208: The Battle of Leiyuan and the Birth of "Lei Yunzi"

Thunder Continent, Red Rock Wasteland.

There were no clouds in the sky, only perpetual crimson lightning interweaving into a web across the firmament. The soil on the ground was an eerie dark red, as if soaked in blood for hundreds of millions of years. The gravity here was three times that of the Feng Yuan Continent, and the air was filled with violent, free-floating lightning Spiritual Qi; if a low-level Cultivator inhaled even a mouthful, their lungs would instantly burst.

"This hellish place is truly a paradise for Lightning Cultivators and a Hell for the weak."

Zhou Wannian (Han Li) sat on a giant rock charred black by lightning, playing with the [golden palace jade book · Inner Page] he had just snatched from Luo Hou's stomach.

On this golden leaf, the massive character "Absorb" (Silver Tadpole Script) was slowly writhing like a hungry eye, greedily devouring the surrounding free-floating lightning.

"Tie Zhu, is the identity disguise ready?"

"Disguise complete. Current appearance: Thunder Continent native race—[Ming Clan]. Features: Fair skin, lightning sigil on the forehead, proficient in Lightning Evasion."

Zhou Wannian touched the purple lightning sigil created with illusion on his brow and nodded with satisfaction.

"From today on, I am no longer Li Feiyu."

"Since this continent is ravaged by lightning and clouds hang low..."

"Then I shall be called—[Thunder Cloud Master]."

(Note: Borrowing the title of that lightning Dao Genius from the original work; anyway, since I'm on the Thunder Continent now, no one else is called this yet.)

..."Rumble!!!"

In the distance, a roar like ten thousand galloping horses broke the deathly silence of the wasteland.

Zhou Wannian's Divine Sense swept out, and his brow twitched slightly.

"Business has come knocking."

Ten miles away, a battered caravan was fleeing for its life. Pulling the carts were several wounded "Thunder-Dash Beasts," and a tattered flag embroidered with the character "Ming" was planted on the wagon.

Behind them, three pitch-black war vessels shaped like sharks followed closely.

On the war vessels stood tall, hideous alien warriors with single horns on their heads.

[Jiao Chi Clan].

The super hegemon of the Thunder Continent, they acted overbearingly and loved to plunder other weak races for slaves.

"Ming Clan brats! Stop running!"

The leader of the war vessels, a Jiao Chi Clan war general with a Soul Transformation Early Stage cultivation, held a giant bow flashing with lightning and pulled the string with a sinister grin.

"It is your honor to become 'mine slaves' for our Jiao Chi Clan!"

"Twang!"

A lightning arrow several meters long shot out, carrying a piercing whistle that tore through the air, heading straight for the last beast carriage of the caravan.

On that carriage sat a Ming Clan girl with only a Core Formation stage cultivation, desperately shielding several young children in her arms.

"It's over..." The girl closed her eyes.

However.

The expected explosion did not occur.

"Slurp."

A strange sound rang out.

The girl opened her eyes tremblingly, only to find that the lightning arrow, which was powerful enough to blow up the entire beast carriage, had actually vanished into thin air.

And on the roof of the beast carriage.

At some point, a young man in purple robes with a purple lightning sigil on his brow had appeared.

He was extending a finger, and at the tip of his finger was a small silver vortex.

"The taste is a bit bland."

The young man (Zhou Wannian) smacked his lips, as if the arrow from just now had been eaten by him.

"Is this the only level of purity for Soul Transformation Early Stage lightning power?"

"Who is it?!"

The Jiao Chi Clan war general in the rear was greatly alarmed.

Catching a lightning arrow with bare hands? Or did he swallow it directly?!

"Are you a Ming Clan member?" The war general saw Zhou Wannian's appearance clearly, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. "When did the Ming Clan produce such an expert?"

Zhou Wannian ignored him.

He turned around and glanced at the terrified Ming Clan girl.

"Little girl, lend me a map."

"Huh?" The girl was stunned.

"If you don't want to die, give me the map of the Thunder Continent you have on you."

Zhou Wannian reached out his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Here! For you!" The girl hurriedly pulled a Jade Slip from her Storage Pouch and handed it over.

Zhou Wannian took the Jade Slip, swept it with his Divine Sense, and confirmed it was correct.

"Very good."

He put away the Jade Slip and turned to face the three Jiao Chi Clan war vessels.

"In exchange, I'll help you deal with these few flies."

"Arrogant!"

The Jiao Chi Clan war general was furious. "A mere remnant of the Ming Clan dares to challenge the Jiao Chi Heavenly Soldiers?!"

"Form the array! 'Ten Thousand Thunderbolts Striking the Head'!"

The three war vessels lit up with blinding lightning simultaneously, as hundreds of Jiao Chi Clan warriors activated their magic power at once.

Rumble!

In the sky, a massive web of lightning formed out of thin air, descending upon Zhou Wannian with an Aura that could destroy everything.

This was a combined battle array of the Jiao Chi Clan, powerful enough to suppress and kill those in the Soul Transformation Middle Stage!

Facing this sky-covering lightning web.

Zhou Wannian smiled.

He stood with his hands behind his back, not even summoning any Magic Treasure.

He simply opened his mouth slightly.

Inside his body, the "Absorb" mantra from that [golden palace jade book] page roared into operation.

At the same time, the [wind thunder wings] on his back (after merging with Kunpeng true blood) vibrated slightly.

"Kunpeng Devouring."

Hoo——————!!!

In front of Zhou Wannian, a pitch-black hole with a diameter of a hundred zhang suddenly appeared.

That was no ordinary black hole.

