Outside Jing Shui Village, Patriarch Huangquan was gazing at the starry sky…
It was midnight.
Old Cai brought Shui Miao back to the surface and immediately spotted Patriarch Huangquan.
Zhuge Abacus hurried forward to inquire, “Old Master, how is it? Did you feel the power of reception?”
Patriarch Huangquan turned back, stared at Zhuge Abacus, and shook his head coldly, “Why did you bring my brother Shui Miao up here? I haven’t even hosted a banquet for him yet.”
“Maybe… maybe it can wait until morning.”
Seeing the dark expression on Patriarch Huangquan’s face, Zhuge Abacus couldn’t help but feel afraid. His soul body was already weak, and if this form were destroyed, he would vanish from this world forever.
“Fool!”
Suddenly, Patriarch Huangquan grabbed Zhuge Abacus by the neck, a surge of lightning wrapping around him as he glared, “I’m asking why you brought my brother up here?”
“He tried to stop me, but I didn’t agree. What? Are you saying you’re not happy that I came back?” Shui Miao stepped forward, staring at Patriarch Huangquan.
“Get lost!”
Patriarch Huangquan flung Zhuge Abacus dozens of meters away, nearly dispersing his soul body, before turning to Shui Miao with a faint smile, “Brother Shui Miao, I wanted to discuss something with you. I might need the Nine Tripod Cauldron to concoct some pills. Why don’t you hand it over first? Once I finish a batch of pills, I’ll return the cauldron to you.”
“Don’t give it to him!”
Old Qin quickly grabbed Shui Miao’s arm and sent him a mental message.
Old Cai stood protectively in front of Shui Miao and mentally transmitted, “Brother, quickly return your soul to your body. Although Patriarch Huangquan possesses the Thunder Soul Body, once your soul returns and is aided by yang essence, it will be much harder for him to kill you.”
“Hmph! What are you two implying?” Patriarch Huangquan glared at Old Qin and Old Cai, his patience wearing thin, “Don’t forget, you’re just minor spirit guards. With my Thunder Soul Body, I could annihilate you in an instant. Be wise and stay out of this—it’s between him and me.”
Patriarch Huangquan pointed at Shui Miao, switching from “brother” to “him.”
Clearly, his patience was rapidly fading, and his true nature was beginning to surface.
“Hehehe…”
Shui Miao didn’t return his soul to his body. Instead, he pushed Old Cai aside and smiled faintly at Patriarch Huangquan, “Senior Patriarch, do you know why you haven’t ascended to the Immortal Realm yet?”
“Why? Could it be that you’ve been secretly sabotaging me?” Patriarch Huangquan’s suspicion deepened.
Shui Miao shook his head, “Of course not. I’ve always been sincere with my friends. I would never scheme behind someone’s back. But…” He deliberately paused, noticing the disdain in Patriarch Huangquan’s eyes before continuing, “You’ve used up too much thunder power. If you hadn’t targeted Ye Xian back then, you’d probably have ascended already. And if you keep using so much Thunder Soul power now, I’m afraid your ascension will become even harder.”
Thunder Soul power was essentially yin essence within the soul, which naturally diminished with use.
After hearing Shui Miao’s words, Patriarch Huangquan’s eyes flickered, and suddenly his expression changed. Smiling, he said, “So that’s it! Oh, brother, you still have a lot of purple lightning essence. Hurry up and give me some more. I don’t want the Nine Tripod Cauldron anymore.”
“Hahahaha!”
Shui Miao laughed heartily, then suddenly turned his face cold, pointing at Patriarch Huangquan and saying sternly, “Patriarch Huangquan, you’re too naive. I would gladly take a blade for a friend, but you’re not worthy of being my friend. You’re nothing but a fickle, profit-driven scoundrel. Do you really think I’m foolish enough to help someone like you?”
“Shui Miao, you’re too confident. I’m not the same as before. I’ve been holding onto a grudge for a long time. Since you’re determined to die, I’ll be happy to oblige you!” Patriarch Huangquan fully activated his Thunder Soul Body, unleashing a surge of lightning aimed directly at Shui Miao.
“Just you?”
Shui Miao’s soul body trembled as he immediately summoned a large amount of Soul Devouring energy to counter the lightning…
Outside the Tranquil Water Village, the Netherworld Ancestor was gazing up at the starry sky…
It was midnight.
Old Cai had brought Shui Miao back to the surface, and the first thing they saw was the Netherworld Ancestor.
Zhuge Abacus hurried forward and asked, “Ancestor, how is it? Have you felt the summoning force yet?”
The Netherworld Ancestor turned around, fixed his gaze on Zhuge Abacus, and coldly shook his head. “Why did you bring my brother Shui Miao to the surface? I haven’t even hosted a banquet in his honor yet.”
“Perhaps… perhaps we’ll have to wait until daytime.”
Seeing the Netherworld Ancestor’s grim expression, Zhuge Abacus couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear. His soul was weak now—if this spirit form were destroyed, he would vanish completely from this world.
“Bastard!”
The Netherworld Ancestor suddenly grabbed Zhuge Abacus by the neck, and a surge of lightning enveloped him. With a ferocious expression, he snarled, “I asked you why you brought my brother to the surface!”
