A Pawn's Passage

Zhang Yuelu could not help but feel a jolt in her heart. A thunder talisman? Left behind by the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor?

Even as a descendant of the Zhang family, she had never heard of such a thing. How could the Ziguang Society have it? Did the Heavenly Preceptor give it to them?

Xuanji saw through Zhang Yuelu’s doubt and proactively explained, “Don’t forget where the Heavenly Preceptor’s Godly Immortal bloodline comes from. Her Ladyship once lived in the Zhang family’s Dazhen Mansion for a long time.”

Remembering this, Zhang Yuelu was momentarily speechless.

To have an Ancient Immortal live in one’s home for years and still keep most of the family’s property was no small feat. Without Donghuang, they might have been completely displaced. Yet even so, Zhang Wushou and Zhang Wuhen had survived. Zhang Wushou even became head of the Zhang family and the leader of the Zhengyi Sect.

So it was not strange that the Ziguang Society would possess the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s thunder talisman.

Xuanji continued, “As a Zhang family member, you should know that above the Demon-Vanquishing Cave is the Demon-Vanquishing Platform. On that platform are two Punishment Pillars that are akin to immortal objects, capable of summoning heavenly thunder to mete out thunder punishment on demons and evildoers.”

Zhang Yuelu nodded. She had once followed the Heavenly Preceptor to the Demon-Vanquishing Platform and saw up close the two giant pillars resembling Huabiao totems, though she had never touched them herself. Legend says these two Punishment Pillars were left by the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor, which corresponded to the Heavenly Preceptor’s Twin Swords.

Back then, the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor inherited the Primordial Daoist Ancestor’s teachings, carrying sword and seal to Shuzhou, where he crushed Ancient Wuism by wiping out the legacy of the Ten Great Witches of Lingshan. Thereafter, the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor founded the Heavenly Sect, replacing Ancient Wuism and dominating Shuzhou before expanding into Jiangnan. Later, he built the Dazhen Mansion atop Yunjin Mountain and established the Demon-Vanquishing Cave and Punishment Pillars, linking the mountain’s ley lines and setting up the Taishang Dragon-Tiger Formation, thus laying the foundations of the Zhengyi Sect.

After the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor ascended, his grandson built the Demon-Vanquishing Platform on top of the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s foundation. He also spent his life expanding territories and campaigning across the land, gradually turning the Demon-Vanquishing Platform into a place for executions. As such, the place was brimming with a killing aura.

Xuanji said, “This thunder talisman was acquired by Her Ladyship from the Punishment Pillars of the Demon-Vanquishing Platform.”

Zhang Yuelu was not surprised. It was said that the Punishment Pillars contained the sword intention passed down by the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor. In his lifetime, he crushed Ancient Wuism, founded the Zhengyi Sect’s predecessor, took in disciples, and built the Dazhen Mansion and Demon-Vanquishing Cave. He had been so busy with affairs that he only had time to pass down the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method, while the more advanced sword technique was not passed down. At that time, with the Punishment Pillars just completed, the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor sealed his sword intention into them.

By the time the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor infused his sword intention into the Punishment Pillars, his ascension was near. The Heavenly Sect was flourishing and expanding in all directions, effectively like a Daoist kingdom. Its many disciples were scattered abroad, each governing a region, yet not a single one grasped the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s painstaking intentions. Though he was not exactly disheartened, he felt the timing was not right, so he simply ascended without saying a word about his sword intention.

Later, the Holy Xuan went to Yunjin Mountain to execute the deposed Heavenly Preceptor Zhang Jingchen. He also severed the earth veins, shattered the Taishang Dragon-Tiger Formation, and supported Zhang Luanshan as the new Heavenly Preceptor. Zhang Luanshan was then known as the first-generation Heavenly Preceptor after the revitalization of the Daoist Order. Afterward, the Holy Xuan went to the Demon-Vanquishing Platform, where he comprehended the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s sword intention left in the Punishment Pillars. That was when the Zhang family belatedly realized its existence.

However, this sword technique’s threshold was exceedingly high. It required the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method as a foundation and the Heavenly Preceptor’s Twin Swords to unleash its full power. Moreover, the Holy Xuan’s comprehension had not been complete, so it was never formally incorporated into the Five Lineages. Throughout the entire Zhang family, only the Heavenly Preceptor himself had mastered this fully.

Zhang Yuelu scoffed. “If I want to learn the Dragon Tiger Sword Technique, I don’t need to learn it from you.”

Xuanji chuckled. “You won’t be learning it from me, but directly from the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor. You should know that the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor was a Second-Tribulation Immortal in his day, no weaker than the Confucian Sage of Mind. He could single-handedly defeat four Great Witches. Who could possibly compare to him? The Thunder Talisman he left behind surpasses even the Holy Xuan’s summarized understanding.”

Zhang Yuelu fell silent.

As for why one could not directly comprehend the sword intention from the Punishment Pillars, the reason was simple—insufficient cultivation. Back then, the Holy Xuan was an Immortal and could grasp the pillars without harm. If a Xiaoyao-stage Heavenly Being tried to touch the pillars, it would mean instant incineration.

That was just how it worked. It did not matter whether one had the bloodline or ancestry. What mattered more was one’s skill and cultivation level. Even a non-Zhang like the Holy Xuan could comprehend it, but barely anyone in the Zhang family comprehended this sword intention left behind by their ancestor, even though they had been guarding the Punishment Pillars for a thousand years.

In this respect, having a Great Witch’s bloodline like Yao Pei was more advantageous.

