As soon as the tiny beast approached, the Thunder Beast unhesitatingly opened its maw and swallowed the unresisting creature whole. It then let out a few satisfied growls, its body shrinking rapidly while a layer of black mist emerged around it, completely obscuring its form.
Within the restriction, everything returned to the state Han Li had initially observed.
“What kind of spirit beast is this Thunder Beast? I pride myself on being well-versed in ancient texts, yet I’ve never heard of such a creature,” the effeminate youth said with evident astonishment.
“Didn’t I already say? This beast’s origins are peculiar, and I’d prefer you not pry further. Just assist me in subduing it, and that will suffice,” the gaunt man replied, casting a glance at the youth that carried a hint of warning.
The youth’s expression flickered, but he promptly fell silent.
Witnessing this, Han Li’s eyes flashed with intrigue, and he suddenly spoke up, “Senior earlier boasted that this beast is unique to the Spirit Realm. Does that imply it isn’t native to this realm?”
The shopkeeper’s face paled momentarily before he forced a laugh. “Brother Han, what nonsense are you spouting? If this beast weren’t from the Spirit Realm, how could it be here?”
The burly man and the youth, both seasoned cultivators, immediately noticed the shopkeeper’s attempt to conceal the truth. They exchanged startled glances.
“If the Thunder Beast isn’t from the Spirit Realm, could it be a unique spirit beast from a lower realm? No—given the power it just displayed, rivaling that of a Void Refinement cultivator, such a creature couldn’t possibly originate from a lower realm. If not from below, then it must hail from the realm above ours—the legendary True Immortal World,” the youth declared, disregarding the shopkeeper’s earlier warning.
The burly man’s eyes gleamed as he stared at the black mist within the restriction.
“What, you truly believe this beast is from the Immortal World?” the gaunt man retorted, his expression oddly calm now, though his eyes betrayed a strange emotion.
“Are we mistaken? Even if so, Brother Yu, if you wish for our help in subduing this beast, you ought to clarify its origins. Understanding it better might aid us in assisting you. If you refuse to explain, we’ll have no choice but to treat it as an upper-realm spirit beast,” the youth sighed.
“You dare threaten me?” The shopkeeper’s face flushed with anger, a murderous aura flickering between his brows.
“The three of us combined are no match for you, Brother Yu. How could we threaten you? But my elder brother happens to be the youngest elder of our clan. Surely you wouldn’t act rashly?” the youth countered, stepping back half a pace under the shopkeeper’s oppressive aura but quickly regaining his composure.
The revelation that the effeminate youth was the brother of an elder from the Skywing Clan stunned both Han Li and the burly man, prompting them to reassess the youth.
The gaunt shopkeeper’s expression darkened momentarily before he coldly relented, “Fine, I’ll tell you. It’s no great secret anyway, lest you keep speculating wildly. The reason I called it unique is that this beast was born from lightning—I gathered thunderforce and used a secret art to nurture it into existence. I spent most of my life succeeding with just this one. Naturally, it’s the only Thunder Beast in this world.”
“A spirit born of lightning?” All three widened their eyes in disbelief.
“Impossible! Even the legendary Spirit Tribe couldn’t create life from lightning. No matter how formidable your abilities, Brother Yu, this is beyond belief,” the youth scoffed, the first to recover from his shock.
Han Li and the burly man frowned deeply.
“Alone, I’d never have managed it,” the shopkeeper sneered. “But during my travels through foreign lands, I stumbled upon the remains of an expert from another race and obtained a beast-taming secret art descended from the True Immortal World. The method to birth this Thunder Beast was the only complete technique recorded within.”
“A beast-taming art from the Immortal World? That does make sense. My earlier rudeness was unwarranted, Brother Yu. I hope you’ll forgive me,” the youth suddenly backtracked, adopting an apologetic tone.
The burly man stroked his chin, marveling at the revelation.
The shopkeeper, however, remained visibly displeased, merely snorting in response.
Meanwhile, Han Li studied the Thunder Beast within the restriction, his eyes alight with interest.
Whether the creature truly originated from lightning or not, its mastery over thunderforce was undeniable. Even if its birth wasn’t as claimed, its innate affinity for lightning was extraordinary.