“He tried to stop me, but I didn’t listen. Why? Are you unhappy that I returned, Senior Ancestor?” Shui Miao stepped forward, also staring intently at the Netherworld Ancestor.
“Scram!”
The Netherworld Ancestor flung Zhuge Abacus, whose spirit was nearly dissipated by the electricity, more than ten meters away. Then, he turned to Shui Miao with a faint smile. “Brother Shui Miao, I’d like to discuss something with you. I might need the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace to refine some pills. How about you hand it over first? Once I finish this batch of pills, I’ll return it to you. What do you say?”
“Don’t give it to him!”
Old Qin quickly grabbed Shui Miao’s arm and sent him a mental message.
Old Cai positioned himself in front of Shui Miao, also sending a mental message: “Brother, quickly return to your body. Although the Netherworld Ancestor has a Thunder Soul body, once your soul returns to your body with the support of your Yang spirit, it won’t be so easy for him to kill you.”
“Hmph! What do you two mean by this?” The Netherworld Ancestor glared at Old Qin and Old Cai, growing impatient. “Don’t forget, you’re just a couple of lowly ghost envoys. With the power of my Thunder Soul body, I can annihilate you in an instant. If you know what’s good for you, step aside. This is between him and me.”
The Netherworld Ancestor pointed at Shui Miao, replacing “brother” with “him.”
It was clear that his patience was wearing thin, and his true nature was gradually revealing itself.
“Heh…”
Instead of returning to his body, Shui Miao pushed Old Cai aside and smiled faintly at the Netherworld Ancestor. “Senior Ancestor, do you know why you haven’t ascended to the immortal realm yet?”
“Why? Did you have something to do with it behind my back?” The Netherworld Ancestor’s suspicion grew heavier.
Shui Miao shook his head. “Of course not. I am sincere and honest with my friends—I would never play tricks or scheme behind their backs.” He paused deliberately, noticing the Ancestor’s disdain, then continued, “You’ve used too much lightning power. If you hadn’t dealt with Ye Xian back then, you would have already ascended to the immortal realm. If you use even more Thunder Soul power now, I’m afraid it will be even harder for you to ascend.”
The power of the Thunder Soul was equivalent to the Yin energy within the soul, which would naturally diminish with use.
Hearing Shui Miao’s words, the Netherworld Ancestor’s eyes shifted, and his expression suddenly changed to a smiling one. “So that’s how it is! By the way, brother, you still have a lot of Purple Lightning spiritual energy. Hurry up and give me some more. I won’t ask for the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace anymore.”
“Hahaha…”
Shui Miao laughed heartily, then suddenly hardened his expression and coldly pointed at the Netherworld Ancestor. “Netherworld Old Fool, aren’t you being too naive? For a friend, I would willingly take a blade to the chest without hesitation. But you are not worthy of being my friend. At best, you’re nothing but a petty, opportunistic villain… Do you really think I’m foolish enough to help someone like you?”
“Shui Miao, you’re overconfident. I’m not the same as before. I’ve been holding back a grudge with nowhere to vent it. Since you’re asking for death, I’ll grant your wish!” The Netherworld Ancestor channeled the full power of his Thunder Soul, summoning a bolt of lightning to envelop Shui Miao.
“You think you can handle me?”
Shui Miao’s spirit trembled as he summoned a massive amount of Soul-Devouring Power to meet the lightning head-on.
However, the power of the Thunder Soul was immense. Shui Miao was instantly wrapped in lightning, his entire body going numb. He couldn’t even focus his mind to channel his immortal power.
“Hahaha!”
Watching the Soul-Devouring Power scatter under the force of his Thunder Soul, the Netherworld Ancestor grew excited. He laughed maniacally and roared, “How does it feel? Must be thrilling, right! Great Immortal Shui Miao, weren’t you so arrogant? Why aren’t you boasting now? Speak! Keep showing off! Hahaha…”
Shui Miao, trapped within the lightning, was unable to move.
Old Cai and Old Qin exchanged glances, wanting to help but unsure how.
In this critical moment, Zhuge Abacus suddenly shouted, “There are over a hundred of us! Let’s all attack him, harass him, throw weapons at him! If we keep him distracted, we can lessen the pressure on Brother Shui Miao. We might even turn the tables!”
Zhuge Abacus, ever resourceful, had now thrown his lot against the Netherworld Ancestor without hesitation.
His strategy was perfectly timed.
Even ants can kill an elephant if there are enough of them, let alone the Netherworld Ancestor, who had only recently mastered the Thunder Soul body.
“Good idea! Let’s do it!”
Old Cai and the other ghost envoys quickly sprang into action. They attacked the Netherworld Ancestor from all directions, forcing him to divert a significant portion of his Thunder Soul power to defend himself.
But that wasn’t all…
“Netherworld Loach, you’re nothing but a stinky loach spirit from the River of Forgetfulness. You’re not even human—just the ghost of a beast. How could someone as lowly and filthy as you ever hope to ascend to the immortal realm? Have you ever stopped to consider whether your loach form is even worthy?”
