?


    Shi Lang did not know what was going on outside the valley. He was focused on regaining control of his situation once again. The sutra in his mind allowed him to manipte the Lightning, but it was not very potent. The destruction caused to his body was stronger than his control over the Lightning in this state.


    The lighting element ranked among the top attributes in terms of destruction. It made the people gifted with an affinity to it feared all over the immortal ne. Yet, at the same time, this element was hard to control. If the destruction was not controlled, the practitioner could sumb to the negativity and even die while trying to manipte it.


    Lightning was a double-edged sword that could severe foes and friends alike if the user was not careful. The terran was unable to move and was squirming on the ground. His nerves were tingling from the Lightning coursing through them. However, he did not let out even a whimper.


    The old man on the boulder had used a spell to calm down the rampaging element. However, that was not enough. Humans could not control naturepletely, and they could manipte it but not own it. The same applied to the cultivators. They all pursued Dao and gradually became one with a part of nature. After all, they were focusing on one element of nature.


    Shi Lang slowly increased his skill and tried to tame the energy again. Hisprehension was fast, but it was also very shallow. The aspects of the lightning energy he learned while following the sutra cirction channel made him realize his understanding of Lightning was very shallow.


    As he began toprehend, his affinity toward the element increased. The old man on the boulder was watching everything from the side, and he suddenly nodded in approval. Shi Lang made no sound as his mind entered the deep cultivation situation.


    The information in his mind gradually assimted with his body, and the lightning movement calmed down. However, it was not an instant process. If Lightning were that easy to handle, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would run after it.


    ...


    Mei Lingyao sat under the wisteria pavilion in the sect, and her expression was somber. She was pissed at how the Law enforcement disciple caused such aplication. She was afraid that Shi Lang''s foundation would be affected. The terran had the most terrible talent she had ever seen in her life, and now, when he was about to leave the Eastern Barren, his foundation was harmed.


    She could not figure out a way of making things up to him. After all, even with their resources, the foundation''s recovery was not possible until a great encounter. As she was thinking about everything, the sky was turning hazy.


    ...


    Amelia stood on a secluded hill, a few kilometers away, and could see her family and people. Shi Tao was now the cultivation association president, and her mother had retired to teach a group of children as her disciples. Shi John and his wife were still alive but were only nascent soul realm-level people.


    Amelia had often asked them to put in some effort and try to ascend, but the old people had no ambition. They loved their lives in the Federation. They would always say they would wait for them to return afterpleting their tasks.


    In the end, Amelia was hopeless. Shi Tao''s daughter was tasked to look after them. Shi Tao was busy most of the time. The young one had just stepped into her teenage and was a damn good analyst, and her cultivation was on par with her peers too. She may not have a knack for it, but she did not lose out to those talented geniuses.


    Everyone looked at her as a target, but the young girl had defeated the people with a ruthless and blunt execution. Amelia had trained her in indifferent battle mode, and even her education was looked over by the former. The little girl was very attached to Amelia. However, as a cultivator, she also knew what it was like to reach the peak.


    Amelia reached the peak of her strength, and now her actions were restricted by the realm''sws. She could not continue living in suppression. She needed to cross the tribtion and ascend to the higher realm to livefortably. Amelia stood under the cloudy sky and said, "I will leave now. Take care of yourselves."


    Following her words, the Lightning fell on her body. Amelia had practiced the sutra for Snow Element, and her inheritance was also iplete. Thedy was itching to go to the upper realm, find Shi Lang, and then look for aplete inheritance.


    She bathed in Lightning, following the steps of her husband. She also realized her physique was not tempered enough to withstand the lightning tribtion. She had been waiting to perfect her physique these past years, and she reached this point only when she was confident enough. The Lightning fell upon her body, and she stood unfazed.


    Her bones had turned to jade, and her skin seemed made of ice under the impact of the lightning bolt. This enraged the heavens, and a human had such a terrifying physique. Heavens never made things easy for people. The lightning bolt fell one after the other on Amelia''s head, but she stood with her eyes closed.


    She was flung off the ground only after the sixth bolt of Lightning. She was flung off the ground like a rag doll. Amelia sighed and stood up from the ground, and the seventh lightning bolt left a bloody gash on her back. Thedy still did not budge and faced the impact of the eighth lightning bolt.


    Amelia healed her body with her spiritual energy. She raised her head and looked at the sky rumbling with crimson Lightning. She smiled and said, "If you intend toe after me, do it with conviction. I have been a bit too restless ever since Shi Lang left. This is thest chance you have to stop me. If you dragged the tribtion, I will slice you apart."


    The Lightning rumbled and fell on her head. The impact shook the world, and the people held their hands in fright. The heavenly tribtion to ascend the realm was not an easy thing to do.


    ...


    While the lighting bolt fell on Amelia in the lower realm, Shi Lang sat up in the upper realm. His heart beat fast, and his consciousness was jolted awake from cultivation. The Lightning in his body also acted, but the sudden uneasiness made him angry, and he grunted, "You better stay within your limit. I am very pissed right now."


    The next moment, he stopped channeling the spiritual energy and bought out his spiritual weapons. The weapons shivered, and they were ready to break away from his grip. However, Shi Lang watched them so coldly that the shivering weapons gradually calmed down.


    The terran said, "I am your master and respect you."


    The weapons calmed down, and they emitted soft vibrations. Keeping the weapons back inside his dantian, he looked at the old man and bowed with his hand sped, "I have seen the Ancestor."


    The old man nodded while stroking his long beard. He asked, "Why do you not kneel like Sect Master Ling Ye?"


    Shi Lang replied, "My father used to tell me that a man has a knee under his knees. A man should not kneel unless it is before his parents. I do not even kneel to the heavens."


    The old man nodded and said, "You do have a spine. Befitting the character of someone who can master Lightning."


    Shi Lang smiled and replied, "I am not worthy of yourpliments, Ancestor."


    The old man smiled faintly and asked, "Tell me, Shi Lang, would you like to acknowledge me as your master?"


    Shi Lang was shocked and asked, "Ancestor, may I ask, why me?"


    The old man replied, "I am on my deathbed. I will notst for more than five years, and that too, without making any big moves. However, as the guardian of the Sect, I need to select a descendant who can carry on my task in the future."


    Shi Lang nodded and said, "It will be my honor, Ancestor, but before I can act as the guardian of the sect, I have many other obligations to fulfill."


    The old man nodded and said, "I know your obligations and will not bar you from fulfilling them. However, you must tell me how long before you canplete them?"


    Shi Lang smiled and knelt on the ground. The terran kowtowed and said, "Master, I do not have tea here, please take this spirit liquid as my gift to you."


    The old man was shocked and Shi Lang said, "This bottle contains thousand drops of spirit liquid. It can help you advance one minor realm and reach the peak of Emperor level. I hope that will give you another few centuries to live on."


    The ancestor was yet to wake up from the shock of his acknowledgement when these words made him shiver.