Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 173 Thunder's Path of No Return (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)

He didn't finish speaking; he simply raised his hand and slightly bent his five fingers.

"Snapped!"

A thunderclap suddenly exploded out of nowhere, and purple-white soul lightning struck down from the void, as if tearing through the air, and nailed hard to the bluestone ground.

The lightning mark, like a burning wound, was deeply embedded in the stone, charred and rolled up, the lightning still lingering, the thunderous sound echoing in the surrounding silence.

Everyone was shocked, and no one dared to say another word.

He has made himself clear enough.

Chu Ning turned and left, a streak of lightning flashing as his black robe swept across the ground.

His steps were the same as always, but they revealed a resolute determination that made him unapproachable.

He walked back to the old building of Zhenwu Camp, pushed open the familiar stone door, and found Zhao Tianyu already waiting inside.

The lights inside were dim, and the chill in the stone house lingered.

Zhao Tianyu sat in front of a low table, his brows furrowed with fatigue, but his expression remained calm.

He looked up at Chu Ning and said slowly:
"You are brave; you did what I wanted to do but never dared to do."

He paused, then said, "I know you've come to say goodbye."

"Are you really leaving?" he asked in a low voice.

Chu Ning nodded without saying anything more.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Tianyu finally took out a lustrous and warm Soul Jade from his pocket.

It was a soul jade used for communication, pure and exquisite, the very item that Marquis Xie Chengjun used to communicate with the Marquis's mansion that day.

His voice became low and hoarse: "This is the Soul Jade of the Marquis of Wu's Mansion... She sent messages several times a few days ago, asking if you had returned from the far north. But the last time was ten days ago."

Chu Ning's brow twitched, but his expression remained unchanged.

His fingers, hanging down, slowly clenched, the knuckles turning faintly white.

Zhao Tianyu looked at him, his tone heavy:

“I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while, but during this time… the beast tide has just subsided, and the imperial investigations have been coming one after another, with endless gossip and rumors about you. I… just haven’t found the right opportunity.”

He paused for a moment, then looked at Chu Ning seriously:

"But now I know that you have already made up your mind."

“Let’s go,” he said. “She’s been waiting for you. But don’t keep her waiting too long.”

Chu Ning did not respond, but simply reached out and took the Soul Jade, gently placing it into her bra.

“I said I would come back in three years.” His voice was low, but clear as a vow. “I can’t be late.”

After saying that, he turned and left the stone house, walking alone through the night snow.

As the wind rose, the black robes fluttered, and the soul thunder rumbled faintly.

His steps were steady, each step seemingly treading on the very fabric of heaven and earth, exuding a resolute determination that commanded the solemnity of the world.

The Soul Jade has been dormant for ten days.

Ever since he obtained the Soul Jade, he had been trying to use it to call Xie Mingli, but he had never received a response.

At that moment, he understood.

—Something has happened to the Xie family.

But at this moment, he did not immediately summon thunder, draw his sword, or begin to kill.

He just kept walking, into the night, into the snow.

Snow fell on his hair, eyebrows, and shoulders, but it had no warmth at all.

The wind was cold, but he couldn't feel it.

The Soul Jade pressed tightly against his heart, icy and trembling slightly, like the sigh of a mute person.

He lowered his head and quietly smoothed the dent under his clothes.

The Soul Jade was not broken, but the familiar soul intent within it had become so faint as to be almost imperceptible.

Chu Ning suddenly remembered that night three years ago.

Xie Mingli knelt beside him, her hair disheveled, her eyes red as if they could bleed, yet she still stubbornly asked, "Chu Ning, do you believe in fate?"

He didn't answer then.

Because he has never believed in fate.

But at that moment, he wavered.

He said, "I don't believe you, but I believe you."

She smiled, a smile like the wind blowing across a clear pond. She said, "Then let's make a promise: if one day I disappear... you must come looking for me."

Now, the Soul Jade has fallen silent, just like the echo of her disappearance into countless destinies.

He suddenly felt his steps were a little heavy.

It's not just tiredness, it's a long-lost weight weighing on my heart.

This wasn't the burden of defeating a thousand enemies, nor the shackles of a cultivation bottleneck, but rather... a fear he hadn't felt in many years.

He was afraid of being late.

He feared she would wait too long in the cold prison, and that when she leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky, she would never remember his face again.

I'm afraid she'll be forced to bow her head, submit, and remain silent; I'm afraid she'll forget all the vows she made.

He was afraid she would no longer believe he would come.

"I can't be late."

He murmured again, so softly that only he could hear it.

Yet, the Soul Thunder resonated quietly.

At that moment, the Thunder Soul within his body remained still, yet it seemed to understand his thoughts, subtly circulating and generating a thin line of lightning in his soul sea, bypassing all murderous intent and returning to his soul wheel.

He had never realized it so clearly:
He did not advance to kill, nor did he cultivate the Thunder Soul for revenge.

He walked this path to fulfill his vow, to keep the promise he made: "I believe in you."

……

Fenglei Mountain is located at the strategic pass between the northern border and the capital.

Heavy snow has covered the mountain paths for days, with snow accumulation reaching a foot deep, and merchants who used to travel there have long since avoided taking other routes.

Chu Ning did not detour, but went straight up the main road.

Suddenly, something unusual happened in the snow-covered forest on the mountainside.

An old man, dressed in a dark blue Taoist robe, stood atop a snow-covered cliff, holding a Mountain Soul Token in his hand, and declared in a clear voice: "The Wind and Thunder Sect, acting on a secret imperial decree, is to capture the traitor Chu Ning. Anyone who disobeys will be punished equally!"

Before the words were finished, a thunderous roar resounded from all directions of Fenglei Mountain.

