Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Elena watched her retreating figure and shook her head.

You'd better be careful.

"Is she dangerous?"

"No, that's not it."

Elena stepped into the interior of Thunderclap Cliff.

"She's just too good at business. You might not even understand what's happening after a few words with her, and the money in your pocket has already turned into wine on her counter."

"I have no money."

Xilun stated the truth.

Elena paused in her steps.

She turned her head and looked at him with a half-smile.

"You know you don't have any money?"

I will pay back the money I owe you.

"I'm not worried about that."

The two walked side by side through a narrow stone gate.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

Thunderclap Cliff is like a huge platform cleaved out of the mountainside by a giant axe, with no guardrails in front, only churning clouds and mist.

Below the cliff, a rushing river flows through the rocky valley.

The water crashed against the mountain walls on both sides, making a rumbling sound.

Moisture was swept into the air by the mountain wind and then accumulated under the dark clouds, with occasional flashes of pale lightning.

Boom!

A moment later, the sound of thunder came from afar.

The entire cliff seemed to tremble slightly in response.

Dozens of rows of stone benches have been placed in the center of the platform.

At the very front stood a dozen or so iron and stone spear posts, all gray and black in color.

The moisture and thunder here are indeed extremely compatible with the Azure Thunder Spear Technique.

"Is Elder Swain very powerful?"

"I asked casually," Xilun asked.

The value of a spear technique that can be specially explained by a fourth-tier extraordinary individual is definitely not limited to the spear manual.

Elena's expression became more serious.

"Very impressive."

"Even among fourth-tier extraordinary individuals, the difference between them can be astonishing."

Elder Swain has remained at the fourth rank for over twenty years, making him one of the strongest fourth-rank elders in the monastery.

Xilun raised an eyebrow slightly.

"How about Bianla?"

Elena pondered for a moment.

"Our senior brother has only just advanced to the fourth rank. If it's just a normal sparring match, he might be able to withstand three to five moves from Elder Swain."

"What if it's a life-or-death battle?"

"I will die."

Elena's answer was very direct.

"If Elder Swain were to deliver three shots with utmost seriousness, Senior Brother would have a very difficult time surviving."

Xilun's eyes narrowed slightly.

He has witnessed Allah's intervention firsthand.

The opponent could easily convert death energy into water and lightning power in the Sea of ​​the Dead, and later, when facing Tinos's Blue Ember Fire, he completely suppressed it in just a few breaths.

Such a powerful fourth-tier expert couldn't even withstand three shots from Elder Swain.

Why is the gap so large?

"Sirlen asked."

"I'm not entirely sure either."

Elena shook her head.

"My father should know, but he only said that I would understand after I advance to the fourth level."

"However, I once heard him mention that those above the fourth level are called the third level of natural disaster, also known as the third level of calamity."

Truly powerful fourth-tier extraordinary individuals have begun to come into contact with something beyond ordinary strength.

"rule?"

"Or power?"

Xilun's eyes flickered slightly.

He had heard this word more than once.

The examiners of the Sea Demon Temple once said that a sixth-order Apocalypse Knight needs to uphold the will of the gods, wield power, and forge a sacred body.

He had personally experienced a similar power when he possessed Lady Black Crow.

It wasn't simply physical strength, nor was it a physical physique or a set of techniques.

It's more like some kind of irresistible will.

Elena looked at the swirling clouds beyond the cliff and slowly said:

"Although we are all third-tier extraordinary beings, even if we go all out, we can only break a few boulders and destroy a small building."

"Even if it breaks out regardless of the consequences, it is difficult for it to truly affect the entire street."

"Elder Koswein is different."

"It is said that when he was young, he fought a fourth-tier sea beast in White Tide Harbor. The sea beast fled from East Street to West Street, and the elder stood still and only fired a single shot."

Elena pointed into the distance.

"The gunfire erupted from the east street, passed through seven or eight stone houses, and then surged out from the end of the west street, plowing up the ground along the way, with rubble rolling like a tide."

"That fourth-tier sea beast didn't even leave behind a complete corpse."

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

It runs from East Street through West Street.

This level of power is beyond what a third-tier extraordinary individual could achieve by relying on burst techniques.

Even if he were to unleash the Crimson Star Spear in his current state, he could at most only destroy the front of a stone house.

It's virtually impossible to unleash a continuous spear thrust that can pierce through a hundred meters and slay a sea monster.

This is indeed a qualitative change.

"That's why I'm here today too."

Elena patted the two swords at her waist.

"I don't want to learn how to use a gun; I just want to see why he's so skilled."

