Lightning Tempering

Within the dark clouds, lightning surged and rolled. Xiao Li hurriedly sat cross-legged, circulating his meridians according to the pathways of the Thunder Fusion Body.

The lightning roared as it descended, causing Xiao Li's muscles to tense up completely.

A flash of white electricity tore through the clouds, carving a brief path before striking Xiao Li's body.

Feeling the excruciating pain, Xiao Li's expression turned ferocious. He had struck many people with lightning before, but this was his first time being on the receiving end. The sensation was truly "refreshing."

With no time to dwell on the feeling of being struck, Xiao Li circulated his energy, converting the power within the lightning for his own use. Part of it was tempered and merged into his energy vortex, while the rest was used to temper his physical body.

As the lightning rolled through his meridians, Xiao Li felt them go numb. His cells clamored and shrieked under the stimulation, and the energy vortex within his body began to operate at an overload.

His flesh was wounded by the lightning, yet the operation of the Thunder Fusion Body simultaneously mended the damage; charred skin slowly peeled away, replaced by new flesh.

The new skin emitted a faint cyan glow—only a sliver, yet it was clearly distinct.

The lightning did not come in a single bolt; they followed one after another. Elder Qian gave Xiao Li no time to catch his breath.

His body suffered immensely in the cycle of destruction and rebirth, yet its strength rose steadily.

Within the dark clouds, the cyan glow on Xiao Li's body grew increasingly intense, casting a faint green light against the oppressive, pitch-black sky.

Elder Bai's eyes were filled with pity. "Tempering the body with lightning—it truly is agonizing."

Elder Qian nodded. "The cultivation technique left behind by the Dean is indeed extraordinary. As long as one can endure the pain of being struck by lightning, the cultivation speed is no less than a Heaven-tier intermediate technique, not to mention the physical tempering."

Even so, how many could endure such pain day after day, year after year?

In the sky, the lightning continued to rage. Xiao Li's gaze grew somewhat unfocused; he could only numbly absorb the energy from the lightning to temper his body.

Elder Qian counted to one hundred in his heart and waved his hand, dispersing the dark clouds. Bright sunlight poured down, landing on Xiao Li's face.

Xiao Li's mind jolted, his focus returning. The energy within him was so full it was nearly overflowing.

The energy inside him transformed into a rampaging beast, shattering the barrier of his rank and entering a vast new realm.

Five-star Great Dou Master!

Breaking through three levels in a single day—though his foundation was as solid as bedrock, Xiao Li felt he still needed a few days of tempering.

Xiao Li dropped from the sky. Without relying on Dou Qi wings or flight techniques, he crashed into the ground, creating a large crater.

Unscathed, Xiao Li jumped out of the pit and curled his lips into a smile as he looked at his right hand, which was faintly glowing with a cyan hue.

The Thunder Fusion Body had reached the entry level.

Entry level was just the beginning, however. By Xiao Li's own estimation, to reach the minor accomplishment stage of the Mystic Thunder Body, he would likely need to endure several hundred more lightning strikes.

Thinking of that soul-crushing agony, Xiao Li shook his head. I'll wait a few days; that was too torturous.

Still, the results were significant. After just one round of lightning, his physical strength had increased by at least thirty percent. It was practically like using a cheat code.

Elder Qian roughly estimated Xiao Li's physical strength and nodded secretly. Body tempering was not like regular cultivation; there were no shortcuts. But if one could succeed, the resulting strength would be far beyond what ordinary people could compare to.

As Xiao Li's aura stabilized, Elder Qian stepped forward. "Cultivate the Nine Steps to Heaven for a few days, then head out for some real-world experience. Bai Lie and I will protect you from the shadows."

Xiao Li nodded. There was no time to slack off; he was already fifteen, and next year would be his coming-of-age ceremony.

Black-Corner Region, Hundred Monster City.

This was a small city that had never appeared in the original story, yet its level of chaos was no less than the major cities of the Black-Corner Region.

