Chapter 281

Wang Ping transformed into a streak of gold-and-cyan lightning, advancing with dignified grandeur, effortlessly riding the violent backwash of the golden lightning waterfall upward. After breaking through to the Point-Light Realm, his perception and control over the surrounding thunder had reached an entirely new level.

The destructive thunder sea that once made him feel as if standing before an abyss now faintly emitted a peculiar affinity and resonance, as if he himself had become part of this thunderous absolute domain, rather than an intruder.

Just as he was about to pierce through the uppermost layer of churning black thunderclouds and glimpse the eternal leaden-gray sky of the secret realm once more, a sudden change occurred.

On the cliffside ahead, where years of concentrated lightning strikes had fully crystallized the rock into a massive wall reflecting blinding white light, a humanoid lightning radiance—far more condensed and fervent than ordinary lightning—suddenly flared into brilliance!

This lightning was not chaotic but, as if alive, a flexible twist that tore through the void with pinpoint accuracy, intercepting Wang Ping's path directly ahead. Its speed was such that it was hardly slower than his newly acquired Point-Light Lightning Escape!

Wang Ping's heart jolted; his escape light instantly shifted from extreme motion to extreme stillness, hovering steadily in midair. The faint golden arcs of birth-and-death lightning naturally circulating around him did not retract but, as if provoked, trembled slightly, emitting a low hum, gathering power. He fixed his gaze on this unexpected guest.

The blazing white lightning gradually condensed, revealing an oppressive figure.

The newcomer was extraordinarily tall and burly, nearly nine feet, his bare upper body muscles piled like granite, lines rigid, brimming with explosive power. He wore only a pair of short pants made from some unknown silver animal hide, his feet clad in simple lightning-patterned war boots. His hair stood straight up, blazing bright silver, with tiny electric sparks continually leaping and vanishing at the tips, as if his entire being were a walking thunder furnace. His face was rugged and heroic, thick brows like halberds, eyes like copper bells, high nose bridge, thick lips now split into a hearty, somewhat unrestrained grin, revealing two rows of dazzling white teeth. Most striking were his eyes: deep within the pupils, tiny thunder runes seemed to constantly birth and fade; when they opened and closed, sharp light radiated, as if they could pierce falsehood and gaze upon the thunder's origin.

The aura emanating from him was unmistakably late Golden Core, yet its condensation, weight, and dominance far surpassed any cultivator of the same rank Wang Ping had ever seen, even giving him the sensation of facing a miniature mountain or an imminent volcanic eruption. More importantly, his affinity with the violent thunder spirit energy of heaven and earth had reached an astonishing degree, as if he were not "controlling" thunder but was himself the incarnation of "thunder" in the mortal realm!

"Heaven Punishment Tribe!" Wang Ping instantly identified the opponent's identity, his vigilance sharply rising. The domineering clan that wields thunder, born warlike, unrestrained in nature—meeting here in this perilous narrow pass was no auspicious sign.

Yet the tall youth who called himself Leizhen, upon revealing his form, did not, as rumored, immediately attack over a disagreement. His eyes, flashing with thunder runes, held undisguised surprise and inquiry, like two bright lamps, scanning Wang Ping up and down, meticulously. Especially lingering on the faint gold lightning arcs naturally circulating around Wang Ping, imbued with the unique "cycle of birth and destruction" Dao rhythm, his surprise quickly turned into a pure, delighted appreciation, as if finding a prized quarry.

"Hahahahaha!" Leizhen suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice like a great bell, shaking the surrounding thunderclouds as if they slightly rolled, "Good! Good! Good—an extraordinary take on thunderous true intent! The five phases cycle, evolving birth and destruction, destruction harboring creation, destruction nurturing new life! I never imagined—truly never imagined! Besides my Heaven Punishment Tribe's old rivals, and those few deceitful tricksters of the Fallen Immortal Tribe, in this Spirit Void Secret Realm, I actually get to meet a human fellow cultivator who has taken the Dao of thunder to the Point-Light Realm! And such… such an interesting path! Exhilarating! Truly exhilarating!"

His laughter was open and heroic, devoid of affectation, carrying a heartfelt joy, as if he had discovered a rare treasure.