Five elders of the Wind and Thunder Sect appeared from the pine forest, snow ravine, and cliff, all of them possessing cultivation levels above the eighth rank. They set up the Five Directions Locking Thunder Formation, sealing off the entire mountain path.

Chu Ning stopped, her expression unchanged.

He did not ask "on what grounds" nor question the so-called "secret decree".

He simply raised his head slowly and looked at the sect flag fluttering on the main peak of Fenglei Mountain.

That was the sect he had encountered at the Qingyun Arena.

Three years ago, the Fenglei Sect was just a small sect in the border region.

When he shone brightly at Qingyun Arena, the sect leader ordered his disciples to serve him Xueya Tea. Now, however, he has changed his ways, and it is unknown who he serves as his master. He dares to block the mountain and stop people.

"Please let your Sect Master Ning come out for a chat," Chu Ning said softly.

The five elders snorted coldly and activated the array flags together, causing the mountain to tremble and the thunder array to seal the sky.

An avalanche cascaded down from the mountaintop. Amidst the biting wind, the five transformed into five streaks of lightning, descending simultaneously, intending to strike first.

Chu Ning simply raised his palm slowly, and a bolt of lightning condensed at his fingertips.

A flash of lightning illuminated the scene, the sky darkened instantly, and a powerful aura quietly rose from his body.

The silent bluestone snow beneath his feet surged with his breath, sending pebbles flying and thunder rumbling through the air.

"boom--!"

Lightning burst down instantly, like divine punishment tearing the sky apart, with five pillars of lightning descending from the heavens and piercing through the mountain.

The main peak of Fenglei Mountain appeared to be torn apart, and the mountain range split into three parts.

Before the five elders of the Wind and Thunder Sect could even activate their Mountain Soul Origin, they were struck by lightning, their throats sealed and their Qi Seas shattered. They didn't even have time to utter a plea for mercy before turning into charred bones lying in the snow.

The thunder continued for a long time, the snow-covered forest was completely white, and the mountains trembled.

The entire Fenglei Mountain seemed to have been cleaved in two by a single palm strike.

Thunder still echoed in the distant mountains, rocks crumbled, dust rose, and the remnants of battle turned into charred, broken marks. A deep ravine split from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain, a shocking sight.

Chu Ning slowly withdrew his hand, his black robe falling to the ground, the sleeves concealing the lightning in his palm, along with the violent aura. His expression was calm as still water, only the lingering lightning intent in the depths of his eyes remained, cold and murderous.

But beneath that chilling aura lay an indescribable silence.

He looked down at his palm, where the lingering soul lightning pattern still flickered faintly on his skin, as if its echo still lingered.

"If I had this power three years ago..." he murmured to himself, his words already filled with deep meaning, "I could have broken through countless obstacles, saved her, saved myself... and even rewritten everything."

But now?

He broke through the enemy's formation, intimidated all sides, and killed all enemies who blocked his way. The mountains and rivers bowed down at his feet, but at the moment of victory, he felt a void in his heart.

That kind of "emptiness" is not due to a lack of strength, nor is it a victory that is not honorable.

Instead, he finally understood that beyond power, there was an even more difficult-to-grasp "Tao".

What exactly is his "Dao"? Is it to fight for the sake of fighting? To destroy for the sake of destroying? If everything has been severed, then where does this unfillable emptiness in his heart come from?

The battle ended, and snow fell heavily. He stood atop Thunder Scar, seemingly the only being on this solitary peak, surrounded by the vastness of heaven and earth, yet with no one to confide in.

Amidst the wind and snow, he looked back at Fenglei Mountain. The lightning marks on the mountain peak had not yet dissipated, and the scorched earth had not yet cooled, yet there were no traces of enemies left.

He suddenly felt a sense of loneliness, as if after this battle, the one who truly died was the one who once believed that "by pointing the sword at injustice, I can save her."

What exactly is his "Dao"? Is it to fight for the sake of fighting? To destroy for the sake of destroying? If everything has been severed, then where does this unfillable emptiness in his heart come from?

The battle ended, and snow fell heavily. He stood atop Thunder Scar, seemingly the only being on this solitary peak, surrounded by the vastness of heaven and earth, yet with no one to confide in.

"Ming Li..." He called her name in his heart, as if using all his strength, or as if sighing softly, "Are you... alright?"

This voice is his obsession, his concern, and the reason he has persevered to this day.

He never looked back at the corpses and ruins behind him; those people, those lives, vanished like dust in his palm. He felt no pity, for he could not stop.

At this moment, he is only looking forward.

Because there, a promise was never kept.

The battle at the Great Wall shocked the Northern Territory. Chu Ning, wielding Soul Thunder alone, swept through a massive beast tide, slaying the Beast King outside Zhenbei Pass. His fame spread like thunder throughout the four regions.

After the battle at Fenglei Mountain, Chu Ning traveled a hundred miles west and entered the Luoshui region, where rumors had already spread.

Luoshui is a place with many hot springs and willows, and has been a place for northern sects to stay and hold literary banquets since ancient times.

But now, the arrival of one person has thrown the entire city into turmoil.

People called him "Thunder Soul," saying that his power was enough to suppress a city single-handedly.

Therefore, taking advantage of this opportune moment, Yunhuotang took the initiative to hold a banquet at Luoshui.

The purpose of the event was ostensibly to "wash away the dust of the heroes of Zhenbei," but in reality, it was to establish a good relationship with this prominent figure of the time.

The sect held a grand ceremony, sealing off the entire Drunken Smoke House, all for a single banquet tonight.

The banquet was held at the Phoenix Terrace Moon Pavilion, with red curtains hanging high and fragrant breezes filling the alley. Dozens of female cultivators in red robes greeted the guests at the entrance, and the people in the neighborhood stopped to watch.

