"I want to choose the Thunder divine Lord Physique," Meng Chuan said. "Before becoming a Divine Lord, I believe my choice is correct. But in the future, when I become a Divine Lord… I'm not sure if the Thunder divine Lord Physique is the right path. I'd like to ask for Grand Aunt's guidance."
It's important to have a long-term perspective.
It's not enough to only consider the immediate benefits; one must also think about the future.
"Oh?" Madam Meng smiled. "First, tell me why you want to choose the Thunder divine Lord Physique?" Meng Dajiang listened attentively beside her.
"Speed is my greatest strength," Meng Chuan said. "Right now, my movement techniques and blade skills are all about speed! And the Thunder divine Lord Physique is indisputably the fastest among the sixteen basic Divine Lord Bodies. I believe cultivation should be about compensating for one's weaknesses and making one's strengths even stronger! That's why I've chosen the Thunder divine Lord Physique—to make my movement techniques and blade skills even faster."
"Building on your strengths?" Madam Meng's eyes lit up, and she nodded in approval. "Meng Chuan, although you're young, your thinking is correct. The most taboo thing in cultivation is mediocrity. Mediocrity means you won't defeat your enemies—you'll only be defeated by them."
"After becoming a Divine Lord, is the Thunder divine Lord Physique still suitable?" Meng Chuan pressed.
Madam Meng sighed. "After becoming a Divine Lord, the Thunder divine Lord Physique becomes even more terrifying. Its advantages are even more astonishing compared to the mortal stage. Transforming into lightning, possessing unparalleled speed, and having deadly killing techniques! Even if you can't kill your enemy, you can easily escape. However, the 'Life and Death Trial' to transition from a mortal to a Divine Lord is more difficult than with ordinary Divine Lord Bodies."
"The Life and Death Trial is harder?" Meng Chuan was puzzled.
"To break through the Life and Death Trial, lightning will strike you. If you can't withstand it, you'll die," Madam Meng explained. "So, you must have a deeper foundation and stronger roots to survive. The threshold to become a Divine Lord is also higher. Of course, Primordial Mountain will clearly tell you what level you need to reach to have absolute certainty of becoming a Divine Lord."
"I've heard that at Primordial Mountain, one must be absolutely certain before attempting the breakthrough. Of course, those who can enter Primordial Mountain are all exceptionally talented," Madam Meng said with a smile. "As for those of us with lesser talent, we usually take the risk when we have a sixty to seventy percent chance. After all, if we delay, as we age, the chance might drop to forty or fifty percent, or even twenty or thirty percent. The hope diminishes over time."
Body, vital energy, realm, mental willpower, state of mind…
Becoming a Divine Lord involves many aspects.
"Since the Thunder divine Lord Physique is still powerful after becoming a Divine Lord, I'll choose it," Meng Chuan said.
"Good," Madam Meng nodded with a smile. "Even after becoming a Divine Lord, you can choose from several Thunder Divine Lord Bodies. These bodies vary in strength… If your foundation is strong enough, you can choose the more powerful ones. If your foundation is weaker, you can opt for a less powerful Thunder divine Lord Physique. This way, your chances of overcoming the Life and Death Trial will be greater."
"Mmm," Meng Chuan nodded without saying more.
Given his nature, he naturally aimed for the strongest path.
If you aim only to learn from the best, you will merely achieve mediocrity.
Regardless, one's goals must be ambitious. Without ambition, how can one become a true powerhouse?
Back at Meng's Mansion.
Meng Dajiang and Meng Chuan walked side by side.
"Chuan'er, when do you plan to make the breakthrough?" Meng Dajiang asked.
"Tonight," Meng Chuan replied. "There's no need to delay."
"Then follow me."
Meng Dajiang led the way to his residence.
Meng Chuan was slightly puzzled but followed his father into the living quarters.
"Rumble—" Once inside, Meng Dajiang pulled a mechanism under the bed, and a hidden passageway appeared.
"A hidden passage?" Meng Chuan was surprised. After all these years, he had no idea his father had concealed a hidden chamber here.
Building tunnels is actually quite normal, especially in the countryside where fortified manors are constructed with large-scale underground chambers! Even if the fortified manors are breached by demons, the clansmen can hide deep within hundreds of tunnels, pulling down thick gates and locking them securely from the inside. The demons must find the hidden tunnels and overcome various mechanisms to reach the humans inside. However, in the city, building tunnels is relatively rare.
