If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1042 The Power of Heavenly Thunder
Everything in the universe has a spirit.

The essence of a dragon vein is the combination of human energy and the earth's malevolent energy. Since it is a place where human energy gathers, it naturally possesses a human-like spirituality.

Its spirit is composed of the remaining consciousness in human popularity, and can be regarded as a "pan-consciousness aggregate".

It's impossible to expect dragon veins to think rationally and independently like humans.

They are more "clear-headed and calm" than humans, simply expressing affection and hatred, and distinguishing between friendliness and malice.

Humans may make wrong judgments, but the dragon vein is absolutely certain.

This is also the basic principle behind Xiaoyu's "divination of forward and reverse directions with the Heavenly Eye".

However, she did not discover this principle only after arriving in Xianyang to become the Heavenly Master.

As early as ten years ago during the Red Sleeve Workshop era, Xiaoyu had already witnessed and experienced the "Revenge of the Dragon Vein's Vengeful Spirit".

On the very day that the "Second Generation Eight Immortals of the West" assassinated the young Taoist Qingsong.

The dragon vein of national destiny severed by Qingsong Daotong transformed into a "vengeful earth dragon." It converged from the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Sands to Hongxiufang in Tianmen Town. At that moment, the land of Tianmen Town seemed to be possessed by a vengeful ghost, filled with extreme hatred and hostility towards Qingsong Daotong. It directly suppressed Qingsong Daotong, who had escaped using earth magic, and then crushed his physical body.

Then bolts of lightning struck down, intending to kill the young Taoist Qingsong and annihilate his soul.

The Eight Immortals of the West did only two things: First, they stole the Emperor's Decree from Qingsong Daotong, causing him to lose the protection of the Great Qin's human destiny and the Emperor's power; second, they used a strange secret method to activate Qingsong Daotong's own calamity energy.

The pine tree was riddled with sins and brimming with calamity, like a walking powder keg, just waiting to be lit and detonated.

What the second generation of the Eight Immortals of the West did was merely to ignite the fuse.

Of course, Xi Baxian was not a makeshift team, nor did they happen to accomplish the above.

Behind them is Yu Chan, and behind Yu Chan is a powerful figure in Lingshan Buddhism.

The Buddhist leader did not personally participate, but used divination techniques to calculate and plan ahead.

The Eight Immortals of the West were merely executors, carrying out the schemes of the mastermind behind the scenes.

The reason why Qingsong Daotong was able to be outmaneuvered was mainly because "Heaven" truly wanted to send down "divine punishment" to him.

What "Old Mother Qiushan" did was basically imitating the "divine retribution" she had witnessed in her early years.

She was naturally quite talented in matters of dragon energy and earthly evil energy.

The Great Qin's secret chamber also contains the "Earthly Fiend Dragon Vein," a research project that Ying Zheng devoted enormous human and material resources to studying!
In addition, with her experience as a "stepmother" in Southeast China over the past few months, Xiaoyu successfully summoned the soul of the Han family's "Great Azure Dragon".

She didn't know who was plotting against Han Xin.

But she was certain that the Great Azure Dragon, once its spirit was successfully summoned, would be able to find its enemies on its own.

She only needed to do two things: First, endow the Great Azure Dragon with more spirituality and power, so that it could traverse the land's veins and find its enemy.

As the master of the Great Azure Dragon, Han Xin can fulfill the task of "imbuing with spirit".

Finally, unleash the Heavenly Thunder, guiding it along the path of the Dragon Soul to precisely lock onto the target.

Ordinary lightning magic probably wouldn't be enough to kill a Celestial Mystic.

She used the most powerful "Divine Firmament Thunder".

The spirit body of the Five Thunder Generals is a "man-made, innate thunder spirit body" and a "natural thunder god".

Since he is "Thor", he has the ability and qualifications to lay mines like Lei Zhenzi.

What is lacking is only authority.

