Chapter Six: Lei Yan’s Decision

“Amitabha!” A voice drifted into the Phoenix Pavilion like a wisp of cloud, circling the grand hall before settling into everyone’s ears. The sound was gentle and calm, and for a moment, the boisterous hall fell into an eerie silence. The noble sons and young lords all turned their gazes toward the entrance, where a monk garbed in a red-and-yellow kasaya walked in slowly, his attire lending him an air of solemn dignity. Behind him followed two young monks in yellow temple robes.

“Hahaha… Even monks come to brothels now!” A drunken man burst out laughing. His words acted like a spark, igniting laughter throughout the hall. Another, a frail-looking scholar, stood up to mock, “Monk, didn’t your abbot teach you to abstain from desire?”

The monk was not angered by their ridicule. With a gentle smile, he pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha, please forgive my ignorance. May I ask, what is desire?”

“Hmph!” The scholar snorted, momentarily at a loss for words. To answer plainly would only reveal his own foolishness. The monk’s question was not born of ignorance but was meant to show the scholar that he himself had forgotten what desire was—if he no longer remembers it, is there any need to abstain?

Sun Lu, the second steward of the Sun family, who managed affairs in the Phoenix Pavilion, had been notified as soon as the monk arrived. He quickened his pace, not wanting the monk to disturb the guests. “Master, here is a token of goodwill. Please go elsewhere to seek alms!” Sun Lu handed over a silver ingot, hoping to send the monk away.

“Amitabha, I have not come to seek alms,” the monk replied, pressing his palms together in salutation.

“Not for alms?” Sun Lu frowned, about to inquire further, when a man in the northeast corner called out, “He’s here for me!”

Sun Lu turned to the northeast, where a man in azure robes beckoned to them. Sun Lu faced the monk with a smile and said, “Since Master has come for business, you are most welcome. Please, come inside!”

The monk smiled, offering no further explanation, and walked straight toward the northeast corner of the hall.

“Apologies, gentlemen. Our esteemed guest has come for business. Please forgive the disturbance. Shortly, we will present each table with a special pastry personally prepared by our Xiang’er. Be sure to savor it!” Sun Lu announced loudly.

Compared to Xiang’er’s pastries, the monk’s interruption seemed insignificant. As Sun Lu finished speaking, the hall resumed its lively commotion.

“Amitabha, I did not expect to encounter Yu Yang, Guardian of the Yellow Wind Sect, here,” said the monk.

“Are only monks of Huayan Temple allowed, and not those of Yellow Wind Sect?” Yu Yang, the man in azure, filled his cup and spoke indifferently. “Too bad you’re late. That item has already been claimed.”

“Amitabha, I have not come to contend for the item, but to seek justice for an old friend’s sect,” the monk said softly.

“Old friend? How hypocritical!” Yu Yang sneered inwardly. “I care little for your purpose. I’m done drinking, and if not for your awkwardness, I wouldn’t have helped you. If you wish to stay, do as you please. I take my leave!” With that, he left a silver ingot on the table and vanished from the Phoenix Pavilion.

“What exactly does Yellow Wind Sect know?” The monk muttered as Yu Yang departed.

“Longba? That name rings unfamiliar! I’ll have to search for it first!” Yu Yang thought to himself, sweeping away like a yellow wind toward the Eightfold Path.

Within Longba’s domain, Lei Yan stood in the northeast corner, eyes shut, cultivating since his return. He sought to recapture the sensation of transforming lightning.

“Sparks!” Lei Yan recalled the sparks that appeared when the flower demon resisted the heavenly tribulation. “Could it be that lightning is born from the collision of yang fire and yin fire?” With experience from his previous life, his understanding of thunder and lightning was rudimentary—merely the meeting of yin and yang. Whether it was the collision of yin fire and yang fire remained uncertain.

“If lightning is formed by the clash of yin and yang fire, then when it dissipates, it should revert to yin and yang fire. But where do these fires go?” As he pondered, Lei Yan focused his extraordinary perception inward, observing his body. Inside, only the ever-flowing true essence existed, nothing out of the ordinary—except for the six-colored radiance in his mind.

“There used to be only blue light, so how have six colors appeared?” Lei Yan muttered. Judging by the lights, blue seemed dominant, as it was at the center and brightest, while the other five hues circled around it. In the blue glow, only the red light could be faintly seen; the others were barely noticeable unless one looked closely.

