daoist Jianxian has brought someone to harvest thunder?"

Jianxian nodded.

Daoist Yibi laughed loudly, "These two good disciples of mine are also out of the sect for the first time. I think today, let's let them try their hands more."

Jianxian nodded again.

Just at this moment, people came from the southeast again. Looking from afar, their Daoist robes were a mix of purple and yellow.

"People from Mount Longhu have also come; all three families are here."

Daoist Yibi said.

Taoist priest Jianxian also said to Cheng Xinzhan, "The Heavenly Capital Cave Abyss Mansion of the Bingfeng Mountain Pivot, the Eastern Extreme Azure Profound Mansion of the Mount Longhu Pivot, plus our Nine Heavens Responding Mansion of Mount Sanqing—these are what people often call the three Yu Zhang Thunder Dao mansions. All are inherited from the ancient Thunder Department; the others are indeed not worth discussing."

Two people came from Mount Longhu, also one big and one small, looking like a master bringing a disciple.

"Master, didn't you say there would be many people harvesting thunder? There aren't many."

=9+Shu_ba

The boy named Meng Xuqi asked.

Daoist Yibi answered with a smile, "Because now is the transition between mid-spring and late spring, which is naturally the time when there are the fewest thunder harvesters. Master deliberately chose this time to bring you out."

"Then why are there the fewest people now?"

"In spring, the first thunder has the intent of 'striving for the lead,' 'timing,' and 'vitality.' The Awakening of Insects thunder has the intent of 'penetrating heaven and earth,' 'summoning orders,' 'awakening,' and 'shaking insects.' Therefore, these two time points have the most people harvesting thunder, especially the Awakening of Insects thunder, which lasts for several days or even more than ten days. People have already harvested it. Now that the Awakening of Insects thunder is gradually subsiding, the thunder mystery on most people has not yet dissipated, so it just happens to create a gap for thunder harvesting. After another half a month, people who have harvested the first thunder will continue to harvest thunder, and the number of people will slowly increase."

Daoist Yibi looked at the three families, all old bringing new, and chuckled, "The transition between mid-spring and late spring has few people, and the momentum of spring thunder has also been mostly released during the Awakening of Insects. It is most suitable for beginners of the thunder path to harvest. Therefore, generally at this time, it is masters bringing disciples to harvest thunder. The thunder at this time also has a name: Master-Disciple Thunder."

On the side, Cheng Xinzhan listened and nodded secretly. So that was it. No wonder Master Jianxian was in such a hurry to let him prepare thunder vessels; it was to catch this time, to catch this Master-Disciple Thunder.

The two from the Heavenly Master Mansion also flew closer, their purple and yellow Daoist robes exceptionally magnificent. The older one looked to be only about fifty years old, with a square face, thick black beard and hair. The younger one's age should be between Xuqi/Xuyi and Cheng Xinzhan, with red lips and white teeth, wearing a purple gold crown.

Being in Yu Zhang and both cultivating thunder arts, Jianxian and Yibi both knew the arrivals. However, it seemed their seniority was higher, so both took the initiative to bow and greet them.

"Taoist priest Quanhe, Immeasurable Longevity."

This Taoist priest Quanhe had a square face and looked very dignified, with thick eyebrows and tiger eyes, and a long beard fluttering under his chin. He kept a straight face, looking unapproachable. However, seeing the two families who arrived earlier coming to greet him, and that they were each bringing newcomers, he suddenly beamed and laughed loudly,

"Master-Disciple Thunder, Master-Disciple Thunder. Today all three of our families have come to harvest this Master-Disciple Thunder; it is truly a coincidence."

Daoist Yibi bowed and echoed, "It is indeed a coincidence. Just now I was chatting with Daoist Jianxian; both our families are bringing juniors to harvest thunder for the first time."

Taoist priest Quanhe nodded, "Same here. Come, Zhenjing, greet the two elders."

That red-lipped little Daoist bowed his hands, "Liang Zhenjing of the Eastern Extreme Azure Profound Mansion of Mount Longhu, greetings to the two."

His attitude seemed somewhat frivolous and casual.

Jianxian and Yibi remained calm and returned the greetings respectively.

"Alright, you two, the heavenly thunder is about to fall, no need for long talk. Each rely on your own ability to guide the thunder. This old Daoist will say one more thing: since it is Master-Disciple Thunder, it is better to follow the rules and let the juniors go first. Let us old ones move before the thunder clouds dissipate, how about that?"

Taoist priest Quanhe did not mean to blame his disciple; instead, he wanted to end this small chat.

"That is only natural."

Jianxian and Yibi agreed.

Subsequently, Quanhe took the red-lipped little Daoist and left, landing directly on the second-highest mountain peak.

Indignation immediately appeared on the faces of Meng Xuqi and Meng Xuyi, "It was us who first..."

"No matter, let him have it this once, let him have it this once."

