"Now is the time!"
About half an hour after the heavy rain began, Daoist Jianxian suddenly spoke.
Cheng Xinzhan didn't hesitate at all.
He aimed at a bolt of lightning that had just emerged from the thunderclouds.
The silver-purple "Gaozhen" seemed to transform into a streak of light at this moment, shooting from the mountain peak towards the sky.
However, before "Gaozhen" left the mountain peak, a golden light from another peak moved even faster, also shooting towards the sky, its speed not inferior to the magic sword.
Almost simultaneously with "Gaozhen," two crimson flags rose from a third peak, though their speed was slightly slower than "Gaozhen" and the golden light.
Cheng Xinzhan didn't pay attention to the golden light or the crimson flags.
All his focus was on the magic sword.
He used his spiritual power to remotely guide "Gaozhen," immediately aiming for the height of the clouds to intercept the lightning that had just emerged.
At this moment, "Gaozhen" had transformed into intertwining silver and purple lights, as if it wanted to merge with the lightning in the sky, yet it was moving against the current.
He didn't pay attention to the other two peaks, but the dazzling "Gaozhen" attracted others, causing the golden light and crimson flags to slow down slightly.
"Zzz—"
Perfectly timed, the magic sword struck the tip of the lightning, sword tip meeting electric spark, as if two bolts of lightning from heaven and earth had collided.
Daoist Jianxian, watching from the side, couldn't help but admire.
Regardless of anything else, the appearance of this magic sword was truly magnificent, as if it were born to attract lightning.
When "Gaozhen" touched the lightning, Cheng Xinzhan clearly saw that the sword wasn't damaged at all.
Instead, it emitted a high-pitched sword hum.
At the moment of contact, the lightning, disturbed by the magic sword, abruptly changed direction, following the bridge of spiritual power between Cheng Xinzhan and "Gaozhen," heading straight for him.
The lightning, as thick as a python, quickly thinned as it traveled along the spiritual bridge, as if the narrow channel couldn't fully contain the massive bolt.
But like a river flowing into a stream, though the water couldn't all rush in at once, the flow that did enter was faster than the original river.
At this moment, Cheng Xinzhan finally understood what "as fast as lightning" truly meant.
The silver bolt rapidly approached his eyes, as if it were about to strike him directly.
Daoist Jianxian's mouth moved, as if he wanted to warn something, but before he could speak, the lightning was almost upon them.
However, Cheng Xinzhan had already adjusted the position of his gourd.
Like an arrow shot through a narrow gate, more precise than hitting a target a hundred paces away, the lightning plasma fell perfectly into the mouth of the gourd.
"Perfect catch!"
At this moment, Daoist Jianxian's warning, which he had intended to give when the magic sword struck the lightning, finally came out.
Immediately after, he saw the first stream of lightning plasma enter the gourd.
"Excellent!"
Daoist Jianxian couldn't help but praise.
The lightning injection was brief, the flash gone in an instant.
Cheng Xinzhan had already controlled the magic sword to intercept another bolt.
Meanwhile, the golden light transformed into a talisman, also catching a bolt of lightning, though its height was slightly lower than "Gaozhen."
The two crimson flags missed entirely, as the lightning's path was too erratic, and they didn't even come close on their first attempt.
The golden talisman guided the lightning towards the peak where Longhu Mountain was located.
"Gaozhen" also timed it perfectly, catching the second bolt that had just emerged from the clouds.
Cheng Xinzhan had already observed that after the lightning emerged from the clouds, it wouldn't suddenly change direction or split within the first few miles.
Only after extending about three to five miles below the clouds would it start to change.
He just needed to wait within those three to five miles, ensuring a direct hit.
After catching the first bolt, the golden talisman quickly ascended, soon reaching the same height as "Gaozhen," waiting for the next bolt.
However, the dark clouds were vast, and lightning was striking everywhere.
Yet, the golden talisman that rose later didn't go elsewhere but stayed close to "Gaozhen."
Just as Cheng Xinzhan finished collecting the second bolt, the third one appeared.
Without hesitation, he directed the magic sword to strike.
The golden talisman didn't delay either, attaching itself simultaneously.
Both the sword and the talisman aimed at the direction where the lightning was about to strike.
But in that brief moment, while the lightning was still growing, the sword and talisman collided.
Coinciding with the thunderclap, no other sound could be heard, but a dazzling light erupted where the sword and talisman met.
As the light flared, Daoist Quanhe of Longhu Mountain frowned, and Liang Zhenjing beside him showed a hint of anger on his fair face.
"Gaozhen" was a precious sword, but the golden talisman of Longhu Mountain was no ordinary item either.
The two treasures collided in mid-air, sparking a burst of light, but they only retreated slightly, narrowly missing the descending lightning.
This bolt, however, was caught by a crimson flag below, turning the situation into a case of the fisherman benefiting from the fight between the snipe and the clam.
This made Liang Zhenjing glare towards the peak where the three from Bingfeng Mountain were.
