Returning to the small courtyard, Zhong Bai discovered that his master had a heavy mind, furrowing his brows at times and sighing softly at others. Although Zhong Bai did not know what had happened, he understood that it was likely related to him.
Master, the disciple truly yearns for the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art. Although Master didn't say it, the disciple feels that Master is conflicted because of the cultivation method the disciple chose.
Master has treated the disciple with kindness as heavy as a mountain, so Master need not have any misgivings!
Zhong Bai's tone was somewhat probing. He was not stupid; upon hearing Martial Great-Uncle Ming's bizarre smile in the Scripture Repository Pavilion when he uttered the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, Zhong Bai had already formed a guess.
However, even so, Zhong Bai still did not give up on the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, nor did he expose the matter at the time to get to the bottom of it.
To tell the truth, Zhong Bai felt that without True Immortal Qianyuan, he probably would not have had the opportunity to become a disciple of Mount Mao.
Not to mention this year of peaceful days, with the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art at minor success and the strength of a thousand catties in his dual arms.
A person must know contentment, and Zhong Bai was very satisfied.
Seeing that his disciple seemed to have already discovered the crux of the issue, True Immortal Qianyuan no longer struggled either.
You are quite smart. Rest assured, this master did not scheme against you or deceive you.
The reason I let you choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art was simply because it provided one more choice.
How to choose is entirely up to you!
With that, True Immortal Qianyuan's gaze grew profound and tinged with a bit of desolation.
Aside from the elders of the three pavilions who do not rotate, the elders of the other five halls of Mount Mao all undergo rotation.
A sixty-year cycle is the limit.
This master took the position of chief of the Law Enforcement Hall forty years ago.
Twenty years from now will be the time for another rotation. By then, if our Law Enforcement Hall does not have at least three disciples who have cultivated to the Foundation Establishment realm, we will only be able to yield to the other halls...
True Immortal Qianyuan left the rest unsaid, but Zhong Bai understood. If disciples from other halls were really allowed to garrison the Law Enforcement Hall, it would not only be a loss of face, but the right to speak within the Law Enforcement Hall would also be compromised.
Therefore, Zhong Bai had already roughly understood his master's purpose in having him cultivate the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art.
Alas!
Achieving Foundation Establishment in twenty years is far too short a time. Although your talent is quite good, if you cultivate the Lightning Thunder Fist, you might not have the chance.
But the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art is different. Before Foundation Establishment, this cultivation method progresses very quickly. The only drawback is that wanting to step into the Golden Core True Monarch and Nascent Soul Dao Lord realms will encounter great tribulations!
Overcome them and your combat prowess will be peerless; fail and your Dao will turn to nothingness...
How to choose, disciple, you decide!
Zhong Bai nodded, his gaze sinking into contemplation. Clearly, his master hoped that he would be able to choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, but achieving the Golden Core True Monarch realm with this cultivation method in the future was nearly impossible.
Thinking and thinking, Zhong Bai suddenly smiled.
Pfft, Master, do you think there is a possibility that you, Master, have practiced for over a hundred years and have yet to touch the threshold of Golden Core True Monarch, while this disciple has mediocre talent and probably won't need to worry about how to achieve the Golden Core True Monarch realm in this lifetime...
So, um, the disciple has decided to cultivate the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art!
True Immortal Qianyuan was clearly stunned for a moment.
No, why was his disciple's train of thought different from theirs?
Wasn't cultivation supposed to be an eager yearning to climb high and look far, a yearning for immortal longevity, long-lasting vitality, and supreme divine powers?
With what Zhong Bai said, why was it so... that he couldn't find a reason to retort.
The logic was sound. Well, True Immortal Qianyuan was somewhat persuaded. Of course, his inner inclination for Zhong Bai to choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art was also part of the reason.
Since that is so, disciple, from today onward, you shall officially cultivate inside the main hall.
With the help of the supreme treasure that is the Kui Niu Drum, the speed of your cultivation of the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art will definitely not be slower than the Lightning Thunder Fist of the sect master's personal disciple, Shi Jian!
True Immortal Qianyuan said this with absolute certainty. There was no helping it; who made the Law Enforcement Hall's Kui Niu Drum the absolute top auxiliary cultivation treasure in the entire Mount Mao.
Hearing his master say this, a look of yearning filled Zhong Bai's eyes as well.
However, there was one question Zhong Bai did not ask aloud: since the Law Enforcement Hall's Kui Niu Drum had such astonishing effects on the cultivation of thunder arts, why wasn't Shi Jian, who was the sect master's personal disciple, able to enter the hall to cultivate?
Zhong Bai remained silent. Anyway, it was fine as long as he could cultivate beside the Kui Niu Drum...
The history of the Divine Firmament Sect is no shallower than that of Mount Mao. The two actually stem from the same lineage, both being major Taoist sects of the Supreme Clarity lineage.
However, a thousand years ago, ever since Old Ancestor Chentuan of the Divine Firmament Sect suppressed the world and ascended to the immortal realm, the Divine Firmament Sect withered rapidly like wind blowing over wild grass.
Some say this was caused by Old Ancestor Chentuan exhausting all the fortune of the Divine Firmament Sect to force an ascension.
However, what the facts actually were is not important. The Divine Firmament Sect was passed down through a single disciple in each generation. After Old Ancestor Chentuan ascended, his disciple sent the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art to Mount Mao before passing away.
Saying all this is merely to tell you, disciple, that although the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art is the ultimate art of the Divine Firmament Sect, to Mount Mao, there is no distinction between sects, as long as you do not contend for the position of sect master.
Alright, now begin official cultivation.
Inside the Law Enforcement Hall, the Kui Niu Drum hung high in the center of the hall, and below it, Zhong Bai sat cross-legged on a futon.
Hearing that official cultivation was beginning, that burst of excitement instantly made the corners of his mouth bloom with a bright smile.
Seeing this situation, True Immortal Qianyuan did not say anything. Humph, you can still smile now, but in a moment you might not be able to.
Zhong Bai read the first step of the cultivation of the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art for a moment, and only felt somewhat surprised.
The first step is practically the mandatory path for all thunder art cultivation!
Drawing thunder into the body!
For some reason, upon hearing his master's resolute and decisive tone, Zhong Bai felt a wave of cold sweat break out.
Drawing thunder into the body is crucial. If you, disciple, have cultivated the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art to great completion, you can draw heavenly thunder into your body; cultivated to perfection, you can even attempt to draw the thunder of heavenly retribution into your body.
But right now... you can only draw a strand of purple thunder from this Kui Niu Drum into your body.
With that, True Immortal Qianyuan did not give Zhong Bai any time to react, raising his hand to fiercely summon the Kui Niu Drum above. A streak of purple thunder instantly crashed straight down, completely enveloping Zhong Bai's entire body.
Hiss!
Zhong Bai didn't even have time to cry out in pain before he could only let out a sharp, explosive hiss...
Everything happened far too quickly. The thunder entered his body, continuously darting toward his flesh, meridians, and internal organs.
With every hair standing on end and the world spinning, Zhong Bai could not even feel the pain anymore as a wave of dizziness set in, his eyes feeling as though they were being hammered by a heavy mallet.
Zhong Bai! You cannot sleep!
Accompanied by True Immortal Qianyuan's low shout, Zhong Bai forcefully gritted his teeth against that extreme wave of fatigue, pulling himself together to let the thunder dart wildly through his body.
A quarter of an hour later, all the thunder had finished scouring his meridians, flesh, and internal organs, finally arriving in his dantian to slowly transform into a cluster of thunder clouds.
Now, according to the cultivation method, condense the thunder seal.
True Immortal Qianyuan looked at Zhong Bai, who was somewhat drained of strength. Even knowing that Zhong Bai was weak and powerless at this moment, he could only demand that he quickly form the seal.
Hearing this, Zhong Bai also followed the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art to guide the thunder clouds within his dantian, transforming them into a shallow thunder seal.
The moment the thunder seal formed, his previously tense nerves completely unraveled, and with a roll of his eyes, Zhong Bai lapsed into unconsciousness.
Watching his disciple finish drawing thunder into the body, True Immortal Qianyuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
He had not mentioned it beforehand, but drawing thunder into the body was the first step of thunder art cultivation, and also a quite perilous step. Fortunately, Zhong Bai's own willpower was strong enough, and his physique was strong enough.
After forming the seal and before Foundation Establishment, this master can no longer help you with anything, nor can I give you too much guidance regarding thunder art cultivation.
Rest assured, however, disciple: this master will keep you safe and sound!
With his soft murmurs concluded, True Immortal Qianyuan hoisted Zhong Bai up in his hand and quietly departed.
Before you continue