Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Siren is never stingy with taking risks, but he never abandons caution either.

He took out the auxiliary powder for the Moon Memory Meditation Method and lit a small pinch of it.

Pale blue smoke slowly dissipated in the quiet room, carrying a cool scent of mint and sea salt.

Xilun closed his eyes and re-analyzed the operating route of the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture.

The first time, he used the body of an ordinary third-tier extraordinary being as a basis for deduction and discovered that every time lightning passed through the heart meridian, a large amount of lightning power would remain.

If the waste cannot be expelled in time, the heart will be overwhelmed after a maximum of three cycles.

The second time, he added the Heart of the Thunder Dragon to it.

The lingering lightning power rapidly decreased by more than half, but the lightning still appeared excessively violent after entering the lungs.

The third time, the Great Thunder Breathing Technique was activated.

call!

suck!

In the spiritual realm, thunder enters the lungs with each breath, is then transformed by the heart of the Thunder Dragon, and flows throughout the body along the major tendons.

The eagle-shaped lightning spirit hovers above the cycle, absorbing stray lightning bolts that have deviated from the path and sending them back to the heart.

The originally perilous scripture route gradually became harmonious with the cooperation of the four types of thunderous forces.

Even so, Xilun still did not attempt it directly.

He opened his eyes, folded the copied scriptures and put them into his bosom, then pushed open the stone door of the quiet room.

It was already morning outside.

A light rain fell last night, and the Minglei Cliff was shrouded in mist.

The damp mountain breeze blew into the cave, carrying away the lingering medicinal fragrance in the quiet room.

On the other side of the training ground, Bruno was shirtless, wielding a heavy gun.

The heavy gun barrel tore through the air, each strike producing a dull thud.

Grena stood to the side, holding a counting board, his face full of sleepiness.

Upon seeing Xilun emerge, Bruno halted his gun.

"So early?"

"Go find the teacher."

As Xiren walked across the training ground, his gaze swept over the spear in Bruno's hand.

"How many shots have you practiced today?"

Grena immediately perked up: "Eight hundred and seventy-two shots."

Bruno's face darkened.

"I asked you to keep count, not to report to Xilun for me."

Grena whispered, "But you just missed eleven shots."

Bruno's forehead twitched, and he raised his hand to grab him.

Gren was prepared and hid behind Xiren while holding the plank.

Xilun did not get involved in the argument between the two, but simply looked into the depths of the cave.

"Is the teacher here?"

"I came back last night." Bruno sheathed his heavy gun. "I was watching the tide from the back cliff. What do you want with the teacher?"

"I'd like to ask you about a method."

Xilun crossed the training ground and walked along the stone corridor toward the back cliff.

Bruno glanced at him but didn't ask any further questions.

Swain's cave was built into the mountainside, with a stone corridor at the back leading directly to a platform that jutted out from the cliff.

The sea breeze surged in from below the cliff, damp and cold.

Swain sat on the edge of the platform, the broken spear that had once slain a fifth-tier sea beast beside him. In the distance, the sea of ​​clouds rolled, with occasional flashes of lightning breaking through the thick clouds.

"After your Qi and blood have fully recovered, why are you in such a hurry to see me instead of stabilizing your condition for a few days?"

Before Siren could speak, Swain had already sensed his arrival.

"I found a scripture at a location 400 feet above Thunderclap Cliff."

"The Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra?"

Swain turned around, clearly familiar with the passage.

Xilun nodded and handed over the copied paper.

"I want to cultivate."

Swain took the paper, glanced at the route that Xilun had marked next to it, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Have you already done the deductions yourself?"

"three times."

What are the chances of success?

"Ninety percent!"

Swain showed no appreciation for the answer; instead, he raised his hand and placed two fingers on Siron's wrist.

A wisp of scorching and sharp energy pierced through the skin and traveled rapidly along the major tendons.

Siren offered no resistance, allowing the force to pass through his heart and lungs.

A moment later, Swain released his grip.

"Your physique has just reached its peak, and the medicinal power of the Blood Pill has indeed been completely refined."

"Given your physical condition, the risks of cultivating the first stage are indeed not high."

Xilun sensed the shift in the tone of the words.

"But this scripture is difficult to practice?"

"It's not just that it's difficult to practice."

Swain stood up, placed the paper next to the broken gun, and traced a circle on the ground with his toes.

"More than a hundred years ago, when the senior in the academy created this method, his cultivation had already reached the fifth level."

He once spent three months hunting down the Nine-Vortex Golden Thunder Beast in the deep sea, bringing back its intact corpse, and then spent more than ten years dissecting the flesh and blood structure of that alien species.