Cheng Xinzhan, almost without thinking, twisted the gourd in his hand, and a streak of fire shot out like a rocket, heading straight for the dark clouds.
The spiritual light trailing behind the fire gradually expanded, forming a vertical red glow.
The fire, accompanied by the hum of the sword, shot towards the sky, but its target wasn't the lightning—it was aimed directly at the golden talisman!
Liang Zhenjing's face changed drastically, and he quickly maneuvered the golden talisman to dodge.
He believed in the talisman's power, but seeing the ferocity of the fire, he didn't dare take the risk.
At that moment, another bolt of lightning struck, and "Gaozhen" immediately moved to intercept it.
The golden talisman, having been scared off by the fire, missed its chance.
"Gaozhen" guided the lightning, while the fire stopped beside it.
Liang Zhenjing finally saw the true form of the fire—it was another sword!
"Taodu" pointed its tip at the golden talisman, shielding "Gaozhen" behind it.
Liang Zhenjing's pale face turned red, and he pinched another talisman between his fingers, ready to launch it into the sky.
But at that moment, Daoist Quanhe grabbed Liang Zhenjing's hand holding the talisman.
"Let him have this one today. The Longhu Dharma Assembly is coming up soon, and Sanqing Mountain is one of the main guests. It's not the time to escalate things."
Daoist Quanhe said.
Liang Zhenjing clenched his teeth, his wrist trembling slightly, and slowly put away the talisman.
He then directed the golden talisman in the sky to move elsewhere.
Beside Cheng Xinzhan, Daoist Jianxian looked at the decisive and focused young man, feeling more satisfied than ever.
A thought even crossed his mind,
"Taking on a disciple might not be so bad?"
But soon, he dismissed the thought.
Not only was finding another disciple like Xinzhan difficult, but the idea of having to constantly communicate and care for someone for many years naturally extinguished that desire.
"Gaozhen" transformed into silver and purple light, blending with the lightning, intercepting bolt after bolt.
However, as the thunder gradually subsided, "Gaozhen's" speed also slowed until the lightning stopped striking.
The thunder still rumbled within the dark clouds, but the clouds themselves were shrinking rapidly, as if they were about to dissipate.
At that moment, a bright light rose from each of the three peaks, piercing into the dark clouds.
After some stirring, the lightning within the clouds was completely divided.
The rain stopped, and the sky cleared.
The two from Longhu Mountain rode their clouds and left.
Daoist Jianxian brought Cheng Xinzhan to the peak where the three from Bingfeng Mountain were.
But before they could speak, Daoist Yibi spoke first,
"I must thank young friend Xinzhan."
Cheng Xinzhan was puzzled, "Why do you say that, Daoist?"
Daoist Yibi smiled,
"That Liang Zhenjing from Longhu Mountain is clearly arrogant. If it were just us two today, he would definitely try to steal the thunder from my two disciples' magical tools. My disciples are young, and I, as their master, am not skilled enough to find them good magical tools. If we had encountered him, we would have had no way to deal with him."
We've met before, and Daoist Jianxian knows this.
But if it were just the two of us, we wouldn't have any evidence.
If there were multiple parties, he couldn't just bully us Shenxiao Sect, or even with the favor of teaching, the elders in the mountain wouldn't let it slide.
"Today, young friend Xinzhan outdid him. With three parties present, he couldn't surpass Sanqing Mountain, but he also couldn't specifically bully our Shenxiao Sect. Otherwise, even with the teaching favor, the elders in the mountain wouldn't let it go."
Cheng Xinzhan hadn't thought of this and didn't mind.
Daoist Jianxian also smiled and said, "Xuqi and Xuyi are also quite good. It's rare for them to cooperate so well while collecting thunder. If one missed above, the other would catch it below. If they can cooperate like this in everything, they will go far in the path of thunder."
Daoist Yibi was clearly satisfied, "They are good, but they are stuck with a master like me, who has little lifespan and not much skill. It's a pity for them."
Hearing this, the two children protested,
"Master is the best master in the world!"
"Master is very skilled!"
The two children said.
Daoist Yibi patted their heads and asked Cheng Xinzhan,
"Is this really your first time guiding thunder, young friend Xinzhan?"
Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
"There's always someone better, and the sky beyond the sky. Xinzhan, you should come to Bingfeng Mountain often. Just say you're looking for Daoist Yibi of Huozha Mountain. You can also give some pointers to my two disciples."
Cheng Xinzhan agreed, "We can discuss and learn from each other. It's not about giving pointers."
After a brief chat, the two groups bid farewell, and Cheng Xinzhan followed Daoist Jianxian back to Sanqing Mountain.
On the way back, Daoist Jianxian smiled and said,
"Just now, I saw that you collected half of the heavenly thunder, much more than I expected. Your magic sword rarely missed, even though you were controlling two swords at once. If I hadn't been teaching you thunder techniques, I wouldn't believe this was your first time collecting thunder."
Cheng Xinzhan smiled in return, "It's thanks to the sharp sword and the excellent master."
