211: Holy City Thunder Pool and the Cancer Ship's "Buffet"

Jiao Chi Clan Holy City, the core of the Forbidden Ground.

This was a giant inverted cone-shaped mountain peak suspended in mid-air. The top of the peak had been hollowed out, forming a massive pool a thousand zhang across. The pool did not contain ordinary water, but instead flowed with a liquid as thick as silver paste.

Countless purple-gold electric arcs leaped across the surface of the liquid, emitting a scalp-numbing sizzling sound. Every drop of liquid contained terrifying energy sufficient to blow a Nascent Soul Cultivator to bits.

[Ten-Thousand-Jun Thunder Pool].

The foundation of the Jiao Chi Clan and the top-tier cleansing Holy Land of the Thunder Continent.

"Fellow Daoist Lei."

General Wu Lie stood at the edge of the Thunder Pool, pointing at the boiling silver paste with a hint of pride in his eyes.

"This is our clan's Holy Land. This pool water is formed by liquefying the 'Taiyi Divine Lightning' gathered from the Nine Heavens. Even those at the Void Refining Stage would have their skin torn and flesh gape open after staying inside for the time it takes an incense stick to burn."

"Given Fellow Daoist's Physical Body, this general suggests you Cultivate in the shallow waters at the edge, for no more than two hours a day."

"Thank you for the reminder, General."

Zhou Wannian (Thunder Cloud Master) looked at the pool of silver paste. The blue light (Bright Sight Spirit Eyes) deep in his eyes flickered wildly, and the corners of his mouth could barely suppress their upward curve.

How was this a Thunder Pool? This was clearly a pool full of "experience points"!

"Then I shall not be polite."

"General, please return; I am going into 'seclusion'."

Wu Lie nodded, performed a hand seal to activate the defensive formation around the Thunder Pool, and then turned to leave. In his view, with the formation locked down, even Body Integration Stage old monsters wouldn't dream of causing trouble inside... Once Wu Lie had gone far, the formation closed.

The respect on Zhou Wannian's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of wildness.

"Tie Zhu, block the surveillance."

"Understood. Holographic camouflage field activated. External footage replaced with: Li Feiyu is honestly meditating."

"Very good."

Zhou Wannian swept his large sleeve.

A flash of green light flickered, and Xiang Zhili, with a wretched smile on his face, appeared beside him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! This is the legendary Ten-Thousand-Jun Thunder Pool?" Xiang Zhili rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining. "This energy density is ten thousand times stronger than my bathwater!"

"Enough nonsense, Senior Brother Xiang."

Zhou Wannian unrobed, revealing a lean and strong upper body, and jumped directly into the center of the Thunder Pool.

"Sizzle—!!!"

Terrifying lightning liquid instantly enveloped his whole body. Zhou Wannian let out a muffled groan as his skin turned charred black in an instant, only to quickly undergo Rebirth under his powerful self-healing ability.

The golden Sanskrit (Bright King Arts) and the green wind-and-thunder power (Kunpeng Transformation) circulated wildly under the stimulation of the lightning liquid.

"I will use this lightning power to wash my Physical Body and Breakthrough the Bottleneck of the 'Fan Sheng True Demon Art'."

Zhou Wannian sat cross-legged deep within the lightning liquid, looking like a god of thunder.

"That crab, I leave it to you."

"Don't worry, Junior Brother Han!"

Xiang Zhili chuckled and pulled a spirit beast pouch covered in Talismans from his robe.

"Come out! My big baby!"

Boom!

A giant black crab Puppet, its shell embedded with a blue reactor (Tie Zhu's core technology), crashed heavily into the Thunder Pool.

As soon as the Giant Crab entered the water, it emitted an excited mechanical roar.

"Kaka— (Energy! Infinite energy!)"

"Tie Zhu! Activate 'Overclocked Absorption Mode'!" Zhou Wannian shouted from the center of the Thunder Pool.

"Received. Giant Crab's power furnace connected... suction tubes extended... pumps fully open."

The Giant Crab Puppet's two large claws snapped open, revealing dense rows of runic suction ports inside. A massive turbine also opened on its abdomen.

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle—"

A terrifying sound of whale-like swallowing rang out.

The originally calm Ten-Thousand-Jun Thunder Pool instantly formed a massive whirlpool. Countless precious drops of lightning liquid poured frantically into the Giant Crab's body like free tap water.

The blue reactor on the Giant Crab's back grew brighter and brighter, eventually turning into a blinding purple-gold!

Its aura was also climbing frantically!

From the Void Refining Early Stage... Middle Stage... Late Stage... and finally, a terrifying pressure that even touched the threshold of the Body Integration Stage erupted from this Puppet!

The Pseudo-Immortal Puppet has been revived!

...Outside the Thunder Pool, in the surveillance room.

The two Jiao Chi Clan Elders responsible for guarding the Thunder Pool were drinking tea out of boredom.

"That Thunder Cloud Master is quite honest, staying at the edge to meditate."

"Hmph, I bet he wouldn't dare cause trouble. The energy of this Thunder Pool is incredibly violent; if he dared to go deep, he would have long since..."

Just then.

"Beep— Beep— Beep—"

A blinding red light suddenly lit up on the surveillance Formation Plate.

"What's going on?!"

One Elder stood up abruptly and looked at the dial displaying the spiritual power concentration.

He saw the needle plummeting toward the "zero" mark at a heart-stopping speed.

"A leak?! Is the Thunder Pool leaking?!"

"No! Something is sucking it out!"

"Quick! Notify General Wu Lie! Something has happened!"

...Inside the Thunder Pool.

Only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn had passed.

