Chapter 1500: West Rain, South Clear

South of the State of Chen, west of the State of Yong, lies a state named 'Jiao'.Shi and Jiao, once shared the realm. The ancestors of these two clans, hand in hand, founded the state. Naturally, the subsequent tale is known to all.The Shi clan sat firmly upon the dragon throne, while the descendants of the Jiao clan fled to the State of Yong.That Emperor Ming of Yong, Han Zhou, accepted surrender alone in those bygone days is indeed a fine tale. The Jiao clan, guarding a lone city without aid, their lives yet unextinguished, while the Jiao court erected monuments and wrote biographies seeking to slay them with renown, this too is the truth.Thereafter, the Jiao clan served Yong with unwavering loyalty.By the generation of Marquis Weining, Jiao Wu, he even led his armies to campaign against Jiao, vowing to extinguish the Shi imperial clan.At that time, the new ruler of Yong, Han Xu, salvaged the nation, repelling the Zhuang Emperor. He established Mohism as the state's learning, gaining the strong support of the Mo sect. Within the realm, one Duke and eight Marquises, all were subservient. He reformed the court's governance, enabling the nation to be reborn from fire.The Yong ruler desired to showcase the achievements of his new policies, and Marquis Weining sought to prove his loyalty, thus demonstrating the accord between lord and subject. And for the strong Yong to campaign against the weak Jiao was no different than crushing an egg with a stone. With the opportune moment, favorable terrain, and harmonious populace all present, this war should have flowed smoothly.Yet in the end, it amounted to much thunder but little rain, coming to naught.Truly perplexing.Whispers in the marketplace claim that the State of Chen interfered, causing Yong to withdraw its troops.But a mere State of Chen, whose power is not significantly greater than that of Jiao, whence comes the reliance to halt Yong's military might?A vast State of Yong, which rose to become a regional power after battling various states in turn in the past. Although defeated in the Zhuang-Yong war, defeating three or five States of Chen, one would imagine, would not pose a problem.Before Han Xu, what countenance did the ruler of Chen possess!Hence, these were but wild rumors, believed by few.The true reason behind this, likely, is known only to those lofty great personages.However, speaking of it again, though the State of Jiao's power wanes day by day, the lives of its people within its borders remain stable.Within the state lies a county named Wenshan, whose name implies mountains that resemble writing and do not delight in flatness, as the county possesses many perilous peaks.At this very moment, upon the summit of a perilous peak piercing the clouds, two figures have made their presence known.The Nine-Chapter Jade Disk, named Sorrowful Returning Wind, floats between the two.Fang Heling forcefully suppressed the joy of his harvest. When he opened his eyes, the muscles of his face were already quite relaxed. Then he beheld Wang Changji's eyes.So tranquil and detached.This face, which in his memory belonged to Zhang Linchuan, displayed a completely different temperament merely due to the difference in gaze.For some reason, Fang Heling's heart flustered. He immediately said, "I have gained a set of hand seals transmitted by Huang Weizhen, called the Armadillo Seal, profound and vast. My talent is limited, and I find it difficult to comprehend its mysteries. I implore Senior Brother Wang to kindly offer some guidance."As he spoke these words, his face was filled with sincerity.Wang Changji merely glanced at him indifferently: "Your harvest, keep it well yourself."A person's sense of security requires a long time to build. Yet to shatter it, often only one matter is needed, or even just a fleeting moment.Fang Heling's vigilance and wariness, his inferiority and his desires.Wang Changji saw them clearly, but he wasn't particularly concerned. To say this much was already his limit.At this moment, he stood upon the peak of this nameless perilous peak, gazing at the sea of clouds under the night sky, and casually raised a finger before him.Upon the fingertip rested a Kui Bull Essence Pellet, suspended like jade or amber, within which lightning lay hidden.Fang Heling stood beside him in silence. Of course, he dared not ask what Wang Changji had gained, but he speculated it was something of the utmost rank, such as the secret of Huang Weizhen's divine descent—If the rules of the Mountain and Sea Realm were fair, it is self-evident who accomplished the more difficult feat.A vast heavenly wind blew upon the nameless mountain.Nameless people followed nameless people.Wang Changji gazed quietly ahead, his eyes detached, with no other movement.Fang Heling knew not if he was observing the sea of clouds, or the Kui Bull Essence Pellet.He yearned to discuss something, but knew not what he could discuss with him.He merely stood quietly beside him, accompanying him.Silently counting the passage of time.Until the sun leaped from the sea of clouds, staining ten thousand layers of clouds with gold.Only then did Wang Changji break the silence."Time is up," he said.He lightly hooked his finger and had already opened his mouth to swallow the Kui Bull Essence Pellet.Brilliant lightning instantly danced upon his body!A mere trace of the terrifying aura leaked out, causing Fang Heling to involuntarily retreat a step."No need to be tense," the lightning surging through his flesh had already gathered to a perilous degree, yet Wang Changji's voice remained calm: "I am merely making up for the