53: Chapter 53 Victories in Succession, Thunder Prison Hound!

From the forty-first floor onwards, Zhang Wen remained consistently at ease. The Lightning Radiance afterimages produced by Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks weaved through the crowd. When facing a single target, he would use his spear tip to condense lightning for a precision kill; when encountering groups, he would raise his hand to summon Myriad Thunders Heavenly Prison Lure. As the purple lightning cage descended, combined with the binding of Thunder Net Locking Truth, he would follow up with Ten Thousand Thunders Return to the Void, clearing most of the field.

The Middle Stage of the Subtle Realm phantom on the fiftieth floor was clad in Black Armor, its giant axe swinging with a mountain-collapsing force. Zhang Wen broke its defense in just three Moves—first using a lightning net to exhaust its energy, then closing in with Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks, and finally piercing its heart with a spear. As the lightning energy surged through its body, the phantom, along with its armor, dissipated completely.

The Late Stage of the Subtle Realm phantom on the fifty-fifth floor was even more troublesome. Its spear techniques already contained the true meaning of the "Subtle Realm," allowing it to accurately strike the trajectory of the Thunder Spear.

Zhang Wen simply put away his spear and fought it bare-handed. After over a hundred Moves, he spotted a flaw. His right fist condensed thirty percent of the Tribulation Thunder, and Thunder Wrath: Instant Prison Kill slammed into the opponent's chest. The restrained lightning storm instantly shredded the phantom's core.

The further he went, the more seamless the phantoms' coordination became, even forming Formations to trap him. However, Zhang Wen's Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks grew increasingly swift, often breaking the Formations before they could even take shape.

The power of Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder also continued to improve through battle; even ordinary fist winds could tear apart the energy bodies of the Subtle Realm.

Occasionally, a few stragglers would get close, but he only needed to flick lightning from his fingertips to turn them into points of light.

The spiritual energy from the stacked rewards grew thicker in his body, but Zhang Wen had no time to refine it. All his focus was on bridging the gap between his Moves and his Realm.

When the last piece of the lightning net on the fifty-ninth floor dissipated, he was already able to withstand the onslaught of the Peak of the Subtle Realm enemies with his Forming Realm Peak cultivation.

The light gate of the sixtieth floor suddenly lit up ahead. The heavy aura within pressed down like something physical—it was unexpectedly a Vicious Beast at the Peak of the Subtle Realm! Even more heart-pounding was the violent ferocity faintly surging deep within that aura.

Zhang Wen raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. The Thunder Spear in his palm was already humming, purple lightning coiling around the shaft like a Dragon, emitting a biting sharpness amidst the crackling sounds.

His eyes narrowed—this final stage was perfect for testing his current strength.

The light gate of the sixtieth floor shattered amidst a roar, and a dark gold giant shadow trampled out, carrying a heavy atmospheric pressure.

The Lei Yu Fei. The mane on its lion-like head stood on end like steel needles, and its bear-like body was covered in scales shimmering with faint blue electrical light. The venomous fangs at the tip of its black-snake-like tail dripped purple-black saliva, which corroded the ground into wisps of white smoke upon landing—the ferocious might of the Peak of the Subtle Realm was finally showing its fangs.

Zhang Wen's Adam's apple bobbed as he wiped the blood-mixed sweat from his brow. The Lei Yu Fei's giant claw had already swiped at him with the force of tearing wind. He crushed the floor tiles with his toes, pushing Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks to the limit. His body narrowly avoided the edge of the claw, but his left arm was still caught by the fierce wind, and five bloodstains deep enough to see bone immediately appeared.

Purple lightning sizzled at the wounds, but it couldn't stop the blood from soaking his sleeve.

"Roar!" The Lei Yu Fei turned and whipped its tail, the black snake tail lashing toward Zhang Wen's waist like a steel whip. He suddenly lowered his waist, and the pale purple lightning armor of the Indestructible Thunder Body instantly solidified. The tail whip struck the armor with a dull thud. Zhang Wen felt as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer; he coughed up a mist of blood that was instantly vaporized into bloody steam by the lightning armor. He was slammed against the stone wall, shattered stones falling all over his shoulders.

"It's not over yet!" He kicked off the wall to rebound, his fists gathering blinding Lightning Radiance. The Lei Yu Fei was about to pounce but was forced to stop by the explosive sound of the fist wind tearing through the air—Rushing Thunder Delusion Breaking Fist, the first Move, "Startling Thunder Arises," had already reached its face.

The lion head instinctively dodged, and the fist grazed the base of its ear, slamming into the scales on the side of its neck. The moment the Lightning Radiance exploded, three dark gold scales were actually shaken loose and peeled away, oozing beads of blood.

