Chapter Seventy-One: Thunderstorm

  Lin Fan thought to himself, "Why do I need the Heartless Vine to deal with this demon beast? Can't I just use my Golden Thunderbolt to kill it directly?"... No, that won't work. This demon beast has just formed its inner dan, and even if it doesn't have any defensive measures, it would still take a long time to defeat it... Lin Fan felt that his attacking power was too weak. After returning from the Desolate Lands, he had planned to study the Thunderbolt Technique, but San San Zhen Ren had instead told him to practice the Tian Mang Heart Method, which ended up being useless like throwing embroidered needles. Fortunately, he had transcended to the Golden Dan stage; otherwise, this octopus wouldn't have died, and his true energy would have been depleted.

  And then there's this Green Jade Buddha Sword... I'm most lacking in a suitable magical treasure and technique, it's strange, the sect leader said that my roots and innate talent are more suited for cultivating Taoist techniques, why did San San Zhen Ren insist on sword cultivation? Cultivating swords is just cultivating swords, what does it have to do with you letting me cultivate needles? San San Zhen Ren himself didn't cultivate swords, he practiced instrument refinement and Taoist laws. This sword cultivation is certainly powerful, that Zhang Tong Yuan guy had nothing else, but with just one sword, he was arrogant beyond measure. But first and foremost, you need to have a sword, at the very least it needs to be of higher quality than the swords forged by Han Tang and Han Tie.

  As he was about to reach land, Lin Fan saw a good thing, but unfortunately the good thing wasn't his. In the midst of the clouds, there was a small boat shuttling back and forth. Lin Fan recognized it as being made by the Mo family of Mo Shan in Central Azure State and Northern Azure State. The Mo family's craftsmanship was unparalleled, not only could they build boats that could transport people, but they could also manufacture Daoist cannons and towers. By placing the cannon tower inside the boat and using a spiritual stone as its source, it could both attack and defend, making it extremely formidable.

  As the small boat escaped, Lin Fan's heart itched again. This powerful attack method still hadn't been resolved. Lin Fan had a strong desire for this small boat's speed. Among the people Lin Fan knew, Zhang Tongyuan was the fastest, his sword flying faster than Ximen Commander's driving of the乾坤 circle. There was also Gu Yan's Sword Escape Technique, instantly several miles away. As for himself, he had only learned the Heaven and Earth Shrinking Technique that consumed a lot of true energy, even if he reached the Golden Elixir stage, he couldn't fly far. With the Heaven and Earth Shrinking Technique plus his sword, who could still catch up to him?

  ……

  Yun Qing Gate is still Yun Qing Gate, unchanged. Once the Orthodox Sect turned upside down, entering the Orthodox Mountain, one can vaguely feel the operation of the Dharma Array. This Dharma Array not only attacks enemies but also saves people. If a naughty child falls from the cliff, the sect leader can drive the Dharma Array to protect the child and let them float gently down. However, the premise is that the sect leader is at home and thinks of this. Lin Fan smiled, no wonder the sect leader gets a headache when seeing these little brats.

  San San Zhen Ren was terrible at chess, but he loved playing it anyway. Lin Fan had just walked in, and San San Zhen Ren was currently playing a game with Ying Ying. Without turning his head to look at Lin Fan, he said to Ying Ying: "This young man can't be kept around, even if I could keep him, he wouldn't play chess with me. So I'll have to find someone from among you all to promote as my chess partner and alleviate my boredom."

  "Pointing at the mulberry and scolding the locust tree!" Lin Fan sat on one side: "Master, I have witnessed the heavenly calamity."

  San San Zhen Ren sneered: "With your little bit of skill, you're already facing heavenly tribulation? Have you encountered a thunderstorm or something... Hmm?" San San Zhen Ren glanced at Lin Fan and, without being polite, placed his hand on Lin Fan's forehead: "Could it be that you really have encountered heavenly tribulation? You've only just completed the foundation building stage for a few days, and yet you're already at the Golden Elixir stage."

  Yingying smiled and said: "Congratulations, Big Brother."

  "It's not congratulations, just running into a thunderstorm."

  "It's over." San San Zhen Ren had never seen a heavenly tribulation before, and upon hearing that Lin Fan had gained insight, he couldn't hold back and pulled Lin Fan to the mountaintop.

  Lin Fan didn't mince words and described what he saw, finally adding: "The shock of that scene can only be described as eleven or twelve."

  "There are many ways to break through the boundary, one of which is the demonic sect's life and death trial. For example, you almost got killed by Baiyan Demon King in the desolate land and completed the foundation-building. Another way is enlightenment, understanding the truth of the universe. This time, it was the latter for you. People are not objects, who can be without emotions? If I were emotionless, I wouldn't care about your life or death. A door master without emotions wouldn't care about the survival of the sect, a master without emotions wouldn't care about the disciple's well-being. If cultivators were truly emotionless, they would have been extinct long ago."