The two chose a seat near the front.

As time went by, more and more people came to Thunderclap Cliff.

Most of them were second- or third-tier extraordinary individuals, but there were also a few with deep and obscure auras, clearly indicating that they had reached the fourth tier.

Siren even saw the second Tinos in the Inner Court.

He stood on the side near the cliff, without any followers.

Upon noticing Xilun's gaze, Tinos gave him a cold look before his eyes lingered briefly on the Sea Demon's Blood Cotton Robe.

Xilun ignored him.

The other party did not cause trouble at this time.

There was more than one fourth-tier instructor present today. No matter how arrogant Tinos was, he wouldn't disrupt Elder Swain's lessons at Thunderclap Cliff.

The bells rang again.

The platform, which had been somewhat noisy just moments before, gradually quieted down.

The mountain wind swirls the clouds and mist.

A tall, slender figure slowly emerged from behind the stone gate.

The newcomer had gray hair, wore a faded black robe, and carried a plain iron spear in his right hand.

The spearhead is mottled.

You can even see a few small gaps.

He didn't walk fast, but each step felt like stepping on the gaps between the undulating waves.

Below Thunderclap Cliff, the originally rumbling water flow seemed to have become a little lower.

Even the water vapor drifting in the air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Xilun stared at the old man.

The Thunder Spirit inside his chest cavity suddenly trembled slightly.

Elder Swain walked to the front of the platform, placed his iron spear beside him, and glanced at the crowd.

"Today we will discuss the Cang Lei Spear Technique."

There was no unnecessary small talk.

There was no complicated opening.

The moment the words were spoken, thunder roared outside the cliff.

Elder Swain's voice was not loud.

But everyone on Thunderclap Cliff could hear it clearly.

"Before learning to shoot, you must first know what a gun is."

He gripped the weathered iron spear and said calmly:

"Some people believe that the gun is the king of weapons."

"Some people believe that guns are weapons of war."

"Some people believe that an inch longer means an inch stronger. As long as it's fast and heavy enough, a gun can kill."

"None of these statements are wrong."

"But for those who practice the Azure Thunder Spear Technique, the spear is first and foremost a river."

Elder Swain raised his iron spear.

His movements were extremely slow.

The butt of the gun is lifted off the ground, passes by the waist, and then smoothly forward.

There was no harsh sound of wind breaking.

There was no burst of energy.

At the moment the iron spear was thrust forward, Xilun clearly saw that the surrounding swirling water vapor was drawn by an invisible force, flowing slowly along the shaft towards the tip of the spear.

"The arm is upstream."

"The gun barrel is a riverbed."

"The tip of the gun is the estuary."

"The water flowed from the body, passed through the gun barrel, and finally converged at a single point."

If the river channel is unstable, the water will overflow. If the river channel is obstructed, the force of the lightning will backfire on the user.

"The so-called 'tide-setting' does not mean that you should create waves out of thin air."

"Instead, let the strength in your body learn to advance and retreat like the tide."

Elder Swain twitched his wrist slightly.

The tip of the gun then traced an arc.

It wasn't a complete move from any of the "Cang Lei Spear Techniques," yet it seemed to simultaneously contain the shadows of the nine-move Tide-Leading Spear Stance.

Xilun's eyes narrowed.

After reading the spear manual last night, he has firmly memorized the nine basic spear stances.

The first move, "Rising Tide," involves lifting the enemy's weapon from below using the power of water.

The second move, "Returning Waves," uses the opponent's force to rotate the spear, dissipating the impact along the arms and back into the ground.

The third move, "Chasing Waves," involves continuous thrusts, with each strike of the spear coming in a powerful, layered motion.

The following variations are all different.

When viewed in isolation, it is not difficult to understand.

But in Elder Swain's hands, the boundaries between these moves completely disappeared.

The rising tide can be a trough.

A wave can also turn into an undercurrent midway through its course.

All changes flowed naturally with the moisture, wind, and the movements of the imagined enemy, without any trace of deliberate connection.

"The gun manual is static."

Elder Swain seemed to know what everyone was thinking.

"People are alive."

"If you think you've mastered the Tide-Raising Technique after practicing all nine moves in sequence, you might as well go perform in a theater. At least your movements will be synchronized, and you can earn a few silver coins."

A few low laughs rang out from the crowd.

Many more people, however, instinctively sat up straight.

It was no secret within the monastery that Elder Swain had a bad temper.

He never pandered to his students when he taught.

If you can't understand, then it's the listener's problem.

But he did indeed teach without discrimination, just as Elena said.

