Before heading to learn Thunder Tyrant Calamity Body... Damn, feels less like a magic world, more like a cultivation novel. I hit parallel Bo City for three more loot runs.
Then bought a spatial Ring and stuffed it full of lightning-linked resources: processed lightning stones, raw ones, herbs, monster bones—everything. Gifts for my future master or practice materials.
Also, since ancient times called for period dress, I grabbed a Raiden outfit from Mortal Kombat as I remembered it from the game—just no hat and open-necked.
Fully prepped, I shifted to the parallel world at known coords. Kunlun mountains loomed far off—home to a quasi-High Tier Emperor.
One like that could solo wipe humanity if it wanted. Good thing humans bore it no interest. Kunlun was also where all Chinese Totems originated. Scary to think how many Emperors lived there.
Shoving thoughts of unbeatable big bads aside, I scanned around. Nearby, amid forest, stood a dilapidated ancient Chinese-style compound.
If not for Spirit Magic sensing a strong, clearly human soul, I'd think I was too late and the sect was defunct.
As I approached, the soul started heading my way leisurely. They'd sensed me.
A minute later, we spotted each other, and while they sized me up, I did the same.
Before me stood a slightly hunched skinny old geezer with long mustaches and gray hair styled like lacquered grass spikes. Dressed in standard martial arts master garb, heavy on purple. Hands in sleeves.
But his aura... Definitely High Tier mage, maybe peak or half-spell level. Ceiling for humans back then—spell breakthrough method undiscovered.
And his body pressure felt monstrous! Only like demonized Mo Fan in Xi'an—a weak Commander level! Tough old man.
"Greetings," I said, cupping hands in junior-to-senior bow. "Is this where they teach body reinforcement technique?"
The old man stroked his smooth chin and replied:
"Used to be," he said in a melancholic tone. Then just stood silent, eyeing me.
"And now?" I asked, since he'd clearly fished for it.
"Now, no," he said, glancing at the rundown buildings, equally melancholic.
"Will you take one last student?" I dumped the spatial Ring resources and stepped back, bowing again. "I've brought worthy gifts."
The old man eyed my offerings in surprise. No wonder—they totaled over 400 million yuan, a mid Soul Seed. Even a High Tier mage wouldn't refuse. Use, sell, or trade.
"Why do you want this?" he asked more lively. "I see you're familiar with artifactоrics." He nodded at my Ring. "Why trade such wealth for a technique that'll likely kill you? Why not just buy good armor?"
"I have innate magic letting me boost my body's speed," I applied Time Acceleration x2 and jogged the courtyard. "I figured a stronger body would let me exploit that better, and at higher levels, fitting artifacts are hard to get." Near-truth to him.
"Hmm, unique magic..." He stroked his chin. "The technique suits you well, complements your style. And these resources would help—leave my grandson a good inheritance. Fine, follow me. But if you die using it, don't haunt me as a vengeful spirit—I'll unmake you sans afterlife." He warned, turned, and headed to the sturdiest building.
"Master!" I caught up. "With the technique, can I... well... permanently enlarge a certain body part... like an arm, say?"
His twitching eye showed his resolve to teach me wavering hard.
Sitting on the wooden floor in one of the huts, I digested the body enhancement technique's essence. As Master Mo Shu explained, it was basically lineage stimulation, like monster evolution.
A mage's soul at Initial level matches Servant rank, but not their body. This lightning-tempering method unlocked lineage potential. Humans have little, though.
Max tempering at Initial yields low Servant body. Mid: low Warrior. High: half-Commander. High Tier: Demi-Monarch. Spell level unknown then, but I'd guess False Emperor body strength.
Adjusting for monsters' size growth and mass-boosted strikes, humans win on agility via smaller frames.
Master Mo Shu also covered limits and high mortality cause.
One limit: don't be a lightning mage. Paradoxically, their bodies—especially post-seed absorption—are highly resistant to their element.
Look at canon Mo Fan bathing in lava unscathed. Demonization helped reinforce, but his seed was just Spiritual then. Fire Soul Seed mages swim lava fine.
Thus, lightning mages' bodies resist Thunder Tyrant Calamity Body tempering—builds tolerance, no lineage stim.
Mortality cause: For non-lightning mages, channeling lightning energy is suicide. Even after nearly 200 years refining, mortality dropped to 85%—still too high, scaring off most.
Non-lightning mages can't control infused lightning mana from resources along the technique's path.
Even lightning mages helping didn't work—they can't finely sense another's body for aggressive magic flow. So survivors were luckiest, with side effects.
Early technique stages and breakthroughs shred the body, scarring survivors horribly. Master Mo Shu showed his sleeve-hidden arms—gruesome.
No wonder they ditched it—mortality and side effects.
Handing over all technique info, Master Mo Shu offered half my resources back, but I refused. I'd guessed how to nix side effects and told him.
After pondering and scratching his head, he said my method might work but was barely feasible.
What'd I suggest? Recalling Mo Fan's flame fairy possessing people for fire control, I proposed contracting a lightning elemental being.
They finely control their element; as a contract beast possessing you, it'd guide safe practice sans side effects. Pain stays, though—we're forcing lineage potential.
Impractical because lightning elementals are rarest. Find one, then convince it to contract.
That's how Master Mo Shu and I parted. I said my second element was Summon and I was off to find a lightning elemental. He wished luck and was glad I wouldn't self-destruct on-site during practice.
Back in my world, I shared a "legend" on breaking to higher levels.
More precisely, spell level breakthrough info as legend. If he pulls it off, thanks for the strong technique. Plus, I knew how to get a lightning elemental.