Five Thunders

"Sigh! Bai Ge, do you think the two of us have been cursed?" Xiao Yan said with a sigh.

Looking at the black-clad youth before him, his face filled with dejection, Xiao Bai spoke calmly:

"What? Lost heart?"

Xiao Yan gave a bitter laugh. "A little. Today, Father was made things difficult for by several Elders in the clan because of me again. I..."

Though he did not finish, Xiao Bai understood why this guy had come running here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.

For more than two years, Clan Head Xiao Zhan had been searching for people to examine Xiao Yan and figure out what was wrong with him. Whenever he heard that something might be useful to Xiao Yan, he bought it all back for him to try, spending no small amount, and sometimes even having to divert clan funds.

If those things had been effective on Xiao Yan, no one would have said anything, because if he could rise again, he would only bring the clan greater returns, and everyone would benefit.

But these past two years, Xiao Yan had been like a bottomless pit. No matter how much was spent, his cultivation remained the same.

This naturally made many in the clan dissatisfied. After all, the Xiao Clan had so many people, and its yearly revenue was only so much. If more was spent on your side, less had to be spent on someone else's.

Because of this, Xiao Zhan's prestige as Clan Head had plummeted in the Xiao Clan, and the several Elders beneath him had grown increasingly displeased with him.

Looking at the once reckless hardhead in his current state, Xiao Bai casually offered a word of comfort.

"For two or three years, wind and snow have weighed me down; I laugh, for the wind is light and the snow like cotton!"

As for anything more, sorry, there was none.

Xiao Bai calculated the time. In less than five months, the Xiao Clan's annual Dou Qi Test would begin, which was also when the opening of the original work would arrive.

This guy was now in the darkness before dawn and would soon see the first light. There was no need to give some long-winded motivational speech.

"For two or three years, wind and snow have weighed me down; I laugh, for the wind is light and the snow like cotton. Hehe, Bai Ge, you're still as carefree as ever!" Xiao Yan exclaimed after hearing him.

After his realm had fallen, he had actually always envied Xiao Bai's state of mind, unmoved by favor or disgrace, calm and composed.

That carefree attitude, as if nothing in heaven and earth amounted to much in his eyes, was something he had always wanted to learn, but could not.

In Xiao Yan's eyes, Xiao Bai had gone five years without being able to break through to Dou Zhe, yet Xiao Yan had never once seen him anxious. He was neither arrogant nor impatient. Whether the outside world mocked him or praised him, it seemed as if none of it left the slightest trace in his heart.

Xiao Bai could still feel another pair of eyes watching him and knew it was the old man inside the ring. Only, seeing that he was not using Soul Strength to peer at him as brazenly as the previous two times, Xiao Bai ignored him.

"Bai Ge, are you all right? Why do you keep sweating?" After sitting for a while, Xiao Yan noticed beads of sweat constantly forming on Xiao Bai's forehead.

"It's nothing. Just aftereffects. It'll be fine in a while!" Xiao Bai said calmly.

"I'm going back. Are you staying here, or...?"

"I'll take you back!" Xiao Yan could tell that Xiao Bai's condition tonight was somewhat off and could not help saying worriedly.

"No need. I'm not at the point where I can't walk yet." Xiao Bai was gritting his teeth and holding on, unwilling to let anyone see him in a sorry state.

After saying that, Xiao Bai slowly rose and left the cool pavilion.

Xiao Yan watched his departing back, a trace of admiration in his eyes.

He had already noticed earlier that every movement Xiao Bai made today was especially slow, and his hands trembled from time to time, as if he were forcibly enduring some kind of pain.

But when he spoke, his voice was still steady, his gaze calm as an ancient well without a ripple, his body straight and upright, like a green pine that wind and snow could not crush.

By the time Xiao Bai returned to the courtyard, the sky was already growing bright.

