A deep booming echoed within him, the heavy force of the lightning raging violently through his body, threatening to shatter him to pieces. Ji Changkong's knees buckled, and he abruptly dropped to the ground. The vital energy fluctuations inside him became erratic, and the three Celestial Thunder Fields in his chest seemed like gunpowder igniting, exploding instantly.

Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!

A series of strange noises resonated from his chest. The heavenly thunder struck his body, and all the electrical force surged directly into the three Celestial Thunder Fields within him. He swelled up like a toad drawing a breath, his once lean frame suddenly growing as bulky as a great bear.

Boom!

Another bolt of heavenly thunder crashed directly onto his back. The surging lightning force seemed to find its release point and rushed entirely into the three Celestial Thunder Fields in his chest.

The searing pain immediately spread throughout his entire body. Kneeling on the ground, unable to bear such immense power, he was driven flat onto the earth by this single bolt of thunder, incapable of rising.

Flashes of lightning writhed like serpents in the void as successive bolts of heavenly thunder descended, more than half of which struck him directly.

Lying limp on the ground, he could endure no more and soon fell unconscious.

Whoosh!

A downpour immediately followed, the wind howling fiercely, the raindrops scattering like broken pearls across a vast, indistinct landscape.

"Ugh…"

With a sharp cry of pain, Ji Changkong slowly regained consciousness. He felt a deep ache and weakness everywhere. The three Celestial Thunder Fields in his chest were spinning rapidly, and fine threads of electrical energy were slowly condensing as they spun, seemingly turning into liquid, storing themselves within the three fields.

Having been bombarded by so much heavenly thunder, his entire body was charred black, every strand of hair standing on end.

He tested his limbs. Though they felt heavy, numb, and sore, he managed to force himself back onto his feet. With a flicker of thought, the abundant vital energy within him flowed unimpeded, apparently unaffected by the thunderous bombardment.

The torrential rain washed over him. He looked up at the sky, utterly bewildered, unable to grasp why the sky had singled him out for such relentless, chaotic pounding.

Weird!

He muttered under his breath, cautiously dispensing his vital energy into his aching arms, waist, and abdomen. Wherever the vital energy passed, the flesh scorched by lightning seemed to be nourished by a spiritual medicine, and the sensation of numbness slowly receded.

Wiping the rainwater from his eyes, he continued his journey while frowning in deep thought amidst the gale and storm.

Rumble!

With a movement of his mind, the Thunderous Force technique was activated. A roar like thunder emanated simultaneously from the three Celestial Thunder Fields. Three streams of vital energy, mixed with the power of lightning, suddenly surged swiftly into the meridians of his arm. He struck out with a punch, and the sound of an explosive thunderclap echoed as a waist-thick tree before him violently disintegrated, spewing black smoke.

"Thunderous Force! The real Thunderous Force!"

Ignoring the rain drenching him, Ji Changkong stared at the charred trunk ahead, suddenly crying out in astonishment.

The Thunderous Force technique was supposed to carry the power of heavenly lightning, requiring one to reach the Four Symbols Heaven Realm and communicate with the Azure Dragon Holy Beast—the only way to fully master the technique by harnessing the lightning controlled by the dragon.

Yet, he had clearly not reached the Four Symbols Heaven Realm, nor had he communicated with the Azure Dragon. After being struck by heaven's lightning for a while, the three Celestial Thunder Fields inside him had inexplicably acquired lightning power. What was going on?

He frowned, racking his brain, but no matter how he pondered, he could not come up with an answer.

The fierce wind and rain continued through the night, finally ceasing at dawn the next day. Ji Changkong, soaking wet, made his steady way along the muddy mountain path.

Immersed in the initial mastery of the Thunderous Force, he continuously unleashed the technique. Every strike carried some degree of lightning power, which filled him with exhilarating joy, prompting him to practice ceaselessly on the three lightning-infused Celestial Thunder Fields within his body.

...

Three days later.

In a crystal-clear pool, Ji Changkong cleansed his entire body. He took a clean blue robe from his Mustard Seed Bag and put it on. Feeling refreshed, he stood by the water's edge and channeled the Thunderous Force once more.

His punch shot out, the fierce essence whistling. Vital energy burst from his hand, and projections of fists condensed from vital energy flew forth.

Alas, the rumbling thunderous power was completely gone.

"Huh?"

Startled, Ji Changkong felt a surge of eagerness and quickly circulated the three Celestial Thunder Fields inside him. To his disappointment, he found not a single fluctuation of lightning energy left within them.

Gone. Not a trace of lightning power remained.

What happened? Could the lightning infused by the heavenly strikes not be continuously generated, having been entirely exhausted over these past two days?

He examined himself carefully, his face filled with confusion. He was certain that while the three Celestial Thunder Fields could still spin at his will, the lightning power was indeed absent. His joy of several days had been in vain. If he couldn't enter the Four Symbols Heaven Realm, borrowing natural lightning power was not sustainable. Ji Changkong was filled with deep disappointment.

Wuuu! Wuuuuuuu!

Just then, a desolate cry like a ghost's lament sounded from the ring on his finger, and crimson blood began to seep once more from the small hole in the band.

Ten Ghost-Worm Larvae crawled out from the pinprick opening, greedily sucking at Ji Changkong's blood.

