Lightning Fruit resembles a plum in shape, yet it glimmers with silver radiance, crackling with lightning threads, and exuding an immensely powerful fluctuation.
Everyone exchanged glances. Though this item is extraordinary, it was uncertain whether it was edible. This is Xiling, a realm formed by heroic spirits, not part of the grand celestial world.
Yet, to abandon the opportunity felt truly unbearable. Just moments ago, they faced grave danger—Xuan Gui nearly perished.
Lightning Worms—merely their name reveals their extraordinariness, possessing speed rivaling lightning, no less formidable than grand divine abilities like condensing space within a step.
These beings are terrifying, undergoing three stages of growth. The first stage, known as the juvenile phase, begins with igniting divine fire and below. Naturally, this “juvenile” state may involve centuries of cultivation.
Beyond that, they can slay deities themselves.
It’s easy to imagine their terrifying might and immense potential, as even those newly having divine fire are considered immature.
When others looked at the Royal Butterfly, their gazes turned peculiar—what creature could possibly intimidate a mighty Lightning Worm?
“I’ll risk trying this!” Xuan Gui declared, picking up a Lightning Fruit.
It wasn’t out of any great fearlessness; far from seeking danger, his instinct was to escape instantly. Yet, he felt it might be safe.
“Ow! That hurts!” cried Xuan Gui.
The silver Lightning Fruit emitted a glow in his massive claw, its lightning growing intense, nearly frying him, leaving blackened marks.
Expressions turned grim immediately—the mere handling resulted in this; if consumed, what might occur? Their intestines might be shattered, the danger too extreme.
At this moment, even Xuan Gui hesitated. Eventually, clenching his teeth, he activated a protective technique, tore off a tiny piece of fruit, and popped it in, intending gradual digestion.
“Zhizz!”
As the tiny morsel touched his tongue, it transformed into a lightning bolt, striking Xuan Gui into a shrieking, smoke-bellowing tumble mid-air.
Everyone stood dumbfounded, utterly horrified.
When he stood up again, his face swelled like a pig’s head, lips torn and bleeding, mouth charred black, and teeth nearly loosened.
It was absolute self-torture; everyone struggled to suppress their laughter.
“Cursed! It’s not ripe yet. Otherwise, the thunder energy wouldn’t be so wild. It could transform into Glyphs and be absorbed directly!” he grumbled angrily.
This time, he dared not take a bite, tossing the fruit aside.
“Whoever wants to eat it, eat it yourself!” he slurred, pain bringing tears to his eyes.
Again, they exchanged glances—should even an Exalted be unable to stomach it, who else dared attempt?
“We should leave first—it’s too dangerous here,” Shi Hao suggested, noting the fruit’s extreme potency, urging them to find a safer place.
All nodded; after that recent ordeal, they recognized this was no place for casual adventuring. Beings far superior to Lightning Worms prowled here—Golden Flesh Worms had yet to mature fully. Ancient terrors like the Taotie, Fei Yi, and Chong Ming birds were commonly seen. This was undeniably a demonic land.
Soon, they exited the Xiling Realm.
“Ahh, indeed, it’s not genuine flesh,” Xiao Tian remarked.
Once outside, the Lightning Fruit still radiated energy, yet no longer in flesh form, but encapsulated in a mass of power, swirling intricate Glyphs.
“Who wishes to try it?” asked Xuan Gui.
“Let me go next!” Shi Hao declared, sitting cross-legged. He activated the Saber-Toothed Tiger Art, lightning surging within him. Grasping the Lightning Fruit, he tore off a piece and placed it into his mouth.
This was fruit-energy, shimmering with dense Glyphs. Instantly, it became blazing lightning, tearing through him.
However, the Saber-Toothed Tiger Art flowed, directing those electric surges and seizing the Glyphs, which seeped into his body.
Shi Hao trembled, jolted by shocks, yet unlike Xuan Gui’s miserable collapse, he endured.
“Wondrous! This contains Thunder Dao Laws!”
