The outcome of Lin Feng's battle with Chen Feng was like a massive boulder hurled into a tranquil lake, stirring up a thousand layers of waves across Jiangnan City's martial arts world.
The Martial Domain Forum was practically flooded with related posts. Battle videos from every angle—though each was only a few seconds long—slow-motion analyses, and combat-power comparison threads emerged one after another.
"Crushed! Absolutely crushed! Lin Feng's strength is unfathomable!"
"Catching a Profound-rank martial skill barehanded? What kind of monstrous body is that?"
"Chen Feng wasn't even qualified to make him use a martial skill?"
"Where are the people who doubted Lin Feng's mock exam results? Come out and take a few steps?"
"Third Middle School has truly produced a real dragon this time!"
The tide of opinion had completely shifted. The doubts and mockery from before vanished without a trace, replaced by amazement, admiration, and all manner of speculation about Lin Feng's background and teacher.
The rumors of a "Dao Comprehension Physique" were confirmed, and even grew more fantastical with every retelling. Some said he was the final disciple of some reclusive expert, while others claimed he had inherited an ancient thunder-path legacy... All these rumors draped him in an even more mysterious halo.
His name was no longer confined to the student circle. It had entered the sight of the upper echelons of Jiangnan City's many martial artist lineages and forces. Rough dossiers on him were placed upon the desks of every major faction.
"Eighteen years old, Martial Artist Realm, suspected Dao Comprehension Physique, combat power far beyond his peers, favored by Lei Lie..."
These keywords made him impossible to ignore for any far-sighted force.
What followed was an even more surging wave of recruitment. Not only had the major martial universities raised their offers, but many local martial arts clans, large corporations, financial groups, and even forces from other cities extended olive branches to Lin Feng through various channels. Generous treatment, precious resources, and even hints of marriage alliances appeared one after another.
Yet Lin Feng remained indifferent to it all. He had Steward Wang fend off most unnecessary social engagements and returned every invitation and gift sent to him through the Martial Arts Bureau untouched. His stance was clear and resolute—he wished to cultivate wholeheartedly, prepare for the martial arts examination, and had no intention of joining any force.
This attitude—neither humble nor overbearing, with his goal clearly defined—instead left an even better impression on those higher-ups.
Inside Thunder Listening Pavilion, beneath an ancient tree.
Lei Lie looked at Lin Feng, whose aura had grown increasingly steady and profound while his eyes remained clear and resolute, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Neither arrogant nor impetuous, and not swayed by external things. Very good." Lei Lie praised, "You handled the matter with Chen Feng well. You displayed your strength and established your authority, yet did not show off excessively and still knew where to draw the line."
"Teacher flatters me. This disciple merely did what he should have done," Lin Feng replied respectfully. He knew full well that if not for his status as Lei Lie's disciple, those forces would never have been so courteous. All manner of sinister methods would likely have come one after another long ago.
"You have now entered the Martial Artist Realm, and your foundation is stable. It is time to plan for the next step." Lei Lie's tone shifted, and his expression turned solemn. "The martial arts examination finals gather geniuses from an entire province. They are by no means comparable to Jiangnan City's mock examination. There will be no shortage of descendants painstakingly cultivated by great lineages, and there may even be people with special physiques or fortuitous encounters. Quite a few may have reached the middle or late stages of the Martial Artist Realm."
Lin Feng's gaze sharpened as he listened intently. He knew that Jiangnan City's martial arts standards were not considered top-tier within the entire province.
"With your current strength, entering the upper ranks will not be difficult. But if you wish to compete for the top position, you will need greater strength and more trump cards." Lei Lie looked at him. "Although the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade has limitless potential, what you obtained is only its opening chapter. The subsequent method is missing, which has restricted your growth."
Lin Feng's heart stirred. He knew his teacher might be about to impart the Nine Heavens Thunder Spirit Art.
However, Lei Lie did not immediately take out the technique manual. Instead, he asked, "How do you understand the powers of 'True Qi' and 'blood qi'?"
After pondering for a moment, Lin Feng combined his own insights with what he had learned from ancient texts and answered, "Blood qi is the foundation of the physical body, the source of strength. True Qi is blood qi condensed and elevated, the manifestation of energy. The Martial Artist Realm is the process of continuously transforming blood qi into purer, more powerful True Qi, opening the meridians, and establishing a circulation."
"Your understanding is not bad, but it is not deep enough." Lei Lie nodded slightly and extended a finger. A strand of pale violet lightning silently leaped at its tip, emanating a heart-palpitating aura of destruction. "Look. This is my Thunder True Qi. It is not simply transformed from blood qi. It is formed by using my own will to draw in and refine the thunder spiritual energy between heaven and earth, fusing it with my own origin."
With a light tap of his finger, that strand of lightning shot toward the Lightning Attracting Wood beside them. It did not explode. Instead, like a droplet of water merging into the sea, it was silently absorbed by the charred trunk. The faint trace of vitality on the trunk's surface seemed to grow slightly stronger.
