CG C65: Thunder's Crown (Patreon)

Kai took a deep breath, trying to focus on the faint trickle of energy he'd felt earlier when closing the meridian. He tilted his head back, exposing the crown of his head to the rain. Cold droplets pelted his skin, making him flinch.

This better not give me pneumonia…,Kai shook his head wryly, pneumonia was the least of his concerns.

"Um, Senior Brother?" Chen Wei's nervous voice cut through the sound of rain. "Are you sure this is safe?"

Kai cracked one eye open. "Probably not. But that's cultivation for you."

Chen Wei gulped but nodded, clearly trying to look brave.

Closing his eyes again, Kai attempted to 'open' himself to the storm's energy, whatever that meant. He pictured his body as an empty vessel, waiting to be filled with lightning.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Kai frowned, concentrating harder. He pictured himself as a lightning rod, trying to draw the storm's energy towards him.

Come on, where’s the lightning?

As if in response to his thoughts, a bolt of lightning struck nearby, causing Chen Wei to yelp in surprise. Kai's eyes snapped open.

"Senior Brother! Are you alright?" Chen Wei called out, his voice shaky.

Kai nodded. "I'm fine. That was just a warm-up. But it looks like we need to get closer to the action."

He stood up, scanning the area. A jagged rock formation jutted out from the plateau's peak, offering the perfect vantage point.

"There," Kai pointed. "That's where we need to be."

Chen Wei's eyes widened in alarm. "But Senior Brother, that's right in the middle of the storm!"

Kai grinned, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "Exactly."

As they made their way towards the rock formation, the wind picked up, howling around them.

This is more like it.

Reaching the base of the rock formation, Kai turned to Chen Wei. "You can stay here if you want. It might get a bit intense up there."

Chen Wei hesitated for a moment, then squared his shoulders. "No, Senior Brother. I'll come with you. It's my duty to assist you, no matter the danger."

Kai nodded approvingly. "Alright then. Let's climb."

They scrambled up the slick rocks, the storm intensifying with each foot of elevation gained. By the time they reached the top, they were both soaked to the bone, their robes clinging to their bodies.

Kai positioned himself at the highest point, the wind whipping his hair into a frenzy. Chen Wei crouched nearby, looking both terrified and exhilarated.

"Now what, Senior Brother?" Chen Wei shouted over the howling wind.

Kai closed his eyes, raising his face to the sky. "Now, we wait for lightning to strike."

He thought back to the scroll's instructions. "Become a conduit for the storm's power," he muttered. "Like a living lightning rod..."

With that, he raised his arms, palms up, as if welcoming the storm. He imagined tendrils of electricity reaching down from the clouds, searching for a target.

Here I am, he thought. Nice, juicy lightning rod right here.

For a long moment, nothing changed. Then Kai felt a tingling sensation on his skin, like static electricity but stronger.

Is it working? he wondered, hardly daring to hope.

The tingling intensified, spreading across his body. It wasn't painful, exactly, but it wasn't comfortable either. Kai gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain still.

"Senior Brother!" Chen Wei cried out in alarm. "You're... you're glowing!"

Kai's eyes snapped open. Sure enough, faint blue sparks danced across his skin, growing brighter by the second.

Well, that's new and surprisingly not painful, Kai thought, torn between fascination and concern. But is it actually doing anything?

He closed his eyes again, focusing inward. The energy coursing over his skin felt wild, untamed. It wasn't entering his body, just skittering across the surface.

I need to guide it in somehow, Kai realized. But how?

He pictured the closed meridian at the crown of his head, imagining it as a locked door. The lightning was the key, but he needed to insert it into the lock.

Kai concentrated, trying to direct the electricity to that specific point. It was like herding cats made of lightning – every time he thought he had it, the energy would slip away.

"Come on," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Work with me here."

Minutes ticked by, with Kai growing increasingly frustrated. The tingling sensation was starting to become uncomfortable, bordering on painful.

This isn't working, he thought grimly. I need a different approach.

Kai took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. He'd been trying to control the lightning, to bend it to his will. But maybe that was the wrong tactic.

What if I sync up with an element's natural rhythm…?

Instead of fighting the erratic dance of electricity across his skin, Kai tried to match its rhythm. He let his thoughts flow in jagged, unpredictable patterns, mirroring the lightning's path.

To his surprise, the discomfort began to fade. The energy no longer felt like it was trying to escape. Instead, it seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.

That's more like it, Kai thought, a smile tugging at his lips. Now, let's try this again.

With his mind and the lightning in sync, Kai once more attempted to guide the energy to the crown of his head. This time, instead of trying to force it, he simply... invited it.

The effect was immediate. Kai gasped as he felt a surge of power rush to the top of his skull. It was like someone had poured liquid fire directly into his brain.

"Senior Brother!" Chen Wei's voice seemed to come from very far away. "Are you alright? Should I get help?"

Kai wanted to reassure his servant, but he couldn't spare the concentration. Every ounce of his focus was on the incredible sensation at the crown of his head.

The 'locked door' of his meridian was vibrating now. Kai could almost see it in his mind's eye – a glowing, pulsing gateway.

Just a little more, he thought, gritting his teeth against the increasing pressure. Come on, open up!

The energy built and built, until Kai felt like his skull might crack open from the strain. Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore, something... shifted.

With a sensation like a cork popping from a bottle, the meridian burst open. Lightning flooded in, racing through pathways Kai hadn't even known existed in his body.

Kai's eyes flew open, and he let out a cry that was equal parts pain and exhilaration. Blue-white light blazed from his skin, illuminating the surroundings.

Chen Wei yelped and stumbled backward, shielding his eyes. "S-Senior Brother? What's happening?"

Kai couldn't answer. He was too busy trying to contain the incredible rush of power flowing through him. As the initial surge began to subside, he became aware of changes in his perception. The storm around him seemed different now. He could feel the electricity in the air, sense the patterns of energy in the clouds above.

Slowly, carefully, Kai got to his feet. His body felt charged, almost weightless. Static electricity crackled between his fingers as he flexed them.

"That," he said, a grin spreading across his face, "was absolutely wild."

Chen Wei approached cautiously, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and admiration. "Senior Brother, are you... okay? You look different."

Kai glanced down at himself. Faint lines of blue light traced patterns under his skin, following what he assumed were his meridians. As he watched, they began to fade, leaving only a slight residual glow.

"I'm better than okay," Kai said, still grinning.

As if on cue, a familiar notification appeared in his vision:

Congratulations! You have successfully converted your Crown Meridian to Thunder's Crown!

Lightning Affinity increased to 22%

New Skill Unlocked: Static Charge (Level 1)

You have gained 100 XP

Now we're talking. I wonder what else this new meridian can do?

Kai began stretching his muscles which were stiff from hours of meditation. "How long was I meditating?"

Chen Wei looked up at the sky. "Most of the night, Senior Brother. The sun is starting to rise."

Time really seems to fly when cultivating...

"Come on," Kai said, clapping his servant on the shoulder. "Let's head back. I've got to get some sleep and then I have some experimenting to do."

As they neared the base of Thunderpeak Plateau, Kai noticed the guard who had let them pass earlier was still on duty. The man's eyes widened as they approached.

"Legacy Disciple," the guard said, bowing. "I hope your cultivation was successful?"

Kai nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "It was... enlightening," he said carefully.

The guard seemed to want to ask more questions, but a look from Kai silenced him. They passed by without further conversation.

I'll need to be careful. People will be watching me closely now. There’s no need to brag about every little success I have, not when there might be a kidnapper on the loose…