White-Robed Chief

After Lu Zhengjin left, Chu Li did not begin his cultivation right away. Instead, he went outside to continue his talk with He Shu and the other men.

Through their conversation, Chu Li found that the forest and ten wooden houses the outer cliff had was not a small area. The forest was dense and huge, so much so that it seemed like there was no end to it. Only by following a unique step technique could one arrive at the pier.

Even if they practiced or took a stroll in the forest, they could not reach the end of it.

Chu Li knew at once that this was due to a formation.

Ever since Chu Li had entered this place, he was surprised that the Omniscient Mirror could not reach areas outside the forest. As such, he had no idea what it was like outside the forest. It was as if it was blocked.

Chu Li frowned. He had a slight feeling that this was normal as it was the effect of the Heaven and God Pill that hindered him from prying further than this.

Therefore, his initial plan had failed as God’s plan overrode his. Due to the Heaven and God Pill, Chu Li could not pry into another person’s cultivation through the Omniscient Mirror. He could not observe Spirit Crane Technique since his ability was only limited within the outer cliff.

Chu Li was both disappointed and helpless.

Obviously, Chu Li dared not enter the island to steal the secret manual. If Heavenly Demonic Sect had their sect-defensive technique, let alone Green Deer Cliff. They definitely had a way to restrain Enlightened Masters or their sects would have long been eliminated.

If they could suppress Enlightened Masters, suppressing him would not be an issue at all. Hence, Chu Li had to outsmart them since he could not do it by force.

At the moment, he needed a way into the inner cliff.

Since Chu Li was considered to have a clean background in Green Deer Cliff, once he becomes formidable with his martial art skills, entering the inner cliff could be something within reach. Besides, Zhao Tianxing who was the first disciple of this generation was not a top-notch master anyway, thus Chu Li could easily defeat him.

Although he was unaware if Zhao Tianxing had been determined in advancing his cultivation lately, Chu Li was still quite confident.

For the following days, Chu Li was so immersed in cultivating Fillip Swift Thunder that he skipped his meals and neglected sleep.

The channeling routes of Fillip Swift Thunder were complicated and it required one to have a good memory. Nonetheless, it felt just like a fish in water for Chu Li as he clearly had an advantage in this even though it was complex and exhausting.

Normal people might feel dizzy from cultivating it as they lacked the necessary spiritual force or inner energy.

On the contrary, Chu Li had made a spurt of progress in his cultivation level. Very quickly, he had advanced in his Fillip Swift Thunder.

Lu Zhengjun visited him every three days, and he was delighted with Chu Li’s progress. In addition, seeing that Chu Li — who was now disguised as Lu Guangdi — is an aspiring Enlightened Master, Lu Zhengjun treated him better. With that, he personally guided Chu Li on cultivating Fillip Swift Thunder.

Through Lu Zhengjun’s personal guidance, Chu Li progressed even faster.

Lu Zhengjun was so surprised to see Chu Li’s speedy progress and qualities that he began to think that Chu Li had excelled him. ‘I might not become an Enlightened Master, but it’s still possible for my son.’

During the evening, when Lu Zhengjun visited again, the two of them had dinner together at a stone table by the forest.

Lu Zhengjun brought many delicious foods. While Chu Li ate, he sighed to himself as he did not deserve all this. Nevertheless, when Chu Li recalled Lu Guangdi’s nature, he felt less guilty.

“Can I become an inner cliff disciple?” Chu Li placed his chopsticks down before he took a sip of his drink.

Lu Zhengjun frowned. “You want to enter the inner cliff?”

“Yes.” Chu Li nodded. “I want to cultivate the Spirit Crane Technique.”

“You must know that although inner cliff disciples can cultivate advanced martial arts, they’re more restricted,” Lu Zhengjun mentioned. “It may seem like being an outer cliff disciple puts you in an unfavorable situation, but you’ll have freedom. You can come and go as you wish.”

“I want to cultivate Spirit Crane Technique.”

Lu Zhengjun fixed his gaze on Chu Li as he could sense his determination.