Wang Ping blinked slightly; the opponent's straightforward, hearty praise upon first meeting contrasted with the Heaven Punishment Tribe's general reputation as "battle maniacs" and "thunder thugs." He quickly withdrew some of his outward hostility, but his spiritual power and Point-Light Lightning Dragon remained in a state of high alert. Clasping his hands, he said calmly: "You flatter me, Daoist. I am Wang Ping of the Ninth Dao Institute, merely fortunate to glimpse a hint of the path, newly entered the Point-Light Realm, still crude. May I ask why you block my way, Daoist?"

"Advice? Where does all this empty formalities come from!" Leizhen waved his big hand, his palm like a cattail fan stirring a gust, his tone blunt and hearty: "I am Leizhen, one of the youths of this generation of the Heaven Punishment Tribe's Thunder Division capable of holding the banner! Just now, I was tempering my 'Calamity-Breaking Thunder Spear' on the 'Thunder-Tempering Cliff' over there when I suddenly sensed a novel, strangely vital Point-Light Thunder intent arising from your direction, disturbing the thunder spirits—not only that, but it even drew a wisp of the original gift imprint from the 'Spirit of the Thunder Source' deep in the lightning waterfall, which has lived who-knows-how-many tens of thousands of years! I'm curious—here in this Thunder Valley, besides us regulars, who else could cause such a commotion? So I came over to check out the excitement!"

He spoke extremely fast, his voice loud and clear, like a string of firecrackers, yet his words were orderly.

"Upon seeing this, hey! It's actually you, this human kid! Young in age, solid in cultivation, and rarer still, this intent…" Leizhen leaned in closer, nostrils flaring, as if savoring Wang Ping's thunder intent, "Your five-phase foundation is rock-solid, actually able to evolve thunder's birth and destruction from the five phases… Marvelous! Truly marvelous! My Heaven Punishment Thunder Law emphasizes utmost yang and utmost yin, judging all things, destroying and cleansing! Your path, while perhaps slightly lacking in rigidity, is endlessly variable, with enduring strength—especially against yin impurities and evil objects, soul attacks, it might have extraordinary effects! To succeed in Point-Light by borrowing its power in that deadly place at the edge of the lightning waterfall, not torn to shreds, kid, you've got guts! And real skill! I, Leizhen, acknowledge you as my friend!"

His words rang clear, his eyes blazing, this appreciation and recognition utterly genuine, carrying the Heaven Punishment Tribe's unique straightforwardness in judging friendship by strength and character.

Before his voice faded, Leizhen seemed to think of something; his big hand plunged into a seemingly crude leather pouch at his waist that actually concealed spatial fluctuations, pulling out a strange mineral about the size of a human fist, entirely deep dark purple, within which liquid-like silver-white lightning flowed and sank slowly. As soon as the mineral appeared, the surrounding thunder spirit energy paused slightly, then, as if paying homage to a king, gradually gathered toward it, exuding a pure, vast, almost nourishing-to-all-thunder-source immense aura.

"Here, take it!" Leizhen glanced not, casually tossing the obviously precious mineral toward Wang Ping, as if throwing an ordinary stone.

Wang Ping instinctively reached out and caught it; upon contact, it felt heavy—had his body not been strengthened by thunder baptism, he might have fumbled. A gentle, rich power, yet containing endless thunderous vitality, silently entered through his Laogong acupoint in the palm, instantly reaching his limbs and bones. In his dantian, the recently born, still "tender" gold lightning dragon phantom, as if smelling a supreme delicacy, suddenly raised its head and let out a soundless, joyous clear cry, conveying extreme longing and comfort.

This mineral… Wang Ping's heart shuddered. With his current Point-Light Realm insight and perception, he immediately judged this object far from ordinary! The thunder origin within it was so pure it even surpassed the ancient thunder spark he had drawn from the golden lightning waterfall, and its nature was balanced and mild, extremely easy to absorb, wondrously effective for consolidating the Point-Light Realm, nourishing the thunder source, and accelerating thunder spirit growth! Its value might well cause many Nascent Soul cultivators who practice thunder arts to red-eyed with envy!

