Over the next several years, Lu Qingshan devoted 99% of his time to contemplating and understanding the Star Map.
He never visited Ling Yu even once.
Yet no one objected to such a passive attitude toward teaching.
Even Bai Mei, a fellow instructor, was instead grateful that Lu Qingshan had given him more teaching time.
The premise behind all this was that Lu Qingshan had completed his teaching assignment ahead of schedule.
When someone finished their assignment early, even if they received no extra reward, could anyone really complain that they were not putting their heart into teaching?
Thus, Lu Qingshan could continue to remain in the Ganwu Mystic Region. His position as Ling Yu's instructor would remain in place until more than a decade later, when Ling Yu participated in the Genius Battle and joined the Virtual Universe Company.
As for where Lu Qingshan would go then-whether he would stay in the Ganwu Mystic Region or return to the Ganwu Dojo-that would depend on the stance of Marquis Silvermoon and the other two Immortal administrators!
"Five years actually passed so quickly!"
During those five years, Lu Qingshan had never even stepped outside his home.
He had not even made special preparations for the precious once-a-year rebate, instead exchanging it for insights into the Law of Lightning.
In other words, over these years, Lu Qingshan had applied all the progress Ling Yu, Lei Ming, and Parisi had made in their Lightning Domains or laws to himself in the form of rebates.
"Nasus, open my panel."
"Yes, Master."
A panel slowly appeared before Lu Qingshan.
[Name: Lu Qingshan] [Cultivation: Domain Lord Ninth Stage Peak] [Laws: Law of Lightning 13%, Law of Light 1.3%, Time Law 0.25%]
The subpanels followed.
Below Lu Qingshan's panel were the subpanels of his three disciples.
However, their cultivation levels and law comprehension were still as they had been five years ago. Lu Qingshan needed to confirm them in person and update them manually.
His gains over these five years had been quite good. Although the Time Origin Law was far too difficult, Lu Qingshan could contemplate those nine stars at any time, and he had managed through sheer persistence to thoroughly understand the first star and create a saber technique.
Epiphyllum's Fleeting Bloom!!
This was a saber technique Lu Qingshan had created with Time Essence at its core, used to record the Origin of Laws on the first star that he had mastered.
The epiphyllum bloomed for but an instant.
It represented ultimate speed!
This saber technique could increase the speed of a saber swing a thousandfold, ten thousandfold...
Facing an enemy, one slash sealed the throat!!
Having created this technique, Lu Qingshan knew what it meant. It meant that he had firmly taken his first step on the path of analyzing the Time Origin Law.
Of the Time Origin Law's 108 essences, Lu Qingshan had spent five years mastering the simplest one.
His ability to reach this point in just five short years was by no means due to outstanding talent, but to that effect-as long as his soul could withstand it, he could view the Star Chart without limit.
To him, that Star Chart was no less than a supreme treasure.
Lu Qingshan drew a deep breath. He knew that he could not expose this thing under any circumstances. Until he possessed absolute strength, it would be best not even to tell others about the Fourth Layer of Thunderlight Flash.
There was no telling whether some mighty expert proficient in the Time Origin Law might reverse-engineer something from this movement technique that he himself could not discover.
No amount of caution toward the unknown was excessive. This was a skill for staying alive.
His rise from a slave to a Giant Axe Warrior, and then to an emperor who founded an empire, was inseparable from Lu Qingshan's caution.
"The Third Layer of Thunderlight Flash is no longer difficult for me."
With Lu Qingshan's current discernment, he could naturally see the variations in the Third Layer of Thunderlight Flash clearly. The Third Layer made very little use of the Time Origin Law, and none of it had much to do with Law Essence. It was merely simple application.
Only the Fourth Layer of Thunderlight Flash truly touched upon that road to the heavens.
"I wonder how Ling Yu's cultivation has gone these past few years. Has she gained an initial grasp of the Time Law?"
Lu Qingshan rose and looked toward the enormous manor at the foot of Wind Thunder Mountain. That was where Ling Yu cultivated.
"Your Highness Ling Yu!"
In the manor's training grounds, Bai Mei raised his voice slightly. "You need to adjust your cultivation plans."
"Teacher Bai Mei, are you still asking me to set aside my movement technique for now?"
Ling Yu's voice carried a hint of coolness.
"Your Highness!" Bai Mei said earnestly. "Your movement technique truly has reached the point where it can advance no further. Forget Star Level geniuses-even Universe Level cultivators, and even some at the Domain Lord Level, cannot match your movement technique!"
"Those arena matches don't take place in limitless space. Movement techniques can only keep you safe; they cannot kill enemies and win. With your movement technique, if you were on a planet's surface, even the Primal Secret Region geniuses of past competitions would be unable to defeat you. But the competition takes place in an arena-an arena that gradually shrinks!"
"Only by improving your Wind Thunder Sword and completely mastering its second layer can you defeat your opponents while remaining invincible. Otherwise, once the arena shrinks to the point where your movement technique loses its effect, I'm afraid you will be killed immediately!"
Bai Mei did not know what drug that instructor named Lu Qingshan had secretly fed Her Highness to make her so obsessed with the movement technique he had created, to the point that she even neglected cultivation in other areas.
He also had to admit that this movement technique was indeed formidable. In five years, Her Highness's movement technique had reached a point that amazed even him.
If the goal had not been the competition...
He would certainly not have said anything more. After all, another function of movement techniques was preserving one's life. Only a living genius was a true genius!
"Teacher Bai Mei, what goal did Teacher Marquis Silvermoon set for me?"
Ling Yu suddenly asked.
Bai Mei paused. "Place within the top thousand in the entire universe and enter a Core Secret Realm of the Virtual Universe Company."
"Then can I accomplish that goal with my current strength?" she continued.
"There should... be little problem, but..." Bai Mei was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, even if she focused exclusively on movement techniques, as long as nothing too unexpected happened, placing in the top thousand would be no problem for Her Highness Ling Yu.
"So what difference does it make to me whether I place a thousandth, eight hundredth, five hundredth, or even two hundredth?"
Ling Yu sighed.
"It would still only be the lowest-tier Apocalypse Mystic Region..."
"?? The lowest-tier Apocalypse Mystic Region? How can you say that..." Bai Mei was rather speechless. That was a Core Secret Realm of one of the universe's Five Giants, a great power that far surpassed their Ganwu Universe Country. What was wrong with Apocalypse!!
Could Her Highness's goal be something other than the Apocalypse Mystic Region?
Bai Mei shuddered as this inconceivable thought arose. If it was not the Apocalypse Mystic Region, then even the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm one tier above it would require a place in the universe's top hundred for her to have a chance!
Ling Yu continued, "Teacher, do you think Ling Yu is being a little arrogant, indulging in wild fantasies just because her movement technique is a little better than others'? No... if Ling Yu can gain an initial grasp of the Time Law, none of this will be an extravagant hope anymore!"
Rumble, rumble... Ling Yu's gentle voice sounded like a thunderclap in Bai Mei's ears.
Time... the Time Law...
Even he, a World Lord who had gained the recognition of the Wind Origin Law and lived for millions of years, did not dare harbor wild hopes about the higher Time Law.
To him, it was poison...
Once he touched even a little of it, if it caused the slightest wavering in his Wind Law, he would completely lose his chance to break through to Immortal!
And yet Her Highness Ling Yu...
Actually harbored such lofty ambitions, like a great swan soaring into the skies.
Could that secret technique be what she was relying on?
Bai Mei dared not hesitate. His consciousness sank into the Virtual Universe, and he immediately reported this news to Marquis Silvermoon!
(End of chapter)