“You think you’re clever, but you’re dumber than a pig. If it weren’t for me and Sima Zongheng, you would’ve died long ago. You’re nothing but a narrow-minded, despicable, and dirty creature. When you were young, you peeped at old women bathing. When you grew up, you mated with beasts. You thought you were impressive, but you ended up getting dominated by a donkey spirit…”
“…”
Though Zhuge Abacus’s spirit was weak, his mouth was sharp. He knew the Netherworld Ancestor had done many shameful things, and now was the perfect time to expose them and distract him.
※※※
Facing the storm of attacks, the Netherworld Ancestor began to regret his actions…
But he knew it was too late for regrets.
He tried his best to focus, aiming to quickly finish off Shui Miao, but Zhuge Abacus’s words were too venomous…
Shui Miao, wrapped in lightning, was completely numb and seemingly powerless to resist.
Precisely because of this, the lightning power attacked Shui Miao’s entire body unimpeded, even seeping into his consciousness…
“Boom!” “Boom!”
Suddenly, two stone tablets within Shui Miao’s consciousness trembled violently—the Tablets of Survival and the Tablets of Slaughter! The Tablet of Survival shook, injecting a miraculous power into Shui Miao’s body. This power transformed the numbing sensation of the lightning into an indescribable comfort, almost like an electric massager soothing his body—it felt incredibly pleasant. At the same time, a soul cultivation technique flooded into Shui Miao’s memory.
Meanwhile, the Tablet of Slaughter shook, rapidly combining the immortal power within Shui Miao’s consciousness to form a ball of lightning!
Shui Miao could clearly sense that this lightning ball was a clever fusion of Yin-Yang and Five Elements immortal power. The memory of how to combine them, along with the corresponding techniques, also surfaced in his mind.
“Netherworld Old Fool, today I’ll show you what real lightning looks like!”
Shui Miao suddenly opened his eyes, and with a shake of his spirit, he dispersed all of the Netherworld Ancestor’s Thunder Soul power. Then, raising his hands, he conjured a lightning ball the size of a soccer ball between them!
“Zap! Zap!”
The lightning ball, crackling with intense electric currents, slammed into the Netherworld Ancestor’s body, instantly expanding into an even larger ball of lightning that enveloped him completely!
“Ahhh!”
“What is this…?”
“No, I don’t want to die! I surrender…”
“Spare me… spare… me…”
Screams of agony echoed as the Netherworld Ancestor’s Thunder Soul body slowly dissolved and dissipated under the attack of Shui Miao’s lightning ball…
With a flick of his will, Shui Miao recalled the lightning ball. A thrill ran through him—he had gained a vast amount of memories!
“Ha! Fantastic! So I don’t need to use Soul-Devouring Power to obtain someone’s memories after all…”
“Wow… so the Netherworld Ancestor really was a loach spirit…”
“Hmm? There’s actually a treasure vault beneath the Netherworld Swamp, filled with spiritual energy and medicinal herbs…”
“Oh? Are these the cultivation methods for Netherworld Tears and the Thunder Soul body?”
That Netherworld Loach truly experienced one extraordinary encounter after another! He consumed a cultivator’s soul in the River of Forgetfulness, acquiring profound cultivation techniques. Then, he obtained a method to amplify his strength by devouring souls and spirits from another exceptionally talented cultivator. On the surface, he gathered wandering souls to train within the Netherworld Sect, but in truth, he exploited them to harvest faith and wish power! To make matters worse, he even bartered numerous spirits to conspire with Zha Lei, the Thunder Inspector from the Fire Thunder Court of the Thunder Ministry, exchanging ghostly spirits for immense quantities of Purple Lightning energy!
“If a scoundrel like him made it to the immortal realm, wouldn’t he disrupt the order there?”
“It seems I’ve acted in accordance with heaven’s will!”
“Haha…”
Feeling the Netherworld Ancestor’s memories, Shui Miao was exhilarated and overjoyed. This harvest was enormous. Not only had he obtained the cultivation methods for Netherworld Tears and the Thunder Soul body, but he had also uncovered the secret dealings between Thunder Inspector Fang Ze of the Thunder Ministry’s Fire Thunder Court and the Netherworld Ancestor. He had also gained the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace and the Netherworld Ancestor’s secret treasure vault. Most importantly, the Tablets of Survival and Slaughter had been activated, allowing him to master the Supreme Divine Thunder. From now on, he had an incredibly powerful trump card—truly a display of divine might!
“Your servant Zhuge Abacus vows to follow you, Master, through life and death, serving you faithfully forever without betrayal!”
Zhuge Abacus suddenly knelt down, pledging his loyalty to Shui Miao as his master.
“Hahahaha!”
Seeing the Soul Devouring energy shattered by his Thunder Soul power, Patriarch Huangquan was ecstatic. He laughed and roared, “How does it feel? Must be great, right? Great Immortal Shui Miao, aren’t you supposed to be so powerful? Why aren’t you showing off now? Speak up! Keep being arrogant! Hahahaha…”
Shui Miao was wrapped in lightning, unable to move.
Old Cai and Old Qin looked at each other helplessly, wanting to help but not knowing how.
In this desperate moment, Zhuge Abacus suddenly shouted, “We have over a hundred people here. Let’s all attack him together, distract him, throw weapons at him, make him unable to defend himself properly. This way, we can relieve the pressure on Brother Shui Miao and might even turn the tide!”
