Thunder Lizard

Qie Qiong said with a resolute gaze, "Father, I know you're worried about my safety, but at the Fourth Layer of the Thunder's Five Transformation Technique, the Black Thunder stage, my Dou Qi and speed far surpass others at the same rank."

The Qie Clan's Thunder's Five Transformation Technique was a supreme-grade Dou Qi manual, one that even many Transcendents had never cultivated.

He paused. "Besides, I'm a swordsmanship master who has reached the Heaven and Man Unity Realm. I'm not like those ordinary Title Rank experts."

Although Qie Qiong had only just broken through, his realm was actually very high. Many Title Rank experts had reached the Heaven and Man Unity Realm, but they were not masters of a technique.

These were two separate paths. Many Title Rank technique masters had made a breakthrough in their minds, then relied on their Unity of Heaven and Man for years before becoming technique masters.

Judging by the Thunder Empire's Heavenly Rankings, Qie Qiong estimated that he could rank in the top hundred.

Qie Qiong continued his analysis. "I know you want to summon the clan's Silver Moon Knights, but rather than bring a group of Silver Moon Rank knights who'd be hamstrung, you'd be better off letting me come!"

Qie Yunzhou looked deeply at his son. Before, no matter how high his son's realm had been, in his eyes he had still been only an eleven-year-old child.

But what his son had said today made him truly realize what sort of person he was.

That courage alone filled him with delight.

"Good!" Qie Yunzhou nodded in agreement, but still said, "But Qiong'er, remember: once we're inside, listen to everything I say. If we run into danger, don't try to be a hero. Your safety comes first."

"I understand," Qie Qiong agreed.

Now that the two had decided, Qie Yunzhou quickly summoned the mine's manager and guard captain and instructed them:

"It won't do to leave that magical beast deep in the mine. All miners and overseers must stay away! I'll take the young master inside to have a look. Rest assured, everyone, it's only an ordinary Title Rank beast. I can handle it on my own."

In the end, Qie Yunzhou did not tell anyone the magical beast's true realm. Otherwise, it would have been hard to find a reason to take Qie Qiong inside.

His expression turned serious. "Everyone, guard the perimeter. If the magical beast escapes, use only the Star-Breaking Crossbows to wear it down from a distance."

"We obey your orders, Clan Head!" Though everyone was surprised and suspicious, they said nothing. As they saw it, Qie Yunzhou, a Myriad Existences Realm expert, could easily take down an ordinary sixth-rank magical beast.

Before long, the entire mining site had been cleared.

Qie Qiong and Qie Yunzhou exchanged a glance, and Qie Qiong followed Qie Yunzhou into the mine.

As the two ventured deeper, their surroundings gradually grew dark. The alchemical items that had lit the mine had long since been destroyed by the magical beast.

Qie Yunzhou held the Thunder Star Sword, a demigod weapon. As he infused it with Dou Qi, purple arcs of electricity flickered over the blade, lighting up the mine.

Qie Qiong stood behind him, gripping the Qingfeng Sword tightly. Though its blade was not like the Thunder Star Sword's, it still gleamed coldly.

Both spread out their Heaven and Man Unity Realm, alert for the slightest disturbance in the mine.

As they went deeper, Qie Qiong and Qie Yunzhou both noticed that there was not a trace of thunder adamantine in the mine.

By rights, there should have been at least some at this depth.

Suddenly!

"Roar~"

A dazzling bolt of purple lightning erupted without warning from deep within the mine, hurtling toward them.

The violent pillar of lightning bore an aura of destruction as it reached them in an instant.

"Dodge," Qie Yunzhou warned.

Green light flashed beneath his feet, and he had already shifted to one side. With his Unity of Heaven and Man, Qie Qiong had also detected the attack long before it reached him.

He instinctively used the Thunder Light secret technique, turning into a bolt of black lightning and dodging the pillar.

They looked ahead and saw a massive creature crouched there with its mouth open.

The pillar of lightning had shot from its mouth.

Its body was covered in thick, dark purple scales with a metallic sheen, and arcs of electricity danced all over it.

Its four limbs were thick and powerful, and by eye, it was a full eight or nine meters long.

Its dark golden vertical pupils were fixed on Qie Yunzhou. It sensed the greatest threat from him.

"Father, it's a Thunder Lizard. It looks like it was drawn here by the thunder adamantine," Qie Qiong said.

Qie Qiong had read every book in the Qie Clan's library when he was very young, and he immediately recognized the magical beast before them.

The Thunder Lizard was a primordial variant with Thunder Dragon blood. Upon reaching adulthood, it was equivalent to a Title Rank expert in the Heaven and Man Unity Realm, and it also had the ability to evolve by devouring heavenly treasures with the lightning attribute.

Its dark purple scales might have evolved from devouring thunder adamantine.

It had even touched upon the domain of Myriad Existences Thunder because it had devoured thunder adamantine.

As Qie Qiong spoke, it suddenly opened its huge mouth. Lightning gathered once more as it prepared to teach this noisy brat a lesson.

But before it could unleash its attack, a green figure had already arrived before it.

"Beast, I'm your opponent."

Qie Yunzhou raised the Thunder Star Sword high, drawing on the wind of the Myriad Existences Realm with all his strength.

"Bind!"

In an instant, the airflow in the mine changed abruptly.

Several green chains made of wind appeared out of thin air.

As soon as the green chains appeared, they shot toward the Thunder Lizard to bind it.

This was a binding secret technique Qie Yunzhou had created based on the wind of the Myriad Existences Realm.

The arcs dancing across the Thunder Lizard's body erupted in an instant, carrying violent force as it tried to burst the green chains apart.

The moment the Thunder Lizard's arcs erupted, Qie Qiong turned into a streak of black lightning and retreated.

He did not dare take the Thunder Lizard's lightning at close range. This was, after all, a magical beast comparable to one in the Myriad Existences Realm.

But the green chains Qie Yunzhou had formed seemed to have the upper hand, binding its enormous body.

Its movements abruptly halted, and even the lightning gathering in its mouth was forcibly interrupted.

At that very instant, Qie Qiong's sword arrived.

He did not use the second layer of the Flowing Light Sword. Instead, he directly infused the Qingfeng Sword with deep black Dou Qi and the Power of Heaven and Earth, winding them around its blade.

He thrust at the Thunder Lizard Beast's weakest point, its dark golden vertical pupil.

Puchi!

Just as the sword tip was about to pierce the Thunder Lizard's eye, it jerked its head to one side.

Qie Qiong's sword struck its scales instead.

With a sharpness far surpassing that of an ordinary second-tier alchemical weapon, and that supremely concentrated power, it instantly pierced the scales on the creature's neck.

Dark purple beast blood spurted out in an instant.

"Roar-"

The Thunder Lizard let out a tremendous roar as pain tore through it.

Humanlike disbelief flashed in its dark golden vertical pupils.

Its scales had evolved by devouring thunder adamantine, and as far as it knew, few magical beasts at its previous level could break through them.

It had not expected this human to wound it so deeply with a single sword strike.

If Qie Qiong had known what it was thinking, he would probably have laughed out loud. This magical beast had probably only ever dealt with other magical beasts.

Perhaps the intense pain had unleashed its potential. Lightning surged over its body, and it forcibly shattered the green chains.

But how could Qie Yunzhou let such a fine opportunity slip by? The instant Qie Qiong wounded the Thunder Lizard, the Thunder Star Sword in his hand moved.