Chunfeng Inn.
Zhou Chunfeng stood at the window, his hands pressed against the sill, knuckles white.
Outside Divine Capital City.
Where the pillar of lightning struck, everything—including the Outer Realm Demon Fire, all the Demon Sect Disciples, and even the five Third Grade masters—was reduced to ash, their bodies and souls annihilated.
In their final moments, the five Third Grade masters from the Demon Sect saw only a figure descending like a Thunder God.
Among the Celestial Cloud Sect disciples and the Night Guard, four met the same fate as the Demon Sect Disciples, turning to dust.
The Thunderbolt spared the rest.
Amidst the boundless lightning, Jiang Youfei, who had fallen to her side on the ground, stared at Li Qingxian in utter disbelief.
A sachet at her waist suddenly split open, and a wisp of black smoke dissipated.
"The Divine Sky Thunder Seed..." Jiang Youfei stared at the purple crystal in Li Qingxian’s hand as it gradually dissolved into the lightning.
After striking the ground, the massive pillar of lightning contracted. Most of it condensed into purple Thunderbolt, which flowed over Li Qingxian like water, coursing up and down his body.
Li Qingxian’s eyes seemed to transform into a sea of lightning, with incandescent bolts crackling and twisting within them.
Some of the Thunderbolt radiated outward from Li Qingxian in all directions, like countless electric serpents dancing wildly across the sky, thundering deafeningly and flashing with a blinding light.
From a distance, it was as if a disk of Thunderbolt hovered behind Li Qingxian, making him look like a Divine Spirit descended to earth, wielding the might of the heavens.
One Old Night Guard, first terrified by the Third Grade Demon Sect masters, then scared witless when the Night Guard next to him was struck dead by the rampant lightning, had collapsed to the ground, certain he was going to die. But when he looked up and saw a figure before him, radiant with lightning, he instinctively fell to his knees and began kowtowing frantically, shouting, "A Celestial God has possessed him! A Celestial God has possessed him!"
The other Night Guard and Celestial Cloud Sect disciples looked on, some with fear, others with envy.
Seeing the Demon Sect members dead, Li Qingxian felt a secret joy, but it was quickly followed by a sore, numb, and swelling sensation in his body.
He looked down to see his body slowly expanding, his skin stretching until it became almost transparent.
Streaks of purple Thunderbolt coursed through his skin, blood vessels, and muscles, making his body burn with a searing heat and throb with pain.
Li Qingxian immediately recalled that it hadn’t been like this in Ye Han’s Qi Fortune Image. ’There weren’t supposed to be Three-Layered Celestial Soldiers and Generals,’ he thought.
’And no Divine Sky Thunder City either.’
’There’s too much Divine Sky Celestial Thunder!’
Jiang Youfei spat out a mouthful of blood. Forcing herself to swallow a Healing Medicine pill, she got up and stumbled toward Li Qingxian, shouting, "General Zhou, hurry and save Li Qingxian! He can’t hold on!"
A Seventh-Grade Female Disciple rushed over to support Jiang Youfei as she walked forward.
Zhou Henn roared, "Take the Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill now!"
Li Qingxian hastily took out the Jiao Dragon Transformation Pill, but before he could put it in his mouth, the Divine Sky Celestial Thunder enveloped it. The originally white elixir turned from white to red, and then from red to purple.
Black dragon patterns appeared on the pill’s surface.
Li Qingxian didn’t have time to hesitate and swallowed it in one gulp.
Li Qingxian felt as though he had swallowed the sun. A deafening ROAR echoed in his ears as his body was set ablaze by a million fires.
"This isn’t right! The medicinal power is too ferocious!" Zhou Henn stepped forward, reaching out to press a hand on Li Qingxian’s back, intending to use his True Essence to tame the Divine Sky Celestial Thunder.
BOOM...
Zhou Henn was thrown back by the Thunderbolt, his hair smoking and his face covered in soot.
"This..." Zhou Henn was at a complete loss.
Everyone could only watch helplessly as Li Qingxian’s skin turned from pale to purple and he continued to swell.
"General Zhou, be my Protector!"
Jiang Youfei wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Leaning on the carriage shaft for support, she opened her fair right hand. A bronze bell carved with twin phoenixes flew into the air, releasing a faint white mist that pushed the onlookers back, enveloping her and Li Qingxian and isolating them from the outside world.
Li Qingxian secretly pleaded for help from the Celestial Destiny Instrument, but it was one of the Fate Skill Treasures, not a Cultivation treasure, and gave no response.
Jiang Youfei raised her voice. "This is a matter of life and death, so I must break the Daoist Sect’s rules to save you. I will bring out the Thunder Ancestor Treasure Decree. Recite it once in your mind. Do not, under any circumstances, say it aloud. You must be sincere and harbor no disrespectful or distracting thoughts."
After speaking, Jiang Youfei raised her jade-like hand, and a wooden plank inscribed with black characters on a yellow background flew out, hovering before Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian had no other choice. He gazed at the plank and recited every character in his mind.