In a brief moment, the ten Ghost-Worm Larvae drained the blood within the ring completely clean. They flew out excitedly, circling Ji Changkong in a happy dance.

Vaguely, Ji Changkong sensed a faint connection forming between his soul and the ten Ghost-Worm Larvae.

The feeling was strange, as if ten invisible threads tethered him to the ten creatures. He could even sense their mood...

After dancing merrily around him for a while, the ten Ghost-Worm Larvae, as they usually did, burrowed back into the ring.

As soon as the ten creatures entered the ring, a marvelous sensation washed over him. The larvae trembling within the band pulsed with unusually vibrant life force. Pressed tightly against the skin beneath the ring, he suddenly felt an illusion of being connected to the larvae by blood.

"Bizarre," he murmured to himself, not dwelling on it. After quickly checking his bearings, he set off again toward Gaoyang City.

Ten days later, Ji Changkong traversed numerous small and large towns and climbed several mountain ranges, finally arriving at Gaoyang City.

Gaoyang City boasted a population exceeding one million, and a constant stream of merchants passed through daily. Caravans and travelers heading to the Great Chu Kingdom or the Tianwu Kingdom all had to pass through Gaoyang City, making it incredibly bustling.

At the city gates, Gaoyang soldiers meticulously inspected everyone entering. On the ten-meter-high walls, numerous notices were posted, ranging from warrants for major bandits to recent military and political news from the Shuiyun Kingdom.

Soldiers inspecting Western Region people were especially strict before allowing them entry, their manner often hostile, punctuated by coarse curses.

Ji Changkong did not rush to enter. After pausing outside the gate to listen carefully, he overheard the low murmurs of the guards. He learned that shadowy figures appearing at the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion involved wicked members of the Mani Sect from the Western Regions. These soldiers had orders to rigorously check anyone with a Western Region appearance, especially those exhibiting internal vital energy fluctuations; they were to be detained without question.

With heavy fortifications, many Western Region Heavenly Masters attempting entry had already been seized and locked in Gaoyang City's great prison for further interrogation.

After listening for a while, Ji Changkong finally approached the gate. The guards, seeing he was a Central Land native and relatively young, casually asked him a few questions. Since Ji Changkong answered fluently, they did not deliberately cause trouble and allowed him to pass into the city.

"Ji Changkong. Who is this kid anyway, to be worth the sky-high price of ten thousand high-grade spirit stones? Heh heh, the Du family truly has money to spare, offering such a hefty sum for a mere unknown youngster!"

After entering the city and sitting down in an eatery, he overheard two Heavenly Masters whispering quietly nearby.

"You're just ignorant, and you refuse to believe it! This Ji Changkong is from the Ji family in Qingyan City. Some time ago, in the Great Marsh of Yunmeng, this kid actually rode atop the Winged Dragon of the Poisonous Dragon Pool, rampaging through the marsh! After the Spiritual Treasure Gathering, it's rumored he not only robbed Du Shaofeng of his possessions but even killed Du Shaofeng, who was pursuing him—truly remarkable!"

"Du Shaofeng? That arrogant brat from the Du family? Ha, no wonder the Du Family Matriarch has gone mad; that boy was her precious darling! Ten thousand high-grade spirit stones. Heh heh, I wish us luck that we might run into that kid Ji Changkong."

"He killed Du Shaofeng, you're no match for him. Don't aim for spirit stones and lose your life. Du Shaofeng was a Five Elements Heavenly Master; we're only at the Four Symbols Heaven Realm. Even if we encountered Ji Changkong, we'd likely be signing our death warrants. Stop fantasizing."

"Damn it, there are just too many formidable young talents these days! The younger generation rising so quickly makes it impossible for us to get by. Without family backing or support from a sect, relying only on a single Heavenly Master secret manual to reach profound realms... who knows how many years that will take..."

Although the two spoke in hushed whispers, the sharp-eared Ji Changkong heard every word clearly.

Indeed, the Du Family Matriarch had gone mad, offering a ten-thousand high-grade spirit stone bounty for him. They really thought highly of him. Ji Changkong muttered inwardly. He casually ordered a few dishes, ate quietly with his head bowed, feeling a pang of worry about whether the Ji family might be implicated because of this.

His grandfather and the others were in Qingyan City. Would they receive the news late? Would the Du family target them? The Du family was a power in the Tianwu Kingdom; would they dare act wantonly in the Shuiyun Kingdom? A string of questions flashed through his mind, leaving him flustered and uncertain how to proceed.

The Duan family. The Duan family was in Gaoyang City. He could find Duan Haoshan and ask him to help notify the Ji family as soon as possible. The Duan family had numerous contacts and eyes everywhere, and they seemed to dabble in intelligence brokering, using carrier eagles for transmission. As long as he found Duan Haoshan and asked for this favor, it should not be a problem. After a rapid calculation, a plan occurred to Ji Changkong.

Hastily finishing a plate of dried, cooked beef, he tossed down a few pieces of common silver used by ordinary folk, stood up, and left the restaurant immediately.

The Duan family maintained estates throughout the Shuiyun Kingdom, but the true ancestral residence of the Duan family was in Gaoyang City.

The Duan family enjoyed a good reputation in Gaoyang City. After only asking a few people for directions, Ji Changkong quickly learned the location of the Duan Manor and arrived at the unpretentious front gate around noon.