Chapter 65: Thunder‑Summoning Talisman Explodes!

Wan Tianjue never even in his dreams expected that the seemingly out‑of‑options Wang Shan actually had such a trick up his sleeve!

This is absolutely not a method that a qi‑refining cultivator should possess!

The sudden, as if enraged by something, raging thunder, dense and countless like a deity's wrath, poured down on him all at once!

What the hell is this damn thing?!

In the haste, Wan Tianjue only managed to pour all his Spiritual Power wildly into the Turtle Shell Round Shield above his head, while the Protective Body Light on his surface was driven to its limit, trying to fend off this sudden cataclysm.

He didn't even have time to think how Wang Shan did it; his survival instinct made him pin all hope on this upper‑grade defensive Magic Artifact.

Boom—!!!

A sound that seemed capable of tearing eardrums and shattering souls exploded in the narrow canyon!

The whole world was instantly swallowed by a blinding white light; nothing could be seen, only the furiously raging energy rampaging and colliding!

The Turtle Shell Round Shield above Wan Tianjue erupted with unprecedented dazzling yellow light, trembling violently like a lone boat in a stormy sea.

Above the Light Screen, fine cracks like spiderwebs spread rapidly at first, then the fissures quickly widened and deepened!

Crack!

A crisp, heart‑breaking sound rang unusually clear amid the deafening thunder.

The upper‑grade defensive Magic Artifact that had accompanied Wan Tianjue for years, its layered seemingly indestructible yellow Light Screen, shattered instantly like glass struck by a hammer!

Countless fragments mixed with drifting Spiritual Light were swept away by the raging thunder‑electric torrent!

The Magic Artifact broke?! Wan Tianjue felt his heart drop, a chill shooting from the soles of his feet straight to his Heavenly Crown!

Before he could react, stripped of the Turtle Shield's protection, the remaining dark‑purple terrifying thunder columns, like a raging dragon finding an outlet, struck solidly into his Protective Body Light!

Sizzle—!

Like molten oil splashed onto a red hot iron, the Protective Body Light on Wan Tianjue's surface, which could normally repel ordinary second‑tier spell attacks, was as fragile as a sheet of paper before this tribulation‑level thunder, and was instantly torn open with a huge gash!

Puff—!

Wan Tianjue only felt an indescribable terrifying force pierce his body in an instant, his organs churned into mush, his throat turned sweet, and a mouthful of scalding fresh blood spurted out uncontrollably!

The whole body felt as if struck head‑on by a high‑speed battering ram, losing all control, and flopped backward like a soft lump.

Bang!

He slammed heavily onto the hard, icy cliff wall dozens of zhang away; the rock cracked and sank, debris rattling down. Wan Tianjue slid down the cliff, finally crashing onto a protruding rock below, his body convulsed a few times then fell still, only the constant stream of blood from his mouth proving he was still alive.

"Hit it! Hit it! Haha! Old dog! Let you chase! Let you go mad!"

In front of the Control Console of the Black Feather Boat, Wang Shan, through the system's still heavily interfered yet barely able to display a fuzzy energy reaction scanning interface, saw the distant energy light spot representing Wan Tianjue dim like a candle in the wind, finally crashing into the mountain and falling; he could no longer suppress his inner exhilaration, slammed a fist onto the console, and burst into loud laughter.

Dammit, worth it! 700 Spirit Plant Points for half a life of this old dog, totally worth it! This was his hard‑saved capital, he'd been planning to save up for something good, never expected to spend it on this old dog so quickly. Still, watching the old dog get crushed finally let his breath smooth out!

However, the joy didn't last long.

Boom!

The aftershock of that terrifying thunderstorm spread like a tsunami, striking the already precarious Black Feather Boat hard.

Creak—Crack!

The Black Feather Boat jolted violently, existing cracks across the hull instantly widened, several spots even shattered outright, emitting a teeth‑aching sound. The raging energy turbulence poured back through the fissures, turning the cabin into utter wreckage.

Ugh...

A few clan members who had barely revived from the earlier jolts didn't even manage a hum before being knocked unconscious again by the violent impact, their fate unknown.

Wang Shan's complexion changed; he forced his exhilaration down, clenched the Control Compass with both hands, straining to keep the Black Feather Boat balanced while steering the wrecked vessel as far as possible from the core of the just‑exploded terrifying thunderstorm. The energy fluctuations there were now at chaotic extremes; if he lingered, even without being struck by lightning, the wreck would be torn apart by the energy storm!

On the other side, below the cliff wall.

