Shadow

Cao Xuan was a deacon of the Outer Sect's Third Division.

Xiao Xinghe had been able to enter Zheng Huayuan's tutelage and become a registered disciple.

It was all thanks to the guidance of Big Brother Cao Xuan.

Xiao Xinghe had learned from Cao Xuan that the Thunder Division intended to accept registered disciples.

He had then passed the selection step by step,

and worked with Cao Xuan to get rid of several Heaven Sect disciples who lacked backing but possessed some talent,

and who might have threatened Xiao Xinghe's chances in the selection.

After Xiao Xinghe successfully became a registered disciple, Cao Xuan had also provided him with intelligence and special resources that could only be learned of after ascending Black Mountain.

Xiao Xinghe had vaguely sensed that there might be something wrong with Cao Xuan,

but they had already done many dirty deeds together and were tied to the same rope.

By then, it was a little too late to get off the pirate ship.

Cao Xuan had also been the one to advise Xiao Xinghe to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as possible and fight for that slim chance of becoming a personal disciple.

Unfortunately, Dong Lin had appeared out of nowhere and ruined Xiao Xinghe's plans.

As for Su Lin, her talent was ordinary, so she posed no threat to Xiao Xinghe for the time being.

After all, the Su Household stood behind Su Lin as a powerful backer, making Xiao Xinghe reluctant to move against her lightly.

Moreover, with the support of her Lineage, Su Lin practically had no need to venture out for experience.

Within the mountain ranges governed by the Heaven Sect, the Heaven Sect's Law Enforcement Hall monitored everything within the sect.

Making a move within the sect was simply asking for trouble.

After Xiao Xinghe left, Cao Xuan turned and entered the inner room.

He rummaged out a piece of jade, then took a talisman from his robes and activated it without hesitation.

Once the talisman was activated, a red glow lit up within the jade.

After lasting for three breaths, it went out.

This was Cao Xuan's secret method of contacting the outside world, protected by layer upon layer of encrypted spells,

and it had remained hidden within the Heaven Sect for years without being discovered.

Atop a towering mountain peak that pierced the clouds, mist churned and fierce winds howled.

An ancient bamboo house appeared and vanished amid the haze.

Inside, dim lamplight illuminated a weathered face.

A black shadow stood to one side, swaying unsteadily in the cold wind leaking through the crack in the door.

"That brat who was lucky enough to be rescued seems to have made quite a name for himself in the sect in just half a year."

"You were told to eliminate three people, yet you left two with their cultivation completely crippled,

and even let one of the younger ones escape. How could you ever achieve anything great with such carelessness?"

"Unfortunately, it was inconvenient for me to act at the time. That old fool was too tight-lipped,

so I thought I'd leave one of the younger ones alive for my worthless son to use as leverage. Who knew we would run into a deacon?

And he was the publicly acknowledged top deacon among the Heaven Sect Outer Sect's six divisions, a man with the potential to become an elder. What rotten luck.

I wonder whether Wang Wenhai noticed anything."

"Nothing that needed to be erased was left behind. He probably won't be able to see anything."

"That old bastard surnamed Xuan was hopping about so enthusiastically, yet he didn't discover a single clue.

He didn't even know Dong Xiaotian had a son. How utterly laughable.

He thought those two shared such a deep friendship, yet in the end, Dong Xiaotian had even been guarding against that old fool."

"Hmph. Raising a tiger only invites disaster. It would have been fine if that brat had remained obedient, but with such astonishing talent, he cannot be allowed to live."

"This matter needs to be planned carefully. I still haven't figured out the truth behind the Heaven Sect sealing off its mountain.

Still, we can only wait obediently for five years. I doubt that brat can stir up much in five years."

"After five years, the Heaven Sect will surely send more people to reclaim and manage all those resource sites.

There's no need to worry that the brat won't come out."

"The Heaven Sect is certainly willing to part with things. It abandoned several important resource sites without the slightest hesitation."

"After all, two council elders appeared with the sacred artifact. The Empire is powerful now,

and the Emperor has just finished restructuring the imperial capital and seized real authority. It seems he wants to do something."

"Once this matter is dealt with, you and I should not contact each other again."

"Afraid?" The black shadow gave two low chuckles.

"You are determined to defect to the Devil Race. If this is exposed, I cannot bear the disgrace of being branded a traitor to humanity."

"Hmph. This territory can no longer contain me. Blood Shadow has been searching for me.

Once I help you settle this in five years, it will be time for me to leave as well."

"It is best if we never meet again. That territory is not so easy to survive in either. As long as you have thought it through."

For the advancement ceremony three days later, Dong Lin began seriously cultivating the Thunder Summoning Art.

Although the Thunder Summoning Art was merely an introductory lightning spell, its underlying principles were profound.

Once cultivated to a deep level and one gained mastery over Mystic Spirit Heavenly-Thunder, fighting across realms would become as easy as drinking water.

By borrowing the might of heaven, it greatly enhanced the spell's power. This was why lightning arts could provide such advantages even at the Qi Refining Stage.

Ordinary spells only came into contact with methods of linking heaven and earth to increase their power upon reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm.

With the Blackwood Thunder Pearl, Dong Lin's cultivation progress advanced by leaps and bounds.

If the Thunder Summoning Art could speak at that moment, it would surely have been deeply moved.

After being neglected by its master for so long, it had relied entirely on being "sweet" enough to finally receive its master's "favor" after such a long silence.

Even when Dong Lin had not been cultivating the Thunder Summoning Art, his comprehension and proficiency with it had continuously increased during this period.

"This thunder pearl is at least Earth Grade, isn't it? Such a small pearl has such astonishing effects."

One had to know that Earth Grade magic treasures corresponded to the level of Golden Core True Persons.

If it were an offensive magic tool, a Qi Refining Stage cultivator would not even be able to wield it.

Only supportive magic tools could be used across realms by cultivators, though they often could not bring out the tool's full effect.

"A Nascent Soul Realm master really is generous with his gifts!"

With the thunder pearl's assistance, Dong Lin's cultivation efficiency with the Thunder Summoning Art had at least doubled.

One had to know that Dong Lin's original cultivation speed with the Thunder Summoning Art had already been astonishing.

With it doubled again, the terrifying speed was so shocking that even calling him a monster would not be enough to describe how outrageous it was.

Dong Lin, who had already traveled a long way beyond the major mastery stage, could now clearly feel that he was not far from completely mastering the spell.

Still, three days was a little too short.

At the perfected stage of the Thunder Summoning Art, one could comprehend a trace of the True Intent of Thunder.

Once any true intent was mastered, it would greatly increase the power of a cultivator's spells of that type.

Generally speaking, completely mastering a true intent was one of the hallmarks of a Golden Core True Person.

Some heavenly geniuses could comprehend a trace of true intent in advance through superior immortal arts at Foundation Establishment Perfection or Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Once true intent was grasped, it would continuously deepen the cultivator's understanding and control of it.

It would also pave a broad road toward achieving the Golden Core Realm.

If Dong Lin could comprehend the True Intent of Thunder in advance while still at the Qi Refining Stage, then at least before breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm,

there would no longer be many obstacles on Dong Lin's path of cultivation.

For those who could comprehend true intent before reaching the Golden Core Realm, sects would generally invest sufficient resources

to add a Golden Core cultivator to the sect as quickly as possible.

One had to know that even for an immortal sect with foundations as deep as the Heaven Sect,

Golden Core Realm cultivators were a terrifying force that could not be ignored.

The Foundation Establishment Realm was the foundation of a sect, while the Golden Core Realm was high-level combat power that could not be overlooked anywhere in the cultivation world.

As for Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, there were only so many in the entire world. They were the true foundation of immortal sects, the guarantee that allowed an immortal sect to stand in the world.