"Destruction and vitality both lie within a single thought. The true Great Dao of Thunder is by no means about blindly pursuing force and explosive violence. The essence of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spirit Art lies in the word 'spirit'—in communicating and resonating with the thunder of heaven and earth, transforming the power of heaven and earth for one's own use, rather than merely draining one's own blood qi."
Lin Feng felt as though enlightenment had been poured over his head, and he instantly understood many crucial points! He had always felt that the force-exertion methods of the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade were more than fierce enough, yet somewhat lacking in sustained power, while also placing a tremendous burden on his body. So this was the root of it! It focused more on excavating his own blood qi to imitate thunder, rather than drawing upon the power of the outside world!
"Please guide me, Teacher!" Lin Feng bowed, his heart filled with yearning.
"To impart the orthodox method of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spirit Art, it must be done when your qi is full, your spirit is whole, and you are at your peak state. It also requires a special ritual to draw in a strand of innate thunder qi and establish your foundation. It cannot be rushed," Lei Lie said. "The martial arts examination is imminent, and time is pressing. Your most urgent task is to further elevate your current strength."
His gaze swept over Lin Feng. "Your Nine Heavens Thunder Blade has already reached a bottleneck. Through bitter cultivation alone, it will be difficult to advance even an inch. You need a true life-and-death battle against an evenly matched opponent. Under extreme pressure, you can stimulate your potential and integrate everything you have learned. Perhaps you may glimpse a thread of the path ahead on your own, or even... cause this opening chapter of the technique to undergo an unexpected transformation."
A life-and-death battle? Lin Feng's eyes narrowed.
"Teacher, you mean?"
Lei Lie gazed toward the depths of West Mountain, his eyes distant. "Do you remember the report you saw before, regarding the abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations in the West Mountain Branch?"
Lin Feng's heart stirred. "Teacher, are you referring to... that place suspected to be a secret realm?"
"Suspected, but its risk level has been reassessed." Lei Lie said gravely, "The fluctuations have intensified, and the electromagnetic interference has grown worse. There is an eighty percent chance that a small lightning-attribute secret realm is forming and will open soon. There will certainly be lightning-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures within, but it will also inevitably nurture powerful lightning-type demonic beasts."
He looked at Lin Feng, his gaze sharp. "This is your opportunity, and also your trial. Do you dare to go?"
A secret realm! Lightning-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures! Powerful demonic beasts!
Lin Feng felt a surge of hot blood rush straight to his head. Not only was there no fear in his eyes, blazing battle intent burned within them instead!
Danger came hand in hand with opportunity! This was exactly what he needed most right now!
"This disciple is willing to go!" Lin Feng's voice was decisive as steel.
"Good!" The approval in Lei Lie's eyes deepened. "The exact opening time of the secret realm has not been determined, but it will be within the next three to five days. Go back, adjust your condition, and prepare yourself. When the time comes, I will give you the exact location and a Life-Preserving Jade Talisman. Remember: act according to your ability. Your life comes first!"
"Yes! Thank you, Teacher!"
Lin Feng forcefully suppressed the excitement in his heart and respectfully took his leave.
Watching Lin Feng's upright, battle-filled back as he departed, Lei Lie stroked his beard and smiled, murmuring to himself, "A fledgling eagle can only soar through the vast skies after weathering wind and rain. Boy, let me see where your limit truly lies."
After returning to the Advanced Training Room of the Martial Arts Bureau, Lin Feng's heart surged like a raging tide.
A secret realm! A life-and-death battle! This was undoubtedly the best opportunity for him to break through his current bottleneck!
He sat down cross-legged. Rather than immediately beginning his cultivation, he sank his consciousness into the system.
[Host: Lin Feng] [Realm: Martial Artist (Early Stage)] [Strength: 585kg] (steadily improving under triple gravity) [Agility: 33m/s] [Physique: Excellent (Meridians Unblocked: 41%)] [Spiritual Power: 35] [Technique: Basic Body Forging Technique - Quenching Chapter (Perfect)] [Martial Skill: Nine Heavens Thunder Blade (Opening Chapter), Mastery: 38%] [Available Deduction Project: Nine Heavens Thunder Blade (Opening Chapter)... Warning: Core runes missing. Forced deduction will consume an enormous amount of energy, and the success rate is below 10%.]
Sure enough, the system also indicated the difficulty of deducing the later portions of the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade. It seemed his teacher had pointed out the correct path. He had to rely on external opportunities and his own insights to make a breakthrough.
He adjusted himself to his best state while mentally simulating all the dangers he might encounter, as well as how the Nine Heavens Thunder Blade, Electric Light Finger, and Galloping Thunder Steps should be used together at a critical life-or-death moment.
"A life-and-death battle..." Lin Feng muttered, a trace of anticipation flashing through his eyes. "Come, then. Let me see what kind of challenges await me within this secret realm!"
His fist silently clenched, and a faint electric arc flashed past his fingertips.
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