"Cough… cough…" Wan Tianjue struggled, propping his upper body up from the rubble. He looked utterly miserable, his once‑splendid ceremonial robe now tattered like a beggar's, riddled with charred holes and dried bloodstains. His complexion was as pale as paper, no color at all, blood mixed with organ fragments constantly coughed from his mouth, his breath was wildly erratic, each inhalation pulling fierce pain.

Obviously, that blow gave him extremely severe internal injuries. Even his life‑bonded flying sword now glowed dimly, hovering beside him and trembling slightly, seemingly struggling even to maintain basic aerial control.

He lifted his head, gazing at the distant Black Feather Boat stumbling as it tried to flee; the eyes that usually bore pride and indifference now filled with incredulous fury and a hint… of fear?

How could this be?!

A Foundation Establishment cultivator! An ant in his eyes! Yet he could summon such terrifying Heavenly Tribulation!

Although the wave of the Thunder‑Summoning Talisman was faint, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he still vaguely sensed an unusual aura at the moment the Talisman burst and summoned thunder. That was definitely not the pattern of a natural thunderstorm! It was artificially induced!

What on earth is Wang Shan? What secrets does he hide? That dilapidated flying boat and such inconceivable methods… completely overturn his centuries‑long cultivation understanding!

This is like ripping his old face off, throwing it on the ground, stomping it a hundred times with shoes that stepped in dog shit, then spitting on it and tossing it into a pigsty to plaster the wall! An unspeakable humiliation! It's a disgrace Wan Tianjue has never endured in his life!

"Wang! Shan!" Wan Tianjue gritted his teeth, each syllable forced out of his gaps, brimming with endless venom and murderous intent.

But Wang Shan clearly wouldn't give him a chance to vent his anger.

While you're sick, I'll take your life! Though he couldn't directly slay this old dog, now is definitely the best chance to run for his life!

Wang Shan's eyes flashed with a sharp hue, without hesitation, he immediately fished the last rune emitting a faint blue light from his satchel.

One-Time Acceleration Rune (Lower Grade)! He had originally redeemed it in the system Mall as a precaution, never expecting it to actually come in handy.

Without any hesitation, Wang Shan violently poured the little remaining Spiritual Power in his body into the rune!

Buzz!

The rune lit up instantly, turning into a blue beam that merged into the Black Feather Boat's Energy Core.

The next moment, the already dilapidated Black Feather Boat thrust a powerful gust from its tail; the whole vessel shot forward like an arrow, its speed suddenly surging, racing toward the opposite end of the canyon where the lightning was sparser, a desperate dash!

"Want to run?!" Wan Tianjue saw it, his eyes widening to the brink, forcibly suppressing his surging blood, attempting to drive his flying sword to pursue.

But as soon as he tried to mobilize Spiritual Power, a searing pain tore through his chest, blackening his vision and nearly causing him to collapse again.

Damn the injuries! And this damned thunderstorm environment!

His Spiritual Sense was still heavily suppressed, the flying sword was unresponsive, and with the injury's drag his speed simply couldn't pick up!

He could only watch helplessly as that wrecked ship slipped like an eel into the forward lightning‑filled mist, quickly pulling away and soon vanishing beyond his line of sight.

"Puff!" Wan Tianjue could no longer hold back, another mouthful of reverse blood spurted out, his complexion paling even more.

Wang Shan! Wang Family! I, old man, will not rest until death!

On the Black Feather Boat, Wang Shan pushed the craft to its limits, weaving the flying boat through the lightning gaps while the system kept his eyes on the rear.

After confirming that Wan Tianjue that old dog hadn't immediately caught up, he let out a slight sigh of relief, but the urgency in his heart did not lessen at all.

He knows this is only temporary.

Wan Tianjue is, after all, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, whose recovery ability far exceeds that of ordinary people; although this injury is serious, it certainly won't be fatal. Once he catches his breath, or uses some secret Healing Pill, he will inevitably catch up again.

Moreover, the Black Feather Boat's condition was already near its limit. The aftershock of the thunderstorm just now further damaged the hull, the Energy Core was running in overload, and the Middle-Grade Spirit Stone was being consumed at a frightening rate; it likely couldn't hold out much longer.

Must! Must get out of this damned Thunderstorm Canyon as quickly as possible! Otherwise, what awaits them is still a dead end!

Wang Shan turned his head to glance at the unconscious—or fear‑staring—tribe members behind him, and his fists tightened involuntarily.

Charge out! Must charge out!

He drove the Black Feather Boat's speed to the extreme, plunging straight toward the canyon's exit.