deficiencies of this body."Such words, Fang Heling seemed to have heard Wang Changji utter before, though he couldn't recall when. But he had always believed they were merely words of modesty.How could someone as powerful as Wang Changji possess any "deficiencies"?"You are already the most exceptional genius within the scope of my knowledge," Fang Heling said with genuine sincerity.Wang Changji said indifferently: "This is a body that did not even touch upon divine abilities after opening four inner mansions, which is why Zhang Linchuan abandoned it and sought the White Bone Sacred Body. However, within the fifth inner mansion, I captured a Thunder Pool."Thunder Pool?Fang Heling felt a faint disappointment.Having lingered in the Valley of No Return for such a long time, he was no longer unfamiliar with the world of cultivation. He had heard of the Thunder Pool.Although it is said there is no strongest divine ability, only the strongest person.Yet in terms of the rank of the divine ability itself, the Thunder Pool certainly cannot compare to dominion-level divine abilities like the Thunder Seal. After all, the Thunder Seal is hailed as "One seal impresses heaven and earth, I am the lord of thunder and lightning." The Thunder Pool must, of course, be governed by it.He felt... such a divine ability was not fitting for Wang Changji.A body that could not find a divine ability after opening four inner mansions, yet in the fifth inner mansion, a divine ability was plucked by Wang Changji. This is the kind of feat that the name Wang Changji should be matched with.For a figure like Wang Changji, the divine ability he plucks. If not of the ultimate peak, it should at least be of the Supreme Divine Ability rank...Fang Heling did not allow his disappointment to show. He merely watched the lightning very seriously, hoping to perceive something extraordinary.Wang Changji may not have sensed Fang Heling's emotions, or perhaps he did but did not care. He merely continued: "The Thunder Pool is a very interesting divine ability, with very broad potential. I have conceived many ideas for it, the most wondrous of which I have the opportunity to verify today."He lightly pointed his index finger at his chest: "This is the Thunder Pool."Within the Five Inner Mansions Sea, the fifth inner mansion rumbled and appeared, lightning flashing within it!And at the position on his chest, a brilliant point of light, where lightning danced, also appeared in response.Suspended there, dazzlingly bright.Wang Changji's finger moved slightly diagonally downward, and a bolt of electricity actually moved with it. Between his chest and abdomen, it drew a clear line of electricity...Like ancient divine markings, depicting some profound mystery.When this finger stopped, pausing lightly, another brilliant point of light where lightning danced was born!Within the Five Inner Mansions Sea, unseen by outsiders, the fourth inner mansion also appeared high in the dome. And from the fifth inner mansion, a bolt of lightning immediately leaped out, blazing like a bridge, spanning the air, resting upon the fourth inner mansion!The fourth inner mansion was instantly bathed in lightning.At the apex of the fourth inner mansion, the almost boundless lightning, like a rushing waterfall, actually compressed into a point of light, suspended high there. At first glance, it was like a divine ability seed!Then came the third inner mansion, the second inner mansion...Wang Changji's finger also continued to draw with lightning as ink, between his chest and abdomen.Although Fang Heling could not see Wang Changji's Five Inner Mansions Sea, merely observing the changes between his chest and abdomen allowed him to guess one or two. For a moment, he was so shocked he couldn't speak.Regardless of how violent the lightning was, both within and without his body, regardless of how the power capable of destroying this mountain peak surged through his muscles, how it coursed within his blood vessels... Wang Changji's finger remained steady, moving meticulously at an almost constant speed.The second source of light, the third source of light, the fourth source of light...His finger smoothly passed, lighting up all five sources of light. Between his chest and abdomen, there was a momentary burst of brilliant light. The five sources of light connected into one, making his body like a furnace, and the lightning like fire.And this was what Jiang Wang had once demonstrated, what Fang Heling had witnessed... the Heaven's Inner Mansion Body!"This..." Fang Heling spoke with difficulty: "Heaven... Heaven's Inner Mansion?"There were too many things that shocked him. Not only did Wang Changji clearly only pluck one divine ability, yet achieve the radiance of the Heaven's Inner Mansion.More so, Wang Changji was already in the Outer Building realm, yet could still return to achieve the Heaven's Inner Mansion!This completely contradicted the common knowledge of the cultivation world!Wang Changji closed his eyes, guiding the light of the five divine abilities to temper his body, and said in a calm tone: "It is merely a pseudo Heaven's Inner Mansion state, not a true Heaven's Inner Mansion."His entire body's muscles and bones crackled and popped, startled thunder raced, wild electricity surged. Inside his body, it seemed as though an unprecedented war was taking place."This... How is this done?" Fang Heling heard his own voice asking.Even having witnessed all of this firsthand, he simply could not imagine the cause.Wang Changji said indifferently: "The Thunder Pool divine ability has its own special characteristics. It itself possesses the qualities