Imperial Scepter

As dusk settled, wisps of smoke rose from the chimney of Gao Chun's small courtyard.

The aroma of food mingled with a faint, mysterious fragrance, permeating the air.

Around the eight-immortal table, Gao Chun sat with his father Gao Changhe, Uncle Li, and his sister Gao Xuemei, a family of four.

The table was laden with meat and vegetable dishes, and the stewed chicken soup, cooked until tender, was steaming hot.

The vibrant green vegetables scattered throughout are all top-quality ingredients suitable for nourishing cultivators.

Gao Xuemei quickly served food to everyone, her eyes constantly glancing at Gao Chun.

Brother-in-law Gao Qingfeng accompanied Li Quan and Gao Changhe, chatting about strange and interesting stories in the cultivation world.

Gao Chun’s niece, Gao Chengyao, sat next to him, holding a piece of Xuan Guo cake in her little hand.

Every now and then, she would tilt her rosy little face up and call out "Uncle" in a soft, sweet voice, which was so sweet it melted everyone's heart.

At the corner of the table, the chubby-faced Gao Chengzhi was picking at the brown rice in his bowl.

His gaze drifted to the storybook in his arms, which he read with great interest, making him a true "genius-type salted fish".

This kid has good talent; he's already at the two-star bronze realm at such a young age.

However, he was fond of eating and lazy, spending his days engrossed in stories and neglecting cultivation.

Gao Chun glanced at him, and the thought of asking for a gift resurfaced in her mind.

"I have given birth to a five-colored Dao seed. As his only uncle, shouldn't I send him some congratulatory gift?"

But then I thought, what good stuff could a two-star bronze realm cultivator possibly have?

"Forget it," Gao Chun muttered to himself, "I'll squeeze him dry once he breaks through to the Silver Realm!"

As for the face of elders and uncles? In the face of Xuanjing and Xuanwu, it's not worth mentioning.

His mind is now completely focused on opening up his Qi Sea and advancing to the Xuan realm. As long as it can improve his strength, he'll do things like asking for gifts with a clear conscience.

Gao Chengzhi seemed to notice Gao Chun's gaze, but he didn't care and continued to eat his rice and read his storybook.

Gao Chun shook his head speechlessly, thinking that Yao Yao beside him was much cuter and more considerate.

Dinner ended amidst laughter and cheerful conversation.

Gao Chun saw his sister's family of four and Uncle Li off.

Before leaving, Gao Xuemei gave Gao Chun another brocade box, repeatedly reminding him: "In cultivation, remember not to be impatient for quick results; a solid foundation is fundamental."

Uncle Li patted him on the shoulder and laughed, "You brat, keep up the good work! I'll be checking your progress next time we meet, and there won't be a gift if you don't meet the standard!"

After seeing everyone off, only Gao Chun and his father Gao Changhe remained in the courtyard.

As night deepened, moonlight spilled into the courtyard, casting two slender shadows.

Gao Changhe broke the silence first, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Each of the nine realms of meaning possesses its own profound mystery: the strength of metal, the resilience of wood, the gentleness of water, the intensity of fire, the stability of earth, the swiftness of wind, the ferocity of thunder, the light of day, and the darkness of night. Why do you insist on comprehending the realm of thunder first?"

Gao Chun's eyes shone brightly, and his tone was firm: "This is related to my future cultivation plan!"

"The first spell I choose to practice will be a speed-type assassin spell."

"Of all speed-type spells, lightning is not only the most numerous, but also the pinnacle—its swiftness is unmatched!"

"The world of cultivation is fraught with danger. Only by being fast enough can one survive and have the chance to turn the tide!"

Gao Changhe nodded, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "You have your own ideas and can see that the core of cultivation is 'survival,' not bad."

"But you must remember, though Lei Yi is fierce, he is also the most unruly and difficult to tame."

"You have just been born with a Dao seed and have not yet opened your Qi Sea, so you cannot cultivate techniques, let alone rely on techniques to guide the refinement of profound objects."

"At this point, the only way to comprehend the meaning of lightning is to consume first-grade lightning-attribute profound fruits and proceed step by step. Forcibly absorbing them will only backfire on oneself."

He paused, then continued, "The essence of thunder is not only 'fierce,' but also 'swift' and 'orderly.'"

"Most people only see the violent destruction of lightning, but they overlook its speed and the precise order of its strikes."

"To comprehend the meaning of thunder, you cannot merely learn its form; you must also grasp its spirit."

"You must understand its indestructibility, its speed as fast as the wind, and its orderly nature."

