Imperial Scepter

As dawn broke and a faint glimmer of white appeared on the horizon, the cool morning air carried a sense of tranquility.

Gao Chun got up from his bed early without any delay.

Thinking about his breakthrough last night, his heart felt like it could fly.

An indescribable ecstasy surged in my chest, making my blood boil. With each heartbeat, I felt an irrepressible excitement that spread slowly through my veins to every part of my body.

Just yesterday evening, relying on his newly born bloodline supernatural power, he advanced to the fifth star of the Bronze Realm in just one evening.

What an amazing achievement!

What incredible, heaven-defying bloodline power!

Without this extraordinary encounter, he would have had to endure at least twenty-six more months of arduous training to reach this point, by which time he would have been fifteen years old.

Gao Chun felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the headless shepherd.

More than three years ago, this senior helped him to give birth to an unprecedented five-colored Dao seed. This time, he has bestowed upon him an immense opportunity, allowing him to give birth to a heaven-defying bloodline supernatural power.

He is the true benefactor in my life!

"Senior Headless Man, from this day forward, you will be my godfather, Gao Chun." Gao Chun solemnly swore in his heart.

"Speeding at breakneck speed using my bloodline powers... this feeling is just too exhilarating!"

Gao Chun clenched his fists, clearly feeling the stronger Xuan power flowing through his body than ever before. His eyes shone brightly, and his face was full of barely suppressed excitement and arrogance.

With a slight movement of Xuan power at the fingertips, one can perceive the muffled sound of air being compressed.

This feeling of complete control over power captivated him, making it impossible for him to extricate himself.

"I must find more bloodline treasures and mystical vein origin pearls!"

His mind was racing, and the more he thought about it, the more excited he became, with the hairs on his body standing on end from the excitement.

"It's just that bloodline treasures are too rare. For a cultivator like myself who comes from humble background, the only way to find them is to venture deep into the Southern Wilderness Forest. But I'm still too young, and I have neither the opportunity nor the ability to venture into that dangerous place alone."

"The Profound Vein Origin Pearl is what I have the best chance of obtaining right now."

Jiuyang Town administers thirty-six villages, and beneath the ground of each village lies a mysterious vein.

The Mysterious Vein Origin Pearl was conceived within the Mysterious Vein.

Thinking of this, Gao Chun's heart pounded wildly, as if a raging fire was burning in his chest, and his whole body was filled with inexhaustible energy.

He finally found a clear direction.

As long as you keep collecting the Mysterious Vein Origin Pearls, you can continuously provide energy to the Blood Vein Origin Crystal in the heart.

At that time, his cultivation level will continue to skyrocket. Just thinking about such a rocket-like advancement speed is enough to make his blood boil.

"I really can't wait to find the Profound Vein Origin Pearl, but my cultivation level is still too low. The other four members of the High Purity Team are even weaker than me."

The five of them set off together to search for treasure in an outer village. The journey was fraught with danger, with bandits and robbers roaming everywhere. If they were not careful, they would perish.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to improve our strength as soon as possible.

"The technique of Level 3 Thunder Shadow requires opening 36 acupoints. I have already opened 30 acupoints, and only the last 6 are left."

"I will first master this technique. Once I have mastered it, I will have the true power to protect myself."

This technique is not only incredibly fast, but it can also create three illusory bodies, increasing the chances of success in both surprise attacks and escapes.

Having made up his mind, Gao Chun did not delay any longer. He immediately turned around and went back to his room, sat cross-legged, slowly closed his eyes, and officially began to attack his acupoints.

Taking a deep breath, all chaotic thoughts were cleared away, and his mind sank completely into his body, embarking on the arduous path of cultivating the technique "Level Three Thunder Shadow".

The first day of training.

The target is the thirty-first acupoint – Leiluo acupoint.

He continuously circulated the pale purple Xuan energy within his body to attack his acupoints, but was repeatedly blocked by barriers.