The phrase "Lei Hun Chu Ning is attending a banquet today" has almost become a common saying.

Passersby were all proud, children spread the news, and martial artists waited early at the entrance of the market, just to catch a glimpse of the figure who had returned from the bloody battle in the far north.

Chu Ning slowly appeared amidst a sea of ​​people.

He was still wearing a black robe, covered in dust, and his expression was indifferent.

He neither hurried nor bowed, but walked step by step through the snow, like a traveler returning home from the mountains.

But to anyone who looked at it, those steps seemed to contain the power of thunder.

Yunhuo Hall, wanting to use Chu Ning's name to demonstrate its power in the northern border, set up this grand banquet.

Chu Ning saw through the hypocrisy at a glance, but still went alone.

Since someone dares to use courtesy as a weapon, he will let them know what it means to "drink with thunder and feast on life and death."

Zuiyanfang is closed to the public today. The "Fengtai Qiyue" restaurant is adorned with beaded curtains, and female warriors in red robes are lined up to welcome them.

The common people, wandering knights, and storytellers in the neighborhood all stopped and looked up, waiting for the legendary "Thunder Soul" to step into the restaurant.

Chu Ning did not arrive quickly.

His steps were steady, his black robe still damp with snow, and his cloak fluttering in the wind.

Without any spiritual energy enhancement, each step he took seemed to touch the hearts of everyone present.

The female warrior bowed her head to greet the guests, and no one dared to look up at him.

Some people once witnessed Chu Ning's thunderous power from the Great Wall and have been haunted by nightmares ever since.

Now that we're so close, the fear deep within my soul unconsciously resurfaces.

Chu Ning remained silent and showed no courtesy, but slowly ascended the tower.

Snow fell from the eaves, shattering silently beneath my boots.

The hall was filled with incense smoke, and the incense of the dead burned in a corner. Jade cups and plates were placed on the table, and the delicious wine seemed like a generous gesture, but a murderous plot was already set up.

The music was melodious and flowing, but in reality, a sonic killing array had already been deployed. A slight difference in pitch could shake the soul and shatter consciousness.

The three Cloudfire Hall Masters, all seventh-rank martial artists, had been waiting for a long time.

They were impeccably dressed, and their smiles were as warm as a spring breeze, as if they were genuinely welcoming and washing away the dust of their journey.

"In the Battle of the Northern Frontier, General Chu achieved legendary status in a single battle," the head of the central hall rose first, bowed respectfully, and said, "Yunhuo Hall dares not forget his contributions. Today, we have prepared this humble banquet to offer a toast to this hero."

Chu Ning glanced at the three people, then looked away from the main seat and slowly sat down in the side seat.

He sat there, neither humble nor arrogant, yet as if seated before the gods.

He raised his cup, took a small sip, and without setting the cup down, simply replied:

"I'm going to an invitation, not to ask for a favor."

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere at the table suddenly became slightly tense.

Chu Ning's words, "I'm going to an invitation, not to ask for a favor," were like a cold blade sweeping away snow; though his tone was calm, they chilled the warm atmosphere in the room.

The three Cloudfire Hall Masters exchanged glances, their smiles freezing midway, unsure whether to abandon their act or force themselves to continue.

The awkwardness lasted only a moment; one of the hall masters raised his wine cup, making a gesture to salvage the situation.
"General Chu is indeed quick-witted and outspoken, as sharp as thunder. We toast you to express our respect."

Chu Ning, however, had closed his eyes and remained silent, seemingly drinking wine and appreciating incense, but in reality, he was intently listening to the zither.

The woman playing the zither had extremely light fingers. At first, the music flowed like a gentle stream, without any murderous intent. But as the music progressed, the key became deeper and deeper, gradually shifting to the pentatonic scale, as if gently drawing the soul away.

The aroma of wine lingers, and the fragrance of the soul surrounds you. It is not overpowering, but rather like a thread that probes from your nasal cavity into your sea of ​​consciousness.

A thought struck him—the formation was complete.

The soul array is not located in the earth's veins or in the runes, but is hidden in the fragrance, the sound of the zither, and the intoxication of the wine. It is an extremely subtle and ingenious illusionary soul killing array that attacks the mind but not the body, causing people to unconsciously sink into a state of spiritual obsession and the emergence of obsession.

He sensed that several low-level cultivators in the room were trapped in the formation, their eyes were fixed, their breathing was slow, and their consciousness was floating and uncertain, as if they were talking to some illusion.

Suddenly, a strange movement occurred in the hall.

The servant who had been waiting at the door for a long time suddenly stepped forward, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

He was holding the fourth round of wine in his hand, but he staggered, and there were faint black streaks in the wine cup, as if someone had deliberately tampered with it.

Chu Ning opened his eyes, his gaze instantly locking onto the servant, a flash of lightning in his eyes.

A sweep of spiritual sense—and it was indeed true!
The substance in the wine was not an ordinary bewitching potion, but a "Soul-Severing Powder" condensed from Yin energy!
This thing is extremely difficult to detect. If he hadn't witnessed the devastation of the Soul-Severing Powder during his battle against the evil army in the North, he would probably have been affected tonight.

His gaze turned slightly cold, but his tone remained calm, uttering only one sentence:
"Are you respecting me, or the master behind you?"

The expressions of the three hall masters changed drastically at the same time. The one in the middle, in particular, suddenly lost his smile, his fingertips trembled slightly, and he quietly reached for the magic talisman in his ring.

Before he could even speak, Chu Ning had already swirled the wine cup slightly and tapped the rim of the cup with his fingertips.