After washing up and changing clothes, Xiao Bai quietly sat by the table, where a cup of clear tea gave off a faint fragrance.

He was waiting for someone. When he came back, he had sensed Ling Ying, so he figured that little girl would come over soon. He would continue cultivating after she arrived.

As for sleeping and resting, he could forget about that for the next few months. His heart truly hurt too much for him to fall asleep. Fortunately, his spirit was powerful, so a few months did not matter.

Today's Thunder Seed let him know that every Thunder Seed the Divine Edict currently gave him had at least a power comparable to a Dou Wang, or even an early-stage Dou Emperor. If not for the five streams of light the Divine Edict had given him when he was at 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi protecting his five organs, there was no way he could have contained these Thunder Seeds in his body.

Compared to the current Bing Fire Yang Thunder, the Yi Wood Positive Thunder from last time, which had already made Xiao Bai feel that things were difficult, had truly gone far too smoothly.

Perhaps Yi Wood Positive Thunder was naturally gentle, or perhaps it had been the Divine Edict's beginner protection that had allowed him to refine it with ease.

"First was Wood Element, then Fire Element. Next should be earth, metal, and water. Earth element is heavy, metal element is killing and austere, water element is gentle. Looks like aside from Fire Element, I'll also have to pay special attention to metal element thunder!"

"I wonder if they can fuse after all five elements are given. What would it be called after fusing? Five Thunders Righteous Method?"

"Isn't that the signature skill of Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion?"

Xiao Bai stared blankly at the teacup in his hand, all sorts of messy thoughts running through his mind.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A burst of knocking pulled Xiao Bai's thoughts back. His brow lifted. This girl had come so quickly.

"Come in. The door isn't locked," Xiao Bai said softly.

Though his voice was soft, the person outside the door heard it clearly.

"This is... Soul Power?" Xiao Xun Er was somewhat surprised. She had not expected Xiao Bai's Soul Strength to be so strong.

This was a small application of the soul by Xiao Bai, a simulated skill he had seen in novels in his previous life: transmitting sound through the air.

Using the principle of the phonograph from his previous life, he transmitted the sound waves directly to the target's ear. This way, so long as they were within the range of his soul perception, he could transmit his voice and communicate even if he could not see the person.

Xiao Xun Er entered the room, and when she saw Xiao Bai sitting by the table, her eyes instantly reddened.

"Xiao Bai Gege, what happened to you?" she said with a slight sob in her voice as she hurried forward.

Her jade-like hand trembled as she stroked that gray-white hair. Looking at his pale face and the slightly empty-looking clothes on him, Xiao Xun Er immediately felt her heart clench.

"It's all right. Xiao Bai Gege just had a little accident while cultivating. Xun Er doesn't need to worry. I'll recover in a few months at most!"

Xiao Bai looked at the tearful girl, took her small hand, and had her sit beside him, comforting her in a gentle voice.

"How can Xun Er not worry when you tell me not to? There was an accident last time, and now another one this time. What kind of lousy cultivation method is this!"

Xiao Xun Er felt the boniness of Xiao Bai's hand. She picked up his gaunt, skeletal hands and looked at them in heartache, complaining angrily.

"Let's stop cultivating that technique of yours. Xun Er will help you find a better one, all right?"

"You weren't satisfied with that Thunder Spirit Art last time, so Xun Er will go find you an even higher-level one. Don't cultivate it anymore, all right?"

Xiao Xun Er's reddened beautiful eyes looked at Xiao Bai full of expectation. Right now, she didn't want to think about anything else. Some Upper Realm inheritance, some powerful experts—all of it could go to hell!

She only wanted her Xiao Bai Gege to be safe and sound.

Xiao Bai lowered his head and looked at the girl who had asked him "all right?" twice in a row, then gently drew her into his arms.

"Don't worry, Xun Er. I know what I'm doing. There won't be any danger. Don't make things hard for Xiao Bai Gege, and don't be sad, all right?"