The Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile—that was a creature of the primeval wilderness, an ancient remnant.

According to legend, during the primeval era, the mightiest Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodiles were beings that rivaled the divine beasts. Born from the fundamental element of lightning in the cosmos, they possessed innate control over thunder and lightning, reaching lengths of several hundred zhang when fully grown. Of course, purely by bloodline, the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile was considered slightly inferior to the Four Great Divine Beasts. Yet, even so, it remained at the apex of the food chain, a true overlord capable of collapsing mountains with a single swipe of its tail.

However, now that the primordial chaotic spiritual energy has all but vanished from the world, and the acquired spiritual energy is also growing scarce, various species have inevitably undergone some degree of degeneration or mutation to better adapt to the current environment. Because of this, the current world is unlikely to produce the overlord-level creatures of the ancient epoch.

To encounter such an ancient remnant in this swamp region spanning ten thousand li would be nothing short of a nightmare, unless one was already possessed of formidable strength.

It was no wonder this area had been designated an extremely dangerous forbidden zone by the Manfang people.

Any creature that lives long enough would possess a decent level of intelligence, but the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile was an exception; this species was not known for its brilliance even in the primeval age. Highly intelligent demonic beasts, such as Spirit Foxes, Dragons, or Phoenixes, might attempt human transformation upon reaching the Nascent Soul stage. Species like the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile, however, might not achieve human form even upon reaching the Soul Transformation stage.

Today, the surviving Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodiles had regressed in every aspect, their intellect falling below that of common demonic beasts. Thus, this brute mistook the ship, severed in two, for some tasty prey. Having successfully struck once, it immediately burst from the swamp muck and lumbered clumsily toward the sky. Its massive jaws, spanning a good seven or eight zhang wide, snapped shut on half the flying vessel, crushing it with a sickening crunch, sending splinters flying everywhere. It paid no mind whatsoever to Lei Dong, who was floating half a li away in the air.

“This creature’s size is truly astonishing,” Lei Dong observed, shielded by the Profound Yin Barrier, looking at the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile with slight surprise. Its overall shape was not dissimilar to common crocodiles, but it was infinitely more monstrous and colossal. Spikes of lightning stood upright along its spine; it was rumored that during thunderstorms, these dorsal spines would attract lightning like lightning rods, channeling the energy into its body. This not only aided its evolution but also allowed it to store excess electrical energy internally.

This Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile was immense, measuring a full seven or eight zhang across at its widest point, and from head to tail, it likely spanned forty or fifty zhang. The strongest and tallest Earth Giants appeared like mere dwarfs before it. And Lei Dong, in comparison, was purely like a buzzing fly. It was no wonder its first target for consumption was half a flying ship.

Using the Qi Observation Art, he measured the aura emanating from the brute: vast and overwhelmingly threatening, already at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. Given more time, it might even have a chance to break through to the Soul Transformation level. No wonder this locale was listed as an absolute restricted area. The Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile, due to its massive size, was essentially a glutton; any living thing entering its territory, regardless of size, would be hunted down.

Lei Dong had already passed through three dangerous forbidden zones on his journey. Passing through these zones didn't guarantee encountering dangerous demons; after all, each region was sizable, ranging from a few thousand li in area to tens of thousands. It only meant there was a higher probability of encountering danger. Whether by luck or misfortune, in the previous three danger zones, he had only encountered a single early Nascent Soul stage Two-Headed Demonic Wolf, which he easily slew, reaping a haul of respectable spoils.

The Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile, just like its ancient ancestors, was indeed a true glutton, as documented. After taking a bite out of half the flying ship, it immediately realized the wreckage didn't taste particularly good. With a swift toss of its head, it flung the debris across the sky. Its cistern-sized eyes glanced at Lei Dong, a flash of ferocity sparking within them, and its massive body carved an arc through the air, lunging toward him.

Clearly, it had now fixed Lei Dong as its target, likely operating under the maxim that every little bit helps.

Do not let its apparent clumsiness in the air fool you. That apparent awkwardness was solely due to its sheer magnitude. Although the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile was not adept at sustained flight, its relative speed was still blindingly fast. Lei Dong was half a li away—a mere two body lengths when measured against the crocodile’s own immense length.

Almost instantaneously, the brute’s cavernous maw was before Lei Dong, a foul, putrid stench washing over him. One should not underestimate this mere bite of the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile; it incorporated a powerful suction, creating a massive vacuum centered around its lungs. Ordinary prey, caught in this pull, would be helplessly drawn right into its gaping mouth.

