Boom!
Spring Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Lightning flashed across the sky, a light rain pattered down, and the world was exceptionally beautiful.
This is a unique and spectacular sight deep in the Back Mountains of the Martial Academy, formed by a martial arts saint who altered the terrain. It is most prone to attracting lightning during the early spring and early summer seasons.
"You wish to resonate with the true Heavenly Might to cultivate Heavenly Might Techniques?"
Chen Qingyan couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, Painting scroll is ultimately painted by humans, and it can't truly depict the true meaning of Heavenly Might. It always feels like something's missing," Jiang Ping said frankly, staring at the sky.
"I didn't feel that way."
Chen Qingyan looked at Jiang Ping. She knew that the Artistic Conception in the Painting scroll was profound and could be cultivated to a very deep level.
But this person felt it wasn't realistic enough.
She raised an eyebrow and said, "You want to break that Number One Under Heaven's number one record?"
"You mean this?" Jiang Ping turned to look at her, pointing a single finger to the sky, making no attempt to hide anything.
"I'm already broken."
The words had barely left his mouth.
Sulfuric acid!
A powerful surge of energy erupted from Jiang Ping's body, and Sword Qi suddenly surged forth.
The strong wind blew Chen Qingyan's dress, tossed her long hair, and stirred her heart.
Chen Qingyan looked up, and one hundred and fifty Sword Qi came into view, dazzling and magnificent, like a roaring and winding Yinglong, as if it were about to break through the sky.
She straightened her skirt, gathered her hair, calmed herself, and said, "Isn't this the limit?"
"No, I think I can continue practicing."
Jiang Ping stated frankly, "If we're going to break records, let's raise the latest record even higher and let future generations break it."
Then he smiled and said, "I was the first to tell you about this; I didn't even tell Teacher Xie."
Chen Qingyan looked at him and said:
"If I hadn't asked, I'm afraid you wouldn't have told me on your own initiative."
"It was because you asked that you received the correct answer."
Knock knock!
Spring Thunder struck, and the distant land exploded, charring countless ancient trees with arcs of electricity.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and a Desolate Destruction Intent swept through.
However, within this destruction lies Rebirth, bringing with it a powerful vitality.
In fact, the Heavenly Thunder Essence is the Rebirth that bursts forth from the destruction after being struck by lightning. It is contained in these ancient trees struck by lightning. By gathering them, Martial Artists can Gathering Qi.
However, the amount of essence required for the Late Stage of the Fifth Rank in Gathering Qi is not small. The Lightning and Thunder Essence accumulated in early spring and early summer alone is not enough for one person to complete the breakthrough. It would take two or three years' worth of essence.
Therefore, Celestial Resources are very precious, and many students want to collect them but don't have the opportunity.
Of course, Jiang Ping already possessed this kind of spiritual energy; he was here to set a record.
Sulfuric acid!
He stood there, unmoved, claiming to resonate with the lightning and immerse himself in observing the Heavenly Might, yet he himself had no intention of generating lightning.
Because.
Click!
In the void of his Sea of Consciousness, countless Thunder poured down, charring the Three Little Persons until their bodies were blackened. Jiang Ping seemed to smell the aroma of meat.
This is a very special cultivation method. The small person opens and closes, guiding the Heavenly Might Artistic Conception into the Void Space, just as if experiencing it personally, wandering in a sea of Thunder.
If we were to actually trigger a large-scale minefield in reality, we would not achieve progress, but rather destruction.
However, if one only comes into contact with lightning a little bit, progress will be very slow.
Therefore, geniuses often need to spend a long time observing the artistic Artistic Conception of mountains, rivers, and Celestial Phenomenon phenomena in order to make great progress.
For example, when Jiang Saint wanted to reach the limit of Sword Qi, he observed the Spring and Summer Thunder many times before he could reach the limit of 138 Sword Qi.
Jiang Ping, on the other hand, didn't need to do that. The Three Little Persons, even after being struck and charred black by lightning, were still full of vitality, though it made him slightly tired.
