Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds-Chapter 46: Bestowing the Thunder Seed

Gu Zhao didn’t stay in the Supreme Lord Pavilion to make small talk with Taoist Yan Song. Instead, he pulled him from the pavilion and into a relatively secluded grove nearby.

"What’s this all about?" Taoist Yan Song asked curiously. "Was there something you couldn’t say back in the pavilion? Why did we have to come out here?"

Gu Zhao asked mysteriously, "Do you believe Cultivation can lead to Ascension? Do you believe Immortals exist in this world?"

Taoist Yan Song gave him a deadpan look.

"You should read fewer web novels and focus more on your Cultivation. Your future accomplishments might one day rival those of the great Daoist Zhang Zhishun." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Zhang Zhishun was a legendary figure in the modern Taoist Sect. He had extracted the essence from Taoist classics, combined it with his own experiences in Cultivation, and compiled the *Qi Body Origin Flow*. He was a grandmaster of the Taoist Sect who had cultivated Inner Breath True Qi, and his level was by no means low.

Gu Zhao hummed in acknowledgment, pressing on. "Just tell me, do you believe it or not!"

Seeing Gu Zhao’s persistence, Taoist Yan Song had no choice but to concede. "I don’t know about Ascension, but once your Inner Breath is perfected and your True Qi is abundant, you can not only strengthen your body and perform incredible feats of agility, but also heal the sick, maintain your health, and dispel yin and evil energies. In ancient times, calling such a person a Land Immortal would be no exaggeration."

Gu Zhao asked curiously, "Yin and evil energies exist in the modern world, too?"

"Where there is Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, there will naturally be yin and evil energies. Think of places that rarely see sunlight, like forest swamps, or places that lack the breath of life, like graveyards, desolate fields, and the mass graves of battlefields."

Taoist Yan Song explained, "Some folk superstitions, which may seem to lack any scientific basis, are actually rooted in these invisible, intangible energies that science cannot yet explain."

Gu Zhao understood.

But the Spiritual Qi in the modern world was thin, so naturally, yin and evil energies weren’t abundant either. Compared to the Demons and Ghosts of the Otherworld, they were practically child’s play.

Gu Zhao steered the conversation back on track. "We can discuss that later. I came to you today about a serious matter. I need your help."

Taoist Yan Song’s expression turned uncharacteristically solemn. He nodded. "Go on."

"I’ve provoked a Fierce Ghost with several hundred years of Dao Practice," Gu Zhao said. "Although he hasn’t found me yet, I need to start preparing now—find allies, and raise my Cultivation."

Taoist Yan Song was speechless.

"If you’ve really run into a Fierce Ghost with hundreds of years of Dao Practice, I suggest you go to the Provincial Public Security Department," Taoist Yan Song advised. "The Rongcheng Municipal Bureau might not be enough to protect you."

Gu Zhao was at a loss for words.

"They can’t help me," Gu Zhao said, shaking his head. "Only you can."

"How can I help?" Taoist Yan Song asked curiously.

"Help me kill the ghost, of course. Isn’t that part of a Daoist’s job description?"

"I’d love to. I’m almost eighty. If I could really take a Fierce Ghost with hundreds of years of Dao Practice down with me, it wouldn’t be a bad trade. But I suspect I wouldn’t even be a single mouthful for that Evil Ghost."

"I can help you raise your Cultivation level."

"And how would you do that?"

"Like this!" With a flicker of his Divine Sense, the Thunder Seed that had been orbiting the Five Thunders Order shot out and instantly vanished between Taoist Yan Song’s eyebrows.

Taoist Yan Song’s Sea of Consciousness was suddenly forced open. He could "see" a Thunder Seed suspended in its depths, which began transmitting waves of information as streaks of electricity shot out from it, coursing straight down his meridians.

He felt a jolt in his chest, and his Innate Qi activated.

His Dantian shook. The Innate Qi, blended with the power of the Thunder Seed, began to coalesce all the True Qi in his body and absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi from the outside world.

RUSTLE—

The mountain wind blew, rustling the surrounding pines. Taoist Yan Song was speechless for a long time, focused solely on experiencing the changes within himself and in the world around him.

"So, how is it?" Gu Zhao asked.

Taoist Yan Song took a long, deep breath, like a whale drawing in the ocean. His lung capacity was astounding.

"This is unbelievable!" Taoist Yan Song stared at Gu Zhao, his eyes wide with shock. "A Thunder Seed? A Magical Treasure? Innate Qi? So Immortals really exist in this world? We can actually achieve Ascension through Cultivation?"