"Boom~~" "Boom~~~"
Inside this tunnel, there are two stone gates that must be opened using mechanisms. Only then can one reach a secret chamber.
"Chuan'er, sit down first," Meng Dajiang said.
Meng Chuan, puzzled, sat down on a nearby meditation mat. Meng Dajiang then took out a book from the densely packed bookshelf, opened the cover, and revealed a wooden box hidden inside.
Meng Dajiang held the wooden box and sat cross-legged facing Meng Chuan.
"Thud." "Thud." "Thud."
Meng Dajiang placed a long wooden box, a jade box, and a porcelain bottle on the ground.
"These three items are all rare treasures from the world," Meng Dajiang said, first picking up the jade box. He opened it to reveal a frosty, ice-white fruit. "This is the Ice Heart Fruit. You can consume it immediately on the first day of practicing the Divine Lord Physique."
After closing the jade box, Meng Dajiang pointed to the porcelain bottle. "That is a drop of Divine Lord Marrow Liquid, obtained by the family at great expense. You can consume it on the third day of practicing the Divine Lord Physique."
"And this last one..."
Meng Dajiang looked at the long wooden box and gently opened it.
Inside the box was a small green plant glowing with colorful light, its leaves and roots intact. "This is a legendary 'Star Spirit Grass,' worth several times more than that single drop of Divine Lord Marrow Liquid. Starting from the first day of practicing the Divine Lord Physique, you must consume a little every day, not wasting any leaves or roots. Finish it all within one month!"
"From today onwards, you will come to this chamber every night to cultivate," Meng Dajiang instructed.
Meng Chuan was stunned.
"Father, these three treasures?" Meng Chuan couldn't believe it.
After the Grand Aunt was severely injured, the family had exhausted years of accumulated wealth to obtain a single drop of Divine Lord Marrow Liquid, focusing all their efforts on cultivating Meng Chuan alone. That was already considered madness.
Yet now, his father had produced two more treasures? And that Star Spirit Grass... was even more valuable?
"In terms of value, the Star Spirit Grass is the most precious, followed by the Divine Lord Marrow Liquid, and then the Ice Heart Fruit," Meng Dajiang said. "But each of these was difficult to obtain. You must cherish them."
"Father, where did these come from? This Star Spirit Grass is even more valuable than the treasure the family exhausted itself to obtain?" Meng Chuan couldn't believe it.
"Don't ask," Meng Dajiang frowned.
"You'll know when it's time for you to know," Meng Dajiang sighed. "Sometimes, knowing too early is not a good thing. What you need to do is become stronger."
Meng Chuan also felt that his father was somewhat mysterious.
The Ice Heart Fruit, the Star Spirit Grass... where did they come from?
What secrets did this usually cheerful father, who managed a restaurant, hold? But since his father believed he wasn't strong enough, he would focus on practicing diligently.
"You must cherish them," Meng Dajiang said.
"Yes, Father," Meng Chuan replied.
...
That night.
Meng Dajiang stood in his room, gazing at the painting of his wife hanging on the wall.
"Chuan'er has grown up."
Meng Dajiang gazed at the woman in the painting, the woman he loved most in his life. "Nianyun, the Star Spirit Grass you left for him, I've given it to him. Rest assured, our child is outstanding, even with the potential to become a Divine Lord. I've raised him well, excellently. He's also very filial and obedient..."
...
In the underground chamber.
Meng Chuan sat cross-legged on the meditation mat and began his breakthrough.
He guided the vital energy from his dantian into various meridian points, traversing one hundred and eighty-two internal meridian points. The moment it entered the final point, the routes of these one hundred and eighty-two meridian points formed an exquisite three-dimensional diagram, with each point serving as a node. This diagram was also the core of the Thunder divine Lord Physique, a profound state of physical and spiritual cultivation.
"Boom!!!"
As soon as this three-dimensional diagram took shape, lightning began to emerge. Threads of lightning weaved through the diagram, integrating into every part of his body.
"Ah~~~" Meng Chuan felt the threads of lightning weaving through the diagram and merging into his body, initiating a profound transformation. His muscles tightened, his bones resonated with energy, and his entire being seemed to harmonize with the power of the lightning, signaling the beginning of his ascension to a higher state of existence.