Chapter 30: Lightning Tempering

Among the dark clouds, lightning roiled; Xiao Li hurriedly sat cross-legged, circulating the Heavenly Circuit along the pathways of the Thunder Fusion Body.

Lightning howled toward him, and Xiao Li's muscles tensed throughout his body.

A white bolt of electricity sliced open a fleeting path in the dark clouds, striking Xiao Li's body.

Feeling the intense pain on his body, Xiao Li's face turned fierce; having blasted so many people with lightning, this was the first time he himself was struck—this taste was truly sour and refreshing.

He had no time to carefully feel the sensation of being struck by lightning; Xiao Li circulated the Heavenly Circuit, converting the lightning's energy for his own use—part, after being tempered, merged into the qi vortex, and another part tempered his flesh.

Lightning rolled through his meridians, making Xiao Li feel numb and tingling all over; his cells, stimulated by the lightning, clamored loudly, and the qi vortex within his body began to run overload.

His flesh was wounded by the lightning, yet as he circulated the Thunder Fusion Body, the injuries healed—charred skin and flesh slowly peeled away, then new flesh grew.

The new flesh emitted a faint cyan profound light; though only a trace, it showed a great difference.

The lightning wasn't just a single strike; it came one after another, and Qian Lao didn't give Xiao Li any time to catch his breath at all.

His flesh endured endless suffering in the cycle of destruction and rebirth, yet its strength steadily increased.

Within the dark clouds, the profound light on Xiao Li's body grew ever stronger, and even the heavy sky revealed a hint of cyan.

Bai Lao's eyes held reluctance: 'Tempering the body with lightning is truly agonizing.'

Qian Lao nodded: 'This technique left by the Dean is truly extraordinary; if one can endure the pain of being blasted by lightning, the cultivation speed is not inferior to intermediate earth-rank techniques, and it also tempers the body.'

That said, how many people could endure such pain day after day, year after year?

In the sky, lightning continued to sweep; Xiao Li's gaze grew somewhat scattered, and he could only numb-ly absorb the lightning's energy, tempering his own flesh.

Qian Lao silently counted to a hundred in his heart, then waved his hand to disperse the dark clouds; bright sunlight poured down, falling on Xiao Li's face.

Xiao Li's mind shuddered, his focus returned, and the energy within his body was nearly overflowing.

The energy within his body turned into a rampaging beast that smashed through his internal rank barriers, entering a vaster expanse.

Five-Star Grand Fighter!

He broke through three barriers in a single day; although those with solid foundations had become bedrock, Xiao Li felt he still needed to temper himself for a few more days.

Xiao Li fell from the sky without relying on battle-qi wings or flight techniques, crashing into a large pit.

Unscathed, Xiao Li leapt from the deep pit; seeing his right hand faintly emit cyan light, he curled the corner of his mouth.

He had entered the Thunder Fusion Body.

Entry is entry; according to Xiao Li's own estimate, if he wanted to achieve minor accomplishment in the Profound Thunder Body, he might still need to endure several hundred lightning strikes.

Recalling that taste of pain worse than death, Xiao Li shook his head, 'Let's wait a few days,' for it was too tormenting.

Nevertheless, the effect was indeed significant—after just one lightning strike, his bodily strength increased by at least thirty percent, practically like a cheat.

Qian Lao roughly estimated Xiao Li's bodily strength, nodded silently, and thought: tempering the body is unlike cultivation—there are no shortcuts; but if one could achieve it, the resulting power would far surpass that of ordinary people.

Xiao Li's breath returned to calm; Qian Lao stepped forward and said, 'After a few days of practicing the Nine Steps to Heaven, go out for training—I and Bai Lie will secretly protect you.'

Xiao Li nodded; there was no time to waste—he was already fifteen this year, and next year would be his coming-of-age ceremony.

……

Heijiao Yu, Hundred Demons City

This is a small town that never appeared in the original work, yet its chaos is no less than that of the major cities in Heijiao Yu.

Xiao Li watched the battles occurring at any moment on the streets, coldly bypassing them—Heijiao Yu truly is a lawless place; probably most of the criminals and villains of the northwestern continent have gathered here.

"Hey, kid, put……"

Xiao Li sighed helplessly; his Thunder Scale Spear swept across, skewering the few who blocked the road into a string.

Blood flowed all over the ground, shocking those around who were eager to try into standing frozen in place.

"What terrifying strength—he can slay several fighters with a casual swipe."

"Exactly—this strength is more than enough to deal with the Vice Gang Leader of the Black Tiger Gang."

In the crowd, two people whispered to each other, exchanged a glance, and made up their minds.

"Kid, don't go about your training like a headless fly—I'll teach you a move."

Qian Lao's voice transmitted from the void into Xiao Li's ears.

Xiao Li stopped without changing his expression, wanting to hear what Qian Lao wanted to say.

"Find the most conspicuous spot, put up a sign, write that money can buy anything, and find something to do."

Xiao Li's face stiffened—this old man really has plenty of bad ideas.

Although he thought that, he still followed the principle that big shots have their own ways, and since he indeed had no goal, Xiao Li still sought out a conspicuous spot.

Qian Lao secretly chuckled a few times, bumped Bai Lie's shoulder, and said, 'Now there's a good show to watch—in Heijiao Yu, those who are too conspicuous and reckless only have two possible outcomes.'

Bai Lao likewise raised an eyebrow: 'One is to rise to heaven in a single step, instantly gaining fame far and wide; the other—tsk tsk.'

The answer was on the tip of the tongue—death.

Xiao Li also had nothing in his hand, not knowing what to write, when Qian Lao's voice came again.

"You idiot, what rules are you still following in Heijiao Yu? See that archer girl villain over there? Stab him with a spear, then use his clothes and blood to write the words." Qian Lao snorted coldly.

Bai Lao glanced at Qian Lao in surprise: 'Qian Mu, I didn't expect you still have a sense of justice—you even want to save them.'

Qian Lao glanced at Bai Lao: 'I cultivate just to do as I please—I can't stand those archer girls, so of course I must stop them.'

Qian Lao's words seeped through the void, as if intentionally saying the same to Xiao Li.

Watching the distant crowd gathered around the spectacle, Xiao Li's gaze turned icy; he had wanted to intervene when he noticed it, but refrained, fearing Qian and Bai Lao would accuse him of meddling.

Now it seems he was mistaken—there is a difference between being a saint and having a moral bottom line.

The tip of the Thunder Scale Spear scraped sparks on the ground, its piercing sound drawing the onlookers' attention.

"Hey, look at that kid's cold face—he probably isn't going to get involved, huh?"

"Haha, just watch the fun—why bother managing so much? Can you even finish managing it?"

Xiao Li's steps halted, his voice icy: 'Spectating for fun, humiliating others—you're not exactly good either.'

The spear turned into lightning, slicing across the streets of Hundred Demons City.

"Profound Thunder Shocking Flash!"

The swift lightning turned into a sword stabbing at the bastard, only stopping after piercing through more than ten people.

The spear tip hovered before the perpetrator's face, the bursting lightning making their hair stand on end.

Xiao Li lowered his head, his face hidden in the shadow of the building, as if he had realized something.

"Even a petty fighter like you dares to act as you please, with no taboos, while I fear meddling and inviting trouble—that's my attachment."

The thunder-scale spear pierced the man's naked body, the lightning reflected in the woman's panicked pupils.

"Changing my family's fate, acting as I wish is my cultivation goal; I've endured so much suffering, not so that you bastards would add to my troubles."

Xiao Li stood with his spear sheathed, "I really don't know why; the stronger I get, the more I have to consider."

Xiao Li suddenly recalled a year ago, in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, when he faced Gan Mu's siege of dozens, Xiao Yixian tugged at his sleeve, blinked her eyes, and asked him if she could come along.

(End of chapter)