95: Thunderous Slash, upgraded!

A dark shadow flashed past the window, and Shen Xiaochuan's pupils constricted slightly. This was the seventh time someone had tried to kill him. A strange odor permeated the air, like the lingering traces of a poisonous mist. He tightened his palm, quietly crushing a Thunder Light Bomb hidden in his sleeve.

He did not give chase. The enemy's position was unknown, and acting rashly would only lead him into an ambush. The most urgent task at hand was to become stronger.

He walked slowly toward the high platform of the temple and waved his hand, causing more than twenty golden treasure chests to appear on the ground. These were all spoils of war accumulated from defeating monsters in his early years, and they had remained unopened until now. Today, they would serve their purpose. His defense was too weak, and he relied entirely on skills in battle; once suppressed, it was difficult to turn the tide.

The first chest opened with a flash of golden light.

“Obtained [Dragon Whisker Fishing Rod], Quality: Excellent.”

Shen Xiaochuan frowned slightly. This rod could catch spirit fish, which was slightly beneficial for his Cultivation, but it had nothing to do with actual combat. He casually set it aside.

The second chest opened.

“Obtained [Vibranium Hammer], can be used to repair equipment, comes with a slight vibration effect.”

It was still a tool-type item, useless to him.

The third, the fourth... the next six or seven chests all contained Materials, apparatuses, or auxiliary props. There were no skill books, let alone the defensive skills he desperately needed. Opening each chest consumed fifty faith points, so more than twenty chests meant over a thousand points. This was no small expenditure, but he could not stop.

When the fifth chest yielded a [Soul-Shattering Hammer Forging Map], the sound of fighting suddenly erupted outside. A Patrol Captain rushed in to report: “Bloodstains have been discovered in the southeast corner of the Industrial Zone!”

The eighth chest lit up with radiance.

“Obtained B-grade skill book: Gale Steps.”

This was an evasion-type movement technique. Ling Feng had already mastered similar techniques, so he had no need to learn it.

The ninth chest opened, and the Rock Shield Technique appeared—an earth-attribute defensive skill. He specialized in the lightning element, and forcing himself to Cultivate this might damage his Meridians, so he had to give it up.

The tenth to fifteenth chests were opened one after another. Although he obtained a few pieces of armor and a Summoning Scroll, he had yet to touch upon what he truly desired. Shen Xiaochuan sat quietly on a prayer mat, his breathing steady and his expression calm. He knew well that this could not be rushed. Luck was also a part of one's strength. Some people obtained divine skills on their first try, while others, like him, found only junk in the first dozen rounds. The key lay in persevering to the end.

At that moment, the System suddenly gave a soft chime. He abruptly remembered Green Tie once saying: “If you have three duplicate skill books, none of which have been decomposed, and you use them consecutively more than ten times, you can trigger a hidden mechanism.” Cold sweat instantly soaked his back—fortunately, he hadn't discarded those two before!

The sixth chest opened, its radiance far surpassing anything before it.

“Obtained B-grade skill book: Thunderous Overlord Slash.”

Shen Xiaochuan was slightly stunned. He already had two copies of this book. The first came from a Yao Beast drop in the novice zone, and the second was obtained from completing a task in the Star Spirit Forest. At the time, he felt this skill had extraordinary potential: though its power was average and its cooldown long, it carried a lightning effect upon strike that could delay an enemy's reactions. Later, in the battle against the Canglan Tiger, it was precisely by stacking Thunder Force on the final blow that he managed to break through its Protective Aura.

And now, he had obtained another identical copy?

He recalled a hidden rule of the System: three skill books with the same name could undergo Fusion to advance in rank. Most people would decompose duplicates immediately, but in doing so, they actually missed an Opportunity.

Without hesitation, he placed the three books side-by-side in front of him. After staring at them for just a moment, a cold voice suddenly rang in his ears:

“Detected three identical skill books. Do you wish to attempt Fusion?”

Shen Xiaochuan looked up, his heart racing. This was the hidden mechanism!

He immediately selected: “Confirm Fusion.”

The three books soared into the air, turning into a golden stream of light that wrapped around his arms. A powerful surge of lightning energy poured into his body, feeling as if a thousand needles were threading through his Meridians. He gritted his teeth and stood firm, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

A roar suddenly exploded in his mind: “Let thunder be the blade, and slay all who are disobedient!”