His eyes gleamed. Then, he consumed the entire fruit. With a thunderous roar, countless electrical discharges engulfed Shi Hao, Glyphs densely woven around him, all searing into his flesh.
Shi Hao appeared in a pitiable state—his hair stood erect, his skin blackened, sitting rigidly twitching.
Gasps erupted; the situation looked grim.
“If he survives, he’ll surely gain tremendous fortune—it’s Lightning Glyphs, a mighty divine art!” Xuan Gui remarked jealously.
He became restless again, determined to attempt. He tore off an even smaller piece of “flesh” and swallowed.
“Boom!”
Xuan Gui shrieked; though his shell was formidable, his physical body wasn’t indestructible. Despite being an Exalted, he was electrified, his entire body blackened and violently quaking.
“Something’s wrong!” Shi Hao suddenly cried.
Besides being surrounded by lightning, a thin black aura surged from his body, exuding death.
“You never said this would happen!” Xuan Gui blanched, screaming as he felt the corrosive death essence infiltrating his flesh.
Everyone shivered; obviously, this Lightning Fruit harvested from Xiling bore immense problems—a dense death essence accompanied it.
In the next moment, Shi Hao and Xuan Gui froze, seated motionless, trying to suppress and cleanse the death essence within.
That dark, eerie glow clung persistently, like a parasite adhered to their flesh, spreading alarmingly fast.
Even formidable beings like Shi Hao and Xuan Gui were immobilized, their entire bodies blackening, resembling ghosts drained of vitality.
The situation worsened. Eventually, Xiao Tian, Xia You Yu, and others were forced to retreat, the dark glow corroding everything nearby.
At the entrance to the Xiling Realm, a pair of chilling eyes glowed. A massive white tiger emerged, ice-cold and merciless, its gaze fixed on Shi Hao.
“White Tiger King?!” Xiao Tian gasped, recognizing one of the leaders of Beast Mountain.
“He should be White Tiger Sovereign now!” Xia You Yu’s beautiful face bore deep concern, glancing at the death-stricken Shi Hao and Xuan Gui.
Obviously, this White Tiger had remained hidden, waiting until the great calamity passed and the world calmed before breaking through. With his strength, he could’ve reached this realm long ago.
“Truly seeking destruction!” rumbled the tiger’s thunderous, battle-laden voice.
White Tiger, associated with slaughter, is one of the strongest bloodlines, considered both a demonic beast and a sacred ancient deity. Though his bloodline lacked purity, he surpassed ordinary Exalted.
He opened his massive mouth, unleashing a surge of Metal Qi swords—his innate divine art, capable of manipulating the world’s metal essence. Roaring like thunder, a rain of blades surged forth.
Indeed, this alone could severely wound ordinary Exalted.
Everyone tried to interfere but failed entirely—the Metal Qi swords descended like thunderbolts, enveloping Shi Hao.
“Zhi!”
Shi Hao opened his eyes, pointing a finger. A roaring Saber-Toothed Tiger, golden and violet in color, colossal beyond measure, met the onslaught, dispersing the blades.
“Even dying, you still possess such might—commendable!” the Tiger proclaimed, eyes chilling further. He stepped back, observing Shi Hao, noting the death essence worsening, remarking, “You are truly fearless, daring to plunder Xiling’s treasures. Once death essence penetrates the body, even those igniting divine fire struggle to survive.”
His words held truth; buried in Xiling were God Kings and Celestial Deities, their death essence forming black light impossible to remove, capable of defeating those igniting divine fire.
An Exalted infected would certainly perish!
“You are remnants of Bǔtiān Pavilion, I initially retreated, yet you still recklessly entered Xiling Realm—truly, Heaven ordains your doom,” the Tiger said coldly, eyes sharp as knives, staring at Shi Hao. “You have risen so high, yet you perish still!”
Again, he opened his mouth, unleashing divine light toward Shi Hao, determined to ensure Shi Hao couldn’t cleanse the death essence.
“Most elders of Bǔtiān Pavilion were slain by me personally—I crafted their skulls into wine cups, keeping them as treasures. Today, an additional wine cup shaped from Emperor Bone shall join—” the Tiger taunted, trying provocation.