"Leizhen Daoist, this object… is too precious; I, Wang, feel unworthy to accept it." Wang Ping was not being pretentious; he knew well that debts of favor in the cultivation world are hard to repay, especially since the other party was a special-status, powerful Heaven Punishment Tribe prodigy. On first meeting, receiving a generous gift, he could not help but feel wary, pondering whether there might be deeper meaning.

"Precious? Unworthy?" Leizhen heard this, his copper-bell eyes instantly widening further, his face showing a hint of impatience and the expression of "Why are you being so fussy?" "This 'Thunder Source Stone' may be uncommon, but in the several secret thunder pools our Heaven Punishment Tribe specially cultivates, a batch appears every few years! I myself mainly cultivate the most explosive 'Calamity-Breaking Thunder Intent,' so this balanced, mild stuff is of little use to me—I still have several pieces in storage! Take it, just take it! Hemming and hawing, not the slightest bit refreshing, like a woman!"

His tone was decisive, carrying an undeniable domineering air, then he grinned: "I take a liking to you, feel your 'Birth-and-Destruction Thunder Intent' has limitless potential; on the great path ahead, we might yet mutually verify and refine each other. This stone, consider it my early investment in you! If you feel indebted, later when your cultivation rises and you obtain something suitable for my 'Calamity-Breaking Thunder Intent,' just repay me then!"

This speech was blunt and candid, laying bare his intent—appreciating your potential, willing to early-bond and invest. This open-hearted attitude actually dispelled much of Wang Ping's doubt. He carefully studied Leizhen's expression: only saw clear eyes, frank demeanor, and between the brows a heroic spirit—certainly not a deceitful villain.

After a brief pondering, Wang Ping ceased refusing, solemnly storing the warm-to-the-touch, thunder-origin-packed "Thunder Source Stone" into his close-fitting storage bag, then clasped his hands again, this time more sincerely: "Leizhen Daoist, your boldness reaches the clouds, your heart open and broad—I, Wang, admire you. Having received your generous gift, I, Wang Ping, accept it gratefully! Should I ever achieve something, I will never forget your gift of this stone today!"

"That's the way! Hemming and hawing's not like a man who can Point-Light in the thunder waterfall!" Leizhen saw Wang Ping store the Thunder Source Stone, his brows instantly lifting in delight, he clapped Wang Ping's shoulder hard (the force making Wang Ping inwardly gasp), then shifted tone, his eyes blazing with the excitement of discovering new prey.

"Older Brother Wang, you've just succeeded in Point-Light; your realm may be stable, but newly acquired thunder intent and thunder law need real combat to hone and polish before they can truly become yours, fully integrated. Mere seated cultivation won't do! Coincidentally, I know that below this thunder waterfall, near the outer edge of the true 'Myriad Thunder Pool,' in the 'Thousand-Pillar Stone Forest,' a large flock of 'Thunder Owls' roosts. These creatures are formed from this place's dense thunder spirit energy mixed with the lingering souls and resentments of ancient ferocious birds that fell, lying between essence and demon, low in intelligence but moving in flocks, most skilled at jointly laying the 'Thousand Owl Yin Thunder Net'—not only powerful, but the net's contained yin evil thunder poison can contaminate magic treasures and harm souls, quite troublesome. Moreover, the 'Thunder Owl Essence' nurtured within their bodies, for stabilizing our Point-Light Realm thunder source, is effective several times over ordinary thunder crystals!"

Leizhen licked his lips, a look of eagerness to try: "I previously stormed in alone twice, but that flock of feathered beasts was too numerous, too coordinated; my 'Calamity-Breaking Thunder Spear' was strong in direct force but lacked in area damage and dealing with yin qi, so each time I killed a batch then had to retreat, never able to fully take their nest, nor find where they store the 'Thunder Essence,' always feeling I'd lost out! How about it, Older Brother Wang, interested in teaming up with me for a big score? Your 'Birth-and-Destruction Thunder Intent' naturally counters yin impurities, its area purification effect will surely be top-notch! We two cooperate—you control the field, purify, weaken; I lead the assault, break the formation, slay—certainly twice the result with half the effort! The gained 'Thunder Owl Essence' and any possible 'Thunder Essence' we find, we'll split fifty-fifty—how's that?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ping's heart stirred.

