Chapter 44: The Tianshi Enters the Arena! A Few Questions

The previous Lao Tianshi and Zhang Zhiwei were both able to invoke heavenly thunder with their own lightning cultivation.

This is an extremely domineering method.

But ultimately, it is using one's own self to draw upon the power of Nature; yet when has anyone ever cast a lightning technique that could rival the thunder of the natural world?

Is this truly something human power can achieve?

Lao Tianshi narrowed his eyes as he sized up Lin Xuan in the arena, then suddenly turned his head.

"Old Fang, I truly like this disciple of yours; why not leave him at Longhu Mountain to be my disciple? You may pick any of my disciples in exchange."

Lao Tianshi's words brought Fang Dongtian back to his senses, and after he understood what Lao Tianshi meant, he nearly jumped up.

"Lao Tianshi, you can't just snatch people away, can you? Your Longhu Mountain has genius disciples emerging one after another, full of talent, but our Baiyun Guan has finally produced one—don't even think about it."

"Sigh, alright, I knew it; I had originally thought about having him become the Tianshi successor."

Lao Tianshi sighed.

Tian Jinzhong and Fang Dongtian were both stunned when they heard this and turned to look at Lao Tianshi.

However, Lao Tianshi's gaze returned to the arena, and it was impossible to tell if those words just now were a joke or sincere.

Meanwhile, on the other side where Lingyu and the others were.

The spectator stand had gone completely quiet.

Many people's ears were still buzzing; the effect of that thunderclap from just a moment ago had not yet faded.

Liang Guofu, who had returned, gave a bitter smile.

"It is not something human power can contend with; I seem to have seen the shadow of our master in him."

After speaking, Liang Guofu looked at Rong Shan.

"Junior brother, are you still going to fight?"

Rong Shan was tall and burly, with a thick build, and looked honest and simple.

But his strength was extremely formidable.

Hearing his senior brother's question, he pondered for a moment before shaking his head.

"Even knowing I am no match, I still want to try."

"Indeed, such an opponent—I fear we won't encounter another like him in the future."

Zhao Huanjin narrowed the small eyes on his round face and nodded.

"Then take care, senior brother."

Lingyu spoke up to urge him.

Rong Shan nodded with a serious expression and leaped down from the spectator stand.

There were only four matches today, or rather, there were only four matches in this entire competition.

It was originally expected to last a whole day, but now not even an hour had passed.

Yet no one felt anything was amiss.

Anyone could see now that Lin Xuan's strength was very strong, extremely strong.

These uncles and masters from Longhu Mountain still had a significant gap compared to Lin Xuan.

Rong Shan landed in the arena, walked up to a spot not far in front of Lin Xuan, and performed a salute.

"This humble Daoist is Rong Shan; I know I am no match for you, fellow Daoist, but I do not wish to give up this opportunity, so I ask for your guidance."

Rong Shan performed a formal and proper salute.

"Please!"

Lin Xuan turned his head to look at the platform to the side, knowing this was the last opponent.

"This humble Daoist has dabbled in both lightning techniques and the Golden Light Spell."

As Rong Shan spoke, he took a stance and directly cast the Golden Light Spell.

Golden Qi emerged from within his body, circling around him, with incandescent lightning coiling about his person.

Lin Xuan looked at Rong Shan with some surprise.

He had not expected this person to be the strongest of the four.

Lingyu was still young, so it was understandable that his strength and cultivation were lacking.

But the Rong Shan before him had a Golden Light Spell cultivation no lower than that fat man's, and his lightning technique was no lower than that of the Daoist from before.

Furthermore, his cultivation was steady; it was clear he had fully mastered his current strength.

Many people, upon obtaining extraordinary methods, feel they have mastered them once they have learned them.

Little do they know that mastery and usage are two different concepts.

Now, the Rong Shan before him seemed to have mastered both the Golden Light Spell and his lightning technique to an extremely profound level.

Lin Xuan pinched a hand seal and held it before his chest; a touch of golden light emerged from his body.

Quanzhen Body Protection Curse.

Within the golden Qi, lightning patterns also appeared.

But this gold looked very faint, appearing as if it had no defensive capability at all.

The golden Qi even rippled slightly, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

Yet Rong Shan did not show the slightest carelessness.

This person before him had easily defeated the fourth senior brother and the junior brother just now without using any other methods.

And now, he was actually casting a technique in earnest.

Drawing upon his lightning technique, Rong Shan flew forward and reached Lin Xuan in the blink of an eye.

Longhu Mountain does have hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Rong Shan clearly integrated the Golden Light Spell and his lightning technique into them; he threw a punch that was powerful and heavy.

Lin Xuan raised his hand to block the incoming heavy punch.

Rong Shan transformed into a streak of golden light, his fists and kicks raining down on Lin Xuan from all directions.

With a slight turn of his body, Lin Xuan easily neutralized and blocked every attack.

The shockwaves from their exchange stirred up dust in the arena, which surged outward in ripples.

The Hushou Zhou on Lin Xuan's body was like a soft golden flame; it looked ethereal, yet it was incomparably sturdy.

Rong Shan, who was in the middle of the fight, could clearly feel it: not a single one of his attacks could truly reach his opponent.

That seemingly thin golden Qi appeared to completely separate the two of them.

"At the very least, I must break through this layer of golden light."

Rong Shan knew he was no match, but he was unwilling to accept that his methods had no effect at all.

The golden light in his hand took shape, and a straight golden staff appeared in his grip.

It was thick and dense, as if it were solid.

The long staff flew out and struck directly into the palm Lin Xuan had raised.

At the point of impact, the Qi in Lin Xuan's palm trembled slightly.

He gripped the golden staff in his palm with five fingers and applied a little force.

With a soft sound, cracks appeared where his palm held the staff, then rapidly spread.

In an instant, not only did the entire solid golden staff shatter, but the Golden Light Spell on Rong Shan's body also exploded.

Rong Shan was startled; he stepped forward, about to re-condense his golden light, when his vision blurred and a figure appeared before him.

Seeing the familiar back, Rong Shan was shocked; he stopped in his tracks and bowed.

"Master!"

"Mm, you go up first."

Lao Tianshi did not look back at his disciple, his eyes fixed steadily on Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan withdrew his hand and looked straight at Lao Tianshi.

"Truly remarkable. That Thunder Technique just now seemed to have traces of the Longhu Mountain Five Thunder Technique. Did you have contact with it before, or did you learn it just now?"

Lao Tianshi asked with a cheerful smile.

"I suppose you could say I saw that fellow Daoist perform it and drew some inspiration."

Hearing Lao Tianshi's inquiry, Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said.

"I had originally only mastered a single Palm Thunder, but after seeing that fellow Daoist perform it just now, I decided to give it a try."

Lao Tianshi nodded slightly at the question and did not press further on the matter of the Thunder Technique; he changed the subject.

"After your inner elixir condensed, did you feel anything?"

Lao Tianshi's question made Lin Xuan pause, then he shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Restrictions, or a sense of crisis, or something of that nature."

Lao Tianshi offered a reminder, realizing his previous phrasing had been a bit vague.

"No. Once the inner elixir condensed, I actually felt even more at ease, and I perceive everything in the outside world much more clearly."

Lin Xuan shook his head upon hearing this.

"That is good, truly excellent. Are you really not considering coming to my Longhu Mountain?"

Lao Tianshi extended an invitation once more.

"Tianshi, there is no need to mention this. I am doing quite well staying at Baiyun Guan. However, Tianshi, since you have come down now, do you intend to try exchanging blows with this junior?"