Yet, despite its Void Refinement-level power and control over lightning, the beast hardly seemed worth the shopkeeper’s exhaustive efforts to subdue. The promised rewards alone surpassed the value of a Void Refinement spirit beast, not to mention the time and resources spent nurturing it.
Clearly, the Thunder Beast either possessed hidden abilities or served some greater purpose for the gaunt man—one that justified his extravagant investment.
This unspoken truth wasn’t lost on Han Li, the burly man, or the youth. But each harbored their own motives, and none dared provoke the shopkeeper further by voicing suspicions.
A Void Refinement spirit beast, however peculiar, wasn’t worth antagonizing the gaunt man over. Even if any of them entertained ulterior thoughts, they’d never reveal them here.
“Enough talk. Let’s proceed without delay. I’ll alter the restriction to temporarily immobilize the beast. Then, you three will enter and channel your thunderforce into its body. Remember—don’t stop until I give the word. Otherwise, all efforts will be wasted,” the shopkeeper declared imperiously.
This time, the trio voiced no objections.
Nodding, the shopkeeper flicked his sleeve, producing the Sumeru Paradise scroll once more. Tossing it forward, the scroll unfurled vertically, radiating five-colored light as the illusory realm materialized before them.
Muttering incantations, the gaunt man pointed swiftly at a specific spot on the painting.
Han Li’s pupils flashed blue as he scrutinized the scene—the indicated location was the very pavilion where they stood.
Suddenly, the Sumeru scroll blazed with white light, emitting a faint milky mist. Within the haze, the pavilion’s walls from the first to the second floor seemed to collapse outward before dissolving entirely.
Before Han Li could ponder the implications, the real pavilion trembled violently. Its walls shone with white light before toppling outward like doors and vanishing into the void.
In an instant, Han Li and the others found themselves under an open sky, the pavilion’s floor now a bare platform. The black mist within the restriction churned as the Thunder Beast stirred within.
Han Li rubbed his chin while the youth and the burly man exchanged surprised glances.
At that moment, the shopkeeper spat a streak of blood that vanished into the scroll. A thunderclap split the sky, followed by howling winds and rolling dark clouds.
Amidst the rumbling, silver arcs flickered within the gathering storm, converging ominously above the platform.
Before anyone could question it, the gaunt man explained, “Past failures taught me that your combined thunderforce alone won’t suffice. So, I’ve activated all the heaven and earth energy stored within the Sumeru Paradise to manifest heavenly thunder as reinforcement. After this, the scroll will likely be destroyed. This is my final gamble. I implore you all to give your utmost. Once the beast is subdued, I’ll honor our agreement and reward each of you handsomely with spirit stones.”
His expression turned grave as he spoke these last words.
The trio brightened, readily pledging their full cooperation.
With a nod, the gaunt man spread his wings and swept them toward the scroll, releasing a rolling white mist that engulfed it. The scroll spun rapidly within the mist, emitting countless multicolored runes before transforming into a five-colored pillar of light that shot into the storm clouds above.
An unbelievable sight followed.
The dark clouds convulsed before unleashing an earth-shattering peal of thunder. From within emerged a thick, five-colored lightning arc—vibrantly hued and writhing like a colossal serpent.
“Five-Colored Heavenly Tribulation?!” The armored man leaped to his feet as if seeing a ghost.
“Rest assured, this isn’t the true Five-Colored Heavenly Lightning from a True Spirit King’s tribulation. It’s merely a simulation conjured from traces of heaven and earth energy—less than a thousandth of the genuine article,” the shopkeeper assured them sternly.
Han Li and the youth, who’d also paled, relaxed slightly at this.
Still, Han Li’s gaze toward the five-colored lightning betrayed lingering dread. This was the legendary tribulation lightning faced by Mahayana cultivators—far surpassing the violet-gold tribulation of Body Integration cultivators.
Even a fraction of its power cast doubt on whether any present could withstand a direct strike.
The gaunt man, now wholly focused, began channeling spells toward the eighty-one copper pillars, activating the restriction anew.
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