Around the school gate, Wang Zhan was rendered speechless.
As the swirling dust gradually settled, he could see a burly man in loose, black training clothes standing in the deep pit.
He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. The corners of his mouth turned slightly downward, exuding an inherently intimidating aura.
Moreover, the man made no discernible movements, yet his mere presence sent waves of suffocating pressure washing over Wang Zhan.
Wang Zhan thought with dread, How terrifying. He instinctively glanced beside him, only to find Cheng Shu, pale and gritting his teeth, already half-kneeling on the ground.
In fact, dozens of students around them had collapsed. Many had fallen unconscious, and those still awake were merely struggling to endure.
His mere entrance was enough to overwhelm these so-called elite students!
At that moment, Liu Zhenfeng suddenly waved his hand.
Wang Zhan felt a refreshing breeze sweep past him, and then, the incredibly oppressive atmosphere abruptly vanished. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel⚑fire.net
"King of Thunder, considering your status, isn’t it a bit much to bully these students?" Liu Zhenfeng’s tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
The burly man known as the King of Thunder leaped out of the deep pit, landing before Liu Zhenfeng and Lv Zhenglong.
"Hahaha! It was simply a test of their aura. If they can’t even withstand this much and faint, they deserve it." The King of Thunder laughed twice more. "However, it seems the students from your Chu State Military Martial Arts Academy aren’t all that impressive. Only one managed to remain standing."
The King of Thunder spoke loudly, badmouthing them right in front of their academy’s head without the slightest compunction.
Liu Zhenfeng’s mouth twitched.
Lv Zhenglong retorted scornfully, "Your Four Major Martial Arts Academies have monopolized all the geniuses in the Federation. Isn’t it ridiculous for you to make such dismissive remarks? Try letting our Military Martial Arts Academy recruit the same caliber of students and provide us with equivalent resources. Then see how far behind the Four Major Martial Arts Academies we would truly be!"
"Don’t tell me that; tell it to the higher-ups." The King of Thunder seemed unfazed by Lv Zhenglong’s tone. Instead, he patted his shoulder, saying, "Why are you being so impulsive this time? Some things shouldn’t be said carelessly."
"If I don’t voice these thoughts, I won’t find peace! I fear this resentment will jeopardize my Martial Arts Path," Lv Zhenglong stated, his face devoid of expression.
Hearing this, the King of Thunder paused, then squinted at Lv Zhenglong for a couple of moments before his face lit up with pleasure.
"Peak Superior Grandmaster! Are you about to break through to Grandmaster?"
Before Lv Zhenglong could reply, he realized the school gate wasn’t a suitable place for conversation. So, the three of them soared into the air and entered the school grounds.
The incident at the school gate didn’t cause much of a stir.
After the three important figures departed, Wang Zhan and Cheng Shu also returned to the school.
After bidding Cheng Shu farewell, Wang Zhan put the recent events out of his mind. He neither needed nor was qualified to concern himself with matters beyond the Grandmaster realm.
Besides, Wang Zhan had more pressing matters to attend to.
Wang Zhan once again took out the ancient books he had acquired from the Black Market.
After carefully reading through the entire ancient book, Wang Zhan had committed all its contents to memory.
Setting the ancient book down, he heaved a long sigh.
Wang Zhan contemplated, It turns out to be a cultivation technique for mental energy. The Five Thunder Deity Refinement Method. It’s said to use mental energy to draw upon the surrounding Spiritual Energy. It’s a technique for cultivating mental power, but it can also be used as an offensive measure.
Perhaps due to his high Wisdom, Wang Zhan quickly grasped the principles of the Five Thunder Deity Refinement Method.
The Spiritual Energy between Heaven and Earth possesses different properties in various locations, divisible into five forms: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
These differently natured Spiritual Energies are essentially the same; any type can be cultivated by a Martial Artist and converted into their Internal Breath of Essence.
However, the Five Thunder Deity Refinement Method is different. This technique uses mental energy to perceive the distinct qualities of Spiritual Energy, thereby achieving varied effects.
Golden Lightning is piercing, Wood Thunder is tranquil, Water Thunder is unpredictable, Earth Thunder is dense, and Fire Thunder is explosive.
Wang Zhan speculated, Even my Essence Concentrating Skill doesn’t differentiate the attributes of Spiritual Energy. When I was cultivating in the wilderness, I never sensed any difference in Spiritual Energy either. I’ve been to swamps, caves, and jungles, among other places, but I couldn’t perceive any variation in the Spiritual Energy. Perhaps this is an ability unique to mental power. Or, perhaps, this is what’s unique about the Five Thunder Deity Refinement Method.
I haven’t awakened my mental power yet. This technique... No, considering my current strength, if I ask Old Duan how to awaken my mental power, he probably won’t refuse.
Initially, Wang Zhan thought this technique wouldn’t be useful for the time being. But then it struck him: there were methods to awaken mental energy. He might just be able to awaken his right now.
Realizing this, Wang Zhan could no longer sit still. He quickly left the dormitory to find Duan Kun.
「In Duan Kun’s office.」
"You want to learn how to awaken mental energy?" Duan Kun frowned, scrutinizing Wang Zhan for a long moment.
