Deep within the boundless, secluded depths of the Shadow Mountains, clouds and mist swirled, as though the world's most mysterious scroll painting were slowly unfurling.
A cliff perched above a sheer precipice ten thousand fathoms high became Luo Tian's testing ground in his pursuit of the pinnacle of martial arts.
Night hung low, dark clouds crowded the sky, and thunder rumbled faintly, heralding the arrival of an unprecedented storm.
Ding! SS-rank random quest triggered: train [Lightning Shadow Movement Art] to major mastery. Quest reward: Gold-Rank Summoning Card ×1 Quest time limit: within one week Quest failure: the host will be reduced to ashes. Does the host wish to accept the quest?
"Uh!" Dumbfounded, Luo Tian asked, "There weren't any penalties for failing previous quests!"
"Why is this one so extreme? Why would I be reduced to ashes?"
"That's way too poor a deal!"
"Success only rewards one Gold Summoning Card, but failure means being reduced to ashes??"
Luo Tian said, "System, what kind of logic is that??"
"A life-threatening random quest? Does it have to be this terrifying?"
#_#! #_#!
Friendly reminder!
The system said, "Host, drawing lightning into your body to cultivate [Lightning Shadow Movement Art] carries considerable risk. Once you fail to withstand the tyrannical power of lightning, there is a very high chance that you will be reduced to ashes!"
"But there is also a certain chance of activating some special physique attribute!"
"So this quest has both benefits and drawbacks!"
"The drawback is that failure means you'll croak too!!"
"My heavens!!! #_# #_#"
"What kind of trick are you pulling??"
"The benefit is activating some kind of physique?"
"What attribute can getting struck by lightning activate?"
"Could it be a lightning physique?? I've never heard of that?"
"This random quest is even riskier than the quest for a Gold-Rank Summoning Card!"
"System, is there anything that can keep me alive this time?"
Ding! Another friendly reminder from the system!!
"The host has cultivated the body-refining technique [Vajra Force],
"Under normal circumstances, you should be able to withstand it successfully. Although success isn't one hundred percent guaranteed, that will depend on just how rotten the host's luck is!"
"Host, will you accept this quest? The ten-second countdown begins... 10s... 8s..."
Luo Tian gritted his teeth and said, "I'll risk it. To become strong, I have to keep moving forward. I refuse to believe my luck could be that bad!"
"Who am I? I've got the physique of a luck emperor!! Even lightning isn't afraid of me!"
"System, accept the quest for me!"
Ding! Quest issued. Please work hard to complete it, host!!
To master [Lightning Shadow Movement Art], he had to wage a battle between life and death on this night of thunder and rain.
"Come on, let's begin! I can't wait any longer!" Luo Tian murmured!
As the first bolt of lightning tore across the sky, illuminating Luo Tian's resolute face, he drew a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused. Every pore in his body seemed to open, ready to receive this baptism from nature.
Thunder boomed and raindrops fell like beans, but what truly frightened Luo Tian was the wrath of lightning about to strike him.
Come on, let this lightning become the source of my strength! Luo Tian silently recited. His eyes snapped open, flashing with unprecedented resolve and madness.
He slowly raised his hands, palms facing upward, as though embracing the raging heavens and earth.
The first bolt of lightning descended without warning, striking Luo Tian squarely on the crown of his head.
In an instant, powerful electric currents enveloped his body, charring him black from head to toe as though flames had swallowed him.
"Fuck your uncle! This lightning's power really packs a fucking punch!!!"
"This won't do!" At this moment of life and death, Luo Tian hurriedly circulated his body-refining technique, [Vajra Force], fully unleashing its tenacious power!
He shouted, "Vajra Force!" His muscles swelled, and a faint golden sheen emerged over his skin-the sign of Vajra Force's transformation.
"Aah-!" With a deafening roar, Luo Tian forcibly endured the lightning's bombardment.
Every lightning strike left him in such agony that he wished he were dead, yet it also gradually awakened the faint lightning attribute in his bloodline origin.
Luo Tian himself simply did not know it yet!
The power of lightning rampaged through his body, destroying his original meridians and flesh, yet under the protection of [Vajra Force], they miraculously regenerated, growing tougher and stronger.