"Rinse! Rinse! Rinse!"

Gao Chun gritted his teeth and continued to unleash his profound energy to ram into the barrier, again and again, like an indomitable warrior.

Without the slightest hesitation, he put a second-grade Xuan Dan into his mouth.

"Charge! Keep going!!"

Gao Chun silently urged, manipulating the pale purple Xuan power, which flowed slowly toward the Lei Luo acupoint like a precise blade.

Each surge of Xuan power brought a pricking pain, as if countless fine needles were stirring within his meridians, causing him to furrow his brow and beads of sweat to instantly appear on his forehead.

He clenched his teeth tightly, not making a sound, but his eyes grew more determined, like a sharp eagle, fixed on the tightly closed "gateway" inside his body.

The room was eerily quiet, with only his slightly heavy breathing and the faint sound of his profound energy flowing through his meridians.

The sunlight outside the window gradually rose, casting dappled shadows on the ground through the window frame. The shadows moved slowly, reflecting on Gao Chun's sweaty cheeks.

Sweat dripped down his chin, hitting the ground where he was meditating, spreading into a small water stain that quickly evaporated, leaving only a faint trace.

Despite the rapid depletion of Xuan energy, the barrier of the Lei Luo acupoint remained as solid as a rock, without the slightest sign of weakening.

"Don't rush, take it slow," Gao Chun silently told himself.

He adjusted his breathing, transforming his profound energy into finer threads, carefully penetrating the barriers of his acupoints as if embroidering.

This is an extremely mentally taxing process. The penetration of each strand of mysterious silk requires his full concentration and control. If he is not careful, all his efforts will be in vain.

Time passed slowly, from dawn to noon, and then to dusk. The Xuan energy in the room became more and more intense and violent.

Gao Chun's face gradually turned pale, his lips lost their color, his internal energy was almost completely depleted, and a feeling of dizziness washed over him like a tidal wave, causing his vision to go black in waves.

But he still didn't give up. He picked up another second-grade Xuan Dan with his fingertips and swallowed it without hesitation.

The replenishment of profound energy was like timely rain, slightly reviving his listless spirit.

"Open it!"

Just as his profound energy was about to reach its peak again, Gao Chun roared inwardly, mobilizing all his profound energy to launch a final assault on the Lei Luo acupoint.

"Pop!"

A crisp, light sound exploded within me, like icicles shattering or spring buds breaking through the soil, exceptionally clear in the quiet room!

The thirty-first acupoint, Lei Luo point, is now open!

Immediately afterwards, Gao Chun quickly poured the light purple Xuan power into the acupoints.

Gao Chun suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes flashing with wild joy, his pupils seemingly sparkling with lightning, and his mouth stretched uncontrollably to his ears.

"It's done! All thirty-one acupoints are complete!"

His heart pounded wildly, like a thunderous drumbeat, his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, and even trembling slightly.

The next two days will be a period of rest and recovery for the body.

The next day, he went to his study to read books as usual, this time focusing on knowledge related to bloodline supernatural powers and bloodline families.

On the third day, instead of trying to comprehend the essence of the art despite his exhaustion, he spent the morning reading in his study and the afternoon practicing martial arts at the training ground to relax his mind and body. He also met with the four members of the Gao Chun team.

On the morning of the fourth day, the first rays of sunlight streamed into the room through the window and fell on Gao Chun's face.

He slowly opened his eyes, the weariness in them gone, replaced by a vibrant energy.

After resting and recuperating, I'm back to peak condition. It's time to challenge the thirty-second acupoint—the Lei Jian acupoint.

Gao Chun sat cross-legged again, held his breath and focused his mind. After locking onto the acupoints, he immediately mobilized his light purple Xuan power to attack the barrier.

With his previous experience, Gao Chun's movements became increasingly skillful and adept.

He manipulated his profound energy like an experienced craftsman, slowly polishing the barrier of the Lei Jian acupoint. The stinging sensation was still there, but it was no longer as unbearable as before.