"Ding--"

A bird's cry, clear and crisp, rang out like thunder. Thunder patterns appeared on the bottom of the cup, as if a dragon were just awakening, with lightning dancing within them, blooming inch by inch.

He overturned the wine cup, spilling the wine onto the ground and wetting the brocade carpet in front of the table.

That cup of wine was the very thing he had prepared for the first round—the incense in the cup had not been stirred, but only contained the thunder that drew upon the earth's veins.

The thunderous intent seeped into the earth's veins along with the wine, like thunder seeds sown in the soil, ignited by a spark in an instant.

"Since you have set up this formation, you should know the consequences."

"boom!!"

A thunderclap resounded from the depths of the foundation below, as if the earth's energy in the entire Drunken Smoke House had been ignited in an instant.

The thunderous python surged forth, instantly shattering the incense of the soul, causing the zither music to resonate in reverse, and the sound array to backfire.

Before the female cultivator playing the zither could escape, she was struck so hard that her soul meridians were severed. Before she could even scream, she fainted and collapsed on the spot, her finger bones shattered.

The roof ridge suddenly cracked open, and a bolt of lightning shot straight to the top of the sky, tearing off the heavy curtains, shattering the glazed tiles, exploding the incense table into dust, and cracking and charring the wooden pillars. The entire upper level of the Drunken Smoke House was reduced to ashes as if by the roar of the Thunder God.

Caught off guard, the three hall masters were caught in the thunderous tide before they could even form hand seals to protect themselves.

Two of them experienced thunderous roars in their dantian, their souls instantly collapsed, smoke flowed from their seven orifices, and they turned into charred corpses lying in the thunder field.

Only the hall master in the middle, whose seat was off-center, was severely injured but still retained a trace of his soul.

He coughed up blood, lying prone among the ruins, his hands and feet trembling, struggling to lift his eyes.

Chu Ning slowly approached, his black robe fluttering without wind, and a faint aura of thunder surrounding him, as if a god had descended to earth.

The hall master's face was deathly pale, his pupils were grayish, and he clenched his teeth tightly, struggling to utter a sentence:
"It wasn't me...it was someone above who wanted to test you, to see if you...had reached the Saintly Realm..."

Chu Ning's gaze sharpened, but her tone remained calm and composed:
"above?"

The hall master's consciousness was scattered, but he felt a bolt of lightning approaching his sea of ​​consciousness, not severing his soul, but only suppressing his spirit.

He realized with horror that the other party was not in a hurry to kill him, but was trying to force him to reveal who was behind it all.

He gritted his teeth and forced a smile: "Yes, yes... Prince Duan. He said you were neither loyal nor rebellious, and wanted to see you gain power before he knew whether to push you down or destroy you..."

Before he could finish speaking, blood spurted out again, staining the gold markings on his chest red.

His breath plummeted, his consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse, seemingly about to be extinguished at any moment.

Chu Ning remained indifferent, flicking his finger to send a wisp of lightning energy to suppress the soul core, preventing it from immediately disintegrating.

“I let you live so that you could bear witness,” he said calmly. “You tested me, but I will also test you.”

He turned and left, his steps as usual, his tone light, yet it resonated loudly amidst the wind and thunder:
"To test someone else's skills, first see if you have the right iron."

The thunderous pressure receded like a tide, leaving only scorched earth and rubble everywhere.

The hall master, whose life hung by a thread, lay among the broken wood, his soul ashen, yet he remembered those words vividly.

The local residents were terrified and had no idea what was happening. They only dared to watch from a distance and no one dared to take a step closer.

Amidst the wind and thunder, a figure emerged from the broken tiles and rubble, his cloak fluttering in the wind, his clothes spotless and his expression cold and stern.

Chu Ning stepped down from the collapsed building, raised his eyes to look at the distant night sky, as if listening to the lingering echoes of thunder.

He walked unhurriedly among the embers and broken wood, as if he were a traveler returning home under the moonlight.

At that moment, the name of Thunder Soul was no longer just a legend, but a divine might descending upon the people; whoever dared to plot against him would perish.

When Chu Ning left, the thunderous aura had not yet dissipated.

But he felt no sense of victory.

He knew this was just a part of the power struggle; no matter how powerful his killing techniques were, it would be difficult to break the web of fate.

He slowly calmed his breath, the lightning between his brows still lingering, yet he felt his mind turbulent like a surging tide.

He wondered—why, knowing it was a trap, did he still insist on attending the banquet?
Perhaps he just wanted to forcefully shatter that veil of pretense and see how much "truth" remained in this world.

Or perhaps, in these battles of killing and scheming, what he was looking for was not the enemy's weakness, but his own uncharted "path".

During the three-day journey, Chu Ning was ambushed no less than ten times. By the time he reached Jianglindu, dusk had already fallen.

Jianglin Ferry is the only waterway crossing connecting the northern regions to the central plains. Due to the rapid currents of the river and the steep mountains on both sides, it has been a strategic location for military strategists since ancient times.

A thousand years ago, a great Confucian scholar deployed his troops here, using his literary wisdom to control the army and repel 100,000 southern barbarians. Later generations set up an altar on the riverbank to worship the spirit of the scholar, and it was revered as "Wenjiang" (Literary River).

A thousand years later, this place is no longer a battlefield, but a deadly undercurrent still lurks beneath the surface.

As darkness fell, the snow line receded, and a foggy river stretched out ahead.

Chu Ning walked slowly and stood on the cliff of the riverbank. The wind blew from the heart of the river, carrying water vapor and coldness, as cold as an invisible blade, gently grazing his robes and brow bone, but unable to sever the almost stubborn obsession in his heart.

He looked towards the opposite bank.