Watching the battles breaking out everywhere on the street, Xiao Li coldly bypassed them. The Black-Corner Region was truly a lawless land; most of the criminals and villains of the Northwest Continent must have gathered here.

"Hey, kid, hand over..."

Xiao Li sighed helplessly. His Thunder Scale Spear swept out, skewering the few men blocking his path like a string of beads.

Blood flowed across the ground, stunning the onlookers who had been eager to try their luck.

"What terrifying strength! He killed several Dou Zhe with a casual strike."

"Indeed. With this kind of power, he could definitely handle the Young Master of the Black Tiger Gang."

Within the crowd, two people whispered to each other, exchanging glances as they made up their minds.

"Kid, don't wander around like a headless fly during your training. Let me teach you a trick."

Elder Qian's voice transmitted directly into Xiao Li's ears from the void.

Xiao Li stopped in his tracks, keeping his expression neutral as he listened to what Elder Qian had to say.

"Find the most conspicuous place, put up a sign, and write that money can handle anything. Find something to do."

Xiao Li's face stiffened. This old man has so many rotten ideas.

Though he thought this, he held to the principle that the experts knew best, and since he truly had no objective, Xiao Li found a prominent spot.

Elder Qian chuckled secretly, nudging Bai Lie's shoulder. "Now we're in for a good show. In the Black-Corner Region, those who are too conspicuous and arrogant only have two endings."

Elder Bai raised an eyebrow as well. "One is to rise to the top and become famous overnight. The other, well, tsk tsk."

The answer was obvious: death.

Xiao Li had nothing on him and was wondering how to write the sign when Elder Qian's voice came again.

"You silly boy, why follow rules in the Black-Corner Region? See that scumbag over there committing rape? Stab him to death with your spear and use his clothes and blood to write the sign." Elder Qian snorted coldly.

Elder Bai cast a surprised glance at Elder Qian. "Qian Mu, I didn't expect you to have a sense of justice in you, wanting to save someone."

Elder Qian shot Elder Bai a sidelong look. "I cultivate to do as I please. I can't stand to see someone committing rape, so naturally, I have to stop it."

Elder Qian's words drifted through the void, seemingly intended for Xiao Li to hear as well.

Watching the crowd gathered in the distance to gawk at the spectacle, Xiao Li's gaze turned icy. He had noticed it earlier and wanted to intervene, but held back for fear that The Two Elders Qian and Bai would call him a meddler.

It seemed he had been mistaken; there was a difference between being a saint and simply having a moral bottom line.

The tip of the Thunder Scale Spear scraped against the ground, throwing off sparks, its piercing screech drawing the attention of the onlookers.

"Heh, look at that kid's cold face. Don't tell me he's actually going to interfere."

"Haha, just watch the show and be done with it. Why bother with so much? Can you even handle it all?"

Xiao Li paused his steps, his voice frigid. "Gathering to gawk and humiliate others—you lot aren't any better."

The spear transformed into lightning, tearing through the streets of Hundred Monster City.

"Mystic Thunder Shock Flash!"

The rapid lightning turned into a sword thrusting toward the scoundrels, only coming to a halt after piercing through a dozen men.

The spear tip stopped right in front of the perpetrator, the surging electricity causing his hair to stand on end.

Xiao Li lowered his head, his face hidden in the shadows of the buildings, as if he had reached a realization.

Even a mere Dou Shi like you dares to act as you please, uninhibited by anything, yet I was afraid of meddling and inviting trouble. I have been blinded by my own attachments.

The Thunder Scale Spear pierced through the man's naked body, the lightning reflecting in the woman's panicked, wide-eyed pupils.

"Changing the fate of my family and acting according to my heart is the goal of my cultivation. I have endured so much suffering, not to let you bastards get in my way."

Xiao Li retracted his spear and stood tall. "I truly don't know why it is that the stronger I get, the more I find myself overthinking things."

Xiao Li suddenly recalled a year ago, in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, when he faced an encirclement of dozens of men led by Gan Mu, and Little Fairy Doctor tugged on his sleeve, blinking her eyes as she asked if he could take her with him.