Chapter Six: The Four Masters Seize the Supreme Treasure

The elder’s face was filled with astonishment as he exclaimed, “You insolent youth, you’ve already recovered!”

Fang Yu stepped forward and pointed to the person behind him. “Thanks to this venerable elder’s timely intervention.”

Upon hearing this, Elder Jian immediately rose, bowed deeply to the elder, and respectfully said, “Thank you, esteemed senior, for your assistance. I am truly grateful.”

The elder smiled and waved his hand dismissively. “It’s a trivial matter, nothing to fuss over. However, this young man harbors an extremely powerful and peculiar aura within him, which makes it difficult for his pulse pattern to suppress this strange energy.”

At that moment, Lei Xiaodian pondered silently, “I didn’t expect this old man to be so formidable—he saw through my core problem at a glance. He must be a transcendent master.”

Time passed steadily as night quietly fell.

Elder Jian kindled a bonfire and began roasting the food they had found. Fang Yu sat down nearby by the fire.

Elder Jian decided to leave the next day. He cast a penetrating gaze over everyone and slowly said, “Very well, there’s no time to waste. We must depart quickly to avoid detection and pursuit by other elders.”

With that, he turned to pack his belongings, preparing to set off.

Fang Yu picked up a piece of crow meat in front of her and offered it quietly to Lei Xiaodian. “Want to try some? Crow meat tastes quite good.”

Lei Xiaodian lifted his head slightly, his eyes revealing a trace of weakness. He replied softly, “Thank you, senior sister, but I have no appetite right now.”

Fang Yu nodded understandingly. “Alright, alright… suit yourself.” She knew Lei Xiaodian’s heart was surely heavy with pain and difficult to ease.

Meanwhile, Lei Xiaodian remained lost in endless grief, unable to pull himself free.

Seeing this, the old man couldn’t help but ask, “Boy, how can you regain your strength without eating? This won’t do!”

In response, Lei Xiaodian spoke faintly, “The world is inherently heartless, and people are even more so.”

His voice was low, yet it carried an unspeakable bitterness and resolve, as if pouring out the dissatisfaction and resentment buried deep within his soul.

Lei Xiaodian seemed relentless, repeating the phrase over and over, each time louder than before.

The old man shook his head helplessly and said, “Enough, enough, stop causing a ruckus! You’re even disturbing my crow meat! If you want revenge, words alone won’t suffice—you must take action. With your talent, if you can control that strong, anomalous aura within you, success is not impossible.”

At this, Lei Xiaodian’s eyes brightened, and he eagerly asked, “Then what exactly is this so-called anomalous aura?”

The old man chuckled inwardly but kept a composed face. “That’s something that could very well take your life!”

Lei Xiaodian was clearly unconvinced and scoffed dismissively.

Elder Jian, unable to tolerate this, rebuked, “Lei Xiaodian, how can you speak to an elder like that!”

Seeing this, Lei Xiaodian quickly put on an innocent expression and apologized, “Got it, next time I’ll be more careful.” Then he bowed to Elder Jian in apology.

Elder Jian hastened to return the gesture, “I, the junior, was careless just now; I hope the senior will forgive me.”

The elder waved his hand and laughed heartily. “No harm, no harm. This boy has quite a character—I rather like him, ha ha ha…”

Lei Xiaodian muttered with slight disappointment, “What a boring old man.”

Still, he patiently listened as the elder continued explaining the process of refining qi.

The elder spoke slowly, “The method of refining qi is generally divided into four stages: first is the qi meridians, second is qi intention, and third is qi spirit.

Regarding the qi meridians, you likely understand already, so I won’t elaborate. Qi intention involves using one’s consciousness to regulate the flow of qi, thereby controlling the direction of its exertion. As for qi spirit, it is profoundly mysterious—once the soul stabilizes and spirit and qi merge, one can condense the breath of heaven and earth, greatly amplifying one’s power.”

Each level signifies vastly different strength, but successful cultivation requires the aid of the six meridian qi.

Without this crucial element, one might damage the hard-won cultivation at best, or even lose their life at worst.

Therefore, never underestimate this wondrous and potent art!”

---

Lei Xiaodian smiled faintly and replied calmly, “Thank you for your guidance, sir.”

As time went on, the sky gradually darkened under the night’s veil.

The mysterious elder casually tossed a bottle emitting a blue glow into Lei Xiaodian’s hand. “This pill inside will help you quickly condense your true qi, but with your current low cultivation, you may not fully absorb its power.

Additionally, I gift you a cultivation technique that requires no rank restrictions. It can save your life in critical moments.

However, for someone as weak as you, mastering this technique will be extremely difficult. If you succeed, its power will be astounding; if you fail, it could endanger your life.”

After speaking, the elder laughed softly a few times.

Lei Xiaodian was stunned and questioned, “Such a precious, rare, rankless technique—why don’t you keep it for yourself? Do you truly have such a kind heart?”

The elder sighed deeply, “I have been trapped here for many years; these things mean nothing to me now.

Look around—this ancient temple has four pillars, each sealing the qi meridians of my limbs.”

His voice was filled with endless sorrow and helplessness.

Then he slowly continued, “This technique took me most of my life to comprehend. I hope you cherish it.

If not for my meridians being sealed, preventing me from advancing, I would be just one step away from the mid-stage of the ‘Needleless Pinnacle’ realm.

At that point, I doubt anyone in the world could rival me...” His eyes revealed a trace of reluctance and regret.

Lei Xiaodian scratched his head, puzzled. “It’s late now, but I still don’t know your name, senior.”

