Chapter 119: Windward Fury, Earth Vein Movement, Entering the Sinen Bureau Ranking

“Such heavy lightning power, it’s terrifying,” Zhao Xing murmured, staring ahead. The lightning power here couldn't be described as merely dense; it gave a feeling of immense weight. From the outside, it wasn't noticeable, but upon truly entering the thunder zone, one felt suffocated.

“Unless you draw vital energy from the earth veins, all the vital energy in the air has been pushed out by the lightning power; not a single bit can be absorbed,” he thought. “Even within the earth veins, only a small amount of vital energy exists, and it’s mixed with a lot of lightning attributes.”

Zhao Xing had only taken a few steps when he noticed his hair floating upwards like cotton wadding. “Run!” He immediately picked up speed, knowing that this area was about to be struck by lightning and he needed to leave quickly.

Whoosh! With a push off the ground, Zhao Xing leaped through the valley like an ape. As soon as he jumped away, a bolt of lightning struck his previous landing spot. Silently, the lightning penetrated the stone, and the thousand-pound boulder turned into powder.

“Terrifying. It's infinitely stronger than my lightning techniques,” he said, his voice hushed. “The two lightning techniques I’ve comprehended are utterly insignificant in the face of such a terrifying natural phenomenon.”

Zhao Xing's scalp tingled. It was genuinely tingling because another lightning bolt was about to strike.

“Moving Clouds!” With a golden glow from his finger, Zhao Xing sent his spell straight into the sky, intending to form moving clouds. As the clouds spread, the Cloud Swallowing spell was about to gather the cloud energy from the sky. However, something that surprised Zhao Xing occurred.

The cloud layer he had conjured instantly turned purplish-black. Lightning brewed within it, flickering wildly as if it were about to explode. “What’s going on? I didn’t even use a lightning spell...”

Seeing the unfavorable situation, Zhao Xing immediately jumped away from beneath his cloud layer. Boom! An explosion rang out, and the thundercloud burst directly, lightning scattering like splashes of water. Zhao Xing let out a muffled groan, his vital energy reduced by a tenth.

“This is the first time I've lost control of a cloud spell. No, forcing my way through like this isn't going to work.” Zhao Xing had initially thought he could quickly pass through the thunder zone by relying on the Cloud Swallowing spell, but now it seemed his idea was a bit naive.

Whoosh! Zhao Xing accelerated himself, searching for a place to hide in the valley. He soon found a block of insulating rock. The rock slanted into the mountainside, extending for dozens of meters and seven or eight meters thick, forming a natural shelter. “Rocks that can exist in a thunder zone are not simple,” he mused. “This one is precisely magnetic storm rock, a material used by artisans to forge weapons and mechanisms.” Zhao Xing immediately flew over, and amidst the lightning barrage, he hid beneath the magnetic storm rock.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The thunder outside never ceased, and lightning fell from the sky like rain. It was undoubtedly a myriad of heavenly lightning strikes.

Seeing himself temporarily safe, Zhao Xing began to recall what had just happened. “After I cast my Cloud Swallowing spell, it involuntarily absorbed the thunderclouds in the sky. In an instant, it absorbed to its extreme threshold. That's why it exploded uncontrollably.”

Zhao Xing quickly identified the problem. The Cloud Swallowing spell could indeed cut and devour cloud energy, making it quite formidable. However, facing such a terrifying Myriad Lightning Pool, the Cloud Swallowing spell couldn't swallow it. Because the thunderclouds were too heavy, Zhao Xing's cloud layer was burst before it could even fully form and transform. It was like a balloon inflating to its limit in one second, which caused it to explode.

“Try again.” Hidden beneath the rock, Zhao Xing sent out a golden beam of spell energy, which began to condense a cloud layer parallel to himself. For the second casting, he was much more cautious, exerting full control to compress the cloud spell to its utmost limit. Only an eight-meter square cloud layer appeared. Cloud Swallowing was an eighth-rank spell, and also the peak of Zhao Xing’s control. While he couldn't conjure clouds in his palm, the old Diviner had painstakingly cultivated for sixty years, focusing solely on lightning and cloud spells to achieve that. How long had Zhao Xing been practicing? From acquiring the teaching scroll to reaching eighth-rank spells, it had only been about three or four months.

“Even compressed to its extreme and with full control, it’s still unstable,” Zhao Xing observed the wavering cloud layer in front of him. It teetered, trembling incessantly, showing faint signs of breaking apart. “An eight-meter cloud layer can barely stabilize, but if lightning strikes, it will still be shattered. Let’s see how many strikes it can withstand.”