As time passed, he constantly sought enlightenment, and his understanding of this Heavenly Might Technique became clearer.
Before the Star Curtain appeared, Jiang Ping opened his eyes. This Spring Thunder had brought him considerable progress, allowing him to take another step forward and develop two more Sword Qi.
In terms of sheer power, his skill is comparable to the Three-Point Concept Realm of other skills.
Of course, that's not the limit. Thunder often occurs in early spring, allowing him to continue honing his skills.
"Your cultivation method is very special."
Chen Qingyan sat upright to the side, looking at him, and said.
"It's kind of you to accompany me and protect me," Jiang Ping said with a smile.
The other party is not yet proficient enough in this skill to resonate with lightning; they are merely there to provide companionship and prevent disturbance from outsiders.
"Let's go, I'm hungry."
For the next two months, whenever there was a thunderstorm, Jiang Ping would invite his neighbors to go out and have a big, lively party.
And each time, he would openly and naturally hold his neighbor's soft hand, their fingers intertwined, as they strolled through the Martial Academy. Even if outsiders saw them, he wouldn't let go, saying:
"Qing Yan, when are you going to tell our Our Uncle about this good news, so he can be happy too?"
He already knows.
"Huh?" This time it was Jiang Ping's turn to be surprised. He thought that Chen Qingyan was not the type to publicize their relationship everywhere.
"You are the most outstanding student in the Martial Academy," Chen Qingyan said.
Jiang Ping quickly realized that he was attracting too much attention. The fact that he had been seen showing affection for his girlfriend at the Martial Academy had already spread throughout Black River Provincial City. When Juren Chen's friend found out, he wrote a letter to inform him.
He stroked Chen Qingyan's delicate hand and asked curiously, "How did your uncle reply?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingyan seemed to remember something, and her face involuntarily flushed red.
Boom!
That day.
A light drizzle fell from the sky. Deep in the Back Mountains, a place rarely visited by humans, Jiang Ping opened his eyes and whispered, "Qing Yan, get away... further away... even further away."
When Chen Qingyan walked a hundred feet away and turned around, she felt the terrifying energy emanating from the young man sweeping over her.
Click!
As if real lightning were intertwining here, three thousand thunderclaps resounded, and purple light illuminated this sky.
She seemed to see the Heavenly Might of the Painting scroll reappear here, and an extremely strong Artistic Conception destruction and desolation filled her heart.
Boom!
Jiang Ping was testing the power, while Chen Qingyan watched from the side. She saw bolts of lightning like Azure Dragons, tearing through the sky, or like electric snakes, each with its own trajectory, free and unrestrained.
It was as if a picture of thousands of dragons and snakes was appearing before her eyes, making her heart tremble.
"It seems more real than the Heavenly Might depicted in the Painting scroll," Chen Qingyan murmured softly.
Master Xie was unaware of Jiang Ping's achievements in the Heavenly Might Technique. Although she never inquired in detail during her visits, she knew a little about them.
The opponent's Sword Qi exceeded one hundred and seventy!
Now that she has broken through to a higher Artistic Conception, her power is unimaginable. She resonated with the Azure Water Sword Intent and quickly learned of it.
It is only a preliminary imitation of the essence of lightning, but its power can rival Artistic Conception Azure Water Rare Skill by three or four parts.
It cannot be said that it is not strong.
"We can Gathering Qi again."
Soon, Chen Qingyan approached and spoke, her eyes gleaming with a strange light.
She already knew that the young man in front of her had already reached the Eighth Stage True Qi, and once he absorbed the Lightning and Thunder Essence, he would soon be able to reach the True Qi Ninth Stage, with strength that rivaled geniuses like Lusheng and Tang Kun.
"Yes, that means I can improve rapidly again." Jiang Ping smiled, in a rather pleasant mood.