The originally bottomless Thunder Pool now had its water level dropped by a full half!

"Refreshing! So refreshing!"

Xiang Zhili sat astride the Giant Crab's back, feeling the surging power beneath him, unable to stop grinning.

"Junior Brother Han! This Puppet's energy reserves are full! We can even pack a couple more barrels to go!"

Meanwhile, Zhou Wannian.

His entire skin had turned a translucent dark gold, with every pore spewing lightning.

'Fan Sheng True Demon Art'—Major Achievement!

Physical Body strength—Void Refining Middle Stage!

"Whew..."

Zhou Wannian opened his eyes, and deep within his pupils, two streaks of golden lightning flashed by.

"That's about enough."

He sensed several powerful auras rapidly approaching from outside.

"The hosts are coming to check the room."

Zhou Wannian stood up from the Thunder Pool and changed into a brand-new green robe.

"Senior Brother Xiang, are you ready?"

"Always ready!" Xiang Zhili patted the Giant Crab's head. "This big guy can now hold its own for a couple of rounds even if it meets someone at the Body Integration Stage!"

"Then... let's turn this place upside down."

Boom!!!

Just as Zhou Wannian finished speaking.

The defensive formation above the Thunder Pool was violently shattered from the outside.

General Wu Lie, leading five Void Refining Stage Elders, charged into the Forbidden Ground in a rage.

However.

When they saw the scene before them, everyone slammed on their brakes in mid-air, nearly falling from the sky.

The originally vast Thunder Pool now only had a shallow layer of "sludge" at the bottom.

And at that dried-up pool bottom.

A massive black crab, emitting a terrifying aura, was using its two large claws to stuff the last few clumps of lightning liquid into its mouth.

On the crab's back sat a wretched-looking old man.

And the "Thunder Cloud Master" they had treated as an honored guest stood nearby, spreading his hands innocently.

"General Wu Lie, the quality of this Thunder Pool..."

"Is a bit lacking in durability."

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Then came Wu Lie's heart-wrenching roar.

"Thunder Cloud Master!!!"

"How dare you destroy our clan's Holy Land!!!"

"I will tear you into ten thousand pieces!!!"

"Kill! Kill him for me!!!"

Boom!

The attacks of six Void Refining Stage experts converged into a torrent of destruction, slamming fiercely toward the trio at the bottom of the pool.

"Aiya, getting worked up already?"

Xiang Zhili gave a strange cry, but there was no fear on his face.

"Crab-Go! Show them what you've got!"

"Photonic Power: Thunder Roar!"

Kaka!

The Giant Crab Puppet abruptly raised its head, opening its mouth filled with fangs.

The lightning liquid it had just swallowed was compressed and transformed by the "Black Void Reactor," turning into a purple-gold lightning ball ten zhang in diameter.

"Ptooey!"

The Giant Crab spat out the lightning ball.

Rumble————————————

The lightning ball collided with the attacks of the six Elders in mid-air.

There was no stalemate.

Only complete devastation!

That lightning ball contained the essence of the entire Thunder Pool's power, as well as the conceptual strikes of a Pseudo-Immortal Puppet.

"Pfft!"

Wu Lie and the other five felt as if they had been hit head-on by a planet. They spat blood wildly, flying backward like six kites with broken strings.

Even the entire Forbidden Ground mountain peak had half of its height sheared off by this terrifying counter-shock!

"Is this... the power of a Pseudo-Immortal Puppet?!"

Wu Lie clutched his collapsed chest, his eyes filled with horror.

"That crab... has the combat power of the Body Integration Stage?!"

The dust settled.

Zhou Wannian and Xiang Zhili stood on the back of the Giant Crab, slowly ascending into the sky.

"Friends of the Jiao Chi Clan, thank you for the hospitality."

Zhou Wannian cupped his hands toward those below.

"Since the meal is finished, we won't stay the night."

"Farewell."

"You want to leave?! It won't be that easy!"

Suddenly.

A terrifying will that changed the very color of the sky and earth awakened from the deepest part of the Holy City.

The entire sky instantly turned a dark red. A giant hand that blotted out the sun pierced through the Void Realm, grabbing directly for the Giant Crab.

Jiao Chi Clan Old Ancestor—[Mahayana Stage]!

Although it was only a Divine Thought Clone, this pressure was enough to render Void Refining Stage Cultivators unable to move.

"Not good! The old monster has awakened!" Xiang Zhili's face turned pale.

"Don't panic."

Zhou Wannian's eyes were calm.

He pulled out that page of the [golden palace jade book] from his robe.

"Tie Zhu, calculate the spatial nodes."

"Locked. Directly above, a spatial weak point."

"Giant Crab! Full power impact!"

Zhou Wannian gave the order.

The reactor on the back of the Giant Crab Puppet overloaded, turning it into a streak of black light. Instead of fleeing, it crashed... toward that giant hand!

At the same time.

The golden palace jade book in Zhou Wannian's hand shone brilliantly.

"World Breaker!"

Rip!

Just as the Giant Crab was about to be caught by the giant hand, Zhou Wannian used the immortal Talismans on the jade book to forcibly tear open a spatial rift between the fingers.

"Go!"

The Giant Crab curled into a ball, carrying the two of them directly into the rift.

Bang!

The giant hand closed.

But it caught nothing.

Only a defiant sentence was left echoing over the Holy City.

"Senior of the Mahayana Stage, next time we meet..."

"Remember to fill the Thunder Pool before inviting guests!"

...From the depths of the Holy City came a cold snort of extreme fury.

"Thunder Cloud Master... Xiang Zhili..."

"A continent-wide bounty! No rest until they are dead!"