Chapter 136

Seven days later, Qian Chen finally understood why the demonic path offered such high benefits and good treatment: upon entry, they gifted you supreme demonic arts, guaranteed quick mastery, and charged no tuition.

"I can never go back!"

Qian Chen sighed up at the sky. He raised his hand and slashed out a bolt of lightning the thickness of a little finger. The lightning bolt was naturally of no small power; with a thunderous crack in mid-air, it exploded into a ball of lightning over the surface of Jiuzhen Lake, frightening the alligator dragon so much that it hurriedly submerged beneath the water. If it had been struck by that bolt of lightning, it would have at least ended up with loose bones and a body full of numbness and soreness. If a heterodox practitioner like Daoist Zhen had cultivated this, it would count as a handy divine ability.

But for Qian Chen—he could kill dozens of such great demons as alligator crocodiles with a single sword strike.

When he used the sound of the zither to command the Soundless Divine Thunder, he unleashed thunderous sounds from the zither, and the boundless thunderous sounds rolled away, annihilating those hundreds of demons in a light and casual manner. The lightning swept across the ground, and demons like the alligator crocodiles were also blasted into powder by a single thunderous sound.

When had he ever seen a thunder technique with such weak power?

And this was still something he had painstakingly cultivated and refined every day during the four periods of Zi, Wu, Mao, and You, by adopting the mechanism of the changes of heaven and earth's yin and yang.

Within a single day, only these four periods were suitable for cultivating thunder techniques. Not to mention the yin and yang changes of the Zi and Wu periods, the Mao and You periods were the moments of sunrise and sunset, which also contained the qi mechanism of yin and yang's movement and stillness.

When yin and yang condense, and the yang is inside but cannot get out, it strikes out to become thunder—this is the general outline of the Heavenly Thunder Technique.

Yin and yang changing into thunder—this was Qian Chen's own understanding.

It must be said that the "Shenxiao Five Thunder Scripture" recommended by Si Qingguo was indeed extraordinary; those five types of thunder techniques all pointed directly to the origin of the changes in thunder techniques.

The thunder techniques of other sects, such as the Yin Thunder spell that Qian Chen could redeem for just a few merits, only required a little visualization, and the power of the Yin Thunder unleashed by raising his hand was truly not bad. Although it was still far inferior to the Soundless Divine Thunder that Qian Chen had mastered in the past, blasting a cultivator at the Penetrating the Law realm to death was truly just a matter of one Yin Thunder bolt.

But this was only a spell, not a divine ability.

A spell is based on magic power, communicating with the changes in the qi mechanism of heaven and earth, and is the spiritual response that is emitted.

To put it plainly, it is a method of applying magic power. For example, the Yin Thunder spell is Qian Chen's magic power cast as a virtual talisman, communicating with the thunder essence of heaven and earth, with yin transforming into thunder. Fundamentally, it is still Qian Chen's magic power.

Thus, those with powerful magic power naturally have spells of immense power. With magic power like Qian Chen's, which has refined the Innate One Qi Divine Talisman, he could comprehend any spell and cultivate it, and the power of his strikes would be tyrannical.

But spells also have their limits because of this; they are equivalent to "auto-attacks," with damage coming from the bonus of base attack power.

Whether magic power is tyrannical or not determines the magnitude of a spell's power. No matter how painstakingly one cultivates and practices, one must be constrained by the limits of heaven and earth essence and one's own magic power.

Therefore, even though Qian Chen had long since cultivated the various spells in Geng Yuanzi's Daoist books, he rarely applied them when facing enemies.

Because the power of the lightning, true fire, hail, including movement, nightmare victory, and illusions that were unleashed all depended on his own magic power. Without equipment bonuses, for a tyrannical demon lord like the Blood Demon, a single bolt of magic power at the Penetrating the Law realm, even if it had been cultivated into a divine talisman, was not inferior to Core Formation, but when converted into a spell and unleashed, could it injure a single blood shadow of the Blood Demon?

But when Qian Chen slashed out with his sword, he had the bonuses of magic power, sword formulas, sword techniques, and his life-bound flying sword, and he almost hacked the Blood Demon to death on the spot.

For Qian Chen, who was covered in top-tier equipment, these spells could only enrich his means—raising his hand to transport delicacies from dozens of miles away, using illusions to change the weather, and on nights without a moon, cutting paper into a moon and summoning celestial maidens to dance. It could indeed enrich his life and allow him to possess conveniences in this medieval era that were not inferior to his previous life.

But when encountering a true great enemy, even with a thousand means, it is not as good as one profound move.

Therefore, when dealing with Miaokong, the only thing that was truly threatening in the end was the Ice Soul Cold Light. Qian Chen treated the Seven Malevolence Banner and the Dragon Sparrow Ring as if they didn't exist, not to mention spells. And when dealing with the Blood Demon, he also relied on his refined life-bound flying sword.