With focused concentration and breath control, he steadily propelled his profound energy, each swirl precise and powerful.

The locust leaves outside the window swayed in the wind, making a soft rustling sound.

Time slipped away quietly as I focused on the moment, and as the setting sun bathed the room in a warm golden glow, that familiar, crisp "pop" sound rang out from within me once more!

The thirty-second acupoint, Leijian acupoint, is now open!

He immediately channeled his pale purple profound energy into the Lei Jian acupoint.

Gao Chun suddenly straightened his back, his eyes shining like stars, and a bright smile bloomed on his face, more dazzling than the sunset outside the window.

"It's done! Thirty-two acupoints now!"

He couldn't help but clench his fist, his fingertips trembling slightly, and an indescribable joy welled up from the bottom of his heart, spreading through his blood to his entire body.

"Four left! Victory is within reach!"

Gao Chun roared inwardly, his chest throbbing with excitement. The feeling of growing stronger step by step filled him with immense satisfaction, and he looked forward to even greater breakthroughs to come.

The next three days will continue to follow the rhythm of "one day of impact, two days of rest".

On the seventh day, the thirty-third acupoint was attacked—the Leixin acupoint.

This acupoint is close to the dantian, and the supply of profound energy is continuous, making the breakthrough process smoother than any other acupoint before.

In just half a day, when Gao Chun once again activated his Xuan power to attack, the barrier of the Lei Xin acupoint broke down with a crisp "pop" sound that came quickly and suddenly.

"Thirty-three acupoints, opened!"

Gao Chun trembled with excitement, a broad smile spreading across his face, his eyes gleaming with an air of unwavering determination.

After resting for the next two days, he had a great appetite and went to his sister's house for dinner, where he ate a lot of Xuan Beast Legs and drank several bowls of Xuan Beast Meat Soup.

The physical fatigue quickly dissipated under the nourishment of delicious food and elixirs, and the joy in my heart, like fermenting wine, became more and more mellow and lingering.

Day 10: The rest period ends.

Gao Chun resumed his cultivation, aiming directly at the thirty-fourth acupoint—Leize acupoint.

But this time, he encountered a huge obstacle.

The barrier of the Lei Ze acupoint was far more resilient than expected, as if it were forged from ancient black iron. The repeated impacts of the Xuan power left only faint marks and had little effect.

His profound energy was consumed very quickly. In just one morning, he had consumed two second-grade profound pills, but his Lei Ze acupoint remained completely unaffected.

Gao Chun's forehead veins bulged, his face gradually turned pale, and sweat rolled down like broken pearls, soaking the front of his clothes.

"Is this a sign of failure?"

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he forcibly suppressed it.

"No! We've come this far, we can't give up!"

Gao Chun gritted his teeth, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes. He took out another second-grade Xuan Dan and swallowed it, squeezing his Xuan power to its limit, transforming it into a violent pale purple torrent that surged towards the Lei Ze acupoint time and time again.

From dawn to dusk, from sunset to moonrise, the number of Xuan Dan pills in the room dwindled one by one, and the pure aura grew weaker and weaker. He felt as if he had been pulled out of the water, utterly exhausted.

But his gaze remained steadfast, like a lighthouse in the darkness, never wavering in the slightest.

Finally, just as midnight approached and moonlight streamed through the window onto him, a deep yet clear "pop" sound came from inside his body!

The thirty-fourth acupoint, Lei Ze acupoint, is now open!

"It's done! Thirty-four acupoints!"

Gao Chun gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently, his face as pale as paper, yet he laughed with unbridled joy, tears even welling in his eyes.

The breakthrough achieved after exhaustion was far more exhilarating than a smooth breakthrough. The joy of surviving a disaster overwhelmed him like a tidal wave, making him tremble uncontrollably.

He slumped to the ground, almost unable to move, but still couldn't help but grin, revealing a satisfied and proud smile.

