84: Chapter 84 Cooperation and Win-Win!

"Let's cooperate."

Shi Jian stood up, his limbs braced against the ground. His Demon Core actively released a wisp of lightning Origin. Although the fluctuation was faint, it shared the same source and lineage as the Purple Cloud Golden Lightning Qi; it was the true Foundation of the Way of Thunder!

The moment the Thunder Spirit sensed this fluctuation, its entire illusory form trembled.

"You... cultivate the Way of Thunder?"

"Heavenly Thunder Body Refining, nourished by thunder element fruit. The lightning Origin has already taken root within my Demon Core."

"I am a Yao Beast, not a human."

"I cultivate the Way of Thunder, nothing else. You reside within my body, teach me thunder techniques, aid my Bloodline transformation, and I will destroy this tower, returning your freedom."

"Each gets what they need, neither owes the other."

"How about it?"

The Thunder Spirit stared at Shi Jian, complex emotions churning within its purple-gold gaze.

Hatred, struggle, resentment, hesitation.

"Heh~, why should I believe you?"

"Because I am a Yao Beast."

"Yao Beasts don't keep promises, but Yao Beasts weigh pros and cons."

"If you are useful to me, I won't harm you. If you become useless to me, you can leave anytime. We can establish a Dao Oath."

"Compared to those humans who preach benevolence and righteousness one moment, then immediately want to refine you into a Magic Treasure the next, this bear is much more straightforward."

The last sentence was like a needle.

It pierced precisely into the Thunder Spirit's heart. This time, it was truly broken through its defenses. It dared not even think about what would happen later if a Human Race Cultivator refined it into a treasure—that would be a fate where you cannot live nor die!

Eleven humans.

Each one came saying they would "rescue" it, yet in the end, all bared their greedy fangs, wanting to refine it!

But this bear before it, at the very least, laid out the pros and cons.

No pretense, no acting, laying bare the exchange of benefits...

Ironically, this was what made it feel most at ease.

Most importantly, Yao Beasts were ultimately more reliable than humans. At the very least, Yao Beasts, like itself, were targets hunted and coveted by the Human Race!

On this point, the two were aligned.

"Deal."

"Let us swear a Dao Oath!"

The Thunder Spirit's voice was hoarse and low, as if using its last ounce of strength. Together with Shi Jian, they established a Great Dao Oath...

Immediately after, without another word, Shi Jian turned to face the stone tower's Foundation. The remaining patterns on the thunder-covering mysterious armor slowly lit up...

He raised his right palm, which was still healing. Demon Essence gathered, and lightning flashed.

One palm strike!

The tower Foundation shattered, the runes crumbled!

Second strike! Third strike!

The entire stone tower shook violently. The thirty-zhang tall tower body developed spiderweb-like cracks. The runic chains flickered madly, emitting a piercing hum.

When the fourth strike landed, Shi Jian's right palm split open again, blood flowing freely.

He switched to his left palm and continued hammering!

"Boom——!"

The stone tower collapsed with a thunderous crash.

The runic chains snapped inch by inch, dissolving into a sky full of light dust.

A purple-gold orb of light shot up from the ruins, transforming mid-air into a thunder beast that roared towards the heavens!

After countless years, he was free.

The Thunder Spirit hovered in mid-air, arcs of electricity crackling all over its body. It lowered its head to look at Shi Jian. Within those purple-gold eyes, the hatred finally faded.

"Blind bear, remember your promise!"

"Otherwise, I'll drag you down with me to the grave!"

The next moment, the Thunder Spirit transformed into a purple-gold streak of light and vanished into Shi Jian's brow!

At the same time.

The wisp of Purple Cloud Golden Lightning Qi, freed from the tower's restraints, slowly drifted down from the air. Seeing this, Shi Jian spat out a treasure box, stored it within, and then swallowed it down, storing it in his belly.

After dealing with the Purple Cloud Golden Lightning Qi.

The Thunder Spirit traveled along Shi Jian's Meridians, gradually embedding itself within them, until countless purple arcs of electricity connected with his Demon Core.

With Shi Jian's spiritual energy supply, the Thunder Spirit's aura also stabilized.

This feeling of being alive again was like shedding countless shackles. The Origin that had been constantly draining away also began to gradually recover, relying on Shi Jian's Physical Body!

"Not bad. A mere Foundation Establishment Yao Beast can withstand my integration. Your Physical Body is indeed tough, like a turtle shell."

For the first time, a hint of approval entered the Thunder Spirit's tone as it said:

"Introduce yourself, blind bear. My name is: Zi Xiao!"

"From now on, we're in the same boat, grasshoppers tied to the same string. But don't expect me to help you kill enemies beyond your realm."

"The power I can currently exert can only threaten up to the False Core Realm at most. If we really encounter a Golden Core, we're both finished!"

"Fine, I understand."

"This bear's name is: Shi Jian!"

The two exchanged names. Knowing each other's names created a bond.

Zi Xiao fell silent for a moment, then immediately began to curse: "You blockhead, the lightning Origin within your body is too weak!"

"So weak that I'm embarrassed to say it! Where did you get the nerve to persuade me to follow you? Damn it, I've boarded a pirate ship!"

"Your lightning is as weak as a newly sprouted bean sprout."

"I could snap it with a pinch. You blockhead, you plan to form a Golden Core with this thing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Hearing this, Shi Jian didn't reply. Guiltily, he rubbed his bear head. He knew Zi Xiao spoke the truth. Having it pointed out so bluntly was rather embarrassing.

"Forget it. With me here, there's still hope."

"At least your Foundation isn't bad. It's not completely without a chance."

Zi Xiao's tone shifted: "The tempering level of your Physical Body is extremely high, your Meridians are broad, and your Demon Core's Foundation is also solid. What you lack is the method."

"What method?"

"The Way of Thunder isn't brute force. It's not just about getting struck by lightning."

Speaking of the Way of Thunder, Zi Xiao's voice became serious: "Thunder has nine transformations, from drawing thunder into the body, to nurturing thunder within oneself, to thunder moving with the heart, to the body transforming into myriad forms of lightning..."

"Right now, you don't even have a stable Foundation in the Way of Thunder. You're just a lump of iron that can discharge electricity."

"Apart from being able to endure and fight, hard like a low-intelligence creature, you have no strengths. Utterly useless, a stubborn, smelly blockhead."

Shi Jian: "..."

It made so much sense that he couldn't even refute it.

"Starting now, I can personally train you."

"But there's a condition."

"Speak."

"I need to recover. Thunder-attribute spiritual items, thunder spirit Qi, even residual thunder-attribute spiritual energy within Cultivators can be of use to me."

"The more you hunt, the faster I recover, and the more I teach you."

"How about it?"

"Managing a territory, how can it compare to killing and plundering treasures!"

Hearing this, Shi Jian's mouth split into a grin, revealing a row of gleaming canine teeth. Then, with an air of righteous indignation, he declared:

"You should have said so earlier."

"Killing and looting, I'm very good at that!"

Shi Jian stood up, shook his tattered fur, glanced in the direction of Three-Pronged Peak, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Sun Yao's side, with Yun Che following, probably wouldn't die.

He had more important things to do now.

He was hungry and needed to eat!