Zhuge Abacus, known for his wisdom, had now firmly sided against Patriarch Huangquan without hesitation.
Zhuge Abacus’s strategy was perfectly timed.
Even an elephant can be brought down by a swarm of ants, let alone Patriarch Huangquan had only recently mastered the Thunder Soul Body.
“Good! That’s a great idea. Everyone, attack!”
Old Cai and the other spirit guards immediately sprang into action, launching continuous attacks on Patriarch Huangquan from all directions, forcing him to divert a significant portion of his Thunder Soul power to defend himself.
But that wasn’t all…
“Huangquan eel, you’re nothing but a stinky eel spirit from the Wangchuan River. You’re not even human, just a lowly ghost soul. Do you really think you’re worthy of ascending to the Immortal Realm?”
“You think you’re clever, but you’re dumber than a pig. Without me and Sima Zongheng, you’d be dead already. You’re nothing but a narrow-minded, despicable, and filthy creature. You peeped at old women bathing when you were young, and as an adult, you even mated with beasts. You thought you were mighty, but you were actually the one being used by a donkey spirit…”
“…”
Although Zhuge Abacus’s soul body was weak, his words were sharp and relentless. Knowing that Patriarch Huangquan had done many shameful deeds, he was now seizing the opportunity to expose them and distract him.
※※※
Faced with the storm of attacks, Zhuge Abacus began to regret his actions…
But he knew this was no time for regrets.
He tried his best to concentrate, hoping to quickly finish off Shui Miao, but Zhuge Abacus’s words were just too vicious…
Shui Miao was wrapped in lightning, his entire body numb, completely unable to resist.
Precisely because of this, the lightning power attacked Shui Miao’s entire body without resistance, even penetrating his inner realm…
“Boom! Boom!”
Suddenly, two stone tablets deep within Shui Miao’s inner realm violently trembled. These were the tablets of the Path of Survival and the Path of Destruction! As the Survival Path tablet trembled, a miraculous energy surged into Shui Miao’s body. This energy transformed the numbness from the lightning into an indescribable comfort, almost like an electric massage. It was incredibly pleasant. At the same time, a soul cultivation technique was imprinted into Shui Miao’s memory.
Outside the Tranquil Water Village, the Netherworld Ancestor was gazing up at the starry sky…
It was midnight.
Old Cai had brought Shui Miao back to the surface, and the first thing they saw was the Netherworld Ancestor.
Zhuge Abacus hurried forward and asked, “Ancestor, how is it? Have you felt the summoning force yet?”
The Netherworld Ancestor turned around, fixed his gaze on Zhuge Abacus, and coldly shook his head. “Why did you bring my brother Shui Miao to the surface? I haven’t even hosted a banquet in his honor yet.”
“Perhaps… perhaps we’ll have to wait until daytime.”
Seeing the Netherworld Ancestor’s grim expression, Zhuge Abacus couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear. His soul was weak now—if this spirit form were destroyed, he would vanish from this world completely.
“Bastard!”
The Netherworld Ancestor suddenly grabbed Zhuge Abacus by the neck, and a surge of lightning enveloped him. With a menacing expression, he snarled, “I asked you why you brought my brother to the surface!”
“He tried to stop me, but I didn’t listen. What, are you unhappy that I’ve returned, Ancestor?” Shui Miao stepped forward, meeting the Netherworld Ancestor’s gaze.
“Scram!”
The Netherworld Ancestor flung Zhuge Abacus, whose spirit was nearly dissipated by the electricity, over ten meters away. Then, he turned to Shui Miao with a faint smile. “Brother Shui Miao, I’d like to discuss something with you. I might need the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace to refine some pills. How about you hand it over first? Once I’ve finished this batch of pills, I’ll return it to you. What do you say?”
“Don’t give it to him!”
Old Qin quickly grabbed Shui Miao’s arm and sent him a mental message.
Old Cai positioned himself in front of Shui Miao, also sending a mental message: “Brother, quickly return to your body! Although the Netherworld Ancestor has a Thunder Soul body, once your soul returns to your body with the support of your Yang spirit, it won’t be so easy for him to kill you.”
“Hmph! What do you two mean by this?” The Netherworld Ancestor glared at Old Qin and Old Cai, his patience wearing thin. “Don’t forget, you’re just a couple of lowly ghost envoys. With the power of my Thunder Soul body, I can annihilate you in an instant. If you know what’s good for you, step aside. This is between him and me.”
The Netherworld Ancestor pointed at Shui Miao, replacing “brother” with “him.”
This showed that his patience was rapidly dwindling, and his true nature was beginning to reveal itself.
“Heh…”
Instead of returning to his body, Shui Miao pushed Old Cai aside and smiled faintly at the Netherworld Ancestor. “Ancestor, do you know why you haven’t ascended to the immortal realm yet?”
“Why? Did you have something to do with it?” The Netherworld Ancestor’s suspicion grew heavier.
Shui Miao shook his head. “Of course not. I am sincere and honest with my friends—I would never play tricks or scheme behind their backs.” He paused deliberately, noticing the Ancestor’s disdainful expression, then continued, “You’ve used too much lightning power. If you hadn’t dealt with Ye Xian back then, you would have already ascended to the immortal realm. If you use even more Thunder Soul power now, I’m afraid it will be even harder for you to ascend.”
