Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 199 - 99: Secrets

Chapter 199: Chapter 99: Secrets

Xuanwei Realm.

Zheng Fa was steering the Calamity Boat through the Thunder Pool.

On the bow, two graceful silhouettes stood side by side, namely Zhang and Yuan.

"Zhang, now that you’ve reached Nascent Soul..." Zheng Fa looked at Zhang with some concern: "Coming to the Thunder Pool seems rather dangerous."

The Thunder Pool was notoriously unfriendly to cultivators above the Foundation Establishment Stage.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more difficult it was to enter the Thunder Pool.

"No worries." Zhang turned her head, glanced at him, and shook her head: "I also want to check out the Heavenly Stele."

The three of them were indeed headed in the direction of the Heavenly Stele.

"Moreover, once I’ve finished forming my Nascent Soul, I would be restricted in what I could do." Zhang spoke with a hint of pride: "Then I might as well not form it at all."

"..."

Zheng Fa was speechless.

Seeing his desire to retort but not knowing what to say, Zhang suddenly smiled: "Even if I only use the Divine Sense and Spiritual Power of the Foundation Establishment, I am confident that I am not inferior to others."

Zheng Fa nodded.

After all, Zhang had a reputation that was fought for; her methods were far from weak.

It was just that he didn’t understand why Zhang insisted on coming here.

"Also, I heard that the Copper Coffin Elder might be hiding inside the Thunder Pool."

"The Copper Coffin Elder?"

Zheng Fa was taken aback; he remembered this person.

On that day, three Nascent Souls from the Great Freedom Demon Sect attacked the Five Dragons Heavenly Palace, where one was killed by Master Pang at the cost of his life, and another had his soul exterminated by a single stroke of the sword from the Sunset Sword Immortal.

Only the Copper Coffin Elder managed to escape by luck.

"Sister, have you been inquiring about this person recently?"

Zhang nodded slightly with an air of being totally justified: "Since he dared to cause trouble in our Jiushan Sect, I naturally have to return the favor."

"..."

Indeed, sister has a fiery temper.

"But why would he, a Nascent Soul, hide within the Thunder Pool?"

"Of course, he’s afraid of the Sunset Sword Immortal." Zhang said softly: "The Thunder Pool, to him, is also a refuge."

Zheng Fa suddenly realized—how he and the others viewed Nascent Soul cultivators was probably similar to how the Copper Coffin Elder viewed the Sunset Sword Immortal.

"Moreover, his copper coffin has always been somewhat mysterious." Zhang seemed to have truly investigated the Copper Coffin Elder’s deeds: "It is said that the Copper Coffin Elder is an ancient corpse that achieved enlightenment. That coffin is not only mysterious but, more importantly, greatly protective of him. In the Thunder Pool, he is even stronger than a typical Nascent Soul cultivator."

"Why doesn’t he stay within the Demon Sect’s Secret Realm?"

Zheng Fa was still somewhat confused.

"I don’t know either." Zhang glanced at him: "Perhaps he has other schemes. I feel more at ease accompanying you here."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa couldn’t help but look at Zhang.

"What ’not weaker than others’, what ’seeking revenge’!" Yuan, who was beside them, seemed to understand and muttered: "It’s just that she doesn’t feel reassured about Zheng!"

"Do you want to leave the boat?" Zhang’s tone was a little cold.

"I’m also worried about Zheng!" Yuan shrank her neck and said pleasingly: "Zhang, Zheng is now your... no, our Jiushan Sect’s treasure!"

...

The closer to the Heavenly Stele, the more abundant the thunderbolts around them became.

At first, the thunderbolts were as dense as a forest, although concentrated, the Calamity Boat could still pass through.

After walking a few miles forward, the thunderbolts became like a spiderweb, leaving only constantly changing gaps, and the three had to abandon the Calamity Boat to navigate through.

Further ahead, the gaps in the spiderweb became smaller and the patterns more bizarre, making it impossible to find a way through.

The three stopped there.

"I only made it here before as well, and didn’t dare to go further." Yuan had previously been here, explaining by their side: "Moving forward would get you struck by lightning. The power of these Heavenly Thunders seems to scale with one’s cultivation—the higher the cultivation, the stronger their power. Those who do not cultivate the Thunder Skill simply cannot approach."

Zheng Fa listened to her words, but his gaze was fixedly staring ahead.