On the eleventh and twelfth days, Gao Chun completely relaxed his body and rested peacefully.

He travels between his study, his sister's house, and the training ground every day, reading, eating, and practicing martial arts, leading a leisurely and regular life.

When the morning of the thirteenth day arrived, he opened his eyes again, and there was no trace of fatigue in them, only a strong determination and anticipation.

"Two more acupoints! Hang in there! Victory is just around the corner!"

He grinned at the bronze mirror, his eyes gleaming with confidence, as if he could already see the magnificent scene of all thirty-six orifices opening.

On the thirteenth day, the thirty-fifth acupoint was attacked—the Leiji acupoint.

This is an extremely crucial one among the thirty-six acupoints, like the eye of a chess piece. Once mastered, it lays a solid foundation for breaking through the final acupoint.

Having learned from his previous mistakes, he no longer resorted to piecemeal tactics. He gritted his teeth and swallowed two Grade Two Profound Pills in one gulp, causing his internal Profound Power to instantly surge and become restless.

He immediately mobilized his violent profound energy, transforming it into a pale purple torrent that slammed into the barrier of the acupoint.

Gao Chun clearly felt that the flow of Xuan power was much smoother than before. Although the barrier of the Thunder Extreme Acupoint was still tough, it could no longer withstand the impact of Xuan power.

He held his breath and focused his mind, manipulating his profound energy to propel himself forward with unstoppable momentum.

When the midday sun shone through the window onto his face, a crisp "pop" sound came from inside his body, accompanied by a strong resonance!

The thirty-fifth acupoint, Leiji acupoint, is now open!

"Thirty-five acupoints! Just one more to go!"

Gao Chun couldn't help but let out a low shout, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and ecstasy. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms, and his heart pounded wildly as if it were about to leap out of his chest.

The next two days were spent relaxing and resting. He continued to travel between his study, training ground, and sister's house as usual, and occasionally visited his four teammates.

His excitement and anticipation grew stronger. Once he opened the last acupoint, he would be able to master his first technique—the third-level Thunder Shadow.

time flies.

On the sixteenth day, the day finally arrived to break through the final acupoint—the Thunder God Acupoint.

The Thunder God Point is the core acupoint of the third-level Thunder Shadow, and also the most resilient and difficult to conquer, making it the finishing touch of the entire technique's cultivation.

Gao Chun had made thorough preparations, with eight Grade 2 Xuan Dan neatly arranged on the ground in front of him.

He took a deep breath, cleared his mind of all distractions, and mobilized all the profound energy within his body, transforming it into a pale purple, surging river that rushed towards the Thunder God's acupoint.

The excruciating pain struck instantly, more intense than ever before, as if thousands of steel needles were piercing his head simultaneously, or as if a heavy hammer was constantly striking him. The veins on his forehead bulged, his face turned as pale as paper, and large beads of sweat rolled down, soaking the bluestone platform beneath him.

"Hold on! This is the final hurdle!"

Gao Chun gritted his teeth, his lips bleeding from the bite, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's, fixed on the Thunder God acupoint inside his body.

He swallowed one Xuan Dan after another to replenish his rapidly depleting Xuan power. The Xuan power in his dantian surged like a flood bursting its banks, continuously rushing towards the Thunder God Acupoint and launching one attack after another.

From dawn to noon, the sunlight moved slowly through the room, and the number of Xuan Dan pills decreased one by one; from noon to dusk, the sunset dyed the sky red, and the pure aura became weaker and weaker, but it never stopped; from sunset to moonrise, the bright moonlight filled the room, and his body swayed precariously, almost unable to support itself.

But he persisted, with only one thought in his mind: to get through it! He had to get through it!

Finally, at the moment when the moon was high in the sky and its silver light was at its brightest, a deafening roar came from inside my body!

This sound was no longer a crisp, light sound, but a thunderclap that exploded deep within his dantian, causing his whole body to tremble and his blood to surge!

