Seven Days of Preparation

Upon returning to his residence, Lu Chen immediately threw himself into intense preparations for battle.

That morning, he trained alone in the residence's martial grounds, familiarizing himself with his newly gained strength.

With a thought, the Dragon Emperor Domain unfolded.

Within a radius of eighty zhang, gravity bent to his will—heavy as mountains or light as feathers.

He tried gathering the power of Mystic Dragon Prison Suppression. Several hazy phantom Mystic Dragons faintly emerged within the domain, coiling and roaming with an air of suppression and sealing. Though he was still unfamiliar with it, it had already begun to show its might.

Next, he attempted to invoke Thunder God Descent. Purple Heavenly Thunder power roiled within his body, while dense violet lightning patterns surfaced across his skin. His aura surged in an instant, brimming with destructive power.

But this state consumed an enormous amount of true essence and soul power. At his current cultivation, he could maintain it for at most thirty breaths. This was a true life-or-death trump card.

He also repeatedly practiced the Godslayer Thunder Eyes. The violet-gray beams grew increasingly condensed and swift. Its "Piercing Delusion" ability allowed him to see through some of the simple illusion arrays and energy nodes arranged around the martial grounds, while "Gaze" made the air at the point where his eyes locked on faintly solidify.

That afternoon, he conducted practical combat drills with Zhao Tieying, Gu Mingxuan, and the other core members of the Evil-Quelling Guard. They formed battle formations and simulated every situation they might encounter in a forceful assault on Cold Crow Pool.

As the spearhead, Lu Chen charged at the front, integrating his newly comprehended domain power and eye techniques into actual combat. Their power was astonishing, but they also exposed some unfamiliarity in coordinating with the others.