295: Lightning Shadow

In the days that followed, Di Jingzhe's life became extremely disciplined and fulfilling.

In the early morning, he would circulate the Zixiao Divine Thunder Mind-Cultivation Technique, attempting to Revered Master the Zixiao Divine Thunder.

Every time he channeled the Zixiao Divine Thunder, it was a test of life and death. The intense pain was like maggots in his bones, but his gaze remained as resolute as iron. Relying on the power of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art and the smelting power of the Dark Gold Crimson Thunder Divine Flame, he endured it by force. The deep purple thunder yuan within his body grew slowly but steadily.

In the afternoon, he would Cultivate the Thunderclap Palm and the Thunderclap Finger.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared incessantly.

“Thunderclap Palm!” Di Jingzhe let out a violent shout as his right palm, enveloped in a terrifying blend of dark gold and deep purple lightning, struck out suddenly!

Boom!

A thunderous palm print several zhang in size whistled out, slamming hard into a giant black boulder!

The stone's surface trembled violently, leaving behind a charred deep pit in the shape of a palm. Purple electricity leaped at the bottom of the pit, emitting a continuous "sizzle"—clearly, the residual Purple Firmament power was still wreaking havoc!

“Wrong! The Purple Firmament thunder yuan isn't concentrated enough; seventy percent of the explosive power was scattered! Although the palm strike was fierce, it lacked the true essence of 'Thunder'! Start over!”

Profound Thunder Supreme's voice was like a cold whip of lightning.

Di Jingzhe gritted his teeth, focused his mind, and gathered his thunder yuan again, carefully feeling the subtle sensation of the palm-held thunder explosion that was ready to burst but held back... “Thunderclap Finger!” He pressed his fingers together like a sword. The lightning power within him, fused with the Purple Firmament Origin, compressed frantically. A deep purple glow lit up at his fingertip, shooting out with a piercing screech!

Poof!

It pierced through another stone ten zhang away, leaving a hole that was transparent from front to back. The degree of crystallization around the edges of the hole was also higher than before.

“The speed is acceptable and the penetration meets the standard, but the Soul-breaking trait of the Purple Firmament hasn't manifested! Remember, the Thunderclap Finger is not just a spear to break armor, but a cone to destroy the Soul! The finger's power must contain a Divine Soul impact! Again!” Profound Thunder Supreme's requirements were demanding to the extreme.

Day after day of bitter training, sweat mixed with blood soaked his clothes, only to be steamed dry by the high temperature of the lightning.

Di Jingzhe's Thunderclap Palm and Thunderclap Finger went from having only the form at the beginning to gradually grasping the inner charm, their power increasing at a visible rate.

The palm prints became more condensed, with the Purple Firmament lightning contained within, shaking the heavens and earth upon explosion. The finger beams became sharper and more solid, the deep purple hue carrying a deterrent that pierced straight through the Soul.

During the gaps in cultivation, Profound Thunder Supreme's gaze would occasionally fall upon the long sword at Di Jingzhe's waist—the Awakening Thunder Sword.

“This sword of yours, based on the lightning-struck wood that grew alongside the Ancient Kui Ox, has already begun to develop spirituality and possesses extraordinary potential. If you find an Opportunity in the future to find Thunder Soul Gold Essence to fuse into it, it should be able to go a step further and transform into a Saint-Weapon.”

Regarding Di Jingzhe's fundamental Cultivation Technique, the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art, although Profound Thunder Supreme had never cultivated it himself, his vision as a Supreme Realm expert and his understanding of the Dao of Thunder were unmatched.

Whenever Di Jingzhe encountered a Bottleneck or confusion while circulating the technique, a few words from him would point directly to the essence, like clearing the clouds to see the sun.

“The Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art emphasizes the word 'Shake'! It is not about brute force collision, but using the swiftness of thunder to strike vital points; using the violence of thunder to crush the will; using the destruction of thunder to break all laws! Going forward undaunted is the Aura, thunderous momentum is the means, and crushing the enemy is the goal!”

“In your previous circulations, you pursued the total amount of thunderous violence too much, losing the essence of 'condensing at a single point to shake the universe'! Try to compress the power of your Dark Gold Crimson Thunder Divine Flame into your fist or fingertip at the moment of explosion...”

Under the guidance of Profound Thunder Supreme, Di Jingzhe's understanding of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art progressed by leaps and bounds. It became more fluid and natural to circulate, and its power doubled.