“Do you really want to cultivate Spirit Crane Technique so badly?”

“Yes, I must cultivate Spirit Crane Technique!”

“… Alright, I’ll find a way to help you.” Lu Zhengjun nodded slowly. Touched by the fact that one of his children was so eager to become an Enlightened Master, he decided to help his son as much as he could.

Chu Li gave him a fist salute.

Lu Zhengjun said, “Focus on your cultivation, I’ll take care of the rest.”

Chu Li nodded slowly.

Later, Lu Zhengjun finished his drink before he left.

Chu Li sighed as he furrowed his brows.

He thought to himself, ‘Looks like it’ll be hard for me to settle the gratitude and grudges with Lu Zhengjun. Apart from my resentment for having my martial arts crippled, there’s also his resentment for his son’s death. Now that I received his help, we’ll still be associated. I must settle everything in the future.’

The next morning, Chu Li continued to cultivate Fillip Swift Thunder.

All of a sudden, Lu Zhengjun came and put a long rectangular box on his bed. “Eat it!”

Chu Li opened his eyes and looked at Lu Zhengjun confusingly. When he lowered his head to look at the delicate box, he knew that whatever it contained was not an ordinary item.

“Primary Heaven Pill!” Lu Zhengjun uttered.

Chu Li was stunned for a while before he finally looked elated. “There really is the Primary Heaven Pill?”

“Quick, eat it!” Lu Zhengjun hurried, “You’ll recover your martial arts fully, then you’ll be able to cultivate Fillip Swift Thunder properly!”

“Alright!” Chu Li agreed. Then, he opened the box.

He looked up at Lu Zhengjun to ask, “You didn’t steal this, did you?”

Lu Zhengjun stared at him grumpily.

When Chu Li opened the box, he saw a pill the size of longan, wrapped in beeswax that seemed to have a vague shine to it. He held the pill up without hesitation. Then, he removed the beeswax before he consumed it.

The pill dissolved as soon as Chu Li consumed it. It transformed into a clear stream of air and flowed around his organs, then went into his Dantian. Like a spring thunder, a booming sound was heard. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, Chu Li’s body trembled as if thunder had turned into anger, with his vitality circulated between Heaven and Earth.

Following that, endless inner energy generated from Chu Li’s Dantian flowed within his body as if the energy could never be exhausted. As the inner energy washed his body over and over again, they grew stronger.

At last, Chu Li had recovered his inner energy. More so, it had become stronger than before.

After that, he let out a long whistling sound that shook the entire forest as well as the wooden houses.

That being said, those outside the forest did not hear the whistling sound, only those in the other three wooden houses could hear it. While they were headed to the martial arts field, they looked at Chu Li’s wooden house.

When Chu Li opened his eyes again, his eyes beamed as if two sword lights were shot out.

Lu Zhengjun nodded satisfyingly. “Very well, you’ve regained your powers. Now focus on cultivating Fillip Swift Thunder!”

“Yes.” Chu Li gave him a fist salute.

Lu Zhengjun left after that.

Chu Li continued to cultivate the Fillip Swift Thunder on his bed.

Due to the abundant inner energy, Chu Li had advanced by leaps and bounds in Fillip Swift Thunder. In the blink of an eye, he had completed the second level, and the third, before he began working on the fourth.

The heart technique of FIllip Swift Thunder’s fourth level was tough.

Not only was it due to the complex routes but it was also because it involved meridian and acupuncture points that were never channeled with inner energy. Therefore, Chu Li felt like he was walking in mud, where he had to take to slow.

Sufficient spiritual force was needed to exploit those routes or one could easily be exhausted. Only by having a strong spirit, one could advance forward without being stagnant.

When Lu Zhengjun visited again the next evening, Chu Li was still cultivating Fillip Swift Thunder.

However, Lu Zhengjun was utterly shocked to see that Chu Li was arriving at the fifth level, and would soon achieve the sixth level, which was the same as Lu Zhengjun’s achievement. Should this go on, Chu Li would eventually be on par with him.