Amidst the misty river and hazy light, a slender figure appears and disappears, as if draped in a veil of moonlight, standing in the wind on the distant shore.

is her.

Xie Mingli.

She stood there quietly, dressed in plain clothes, her black hair flowing, as if waiting for him, or as if she had long been used to waiting.

The wind rustled the hem of her clothes, but her face remained indistinct.

"Chun Ning."

In the river breeze, he seemed to hear her softly calling his name, as if it came from a dream, or as if it rose from the depths of the Soul Jade.

That sound wasn't urgent, but it seemed to come from an extremely distant place, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, and passing through the many gaps of time, just so that he could hear it at this moment.

His heart skipped a beat, and the next moment, the river breeze shifted, and the mist suddenly obscured the figure.

He stood there, stunned, without saying a word.

A moment later, he slowly reached out and pressed his hand to his chest. The Soul Jade hidden there remained as cold as it had been ten days ago, silent and still.

But he knew it wasn't a hallucination. It wasn't an illusion.

It was his soul's longing, her call, that was the sole reason he embarked on this journey.

He looked up at the sky; the starlight on the river was faint, and the world was as dark as ink.

Suddenly a faint sound reached my ears.

He looked down and saw a drop of water slide down from the eaves of the ancient bridge, fall into the river, and splash a little ripple.

The river wind was as cold as a blade, and the river mist, like a billowing white ribbon, swallowed up the reeds on the bank.

The water surface was unusually calm, as if a large hand had suppressed the ripples, leaving it silent and still.

There were no boats or ships, only an ancient wooden pontoon bridge spanning the river.

The bridge leans slightly, seemingly swaying gently with the river waves, yet beneath its piers lies a dark blue soul stone, as steady as a rock.

The wooden bridge is decorated with cloud patterns in relief, as if they were breathing. The red lanterns at the end of the bridge sway slightly, as if there were bloodstains.

On the bridge, an old man sat alone, wearing a straw raincoat, fishing with a bamboo pole in his hand.

His beard and eyebrows were as white as frost, yet his spirit and breath were completely contained, not a breath out of his mouth.

Chu Ning stood quietly by the river, without stepping onto the bridge.

A drop of water slid off the bridge eaves and fell into the river, creating a ripple.

Just as the water droplet broke through the surface, four water spirits quietly emerged from under the bridge, silently entered the stream, and quietly circled around Chu Ning.

They use the river as their body and their soul as their scales, moving through the water without leaving a trace. They are all unique soul-cultivating martial artists from the Cold Water Clan, skilled in array killing and soul-devouring techniques, and are known as "the wet soul is silent, and the soul scatters when a person dies".

This is the secret technique of the Cold Water lineage, the "Drowning Soul Array".

Those who enter the formation will have their souls trapped, their consciousness sinking, and their water spirits lingering around them, silently and invisibly eroding their souls. It is said that "once you wake up from a dream at the Soul Platform, you will not know where you have gone."

A glint flashed in Chu Ning's eyes, but he remained standing still.

This kind of soul formation is not about brute force, but rather like luring someone into a trap, waiting for them to walk right into it.

"Trapping the soul, corroding consciousness, drawing illusions, and then using the water blade to sever the spirit." Chu Ning had already severed the formation in his mind.

"A mid-level sixth-rank array builder...is trying to test my strength."

He brushed the dust off his clothes and walked as usual.

The first step was to land silently, with the thunderous intent spreading from the soles of his feet into the earth's veins.

The river water suddenly trembled.

The four souls immediately felt pressure, and one of them transmitted a voice: "Something's not right. This kid's soul pressure is strange; he's no ordinary martial artist."

The second step involves a slight surge of thunderous energy, like ripples gently spreading. The patterns on the bridge surface resonate quietly with the thunderous veins, as if in an instant the bridge has transformed into a thunder-guiding array.

The four souls underwater were like fish seeing thunder, frantically swimming away, trying to hide their souls and escape, but they had already been locked onto by the thunder's intent. If they moved, they would attract thunder; if they remained still, they would be trapped.

Thirdly, Chu Ning closed his eyes, exhaled softly, and whispered:

"Thunder subdues water."

These four words are not like a spell, but rather like a question to heaven and earth, a manifestation of the Daoist mind.

In an instant, the river mist turned into lightning, and the lightning was hidden in the air currents and lurking in the water veins, like spring thunder entering the earth, quietly resounding.

"Hidden water" is not a direct strike of thunder, but a "soft thunder," which conceals its power and operates without form, much like the principle of "using stillness to control movement" in Tai Chi, using softness to control hardness and emptiness to break through solidity.

No lightning flashed, no thunder roared.

But in the next instant, the entire river surface suddenly swelled, thunder roared from the ground, and a bolt of lightning rose from the river, sweeping across all directions.

The three-foot-deep river water evaporated instantly, and the thunderous intent solidified into a form, resembling a golden and blue lightning serpent that pierced through the soul array and entangled and killed the water ghosts.

Before the four water shadows could escape, they were swallowed by the thunder python, like fish swimming against the current.

"puff--!"

The old man on the shore felt as if his soul had been struck by lightning, blood spilled from his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground, not even daring to reel in his fishing rod.

Before the four martial artists could even utter a scream, their bodies were scorched by the lightning, their souls melting away like snow meeting fire, leaving only wisps of smoke that dissipated into the river wind.

The pontoon bridge also snapped in the lightning, turning into broken logs that fell into the river.

The entire river surface seemed to have been cleaved open, with lightning streaks running down the river and into the deep abyss in the heart of the river, lingering for a long time. The thunderous energy reverberated, and even the starlight trembled.

Chu Ning stood still, her gaze fixed on the water.

He did not leave immediately.

