Hunting Begins with Thunder as the Net

Within the Thunder Temple, Lin Ye digested the knowledge and techniques he had gained from The Ancient One. [Dimensional Energy Perception] gave him a sharper grasp of the "texture" of the surrounding space. Although [Basic Spatial Rune Analysis] could not let him immediately draw complex arrays like those of Kamar-Taj, it allowed him to understand the principles of spatial stability and fluctuations. [Soul Barrier], meanwhile, gave him a new understanding of mental defense.

"Remy, sort all possible activity areas of the Inheritors by energy anomaly level and spatial stability. Prioritize areas where the spatial structure is relatively weak, convenient for us to act in, and frequently used by them." Lin Ye gave the order. It was time to put his new knowledge into practice.

"Sorting complete. Primary target: Norway, Jotun Black Gate Mountains, the site of an abandoned medieval monastery. Multiple high-intensity mystic energy fluctuations and small-scale spatial distortions have been detected."

"Good. Prepare teleportation. Set the coordinates five kilometers outside the target area." Lin Ye did not choose to charge straight in this time. He planned to observe from a distance first and test the methods he had just learned.

Lightning flashed, and Lin Ye appeared on a ridge in Norway's snowy mountains. The freezing wind howled, while the ancient monastery ruins in the valley below looked especially eerie beneath the moonlight.

The Mind Network spread out. Combined with [Dimensional Energy Perception], the scene ahead became entirely different in his "eyes." The monastery was not lifeless. It was shrouded in a pale purple energy field made of countless tiny runes. The field constantly resonated faintly with the surrounding space, distorting light and perception. It was clearly an advanced concealment and defensive measure.

Within the energy field, several life signatures were moving about. Their energy fluctuations closely matched the characteristics of the "mystic arts" described by The Ancient One.

"They really are here. This turtle shell is rather interesting." Lin Ye could sense that the energy field not only blocked detection but also possessed a certain spatial disruption effect. Forcing his way through might alert them.

He recalled The Ancient One's explanation of spatial stability and combined it with his control over lightning.

"Remy, run a simulation. If I use high-frequency, low-amplitude lightning energy to vibrate the spatial nodes of the target area at a specific frequency, can I temporarily disrupt or even neutralize that energy field without alerting the people inside?"

"Calculating... Simulation complete. Feasibility: 68%. Extremely precise energy control and spatial perception are required. Recommend activating [Thor Form] to improve control precision."

"That's enough." Lightning flickered in Lin Ye's eyes as [Thor Form] silently activated. His aura instantly became vast yet restrained.

He raised a hand, spreading his fingers slightly toward the empty space above the valley below. He was not attacking the monastery directly, but several key "nodes" where its energy field connected to space.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

Countless blue-white lightning snakes thinner than hairs flowed from his fingertips. Rather than shooting toward the target, they silently merged into the surrounding air and began vibrating space at a specific frequency like invisible ripples!

This was an extremely intricate operation. It was not destruction, but "tuning."

Below, inside the monastery.

Several Inheritors members were gathered around a stone basin burning with ghostly blue flames, conducting some sort of ritual. Several fragments resembling bones floated within the basin, radiating an ominous aura.

Suddenly, the flames in the stone basin swayed slightly, and the runes carved into the surrounding walls flashed with a momentary disturbance. It was incredibly brief and immediately returned to normal, but the elderly man leading the group still noticed it.

"Hm?" The old man frowned and warily looked around. "Did the spatial barrier just experience a slight fluctuation?"

The other members halted the ritual and sensed their surroundings, but found nothing. "Master, no anomaly was detected. Perhaps it was merely a normal fluctuation in the earth vein energy?"

The old man pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Perhaps I am overthinking it. Continue the ritual. We must complete the positioning of the Bone Gate before the next full moon."

They did not know that, in that brief instant of fluctuation, Lin Ye had quietly opened a "back door" in their defensive network, like the most skilled hacker. It was only large enough for him to pass through, and it had not triggered any alarms.

On the ridge, the corner of Lin Ye's lips curled upward. "Done."

His figure flickered, turning into a pale blue streak of lightning that nearly blended into the night. Following the temporarily stabilized spatial gap he had created, he effortlessly passed through the pale purple energy field and slipped into the monastery like a ghost, drawing no one's attention.

The monastery was even more dilapidated inside than it appeared from outside, though some key areas had clearly been carefully cleaned and maintained. The walls were covered in ancient, indecipherable runes, and the air carried a strange mixture of burning herbs and old blood.

Lin Ye's Mind Network and dimensional perception spread like invisible tendrils, swiftly scanning the entire monastery. He quickly locked onto the core area with the strongest energy fluctuations—the room where the ritual was being conducted.