He urgently needed a true battle to test the combat power of his newly acquired "Five-Phase Birth-and-Destruction Divine Thunder," familiarize its traits, and fully integrate his new power system. Leizhen was strong, his character hearty and direct; though first meeting, from his words and deeds he seemed a worthy short-term trustworthy partner. Moreover, Leizhen was obviously more familiar with the Thunder Canyon's internal environment; with him leading, much scouting could be spared, safety increased.

"Leizhen Daoist invites—would I dare not obey?" Wang Ping's eyes also flashed a hint of sharp light, nodding in agreement: "Perfect to test this newly acquired method. Please, Daoist, lead the way and inform me of the Thunder Owls' traits and countermeasures."

"Hahaha! Refreshing! This suits my taste!" Leizhen laughed loudly, his surrounding blazing white lightning surging again, "Follow me! I'll tell you details along the way!"

Before his voice faded, he had already transformed into a thick bolt of blazing white thunderbolt, shooting first toward a certain spot east-southeast of the thunder waterfall's lower reaches, the lightning's passage ionizing the air into a faint burnt smell.

Wang Ping became gold-and-cyan lightning, closely following. Two streaks of lightning, differing in color but equally swift and domineering, one ahead, one behind, like two sharp swords, tearing through layer upon layer of thunderclouds and electric curtains, diving deeper into the Thunder Valley.

Along the way, Leizhen transmitted via divine sense, quickly informing Wang Ping of the Thunder Owls' detailed information.

Thunder Owls are a peculiar thunder spirit bred in this place's special environment, owl-shaped, wingspan up to about ten zhang, their entire bodies composed of dark purple or gray-black yin thunder, eye sockets holding pallid vengeful spirit thunder fire. Their intelligence is low, yet they retain some feral bird instincts, flying swiftly, especially adept at group combat. Usually led by one or several "Owl Kings," they can command hundreds or thousands of ordinary Thunder Owls to lay the "Thousand Owl Yin Thunder Net"—this net combines physical bombardment and soul erosion, extremely hard to deal with. When Thunder Owls die, their core condenses into "Thunder Owl Essence," a pure thunder spirit soul crystal, wondrous for Point-Light cultivators to nurture their thunder source and strengthen their souls. And sometimes, deep in their nests, a more pure liquid "Thunder Essence" gathers—this place's thunder essence concentrated, higher in value, significantly effective for consolidating realms and boosting thunder law power.

"When we arrive, I'll first use 'Thunderclap Shock' and 'Calamity-Breaking Thunder Spear' to forcibly tear their formation, disrupt their command. Older Brother Wang, you immediately unleash your Birth-and-Destruction Thunder Domain, the larger the better, focus on weakening the Owl Kings and those trying to reorganize formation, purifying their yin evil thunder poison. We'll seize the chance to advance, strike straight at the heart!" Leizhen quickly devised a simple tactic.

"Understood." Wang Ping replied briefly, his divine sense already highly focused, the faint gold lightning dragon phantom in his body circling and lowly humming, ready to erupt at any moment.

Not long after, the scenery ahead changed greatly. The vertical bombardment of the thunder waterfall here became sparse, replaced by a vast expanse of countless stone pillars, each up to a hundred zhang tall, entirely scorched black, in myriad strange shapes, forming the "Stone Forest." These pillars, long struck by lightning, had surfaces smooth as mirrors, some even showing a glazed texture, interlaced and standing, forming an extremely complex maze. Within the Stone Forest, thunder was no longer violent descent but, like a living thing, flowed, refracted, and resonated between pillars, emitting a low hum, the light thus becoming strange and variegated, vision greatly obstructed.

Even more unpleasant, the air was permeated with a faint, chilly, decay-and-resentment-laden aura, utterly different from the pure violent destruction felt elsewhere in the Thunder Valley.

"This is it! Thousand-Pillar Stone Forest! That flock of feathered beasts' lair!" Leizhen halted, his blazing white lightning slightly retracting, his sharp eyes scanning the complex Stone Forest below, low-voiced: "Be careful, their perception is very keen, especially toward foreign thunder aura…"

His words had not finished falling, as if to prove him right.

"Gua——!!!"

A sharp, piercing cry, as if able to pierce eardrums and stab the soul, exploded from deep within the Stone Forest! This cry, like a signal, instantly caused hundreds or thousands of responding strange cries to erupt from all corners of the Stone Forest, gathering into a scalp-numbing death chorus!

Immediately after, sheets of "black clouds" burst out from behind those massive stone pillars, from between cracks! They were not true clouds, but a vast flock composed of countless Thunder Owls! They flapped their yin-thunder wings, emitting mind-disturbing noise, the pallid thunder fire in their eye sockets jumping with cruel and hungry light, as if they had found fresh bloody food.

Leading were three exceptionally large Thunder Owls, wingspan nearing two zhang, bodies dark gold-purple, crowns of condensed lightning on their heads—"Thunder Owl Kings"! They emitted even sharper, piercing commanding cries.

The next moment, a shocking scene appeared.

Only seen: under the command of the three Owl Kings, the tens of thousands of Thunder Owls rapidly shifted formation in midair, their aura linking via some mysterious method. They simultaneously opened their yin-thunder beaks, spitting out gray-black thunder poison mixed with pallid light threads!

This thunder poison was not chaotic spitting but, like a trained army, in midair rapidly intertwining and weaving, in the blink of an eye forming a vast thunder net covering nearly two hundred zhang in radius, blocking sky and earth—the "Thousand Owl Yin Thunder Net"!

As soon as this net formed, it emitted a heart-pounding pressure.

Lightning flowed across the net; it contained not only terrifying physical attack power capable of piercing a Golden Core cultivator's protective spiritual light, but also a thick, un-dissipable chill, decay, and vengeful aura, this aura seeming alive, actively moving to entwine and erode Wang Ping and Leizhen's souls, attempting to provoke inner demons, freeze thought!

"Attack!" Leizhen's eyes held no fear, only burning battle intent; he roared loudly, voice like heavenly thunder falling, "Thunderclap Shock Soul, Calamity-Breaking Spear, give me open!"

He fiercely slammed his fists together before his chest!

"Boom——!!!"

A visible ring of shockwave, mixed with blazing white thunder and violent sound waves, exploded from him as center, instantly sweeping over the vast flock of Thunder Owls ahead!

This "Thunderclap Shock" was not direct damage but carried extremely strong shock and interference effects, especially on low-intelligence Thunder Owls and their fragile soul links.

Instantly, the front-rank Thunder Owls' formation showed clear disorder and stiffness, the forming yin-thunder net also rippling with unstable waves.

At the same time, behind Leizhen, a spear formed entirely of ultimate compressed radiant white destructive thunder, three zhang long, its shaft wrapped in countless fine thunder runes, the "Calamity-Breaking Thunder Spear" phantom suddenly appeared! The spear tip emitted a cold gleam, as if it could pierce the heavens and judge all things!

Go!

Lei Zhen pointed his fingers like a spear and thrust forward fiercely!

Boom——!!!

The Shattering Tribulation Thunder Spear transformed into a blazing white meteor that tore heaven and split earth, striking with unstoppable force toward the very center of the newly formed, unstable Thousand Owl Yin Thunder Net, which was being disrupted by the "Thunderclap Shock"!

There was no stalemate, only the ultimate clash of destruction!

The blazing white and ashen-black thunder lights collided like two stars, erupting in a blinding light that obscured vision and a deafening roar! The destructive shockwave spread outward in a ring, shaking nearby dozens of stone pillars until they cracked profusely, sending stone fragments flying!

The seemingly boundless Thousand Owl Yin Thunder Net, before the utmost yang and utmost rigid "Shattering Tribulation Thunder Intent" that specializes in destroying evil—especially when caught at its most fragile moment of formation—was torn apart like rotten cloth, leaving a huge gap over fifty zhang in diameter! Countless yin-corrupted thunder fiends composing the net were evaporated and purified; hundreds of Thunder Owls in the blast core didn't even have time to scream before vanishing into ash and smoke, leaving only faint glimmers of soul essence.

The three Thunder Owl Kings let out sharp cries mingling anger and fear, desperately driving the remaining Thunder Owls to try to plug the gap and recondense the yin thunder fiendish energy.

"Now, Brother Wang!" Lei Zhen maintained the thunder spear thrust and shouted loudly, his face slightly pale, clearly this strike had taken a toll, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's.

Wang Ping, long prepared, activated the faint golden thunder dragon within his dantian to the fullest the moment Lei Zhen struck.

"Five Phases turn, life and death follow the heart—Thunder Domain, open!"

He pressed his hands forward in the air, voice calm, yet carrying an ineffable Daoic aura of authority.

Hum——!!!

With Wang Ping's standing point as center, a patch of faint golden, near-transparent radiance rippled outward like water waves, instantly covering a hundred-zhang area ahead, perfectly enveloping the gap torn by Lei Zhen and the numerous Thunder Owls nearby!

This faint golden light was not blazing, yet carried a silent, unstoppable purifying and life-death power. Any Thunder Owl enveloped by this "Life-Death Thunder Domain" saw its surface layer of ashen-black yin-corrupted thunder light, like snow under a scorching sun, rapidly melt and dissolve at visible speed! Their soul-corrosive resentment, upon touching the domain, was silently neutralized and dispersed by the domain's inherent "rebirth" and "purification" Daoic resonance, vanishing into nothing!

More wondrously, within the Thunder Domain, faint golden thunder arcs leapt, not merely destructive. Among the purified yin-corrupted thunder fiends, threads of relatively pure thunder origin were drawn out by the domain and fed back into it, subtly strengthening its power, forming a delicate cycle.

"How... how profound this thunder intent is!" Lei Zhen, who was controlling the Shattering Tribulation Thunder Spear to expand his victory, felt the effect of the Life-Death Thunder Domain, and his eyes blazed with even stronger light. He had thought Wang Ping's thunder arts merely excelled at restraining yin corruption, but never imagined such area-wide purification and "turning enemy power into one's own" marvel! This was practically a divine ability tailor-made for dealing with such group-type, status-afflicted enemies!

"Excellent!" Lei Zhen's spirit lifted, pressure suddenly eased. He no longer needed to divide attention to resist the yin thunder fiendish energy's corrosion of his soul and spirit, and could now fully focus on offensive tactics.

"Thunderstorm Chain!" Lei Zhen let out a long cry, swinging his hands repeatedly; one after another, fist-sized, extremely compressed blazing white thunder balls shot like linked cannon fire into the Thunder Owl swarm, specifically targeting those weakened by the Life-Death Thunder Domain, attempting to regroup or lunge at Wang Ping—each explosion obliterated a cluster!

Wang Ping stood at the center of the Thunder Domain, like a sovereign commanding the birth and death of thunder. He pointed his fingers like swords; wherever his intention reached, strands of refined, silk-like faint golden thunder arcs shot out from the domain, precisely picking off the stragglers, especially the three Thunder Owl Kings constantly crying out, trying to regroup. His thunder arcs were not only astonishingly fast but also carried a will of "judgment" and "purification"; for Thunder Owls continuously weakened by the Life-Death Thunder Domain, they were nearly shattered on contact, their core "Thunder Owl soul essence" easily stripped away.

One led the assault, the other controlled the field and purified; though their coordination was a first, it was surprisingly seamless. Lei Zhen's unmatched ferocity was like a heavy hammer, shattering the Thunder Owl swarm's exterior and formation; Wang Ping's profound Life-Death was like an omnipresent purifying net, continuously weakening, dividing, and striking precisely. Under this complementary assault, the countless Thunder Owl army showed a one-sided collapse.

In less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the originally sky-covering Thunder Owl horde was nearly wiped out, leaving only scattered cries and drifting soul essences. The three Thunder Owl Kings, under Lei Zhen's focused attention and Wang Ping's precise strikes, fell one after another, leaving behind three exceptionally large, brilliantly glowing "Thunder Owl King Soul Essences."

The battle ended, the stone forest returned to its eerie silence, only the air still carrying undissipated thunder spirit vibrations and a faint burnt smell, telling of the recent intensity.

"Satisfying! Hahaha! So damn satisfying!" Lei Zhen withdrew the thunder spear phantom, laughed heartily, his face showing fatigue but glowing with excitement, "Brother Wang, your Thunder Domain is truly divine! With you beside me, dealing with these things is more than twice as easy! From now on, whenever there's this kind of dirty work, I'll definitely call you!"

