Chapter Sixty-Three: The Art of Transforming Evil with the Five Thunders (Third Update for Release—Please Subscribe and Vote for the Monthly Ticket!)

Yunqi’s eyes darted nimbly toward Su Kong.

Why had the Mentor come?

He couldn’t speak right now—the true evil energy had surged to clog even the Twelvefold Tower within him, and Su Kong apparently had no intention of speaking either.

Xuangang sped along, and all Yunqi could see were clouds in the sky streaming swiftly past, like fireflies in a cascade—there was a unique beauty in the scene.

But before long, Yunqi sensed their pace gradually slowing. Soon, he saw picturesque green mountains, drifting mists, and figures riding on swords or clouds.

He knew he had returned to Mount Sanqing.

The radiance finally came to a halt. Yunqi’s eyes rolled about, surveying his surroundings. He couldn’t see what was below, but he could make out distant towering peaks.

One peak was wreathed in thunderclouds, another glowed with crimson haze like sunset, yet another was caressed by pure wind through bamboo groves. Wait—wasn’t that Mount Mingzhi? Then those other two must be Pivot Mountain and Danxia Mountain.

So this was the Blessed Land of the Lotus.

But looking around, lying here he could see all eight Lotus Peaks at once!

This must be Flat-top Mountain!

Yunqi was dragged into a grand hall, its coffered ceiling a deep blue and bright green, as if one looked up at the sky from beneath a dense forest.

The spiritual energy here was abundant—the new skin meeting it felt as if soaking in a hot spring in winter. Having just endured extreme pain and torment, now bathed in such energy, if his body weren’t so damaged as to render him mute, he would have let out a contented sigh of relief.

“Patriarch! Patriarch!”

Wen Su Kong’s voice echoed through the hall.

Yunqi couldn’t see it, but almost as soon as Wen Su Kong entered, a person appeared out of thin air atop the meditation mat at the center of the hall.

The Daoist sat cross-legged, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, silver strands threaded through his hair, clad in a hemp-gray robe, white socks and straw sandals, a horsetail whisk in hand. The Daoist’s appearance was ordinary, yet upon closer inspection, there was an air of transcendence about him.

“I’ve seen and heard. Bring the child closer,” he said.

With a wave of Wen Su Kong’s hand, red clouds bore the statue-like youth before the Daoist, the “Dragon Carriage” settling to the floor like a bed of clouds.

Now Yunqi could see the Daoist’s face.

He was, in truth, an extraordinarily handsome Daoist. Even now, with the marks of age upon him, the years had only softened and gentled his features, never diminishing his divine presence.

What truly made him appear aged was only his gray hair.

Seeing Yunqi’s eyes darting about, the gray-haired Daoist smiled and said,

“The child must be feeling suffocated.”

With a flick of his horsetail whisk, Yunqi felt his consciousness drawn out from his body. In a dizzying instant, he “stood up.”

It was just like the feeling during his first magical trial at the mountain gate.

But this Daoist was even more considerate. With another tap of the whisk, a flash of radiance enveloped Yunqi’s spirit, and he felt himself restored to a body—though it seemed formed of spiritual energy, slightly transparent.

Yunqi first looked at his physical body. Sure enough, a woman’s dress was draped over it, but it did not fully cover him. He quickly sent his mind into a stone cache, drew out several Daoist robes, and covered his body tightly as if tucking himself in.

Only then did he bow to Su Kong, and then paid formal respects to the Daoist.

“This is the twenty-second generation Patriarch of our Mount Mingzhi. He attained high rank a century ago, is now the Deputy Leader, residing in the Pure Yang Hall, overseeing Danxia, Pivot, White Tiger, and Cliff Mountains in the Blessed Land. He could be promoted to Leader at any time.

“Anyway, in the future, if you need anything and I’m not around, just come find the Patriarch. Your uncle, great-uncle, and great-great-uncle all passed early. Beyond the twenty-second generation, I’ve not even met them.

“You’re now the sole seedling of Mingzhi Mountain. The Patriarch may ignore the Fire, Thunder, Earth, and Mountain lineages, but he won’t ignore you.” Wen Su Kong, finally at ease in the Pure Yang Hall, spoke half-smiling as the Patriarch maintained his unhurried air.

Yunqi bowed deeply—this was a patriarch three generations above.