“What purpose do these lights serve?” Lei Yan scratched his head, unaware that he’d strayed from his original contemplation about lightning. Yet this deviation sparked sudden inspiration.

If these lights function similarly, perhaps their usage mirrors that of the blue light. He immediately recalled how he used the blue light: first, concentrate his intent on it… As his mind moved, his extraordinary perception expanded again. Lei Yan shook his head, frustrated—he’d failed, forgetting how to use the blue light. Its application had become instinctive, like eating when hungry or drinking when thirsty.

“Inhale… exhale…” Lei Yan took a deep breath, relaxing his mind. He tried once more to recall the steps: first, focus his intent on the blue light, then move it outward with his will. “Yes, that’s it!” Lei Yan rejoiced, “This is the blue light. Let’s try the red light.” He shifted his intent toward the red light, then projected it outward. “Boom!” A flash of fire appeared and vanished instantly.

“Fire!” Lei Yan was exhilarated. Though the flame lasted only a moment, he knew he’d found the right method—it was simply a matter of practice. Once mastered, the red light would be as usable as the blue. A new path opened before him, but he did not rush to experiment with the other colors. Understanding one principle often leads to understanding many. This much he knew.

“It seems the disappearance of lightning is related to these lights. If the chance arises, I must observe them carefully!” Lei Yan thought to himself.

“Lei Ba! Everything’s ready!” Second Elder Leng’s voice interrupted Lei Yan’s thoughts.

“Good! Let’s go!” Lei Yan nodded. Today was the sacrificial festival. He intended to consult the bandits during the ceremony; those unwilling to follow him would receive their share of Longba’s assets.

The Longba training ground was filled with around a hundred bandits. Now, only about a hundred remained. At the forefront stood a massive cauldron, beside which was a long table. Lu Kai, Zhao Liu, Qian Duoduo, and Qing Ling stood before the cauldron, while Lei Yan and Second Elder Leng approached.

As soon as he saw Lei Yan, Qing Ling hurried to his side.

“Lu Kai, begin,” Lei Yan said calmly.

After a series of rituals, Lei Yan stepped forward and addressed the bandits loudly, “Today is the sacrificial festival, meant to be a joyful occasion, but I cannot rejoice—for my foster father has passed away. Now Longba is under my command. If any wish to leave, I will not force you. The assets of old will be divided among you. Those who wish to remain, stand to the left; those who wish to go, stand to the right!”

His words sparked heated discussion among the bandits, unsure whether to stay or leave.

“I am old now; this life of fighting and killing no longer appeals to me!” Qian Duoduo was first to step forward, moving to the right.

Lu Kai’s face fell. He had not expected Qian Duoduo to choose departure, but found no words to object. With Cui Ba’s death, Qian Duoduo, who had followed him all his life, was disheartened—leaving was perhaps inevitable. Second Elder Leng seemed unsurprised.

“If even the leader is leaving, what’s the point in staying?” Another bandit muttered, heading right.

In an instant, all hundred bandits moved to the right. Only the thirty-six who had followed Lei Yan went left.

Lei Yan smiled, as if he’d anticipated this. He harbored no blame; the hearts of men had scattered, and forcing them to stay would be futile. He turned to Lu Kai and the others. “What about you?”

Lu Kai surprised Lei Yan with his action—he knelt on one knee. “I pledge to follow Lei Ba unto death!” Second Elder Leng and Zhao Liu quickly knelt as well. “We pledge to follow Lei Ba unto death!” The thirty-six on the left, perhaps inspired, knelt and declared, “We pledge to follow Lei Ba unto death!”

Lei Yan was moved, nodding, “I did not expect that, even now, some would choose to follow me. Good! Very good! I will not let you down. Rise!” He then looked at those on the right. “Since you’ve chosen, I won’t force you. Lu Kai, distribute my foster father’s assets!”

“Yes!” Lu Kai nodded and went below, soon carrying several chests of valuables on his shoulder.

Suddenly, Lu Kai called out, “Lei Ba, come look—these stones, they seem…”

“Spirit stones?” Lei Yan hurried over, gazing at the dozens of neatly arranged spirit stones in the small chest. He was thrilled—these spirit stones would allow him to break the Infant Sealing Array.

(P.S.: I must tell you all, the public chapters of this novel end here. Originally, I planned to release the next volume at New Year’s, right as I started Volume Three, but decided to wait until Monday. From tomorrow, the novel will be officially released! I hope you’ll support it!)