The power of the Thunder Soul was equivalent to the Yin energy within the soul, and naturally, the more it was used, the less remained.
Hearing Shui Miao’s words, the Netherworld Ancestor’s eyes shifted, and his expression suddenly changed to a smiling one. “So that’s how it is! By the way, brother, you still have a lot of Purple Lightning spiritual energy. Hurry up and give me some more. I won’t ask for the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace anymore.”
“Hahaha…”
Shui Miao laughed heartily, then suddenly hardened his expression. Pointing coldly at the Netherworld Ancestor, he said, “Netherworld old fool, aren’t you being too naive? For a friend, I would willingly take a blade to the chest without hesitation. But you are not worthy of being my friend. At best, you’re a petty, opportunistic villain who forgets loyalty for profit… Do you really think I’m foolish enough to help someone like you?”
“Shui Miao, you’re overconfident. I’m not the same as before. I’ve been holding back a grudge with nowhere to vent it. Since you’re asking for death, I’ll grant your wish!” The Netherworld Ancestor channeled the full power of his Thunder Soul, summoning a bolt of lightning to envelop Shui Miao.
“You think you can handle me?”
Shui Miao’s spirit trembled as he summoned a massive amount of soul-devouring power to counter the lightning…
However, the power of the Thunder Soul was incredibly strong. Shui Miao was instantly wrapped in lightning, his entire body going numb. He couldn’t even focus his mind to channel his immortal power.
“Hahaha!”
Watching the soul-devouring power dissipate under the force of his Thunder Soul, the Netherworld Ancestor grew excited. He laughed maniacally and roared, “How does it feel? Must be thrilling, right! Great Immortal Shui Miao, weren’t you so arrogant? Why aren’t you boasting now? Speak! Keep showing off! Hahaha…”
Shui Miao, trapped by the lightning, was unable to move.
Old Cai and Old Qin exchanged glances, wanting to help but unsure how.
In this critical moment, Zhuge Abacus suddenly shouted, “There are over a hundred of us! Let’s all attack him, harass him, throw weapons at him! If we keep him off balance, we can reduce the pressure on Brother Shui Miao. Maybe we can turn the tables!”
Zhuge Abacus, ever resourceful, had now thrown his lot against the Netherworld Ancestor without hesitation.
His strategy was perfectly timed.
Even ants can kill an elephant when there are enough of them, especially since the Netherworld Ancestor had only recently mastered his Thunder Soul body.
“Good idea! Let’s do it!”
Old Cai and the other ghost envoys quickly sprang into action. They attacked the Netherworld Ancestor from all directions, forcing him to divert a significant amount of his Thunder Soul power to defend himself.
But that wasn’t all…
“Netherworld loach, you’re nothing but a stinky loach spirit from the River of Forgetfulness! You’re not even human—just the ghost of a beast. How could someone as lowly and filthy as you ever hope to ascend to the immortal realm? Have you ever stopped to consider whether your loach form is even worthy?”
“You think you’re clever, but you’re dumber than a pig. If it weren’t for me and Sima Zongheng, you would’ve died long ago. You’re nothing but a narrow-minded, despicable, dirty, lowly creature. When you were young, you peeped at old women bathing. When you grew up, you mated with beasts. You thought you were something special, but you ended up getting dominated by a donkey spirit…”
“…”
Though Zhuge Abacus’s spirit was weak, his mouth was sharp. He knew the Netherworld Ancestor had done many shameful things, and now was the perfect time to expose his secrets and distract him.
※※※
Facing the storm of attacks, the Netherworld Ancestor began to regret his actions…
But he knew it was too late for regrets.
He tried to focus his mind to quickly finish off Shui Miao, but Zhuge Abacus’s words were too venomous…
Shui Miao, wrapped in lightning and completely numb, was defenseless.
Precisely because of this, the lightning power attacked Shui Miao’s entire body unimpeded, even seeping into his consciousness…
“Boom!” “Boom!”
Suddenly, two stone tablets within Shui Miao’s consciousness shook violently—the Tablets of the Way of Survival and the Way of Slaughter! The Tablet of the Way of Survival trembled, injecting a miraculous power into Shui Miao’s body. This power transformed the numbing sensation of the lightning into an indescribable comfort, almost like an electric massager soothing his body—it felt incredibly pleasant. At the same time, a soul cultivation method flooded into Shui Miao’s memory.
Meanwhile, the Tablet of the Way of Slaughter shook, rapidly combining the immortal power within Shui Miao’s consciousness to form a ball of lightning!
Shui Miao could clearly sense that this lightning ball was a clever fusion of Yin-Yang and Five Elements immortal power. The technique and method for this combination also appeared in his memory.
“Netherworld old fool, today I’ll show you what real lightning looks like!”
Shui Miao suddenly opened his eyes, and with a shake of his spirit, he dispersed all of the Netherworld Ancestor’s Thunder Soul power. Raising his hands, he conjured a lightning ball the size of a soccer ball between them!
“Zap! Zap!”
The lightning ball, crackling with intense electric currents, slammed into the Netherworld Ancestor, instantly expanding into an even larger ball of lightning that enveloped him completely!
“Ahhh!”
“What is this…?”
