Chapter 468: Thunder True Immortal!
Becoming an immortal amid the mortal realm.
Heaven and Earth resonate, clouds gather, thunder accumulates, yet this is no Heavenly Tribulation, but rather a sign of True Immortal anomalies.
Thunderclouds pile up, within them a Divine Dragon roams, spewing thunder from its gaping maw. Generals sound their horns, Powerful Warriors beat their drums. Above the clear skies, streaks of thunder carve across the expanse.
Below the mortal realms,
those who have not yet cultivated a Primordial Spirit cannot perceive these profound phenomena.
Only those of the Primordial Spirit True One and Mahayana True Immortals sense the presence.
To the west of Jimo County, amidst the vast Min River, lies a Water Palace. With the celestial phenomena manifesting above, a middle-aged scholar dressed in divine robes emerges from the palace.
He is the current Min River Water Monarch.
He looks up at the sky,
a look of surprise in his eyes, then gazes downward towards the direction of Jimo City, uttering in shock, "Could it be that Jimo Governor Lu Qingfeng has pierced through the barrier between immortal and mortal, ascending to the realm of True Immortals?"
A Heart Movement stirs.
Gathering winds and clouds beneath his feet, he rushes towards the direction of Jimo City.
It's not just the Min River Water Monarch.
The anomaly of a True Immortal's promotion has drawn countless gazes from afar. Beings of the Primordial Spirit True One and masters of the Fourth Realm of the Life and Death Skill, who had never before made an appearance, now all rush forth to witness the demeanor of a True Immortal at close range. Watching the immortal and mortal anomalies, perhaps will stir insight, and yield unexpected gains.
Outside the Cloud Skies,
on top of auspicious clouds, beings that commoners cannot fathom look down upon the emerging phenomenon.
Surprise is evident on their faces too.
"Thunder sprawling for thirty thousand miles."
"Such a grand display of True Immortal anomaly."
Beneath the phenomena,
Lu Qingfeng is unaware of the shock surrounding inside and out.
He sits in meditation,
as if sensing an indescribable existence somewhere between Heaven and Earth.
There thunder and True Intent roam free.
Majestic and inviolable.
"For thunder is the vital pivot of Heaven and Earth."
Within his perception, Lu Qingfeng witnesses thunder wreaking havoc, containing within it both destruction and life, as well as the essence of authority.
"Hence, thunder is Heaven's decree, its authority supreme, all within the Three Realms and Nine Lands must heed."
The essence of Thunder Skill swirls in his mind.
Infinite mysteries surge forth.
What he had acquired in the Changqing Realm, the insights amassed over seventeen lifetimes, including the Five Thunder Heart Sutra and the imbued True Intent of the powerful Qiang Liang Demon God, now all rush to the forefront of his mind. What was once misunderstood, what was once unknown, now becomes clearly enlightened.
In an instant,
just in the Dao ability of Thunder Skill, he surges forward an immeasurable distance.
Lu Qingfeng's eyes brim with thunder,
inner insights deepen profoundly—
"Thunder is born of the yin and yang energies, thunder as yang, and lightning as yin."
"From yin and yang sprout the Five Elements."
"Therefore, there is also the Five Thunders True Method."
The Immortal Dao is boundless, encompassing all phenomena.
The path of thunder alone is no different.
Precisely because of its vastness, those who cultivate the path of thunder find Ascension difficult.
Some seek shortcuts, focusing solely on the unique paths of 'Five Thunder Dao' or the 'Dao of Life and Death via Thunder' or 'Yin Yang Dao of Thunder', leveraging these to blast open the gates of the Immortal Dao.
If one ascends through the Five Thunder Dao, one must then choose a single path from its myriad branches in the future—whether it be Water Thunder or Earth Thunder or others besides.
This is the practice within the Mahayana Realm—
From the general to the specific!
In future cultivation,
like Heaven Suppressing Grand Marshal Ao Zhuo from fifty thousand years ago, who entered Dao through the sword and ascended, constantly cultivating and perceiving the Three Talents Sword Dao as his last step into Mahayana.
Alas,
while this Great Marshal was of extraordinary talent, the Immortal Dao is vast and unpredictable. Ultimately, his Divine Skills couldn't defy fate, talent couldn't overrule destiny, halting at Mahayana Fourth Realm, unable to glimpse the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit!
