Chapter 64: The Thunder God's Legacy, Trial of the Canyon
Yu Yuanchen left Dragon City and headed straight west.
He did not intentionally seek speed, but instead followed the intermittent yet increasingly clear guidance coming from the Thunder Law Imprint on his brow, flying through the air at a relatively steady pace. A purple-gold stream of light streaked across mountains, rivers, towns, and wilderness, gradually leaving the bustling human World behind and delving deep into the increasingly desolate and primitive regions of the western continent.
The further west he traveled, the more ancient and vast the aura of heaven and earth became. Human presence grew scarcer, replaced by rolling, densely vegetated primitive mountain ranges and boundless wilderness.
The thunder element in the air also became exceptionally active; thunderclouds could often be seen gathering on the distant horizon, with electric snakes dancing wildly and thunder rumbling incessantly. Such an environment could be described as harsh for an ordinary Soul Master, but for Yu Yuanchen, who possessed Ultimate Lightning, it was like a fish in water, and the circulation of Soul Power throughout his body felt several points smoother.
He traveled day and night, occasionally stopping to adjust his breathing and sense the rhythm of the thunder between heaven and earth, cross-referencing it with his own Thunder True Essence. His cultivation progressed imperceptibly, and his control over thunder became even more delicate and nuanced. That mysterious sense of summoning was like a lighthouse in the dark, guiding his forward direction, getting closer and clearer.
Three months later, he had delved deep into the heart of the western continent, and the surroundings were now a true no-man's land. Beneath his feet was a boundless wasteland and Gobi desert, eroded into thousands of gullies by wind and sand, while in the distance stood continuous, towering mountain ranges like the spine of a giant dragon.
The thunder element in the air was so dense it had almost materialized into substance, and every breath carried a faint numbing sensation. The sky was perennially shrouded in heavy, lead-gray clouds, and the low rumble of thunder seemed like an eternal echo from ancient times.
Finally, before a deep, bottomless canyon that looked as if it had been split open by a giant god's axe, Yu Yuanchen came to a halt.
The thunder rune on his brow grew hotter than ever before, vibrating violently and emitting a joyful, buzzing hum. That sense of summoning from the depths of his Bloodline reached its peak here! Without a doubt, the "miracle" he was searching for was within this terrifying canyon that exuded an aura where ancient desolation, destruction, and vitality coexisted.
Yu Yuanchen hovered at the edge of the canyon and looked down. He saw that the rock walls on both sides were as steep as if carved by knives and axes, showing a dark purple hue after being repeatedly scorched and tempered by lightning, smooth as a mirror yet covered in countless lightning scorch marks of varying depths. Deep within the canyon, a thick, impenetrable purple-black thunder mist permeated, making it difficult for the eyes to pierce through, and from within, heart-pounding energy fluctuations and muffled booms faintly echoed.
Even he could feel the terrifying power of destruction contained deep within the canyon. This was by no means a safe place!
But his eyes were firm, without the slightest hesitation. How could an Opportunity to become a god be easily obtained? Dangerous environments were often accompanied by the greatest opportunities.
He took a deep breath as purple-gold thunder light flowed around him. The Heavenly Tribulation Holy Dragon Domain opened slightly to protect his body, his Holy Dragon True Body activated, and with a flap of the dragon wings behind him, he flew resolutely into that bottomless thunder canyon like a falling star!
As soon as he entered the canyon, the surrounding scene changed abruptly!
Violent and chaotic thunder power squeezed in from all directions like a raging sea, frantically battering his Domain shield and emitting a piercing, sizzling sound. As far as the eye could see, there were racing and darting electric snakes of various colors—deep purple, dark red, pale blue... their colors were different, and their attributes were also completely distinct. Some were extremely Yang and rigid, full of the aura of destruction; some were feminine and treacherous, carrying the power to corrode the mind; and some even seemed to possess Life and intelligence, actively gathering into the forms of thunder beasts and pouncing with a roar!
The thunder here was not simple natural energy, but seemed to contain some ancient will and trial!
