Returning home, Su Chan noticed that although Li Yundong had been chatting and laughing with her, a deep melancholy perpetually shadowed his brow during their conversation. She couldn't help but ask, "Yundong, what is troubling you?" Li Yundong smiled and replied, "Nothing much." Su Chan shook her head.

"No, ever since you came back today, you've been frowning. Did that person say something to you in private today?" Li Yundong did not wish to burden the innocent and carefree girl with these vexing matters.

He smiled and said, "Nothing at all, don't overthink things." Su Chan gazed steadily at Li Yundong, taking his hand. She said earnestly, "Yundong, you are my Dao Companion now, the person to whom I can entrust my life, and the person who can entrust his life to me.

I hope that from now on, you will share anything with me, alright?" Li Yundong felt a warmth spread through his heart. He gently caressed the young girl's cheek and chuckled, "I’ve grown accustomed to your carefree disposition; you suddenly being so understanding throws me off balance!" Su Chan pouted, "When am I carefree!" Li Yundong burst into hearty laughter.

After laughing for a while, he recounted his conversation with Secretary Liu to Su Chan. Finishing, he let out a long sigh: "As the saying goes, the common folk should not clash with the officials.

Though I spoke harshly at the time, looking back now, my heart is still unsettled." Su Chan giggled, "This matter? I thought it was something truly momentous?" Li Yundong shot her a glare, "Offending the Vice Governor—you don't think that’s a big deal?" Su Chan smiled.

"You can now be considered half a cultivator. Once you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, you will be a genuine cultivator!

Do you even know what a cultivator is?" Li Yundong considered this and said, "Does it refer to someone who practices the art of cultivation and transcendence?" Su Chan replied, "You could say that, and yet, you could also say no." Li Yundong shook his head, indicating his lack of comprehension. Su Chan then explained, "A cultivator refers to those who engage in rigorous practice upon a specific Dao path; it doesn't necessarily exclusively mean the art of immortality and transcendence.

The Medicine King, Sun Simiao, was also a cultivator, but what he practiced was not the transcendent art of changing heavens and earth, but the medical Dao that brings the dead back to life." Li Yundong couldn't help but ask curiously, "Was Sun Simiao truly an immortal?" Su Chan nodded. "During the Tang Dynasty, he had already transitioned from medicine into the Dao, achieving great success in his cultivation, earning the title of a Great Cultivator.

After a hundred years, when he ascended and achieved immortality, he became an immortal of the other shore. But the common people across the dynasties spontaneously worshipped him, causing him to become a deity even though he might not have intended to become one!" Hearing this, Li Yundong suddenly had a moment of clarity.

"Are you saying: If the common people believe you are a god, then you are a god?" Su Chan remarked, "As the saying goes, people fight for a breath of spirit, and Buddhas fight for a stick of incense. Do you know what this means..." As Su Chan was about to elaborate, Li Yundong’s eyes lit up, and he couldn't resist interrupting, "I know.

When you say people fight for a breath of spirit, you must mean the true vital energy that cultivators train—lack this breath, and a person becomes weaker; gain more of this breath, and a person becomes stronger!" Su Chan looked at Li Yundong with admiration, smiling sweetly, "My man is indeed clever! He understands with just a hint!

Then tell me, what does it mean that Buddhas fight for a stick of incense?" Li Yundong laughed, "It means Buddhas strive to win the stick of incense offered by the common people, because with that extra stick of incense, they can surpass other gods and Buddhas?" Su Chan tittered, "Right, but not entirely correct. Ge Hong said in the Baopuzi that humans can cultivate immortality, but humans cannot cultivate divinity.

Only through the spontaneous worship and faith of a large number of secular mortals can one become a god. Therefore, Buddhas fight for the devoted incense offerings of secular mortals so they can gain greater power and status." Li Yundong felt as if he suddenly grasped a truth, yet something felt vaguely separated from him—something he could see but not touch.

Su Chan had dropped her smile by then, looking at Li Yundong, "Yundong, do you wish to cultivate immortality?" Li Yundong nodded, "Of course, I do!" Su Chan asked very seriously, "Why do you wish to cultivate immortality?" Li Yundong opened his mouth, about to speak, but Su Chan stopped him with her hand. "Don't rush to speak; think it through first." Li Yundong fell silent.

He recalled the dull, ordinary, wasted days before he met Su Chan, and then recalled the myriad changes in his life after obtaining the Human Origin Golden Elixir and gaining formidable power. Especially when Li Yundong remembered the scenes where Liu Chuan, He Shao, and Secretary Liu used money and power to coerce and entice him, a surge of rage flared within him!

He secretly clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and declared resolutely, "I want to cultivate immortality! Because I want to become strong!" Immortals have no predetermined lineage; mortals can cultivate immortality!

This was an inspiring declaration made by Ge Hong in Chinese history, one more startling than that of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang! Among the immortals in China, which one was not an ordinary mortal who transformed into a god?

The Jade Emperor was once the destitute but profoundly benevolent Zhang Bairong; the Mazu Goddess was merely a small fisher girl from a village; Lü Dongbin was once just a scholar; and the God of Wealth, Zhao Gongming, was once just a country dweller from the Qin Dynasty! If they could become gods and immortals, why couldn't he?

If he became a god or immortal, would these leaping clowns even have the chance to step on his neck? Li Yundong’s chest churned with surging emotion, his sensed aura vibrating with his will, surging like a mighty river flood.