"Each person is different."
"Even if perceiving the same Thunder Dao, grasping the Yin Yang Thunder Dao, Life and Death Thunder Dao, and Five Elements Thunder Dao, the differences are distinct."
"The Great Dao is countless."
"If I achieve True Immortality through the 'Dutian Dao', then I must unite the paths of the Twelve Venerable Dutian Demon Gods, turning the twelve paths into one. Whether I practice the Dao of space or Thunder Dao, they are merely branches within the 'Dutian Dao'. Upon achieving True Immortality, although I also must choose one path, the Great Dao will be my basis, vast and boundless, the chance to ascend to Earth Immortal is immensely high, with limitless potential."
Broadly speaking,
the broader the paths a Primordial Spirit perceives ascension into Mahayana, the greater the hope for future promotion.
Some seek easier promotion, such as those who practice thunder. If they haven't sufficiently perceived the Thunder Dao, nor the Five Thunder Dao, Yin Yang Thunder Dao, Life and Death Thunder Dao,
and their Life Span is exhausted, what then?
They choose from a single aspect, be it Yin Thunder or Yang Thunder, or perhaps Water Thunder or Fire Thunder for their achievement. Although they obtain True Immortality, in cultivating within the Mahayana Realm, to delve deeper into its mysteries, to pioneer an even more ultimate path, they find themselves at a loss.
Utterly baffled.
Even if one forcefully carves out a path, like the Fire Thunder path, establishing Bing Fire Yang Thunder, and wishes to use this lesser path to break through the barrier between True Immortal and Earth Immortal and achieve the Earth Immortal Dao Fruit, the effort required is unimaginable.
Many talented individuals are trapped in the Mahayana Realm, ultimately exhausting their lifespan, only to face Reincarnation and begin anew.
Most are due to choosing the wrong path when ascending to True Immunity.
In helpless situations,
the only option is to start from scratch.
Yet Reincarnation is treacherous, and those who lose protection from their seniors, those who get lost in the wheels of reincarnation and tumble into the vastness of the Red Dust, are not few in number.
Lu Qingfeng faces no such concerns.
Though the 'Dutian Dao' is arduous and challenging to perfect, his understanding of Thunder Dao is profound, his perception of yin and yang, Five Elements, life and death, gathering and scattering, union and separation, evil dispelling, and demon suppressing within the thunder are all well understood.
A multitude of accumulations.
Ascending through 'Thunder Dao' is not difficult.
In the future, among True Immortals, whether in strength or potential, he shall stand above those who ascended through 'Five Thunder Dao', 'Thunder Dao of Life and Death', and other such paths.
With a heart set on resolution, he hesitated no longer. Closing his eyes, he comprehended the true intent of endless thunder. Yin and yang flowed in his heart, bringing birth and destruction, while the Five Elements encircled, following the movements of his heart.
Then, the moment arrived.
Yin and yang parted ways.
Birth and destruction cycled.
The Five Elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth thundered into existence, blasting through his sea of consciousness, awakening the Primordial Spirit.
Yimu Zhenglei!
Bing Fire Yang Thunder!
Gui Water Yin Thunder!
Geng Metal Tribulation Thunder!
Wu Earth Netherworld Thunder!
"Yin Yang Divine Thunder!"
"Life and Death Purple Thunder!"
"Five Thunders True Method!"
Lu Qingfeng's heart thundered vocally, akin to the dawn of chaos, drawing innumerable true intents of thunder. For a moment, his heart was filled with thunder. Insights into elements like gold, wood, water, and fire seemed obscure and far more challenging to comprehend than in the days of his Primordial Spirit Realm.
This was a choice of paths.
He chose the Thunder Dao, henceforth aligning himself with thunder and forsaking other ways.
"Chih!"
Lu Qingfeng's heart was free of distractions.
From then on, nothing could obstruct his fierce progress in the Thunder Dao, securing a pivotal position unchallenged.
His Dao ability reached Perfection.
In the next instant.
His flesh began a rapid transformation.
Casting off the accumulated impurities of the Postnatal, he achieved the Innate Pure Body effortlessly.
In that moment.
His senses sharpened, and his vision cleared.
The Great Dao of heaven and earth, more shocking than his initial Divine Thought or the birth of the Primordial Spirit, unfolded before him. Lu Qingfeng looked in all directions, seemingly able to peer beyond the Four Extremes into the layers of the Void, where Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire surged. Above and below, magnificent thunder existed everywhere.
