496: Controlling Earth Divine Thunder

“Roar...!”

The intrusion of Di Shenglong and Di Jingzhe instantly shattered the balance of this place.

The sleeping Wutu Thunder Armored Beast suddenly opened its eyes—a pair of emotionless, earthy-yellow vertical pupils filled with ferocity and a vicious glare meant to guard its territory.

It let out a muffled roar, like the earth itself was bellowing, causing the entire cavern to tremble as broken stones rained down from the ceiling.

Its thick hind legs slammed against the ground, and its massive body displayed astonishing speed, disproportionate to its size. Carrying an Aura capable of crushing mountains and wrapped in rolling Wutu Divine Thunder, it charged fiercely toward the intruders!

That terrifying long tail lifted high, and the collapsed dark-yellow thunderball at its tip suddenly lit up, aimed directly at Di Jingzhe!

“You wicked beast, how dare you act so presumptuously!”

Di Shenglong snorted coldly, not even needing to raise a hand.

A mighty pressure, invisible, intangible, yet vast as the starry Void Realm, descended with a crash!

“Wuuu-awooo—!”

The aggressive Wutu Thunder Armored Beast suddenly stiffened, its massive body halting as if it had slammed into an invisible wall.

Its charge came to an abrupt stop, its four feet sinking deep into the hard rock floor. The muscles beneath its dark-gold scales bulged and trembled wildly, yet it couldn't even lift a single claw!

The long tail, raised high and condensing a frightening thunderball, also froze mid-air as if solidifying.

In the beast's earthy-yellow vertical pupils, fear—a primal, bone-deep terror—appeared for the very first time!

Di Jingzhe watched, his heart surging. This was the might of the Clan Chief!

“Jingzhe.”

Di Shenglong's voice rang out, calm and unwavering.

“This fiend is a variant species born from the Fusion of Earth Vein Essence Qi and Wutu Divine Thunder. Its core Origin is the same as this Thunder Pool Restriction. If you wish to obtain the Jade Marrow, you must break this formation. This formation was naturally generated, containing the dual Dao Rhythms of the Earth's profound virtue supporting all things and the thunder's destructive power over life and death. It is the perfect place to hone your thunder control and the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art.”

“Go, slay it, and break this formation. This Wutu Divine Thunder will also serve as resources to temper your Thunder Body!”

The moment Di Shenglong finished speaking, the terrifying pressure enveloping the Wutu Thunder Armored Beast suddenly retracted.

“Roar!!!”

With the pressure suddenly reduced, the beast's ferocity instantly overwhelmed its fear. It let out a deafening roar and broke free from its restraint.

Its terrifying long tail finally fell, and the collapsed dark-yellow thunderball at its tip suddenly erupted!

“Rumble—!”

A dark-yellow column of Wutu Divine Thunder, over ten feet in diameter, tore through the air and instantly blasted toward Di Jingzhe!

“Good timing!”

The Battle Intent in Di Jingzhe's eyes instantly ignited.

“Kui Niu Steps on Heaven!”

He let out a low roar, stomped his feet fiercely against the Void Realm, and instead of retreating, charged forward. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he bravely rushed toward the destructive thunder pillar!

His speed was so great that he left a solidified, lingering thunder shadow in his original spot.

“Heaven-Shattering Thunder Strike Palm!”

His left palm suddenly struck out! A massive thunder palm print, entirely condensed from Zixiao Divine Thunder, appeared out of thin air!

The palm print, carrying an unmatched Aura of shattering the firmament and striking down all creation, violently slammed onto the thick column of Wutu Divine Thunder!

“Boom—!!!”

Two forces of thunder, completely different in nature yet equally ferocious, collided violently!

A blinding light instantly swallowed a corner of the cavern!

A deafening explosion echoed throughout the entire underground space. Savage energy shockwaves swept outwards like a tsunami, crashing against the cavern walls, causing the entire mountain to hum and tremble. Countless massive stalactites and stalagmites were shattered and slammed onto the ground, kicking up dust everywhere!

The Zixiao Divine Thunder and the Wutu Thunder fiercely eroded and exploded against each other!

Di Jingzhe's Heaven-Shattering Thunder Strike Palm was incomparably domineering, containing the destructive characteristic of the Zixiao Divine Thunder, forcefully blasting the front end of the Wutu Thunder Pillar into fragments.

But the Wutu Divine Thunder was profound and massive, flowing endlessly. Carrying the sealing power of the earth, it continuously impacted and wore down the power of the thunder palm.

Stalemate!

The lightning in Di Jingzhe's eyes intensified, and a ruthless, resolute Qi erupted.

“Break... for me!!”

He roared wildly, causing the Cultivation Technique of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art to circulate frantically, activating the Kui Niu Divine Power dormant throughout his limbs and body!

