Thunder

Thunder

Lu Zhaojin did not quite understand what he meant by truly offending the imperial dynasty. "If I kill Zhao Huaishui, does that not count as offending the imperial dynasty?"

Zhao Rong sneered. "How can a county magistrate from some backwater wilderness represent the imperial dynasty?"

Lu Zhaojin raised a brow. "I heard Mount Qi is about to be changed into Qishan Commandery?"

Zhao Rong remained just as dismissive. "So what if it becomes Qishan Commandery? A wilderness is still a wilderness. It can never escape that."

Lu Zhaojin did not know why they harbored such heavy prejudice against Mount Qi, but even if he was curious, he could not be bothered to ask further. He had come to kill, not to ask questions.

Cold Edge Sword left its sheath, and it seemed a chill wind rose through the room. Probationary Centurion Chai, who had tried his utmost to hide himself, was illuminated by a flash of Sword Light. He did not even have time to cry out before his head was sent flying.

Experience gained for killing a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist: +5000

Experience: 35768

Zhao Rong remained calm. Watching Probationary Centurion Chai die before his eyes, he did not even blink. Yet in the next instant, True Martial Saber left his waist. "White Tiger Roars to Heaven Saber."

Blade Qi surged like rolling waves, as though a White Tiger were charging toward him. Its momentum was overwhelming; tables and chairs were cleaved in two wherever it passed, and a crack was gouged across the floor.

This was the killing move Zhao Rong had concealed for years, meant to turn the tide when life and death hung in the balance.

"Lightning Speed."

Lu Zhaojin narrowed his eyes. Cold Edge Sword was completely wrapped in lightning, and every swing unleashed deafening thunder. The White Tiger was annihilated amid the lightning.

Zhao Rong could no longer see anything else. All that remained before his eyes was that blindingly white bolt of lightning. It was also the last memory of his life.

Experience gained for killing a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist: +5000

Experience: 40768

Tonight had truly been a bountiful harvest. He had gained experience to his heart's content.

Lu Zhaojin

Bone Age: Sixteen

Aptitude: Average

Realm: Mid Seventh-Rank

Heart Method: Flowing Water Art (Complete), Jade Purity Heart Method (70/100)

Techniques: Brute Ox Stance (Extreme Realm), Gale Sword Art (Extreme Realm), Golden Body Technique (25/100), Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art (Complete)

Experience: 40768

Background: 0

Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art could be advanced to the Extreme Realm. He wondered whether it would let him comprehend Sword Intent as Gale Sword Art had.

Lu Zhaojin did not know whether swordsmen in this world could possess multiple Sword Intents, but he had the system. There should not be any problems.

Besides that, Jade Purity Heart Method could also be raised to great mastery. He was only a little experience short of bringing it to complete mastery.

Lu Zhaojin swept his gaze around. After confirming there were no living people left, he prepared to find those people from the City Lord's Manor.

Yet when he found their hiding place, it was completely empty.

Lu Zhaojin examined the traces around him and murmured, "Careful, aren't they..."

He had no idea what faction this group belonged to, nor did he know whether they were enemies or allies.

Lu Zhaojin did not dwell on it. When the boat reached the bridge, it would naturally straighten itself out. For now, improving his own strength came first.

He returned to the inn.

Lin Qi had destroyed Lu Zhaojin's original room, so the innkeeper gave him one of the finest rooms instead. He also arranged for an attendant to remain at his beck and call day and night. Apparently, he had been frightened by Lu Zhaojin's god-of-slaughter appearance that day.

Lu Zhaojin sat cross-legged on the bed and summoned his character panel.

Consume 20000 experience points to improve Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art?

Confirm.

Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art (Extreme Realm)

Comprehended Sword Intent · Thunder

Lu Zhaojin could no longer hear the system's notification.

When Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art broke through to the Extreme Realm, Lu Zhaojin's consciousness seemed to plunge into an abyss. He drifted in confusion for a long time. When he opened his eyes again, he was floating above a mountain peak.

