A Good-for-Nothing

64. He Zheng Was Struck By Lightning (2)

 

Translator: Dragon Rider

 

When Zu Zhichong went to get the lightning Fu, Xuanqing explained it to He Zheng.

“The power of both the Quintuple Lightning Enchantment and a common lightning spell depends on two factors. The first one is the amount of Qi infused into the stroke when the lightning Fu is drawn. The other one is how powerful the exorcist performing the enchantment is.

For a geomancer, aptitude means everything. For exorcists specializing in Fu-craft, it’s the same. Talented ones usually achieve significant accomplishments three or five years after induction, while untalented ones might find themselves empty-handed after practicing diligently every day for thirty or even fifty years.

Aptitude is a chasm impassable to all.”

Xuanqing had a very calm expression on his face while saying this. “He Zheng, you have great aptitude for exorcism, though you have just get started and your cultivation base is rather weak. The reason why I’m teaching you lightning spells first is because the practice of lightning spells is more about the interaction between you and the heavenly energy. However, most incantations concerning Fu-craft require Qi-gathering technique as a foundation. Without enough internal energy infused into it, the Fu you draw would be nothing but a meaningless pattern. You still need a lot of practice.”

“I understand.” He Zheng inclined his head.

Xuanqing glanced at him and tossed a small handbook to him. “All that I have gained from all these years’ cultivation is in this handbook. You may read it when you have the time.”

He Zheng was somewhat surprised that Xuanqing gave him this handbook instead of directly teaching him, but his surprise lasted only an instant. Without any further thinking, He Zheng nodded and put the handbook into his inner pocket.

“Your constitution is too weak. Starting from tomorrow, you are to do morning exercise with Zu Zhichong. Have that kiddo teach you breathing exercise in passing. Actually it’s more or less the same as the one you’ve been practicing, but your body is a little strange, and that breathing exercise is not suitable for you.”

While they were talking, Zu Zhichong returned, along with Cheng Dong, Zu Zhichong’s younger sect-brother.

“Let’s get started.” Xuanqing walked outside into the small courtyard, in which there were stools made of stumps. Having no intention of maintaining the image of a dignified elder, Xuanqing sat down on a stool and started issuing orders.

“You, go and stand under that tree.”

Following the instructions, He Zheng held a lightning Fu between his fingers, closed his eyes, made a sequence of exorcism mudras with both hands and recited the invocation of the Quintuple Lightning Enchantment, his lips moving quickly.

With that, the lightning Fu in his hand ignited spontaneously. However, instead of turning into ashes and falling to the ground, the Fu slowly wafted upwards. He Zheng opened his eyes and saw that both Zu Zhichong and his younger sect-brother were nervously looking up into the sky.

Then He Zheng observed a couple of small dark clouds float over to the sky above his head. Zu Zhichong widened his eyes. After a few moments, two larger dark clouds showed up. Originally, the sky had been merely a little sullen, but now, the sun was totally concealed behind the dark clouds and it was exceptionally gloomy.

The lightning Fu kept rising upwards and the smoke given off by it was getting fainter and fainter. The moment the Fu came into contact with a small dark cloud, it disappeared into thin air.

“Is there any lightning coming?” He Zheng asked in a somewhat perplexed tone of voice.

“Tsk.” Xuanqing, seeming rather fidgety, pointed at He Zheng and instructed, “You, sit cross-legged under the tree.”

“What do you think you are doing, Sect-uncle?” Zu Zhichong looked at the young man vigilantly and lowered his voice, “Sect-uncle, this is our Chief’s sweetheart. Don’t play tricks on him. At home, our Chief is a hen-pecked husband!”

Xuanqing rolled his eyes. He Zheng obediently sat cross-legged under the tree. This tree was exceptionally exuberant with coiled roots and gnarled branches. Its dense foliage made the area it overhung even darker.

Seeing him sit down, Xuanqing rapidly made a sequence of mudras and a Fu flew up from his hand. It also ignited spontaneously, but the smoke given off by it was thick and vigorous, looking not like a puff of smoke but like a beam of light. It shot straight up into the sky and then into the largest dark cloud.

Abruptly, the still dark clouds started churning and a glaring light was seen amid them. With that, a clap of thunder was heard and the small dark cloud, which had floated to the position above the big tree overhanging He Zheng, seemed to be stimulated, giving out flashes of lightning.

With a crash of thunder, numerous flashes of lightning struck down at the same time. The whole sky seemed to be shrouded in a giant net of lightning. Xuanqing and Zu Zhichong abruptly rounded their eyes with horror, covered their heads and scurried away like rats to their hole. Zu Zhichong had just moved when the place he had been standing was struck by lightning and instantly scorched black.

Zu Zhichong, still suffering from the shock, glimpsed in the direction of He Zheng and abruptly dilated his eyes again as he saw a flash of thin lightning emanate from the small dark cloud and violently strike the big tree. However, the tree was unharmed; the lightning went through the dense foliage flashing its way straight towards He Zheng. He Zheng, whose ears had been reduced to humming by the thunder, didn’t have any time to react and the lightning struck him head-on. As terrifying glare of electricity sparked on him, a golden light burst forth from He Zheng’s body. To the light of fire, He Zheng was enwrapped in sheet lightning and everything around him was scorched and blackened.

Zu Zhichong was paralyzed with shock, a vacant look in his eyes.

Cheng Dong could barely speak fluently. “Se–Sect-brother, was He Zheng just struck by lightning?”

He was literally struck by lightning!

As if having just woken up from a dream, Zu Zhichong let out a cry of despair. Picturing in his mind how his Chief would hack him to death, he rushed madly towards the big tree which had been scorched black by lightning. He Zheng was lying on the ground, unconscious.

Zu Zhichong failed to notice when Xuanqing standing in the distance watched all this with a frown on his face and mumbled, “How come he has that kind of thing in him? This is tricky.”

Zu Zhichong violently shook He Zheng. “Cutie! Cutie!”

Though seeming totally unharmed, He Zheng was lying still on the ground like a dead man. Zu Zhichong put a finger before his nostrils but couldn’t feel his breathing.

He–He Zheng was struck to death by lightning?!