Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

The words fell.

Qin Muting gently pushed the ball of lightning towards Zhang Zhiwei with his palm.

There was no howling wind, no earth-shattering roar.

The lightning ball slowly drifted towards Zhang Zhiwei, its speed not fast, in fact, it could be described as very slow.

However, everyone present held their breath for a moment.

Because they all "sense" it—

That seemingly slow-moving ball of lightning actually locked down every inch of space around Zhang Zhiwei.

No matter which direction Zhang Zhiwei dodges, he will eventually be caught by the lightning ball.

This is not an ordinary lightning attack.

Instead, it integrates its own "harmony" with the "momentum" of heaven and earth, making this strike a part of the will of heaven and earth.

There is no way to dodge it, no way to escape it.

Qin Muting's move has already shown him a glimpse into the "unity of heaven and man" principle of the Divine Firmament Thunder Technique.

As Zhang Zhiwei watched the slowly drifting ball of lightning, the lazy smile on his lips finally faded slightly.

Instead, there is a genuine sense of "seriousness".

He didn't dodge, or even move an inch.

He simply raised his right hand, which had been tucked into his sleeve, his five fingers casually spread, and gently clenched it to meet the ball of lightning.

It's that simple.

There was no lightning, no roar, and no earth-shattering phenomenon.

The ball of lightning, which contained the essence of thunder from the five directions of heaven and earth and the true teachings of the Divine Firmament Sect, vanished the moment Zhang Zhiwei closed his palms...

Disappeared.

No, it didn't disappear.

They have been "tamed".

Everyone present, including Qin Muting, clearly "sense" that scene—

Zhang Zhiwei's grip was not a forceful blow to destroy the lightning ball.

Instead, it took over control of the ball of lightning from some higher level of existence.

Like a general addressing the enemy:

From this moment forward, your soldiers will obey my commands.

Then, the soldiers actually obeyed the order.

Qin Muting stared blankly at Zhang Zhiwei's empty right hand, his lips trembling slightly, unable to utter a word for a long time.

His proudest achievement was "Gathering the Thunder Qi from the Five Directions"...

He painstakingly cultivated for many years before barely mastering the "utilization of heaven and earth"...

In front of Zhang Zhiwei, they were so... vulnerable?

No, it wasn't even a "hit".

They were "incorporated".

They had no room to resist and "submitted".

this...

Is this the Zhengyi Thunder Technique?

Is this Zhang Zhiwei's understanding of thunder magic?

Seeing Qin Muting's dazed expression, Zhang Zhiwei gently shook his right hand, the one that had held the lightning ball, his tone still lazy:

"Junior Brother Qin, your method of gathering lightning is indeed unique."

"The idea of ​​gathering the thunderous energy of heaven and earth through one's own alchemy furnace is ingenious, and the approach is correct."

"only..."

He paused, seemingly considering his words, but ultimately just smiled simply:

"The thunder energy you gathered didn't listen to you much when it came to me."

"They feel... that this place is more like where they belong."

Qin Muting listened to these words in a daze, a hint of understanding gradually appearing in his eyes, yet mixed with a deeper sense of confusion.

"Senior Brother Zhang...you mean..."

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand, interrupting him:

"Wait, don't you want to see the thunder magic itself?"

"That was yours just now, now let me show you mine."

He raised his right hand, this time with the same casual posture, fingers slightly spread, palm facing upward.

There was no gathering of lightning, no hand seals, and not even any warning signs.

However, in the instant his palm faced upwards...

The world changed color!

The sky, which had been clear and cloudless just moments before, suddenly turned gloomy!

It's not that dark clouds are obscuring the sun.

Rather, it is a deeper, more fundamental "change".

In this world, all the "thunderous intent" seemed to be awakened at the same moment.

They surged in from all directions, descended from the heavens, rose from the depths of the earth, and seeped into the vegetation and rocks...

All streams converge and gather in Zhang Zhiwei's casually outstretched palm.

There were no lightning orbs, no clusters of light, and no visible form whatsoever.

But everyone "felt" it—

There, a bolt of lightning struck.

An invisible yet real "thunder" containing terrifying divine power.

It has no shape, because it is the "shape" itself.

It has no color because it is the origin of "color".

It was not summoned, nor was it formed.

It had always been there, just waiting for Zhang Zhiwei to "allow" it to appear.

Now, Zhang Zhiwei has given his permission.

It was merely the release of an aura, a mere manifestation of presence.

The air in the courtyard suddenly froze.

Disciples with lower cultivation levels felt difficulty breathing and their minds trembled, as if they were facing the might of heaven.

Even patriarchs like Wang Wang and Lü Jian had solemn expressions at this moment, their true qi unconsciously circulating within them to resist the invisible pressure.

Qin Muting stood five zhang away from Zhang Zhiwei, his face as pale as paper, his legs trembling slightly, almost unable to stand.

He suddenly understood.

I understand what it means to have the utmost faith in thunder magic.

It's not that I believe I can summon thunder, nor that I believe thunder will answer my call.

But -

Zhang Zhiwei himself is thunder.

He stood there, and he was the embodiment of thunder.

When he so desires, thunder will appear;

When he is unwilling, even heaven and earth dare not thunder.

