Chapter 17: Ten Thousand Thunderbolts Strike Together

In the blink of an eye, the sun was already setting in the west, with only half its outline still visible.

"That's all for today. If you wish to enter our Black-White College, please come early tomorrow." The black-haired middle-aged man on the boat's prow spoke loudly, and with a wave of his hand, the bronze mirror high in the sky rapidly shrank to the size of a palm and fell into his hand. Then the boat automatically headed toward the shore.

He put away the boat and went ashore.

The black-haired middle-aged man looked at the bustling crowd of young people and nodded slightly: "Those with confidence generally come to seek apprenticeship on the first day. Over the years, most of the successful disciples of our Black-White College were recruited on the first day."

"Today, on the first day, 962 people passed the basic screening. But in the end, only a handful can truly become members of our Black-White College. So you must be cautious and give it your all."

"Yes."

The more than nine hundred people responded in unison.

"Mm." The black-haired middle-aged man nodded. "Follow me."

He turned and walked inside.

Immediately, a group of young cultivators followed. Ji Ning glanced back and saw many people silently waiting by the lake. They were probably relatives, friends, or servants of the nine hundred-plus candidates. Among them was a large white water dog quietly watching.

…

Black-White College was located in the western part of Anchan City, covering an area about nine hundred li in circumference.

Among cultivator sects, this was definitely considered small. But nine hundred li in circumference—if compared to Earth, one of the billions of minor worlds, in his previous life, it would be the size of a province. Anchan City, the core of the entire Anchan Commandery where countless experts gathered, was larger than a country in his previous life.

The size of a province—strictly speaking, Black-White College was not small.

Within Black-White College, there were also continuous mountain ranges.

Led by the guide, Ji Ning and the others quickly walked a hundred li and arrived at a gorge.

"Stop." The black-haired middle-aged man said.

All nine hundred-plus people halted.

"Rise." The black-haired middle-aged man shouted.

Rumble~~~

The wide gorge floor, several li in circumference, suddenly shimmered with clear ripples in the distance, forming a massive sealing formation. The sealing formation was enormous, encompassing not only the valley but also several surrounding peaks. Naturally, the nine hundred-plus people were trapped inside the sealing formation.

"Whoosh~" "Whoosh~" "Whoosh~" Mechanical sounds rang out.

From a cave entrance on one of the mountain peaks within the sealing formation, huge phantom figures began to fly out. A total of 810 phantoms flew into the air one after another and then stopped.

These were 810 dragon heads, all with their mouths wide open, facing downward.

"It's a puppet formation."

"A formation of 810 puppets!" Someone among the nine hundred-plus young cultivators in the valley immediately shouted, and many faces turned pale.

Swoosh!

The black-haired middle-aged man shot into the air, flying directly above the 810 dragon heads. At the same time, five figures flew out from the cave entrance on the mountain wall. All of them had powerful auras. Including the black-haired man, there were five men and one woman. All of them looked down from above.

"Listen carefully," the black-haired middle-aged man shouted. "Soon, the puppet formation will begin attacking. Your task is to withstand the attacks, soar into the air, and within the time it takes one incense stick to burn, fly into the cave beside us. Those who succeed will be the victors. If you fail to fly into the cave within that time, you will not qualify to enter our Black-White College!"

The more than nine hundred young people below were some confident, some timid, some waiting silently.

"Chi."

An incense stick appeared in the black-haired middle-aged man's hand, and it began to burn on its own. At the same time, the 810 dragon heads simultaneously emitted dazzling green light, and from each dragon's mouth shot bolts of green lightning. Crackling! Boom! Boom! Boom! The lightning bolts all struck downward.

Ten thousand thunderbolts struck together!

"It has begun." The black-haired middle-aged man shouted.

…

Seeing the dragon heads spew lightning and the incense stick ignite, everyone knew it had started.

"Getting into that cave won't be easy." Ji Ning looked up and understood instantly. Because the 810 dragon heads were right next to the cave. To enter the cave, one had to fly toward the dragon heads. The lightning was striking downward randomly.

Below, the area was large, so each person was struck by fewer bolts.

But flying toward the cave would drastically increase the number of lightning strikes.

"Bang!" Ji Ning wielded his Northmoon sword and slashed directly at an incoming lightning bolt. The sword, infused with elemental energy, could also obstruct the lightning.

"Quite strong." Ji Ning felt his hand jolt violently. "The power of the lightning is considerable."

"Go!"

"Move!"

"Charge!"

Immediately, several figures mounted on magical treasures surged upward in one go.

The higher they went, the denser the lightning strikes became.

They lasted only a single breath before reaching halfway, then were forced down by the dense barrage of lightning.

