Without Ling Xi around, Long Chen felt a strange emptiness in his heart when he took out the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul.
In the past, Ling Xi would be by his side every time he cultivated. She was the one who had helped him get his first batch of Blazing Thunder Crystals. Now he had obtained the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul, but there was no one there to guide him.
“Merging with Blazing Thunder Crystals requires enduring some terrible suffering. I’m sure the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul will be even more terrifying.” Long Chen looked at the suppressed crystal soul in his hand, a little nervous.
“I think the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul will be quite scary. Big Brother, it’s best you’re mentally prepared,” reminded Mo Xiaolang a little worriedly.
“Even that girl Li Ziling could do it, so what’s there to be worried about?” When he thought of this, he was filled with confidence again.
“When she merged with the crystal soul, she must have had Heavenly River Realm masters guiding her. This is different,” said Mo Xiaolang.
“It’ll be fine. I’ve put so much effort into getting this thing. How could I not merge with it?” Long Chen held the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul up in front of him, taking a deep breath. He was already prepared for this.
He had two treasures that assisted him in merging with Blazing Thunder Crystals. One was the Dragon Soul Transformation, the other was the Recovery technique. Long Chen activated the Dragon Soul Transformation.
“Be careful. I’ll keep watch.” Mo Xiaolang nodded, then leaned on the wall of the cave.
Long Chen examined the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul, trying to make himself calm. Then, taking a deep breath, the blood-red Qi in his dantian swirled and crept towards the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul. The crystal soul, as if it had turned into a clear fluid, poured into his body like a tide.
The Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul’s power is indeed much stronger than the crystals! The electricity and fire alone are countless times more intense!
He had only just started, but Long Chen was startled because he felt waves of pain crashing through his body, from small to large. Although he had undergone the Dragon Soul Transformation, it was still unbearable!
The Blazing Thunder Power methodically destroyed his body’s structure. This destruction far exceeded the speed at which it could rebuild itself. The pain was much more severe than before, reaching every corner of his body and tearing him apart. It felt as if countless tiny blades were hidden in every corner, slashing wildly.
Very soon, a small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his lips.
However, he clenched his jaw hard, fighting the pain.
Lightning and fire thrashed his body. Wave upon wave passed over Long Chen, until even his dragon scales sustained damage!
My body has sustained a lot of damage from the fire and lightning. It might be beyond its limits already!
This was only the beginning, but there was not a single patch of uninjured skin on his body. He had no choice but to activate Recovery.
Trickles of warmth started to weave through his body between the lightning and flames. Every muscle and tendon it touched healed slowly as it nourished them.
However, the destructive force of the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul was beyond Long Chen’s imagination. Even after using the Dragon Soul Transformation and Recovery, it was still wreaking havoc in his body, even triggering the power that remained from the Blazing Thunder Crystals he had previously absorbed.
He thought he would not survive, but upon closer inspection, tiny lightning and fire symbols were left on his tendons and muscles when they were rebuilt. These symbols made up of lightning and fire quickly spread across his whole body.
Mo Xiaolang could also see that every scale on his body now had a symbol. Absorbing the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul was merely one step to complete this array.
“Is this the complete form of the Blazing Thunder Combat Technique? Big Brother didn’t look like he could make it, but now he looks better. It seems that the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul’s function is to create this array after the Blazing Thunder Crystals strengthened the physical body by destroying and rebuilding it,” Mo Xiaolang mumbled to himself. He was previously anxious too, but now he was feeling much better.
Long Chen noticed that when the symbols started to appear, the agony he felt started to subside substantially. Under the healing effects of Recovery, his condition was improving. Now that the array on his body was formed, his muscles gradually strengthened, approaching the Level Three Blazing Thunder Body.
The Level Two Blazing Thunder Combat Technique is indeed a far cry from Level Three. It’s no wonder Li Ziling took this so seriously. She must hate me so much; it took her great effort to suppress it, yet in the end it benefited me! Long Chen was feeling smug.
The Blazing Thunder Combat Technique’s symbols and array required a long time to form and complete. The pain was not as intense as before, and this made Long Chen much calmer. He patiently waited for the moment of success.
