Finally satisfied, Shen Yuan paused briefly. ‘These three moves have returned to my peak comprehension. Now comes the hardest part: creating the next form.’
[You have mastered the first three forms quite effortlessly. Your Dao Heart and foundation have improved significantly compared to the past. If you focus, creating the fourth form shouldn’t be difficult.]
Yue Lan encouraged gently.
Shen Yuan nodded inwardly, eyes closed tightly as he fully immersed himself once again. He began visualizing the possibilities, experimenting with combinations of lightning and wind energy.
‘Fourth Form… Storm’s Bastion.’
In his consciousness, Shen Yuan’s figure began spinning his spear, slowly at first, then faster and faster. A barrier formed, composed of howling wind and powerful lightning. He meticulously adjusted each component—speed, rotation, energy distribution—until the barrier felt impenetrable.
The lightning flickered, occasionally breaking formation, but he patiently corrected it. Time lost meaning as he practiced endlessly, inching closer to perfection each second.
Finally, the barrier stabilized, radiating immense defensive power. It crackled intensely yet smoothly, perfectly balanced between aggressive repulsion and protective strength.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations! You have comprehended Heaven’s Wrath Spear Art – Fourth Form: Storm’s Bastion.]
Joy filled Shen Yuan’s heart, but he quickly calmed himself. ‘Not yet. One more remains. If I can master the fifth form, this art will rival Ocean Splitting.’
He quickly immersed himself in meditation again, sensing his mind clearer than ever. He visualized various spear attacks, rapidly switching movements, erratically and unpredictably.
‘Fifth Form… Rebellion.’
In his consciousness, Shen Yuan thrust his spear forward, erupting with lightning that danced chaotically. He visualized his movements becoming unreadable, defying all conventional logic.
However, this form was challenging, requiring not just immense control over lightning but also keen perception, anticipation of enemy movements, and instant decision-making.
Sweat began forming on his forehead, his mental energy draining fast. Yet, he didn’t relent. Each failure was merely a stepping stone toward understanding.
[Yuan, relax your mind. You’re forcing it. Allow the lightning to flow naturally. It’s rebellion—wild and spontaneous.]
Yue Lan advised softly again, sensing his internal struggle.
Realization dawned on Shen Yuan. He stopped overthinking, letting go of the rigidity in his movements. He embraced chaos and spontaneity, allowing tribulation-infused lightning to flow wildly through the spear, following instinct rather than logic.
Soon, his movements transformed—unpredictable, elusive, yet precise. Lightning exploded from his spear like a series of dazzling fireworks, powerful enough to overwhelm even the most cautious enemy.
Finally, the move stabilized, its pattern unique yet controllable.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations! You have comprehended Heaven’s Wrath Spear Art – Fifth Form: Rebellion.]
At this moment, Shen Yuan felt overwhelming satisfaction. His cultivation, foundation, and techniques had truly entered a new realm.
‘Even if my strength has not majorly increased, my foundation and versatility have increased by a notch.’ He nodded, pleased with himself.
Exhaling a satisfied breath, Shen Yuan slowly withdrew from meditation. His eyes calmly opened, revealing a serene and confident gaze.
Nobody nearby sensed the subtle change that had happened within him. His Spatial Camouflage Veil had helped mask all of the tribulation lightning from being released everywhere. Otherwise, they would be dumbfounded to see the might of the heavens on a mortal.
Shen Yuan calculated with his fingers and realized that quite a bit of time had passed since he began cultivating. He looked at the Wall of Comprehension as if looking at a supreme treasure.
‘It really is miraculous; it helps one in creating techniques as well as mastering their own. And only those who are greedy enough to learn a technique from the Wall of Comprehension lose their right to cultivate here,’ he realized that the real opportunity here was not to get a technique but to master one’s own techniques.
But how many cultivators had the monstrous comprehension ability of Shen Yuan? They would already thank their nine generations of ancestors if they managed to gain a technique, much less create their own.
‘I should focus on mastering my other techniques now,’ he thought before closing his eyes again.
…
One after another, disciples continued to approach and leave the Wall of Comprehension. Some departed with joyous expressions, celebrating their harvest, while others could only leave dejectedly, unable to resist the profound pressure emanating from the Wall.
Time flowed rapidly amidst the crazy cultivation session. The sun rose and set multiple times, the days blurring together into timeless cultivation.
Eventually, a bright flash of dazzling brilliance erupted from the very front, drawing the attention of all the surrounding cultivators.
Their heads snapped in unison towards the source of the commotion—a tall, graceful man dressed in white robes embroidered with delicate sword patterns.
His aura surged with fierce sword intent as the light bathed him, illuminating him like an immortal descended to earth.
“It’s Senior Brother Lin Tianchen from the Immortal Sword Pavilion!”
“Such brilliance! This phenomenon surpasses Fairy Bai Qian’s earlier one!”
The gathered disciples exclaimed with envy and awe.
Bai Qian herself looked toward her Senior Brother with admiration and genuine happiness, knowing very well the difficulty of gaining such recognition from the Wall of Comprehension.
She had decided against leaving after seeing Shen Yuan’s arrival. And it didn’t disappoint her one bit, seeing that he had managed to further his understanding of his technique within the first day. But he had been quiet ever since.
Lin Tianchen slowly opened his eyes, his normally indifferent expression showing a faint trace of satisfaction. He calmly stood up, cupped his fists respectfully towards the Wall, and announced in a humble voice, “I’ve comprehended a Mid Emperor Grade Sword Art.”
Even though his words were softly spoken, the cultivators nearby instantly erupted in an uproar.
“A Mid Emperor Grade technique! Another Emperor Grade Technique was comprehended!”
“Truly deserving of the leader of the Immortal Sword Pavilion’s disciples!”
Thunder Cloud Sect’s disciples, though disgruntled, couldn’t hide their jealousy. The Radiant Lotus Sacred Sect members, including Wan Ling and Lei Ranyu, nodded politely toward Lin Tianchen, acknowledging his incredible achievement.
However, just as Lin Tianchen was receiving congratulations from all sides, something unexpected occurred—
CRACK!
A faint cracking sound echoed through the area. Everyone paused and turned around, sensing a sudden change in their surroundings.
Space distorted violently around Shen Yuan, fracturing like fragile glass. The Spatial Camouflage Veil Shen Yuan had maintained could no longer bear the tremendous energy surging inside him, especially under the sudden interference of Lin Tianchen’s powerful manifestation.
With a resounding crash, Shen Yuan’s spatial barrier shattered into countless shimmering fragments of Spatial Intent, dissipating into nothingness.
Instantly, the immense aura he’d been secretly cultivating surged outward unrestrained, exploding across the area like a tsunami.
“What… what’s going on!?”
“Such monstrous intent! How is this possible?!”
Everyone’s faces turned pale as they swiftly retreated. Even Lin Tianchen and Bai Qian’s expressions froze in shock, forced back several meters from the sheer intensity of the Qi storm radiating from Shen Yuan.
At that very moment, the entire Wall of Comprehension vibrated intensely. The ancient runes etched onto its surface illuminated brilliantly, projecting majestic divine laws into the air around Shen Yuan, swirling in dazzling colors—golden, pink, violet, azure, and silver.
“Impossible… the laws of the Wall are reacting directly?!”
Gasps of disbelief resonated through the group.