Chapter Ninety-Eight: Thunder Gives Birth to All Things, The Condensation of the Five Elements' Law

Thunder is the might of Heaven.

The sound of thunder is the voice of Heaven and Earth.

This sound may be dull or loud, continuous or sporadic.

It has no rhythm, no pattern, only varied expressions of thunderclaps.

Qingyuan closed his eyes, and the darkness before him seemed to transform into a vast, desolate world devoid of life.

There were no flowers, no trees, no birds or beasts.

The sky was gray, covered by endless layers of gray clouds that obscured the heavens. The sea was empty and silent, containing only infinite water, without any fish, shrimp, or shellfish.

Thunder roamed within the clouds, flashing with blue and white light, like thunder dragons and electric snakes.

The clouds were thick with rain and mist; occasionally, a crack would break through, revealing a sudden flash of light as thunder tore through the sky, followed by a rolling roar that spread across thousands of miles.

This was the scene of a vast, ancient world before the dawn of humanity.

With his current understanding, this was the oldest vision he could perceive.

Thunder ripped through the sky, shattered the earth, destroyed all things, and fell toward the west; another bolt rose from the east, splitting the clouds and striking into the sea.

The water suddenly exploded.

After an unknown length of time, tendrils of life gradually emerged from the water, evolving into all things under heaven.

The thunderous sound gradually softened and dispersed.

At this moment, it was precisely when the venerable master of the Sound Listening Shell finished his teaching.

One session of listening to the sound came to an end.

…

Thunder and fire nurture each other. In some cultivation texts, thunder and flame are considered equivalent, because thunder can generate fire.

Qingyuan was adept at using fire; thus, the law concept he attempted to condense in his mind this time belonged to the fire element.

Normally, when one’s mind inclined toward this element, they would comprehend law concepts along this path. Yet unexpectedly, the thunder scene he envisioned was not of thunder and fire nurturing each other, but rather resembled the primordial scene of Heaven and Earth’s creation.

This spectacle was grand beyond measure; he grasped only a fragment, yet that was already exceedingly rare.

Seizing the lingering insight, he dared not hesitate and immediately began condensing the law concept.

Just then, he suddenly recalled the somber ebony nail and thought of a different kind of tree.

“Thunder-struck wood?”

As he pondered this, the thunder’s roar still echoed in his ears, and an unfamiliar scene suddenly appeared in his mind.

…

A gloomy, rainy day.

Thunder split the clouds, striking down into the mortal world, landing upon a tree.

The tree was verdant and lush, growing atop a mountain peak, when suddenly struck by lightning, it was severed at the waist, flames bursting forth.

Rain continued to fall; white smoke curled upward.

Before long, the once verdant tree had become charred charcoal.

Yet it was not dead; its roots dug deeply into the earth, drawing vitality from the soil.

Through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, as a new spring arrived, the gentle rain nourished everything silently. The earth revived with life.

The charred wood sprouted branches and buds, blossoming anew.

Such trees became known as thunder-struck wood.

Within the Daoist sects, many used thunder-struck wood as swords or forged treasures from it.

“Within thunder lies both destruction and the seed of life.”

A flash of clarity arose in Qingyuan’s heart.

…

In the sky hung six bright moons, pure and clear, their light like silk and mist.

Through the fog, the nine-tiered jade pavilion appeared faintly.

Inside the second tier, Qingyuan, seated cross-legged, suddenly rose, still holding the white jade ruler etched with dark red thunder patterns.

Looking around the empty chamber, his expression calm, he fixed his gaze ahead.

A staircase appeared beside him.

He ascended the stairs.

At the top, there was an obstruction.

He pushed upward with both hands, forcing open the barrier, and thus opened the third tier of the pavilion.

…

The third tier was called the Law Condensing Pavilion.

Compared to the Form Refining Pavilion, it was narrower, with some arrangements along the edges; most strikingly, each of the three tiers bore murals on their walls.

The eastern mural depicted a verdant tree, lush and thriving, coiled by a blue dragon with majestic horns, gleaming scales, lifelike in detail.

The western mural showed a white tiger marked with black stripes, a character meaning “king” atop its head, clutching a sword in its mouth, exuding fierce killing intent.

The southern mural illustrated a phoenix, fiery red throughout, crowned with a red crest and long tail feathers, holding a sun in its beak, enveloped by flames.

The northern mural portrayed a mysterious tortoise-dragon hybrid, with a fearsome dragon head, a black turtle shell body, and a winding black snake for a tail, floating and sinking within flowing water, ancient and vast.

At the center beneath Qingyuan’s feet was a patch of golden yellow, yet empty.

“This is…” Qingyuan stood at the center of the third tier, surveying all directions in silence, his thoughts turning. “Is this the scene that should belong to the Mountain and River Pavilion on the fifth tier?”

The Mountain and River Pavilion on the fifth tier emphasized the earth’s cause and effect, manifesting the Five Elements.

The third tier, the Law Condensing Pavilion, should manifest the type of law concept one personally condensed from the Five Elements.

Yet here, the Law Condensing Pavilion did not manifest just one of the Five Elements, but all five together.

…

In the cave, Qingyuan opened his eyes, light swirling within them. After a long silence, he suddenly extended his hand.

Chanting an incantation, he formed a hand seal.

Flames burst forth from his palm.

The fire was bright red with hints of yellow, enveloping his hands as per his will. Yet Qingyuan felt no heat, remaining as before.

“Disperse!”

He spoke, and the flames vanished without a trace.

Still, a residual warmth lingered in the cave.

This was Daoist magic, forming a technique without relying on external objects.

The fire element of the law concept had been condensed.

Recalling the scene in the Law Condensing Pavilion, Qingyuan’s heart was filled with uneasy suspicion. He rose, deep in thought.

He had originally set his cultivation path along the element of fire, and most of what he learned in the Purple Cloud Palace related to this.

But he had not neglected the other paths entirely, only that he was not as proficient with them as with fire.

After much contemplation, he extended his hand again, reciting another incantation.

Suddenly, a sphere of water appeared.

The orb was pale with blue hues.

With a casual tap, he struck the rocky wall.

At his command, “Split,” the rock cracked open, and from the fissure sprouted a blade of green grass.

Qingyuan lowered his hand, releasing a golden light that swiftly cut down the grass.

As it drifted downward, he reached out, flames rising in his palm, incinerating the grass to ashes.

In an instant, he had wielded all five elemental law concepts: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

“Mastery of all five elements?”

Qingyuan murmured softly.

Generally, cultivators who condense law concepts are not limited to using only their own condensed element; they can also wield other techniques.

However, comparatively, they excel in the techniques corresponding to their own condensed law concept.

But just now, as he used each elemental technique in turn, all were of comparable strength, except for the fire which was slightly more formidable due to his familiarity.

This state, combined with the unusual phenomena within the Law Condensing Pavilion, could only mean mastery of all five elements.

As for the law concept that masters all five elements…

Qingyuan lowered his gaze to his hands and whispered, “The Way’s intention?”