The intense pain drove the Lei Yu Fei into a complete frenzy. It opened its giant mouth, and a dense aura of malevolence transformed into gray-black Wind Blades that swept toward him. Zhang Wen tapped his toes repeatedly, the afterimages from Tremor Step Treading Thunder Marks constantly shattering within the Wind Blades. His right leg was ultimately half a beat slow; his pant leg was shredded by the Wind Blades, and a wound deep enough to see bone was carved into his calf. The blood droplets were scorched into charred marks by the vaporizing Lightning Radiance as soon as they hit the ground.

"Second Move, Thunder Net Locking Truth!" Taking advantage of the gap while spinning to avoid a fatal blow, he slammed both fists onto the ground. Thousands of bolts of Lightning Radiance erupted from beneath the earth, weaving into a purple lightning net that entangled the beast's limbs.

The Lei Yu Fei struggled frantically, its scales and the Lightning Radiance creating sparks. Amidst the crisp sound of bones shifting, the electric net was actually forced open with cracks.

A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Wen's eyes. The muscles in his left arm bulged as he endured the bone-cracking pain and lunged forward: "Thousand Mechanisms of Purple Lightning Transformation!" Lightning needles shot toward the beast's open wounds like a rainstorm, but most were crushed by its suddenly tightening muscles.

The few remaining lightning needles burrowed into its flesh, causing the Lei Yu Fei to let out an earth-shattering roar. Its giant tail suddenly stiffened like a spear, thrusting toward Zhang Wen's heart with venomous saliva.

"!" His pupils shrank as he pushed Indestructible Thunder Body to its limit, the lightning armor condensing into a thick shield in front of his chest. With a "squelch," the venomous tail pierced the shield and entered half an inch deep. Purple-black venom spread along the wound, and the flesh it touched quickly festered. Zhang Wen groaned and grabbed the venomous tail, his right hand gathering violent Lightning Radiance: "Thunder Wrath: Instant Prison Kill!"

Purple lightning surged into the venomous tail through his arm. The Lei Yu Fei thrashed its body in agony, repeatedly slamming Zhang Wen against the stone walls in mid-air.

He gripped the venomous tail tightly, letting the excruciating pain of bone collisions spread through his body until the Lightning Radiance invaded the beast's internal organs through the wound. Only then was he flung away, crashing into the remains of the light gate and sliding to the ground, the blood he coughed up containing bits of flesh.

The Lei Yu Fei staggered a few steps, blood spraying from the wounds on its neck and abdomen, yet it still locked onto Zhang Wen with its crimson giant pupils.

It suddenly arched its bear-like body, and gray-black mist began to seep from its scales. The malevolent aura was so dense it almost solidified—it was going to burn its Origin to fight for its life.

Zhang Wen struggled to stand up. His left arm hung limply, and his right leg could hardly support his body; he barely remained standing by leaning on his Thunder Spear.

But the Battle Intent in his eyes grew even more intense. The "Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder" talent within him fully awakened, and purple-gold Lightning Radiance overflowed from his seven orifices, intertwining with the blood mist from his wounds into strange light patterns.

"One last Move," he said softly, his voice hoarse but carrying an unquestionable resolve.

The Lei Yu Fei roared and pounced, the space itself distorting wherever the gray-black mist passed. Zhang Wen slowly raised his right hand, and purple-gold Lightning Radiance converged in his palm into a miniature sea of lightning, while a vast phantom of a starry river appeared behind him.

"Profound Truth—Ninth Heaven Annihilation - Thunder Burial Great Heaven!"

A purple-gold lightning pillar descended from the sky, instantly swallowing the pouncing Lei Yu Fei. The giant beast's roar turned from violent to shrill within the lightning before finally being completely annihilated. When the lightning pillar dissipated, only scorched earth remained, with even the ashes ground into powder by the thunder.

Zhang Wen looked at the empty sixtieth floor and could no longer hold on, collapsing to his knees.

He coughed up blood, every movement of his broken ribs bringing piercing pain, yet he looked at his bloody hands and slowly curled his lips into a smile.

He won.

Fortunately, this was a Virtual Battlefield after all. The moment the last trace of the Lei Yu Fei's aura vanished in the Lightning Radiance, the wounds on Zhang Wen's body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye—the torn flesh became smooth as before, his broken bones made slight crackling sounds as they mended, and even the purple-black venom at the festering spots was cleansed by an invisible force.

He staggered to his feet, feeling no more pain, only the soreness of total exhaustion. The humming of the Thunder Spear in his palm gradually faded, and the purple lightning withdrew into the shaft, leaving only the lingering sharp glint in his eyes.

(Follow and star to ensure you don't let the Jianghu lose old friends.)