The Ancient Thunder Palace stood silently beneath the darkening sky.
Countless lightning bolts crawled through the clouds.
RUMBLE...
RUMBLE...
Ye Xuan stared at the enormous staircase.
At the very top, the palace doors remained open.
A deep pressure poured from within.
Bai Yue swallowed.
"Are we really going inside?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Absolutely."
Su Lian sighed.
"I knew you would say that."
Gu Yuexin smiled faintly.
"You seem unusually excited."
Ye Xuan raised his hand.
A purple glow appeared between his fingers.
"The palace contains thunder."
He looked toward the sky.
"And I happen to have a Thunder Body Tempering Technique."
Li Ming's eyes narrowed.
"You obtained it?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
"From the Check-In System."
Li Ming paused.
"The system?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Something like that."
He wasn't ready to explain everything.
[Daily Check-In Special Mission Detected.]
Ye Xuan's eyes lit up.
"Special mission?"
[Ancient Thunder Palace.]
[Condition: Complete the first trial.]
[Reward: Cultivation Increase + Special Reward.]
Ye Xuan almost laughed.
"Now we're talking."
[Additional Reward: The host may receive cultivation energy according to trial performance.]
His expression became serious.
"So the better I perform, the better the cultivation reward?"
[Correct.]
Ye Xuan cracked his knuckles.
"Then let's go."
The system became silent for a moment.
[The system wishes the host good luck.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"That's surprisingly supportive."
[The system is merely interested in seeing whether the host survives.]
"...There it is."
The First Step
Ye Xuan stepped onto the first stone.
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning descended.
It struck directly above him.
CRACK!
A terrifying current entered his body.
His muscles tightened.
His bones trembled.
But—
He remained standing.
[Heavenly Lightning detected.]
[Suitable for body tempering.]
Ye Xuan's eyes brightened.
Exactly what I wanted.
He circulated the
Ancient Thunder Body Tempering Technique
.
Instead of resisting the lightning—
he absorbed it.
Purple lightning flowed through his meridians.
His flesh began strengthening.
[Body Tempering efficiency increased.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Not bad."
Bai Yue stared.
"He absorbed it?"
Su Lian's expression became complicated.
"His physique is frightening."
Gu Yuexin nodded.
"He doesn't cultivate like an ordinary person."
Ye Xuan stepped onto the second stone.
BOOM!
Another lightning strike.
Stronger.
Ye Xuan's body shook.
But he remained standing.
Third step.
BOOM!
Fourth.
BOOM!
Fifth.
Each step brought stronger lightning.
By the tenth step—
Blood appeared at the corner of Ye Xuan's mouth.
Su Lian immediately called out.
"Junior Brother!"
Ye Xuan wiped the blood away.
"I'm fine."
"Stop if you can't continue."
He looked back at her and smiled.
"Senior Sister."
"Hm?"
"Do you remember what Master told me?"
Su Lian frowned.
"What?"
"Don't underestimate anyone."
Ye Xuan looked toward the palace.
"That includes myself."
He turned forward.
"I won't stop before I know my limit."
Su Lian remained silent.
Then she quietly smiled.
"Then I'll wait here."
The Eleventh Step
Ye Xuan stepped forward.
BOOOOOOM!
A massive purple lightning pillar descended.
This time, his entire body was engulfed.
His feet sank into the stone.
His muscles trembled violently.
The Primordial Chaos Physique began absorbing the destructive energy.
His Golden Azure Dragon Emperor Bloodline also reacted.
Golden-blue energy mixed with purple lightning.
Three powers collided inside his body.
Ye Xuan clenched his teeth.
"Come on..."
The lightning intensified.
RUMBLE!
His bones began making cracking sounds.
[Warning.]
[Physical strain reaching dangerous level.]
Ye Xuan grinned.
"That's what I wanted."
[Host is enjoying this too much.]
"Maybe."
Then—
Something unexpected happened.
The purple lightning entered his bloodline.
Instead of being destroyed—
it was absorbed.
Golden-blue lightning appeared around his body.
The dragon phantom emerged behind him.
ROAR!
The thunderclouds above the palace suddenly shook.
The ancient palace trembled.
Everyone outside stared upward.
Bai Yue's mouth fell open.
"What's happening?"
Li Ming's expression became serious.
"The lightning is reacting to him."
Gu Yuexin looked at Ye Xuan.
"Not just the lightning."
Her eyes narrowed.
"The palace itself."
Deep within the Ancient Thunder Palace—
An ancient formation activated.
One after another, countless runes lit up.
A voice echoed.
"Primordial Dragon Blood..."
Another formation responded.
"Chaos Physique..."
Then—
silence.
A much older voice whispered:
"Impossible."
The Twentieth Step
Ye Xuan reached the twentieth stone.
His body was covered in blood.
His white hair had become wild.
Purple lightning surrounded him.
Yet his golden eyes remained bright.
[Host.]
"What?"
[Current cultivation energy has accumulated sufficiently.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"How much?"
[Enough to break through.]
A smile appeared.
"Then let's do it."
[Would the host like to absorb the stored cultivation energy?]
"Yes."
The system responded immediately.
[Cultivation energy entering body.]
A massive amount of pure spiritual energy poured into Ye Xuan.
His cultivation began rising.
Body Tempering Seventh Layer — Peak
Then—
BOOM!
Body Tempering Eighth Layer!
His aura exploded.
The lightning around him became even more intense.
Ye Xuan's wounds began healing.
His muscles strengthened.
His meridians expanded.
