206: Chapter 206 The Fifth Soul, Thunder Swamp Earth Dragon Soul

55 hours since [Heavenly Court - First Generation] jumped from the Big Dipper Star Field.

On the holographic star map, a grayish-yellow star rotates slowly. It is the satellite of the Hegemon Body Ancestral Star—a dead star shrouded in thunderstorms for tens of thousands of years.

[West Desert Thunder Marsh · Hegemon Body Ancestral Star Outer No. 3 Forbidden Zone]

[Coordinates: Hegemon Body Ancestral Star System · W-047, S-093]

[Danger Rank: ★★★★★]

[Core Threat: Thunderstorm Cloud Layer (17 lightning strikes per second)]

[Hidden Threat: Earth Dragon True Body (Slumbering in the planetary core)]

———

Lin Ye stands in the center of the command cabin.

He looks at the grayish-yellow star.

3 seconds.

He speaks.

"earth dragon soul," he says.

"In the core of the Thunder Marsh."

"Guarded by heavenly thunder."

———

Shi Potian stands up from the combat readiness seat.

His left fist—the one with a permanent loss of 5% maximum health—is raised to his chest.

"I'll go," he says.

———

Lin Ye looks at him.

"Your injury," Lin Ye says.

———

Shi Potian does not speak.

He simply raises his left fist higher.

———

Lin Ye is silent.

3 seconds.

He nods.

———

Minute 17.

[Heavenly Court - First Generation] passes through the Thunderstorm Cloud Layer on the outskirts of the Thunder Marsh.

That layer of clouds is no ordinary cloud.

It is a "Thunder Cloud."

Thickness: 17 kilometers.

Lightning strikes per second: 17.

The power of each lightning strike is equivalent to the full-strength blow of a Level 70 Cultivator.

The ship's energy shield drops from 100% to 31% while passing through the cloud layer.

———

[System Prompt: You have arrived at "West Desert Thunder Marsh"]

[Current Coordinates: Thunder Marsh Surface · No. 7 Meteorite Crater]

[Environmental Parameters:]

[Gravity: 3.7G]

[Temperature: -17°C (Surface) / 3,700°C (Core)]

[Thunderstorm Frequency: Once every 1.7 seconds]

[Lightning Damage: 17,000 points/time]

[Earth Attribute Resistance Requirement: ≥70% (Recommended)]

[Lightning Attribute Resistance Requirement: ≥70% (Recommended)]

[Current party average Earth Resistance: 47% (Lin Ye) + 31% (Su Qingyue) + 77% (Shi Potian)...]

[Current party average Lightning Resistance: 17% (Lin Ye) + 7% (Su Qingyue) + 47% (Shi Potian)...]

———

The hatch opens.

A pungent smell of ozone floods into the cabin.

It is the scent left behind after lightning ionizes the air.

Lin Ye is the first to step out of the hatch.

———

He stands on a grayish-yellow wasteland.

The sky is deep purple.

In the cloud layer, countless bolts of lightning are flashing frantically.

Every 1.7 seconds, a lightning pillar with a diameter of 1.7 meters descends from the sky.

It strikes the wasteland.

Exploding.

Leaving behind a charred crater with a diameter of 17 meters.

———

[West Desert Thunder Marsh · Structure]

[Surface Layer: 0-3 km, Thunderstorm Zone, 17 lightning strikes per second]

[Crust Layer: 3-10 km, Rock Zone, Thunder Beasts (Rank 75-80) active]

[Mantle Layer: 10-17 km, Lava Zone, Temperature 1,700-3,700°C, earth dragon soul Guardian resides here]

[Core Layer: Below 17 km, Earth Dragon True Body slumbers]

———

Lin Ye looks at the line "Earth Dragon True Body slumbers."

3 seconds.

He turns around.

Looking at Shi Potian.

———

"earth dragon soul," Lin Ye says.

"In the mantle layer."

"You must pass through the thunderstorm zone, rock zone, and lava zone."

———

Shi Potian does not speak.

He simply takes a step forward.

———

Second 1.

A bolt of lightning descends from the sky.

Striking toward Shi Potian.

He does not dodge.

