Astonishing the Entire Audience

Dong Lin stopped overthinking and cast his spell, linking himself to heaven and earth as an intent of true thunder steadily gathered above the arena.

After three days of "diligent" practice, Dong Lin's casting speed had clearly improved by quite a bit.

"What is this?!" Zheng Huayuan half rose from the elders' seats in shock, seemingly wanting to step closer to better see the details of Dong Lin's spellcasting.

"He's practically condensed true intent already, just one step away. That old Hua Yuan really struck gold this time."

With the dense spiritual energy surrounding Black Mountain, Dong Lin's Mystic Spirit Heavenly-Thunder continued to grow stronger.

In merely five or six breaths, Dong Lin was already faintly losing control over the heavenly thunder's stability.

"Heavenly thunder! Descend!"

With Dong Lin's soft shout, a bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel came crashing down from the sky.

In an instant, the entire arena was flooded with lightning, dazzling the disciples until they could barely keep their eyes open.

The dummy received a full breath of "lightning baptism."

After the lightning faded, sparks of thunderfire scattered wildly across the platform.

Where the dummy had once stood, only a bare blackwood frame and a floor full of shattered magical artifacts remained.

"How terrifying!"

"Junior Brother really has some skills."

Lei Zhenxiao stood on the nearby viewing platform with his arms folded, nodding at Dong Lin in satisfaction.

"Even a senior brother at Foundation Establishment Late Stage probably wouldn't dare claim he could take that attack without injury."

"You really can't judge a person by appearance. Senior Brother Dong Lin looks so harmless, but his lightning arts are utterly terrifying."

"It's only fixed-point damage, though. The windup is a little long too. He might not get the chance to pull off something like that in an actual fight."

"Six breaths isn't bad. After all, lightning arts are far faster than wind and fire spells. As long as he gets even a small opening,

then it really leaves no chance of survival."

Xiao Xinghe stood among the crowd, his face, which had only relaxed for a few days, becoming frighteningly gloomy again.

Steward Cao's expression also turned much more serious.

"At this level, how far could he go in five years?

Even if that brat is given five years, Lord Heavenly Music King should still be able to handle everything well enough."

Having just returned to Thunderwave Hall, Dong Lin was about to tally today's earnings.

A visitor arrived outside the hall gates.

"I need a little help, Junior Brother."

The visitor was Fourth Senior Brother Lu Heng.

Dong Lin invited his senior brother inside the hall.

"It's still the same as ever."

Lu Heng looked around and spoke with some nostalgia.

"Fourth Senior Brother, did you know the previous owner of this room?"

"Yes, it was Elder Tang Qing. Back then, he was the Thunder Division's only alchemist, and his alchemy was among the best in the entire Heaven Sect.

But only a few years after I arrived, he left the sect and was never heard from again."

"Didn't the sect investigate where Elder Tang went?"

"Elder Tang was only a guest elder of the Thunder Division. I heard he had lived here even before Master took charge of the Thunder Division."

Lu Heng paused briefly before continuing.

"Since Elder Tang wasn't from the sect, the sect had no detailed information on his identity. No one knew where he went.

What a pity. Long ago, Thunder Division disciples never lacked pills. With Elder Tang around, he single-handedly covered all of our Thunder Division's pill needs."

Dong Lin nodded. "That really is a pity. Such an alchemist left the Thunder Division.

By the way, Senior Brother, what brings you here this time? If it is within my abilities, I will certainly do my utmost."

"Hehe, this is a little embarrassing." Lu Heng scratched the back of his head and smiled somewhat sheepishly.

"I have three Date Spirit Thunderwood seeds that need to be nurtured continuously with heavenly thunder before they can sprout.

My understanding of the True Intent of Thunder is still lacking.

I wanted to ask you, Junior Brother, to help me cultivate them after you comprehend the True Intent of Thunder."

"Uh, even if I comprehend true intent, it would probably be very weak."

"That's fine. It's just an attempt. Don't worry, Junior Brother. Whether it succeeds or not, I will reward you generously.

Before this, I actually asked Second Senior Sister and Third Senior Brother, but neither was of any use. Master said that the True Intent of Thunder also differed from person to person.

Their true intent leaned toward the yin aspect and was unsuitable for stimulating growth.

Eldest Senior Brother's heavenly thunder is too powerful, and I can't be sure whether a single bolt would directly blast my seeds out of existence.

After all, the power of heavenly thunder is not entirely controlled by one's own spiritual energy."

"Alright. If I am fortunate enough to comprehend true intent before you do, Senior Brother, I will let you know."

"Ah, just leave the seeds here with you. I trust you. If they sprout, tell me then."

As he spoke, Lu Heng took a Black Jade Ring from his robes and handed it to Dong Lin.

"Junior Brother, you have only just begun cultivating, so you probably do not have a Spatial Ring of your own yet.

This ring has ten cubic meters of space. Consider it payment for asking you to help me this time.

Of course, if it succeeds, I will reward you even more generously."

Dong Lin looked at the precious ring in his hand, worth at least three hundred mid-grade spirit stones.

He gratefully said to Lu Heng, "Senior Brother, you are far too generous. I have not even started taking the bottle of Blood Jade Spirit Pills you gave me last time.

How could I possibly accept this?"

"Ah, don't be so formal. I think highly of you, Senior Brother is just making an investment.

When you make it big someday, just don't forget me."

Lu Heng said it half in jest and half in earnest.

"I'm off."

Lu Heng waved his hand, turned, and left Thunderwave Hall.

Dong Lin put away the three Date Spirit Thunderwood seeds, then picked up the ring in his hand and examined it carefully.

Spatial rings made it extremely convenient to store valuable items and could be considered a basic magical artifact that every cultivator needed.

Dong Lin had never bought one because he had simply been too poor.

Previously, aside from his valuable sect contribution points, he had only a pitiful few spirit stones left for daily expenses.

From the very beginning, he had lived on Five-Grain Pills, partly for convenience and partly to save money.

After all, if he wanted to eat spirit rice every day, he would not only have to spend several times more to buy high-quality spirit rice, but also cook for himself daily.

Living in a Spirit Chamber, Dong Lin truly had neither the time nor space to cook every day.

Many cultivators, in order to continuously consume spirit rice to nourish their bodies,

would specifically carry a pot with them so they could conveniently cook spirit rice each day.

However, Dong Lin could not be bothered with the trouble and chose to swallow Five-Grain Pills directly.

Now that he lived in the Thunder Division, he could have Steward Xue arrange for servants to deliver meals every day.

That would also save Dong Lin the cost of continually purchasing Five-Grain Pills.

Now, by clearing strange insects from spirit fields, he had already saved up more than five hundred low-grade spirit stones.

Yet even the cheapest one-cubic-meter Spatial Ring cost roughly five hundred low-grade spirit stones.

Dong Lin had never considered spending all the spirit stones he possessed at once.

It could only be said that Senior Brother Lu's support had truly arrived exactly when Dong Lin needed it most.

After advancing to the Black Tier inner sect, he would receive a bottle of low-grade Black Tier Qi-Gathering Pills every month.

Back when he was in the outer sect, there had been no such regular monthly benefit. Now that he had entered the inner sect and directly advanced to the Black Tier,

he could not even receive the practical Yellow Tier Qi-Gathering Pills anymore.

Dong Lin indulged in some self-satisfied thoughts.