I Emerge from the Well with Thunder!

He forcibly terminated the original circulation path of his blood and qi.

The martial essence driven by his Thunderbolt Fist was intercepted just as it was about to breach the meridian barrier.

Forcing a redirection would inevitably implicate every one of his meridians.

The effect of his Resilient Meridians talent was to disperse the backlash of power into the surrounding bones.

Simultaneously, the Spirit Aperture within his body began to tremble.

Through his Synesthesia talent, he absorbed the heaven and earth spiritual energy from the void, drawing it into his body.

Two forces collided at his sea of qi.

Guided by the Nine Heavens Thunder-Controlling Art, his martial blood and qi—possessing pure yang attributes—fused with the intent of lightning found within the spiritual energy.

Within the sea of qi, the crimson blood and qi gradually faded, transforming into a deep purple.

This was true lightning, not merely the thunderous sound simulated by martial arts.

The newly birthed Nine Heavens Thunder coursed through his body, darting along his limbs and bones.

His right arm was the first to suffer damage.

Li Pingsheng used Resilient Meridians to lock the Demon-Transformation Gu Poison and Cold Poison within his right arm.

As the lightning struck, it stripped away the cyan-black poison spots.

The thunder-fire eliminated the Gu poison particles within the flesh and blood inside his meridians.

Black smoke emanated from the skin of his right arm, ignited by the lightning in the air.

His swollen, cyan-purple arm began to subside once the toxins were purged.

Lightning is a force of both destruction and creation.

Tempered by the fire of lightning, the abilities of Tiger Bone and Resilient Meridians were fully activated.

Li Pingsheng felt a transformation occurring within his bones.

Under the influence of the lightning, his bones became harder and more resistant to fracture.

The previously severed meridians were drawn together by the lightning, reconnecting and widening in the process.

A jade-like luster appeared beneath his skin; this was the state of physical strength reaching a certain threshold.

Having eliminated the hidden dangers within his body, Li Pingsheng turned his attention to the Well-Guarding Bronze Talisman on his chest.

He pressed the bronze talisman against his skin to absorb his blood.

Li Pingsheng's expression remained calm; he did not pull it off, but instead pressed his left hand against the black stone stele, channeling his Divine Sense back through the talisman's absorption channel.

Under the effect of his Enhanced Cognition talent, the array structure within the bronze talisman revealed itself in his mind.

Inside the bronze talisman was an unknown Blood Sacrifice Array.

The spiritual imprint left by Old Qi guided the blood and qi toward the seal at the bottom of the well.

Without hesitation, Li Pingsheng mobilized the power of lightning within his body, firing his Divine Sense like a heavy hammer at the spiritual imprint.

The traces left by Old Qi vanished instantly.

Li Pingsheng branded the bronze talisman with his own Divine Sense, thereby seizing control of it.

Once the ownership of the bronze talisman changed, the drain on his blood and qi ceased.

Furthermore, a portion of the energy stored within the talisman flowed back into him through the channel, aiding his growth.

Having obtained the talisman, Li Pingsheng spread his Divine Sense along the array's routes throughout the entire Dragon Locking Well sealing array.

The life force of the Well-Guardian was used as firewood, while the turbid energy of the earth veins served as nourishment.

Li Pingsheng realized this balance contained a calculation against the Well-Guardian.

Since you want to burn me as firewood, I will dismantle this furnace.

Li Pingsheng's expression was icy, his killing intent surging.

Using the Thunder Stele Origin as a medium, he injected the power of lightning into the bronze talisman, which then entered the grand array.

The blood-colored runes writhing on the stone walls began to reverse after being infused with lightning.

The dark red light was replaced by purple, and the operating routes of the array shifted.

After a moment, he had transformed the Qi-Extraction Array into a Thunder-Controlling Grand Array.

The air in the underground cavern was extremely dry, and many purple lightning snakes danced across the stone walls.

Once the grand array reversed, the turbid earth vein energy at the bottom of the well reacted.

The filth that had accumulated for a hundred years sensed that danger was imminent.

The dark red mire churned, and many tentacles formed from black mist crawled out of the mud, lunging toward Li Pingsheng.

