97: Tempered in the Thunder Pool, love sealed in crisis

What emerged from the corner of the passage was not a living creature, but several skeletons clad in tattered thunder-patterned armor and wielding rusted thunder halberds!quietPurple Soul flames flickered in their eye sockets, and their bodies were entwined with a solidified, deathly silent thunder Qi, originating from the same source as the Extinction Thunder Domain. Their movements produced a 'clack' of bone friction, and they radiated powerful fluctuations of a Mid-stage Golden Core and above!

“They are the Thunder Guard Protectors of the Thunder Emperor Palace! Their post-mortem obsession combined with the Extinction Thunder Qi, transforming them into undying, unliving monsters!” Wangshu’s clear and cold voice carried a warning.

Upon discovering living beings, the Soul flames in the eyes of these Thunder Guard skeletons flared, and they roared silently, brandishing their thunder halberds as they charged! The halberd blades tore through the air, bringing with them destructive purple lightning arcs!

“Form a formation! Senior Sister Su on the left flank, Senior Sister Qu on the right, Xiao Yu in the center for support, Senior Wangshu, please hold the line!” Lin Xuan remained calm in the face of danger, quickly issuing commands. His frost silence sword was already in hand, intertwining chilling cold Qi with scorching vital Qi.

Su Wanqing's ice sword bloomed into a thousand layers of lotus flowers, and Taiyin Moon Essence transformed into a solid ice barrier, precisely blocking the charge of the Thunder Guards on the left. Her sword light flickered, specifically targeting their joints and Soul flames. Qu Feiyan's blood lotus bloomed furiously, and streaks of blood flame, like venomous snakes, coiled around the Thunder Guards on the right flank. Though restrained by the thunder, she skillfully manipulated them to disrupt their movements. Gongsun Yu, receiving the command, immediately struck the Kui Niu Thunder Drum. The dull drum sound stirred the power of thunder, not only amplifying her own strength but also causing the spreading thunder patterns to momentarily halt the movements of the Thunder Guard skeletons!

Lin Xuan, meanwhile, provided central support, moving like lightning. His frost silence sword either slashed or thrust, and his Golden Body power erupted, often sending a Thunder Guard skeleton flying back or even dismantling it with a single strike! His combat style was grand and open, and his supreme Yang and supreme rigid Qi subtly countered these deathly silent thunder creatures.

However, there were many Thunder Guard skeletons, and they were impervious to pain. After being dispersed, the surrounding Extinction Thunder Qi would slowly gather, attempting to reassemble them, making them extremely difficult to completely eliminate. The battle was temporarily stalemated.

“System, analyze the energy core of the Thunder Guard skeletons and methods for their complete destruction!”

[Analyzing... The energy core of the Thunder Guard skeletons is located deep within the cranial Soul fire, composed of obsession and fragments of Extinction Thunder Crystals. Conventional methods are difficult to destroy it instantly. Suggestion: Instantly annihilate the Soul fire core with supreme Yang thunder or purification power far exceeding its tolerance limit. Detected a replica of the host's newly acquired Magic Treasure 'Kui Niu Thunder Drum'. If fully activated by a Lightning Spirit Root holder, inducing resonance with the Thunder Emperor Palace environment, it can produce a brief purification effect.]

Lin Xuan's eyes flashed, and he immediately sent a voice transmission to Gongsun Yu: “Xiao Yu, listen to my command next. Strike the thunder drum with all your might, injecting all your magic power and Lightning Spirit Root perception into it. Target the largest skeleton directly ahead!”

Although Gongsun Yu didn't understand why, she trusted Lin Xuan implicitly and nodded heavily.

Lin Xuan let out a long cry, and his frost silence sword erupted with an unprecedentedly chilling sword Qi, temporarily forcing back the surrounding Thunder Guards and creating a brief space for Gongsun Yu. “Now!”

Gongsun Yu took a deep breath, pouring her Early Golden Core Stage cultivation without reservation into the thunder drum in her hand! At the same time, she fully activated the Lightning Guiding Spirit Tempering Art, and her own Lightning Spirit Root resonated mysteriously with this Thunder Emperor Palace ruin and the thunder drum in her hand, which contained the aura of an ancient thunder beast!

“Dong—!!!”

A thunder drum sound, far more profound, desolate, and seemingly from ancient primordial times than before, resounded with a mighty roar! Visibly, pale golden thunder patterns rapidly spread out from Gongsun Yu like ripples!

Wherever the thunder patterns passed, the purple, deathly silent thunder Qi melted like ice and snow! The Soul flames in the skulls of the several Thunder Guard skeletons at the very front violently flickered, emitting silent wails, and then 'poof' they completely extinguished. The massive skeletons clattered to the ground, unable to reassemble!

