Chapter 224: The Power of the Thunderball—Martial Peak Elder Takes Notice

Yu Xian exhaled slowly, a faint smile rising to his lips.

The full-force strike with seven merged vine tendrils had shown exceptional killing power—no wonder it could blow that demonic cultivator apart on the spot. The might of the attack was already comparable to a spell unleashed by a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Nodding in satisfaction, Yu Xian sat down cross-legged and officially began his focused training of the Three Treasures Divine Thunder Art.

Within the training chamber, Yu Xian occasionally gained insight and, each time, would suddenly raise his hand to form a seal, releasing a bolt of thunder. The spirit-testing stone would immediately light up with a flash of spiritual brilliance.

Gradually, the stone’s glow shifted—first yellow, then deep yellow, and finally, a burning red!

Unknowingly, four months had passed under such diligent practice.

“Go!”

With a low cry, Yu Xian lifted his arm and threw out a thunderbolt.

Crack!

A thunderous explosion echoed through the room as a streak of blue lightning lit up the chamber. In the blink of an eye, it struck the spirit-testing stone.

In terms of raw speed, none of Yu Xian’s spells—even the Spirit-Channeling Finger—could match the swiftness of lightning.

Indeed, lightning was the fastest force under heaven and earth—few things could rival it.

A brilliant red light burst from the testing stone, bathing the room in crimson.

After four months of cultivation, Yu Xian felt he’d reached his current limit.

As a cultivator with a wood-attribute spiritual root, trying to comprehend a thunder-based spell was extraordinarily difficult. Still, this single bolt of lightning carried the power of a late Foundation Establishment strike—already an impressive feat.

Sigh… Thunder restrains wood. And yet I, with a wood root, am forcing myself to comprehend lightning. True, there exists Azurewood Lightning… but that’s not something I can comprehend at my current realm.

Letting out a sigh, Yu Xian dismissed the thought.

He had reached his bottleneck. Any further attempts to refine his lightning arts would only waste time unless he broke through to late Foundation Establishment. Especially when it came to advancing into more complex forms like Fire Lightning—an even more dangerous tier.

Zhang Sanbao, who had created this cultivation art, must have already mastered Sixth Heavenly Tribulation Thunder. That level of cultivation was simply unimaginable.

And above that… who could say what even more terrifying thunder arts might exist?

Since it was not something achievable now, there was no point forcing it. Cultivation wasn’t a single path—wasting effort on thunder magic was foolish when his forte lay in wood techniques.

What suited oneself was the strongest. What didn’t suit you, no matter how powerful, would only become a hindrance.

Just as Yu Xian stood to leave, he paused.

A thunder spell… a single bolt…

His brows furrowed, eyes flashing.

He suddenly recalled an insight from eight months ago: when several arcs of lightning fused into a single thunderball, the power rose exponentially!

Back then, he could control seven arcs of weak electric energy. But now, each bolt he produced held the might of a late-stage Foundation Establishment spell. Perhaps… he could still fuse them!

But the danger was extreme. If the fusion failed, the lightning would explode in his hand—it could easily tear him apart.

But was he the type to fear being blown up?

He’d worked so hard to refine his body through Body-Tempering Pill Arts just for this—to have a physique resilient enough to withstand damage.

So be it. If it explodes, it explodes. As long as he didn’t die, it was fine.

Without hesitation, Yu Xian turned and sat down again, fingers forming seals.

Zzzzz!!

Meanwhile, outside, dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples watched from afar.

“Tsk tsk, even if he gets high returns, could it be better than being Martial Peak’s elder’s personal disciple?”

“Yeah… this guy is something else…”

“Never seen him before. Who is he?”

“Yu Xian… Oh! Now I remember. He’s one of the three disciples that the Alchemy Hall Master brought from Medicine King Valley!”

“Ah… that explains it.”

“So he’s one of those…”

“Makes sense now…”

As Yu Xian declined Elder Li Cexuan’s invitation, the surrounding disciples erupted into murmurs. His background, his identity, everything was now clear—he was a disciple brought in by the famed Fairy Hongshao.

Even if he wasn’t yet a personal disciple, surely he was closer to her than most.

And once his cultivation improved, she’d likely accept him formally.

Li Cexuan’s smile had completely faded. Of course, he’d heard those murmurs.

So that was it—Hongshao’s disciple.

No wonder…

Heh… I’ve become a joke today, haven’t I?

“Ahem, never mind, never mind,” Li Cexuan smiled again, though this time it was cold and forced. “Alchemy Hall has its benefits too, I’m sure. Much more than my Martial Peak.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

Yu Xian bowed politely. “Then, I shall take my leave.”

“Go on.”

As Yu Xian turned to leave, Li Cexuan stared at his departing back, his gaze icy.

Today’s humiliation will spread throughout the sect. A Foundation Establishment disciple turned down the personal mentorship of me, Li Cexuan…

Am I so worthless?

Hongshao, you win this round. But I, Li Cexuan, will remember this.

Yu Xian paid no mind to this.

Even Fairy Hongshao offering to take him as a disciple hadn’t moved him—why would he agree to Li Cexuan?

He had only one master—Xiao Wusheng.

“Silent… as in Silent Rain Nourishes Everything. I am the thing that has been nourished—I shall follow only him.”

The fused thunderball’s power was incredible.

But there was one issue: the time required.

Even at full strength, it took an entire incense stick’s duration to successfully form the thunderball. In actual combat, no opponent would give him that much time.

He needed more practice.

But the Spirit Testing Hall was no longer an option. If he destroyed another one, Li Cexuan might really lose his temper.

Better to find somewhere isolated to train next time…

Yu Xian descended Martial Peak, heading back toward his courtyard.

At the same time, Elder Li Cexuan arrived at the scene of the blast, brows furrowed.

A Spirit Testing Room completely destroyed?

Could it have been… that Foundation Establishment disciple?

He looked down at the rubble.

Yu Xian stood, brushing dust from his robes. Though his clothing was a mess, his injuries were minor—thanks to the defense of Wood God Armor and his strong physique.

Li Cexuan’s eyes widened.

“A mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator… produced an attack with pseudo-Core Formation might!?”

Impossible.

Yet the shattered spirit-testing stone, surrounded by dense purple light, didn’t lie.

This was no exaggeration—this power had truly reached the false Core Formation stage!

And it had come from Yu Xian… a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator.