Chapter One: Three Years of Listening to Thunder

"Su Ye—number of opened acupoints: zero! Once again, last place in the entire school!"
Counselor Cai Weisong announced the results angrily, and the gaze of the whole class fell upon a handsome youth who seemed almost half-asleep.
"As a repeat student in the Senior Year Spiritual Energy Class, you can't even compare to the freshmen. How dare you stay at Yangcheng First High School? You should just quit!" Cai Weisong slammed the results sheet of the Spiritual Martial Assessment onto the desk, gritting his teeth.
Hearing this, Su Ye looked up, a flash of determination passing across his thin face. He clenched his fists silently, saying nothing.
"Do you think silence will save you? The assessment form says you have a tattoo on your back! Take off your clothes right now and let everyone see how you ignore school rules!" Cai Weisong had long wanted to kick this useless student out, and now he finally found his chance.
"Are you sure you want to see?" Su Ye stood up at once.
"Stop talking nonsense. The administration is here! Don't say I'm wronging you!" Cai Weisong pointed outside.
Indeed, two directors from the Academic Affairs Office stood in the corridor outside the classroom.
Clearly, there was no avoiding a confrontation today.
"See for yourself!"
Su Ye strode to the podium, turned his back to the crowd, and took off his shirt in one swift motion.
Immediately, the classroom erupted in shocked cries, and several books were knocked to the floor.
On Su Ye's back were nine twisted, hideous scars, long and raised like bloody centipedes burrowing into his flesh. Some timid students recoiled and covered their eyes, terrified and unable to look any longer.
For a moment, the entire classroom became oppressively silent. What on earth had Su Ye endured?
Even Cai Weisong's expression changed repeatedly; he said no more, rushing out to report to the two directors.
Su Ye quietly put his shirt back on and returned to his seat, wordless.
"My God, those scars... They're terrifying! Is that why he went from genius to failure?" After a long silence, one student whispered.
Indeed, Su Ye had once been a genius.
At eleven, he entered the Spiritual Energy Class ahead of schedule with the top score in liberal arts.
At twelve, he opened forty-one acupoints, becoming the school's number one.
At thirteen, as the new senior year began, he secured early admission to over a dozen prestigious universities, his future bright, admired by countless girls.
But three months before the college entrance exam, everything changed.
In a single night, his acupoints were destroyed, his cultivation lost.
A week later, rumors spread of his moral failings and heavy debts.

Ten days later, he was expelled from the Genius Dormitory, and all university offers were rescinded.
His halo faded, he fell from grace, and became the school's lowest-ranked student—a true irony.
"Hmph, they're just ugly scars. What's so frightening? He only became a genius by taking forbidden drugs that harmed his tendons and bones. Now it's karma!"
Class Leader Song was the first to mock. As spiritual energy students, how could they fear scars?
"This loser has repeated senior year for three years! While others progress with their cultivation, he's regressed into a useless coward! Hmph, he even dared to be paired with Yu Zhisha, the school belle, as the 'Azure Sky Sparrows.' Ridiculous!"
"Exactly. Senior Sister Yu is undoubtedly an Azure Sky Sparrow. As for him, he's nothing but a mangy mutt! By the way, Yu Zhisha went abroad as an exchange student for three years. She's probably returning soon?"
Hearing Yu Zhisha's name, Su Ye's body trembled, his eyes flashing a look utterly different from his classmates—a deep, burning hatred.
Back then, he arrived alone in Yangcheng, friendless and isolated. He met Yu Zhisha at school, and as fellow geniuses, they grew closer.
During their time together, Yu Zhisha discovered that the first acupoint Su Ye opened was the "Thunder Acupoint," and that he possessed the legendary "Nine Thunder Meridians."
At first, the Yu family offered thirty million to recruit Su Ye's help in aiding Yu Zhisha to open her Thunder Acupoint. Su Ye spent half a year assisting her with all his strength. But at the moment of success, the Yu family revealed their true nature.
On a stormy night, Su Ye's Nine Thunder Meridians were forcibly taken from him. All that remained were the hideous scars on his back, and a hatred deeper than the sea.
Yu Zhisha had said then: "Su Ye, helping me open the Thunder Acupoint isn't enough. I need your Thunder Meridians. There's a saying: 'Fierce beasts walk alone, only cattle and sheep move in herds.' Between us, only one can walk alone. That will be me, Yu Zhisha!"
From that moment, everything was destroyed. Yu Zhisha soared, becoming the famed Azure Sky Sparrow of Yangcheng, wielding the Thunder Meridians.
Over the past three years, their paths had diverged as far as heaven and earth.
"I have nothing left, and nothing to fear! I must fight to reclaim what was lost!"
Su Ye knew he lacked the power now, but he believed he would someday. For after his Thunder Meridians were taken, he discovered something extraordinary—he could understand the language of thunder.
Yes!
Whenever storms raged and thunder roared, he felt he could comprehend the thunder's voice.
The thunder seemed to speak ancient words—like a cultivation technique, like a map, as if summoning something beyond his grasp.
He recorded every thunderstorm, though the recordings on his phone lacked the true force and fury of lightning, but he persisted, listening daily.
He listened for three years.
Three years of listening to thunder—unheard of.
Especially in recent days, he sensed he was nearing something even more mysterious.

Just then, a graceful young woman approached from the corridor, her figure curving with elegance, her face stunningly beautiful, fair and delicate, drawing every male gaze.
"It's the top school beauty, Jiang Liuying... Those legs are straight out of a manga. The best moment of the week is now!" The boys sighed in admiration.
"Damn, looks like she's come for Su Ye again! Why does this loser get the goddess's attention? It's like a flower stuck in a dung heap!" Song, the class leader, raged again.
Every boy in the class glared at Su Ye, who was still wearing his earbuds. Wasn't this useless kid just a guest at the Jiang family? How did he become Jiang Liuying's boyfriend?
Jiang Liuying scanned the room, quickly spotting Su Ye. Her delicate lips parted: "Su Ye... School's over, let's go home together!"
She sat beside Su Ye, her slender, fair fingers removing one of his earbuds, flashing him a sweet smile. Immediately, Young Master Jiang, who had chased after her, turned pale.
Jiang Liuying's voice was crisp: "Young Master Jiang, I told you, I have a boyfriend. Why are you still chasing me? Come on, Su Ye, stop listening. Let's go home!"
Su Ye, annoyed at having his earbud removed, turned his head—at that angle, he caught a glimpse of the gap between two buttons on Jiang Liuying's blouse, a tempting hint of white... Was it bare inside?
"Miss, could you let me enjoy some peace? I'm busy!"
Su Ye paused, realizing this little minx was once again using him as a shield. Every time, a crowd of rich suitors—would it ever end?
"Heh, Jiang, you can stop pretending. Everyone knows this loser isn't your boyfriend! You think I can't see through it?" Young Master Jiang swaggered in, as if Jiang Liuying could never escape his grasp.
Jiang Liuying secretly reached to pinch Su Ye's waist, her face sweet as an angel. "Oh, oppa! Are you jealous seeing others chase me? Don't be mad, here's a kiss to make up for it, mwah~"
She leaned in, still a foot away, made a playful "mwah" gesture as compensation, then feigned shyness, leaning close to Su Ye's ear and whispered:
"Don't forget our contract. All you do is listen to thunder—do you really think you can replenish your lost Thunder Meridians with heavenly thunder? You're human, not a god! Help me out, I'm tired of this."
Su Ye trembled; her words pierced him like a bolt from the heavens—replenishing Thunder Meridians with heavenly thunder? Human, not god?
"What did you say?" He blurted out, feeling a sudden surge of power in his body.
Could it be he had always been listening to the Heavenly Meridians?
Seeing Su Ye so agitated, Jiang Liuying quickly feigned shyness, her crystal lips parting slightly, making any man long to fill them: "Oh my, look at you—I'm just giving you a kiss to make up, mwah!"
Su Ye, exhilarated, laughed heartily: "Sure! A kiss! Mwah!"
With that, he cupped Jiang Liuying's delicate face in his hands, feeling its soft warmth, and, to her astonished gaze, pressed a deep kiss to her sweet, enticing lips.
Smooch!
So satisfying—