Chapter 2: Heavenly Talisman + Golden Escape Flash = Flying Thunder God?

One year later.

"The Heaven and Earth Profound Sect bears witness to divine powers; the Five Elements and Escaping Armor move with my thoughts. Under the command of the Golden Light of Traversal, I return to the firmament in the blink of an eye.

The Dantian solar wheel gives birth to the Purple Mansion; a single thought pierces the waves of the four seas. With golden clouds protecting my body, I shatter the void; shrinking the earth to an inch, I escape across mountains and rivers!"

As Zhao Zhen silently recited the incantation, the yellow talisman in his hand suddenly emitted a blinding golden radiance. In the next instant, his entire figure transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished from where he stood. Not long after, accompanied by another flash of golden light, Zhao Zhen reappeared just as abruptly in the same spot.

"This Golden Escape Light is simply too powerful!"

Although he had performed the technique twice in quick succession, the *Qi* within his body had been almost entirely depleted. He felt his limbs grow weak and his body sway, yet a flash of wild joy could not help but cross his eyes.

"How many miles did I cover this time?" the old man’s voice rang out from behind him with a chuckle.

"At least three or four hundred miles..." Zhao Zhen replied, lying on the ground, breathless and weak.

"Not bad."

Though the old man spoke with indifference, a flicker of astonishment couldn't help but cross his eyes. To have covered three or four hundred miles in a single leap after only a year of formal training was extraordinary. Even he, having practiced the Golden Escape Light his entire life, could barely manage five or six hundred miles at his peak. Was this the difference between a mortal and a monster?

"Old man, I finally understand why you dragged me all over the country these past few years. It turns out that to practice this Golden Escape Light, one must first know what the places they are traveling to actually look like..."

"What else did you expect? I told you, I was just laying the foundation for you all these years. If I had taught you directly without those years of cultivation, the very first time you used the Golden Escape Light, you would have been drained dry." The old man couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I admit, our Golden Escape Light is indeed convenient for running away, but the problem is obvious: every activation consumes a talisman and costs me nearly half of my *Qi*. It is truly too time-consuming and exhausting."

"Do you think the ability to traverse hundreds of miles in an instant is child's play? To put it bluntly, even if you took those who specialize in speed, let them run for an entire night, and they would break their legs before covering a few hundred miles!"

"That's true as well." Zhao Zhen nodded. After resting for a while and feeling his *Qi* gradually return, he slowly sat up from the ground. "Old man, I still think drawing talismans is too troublesome. Tell me, is there a possibility that there exists a method—one that requires no altar, no circulation of *Qi*, no prior preparation—where one can simply circulate *Qi* and draw talismans in the air, using them as they are drawn, with minimal time and no limit to the quantity?"

"You certainly have a wild imagination..." The old man twitched his mouth, admiring Zhao Zhen's "unconstrained" creativity. "The method of crafting talismans is something passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years; every step is essential, and any small mistake could lead to failure. And you speak of no altar, no *Qi* preparation, just drawing at will? If you can actually pull that off, I’ll call you Grandpa!"

"Is that a promise?" Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. *Old man, you’re falling behind the times.*

Even if it sounded unbelievable, such an "overpowered" mechanism did indeed exist! The *Tongtian Lu* (Heaven-Reaching Record), one of the Eight Miraculous Skills realized by Zheng Zibu—although it had not yet emerged in this world, Zhao Zhen had already set his sights on it. Combining the *Tongtian Lu* with the Golden Escape Light would be equivalent to the Flying Thunder God Technique, wouldn't it? Wouldn't that make me the "Golden Flash" of this world?

However, compared to the true Flying Thunder God, there was a drawback: it was a bit "mana-hungry." Two uses would deplete his reserves; he couldn't be as carefree as the Fourth Hokage. But then again, the Fourth's technique required pre-placed markers, whereas his Golden Escape Light did not! Viewed in that light, once his plan succeeded, the two techniques would have their own respective advantages and disadvantages. As for the "mana" issue, that could be solved—the *Liuku Xianzei* (Six-Library Thief), another of the Eight Miraculous Skills, could perfectly resolve that. The only downside was that practicing it required an incredibly steadfast heart...

"Let’s talk when you can actually do it." The old man waved his hand, dismissing Zhao Zhen's words as a joke.

"Alright, old man, I won't tease you. On a serious note, I’ve been practicing this for a year, and some of the *Qi* circulation methods feel unreasonable, but I haven't dared to change them. Could you help me look?"

For once, the old man did not belittle him but nodded with a look of gratification. "That is normal. Even the common cultivation methods used today were gradually perfected by later generations correcting the flaws of their predecessors. I don't have the talent to modify the techniques passed down by word of mouth, so I can only follow them. But you are different. Your talent, even looking at the entire world of Outsiders, is top-tier! If you can refine this Golden Escape Light in the future, I would be more than happy."

The old man's tone suddenly shifted, becoming very grave. "However, that must wait until you have fully mastered the technique. You haven't even learned how to walk properly yet, and if you try to run and your *Qi* goes astray, it’s no laughing matter! At best, your meridians will snap and your cultivation will be ruined; at worst, you'll lose your life. Do you understand?!"

"I understand!" Zhao Zhen nodded solemnly. Having lived two lifetimes, he understood the value of life far better and would never treat his own safety lightly. Everything he was doing now was simply to ensure he had the power to protect himself in the era of chaos that was soon to come.

"Good. Now that you've got the hang of the Golden Escape Light, it's about time I left."

"Where are you planning to go now? When will you be back?" Initially, Zhao Zhen didn't pay much mind to it; the old man left occasionally, and he was used to it. Although the old man never said what he was doing, Zhao Zhen could guess.

Once you enter the *Quánxìng* (All-Nature) sect, many things become beyond your control. As an old member who had spent years in the sect, even if he tried to distance himself for Zhao Zhen's sake, the ties were impossible to sever. The past remained like threads, binding him tightly, preventing him from ever being truly free.

"I'm not coming back this time. We've spent nine years together; our bond has run its course, and it is time to part ways." The old man offered a bitter smile.

Zhao Zhen froze, stunned into silence. "You're just going to leave me all alone?"

"You brat, I've raised you for nine years, and now that I'm old, it's time for me to enjoy some peace."

"You old fool, do you believe I'll feed you shit right now..." Zhao Zhen's forehead was covered in black lines the moment he heard that. *What kind of "raising" is that?!*

"Hahaha, if you've got the skill, go ahead." The old man laughed, though a trace of well-hidden sorrow flickered in his eyes. "This is the money I've saved over the years, and three talismans. Take them. You know how hard these are to draw, so you'd better use them sparingly!"

Zhao Zhen reached out and took the money pouch and the three talismans with a complex expression. Since coming to this world, he had been by the old man's side. Over nine years, he had stopped caring about the old man's true identity or his past. He only knew that without him, he would have starved to death days after arriving. Hearing that the old man was leaving, Zhao Zhen felt both sorrow and a sudden, profound sense of confusion. With the old man gone, where should he go?

Seeming to perceive the confusion in Zhao Zhen's eyes, the old man sighed heavily. "With your talent and your brain, as long as you don't get involved with *Quánxìng*, it won't be hard to survive in this world. Keep your head down and live like an ordinary person; it'll be easier that way..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a familiar golden light flashed before Zhao Zhen's eyes. When he looked up again, the old man was already gone.

"This old man, didn't he say talismans were hard to draw? And yet he uses the Golden Escape Light just to run away..."

For some reason, Zhao Zhen suddenly felt that the wind today seemed exceptionally lonely.