Soon, with Wang Yanfeng and the others leading the way, Ning Feng arrived at the back mountain of the Body Sect.
The terrain here was open, a stark contrast to the steep slopes of the front mountain.
An open area had been specially cleared all around. Its ground was flat, but covered in extremely intricate lines.
The lines crisscrossed, forming enormous circular patterns. At the center of each stood a pitch-black metal pillar.
The pillars' surfaces were covered in tiny markings, with Soul Power faintly flowing through them.
"These are Thunder-Attracting Arrays." Chen Lü walked ahead, pointing to the array on the ground as he explained to Ning Feng.
"Just stand at the center of the array and channel the Soul Power inside your body into it, and you'll be able to communicate with the thunderclouds above."
"But when you're first practicing, you have to control how much Soul Power you channel in. If you pour in too much at once, the lightning you draw will be too powerful and too frequent. It'll kill you on the spot."
Ning Feng carefully studied the direction of the lines, committing them firmly to memory.
This method of using energy to draw down natural lightning was far more intricate than the workings of an ordinary Soul Skill.
"Have you memorized the Secret Art?" Gu Tong stood nearby and reminded him, "If you haven't, don't try it recklessly. This method of cultivation is very dangerous. You need to use the Body Secret Art alongside it."
"Don't worry, senior brother. I've memorized it." Ning Feng replied gratefully.
Wang Yanfeng rolled his wrists and was the first to step into the center of an array. "I'll demonstrate it for you first, junior brother. Watch carefully."
He stood still, took a deep breath, and pressed both hands against the metal pillar.
Grayish-white Soul Power streamed from his arms into the array.
"Vmmm!"
The array lit up with a dim glow. The dark clouds overhead seemed to be drawn toward it, and a bolt of lightning instantly ripped through the sky.
"Boom!"
A blinding bolt struck the metal pillar and, guided by the array, coursed precisely over Wang Yanfeng's body.
Wang Yanfeng's skin charred black in an instant. He didn't dodge, but immediately activated the Body Secret Art.
Soon, his muscles shuddered violently under the stimulation of the lightning, making a sound like rubber rubbing together.
"Now that's satisfying!" Wang Yanfeng roared. Blood ran from his body, but his eyes blazed with fervor.
Ten bolts, eleven, twelve, thirteen...
When the fifteenth bolt struck, Wang Yanfeng's body finally reached its limit.
He exhaled a mouthful of foul air and slumped to the ground, his skin split and torn, several patches charred black.
With somewhat clumsy movements, he took out a pill and swallowed it. Only then did his complexion improve slightly.
Vina explained from the side, "These are Body-Tempering Pills specially made by the sect. They can quickly heal muscle tears and burns caused by Body Penetration. Junior brother, you haven't received yours yet, so you can use one of ours later."
Then Chen Lü, Gu Tong, and Vina each entered their own arrays.
As a physical-type cultivator, Chen Lü had tremendous explosive power and endured thirteen bolts.
Gu Tong and Vina, both mental-type cultivators, hadn't developed their bodies as much as the other two, but they each withstood nine and eight bolts, respectively.
At the Martial Arts Arena, the senior brothers and sisters were all charred black, breathing hard, and reeking of blood.
They didn't care about appearances, slumping beside the arrays to recover. Seeing Ning Feng still standing outside, Wang Yanfeng urged him between ragged breaths, "Junior brother, it's your turn."
Ning Feng nodded and walked straight to the center of the array without delay.
The moment he stepped into it, the atmosphere around him noticeably changed.
Wang Yanfeng forced himself to stay alert and began discussing things quietly with Chen Lü, Gu Tong, and the others.
"How many bolts do you think junior brother can endure on his first try?" Wang Yanfeng lowered his voice.
Chen Lü leaned against a rock, a wry smile on his face. "The first time I drew lightning, I nearly passed out after just one bolt. It was only because the senior brothers cut off the power in time that I made it."
"Junior brother's Soul Power Level is high, but he's never tempered his body. His physical strength is a serious weakness."
Wang Yanfeng nodded. "Same for me—it was one bolt. But junior brother is already above level thirty, so he's stronger than we were back then. He should do better than us."
Vina watched Ning Feng's back, thought for a moment, then said, "Five bolts should be his limit."
Wang Yanfeng disagreed and countered, "Five? That's too many. Without practicing the Secret Art, his body is just mortal flesh. When lightning strikes, it goes straight to the bone. I think three bolts. Three is his absolute limit."
Chen Lü agreed. "I think three, too. Any more, and he'll get hurt."
Ning Feng heard their conversation, but didn't respond.
He stood at the center of the array, pressed both hands against the metal pillar, and slowly channeled his Soul Power into it.
The first bolt of lightning struck.
"Boom!"
Without warning, the bolt crashed directly into Ning Feng's shoulder.
A wave of searing pain swept through his entire body, and electricity surged wildly through his blood.
His skin split the moment it touched the lightning. A wisp of white smoke rose from the tissue beneath, and blood slid down his arm.
"So painful."
Ning Feng gritted his teeth.
The pain, acting directly on his nerve endings, was on a completely different level from the pain of getting injured in an ordinary battle.
But he didn't retreat.
This was only the first bolt.
He quickly activated the Body Secret Art he had just read about in the Scripture Pavilion, forcibly guiding the lightning energy that had surged into his body toward the muscles in his arms.
Soon, the second and third bolts struck one after another.
Under the lightning's assault, Ning Feng's body trembled slightly. Sweat mixed with blood and ran down his forehead.
Seeing this, Wang Yanfeng couldn't help shouting, "You did it! Three bolts! Junior brother, if you can't take it, cut off your Soul Power right away. Don't push yourself!"
But Ning Feng seemed not to hear him. His eyes remained fixed on the sky.
The lightning brewing in the dark clouds showed no sign of stopping after the third bolt.
"He's drawing more?" Chen Lü's eyes widened. "He's pushing himself way too hard!"
Ning Feng took a deep breath, and the Soul Power in his body surged faster once more.
The fourth bolt struck.
This bolt was even stronger than the ones before. When it crashed down on Ning Feng's head, fine cracks appeared in the rocks beneath his feet.
His body rocked violently, but he remained standing firmly at the center of the array.
The Body Sect disciples around him were utterly stunned.
"The fourth bolt?"
"He actually withstood it?"
"He's only just getting started. He's never practiced the Secret Art before. His physical talent is incredible!"
Vina's eyes were filled with astonishment.
Before they could recover from their shock, Ning Feng suddenly raised his hand, and the surge of Soul Power intensified once more.
The light at the center of the array flared brightly.
The dark clouds above seemed enraged. The fifth bolt of lightning, crackling with the shriek of electric arcs, came crashing down toward Ning Feng!
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