Yu Yuanchen did not dare to be careless, shrinking his Domain to a three-zhang radius, making it as solid as substance. He did not simply resist blindly but operated the Five Thunders Orthodox Method, carefully sensing the characteristics of different attributes of thunder. At times, he used the sharpness of Geng Metal Divine Thunder to clear the path; at times, he used the softness of Gui Water Divine Thunder to neutralize corrosion; and at times, he used the heaviness of Wu Earth Divine Thunder to stabilize the Domain... He utilized his understanding of thunder to the extreme, like a master helmsman steering a small boat, diving downward with difficulty but stability through the violent sea of thunder.
The further down he went, the greater the pressure and the more terrifying the power of the thunder became. Even some highly condensed, deep-colored thunder crystals that seemed to have physical form began to appear, striking the Domain like cannonballs and causing Yu Yuanchen's blood and Qi to churn.
On the way, he even encountered several strange Soul Beasts formed entirely of pure thunder energy. They took various forms, some like thunderbirds, some like electric pythons, and some like Qilins. Their strength was at least comparable to ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts, and the strongest few even brought him a sense of pressure close to that of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast! They seemed to be the natural guardians of this thunder canyon, harboring great hostility toward intruders.
Yu Yuanchen did not wish to get too entangled. Relying on the ghostly movement of the Swimming Dragon Steps combined with his dragon wings, he maneuvered around them in mid-air. When he truly couldn't avoid them, he used his thunder dragon spear to perform Thunder Dragon Shattering Void, breaking through at a single point to quickly dissipate their energy cores before continuing his descent. The battles were intense and brief, with every collision bursting forth brilliant thunder light that made the canyon walls rumble.
He didn't know how long he had been descending, how many thunder beasts he had defeated, or how many waves of thunder baptism he had endured. Just as Yu Yuanchen felt his Soul Power was heavily consumed and his Domain's light was slightly dimming, the scene ahead suddenly opened up!
He broke through that thick, violent layer of thunder mist and reached the very bottom of the canyon.
What lay before him was not the darkness and silence he had imagined, but a shocking and wondrous sight!
The bottom of the canyon was exceptionally wide, and the ground was level as if polished by some supreme power, presenting a translucent purple-gold color like a floor paved with massive thunder crystals. What permeated the air was no longer violent destructive energy, but a pure, gentle, yet incredibly vast thunder power, which was further mixed with a trace of... a holy, ancient, and supreme majestic aura!
In the center of this vast space stood a ruined yet still towering giant palace relic.
The palace was constructed entirely of an unknown dark-gold metal and purple crystals. Its style was ancient and grand, filled with the vicissitudes of time. Although it was in ruins, with most of the roof collapsed and walls covered in cracks, one could still imagine its majestic grandeur when it was intact. Especially on the remaining few giant stone pillars, countless profound and complex thunder runes and ancient murals were carved, depicting scenes of a Divinity who governed thunder conquering in all directions and judging all things, exuding a heart-pounding Divine Might.
And directly in front of the palace ruins stood a giant statue a hundred meters tall!
The statue's material was neither metal nor stone, presenting a deep purple-gold color as if condensed and solidified from endless thunder.
The statue's form was that of a majestic man wearing ancient battle armor with a blurred yet infinitely dignified face. His eyes were wide with anger as he looked up at the firmament, his right hand raised high as if holding an invisible thunder scepter to summon the Nine Heavens' thunder; his left hand was pressed down, palm facing the ground, as if to suppress all evil in the World! The entire statue exuded a boundless thunder Divine Might, appearing to be the source and center of the endless thunder of the entire canyon!
With just a single glance at the statue, Yu Yuanchen felt his Soul tremble, and the Thunder True Essence within his body boiled uncontrollably. The Thunder Law Imprint on his brow grew as hot as a branding iron, producing a strong resonance with the statue!
"Thunder God... ruins..." Yu Yuanchen murmured to himself, his heart surging with indescribable excitement and awe. What Qian Daoliu said was indeed true! This place was certainly an ancient Legacy site related to the Thunder God!
He slowly landed on that crystal-like ground and walked step by step toward that giant Thunder God statue. The closer he got, the stronger that holy, majestic, and vast thunder pressure became, as if scrutinizing his qualifications.
Finally, when he was a hundred paces from the statue, a sudden change occurred!
Buzz—!
The entire canyon shook violently! From within the eyes of that giant Thunder God statue, two substantial beams of purple-gold divine light suddenly burst forth, instantly enveloping Yu Yuanchen!
