The lightning kept crashing down from above onto the Thunderous Hell Vine, only to be absorbed by it in an instant, as if the Heaven Lightning had never appeared.
An hour later, Yu Tianheng awoke from his cultivation.
His Martial Soul could no longer withstand any more lightning.
But when he looked toward Zhou Tong, surprise spread across his face.
Zhou Tong was still calmly cultivating in seclusion, seemingly without the slightest discomfort.
It was as if the lightning crashing down from above had no terrifying destructive power at all, as if Zhou Tong were on vacation, relaxing.
Clearly, Zhou Tong could keep cultivating for a long time yet.
That meant Yu Tianheng had lost!
He had lost completely and utterly.
Zhou Tong sat with his eyes closed, looking utterly content. He didn't seem tired in the slightest.
This made Yu Tianheng feel as if his whole world were falling apart.
He couldn't compete with him at all.
With even more Heaven Lightning about to descend, Yu Tianheng's Dragon Transformation gradually began to fail. In the end, he had no choice but to leave.
At that moment, everyone watching was stunned, unable to believe their eyes.
They had been certain Yu Tianheng would win, only to be slapped hard in the face by reality in the blink of an eye.
Now their faces felt as if they were burning.
"Senior Brother Tian Heng actually lost."
"Unbelievable."
"This Zhou Tong really does have some ability."
"I heard the Crown Prince invited him here."
"He has that much backing?"
"No wonder he could get into the academy as a commoner Soul Master. We'd better not provoke him from now on. It wouldn't be good if the Crown Prince got angry."
The crowd, who had originally wanted revenge, did a complete about-face.
These noble Soul Masters might not have been very strong, but they knew exactly how to handle social connections.
Every one of them was skilled at going with the flow.
Once they saw Zhou Tong wasn't an easy target, they didn't dare cause trouble anymore.
At that moment, Yu Tianheng emerged from the Thunder Mimicry Environment, looking utterly dejected.
He stood outside, staring at Zhou Tong inside the Thunder Mimicry Environment Chamber. He was rooted to the spot, unable to believe his eyes.
The lightning talent he had always been so proud of had been defeated by Zhou Tong with such casual ease, without the slightest effort.
How could he accept this?
Now he felt as if the sky were about to collapse on him.
He had once stood high above everyone else, but now he was about to fall back to earth.
How could he possibly accept that?
All he wanted now was to see how long Zhou Tong could withstand the lightning.
Two hours at most, right?
After meditating for most of the day, Zhou Tong finally opened his eyes.
Feeling the abundant Soul Power within him, he couldn't hide his delight.
He'd have to come here often from now on. This place was simply too comfortable.
Zhou Tong stayed there for a full three hours, leaving reluctantly only when his stomach began to rumble.
Otherwise, he could definitely have stayed longer.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he suddenly furrowed his brow and looked outside.
A boy in his teens stood there, staring at him with a look of utter shock and something strange in his eyes.
Wasn't that Yu Tianheng?
Zhou Tong suddenly remembered. He seemed to have been competing against Yu Tianheng.
Cultivating in seclusion had been so comfortable that he'd forgotten all about it.
But from the looks of things, he'd definitely won.
A faint smile played at the corner of Zhou Tong's mouth. Wearing the air of a victor, he walked out of the Thunder Mimicry Environment Chamber and came before Yu Tianheng.
"Zhou Tong, you win."
Yu Tianheng's expression was a little stiff, but he still took the initiative to admit defeat.
"I didn't expect the Heaven Dou Empire to have such a powerful lightning-attribute Martial Soul."
"This is a million Gold Soul Coins. I'm giving you this Soul Tool as well."
Yu Tianheng tossed Zhou Tong an exquisitely crafted Soul Tool, then turned and left.
Zhou Tong smiled faintly as he caught the Soul Tool and inspected it. His heart leaped with joy.
He'd won a million Gold Soul Coins and an exquisite Soul Tool from this challenge.
This Soul Tool was high-end merchandise, capable of storing living things.
It was far better than the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.
It was worth at least fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins.
With over a million Gold Soul Coins, Zhou Tong wouldn't have to worry about money for years.
What a haul!
Thanks to the rich kid Yu Tianheng.
Zhou Tong had gained an enormous fortune without lifting a finger, and he was over the moon.
Zhou Tong hurried back to his dormitory. His body-tempering with lightning had just brought him a major breakthrough.
"My lightning has evolved from Mortal Lightning to Earth Lightning, then from Earth Lightning to Heaven Lightning."
"Two levels in a row."
"It's time to begin the Thunder God Divine Trial."
Next came the moment to claim his reward.
"Ding!"
Sure enough.
The instant the thought crossed Zhou Tong's mind, a cold, imposing voice rang out.
"The lightning attribute has completed three stages of transformation and become Heaven Lightning, meeting the requirements to begin the Thunder God Divine Trial."
In the next instant, the world around him shifted. He suddenly found himself in a void.
Before him stood an ancient hall built from thunder crystals, with a massive emblem engraved above it.
At its center was a purple-gold lightning bolt.
Inside the hall stood a middle-aged man in thunder-patterned armor, towering between heaven and earth. A suffocating majesty filled his brow, and lightning coiled around him.
"I am the Thunder God, a First-Level God who commands the laws of thunder."
"The Divine Realm's hierarchy of power, from lowest to highest, is: Divine Officials, Third-Level Gods, Second-Level Gods, First-Level Gods, God Kings, and the Creation God, who exists only in legend."
"In my time, I was the strongest among the First-Level Gods, a being on the threshold of becoming a God King. Even the God Kings had to show me respect."
The Thunder God's figure suddenly grew a little more indistinct. "Unfortunately, I fell during the great war in the Divine Realm, and to this day I haven't found a worthy successor."
"So, in my final moments, I sent the last remnant of my consciousness to the lower realm and built a temple in a certain region."
"To find a successor, I scattered seeds of my divine consciousness far and wide. At last, I found you."
Zhou Tong's heart shuddered. "Senior, do you want to pass the Thunder God's divine throne on to me?"
"Exactly!"
"I hope you will inherit my legacy."
"Restore the Thunder God's glory."
"Moreover, the Thunder God's position still has room to grow."
"I hope you can surpass me and fulfill the dream I once had: raising the Thunder God to the level of a God King!"
Zhou Tong's eyes flickered, and excitement stirred in his heart.
"I'm willing."
The thought of becoming a god filled him with joy.
The Thunder God laughed heartily and spoke.
"Zhou Tong, you have awakened the Thunder God Divine Trial. Will you begin the divine examination?"
Zhou Tong knew the Thunder God's power was immensely strong, second only to a God King, and that it had great potential to evolve—perhaps even to the level of a God King.
He couldn't have asked for more than the Thunder God's inheritance, so he agreed on the spot.
"Begin!"
Then—
The Thunder God raised a hand and pointed. A blazing bolt of lightning shot toward Zhou Tong's forehead.
"The Nine Trials of the Thunder God begin today!"
The Thunder God's voice rang out, solemn and grand. "Complete my trials, inherit my legacy step by step, and ultimately ascend to the divine throne of the Thunder God!"
"First Trial of the Thunder God Divine Trial: slay a ten-thousand-year lightning-attribute Soul Beast without relying on anyone else's power."
Before you continue