But what kind of person was Lei Dong? He was the heaven-defying existence who dared face Nascent Soul cultivators head-on back when he was only in the Core Formation stage, and now he had reached the Nascent Soul stage himself, an unprecedented feat. While he might not claim absolute invincibility within the Nascent Soul realm, he certainly didn't take most Nascent Soul entities seriously anymore. Though the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile carried a fearsome reputation, this particular specimen was not a Soul Transformation expert; theoretically, it was still just a juvenile.

The Asura Wings on his back unfurled rapidly. A mere gentle flap ripped open space, carrying him a li away. He watched the colossal Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile with an expression that was half-smile, half-smirk. This was the second largest creature Lei Dong had ever seen; the largest, naturally, was his good brother, Lei Long, who had lived for tens of thousands of years and was impossibly huge. The third largest creature, perhaps, was the Netherworld Dark Serpent he encountered at the entrance to the Nine Hells Abyss.

Seeing the food that was almost secured daring to flee, the habitually arrogant Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile was evidently enraged. It let out a heaven-shaking roar, and the lightning spines on its back shot upright, crackling with electric light. These immediately coalesced into a bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel, striking at Lei Dong in a zigzag pattern.

Humans often describe great speed using terms like "quick as lightning," which speaks volumes of Lei Dong’s own velocity. To accurately gauge the trajectory and evade it would be nearly impossible.

However, no matter how fast the attack, if one could predict the path, an opening to dodge still existed. Lei Dong’s form vanished from its spot in an extremely bizarre manner, reappearing behind the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile, leaving only a faint afterimage that the bolt of lightning pierced harmlessly through.

“Heh heh. Now taste my might as well.” As soon as Lei Dong materialized, a dense, inky black qi enveloped him, swirling like an agitated dark fog. His right hand curled into a phantom claw, drawing all the surrounding black mist inward until it condensed into a sphere as solid as dark jade.

“Black Dragon Roar.”

With a soft utterance, he thrust his right hand forward powerfully. A massive, incomparably pure torrent of Netherworld Ghost Qi immediately manifested into a lifelike, gigantic black dragon, roaring and brandishing its claws as it lunged toward the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile. This was vastly different from when he cast this spell in the Core Formation stage; the current casting was earth-shattering. The sound of the dragon’s roar alone could make a person’s blood boil, likely stunning any cultivator of lesser strength.

This black dragon was thirty zhang long, only slightly shorter than the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile itself. Furthermore, the dragon was so substantial that even its scales were rendered with exquisite detail; it was impossible to tell if it was an imitation or a true dragon.

The Black Dragon Roar had always been one of Lei Dong’s favorite high-power spells, perfectly suited for cultivators of the Netherworld discipline. Since his master, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Patriarch, first taught it to him, it had repeatedly secured great victories for him. Through years of relentless practice, his execution of this technique had become masterful, and his understanding of it now perhaps even surpassed that of the Patriarch.

Moreover, although Lei Dong was only an early Nascent Soul cultivator, his physique had been fundamentally reformed by absorbing vast amounts of Netherworld essence via the Nether King Body Quenching Art, transforming his ordinary constitution into a rare and coveted Netherworld Body. With such a constitution, his affinity for Netherworld Ghost Qi was absolute, rivaling that of some inherently blessed, legendary Netherworld creatures.

Adding to this, at his young age, he had grasped a sliver of the Law of Space and integrated it into his spell, further amplifying its power. If one were to attempt to define the true power of this attack, it likely equaled the full-force strike of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Upon unleashing this attack, he was certain that even a thick-skinned ancient remnant like the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile would suffer gravely from a direct impact. Of course, eliminating it outright with this single spell was unrealistic.

Yet, the result defied Lei Dong’s expectation. Perhaps the black dragon manifested by his Black Dragon Roar was too lifelike; the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile suddenly reacted as if it had seen a ghost. It abandoned any thought of holding its ground and scrambled backward in panicked flight, its screeching hiss trembling slightly, as if utterly terrified of the black dragon. It was likely that the Dragon Clan, revered as divine beasts, were the natural enemies of the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile in the primeval era, and this primal fear was etched into its very genes.

It had no concept that Lei Dong had infused this spell with a trace of his understanding of the Law of Space. The black dragon’s lunge seemed to pierce through space itself, slamming violently into the crocodile’s back.

“Roar!” With a fierce explosion amidst the swirling black mist, the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile roared hideously in agonizing pain. Its enormous body was sent flying back several zhang. The Black Dragon Roar specialized in penetration; upon impact, the dragon's head would spin violently, boring a large hole through its target.

With Lei Dong’s current strength, this technique could pierce through mountains hundreds of meters high.

However, the Thunder-Strike Divine Crocodile proved worthy of its reputation for tough hide. After the black fog dissipated, Lei Dong’s sharp vision clearly saw that the Black Dragon Roar had only punched a hole the size of a water vat into its back, penetrating perhaps a mere ten feet deep.

... (To be continued)