Thunder Demon Qi

Zhong Su frowned slightly. "Soul Rings? What are those?"

The two exchanged a glance, then Yu Yuanzhen stepped forward to explain. "My lord, Soul Rings are..."

After a brief explanation, Zhong Su gradually understood. But what followed was anger.

"Hmph! My people need Soul Beasts to keep cultivating? The nerve!"

A clap of thunder shook the heavens as lightning poured down, venting the demon's fury.

"Utterly ridiculous! Do you think the people of Thunder City can't cultivate without Soul Beasts?"

Under the thunderclouds, Yu Yuanzhen swayed unsteadily, clutching Yu Luomian tightly to keep him from falling.

Rumble—

After venting his anger, the thunderclouds finally quieted.

Lightning seized Yu Luomian and dragged him before Zhong Su. He trembled in terror. "M-My lord..."

"The greatest power in this world is lightning. Every other power is nothing but an ant. Do you understand?" Zhong Su pointed at Yu Luomian in fury, his voice icy.

"I-I understand," Yu Luomian answered shakily.

"Hmph. Open your mouth. I'll bestow upon you the power of true Thunder Demon Qi."

Before Yu Luomian could open his mouth, a bolt of lightning blasted straight into it. He cried out in pain.

Everyone in the plaza below could hear Yu Luomian begging for mercy.

Yu Yuanzhen gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, torn by inner turmoil, but still didn't step forward.

"Ah—mmph—"

Yu Luomian struggled helplessly as lightning infused with demonic energy flooded into his body, devouring and transforming every cell.

After a long while, he let out a deep breath and was finally released.

The lightning wrapped around him faded away and flew back into the sea of thunder above. Yet he remained suspended in the air, without the aid of any power.

"Second brother, are you all right?" Yu Yuanzhen hurried over, worried.

Zhong Su's domineering voice rang out. "Hmph. You're lucky to have received my power. No one in Thunder City is allowed to use the power of Soul Beasts anymore. All of you will use the power of lightning! Demonic energy, go!"

At his command, countless bolts of lightning surged downward in a dazzling display, like a Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers.

One bolt after another barreled through the crowd, locking onto its target before burrowing straight into their chests.

"I broke through just like that? I don't need to obtain a Soul Ring?" Yu Tianheng stared at his Soul Power, now at level 41, utterly astonished.

"I broke through too!"

"I gained a level too, and I don't even need a Soul Ring! Was this all the Old Ancestor's doing?"

The crowd gazed up at the sky in delight. With an Old Ancestor like this, what more could the clan ask for?

"Old Ancestor, bring down some more lightning! Please!"

"Old Ancestor, strike me! I'm just one level away!"

Compared with Thunder City's jubilation, Shendu was in dire straits, tirelessly repairing the rifts and pouring divine power into them as though it cost nothing.

Every time another person from Thunder City gained demonic energy, a rift appeared in space. Their size depended on the person's strength. The largest one, opened when Yu Luomian received the power, was already over a meter long.

"Damn you, Zhong Su. I knew you'd cause trouble." Shendu cursed him, never pausing his work.

After a good while, all the rifts had been repaired.

Shendu carefully calculated the cost. After that frantic patching, he had used up a full twentieth of the divine power Zhong Su had earned earlier.

You've really done it now, Zhong Su. I'm already 95% of the way to taking a loss!

He grumbled inwardly, wishing he could send Zhong Su back this instant. But more and more people were coming to believe in demons because of Zhong Su, and a great deal of divine power was flowing in every day. He couldn't bear to give that up...

Fine. I'll let you stay a little longer. Just don't go causing any more trouble.

After settling everything, Shendu returned to his statue.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Thunder City, atop the mountain.

Everyone gathered together in excitement, cheering over the changes within their bodies.

Thunder Demon Qi had raised everyone's Soul Power by one level and granted them the ability to advance without needing Soul Rings.

Most importantly, they all felt their bodies had been strengthened, and their lightning Soul Skills had become even more powerful.

Yu Yuanzhen punched out. Lightning flashed past in an instant, blasting a charred crater into the ground.

"So powerful!" His excitement was beyond words.

With his level 91 strength, Yu Luomian enjoyed flight for the first time, circling freely through the sky.

Looking down at the crowd, Zhong Su shouted, "Lightning is invincible!"

His words immediately drew cheers.

"Lightning lives forever! Lightning lives forever!"

The crowd shouted the slogan together. It had once been used to praise the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, but now they willingly chanted it for the demon in the sky.

"Lightning lives forever!" Yu Luomian raised his hand and shouted, his heart pounding with excitement.

Amid the frenzied cheers around him, Yu Tianheng looked up in silence and thought, The Blue Lightning lives forever!

Zhong Su wanted to expand Thunder City until it encompassed the entire mountain. Only the Defense Clan could complete such a massive undertaking.

At Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong sat in her high seat, listening to her subordinates report.

"Your Holiness, this morning, Yu Luomian of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan took action and seized the entire Defense Clan. He seems to have broken through to the Titled Douluo rank."

"All the members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan who followed him have also advanced by at least one level. According to reports from our spies within the clan, it seems to have been the doing of the Thunder Demon, Zhong Su."

The Cardinal read the report from a notebook.

"Oh?" Bibi Dong grew interested. "Bring it here."

It was the power of a demon. She had coveted it for a long time.

As she watched countless bolts of lightning fall from the sky, she was shaken by the Thunder Demon's strength. But when she saw everyone advance by one level without needing Soul Rings, her eyes lit up.

Since this was no place to show it, she closed the file and resumed her icy expression.

The power of demons really was captivating! she thought eagerly.

Unfortunately, she'd studied Hsi Wu's Broken Horn, but still made no progress. Was her research technique not good enough?

She began to hesitate.

After thinking it over, she realized that she did know someone in this world who was skilled at researching things.

Bibi Dong's gaze turned cold, and a chill spread throughout the hall.

In the secret chamber below, Shendu had just finished setting up the plan for Zhong Su's departure. Satisfied, he returned to the statue to rest.

There shouldn't be any more serious trouble now, right?

Deep within the core of Star Dou Great Forest.

Hsi Wu came upon a mysterious valley and curiously explored it. Several Ferocious Beasts lay sleeping beside a pool at the bottom, their snores rising in a steady rhythm.