Chapter 158
The Jiushan Sect is now at odds with the Da Zizai Demon Cult, and it’s hard to say how long this conflict will last. As one of the most renowned geniuses of the Jiushan Sect, it’s impossible for him to remain uninvolved in this struggle.
One day, he will have to face enemies from the Da Zizai Demon Cult, or rather, he has already encountered some, like Lin Bufan and Chen Ting.
He considered himself someone who didn’t particularly enjoy conflict, but at this moment, it was no longer a matter of preference.
Since a fight was inevitable, Zheng Fa naturally wanted to choose the battlefield that suited him best—
The best option was, of course, the Jiushan Sect, where he felt completely secure.
But they weren’t fools.
The second choice was the Thunder Pool. He wanted to go there not only to practice the "Five Thunder Body" and "Divine Sky Thunder Control" but also to familiarize himself with the Da Zizai Demon Cult—consider it a form of training.
Now that his master wouldn’t let him leave the sect, he could understand the concerns behind that decision.
For him, the only way to have the best of both worlds was to train like crazy!
If the sect leader wanted him to reach the fourth level of the "Five Thunder Body" before going, then he would strive to get there as quickly as possible!
Zheng Fa picked up the Xuanlei Stone that Senior Sister Zhang had gifted him.
He had been quite frugal with this Xuanlei Stone, having only used it two or three times.
But at this moment, he had no intention of being stingy.
Lightning surged from the Xuanlei Stone into his dantian, causing his entire body to tremble slightly. His skin flushed red, and his teeth chattered as if every bone in his body was dancing to a rhythm he couldn’t control.
This was his first time practicing the third level of the "Five Thunder Body" to temper his bones.
Zheng Fa could feel that the power of the heavenly thunder erupting from the Xuanlei Stone was stronger this time, several times more intense than before.
Only with such intensity could the current penetrate his flesh and temper his bones.
To his surprise, it wasn’t just his bones that were strengthening; his flesh was also gradually being reinforced.
Before long, the black color of the Xuanlei Stone faded, turning snow white. When Zheng Fa gently squeezed it, the stone crumbled into a pile of dust.
He stood up, not surprised at all.
Although he had been careful with its use, the amount of heavenly thunder power required for a single bone tempering session was considerable, so it was normal for one Xuanlei Stone to be consumed in a single training session.
While Xuanlei Stones were scarce in the market, they weren’t entirely unavailable.
He still had some savings, and if he really wanted to buy more, getting a few wouldn’t be a burden—though he suspected that even a few wouldn’t be enough. Even with the time he had in the modern world, he would need more Xuanlei Stones to reach the fourth level of the "Five Thunder Body" in a short time.
Zheng Fa had already made up his mind:
Senior Sister Yuan was a bit naïve… no, generous.
It shouldn’t be a problem to borrow some from her.
Just as he thought of Senior Sister Yuan, her voice rang out: “Zheng Shidi!”
“Is Zheng Shidi still in seclusion?”
Outside, Senior Sister Yuan was talking to Lin Bufan.
“Yes.”
“What are we going to do?” Senior Sister Yuan’s voice sounded worried.
“Senior Sister?”
Zheng Fa pushed open the door to his study, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw Senior Sister Yuan frowning and pacing in place.
“What’s wrong?”
“The market… it’s not good.”
“Not good?”
“The news about Senior Sister Zhang has spread…”
……
Han Qi and the others were strolling through the market.
Today’s market felt particularly unfamiliar to them.
The atmosphere was chaotic and desperate.
Some shops had their doors closed, with signs of struggle at the entrances, creating a disordered scene.
Half of the stalls in the market were empty, sparse enough to chill the heart.
The faces of the customers walking through the market were filled with anxiety and urgency.
Stalls selling spirit talismans.
Shops selling spirit grains.
Even those shops that used to be deserted due to high prices, selling pills and magical artifacts, were now crowded with people.
Everyone seemed to be frantically trying to spend their wealth, as if tomorrow would never come.
“The news about Senior Sister Zhang’s disappearance has spread. Many brothers who went to the market… I heard they suffered significant losses,” said the tall, thin guy beside Han Qi, returning with a somewhat grim expression after inquiring. “The market is in complete chaos.”
“They say the sect is selecting foundation-building and qi-training disciples to go to the Thunder Pool, and everyone suspects it’s a death sentence for them.”