Wherever the tentacles passed, the rock melted into black water, and poisonous mist filled the air.

Li Pingsheng stood beside the thunder stele, but he did not move.

The Thunder-Controlling Grand Array began to operate.

After the web of purple lightning formed in the air, it surged downward.

The lightning web collided with the black mist tentacles.

The power of thunder was the bane of these filthy things; they were severed, evaporated, and dissipated into green smoke within the lightning.

Dozens of breaths later, the rampaging turbid energy was cleared away, and the bottom of the well returned to calm.

Thus, Li Pingsheng not only removed the hidden danger at the bottom of the well but also used the power of thunder to purify some of the impurities deep within the earth's veins.

This would make the seal of the Dragon Locking Well more secure, and there would be no need to worry about turbid energy leaking out in the short term.

At this moment, above the mouth of the Dragon Locking Well, the battle had reached a critical juncture.

Old Qi's face was deathly pale, blood hung from his chin, and he gripped the Azure Light Shield in his hands.

Standing opposite him was the Black-Robed Gu Master, who was surrounded by blood energy and using these blood-colored Gu Insect to assault the shield.

The Black-Robed Gu Master said, "Old ghost, stop holding on. Your vitality is exhausted, and this sealing array won't last much longer. Just accept your death obediently to avoid physical suffering."

Old Qi remained silent.

Although he was old, his strength was still formidable.

He had been waiting, waiting for Li Pingsheng at the bottom of the well to be refined, waiting for the thunderous vitality to merge into the array so that the seal of the array would become even more solid.

Just as he was holding on, his body shuddered, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

He had shared a mental connection with the Dragon Locking Well array for decades, but at this moment, it had been broken by a certain force.

How could this happen?

Old Qi sat on the ground, his eyes wide, his face full of terror and confusion.

That was an array passed down solely through the lineage of the Well-Guardian; how could it suddenly change hands?

Had something happened at the bottom of the well?

Was the plan formulated over many years to be destroyed today?

Seeing Old Qi spit out bright red blood and collapse, the Black-Robed Gu Master assumed it was caused by the seal at the bottom of the well being broken and the earth's veins backlashing.

Overjoyed, he laughed and said, "Haha, this is heaven's will! Old man, you can die now."

After flicking his ten fingers, the blood mist filling the sky condensed into a blood-colored giant claw several feet long, which lunged toward Old Qi's head.

This time, he had used all his strength.

Just as the blood claw was about to touch Old Qi's head, it happened.

The calm and uneventful mouth of the Dragon Locking Well suddenly exploded with a thunderous roar.

Immediately following, a purple lightning bolt the size of a barrel shot out from the well.

Upon touching the lightning pillar, the blood-red demonic claw immediately rotted away.

Furthermore, the shockwave caused by the lightning pillar turned into purple ripples, shattering the Blood-Transforming Dragon-Imprisoning Array that was coiled around the surroundings.

The blast of air sent both Old Qi and the Black-Robed Gu Master flying, causing them to roll twice on the ground.

After the lightning faded, a figure holding a small, phantom black stone stele rose from the well mouth amidst the electricity.

Li Pingsheng was expressionless, purple lightning dancing on his clothes, exuding an intense aura of power.

Old Qi looked at Li Pingsheng, his mind a complete blank.

He was no longer the martial arts student he had sent out as a sacrifice; he was now someone who could control lightning.

"Li Pingsheng... are you alright?" Old Qi's expression was one of extreme terror.

He had not expected that the pawn he deemed expendable could actually turn the tables from the bottom of the well and even seize control of the array.

Li Pingsheng landed on the ground, and the bluestone slabs beneath his feet turned to powder upon contact with the lightning radiating from his body.

Looking at Old Qi, he said emotionlessly, "Old Qi, when you sent me down there, did you ever think I would come out alive?"

Old Qi's face turned ashen, and he could not speak.

The Black-Robed Gu Master to the side narrowed his eyes, gazing at the phantom Thunder Stele Origin in Li Pingsheng's hand:

"What is the Thunder Stele Origin? Having the recognition of the Thunder Stele is enough. Junior, hand over the Thunder Stele, and I will spare you."

Li Pingsheng sneered and said, "If you want it, come and take it yourself."