To understand, among cultivators in the real world, their secret techniques, although utilizing various elemental properties, are all based on the five elements in the air.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.
These five attributes can be wielded by every cultivator, and their talents are generally similar.
The difference lies in each cultivator's mastery over their own acupoints, which is what separates the strong from the weak.
The five attributes are mutually generative and destructive. While most people only cultivate one or two attributes in depth, everyone does one thing: they cultivate the counteracting attributes that overcome their own simultaneously.
For instance, a cultivator who primarily cultivates the Water attribute finds Earth to be its counter. Since Wood counters Earth, they would simultaneously learn secret techniques of the Wood attribute.
Water also generates Wood. When the opponent uses an attribute that counters them, the latter can then counter back.
Of course, this is only the case in large families or resource-rich areas.
For lone cultivators, being able to learn even one secret technique is already a considerable trump card.
The five elemental attributes already hold such importance, and beyond these five, there are some special attributes born from heaven and earth.
For example, Ice, Flame, and so on, can be considered their enhanced versions.
Yet, their power is more than three times that of ordinary attributes!
Not to mention what the old village chief spoke of: the attribute of Thunder.
While other attributes like Ice and Flame are enhanced versions, and their counteracting attributes can still be found, what can counter Thunder?
Nothing!
Coupled with its power and characteristics, Li Chonglou found it hard to imagine how invincible a person would be if they could summon heavenly lightning at will.
However, his thoughts were quickly doused by the old village chief.
"Don't think it's that simple. Heavenly lightning is powerful. Even a cultivator at the first level who obtains it can instantly kill a fifth-level expert."
The old village chief paused here, and Li Chonglou nodded silently.
Yes, the physical strength of a fifth-level expert had reached a bottleneck, but it was still within the realm of normalcy.
This normalcy referred to human activities like running, walking, and swimming.
The sixth level after the fifth level served as a transition, and upon reaching the seventh level, the most noticeable change was the addition of a new mode of activity: flight.
The old village chief mentioning instant kills of fifth-level experts, and specifically targeting the fifth level, was precisely because of this.
Simply put, as long as one had not broken through the fifth level, their body could not withstand the bombardment of heavenly lightning, even the simplest form.
But the old village chief's next sentence left Li Chonglou stunned.
"But do you think someone below the fifth level can control the Divine Thunder Source?"
"Besides, the Divine Thunder Source is powerful, but it also needs to be cultivated by the practitioner. Just like a first-level cultivator, even if they held a peerless cultivation manual, could they kill a second-level cultivator?"
This "holding" was meant in a literal sense. Li Chonglou instantly understood his meaning.
"So that's how it is. But as long as there's enough time, they can still become top-tier experts, right?"
"Theoretically, yes."
Li Chonglou suddenly thought of a question.
"By the way, since you know so much, did your ancestors once possess this Divine Thunder Source? But why have I never heard of such a prominent figure outside?"
Li Chonglou initially thought it was because his status was too low before, preventing him from accessing people and matters of that level, but he didn't expect the old village chief to say:
"That's why I said theoretically."
"What do you mean?"
The old village chief chuckled, "Didn't I say that Geothermal Island exists because of its existence? If someone had obtained it, do you think Thunder Magnetic Island would still be here?"
Li Chonglou was speechless.
"You mean no one has ever obtained this thing?"
The old village chief nodded.
Li Chonglou glared at him, speechless, "Then how can you be sure this isn't just a legend?"
The old village chief calmly replied, "Because I've seen it."
Li Chonglou was rendered speechless by his retort.
After this exchange, the old village chief's emotions seemed to have calmed down, and he appeared somewhat peaceful.
"Brother Li, since you don't want to take the risk, I won't trouble you anymore."
Saying this, he broke free from the grasp of the two animal-skin clad men, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.
Li Chonglou asked curiously, "Old village chief, have you thought of a solution?"
The old village chief shook his head, then suddenly chuckled, "The current situation is beyond our ability to resolve. Three or two, or even ten or twenty of us could still handle it."
"Is the old village chief giving up?"
He still shook his head, "It's not that I don't care, but it doesn't mean they can truly obtain it. Since ancient times, there have been many who challenged forbidden areas, but none succeeded."
"They either fled in disarray or remained there forever!"
Li Chonglou's eyes widened, and he said with disbelief, "Damn it, a place like this needs you to guard it?"
Isn't this worrying unnecessarily?
The old village chief chuckled and said, "You're mistaken. The forbidden area has a special characteristic: human blood affects the power of its heavenly lightning. If too many people die, the forbidden area will also be affected."
As for what kind of effect, the old village chief didn't say, and Li Chonglou's attention wasn't on that.
"Then why did you just want me to go kill people?"
The old village chief rolled his eyes, "Can you kill all of them?"
Oh, it was originally supposed to be around fifty people for it to have an effect.
Wait, isn't the island sealed off now? Isn't that the purpose?
Li Chonglou's expression suddenly changed, and he subconsciously voiced this question.
The old village chief said coldly, "Just some ignorant outsiders. Even if they expose the forbidden area's weakness, they'll only meet their death! I originally just didn't want too many people to die here."
Understood.
Li Chonglou suddenly realized, and at the same time, understood something.
This time, he was likely being used as a pawn!
Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? He was sent to Thunder Magnetic Island just as someone posted his task on the dark web, attracting so many assassins, and it just so happened that Thunder Magnetic Island was showing anomalies at this very moment?
Regarding the Spirit Explosion stage, the old village chief had mentioned it, and the black-robed man had also mentioned it.
If it weren't for the Spirit Explosion stage, they wouldn't have been able to enter so easily!
Therefore, all of this was too coincidental!
From another perspective, someone had started planning from the headquarters, using his influence to post tasks on the dark web, and then increasing the rewards to gather assassins from all countries, using them as scapegoats.
And he, was perfectly arranged, and had been pushed along the way.
Thinking like this, the logic suddenly made sense.
The old village chief sighed and said, "Brother Li, at this point, I won't lie to you anymore. The Thunder Dry Tree you want has only been left in the forbidden area for over a decade."
"Otherwise, I would have had people bring it to you directly for you to return and report."