The power of a single strike was truly terrifying!

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan were both startled, looking at Gongsun Yu with surprise. They hadn't expected this Junior Sister, who usually seemed to need protection, to be able to unleash such power.

Gongsun Yu’s small face was pale, clearly indicating the immense consumption of that strike. She swayed, almost collapsing. Lin Xuan, who had been distracted by her, had already flashed to her side, reaching out to support her shoulder as a pure and gentle magic power flowed into her. “You did very well, Xiao Yu.”

Feeling the warmth and support of Lin Xuan's hand, Gongsun Yu's heart sweetened, and a blush appeared on her pale face. She whispered, “It’s Big Brother Lin’s cultivation method and the Magic Treasure he gave me that are powerful…”

This scene, falling into the eyes of Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan, caused a subtle ripple in the hearts of the two women. Su Wanqing's icy eyes drooped slightly, and her ice sword strikes became even more fierce. Qu Feiyan's red lips were tightly pursed, and her blood lotus offensive suddenly intensified.

Wangshu took all of this in, her clear, cold gaze lingering for a moment on Lin Xuan's hand supporting Gongsun Yu, then turning towards the depths of the passage: “The crisis is temporarily resolved, let’s continue forward. That drum sound just now evoked some response from deeper within.”

The group cleared away the remaining scattered skeletons and continued deeper. At the end of the passage, it suddenly opened up into a massive thunder pool, nearly a hundred zhang in circumference! The pool contained not water, but liquid thunder, shimmering with magnificent purple-gold hues! In the center of the pool was a small stone platform, and above the platform floated a fist-sized, translucent purple Golden Core phantom, within which countless thunder Dragons seemed to swim! A pure, vast aura, imbued with the vital Qi of thunder Origin, permeated the air, starkly different from the previous deathly silence!

“This is… a projection of the Thunder Emperor’s Origin Golden Core?!” Wangshu’s voice held a hint of disbelief. “Though not a physical entity, it contains a trace of true thunderous creation and vitality! If one could draw upon a trace of its aura to temper oneself, it would be an unparalleled Opportunity for a thunder cultivator!”

Everyone's gaze focused on that purple Golden Core phantom. Especially Gongsun Yu, whose Lightning Spirit Root trembled violently and conveyed an intense desire upon sensing that aura!

The System prompt in Lin Xuan's mind also rang out urgently:

[Detecting high-concentration thunderous creation and vitality (incomplete Origin projection), with a compatibility of 99.8% with target Gongsun Yu! Strongly recommend guiding her to accept the tempering! This can greatly enhance her Lightning Spirit Root quality, stabilize her Golden Core, and even has a chance to awaken a special Thunder Body! This is a great Opportunity!]

An Opportunity! And a great one, specifically for Gongsun Yu!

Lin Xuan suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked at Gongsun Yu, whose face was flushed with desire. He said in a deep voice, “Xiao Yu, go forward, circulate your Cultivation Technique, and try to communicate with that Golden Core projection! This is your fortune!”

Gongsun Yu was both surprised and delighted, yet also a little scared, instinctively looking at Lin Xuan.

“Go, we will protect you.” Lin Xuan gave her an encouraging look.

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan also temporarily set aside their subtle emotions, understanding that this matter concerned Gongsun Yu’s Dao path. Both focused their attention, vigilant of their surroundings, to act as her Protectors.

Gongsun Yu mustered her courage and walked step by step towards the edge of the thunder pool. She circulated the Lightning Guiding Spirit Tempering Art, releasing her pure Lightning Spirit Root aura, carefully probing towards the Golden Core projection in the center of the pool.

Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, her aura instantly resonated with the Golden Core projection! A tiny purple-gold thunder light separated from the projection and, like a spiritual snake, instantly disappeared into Gongsun Yu's glabella!

“Ugh!” Gongsun Yu’s delicate body trembled violently. She was enveloped in dense purple-gold thunder light and floated up. The vast thunderous creation and vitality began to cleanse her Meridians, Golden Core, and Soul! Her aura was visibly becoming more solid and powerful!

Lin Xuan and the others watched nervously. However, at this very moment, another anomaly occurred!

The Void Realm around the thunder pool rippled like water, and three figures shrouded in dense Devilish Qi slowly emerged. Leading them was none other than the Black-Robed Elder from before! Their gazes greedily fixated on Gongsun Yu, who was undergoing tempering in the center of the thunder pool, and on that thunder Golden Core projection!

“Tsk tsk, I didn’t expect such an unexpected harvest! This thunder Origin projection rightfully belongs to my Holy Sect! As for this girl… she’ll make a perfect thunder puppet!” The Black-Robed Elder chuckled sinisterly, his killing intent chilling.

Crisis, at the moment of Opportunity, descended once more!