“No, I don’t want to die! I surrender…”
“Spare me… spare… me…”
Screams of agony echoed as the Netherworld Ancestor’s Thunder Soul body slowly dissolved and dissipated under the attack of Shui Miao’s lightning ball…
With a flick of his will, Shui Miao recalled the lightning ball. A thrill ran through him—he had gained a vast amount of memories!
“Ha! Fantastic! So I don’t need to use soul-devouring power to obtain someone’s memories after all…”
“Wow… so the Netherworld Ancestor really was a loach spirit…”
“Hmm? There’s actually a treasure vault beneath the Netherworld Swamp, filled with spiritual energy and medicinal herbs…”
“Oh? Is this the cultivation method for Netherworld Tears and the Thunder Soul body?”
“That Netherworld loach truly experienced one extraordinary encounter after another! He consumed a cultivator’s soul in the River of Forgetfulness and acquired a cultivation method. Then, from another gifted cultivator, he learned how to enhance his power by devouring souls and spirits. On the surface, he collected wandering souls to practice within the Netherworld Sect, but in truth, he used them to generate faith and wish power for himself! Good heavens, he even employed countless spirits to conspire with Inspector Fang Ze of the Thunder Ministry’s Fire Thunder Court, exchanging spirits for immense amounts of Purple Lightning energy!”
“If a scoundrel like him made it to the immortal realm, wouldn’t he disrupt the order there?”
“It seems I’ve acted in accordance with heaven’s will!”
“Haha…”
Feeling the Netherworld Ancestor’s memories, Shui Miao was exhilarated and overjoyed. This was a tremendous harvest. Not only had he obtained the cultivation methods for Netherworld Tears and the Thunder Soul body, but he had also uncovered Inspector Fang Ze’s secret dealings with the Netherworld Ancestor. He had gained the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace and the Netherworld Ancestor’s secret treasure vault. Most importantly, the Tablets of the Way of Survival and the Way of Slaughter had been activated, allowing him to master the Supreme Divine Thunder. From now on, he had an incredibly powerful trump card. This was truly a magnificent display of divine might!
“Your servant Zhuge Abacus vows to follow you, Master, through life and death, serving you faithfully forever without betrayal!”
Zhuge Abacus suddenly knelt down, pledging his loyalty to Shui Miao as his master.
Outside the Tranquil Water Village, the Yellow Spring Ancestor was gazing up at the starry sky…
It was midnight.
Old Cai had brought Shui Miao back to the surface, and the first thing they saw was the Yellow Spring Ancestor.
Zhuge Abacus hurried forward and asked, “Ancestor, how is it? Have you felt the summoning force yet?”
The Yellow Spring Ancestor turned his head, fixed his gaze on Zhuge Abacus, and coldly shook his head. “Why did you bring my brother Shui Miao to the surface? I haven’t even hosted a banquet in his honor yet.”
“Perhaps… perhaps we’ll have to wait until daytime.”
Seeing the displeased expression on the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s face, Zhuge Abacus couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear. His soul was weak now—if this spirit form were destroyed, he would vanish completely from this world.
“Bastard!”
The Yellow Spring Ancestor suddenly grabbed Zhuge Abacus by the neck, and a surge of lightning enveloped him. With a ferocious expression, he snarled, “I asked you why you brought my brother to the surface!”
“He tried to stop me, but I didn’t listen. What, are you unhappy that I’ve returned, Senior Ancestor?” Shui Miao stepped forward, meeting the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s gaze.
“Scram!”
The Yellow Spring Ancestor flung Zhuge Abacus, whose spirit was nearly dissipated by the electricity, more than ten meters away. Then, he turned to Shui Miao with a faint smile. “Brother Shui Miao, I’d like to discuss something with you. I might still need the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace to refine some pills. How about you hand it over to me first? Once I’ve finished refining a batch, I’ll return it to you. What do you say?”
“Don’t give it to him!”
Old Qin quickly grabbed Shui Miao’s arm and transmitted a mental message to him.
Old Cai positioned himself in front of Shui Miao, also sending a mental message: “Brother, quickly return to your body. Although the Yellow Spring Ancestor has a Thunder Soul body, once your soul returns to your body, you’ll have the support of your Yang spirit. It won’t be so easy for him to kill you then.”
“Hmph! What do you two mean by this?” The Yellow Spring Ancestor glared at Old Qin and Old Cai, his patience wearing thin. “Don’t forget, you’re just a couple of lowly ghost officials. With the power of my Thunder Soul body, I can annihilate you in an instant. If you know what’s good for you, step aside. This is between him and me.”
The Yellow Spring Ancestor pointed at Shui Miao, replacing “brother” with “him.”
This showed that his patience was rapidly fading, and his true nature was beginning to reveal itself.
“Heh…”
Instead of returning to his body, Shui Miao pushed Old Cai aside and smiled faintly at the Yellow Spring Ancestor. “Senior Ancestor, do you know why you haven’t ascended to the immortal realm yet?”
“Why? Did you have something to do with it behind my back?” The Yellow Spring Ancestor’s suspicion grew heavier.
