The Merit Transmission Elder had cultivated the Heavenly Eye long ago, and when Lu Yang cast the Water Parting Technique a second time, he finally saw through the underlying principle.
"So it splits water into two gases—light gas and active gas. Normally, this only happens when water is bombarded by lightning arts. Who would have thought you could achieve the same effect with a spell? Truly remarkable."
In the cultivation world, where spells capable of altering material structures at the atomic level, such as Turning Stone into Gold, could be cast at will, the atomic composition and classification of matter had long been fully mapped out. The Merit Transmission Elder could casually pick up a stone and turn it into radioactive material.
Cultivators with a first-grade Golden Core or those at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage had attained a flawless, leakless realm and had no fear of radioactive substances.
Soon, however, the Merit Transmission Elder's expression turned odd. Stroking his graying beard, he recalled the most critical issue: "Wait. What I taught you was supposed to be a spell that parts water and grants immunity to water-element spell attacks. How did it end up with an effect like this?"
Lu Yang said earnestly, "That's right, this is the Water Parting Technique! Look, Elder, it parts water into two gases and also grants immunity to water-element spell attacks."
The Merit Transmission Elder pondered for a long time. He felt that something was amiss, yet he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong.
Whether by name or by effect, it was identical to the Water Parting Technique.
This was indeed the Water Parting Technique.
"Congratulations, congratulations! You've learned all Five Elements spells now!" his good brother Meng Jingzhou clapped enthusiastically. When it came to spellcasting talent, he couldn't hold a candle to Lu Yang. After trying for ages to learn the Water Parting Technique without success, he had simply given up.
The Merit Transmission Elder hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Now that you have learned the Five Elements spells, according to the theory of the Five Elements, you can perform powerful combination spells—mutual generation of the Five Elements, endlessly renewing."
Then the Merit Transmission Elder fell silent again. Having taught Five Elements Sect disciples for a millennium, he had seen all kinds of Five Elements spells and could guide disciples on how to combine them based on the specific types they had mastered.
But someone like Lu Yang...
To be frank, he hadn't seen a single one of the Five Elements spells Lu Yang possessed.
"The Five Elements spells are proof of your dedication to spellcraft. As an outsider, for me to lecture you and dictate your cultivation would only be counterproductive. Cultivation values following one's true heart and self. How about this: after class, practice combining the Five Elements spells on your own.
"Next, we will have a pop quiz. No cheating."
The Merit Transmission Elder turned around to grab the pop quiz papers on the lectern, only to find a pile of ash left behind.
Just moments ago, while the elder wasn't paying attention, Lu Yang's Golden Bird True Flame had spat out a puff of flame and burned the quiz to nothing.
Even though the five disciples were well-seasoned and used to putting on acts, none of them could suppress the smiles twitching on their faces.
With a darkened expression, the Merit Transmission Elder announced that class was dismissed.
***
"Junior Brother Li, do you really want to challenge me?" Lu Yang looked at Li Haoran with a half-smile, surprised that Li Haoran would take the initiative to seek him out.
"That's right. Didn't you say you've mastered a Five Elements combination spell, Senior Brother Lu? I'd like to ask for some guidance!" Li Haoran had a smile playing on his lips. This wasn't an impulsive decision. Lu Yang's power was evident to all, but Li Haoran wasn't acting blindly either.
He possessed half of Qin Haoran's memories, which included many formidable spells.
He didn't need to laboriously comprehend how to use these spells like other people did; he could deploy them straightaway.
This was the confidence that emboldened him to challenge Lu Yang.
"Great! I just finished developing my Five Elements combination and haven't had a chance to test it out yet, so challenge accepted!" Lu Yang flashed an excited grin, raring to go.
First, he had the Immortal Fairy extend her immortal sense to survey the surroundings, ensuring that the Merit Transmission Elder and the others wouldn't see him use his Five Elements spells—especially his metal-element spell.
"Fight, fight!" Meng Jingzhou egged them on, never one to shy away from drama. He was eager to see what underhanded trick this bastard Lu Yang had come up with this time.
Tao Yaoye and Man Gu also stood off to the side. Man Gu had fetched a whole sheep from the dining hall and was using his corpse-driving art to make the sheep carcass dance over Three Flavors True Fire. From time to time, the three of them tore off chunks of aromatic, crispy mutton.
Truth be told, with the help of Lu Yang's Three Flavors True Fire, they didn't even need to sprinkle barbecue seasoning. The flavor was an entire tier above what they had eaten back at the Corpse Driving Sect.
Enjoying good food while watching a fight—what a wonderful life.
Before the battle began, Lu Yang kindly warned him, "Let's get one thing straight first: don't cast any curses or anything like that on me. They're useless against me, and you'll only end up bringing a backlash upon yourself."
Although Li Haoran didn't know why Senior Brother Lu was immune to curses, he knew Lu Yang wouldn't lie to him about something like this.
That meant he had one less trick available.
Qin Haoran had been able to transfer his debts onto Shi Huagu, so he was certainly well-versed in karma spells.
Losing just one method, however, was no big deal.
A chilling stillness settled over the air as both of them assumed their stances.
Li Haoran struck first. His hands rapidly formed hand seals, crackling sparks dancing in his palms as purple divine lightning condensed.
"Palm Lightning!"
The purple divine lightning shot forth, ionizing the air like a bared-fanged lightning dragon lunging toward Lu Yang.
As if anticipating it, Lu Yang shifted his footing. Right before the lightning dragon struck him, he changed positions. The lightning dragon slammed into empty air, blasting the ground into a scorched expanse of black.
"Borrowing the Wind!"
A howling gale rose, whipping up sand and stones into a thick screen of dust that blocked vision. The dust could even obstruct divine sense, but Lu Yang's divine sense was far beyond that of ordinary cultivators. He unfolded his divine sense, and though his detection range was restricted, he could still discern three distinct forms of attack hidden within the dust.
"Golden Bird True Flame."
Two golden birds wheeled around Lu Yang, spinning into a fiery vortex. When the three attacks collided with the vortex, they vanished without so much as altering the wind's direction.
"Junior Brother Li, minor spells like these won't cut it."
The vortex of fire dispersed the dust, and Lu Yang laughed aloud.
Li Haoran replied unhurriedly, "I know a single attack won't do much against you, Senior Brother Lu. But what if there are a few more?"
"Palm Lightning!"
Four bolts of Palm Lightning erupted simultaneously. Lu Yang's expression hardened slightly, and he commanded the two golden birds to turn into streaks of light, colliding head-on with the four bolts of lightning amidst a thunderous roar of flame and electricity.
"How about that, Senior Brother Lu?"
Li Haoran smiled. Four arms waved in the air, attacks already coalescing in each palm.
"Four arms?" Lu Yang froze for an instant.
A moment earlier, Lu Yang had been shielded by the dust and hadn't seen how Li Haoran pulled it off, but Meng Jingzhou and the other two watching from the sidelines had seen it with absolute clarity.
While Lu Yang was busy dealing with the previous attacks, Li Haoran had torn off both of his own arms—though not completely, leaving the flesh severed while the bones remained attached.
He had then activated his Rebirth Golden Core to reconnect the two arms, while simultaneously growing two additional arms from under his armpits.
And thus, he now possessed four arms.
Li Haoran knew full well that Lu Yang could not be defeated with ordinary spells.
If one or two ordinary spells weren't enough, what about four arms casting four spells at once?
If the four-armed form didn't put such an immense strain on his body, Li Haoran would have gladly sprouted six arms to fight Lu Yang.
Even though he didn't know the Three Heads and Six Arms art, achieving the effect of three heads and six arms through other means worked just as well.
Chapter 541