Zhao Xing controlled the cloud layer, actively drifting it towards the thunder zone. Boom-crack! A bolt of lightning struck the Cloud Swallowing spell. The Cloud Swallowing spell instantly expanded from an eight-meter square to sixteen meters. “Contract!” Feeling the cloud spell on the verge of collapse, Zhao Xing concentrated fully, making his cloud layer contract. The cloud layer shrunk from sixteen meters back to ten meters. Immediately afterward, a second bolt of lightning struck.

The cloud layer expanded to twenty meters again. Zhao Xing controlled it to contract once more. When the third heavenly lightning bolt struck, the cloud layer expanded from fifteen meters to thirty meters. Boom-crack! The fourth time, the cloud layer directly exploded. “Still not enough,” he thought. “With the Cloud Swallowing spell sustaining the cloud layer, it can withstand a maximum of three heavenly lightning bolts. However, this is purely relying on the cloud spell for defense. I know more than just cloud spells.”

Zhao Xing cast the Cloud Swallowing spell again. It was still an eight-meter cloud layer. Crack! Lightning struck, instantly expanding it to seventeen meters. But at that moment, Zhao Xing also moved. “Lightning Conduction!” A bolt of lightning poured from his cloud layer to the ground. The Cloud Swallowing cloud instantly shrunk back to eight meters, returning to a stable state. Boom! Boom! Boom! Many more lightning bolts then struck the Cloud Swallowing spell. However, Zhao Xing still discharged them through Lightning Conduction. “Lightning Conduction is perfected; it can discharge the lightning power within the cloud layer, and I can control its direction.” Zhao Xing smiled slightly. This way, he could now travel through the thunder zone.

This was the synergy of multiple spells! If he only knew the eighth-rank Cloud Swallowing spell, he wouldn't be able to swallow the thunderclouds above; it would immediately explode upon casting, making it very difficult to sustain. But with the addition of perfected Lightning Conduction, the problem was easily solved. This was the benefit of broadening one’s spell repertoire. Lightning Conduction couldn't be even slightly weaker; if it were below the seventh rank, it would be very difficult for him to discharge the lightning power through spell conduction.

“Time to continue.” Zhao Xing emerged from beneath the rock face. He began to walk forward, following the direction of the valley.

Boom! Boom! Lightning struck. There was a 100% chance that the dense lightning would strike directly above Zhao Xing. However, each strike was first absorbed by the Cloud Swallowing spell. After absorption, Zhao Xing, sensing it, immediately used Lightning Conduction to discharge the lightning from the cloud layer onto the nearby ground. Thud! Lightning splashed everywhere, and shattered rocks crumbled, but it couldn't harm Zhao Xing beneath the cloud layer. “With a cloud layer above my head receiving heavenly lightning, sparks and flashes all the way, it’s truly magnificent,” Zhao Xing thought. He looked around, then conjured a protective wind shield to repel the shattering rock fragments away from himself.

“I still need to hurry,” he mused. “If the three suns in the sky fully shift from their alignment, the power of the Myriad Lightning Pool will increase slightly.” In such a place, Zhao Xing’s luck was completely useless, because the probability of being struck by lightning was 100%! For luck to be effective, there needed to be at least some probability involved. In a place like this, if one’s strength was insufficient, it was a certain death. No matter how strong one’s luck, if one’s own strength was lacking, it was merely courting death.

Having solved the problem of progression, Zhao Xing also had leisure to observe the Myriad Lightning Pool, which was also the best place to comprehend lightning spells. Such terrifying lightning power, naturally released, dense and abundant, with every flash demonstrating a lightning spell before Zhao Xing’s eyes. As Zhao Xing conducted the lightning and observed, his comprehension of lightning spells unconsciously grew.

Geothermal Plains.

“Cough, cough, cough...” Zhuo Li, covered in dust and grime, removed his straw hat and greedily inhaled the cool air around him. As he coughed, the fire poison was rapidly expelled. “I've finally passed this third isolation zone,” he said. “If I hadn't cultivated the Yin-Yang True Self Sutra, which strengthened my internal organs' endurance, I probably would have had greatly reduced mobility even after passing the Geothermal Plains.”

Zhuo Li glanced back. Originally, the Geothermal Plains wouldn't have caused him so much trouble. But the person ahead had brutally transformed the Geothermal Plains into this state. However, seeing so many people still trapped in the third isolation zone, he felt much more balanced. At least he had made it through! “The person who cast that spell must be quite strong. I wonder who it is. If I get the chance, I’d like to spar with him,” Zhuo Li thought to himself.