  Three True Ones muttered to themselves and sighed: "Thousands of thunderbolts pouring down, this is indeed not something that humans or demons can withstand. This dragon also has a lot of emotional meaning, knowing that old friends are about to reach the end of their lifespan, going against heaven to seek calamity, seeking to transform into a dragon to help good friends. Lin Fan, do you still remember Yang Xuejiao?"

  Lin Fan nodded after thinking for a moment: "I remember."

  "What's on your mind?"

  "No idea."

  "It's indeed a case of having desires but no emotions." San San Zhen Ren nodded. The Cloud Clearing Heart Method is easy to dispel desires, but emotions are born from the heart and cannot be dispersed by any heart method. Apart from romantic love, other emotions require time to cultivate. Lin Fan has crossed over his feelings for Shang Guan Fei Xue and also his desire for Yang Xue Yao. San San Zhen Ren is still very satisfied with Lin Fan in her heart.

  Lin Fan said: "Master, I ask for your guidance. This time at sea, I encountered a hundred-year-old octopus and fought it for twelve hours."

  San San Zhen Ren said, "This book is all in the library, you can find it yourself. If you want to learn Tai Yi Shen Lei, forget it, even the hidden immortal sect doesn't have anyone who knows it, and besides, there's no cultivation method for Tai Yi Shen Lei, it requires enlightenment."

  "Why learn Tianmeng Heart Method?" Lin Fan asked.

  "Let you learn, don't talk nonsense." Sanzhen Zhenren was asked about the Tianmang Heart Method and began to be unreasonable. After thinking for a while: "Lin Fan, in spring, seeds are sown, and in autumn, they are harvested. You can't force spring to harvest immediately. You've already gone through two emotional trials, and now you're jumping into the trial of rapid success. Do you know why this Zhang Tongyuan's White Rainbow Sword is so special? The White Rainbow Sword was left by Zhang Tongyuan's father and has been with him since childhood. Zhang Tongyuan's Golden Elixir Refining Sword wasn't just a coincidence. What about Ximen Shuai? He had the external help of the Former Demon Lord to lay his foundation, and he also left behind the Zi Wu Qian Kun Circle, the Seven Breaking Flags, and other demonic treasures. But your parents only left you the Tianmang Heart Method."

  "Are my parents definitely cultivators?"

  "Yes, I accepted you as my disciple because I saw the Tianmang Heart Method on the fabric package sent by your father-in-law. However, I didn't know who your parents were, and according to records, there is no such thing as the Tianmang Heart Method. The more swords one can wield with the Tianmang Heart Method, the greater the power. Like the Blood Shadow Sect's Bamboo Sword Hall, although they can control over a hundred bamboo swords, they are all inanimate objects, and it's just controlling swords, not wielding them. So far, the most anyone has wielded is only four.

  San San Zhen Ren was deep in thought: "Speaking of the Bamboo Sword Hall, this Tianmang Heart Method does have some similarities with theirs."

  Lin Fan asked: "Do you mean we go to the desolate land, capture a disciple of the Bamboo Sword Hall, and then force him to write out the method for controlling the bamboo sword?"

  Thirty-three true people angry, gave Lin Fan a slap on the back of the head: "I let you go to enlightenment yourself, as I see it, this Tianmang Heart Method is quite profound, not only to practice but also to enlighten. However, you said Zhusheng Tang... The heart method of Zhusheng Tang is not an evil law, but a comprehension of the former Mojiao disciples. If there is good fortune, you can also take a look at the driving bamboo sword method of Zhusheng Tang. I'll tell you something."

  "Really?"

  "The sect leader is quite concerned about Wuer, and has specially sent the Right Protector to the Purple Bamboo Palace to inquire about the offerings. Although it's somewhat uncertain, they've basically confirmed that Wuer was afflicted with an evil spell." San San Zhenren said: "This evil spell was planted in her lotus seed during her foundation-building period using external force, and as Wuer's cultivation realm improves, it will become more and more apparent. However, the sect leader is also suspicious - this evil spell only destroys one's appearance and has no other purpose; not only that, but it also brings great benefits to the person themselves. This Wuer may have decent innate talent, but she's absolutely not a once-in-a-thousand-years genius who could reach the Golden Elixir stage; it's all thanks to the benefits of this evil spell."

  Lin Fan was annoyed: "This evil technique is probably 90% the work of the old woman of the misty rain, but just to ruin the appearance of the misty child?"