Chapter 20: The Old Master

If there were an expert in internal martial cultivation present, he would surely see a thin thread of energy rising from the crown of Ye Tian’s head, connecting him to the infinitely high heavens above.

This was the merging of the internal alchemical core with talismanic incantations—what Daoists called the Thunder Art, a famed supernatural power.

Only those who practiced the inner alchemy techniques, the so-called occultists or sorcerers, could channel their energy in this way. Mere martial artists, who advanced solely by honing their bodies, had no such privilege.

Thunder rumbled overhead.

All three hundred men tilted their heads up, gazing at the ominous, thick bolts of lightning that snaked across the sky.

The deafening thunderclaps echoed above them, sending cold sweat down the backs of every one of the three hundred hardened bandits.

Though these ruthless killers were accustomed to bloodshed and evil deeds, nothing terrified them more than a thunderstorm. To soothe their fears and ward off lightning’s wrath, all three thousand of them worshipped statues of Lord Guan, praying his spirit would recognize their loyalty and shield them from harm.

Now, silver serpents danced among the clouds, majestic and forbidding, as if ready to descend from the dome of the heavens at any moment.

Could this sudden storm really have been summoned by that young man?

Absurd! Magic was the stuff of legend, not reality.

The three hundred bandits were all inwardly terrified, but their words remained defiant.

“This is too superstitious. I don’t buy it,” someone muttered, unable to stop swallowing nervously.

“I’ve never heard of anyone truly using magic to call down thunder!”

“It’s just a trick to scare us old hands!”

“Heh.” Ye Tian sneered, a savage grin on his face.

“If you don’t believe it, then stand right there and see for yourself!”

It was only then that they noticed Ye Tian at the center, raising two fingers skyward, slowly pressing downward as he guided the crackling serpents of lightning in the sky to descend.

“Come!” he shouted.

With that cry, the silver serpent suddenly dipped its head, streaking straight down from the heavens above, plunging toward the earth.

“Damn, he really called the thunder!”

“Oh shit, run!”

No one knew who shouted first, but in the next instant, all three hundred scattered in panic like frightened chicks, fleeing for their lives.

“Heaven’s wrath is upon us! We’re all going to die!”

“Mom, I was wrong! Please forgive me!”

“I’ll never do bad things again—spare me, heavens!”

The blinding bolts of lightning struck the earth in less than three breaths.

The Zhou sisters, witnessing such an unprecedented spectacle, stood rooted in awe.

As the electric serpents neared the ground, the girls’ hair seemed to come alive, strands rising and dancing uncontrollably in the air.

“What are you standing around for? Run!” came a familiar voice, snapping them from their trance. Only then did they realize Ye Tian had already bolted ahead.

Zhou Manyun quickly grabbed her sister, and together they fled as fast as they could.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Ye Tian led the two sisters far away, only stopping when they reached the safest street in the city center.

“Thank you, Ye Tian. You saved us again,” Zhou Manyun said, her gratitude heartfelt.

She and her sister had been out shopping that day, and when tired, they stopped at a café to rest—never imagining the madmen would drug their drinks.

Before she lost consciousness, Zhou Manyun had been consumed by despair. She thought this time, escape was impossible. Yet fate had delivered Ye Tian to their side once again.

“It was just a coincidence,” Ye Tian replied with a helpless smile. He hadn’t expected to run into the sisters while out making a little money.

Perhaps there was a special connection, or a matter of karma, between him and these two.

“Ye Tian, you can really control lightning! That was amazing!” Zhou Xiaoxiao, still catching her breath and visibly shaken, now looked at Ye Tian with sparkling eyes, hands clasped over her heart.

“Could you teach me such a powerful spell?”

Ye Tian laughed.

“Don’t be fooled by how impressive it looked. It’s not as deadly as you’d think.”

“Huh? Why not?” The sisters were puzzled.

“My Thunder Art is for dispelling evil and misfortune, not for killing. Those men are human, not evil spirits, so it didn’t do much harm. Of course, if someone were struck head-on, I doubt they’d survive.”

“So lightning has different uses?” Zhou Xiaoxiao looked as if she’d had an epiphany, though she clearly understood nothing.

Ye Tian didn’t tell them he had another, truly lethal thunder technique—the Divine Sword Commanding Thunder. His master had demonstrated it a few times on the mountain, but though Ye Tian knew the method, his current cultivation was insufficient to wield it.

All he could do was put on a show with a counterfeit version.

“No need for more thanks—head home now,” Ye Tian said.

“Why don’t you come over as a guest? Dad’s been wanting to meet you,” Zhou Xiaoxiao chimed in, clinging to his arm.

“Will there be food?”

“Of course! Whatever you want, I’ll call the butler to make it for you!” she declared, patting her ample chest, which bounced energetically.

Because of the height difference, when Ye Tian glanced down, the deep, enticing cleavage caught his eye, sparking heat in his belly.

Doesn’t this girl know how distracting she is? I can hardly stand it!

He felt he must consult his senior sister soon about controlling the Dragon Heart, or he feared he’d explode one day.

Ye Tian’s scalp tingled.

“All right, I’ll take you home,” he relented, unable to refuse Zhou Xiaoxiao’s persistence and Zhou Manyun’s sincere invitation.

The girl, delighted, immediately called her family.

“Hello? Xiaoxiao?” came a middle-aged man’s voice.

“Daddy!” At the sound of her father’s voice, Zhou Xiaoxiao finally broke down and began to sob.

“You have no idea—we were nearly kidnapped! If it weren’t for Ye Tian, you’d never see your precious daughter again!” she wailed, her lips trembling.

“Oh, it’s all my fault—I didn’t keep you safe,” the man replied, his tone instantly turning gentle and doting. “How about this: when I finish up here, I’ll invite Ye Tian to dinner at our house, all right?”

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao blushed deeply.

“Don’t say it like that—he’s not my Ye Tian!”

Her father’s hearty laughter came through the phone.

“All right, I’m a bit busy at the hospital right now. We’ll talk tonight, okay?”

“You’re at the hospital?”

Zhou Manyun suddenly snatched the phone, her expression grave.

“Dad, why are you at the hospital? If you’re not feeling well, why didn’t you tell us?”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. There’s an old gentleman here from the capital who’s fallen ill.”

“An old gentleman from the capital?”