[Spirit-Devouring Great Art] rapidly circulated Spiritual Qi to sustain [Vajra Force]'s enhancement! The consumption was enormous!
Whenever he grew tired, he swallowed large quantities of Qi and Blood Pills to replenish his energy!
Under these continuous lightning strikes, an unknown amount of time passed. When the final bolt faded into the sky, Luo Tian slowly opened his eyes, which shimmered with lightning and the light of wisdom.
He sensed the newborn power within him. It was the power of lightning, the source of speed and phantom images.
He could feel the power of lightning coursing through every part of his body, as though his entire body were immersed in a sea of lightning!
He tried to drive this power within him, rose to his feet, bent his stance slightly, and slid a foot forward. Several lightning shadows instantly flashed around him.
As Luo Tian trained, his figure crisscrossed back and forth, as swift as lightning, leaving the eye unable to keep up.
Viewed from afar, the cliffside seemed filled with rapidly moving silver lights and shadows. These lights and shadows were precisely the "Lightning Shadow Movement Art" Luo Tian was cultivating.
"Lightning Shadow Movement Art, I've finally mastered it! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Luo Tian murmured to himself, his face overflowing with indescribable joy and pride.
"This lightning attribute should be a mutated kind! I can cultivate lightning-attribute martial skills in the future too!"
"This speed is at least ten times faster than [Gale Steps]-a hundred meters in an instant!"
"Huh! Why do I feel so cool?"
"Damn, my clothes were blasted to pieces! My ass is bare?"
Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the SS-rank random quest! Quest reward: one Gold-Rank Summoning Card The reward has been issued. Please check it, host!
"Not bad! Another Gold Summoning Card!"
"System, you ought to give me more quests!"
"I'm short on people! ##"
Ding! This system's quests trigger at irregular intervals according to the host's circumstances!!
"All right!! I'll accept that!"
"System, show me my attributes."
Luo Tian Established faction: Shadow Pavilion Age: 16 Cultivation: late Yin-Yang Realm Special physique: lightning attribute [can be developed further] Cultivation techniques: [Spirit-Devouring Great Art], low-grade Heaven-tier; [Vajra Force], low-grade Profound-tier Martial skills: Earth-tier [Bone-Dissolving Soft Palm]; incomplete Earth-tier [Falling Rosy Clouds Sword Art]; Earth-tier [Azure Lotus Sword Art]; high-grade Profound-tier [Lightning Shadow Movement Art] [Gale Steps] [Wind-Breaking Fist] Summoned characters: Yan Nantian, Six Sword Slaves ×300 elites, Han Tang, Lü Baichuan, Ding Chunqiu!
"There are still a little too few summoned characters. I'll have to take it slowly!"
The system prompted, "The lightning attribute under this special physique has the property of being 'capable of further development.' The secret lies in your own bloodline origin!"
Luo Tian could not help feeling puzzled and muttered to himself, "What's a bloodline origin?" What exactly did this mean?
Just then, a crisp "ding" rang out in his mind.
"Congratulations to the host for successfully activating the lightning attribute! As you continue exploring and cultivating more deeply in the future,
"You have a very high chance of transforming it further into a special physique such as the mutated Lightning Spirit Physique!" The system's voice brimmed with anticipation and excitement.
"System, what does bloodline origin mean?" Luo Tian asked.
"Bloodline origin refers to the source of a martial artist's bloodline, an important factor in activating their physique. Some people's ancestors were once powerful experts.
"The bloodline descendants of figures such as Great Emperors and Supremes may be born with the same abilities as their ancestors!"
"So that's how it is! It would be even better if I could activate the special physique of a mutated Lightning Spirit Physique!"
After all, the Lightning Spirit Physique was one of the twenty greatest special physiques on the Heavenly Profound Continent!
Those who possessed this physique had attack power that could be called transcendent and unparalleled.
Every attack carried the crushing force of ten thousand thunderbolts, easily destroying an enemy's defenses and unleashing terrifying, heart-chilling might.
No matter how powerful an opponent they faced, the strength granted by the Lightning Spirit Physique would give its possessor an absolute advantage. At this thought, an irrepressible surge of excitement rose in Luo Tian's heart.
"I hope the host will keep working hard. Keep it up!"
"And once this system upgrades later on, there will be surprises! Please look forward to them!"