94: The Thunder Emperor's Palace, shadows begin to appear.

Following the System's guidance, the group struggled north toward the destructive light screen, enduring increasingly violent thunder. The deeper they went, the denser the surrounding Annihilation Thunder Qi became. The violet electric snakes no longer merely swam around; they cascaded down from the void like waterfalls, bombarding and continuously tearing and reforming space, emitting a deafening yet eerily silent roar. Even Lin Xuan felt his magical power rapidly depleting just maintaining his protective spiritual light.

"Ten miles ahead, the weakest point of the Thunderstorm Barrier, intensity 97.2%." The System's cold notification sounded in Lin Xuan's mind, and simultaneously, a striking red dot flashed at the end of the path map in his vision.

"Hold on, it's right ahead!" Lin Xuan shouted, the golden-red light around him intensifying, forcibly pushing away the approaching thunder and relieving the pressure on the Three women behind him.

Su Wanqing followed closely. Her moonlight brilliance was solid like a bolt of silk. After taking the Taiyin Protecting Divine Pill, she was in excellent condition, even faintly sensing signs that her Bottleneck was loosening again. However, she had no time for distraction now, devoting all her focus to resisting the seemingly endless thunderstorm. Her icy gaze occasionally swept over Lin Xuan's resolute back, and the reliance and certain inexpressible emotion in her heart quietly grew, catalyzed by the life-or-death crisis.

Qu Feiyan's blood light flickered. Although restrained by the thunder, her nature was tenacious. There was no retreat in her captivating eyes, only a stubborn, unyielding ruthlessness, as she followed closely on Lin Xuan's other side. Gongsun Yu, assisted by the Lightning Guiding Spirit Tempering Art and the imitation Kuiniu Thunder Drum, felt slightly less pressure than before, her small face filled with determination.

Wangshu floated gracefully to the side. Her moon-white figure appeared slightly blurred in the thunderlight. She seemed exceptionally adaptable to the harsh environment here, her consumption far less than others. However, her cold gaze occasionally fell upon the approaching Thunderstorm Barrier, and beneath her white veil, no one could discern her expression.

Finally, the group reached the location marked by the System. What lay before them was not the physical barrier they had imagined, but an energy wall that resembled a giant mirror, constantly twisting and refracting countless flashes of thunder! Beyond the wall, the outline of a vast, continuous palace, constructed of some dark purple Thunder Crystal, was faintly visible. It was ancient and majestic, emitting a heart-palpitating thunderous might. That was the Thunder Emperor Palace!

"This is it! Beyond the barrier is the Thunder Emperor Palace!" Lin Xuan stopped, his heart surging as he felt the intense resonance emanating from the immortal abode pivot token and saw the System's prompt: "Possibility of exit clue: 78%."

"How do we get in?" Su Wanqing gazed at the destructive energy wall, a hint of worry flashing in her icy eyes. The power of this barrier far exceeded any obstacle they had previously encountered.

"System, analyze the barrier structure and Breakthrough solution." Lin Xuan immediately communicated with the System.

[Analyzing... The Thunderstorm Barrier is formed by a combination of Annihilation Thunder Laws and an ancient Immortal Formation. Its intensity is extremely high. Forcible Breakthrough requires cultivation at the Late Nascent Soul Stage or above.]

[Detected periodic fluctuation nodes in the barrier. A temporary passage can only be opened by impacting the node with a powerful energy of a specific attribute at a specific moment.]

[The next fluctuation node is estimated to appear in: the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. Required energy attribute: Extreme Yin or Extreme Yang (must reach Sixth-tier intensity).]

[Warning: The barrier contains a counterattack mechanism. If the impact fails or the energy attribute does not match, a destructive thunderstorm backlash will be triggered.]

Extreme Yin or Extreme Yang, Sixth-tier intensity! Lin Xuan frowned deeply. Although the power from his chapter of the blazing sun fragment was of extremely high grade, limited by his cultivation level, a full burst might barely touch the Sixth-tier threshold, but the risk was immense. Su Wanqing's Taiyin Power was similarly restricted by her cultivation, still falling short of the Sixth-tier.

Just as Lin Xuan was rapidly contemplating a countermeasure, Wangshu, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. Her voice was still cold, but carried a hint of certainty: "I can briefly draw upon a trace of the Origin Power left behind by the Moon Mother to reach Extreme Yin Sixth-tier intensity. Combined with your cardinal edict for positioning, it should be possible to open the passage."

Everyone was stunned, looking at Wangshu. Moon Mother Origin? That was a legendary existence!

An alarm bell rang faintly in Lin Xuan's heart. The System's previous assessment of Wangshu had always been mysterious and marked with a question mark. What was her real purpose in proactively offering to use such immense power now? Was it merely to help them?