…

Above the dragon head formation, the six Primal Daoists of Black-White College chatted and laughed.

"Gentlemen, how many of these nine hundred-plus young people do you think will enter the cave?" A long-bearded middle-aged man said with a smile.

A short, fat, bald man chuckled: "Maybe none will make it."

"It's unlikely that none will make it. Probably three to five will enter." A woman in white commented with a smile. "Look, the one charging up now seems quite strong."

The other Primal Daoists immediately looked carefully.

Below, a black-clad woman shot upward, surrounded by dancing vines. The lightning struck her, and the vines actively met them, blocking each bolt.

She quickly passed the halfway point.

She was getting closer to the dragon head formation.

"Half the puppet formation." The black-haired middle-aged man suddenly spoke softly. Immediately, 405 of the 810 dragon heads aimed at the black-clad woman. Thousands of lightning bolts converged densely on her. Despite the vines' frantic struggle, it was useless.

Bang!

A large number of vines exploded, and the black-clad woman fell directly from the high altitude.

"Can't even withstand half." The black-haired middle-aged man shook his head.

"Not a genius." The woman in white also shook her head.

…

Ji Ning didn't rush. He observed for a while. When he saw the black-clad youth, who also cultivated the Crimsonbright Diagram of the Nine Heavens, get struck by all the dragon heads when very close to the formation and fall, Ji Ning fully understood.

"At the bottom, you get hit occasionally. Higher up, you get hit more. If you rise beyond halfway, half the dragon heads target you. At the closest point, all dragon heads attack together."

"You must withstand the attack of all dragon heads to enter the cave."

"In such a small space, even if two or three join forces, once all dragon heads attack, joining forces doesn't make much difference." Ji Ning realized. At the closest distance to the dragon heads, the space was too small, and tens of thousands of lightning bolts formed a nearly saturated attack.

Lightning completely enveloped that area.

To pass, one had to charge through.

There was no shortcut.

"Charge!" Understanding there was no shortcut, Ji Ning immediately condensed a six-layered water-fire lotus around his body, and a flying sword appeared under his feet. He shot upward on the sword.

"Go!"

"Charge."

Almost simultaneously with Ji Ning, eight other figures shot upward.

These were the ones who had observed earlier and, after seeing the black-clad youth attacked by all dragon heads at the end, realized there was no shortcut and decided to charge.

"Charge." The black-clad youth, who had fallen halfway, gritted his teeth and charged upward again when he saw others moving.

…

The 810 dragon heads were clustered together, close to the cave. To enter the cave, one had to pass through the center of these dragon heads, inevitably facing attacks from all of them.

The six Primal Daoists looked down from above.

"These talented ones can't hold back any longer." The black-haired middle-aged man laughed. "Gentlemen, guess who among them will pass."

"The one controlling the azure dragon puppet." The woman in white's eyes lit up as she fixed on a white-robed youth standing on an azure dragon. The youth looked very young, with a hint of shyness on his face, but the azure dragon puppet he controlled was incredibly agile, sometimes dodging, sometimes swatting away lightning bolts.

"In our Heaven-Sealing Formation, only self-refined puppets can be used." The woman in white said. "Look at his control of the puppet—it's like an extension of his arm. He is the puppet, and the puppet is him. He is definitely a genius in the art of puppetry."

"Mm."

"Right."

"Impressive."

Everyone nodded.

These Primal Daoists were not ordinary ones; they were from Black-White College. Naturally, they were extraordinary and had sharp eyes. They immediately recognized the white-robed youth's astonishing talent in puppetry.

"What about the others?" The black-haired middle-aged man smiled.

"The others?"

"Nothing impressive."

"Average."

These Primal Daoists had high standards. Although Ji Ning and others displayed impressive techniques, they didn't find them remarkable.

"Haha." The black-haired middle-aged man laughed heartily. "You guys are always buried in cultivation. Being sent to oversee the disciple recruitment, you know little. I, the old Daoist, have gathered news from all sides and know there is a true talent among them. Look, that youth in animal skins surrounded by a water-fire lotus."

"Him?" The other five Primal Daoists looked.

"This water-fire lotus is clever but not remarkable. What about him?" The woman in white asked. The other Primal Daoists were also puzzled.

The black-haired middle-aged man smiled: "He wears animal skins, uses a water-fire lotus, and wields a sword. Ten to one, he is that young man named Ji Ning from Carefree Cave, a Zifu Disciple who has already comprehended the 'Dao Domain' at the early Zifu stage."

"Comprehended the Dao Domain?" The other five Primal Daoists were shocked. They all looked down at the ordinary, unremarkable Ji Ning.