Whether the person sitting in front of him is a fourth-level cultivator or an ordinary disciple who has just reached the threshold of the first level, he will not deliberately hide the key points.

"You guys take a look first."

Elder Swain took half a step forward.

The right foot landed.

The tip of the gun trembled slightly at the same time.

The surrounding moisture immediately gathered towards the iron spear, and the surface of the spear gradually became covered with a layer of transparent water.

"Water is not simply weak."

"The tide can lift a ship, or it can shatter it."

"Be gentle when you need to be, and firm when you need to be."

Elder Swain handed the gun forward.

The movements are still very slow.

But as the spear tip pierced through the mist in front of him, a low, tidal sound suddenly came from the air.

Splash!

The sound was like waves crashing against rocks miles away.

Immediately afterwards, a wisp of pale lightning flashed above the tip of the spear.

The lightning did not spread in all directions, but was bound to the tip of the spear by the transparent water light, like a bolt of lightning hidden in the deep sea.

"The water's momentum comes first."

"Lei Jin was hidden behind."

"Detonate it the instant it makes contact with the enemy."

Elder Swain's iron spear stopped in front of an iron stone spear post.

The tip of the spear was still half a foot away from the pile.

He didn't actually stab her.

The light from the water and the lightning quickly dissipated.

Yet, a slight dampness silently appeared on the surface of that gray-black gun post.

It was as if a drop of seawater had just fallen on it.

Xilun didn't blink.

Last night, he also tried to wrap the lightning with a film of water.

But his water and thunder barely overlapped.

Lightning constantly impacts the water film, and the water film can only rely on its hydrophilic nature to continuously repair itself. The two appear to be wrapped together, but in reality, they are fighting against each other.

Elder Swain was different.

His lightning-like energy seemed to have willingly sunk into the water.

The moisture did not suppress the thunder.

Instead, they are nurturing the thunder and lightning, covering up its traces.

The lightning force will only be pushed to the spearhead when it is necessary to unleash it.

"It's not a package."

A thought flashed through Xilun's mind.

"It is to carry."

Mines are not two mutually exclusive forces.

Thunder is born from storms and clouds.

Moisture accumulates, yin and yang change, and only then does lightning strike.

If we only consider water as the outer shell and thunder as the hidden blade, we are still only scratching the surface of the description in the gun manual.

True thunder should be generated from water.

The Thunder Spirit within Xilun's chest trembled once more.

A faint bluish-white light traveled along the Great Tendon, seemingly instinctively yearning for the moisture on Thunderclap Cliff.

He immediately activated the Overturning Sea Technique, suppressing Lei Ling deep within his blood and qi.

There are many extraordinary individuals of the fourth rank here.

Any unusual activity could attract unwanted attention.

Moreover, Thunder Spirit is a special talent he obtained after hunting Thunderscale Sea Beasts, and he has not yet fully understood its changes, so he cannot easily reveal it.

Elder Swain continued his explanation.

From gripping the gun, to footwork, and how to generate power from the waist and back.

His account was not complicated.

It could even be described as very concise.

Yet every word he uttered landed on the most crucial point of the Cang Lei Spear Technique.

"If you hold on too tightly, the water flow will stop."

"If you hold on too loosely, the thunder's power will dissipate."

"A gun is never thrust out with the arm."

"The arm is just the last stretch of the river; the real source is under your feet."

He placed the iron spear horizontally in front of him and beckoned to a disciple sitting at the very front.

"You, come up here."

The disciple was clearly taken aback.

He was also a third-tier extraordinary individual, ranking quite high in the inner courtyard, and always had a silver spear behind him.

Upon hearing his name called, he immediately stood up and respectfully walked to the front.

"Shoot me."

"Yes."

The disciple drew his spear and took a deep breath.

A pale blue energy surged along his arm into the gun, causing the surrounding water vapor to vibrate.

He had clearly also practiced the Azure Thunder Spear Technique.

Moreover, they have already reached a level of proficiency in inducing tides.

With a stomp of his foot, the silver spear shot out like a wave.

The spear tip swayed in mid-air, splitting into three indistinguishable beams of cold light, which pierced Elder Swain's chest, throat, and left shoulder respectively.

Elder Swain did not move.

He only raised a finger when the silver spear was right in front of him.

clang.

The fingertips tapped the side of the gun.

The previously continuous momentum of the gunfire suddenly collapsed.

The disciple felt the water-based energy flowing within the spear being severed at the waist, his hand went numb, and the silver spear almost flew out of his hand.

"Again."

Elder Swain said.