Like a gecko, he silently climbed onto the ceiling and observed the scene below through gaps between the stones.

The hooded Inheritors members were gathered around the basin of ghostly blue flame, chanting awkward incantations. The bone fragments inside the basin were slowly melting in the flames, releasing wisps of black mist that gradually gathered in the air into a vague, spinning phantom of a doorway!

"They're trying to stabilize a miniature spatial gate?" Lin Ye immediately saw through it. "Where does it lead?"

At that moment, the old man presiding over the ritual seemed to sense something. He abruptly looked up toward the ceiling where Lin Ye was hiding! His eyes gleamed sharply beneath the shadow of his hood!

"An outsider has intruded! The barrier has been breached!" the old man shouted sternly, reacting with incredible speed!

The other members were horrified. They immediately interrupted the ritual, drawing strange daggers and short staffs as they vigilantly looked around! The miniature spatial gate that had just formed began to fluctuate violently after its energy supply was cut off, becoming extremely unstable.

Seeing that he had been exposed, Lin Ye no longer hid himself. His figure flashed, and he descended into the center of the room like thunder!

Boom!

The instant he landed, his powerful aura and the lightning dancing around him illuminated the entire room, even suppressing the ghostly blue flames!

"Inheritors?" Lin Ye's gaze swept across the group as if they were facing a great enemy before finally settling on the old man. "You seem very interested in my power?"

When the old man saw Lin Ye, especially after sensing that pure and terrifying lightning power, a flicker of shock crossed his eyes before swiftly turning into fanaticism. "It's you! Thunder! You actually found this place!"

"Finding a few rats hiding away to study antiques isn't difficult." Lin Ye's tone was calm. "Tell me, why have you been secretly recording my energy frequency? To repair that broken glove?"

The old man's expression changed. He clearly had not expected Lin Ye to know even that! He stopped wasting words and fiercely slammed the bone staff in his hand against the ground!

"Capture him! His power is the key to repairing the Void Hand! At any cost!"

The other members immediately rushed forward, swinging their daggers and short staffs. Their attacks were not physical in nature, instead unleashing purple energy blades and shockwaves that distorted the mind!

"Cheap tricks." Lin Ye could not even be bothered to move as the lightning protecting his body erupted on its own!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The energy blades and mental attacks struck the lightning like mud sinking into the sea, instantly dissipating without shaking it in the slightest!

With a casual point of his finger, Lin Ye fired a tiny lightning arrow that instantly pierced the knee of a member charging at the front! The man screamed and collapsed, lightning still flickering around his wound and preventing him from healing himself or using mystic arts.

"Pathetic." Lin Ye shook his head. "If this is all you can do, then you have truly disappointed me."

A ruthless glint flashed through the old man's eyes. He suddenly bit his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of blood onto the bone staff in his hand!

"Blood as the guide, Shadow Binding!"

The runes on the bone staff lit up violently. The shadows in the room seemed to come alive, lashing toward Lin Ye from all directions like countless black tentacles! These shadowy tentacles seemed somewhat immune to lightning's purification. They passed directly through the lightning around him and coiled around his body and limbs!

"Interesting." Feeling the coldness and binding force coming from the shadows, Lin Ye nodded slightly. "It involves some of the Shadow Dimension's power? Unfortunately, it's far too shallow."

With a thought, he did not forcefully break free. Instead, he infused a trace of the spatial vibration power he had just comprehended into his lightning!

Buzz!

The frequency of the lightning around him instantly changed. It was no longer pure destruction, but carried high-frequency spatial vibrations!

The moment those shadowy tentacles touched the vibrating lightning, it was as if they had been thrown into a grinder. The shadow energy composing them was directly shaken apart and dispersed, losing all binding effect!

"What?!" The old man was utterly shocked. His strongest binding mystic art had been broken so easily!

Lin Ye took a step forward and instantly appeared before the old man, his lightning-covered hand reaching directly for the bone staff!

The old man tried to resist, but Lin Ye was faster than imagination! His hand easily seized the bone staff!

Crack!

Terrifying lightning energy surged into it. The bone staff, clearly a fine magical item itself, could not withstand such violent power and snapped in half, turning charred black!

The old man suffered a backlash and spat out blood as he staggered backward. His eyes were filled with terror and disbelief as he looked at Lin Ye.

Lin Ye casually tossed the ruined bone staff onto the ground, his cold gaze sweeping over the remaining members who did not dare move.

"Now, can you answer my questions properly?"

The first stop of the hunt seemed even easier than he had expected.

But he could sense that this was merely the tip of the iceberg of the Inheritors that had surfaced above the water.

(End of Chapter 31)