"Only in this way can one truly control the release of lightning-attribute techniques at will in the future, instead of being devoured by the lightning intent."

After saying that, Gao Changhe raised his hand and waved it, and more than a dozen fist-sized lightning-attribute mystic fruits flew out of his storage bag and landed steadily on the stone table.

These mysterious fruits are deep purple in color, covered with fine lightning patterns, and exude a rich and pure lightning aura. They are the top-grade mysterious treasures of the first rank – Purple Lightning Fruits.

"Take these Purple Thunder Fruits for your cultivation," Gao Changhe instructed. "Do not take more than two a day. Remember, don't overdo it."

"After taking it, do not rush to absorb the energy. First, calm your mind and feel the flow of thunder intent, and let the Dao seed resonate naturally with the thunder intent."

"Your Dao Seed is five-colored, encompassing all things. This is your advantage. You should make good use of this inclusiveness, rather than forcibly suppressing the Thunder Intent."

"Just like water encountering a rock, a head-on collision will only result in mutual destruction; only by guiding the flow can it continue to flow."

Gao Chun listened attentively, keeping every word of his father in mind.

His father's words were like the sun breaking through the clouds, giving him a deeper understanding of comprehending the meaning of thunder.

He accepted the Purple Thunder Fruit without hesitation, a bright smile spreading across his face: "Thank you, Father! I will remember your teachings!"

In his view, there was no need for formalities regarding his father's gifts; he should accept them with equanimity and repay them properly when he achieved success in his cultivation.

"Father, I'm going to cultivate!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Chun, carrying a bag full of gifts and Xuan fruit, turned around and quickly walked into his room.

Gao Chun's courtyard is located at the core of the three-grade mystical vein in Gaojia Village.

No additional gathering array is needed; the body is naturally surrounded by rich profound energy, making it an excellent place for cultivation.

After closing the door, Gao Chun took out the gifts from her sister, Uncle Li, and brother-in-law one by one and put them away in their proper places.

He then picked up the exquisite jade box that Gao Qingfeng had given him, opened it, and saw eighteen mysterious fruits neatly arranged inside, representing nine attributes: gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, and darkness, with two of each attribute.

"My brother-in-law is so thoughtful; he even thought of this." Gao Chun felt a warm glow in his heart.

He sighed, then lingered, sitting cross-legged on the bed, calming his mind and focusing his spirit.

He took out a purple thunder fruit given to him by his father and put it directly into his mouth.

The Purple Thunder Fruit melted instantly in his mouth, and a violent yet pure thunder attribute energy erupted within his body in an instant.

In an instant, Gao Chun felt his consciousness being pulled into a vast and boundless sea of ​​lightning.

A continuous barrage of thunder exploded in my ears, making my eardrums buzz.

Countless purple lightning bolts tore through the sky, their purple light soaring to the heavens, carrying a tyrannical aura that looked down upon all things, causing the void to vibrate and hum.

The purple lightning in the sky was ever-changing and varied in shape, each one exuding a bone-chilling fear.

At times, it transforms into a ferocious thunder dragon, its claws tearing through thick clouds, its fangs spewing pillars of lightning, and countless tiny electric snakes darting about where its body coils, emitting a crackling sound.

Sometimes it would condense into a thick, giant python, its body over ten feet thick, coiling around the sky, its mouth spewing out thousands of fine lightning bolts, leaving behind charred trails wherever it passed.

In the blink of an eye, they transformed into countless lightning blades as thin as cicada wings, their sharp blades gleaming with a cold purple light. When they cleaved through the void, they emitted a piercing shriek, as if they could cleave the heavens and the earth.

Suddenly, it coalesced into a massive lightning shield, its surface crackling with lightning, yet it offered no defense whatsoever. Instead, it exuded a chilling aura of aggression, crashing violently into the distant forest before exploding with a deafening roar, sending countless lightning fragments flying in all directions.

Even more extreme, they transform into swarms of thunder bees that fill the sky, the tiny thunder insects buzzing and swooping down in an overwhelming, suffocating density, as if they want to devour everything in the world.

These purple lightning bolts moved with ghostly speed, changing shapes at a speed invisible to the naked eye, and slammed into the primeval forest at the edge of the earth.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, the Thunder Dragon crashed into the forest, causing towering ancient trees to shatter and splinter, sending wood chips and charred fragments flying everywhere, filling the air with the smell of burning.

Immediately afterwards, the lightning blade swept across, severing swathes of trees in half. The cuts were clean and smooth, but instantly turned charred and carbonized.