The elder shook his head slightly and replied calmly, “You don’t need to know; it won’t benefit you.

Young one, only remember to keep justice in your heart—justice lies ahead.

Yet the world’s people all blame me for my faults, oblivious to their own errors.”

He then burst out laughing heartily, as if mocking the fickleness of the world and the treachery of men.

Lei Xiaodian pondered deeply but remained puzzled and confused.

He looked at this enigmatic elder, seeking answers in his words.

The elder turned away, hands behind his back, leaving a solitary yet resolute figure fading into the distance...

No one knew how much time had passed before the rain in the sky finally ceased.

Yet the entire world remained shrouded in a thin mist, lending an air of haziness and mystery.

Suddenly, a sharp and mournful cry pierced the silence from afar.

It was the cawing of crows! They seemed to be speaking, or perhaps merely venting their emotions.

These black birds usually symbolize ill omen, but at this moment, their calls added a strange eeriness to the quiet scene.

Under the crow-filled sky, the earth felt exceptionally still.

No wind stirred, no leaves rustled—only the echoing caws, drawing one into contemplation...

Lei Xiaodian awoke, slowly standing and stretching as he scanned his surroundings.

Seeing Elder Jian and Fang Yu absent, he assumed they had gone out, and the elder was nowhere in sight.

After wandering briefly, he noticed several stone statues inside the temple, their forms neither fully human nor otherwise—an indescribable sensation emanated from them.

Driven by curiosity, the youth could not resist approaching the statues for a closer look.

As Lei Xiaodian focused on exploring something, a faint noise came from behind.

Before he could react, an aged but strong hand landed on his shoulder and gently tapped it.

“Boy, don’t touch that!” a deep voice sounded, tinged with reprimand and warning.

Lei Xiaodian jolted as if shocked by electricity, instantly withdrawing his hands, heart pounding wildly.

He turned to the elder with a face full of surprise and fear. “You... how did you get here? Don’t you make any noise? You nearly scared me to death!”

The elder smiled faintly, his eyes glinting with slyness. “Ha ha, boy, if I hadn’t appeared in time, you’d likely be dead by now!”

---

Gradually recovering from the sudden scare, Lei Xiaodian took a deep breath and steadied himself.

Gratefully, he said, “Thank goodness, thank you so much! If you hadn’t helped me, I don’t know what would have happened.” He patted his chest, still somewhat shaken.

The elder waved off the thanks casually.

He scrutinized Lei Xiaodian before speaking earnestly, “Be careful from now on. Curiosity can sometimes be deadly.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Lei Xiaodian standing there, lost in thought.

Full of curiosity and confusion, Lei Xiaodian asked, “What are those stone statues? They look so mysterious!”

The elder did not answer his question but frowned and said sternly, “Boy, I advise you to stay away from those statues.”

Driven by curiosity, Lei Xiaodian pressed further, “What are those statues? Why are they here?”

The elder remained silent but fixed his gaze on him seriously and warned again in a low voice, “Young man, heed my advice—you’d better keep your distance from those statues.”

The boy was left wondering if the elder would ever leave this ancient temple—his lifetime of skills rendered useless, trapped with no place to display them.

Slowly, the elder raised both hands, crossing his index and middle fingers tightly to form a small circle.

As he moved, a mysterious and powerful aura surged forth from his body, emitting a faint glow.

The surrounding space seemed to warp subtly under some strange force, creating the illusion of traveling through a temporal tunnel.

Even the air around them was drawn into that small ring, swirling and drifting together.

At this moment, the entire scene was magnificent and awe-inspiring.

Witnessing this, Lei Xiaodian was alarmed and hurriedly protested, “Old man, what are you doing? If you do this, you’ll risk your life!”

The elder merely smiled faintly and replied calmly, “Enough. In this world’s endless grudges and entanglements, I have long since become detached...

But you, your road ahead is still incredibly long.

Just keep chasing your dreams! Boy, today fate has brought us together. Come, sit.”

Lei Xiaodian was drawn in by the elder’s power.

Then the elder continued to channel his immortal energy into Lei Xiaodian.

The elder’s purpose was to use his own celestial power to stabilize the chaotic pulse pattern within Lei Xiaodian, preventing another life-threatening crisis.

Lei Xiaodian was deeply moved, tears welling in his eyes.

In a brief moment, the once clear sky turned pitch black, as if shrouded by a thick layer of dark clouds.

Simultaneously, a fierce wind roared, nearly knocking one off their feet.

Within this chaos, the mysterious elder injected a powerful surge of energy into Lei Xiaodian.

In an instant, radiant light burst forth, illuminating everything around.

Lei Xiaodian slowly reached out and caught the token veiled in purple aura.

He stared at it with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

At that moment, the elder burst into hearty laughter, “Ha ha ha, boy, you’re truly lucky!”

Before the words had even finished, the elder’s body began to petrify, gradually transforming into a lifelike stone statue, forever sealed within the ancient temple.

Faced with this sudden turn, Lei Xiaodian was filled with deep gratitude.

He silently bowed several times to the elder, expressing his respect and thanks.

Suddenly, Elder Jian’s expression changed dramatically as he sensed an intense energy fluctuation.

He urgently turned to Fang Yu and shouted, “No good! The situation has changed—return quickly!” His voice was fraught with unprecedented urgency.

He knew all too well the terror of this pulse energy; with their current strength, they could not withstand it.

Hearing Elder Jian’s alarm, Fang Yu understood the gravity and immediately followed him back to the abandoned temple.

Inside, Fang Yu anxiously asked, “Junior brother, what exactly happened here?”