"Thunder Ancestor Treasure Decree. With utmost sincerity, I pay homage. To the Nine Heavens’ Court of Original Response, the Supreme Jade Clarity King. Whose transformations fill the Ten Directions..."
After mentally reciting the Thunder Ancestor Treasure Decree, Li Qingxian felt a coolness spread through his body. The Thunderbolt around him seemed to grow much tamer, and the stinging pain subsided.
Jiang Youfei said, "Now, recite the Divine Sky General Outline after me. I will say a line, and you will repeat it. Once you finish, the Spell will naturally imprint upon your Spirit Platform and help you subdue the Divine Sky Celestial Thunder. Nod if you understand!"
Li Qingxian nodded gently.
Jiang Youfei began, "The heavens have nine skies, with Divine Sky as the highest; soaring straight to the cloudy dome, a million leagues from the earth."
Li Qingxian recited, "The heavens have nine skies, with Divine Sky as the highest; soaring straight to the cloudy dome, a million leagues from the earth."
Jiang Youfei continued, "Thunderbolt is the pivot of heaven and earth..."
Li Qingxian slowly recited the *Divine Sky General Outline* after Jiang Youfei.
The moment he finished reciting, a brilliant light flashed before Li Qingxian’s eyes. Deep within his Spirit Platform between his brows, a Thunder Fire Seal had appeared.
On top of the Great Seal, a coiling dragon raised its head to form the handle, a ball of lightning held in its mouth, spinning slowly as if holding a great star.
The base of the Great Seal was a perfect square, its vermilion characters carved in the shape of a dragon’s body, with flames like scales burning endlessly.
"Chant the Divine Sky General Outline repeatedly!" Jiang Youfei instructed, then led Li Qingxian in the chant.
"The heavens have nine skies, with Divine Sky as the highest; soaring straight to the cloudy dome, a million leagues from the earth. Thunderbolt is the pivot of heaven and earth..."
At first, Jiang Youfei led and Li Qingxian followed.
Before long, they were chanting in sync, a faint resonance forming between them.
Time passed slowly. Some of the purple Divine Sky Celestial Thunder around Li Qingxian merged into his body, entering the Thunder Fire Seal, while the portion he couldn’t absorb gradually dissipated outward.
The dissipating Divine Sky Celestial Thunder split into four parts. One part flowed into the Brocade Flying Sword Box gifted by Ye Han, another into the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal, and a third into the Cyan Thunder Ancient Sword.
The final part transformed into Thunderbolt Silk Threads that were drawn to Jiang Youfei, entering her body.
Between them, a connection of Thunderbolt formed.
Feeling the Divine Sky Celestial Thunder enter her, Jiang Youfei gave Li Qingxian a deep look before closing her eyes and continuing the recitation.
Not long after, a corner of the Thunder City vanished, and the Celestial Soldiers and Generals and auspicious clouds dissipated.
Li Qingxian opened his eyes, feeling refreshed from head to toe, as if he had just stepped out of a hot spring. Every pore in his body seemed to be jumping for joy.
Just as he was about to inspect his body more closely, he saw Jiang Youfei slumped by the side of the carriage.
Her face was pale, her chest stained with blood.
"Sister Youfei," Li Qingxian said.
Jiang Youfei opened her eyes, swayed, and fell backward.
Li Qingxian leaped from the carriage, slid one arm under the crook of Jiang Youfei’s knees and the other behind her back, and lifted her gently, holding her in his arms.
She was as light as a sheet of paper.
"Sister Youfei?" Li Qingxian lowered his head to gaze at her face. Her eyelashes fluttered like tiny brushes.
"You..." Jiang Youfei’s eyes fluttered open in a daze. She felt Li Qingxian’s breath on her face, making her feel both flustered and indignant. She had never even touched a man before in her entire life, let alone been held in someone’s arms.
"You’re seriously injured, so don’t move. If you want to repay my kindness, you can do it after you’ve recovered. I’m in no rush," Li Qingxian said, the corners of his lips curling up as he looked down at the petite Jiang Youfei, his eyes twinkling.
"Li Qingxian..." Jiang Youfei gritted her teeth, forgetting her shyness.
Just then, the bronze bell fell, and the mist dissipated.
Gasps of shock erupted from the Celestial Cloud Sect disciples, and even the Night Guard were stunned.
Fairy Qingcheng was actually being held in a man’s arms.
Jiang Youfei sighed softly and stopped struggling. ’Everyone’s already seen it anyway,’ she thought. ’What does it matter?’
Li Qingxian looked at the dumbfounded Zhou Henn and said, "Uncle Xiaozhou, I’m taking Sister Youfei into the carriage. Can you get the horses up and hitch them again? We’re heading back to Qingxiao Temple."
"Oh? Oh!" Zhou Henn secretly gave Li Qingxian a thumbs-up.
Li Qingxian carried Jiang Youfei into the carriage, bending over and placing her on the couch as carefully as if he were setting down a cake.
Her skirt slid up, revealing a pair of slender, pale legs pressed together, as smooth and flawless as porcelain and jade, dazzling to the eye.
Li Qingxian pulled her skirt back down to cover her legs. ’What a waste,’ he thought. ’Legs like those, and no white stockings.’