"I'm afraid the one thing I've never lacked is comprehension." A smile appeared on Shen Zhui's face.
"However, this Thunderclap Art actually says that both martial artists and Qi Cultivation True Persons can learn it. It seems that although the two paths begin differently, they ultimately lead to the same destination by different routes."
Shen Zhui thought to himself, That makes sense. Martial artists and Qi Cultivation True Persons both use Xiantian Spiritual Energy once they reach the Xiantian Realm.
Since they came from the same source, they could naturally use Daoist arts as well.
Like that Li Family expert Wang Long had slain before—he had used a technique that produced a huge azure fist. Clearly, that had been a kind of Daoist art too.
"I just wonder whether my Unity of Heaven and Man saber technique can draw upon the Power of Heaven and Earth and combine it into this Thunder Spell."
In theory, Shen Zhui was not directly controlling the Power of Heaven and Earth. There was an additional requirement in between: using a saber technique.
Moreover, the book had not explained whether a Houtian Martial Artist in the Unity of Heaven and Man realm could use it.
But Shen Zhui felt that he ought to be able to master it. It would probably just be more difficult.
As for whether cultivating this Daoist art would cause trouble, Shen Zhui was not worried.
The imperial court only prohibited evil and demonic techniques. It had no particular prejudice against Daoist arts themselves. It merely kept a strict hold over sect forces. Throughout the Zhou Dynasty, the only recognized sect forces were the Three Great State Religions.
As for learning Daoist arts, the imperial court itself had channels for teaching them. Lin Ze of the Wu'an Army, for example, was a Qi Cultivation True Person.
"Let's see how many Merit Points I have."
Shen Zhui: Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm. Technique: "Blood Burning Art," Third Layer Saber Technique: "Falling Snow Saber Technique" (Perfected) Movement Technique: "Flowing Cloud Steps" (Great Accomplishment) Merit Points: 94,561
"More than ninety thousand Merit Points." Shen Zhui was slightly startled.
In this battle, he had slain the black-clad martial artist and gained a little over six thousand Merit Points.
Afterward, he had gone to support Han Mao at the Branch Shrine, slain several Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm martial artists, and gained around ten thousand Merit Points.
Then he had killed Daoist Xiangyang and destroyed the Yin God's avatar at the Branch Shrine, earning nearly eighty thousand Merit Points!
Since Shen Zhui had only assisted with some of those deeds, the system had not credited all the merit to him, so the total was somewhat lower.
If he had completed everything alone, Shen Zhui estimated that his Merit Points would have at least doubled.
"With more than ninety thousand Merit Points, I could exchange them for over ninety seconds of Awakening Time."
"I'll spend twenty thousand Merit Points to exchange for Awakening Time and give it a try."
Shen Zhui made up his mind.
If he still could not cultivate the Thunderclap Art while in the state of enlightenment, then it probably meant that this Daoist art could not be cultivated at the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm. He would have to wait until he broke through to the Xiantian Realm.
"System, exchange for twenty seconds of Awakening Time!"
"Twenty seconds of Awakening Time will consume twenty thousand Merit Points. Exchange?"
"Exchange!"
Shen Zhui raised his steel saber and took a deep breath.
"Buzz~"
A wondrous sensation descended upon him. Shen Zhui instantly felt as refreshed as if he had been pulled out of water. His mind became incomparably clear and tranquil.
At the same time, an illusory demonstration space appeared. Within it stood a figure exactly identical to him.
Shen Zhui stared at this figure.
If the figure did not move, then this path was clearly a dead end. It simply would not work, which meant that his idea was wrong.
One second, two seconds, three seconds passed...
The doppelgänger continued to hold the saber with a frown, unmoving.
Just as Shen Zhui thought this path truly would not work and was about to give up, the doppelgänger finally moved at the eighth second!
"It works!" Shen Zhui could not help feeling thrilled!
The Manifestation of All Laws was for attaining enlightenment!
Within this virtual space, the doppelgänger's attributes were completely identical to the original body's!
Once it began practicing, it meant that the doppelgänger was a teacher who had completely mastered the Thunderclap Art and was demonstrating it personally for him.
Every move and every motion was just like performing it himself. It was equivalent to letting him experience the feeling of having mastered it!
Moreover, Awakening Time granted him two perspectives. In one, he watched how it was performed, with every movement of the body engraved into his mind.
In the other, he watched from the sidelines, examining and pondering.
The two perspectives mutually verified each other!