Daoist Jianxian waved his hand, "Don't be modest. Back to business, we collected a lot of thunder this time. Since you've been touched by the mystery of thunder, the next time you collect thunder will be in the summer.
During this time, you should refine the thunder plasma in your cave, turning it into thunder qi. When the thunder qi can circulate smoothly without interruption, come find me, and I'll teach you thunder techniques." Of course, you must come to the office in the first ten days of each month.
Don't forget that.
"Cheng Xinzhan agreed. Soon, they arrived at Sanqing Mountain. The two parted ways at the Lotus Blessed Land, each returning to their residence. Cheng Xinzhan returned to Wuyou Cave. He first examined"Gaozhen.
"The sword, tempered by heavenly thunder, seemed unchanged at first glance, but upon closer inspection, its brilliance seemed even more radiant. Staring at it for a long time was like looking directly at lightning. When he closed his eyes, the shape of"Gaozhen"appeared clearly on his eyelids.
He smiled with satisfaction but then remembered something. The magic sword was dazzling, and its blade was covered in runes. It wouldn't do to be too conspicuous.
He would need to find good materials to make a scabbard. Then, he removed the gourd's stopper and peered inside. In the void containing the thunder plasma, the silver and purple light was dazzling.
A slight shake caused the plasma to surge, sparking many flashes of lightning and crackling sounds. It seemed there was indeed a lot."
I hope this gourd of thunder can help me open the Thunder Mansion!
"Cheng Xinzhan thought. Since his bamboo body's Thunder Mansion was already formed and his meridians were clear, reaching the state where thunder qi could circulate smoothly without interruption, as Daoist Jianxian had described, wouldn't be difficult. So, this gourd of thunder was mainly to dissolve the true evil in his nasal cavity.
Thus, in the following days, he focused on refining the thunder plasma while also considering how to choose the inner deity of the Thunder Mansion. --- On the first day of the third month, Cheng Xinzhan arrived at the Jiutian Yingyuan Mansion's Beiji Division for his duty.
On his first day, since February had just ended, his first task was to determine the frequency of thunder in Jingchu and Qingzhou over the past ten years during February. These two regions were under the jurisdiction of the Beiji Division. As the saying goes,"If thunder doesn't sound in February, fruits won't ripen, and children will die.
"February thunder governs vitality. If there's less thunder in February, the evil energy isn't fully cleansed, leading to fewer fruits and more children succumbing to evil energy. At this point, the Beiji Division must step in.
Wherever the evil energy is strong, they use their thunder techniques to cleanse it, replenishing the thunder. This is both a practice of thunder techniques and a way to repay the karmic debt to heaven and earth. Like Yuzhang, Jingchu and Qingzhou were large prefectures with plains and hills, encompassing many counties and districts.
Reviewing the data wasn't easy. The Beiji Division compiled thunder records every five years and did a comprehensive review every ten years. Cheng Xinzhan's task was to consolidate the scattered data from the past five years for each location in the two prefectures and compare it with the data from five years prior.
After three or four days, Cheng Xinzhan completed the review and submitted a report to Daoist Jianxian."
Master, the February thunder records for the past ten years in both regions are complete.
Jingchu has no issues; the thunder is still abundant.
But Qingzhou's February thunder has been decreasing year by year.
Last month's thunder was nearly 30% less than ten years ago.
"Daoist Jianxian frowned,"Have you double-checked?
""I checked twice.
It's accurate.
"Daoist Jianxian's frown deepened. He randomly selected a small county in Qingzhou and cross-referenced it with past records to verify for himself."
It's indeed accurate!
"Daoist Jianxian immediately took Cheng Xinzhan to see the division head, Daoist Miaojian."
Division Head, I remember that ten years ago, Qingzhou's thunder was already decreasing.
At the time, we thought it was a coincidence, but now, ten years later, it's still decreasing, and by as much as 30%!"Daoist Miaojian also frowned,"Since the Zhu Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan, the righteous energy in Jingchu and Qingzhou has been flourishing.
Master Zhang Sanfeng established Wudang in Jingchu, enshrining the True Martial Emperor.
The righteous energy is vast, and thunder is continuous, which makes sense.
Qingzhou is the ancestral home of the Zhu Ming Emperor, and it was once abundant with dragon energy, blessed with thunder and rain.
There shouldn't be any evil energy.
But in recent decades, Qingzhou's spring thunder has indeed decreased.
Could there be some hidden evil growing?
"Daoist Jianxian and Cheng Xinzhan exchanged glances."
Jingchu has Wudang Mountain, but Qingzhou has no major sects.
It's always been a place for hermits, rogue cultivators, and minor sects.
If some evil energy has been growing unnoticed, it's possible.
Since Xinzhan discovered this, you should take him to investigate.
Mainly, scout the area.
If there's really something, don't alert them.
Report back to the sect."
Although Daoist Jianxian usually disliked field missions, he realized this matter might be serious and needed early investigation.
Since it was discovered by someone he brought, he didn't refuse and agreed immediately.
Cheng Xinzhan naturally agreed.
Please vote and recommend, and feel free to comment and leave messages!
(End of Chapter)