Seeing Li Yundong like this, Su Chan secretly nodded her approval. She then asked, "There are thousands of Daos in this world; where do you wish to enter the Dao?" Li Yundong sat up straight and asked, "What paths are there?" Su Chan smiled, counting on her fingers, "If any single endeavor is taken to its absolute extreme, one can enter the Dao through it.

Sun Simiao pushed the Medical Dao to its peak, thus he entered the Dao. The Tiger-Headed Protector, Sun Lutang, practiced the Martial Dao to its zenith, and thus he also entered the Dao." Li Yundong considered this and said, "I wish to cultivate the strongest path!" Su Chan’s face instantly became solemn, filled with shock and awe, "You wish to cultivate the Shenxiao Dao Arts?" Li Yundong asked, confused, "What are the Shenxiao Dao Arts?" Su Chan explained, "The Lingbao Wuliang Duren Shangpin Miaojing states: Heaven has Nine Heavens, and the Shenxiao is the highest!

Shenxiao is referred to as the Supreme of the Nine Heavens, the highest celestial realm where all spirits of the world reside. Therefore, Shenxiao Dao Arts refer to the supreme arts of the Nine Heavens!" Li Yundong became even more confused.

"What are the Nine Heavens Divine Arts?" Instead of answering, Su Chan countered with a question: "The Daos in this world are mostly based on the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Beyond that is borrowing the might of the Heavenly Dao to summon wind and rain.

While even those unfamiliar with Dao arts can use the Five Elements, and can utilize the power of wind and rain by observing celestial phenomena, albeit without direct control—" "But think about it," Su Chan asked, "what is there in this world that completely cannot be used or even predicted by those who haven't cultivated the Dao?" Li Yundong thought carefully for a while but could not find an answer. Su Chan was in no hurry to tell him, simply watching him quietly, allowing him to ponder.

While Li Yundong was thoroughly perplexed, his gaze unintentionally swept toward the sky outside the balcony. Dark clouds were piling up, clearly indicating an overcast and rainy day tomorrow.

A spark ignited in Li Yundong's mind, his eyes widened suddenly, and he exclaimed loudly, "Thunder, it's thunder!" Su Chan clapped her hands and shouted, "Exactly! The only thing in this world that cannot be commanded by man is lightning!

Because lightning is the art of the Nine Heavens, the might of Heaven itself. Its divine power is so vast that not only mortals fear it, but even cultivators cannot withstand it!

Hence the saying of the Heavenly Tribulation! The Shenxiao Dao Arts refer precisely to the Five Thunders True Dharma techniques!" Li Yundong excitedly realized: That was true!

Even with the advanced state of modern technology, mankind can harness wind, water, and solar power, but has never harnessed heavenly lightning. When lightning strikes from the sky, people only fear being struck and install lightning rods to evade the heavenly might!

If the modern world, with all its scientific advancement, is still like this, why? Because the might of lightning is the might of Heaven, and the might of Heaven is unpredictable!

When common people say someone is utterly wicked and deserves to die, they don't say he should be burned or drowned; they say: May the Heavens open their eyes and strike you down with the five thunders! From this, it is evident that heavenly lightning represents the supreme power of the firmament and is indeed the strongest Dao art in this world!

Su Chan stared at Li Yundong, extremely serious. "The Five Thunders True Dharma is the sovereign of all Dao arts.

It not only demands that cultivators master both the Inner Elixir school and the Outer Elixir school, synthesizing the essence of both, but it also requires the practitioner to achieve Unity of Heaven and Man! Once your Inner Elixir is complete, aided by the Outer Elixir, by sensing Heaven and Earth with human spirit, you can summon wind, clouds, thunder, and rain with a mere flip of the hand!

Under the Five Thunders, even a Daluo Golden Immortal will be utterly annihilated! In terms of Dao and Heavenly Might, nothing is stronger than this method!" Li Yundong's eyes revealed an ecstatic fervor, and even his breathing involuntarily quickened.

After speaking, Su Chan’s expression turned sternly cautionary. "Although the Shenxiao Dao Arts are formidable, their cultivation is extremely arduous.

Throughout history, countless people have attempted to cultivate the Shenxiao Dao Arts, yet only a sparse few have succeeded! Most crucially, practicing the art of summoning lightning is incredibly dangerous.

A slight mistake, and the heavenly lightning can slip its control, turning back to harm the practitioner. If you are struck by the lightning, your soul and spirit will be utterly destroyed, leading to endless suffering from which not even an immortal can save you!

Have you thought this through?" Li Yundong's expression became solemn as well. "I have understood!" Su Chan asked repeatedly, "Do you truly wish to learn the strongest and most difficult Dao art in this world?" Li Yundong declared with finality, "Of course!" Su Chan then inquired, "Learning this Dao art carries the high risk of eternal damnation; are you not afraid?" Li Yundong proudly stood up, holding his head high.

"Fear? If a man of seven feet does not strive for advancement and strength, what is there to fear in such a matter?!" Su Chan asked one last time, "Do you truly want to learn it?" Li Yundong nodded heavily, "I want to learn!" Su Chan suddenly became coy.

She said, "I don't know how..." "I'm dizzy!" Li Yundong staggered, nearly falling over. [Ti: Dear readers, the current chapter has reached the last page of this book]