When Mo Xiaolang saw that Long Chen’s life was no longer in danger, he started cultivating. He was not far away from the Heavenly River Realm now. If he could break through within a short time, he would not need to worry about the battle at the ancient ruins.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
There was a glow coming from within the cave, and Long Chen’s body was the source. The symbols of lightning and fire glowed on his scales, their dense arrangements creating a complex but beautiful array. Every symbol connected to each other, boosting him with additional hardiness and strength.
This was the Level Three Blazing Thunder Combat Technique, also the Blazing Thunder Combat Technique in its complete form.
“It’s finally done …” It had taken him five whole days. Long Chen could not suppress his excitement. After the Blazing Thunder Crystal Soul had fulfilled its purpose, it disappeared within his body.
Long Chen stood up and felt the explosive power in his body. The Blazing Thunder Combat Technique, which was equivalent to an Earth-tier Body Tempering Combat Technique, had brought about indescribable benefits. At the very least, he sensed that he was several times faster than before.
Body Tempering techniques strengthened the physical flesh, and when the leg muscles were strengthened, one’s speed would increase. One could say that a Body Tempering technique boosted one’s attacks, speed, and defenses. Very often, a Body Tempering technique was the deciding factor between two equally capable people.
Long Chen could feel the explosive energy within him and even felt like he had the ability to fight Mo Xiaolang. Although he was two levels below him, Long Chen’s Dragon Soul Transformation could fill in the gap of one level, while his Level Three Blazing Thunder Combat Technique could fill in half a level’s gap. As a result, he really was not far away from Mo Xiaolang’s level.
“Mo Xiaolang, let’s spar!” said Long Chen excitedly after his recent success.
Long Chen and Mo Xiaolang always had a straightforward and direct relationship, and Long Chen always said whatever was on his mind. Mo Xiaolang liked this straightforwardness very much.
“You’ve only just completed your cultivation and you want to show it off to me so soon?” Mo Xiaolang was speechless. At the same time, he stood up, which meant that he was agreeing to Long Chen’s request.
“Of course. I want to show you how strong I am now!” Long Chen headed for the space outside the cave. The Desolate Beastlands were flat and wide, making it an awesome place for a fight.
“Big Brother, you’re bragging again.” Mo Xiaolang chuckled, looking around. There was a black patch of empty land in front of the cave.
“Nonsense. Let’s fight.” Long Chen was filled with battle spirit despite Mo Xiaolang looking down on him. He was still in his Dragon Soul Transformation form and had also pulled out the Azure Dragon Halberd.
Mo Xiaolang did not dare take him lightly in his current form. He took out his Heavenly Wolf Dagger, the gemstone that resembled a wolf’s eye on its hilt glinting beautifully in the dark of the night. Mo Xiaolang slashed it across the air, forming arcs of light in the night.
Long Chen knew that the Heavenly Wolf Dagger was not at all weaker than the Azure Dragon Halberd.
“Be careful! Illusory Divine Step!” Mo Xiaolang had just spoken when he turned into an illusion and appeared in front of Long Chen in a flash. He had spent his life mastering this Body Tempering technique, and it differed from Long Chen’s Nine Dragon Flashes because its main focus was speed, while the Nine Dragon Flashes focused on agility.
Using his sharp dagger and superspeed, Mo Xiaolang’s strength was in close-range melee combat, while Long Chen’s expertise was more rounded in different areas. However, he knew that if he let the dagger-wielding Mo Xiaolang near him, he would be dead.
“Think you can get close to me? Dream on!” Long Chen laughed and used the Nine Dragon Flashes. He brushed past Mo Xiaolang’s shoulder, causing him to miss.
“Xiaolang, I’ll give you a taste of pure power from my Blazing Thunder Combat Technique!” Long Chen roared and turned around, sweeping his Azure Dragon Halberd at Mo Xiaolang’s waist!
When he used all his strength, the previously hidden symbols appeared on his body. The power of lightning and fire flowed out into the Azure Dragon Halberd!
It was just one sweep without even using his Qi, but it was as powerful as a mid Heavenly Core Realm cultivator’s most powerful attack. Mo Xiaolang hurriedly blocked with the Heavenly Wolf Dagger!
Clang!
There was an ear-piercing clang when two Earth-tier Divine Weapons collided. However, Mo Xiaolang was thrown back by the force. Shocked, he stuttered, “T-that was powerful! Big Brother, the Blazing Thunder Combat Technique is indeed strong!”