If you have equipment and skills, why would you auto-attack?

During magic duels, these various convenient spells all became flashy and showy. Even if Qian Chen cultivated a hundred spells, it would not be as good as his own light sword strike...

Therefore, it is said that spells have limits.

Although the "Shenxiao Five Thunder Scripture" is also a method for cultivating spells, it is actually already laying the foundation for divine abilities.

This is the fundamental reason why Qian Chen praised it as extraordinary and why it was worth one thousand merits from the Lord of Samsara. Spells are auto-attacks, but divine abilities are skills. The Heavenly Thunder Technique adopts the mechanism of yin and yang changes, causing the magic power Qian Chen cultivates to transform into yin and yang qi. The two qi change, blowing to become wind, moving to become thunder, sighing to become clouds, and breathing to become rain.

Once a thunder technique is triggered, the entire body's magic power divides into yin and yang, the pivot changes, and lightning condenses. One strike of thunder truly possesses immeasurable power.

Cultivating to the most profound depth, the entire body's magic power transforms into the changes of yin and yang qi. Following the pivot changes of the thunder technique, yin and yang move and stay still, condensing into a thunder pill, and the cultivation base instantly breaks through to Penetrating the Law.

This is something that spells can never achieve.

How the magic power divides into yin and yang, and according to what kind of principles and laws yin and yang change to trigger thunder, is where the differences between various thunder techniques lie. But whether it is Taiji Thunder, Shenxiao Thunder, Yushu Thunder, Yufu Thunder, Yuzhu Thunder, North Pole Thunder, or the Three Pure Divine Thunder... the fundamental is still yin and yang changes... and this is the foundation described by the Heavenly Thunder Technique of the "Shenxiao Five Thunder Scripture."

Over these past few days, Qian Chen has adopted the qi mechanism of yin and yang changes, gradually being able to transform a trace of his own magic power into yin and yang qi, the mechanism of movement and stillness.

Then, this trace of magic power intertwines and changes, and can transform into lightning.

When yin and yang condense, and the yang is inside but cannot get out, it strikes out to become thunder—this is the Heavenly Thunder...

Earth Thunder involves some changes of clarity and turbidity, Water-Chu Chu Huo Lei is the true meaning of water and fire surging and changing into thunder, and Divine Thunder involves divine talismans and the Thunder God who symbolizes the thunder path. There is also the Five Elements Thunder Technique, which the "Shenxiao Five Thunder Scripture" does not record, but it involves the changes of the five directions and five qi in the chest, which is a combination of internal alchemy cultivation techniques and thunder techniques. Also known as Alchemy Thunder Technique, it is the fundamental true transmission of the Shenxiao Sect.

Qian Chen takes the Heavenly Thunder Technique as his main cultivation. After all, yin and yang changes are closest to the origin and truth of thunder techniques. He has cultivated painstakingly these past few days, and his progress in divine abilities is considered rapid within the Shenxiao Sect.

But as for the power! It is just that bolt of lightning he unleashed just now!

"Cultivating thunder techniques and achieving such results in seven days is already the result of my extraordinary comprehension. After all, there are no shortcuts in cultivation. Every day, I adopt the qi mechanism of yin and yang changes, carefully comprehending, transforming a trace of magic power into yin and yang qi, and then following the changes of the Heavenly Thunder Technique to condense lightning. Gradually, the yin and yang qi that can be transformed become more, and the deeper the cultivation, the stronger the power of the thunder technique. There is almost no limit; this is the power of divine abilities," Qian Chen sighed.

"Therefore, using some 'water-grinding' effort is also natural. Cultivating thunder techniques slowly like this, it will take about sixty years for my thunder techniques to reach small success!"

Transforming the entire body's magic power into yin and yang qi in an instant to trigger thunder is the realm of small success in thunder techniques.

At that time, with one strike of Qian Chen's thunder, even if it is just the most basic Heavenly Thunder, it would be enough to blast and kill a Core Formation cultivator, not inferior to the Soundless Divine Thunder he used before. Then, following the cultivation method of the Soundless Divine Thunder, making the yin and yang qi follow certain principles of change, the refined lightning would be colorless and formless, with extremely insidious and immense power. Even if he had cultivated this divine ability.

Counting it up, it would only take one hundred and twenty years, which is not long for the lifespan of a Daoist practitioner!

But for Qian Chen, who cultivated to the Penetrating the Law realm in one year and killed a Yang Spirit Great Demon, it is not a matter of being slow. By the time he cultivates the Soundless Divine Thunder... according to his current cultivation speed, it should be about time for him to ascend!