It was a super vortex that merged the "Law of Devouring" and the "Kunpeng talent"!

The menacing lightning web, upon contact with this vortex, was like noodles being sucked into a vacuum cleaner, instantly twisting, stretching, and then being sucked in without any power to resist.

"Burp~"

Zhou Wannian let out a satisfied burp.

Purple light surged from his body, and his original Soul Transformation Early Stage Aura actually surged upward by a notch in this instant!

"Is this the overbearing nature of the 'Heavenly Book of Devouring'?"

A flash of wild joy appeared in Zhou Wannian's eyes.

"Not only can it devour attacks, but it can also directly convert them into one's own temporary spiritual power!"

"Thank you for the meal."

Zhou Wannian looked at the three war vessels that had already lost their power, as well as the group of dumbfounded Jiao Chi Clan members on them.

"Courtesy demands reciprocity."

"I'll also send you a move."

Zhou Wannian raised his right hand and pointed his index finger toward the firmament.

The lightning power he had just devoured was compressed to the extreme after being converted by the [Evil-Warding Divine Thunder].

"Thunder Punishment: Instant Kill."

Zzt!

A streak of lightning only as thick as a finger, but pure gold in color, shot out from his fingertip.

This streak of lightning was too fast.

So fast that even Divine Sense could not capture it.

It instantly split into hundreds of fine golden threads in mid-air.

"Puff puff puff puff puff—"

A series of dull piercing sounds.

On the three war vessels, all the Jiao Chi Clan warriors, including that Soul Transformation war general, had a small charred hole appear in the center of their brows at the same time.

Their protective spiritual light and their armor were like paper in front of these golden lightning threads.

Three seconds.

Total annihilation.

The three war vessels lost control and fell heavily onto the red wasteland like three pieces of scrap metal, kicking up clouds of dust.

"..."

The people of the Ming Clan caravan were completely petrified.

Those were elite pursuers of the Jiao Chi Clan!

Just like that... blown away in one breath?

Zhou Wannian's figure flashed and appeared beside the Ming Clan girl's beast carriage.

"Transaction complete."

He didn't even look at those corpses (though he secretly let the Ti Hun Beast suck up all their refined souls).

"By the way, little girl."

Zhou Wannian pointed to his brow.

"Remember my name."

"I am called... Thunder Cloud Master."

After saying that.

The wind thunder wings on Zhou Wannian's back flapped, turning into a gold-and-azure electric arc that instantly vanished into the horizon.

Leaving only the legend of "Thunder Cloud Master" to begin spreading across this wasteland... Three days later.

Thunder Continent, Cloud City (Main city of the Ming Clan).

Zhou Wannian was sitting in a tea house, listening to the discussions of the surrounding Cultivators.

"Have you heard? A fierce person emerged in the Red Rock Wasteland, calling himself 'Thunder Cloud Master,' and he wiped out a Jiao Chi Clan squad all by himself!"

"Is it true? Does our Ming Clan really have such an expert?"

"It's absolutely true! It's said he has mastered a long-lost 'Five Thunders Teleportation Technique,' killing without leaving a trace!"

Zhou Wannian took a sip of spiritual tea, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

"Five Thunders Teleportation Technique?"

"That's a good name. I'll repackage my 'Lightning Evasion' slightly and call it that from now on."

There was a reason he was being so high-profile.

According to the map, the only way to cross continents and return to the Feng Yuan Continent was to use the [Cross-Continental Teleportation Array] of either the Jiao Chi Clan or the Sea King Clan.

But those were strategic facilities that only high-level clan members or specially invited super Guest Elders could use.

Forcing his way in was definitely out of the question (the Jiao Chi Clan had Mahayana Old Ancestors overseeing them).

Therefore, he needed an identity.

An identity as a "Genius Loose Cultivator" stunning enough and worthy enough for the great clans to recruit.

This persona of "Thunder Cloud Master" was his stepping stone to enter the vision of the Jiao Chi Clan's upper echelons.

Just then.

"Warning. Detected extremely high-intensity spatial fluctuations. Right... underground?"

Tie Zhu's voice suddenly rang out.

Zhou Wannian was taken aback.

Before he could react, the entire Cloud City suddenly shook violently.

"Rumble!!!"

The tea house collapsed.

In the central square of the city, the ground cracked open.

A crimson river of blood, carrying a nauseating stench of blood, erupted from the ground and shot into the sky.

Within the river of blood, countless white bones could be seen floating.

And at the top of the blood river stood a red skeletal figure, cackling weirdly.

"Hahahaha! This is the Thunder Continent?!"

"The Spiritual Qi here is indeed much stronger than that dark Earth Abyss!"

"This King... has finally come out!!!"

The tea cup in Zhou Wannian's hand shattered with a "crack."

He stared fixedly at that red skeleton.

That Aura was far too familiar.

One of the four Great Demon Kings of the Earth Abyss—[Blood Flame]!

"This old thing... how did he also end up on the Thunder Continent?!"

"And by the look of it..."

Zhou Wannian sensed Blood Flame's Aura.

"He seems... injured? He's dropped to the Void Refining Early Stage?"

In Zhou Wannian's eyes, the original surprise instantly turned into... delight.

"The Earth Blood Demon King is proficient in blood-path Puppet techniques."

"The Blood Flame Demon King's skeleton is comparable to top-tier spiritual materials."

"He must have Earth Abyss specialties on him."

Zhou Wannian slowly stood up and straightened his robes.

"Tie Zhu."

"Present."

"Prepare for the hunt."

"I just arrived on the Thunder Continent and I'm lacking a 'thug' to watch the house."

"This skeleton that delivered itself to my door..."

"I'll take it."}],