He saw the Heavenly Stele.

It was an incredibly large stele that looked as if it were made of white jade, with some faint and indistinct carvings.

In the very center of the carvings, there was a section filled with names, some of which were blurred, yet many were still very clear.

"The name Yan Wushuang occupies the highest position amidst the clear names."

"This is probably the ranking that Sister Yuan mentioned."

Looking around,

quite a few cultivators were gathered here, seemingly hesitant to move forward yet unwilling to give up the opportunity, so they simply stayed put, reluctant to leave.

These people stood together in groups of three or five, occasionally pointing and discussing the names on the Heavenly Stele.

It seemed like they were debating over which of these names was the more formidable.

Zheng Fa turned back to look at Sister Zhang and the other.

Neither of them had practiced Thunder Skill, or rather, they didn’t have the resources to cultivate it.

In Zheng Fa’s view, Jiushan Sect was already an above-average power in the Xuanwei Realm—yet the Five Thunders Body had been lost for nearly ten thousand years.

Moving forward, it would be difficult for the two sisters to keep up.

Only he had practiced the "Five Thunders Body," and now he was just entering the "Divine Sky Thunder Control True Method," still possessing the capability to proceed.

Sister Zhang and Sister Yuan seemed to understand this; Sister Zhang looked a bit worried.

Sister Yuan also started muttering: "This Heavenly Stele doesn’t seem to offer anything good; maybe you shouldn’t go, junior brother."

"Mr. Zheng." At this moment, Yan Wushuang’s voice suddenly rang out: "If I were you, I would take on the challenge of the Heavenly Stele."

"Hm?"

The three had not expected Yan Wushuang to suddenly show up at this time and interject.

Zheng Fa turned around to look at Yan Wushuang.

Accompanying him were Chu Tianque and Xue from Supreme Dao, indicating a close relationship among the three.

"Mr. Yan, why do you say that?"

"Mr. Zheng, do you know why we keep entering the Heavenly Stele?" Yan Wushuang asked in return.

"I do not know."

"Those of us who practice Thunder Skill are nowadays all plagued by a shortage of spiritual materials. Yet, within the Heavenly Stele, we can obtain many spiritual materials that have not been seen in the Xuanwei Realm for a long time, which are quite beneficial for our cultivation."

"I see." Zheng Fa nodded slightly; in fact, he was also somewhat hesitant about whether to enter the Heavenly Stele for the challenge—he was ambivalent—

He did not consider himself a risk-taker.

Even the Secret Technique given by the Sect Leader, he didn’t feel was compulsory to practice.

Seeing his expression, Yan Wushuang and the others exchanged glances, their faces filled with puzzlement.

They were born into the wealthy Xuanwei Five Sects.

But even the mention of rare spiritual materials would excite them.

And yet Zheng Fa seemed unmoved?

"Rare spiritual materials." Sister Zhang also said from the side, "I’ll collect them for you later, there’s no need to be anxious."

"..."

Chu Tianque was stunned.

He looked at the Haori Mountain insignia on his clothing and then at the Jiushan Sect insignia on Zheng Fa’s clothing, thinking to himself:

Does Jiushan Sect hand out such sisters upon entry?

"There’s another reason," Yan Wushuang continued: "From the perspective of my Tianhe Sect, if someone truly passes the challenge of the Heavenly Stele, they will take control of it."

"Take control of the Heavenly Stele?"

Everyone present was perplexed.

"That’s why my Tianhe Sect has always possessed a Sword Dao Heavenly Stele." Yan Wushuang explained: "If the Heavenly Stele has a master, it will naturally leave Taiyang County."

Zheng Fa glanced at Sister Zhang, who also showed an expression of helplessness.

Spiritual materials were important, but far less than the Heavenly Stele—currently, Jiushan Sect was using the Heavenly Stele to fend off the Great Freedom Demon Sect.

If the Heavenly Stele were to leave, their Jiushan Sect would have to flee as well.

"This matter... why didn’t you mention it before?" Chu Tianque asked, looking at Yan Wushuang.

"This... can be considered a secret of my Tianhe Sect."

Yan Wushuang said helplessly.

"Then you..."

A look of confusion also appeared in Yan Wushuang’s eyes, as he gazed beyond the Thunder Pool, seemingly at a diminutive figure, murmuring: "I also don’t know why I’m telling you this."