Wang Ping also breathed slightly, maintaining such a vast Life-Death Thunder Domain consumed spirit power and divine sense just as much, but the effect was indeed outstanding. He waved his hand to collect the floating Thunder Owl soul essences belonging to him—including the three Thunder Owl King Soul Essences—into his hand; they felt warm and moist, soul power pure and surging, indeed excellent for consolidating a stable thunder spirit source.

"Daoist Lei Zhen attacks without equal, breaks formations and crushes strength; I, Wang, merely assisted slightly." Wang Ping said politely, having gained a more direct understanding of Lei Zhen's strength. His "Shattering Tribulation Thunder Intent" was indeed overbearing and peerless, his frontal assault capability extremely strong.

"Cut the modest talk, we're a perfect match!" Lei Zhen waved his hand grandly, appearing quite pleased, then his eyes flashed, "Come on, strike while the iron's hot, let's dig out their lair! This bunch of feathered beasts has occupied this place for years; they must have hoarded quite some good stuff!"

After a brief rest, the two followed Lei Zhen as he led the way, sneaking toward the deeper part of the stone forest where yin corruption was strongest and thunder spirit faintly gathered.

Along the way, they cleared a few more waves of scattered Thunder Owls that had luckily missed the earlier battle; soon they reached a hidden cave entrance nestled among several of the thickest stone pillars. The mouth was sealed by a layer of black yin thunder barrier, emitting a strong repellent and corrosive aura.

"Hah, petty tricks!" Lei Zhen snorted coldly, pointed a finger, and a condensed blazing white thunder light like a needle pierced a weak node in the barrier; the yin thunder barrier violently fluctuated, then shattered like a bubble and vanished.

Inside, the cave was spacious and dry, without the expected stench, instead filled with pure thunder aura, though a yin chill still lingered. Deep within, there was a naturally formed pool about a zhang square, not with water but with about half a chi deep of magnificent purple-gold liquid, viscous as honey, with specks of starlike thunder light floating within—exactly the more precious "Thunder Essence" compared to "Thunder Owl Soul Essence."

Beside the pool lay scattered high-quality thunder crystals and several chunks of unconsumed thunder source stone.

"Haha! Indeed there's goods! And plenty!" Lei Zhen's eyes lit up, he strode forward, took out two pre-prepared special jade bottles engraved with spirit-sealing formations, skillfully split the purple-gold thunder liquid in half, filled the bottles, and handed one to Wang Ping.

"Whoever sees it gets a share, one half each! These scattered thunder crystals and chunks are also split evenly!" Lei Zhen was very straightforward.

Wang Ping took the jade bottle, felt its slight weight; even through the bottle and seal, he could sense the pure, gentle yet boundless thunder origin power within, far superior to the thunder liquid he had previously consumed by more than a notch! He respectfully put it away: "Thank you, Daoist Lei Zhen."

"What courtesy, it's all ours from our own fight!" Lei Zhen didn't care, took a few drops of thunder liquid himself, instantly his entire body's blazing white thunder light condensed a bit more, his fatigue gone.

Wang Ping was equally unceremonious, sat cross-legged then, opened the jade bottle stopper, and carefully poured three drops of purple-gold thunder liquid into his mouth.

The thunder liquid entering his throat did not bring the imagined violent impact, but like a warm, sweet nectar and jade dew, instantly dissolved into countless fine, pure warm currents, rapidly merging into his limbs and bones, ultimately all rivers returning to the sea, gathering in his dantian.

In his dantian, the faint golden thunder dragon phantom, like long drought meeting sweet rain, let out an exultant dragon roar (on the divine sense level), its body jerked violently, greedily devouring this ultimate pure thunder origin.

Nourished by the thunder liquid, the thunder dragon phantom became visibly more solid, its outline clearer, scales flowing with azure-purple life-death thunder patterns, lively and extraordinary; the "thunder intent" it emitted became more rounded and stable, its connection with Wang Ping's soul and spirit growing ever tighter as one.

Moreover, this warm current from the high-quality thunder essence further cleansed and nourished his meridians, flesh, bones, and even golden core.

Just having broken through to the peak of late Golden Core, this influx of power completely solidified it, leaving no trace of emptiness.

Spirit power surged and filled, purity rose another level, the golden core's surface, where faint gold and azure-purple Dao patterns intertwined, deepened slightly; as it slowly turned, it naturally exuded a profound, majestic, towering mighty aura.