The Daoist smiled and bade Yunqi rise. “Su Kong spoke much but not to the point. My Daoist name is Tong Xuan. If ever you’re asked your forebear’s name, don’t be at a loss.”

Yunqi acknowledged.

Su Kong said, “Patriarch, this is an excellent disciple. Forgive the formalities—please save him first. His body has suffered the assault of true evil energy; who knows how blocked his meridians are now. How can he cultivate in the future?”

Patriarch Tong Xuan nodded and examined Yunqi’s body closely.

“You were struck by a newly opened evil point—oh, the Twelvefold Tower opened one layer, but that’s as good as none, and now even that is blocked.

“In the evil point, when faced with mortal peril, you opened your Heart Palace. Not bad—using Solar Bing Fire to open the palace. Hmm, but what is that other fire? I’ve never seen it. Excellent. You took the Mansion of the Net as your inner deity—no, not entirely the Mansion of the Net. Beyond divinity, there’s humanity as well. Truly impressive.

“Opening the Heart Palace extends life by thirty years, but as you were near death, those years didn’t fully add to your fate. At least ten years were spent sustaining your life, thoroughly protecting your Heart Palace and preserving your essence and blood.

“Your mind is clear—what protected your Violet Palace? Let me see. Ah, a flying sword! A fine sword indeed! It matches your Heart Palace deity, both in accord with the fire of the sun. Remarkable karma!

“As for the rest… hm, not a single meridian escaped.”

Wen Su Kong hadn’t expected the true evil to be so fierce, blocking all of Yunqi’s hundred meridians, with only the Heart and Mind points protected by the opening of the palace and an unknown flying sword.

“How can he be saved? How can that true evil be dissolved?” Wen Su Kong asked.

“Is this a newly emerged evil?” Patriarch Tong Xuan inquired; he had never seen such an evil before.

Yunqi was confused—wasn’t it just miasma?

Wen Su Kong nodded. “It should be newly formed. I entered the evil cave—true evil was everywhere, with no sign of mining. I know Rotten Peach Mountain well, but never thought such a new evil was gestating below.”

Patriarch Tong Xuan nodded. “So, Rotten Peach Mountain in the southern border—no wonder. This evil contains both the miasma of Yi Wood and the poison of Earth Fire, entangled together—truly ferocious.

“To resolve it, let me think. If one would counter both Yi Wood and Earth Fire, the foremost method is thunder magic. Thunder magic is divided into the Five Thunders of Supreme Heaven, the Ten Thunders of the Judicial Heaven, and the Thirty-Six Thunders of Lower Heaven. Let’s consider the Five Thunders of Supreme Heaven first—they’re the root of all thunder magic and surely have the cure.”

Yunqi’s eyes lit up—there was hope for survival, and he could learn thunder magic!

“The Five Thunders are: Heavenly Thunder, Earth Thunder, Water Thunder, Dragon Thunder, and Shrine Thunder.

“Heavenly Thunder governs the proper order of the heavens, the seasons, fosters all life, preserves fate, commands divine generals, slays demons, and clears pestilence.

“Earth Thunder subdues all kinds of poison and insects, cuts down mountain and stone spirits, sweeps away mountain mists and plagues, redeems lost souls, controls earth deities, and brings fair weather—hence called Divine Thunder.

“Water Thunder generates life, commands clouds and rain, relieves drought, nourishes crops, and sustains forests.

“Dragon Thunder is for destruction, slaying water monsters, rewarding merit and punishing crime, stirring wind and waves, severing dragons, venomous serpents, evil river spirits and monsters—able to strip flesh from bone or transform serpents into dragons.

“Shrine Thunder destroys wicked shrines and profane altars, restoring right order to worship.”

Yunqi blinked—each sounded formidable indeed.

Patriarch Tong Xuan continued, “Child, your body is corrupted by true evil formed of earth fire and wood miasma; you should use Divine Thunder to dissolve it. To cleanse and nourish your hundred meridians, Water Thunder should be used, lest hidden wounds remain.

“Heavenly Thunder reigns in spring, Water Thunder in summer, Divine Thunder in autumn, Dragon and Shrine Thunder in winter. So, you must use the summer and autumn thunders to resolve the true evil within. For the detailed methods, attend the lectures at the Palace of Ninefold Celestial Response.”

Yunqi bowed once more in gratitude.