Daoist Yibi pacified his disciples, then said to Jianxian and Cheng Xinzhan, "Fellow Daoist Jianxian, Little Friend Xinzhan, then we shall take our leave. We will chat again after harvesting the heavenly thunder."

The two sects bowed and parted ways, and the Shenxiao Sect went to the third-highest mountain peak.

"Those from Mount Longhu have always been like this; you will know later. That child today is still small, so we don't need to quibble. Patriarch Sa of the Shenxiao Sect once received guidance from the Heavenly Master of Mount Longhu, so he respects him three points more, but our Mount Sanqing does not need to. In the future, if you encounter them and feel you have been slighted, you don't need to endure it."

Daoist Jianxian specifically said this to Cheng Xinzhan.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded in agreement; he hadn't taken the matter just now to heart either.

"Boom-rumble!"

The heavenly thunder exploded, and the rain that had been brewing for a long time finally fell, nourishing the earth.

Thunder roamed in the clouds like heavenly dragons, and the bright thunder light illuminated the clouds and the earth from time to time.

"Crack!"

The silver-purple heavenly thunder fell, like light trees growing upside down from the clouds. Sometimes there was only one tree, sometimes five or six, and sometimes the branches between the light trees intertwined, forming a huge light net.

No one had seen less thunder, but this was the first time Cheng Xinzhan had felt it at such close range and with such full concentration.

"Your magic sword is ranked in the Metal element, so it is naturally close to thunder, and this is something you specifically sought out, so it must have other strengths. I will watch for the timing later. As soon as enough thunder is scattered in this region, I will immediately remind you, and you will control the sword to touch the heavenly thunder. The higher the better; otherwise, for the same bolt of thunder, if someone else's guiding vessel is above yours, you won't be able to get it. But it is best not to enter the clouds; the thunder power there is too heavy, which is not only easy to damage the magic vessel but also easy to cause the connection between you and the magic vessel to break."

"The heavenly thunder will be guided over along the magic power between you and the magic vessel. At that time, you must be sure of the timing and use your gourd to catch it before the thunder falls onto your physical body. Later, you might be able to catch thunder directly with your physical body, but you are not familiar with the power of heavenly thunder yet, so do not test the law with your body; this is different from the thunder liquid I gave you."

"However, you don't need to worry either. Just go ahead and do it; with me here, nothing major will happen."

Amidst the thunderous roar, Jianxian spoke quickly. He had already said these words many times before leaving the sect and on the road, but at this moment, in front of the thunder, he repeated them again.

Cheng Xinzhan nodded. He looked up at the thunder, his right hand forming a sword seal. "Gao Zhen" hovered by his side, and his left hand held "Xianxing," watching the giant net hanging between heaven and earth with full concentration.

The youth's face was calm, his eyes reflecting the electric light, his heart like still water.

The following situation needs to be explained to all book friends:

1. Reminded by book friends with thunder art inheritance, thunder is the pure Yang ancestral Qi; there is no such thing as thunder Qi. I apologize to that book friend and everyone who believes in the Thunder Patriarch. The thunder Qi in this book is purely my own fabrication, only representing the magic power formed after thunder is refined by the human body in this book. I will check materials more rigorously when writing related content in the future, and thank that book friend for the correction!

2. The generation characters of Mount Longhu in this book are taken from:

"Shou Dao Ming Ren De, Quan Zhen Fu Tai He.

Zhi Cheng Xuan Yu Dian, Zhong Zheng Yan Jin Ke.

Chong Han Tong Yuan Yun, Gao Hong Ding Da Luo.

Sanshan Yu Xing Zhen, Fu Hai Yong Hong Bo.

Qiong Long Yang Miao Fa, Huan Yu Zheng Xian Du."

Established by the thirtieth generation Heavenly Master, Mr. Xujing, in this book it is transformed into being used by the first generation disciples from the founding of the mountain, but only for disciples; the Heavenly Master generation characters are not taken from this.

3. The generation characters of the Shenxiao Sect in this book are taken from the Tianshan Sect generation characters passed down by the representative figure of the Shenxiao Sect, Patriarch Sa,

"Gu Jian Dan Ri Yue Ming Zhao He Shan

Dao Yi Ding Qian Kun De Hua Guo Yi

Xu Wu Can Miao Xuan Tuo Kun Sheng Ling

Qing Jing Wu Yuan Shi Tong Du Le Ji

Xian Fa Ting Chan Yuan Da Yao Zhen Yan

Shen Bao Jiang Huan Yu Xiang Yun Huan Qi

Zhi Lan Kai Chen Hua Wan Xiang Zi Ran

Jin Guang Yao Zi Qi Jiu Tian Cheng Mi

Sui Shi Chang Bian Geng Chao Fan Du Li."

3. The three mansions mentioned in this chapter all come from the Thunder Department, applied to the three families. The Nine Heavens Responding Mansion is indeed a real scene of Mount Sanqing, and the other two mansions assigned to the other two families are my own fabrication.

4. If there is anything inappropriate in the above, please correct me, book friends.

(End of chapter)