"Yes. I recently obtained a cultivation technique related to mental energy, so I need to awaken my mental energy to practice it," Wang Zhan answered truthfully, handing the ancient book to Duan Kun.
Duan Kun took the ancient book, flipped through a couple of pages, then suddenly stiffened. He closed the book and handed it back to Wang Zhan.
"Old Duan, is there a problem with this technique?" Wang Zhan asked, somewhat bewildered.
He had shown the technique to Duan Kun primarily to have him check for any major issues, but he hadn’t anticipated such a reaction.
Duan Kun stared at Wang Zhan in silence. Wang Zhan began to feel a chill run down his spine before Duan Kun finally spoke, his voice eerie, "You’ve probably never heard of the Five Thunder Deity Refinement Method before, right? After all, you haven’t started cultivating mental energy, so it’s normal for you not to pay attention to such things."
Upon hearing this, Wang Zhan instantly understood.
"Is this cultivation technique really famous?"
"More than famous," Duan Kun replied, his tone tinged with envy. "Let’s put it this way: a Grandmaster would have to fight on the battlefield for three or four years, live frugally, and not spend a single point of military merit to barely afford this technique."
"No way! That’s insane?" Wang Zhan found it incredible.
Even with a Grandmaster expert’s speed of earning military merit, it would still take three or four years of saving?
"It’s just that outrageous. This is one of the most expensive techniques in the Human Martial Arts Library. However... this technique is also somewhat of a ’chicken rib’." Duan Kun’s tone grew profound. "Wang Zhan, do you know that once you begin cultivating mental energy, the technique cannot be changed?"
"Of course. Mental energy is different from a Martial Artist’s body. A Martial Artist can meticulously control every inch of their muscles, even perform introspection to view their internal condition, so changing cultivation techniques isn’t a major issue. But mental energy is different. Once it’s set, it’s incredibly difficult to alter."
Duan Kun’s tone turned grim. "Imagine your consciousness, once formed, being stretched and kneaded. Do you think, under such circumstances, you could guarantee you’d still be yourself?"
Seeing Wang Zhan’s baffled expression, Duan Kun continued to explain, "To put it simply, mental energy is linked to a Martial Artist’s consciousness. It’s not that no one has tried to switch Mental Energy Cultivation Methods before, but without exception, those brave souls all went mad."
"That’s why I said this technique is a ’chicken rib.’ It’s too valuable. Those below Grandmaster can’t afford it, and for Grandmasters who have already begun their mental energy cultivation, it’s useless because they can’t switch. So, while it’s famous, it’s not as practical as you might imagine."
Saying this, Duan Kun heaved a long sigh.
"That’s why I only glanced at it; I was afraid I’d be tempted to try it myself! Those Martial Artists who tried to switch Mental Energy Cultivation Methods were the same. When they obtained a better technique, they naturally got ideas. Even with countless cautionary tales, they always thought they’d be the exception."
Duan Kun looked up, his expression somewhat complicated.
"You’re incredibly lucky, kid. To get your hands on such a high-level technique right from the start... And this doesn’t seem to be a hand-copied version, but an even older one... Is its origin clean?"
"I bought it from the Black Market for one hundred thousand," Wang Zhan confessed.
"Oh, then its origin is clean. No one can give you trouble for it," Duan Kun said, relieved.
Wang Zhan asked again, "Since this technique is so valuable and mental energy is so important, why does the Federation price it so exorbitantly? Doesn’t that practically deny others the chance to cultivate this technique?"
"Actually, it’s not just this technique. Many extremely powerful cultivation techniques and martial arts are priced very expensively, turning what should be precious items into ’chicken ribs’!"
"Because these aren’t assets of the Federation; they are the legacies of the great martial arts Families! They contribute them as a gesture of dedication to humanity, but at the same time, they don’t want their ancestral techniques to be widely learned. That’s how this situation arose."
Wang Zhan realized, So that’s how it is...
"Alright, you’re not a normal Martial Artist anyway. Awakening your mental energy a bit earlier than others is no big deal."
Duan Kun rose to his feet, signaling Wang Zhan to follow.
"Come with me. I’ll teach you the method to awaken your mental energy."
"Okay!" Wang Zhan jogged to keep up.
「Meanwhile, in Liu Zhenfeng’s office.」
"The higher-ups are very displeased with you this time," the King of Thunder said, his expression grave as he spoke sternly to Lv Zhenglong, who sat opposite him. "You dared to openly discuss the original organization with the students? Don’t you know that’s taboo?"
"What’s so taboo about it? Must we let the students naively believe that humanity is tightly bonded and without internal strife? That kind of thinking will get them killed!" Lv Zhenglong didn’t believe he had done anything wrong.
The King of Thunder’s face darkened.
"Even so, it wasn’t your decision to make! Do you realize how far this news has spread? If the higher-ups weren’t suppressing it, your actions would have caused widespread panic among ordinary people and dealt a fatal blow to the students’ convictions!"
The King of Thunder said earnestly, "Old Lu, you used to be one of mine. Some things can’t be done just for momentary satisfaction; you have to consider the consequences."
Lv Zhenglong fell silent for a moment, then let out a helpless sigh.
"There’s no point discussing it now. Which battlefield are the higher-ups planning to send me to? I won’t refuse."
Hearing this, the King of Thunder scoffed dismissively.