Xuanji continued, “Back then, Her Ladyship ascended the Demon-Vanquishing Platform and stripped two true intentions from the Punishment Pillars. After refining and distilling them, she formed this Thunder Talisman, removing the killing aura and thunderous interference, making it easier to comprehend.”

Zhang Yuelu said, “So, it’s still stolen.”

“High Mage Zhang, it doesn’t matter whether it was stolen or not. Just ask yourself, do you want it?” Xuanji said nonchalantly.

Zhang Yuelu was a practical person and replied, “Of course I want it.”

Xuanji smiled again. “That’s the right choice. I suppose it’s like returning it to its rightful owner.”

Zhang Yuelu hesitated slightly, then stretched out her hand and grasped the glowing point.

A talisman did not necessarily use paper as its medium.

In an instant, Zhang Yuelu felt as if she had entered a world made entirely of thunder and lightning.

This Thunder Talisman was like a miniature world, so small that no living person could physically enter. Only their consciousness could.

Although small, it had everything—the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and vegetation, with seasons that constantly changed.

This small world was a prototype of a full-fledged paradise. If expanded endlessly, it would become a true paradise. Such mastery revealed the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor’s extraordinary skill. It was no wonder he was able to build the Demon-Vanquishing Cave.

The Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor had left behind two complete sword intentions, each corresponding to one of the two great Punishment Pillars and serving as overarching principles. Beneath these two sword intentions were 28 moves, collectively known as the Dragon Tiger Sword Technique.

Zhang Yuelu’s cultivation and knowledge were naturally far inferior to the Holy Xuan’s back then, but she had two advantages. First, this Thunder Talisman had been refined by True Lord Ziguang, making it smooth and accessible. Second, Zhang Yuelu already had a foundation in the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method, which was learned during her childhood at the clan school. Techniques like Thunder Palm were a must-learn for every descendant of the Zhang family. Back then, the Holy Xuan had not studied the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method, so he had to learn using brute force and his Immortal-level comprehension.

Just as Zhang Yuelu was about to carefully comprehend this new perfected method, Xuanji pulled her back from the small world, snapping her back to awareness.

Xuanji said, “There’s no need to rush. Take your time to learn it back home. It’s best if you practice it alongside the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method. You’ll need to reach the Wuliang stage before achieving some basic understanding. For now, you just need to fuse with this Thunder Talisman.”

Zhang Yuelu hesitated slightly. She did not particularly trust Xuanji nor the Ziguang Society, but she had faith in the Heavenly Preceptor’s judgment.

So in the end, Zhang Yuelu pressed the point of light in her palm into her forehead.

Zhang Yuelu immediately felt a surge of electricity pass through her brow and spread throughout her entire body, making her shudder involuntarily. This current was nowhere near enough to damage her body. Rather, it continually stimulated all her acupoints. She could not help but feel shocked. “This...this is...”

Xuanji smiled and said, “It’s precisely the training method for the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method. A single Dragon Tiger Sword Technique will at most give you more edge in combat, but that will offer little help to your actual cultivation level. As I said before, if you want to reach the Wuliang stage faster, this Thunder Talisman is the key. It can help you skip over 10 years of hard work and directly master the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method.”

The Holy Xuan consolidated many cultivation methods into the Five Lineages, raising the floor but leaving the ceiling undefined. The ceiling of the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method was the Ancestral Heavenly Preceptor himself, who was a Second-Tribulation Immortal. What Xuanji was giving Zhang Yuelu was the original, complete Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method from before the Five Lineages were systematized. It was both a cultivation method and a mystical ability, so it was naturally capable of boosting one’s cultivation level.

Of course, the earliest version was not necessarily better in all respects, but for the Zhang family, only by training in the original Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method could one perfectly synchronize with the Heavenly Preceptor’s Twin Swords and the Dragon Tiger Sword Technique.

The advantage of a Banished Immortal was that at the Xiaoyao stage, they could simultaneously cultivate two perfected methods. Typically, it would be one orthodox and one unorthodox method, like Yao Pei’s Heavenly Calculation and Taishang Emotionless Sutra. It was unheard of for a Xiaoyao-stage Qi Refiner to cultivate two perfected methods.

Yet True Lord Ziguang insisted that Zhang Yuelu cultivate three perfected methods at this stage. Remarkably, she truly accomplished it.

Only at this moment did Zhang Yuelu, like Qi Xuansu and Yao Pei before her, finally welcome her first fortune.

Zhang Yuelu had not expected that True Lord Ziguang also wielded the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method. Considering that the Heavenly Preceptor’s Twin Swords, the Heavenly Preceptor’s Seal, and the Dazhen Mansion were all in the hands of the True Lord Ziguang’s grandson, Zhang Wushou, one could say that the Zhang family had nearly gotten swindled into complete ruin by True Lord Ziguang.

Just then, Zhang Yuelu sensed faint figures condensing within the 36 main acupoints of her body. This was a form of body spirit, though quite different from a Martial Arts Practitioner’s body spirit.

The Martial Arts Practitioner’s body spirit corresponded to the 365 Heavenly Cycles and looked identical to the practitioner, essentially a clone. But the Five Thunder Celestial Heart Method’s body spirit corresponded to the 36 Chief Deities of the Thunder Department.

If a man cultivated it, he would condense the Thunder God Spirit of the yang aspect. Since Zhang Yuelu was a woman, she condensed the Lightning Mother Spirit of the yin aspect. Only upon reaching the Zaohua stage could yin and yang be reconciled, bringing thunder and lightning together.