Shui Miao shook his head. “Of course not. I am sincere and honest with my friends. I would never play tricks or scheme against them.” He paused deliberately, noticing the Ancestor’s disdainful expression, then continued, “You’ve used too much lightning power. If you hadn’t dealt with Ye Xian back then, you would have already ascended to the immortal realm by now. And if you use even more of your Thunder Soul power now, I’m afraid it will be even harder for you to ascend.”
The power of the Thunder Soul was equivalent to the Yin energy within the soul, and naturally, the more it was used, the less remained.
Hearing Shui Miao’s words, the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s eyes shifted, and his expression suddenly changed to a smiling one. “So that’s how it is! By the way, brother, you still have a lot of Purple Lightning spiritual energy. Hurry up and give me some more. I won’t ask for the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace anymore.”
“Hahaha…”
Shui Miao laughed heartily, then suddenly hardened his expression. Pointing coldly at the Yellow Spring Ancestor, he said, “Yellow Spring old fool, aren’t you being too naive? For a friend, I would willingly take a blade to the chest without hesitation. But you are not worthy of being my friend. At best, you’re nothing but a petty, opportunistic villain… Do you really think I’m foolish enough to help someone like you?”
“Shui Miao, you’re overconfident. I’m not the same as before. I’ve been holding back a grudge with nowhere to vent it. Since you’re asking for death, I’ll grant your wish!” The Yellow Spring Ancestor channeled all the power of his Thunder Soul, summoning a bolt of lightning that shot toward Shui Miao.
“You think you can handle me?”
Shui Miao’s spirit trembled as he unleashed a massive amount of soul-devouring power to meet the lightning head-on.
However, the power of the Thunder Soul was immense. In an instant, Shui Miao was enveloped in lightning. His entire body went numb, and he found it impossible to concentrate enough to summon his immortal power.
“Hahaha!”
Watching the soul-devouring power scatter under the force of his Thunder Soul, the Yellow Spring Ancestor grew excited. He laughed maniacally and roared, “How does it feel? Must be wonderful, right! Great Immortal Shui Miao, weren’t you so arrogant? Why aren’t you boasting now? Speak! Keep showing off! Hahaha…”
Shui Miao, trapped within the lightning, was unable to move.
Old Cai and Old Qin exchanged glances, wanting to help but unsure how to intervene.
In this critical moment, Zhuge Abacus suddenly shouted, “There are over a hundred of us! Let’s all attack him, harass him, throw weapons at him! If we keep him occupied from all sides, we can lessen the pressure on Brother Shui Miao. Maybe we can turn the tables!”
Zhuge Abacus, ever resourceful, had now thrown his lot entirely against the Yellow Spring Ancestor.
His strategy was perfectly timed.
Even ants can kill an elephant when they swarm together, especially since the Yellow Spring Ancestor had only recently mastered his Thunder Soul body.
“Good idea! Let’s do it!”
Old Cai and the other ghost officials quickly sprang into action. They attacked the Yellow Spring Ancestor from all directions, forcing him to divert a significant portion of his Thunder Soul power to defend himself.
But that wasn’t all…
“Yellow Spring loach, you’re nothing but a stinky loach spirit from the River of Forgetfulness! You’re not even human—just the ghost of a beast! How could someone as low and filthy as you ever hope to ascend to the immortal realm? Have you ever stopped to consider how your loach form would fit in there…?”
“You think you’re clever, but you’re dumber than a pig. If it weren’t for me and Sima Zongheng, you would have died long ago. You’re nothing but a narrow-minded, despicable, and filthy creature. When you were young, you peeped at old women bathing. When you grew up, you mated with animals. You thought you were something special, but you ended up getting mounted by a donkey spirit…”
“…”
Though Zhuge Abacus’s spirit was weak, his tongue was sharp. He knew the Yellow Spring Ancestor had done many shameful things, and now was the perfect time to expose his secrets and distract him.
※※※
Facing the storm of attacks, the Yellow Spring Ancestor began to regret his actions…
But he knew it was too late for regrets.
He tried to focus all his energy on quickly dealing with Shui Miao, but Zhuge Abacus’s words were simply too venomous…
Shui Miao, wrapped in lightning, was completely numb and powerless to resist.
Precisely because of this, the lightning power attacked Shui Miao’s entire body unimpeded, even seeping into his consciousness…
“Boom!” “Boom!”
Suddenly, two stone tablets within Shui Miao’s consciousness began to vibrate intensely—the Tablets of the Way of Survival and the Way of Slaughter! The Tablet of the Way of Survival trembled, injecting a miraculous power into Shui Miao’s body. This power transformed the numbing sensation of the lightning into an indescribable comfort, almost like an electric massager soothing his body—it felt incredibly pleasant. At the same time, a soul cultivation technique flooded into Shui Miao’s memory.
Meanwhile, the Tablet of the Way of Slaughter vibrated and rapidly assembled the immortal power within Shui Miao’s consciousness, forming a ball of lightning!
Shui Miao could clearly sense that this lightning ball was an ingenious combination of Yin-Yang Five Elements immortal power. The memory of how to assemble it, along with the corresponding technique, also appeared in his mind.
“Yellow Spring old fool, today I’ll show you what real lightning looks like!”
Shui Miao suddenly opened his eyes. With a shudder of his spirit, he dispersed all of the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s Thunder Soul power. Then, raising his hands, he conjured a lightning ball the size of a soccer ball between them!