Han Qi nodded slightly, understanding the tall guy’s meaning.
Whether buying various supplies or running stalls, it all boiled down to one reason—preparing for battle.
“Isn’t the Thunder Pool relatively safe for the lower-tier disciples? Don’t they know that?” Han Qi asked.
“They know; Senior Sister Yuan explained it, but they don’t believe it,” the tall guy replied. “They’re afraid it’s just a pretext to send them to their deaths.”
“…”
Han Qi shook his head.
To be honest, he understood these disciples.
They couldn’t resist because the orders came from two Nascent Soul cultivators.
That was precisely why they felt so desperate.
“Senior Brother, do you believe it?” the tall guy suddenly asked Han Qi.
“…”
After a moment of silence, Han Qi finally managed a bitter smile.
If it weren’t for Zheng Fa being the one to say it, he wouldn’t have believed it either.
“…They say the spiritual energy is dwindling, but everyone knows that this day would come eventually,” the tall guy said after a pause.
Han Qi remained silent, understanding the tall guy’s point. The fear in the market wasn’t just the lower-tier disciples’ distrust of the upper echelons.
There was also a sense of dread about the impending chaos.
……
The three of them were very busy today.
As law enforcement disciples in the market, their main responsibility was to maintain order.
But today, everyone in the Jiushan Sect seemed like a lightning talisman, ready to explode at any moment.
Often, a single word could spark an argument.
In just one hour, Han Qi and the others had already intervened in three conflicts.
As time passed, the pent-up frustration among the crowd only grew, and some even resorted to violence in the market.
This situation left Han Qi and his companions deeply worried.
Just then, it seemed that some news had come from outside the market, and the customers and vendors began to whisper to each other, their faces lighting up with smiles.
This news was like a spring breeze, instantly calming the previously tense atmosphere in the market.
“What’s the good news?”
Han Qi approached a nearby vendor to inquire.
“Don’t you know? Senior Sister Yuan sent word that Zheng Fa said he would head to the Thunder Pool in at least half a month, at most a month.”
“…”
“If he goes, we can rest easy.”
Watching the crowd relax as if a heavy burden had been lifted, they resumed their business as usual, cheerful and calm.
The tall guy was taken aback: “Senior Sister Yuan explained for half a day this morning, and we’ve said it nearly a hundred times, yet it doesn’t compare to a single word from Zheng Shidi?”
“…” Han Qi pursed his lips and sighed, “His word carries more weight than anything else.”
“After all, it’s Zheng Shidi. Whoever goes to their death, it won’t be him.”
……
“Come here.”
Zheng Fa heard his master’s voice in his ear.
As he approached the thatched cottage, the sect leader stood at the entrance, his face cold as he looked at him.
“Master.”
Zheng Fa silently bowed.
“Do you still recognize me as your master?”
“I wouldn’t dare forget.”
“Then why don’t you follow my orders?”
“Master, I plan to cultivate the 'Five Thunder Body' to the blood exchange stage, and then I’ll head to the Thunder Pool for advancement,” Zheng Fa explained his reasoning. “At that time, I’ll also need the Thunder Pool to practice the 'Five Thunder Body.'”
“…In half a month to a month, you plan to reach the blood exchange stage?”
“I plan to use the Xuanlei Stones.”
“Where will you get so many?”
“If I run out of spirit stones, I’ll borrow some from Senior Sister Yuan.”
Zheng Fa’s visits to the modern world had been irregular; sometimes, when he was at a critical point in his cultivation, he would only go once a month.
But during this period, he planned to go every seven days.
He intended to leverage modern electricity to practice the Five Thunder Body.
He didn’t plan to waste time in this world either. Although Xuanlei Stones were expensive, he wasn’t going to be stingy at this crucial moment.
The sect leader looked at him for a moment, then curled his lip, “Don’t bully that girl.”
He waved his hand, and a storage bag landed in Zheng Fa’s hands.
“Master?”
“Inside is a bit of Xuanlei Stone I had left over,” the sect leader said with a cold expression.
Zheng Fa opened the storage bag to find dozens of black Xuanlei Stones inside.
“Master, you had this much left?”
Zheng Fa looked at his master in disbelief.
“Xuanlei Stones used to be plentiful!”
“That was over ten thousand years ago… How could you have kept this for so long?”
Zheng Fa said half in gratitude, half in jest.
“Can’t I bet that this thing will appreciate in value?”
“…”
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