He didn't hate the spellcaster, because if he had the chance, he would do the same. “Hmph, mediocre people only complain,” he muttered. “If they can't even pass the Geothermal Plains, it's better they get eliminated directly. Fewer people means fewer training resources to divide.” If they couldn't even pass the reporting stage of the training, then they should just go back to where they came from!

“It's time to speed up; I can't disappoint Helian Lie and the others.” Zhuo Li immediately quickened his pace.

In front of the valley where the clouds were relatively thinner in the Myriad Lightning Pool.

Li Feng, feeling somewhat tired, patted the ice off his straw cloak and threw his burnt straw hat aside. Splat! The straw hat hit the ground with a heavy thud. Yu Chunwu lay not far from the straw hat, his own straw cloak completely burned away, revealing large areas of scorched muscle. He Yu and Peng Ran, however, had their lower halves completely frozen, unable to move at all. Yang Yang was seated cross-legged not far away, recovering from his injuries. He looked like a man of blood, with blood seeping from his skin, a truly horrifying sight. As for the other group of people, they had long since collapsed to the ground, incapacitated and unconscious.

“Li Feng.” Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran, and Yang Yang all stared intently at Li Feng.

“My skills are inferior; I have nothing to say. Do what you will, kill or torture, as you please.” Li Feng glanced at them. “You’re fools; you don’t even realize you’ve been used. I genuinely wonder how you served as military diviners in your previous armies.” Then he gave a self-deprecating smile. “I’m also a fool for being so impulsive and truly playing into his hands.”

Calmed down, Li Feng also realized he had been impulsive. However, he didn't regret his actions. He had arrived early and gained a reputation at the outpost outside the grotto-heaven, but this also attracted jealousy. In the previous situation, only by fighting to a clear victory could his words be heard and accepted. Otherwise, anything he said would be useless.

“What do you mean? We were used?!” Yang Yang was startled.

“Hmph, think for yourselves. Who benefited the most?” Li Feng no longer paid attention to them.

Crunch, crunch, crunch. He crushed the ice beneath his feet, walking step by step towards the valley. Yu Chunwu, He Yu, and Peng Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, after Zhao Xing escaped Li Feng’s Blood Cloud spell and entered the valley, they also realized they had misunderstood Li Feng. But everyone had unleashed their true anger, and there was no way to stop without a clear winner. Li Feng couldn't humbly explain to them, nor could they grovel and beg Li Feng for forgiveness. It was like a war; once it began, only a decisive victory would lead to peace talks.

“Damn it, to be used as a pawn! I remember what that person looks like. When I get to the Diviner Bureau, I'll definitely teach him a lesson!” He Yu said with hatred.

“Don’t you think Li Feng is terrifyingly strong?” Yu Chunwu’s mindset was quite calm. He wasn’t focused on Zhao Xing; using such underhanded tricks proved that person’s strength wasn’t much. Instead, he felt that Li Feng was the one worth paying attention to. “He faced all of us combined and didn't even suffer serious injuries. Such a competitor is truly worth noting.”

“Indeed terrifying,” Peng Ran licked his lips, a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes. “I’ve long wanted to fight him. This time, I also borrowed courage from the three of you to dare engage him. I didn’t expect him to be truly this strong.” Each of them harbored pride, having been regarded as geniuses in their original places. Now, seeing another stronger genius, they naturally felt an urge to test their skills. As for who caused them harm, or who made them misunderstand Li Feng, did it matter? For Peng Ran, it didn't matter. Even without that person, they would probably still have fought Li Feng. Of course, if they had the chance to encounter that person later, they would certainly settle the score.

“Gentlemen, I shall go ahead. We’ll meet again at the Diviner Bureau!” Yu Chunwu was the first to recover, standing up and cupping his hands in salute to the three others.

“Brother Yu, farewell.” The others, having fought Li Feng together, felt a sense of mutual respect. Yu Chunwu was also the strongest among the four, naturally earning their recognition. After he left, a wave of flames suddenly swept over Peng Ran, melting away the ice. “Brothers, I’ll also be going ahead. Farewell.”

“Farewell.”

The three suns shifted from their alignment, and the thunder intensified dramatically! The almanac in his embrace trembled lightly. Upon noticing the change in the three suns, Zhao Xing immediately began searching for a place to hide. This was because the power of the Myriad Lightning Pool would increase at this time. Also, he had covered most of the distance, constantly discharging lightning, and his vital energy was more than half depleted, so he had to stop and recover.

“After passing the Geothermal Plains and the Myriad Lightning Pool, the path ahead will be smooth. Just thirty more li, and we’ll enter the relatively stable territory of Yangcheng. Once past the boundary monument, it’s only a dozen more li to the Diviner Bureau.” After exiting the Geothermal Plains and passing through either the Gale Mountain Range or the Myriad Lightning Pool, there would be no more harsh environments or terrains. The shortcut was difficult, but the distance was much shorter. Compared to other routes, it saved several minor checkpoints.