About half an hour later, Wang Ping slowly opened his eyes, pupils shining with clear, deep light, a fleeting flash of thunder birth-death scenery, his entire aura becoming more settled and inward, yet giving the impression of being able to erupt at any moment with earth-shaking power.

The Point Spirit Realm was completely stabilized, cultivation foundation extremely solid, combat power noticeably increased compared to when he first emerged from the Thunder Waterfall.

Lei Zhen had also finished resting, seeing Wang Ping awake, he smiled: "How? Not bad, this thunder essence effect?"

"Outstanding, thank you, Brother Lei Zhen." Wang Ping this time addressed him more familiarly; this cooperation had improved his impression of Lei Zhen.

"Haha, good! In this Thunder Valley, there are still a few places with such 'little surprises,' though most have been divided among us several clans and those powerful clans; what's left is either too dangerous or not worth much."

Lei Zhen stood up, patted the non-existent dust off his body, "Brother Wang, what's your plan next? Continue training in Thunder Valley, or go elsewhere for opportunities?"

Wang Ping also stood up, gazing toward the cave mouth: "This place's gains have far exceeded expectations; I plan to go deep into the secret realm to find a place crucial to me."

"Oh? The Myriad Laws Pool?" Lei Zhen raised his eyebrows, clearly having heard of this place.

"Exactly."

"That's indeed a good place, and also a major vortex." Lei Zhen stroked his chin, "Alright, then I won't delay you. If we ever get the chance, come to Thunder Valley again, or meet outside, let's have a good exchange of thunder arts! Your Life-Death Path, I've been eyeing it eagerly; I'll have to study it well later, see if I can integrate it into my Shattering Tribulation Thunder Intent!"

"I'll always be ready for your guidance, Brother Lei Zhen." Wang Ping smiled and clasped hands. This encounter with Lei Zhen not only gained precious resources and stabilized his realm, but also made a friend of similar temperament and great strength—a delightful surprise.

After parting with Lei Zhen, who still wanted to wander nearby to check for any stragglers, Wang Ping left alone the Thousand-Pillar Stone Forest, turned upward, and broke out of the Thunder Cloud Gorge.

When he again stood on that crimson ridge, looking down at the direction still flashing with lightning and thunder, as if eternal since ancient times, his heart held no ripple, only a calm tempered by experience and firm resolve in his path.

Having determined his direction, he turned into a streak of non-showy yet extremely swift cyan-gold escape light, heading toward the position indicated by the Great One of Qingyu, where the Five Phases converge in the secret realm's depths, and sped away.

However, just after he left the Thunder Valley region by about a thousand li, passing through the edge of a strangely shaped, deathly silent wasteland, an unexpected change occurred again.

Not an external enemy, nor a heavenly disaster, but originating from deep within his body, that steady, heavy force carrying the Five Phases foundation—the Earth Phase Spirit Power!

The Earth Phase Spirit Power, which had always operated smoothly, silently supporting the other four phase spirit powers like the earth, now began to accelerate its flow without any omen; and simultaneously, his "Thick Earth Technique," cultivated to the peak of "Transformation of Things," having already touched a hint of the true meaning of "gravity" and "bearing," produced a strange yet clear resonance wave!

This fluctuation was not chaotic, but carried a steady, desolate pulse, as if coming from the deepest depths of the earth, spanning endless ages!

Almost at the moment this resonance arose, Wang Ping's swiftly moving figure suddenly sank downward!

It was not due to insufficient spiritual power or bodily fatigue, but a real, tangible sense of "heaviness" pressing upon him from the outside world!

It seemed that this dark red land, scarred with twisted fissures and eerie subsidence pits, inherently possessed gravitational rules that, in that instant, suddenly intensified severalfold against him!

With his current peak late Golden Core cultivation, having undergone repeated tempering by lightning, his formidable fleshly body still felt a momentary stagnation, as if trapped in an invisible mire, his escape light speed sharply diminished!

Even more shocking to his mind and spirit was that, accompanying this abnormal heaviness and the resonance of his earth-attribute spiritual power within, a faint yet extraordinarily clear summons, directly reaching the depths of his mind and spirit, quietly arrived along the resonance's channel!