Volume One: Entering the Dao for the First Time Chapter Fifty-Four: The End of Enlightenment

The moment the space began to shift, Ye Junze sensed it and instinctively lifted his head to look forward. He saw that the space, which had turned entirely purple after he touched the lightning symbol, was now gradually shattering, as if the whole realm were a massive mirror breaking into countless pieces. Witnessing these changes, Ye Junze was reminded of the scene when he had previously cultivated his new technique. He quickly surmised that this signified the completion of his enlightenment, causing the space to break apart—a harbinger that his session was about to end and he would soon awaken.

With this realization, Ye Junze organized his thoughts and quietly watched the space fall to pieces. The process did not last long; soon, the mirror-like domain crumbled entirely. When the final intact fragment shattered, Ye Junze seemed to sense something, closed his eyes calmly, and was instantly engulfed by a radiant light.

When his consciousness returned to reality and he opened his eyes, a purple lightning sigil flashed across his irises, dyeing his pupils an electric shade of violet. Disoriented at first, Ye Junze shook his head and rubbed his brow before focusing his attention. He noticed that among the surrounding crowd, only he had awakened; everyone else remained immersed in their enlightenment.

Raising his hands, Ye Junze felt carefully and discovered that the power he had gained during his enlightenment still lingered within him, ready to be summoned at will. Certain that nothing was amiss, and feeling a bit stiff from sitting so long, he tried to stand and stretch his limbs—but as soon as he lifted his leg, he felt resistance. Looking down, he saw that the previously transparent protective barrier began to dissipate slowly the moment he touched it. Only then did Ye Junze relax and rise to move about.

He stretched with abandon, not the least concerned about disturbing others. Indeed, he was well aware of the shield’s isolating effect. Yet Ye Junze seemed to have forgotten one person’s presence entirely. From the moment he awoke, Yin Jia had been watching him with great interest. So engrossed was Ye Junze in his own world that he did not notice anything amiss. Yin Jia, amused by being overlooked, showed no displeasure and continued to smile warmly at him.

Once Ye Junze had finished stretching and felt fully revived, a sudden intuition drew his gaze forward—only to find Yin Jia watching him all along. Realizing this, Ye Junze instantly guessed she had been observing him for quite some time. He immediately felt awkward, hastily lowering his hands and unsure where to place them, much like a child caught in mischief, anxious and ill at ease. Flustered, he found himself at a loss for words.

Yin Jia couldn’t help but laugh at his embarrassment. Before Ye Junze could speak to break the awkwardness, she approached him and said with a smile, “Your enlightenment is over. How do you feel?”

With her leading the conversation, Ye Junze’s discomfort eased somewhat. Scratching his head sheepishly, he replied, “Yes, it’s over. I feel all right.”

Yin Jia gestured to a meditation cushion, inviting him to sit. She took her seat first, and Ye Junze, seeing this, obediently sat as well.

“If I’m not mistaken, your enlightenment just now was related to the Way of Thunder?” Yin Jia asked, recalling the scene she had witnessed.

Ye Junze was surprised that Yin Jia had deduced so much merely from observation. Once again, he reminded himself not to underestimate anyone here. Without hiding anything, he answered, “Yes, Teacher. Is there anything you wish to teach me?”

Waving her hand, Yin Jia said, “Teach is too strong a word. At best, I can offer some guidance. After all, the Dao Mark I attained is not the Way of Thunder, so you can’t expect too much from me in that regard.”

“That’s all right, Teacher. With your years of cultivation, even the tiniest bit of advice would benefit me for a long time,” Ye Junze replied.

Yin Jia, delighted by his words, laughed. “I didn’t expect you to be so eloquent. Since that’s the case, I’ll share some of my insights. How much you can grasp will depend on your own perception.”

“Thank you in advance, Teacher,” Ye Junze said gratefully.

“If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind demonstrating the Way of Thunder you’ve just mastered?” Yin Jia requested.

“Of course,” Ye Junze replied. As he had done before, he summoned a streak of violet lightning into his palm.