“My two self-created lightning spells have improved somewhat over this short ten-li stretch,” Zhao Xing noted during his rest, also finding that the proficiency of both lightning spells had greatly increased. Although they hadn't broken through yet, they were close. “Not only can I train my lightning spells, but along the path I’ve traveled, I’ve also vaguely sensed the presence of treasures—an intuition brought by tier-three fortune... I wonder if they're those specific treasures. I’ll have to come here often in the future,” Zhao Xing thought to himself. The omnipresent Myriad Lightning Pool had also created many natural treasures in this area. Of course, Zhao Xing wasn’t currently diverting his attention to treasure hunting. The Myriad Lightning Pool now had some geographical differences compared to what he had seen in his previous life. Even with a slight intuition, he wasn't going to look for any treasures at this time. Reporting was the priority, and his current strength was too weak. He was already treading carefully just to pass through; exploring for treasures in such a terrifying natural phenomenon area would be courting death.

“Earth Store Return to Origin!” Zhao Xing buried half his body in the earth, absorbing vital energy from the earth veins. The Human Dao version of Earth Store Return to Origin could draw power from the earth veins for rapid recovery. Although the vital energy in the earth veins was mixed with a large amount of lightning power, making his scalp tingle upon absorption, he could only endure it under the current circumstances.

“Hmm?” As Zhao Xing recovered his vital energy via Earth Store Return to Origin, he suddenly sensed something rapidly approaching through the fluctuations in the earth veins. In a purple earth vein resembling a river, Zhao Xing suddenly ‘saw’ a similarly purple, humanoid figure swiftly moving underground. “What? Subterranean stealth through earth veins? Is this... Earth Evasion from the Mysterious Earth spell?!”

Earth Splitting, Earth Palace, Earth Store, and Mysterious Earth spells were known as the Four Sacred Earth Advantage spells. Zhao Xing had dabbled in the first three, but he had yet to learn the Mysterious Earth spell. Among the Four Sacred Spells, Mysterious Earth was the most profound and the most difficult to cultivate. He hadn't expected to see someone performing the Mysterious Earth spell here! “The reserves are all ninth-rank. How can a ninth-rank cultivator practice the Mysterious Earth spell to such a profound level? Geniuses truly are everywhere.” Previously, it was always Zhao Xing who surprised others; now, he finally uttered a sigh of admiration. How violent was the lightning power in this earth vein? Yet, to still be able to sneak around in such a place, only the Mysterious Earth spell could achieve it. A low spell realm wouldn't suffice; one would need to know at least two Mysterious Earth spells, both above the seventh rank, to be able to move stealthily in extreme earth veins.

At the same time Zhao Xing discovered the other party, the stealthy figure also noticed Zhao Xing performing Earth Store Return to Origin. “Hmm? Someone’s actually using Earth Store Return to Origin to recover vital energy in the Myriad Lightning Pool?” Zhuang Ziqing was also somewhat surprised. “Interesting. Isn’t he afraid of his vital energy rioting in his Dantian?” Their intentions brushed past each other in the violent earth veins, neither wasting time to greet or probe.

Once sufficiently rested, Zhao Xing burst out of the Myriad Lightning Pool in one go. The view before him widened, and the sky became warm and clear.

Whoosh! In the distant sky, a green whirlwind spiraled forward, quickly sweeping past his vision. “Riding the wind-evil to advance? That’s from the Gale Mountain Range, another master. I just became a full member and came for training, and I haven’t systematically learned many of the military diviner’s spells yet, so I’m at a bit of a disadvantage... I wonder what my rank will be? Entered at You time, now it’s late Hai time. I need to hurry.”

Glancing at the almanac, Zhao Xing immediately cast a spell. He performed the Cloud Swallowing spell, then stepped onto the clouds, using the power of wind and clouds to rush towards Yangcheng. Before long, he crossed the boundary monument, and Yangcheng was already visible in the distance. Whoosh! After crossing the boundary monument, Zhao Xing noticed more figures around him. People were rushing in all directions: front, back, left, and right. Everyone was displaying their signature skills as they sped towards Yangcheng.

“The Diviner Bureau is in that direction!” Zhao Xing, enveloped in fortune, stepped on the clouds. People behind him were frantically catching up, and he was also charging forward frantically. Whoosh! A gust of wind blew past, and Zhao Xing, along with another figure, entered the Diviner Bureau simultaneously. At this time, a huge mirror was set up in the Diviner Bureau’s square, displaying the reporting ranks.