Yu Yuanchen only felt the scene before him change abruptly, and he found himself in a boundless, thunder-ravaged Chaos void! Before he could adapt to this sudden environment, a suffocating and terrifying pressure rushed toward him like a tsunami!
"Trialist..."
A grand, cold voice, devoid of any emotion, seemed to come from above the Nine Heavens, like a heavenly decree, exploding in the depths of his Soul.
"In the name of thunder, show your qualifications!"
Before the voice finished, the Chaos thunderclouds in front of him churned frantically, and blinding thunder light condensed, transforming into giant thunder figures hundreds of feet tall and as towering as mountains!
They were composed entirely of dazzling thunder energy and took various forms: some held giant thunder spears that tore through the void, some brandished thunder hammers entwined with destructive electric snakes, and some held thunder axes that seemed capable of splitting the World... A total of nine giants, like an invincible army under the ancient Thunder God, exuded a towering aura of slaughter and the purest will of thunder destruction!
Their cold eyes, composed of thunder light, simultaneously locked onto Yu Yuanchen. They took heavy strides and launched a charge! Every step they took made the entire Chaos void rumble and tremble, and the endless thunder light boiled along with them!
"Good!" Instead of fear, a blazing Battle Intent burned in Yu Yuanchen's eyes. He understood that this was not a collision of flesh and blood, but a final contest of spiritual will and the understanding of the Dao of thunder!
In his consciousness space, his Spiritual form instantly condensed, transforming into a majestic and holy purple-gold Thunder Saint Dragon. It let out a Soul-shaking dragon roar and took the initiative to meet that thunder army!
The first to arrive, a thunder-spear giant, swung its arm violently. That spear, composed of extremely compressed thunder power, carried a sharp whistle that pierced all things and tore through the Soul, thrusting straight at the head of the Holy Dragon that Yu Yuanchen had transformed into!
Yu Yuanchen's dragon eyes were cold. He neither dodged nor avoided, pushing the sharp characteristics of Geng Metal Divine Thunder on his dragon claws to the limit. The condensed and peerless purple-gold thunder light turned into five sharp edges that tore through everything, fiercely grabbing toward the thunder spear!
"Clang—!!"
An incredibly piercing sound of metal clashing echoed through the Spiritual space! At the point where the thunder spear and dragon claws collided, billions of blinding electric sparks exploded! The indestructible characteristic of Geng Metal Divine Thunder was displayed to the fullest, as he actually crushed the tip of that thunder spear! But the thunder-spear giant possessed infinite strength; the shattered thunder instantly reorganized, and its offensive did not diminish!
At the same time, from another side, a thunder-hammer giant had already closed in. Its massive thunder hammer smashed down like a mountain. Even before the hammer arrived, that terrifying pressure had already caused Yu Yuanchen's Spiritual form to fluctuate slightly!
"Defend!" Yu Yuanchen's dragon tail swung violently, and the heavy, solid power of Wu Earth Divine Thunder instantly erupted, condensing a solid shield flickering with dark-yellow thunder patterns at his side!
"Boom!!!"
The thunder hammer smashed heavily against the shield, erupting with a deafening roar! The Wutu thunder shield vibrated violently and countless cracks appeared, yet it ultimately did not break, firmly blocking this heavy blow! But the massive impact still shook Yu Yuanchen's Spiritual form.
Before he could catch his breath, the third and fourth giants had already attacked! A thunder axe slashed horizontally, tearing space; a thunder sword struck straight down, its sharpness fully revealed!
Yu Yuanchen took a deep breath, performing the Swimming Dragon Steps to the limit. His massive dragon body displayed incredible flexibility, twisting and maneuvering in the blink of an eye to narrowly avoid the fatal attacks. At the same time, he opened his dragon mouth, and Binghuo Divine Thunder erupted! It was no longer scattered thunder fire, but a highly condensed dark-red thunder ball containing extreme explosive energy, which accurately struck the chest of the axe-wielding giant!
"Explode!"
Boom! The thunder ball exploded violently, and the dual power of frantic fire and thunder instantly swallowed that giant, blowing its upper body to pieces! However, the thunder energy in the Chaos void quickly gathered, and the giant's shattered body actually began to rapidly reorganize!