In other words, once the spirit of General Wu Lei goes to the Heavenly Court and receives the Jade Emperor's decree, and if the gods of the Thunder Department are willing to cooperate, she can, like Lei Zhenzi, bring down a heavenly tribulation to test the Qi cultivators undergoing the tribulation.

At most, she lacks a little experience, but her abilities are more than enough, even surpassing many of the "Thunder Gods" in the Thunder Department.

After all, she had been practicing the "Five Thunder Technique" for more than ten years and had recently obtained a great "opportunity" from the Shenxiao Sect.

He even ate a Thunder Apricot, which condensed more than 6,000 Thunder Talismans.

One thousand thunder talismans are the minimum standard required for one's primordial spirit to ascend and become a Thunder Master in the Heavenly Court.

She certainly doesn't lack ability.

The key lies in authority.

Without authority, the Divine Thunder is not heavenly thunder.

Without the "unyielding majesty" special effect of the heavenly thunder, it could be blocked or dodged.

Where does authority come from?
The Jade Emperor would certainly not grant her any power.

"Stepmother Xiaoyu" merged with "Huaiyin Heaven and Earth" to represent "Huaiyin" and granted the Five Thunder General's spirit body the qualification to unleash "heavenly thunder" to avenge the "essence of the earth veins" (dragon veins) of Huaiyin.

Thus, the "Earth Dragon, Heavenly Thunder, Missile" assembly was completed: the Heavenly Thunder served as the missile's "warhead," and the Great Azure Dragon's Soul served as the "guidance system."

Even when thousands of miles away, it still hits the target accurately.

Han Xin remained buried in the ground for a full hour.

Only after the Xiangjiazhuang Incident ended was Qiushan Laomu finally freed from the "Huaiyin Land".

They lifted the soil and dug him out of the "dragon's lair".

Previously, she was "Huaiyin Land" itself.

Although the authority of "Huaiyin Earth" is far from that of "Huaiyin Heavenly Way," it is sufficient to install "Earth Dragon, Heavenly Thunder, and Missiles."

"Ugh~~~" Han Xin lay on the muddy ground, waking up groggily.

"Grandma, I think I just saw lightning strike someone and kill them."

Xiao Yu nodded slightly and said, "You're not seeing things. General Wu Lei sent down 'heavenly lightning' and killed the strategist who plotted against you."

Han Xin was shocked. "Is it really the Taoist priests from Changchun Temple who are up to their tricks?"

Xiaoyu paused for a moment, then said, "You're seeing things! The Celestial Mystery Master isn't at Changchun Temple."

Han Xin looked suspicious, stood up, and gazed at Changchun Temple not far away.

As you can see, the Taoist temple was brightly lit late at night, and you could hear a lot of noise, including cries and chanting.

"Has something happened at Changchun Temple?"

Xiao Yu glanced at it and said, "A Taoist priest at Changchun Temple was struck dead by lightning. However, he had nothing to do with your Great Azure Dragon. He was simply a man who had committed many evil deeds and accumulated too many sins."

It should be noted that the Five Thunder Generals wield 'Heavenly Thunder,' also known as 'Heavenly Punishment Thunder.'

This kind of heavenly lightning doesn't strike good people; it only strikes bad people.

The sins of bad people are like targets in a martial arts arena, specifically designed to attract lightning bolts and strike them squarely.

Han Xin seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "I saw a bolt of lightning first, which fell on Changchun Temple."

Then, several bolts of lightning struck Huaiyin City in succession; were they also specifically targeting wicked people?

Xiaoyu nodded slightly and said, "The Great Azure Dragon has become a dead dragon. When a person dies, there are ghosts, and when a dragon vein dies, it will leave behind a remnant soul."

Ghosts can possess living people, and the soul of a dragon vein can also possess 'spiritual objects' related to cause and effect.