Not only can one gather the Lightning and Thunder Essence to reach the Ninth Stage, Six Supreme Qi Wumen. As long as one uses the Great Freedom Furnace Sutra, one can gradually Gathering Qi.
In other words, his strength will undergo a qualitative change in the coming period, and he will soon be able to dethrone the Number One on the Ranking!
Thinking of this, he suddenly looked at Chen Qingyan, and then pulled her into his arms.
For the first time, he observed Chen Qingyan's delicate face up close and in detail, constantly savoring the refreshing fragrance that stirred his soul.
"You..." Chen Qingyan's face flushed red; she hadn't expected the other party to be so bold.
Then, without warning, Jiang Ping cupped her small face and lowered his head to kiss her fiercely.
Chen Qingyan trembled, her struggle turning into relaxation, and then into a response.
Time flies, and more than a year has passed in the blink of an eye.
"Brother Lu, we can set off now!"
In an ancient courtyard, the gate was suddenly pushed open, and someone shouted.
A moment later, a stern-looking man appeared. He was rather tall and had a sharp gaze.
"Did Xiao Yucheng go?" Lu Chenfeng asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know. That person already obtained that External Qi and probably isn't interested, but it's possible that they went to pick it for their partner." The person shook their head.
"Martial Bone, doesn't he want to meet someone with the same talent?" Lu Chenfeng said.
"They probably felt that the two sides were not on the same level and there was no need to meet."
"That's true. With equal talent, one step behind leads to another, and Jiang Ping will never catch up with the Xiao family in his lifetime."
Lu Chenfeng nodded, then asked, "Where is Su Tongxuan?"
"I don't know either."
"Hmm?" Lu Chenfeng's eyes widened slightly.
The newcomer shrugged and said, "One Martial Bone, the other a Complete Saint Body. They're usually elusive, their whereabouts unknown. You can ask their partners."
"By the way, the youngest son of the Zheng Family's sage has set off; he will be a formidable opponent for Brother Lu."
"What's the point of him going there? He doesn't even absorb this energy."
"I heard that an elder of the Zheng Family summoned him to block the path of that Martial Bone."
These past few days.
The situation in Black River Three Provinces is turbulent.
Because the Dangerous Land was opened to the public, that place was unique, filled with Spiritual Qi energy, and blessed with outstanding natural beauty.
It not only contains the Supreme External Qi related to the foundation of a martial saint, but also gathers various Celestial Resources.
For the Martial Academies of the three provinces, this is a great opportunity to significantly enhance the strength of their Martial Academy.
Therefore, students and teachers from all sides have begun their journey and will gather at the Dangerous Land.
"We're setting off tomorrow. How about we add to Junior Brother Jiang's glory and send him soaring to great heights?"
In a council chamber of the Black River Martial Academy, Lusheng suddenly spoke.
"I will not participate." Tang Kun immediately left his seat, followed by several Ninth Stage masters.
One of them, Ma Ran, said, "Brother Lu, he can just go to the Imperial City. Why get involved in Dangerous Land matters? We're about to face experts from the other two major Martial Academies, as well as prodigies from the National Academy. We can barely compete for our own resources; how can we help him?"
"Winning the Martial Bone Talent is far more worthwhile than acquiring several Celestial Resources," Lusheng said calmly.
"Brother Lu, we need to be realistic. Those who compete for the Supreme External Qi are all top masters at the Tenth Stage or even Eleventh Stage. If we go to collect it, wouldn't that be tantamount to suicide?" another Ninth Stage master said.
"You only need to help me find this energy, then let me know. You don't need to worry about anything else," Lusheng said again.
"I'm sorry, senior brother, this Dangerous Land. There have been many instances of people fighting and losing their lives over resources throughout history." Many experts left their seats, unwilling to participate in high-level battles.
"Senior brother, what do you mean?" Liu Haitang looked at Lusheng, but she was just following in her senior brother's footsteps.
On the other side.
