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

one with the Elements was possible, and yes, it would increase one's

dangerous depending on which Element

The person cultivating

fine. The person would become

Light Element was okay. The person would think of themselves as better and always right, but they could still interact with other

also fine. The person would only desire freedom

simply become more taciturn

seek battle more than others, but they would still

were the

would retaliate with deadly force

require constant bloodshed, destruction, and battle. Humans

They would manipulate other

seen as forbidden in this world was

Sects, he would immediately be executed along with everyone

the teacher asked with a smile. "What if I introduce another

answered again.

The teacher nodded. "Correct."

teacher looked at the student who asked the question. "Does

the teacher with furrowed brows and threw the girl that had answered

there is a fourth method?" the

The students groaned.

let the

a fourth method. After all, I don't know everything. However, I'm pretty confident that you won't find the method in the

gritted his

teacher was

so sure?" the student asked with

I only came to this academy as a guest-teacher

the world," the teacher said with a nostalgic voice. "The entirety of my knowledge can only produce these three

student dismissed what

up!?" a big guy in the second row shouted towards the student that had been arguing with the teacher. "Get off your high horse! Our last elemental teacher only knew of a single method, and it was far worse than any

back, but he didn't

was Big Barry, the strongest of the class and also the school

tear him to pieces

the student

shot the student a glance and looked

"Excuse me for my choice of words," he said politely.

nodded and waved off

and

later, the

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

enjoyed standing in the cool shadows of the buildings, but there was

bowls of

the outskirts of the

went past the last building and walked up a