Qian Chen finally understood why the Louguan Sect later rarely distracted themselves with cultivating these divine abilities and spells. With this spare time, wouldn't it be better to ascend? But Qian Chen, venturing into the Samsara world, felt somewhat powerless relying only on the Ice Soul Cold Light and urgently needed other means to supplement it. The Soundless Divine Thunder could be said to be quite in line with his wishes, and in the future, it could be cultivated together with the Ice Soul Cold Light to refine into the Ice Soul Divine Thunder.

He had even thought of his promotion route! But he was discouraged by the hard work required for cultivation.

"The demonic path is still better!" Qian Chen sighed faintly.

You cultivated the Soundless Divine Thunder, you learned the Supreme Supreme Tian Mo Blood-Transforming Ancient Shendao, you refined the Heavenly Thunder Taiyin Zhenhuo... Very good! Now they are all mine! Whatever divine abilities or spells you fancy, just go and rob them! Go kill people, go seize their foundations, refine them into gods, demons, or heavenly ghosts, whatever bone relics, whatever blood gods, whatever nine-child heavenly ghosts... once you rob them, they are yours!

And you can continue to cultivate and progress. What is the power of the Supreme Supreme Tian Mo Blood-Transforming Ancient Shendao in the hands of a black-clad demonic cultivator, and what is its power in the hands of Qian Chen?

By comparison, the righteous path's painstaking cultivation of divine abilities and spells is like getting rich through labor.

And the demonic path is much simpler and more direct—go rob! Occupy! Plunder! Yours is mine. I might not be as proficient as the person I rob, but as long as I rob enough, I can have incomparable accumulation and cultivate heaven-defying divine abilities and spells.

Qian Chen's Supreme Supreme Supreme Tian Mo incarnation plundered the foundations of Miaokong and the Blood Demon, refining them into a Primordial God-Demon body. As soon as it was born, it had five types of qi weapons condensed from supreme demonic magic, each not inferior to the Soundless Divine Thunder, beating Qian Chen himself until he vomited blood. Where was the need to expend even a bit of hard work?

Is getting rich through labor fast? Can it be faster than robbery?

One is a hardworking farmer or artisan, the other is a robber. Whose accumulation is faster? It goes without saying.

The way of man is to diminish the insufficient to serve the more than enough.

This is also a Great Dao.

"No wonder the demonic path gifts supreme demonic magic upon entry. For a demon lord, what disciples or fellow practitioners—as long as their cultivation is not as good as yours, they are all resources!" Qian Chen could already imagine those demon lords cultivating disciples and distributing demonic cultivation methods to those heterodox practitioners, all for their own convenience.

If they lacked a magic treasure, they would slaughter a disciple to refine it. If they wanted to refine a certain divine ability, they would slaughter a few more disciples to cultivate it into some astonishing demonic divine ability. Even the carriage they rode in, the magic power they needed to cultivate, the essence they adopted—all accumulation could be exchanged by relying on the demon lord's disciples and subordinates.

Now look at many of the demonic path's cultivation techniques—those who cultivate themselves into Bone Formless Demon Rings, with a little refinement, are excellent magic treasures.

There are those who refine themselves into demonic dragons—isn't this a beast of burden for pulling a carriage?

And those who cultivate into painted-skin beauties... even the "RBQ" is self-provided!

Any demon lord who cultivates the "Blood Sea Demon Scripture" is the best blood shadow for a Blood Demon more tyrannical than them. And isn't the strongest Blood Demon in the Nine Heavens the Blood Sea Demon Ancestor? Once that boundless blood sea swallows, all the Blood Demons in the world will transform into a part of it, and those demon sons and grandsons will all transform into the Demon Ancestor's resources.

Although Qian Chen doesn't know much about the fundamental demonic arts of the Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor, he thinks it must be the same.

Wanting to escape the clutches of these two old demons, there is truly only a three-tenths possibility if one cultivates the Primordial Demonic Path.

But if one cultivates the Primordial Demonic Path, will one not become someone else's wedding dress? Qian Chen couldn't help but shiver, casting that bit of envy for the demonic path to the back of his mind. Although the righteous path is hard to accumulate, it does not have the tradition of the upper level plundering the lower level. Being content with a little wealth is also very good.

The demonic path advocates plunder, yet the demonic path has long since completed a high degree of capital concentration. All paths are gathered in the hands of those two Demon Ancestors.

Even if they rob back and forth, no matter how happily they rob, they are just broilers raised by those two Demon Ancestors.

"I finally managed to transform from a golden-finger grandfather into a human. If I turn to cultivate magic, and cultivate to the end, won't I just become someone else's golden finger again!"

