Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

"Mmm...that's wonderful...I feel like my comprehension has returned..."

You witness the golden talisman gradually coalescing.

[He let out a soft, almost imperceptible hum, as if he had returned to the stage when his world-shaking wisdom first shone through.]

[His understanding of thunder magic progressed at an unprecedented pace, constantly advancing and deepening.]

If the true nature of the power of thunder in this world were to appear before you, it would be forcibly etched into your mind regardless of your will.

[Sizzle...]

Lightning, deeper than the darkness of his pupils, leaped and swirled, tearing zigzag marks at the corners of his eyes.

Her dark robes billowed, and lightning, like flowing water, rippled and swayed with the hem, scattering tiny sparks of light.

In the azure sky and earth, you became that deep, dark shadow.

The old Taoist's face, set against the backdrop of golden talismans, appeared solemn and dignified, exuding an awe-inspiring divine might.

He suddenly glanced to the side and saw your figure shrouded in billowing black light.

His eyelids twitched, and the corners of his mouth twitched. Although he didn't speak, you could tell he was swearing very foully.

"Sigh, I didn't want this to happen either, Master."

You outwardly express your feelings of emotion, but secretly you're enthusiastically researching Black Thunder.

The old Taoist priest materialized the authority of divine retribution and lightning strikes before his eyes.

All the essence, insights, and rules regarding the power of thunder are still for you to absorb.

The Celestial Master's Mansion's thunder magic inheritance comprises nine realms, echoing the Nine Heavens Beyond the Heavens.

Your cultivation level has rapidly increased.

[First Realm: Thunderclap; Second Realm: Net of Entanglement; Third Realm: Divine Pillar; Fourth Realm: Raging Sky...]

In an instant, you grasped the profound mysteries of the first four realms of thunder magic.

The old Taoist priest held up the sky with one hand, the golden talisman in his palm nearing completion.

Right now.

[In the brief moment your consciousness freezes, the space of heaven and earth, time, fate, cause and effect... everything is frozen.]

The unusual sensation was extremely brief; without unwavering willpower, one would not even notice this subtle change.

As the heavens and earth darkened, all things lost their color, and the strange phenomenon of solidified rules vanished.

You notice that the old Taoist priest's five fingers, which were slowly closing, have also stopped.

[He glances sideways, raises his eyebrows, and surveys the heavens with disdain.]

[As if to say: That's it? I've only just begun my warm-up.]

The provocative gaze did not elicit an even more overwhelming crushing force from heaven and earth.

[Instead of the chaotic celestial phenomena, there are signs that things are gradually returning to calm.]

The old Taoist priest breathed a sigh of relief and released the lightning power that was about to solidify in his hand.

Clearly, under the old Taoist's relentless pursuit and head-on confrontation, the unknown entity or rule chose to back down.

The vast blue ocean that had submerged the Celestial Master's Mansion has calmed and dispersed.

The old Taoist priest suppressed the thunderous roar, and the blue light emanating from his body vanished as wisps of electricity.

"Is the boost to Thunder Magic satisfying?"

[The old Taoist priest's voice, devoid of any emotion, rang out.]

"Awesome, but it's too short! I think I'm about to break through to the fifth realm of Thunder Magic!"

[I noticed the smugness in your tone.]

The old Taoist priest gave a slight smirk.

He went to great lengths to materialize the essence of Lei Quan.

[If it were any other disciple of the Celestial Master's Mansion who cultivated thunder magic, it wouldn't be too surprising if they heard the Dao and ascended to the heavens.]

[So, you're the one who monopolized the power of thunder's enlightenment.]

[Unexpectedly, under these circumstances, he was able to say: I'm about to break through to the fifth level of Thunder Magic!]

The old Taoist priest, in a tone of yin and yang, repeated your words silently, while crickets chirped incessantly.

Are you insulting me?

"How do you know? No! I'm not that kind of person!"

The old Taoist priest feigned surprise, then feigned denial.

[You're certain now, this old Taoist priest is definitely plotting against himself.]

Seeing your defiant look, the old Taoist priest wanted to provoke you further, but after glancing at the drifting black lightning around you, his pupils contracted slightly.

"Quickly put that dark, black thing away; it makes me uncomfortable."

Upon hearing this, you raised your hand, and black lightning, like stagnant mud and putrid water, slid down your fingertips.

Only scattered arcs of electricity at the edges barely revealed traces of lightning magic.

"Old Taoist, doesn't the Taoist tradition always emphasize the combination of orthodox and unorthodox, the interplay of yin and yang? Look, aren't my yin lightning and your yang lightning complementary?"

"Nonsense!"

The lightning that had subsided in the old Taoist's eyes suddenly erupted again.

"Thunder magic is thunder magic. What's with the concept of yin and yang? Don't even think about classifying my thunder magic as yang thunder and putting it on par with your filthy thing!"

"This is truly a malicious attempt to tarnish my reputation."

Seeing that he was reacting too strongly, you stopped provoking him.

[The main reason is that so many things happened today; my mind has been bombarded with thunderous sounds countless times.]

[He withdrew the black lightning surrounding him.]

[He has returned to that refined, elegant, and mysteriously graceful young gentleman.]

【Ding! 】

Seeing that you had withdrawn the 'Yin Thunder,' the old Taoist raised his foot and kicked the killing master who was stuck diagonally into the ground.

[With a soft hum of swords, the slayer flew through the air and fell into your hands.]

【"No!!!"】

[Xu Kun's heart-wrenching cry was as if he himself had been kicked.]

[She covered her face in anguish, meowing incessantly.]

[You grasp the power of death, sensing its control over life and death; the faint aura it exudes makes you feel as if you are facing the threat and fear of death directly.]

[Without Xu Kun's spirit residing there, it is fully open to you.]

[It's not easy to control someone who kills their master, let alone command them.]

[In the Western Regions, they used multiple seals and imprisonments to forge the Killer Lord into a magical artifact, borrowing its divine power.]

Xu Kun covered his face with his cat paws, then peeked out a crack, his eerie green eyes gazing expectantly at you.

"What kind of look is that? I already said I was going to kill you to help you break the restriction. Now that the restriction is gone, I'm returning it to you."

Xu Kun lowered the cat's paw, his face stern, and silently watched you.

They said they would return it, but their hands didn't loosen their grip even slightly.

"Here, take it back. Don't you want it?"

[You lightly waved your hand to kill its master, suppressing its resistance, and gestured to Xu Kun.]

"Meow~ Big brother, are you paying back?"

"Why not?"

[You will hang the murderer of your master back on your waist.]

He said earnestly, "Brother Two-Fifth, you are the spirit of the weapon that killed your master. Only by returning to the realm of the weapon that killed your master can you be your complete self."

"Do you want to stay on the cat's back, hugging and dancing wildly with your killer master?"

"Why not become the spirit of the weapon, control the master of the killing, and unite with my sword to test our skills across the world!"

After hearing your words, Xu Kun fell silent, lowered his head, squatted down, and raised his paw.

[The demonic clone drifted away and merged with the killing master.]

Suddenly, you felt the struggle and threat from the killer vanish, leaving him completely under your control.

Permissions have been granted.

[You are extremely surprised. Brother Two-Fifth has already handed over the master's killer? Without even throwing a tantrum?]

Seeing Xu Kun lying on the ground, looking utterly hopeless, was truly heartbreaking.

[You laugh and shake your head, then throw out the master who killed you.]

Xu Kun reacted instantly, as if he had seen a cat toy, leaping up and embracing his master in his arms.

[His face rubbed against the sword repeatedly, his expression one of utter fascination and intoxication.]