This is Zhang Zhiwei.

This is the true nature of the Zhengyi Thunder Magic of Longhu Mountain.

Seeing Qin Muting's swaying figure, Zhang Zhiwei suddenly withdrew his hand.

The strange phenomena in the world vanished in an instant.

The sunlight returned, and the air returned to normal.

It was as if what had just happened was just a collective hallucination.

Zhang Zhiwei remained as languid as ever, his hands tucked back into his sleeves, a familiar smile playing on his lips.

"Junior Brother Qin, did you understand?"

Qin Muting was panting heavily, his Taoist robe soaked with sweat, looking as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

But he did not fall.

He gritted his teeth, straightened his body, and bowed deeply to Zhang Zhiwei.

This bow was deeper and more solemn than any of the previous ones.

"Senior Brother Zhang...Junior Brother...I have learned a lot."

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried an unprecedented reverence and awe:

"So the way of thunder magic is not about 'summoning,' not about 'gathering,' and not even about 'combining'..."

"But it lies in 'is'."

"It's Thunder itself."

"Then all things in heaven and earth are subject to thunder magic."

"The way of the senior brother is something that the junior brother... can never hope to reach in this lifetime."

Looking at him like this, Zhang Zhiwei's eyes flashed with a hint of approval:

"Don't say that."

"If you cultivate your lightning-gathering technique to its peak, you can achieve 'harmony' with heaven and earth, and then 'unity' with thunder."

"Two paths, different routes, but the same destination."

"It's just that you're still too inexperienced. The thunder energy you gathered wasn't pure or refined enough, which is why I got the better deal."

He paused, then said, unusually seriously:

"Go back and cultivate your inner core properly, and solidify your foundation."

"Come back to me when you can achieve 'with a single thought, the five directions of thunder energy gather on their own,' without having to exert effort to 'summon' it."

"We'll have another competition then."

Upon hearing this, Qin Muting's eyes welled up with tears.

He nodded vigorously, his voice choked with emotion but firm:

"Yes! Junior brother...I've got it!"

He bowed deeply again before turning around and striding back to his seat in the Divine Firmament Sect.

The leader of the Shenxiao Sect watched his disciple return, gently patted his shoulder, his eyes showing not disappointment, but only relief:

"If you can see the real mountain, the trip will not have been in vain."

Qin Muting nodded and sat down beside his master, but his gaze remained fixed on the figure in the gray-white Taoist robe in the center of the courtyard.

It remained there for a long time.

A brief silence fell over the courtyard once again.

Everyone was still immersed in the astonishing "thunder magic" they had just witnessed.

There was no roar, no lightning, and not even any destruction.

The mere release of a breath was enough to change the color of heaven and earth and make everyone's mind tremble.

This is Zhang Zhiwei.

This is his true strength.

Countless gazes once again converged on that languid figure.

Awe, worship, reverence...

Complex emotions are intertwined within it.

Zhang Zhiwei, however, seemed to have long been accustomed to all of this.

He turned around and walked towards his seat with his still leisurely gait.

However, just as he took his third step...

His steps suddenly stopped.

That lazy gaze, now passing over the crowd and the brightly lit courtyard, landed in one direction.

There was a person sitting in that direction.

A Taoist robe in moonlight, sitting still as deep as an abyss.

He never got up from beginning to end.

He never made a move from beginning to end.

From beginning to end, I simply watched quietly.

It was as if all this commotion and the turmoil in the courtyard had nothing to do with him.

It was as if the beginning and the end of all of this were tied to him.

As Zhang Zhiwei looked at that figure, the usual carefree smile on his lips slowly faded.

Instead, there was an unprecedented solemnity.

He suddenly remembered that when he fought Lu Jin earlier, Lu Jin had asked him:

How high are real mountains, really?

He smiled but did not answer.

But now, looking at that moon-white figure, he suddenly had an answer in his heart.

The real mountain is not yourself.

It's that person.

He was the one who simply watched quietly from beginning to end, yet whose presence made this courtyard, this birthday banquet, and even the entire world of supernatural beings different.

Zhang Zhiwei stood still.

He did not go any further.

Instead, he stood in the center of the courtyard, facing the main table and the pale-faced figure.

Then he spoke.

The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly:

"Senior Brother Li Yuan."

"After watching for so long, aren't you going to get involved and move around a bit?"

The entire venue fell into a sudden, deathly silence.

All eyes instantly shifted from Zhang Zhiwei to the figure in the moon-white Taoist robe at the main table.

Countless gazes, intertwined with shock, anticipation, and disbelief.

Zhang Zhiwei...

Is he actively challenging Li Yuan Dao Zi?!

Are these two finally going to face off?

Li Yuan remained seated, as still as an abyss, holding the cup of tea that had long since gone cold, without getting up.

He simply raised his eyes and met Zhang Zhiwei's burning gaze.

In those eyes, there was expectation, excitement, and a genuine desire to "have a fight".

Li Yuan remained silent for a moment.

Then, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a very faint smile.

In that smile, there was appreciation, understanding, and a hint of excitement that was hard for others to detect.

He put down his teacup and slowly stood up.

The entire audience, countless people, held their breath at that moment.