The color of the Dark Gold Crimson Thunder Divine Flame in his body seemed to become deeper, and that hint of purple became more obvious, reaching an unprecedented level of compatibility with the Cultivation Technique.

One day, Di Jingzhe stood on the open ground outside the great hall, the lightning around him retracted, his Aura as heavy and still as a mountain.

His gaze locked onto a piece of thunder rock a hundred zhang away, ten zhang high, pitch black, and covered in lightning scars.

The texture of this thunder rock was extremely hard, capable of withstanding the full-force strike of an ordinary Heaven-Reaching Realm expert.

He slowly raised his right hand, fingers spread, palm facing upward.

Countless fine dark gold and purple electric arcs gathered and leaped in his palm. Deep within the arcs, a heart-palpitating deep purple light quietly emerged and condensed!

“Thunderclap Palm!”

He pushed his palm out plainly!

Boom-crack—!!!

A palm print only the size of a millstone flew from his hand!

The outer layer of this palm print was boiling Dark Gold Crimson Thunder, but the core was a deep purple thunder ball, deep as an abyss and leaping with destructive electric arcs!

The palm print silently imprinted itself onto the very center of the giant thunder rock!

The next moment!

Rumble rumble rumble—!!!!

An earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted!

That incredibly hard giant thunder rock was like it had been struck hard from the inside by an invisible giant hammer. Centered on the point where the palm print landed, it was instantly covered in dense, spiderweb-like cracks!

Immediately after, the deep purple thunder ball at the core exploded!

Blinding purple light instantly swallowed the entire thunder rock!

Countless deep purple destructive electric snakes rampaged wildly!

Under the destructive power of this Zixiao Divine Thunder, the incredibly hard thunder rock crumbled inch by inch at a visible rate, finally turning into a sky full of tiny black crystal powder shimmering with purple light, which rustled as it fell!

In its place, only a huge deep pit remained. The walls of the pit were as smooth as a mirror, shimmering with an eerie purple crystalline light. The residual destructive Aura was terrifying!

Di Jingzhe slowly withdrew his palm, looking at the giant rock turned to powder and the residual pit. Feeling the surging power within him, several times stronger than before, his heart swelled with indescribable pride and confidence.

His cultivation at the Sixth Level of the Purple Mansion Realm was completely stabilized. He had gained a preliminary mastery of the Zixiao Divine Thunder, his Thunderclap Palm and Thunderclap Finger had reached a decent level of proficiency, and the power of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art had greatly increased!

The improvement brought by a short period of bitter cultivation could be described as a complete transformation!

“Very good.”

The phantom of Profound Thunder Supreme appeared again. Looking at the deep pit still lingering with the Aura of the Purple Firmament, he nodded slightly, giving his greatest affirmation.

“The Purple Firmament is initially formed, the palm and finger have reached Minor Achievement, and the Foundation is set. The road ahead needs to be honed in actual combat and understood between life and death.”

“You have preliminarily mastered the Zixiao Divine Thunder, and your Foundation is solid. You have also gained some understanding of the overbearing true essence of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art.”

Profound Thunder Supreme's voice was like rolling thunder, echoing in the canyon. “However, if you have great power but sluggish movement and weak defense, you will be a sitting duck against a truly powerful enemy! Today, I shall teach you two more High Grade Saint-Grade lightning techniques to help you make up for this deficiency!”

High Grade Saint-Grade!

The Thunderclap Palm and Thunderclap Finger were only Medium Grade Saint-Grade!

Di Jingzhe's heart shook violently, and a burning light erupted in his eyes.

“This Disciple respectfully listens to Revered Master's teachings!”

“Watch closely!”

Profound Thunder Supreme's remnant Soul suddenly radiated brilliant light, and his illusory hands formed seals in front of him with lightning speed.

In an instant, billions of stray lightning bolts around them seemed to receive a supreme summons, frantically gathering toward his palms!

“The first style: Lightning Light Evasion Shadow!” Profound Thunder Supreme's voice carried supreme majesty.

“Move with the thunder; wherever the thought reaches, no law can invade!”

Before his voice had even faded, his hands that were forming seals pushed forward suddenly!

“Boom—!”

To one's horror, Profound Thunder Supreme's remnant Soul seemed to be wiped away by an invisible giant hand, leaving only a ripple of distorted air in its place!

In the next imperceptible instant, he had already appeared in another part of the void a hundred zhang away!

The change in position was so fast that even a thick bolt of lightning striking down only hit the afterimage he had left a moment before!