Although the battle was swift, it brought him a different kind of realization.

"Thunder is not just for killing."

"Thunder can also conceal its power within gentleness, lie dormant within water, and reside in the heart."

Previously, the Thunder Soul he cultivated was all of the fierce and powerful kind, capable of destroying the soul and splitting the spirit, severely breaking through and lightly controlling.

This time, however, he used lightning to enter the battle, turning hardness into softness, and stillness into momentum, yet it was even faster and more intense.

"The ultimate movement of the soul arises from the formless; the ultimate killing power of thunder lies dormant in silence."

He sat cross-legged, letting the river breeze brush against his clothes, and closed his eyes in deep thought.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, a soul pattern gradually emerged.

It was not the previous lightning blade, lightning bone, or lightning armor, but rather a pattern like flowing water, spreading from the center in a vortex shape. Rings of lightning veins surrounded the sea of ​​souls, still as ripples, but capable of devouring souls and spirits when in motion.

Thunder is like water, and thunder can be hidden within water.

The rudiments of the Soul Pattern are beginning to appear.

If this pattern is completed, it will not only be a weapon for attacking the soul, but also a way of setting up formations. It can both ambush the enemy without their knowledge and protect the body from being killed. It combines offense and defense, and complements yin and yang.

Chu Ning slowly opened her eyes.

The night was deep, the stars were few, and the fog had not yet dissipated.

He walked to the shore, picked up a few pieces of dead wood from the wrecked boat, infused them with spirit to form a boat, the planks interwoven like thunder patterns, and with a light step on the river, the boat was formed.

He didn't look back; his silhouette followed the flowing lightning, crossing the river mist and chasing the stars.

The angler remained kneeling at the end of the bridge for a long time without getting up.

Above the river, the thunderous energy still lingered, ripples spreading out, as if heaven and earth were still murmuring their own enlightenment.

Thunder can split mountains and submerge waters.

Movement contains stillness, and killing contains life; this is the way of soul cultivation, the heart of the thunder soul.

The thunder boat broke through the fog and anchored in Jiangnan.

Chu Ning walked on the lightning patterns, without uttering a word, each step measured and rhythmic.

At the end of the riverbank, at the foot of the mountain, a line of golden-armored cavalry stood like a wall, exuding a chilling aura, having been waiting for some time.

A mountain breeze caressed my face, banners fluttered slightly, and a chill ran through my bones beneath the iron armor.

The leader sat high on a red-maned warhorse, dressed in a purple robe and gold cloak, his handsome features concealing arrogance.

He spurred his horse forward, raised his hand to block the path, and spoke clearly:
"Chu Ning, the Yan family and the Xie family have a marriage agreement. If you insist on continuing to get close to Xie Mingli, you will be usurping the position of the clan's daughter and violating etiquette by stealing a marriage alliance. This matter concerns the reputation of both families and cannot be allowed to proceed recklessly!"

Chu Ning remained calm, his gaze fixed on the man's brows, and he called out softly:

"you are?"

"Yan Chengyan, the heir of the Prince of Yan's mansion." Yan Chengyan's gaze was sharp. "Xie Mingli is my fiancée, and the marriage certificate is proof in black and white. I have come here on my father's orders to bring her back to the family, which is perfectly legitimate. You are nothing more than someone she relied on on her way to escape the marriage, so you should go back immediately."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ning's lips curled slightly, but there was not a trace of a smile; instead, there was an extremely cold sarcasm.

He said calmly, "I haven't heard of it."

His words were like thunder, and their impact was profound.

Xie Chengjun, Xie Mingli's father, was once the commander of a major army under the Prince of Yan's mansion. He had made great military achievements and was known for his strong character.

Back then, in order to win over this general, the Prince of Yan's mansion took the initiative to propose a marriage between their children, arranging a marriage between their heir Yan Chengyan and a girl from the Xie family.

Xie Chengjun initially thought this marriage was a political alliance, but unexpectedly, he discovered that the reason the Prince of Yan's mansion valued Xie Mingli was not because of the Xie family's loyalty or Xie Mingli's character, but because of the rare "Cold Soul Vein" in her body—a natural physique that could help future generations forge their souls and strengthen their bones.

A marriage contract is nothing more than a fig leaf to cover up a forced marriage.

Afterwards, Xie Chengjun coldly broke off the engagement, and the Prince of Yan's mansion did not say much. Instead, they "dignifiedly" withdrew the marriage certificate, leading outsiders to believe that the two families had reconciled.

The real reason was that Xie Chengjun resolutely refused to use his daughter as a "soul-casting furnace," and the Prince of Yan's mansion, knowing the despicable nature of the matter, dealt with it coldly.

Even now, Xie Chengjun has been framed for treason and imprisoned, the entire Xie family has been demoted, and Xie Mingli's status has plummeted.

The Prince of Yan's mansion finally made its move again—sending Yan Chengyan to personally pick up Xie Mingli, attempting to bring her back under the guise of "fulfilling the old agreement."

"She is my fiancée." Yan Cheng said with certainty, standing in front of his horse, clad in golden armor, his voice like thunder, "I am here on my father's orders to bring her back to the manor."

Chu Ning gazed at him, her eyes like a deep pool, calm and undisturbed.

He remembered that Xie Mingli had told him, choking back tears, in Tingsong Pavilion that the so-called "marriage alliance" had turned into a nightmare since she was ten years old. The Yan family had sent her to the Cold Spring for trials on multiple occasions under the pretext of "pre-marital conditioning" to stimulate her soul potential and force her to endure the torment of her soul. They even secretly made a soul contract, and if the Xie family did not comply, they would use their military force to pressure them.