The Great Azure Dragon's Soul is your dragon vein. It borrowed some 'essence' from your soul to make itself more spiritual and stronger, enabling it to traverse the earth's veins, cross thousands of miles, and find the celestial sorcerer who killed it.

Like a vengeful ghost demanding a life.

Humans can be deceived, but ghosts always know who killed them and will not mistake the wrong person.

The Five Thunder General's heavenly lightning relentlessly followed the 'Life-Taking Dragon Vein Ghost.' Along the way, it was inevitably drawn to evil people, and it's unknown how many times it 'acted on behalf of Heaven.'

Han Xin asked in confusion, "I only seem to see Changchun Temple and Huaiyin City, with lightning falling from the sky. How did it traverse tens of millions of miles?"

Xiao Yu pondered and said, "Your physical body is buried in the old cave of the dragon vein, and your three souls and six spirits have only followed the dragon soul, with only a small part of them being lost."

You can still feel it because it's close to your physical body and main soul.

I could vaguely see some places where the 'Death-Taking Dragon Vein Ghost' had passed through.

Once you leave Huaiyin, and are more than a hundred miles away, too far from your main soul, you become confused and unable to see clearly.

Han Xin then asked, "How come there are only a few villains in the entire city of Huaiyin?"

Xiaoyu pointed to Changchun Temple on the small hill and said, "Go to the temple and find out who died and what their reputation was like in the past."

Han Xin found it troublesome and wanted his mother-in-law to tell him the answer directly.

Hesitant and indecisive.

Xiao Yu shouted, "You lazybones! It's not like you don't know martial arts. Circulate your internal energy, a few leaps, and you'll be done in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea."

"Wait a moment, Mother-in-law, boy, go and come back quickly."

Helpless, Han Xin had no choice but to use his lightness skill, disappearing into the darkness with a few leaps.

Xiaoyu closed her eyes to rest, looking completely at ease.

Sure enough, before half a cup of tea was finished, Han Xin returned to the vegetable garden with a puzzled look on his face.

“Grandma, I’ve found out. It happened an hour ago, not long after I was buried in the burial ground.”

A bolt of divine lightning struck down from the sky, turning Abbot Yu, who was leading the Taoist priests in their evening prayers inside the main hall, into a charred corpse.

Not only did Abbot Yu die tragically on the spot, but the roof and floor tiles of the main hall, where the statues of the Three Pure Ones were placed, were also smashed with a large hole.

But Abbot Yu is not an evil person!

Not only was he not evil, but he was also a very good person. He often used the money from the temple's incense offerings to give to the poor people in the surrounding area.

The boy had also received his kindness.

When his mother passed away, Abbot Yu refused payment and personally led the Taoist priests to perform a water and land ritual.

Xiaoyu nodded slightly and said, "That's right. If he has a bad reputation, he probably won't get struck by lightning."

The better their reputation, the more arrogant and rampant they become, believing they can deceive the world and steal fame, disregarding the "right principles of heaven and earth" and despising human ethics and morality.

He was even arrogant and rebellious, secretly defying God, thinking that even if he did bad things, who would know? Who could punish him?

They will only intensify their efforts in the future.

These kinds of people are most likely to be struck by lightning.

Han Xin asked in surprise, "Why is that? Does the 'Five Thunder Goddess' think that those who deceive the world and steal fame are even more despicable?"

Xiaoyu shook her head and said, "It's not that she thinks it should be this way, it's just that the rules of Heaven operate this way."

Think about it, how many evil people in the world commit murder, arson, beat and scold their parents, and oppress the good and kind?

If heavenly lightning sees someone as malicious, it will strike them down and kill them. How many living people would be left in the world?
Most evil people in the world cannot hide their evil.

Even if all their evil deeds cannot be known to everyone, one or two things will always be exposed, letting people know their wickedness.

Thus, his wickedness is revealed.

Humans know, and so do gods and spirits.

They may face public execution (retribution in this life) or divine retribution in the afterlife; they will receive their due punishment.