The thirty-sixth acupoint, the Thunder God acupoint, is now fully open!

"It's done! All thirty-six acupoints are open!"

Gao Chun suddenly stood up, threw his head back and roared, his eyes erupting with wild joy like a volcano.

He trembled violently, tears streaming uncontrollably down his cheeks, yet a smile of immense joy and excitement graced his face.

More than a hundred days of perseverance, eighteen days of extreme sprint, countless times of pain and exhaustion, countless times of wanting to give up—all of these vanished at this moment, transforming into the purest joy and pride.

"I did it! Level 3 Raikage, all acupoints are finally open!"

He paced slowly around the room, his steps slightly unsteady, yet he couldn't hide his excitement; the corners of his mouth turned up in a wild smile that he couldn't calm down for a long time.

Next, as usual, he took two days to rest and adjust his physical condition.

Until the twenty-first day arrived.

In the morning, Gao Chun did not immediately connect the thirty-six acupoints, but instead took out the secret manual of the third-level Thunder Shadow and studied it repeatedly.

The connection between these thirty-six acupoints is mysterious. Some acupoints need to be connected by a straight line, some by a curve, some by eighteen bends, and some by a semi-circle.

The connection process is extremely complex and requires extra care. Even the slightest deviation could cause the already opened acupoints to explode.

"Personal injury is a minor issue; wasting time is the most regrettable thing."

Gao Chun studied the manual countless times, imprinting every detail deep in his mind, before finally closing it.

He then prepared a sufficient amount of second-grade Xuan pills to replenish his Xuan power.

When the thirty-six acupoints are opened, a seed of magic will condense in the dantian. Condensing a seed of magic requires a massive amount of profound energy. Without enough profound energy, the effort may be in vain.

Afterwards, he went to his sister's house and had a delicious lunch.

In the afternoon, the warm sunlight streamed into the room through the window, making it feel cozy and comfortable.

Gao Chun sat cross-legged on the ground again, his eyes becoming more determined and focused than ever before.

Next comes the most crucial step:

Connect the thirty-six acupoints and condense the seeds of magical techniques!

Gao Chun took a deep breath, cleared his mind of all distractions, and focused his mind completely, immersing himself in the air.

He carefully channeled his profound energy, starting from the first acupoint and slowly connecting it to the second.

"Be more steady, be even more steady."

Gao Chun silently recited the mantra in his mind and held his breath.

The movement of Xuanli must be slow, accurate, and steady, without the slightest deviation. In some positions, it requires precise control, like embroidery.

When the pale purple mystic energy successfully passed through the second acupoint along the complex route.

"First step, done!"

Gao Chun was overjoyed, a nervous yet expectant smile appearing on his face. His fingertips trembled slightly, but he still steadily controlled his Xuan power, slowly pushing it towards the third and fourth acupoints.

He would pause briefly after connecting each acupoint to stabilize the path of his profound energy and ensure its unimpeded flow.

The thirty-six acupoints are like thirty-six pearls scattered on the meridian map, requiring high-purity light purple mystic energy to connect them one by one.

As more and more acupoints are connected, the pale purple paths intertwine and entwine in the meridians, gradually forming a pale purple lightning net that covers the entire body.

Gao Chun wore a tense yet excited smile on his face, his heart pounding wildly. Each successful connection increased his excitement.

Finally, the moment the pale purple profound energy slowly connected to the last acupoint, the Thunder God Acupoint, a sudden change occurred!

"boom--!"

A deafening roar exploded within Gao Chun's body, like a thunderclap from the heavens resounding in his dantian, causing him to tremble violently, his blood and qi surging, and he almost lost control.

At the same time, all thirty-six acupoints erupted with dazzling lightning, like thirty-six small suns, illuminating his meridians and dantian.

Boom boom boom boom boom!

A strange throbbing sensation came from within his dantian.

