189: I'm going into seclusion for twenty days to drain this lightning rod dry!

Lin Yuan looked at that path.

It was a staircase paved with countless broken swords, extending all the way to the base of that giant broken sword.

Behind it, black mist swirled, and thunder was extinguished.

An inexplicable gravitational pull was tugging at his Soul.

"Thanks."

Lin Yuan hoisted his battle staff and strode forward.

One step.

Two steps.

As he approached the broken sword, the surrounding air began to change.

It was no longer viscous, but... gone.

Lin Yuan felt as if he were walking into the stomach of a giant beast.

When he reached the bottom of the broken sword.

That gravitational pull reached its peak.

"Warning! High-dimensional rule suppression detected!"

"Warning! Life signs are rapidly declining!"

"Warning! Soul fluctuations show signs of disintegration!"

System pop-ups flooded his mind.

Lin Yuan lifted one foot, wanting to cross that boundary.

Buzz—

An indescribable chill enveloped him.

At that moment, Lin Yuan "saw" his own death.

Without any pain, without any struggle.

As long as this foot landed.

His physical body would collapse, and his consciousness would extinguish.

Completely, utterly, erased from this world.

Not even a speck would remain.

His hair stood on end.

His survival instinct froze his body in place.

That lifted foot hung in mid-air, unable to step down.

"Hoo..."

Lin Yuan withdrew his foot.

He took a step back.

Then another step back.

That terrifying feeling of impending erasure only slightly receded then.

"How was it?"

Zhao Polu's teasing voice came from behind him.

"Did you see it?"

Lin Yuan turned around, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

But he still spoke stubbornly.

"Just so-so."

Lin Yuan wiped his sweat, shrugging nonchalantly.

"The scenery is average, nothing special to see."

"And the air quality is too poor; it doesn't meet my health standards."

Zhao Polu let out a scoff.

"Good that you're sensible."

"Retreat. It won't be too late to come and die when you've Cultivated the Golden Body or entered the Saint Realm."

After speaking, Zhao Polu prepared to sit back into the shadows, continuing his endless vigil.

However.

Lin Yuan did not leave.

He merely retreated to a position about ten meters in front of the broken sword.

That was the safe distance between "death" and "survival."

Then.

He sat down with a thud.

Crossing his legs, he rested the battle staff across his knees.

"What are you doing?"

Zhao Polu was stunned.

This kid isn't leaving?

"Since I'm already here."

Lin Yuan looked up at the giant broken sword above his head.

On the sword body, Geng Metal Divine Thunder was flowing.

To ordinary people, it was a deadly poison that meant instant death upon contact.

But to Lin Yuan, who possessed the Primordial Thunder God Body.

This was simply a grand feast.

"I can't enter this door."

Lin Yuan pointed at the lightning above his head.

"But these things on it, I think it's a waste to let them go to waste."

"Why don't I help you clear out some inventory?"

"Consider it a contribution to environmental protection."

Zhao Polu: "..."

He had lived for over two thousand years (though most of that time he was dead), he had seen those who forced their way in, those who begged for mercy, and those who were scared witless.

But he had never seen anyone come to the entrance of the Return to the Ruins to... steal electricity?

"That is Geng Metal Divine Thunder."

Zhao Polu couldn't help but remind him.

"Extremely rigid and masculine, incomparably sharp."

"Entering the body will shatter your Meridians; your small frame..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Lin Yuan had already raised his hand, making a grabbing motion towards the broken sword.

"Thunder, come!"

As Lin Yuan made his move, the giant broken sword seemed to have been provoked.

A golden lightning bolt, as thick as a baby's arm, detached from the sword body and struck towards Lin Yuan.

Its speed was so fast that even Zhao Polu couldn't stop it in time.

"Seeking death!"

Zhao Polu snorted coldly.

Even he, with his Ancient Martial Golden Body refined for two thousand years, dared not directly withstand this Geng Metal Divine Thunder.

This kid, a mere True Essence stage cultivator (in his opinion), would probably turn into dust in an instant.

However.

The expected screams and burnt smell did not appear.

Boom!

Golden lightning poured into his head.

Lin Yuan's body trembled.

Countless currents surged wildly through his Meridians, cutting through his blood vessels and muscles.

Pain!

But within this pain, there was a kind of... exhilaration that made his Soul tremble.

"High-energy anomalous energy detected: Geng Metal Divine Thunder."

"Energy purity: extremely high."

"Analyzing... assimilating..."

Cracks appeared on Lin Yuan's skin, and the blood that flowed out was instantly vaporized into a red mist by the lightning.

"Powerful!"

"Flavorful!"

He gritted his teeth, squeezing out a few words.

Not only did he not cut off the connection, but he also increased the suction.

"More!"

"Didn't eat? Fill it up for me!"

The black-purple lightning that originally flowed within his body began to undergo a qualitative change after devouring this lightning.

What was once merely destructive power now possessed an attribute of unparalleled sharpness.

Zhao Polu was dumbfounded.

"This..."

"How is this possible?"

"That's Divine Lightning! The power of heavenly punishment! This kid... he's eating it?"

Zhao Polu's worldview was severely impacted.

He looked at the young man, covered in blood, yet smiling like a madman.

He suddenly felt that the gate he had guarded for two thousand years seemed to have been guarded in vain.

When did such a monster appear in this world?

Lin Yuan completely ignored the old fossil's shock.

He was currently in a subtle state of both pain and pleasure.

As the Geng Metal Divine Thunder continuously poured in, he originally thought he could use this power to advance the evolution of his Divine Body.

However, things did not go as planned.

"Hmm? What's going on?"

Lin Yuan frowned slightly, wondering why the fat meat that was already at his mouth wasn't making him gain weight.

Just then, the thunderfall battle staff resting on his knees suddenly vibrated.

Buzz—!

A strong feeling of craving passed from his palm into Lin Yuan's mind.

This staff was devouring the Geng Metal Divine Thunder that flowed into Lin Yuan's body.

"Good heavens, so it was you, you traitor!"

Lin Yuan cursed, but his eyes lit up.

Since he couldn't digest it himself, feeding it to this staff wasn't a bad idea.

After all, it was a handy weapon; if it could evolve, it would be even more convenient for future sneak attacks.

"Alright, you want to eat, do you? Then let you eat your fill!"

Lin Yuan no longer tried to guide the lightning to impact his Divine Body, but instead released the restrictions, transforming into a human conductor, continuously channeling the Geng Metal Divine Thunder from above into the battle staff.

Sizzle sizzle—

The dark patterns on the surface of the thunderfall battle staff lit up, emitting a dazzling golden light.

"Hey, old man."

While acting as a "charger," Lin Yuan turned his head and called out to the still-dazed Zhao Polu.

"No one's in charge of the electricity on this sword, right?"

Zhao Polu's mouth twitched.

He really wanted to say that this sword was a Magical Artifact that suppressed the Return to the Ruins, sacred and inviolable.

But seeing that the broken sword didn't seem to resist, and was even continuously supplying lightning... how did this look like a case of one willing to hit and the other willing to take it?

"Suit yourself."

Zhao Polu turned around and sat back into the shadows.

Out of sight, out of mind.

"As long as you're not afraid of bursting, drain it all you want."

"Got it!"

Lin Yuan, having received permission, became even more reckless.

He simply closed his eyes, formed hand seals, and assumed a Cultivation posture with his five centers facing the sky.

"System, give me full power!"

"For these twenty days, I'm going to drain this lightning rod dry!"

Rumble rumble—

The lightning on the entire Corpse Mountain was agitated.

Countless golden snakes danced wildly, engulfing Lin Yuan's figure.