of inclusion and openness. I merely borrowed the power of the Kui Bull Essence Pellet and replicated four Thunder Pools... that is all."Within his body, which did not appear strong but concealed endless power, there seemed to be a rapid cacophony of thousands of voices, like a stampede of horses, like battle drums, and after his words fell, they converged into a sharp sound.It abruptly ceased.In the time it took to utter two sentences, the tempering of the body with the light of the five divine abilities was already complete. ww w.qi qish u .c omWang Changji opened his eyes, the lightning all over his body suddenly converged, and the brilliant light between his chest and abdomen also extinguished in succession. He stood there, still calm and detached, as if nothing had happened.But undeniably, a change had occurred, one that would last forever.At least Fang Heling would never forget this day.Right before his eyes.Wang Changji utilized the special nature of the Thunder Pool divine ability, borrowing the power of the Kui Bull Essence Pellet, and within his inner mansions, replicated four Thunder Pools. Using one divine ability seed, he illuminated five inner mansions, thus forming a pseudo Heaven's Inner Mansion state, achieving the effect of five inner mansions shining together!This has never been seen before!It has never been heard of in historical records!He knew, he had witnessed history.But at this moment, he still did not know that what he had seen was merely the beginning of a chapter.Fang Heling swallowed hard, his throat still feeling somewhat dry: "Next, we..."Wang Changji calmly sensed his body, sensing the power of the Heaven's Inner Mansion Body."Having completed the final deficiencies, I can no longer do more. Therefore..."He leaped into the sea of clouds.The sea of clouds was boundless, and his posture was free.His body transformed into a massive bolt of lightning, as if tearing apart the firmament.Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!Lightning spanned ten thousand li.Dao Calendar, Year 3920, Third Month, Second Day.The celestial phenomena observed indicated bright sunshine.Yet in the State of Jiao, there was a heavy rain.Rain in the west, clear in the south.Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.Outside a certain young lady's chamber in the Duke of Yu's mansion, there was the audacious sound of tapping on the window.It was not only crisp but also continuous, with a momentum that suggested it would continue tapping until the end of time if the window wasn't opened.The window of this room on the attic finally opened a crack, revealing Qu Shunhua's bright and generous eyes.It was as if sunlight had been captured within them, somewhat brilliantly scorching.Her eyes rolled once, then she muffled out a voice: "Why come climbing a young lady's window in broad daylight? Aren't you afraid of having your dog legs broken!"Her voice trailed off, sounding quite fierce."Quick, let me in," Zuo Guangshu said, squeezing inwards.But the window was firmly stuck.Qu Shunhua held the window firmly with both hands: "I cannot let you in. If word gets out, will I still have any reputation?"Zuo Guangshu had been drumming on the windowsill outside for a long time with his rear end sticking out, and he was already anxious: "When you climbed my window, why didn't you consider my reputation?"Qu Shunhua let out a giggle, but quickly became serious again."Nonsense! I, Qu Shunhua, am a well-born young lady, how could I do such things. Stop spewing nonsense there and dreaming in broad daylight!"Zuo Guangshu pouted, not saying a word.Qu Shunhua asked again: "The weather is so bright today, a wonderful time, why aren't you practicing with your Senior Brother Jiang?"It seemed a maidservant was walking by downstairs.Zuo Guangshu said softly and shyly: "Quick, let me into the room, go inside and talk... Everyone's going to see."Qu Shunhua tilted her head, peered through the crack for a long time, then said: "Are you afraid of people knowing?"Zuo Guangshu stammered for a long time before saying: "I'm not afraid. We have a marriage contract! It's just... it's just unseemly to be sticking out like this."Qu Shunhua snorted, then leisurely released her hands.Zuo Guangshu quickly scrambled through the window, then turned to close it.Then he leaned towards Qu Shunhua, presenting something like a treasure, holding out the Mingkong Jade from his embrace."Sister Shunhua, look..."Qu Shunhua looked at the Mingkong Jade, obtained from the Heavenly Mountain in the Mountain and Sea Realm, and her eyes softened: "And you?""I'm doing very well," Zuo Guangshu held the Mingkong Jade with both hands. The eyes of this richly dressed youth were exceptionally bright, as if in light: "Look, it's not damaged at all."Qu Shunhua reached out and took the Mingkong Jade, feeling its warmth, the temperature that had been warmed in his heart."Of course I know you are well," she smiled with utmost gentleness, and even placed her own hand, along with the Mingkong Jade, into Zuo Guangshu's palm: "I was asking... about you? Has the young gentleman's wish been granted?"Zuo Guangshu felt the touch from his palm, and his ears turned red."Ah... ah?"Only then did he realize what Qu Shunhua had asked.He hastily said: "I got the Chapter of the Nine Phoenixes!""How is the effect of the Chapter of the Nine Phoenixes?" Qu Shunhua asked with a smile.Zuo Guangshu said somewhat awkwardly: "I haven't started practicing yet. As soon as I came out of the Mountain and Sea Realm, I ran over to find you..."Qu Shunhua had already very naturally taken his hand: "Come, sit here, and let's talk slowly..."