"Tell me..."
Hong understood what Zhou Ze meant. Janet's dramatic rise in the rankings this time was no exaggeration to say it had shaken the heavens.
If Zhou Ze didn't forge a deeper relationship with the martial arts hall, trouble would keep coming. Even if his disciple Luo Feng had the strength of an Invincible War God, he still wouldn't be able to stop it.
"My first request, and the most important one, is this: you personally drew up a contract for me back then, so you should know I don't have much ambition. I value my freedom."
Zhou Ze said calmly.
"Staying in Yangzhou City gives me complete freedom. If I want to stay home, I stay home. If I want to teach at the martial arts hall, I teach..."
"So I hope I can have that same freedom too. But I can promise you three appointments a month, as long as nothing important comes up. Two for our martial arts hall, and one for Thunder God Speaker's Thunderbolt Martial Arts Hall..."
Zhou Ze smiled at Thunder God. "Once you've discussed it among yourselves, the three of you can come to me together for a session of guidance."
"Agreed," Hong said flatly.
"Haha, you've got some sense, kid. You didn't forget about me." Thunder God laughed. "I thought there wouldn't be a spot for me. Anyway, I accept your kind offer."
"You practice my Ninefold Thunderblade, right? Whenever I have time, I can personally guide you in it!"
Zhou Ze smiled without replying, then continued, "My second request is for a Spirit of Plants."
"You know my physical talent isn't very good..."
"Agreed." Hong nodded.
Thunder God looked at Hong "jealously." "Let your Hall Master handle this one. I know the Limit Martial Arts Hall discovered a huge number of Hearts of Grass and Wood over on the Australian Continent. You made a fortune!"
Despite saying that, Thunder God didn't really care much about those things. Those Willow Hearts weren't much use to Planetary-level warriors, especially not him and Hong.
"My third request is for the complete manuals for Ninefold Thunderblade and World Annihilation. I'd also like to ask how you understand mental cultivation."
Zhou Ze feigned curiosity. "It'd be even better if I could get your notes on mental cultivation or your commentaries on ancient classics..."
He paused, then added, "Judging from your techniques, it seems like you reveal your understanding and expectations of mental cultivation between the lines at every turn."
"I know this is reasonable. I can offer my self-created Force Emission manual in exchange. It's derived from Thunder God's Ninefold Thunderblade, and its maximum force emission reaches nine times!"
The meeting room fell silent. After a long while, Thunder God said, eyes wide with disbelief, "Are you sure you created it yourself, and didn't get it from some ruin?"
As the creator of Ninefold Thunderblade, the ultimate manual with the highest force emission in the world, he knew all too well how difficult it was.
After all these years, he still hadn't managed to break through to sevenfold force emission. He couldn't bring out the tenth Hidden Force at all.
"How did you manage it?" Thunder God asked, deeply shocked.
Hong didn't think Zhou Ze would exaggerate about something like this, especially not in front of the two of them. He pondered for a moment. "It really is hard to believe."
Zhou Ze remained calm, then gave a self-deprecating smile. "Come to think of it, my disciple Luo Feng was the one who pushed me into it..."
"Oh, hurry up and tell us! Don't keep stringing us along like Brother Hong. We '90s kids don't speak in riddles!" Thunder God asked impatiently.
Zhou Ze spoke slowly. "I couldn't afford the seventh level of Ninefold Thunderblade. My disciple Luo Feng had good comprehension and was willing to work hard, so he mastered the sixth level very quickly. I had nothing left to teach him..."
"It didn't sit well with me. Later, I suddenly thought: Ninefold Thunderblade and World Annihilation were both created by people. I considered my comprehension decent too, so why couldn't I rely on myself and create a higher level of force emission based on the sixth level of Ninefold Thunderblade..."
"And then you created a manual with ninefold force emission?" Thunder God rubbed his bald head, looking dazed. "It's been less than a year, hasn't it?"
"Yeah. Once you understand its essence, force emission isn't difficult. The mental cultivation you mentioned in your manuals—that's the hard part!"
A hint of admiration appeared on Zhou Ze's face.
He wasn't putting on an act. Both Hong and Thunder God were worthy of respect.
Hong let out a breath, and a rare smile appeared on his face. "All right. I'll go back and write up my insights into mental cultivation, then send them to you."
"By the way, Hall Master, I'm also curious about your domain. Would you mind..." Zhou Ze smiled sheepishly. "It'd be best if you could let me experience it."
"I feel like I'm only one step away from a domain."
Many powerful warriors knew Hong had a domain. It wasn't something he needed to hide.
Thunder God swallowed, looking crestfallen. "Could you wait a little? If you really awaken a domain, I'll lose face as the world's second-ranked warrior."
If Zhou Ze hadn't said all that earlier, Thunder God would have scoffed at his claim. But Zhou Ze had brought up mental cultivation and ninefold force emission.
So he found it easy enough to believe Zhou Ze was only a step away from a domain.
"All right."
Hong agreed in a low voice. Then his gaze sharpened, and a crimson-black light burst from his body, enveloping the entire meeting room. In that moment, Hong seemed like a god.
"Is that... a domain?" Luo Feng, waiting outside, was stunned. Why had they suddenly started fighting while they were talking?
Inside the room, Hong's domain didn't damage a single object, yet it applied just the right amount of pressure. Zhou Ze sensed the first step on the path to becoming a powerful warrior.
"So that's how it is. I understand..."
"Will! It all comes down to will! Imbue your Genetic Energy, physical strength, spiritual power, and consciousness with your will. It isn't about combining them as I'd assumed, then using that to resonate with the universe..."
"Instead, use your will to permeate and command everything, thereby causing the universe to resonate. My theory wasn't wrong...but how exactly do I create that resonance? What are the specific steps?"
Zhou Ze came back to himself, feeling a little disappointed. Then he saw Hong draw in his domain, condensing it into a red-black sphere. The sphere grew smaller and smaller, then disappeared into Hong's palm.
Zhou Ze fell into thought.
"Brother Zhou Ze, how was it? Did you feel anything? Looks like you're still a little short. The way you closed your eyes and looked like you'd had an epiphany just now gave me a scare, haha..." Thunder God said cheerfully.
Zhou Ze gave Thunder God a faintly amused look. "I understand now. I'll be able to comprehend a domain once I get back!"
"Ah! Really?" Thunder God looked dejected, then suddenly thought of something and brightened. "Teacher Zhou, if you really do succeed, don't forget about me!"
"Anyway, you're definitely better at guiding people than Brother Hong. If you can really guide me to comprehend a domain, I'll become your disciple, haha!"
Hong glanced at Thunder God. "Watch your dignity!"
As Zhou Ze's status kept rising, he couldn't help but marvel at how unpredictable Thunder God was. His "moral bottom line" was remarkably flexible. Still, spending time with him was so comfortable that Zhou Ze couldn't help feeling cheerful.
"The ninefold force emission I've comprehended is a little unusual. I'll explain it to you now. If you teach it to others, you may need to create your own blade and spear techniques based on my force emission!"
Zhou Ze's lips curled upward. The biggest reward of this meeting was about to come.
Before you continue