As he spoke, the reality of the situation dawned on Taoist Yan Song, and he shook his head. "It’s still no good. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi is too thin. Our Qingcheng Mountain ranks fifth among the Ten Great Grotto Heavens, yet there’s not even enough here for a single breath.

The world has undergone immense changes. I don’t know what happened, but it’s just as the web novels describe: the tide of Spiritual Qi has receded. Maybe people really did achieve immortality through Cultivation in ancient times, but this environment is no longer suitable for it.

Still, even in an environment like this, my Cultivation efficiency will be much greater than before. I might even live another ten or twenty years."

Taoist Yan Song couldn’t help but sigh, looking at Gu Zhao with a mixture of envy and pity. "You’re lucky to have acquired such an incredible Magical Treasure, but you’re also unlucky. It’s a shame you were born in the wrong era."

"You snapped out of it so quickly?" Gu Zhao asked, surprised.

"I’m a Daoist, you know. I’ve worshiped The Three Pristine Ones with devout faith for decades. I don’t just believe in Immortals with all my heart; after developing my Inner Breath, I even believed I could live to be a hundred and achieve Ascension to the Immortal Realm. Isn’t it normal for me to get my bearings so quickly?"

Stroking his beard, Taoist Yan Song huffed proudly. "The Thunder Seed itself has recognized me as a person of pure Divine Soul, righteous spirit, and extraordinary talent! Back in the ancient days, I’d have been the Chosen One!"

Gu Zhao chuckled dryly. "And what else did the Thunder Seed tell you?"

"It told me that you’re my superior, that you can grant me the Thunder Seed, and that you can also take it back and ’fire’ me." Taoist Yan Song tugged at his beard. ’Just a moment ago, I was the senior here. All I did was agree to help out, and now I’m the subordinate.’

Gu Zhao smiled and clasped his hands in a traditional salute. "I wouldn’t dare presume. From now on, let’s..."

"No. Business is business, and personal life is personal life. When it comes to work, you are my superior." Taoist Yan Song waved his hand, then gave Gu Zhao a formal bow.

"The Thunder Seed also told me that Doing Good Deeds and Accumulating Virtue, nurturing my Dao Heart, and Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit will all aid my Dao Practice—though I have to share the proceeds with you," Taoist Yan Song added after a moment of thought. "Oh, and I can contact you through the Thunder Seed?"

At that, Taoist Yan Song fell silent and used his Divine Sense to connect with the Five Thunders Order through the Thunder Seed.

The next moment, the Five Thunders Order deep within Gu Zhao’s mind received the message from the Thunder Seed. When he actively established a connection, he heard Taoist Yan Song’s voice. ’Can you hear me?’

Without opening his mouth, Gu Zhao replied via the Five Thunders Order, ’Loud and clear.’

"Hey, this is great!" Taoist Yan Song laughed. "It’s way more convenient than a cell phone. We can stay in touch anytime."

Gu Zhao nodded. ’It just receives the messages,’ he noted. ’I can choose whether to read them immediately, so it won’t be a constant bother.’

"Tsk, tsk. To think I’ve been cultivating for decades, only to realize now that the Cultivation World is far deeper than I ever imagined!" Taoist Yan Song said as he assessed his condition. "I believe you now. You really have encountered a Fierce Ghost that’s hundreds of years old.

But right now, I only have Innate Qi; my reserves of Magical Power are completely empty. If you want to deal with that Fierce Ghost, you’ll probably have to give me some time."

At this, Taoist Yan Song asked Gu Zhao, "How many more Thunder Seeds do you have? Can we recruit more people? I know a few other old Daoists who have developed their Inner Breath, but I have no idea if the Thunder Seed would approve of them."

"That was the only one, and I gave it to you," Gu Zhao said. "To create more Thunder Seeds, we have to slay Evil Ghosts, Eradicating Evil and Accumulating Merit. We use the Evil Qi from Fierce Ghosts to condense new Thunder Seeds."

Taoist Yan Song nodded. "In that case, you’ll have to wait for me."

Gu Zhao shook his head. "We don’t have to. I can take you to a place overflowing with Spiritual Qi, where you can quickly replenish your Magical Power."

"Where? The Back Mountain?" Taoist Yan Song was like a curious child. "Don’t tell me the Qingcheng Grotto Heaven, one of the Ten Great Grotto Heavens, actually refers to the Qingcheng Back Mountain?"

With a flicker of his Divine Sense, Gu Zhao enveloped Taoist Yan Song. He winked. "Take a guess."

「A moment later...」

"Oh, my heavens!"

"Did this old Taoist just achieve Ascension?"

"Have I, your Taoist Master, finally made it?"