Lightning Is the Only Way

"No, you can't just cultivate all of the Elements. That's not how it works."

A middle-aged man with black hair was currently standing in front of several youngsters in a lecture hall. The students listened intently to their teacher as he taught them the basics of Cultivation.

"Why not?" a youngster near the back asked with a frown.

"Because, no matter what you do, the Elements will clash in one way or another," the teacher said.

The teacher walked over to the blackboard, and three pictures appeared on the blackboard like magic. All three pictures showed a stickman and a white sphere.

The first picture showed how the white sphere was inside the stickman.

The second picture showed how the white sphere was bound by a chain, which was being held by the stickman.

The third picture only showed the stickman, but there were lines that indicated that he was shining.

"As you all already know," the teacher said. "There are three ways to cultivate with an Element. However, every single method has an issue when more than one Element appears."

The teacher pointed to the first picture.

"The first method is to absorb the Element into your body, creating an Elemental Seed. As you all know, this method is the easiest to cultivate, but you can't use it forever. At one point, you have to switch to one of the other two. Yet, the later you do it, the harder it becomes."

Suddenly, a black sphere appeared beside the white sphere in the first picture.

"Now, can anyone tell me what will happen if we introduce a second Element?" the teacher asked.

One of the very few girls in the class stood up. "They will clash inside your body. You will most likely die, but if you somehow manage to survive, the two Elements will either have canceled each other out, or one will have prevailed, leaving you with that one."

The teacher nodded with appreciation. "Correct."

"Now, the second method," the teacher said as he pointed at the second picture, the one with the chained white sphere. "The second method is to completely subdue the Element. Cultivating this method is harder, but you won't be influenced by the temperaments of the Elements."

Then, the black sphere appeared again.

"What if we introduce a second Element?" the teacher asked.

The same girl answered again. "The same thing will happen. Just because you have the Element under control doesn't mean that they won't clash with each other."

The teacher nodded.

Then, he pointed at the third picture. "The third method is to assimilate the Element. This is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to connect with an Element. Your affinity towards it will also increase by several ranks. Sadly, advantages come with disadvantages, and disadvantages come with advantages."

"This method will slowly change your mindset until you are not yourself anymore. You will slowly adopt the temperament of the Element until your own temperament nearly perfectly reflects it."

The students didn't think much of these words since they had heard them before.

However, if any member of the Nine Elements Sect or its subsidiary Sects had heard these words, they would explode with righteous anger.

This was forbidden!

a forbidden way

yes, it would increase one's affinity with

this method could become incredibly dangerous depending on which

The person cultivating it would only become tranquil

Water Element was also fine. The person would become a bit moody, but

was okay. The person would think of themselves as

person would only desire freedom

would simply become more taciturn and inflexible. However,

also okay. The person might seek battle more than others, but they would still retain

were the last three remaining

moral compass. Even more, the Cultivator would retaliate with deadly force against anyone that was perceived to be going against them. Humans needed to work together. One couldn't

horrible. The Cultivator would become a battle-crazed maniac. They would require constant bloodshed, destruction, and battle. Humans needed some

horrible. The Cultivator would basically become an unfeeling psychopath. They would manipulate other humans for their personal gain, which would damage the entirety of

was seen as forbidden in

teacher were found by the righteous Sects, he would immediately be executed

method?" the teacher asked with a smile. "What

again. "You will

The teacher nodded. "Correct."

student who

and threw the girl that had answered all of these questions

a fourth method?" the boy

The students groaned.

let the

patiently. "There could be a fourth method. After all, I don't know everything. However, I'm pretty confident that you won't find

student gritted

teacher was

makes you so sure?" the student asked with

Also, as you see, I'm rather old. I only came to this academy as a

know, I've seen quite a bit of the world," the teacher said with a nostalgic voice. "The entirety of my knowledge can only produce

student dismissed what the teacher

arguing with the teacher. "Get off your high horse! Our last elemental teacher only

argue back, but

strongest of the

Barry would tear him to

the student sat

student a glance and looked back at the

me for my choice of words," he

waved off Big

Barry sat back down, and Mr. Gravis continued his

later, the

city streets with a happy and excited smile as he bought some food from a middle-aged lady in

shadows of the buildings, but there was still a long queue in

Gravis happily bought two bowls of

of walking, Mr. Gravis reached the

went past the last