The reason he said floating was because he was now in soul form, witnessing the grand feat of Sword Saint Liu Ci creating the "Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art."

Sword Saint Liu Ci wore a dark robe, his long hair loose and drifting in the wind. In his hand was a pitch-black longsword. Before he even made a move, sharpness already overflowed from the blade.

Above the heavens, dark clouds blanketed the sky, thick as ink, as though the heavens themselves were collapsing.

Lightning darted through the clouds at incredible speed, crossing from the horizon to directly overhead in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning blasted a great hole through the clouds, and the electricity poured out like liquid pulp.

Liu Ci seemed to sense something. Imitating that swift streak of lightning, he slashed out Sword Light as fast as lightning itself—and slashed it toward the heavens.

Lu Zhaojin looked up as well, his eyes widening abruptly. The dark clouds above had actually been cut open by a fissure, and lightning slurry seeped from it, like a rain of light falling from the sky.

Liu Ci leaped into the air, flying into the rain of light within the clouds. Following the lightning, he danced with that black longsword.

The lightning flew into a rage. Its thunderous roar resounded through heaven and earth, as though it had never expected such a lowly mortal to dare challenge heaven's might.

In an instant, the scattered lightning became dense. In the blink of an eye, it formed a cage of lightning around Liu Ci.

Liu Ci was fearless. His longsword continued to dance, and even the lightning began following his sword. In the end, it transformed into a dragon of lightning that released a deafening roar.

"Mysterious Thunder Shines Upon Heaven."

Lu Zhaojin saw everything clearly. Even Liu Ci's final, world-destroying Ninth Sword of Mysterious Thunder was completely etched into his mind.

The Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art was a sword art where each strike was faster and stronger than the last. The ninth sword seemed to draw out all the momentum accumulated by the previous eight, then combine it with Lightning Sword Intent to erupt with terrifying destructive power.

Only then could it live up to the name of the swordsman with the strongest killing power.

Lu Zhaojin opened his eyes. Lightning flickered in their depths, and arcs of electricity flashed around his body before vanishing. Terrifying power simmered within him. He wondered who would be lucky enough to receive this sword strike.

Lu Zhaojin suddenly thought of Zhao Jinzhi. When he met him, he would use this sword on him, lest Zhao Jinzhi's master come out to fight in his place.

He still had around twenty thousand experience left.

Lu Zhaojin did not hesitate and directly improved Jade Purity Heart Method.

Jade Purity Heart Method (75/100)

Experience: 18268

Realm: Late Seventh-Rank

His body trembled faintly as his realm rose to Late Seventh-Rank. His true qi became even more abundant.

Within his dantian, true qi swirled like thick fog spreading through the air.

He continued using experience to improve Jade Purity Heart Method.

Jade Purity Heart Method (97/100)

Experience: 668

Although it had not reached completion, the true qi in his dantian had completely turned to mist. It had even condensed into a trace of pure energy liquid—Gang Yuan.

This was something he had not expected. Jade Purity Heart Method could actually allow him to refine Gang Yuan while still in the Seventh-Rank Realm.

This was the dividing line between Seventh-Rank and Sixth-Rank.

True qi and Gang Yuan were simply incomparable.

Refining Gang Yuan marked the beginning of a qualitative transformation.

He could even remain suspended in the air for a short time.

Now, Lu Zhaojin only lacked a higher-grade heart method to completely refine all his true qi into Gang Yuan.

Furthermore, reaching the Extreme Realm in Nine Heavens Thunder Sword Art had allowed him to comprehend another Sword Intent—Thunder.

Gale Sword Intent allowed Lu Zhaojin to strike faster, even unleashing Sword Light invisible to an enemy's naked eye and catching them off guard.

Lightning Sword Intent, on the other hand, focused on destruction and devastation. Anyone struck by it would have their wounds explode from the inside first before spreading throughout their entire body. It was especially terrifying.

This advancement had given Lu Zhaojin several more trump cards. Against a Child of Destiny, he was now even more confident.