He tanks it head-on.

[Lightning Damage: 17,000 points]

[Shi Potian · Lightning Resistance 47%]

[Actual Damage: 9,010 points]

[Health: 100% → 91%]

———

Second 1.7.

The second bolt.

[91% → 82%]

———

Second 3.4.

The third bolt.

[82% → 73%]

———

Second 5.1.

The fourth bolt.

[73% → 64%]

———

Second 6.8.

The fifth bolt.

[64% → 55%]

———

Second 8.5.

The sixth bolt.

[55% → 46%]

———

Second 10.2.

The seventh bolt.

[46% → 37%]

———

Second 11.9.

The eighth bolt.

[37% → 28%]

———

Second 13.6.

The ninth bolt.

[28% → 19%]

———

Second 15.3.

The tenth bolt.

[19% → 10%]

———

Second 17.

Before the eleventh bolt of lightning strikes, Shi Potian rushes into a fissure in the crust.

Disappearing into the darkness.

———

Lin Ye stands in place.

He does not follow him in.

Because before Shi Potian rushed in, he looked back at him.

In that glance, there were only two words.

"Wait for me."

———

Minute 18.

Crust Layer.

Shi Potian stands in a pitch-black rock zone.

Around him, 17 Thunder Beasts are closing in.

[Thunder Beast · Level 78 Elite]

[Body Length: 3-5 meters]

[Health: 170,000]

[Traits: Lightning Immunity, Physical Resistance +50%]

———

Shi Potian does not wait for them to surround him.

He charges.

His left fist smashes into the head of the first Thunder Beast.

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 points]

———

The Thunder Beast falls.

The second one.

The third one.

The fourth one.

———

Second 31.

All 17 Thunder Beasts have fallen.

[Kills × 17]

[Time Taken: 31 seconds]

[Shi Potian's Health: 10% → 3% (Lightning damage + combat consumption)]

———

He does not stop.

Continuing downward.

———

Minute 47.

Mantle Layer.

Temperature: 1,700°C.

Fire damage per second: 3,700 points.

Shi Potian's Fire Resistance: 17%.

Actual damage per second: 3,071 points.

———

His Health: 3% → 0%.

[Forced retention of 1 Health point]

[Hegemon Body · Undying Heart · Passive Triggered]

[Cooldown: 72 hours]

———

He stands at the edge of a lava lake.

In the center of the lake, there is a giant beast.

[earth dragon soul Guardian · Earth Dragon Beast · Level 83 BOSS]

[Body Length: 47 meters]

[Health: 770,000]

[Attack Power: 21,300-27,700]

[Traits:]

[1. Earthen Body: Immune to Earth-type damage, 50% chance to trigger "Earth Spike Counter" when receiving physical damage]

[2. Heart of the Earth Dragon: Recovers 15% of maximum Health every 30 seconds]

[3. Earth-Shattering Trample: Triggers an earthquake every 10 seconds, all targets within a 100-meter range receive 17,000 points of damage]

[4. Earth Dragon Summon: Summons 3 Level 77 Rock Turtles every 60 seconds]

[Weaknesses:]

[1. The "Earth Dragon Core" in the exact center of the abdomen is a fatal weakness, Defense -70%]

[2. Lightning Damage +100% (Thunder Marsh environmental bonus)]

———

Shi Potian looks at the giant beast.

3 seconds.

He smiles.

That smile is exactly the same as when he smashed the sternum of a Level 67 Holy Demon Race.

Very heavy.

Very steady.

Carrying a hint of... madness.

"Level 83," he says.

"I am Level 64."

"A 19-level difference."

———

He takes a step forward.

———

Second 1.

The Earth Dragon Beast's right front claw strikes down.

Shi Potian does not dodge.

He tanks it with his left fist.

[Strength Check: Shi Potian (Level 64/Hegemon Body) vs Earth Dragon Beast (Level 83)]

[Result: Shi Potian is sent flying 17 meters]

[Damage: 17,000 points]

[Health: 1 point → 0 points]

[Forced retention of 1 Health point · Second Trigger]

[Undying Heart · On Cooldown]

[But—Life and Death Together · Triggered]

[Lin Ye · Health: 100% → 50%]

[Shi Potian · Health: 0 points → 1 point]

———

He crawls back up.

