Chapter 448
by fanqienovelChapter 448: Achievement
Wang Chen watched the cultivator depart.
He was well aware that his actions of purchasing large quantities of Thunder Stones without acquiring any thunder crystals had aroused suspicion among his fellow disciples.
However, Wang Chen was indifferent.
After completing his collection of Thunder Stones that day, he had no intention of purchasing more.
Once he achieved perfect mastery in the Sky Thunder technique, he planned to return immediately to West Sea City to attempt the third level of the Purple Palace.
He likely would not return to Thunder Isle again.
What did it matter if others were suspicious?
How many cultivators who reached the Purple Palace did not have their own secrets?
The West Sea Sect enforced strict rules; private conflicts among disciples were strictly prohibited. Within the sect’s boundaries, as long as one did not provoke trouble, no one dared to openly break the rules.
After packing up his stall and securing his hundreds of thousands of Thunder Stones, Wang Chen headed to the quiet room he had rented long-term.
There, he used the Life Creation Cauldron to refine all the Thunder Stones into thunder crystals.
Ultimately, he obtained five pieces.
In the days that followed, Wang Chen devoted more time to practicing the Sky Thunder technique.
Nine days later, he achieved the Master level in this lightning technique.
Three months later,
In the early morning, Thunder Isle was struck by a heavy downpour.
The island’s weather was unpredictable; besides constant thunderstorms, it often experienced fierce winds, heavy rain, and hail, which significantly amplified the power of the lightning.
Disciples from the West Sea Sect who came to train on the island would take refuge in caves, seldom daring to venture outside.
The lightning on Thunder Isle could indeed be fatal!
Yet, in such severe weather, Wang Chen quietly left the warm cave of Angry Thunder Peak.
Boom!
The heavy rain poured down, and the thunder grew louder, with flashes of lightning dancing in the clouds, occasionally illuminating the dark sky.
On the rugged terrain, Wang Chen walked calmly, as if taking a leisurely stroll.
Raindrops the size of pea gravel struck his body, blocked by an invisible shield.
Crack!
A fierce bolt of lightning came crashing down, accurately hitting Wang Chen’s shoulder.
Yet, it didn’t cause any disturbance.
Upon closer inspection, one could see tiny electric lights appearing on Wang Chen’s body surface, densely intertwining to form a nearly transparent barrier.
It was this barrier that completely neutralized the power of the thunder.
It also prevented the rainwater from touching his body.
And this was precisely the special power generated from practicing the Sky Thunder technique to perfect mastery!
Just yesterday, Wang Chen had mastered this Purple Palace-level lightning technique to its highest level.
Today, he ventured out to test it.
At this very moment, hundreds of steps behind Wang Chen, a Thunder Leopard was stealthily trailing his footsteps.
The Thunder Leopard, a type of Thunder Beast, differed from most of its kind by being a solitary creature that never formed groups. Its speed was unparalleled among its peers, marking it as a ruthless killer.
Cultivators who came to Thunder Isle to gather resources dreaded the Thunder Leopard the most, as this Thunder Beast excelled in concealment and ambush, making it exceedingly difficult to hunt and confront.
Moreover, the Thunder Leopard was notably cunning, preferring to roam in harsh weather conditions.
It would evaluate the strength of its prey and, sensing danger, would choose to retreat, being inherently cautious and reluctant to take unnecessary risks.
The Thunder Leopard that had set its sights on Wang Chen viewed him as a delectable prey!
Just as cultivators hunted Thunder Beasts for their thunder cores, Thunder Beasts preyed on cultivators.
The essence of a cultivator’s flesh and blood held a strong allure for them.
To a solitary cultivator, in the eyes of the Thunder Leopard, he was nothing but walking meat!
Most critically, Wang Chen, in its perception, fell into the category of the "weaker" beings.
As a non-living spirit, it relied solely on its instincts, completely disregarding the astonishing fact that Wang Chen had been struck by lightning yet remained unscathed.
This oversight was destined to lead to its downfall!
Focused on the prey ahead, the Thunder Leopard quickened its pace, steadily closing the distance between them.
As it neared to about fifty steps, poised to launch its attack,
Wang Chen abruptly halted.
He turned and fixed his gaze on the poised Thunder Leopard, sharply commanding, “Heed!”
Boom!
A blinding bolt of lightning suddenly descended, striking the stealthy creature.
The Thunder Leopard convulsed violently, emitting a silent roar, as if in excruciating pain, its body contorting!
Thunder Beasts, born from the power of thunder, were least afraid of lightning; however, the destructive power within this lightning strike far exceeded what the Thunder Leopard could withstand.
It was utterly obliterated!
Crack!
Accompanied by a peculiar hissing sound, the Thunder Leopard suddenly burst apart, transforming into myriad flashing electric lights.
They struck the surrounding rocks, creating sharp, crackling noises.
A radiant crystal flew out.
Wang Chen’s eyes flashed as he swiftly reached out, capturing the crystal mid-air.
Thunder core!
Wang Chen had not anticipated that the first Thunder Beast he vanquished today would yield a valuable thunder core.
This was indeed an unexpected boon.
But the true delight came from the destructive power of the Perfected Level Sky Thunder technique!
A Thunder Beast was actually slain by a single strike from him.
What effect would it have if used on living beings or Evil Spirits?
Without a doubt, this would be another ace in the hole for Wang Chen!
Most importantly, the Sky Thunder technique he currently mastered was only at the Purple Palace level.
This spell could be cultivated all the way to the Yuan Ying stage!
Interestingly, Wang Chen did not gain any Virtue or Heavenly Merit from killing this Thunder Beast.
Wang Chen didn’t mind; if he wanted to earn Virtue, there were plenty of Evil Spirits and magical beasts in the outside world to slay.
After putting away the thunder cores, Wang Chen continued on his way.
The unique environment of Thunder Isle was the best place to practice the Sky Thunder technique.
He aimed to thoroughly master the casting skills of this lightning technique.
Three days later, Wang Chen checked out of the meditation cave and quiet room he had rented, returning from Thunder Isle to West Sea City.
He did not return to his residence but traveled to Wailing City through the teleportation array.
When Wang Chen saw Xu Xinlan again, the beautiful female cultivator had a look of deep longing in her eyes, almost tangible.
For the past six months, Wang Chen had been secluded on Thunder Isle, hidden cultivating.
He had not returned to Wailing City since.
As the saying goes, "A brief separation is sweeter than a new marriage," their reunion was particularly passionate.
After a night of wild winds and heavy rain, the flowers watered by the rain were especially vibrant. Xu Xinlan leaned against Wang Chen’s embrace, softly murmuring her feelings of longing.
Wang Chen couldn’t help but feel for her.
He was quite fortunate; for some cultivators, retreating for years or even over a decade was quite common.
In pursuit of the supreme path, many cultivators completely abandoned human desires.
After comforting her for a while, Wang Chen took out his gains from Thunder Isle from his storage bag and handed them over to Xu Xinlan to handle.
During his cultivation of the Sky Thunder technique, he occasionally ventured out for real combat.
Using the Spirit Concealment Technique to mask his presence from Thunder Beasts, he had slain several spirits and acquired a number of thunder cores.
Xu Xinlan also returned a storage bag to Wang Chen.
Inside, it was filled with a large quantity of spirit stones!