"Logically speaking, a method that a fifth-level expert has painstakingly developed should not only have this little reputation now."

Xilun looked at the circle on the ground without interrupting.

Swain then drew nine lines extending outward from the circumference.

"The Nine-Vortex Golden Thunder Beast has nine tentacles, and each tentacle can share the power accumulated in the thunder core."

The so-called Nine Revolutions is not simply repeating the same route nine times, but rather forcibly opening nine vortexes within the human body to store lightning power.

"The first transformation is in the skin and membranes, the second transformation is in the flesh and blood, the third transformation is in the tendons and muscles, and the fourth transformation will reach the internal organs."

"By the fifth revolution, the lightning patterns will be interconnected. After the sixth revolution, if one lightning pattern goes out of control, the other lightning patterns will also erupt at the same time."

The sea breeze ruffled Swain's short, gray hair.

He gazed at the clouds beyond the cliff, his tone calm.

"Humans do not have the strong tentacles of the Nine-Vortex Golden Thunder Beast, nor do they have a natural thunder core. Even those with extraordinary thunder nature still have a human body structure."

"So Randall's heart stopped beating during his second job advancement, and Tinos was stuck for three years during his sixth job advancement?"

"Tinos is not unable to continue."

Swain shook his head. "He's afraid of dying."

If others heard this, they would probably find it too harsh.

But when Swain said it, it sounded like he was just stating a fact.

"The seventh transformation requires the six lightning patterns to rotate in opposite directions simultaneously, and then the heart must withstand the impact. Even if successful, the heart meridian will be left with hidden injuries."

Tinos's blue embers also needed to pass through his heart; he was unwilling to gamble with his very foundation.

"This choice isn't wrong."

"Cultivation is never about who is the boldest; it's about who goes the furthest."

Xilun seemed to be deep in thought.

The Thunder Dragon Heart can help him transform thunder power, but that doesn't mean all dangers will disappear.

The further you cultivate the Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra, the stronger the lightning you need to withstand, and any tiny flaw can be magnified many times over.

"Has the teacher practiced this?" Xilun asked.

Swain glanced at him sideways.

The next moment, he reached out and untied the belt of his outer robe, lifting up his upper body.

This body was not as muscular as Bruno's; in fact, it appeared somewhat thin.

However, between Swain's chest and waist, five dark gold lightning patterns resembled sleeping ringed snakes, intertwining with each other.

With each breath, fine lightning emerged from the depths of the patterns, drawing in the surrounding moisture and forming five small, visible vortexes.

Xilun's eyes narrowed.

"Fifth rank?"

"good."

Swain put down his clothes, and the five lightning patterns disappeared.

"When I was young, I also felt that this scripture suited me. At that time, I was practicing the Azure Thunder Spear Technique, and my physique was much stronger than that of other cultivators of the same level. I completed the first three stages in less than three years."

"It took another five years to advance to the fourth and fifth ranks."

"And then?"

"It stopped later."

Swain raised his right hand, and a faint flash of lightning appeared in his palm.

"I am just an ordinary person with no special talents."

"The fifth transformation is already the limit. If I continue to cultivate, the Golden Lightning Vortex will conflict with my small world."

Spending years or even decades on the sixth transformation, and potentially damaging one's foundation, is not worthwhile.

He didn't sound too regretful, but he still sighed softly.

"Disaster."

There is only one word.

But it carries more weight than the many dangers Randall described.

Even a top-tier fourth-order expert who has mastered the power of the helm and can kill fifth-order sea beasts has only reached the fifth stage of this technique.

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

"I still want to try."

"If I didn't want you to cultivate, I wouldn't have said all this to you just now."

Swain bent down and took an old wooden box from under the broken gun.

The box was opened, revealing a dozen or so yellowed sheets of paper inside.

"This is a secret recipe I prepared when I was practicing the Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra."

"Human flesh and blood cannot naturally absorb lightning like the Nine-Vortex Golden Thunder Beast, so they can only rely on external things to improve it."

Boil a mixture of thunderwort, bluefin tuna oil, golden vine juice, and a small amount of magnetite powder, then apply it to the body to temporarily open pores and accelerate the penetration of thunder energy into the skin.

Xilun took the recipe and examined it carefully.

The medicinal herbs are not rare.

The most expensive item is three-year-old Thunderbeard Grass, but he had already plundered quite a lot when he hunted sea dragons before, and it can also be bought from the Inner Court Pharmacy.

"How much do you need?"

"One pair, around fifty pounds."

Xilun breathed a slight sigh of relief.

After reaching the peak of the third-tier physique, he no longer needed the bone-forging herbs he had prepared, and selling the remaining materials was enough to sustain him for a while.