Gao Chun looked inward at his dantian and saw that in the center of the dantian, the Dao seed composed of yellow, red and purple colors floated quietly, exuding a calm and majestic aura, just like an emperor ruling the world.

Below the Dao Seed, on a transparent sea of ​​profound energy, a seed is slowly breaking through the soil.

"So... the seed of magic is about to condense?"

Gao Chun was both surprised and delighted, his eyes gleaming with intense light as he stared intently at the changes within his dantian, afraid of missing any detail.

He could clearly feel that the transparent profound energy in his dantian was being consumed at an alarming rate, and in a short while, nearly 30% of it was gone.

He dared not delay and immediately grabbed a second-grade Xuan Dan from the ground and swallowed it in one gulp.

The pill melted upon entering the mouth, transforming into a continuous torrent of profound energy that surged into the dantian, replenishing the rapidly depleted energy.

With a sufficient supply of energy, the vortex in the dantian spun faster and faster, and the light became brighter and brighter, almost blinding the eyes of the inner vision.

At the center of the vortex, a pale purple light slowly emerged, like the first ray of light at the beginning of chaos, faint yet resilient, carrying a wondrous aura of destruction and life coexisting.

The light spot was initially only the size of a grain of rice, but as it absorbed energy, it gradually grew: a grain of rice, a mung bean, a soybean... Each growth was accompanied by a muffled boom, and the energy in the dantian also became stronger, causing the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

Gao Chun clearly sensed that this seed, which was taking shape, contained terrifying power of thunder.

"Boom boom boom boom!"

Four thunderous booms resounded in his dantian, and with each boom, the seed grew stronger and his aura surged.

When the fourth boom subsided, the seed completely stopped growing and took full shape.

It is the size of a broad bean, pale purple all over, crystal clear, as if it were carved from the most precious amethyst.

The surface of the seed is covered with fine lightning patterns, like natural ancient runes. The lightning patterns flow slowly, emitting a bright and gentle lightning light, which contains both destructive power and the charm of endless life.

After the seed of the technique was fully formed, it slowly floated upwards and finally stopped above the dantian, where it complemented the three-colored Dao seed in the center.

The pale purple lightning seed intertwined with yellow, red, and purple light, forming a strange light curtain that enveloped the entire dantian, emanating a mysterious and boundless aura.

From now on, whenever he wants to unleash a level three lightning strike...

Simply by mobilizing one's profound energy to strike this lightning seed, the seed acts like a switch, drawing profound energy along the pathways connecting the acupoints to circulate throughout the body, condensing into a profound technique.

Gao Chun slowly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them before returning to calm, but deep within them lay an indescribable excitement and pride.

With his Bronze Realm Level 5 cultivation and the fully formed Thunder Shadow Seed, he is now confident that he can fight and even win against a Bronze Realm Level 7 cultivator!

He looked down at the Bagua seal in his dantian, which remained as stable as ever, sealing two stars of cultivation, while revealing to the outside world that he was still at the third level of the Bronze Realm.

Yet, Gao Chun felt incredibly relaxed and content.

He stood up and gently stretched his limbs.

Outside the window, the setting sun cast its golden rays upon his face, reflecting the determination in his eyes and his boundless anticipation for the future.

He knew that this was just a milestone on his path of cultivation; achieving the level three Thunder Shadow was only the first step in becoming stronger.

Next, it's time to lead the Gao Chun team to the remaining thirty-five villages in Jiuyang Town to search for the Xuanmai Origin Pearl.

With the powerful technique of Level 3 Thunder Shadow by his side, he was confident in dealing with some dangers, collecting enough Profound Vein Origin Pearls to allow his cultivation to continue to surge, and to reach a higher realm as soon as possible.

Gao Chun smiled confidently, his eyes filled with fighting spirit and anticipation.

His path of cultivation has only just begun.

A wider world, more powerful enemies, and more precious treasures await quietly ahead.

He had made all the preparations.

(This chapter contains 6700 words. See you tomorrow at noon.)