"This is not a marriage alliance, it is a soul refinement." Chu Ning murmured, his tone calm but sharp.

He hasn't come to steal the bride today; he's come to destroy the wedding gifts.

Before the thunderous intent stirred, the wind already solidified. Soul light flowed beneath Chu Ning's feet as he launched his attack, the thunderous soul condensing in his palm.

"boom."

In that instant, the world changed color.

Thunderclouds surged, mountains and rivers trembled, and a thunder dragon roared down from the heavens, carrying immense fury, rushing straight down to the ranks of riders below the mountain.

Before the golden-armored guards could even form a battle formation, they were engulfed by the sea of ​​lightning. The lightning and fire shattered their armor and bones, turning them into scorched earth.

Yan Chengyan suddenly raised his hand, trying to call for his guards to defend him, but he only had time to open his eyes wide before his soul was pierced by lightning, his soul platform shattered, and his divine consciousness annihilated. Before he could even have the thought of resisting, his whole body had turned into charcoal and fell into the dust, leaving no trace of his body.

The thunderous force had not yet subsided; the lightning marks spread from Chu Ning's feet to several miles across the forest, shattering the mountains and leaving charred bones scattered everywhere.

This is the destruction of thunder, but it is more than just destruction.

This is the Soul Path's counterattack, a denial of the old order, and his use of the Soul's will to shatter the sordid nature of "marriage" being used as a tool.

"A martial artist should be independent and choose his own path, rather than being controlled by bloodline, clan, or power."

Today's thunder wasn't just for Xie Mingli.

It also shines a ray of light for the millions of people who are bound by etiquette and whose fates are predetermined.

Chu Ning stood with his palms closed, his robes still in place.

He strode over the scorched earth and bones, his voice low and resolute:
"Who she is has never been up to you to decide."

The Thunder Soul has been formed; it is no longer just a killing technique, but an extension of his thoughts and will.

—Breaking the rules into swords, shattering the shackles into thunder, may there be no "marriage contracts" of power, no marriage alliances of scheming.

The wind subsided, the thunder ceased, and the sky brightened again.

Chu Ning's figure walked against the light.

He never looked back.

This battle was both about breaking through enemy lines and breaking through their mental barriers.

Within a few days, he had broken through several sects.

Chu Ning, however, became more and more composed as the battle progressed, his killing intent gradually subsided, and his spiritual consciousness became clearer.

He knew he was not born into a bloody society, but now that he was in it, there was only one path he could take: to stop war with war, and to raise his soul as his banner.

But just as he was taking a short break to catch his breath, an invitation quietly arrived.

It was neither paper nor letter, neither dove nor seal, yet a strand of soul pierced through the air and gently touched his soul sea—like a dream, yet irresistible.

That is a mark that only those with extremely high levels of soul manipulation can leave, serving both as guidance and a test.

He did not speak, but focused his soul on his finger, using the lightning to guide the soul thread in response, and then embarked on the road to Xiling.

It wasn't a trap, but an invitation—an invitation tinged with elegance, a hint of anticipation hidden within murderous intent.

Such skill was obvious to Chu Ning without needing to guess its origin.

The Azure Phoenix Sect, located atop the Western Ridge, is perpetually shrouded in mist and never experiences snow. It has been a secluded sect for female cultivators since ancient times.

The sect's lineage is unique, based on the three arts of "Dance Soul," "Dream Guidance," and "Musical Array," and is known as "the ability to kill without a blade, even with laughter."

When foreign enemies invade, we may not meet them with swords and spears; often, a simple dance can send them into a silent nightmare.

When Chu Ning stepped into Xiling, he already sensed the fluctuating energy. Unlike the previous sects' ambushes and surprise attacks, this place was silent and devoid of killing intent, yet it was full of hidden temptations.

He could easily tell that this was more like a premeditated invitation.

Before dusk, the lights in the mountains were already lit.

Ascend the stone steps from the foot of the mountain to the viewing platform halfway up the mountain.

One by one, the blue lights danced in the wind like floating lanterns, like fairies leading the way or like ghosts welcoming guests, eerie yet tranquil.

He paused for a moment, seemingly sensing the patterns of the array, before stepping forward without hesitation.

On the viewing platform, more than ten female cultivators were already waiting. Dressed in light red gauze and with phoenix feathers covering their faces, they were all top disciples selected from the Azure Phoenix Sect, and their appearances and demeanors were all peerless beauties.

A typhoon blows by, carrying a faint fragrance; before the music even begins, the heart is already stirred.

The leader, clad in a blue embroidered robe with phoenix-shaped gold hairpins adorning her temples, possessed an elegant and gentle demeanor; she was none other than Yu Wuxin, the Vice Sect Master of the Azure Phoenix Sect. Unable to discern any fluctuations in her cultivation level, she slowly rose, offered a graceful bow, and spoke softly:

"I have heard that the Chu general has traveled a thousand miles south, breaking through enemy lines all the way, and the elders of the sect hold him in the highest esteem. The scenery here is beautiful, and I would like to arrange a dance to help the Chu general wash away his dust and fatigue."

Chu Ning's gaze remained calm. He neither refused nor responded, but only glanced at her before turning his attention to the center of the viewing platform.

The zither is set up, the incense is lit, and the soul array fluctuations have already appeared beneath the stage.

It was a dream array guided by "love and soul," which used the fragrance of soul to enter the body, the sound of the zither to stimulate the heart, and the dance to captivate the spirit, specifically designed to break through the cultivator's sea of ​​consciousness defenses and secretly seize and control the soul.

Three years ago, the Azure Phoenix Sect used this method to lure and kill three sixth-rank superior experts in the northern border, shocking the nine sects and earning the title of "invisible blade".