"Senior Wangshu, will this action cause you a huge loss?" Lin Xuan asked tentatively, his eyes fixed on her.

Wangshu's white veil fluttered lightly, and she said calmly, "There will certainly be a loss, but it is worth it. Inside the Thunder Emperor Palace, there may be something I need." She did not specify what she needed, but the conviction in her tone made it impossible to doubt her.

Su Wanqing looked at Wangshu, a faint trace of doubt and scrutiny flashing in her icy eyes. Her Cultivation Technique shared the same source as Wangshu's, and she could vaguely sense the vast, ocean-like Taiyin Power within the other woman—power far beyond her own. What was the connection between this mysterious Senior and the Moon Mother? And why was she going to such great lengths?

"In that case, we are indebted to Senior." Lin Xuan suppressed his doubts. Breaking through the barrier and entering the Thunder Emperor Palace is the primary goal right now. He secretly gave the System an instruction: "Monitor Wangshu's energy fluctuations and the barrier's reaction throughout. If there is any abnormality, issue an immediate warning."

[Instruction received. Monitoring program initiated.]

Time passed minute by minute. The surrounding thunder became increasingly frantic, as if accumulating its final power.

When the moment arrived, Wangshu stepped forward, standing directly in front of the barrier. She extended her slender jade hand and removed the jade hairpin securing her hair. As the jade hairpin left her hair, it instantly burst forth with an unprecedented, brilliant moonlight—a cold, ancient, and vast aura permeated the area, even temporarily suppressing the surrounding violent Thunder Essence! A phantom female figure, wearing a Lunar Crown and with an obscured face, quietly appeared behind her for an instant, as if crossing time and space from ancient antiquity!

"Now!" Wangshu shouted clearly, pointing the jade hairpin forward! A moon-white beam of light, condensed to the extreme and nearly materialized, carrying the Extreme Yin coldness capable of freezing time and annihilating all things, fiercely slammed into the barrier node marked by the System!

At the same time, Lin Xuan fully activated the immortal abode pivot token, its clear, misty radiance guiding the moon-white beam's point of impact!

"Buzz—!"

The barrier trembled violently. Where the moon-white beam struck, the thunderlight receded like a tide, and a deep, dark opening, constantly twisting at the edges and just wide enough for one person to pass, was forcibly torn open!

"Hurry and enter!" Wangshu's voice carried a hint of imperceptible urgency; maintaining the passage was clearly a huge burden on her.

"Go!" Lin Xuan didn't hesitate, rushing into the opening first. Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and Gongsun Yu followed closely.

Just as Wangshu was about to step inside, an unexpected change occurred!

An extremely concealed, ghost-like black shadow, emerging from seemingly nowhere, seized the moment before the passage closed. It arrived late but entered first, darting violently into the passage ahead of Wangshu!

The shadow's aura was cold and eerie, completely incompatible with the surrounding thunder. It was clearly a technique of the Guixu Cult that had been tailing them all along!

A cold light flashed in Wangshu's clear eyes, but she did not stop it, merely stepping into the passage right after.

The passage instantly closed after Lin Xuan and the Three women, the black shadow, and Wangshu had all entered! The violent thunder outside abruptly ceased.

The group landed on a cold, hard Thunder Crystal floor. Before them was an unimaginably magnificent, massive palace gate. The door was tightly shut, carved with the image of an ancient Deity treading on a Thunder Dragon and wielding thunder, radiating endless majesty. This was the interior of the Thunder Emperor Palace, silent and still, forming a stark contrast to the destructive thunderstorm outside.

However, before anyone could examine their surroundings, the black shadow that had rushed in first vanished into the complex pillars and ruins in front of the palace, as if melting into the shadows.

"That thing just now..." Qu Feiyan's captivating eyes held killing intent.

"It was someone from the Guixu Cult, or perhaps... some kind of construct." Su Wanqing already held her Ice Sword, her expression solemn.

Gongsun Yu nervously moved closer to Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan's expression was calm. He fully spread out his Divine Sense while communicating with the System: "Scan the Thunder Emperor Palace entrance area, track the black shadow's whereabouts, and analyze potential threats."

[Scanning... Warning! Detected multiple concealment Restrictions and residual offensive Formations. The black shadow's whereabouts have been lost; it possesses extremely high concealment characteristics.]

[Detected that the palace gate contains a powerful Seal, requiring a specific Token or method to open. Detected abnormal energy reactions in the Side Hall on the left, which resonate weakly with the Moon Mother Origin Power previously used by Wangshu.]

Lin Xuan glanced toward the magnificent palace gate, then briefly at Wangshu, who appeared calm and undisturbed. The shadow of the Guixu Cult had infiltrated, and within this Thunder Emperor Palace, secrets related to Wangshu also seemed to be hidden. The path ahead remained shrouded in mist.