“Zap! Zap!”
The lightning ball, crackling with intense electric currents, slammed into the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s body, instantly expanding into an even larger ball of lightning that enveloped him completely!
“Ahhhh!”
“What is this…?”
“No, I don’t want to die! I surrender…”
“Spare me… spare… me…”
Screams of agony echoed as the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s Thunder Soul body slowly dissolved and dissipated under the attack of Shui Miao’s lightning ball…
With a flick of his will, Shui Miao recalled the lightning ball. A thrill ran through him—he had gained a vast amount of memories!
“Ha! Excellent! So I don’t need to use soul-devouring power to obtain someone’s memories after all…”
“Wow… so the Yellow Spring Ancestor really was a loach spirit…”
“Hmm? There’s actually a treasure vault beneath the Yellow Spring Marsh, filled with spiritual energy and medicinal herbs…”
“Oh? Is this the cultivation method for Yellow Spring Without Tears and the Thunder Soul body?”
“That blasted Yellow Spring Loach! He’s been through one extraordinary encounter after another! He devoured the soul of a cultivator in the River of Forgetfulness and acquired a method of immortal cultivation. Then, from another gifted cultivator, he learned how to consume mortal and divine souls to boost his power. On the surface, he gathered wandering souls to practice cultivation within the Yellow Spring Sect, but in truth, he was using these souls to fuel his faith and wish power! Good heavens, he even leveraged numerous divine souls to conspire with Zha Lei, the Thunder Inspector from the Fire Thunder Court of the Thunder Ministry, trading ghost souls for vast quantities of Purple Lightning true energy!”
“If a scoundrel like him were to ascend to the immortal realm, wouldn’t he disrupt the order there?”
“It seems I’ve acted in accordance with heaven’s will!”
“Haha…”
Sensing the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s memories, Shui Miao was thrilled and overjoyed. This harvest was enormous. Not only had he obtained the cultivation methods for Yellow Spring Without Tears and the Thunder Soul body, but he had also uncovered the secret of Thunder Inspector Fang Ze’s collusion with the Yellow Spring Ancestor. Additionally, he had gained the Nine Cauldrons Pill Furnace and the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s secret treasure vault. Most importantly, the Tablets of the Way of Survival and the Way of Slaughter had been activated, allowing him to master the Supreme Divine Thunder. From now on, he had an incredibly powerful trump card—truly a display of divine might!
“Your servant Zhuge Abacus vows to follow you, Master, through life and death, serving you faithfully forever without betrayal!”
Zhuge Abacus suddenly knelt down, pledging his loyalty to Shui Miao as his master.
“Old Patriarch Huangquan, today I’ll show you what true lightning really is!”
Shui Miao suddenly opened his eyes, his soul body vibrating and instantly shattering Patriarch Huangquan’s Thunder Soul power. Then, raising both hands, a lightning sphere the size of a soccer ball appeared between them!
“Zizi!”
With a powerful crackling sound, the lightning sphere slammed into Patriarch Huangquan, instantly enveloping him in an even larger lightning sphere!
“Aaaaa!”
“What is this…”
“No! I don’t want to die! I surrender…”
“Mercy… mercy… me…”
Cries of agony rang out as Patriarch Huangquan’s Thunder Soul Body slowly dissolved under Shui Miao’s lightning sphere attack…
With a thought, Shui Miao recalled the sphere. A sudden surge of memories flooded into his mind!
“Ha! Great! So I can obtain an opponent’s memories without using Soul Devouring energy…”
“Woah… So this Patriarch Huangquan was really an eel spirit…”
“Uh, there’s actually a hidden treasure vault beneath the Huangquan Swamp, filled with a vast amount of spiritual energy and medicinal herbs…”
“Hmm? Are these cultivation techniques for the Huangquan No Tears and Thunder Soul Body!”
“What a cunning Huangquan eel! He had many fortuitous encounters. He devoured the soul of a cultivator in the Wangchuan River, obtaining cultivation techniques. From another prodigious cultivator, he acquired the method of absorbing souls to enhance his cultivation. He publicly gathered wandering spirits to cultivate in the Huangquan Sect, but in reality, he was using them to gain faith energy! Even worse, he colluded with Cha Lei of the Thunder Bureau’s Fire Thunder Academy, exchanging countless soul essences for purple lightning essence!”
“If such a scoundrel were to ascend to the Immortal Realm, wouldn’t he disrupt its order?”
“It seems I’ve done a righteous deed today!”
“Hahaha…”
Feeling the memories of Patriarch Huangquan flooding into him, Shui Miao was ecstatic. This was a huge gain—acquiring not only the cultivation methods for Huangquan No Tears and Thunder Soul Body, but also the secret of Cha Lei of the Thunder Bureau secretly collaborating with Patriarch Huangquan. He had also obtained the Nine Tripod Cauldron and the hidden treasure vault of Patriarch Huangquan. Most importantly, the Survival and Destruction Path tablets had been activated, allowing him to master the Supreme Divine Thunder, giving him a powerful new trump card. His power had just begun to show!
“I, Zhuge Abacus, swear eternal loyalty to my master, serving faithfully without betrayal!”
Zhuge Abacus suddenly knelt and pledged allegiance to Shui Miao as his master.
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