The muscles in his left arm bulged, and blue veins erupted like Dragons and snakes, causing the Zixiao Divine Thunder output from his palm to suddenly double!

“Tear—!”

The surging Zixiao Divine Thunder forcibly tore apart the stalemated Wutu Thunder Pillar, splitting it in half!

The remaining power of the thunder palm continued unabated, carrying the Qi of burning and striking down, slamming fiercely toward the head of the Wutu Thunder Armored Beast, which was covered in thick scales.

“Bang!!!”

The giant beast let out a painful roar, its enormous body shaken by the immense force, sliding backward several yards and ploughing deep trenches into the ground.

“Strike him while he's down!”

The Awakening Thunder Sword drew a fierce lightning sword flower in his hand.

“Lightning Light Evasion Shadow!”

His figure suddenly blurred, transforming into a zigzagging, leaping electric light, moving so fast that it left a string of afterimages behind him!

He suddenly appeared right in front of the giant beast.

The sword light flashed like lightning, piercing the Wutu Thunder Armored Beast's skull with perfect precision.

“Roar!”

The Wutu Thunder Armored Beast let out a final roar, then transformed into a wisp of Wutu Divine Thunder Origin and merged back into the Wutu Divine Thunder.

“Now is the time! Circulate the Origin Mind-Cultivation Technique of the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art, draw the thunder into your body, subjugate it, and refine it!”

The command of Profound Thunder Supreme exploded in Di Jingzhe's mind like a clap of thunder.

Without the slightest hesitation, Di Jingzhe formed an ancient Thunder Seal with both hands, as recorded in the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art!

“In my name, I command all thunders! Kui Niu Swallows Heaven, Ten Thousand Thunders Return to Origin! Seize!”

As the magical seal descended, Di Jingzhe's entire being seemed to transform into a massive thunder vortex!

The Dark Gold Crimson Thunder Divine Flame on his body burned fiercely, and the illusory image of the Kui Niu within his Dantian opened its massive mouth, letting out a silent roar!

Buzz—!

The natural Thunder Pool Restriction, constructed from Wutu Divine Thunder above his head, began to shake violently!

Having lost the Wutu Thunder Armored Beast, which served as the core of the formation, the savage Wutu Divine Thunder immediately lost its stable form, becoming chaotic and rampant.

However, under Di Jingzhe's tyrannical pull—a Fusion of Kui Niu Origin Power and Zixiao Divine Thunder Aura—bolts of Wutu Divine Thunder, thick as a child's arm and heavy as mountains, were forcefully stripped from the Thunder Pool as if seized by an invisible giant hand. They transformed into earthy-yellow Thunder Pythons, roaring and struggling, yet they were forcibly dragged down by the powerful suction and madly surged into Di Jingzhe's body!

“Ugh ah—!”

Unimaginable agony instantly swept through every inch of Di Jingzhe's flesh and blood, and every single Meridian!

The Wutu Divine Thunder was profound and massive, carrying the power of the earth's sealing and crushing force, and further containing savage destructive energy.

They frantically impacted and ripped apart his body, attempting to completely crush and assimilate this minuscule being who dared to blaspheme the thunder!

“Hold fast to your core conviction! Circulate the Returning Origin! Use your Thunder Body as a furnace to refine the foreign power and nourish yourself!”

The voice of Profound Thunder Supreme, carrying a hint of solemnity and urgency, rang out like a warning bell in Di Jingzhe's near-collapsing consciousness.

“I... cannot fall!” He frantically activated the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art, and the Kui Niu Phantom inside his Dantian desperately devoured the surging Wutu Divine Thunder.

Under the wrapping of the Dark Gold Crimson Thunder Divine Flame and the suppression of the Zixiao Divine Thunder's Qi, the rebellious power of the savage Wutu Divine Thunder began to weaken.

Their profound Earth-elemental Dao Principle fragments were refined by the Kui Thunder Shakes the World Art, flowing like trickles of water into Di Jingzhe's limbs and body, Dantian, and Origin.

Wisp after wisp of pure, dark-yellow Earth-elemental Origin Qi began to seep from his skin, carrying the profound weight of the earth and the savagery of thunder.

His shattered Thunder Aura reformed, its color becoming deeper, subtly revealing a texture of profound, immortal solidity, much like the earth itself.

Di Jingzhe slowly opened his eyes. Deep within his pupils, purple lightning flashed and vanished, faintly retaining a trace of profound earthy-yellow intent.

Although the Qi around his body was slightly unstable, it was far more solidified and vast than before!

A profound sense of earth and a destructive sense of thunder perfectly merged within him.

He raised his hands: his left hand wielded Zixiao Divine Thunder, radiating the Aura of destroying all phenomena, and his right hand wielded Wutu Divine Thunder, radiating a terrifying dual Aura of sealing and destruction.