Thinking of himself transforming from the Supreme Dao Dust Pearl into the Supreme Heart Demon Pearl, becoming the golden finger of the Blood Sea Demon Ancestor or the Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor, and only being able to cry and beg the Supreme Master for help, Qian Chen felt a chill down his spine. He firmly blocked the thought of returning to the demonic path: "Even if the righteous path's divine abilities and spells are cultivated slowly, I cannot enter the demonic path again to plunder other people's foundations."

"Of course, the philosophy of the demonic path still has points worth learning from!"

Didn't the Supreme Dao Ancestor use alchemy to create the Golden Core Great Dao? It only took Qian Chen one year to refine the Guanghan Ice Soul Yuan Pill, didn't he cultivate the Ice Soul Cold Light? Although he could only use it by borrowing an external pill, Qian Chen could completely do two things at once: painstakingly cultivate the Shenxiao Thunder Technique on one hand, comprehending the yin and yang changes of magic power, and on the other hand, collect spirit herbs to refine Lei Yuan external pills. Then, by taking the pill, he could refine the Heavenly Thunder divine ability.

This is a principle of capital operation that Qian Chen learned from the philosophy of the demonic path, discarding the path of plunder and adding the Supreme Alchemy Technique.

As the saying goes, if you can't stand the painstaking accumulation, then borrow money for capital operation!

The path of thunder techniques is ultimately the principle of yin and yang changes. Qian Chen now uses his own magic power to absorb the mechanism of yin and yang changes, and his cultivation is slow, but he can first borrow the essence of heaven and earth to refine a furnace of external pills. Using the Supreme Alchemy Technique to imitate the principle of thunder technique core formation, he can comprehend yin and yang changes while refining pills.

It's like not having enough money for business accumulation, so you can borrow money from the bank first.

In this world, who among those with truly deep accumulation didn't first borrow other people's accumulation to achieve their own Great Dao?

After Qian Chen comprehended this principle, he quickly deduced a Five Lei Dan formula based on the thunder technique of the "Shenxiao Five Thunder Scripture," simulating the changes in the yin and yang qi and the mechanism of movement and stillness of the thunder technique, recreating the path of thunder technique cultivation in the alchemy furnace to refine external pills.

The "Five Thunder Scripture" has five types of thunder techniques: Heavenly Thunder, Earth Thunder, Water Thunder, Chu Chu Huo Lei, and Divine Thunder. Qian Chen can also refine five types of thunder pills in one furnace. By taking them, he can cultivate the thunder technique to small success.

"My Five Lei Dan is to transform the principles that need to be comprehended in thunder technique cultivation into external pills to overcome them. It's like converting a difficult problem that is hard to understand into a question that the 'Supreme Alchemy Book' can provide a solution for, so there is a trace to follow. By borrowing the problem-solving ideas of the Supreme, I can solve it. Although it's a shortcut, compared to following the steps and cultivating according to the methods of predecessors, I have opened up a new path, opening up the Five Lei Dan formula from scratch, and my understanding is even more thorough!"

"Of course, others can also take my Five Lei Dan to cultivate the thunder technique to small success, but their understanding of thunder techniques will not be as good as those cultivators who cultivate step by step!"

Thinking of this, Qian Chen couldn't help but shake his head and sneer. In this world, how many cultivators can climb the Great Dao? Most people are just greedy for the power of spells and divine abilities, aren't they?

Moreover, spending one hundred and twenty years cultivating a divine ability, the understanding of thunder techniques is indeed wonderful.

But being slightly inferior, yet being able to achieve divine ability by taking a pill and refining it.

Which one is more worthwhile is hard to say.

Of course, for sects like the Shenxiao Sect that seek the Great Dao according to thunder techniques and form cores through thunder techniques, the latter are disciples with almost no future. But for sects with other Great Daos like the Zhengyi Sect, the Grand Void Gate, and the Shaoqing Sword Sect, taking pills and refining techniques is worth considering.

As for Qian Chen—his foundation for seeking the Dao is the "Supreme Alchemy Book," not the Shenxiao Thunder Technique.

And he enters the Alchemy Dao through thunder techniques, so his understanding of thunder techniques may not necessarily be worse!

After Qian Chen comprehended this principle, he no longer closed his door for painstaking cultivation, but got up, preparing to find someone to ask where there were markets for practitioners nearby, to buy some materials and spirit herbs for refining Five Thunder Pills.

During this period, adopting the qi mechanism of yin and yang movement and stillness and comprehending thunder techniques could not stop. If his understanding of thunder techniques was insufficient, wanting to refine Five Thunder Pills would definitely be wishful thinking.

Conversely, being able to refine Five Thunder Pills means his understanding of thunder techniques should have reached a considerable degree.

At that time, even if Qian Chen didn't take the pill, he would probably be able to refine the thunder technique within ten years.