“You shall die!” Xiao Tian and others summoned weapons, attacking.
“Not yet an Exalted, mere minnows, easily crushed!” At that moment, another old lion and a giant elephant emerged from the Xiling Realm entrance.
The old lion’s fur shone white; roaring, a Lion’s Roar erupted, shattering and disabling everyone’s weapons.
The three leaders of Xiling Beast Mountain arrived—the old lion already having stepped onto the threshold of Exalted, centuries of cultivation making his power profound.
“Buzz!”
Suddenly, Shi Hao stood up, confronting them, his body glowing with strange Glyph waves, expelling all the black death aura from within.
“What?!” The White Tiger, old lion, and elephant roared; even divine fire igniters struggled to expel death essence—how could he achieve this?
Shi Hao’s chest bone shined, the mysterious power of Reincarnation dispelling the death glow, and with a swift motion, he grasped Xuan Gui, ridding him clean as well.
“You think death essence matters? I merely used it to comprehend Lightning Glyphs and cultivate further.”
“You…” The White Tiger trembled with rage, transforming into a white light, fleeing into Xiling Realm. Horrified, he deemed Young Stone too strange—unscathed after consuming Xiling’s Lightning Fruit.
“Still trying to escape?” Shi Hao’s entire body radiated bolts, Lightning Glyphs merging with Saber-Toothed Tiger Art. With a thunderous boom, a massive lightning bolt surged forth.
The White Tiger shivered with fear, but no speed could evade this lightning.
Bolts surged again—he stood no chance but to fight.
“Boom!”
Lightning surged like a sea—five strikes fell simultaneously, striking White Tiger—an authentic “Five Heavens Thunder Bolt,” five lightning bolts blasting atop his head.
In that moment, his eyes nearly burst; his skull exploded, brains splattered, then charred.
Soon, his corpse reduced to a piece of charcoal, utterly destroyed.
The old lion and elephant fled, but Shi Hao severed them with two lightning-formed blades—both cut in half, perishing instantly.
“Amazing! Indeed, you obtained fortune—the Glyphs from the Lightning Fruit were refined by you?” Xuan Gui said, both astonished and envious, having escaped calamity, refusing to touch that fruit again.
“And what a treasure it indeed was,” Shi Hao remarked.
Hearing this, others remained speechless—death essence within the fruit could extinguish divine fire; few could endure it. Let alone the raw lightning power, unbearable to others.
Examining the Lightning Fruit closely, Shi Hao noticed all Glyphs inside were identical—consuming one, or two, made little difference.
“This fruit isn’t mature, accompanied by death essence, yet it significantly elevated my Thunder Art. What might a genuine Lightning Fruit achieve?”
He mused—should an authentic one exist, his Saber-Toothed Tiger Art might transcend limitations, ascending to a far superior realm, achieving ultimate thunder mastery!
“Then let us journey upwards. In a boundless realm, holy rare medicinal treasures like Lightning Fruits surely abound. Harvest them, seize fortune, provided you possess enough strength.”
Xuan Gui tempted, yearning to return.
“A few strays remain; I shall deal with them. Wait outside,” Shi Hao commanded.
Nodding, Xiao Tian, Xia You Yu, and others remained outside, their assistance ineffectual here.
Entering Xiling once more with Xuan Gui, Shi Hao cautiously hunted remaining Beast Mountain elites, mercilessly eliminating every one.
In the sky, numerous divine birds soared, tearing the heavens with their wings. Across the land, ferocious beasts ran rampant, shattering mountains, roaring beneath the gods’ moon—the scene too horrifying.
“What is that?” Xuan Gui, cowardly and fearful, shrank within his shell.
Ahead, an altar stood, surrounding bones laid in sacrifice.
Shi Hao’s brow twitched; the primal true bone in his palm radiated light, sensing something ahead. Upon the altar lay several special bones—one small fragment, a tiny corner, gleaming pearl-white, exactly what he sought!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage