After Guiding Lightning into His Body, the Thundercloud Became a Thunder Seal

After returning to his courtyard, Zhong Bai noticed his master seemed very troubled. One moment he'd be frowning deeply, the next he'd sigh. Though Zhong Bai didn't know what was wrong, he understood it likely had something to do with him.

"Master, your disciple truly longs for the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art. Although you haven't said it, I feel you're conflicted because of the cultivation art I chose.

Master, your kindness to your disciple is as vast as a mountain, so you absolutely don't need to worry!"

Zhong Bai's tone was a bit tentative. He wasn't stupid. The peculiar smile on Martial Great-Uncle Ming's face when he mentioned the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art in the Scripture Repository Pavilion had given Zhong Bai a hunch.

However, even so, Zhong Bai still hadn't given up on the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, nor had he pressed for answers at the time.

To be honest, Zhong Bai felt that without True Immortal Qianyuan, he probably wouldn't have had the chance to become a disciple of Maoshan.

Not to mention the peaceful year he'd had, achieving minor success with the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art, and gaining a thousand jin of strength in his arms.

A person should be content, and Zhong Bai was very satisfied.

Seeing that his disciple seemed to have figured out the problem, True Immortal Qianyuan no longer hesitated.

"You are quite clever. Rest assured, I haven't schemed against you or deceived you.

The reason I let you choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art was simply to give you another option.

How you choose is entirely up to you!"

With that, True Immortal Qianyuan's gaze grew profound and tinged with a hint of melancholy.

"In Maoshan, while the elders of the three pavilions do not rotate, the elders of the other five halls do.

It's a sixty-year cycle; that's the time limit.

I took the chief position in the Law Enforcement Hall forty years ago.

In twenty years, it will be time for another rotation. At that time, if my Law Enforcement Hall doesn't have at least three disciples who have reached the Foundation Establishment realm, we will have to allow other halls to..."

True Immortal Qianyuan didn't finish his sentence, but Zhong Bai understood. If disciples from other halls were to enter the Law Enforcement Hall, it wouldn't just be a loss of face; the Law Enforcement Hall's influence would also be diminished.

So, Zhong Bai probably understood his master's purpose in having him cultivate the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art.

"Sigh!

Achieving Foundation Establishment in twenty years is too short a time. Although your talent is good, if you cultivate the Lightning Thunder Fist, you might not have the opportunity.

But the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art is different. Before Foundation Establishment, this cultivation art progresses very quickly. The only drawback is that when you want to advance to Golden Core True Monarch and Nascent Soul Dao Lord, you will face a great tribulation!

Succeed, and your combat power will be unparalleled; fail, and your Dao will turn to nothingness...

How to choose, my disciple, you decide!"

Zhong Bai nodded, his gaze falling into contemplation. Clearly, his master hoped he would choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, but achieving Golden Core True Monarch with this cultivation art in the future seemed almost impossible.

As he thought, Zhong Bai suddenly smiled.

"Pfft, Master, is there a possibility that, since you've cultivated for over a hundred years and still haven't touched the Golden Core True Monarch realm, your disciple, with his mediocre talent, probably won't need to worry about how to achieve Golden Core True Monarch in this lifetime...

So, um, your disciple has decided, I'll cultivate the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art!"

True Immortal Qianyuan was clearly taken aback.

No, why is my disciple's way of thinking different from theirs?

Don't cultivators all aspire to reach higher, to desire immortality, longevity, and world-shaking divine powers?

What Zhong Bai said... how could it be so... that he couldn't find a reason to refute it?

The logic was sound. Well, True Immortal Qianyuan was somewhat convinced. Of course, his inner preference for Zhong Bai to choose the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art was also part of the reason.

"Since that's the case, my disciple, starting today, you will formally cultivate in the main hall.

With the Kui Niu Drum, a supreme treasure, your cultivation speed for the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art will absolutely not be slower than Shi Jian's Lightning Thunder Fist, who is the Sect Master's personal disciple!"

True Immortal Qianyuan spoke with great certainty. There was no helping it; the Kui Niu Drum of the Law Enforcement Hall was truly one of the top auxiliary cultivation treasures in all of Maoshan.

Hearing his master say this, Zhong Bai's eyes were filled with longing.

However, there was one thing Zhong Bai didn't ask: If the Law Enforcement Hall's Kui Niu Drum had such astonishing effects on Thunder Techniques cultivation, why hadn't Shi Jian, as the Sect Master's personal disciple, been able to cultivate there?

Zhong Bai remained silent. As long as he could cultivate beside the Kui Niu Drum, that was all that mattered...

"The history of the Divine Firmament Sect is not shallower than Maoshan's. In fact, they originated from the same lineage, both being great Daoist sects of the Supreme Clarity lineage.

However, a thousand years ago, ever since Old Ancestor Chentuan of the Divine Firmament Sect dominated the world and ascended to the immortal realm, the Divine Firmament Sect became like grass in a wildfire, quickly consumed.

Some say this was due to Old Ancestor Chentuan forcefully ascending, depleting all of the Divine Firmament Sect's luck.

But the truth doesn't matter. The Divine Firmament Sect has always had a single successor for each generation. After Old Ancestor Chentuan ascended, his disciple sent the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art to Maoshan before his own passing.

I'm telling you this simply to let you know, my disciple, that although the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art is a unique art of the Divine Firmament Sect, for Maoshan, there is no sectarian distinction. As long as you don't contend for the position of Sect Master, it's fine.

Alright, let's begin your formal cultivation now."

Inside the main hall of the Law Enforcement Hall, the Kui Niu Drum hung high in the center. Below it, Zhong Bai sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

Hearing that formal cultivation was beginning, a burst of excitement immediately brought a brilliant smile to his face.

Seeing this, True Immortal Qianyuan said nothing. Hmm, he can still smile now, but that might not be the case later.

Zhong Bai read through the first step of the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art's cultivation and felt a sense of surprise.

"The first step, which is almost essential for cultivating any Thunder Technique, is…

…to draw lightning into your body!"

For some reason, hearing his master's resolute tone sent a chill down Zhong Bai's spine, making him break out in a cold sweat.

"Drawing lightning into your body is crucial. If you cultivate the Supreme Clarity Body Forging Art to great mastery, you can draw heavenly lightning into your body. Once you've cultivated it to perfection, you can even try drawing tribulation lightning into your body.

But for now… you can only draw a violet lightning bolt from this Kui Niu Drum into your body."

With that, True Immortal Qianyuan gave Zhong Bai no time to react. He raised his hand and sharply gestured towards the Kui Niu Drum above. A violet lightning bolt instantly struck down, completely engulfing Zhong Bai's entire body.

"Hss!"

Zhong Bai couldn't even cry out in pain, only letting out a sharp, explosive hiss…

It all happened too quickly. The lightning entered his body, surging through his flesh, meridians, and internal organs.

His hair stood on end, and as the world spun around him, Zhong Bai couldn't even feel the pain anymore. He began to feel dizzy, his eyes feeling as though they'd been struck by a heavy hammer.

"Zhong Bai! Don't you dare fall asleep!"

Accompanied by True Immortal Qianyuan's low shout, Zhong Bai, despite the extreme exhaustion, forced himself to stay alert, allowing the lightning to course through his body.

A quarter of an hour later, all the lightning had cleansed his meridians, flesh, and internal organs, finally gathering in his dantian and slowly forming a ball of thunderclouds.

"Now, condense a Thunder Seal according to the cultivation method."

True Immortal Qianyuan looked at the somewhat drained Zhong Bai. Even though he knew Zhong Bai was weak and powerless at the moment, he could only urge him to form the seal quickly.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Bai followed the instructions of the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Art, guiding the thunderclouds in his dantian to form a faint Thunder Seal.

The moment the Thunder Seal took shape, his taut nerves finally relaxed completely. With a roll of his eyes, Zhong Bai fell unconscious.

Watching his disciple finish drawing the lightning into his body, True Immortal Qianyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He hadn't mentioned it beforehand, but drawing lightning into the body was the first step in cultivating Thunder Techniques, and a rather dangerous one at that. Fortunately, Zhong Bai's willpower was strong enough, and his physique was also robust.

"After forming the seal, and before you reach Foundation Establishment, there's nothing more I can do for you, nor can I give you much guidance on cultivating Thunder Techniques.

But don't worry, my disciple, I will ensure your safety!"

After mumbling to himself, True Immortal Qianyuan lifted Zhong Bai into his arms and quietly departed.