Chapter 148: I Have a Word that Can Call the Nine Heavenly God Thunder!
Heavenly Law, Five Elements Controlling Thunder!
This was the supreme thunder-controlling art of the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion, hailed as powerful, invincible, and unparalleled in the world. However, to learn this Daoist art, one needed not only the direct lineage of the Celestial Master Mansion but also immense innate talent. For Zhang Yan to have mastered this Thunder Law by the age of thirty was a rare feat even within the Celestial Master Mansion, a testament to his exceptional gifts.
What was even more terrifying to consider was his relationship with the Celestial Master Mansion; it was clearly anything but simple. Realizing this, the crowd’s gazes toward Zhang Yan were now filled not only with admiration and flattery but also a hint of dread. The Celestial Master Mansion had always been one of the nation’s greatest martial holy lands. Since ancient times, it had received imperial favor and been bestowed with countless edicts. The current Master Zhang of the mansion was a great figure on the Grandmaster List, his strength profound and unfathomable, and his Thunder Law was considered the best in the world.
"From this day forward, Zhang Yan is more than worthy of the title ’Little Celestial Master’," someone murmured, their eyes brimming with envy. For all Martial Artists, the Celestial Master Mansion was a place of reverence and aspiration.
"Indeed, indeed. Little Celestial Master’s Controlling Thunder Technique, while perhaps not on par with Master Zhang’s, is still sublime and hardly inferior," the crowd chattered, their voices full of envy and respect. Of course, the fawning praise from each of them was completely undisguised.
As for Lin Mu, he had already been forgotten. So what if he had withstood two of the Little Celestial Master’s moves? Just as the Little Celestial Master had said, he was still going to die.
A flicker of worry crossed Guan Chengye’s face. Lin Mu may be a Grandmaster, but... this Controlling Thunder Technique isn’t something a mortal can wield. This is practically a divine power. Can he really handle it?
Hearing the crowd’s chatter, even Guan Jiaojiao, who usually had unwavering faith in Lin Mu, turned pale, her expression one of utter terror. And while Song Wenrou concealed her emotions well, her tightly clenched fists betrayed her inner turmoil.
You’re finally going to die! Tan Feng thought with gleeful satisfaction. Although he had no personal grudge against Lin Mu, the sight of Lin Mu’s impending gruesome death filled him with an immense sense of pleasure, one that seemed even more exhilarating than killing the man himself.
***
BOOM!
Thunder roared. Above Zhang Yan’s head, lightning crackled, creating an apocalyptic scene. He was clearly a mortal, yet with thunderbolts flashing above and multi-colored bolts of lightning swirling around him, he looked like the Thunder God incarnate, majestic and awe-inspiring.
His aura surged as he stared at Lin Mu with cold indifference, his frigid voice echoing all around.
"Kid, provoking me is your greatest misfortune!"
"But dying by my hand is your greatest fortune!"
The crowd nodded in unison, feeling that Zhang Yan had a point. An ordinary person could never even imagine that someone in this world could command thunder, let alone witness it firsthand. Such a divine ability was simply unheard of.
"Heh heh, boy, time to die!" Zhang Yan sneered cruelly. With a flick of his hands, the thunderbolts around him shot out like roaring dragons, hurtling toward Lin Mu.
Lin Mu stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Relying on a cheap talisman to drive a few thunderbolts, and you dare call it the Controlling Thunder Technique? I truly wonder how your Celestial Master Mansion became the foremost martial sect in Jiangbei."
Lin Mu shook his head slightly, murmuring to himself, "Today, I will show you all what the true Art of Thunder Command is."
It was to ’command’, not merely to ’control’. A one-character difference, yet they were worlds apart.
As he spoke, Lin Mu took a step forward.
"What is that kid... trying to do?"
"He’s courting death!"
Everyone was stunned to see Lin Mu actively walking toward the thunderbolts. The man was simply asking to be killed!
Lin Mu paid them no mind. With his hands clasped behind him, his lips parted slightly.
"With a single word, I command the divine thunder of the Nine Heavens! Where are the Eight Thunder Gods?!"
As his voice fell, everyone felt a power descend that was even more oppressive, ferocious, and vast than before. The entire sky turned pitch-black, as if ink had been spilled across it. Gazing upon the terrifying scene, which looked like the very collapse of the world, everyone’s heart filled with despair. Many even cried out in horror, begging for their lives.
BOOM!
A clap of thunder echoed in all directions. Bolts of lightning rained down from the heavens, carrying with them a terrifying, world-destroying momentum. In the next moment, Ye Tong, Song Wenrou, Guan Chengye, and the other magnates witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
The stage shattered with a loud SNAP. The entire venue sank several inches under the immense pressure. Lightning filled their entire vision.
At that moment, in their eyes, Lin Mu stood upon the thunder, his entire body surging with terrifying electrical light. All the thunderbolts submitted at his feet. This was the true Art of Thunder Command.
The whole of Wufeng Town fell deathly silent. As the rolling heavenly thunder prepared to descend, a gale kicked up, so fierce that no one could keep their footing. The scene before them was the greatest shock their souls had ever experienced. Whipped by the raging winds, countless people stumbled and fell.
Since Tan Feng’s entire focus had been on Lin Mu, he was the first to meet that cold and merciless gaze as it suddenly shot toward him.
PFFT!
Tan Feng abruptly spewed a mouthful of blood. His aura instantly withered, and his face turned deathly pale. It wasn’t just him; every Martial Artist present above the level of Inner Strength suffered a backlash from the heavenly thunder and coughed up blood. Even if Lin Mu didn’t make another move, they had lost all courage to continue in the River City Martial Meeting. Their faces etched with terror, they scattered wildly, scrambling for buildings or large trees to cling to, terrified of being swept away by the gale.
RIP!
Most horrifying of all, the women, including Guan Jiaojiao, cried out in unison as the fronts of their blouses were ripped open by the fierce wind, revealing the colorful garments beneath. They stared at the figure high in the sky, their eyes filled with both terror and bitter resentment.
That bastard, he definitely did it on purpose!
"This... this is a miracle! This is a true divine power! What’s a Little Celestial Master? Pah! That Zhang Yan is nothing! How could he possibly compare to such a god!" a pale-faced old man stammered, trembling with excitement as he gestured wildly at the figure in the center of the storm.
***
Under such magnificent heavenly might, everyone felt a primal fear. Ordinary people with little experience, like Bing’er, were already on their knees, praying fervently.
At the same instant Lin Mu summoned the thunder, the few bolts that had been streaking toward him wavered, almost as if they were begging for mercy. A moment later, they simply disintegrated into nothingness, vanishing completely. This was an obliteration on a fundamental level; they had ceased to exist.
As for Zhang Yan, he coughed up a great mouthful of blood and crashed onto the stage, landing with a heavy THUD. In his hand, a talisman slowly crumbled into ash. His ability to summon thunder had been entirely dependent on that talisman. It was a Five Elements Thunder Command Talisman his master had given him for protection, but now it was gone.
Without Lin Mu even lifting a finger, Zhang Yan was defeated.
And it was a miserable defeat.
However, Lin Mu didn’t spare Zhang Yan a single glance. Instead, his gaze fell upon a spot below as he announced in a clear voice, "Elder Guan, just sit back and watch. I will take a head for you!"
The moment his words fell, the thunder filling the sky converged into an immense Thunder Dragon. It coiled around Lin Mu, carrying him as it soared into the nine heavens