Chapter 862: Capture

The ring was naturally obtained by He Pingsheng after slaying the true body of Qingqi Crown Prince.

It is his spoils of war.

Theoretically, it no longer belongs to Qingqi Crown Prince.

"I know!" Qingqi said: "But apart from this ring, I have no other magic treasures!"

"Hu Chen… where are you going?"

Here, Qingqi suddenly shouted out.

He Pingsheng's gaze subtly shifted, turning toward the valley exit not far away.

There, a presence was cautiously surging, wriggling while observing the surroundings.

He Pingsheng saw it was a figure—the Skyward Daoist who had come with him.

What?

Hu Chen?

"Do you know him?" He Pingsheng asked Qingqi Crown Prince.

Qingqi Crown Prince snorted coldly: "Of course I know him—he's a thief who fled from our Qingqi Imperial Domain!"

"Cunning and deceitful, never makes a losing deal!"

He Pingsheng's gaze narrowed again slightly.

Skyward Daoist… Hu Chen?

Which one is his real name?

Hu Chen's face showed a faint awkward smile; his current situation was extremely awkward.

Originally, when He Pingsheng and Qingqi were fighting, this was his best chance to flee.

Unfortunately, this fellow harbored the greed of a fisherman reaping the benefits, hoping the two would exhaust each other so he could seize the advantage.

He never expected He Pingsheng to be so formidable—a Void Refinement cultivator who had slain a Body Integration Qingqi Crown Prince.

Now he was stuck.

Since he was far from He Pingsheng's match, seizing the True Thunder was hopeless; since seizing the True Thunder was hopeless, he might as well leave.

He had barely moved when Qingqi Crown Prince exposed him.

"Hehehe…" Hu Chen chuckled awkwardly: "Er… cough… Master Taixu… I didn't deceive you—my real name is Hu Chen, but Skyward Daoist is truly my Dao title!"

He Pingsheng asked: "Will you swear to that?"

Hu Chen's face instantly darkened.

But his expression shifted swiftly; he grinned again: "Master Taixu, for our human race to have a genius like you is truly our fortune!"

"We're all human. Using a pseudonym while traveling isn't always deception!"

"I hope you understand!"

He Pingsheng nodded: "I understand…"

"Come over here!"

"I have no grudge against you—I won't make things difficult for you!"

"Come over…"

"Help me collect this True Thunder!"

"Oh oh oh… alright!" Hu Chen had no other choice.

He had already witnessed He Pingsheng's battle with Qingqi Crown Prince—he knew He Pingsheng could kill him in less than three moves.

Hu Chen obediently ran to He Pingsheng's side: "Master Wang, how would you like me to assist?"

He Pingsheng said: "Rest for now—I'll capture it tomorrow."

At this, Qingqi Crown Prince said: "No…"

"This True Thunder has gained sentience. Our battle here just startled it—better to collect it quickly before things grow complicated!"

He Pingsheng planned to collect it tomorrow, hoping the Binding Thunder Spell would be stronger after enhancement.

But after hearing Qingqi Crown Prince's words, he nodded: "Fine."

The Binding Thunder Spell was merely a chant.

It was not a divine technique or spell, so no insight was needed.

Simply combine magic power with spiritual sense while reciting the chant to produce its miraculous effect.

"Hu Chen Daoist!" He Pingsheng glanced at Hu Chen: "Your barrier is excellent—it can momentarily block the True Thunder."

"When I use the chant to seize it, if it tries to flee, you seize the chance to trap it!"

"Just hold it for one breath!"

"No problem!" Hu Chen patted his chest: "I can do it!"

"Hmm!"

He Pingsheng took a deep breath, reorganized the Binding Thunder Spell, then glanced coldly at Qingqi Crown Prince's soul: "If what you told me isn't the real Binding Thunder Spell, you won't live."

"Don't worry!" Qingqi Crown Prince said: "I won't deceive you. But… Master Wang Dun… hehe… I'm now in soul form, and I'm most vulnerable to thunder energy!"

"When you collect the True Thunder, please protect me—otherwise, I'll truly die…"

"Fellow Daoist, if you intend to claim the Capital Heaven Thunder, please protect me—otherwise, I truly will die..."

He Pingsheng smiled, then pulled out a small green banner: the Soul-Nourishing Banner.

This item was low-grade and hadn't been used in centuries.

But temporarily storing Qingqi Crown Prince's soul was still possible.

He Pingsheng sealed Qingqi Crown Prince's soul into the banner, then tossed the banner into his space ring.

He Pingsheng sealed the soul of Qingqi Crown Prince into the soul banner, then tossed the banner into his space ring.

Crackkkk…

On the rugged bark of the Five-Needle Pine, streaks of thunder energy flickered.

He Pingsheng extended his hand, pressing his palm against the pine's trunk, then unleashed his magic power and spiritual sense along its trunk downward.

Simultaneously, he recited the Binding Thunder Spell.

A cascade of incantations summoned peculiar cosmic rules from the void, flowing into the tree.

In that instant, the entire massive Five-Needle Pine glowed with silver light.

The pine turned silver.

Night fell!

The silver glow illuminated half the void—viewed from any direction, it was magnificent.

Deep underground, the True Thunder greedily devoured the Thunder Primordial Source.

It had gained sentience, though extremely primitive.

Soon, He Pingsheng's spiritual force mixed with magic power reached it.

At the same time, hollow chants tugged at cosmic rules.

At the same time, hollow incantations tugged at the rules of the void.

The Thunder Spirit trembled violently, instantly halting its absorption of thunder energy.

Then, the incantations bound it tightly, and the rule-force they summoned dragged it upward along the Five-Needle Pine's vast root system.

From roots to trunk, then He Pingsheng yanked it violently out of the trunk.

From the roots to the trunk, then He Pingsheng yanked it violently free from the trunk.

He Pingsheng roared and, with lightning speed, hurled the silver True Thunder directly into the artifact space of his Hongmeng Purple Gold Staff.

Once inside the artifact space, it could never escape.

Once inside this magic treasure's space, it would never be able to escape again.

"Roar roar roar roar…"

Inside the artifact space, the True Thunder transformed into a ten-thousand-zhang thunder dragon, smashing wildly against the walls.

Yet no matter how hard it tried, it could not break free.

He Pingsheng exhaled in relief, waved his hand, and retracted the artifact into his body.

The True Thunder was secured.

"Congratulations, Daoist! Congratulations!" Hu Chen bowed deeply beside He Pingsheng, smiling broadly.

"Congratulations, fellow cultivator, congratulations..." Hu Chen bowed low as he approached He Pingsheng, smiling broadly.