Several days later, the door of the meditation chamber suddenly opened, and Han Li, who had been in seclusion for six days, stepped out.
Though his face bore signs of exhaustion, a faint trace of amusement flickered in his eyes, impossible to conceal.
It seemed his recent efforts in crafting talismans had yielded substantial gains.
Today was not the day for Mu Qing to impart the art of thunder manipulation, so Han Li had emerged simply to relax his overly strained nerves.
After all, the principle of balancing tension with relaxation was the true path to restoring both body and mind.
The Wood Spirit Cave was nearly as vast as the Bloodflame Palace. Han Li strolled leisurely through the garden outside his meditation chamber, wandering through various parts of the cave.
Half an hour later, he arrived before a side gate, its surface shimmering with an unceasing emerald glow. He lowered his head in contemplation.
He had explored most of the Wood Spirit Cave multiple times, but several areas remained sealed by formidable restrictions, preventing him from investigating further.
Among them, two locations in particular were guarded by such stringent barriers that even Han Li felt a mix of awe and intense curiosity.
This side courtyard, named the “Emerald Chant Garden,” was one of them.
However, the faint traces of pure wood-attribute spiritual energy seeping through the dense restrictions led him to speculate that this was likely a medicinal garden.
What kind of spiritual herbs and fruits could be so precious that even Mu Qing, a demon king of the Body Integration stage, would value them so highly?
The thought stirred his curiosity, but then he recalled Mu Qing’s seemingly casual yet stern warning. With a bitter smile, he dismissed the idea.
Given the strictness of the restrictions, it was clear Mu Qing paid special attention to this place.
Though the surroundings appeared deserted, he might already be under surveillance. Any reckless action would be unwise.
Shaking his head slightly, Han Li clasped his hands behind his back and walked away.
He didn’t linger outside for long. After an hour, he returned to his meditation chamber with a relaxed expression.
…
For the next half-year, Han Li continued his monotonous daily routine.
Whether due to his innate talent in thunder manipulation or the fact that the technique wasn’t as difficult as Mu Qing and the others had claimed, he mastered nearly ninety percent of the art within this period. The rest was merely a matter of practice.
Pleased with his progress, Mu Qing sent invitations to Liu Zu, the white-haired beauty, and the others as the two-year deadline approached, summoning them to the Wood Spirit Hall for another gathering.
Three days later, Han Li saw these demon kings again in the Wood Spirit Hall.
However, Yuan Yao and Yan Li were absent this time, leaving him slightly disappointed, as he had harbored some other thoughts regarding them.
The Earthblood Old Freak arrived as usual, accompanied by two indistinguishable blood-robed figures.
“What? Fellow Daoist Han has mastered the thunder-summoning technique of the Evil-Warding Divine Lightning? Sister Mu, you’re not deceiving us, are you?” The white-haired beauty exclaimed in disbelief, seated alone on one side of the hall.
“This matter is too significant for me to fabricate. To be honest, even I was surprised by how quickly Fellow Daoist Han grasped the core thunder-summoning technique. Later, I learned that he had refined a Golden Lightning Bamboo treasure as his lifebound magic treasure. Given that, his rapid mastery of the Evil-Warding Divine Lightning isn’t so strange after all.” Mu Qing chuckled from within her black aura.
“Using Golden Lightning Bamboo as a lifebound treasure? Fellow Daoist Han, you’re truly bold. Didn’t you know such an act could easily lead to backlash from the divine lightning? It’s a miracle you’ve survived this long.” The white-haired beauty turned her head sharply, her gaze piercing as she scrutinized Han Li.
“Backlash from the divine lightning? I’ve never encountered such a thing. May I ask the reason behind this, Senior?” Han Li was genuinely taken aback.
“What? Sister Mu never mentioned this to you?” The white-haired beauty frowned, directing her question at Mu Qing.
“I’ve already investigated. Fellow Daoist Han is blessed with profound fortune. The Evil-Warding Divine Lightning he wields is exceptionally stable, showing no signs of backlash. Thus, there was no need to bring it up.” Mu Qing replied nonchalantly.
“Hmph, that’s just your word for it. None of us have witnessed it firsthand!” The white-haired beauty snorted, casting another cold glance at Han Li.
Mu Qing chuckled lightly, about to respond, when Liu Zu suddenly interjected, “Enough idle talk. Sister Mu didn’t summon us here just for chitchat. Whether Fellow Daoist Han has truly mastered the thunder-summoning technique must be verified by our own eyes.”