"Endless? I must destroy their cores!" Yu Yuanchen realized instantly. Purple lightning flashed in his dragon eyes as his insight was pushed to the limit, instantly capturing an abnormally condensed, constantly pulsing energy core node in the chest of another sword-wielding giant!
"Gui Water Divine Thunder, Corrode!"
He gave up on head-on clashes. His dragon claws waved, and strands of invisible, intangible, extremely Yin and cold Guishui thunder power, like maggots on a bone, silently permeated the sword-wielding giant's body, accurately winding toward that energy core! Gui Water Divine Thunder did not excel in destructive power, but its extremely strong penetration and corrosion characteristics instantly interfered with the stable operation of the energy core!
The sword-wielding giant's movements suddenly stalled, and the thunder light on its body flickered violently, brightening and dimming erratically!
"Now! Gengjin Evil-Breaking!"
Yu Yuanchen seized this fleeting Opportunity, transforming into an extremely condensed purple-gold electric flash, like the World's sharpest drill bit. Breaking through at a single point, he instantly pierced the sword-wielding giant's chest and accurately struck that restless energy core!
"Puff—!"
With a soft sound like a bubble bursting, that energy core shattered! The sword-wielding giant's massive body stiffened and then collapsed with a bang, turning into countless scattered thunder lights that dissipated, no longer able to reorganize!
"It's effective!" Yu Yuanchen's spirit was lifted.
But the remaining thunder giants' attacks became even more frantic! They seemed to possess a simple combat intelligence, realizing Yu Yuanchen's threat. Their offensive became increasingly sharp, and their cooperation faintly formed an encirclement! Thunder spears came like a forest, thunder hammers shook the heavens and earth, and thunder axes blocked all directions!
Yu Yuanchen fell into a bitter struggle. He operated the Five Thunders Orthodox Method to the peak of his Life, calling upon the five thunder characteristics at will and switching them freely. At times, he used the sharpness of Geng Metal Divine Thunder to force his way through attacks; at times, he used the endless vitality of Yi Wood Divine Thunder to create countless thunder vines to entwine and delay the giants' movements; at times, he used Gui Water Divine Thunder to corrode their energy flow; at times, he used Binghuo Divine Thunder for wild explosions; and at times, he used Wu Earth Divine Thunder to stabilize his defense...
His combat style was no longer a simple clash of Spirit Abilities, but had risen to the level of exquisite application of the Law of thunder. Every dodge, every block, and every counterattack contained a profound understanding of the Dao of thunder. He was using different thunder attributes for restraint, guidance, and transformation, even trying to summon the violent thunder power in the surrounding Chaos void to backfire on the giants themselves!
The battle was incredibly intense. Scars were constantly added to the Thunder Saint Dragon that Yu Yuanchen had transformed into, dragon scales were shattered, thunder light dimmed, and the consumption of Spiritual Power was like an opened sluice gate. But his eyes remained as sharp as lightning, and his will was indestructible. He learned during the battle and transformed under pressure; all his past insights regarding thunder were constantly being integrated, even sparking new inspirations.
After an unknown amount of time, when the last giant holding a thunder hammer roared and charged, a flash of determination suddenly crossed Yu Yuanchen's eyes. He no longer dodged, but frantically poured his remaining Spiritual Power into his dragon claws. The three thunder attributes of Gengjin, Binghuo, and Wutu were forcibly fused, and a terrifying light that seemed capable of annihilating everything like the primordial Chaos blossomed on his dragon claws!
"Five Thunders Orthodox Method Fusion—Destruction Thunder Seal!"
He struck with a claw, and that Destruction Thunder Seal was silently imprinted onto the thunder-hammer giant's chest.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
The next instant—
BOOM!!!!!!!
An indescribable, terrifying explosion erupted from within the thunder-hammer giant! That Destruction Thunder Seal seemed to ignite all its energy; its body expanded violently from the inside out and then completely annihilated! The shockwave of the explosion also swept in the other few giants that were reorganizing, completely tearing them into the most primitive thunder particles...
The Chaos void suddenly quieted down. Only the scarred, dimly glowing Thunder Saint Dragon that Yu Yuanchen had transformed into remained, breathing slightly.
That grand voice rang out again, seemingly carrying a trace of imperceptible approval:
"Qualifications... verified."
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