164: Chapter 164: Extraterrestrial Demons, Erosion Spirit Clan

The dragon roar of the golden giant flood dragon echoed in the depths of the Thunder Marsh. The spiritual jade box in Chu Yao's arms suddenly became hot; the Young Flood Dragon woke up from its slumber, letting out faint whimpers through the jade walls.

Although the sound was faint, it caused white light to suffuse the eye sockets of the golden giant flood dragon's phantom. Its massive body slowly descended, extending a claw toward the spiritual jade box—the Lightning Radiance at its claw tip was as gentle as a caress.

"It seems to... recognize the Young Flood Dragon."

Su Qing gripped her rusted sword tightly, staring at the single horn of the golden giant flood dragon's phantom. "The patterns on that horn are exactly the same as the patterns on the Thunder Flood Dragon's inner core."

Zhang Wen's fingertips moved slightly, and the System panel suddenly popped up a notification: [Ancient Thunder Flood Dragon Bloodline resonance detected, triggering hidden information: The Deep Sea Thunder Flood Dragon is a descendant of the Ancient Thunder Flood Dragon, having drifted to the deep sea due to the breaking of the Spiritual Vein; the Thunder Marsh is its ancestral land.]

"No wonder the Young Flood Dragon's Lightning Radiance is so weak." He looked at the spiritual jade box. "It has been away from the Thunder Marsh Origin for too long; its Bloodline is almost dormant."

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden giant flood dragon's phantom suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a strand of golden lightning, which precisely penetrated the spiritual jade box and wrapped around the Young Flood Dragon's single horn.

The Young Flood Dragon was initially resistant, curling its body into a ball, but it was soon enveloped by the warmth of the lightning strand. The Lightning Radiance on its single horn brightened at a speed visible to the naked eye, changing from dull silver-white to brilliant purple-gold.

[Deep Sea Thunder Flood Dragon cub Bloodline activated, gained ability: Thunder Power Sharing (can transfer part of the Thunder Origin to the host).]

Zhang Wen's heart stirred. He tried to guide the Young Flood Dragon's Thunder Power and was surprised to feel his Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder becoming more condensed, and the resonance with the sky-splitting startling thunder spear becoming increasingly intense.

He looked up at the golden giant flood dragon: "Senior, do you want us to take the Young Flood Dragon away?"

The giant flood dragon's phantom did not answer; it only rubbed its head against the spiritual jade box, then turned toward the floating golden thunder bead and let out a long dragon roar.

The thunder bead suddenly exploded, turning into golden light filling the sky; half merged into the Young Flood Dragon's body, and the other half flew toward Zhang Wen, surging into the center of his eyebrows.

[Absorbing Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin Thunder Origin, Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder is evolving...]

[Evolution complete, unlocked final form: Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin Thunder (can devour and convert all attribute Spiritual Power into lightning).]

The Lightning Radiance around Zhang Wen's body suddenly changed form; it was no longer violent purple electricity but had turned into countless tiny golden light threads, flowing like a nebula.

He waved his hand casually, and the Red Refining Fire on Su Qing's rusted sword was drawn by the light threads, instantly transforming into a streak of crimson-gold Thunder Fire, its power surging several times greater than before.

"This is..." Su Qing was startled and took half a step back. "You can devour others' Spiritual Power?"

"Not just that." Zhang Wen looked toward the depths of the Thunder Marsh, where the thunderstorm was being slowly absorbed by the Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin Thunder. "It can also convert it."

The golden giant flood dragon's phantom watched this scene, nodded slowly, and its body began to become transparent.

It took one last look at the spiritual jade box, turned into a stream of light, and submerged into the depths of the Thunder Marsh's earth, leaving only an aged voice echoing in everyone's ears: "Guard... the Thunder Dao..."

[Side quest completed, reward points +100000, unlocked Ancient Spirit War fragment x1 (can be viewed in the System panel).]

Zhang Wen pulled up the System panel. The fragment presented a blurry image: countless Cultivators holding thunder spears, resisting something under a crumbling sky; behind them were collapsing Spiritual Veins... The image stopped abruptly, leaving only a line of text: "Extraterrestrial Demons, feeding on Spiritual Veins."

"Extraterrestrial Demons?"

He frowned deeply; this was the first time the System had mentioned the enemies of the Spirit War. "Could the Ancient Spirit War not be an internal strife of the cultivation world?"

"Do you know of any Vicious Beast that feeds on Spiritual Veins?" Zhang Wen asked.

The black mist around Ye Chen suddenly surged: "I have read ancient records; in ancient times, there was the 'Spirit-Eroding Race', which could devour the Spiritual Power of heaven and earth, leaving Spiritual Veins withered wherever they passed."

Chu Yao hugged the spiritual jade box in her arms a bit tighter, her vine leaves trembling slightly: "It is rumored that the current Soul Devouring Hall... is a remnant of the Spirit-Eroding Race."

Zhang Wen's eyes turned cold, and the aura around his body burst forth: "—Soul Devouring Hall!"

[Detected Ancient secret unlocked, triggering main quest update: In the Shattered Archipelago Secret Realm, stop the revival of the Spirit-Eroding Race ruins, reward: System core permission unlock, complete version of the Ancient Thunder Element Legacy.]

When the System notification sounded, the thunderstorm in the Thunder Marsh had subsided, revealing a huge canyon hidden below. The bottom of the canyon was filled with spear shadows similar to the sky-splitting startling thunder spear, clearly the burial ground of ancient Thunder Element Cultivators.

"It's time to leave." Zhang Wen put away the sky-splitting startling thunder spear. "There are only fifty days left until the Global League; we must go back and prepare."

Chu Yao suddenly spoke: "I want to see the bottom of the canyon." Her vines pointed toward the depths of the canyon. "There seems to be something glowing there."

Zhang Wen nodded and led everyone to dive into the canyon.

In the soil at the bottom, countless rusted broken spears were inserted, and in the very center, a line of blurry text was carved on a broken stone tablet: "Spirit-Eroding Race... fears thunder..."

[Ancient relic discovered, unlocked team skill: Thunder Domain Resonance (all team members' strength increased by 30% in the Thunder Domain).]

When everyone left the Thunder Marsh, their communication talismans suddenly lit up, and Principal Gongsun's voice carried anxiety: "Return immediately! The representative teams from Eagle Country and Sakura Country have suddenly arrived early, saying they want to have a 'friendly match' with you!"

Zhang Wen looked at his teammates; Lu Yan's Vajra Body was emitting golden light, Su Qing's rusted sword was wrapped in Thunder Fire, and the aura of Xiao Zhan's Overlord Body was more violent than before.

There was a trace of golden thunder pattern in Murong Wu's Star Orbit, thunder light was mixed in Ye Chen's black mist, and the Young Flood Dragon in Chu Yao's arms was letting out a dragon roar full of power.

"Friendly match?" He smiled, the Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin Thunder flowing in his palm. "Just right to test our new skills."

The Shattered Archipelago fifty days later might be even more dangerous than they imagined.

But the Dragon Country representative team at this moment had only Battle Intent in their eyes.