A prescription costs fifty pounds, which isn't cheap.

Compared to the price of bone-strengthening potions, which can easily reach hundreds of pounds, this is already quite restrained.

"After applying the ointment, there will be a strong burning pain in the skin within half an hour. At this time, the lightning can be drawn into the body, and the cultivation efficiency can be increased by about 30%."

Swein paused for a moment.

"You have a talent for lightning, but I can't judge exactly how much it will improve you."

"But don't continue to attract lightning just because you don't feel pain. The ointment not only opens up the skin, but also temporarily weakens the body's resistance to lightning."

Xilun took this to heart.

Swain sat back down on the edge of the cliff.

"Although the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture is difficult, it is not without its unique aspects."

"In addition to the powerful physical body after the ninth revolution, when the third revolution is completed, the three lightning patterns will form a cycle in the body and condense into a thundercloud."

"Thunderclouds?"

"To be precise, it is a special kind of lightning power stored between the internal organs."

Swain raised his hand and pressed it to his chest.

Five lightning patterns briefly lit up beneath the clothing.

boom!

A tiny bolt of lightning shot out from his fingertip without warning and exploded in the sea of ​​clouds a hundred feet away.

From the appearance of the lightning pattern to the departure of the lightning from the body, there was almost no process of energy condensation.

"Ordinary thunder-style fighting techniques require first mobilizing energy from the heart, and then sending it along the major tendons to the limbs."

"After condensing thunderclouds in the fourth stage, one can directly draw power from the thunder pattern closest to the attack location. Whether punching, kicking, or performing movement techniques, the speed will be significantly faster."

"In a life-or-death struggle, a single line can determine victory or defeat."

A hint of seriousness appeared in Xilun's eyes.

His current spear technique combines the power of water and the force of thunder, and his direct burst of power is not weak. As his tendons grow like dragons, his physical agility is far superior to before.

However, he has always lacked a close-range footwork technique that truly suits Lei Jin.

The Canglang Step is extremely powerful on the sea and in humid environments, but its power diminishes once it leaves the water.

If the Golden Thunder Vortex can condense thunderclouds after its fourth revolution, it can indeed make up for this deficiency.

As if guessing his thoughts, Swain reached out and took out a thin book from his sleeve.

The booklet had burn marks on its surface, and three slightly illegible characters were written in the upper right corner.

Lightning Step.

"When I was at the third level, I created a fighting technique specifically to complement the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture."

"You must cultivate to at least the fourth stage and condense thunderclouds within your body before you can truly unleash its power."

Xilun took the booklet.

Upon turning to the first page, a diagram of the major tendons in the human leg comes into view.

Thunder power erupted from his waist and abdomen, instantly flowing into his legs through the thunder patterns on both sides, propelling his body in a nearly out-of-control manner.

Unlike the Canglang Step, which emphasizes leveraging momentum and deflecting force, it pursues the ultimate short-distance burst of power.

Within a single step, his body moved with the thunder.

"This footwork puts a tremendous strain on your knees and ankles," Swain said. "You have incredibly strong muscles, making you more suited to it than I was back then."

"But don't force it before the fourth job advancement."

"Your Thunder Dragon Heart can repair your body, but that doesn't mean that broken bones can heal without any cost."

Xilun closed the booklet.

"I see."

"If you understand, then prepare accordingly."

Swain gazed at the distant sea, as if remembering something.

"There's one more thing."

"Six months from now, the Holy Light Monastery will hold a hunting day."

"Hunting day?"

Xilun had never heard of this name before.

"It commemorates the monastery's forefathers' hunt of sea creatures near Star Ring Island, and is held every three years. Calculating the time, it's exactly six months from now."

"At that time, the monastery will open the Blackwater Abyss, a magical gathering place, which is also a wonderland."

Xilun's eyes flickered slightly.

This was the first time he had ever heard of the Demon Gathering Grounds controlled by the monastery.

"A wonderland?"

"Indeed, a wondrous realm that has been influenced by extraordinary forces for a long time, with internal rules that differ from those of the outside world."

Swain looked more serious than before.

"There are many things inside that are useful to third-tier extraordinary individuals, and there are also some sea beasts that are extremely rare in the outside world."

"Don't underestimate those things."

"The Blackwater Abyss only opens once every three years. The demonic energy accumulated inside makes the sea beasts even more ferocious than those outside. In the past, many inner court disciples have died inside during the hunting days."

"I have noted it down."

Swain glanced at Siron again.

"A black crystal is nurtured in the Blackwater Abyss, which can refine one's strength and eliminate the slight stagnation in the flow of strength after the body has reached its full potential."

"You are only physically complete now, but your strength is not yet truly perfect and flawless."