His tone was calm and devoid of emotion, yet both Mu Qing and the white-haired beauty immediately fell silent, sensing the gravity in his words.
One of the blood-robed figures then spoke with a smile, “Young friend Han, since you’ve learned the thunder-summoning technique of the Evil-Warding Divine Lightning, why not demonstrate it for us now?”
Suppressing his unease over the mention of backlash, Han Li bowed slightly. “Since the Seniors command it, this junior shall comply. However, the thunder-summoning technique is quite powerful. This hall may not withstand its full force…”
He glanced around the hall meaningfully.
“Fellow Daoist Han is right. Though my Wood Spirit Hall has some protective restrictions, it cannot endure the true might of the Evil-Warding Divine Lightning. Let us observe outside.” Mu Qing nodded and rose, leading the way out.
The other demon kings exchanged glances before following. Han Li naturally trailed behind.
The guards outside the hall, seeing so many high-ranking demon kings gathered, were visibly startled but dared not approach.
Soon, the group stopped in an open area before the hall, all eyes fixed on Han Li.
Under the scrutiny of so many powerful beings, Han Li inwardly sighed but maintained his composure. With a flash of cyan light, he soared into the air, hovering about twenty zhang above the ground.
His hands formed a series of seals, and a thunderous roar erupted as countless slender golden arcs crackled around him, spiraling wildly.
The arcs thickened rapidly, expanding outward until, within moments, a massive circular net of lightning took shape.
Simultaneously, under Han Li’s incantations, golden runes surged from his palms, vanishing into the surrounding arcs.
A mysterious sight unfolded—the thick arcs shattered like bubbles the instant the runes touched them, transforming into a golden halo several zhang in diameter.
Within the halo, Han Li’s figure blurred as he chanted an esoteric mantra. The golden halo rotated, its runes churning as a faint hum grew louder, escalating into a piercing shriek.
Then—a thunderclap!
The halo vanished in a blinding golden flash, leaving Han Li exposed once more.
One hand still forming a seal, the other extended palm-up, he now held a fist-sized golden sphere suspended a foot above his palm.
The sphere appeared unremarkable—its surface etched with uneven rune-like patterns, its glow dim, devoid of any spiritual pressure, as if it were merely an ordinary object.
Yet, the demon kings below gazed at it with varied expressions of astonishment.
Han Li, however, remained solemn. With a flick of his fingers, the golden sphere shot skyward as a streak of golden light, disappearing in a flash.
At the same time, a massive golden rune crackled to life in his other hand, also vanishing into the heavens.
A deafening boom followed.
The sky darkened as gales howled and ominous clouds gathered. A golden sun flickered within the storm, radiating an aura of apocalyptic destruction.
Countless lightning bolts danced across its surface, their thunderous roars shaking the earth.
The white-haired beauty and the blood-robed figures paled.
“Stop! Halt your thunder-summoning. This is enough—there’s no need to unleash its full power!” Liu Zu commanded sharply.
Han Li hesitated, then replied with a wry smile, “Senior, it’s too late for me to stop now. My control over this technique isn’t yet refined enough to cease midway.”
No sooner had he spoken than the golden sun unleashed a pillar of light as thick as a water vat, striking the ground before Han Li with terrifying precision.
Where it touched, the reinforced stone floor—hardened by formations to steel-like durability—vanished without a sound, leaving behind a gaping black chasm several zhang wide.
The golden pillar persisted for several breaths before dissipating as abruptly as it had appeared.
Exhausted, Han Li descended slowly, his face pale.
The storm clouds dispersed, restoring the sky to its former state.
The white-haired beauty and a blood-robed figure appeared beside the crater, peering into its unfathomable depths, where the stench of scorched earth lingered.
“So he truly has mastered the thunder-summoning technique. The fearsome reputation of the Evil-Warding Divine Lightning is well-deserved. Even we wouldn’t dare face such a strike unprepared,” the white-haired beauty murmured, her expression unreadable.
The blood-robed figure, however, stared at the crater with a contemplative gleam in his eyes.
Liu Zu and Mu Qing remained where they were—the former capable of gauging the technique’s power at a glance, the latter having witnessed Han Li’s demonstrations multiple times already.
“Well, fellow Daoists, are you satisfied with Fellow Daoist Han’s thunder manipulation?” Mu Qing asked with a light laugh.
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