The third-tier disciple's face flushed slightly as he gripped his spear firmly again.

This time, he was more cautious in his actions.

The spear thrust rose and fell from his waist, like an undercurrent advancing along the sea surface, until it suddenly erupted when he was only a few steps away from Elder Swain.

Stab it!

Lightning flashed across the surface of the silver spear.

The speed is more than twice as fast as before.

Elder Swain still used only one finger.

The fingertips did not touch the spearhead, but instead landed on the disciple's wrist.

The lightning was extinguished instantly.

The third-tier disciple staggered forward two steps, his face full of astonishment.

"Lei Jin is well hidden."

"Unfortunately, you only thought about hiding the mines, but forgot about the power of the water."

"Before the lightning strike erupts, the water-based energy has completely ceased. As long as the enemy senses the change in the water's flow, they will know when your killing move will occur."

Elder Swain withdrew his finger.

"The key to the Azure Thunder Spear Technique is not to make others unable to see the thunder."

"Instead, others see it, but they don't know when it will fall."

The third-tier disciple was startled.

He bowed respectfully and returned to his seat.

Elder Swain resumed the demonstration.

The iron spear moved slowly at times, and swiftly at others.

No matter how it changes, the surrounding moisture always follows the movement of the gun tip.

Xilun gradually forgot about time.

The roar of the river below the cliff.

Thunder rumbled in the distant dark clouds.

The soft sound of an iron spear piercing through water vapor.

All of this seemed to be blended together by some force, gradually forming an indescribable aura.

Elder Swain clearly did not release any fourth-order pressure.

However, the dozens of extraordinary individuals on Thunderclap Cliff unknowingly ceased all their subtle movements.

No one spoke.

No one moved.

Even the sound of breathing gradually became lighter.

Between heaven and earth, it seemed as if only that slowly moving iron spear remained.

In a daze, Xilun recalled the scene he saw when he possessed Lady Black Raven.

Lady Black Crow stood in the dim light.

With just a casual gesture, everything around him fell silent.

The wind dared not blow.

The dust dared not fall.

Even the surging demonic energy in the distance seemed to be commanded by an invisible force, and stopped in mid-air.

Then, a shot was fired, piercing through the body of the so-called evil god who was the source of the plague!

Heaven and earth were solemn.

Compared to Lady Black Raven, Elder Swain has a much weaker influence over those around him.

He cannot truly stop the wind and rain.

The river below the cliff is still flowing.

Even thunder in the dark clouds will still fall.

But the way he used his gun did change the surroundings.

Water vapor is actively approaching.

The thunder seemed to echo the gunshot.

Those listening to the lecture were instinctively enveloped by that atmosphere and unwilling to make a sound.

"Is this the rudimentary form of power?"

A question arose in Xilun's mind.

What is authority?

To master a power?

To dominate a certain area?

Or should one transform their own will into some kind of rule and forcibly impose it on everything around them?

The relevant records in classical texts have always been vague and incomplete.

It's as if someone deliberately erased this part, or as if words simply cannot describe it.

But Xilun could clearly sense its presence at that moment.

That was an aura.

It is also a kind of artistic conception.

Elder Swain stood there, as if he had become the center of all the moisture and thunder on Thunderclap Cliff.

Xilun's consciousness gradually calmed down.

The Moon Memory Meditation Method operates on its own.

He didn't consciously try to remember Elder Swain's movements, but rather, as if detached from his own body, he observed everything unfolding before him from a silent, third-person perspective.

The angle at which the spear tip is raised.

The position where the ball of the foot lands.

The subtle undulations between the shoulders and the lower back.

How does moisture enter the gun body?

When was lightning born?

Every detail was taken in.

After an unknown amount of time, Elder Swain finally stopped what he was doing.

"The form of the Azure Thunder Spear Technique is not difficult to learn."

"It's hard to understand."

That's all for today.

He placed the iron spear back beside him.

Only then did the sound of the river below the cliff seem to suddenly resume, rumbling into everyone's ears.

Many people were suddenly awakened.

Some people looked blank, as if they had lost focus halfway through.

Several second-tier disciples looked exhausted. Elder Swain's explanation involved a lot of third-tier qi changes, which they found difficult to understand even if they tried to memorize it.

The inner court experts sitting in the front row had their brows furrowed.

Tinos looked down at his palm, where a wisp of blue flame appeared, as if he was trying to blend this artistic conception into the Blue Ember Flame.

Even the few fourth-tier extraordinary individuals did not leave immediately.

They gazed at the clouds and mist beyond the cliff, each lost in thought.

Xilun slowly stood up.