Continuing to charge.

———

Second 2.

The Earth Dragon Beast's tail sweeps across.

He jumps.

His left fist smashes into its abdomen.

[Weakness Hit]

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 points × 2 (Lightning bonus) = 94,000 points]

[Earth Dragon Beast's Health: 770,000 → 676,000]

———

The Earth Dragon Beast roars.

Earthquake triggered.

Shi Potian is sent flying by the vibration.

[Damage: 17,000 points]

[Health: 1 point → 0 points]

[Forced retention of 1 Health point · Third Trigger]

[Lin Ye · Health: 50% → 0%]

[Forced retention of 1 Health point · Lin Ye Triggered]

[Cooldown: 72 hours]

———

Both of them stand on the edge of life and death simultaneously.

———

Shi Potian does not look at his own status.

He just looks at the Earth Dragon Beast.

Looking at the crack on its abdomen.

3 seconds.

He smiles.

That smile is different from any previous one.

It is not madness.

It is "satisfaction."

———

"Again," he says.

———

Second 3.

He charges up again.

Second 4.

Second 5.

Second 6.

———

Second 17.

The Earth Dragon Beast falls.

[Kill · Level 83 BOSS]

[Time Taken: 17 seconds]

[Shi Potian Contribution: 100%]

———

Shi Potian stands on the corpse of the Earth Dragon Beast.

His left fist—the one that threw 47 punches—now has completely shattered knuckles.

White bone fragments pierce through the skin.

Blood drips down one drop at a time along the gaps between his fingers.

Falling into the lava lake.

Making a "hissing" sound.

———

But he remains standing.

He looks at the corpse of the Earth Dragon Beast.

Looking at the glowing, earth-yellow crystal beneath the corpse.

[earth dragon soul]

———

He reaches out his hand.

Grasping it.

———

[System Prompt: You have obtained "earth dragon soul" ×1]

[five elements dragon soul Quest Progress: 5/5]

[Quest Completed]

———

Shi Potian looks at the line "5/5."

3 seconds.

He smiles.

The smile is very light, very faint.

Then his vision goes dark.

———

Minute 18.

Lin Ye rushes into the mantle layer.

He sees Shi Potian lying on the ground.

His left fist is a bloody mess.

His chest still has a faint rise and fall.

In his hand, he tightly grasps that earth-yellow crystal.

———

Lin Ye kneels by his side.

Holding his hand.

———

[System Prompt: Shi Potian · Current Status]

[Health: 1 point]

[Hegemon Blood Concentration: 0%]

[Left Fist: Comminuted fracture (17% probability of permanent damage)]

[Status: Unconscious]

[Synchronization Rate Fluctuation: 11% → 7% (Real-world body injured)]

———

Lin Ye looks at the line "Real-world body injured."

3 seconds.

He picks up Shi Potian.

Rushing toward the surface.

———

Minute 31.

They return to [Heavenly Court - First Generation].

Yun Qianxue has already prepared the medical pod.

She lays Shi Potian flat inside the pod.

[Medical Pod · Activated]

[Repair Time: 24 hours]

[Real-world Synchronization Rate Damage: Requires real-world medical intervention]

———

Lin Ye stands before the medical pod.

He looks at Shi Potian inside the pod.

Looking at his bloody left fist.

Looking at his pale face.

———

3 seconds.

He speaks.

"Return to Earth," he says.

"Now."

———

Minute 47.

[Heavenly Court - First Generation] enters a jump.

Destination: Earth.

Estimated time: 17 hours.

———

Lin Ye stands in the center of the command cabin.

He looks at the holographic star map.

Looking at that blue planet getting closer and closer.

———

In his hand, he holds five dragon souls.

[Fire Soul] [Frost Soul] [Wood Soul] [Gold Soul] [Earth Soul]

The Five Elements are gathered.

The dragon transformation is within reach.

———

But he does not look at them.

He is looking at Shi Potian in the medical pod.

———

"Wait for me," he says softly.

"I will heal you."

———

[Chapter 206 · End]