In the sea of thunder, the massive black-green ship swayed like a leaf under the relentless bombardment of lightning. Yet, shielded by over a dozen treasures and several layers of protective barriers, it continued to lurch forward.
The arcs of lightning crashing down from the sky were terrifying, but with the combined efforts of the ship’s Harmonious Void cultivators, they managed to withstand the onslaught.
However, the eerie nature of the thunder sea far exceeded everyone’s expectations. The moment they entered, the lightning strikes became two to three times denser than before. Moreover, each bolt carried not only thunderous power but also an unknown force that made the ship sink slightly with every hit, as if weighed down by millions of pounds.
Despite the eight Frostwater Rhinos straining to pull the ship forward, their progress was agonizingly slow due to the lightning’s resistance and the ship’s erratic weight. After what felt like an eternity, they had only advanced a few miles.
Were it not for the two stone golems at the bow and stern, occasionally launching wheel-sized bursts of cyan light to disperse some of the lightning, the ship might have been rendered immobile.
“This is too slow! At this rate, when will we ever reach the island? Fellow Daoist Qianqiu, since this spirit ship belongs to you, do you have any way to speed it up?” The Long Family Patriarch, standing at the bow, turned anxiously to the Spirit Race woman beside him.
“I can use a secret technique to ignite the essence blood of the eight Frostwater Rhinos, temporarily doubling their physical strength. But doing so will completely destroy these spirit beasts,” Qianqiu the Holy Maiden replied hesitantly, her face twitching slightly.
Each of these eight Frostwater Rhinos had mid-stage Void Refinement cultivation, painstakingly raised by her for other important purposes. Losing them here would be a heavy blow.
“What does it matter now? We can’t afford to worry about spirit beasts! As long as we can break through this area quickly and find the Spirit Cleansing Pond and the Pure Spirit Lotus, any loss can be made up for!” the Long Family Patriarch urged urgently.
“Fine. I’ll activate the technique now. Please protect me—this method cannot be interrupted,” Qianqiu the Holy Maiden said decisively, gritting her teeth and nodding after a brief consideration.
The Long Family Patriarch agreed eagerly, “Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. With me here, no external force will disturb you!”
As he spoke, he pointed at the two stone golems, his face flushing with golden energy. The golems, which had been furiously punching at the sky, suddenly froze, their arms dropping as their massive single eyes blazed with white light.
Two crystalline beams shot from their eyes, converging above the ship to form a massive, mirror-like silver shield. The shield trembled slightly, emitting faint thunderous sounds as it deflected countless silver lightning arcs, stabilizing the ship momentarily.
“Hurry, Fellow Daoist Qianqiu! This is the golems’ ultimate technique—it won’t last long!” the Long Family Patriarch urged, his face pale from the exertion.
Seizing the opportunity, Qianqiu the Holy Maiden raised her arm and swiftly traced a small blood array on her skin with her sharp fingernail. The array glowed with multicolored light, emitting a strange fragrance. Soon, tiny crimson pellets flew out, shooting toward the eight rhinos.
The beasts roared as they swallowed the pellets. Qianqiu then summoned a golden talisman, which expanded into eight blood-red arrays that enveloped the rhinos before vanishing into their bodies.
The rhinos howled in agony as their horns turned blood-red, veins bulging across their bodies. Their backs split open, revealing massive crimson wings that unfurled to a span of thirty feet. With powerful flaps, they surged forward like arrows, dragging the ship at breakneck speed.
The others cheered at the sudden acceleration, but their joy was short-lived. The stone golems’ eyes dimmed, and the crystalline shield shattered, allowing the lightning to crash down unimpeded. The ship’s outermost barrier collapsed instantly, and the remaining layers wavered under the onslaught.
Han Li, who had been controlling a hundred demon banners, suddenly roared like a dragon. His golden Dharma Form appeared behind him, six arms outstretched as black energy surged skyward, merging with a tattered black net above. The net thickened, intercepting a significant portion of the lightning.
Encouraged, the others redoubled their efforts, stabilizing the ship’s defenses. Unnoticed in the chaos, the pale Spirit Race youth’s sleeve concealed an arm covered in mysterious golden runes. High above, similar runes flickered faintly on the shell of the colossal golden crab hidden in the clouds.
Half a day later, the battered ship finally emerged from the thunder sea. The eight Frostwater Rhinos were charred and barely alive, but no one cared. Their eyes were fixed on the tranquil deep-blue waters and the lush green island in the distance, radiating unimaginably pure spiritual energy.
“This must be it—the island we’ve been searching for. Only a place with such pure energy could host the Spirit Cleansing Pond and the Pure Spirit Lotus!” the Long Family Patriarch murmured, his face flushed with excitement.
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