Lu Qingshan was not surprised that Ling Yu could execute Thunderlight Flash, the secret technique he had created.
After all, he had originally created this secret technique to select disciples, and had distributed it to nearly all students specializing in lightning at the Qianwu Dojo without forbidding them from sharing it.
Not to mention here in the Qianwu Secret Realm, it was likely kept in the treasure pavilions of quite a few clans across the Qianwu Universe Kingdom.
A World Master–level movement manual like this was hardly common cabbage... The crowning heritage arts of many clans might not even reach this level!
What surprised Lu Qingshan was Ling Yu's level of mastery with Thunderlight Flash.
Logically speaking, less than five years had passed since he created this secret technique. Even Paris, the first disciple to cross the threshold into the second layer, could currently only conjure two lightning illusion bodies—which already put him in a league of his own among the elite students of the Qianwu Dojo. As for his eldest disciple, Lei Ming, he was still at the stage of a single illusion body.
Yet Ling Yu, this favored daughter of heaven, had just manifested seven whole illusion bodies right before Lu Qingshan's eyes.
He could not help but marvel.
This was what a true genius was.
The difference between a second-class genius and a third-class genius was vast as clouds and mud—one high in the heavens, the other deep in the earth!
If even a second-class genius was like this, what about a first-class genius...? Lu Qingshan hardly dared imagine. Even someone of Bolan's caliber might not qualify; only figures at the level of Shi Huo, Tian Shi, Ke Di, or even Yuan Zu might reach that height!
As for the specifics, before encountering such a genius himself, Lu Qingshan had no way of judging.
"Teacher Lu, although I can easily manifest seven illusion bodies now, shifting my position among them isn't smooth. Because of this, it'll be very easy to expose a flaw when facing an opponent. As the creator of this technique, Instructor, do you know how Ling Yu should correct this...?"
Ling Yu asked with sincere humility, showing none of the arrogance typical of an Undying's disciple.
Faced with a genius asking so sincerely, Lu Qingshan naturally wouldn't hold anything back.
He asked, "Ling Yu, how long have you been practicing this movement technique?"
"I practiced this secret technique on my way back from an experiential trial. It has been about... about one year and three months..."
"One year and three months!" Lu Qingshan took a sharp breath, suppressing his astonishment. He had initially assumed she had been training for five years, but who would have thought she had reached this stage in just a year and three months? Such natural talent was something even he could not match!
"Ling Yu, there's certainly nothing wrong with the movement technique itself. It's just that you've practiced for too short a time and aren't very familiar with certain branches of the Lightning Origin Law, which is why this problem arose. Watch as I demonstrate..."
With a shift of Lu Qingshan's body, nine illusion bodies appeared across the training ground in a flash.
Then, Lu Qingshan's true body weaved effortlessly among the nine illusion bodies like a fish gliding through the ocean depths, fluid and graceful, completely devoid of any sluggishness.
Ling Yu fixed her gaze unwaveringly on Lu Qingshan's movements, her eyes filled with solemnity and yearning.
Compared to Teacher Lu, the seven illusion bodies she had just displayed were hardly worth mentioning. If she could execute movement on her teacher's level during the Genius Battle and pair it with the lethal power of the Wind Thunder Sword... Ling Yu took a deep breath, realizing she might truly have a shot at breaking into the top hundred!
"Teacher, your movement is too perfect. Your disciple couldn't fully comprehend it," Ling Yu said, seeking guidance with humility. She had only been able to make out surface-level maneuvers just now; the deeper law concepts beneath them were beyond what her sight could discern.
"It's normal not to understand it right away. But don't worry—I've recorded a video demonstrating how to achieve full mastery of the second layer of Thunderlight Flash, along with the branches of the law involved and the specific ways to optimize your movement technique. Take a close look at the email and study it, and you should gain some insights."
Ling Yu's eyes lit up. Sure enough, she found that she had received an email and immediately immersed herself in studying it.
After a long time.
Ling Yu's consciousness returned to reality.
"Teacher's talent is astonishing; even with another hundred thousand years, your disciple could never match you. After watching your instructional video, many of my doubts were resolved. I just tested it in the Killing Field, and it went much better than before. Teacher, please watch Ling Yu execute the movement technique once more..."
It was still seven illusion bodies, but this time, the shifts between them were far more fluid and practically flawless. Where an opponent might previously have spotted an opening to shatter an illusion body in a single blow, now, unless facing an opponent with genuine, deep comprehension of the Space Law or Time Law, it was nearly impossible to distinguish between the bodies!
"Not bad. Your movement technique has taken another step forward. Truly commendable," Lu Qingshan congratulated her.
"It's all thanks to Teacher's excellent guidance." A rosy flush appeared on Ling Yu's gorgeous face, resembling glowing clouds across the horizon, breathtakingly radiant.
"In that case, practice diligently and strive to manifest nine illusion bodies soon. When that happens, hardly any genius of the same rank will be able to match you in movement!"
Lu Qingshan knew that Ling Yu grasped both the Wind and Lightning Origin Laws. If she perfected the second layer of Thunderlight Flash and infused a wisp of the Wind Origin Law into it, she might truly rival movement techniques based on Upper Origin Laws.
After agreeing with Ling Yu on future instruction times and giving her more guidance on her movement practice, Lu Qingshan rose to take his leave and returned to his villa on the mountainside.
Arriving home.
He ducked straight into his cultivation chamber.
Looking up at the lightning laws flickering across the sky, his face showed a touch of pleasant surprise.
In front of Ling Yu, he had kept his composure without batting an eyelid, but now he laughed unrestrainedly and without care.
[Your disciple Ling Yu has deepened her comprehension of Thunderlight Flash through your instruction. Gained a thousand-fold rebate; your comprehension experience of Thunderlight Flash has been vastly deepened...]
The reason Lu Qingshan had been in such a hurry to leave was to digest this newly gained experience regarding Thunderlight Flash as quickly as possible.
He had only created two layers for this secret manual, yet now the cultivation experience for the third layer of Thunderlight Flash was already deeply imprinted in the depths of his soul.
"I haven't even created the continuation of the manual yet, and I already know how to execute it. What kind of logic is this...?"
Yet that wasn't even the most crucial part. The most crucial part was the comprehension of the Time Law that had materialized out of thin air upon mastering the third layer of Thunderlight Flash.
The Time Law!
An Upper Law that Lu Qingshan had sought in vain for years without making any progress had now welcomed him past its threshold simply because he mastered the third layer of Thunderlight Flash. Even though this insight was exceedingly sparse—falling short even of his comprehension of the Light Ray Origin Law—
it was nonetheless the genuine, undeniable Time Law: the Upper Law over wind, lightning, and light, and the indispensable path to becoming an Undying King, a Universe Venerable, or even a Universe Lord!
Inside the cultivation chamber.
Lu Qingshan executed Thunderlight Flash.
Lightning illusion bodies split from his physical form one by one—one, two... nine, ten... all the way until thirty-six illusion bodies formed before finally coming to a stop.
Upon these illusion bodies, besides the Lightning Origin Law, there was now a faint touch of the Time Law. Compared to before, every single clone was more than ten times stronger!
Chapter 43