Yu Wuxin danced slowly, her steps gentle yet possessing a powerful guiding force, as if each streak of blue light danced with the movement of her robes.

With a smile in her eyes, seemingly shy and timid, she led the way step by step toward the center of the formation.

"General Chu has defeated several sects in succession. Are you tired? Why not rest for a moment, so that our Azure Phoenix Dance can refresh you..."

Before she could finish speaking, Chu Ning spoke calmly:
"The beauty trap might have worked three years ago."

His tone suddenly changed, and his expression hardened.

"Now, it's not enough."

With a flick of his sleeve, lightning flashed at his fingertips, as fine as silk threads, yet containing the power to shatter souls.

"boom."

The incense of the soul reversed, the sound of the zither reversed, and before the power of the dream array could be fully activated, it was torn apart by the lightning intent and directly destroyed from the foundation.

The entire viewing platform shook violently, and the female cultivators were forced back, exhaling their soul energy. Their soul consciousness was in turmoil, and their divine sense was as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer. Very few of them managed to stabilize their breath.

Yu Wuxin was the first to be hit. His face turned pale, blood gushed from his mouth and nose, and he knelt on the ground. His soul pulse trembled violently and almost collapsed, but he was not fatally injured.

Chu Ning stood below the stage, not seizing the opportunity to attack again. His expression was indifferent, his eyes unfathomable. After scanning the crowd, he spoke slowly:

“It is not out of mercy that I do not kill you.”

"I'm keeping you here so you can see what true soul power is."

"Next time, don't block my way."

After saying that, he turned and went down the mountain, his voice still echoing behind him.

Ten steps away, the soul pressure subsided, the thunderous intent receded like a receding tide, and the world returned to silence.

The fact that they retreated without being wounded, seemingly without killing a single enemy, was in fact a devastating blow that shook the entire sect, shattered their formation, and crushed their spirit.

The Azure Phoenix Sect's proud Dream Array and Dance Soul were as fragile as paper in his hands.

A mountain breeze swept by, the lingering fragrance of incense still remained on the viewing platform, but the soul array had shattered.

Yu Wuxin knelt between the broken stones, supporting her still-healing cracks in her soul veins as she slowly stood up.

She looked up in the direction Chu Ning had left, but the figure in the black robe was already out of sight. Only the wind swirled along the mountain path, and the lingering thunder rumbled in the wind, like an unbroken vow.

She coughed up blood, but there was no anger in her eyes.

She simply stared silently at the tabletop ripped apart by lightning, the shattered strings, and the fallen disciples. These skills, once her pride and joy, were now nothing but ruins.

In that instant, she suddenly realized that she had never truly understood that man.

He was neither the Lei Xiu recorded in the sect's records, nor the Soul Master she knew.

He can kill silently, yet after breaking through the formation, he can restrain himself like water, never using another finger; he doesn't proclaim benevolence, yet he can leave people with a lingering memory with the words "not out of mercy"; he is as cold as thunder, yet every move he makes contains a hidden determination.

That wasn't just simple anger. Nor was it wildness.

That is the way.

It is the "meaning" of thunder.

She suddenly whispered, her voice extremely soft: "He is the one who transforms souls into thunder... and also the one who returns thunder to souls."

For him, thunder was not just for killing. It was for awakening, and also for making a vow.

She closed her eyes, remained silent for a long time, and murmured to herself:

"He is our... enemy whom Qingluan has not seen for a hundred years."

"He is also the only enemy I have ever respected in my life."

However, Chu Ning's expression did not lighten as he descended the mountain.

He was still deep in thought.

The method to break the formation was not a coincidence, but rather the initial prototype of the "Heart-Breaking Thunder" that he had been repeatedly pondering over the past month.

Using soul thunder to enter the formation and intention to break through consciousness, he specializes in breaking through illusions and divine consciousness-based spells, which is another extension of his thunder soul cultivation.

However, this skill, though powerful, is not the "ultimate" one.

It is more of a "strategy for defeating the enemy" than a "move to kill the enemy".

After a series of battles, he realized more and more clearly that a Soul Warrior should not just overpower his enemies with brute force, nor should he be merely a weapon capable of unleashing devastating attacks.

If one cannot comprehend the "divine" essence of Thunder Soul, one will forever remain merely a "Thunder Blade".

He was once a general in the army, whose blade could rout all enemy troops.

However, he was no longer the same person he once was. A thought vaguely began to sprout in his mind:
"The ultimate power of Thunder Soul should not stop at destruction."

"Perhaps it should be a cleansing, an awakening, a deterrent... or even an end to war."

Once this thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

He never imagined that he would be thinking about "restraint" and "communication" after the killing.

But after the dream array battle at the Azure Phoenix Sect, he understood for the first time: the power of soul techniques lies not in brute force, but in striking the heart directly.

He began to yearn for a Thunder Soul combat technique that truly belonged to him.

It is not imitation, not apprenticeship, and certainly not a monotonous technique honed through countless battles.

Instead, it is the "Divine Soul Thunder Technique," which integrates one's own enlightenment, fighting spirit, soul consciousness, and mindset.

A soul-thunder ultimate technique that can intimidate the enemy's soul from the inside out and break through their mental defenses, without having to physically harm them.

One such thing as the true "divine power of a soul general," which only he can use in the world.

Along the way, he not only broke through enemy formations but also overcame his own long-standing and unresolved bottlenecks.

As he left the Azure Phoenix Sect, it was as if he had also stepped out of the Thunder Blade of the past, and was moving towards a higher level of Soul Warrior.

A mountain breeze caressed his face. He turned back to the summit of Xiling, leaving only a soft whisper:
"As a Thunder Soul, it should not be born solely for killing."

(End of this chapter)