"Only by obtaining enough black crystals to make the power of the Overturning Sea Technique as smooth and consistent as possible can one be considered to have entered the third-level extreme realm."

Third-order extreme realm.

Xilun looked down at his palm.

He has just reached the pinnacle of physical fitness, but he is still some distance away from the ultimate realm.

Six months is not a long time.

"Don't miss this hunting day."

Swain closed his eyes again.

"First, master the Golden Thunder Vortex Scripture."

"As for which rank you can reach, don't compare yourself to Tinos, and don't compare yourself to me."

"The only person you should compare yourself to is yourself from yesterday."

A mountain breeze swept in from below the cliff, stirring the secret recipe and the "Lightning Step" in Xilun's hands.

He bowed to Swain and turned to leave the back cliff.

As they passed the training ground, Bruno had already resumed swinging his gun, while Gna sat on a stone bench, diligently counting.

Xilun did not linger and walked straight down the mountain.

Half an hour later, he arrived at the pharmacy department in the inner courtyard.

After reading the recipe, the middle-aged monk in charge of the medicinal herbs looked up at Xilun.

"A supplementary medicine for the Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra?"

"good."

"Elder Swain's recipe?"

The middle-aged cultivator clearly recognized the special proportions of several medicinal herbs.

After receiving an affirmative answer, he shook his head.

"Another one who's not afraid of death."

Even so, his hands moved quickly, and soon he took out thunder grass, golden vine and magnetite powder from the medicine cabinet.

"The herring oil needs to be fresh, and a batch just arrived today, totaling forty-eight pounds and seven shillings."

Xilun paid for the extra two sealed earthenware jars.

As I left the pharmacy, golden morning light streamed through the monastery's towering spires and fell upon the damp stone steps.

A deep rumble of steam from a distant clock could be heard.

Xilun carried the medicinal herbs back to Minglei Cliff and set up a copper pot outside the quiet room.

When heated, the oil from the blue-scaled fish emits a strong fishy smell, and the juice from the thunder-whisker grass and golden-leaf vine gradually melts, eventually turning into a pot of thick, dark golden ointment.

Tiny electric arcs occasionally crackled on the surface of the ointment.

Xilun took off his shirt, picked up a clump with a piece of wood, and slowly applied it to his chest.

It's sizzling!

My skin felt like it was being branded with a red-hot iron.

The intense burning pain instantly penetrated the skin, and beneath the dark gold ointment, dense blood vessels bulged out.

Xilun remained expressionless and continued to apply the ointment to his arms, waist, abdomen, and back.

When the last patch of skin was covered, he sat down in the center of the pre-prepared lightning array.

Above the quiet room, a thin metal rod pierces through the rock strata, pointing directly at the thunderclouds above Thunderclap Cliff.

Boom!

A muffled rumble of thunder slowly rolled through the clouds.

Xilun closed his eyes.

call!

suck!

The Great Thunder Breathing Technique was activated, and the eagle-shaped Thunder Spirit spread its wings in spiritual perception.

The next moment, a bolt of bluish-white lightning crashed down along the metal rod.

A blinding flash of lightning instantly engulfed his body.

The dark gold ointment boiled violently.

Deep within Xilun's wrist, the previously faint golden mark suddenly lit up and began to slowly extend along his arm.

Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra, First Turn!

The instant the blue-white lightning surged into his body, Xiren finally understood the source of the danger Randall had spoken of.

The lightning from the outside world is completely different from the lightning energy that is tempered within the body.

After being transformed by the Thunder Dragon Heart, the latter, while retaining the explosive power of thunder, is now under his control.

The former is like a raging sea monster forcibly stuffed with flesh and blood.

The dark gold ointment opened the skin membrane, and lightning drilled into every pore. Simultaneously, all of Xiren's muscles tensed, and countless fine arcs of electricity lit up beneath his skin.

The first pain did not come from the heart, but from the large tendons.

The lightning followed the path of the Golden Lightning Vortex Scripture through his arms, instantly splitting into dozens of thin streams.

If it were an ordinary extraordinary being, with the slightest carelessness in guiding it, some of the lightning would deviate from its course, tearing apart nearby flesh and blood.

At this moment, Xilun's large tendons contracted on their own.

Big muscles like a dragon!

The tough, strong tendons, like waterways running through the body, firmly confined the scattered lightning within.

call!

Xilun exhaled a breath of white air crackling with electricity.

The lungs and internal organs reverberated.

The unique rhythm created by the Great Thunder Breathing Technique caused the thunder to pause briefly, and then surged into the chest with the next inhalation.

boom!

Thunder Dragon's heart pounded heavily.