Time passed second by second. Shen Zhui became completely immersed in the experience of Awakening Time and gradually understood where he needed to begin.
"Boom-crack~"
Within the virtual space, the doppelgänger swung its saber. From the tip of the steel saber, a Thunderclap Lasso burst forth and snapped taut.
Immediately afterward came the second slash, producing two Thunderclap Lassos at once.
The third slash directly leaped to four Thunderclap Lassos!
"Countdown ended. Awakening Time terminated."
"Hm?" Shen Zhui suddenly felt stifled, only then realizing that he had been pulled out of the state of enlightenment.
"Again! Continue exchanging!"
Shen Zhui did not hesitate.
"Exchange successful. Awakening Time countdown: 30, 29, 28..."
During this second exchange, Shen Zhui, standing beside the bonfire, slowly began to move, executing the first form of the Falling Snow Saber Technique—Slay Cang.
As the second period of Awakening Time began, a faint streak of electricity suddenly burst from the tip of Shen Zhui's saber, flashing by in an instant...
At dawn the next day, the horizon began to brighten.
Shen Zhui stood motionless before the steps of the ruined temple. Rong Zimo walked out of the temple, stretching lazily.
He stared left and right at the ground, then suspiciously glanced up at the sky.
Shen Zhui found it strange. "Zimo, what are you looking at?"
Rong Zimo scratched his head. "Shen Zhui, did it rain last night?"
"No."
"Then why did I hear thunder?"
"..."
Shen Zhui's smile stiffened. "Maybe... you heard wrong."
"Really?"
"..." Shen Zhui was rendered speechless.
"Looks like I did hear wrong. It really didn't rain." Rong Zimo looked around, muttered to himself, and walked back into the ruined temple.
Shen Zhui lowered his head awkwardly and glanced at the steel saber in his hand.
Last night, after exhausting more than ninety thousand Merit Points and immersing himself in studying the Thunderclap Art, dawn had arrived before he realized it.
This was probably the longest period of Awakening Time Shen Zhui had ever experienced at once.
But the results were astonishing.
From merely producing a few sparks at the beginning to becoming smoother and smoother later, Shen Zhui had actually managed to perform six Thunderclap Lassos after one night of work!
"Mastering six Thunderclap Lassos in one night... No one would believe it if I told them. I'd better not tell Big Brother Han and the others yet."
Shen Zhui decided to keep it hidden for now. It was not that he distrusted them; he simply had no way to explain it.
A Houtian Martial Artist using a Daoist art was already shocking enough.
And mastering it in a single night?
Anyone would find that suspicious.
"It's a pity. If I had another ninety thousand Merit Points, I might be able to master the first layer completely." Shen Zhui felt somewhat regretful.
More than ninety seconds of Awakening Time had still not brought him to the first layer's maximum power. It had to be said—the Thunderclap Art was truly difficult.
One had to know that when he had cultivated the Ruler Technique, twenty seconds of Awakening Time had allowed Shen Zhui to break through to the Great Accomplishment Realm.
Sixty seconds of Awakening Time had allowed Shen Zhui to comprehend Unity of Heaven and Man.
No matter how difficult this Daoist art was, it could not possibly be harder than comprehending Unity of Heaven and Man.
Shen Zhui estimated that if he reached the Xiantian Realm, cultivating the Thunderclap Art would probably become much easier.
At present, there was an additional barrier between him and it, so the difficulty naturally increased severalfold. Even in a state of enlightenment, cultivating the first layer of the Thunderclap Art required a few seconds of adjustment at the beginning.
Clearly, that was because of the increased difficulty.
Of course, the further one advanced in the first layer, the harder it became. Shen Zhui estimated that the four Thunderclap Lassos had consumed no small amount of Merit Points.
"Merit Points. I must obtain more Merit Points before I can cultivate this first layer of Daoist art to its limit. If I can cultivate the first layer of the Thunderclap Art to the level of ten lassos, then I'll truly possess the strength to slay Xiantian experts."
Shen Zhui had never before been so eager to obtain Merit Points.
Summon Deity was, after all, an external force. Once used, he had to wait for a period before using it again, or else he would have to consume his lifespan.
The Thunderclap Art, however, had no such restrictions.
"There are still two Branch Shrines in Hekou Town, with at least two Qi Cultivation True Persons comparable to the Xiantian Realm. If we can destroy these two Branch Shrines, it should be enough."
With that thought, Shen Zhui immediately entered the ruined temple and began discussing the mission with Han Mao and the others.
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