The Primordial Chaos Physique absorbed the excess energy.
[Foundation strengthened.]
[Cultivation stabilized.]
Ye Xuan opened his eyes.
"That feels good."
[Daily Check-In Trial Reward: Cultivation breakthrough.]
[Body Tempering Seventh Layer → Eighth Layer.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Excellent."
Then another notification appeared.
[Performance evaluation.]
[Result: Excellent.]
[Additional reward unlocked.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"What?"
[Reward: Thunder Spirit Bone.]
A strange purple energy appeared inside his body.
It slowly merged with his skeleton.
BOOM!
Ye Xuan's body shook.
His bones became faintly purple.
The lightning around him became calmer.
[Thunder Spirit Bone successfully integrated.]
[Physical resistance to lightning increased dramatically.]
Ye Xuan looked at his hand.
Purple lightning danced across his fingers.
"Perfect."
The Twenty-First Step
Ye Xuan raised his foot.
The moment he tried to step forward—
The entire staircase changed.
The previous stones disappeared.
A single enormous stone platform appeared.
At the center stood a giant humanoid figure made entirely of lightning.
It carried a massive thunder hammer.
Bai Yue's face changed.
"What is that?"
Li Ming's expression became solemn.
"The second stage."
Su Lian immediately looked toward Ye Xuan.
"Junior Brother!"
The lightning giant raised its hammer.
RUMBLE!
Ye Xuan smiled.
"So that's the next trial."
The system appeared.
[Trial Guardian detected.]
[Cultivation: Spirit Sea Ninth Layer.]
Ye Xuan's smile faded slightly.
"Spirit Sea Ninth Layer?"
[Correct.]
He looked at his own cultivation.
Body Tempering Eighth Layer.
The difference was enormous.
Su Lian shouted,
"Ye Xuan, retreat!"
But Ye Xuan didn't move.
He looked at the lightning giant.
Then at the thunder hammer.
A strange excitement appeared in his eyes.
"Perfect."
Su Lian stared.
"What do you mean, perfect?"
Ye Xuan raised his fist.
"I wanted to know how strong I really am."
Golden-blue energy surged through his body.
Purple lightning wrapped around his arm.
His white hair fluttered violently.
The lightning giant raised its hammer.
Ye Xuan lowered his stance.
"Come."
The giant swung.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The thunder hammer descended.
Ye Xuan's fist rose to meet it.
BANG!
The collision created a shockwave that shook the entire mountain.
Su Lian and the others were forced backward.
Ye Xuan's feet sank into the stone.
Blood flowed from his mouth.
But—
he didn't retreat.
His eyes burned with excitement.
"Again."
The lightning giant raised its hammer.
BOOM!
Ye Xuan punched again.
BOOM!
Again.
BOOM!
Every collision made the Ancient Thunder Palace tremble.
The disciples watching from below were completely stunned.
Bai Yue whispered,
"He's fighting a Spirit Sea Ninth Layer guardian..."
Gu Yuexin's eyes remained fixed on Ye Xuan.
"And he's enjoying it."
Su Lian smiled helplessly.
"That's Ye Xuan."
Inside the battlefield—
Ye Xuan's arms were trembling.
His bones were screaming.
But every collision was strengthening him.
The Thunder Spirit Bone was absorbing the lightning.
The Primordial Chaos Physique was adapting.
The Golden Azure Dragon Emperor Bloodline was roaring.
And something else—
something hidden inside his body—
was slowly awakening.
A faint silver fox tail appeared behind him.
Then another.
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"Not now."
The Nine-Tailed Moon Fox Bloodline reacted.
BOOM!
Silver light exploded.
The lightning giant suddenly froze.
Its enormous body trembled.
Ye Xuan stared.
The system appeared.
[Bloodline resonance detected.]
"With the guardian?"
[No.]
"Then what?"
A pause.
[The Ancient Thunder Palace recognizes the Nine-Tailed Moon Fox bloodline.]
Ye Xuan froze.
"What?"
Before the system could explain—
the palace doors opened by themselves.
An ancient voice echoed across the entire mountain.
"Moon Fox bearer..."
Everyone froze.
"Enter."
Ye Xuan looked toward the palace.
The lightning guardian slowly lowered its hammer.
The trial—
had ended.
[Trial completed.]
[Performance: Extraordinary.]
[Reward: Cultivation Increase.]
[Reward: 1 Minor Realm Breakthrough.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"Minor realm breakthrough?"
[Correct.]
His spiritual energy surged.
BOOM!
Body Tempering Eighth Layer → Ninth Layer!
His aura exploded.
The surrounding lightning scattered.
Ye Xuan clenched his fist.
A terrifying strength filled his body.
Then—
[Additional Special Reward.]
[Thunder Dragon Combat Art.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Now that's a reward."
But before he could examine it—
the Ancient Thunder Palace spoke again.
"Moon Fox bearer."
"Enter."
The enormous doors opened wider.
Inside the darkness—
a pair of violet eyes appeared.
Ye Xuan's expression changed.
He recognized those eyes.
The same violet eyes from the inheritance space.
Yue Li.
A beautiful woman's voice echoed through the palace.
"Ye Xuan..."
"I've been waiting for you."
Ye Xuan stared into the darkness.
Then smiled.
"Looks like..."
He stepped forward.
"...this place has more secrets than I expected."
And behind him—
Su Lian, Bai Yue, Gu Yuexin and the others exchanged glances.
Because none of them had any idea—
that the Ancient Thunder Palace had just called Ye Xuan by name. :::