The Aristocratic Faction were also in discussion. Li You, the Number One on the Ranking martial artist, addressed the Eighth Stage and Ninth Stage Martial Artist, saying, "Your strength is relatively low. You only need to help find the Supreme External Qi; I will handle the collection."
"I'm sorry, Brother Li, I've already promised Wang Jiasheng."
"I'm sorry, I'm not involved in this."
Some people stood up and chose to leave.
Most people from prominent families were unwilling to let Jiang Ping obtain resources easily and chose to stay out of it.
Some who were on good terms with Li You agreed to help him. Li You wanted Jiang Ping to owe him a favor, and in return, they would gain the favor of the Number One on the Ranking.
That evening.
In a private room in Black River Provincial City, Wang Jiasheng received two guests.
This most outstanding scion of the Black River family in the present day was all smiles and very enthusiastic, a stark contrast to his usual aloof demeanor.
"Old Wang, I heard that kid's cultivation speed is very fast, he should be at the Eighth Stage or even Ninth Stage of Gathering Qi." A beautiful woman said.
Wang Jiasheng nodded solemnly and said, "This child's talent is indeed astonishing. He went from the first level to the True Qi Fifth Stage in just four months. After such a long time, he's probably close to reaching that level."
He looked serious and added, "There's a small chance I've reached the True Qi Tenth Stage."
The True Qi Tenth Stage is different from the Ninth Stage. It is the foundation of a Martial Saint and is equivalent to breaking through the limit. With the power of True Qi alone, one can fight against him who has copied seven-tenths of the Mystic Skills.
"It's alright. Even if we overestimate him and consider him Tenth Stage master, he's only equivalent to me in terms of realm. However, the difference in skill is insurmountable," another man said.
"Let me make this clear first," the woman who spoke first added, "My only responsibility is to cut off his opportunities and block the rest of you from getting in his way. I won't directly attack him."
The next day.
Students from the Black River Martial Academy set off one after another, accompanied by their elders and teachers.
One after another, Swift horses carried extraordinary Martial Artists, heading off in a certain direction.
Outside the gate of a courtyard.
Jiang Ping embraced Chen Qingyan and tidied her hair.
More than a year ago, after the unspoken understanding between them was revealed, their relationship deepened day by day.
Six months ago, Jiang Ping stayed overnight at Chen Qingyan's house, and the two naturally became engaged, their lives intertwined.
The feelings were very intense.
After that, he moved into Chen Qingyan's house without any pretense, no longer going to the canteen to eat, and eating the meals prepared by Chen Qingyan every day.
Chen Qingyan a very good cook; she learned it during her recovery period, and her skills are no worse than those of chefs in restaurants.
So recently, Jiang Ping's life has been quite enjoyable and fulfilling.
Jiang Ping took Chen Qingyan's hand and said, "My Our Uncle has asked me several times these past few days when I'm going to send out the Engagement Letters. Let's get married after we return from this Gathering Qi."
He's almost thirty; it's time for him to settle down.
After all, even Cao Qingzhi got engaged quickly after finding a partner at the Martial Academy, and he didn't want to fall behind.
Chen Qingyan's face still flushed slightly as she said, "Has everything between us moved too fast?"
"We've known each other for several years, we know each other inside and out, so it's not unpleasant," Jiang Ping said.
Throughout his life, he has never been demanding when it comes to matters of the heart, but rather yearns for the Peak of Martial Dao.
But now that he's met someone he thinks is right and they can be together, he doesn't want to miss the opportunity.
Let's go.
At this moment, Master Xie appeared.
He watched the two of them, so deeply in love, and was quite pleased. One possessed Martial Bone, and the other a Saint Body; if they were to have offspring in the future, their talents would surely be exceptionally high.
Thump!
Master Xie lightly tapped his cane, and a burst of flames rose beneath the feet of the three.
They rode the flames and rose into the distance.
The two chapters are combined into one. Since I can't write romance, I'll develop the story quickly, give the protagonist a home in the early stages, and then let him venture out on his own later.