Lu Qingfeng extended his hand.
Then thunder converged in his palm, the mysteries within his heart whirring into action. Silently reciting the "Hand Heart Thunder Technique," thunder transformed, harboring boundless terror. A casual throw could obliterate a terrain, shatter a mountain range, and carve out a swath of Chaotic Void.
This was the Hand Heart Thunder.
As his thoughts moved, another bolt of thunder within his palm divided, positioning at the five directions, distinct yet closely interconnected.
Circling round and round, they created a cycle of life.
His heart willed it, and thunder followed.
This was the Five Thunders True Method.
Lu Qingfeng's brow twitched, and from his palm, a Yimu Zhenglei thunderbolt shattered the void, falling amidst the chaos and fragmenting countless forms. The Five Thunders in his palm churned, and a Bing Fire Yang Thunder descended, its explosion carrying the true meaning of flame. Then Gui Water Yin Thunder, Geng Metal Tribulation Thunder, and Wu Earth Netherworld Thunder followed, booming continuously, causing the Void to tremble.
Above the Cloud Sky.
Several True Immortals merging with the Void changed their expressions and stepped out from it at once. One of them, with a flick of his sleeve, extinguished the thunder and flames at his cuff, frowning as he looked down at Jimo City, and proclaimed, "It is a Thunder True Immortal!"
...
Lu Qingfeng wielded his powers with abandon.
His Dao ability in the path of thunder shot forward without restraint.
His body transformed.
His Postnatal Mortal form became an Innate Immortal body, differing vastly. His spells and Divine Skills became effortless to unleash, their power incomparable to his times in the Primordial Spirit Realm.
Lu Qingfeng's palm held the Five Thunders rotating, the yin and yang shifting, life and destruction cycling—an endless array of marvels. His connection to the heavenly heart above continuously drew thunder enlightenments bestowed by heaven and earth.
"The Mahayana Realm, the True Immortal transformation!"
This was the first time heaven and earth fully opened themselves to a Cultivator.
The extent of comprehension would depend on prior accumulation, presenting an enormous opportunity.
Some barely advanced, lacking sufficient accumulation, unable to achieve the Wash Marrow and Remove Hair in one go; for the Innate body and the refinement of the Primordial Spirit and Mana, even more so cannot be overstated.
Lu Qingfeng had tarried in the Primordial Spirit Realm for over fifty thousand years, his accumulation nothing short of terrifying.
Therefore.
Once he stepped into the Mahayana Realm, he obtained boundless gifts. The Great Dao Heavenly Mechanism performed the Wash Marrow and Remove Hair, instantly achieving the Innate Taoist Body, saving untold years of cultivation.
Inside the Primordial Spirit, a Golden Light emerged.
Merging with the flesh, it too burst into mystery, growing vigorously. Every breath was equivalent to thousands of years of Lu Qingfeng's past cultivation.
Even among True Immortals, it amounted to decades, if not centuries of ascetic practice.
"Mana!"
With the various changes,
Mana, naturally, was included too.
Lu Qingfeng's spirit felt incredibly fulfilled as he felt the fluctuations of Mana.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Mana circulated, roaring like an avalanche.
His internal Mana rapidly transformed, becoming more solid and purer, even undergoing subtle changes in essence.
As Lu Qingfeng sat cross-legged in the meditation room, his five spirits faced the heavens, as if embracing the Heavenly Dao naturally, drawing in endless Spiritual Energy. In a trance, he sensed a breath descending from Above Nine Heavens, indescribable.
With each breath, he inhaled into his heart and lungs, Mana competing to consume it, accelerating the transformation of Mana at an astonishing pace.
This breath felt somewhat familiar to Lu Qingfeng.
Within the Dantian.
An Immortal Crystal, once difficult to refine, now quickly assimilated upon the breath's descent. It dispersed into his meridians, and limbs, just like the essence descending from Above Nine Heavens.
"Immortal Energy!"
Lu Qingfeng felt the changes within his body, opened his eyes, and with sparkling spirit light, saw strands of mystical essence, coming from an unknown place in the Nine Heavens directly towards him. Around him lingered traces of breath, seemingly on the verge of dissipating into heaven and earth.