Why would heaven strike him with lightning?
Therefore, the heavenly thunder is not aimed at those who deceive the world and steal fame, but mainly at those who conceal evil.

For example, Abbot Yu of Changchun Temple often used Taoist secret methods and supernatural powers to bewitch female pilgrims who came to offer incense, and then committed acts of rape and sexual exploitation.

Because of his skillful methods, even the person involved did not notice anything unusual about him.

He also performs many good deeds outside, earning him a good reputation among his clan and fellow villagers.

This is hidden evil, and it will be punished by lightning.

There is another type of person whose methods are even more sophisticated.

He harbored a heart full of murderous and harmful intentions, yet he never acted openly. He would either use others as intermediaries or lure people into his trap. Even though the victims suffered terribly, not even the gods or ghosts knew what evil he had done.

Perhaps his sinister deeds are recorded in the Book of Life and Death of the King of Hell, and he may even have merits in Heaven.

This is also a hidden evil; encountering the Five Thunder General might bring great misfortune.

Han Xin seemed to be thinking about something, and said, "Master Yu belongs to the former category, while the divination sorcerer who harmed me belongs to the latter category."

The method was so clever that the boy would never have realized it until his death if his mother hadn't explicitly told him.

However, if one can deceive Yama and the Heavenly Officials, one must possess the great supernatural power to deceive Heaven.

Is the 'Five Thunder Goddess' even more powerful than Yama, the King of Hell, or the star deities who judge good and evil in heaven?

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Everyone has their own expertise! Yama might be deceived by his ghost messengers, and the Star Lord might have missed some crimes because his talisman envoys and merit officers had limited abilities and had not collected enough information."

But Heavenly Thunder will never let any evildoer go unpunished.

Once a person has evil thoughts or deeds, whether they are overt or covert, if the thoughts are not righteous, evil energy will inevitably rise up.

It's like having 'thoughts' that breed evil energy, which then rushes into people's energy and merges with it.

'Heavenly Thunder' is not the ordinary thunder of Taoist magic.

Thunder, possessing the purest and most righteous energy of heaven and earth, is most easily attracted to evil energy.

The Five Thunder General was supposed to help you uphold justice, but the heavenly lightning she unleashed struck many unlucky people along the way.

This was not her original intention; it was because the righteous thunder was drawn by the hidden evil energy.

This is a nice way of saying it.

The truth is: General Wu Lei's first attempt at laying thunder was not very skillful. After forcibly endowing the Divine Thunder with "Huaiyin's Will of Heaven and Earth" to make it "Heavenly Thunder," she was unable to fully control its immense energy, resulting in a large amount of thunder power leaking out.

The leaked heavenly lightning was attracted by the "hidden evil energy" and descended, striking down and killing the hidden evil people along the way.

With its power leaking out, the might of the heavenly thunder would naturally decrease. If Wu Daoren had taken precautions in advance, preparing his magical treasures, elixirs, formations, and immortal robes for his tribulation, the "Earth Dragon Heavenly Thunder Missile" might not have been able to kill him today.

With longing in his eyes, Han Xin looked around and asked, "Mother, where is the Five Thunder Goddess?"

The young man should kowtow three times and bow nine times to express his gratitude to her in person.

"No need, she's gone," Xiaoyu said.

Han Xin said dejectedly, "I haven't thanked you yet; I've been very rude."

Xiaoyu glanced at him and said, "Aren't you used to 'leaving it for the future and repaying it a hundredfold'?"

"When you become successful, you can help her build a small temple."

Han Xin's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, "When I have the chance to realize my ambitions, I will definitely build a grand temple in Huaiyin to worship the Five Thunder Goddess!"

"Well, we'll talk about that later. Now tell me your plans. Do you want to go and seek refuge with Liu Tingzhang in Sishui?" Xiaoyu asked.

(End of this chapter)