Yin Jia’s eyes lit with admiration when she saw the electric arc. “Excellent—definitely the Way of Thunder. And from the look of it, your mastery is quite impressive for this stage.”

What Yin Jia didn’t know was that Ye Junze’s level was more than merely impressive; among all students of Anze Academy through the years, his achievement was outstanding. But setting that aside, after praising him, Yin Jia continued, “Very good. In this first session of enlightenment, there are very few who can so readily grasp a Dao Mark as you have. If even a handful of students achieve this, I would be very pleased.”

Ye Junze, however, was not arrogant from her praise. Instead, he asked in puzzlement, “Dao Mark? What is that?”

Yin Jia explained patiently, “A Dao Mark is a fragment of the great Dao, sealed by the mighty cultivators of Anze in ages past through secret arts. These marks serve as vessels to help our academy’s students attune themselves to the Dao, to resonate with its essence. The term ‘Dao Mark’ refers to these vessels, and facilitating this resonance is precisely the purpose of our Department of Daoist Arts’ enlightenment course.”

“I see,” Ye Junze replied, understanding.

“That’s right,” Yin Jia continued. “At the start of your enlightenment, did you see symbols similar to the lightning one?”

“I did,” Ye Junze recalled, thinking of the flames, water droplets, and the mysterious yin-yang fish he had seen.

“All those you saw are Dao Marks,” Yin Jia explained. “I must say, I didn’t expect you to choose the highly aggressive Way of Thunder so early. You must study it diligently. Our department has yet to produce a true master of Thunder, so I hope you will cultivate it to great strength—and put those old Daoist sticklers, always claiming the true lineage of Thunder, in their place.”

Ye Junze understood the first part, but the mention of “old Daoist sticklers” made him curious. He asked, “Daoists? True lineage of Thunder? Teacher, what do you mean by that?”

Yin Jia waved her hand dismissively, as if unwilling to elaborate. “It’s nothing—just a group of stubborn old relics. It’s no use to you now, but if you ever encounter them, you’ll understand. And if that day comes, make sure you use your Thunder to defeat them soundly and teach them a lesson.”

“But…” Before Ye Junze could finish, Yin Jia continued, “Oh, you’re probably wondering what they look like. Don’t worry—they’re easy to spot. Their noses are always higher than their eyes. The moment you see them, you’ll recognize them.”

“Very well, Teacher. I’ll remember,” Ye Junze replied.

“Good. Enough about those dullards. Let’s get back to you,” Yin Jia said. “First, you must remember: the Way of Thunder is the most aggressive of all known Daos. As the saying goes, ‘too rigid will break.’ So, when you wield it, you must be careful. If you harm your body with excessive force, it will not be worth the cost.”

Ye Junze, recognizing her concern for him, thanked her sincerely, “I understand, Teacher. I will be careful.”

“That’s all I can teach you. Since my own Dao is the Way of Wood, I can’t help with the specifics of Thunder. As for Thunder’s other applications and specific divine arts, you will have to explore and learn them in your future cultivation and studies.”

“Yes, Teacher. I understand,” Ye Junze nodded.

“Keep it up—I have high hopes for you,” Yin Jia said playfully.

“You flatter me, Teacher,” Ye Junze replied, scratching his head shyly.

“Well, that’s enough talk. By now, the others should be waking up. Let’s wait for them. I am curious to see which Dao Marks everyone has comprehended,” Yin Jia said, rising to her feet.

Ye Junze nodded in agreement, his heart also full of curiosity.

As the two waited idly for the others to awaken, the surrounding transparent barriers gradually faded. One after another, the students on their mats began to stir. Noticing this, Yin Jia returned to her place and clapped her hands to gather everyone’s attention.

The newly awakened students, still a little dazed like Ye Junze had been, instinctively looked toward Yin Jia when they heard her voice.

Seeing that all eyes were on her, Yin Jia cleared her throat and began, “First of all, congratulations to you all on completing your first formal class of enlightenment in the Department of Daoist Arts. On behalf of myself, I offer you a round of applause.”

With that, she led the applause. The students, encouraged, followed suit, clapping for themselves in celebration and encouragement.

When the applause faded, Yin Jia resumed her teaching.