Wherever the swarm of thunder bees passed, the lush foliage instantly turned to ashes, leaving only bare tree trunks trembling under the thunder's might.

One after another, towering trees collapsed with a deafening roar, their thick trunks torn apart by the violent force of lightning, black smoke billowing from the broken ends.

The once lush and vibrant forest was continuously destroyed and shattered under the frenzied onslaught of Zi Lei, with smoke and dust filling the air and obscuring the sun, creating a scene of apocalypse.

Gao Chun's mind trembled violently, and the five-colored Dao Seed within his body began to spin wildly involuntarily, echoing the thunderous power outside.

He suppressed the shock in his heart, remembered his father's teachings, and stopped rushing to absorb energy. Instead, he concentrated all his energy to carefully observe the violent trajectory of each lightning bolt and feel the power and order hidden behind the destruction.

Thunder's fury is not without order, but rather has its own rhythm and trajectory.

Every change in form, every bombardment, contains the ultimate truth of the universe.

The power of the Thunder Dragon, the sharpness of the Thunder Blade, and the speed of the Thunder Bee are all different manifestations of the Thunder Intent.

After an unknown amount of time, Gao Chun suddenly opened his eyes.

Purple lightning flashed in his eyes, disappearing in an instant, and a layer of condensed lightning surrounded his body, faint yet extremely pure.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, a satisfied smile appearing on his face: "The effects of this Purple Thunder Fruit are indeed well-deserved! My father's teachings were also crucial!"

With just one Purple Thunder Fruit and his father's guidance, he successfully grasped the essence of thunder.

Without pausing, he picked up another Purple Thunder Fruit and swallowed it, once again immersing himself in the enlightenment of the thunder's essence.

This time, he was no longer just focused on Lei's rage and destruction.

Instead, following his father's guidance, he focused on comprehending the speed, transformation, and power of lightning, as well as the order hidden beneath the rage.

He could clearly feel that the flow of lightning intent was becoming smoother and smoother, and it was becoming more and more in line with his five-colored Dao seed.

Time slips away quietly during cultivation.

Gao Chun ate four Purple Thunder Fruits in a row, far exceeding the daily limit of two that his father had instructed him to eat.

When the energy of the fourth Purple Thunder Fruit was exhausted, he felt weak all over, his meridians ached unbearably, as if he had been struck by lightning countless times, and his spirit was also somewhat listless.

He knew that his body had reached its limit, and forcing himself to continue cultivating would only damage his foundation and be a losing proposition.

Just then, his father Gao Changhe's gentle yet powerful voice came from outside the door: "Cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation, like a bowstring; if it's stretched too tight, it will easily break."

"Being impatient for quick results may seem like a fast way to advance, but it will actually leave hidden dangers, making it even more difficult to advance to higher realms in the future."

"Your ability to grasp the basics of lightning intent in such a short time is already a remarkable talent, but the path of cultivation is long, and steady progress is the key."

"Yes, Father, I understand!" Gao Chun replied quickly, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

It turned out that while he was immersed in the enlightenment of thunder, his father had been waiting outside the door, silently watching over him.

This silent care and timely guidance warmed his heart and gave him a deeper understanding of cultivation.

He got up and stretched, feeling unusually excited despite his physical exhaustion.

He gained a great deal from this training, and his understanding of the essence of thunder has successfully reached the minor completion stage.

Based on this progress, he estimated that in another two days, he would be able to fully comprehend the essence of thunder, successfully open his Qi Sea, and advance to a one-star bronze Xuan master.

Gao Chun quickly washed up and lay down on the soft bed.

Looking back on the day's events.

From the bizarre phenomenon of a headless man herding sheep in the void at noon, to the ecstatic joy of the birth of five-colored Dao seeds, to venting the resentment accumulated over many years at his father's door, and finally comprehending the essence of thunder under his father's guidance...

It was a very rewarding experience, full of ups and downs, and extremely fulfilling.

As he pondered, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, and Gao Chun closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep.

In his dream, he transformed into a bolt of purple lightning, traversing the heavens and earth, splitting mountains and shattering rocks, invincible in every way.

Under the moonlight in the courtyard, Gao Changhe looked at Gao Chun's door, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

"The Five-Colored Dao Seed—this child's future is limitless."

"However, the path of cultivation is fraught with danger. The better one's talent, the more attention one will attract. In the future, one will need more guidance and tempering of one's character."

He sighed softly, turned and went into his room to continue dealing with village affairs.

As night deepened, Gaojia Village fell into tranquility.