Immediately after, a segment of information was seared directly into the depths of his consciousness.

【B-grade skill Thunderous Overlord Slash has been upgraded to an A-grade Max Level skill!】

【New Skill Name: Thunderous Overlord Slash (A-grade)】

【Description: Consolidates the body's entire Thunder Force onto a weapon for a downward strike, dealing 200% damage. Upon hit, it paralyzes the target for 0.8 seconds. Cooldown reduced from 15 seconds to 9 seconds.】

【Extra Function: Can be taught to two individuals with compatible attributes.】

Shen Xiaochuan exhaled slowly. When he opened his eyes, lightning still pulsed in his palm, and the resonance of that strike still lingered at his fingertips. This was no longer the skill of yesterday. With doubled damage, added control, and a reduced cooldown, it truly possessed combat value.

However, he could not teach it yet. He pulled up his subordinates' data to examine them one by one:

Shen Yan: Fire attribute, specializes in fist techniques, not suitable for lightning skills.

Ling Feng: Fast movement, follows an agility path; Thunder Force is heavy and might affect his speed.

Yang Lie: Harbors Evil God Power within his body, causing attribute disorder; forced Cultivation might lead to his body exploding.

Zhang Heng: Specializes in mechanical Formations and is almost entirely unskilled in close combat.

No one was suitable.

He closed his eyes and recalled that Green Tie had once mentioned the “Thunder Kin”—descendants of elves who were naturally attuned to lightning in ancient times, and who were extremely rare. Only such a person could perfectly master this technique.

He immediately decided: from now on, when Karl screens new Believers, he must pay special attention to whether they have Awakened a lightning-attribute talent.

At this moment, footsteps hurried past the door as the patrol team went by. His mind remained undisturbed as he continued to sit, guiding the energy of the new skill through three full cycles within his body. With each cycle, the Thunder Force became more stable, and the Runes on his arms glowed with a faint golden light.

After finishing, he let out a slight sigh of relief. Today's harvest was bountiful. Having spent over a thousand faith points, he had not only compensated for his shortcomings but also gained a high-level skill that could be passed down. Once he found a suitable person in the future, he could add another core combatant to his ranks.

Just as he was about to get up to record these changes, he suddenly felt a faint pain in his right hand. Looking down, he saw a thin crack in his skin, as if it had been sliced by lightning. His expression remained unchanged as he reined in the residual Thunder Force, and the crack slowly healed.

This indicated that the skill's intensity was already approaching his body's limit. To advance any further, he would need a stronger physique for support.

He sat back down, placed his hands on his knees, and began a fourth cycle. This time, the lightning no longer leaked out but was entirely compressed within his Meridians as it flowed. The air above his head distorted slightly, and electric sparks crackled.

Ling Feng watched the lightning jumping in his palm, his throat bobbing as he asked in a low voice, “This skill... can you teach me?”

Shen Xiaochuan glanced at him and tossed out three books of Basic Thunder Arts: “You want to learn? First, split that mountain open before we talk.”

At the distant training ground, Yang Lie swung his blade, and a wave of air exploded with a roar, shattering a massive boulder on the hilltop.

The temple was silent. There was only the sound of his breathing and the faint humming of the Thunder Force flowing within him.

The final chest had not yet been opened. He decided to wait until the skill was completely stabilized before dealing with the remaining items. Every minute right now should be used to digest this transformation.

He closed his eyes and focused, feeling the trajectory of the Thunder Force within his body. With every cycle, his control increased by a fraction. Movements that were originally awkward were gradually becoming instinctual.

Suddenly, his chest vibrated—Skill Resonance!

He snapped his eyes open, the lightning in his palm surging violently. His entire body hovered half an inch off the ground, his robes fluttering without wind. Golden Runes spread from his limbs to his neck, circling once before sinking into his skin.

The A-grade Max Level skill had finally reached Perfection in its Fusion.

As the last flash of lightning illuminated the final treasure chest, a corner of an old piece of paper was revealed at the bottom. It was a Parchment Scroll, and the diagram on it was exactly the same as the steam engine in Lolia's hands. The date marked on it was, shockingly, three hundred years ago.

“My Lord!” Zhou Mingrui suddenly pointed out the window, his voice trembling slightly. “The steam engine in the Industrial Zone... it's moving on its own!”