Chapter 563: 雷 King Seal

In the sky, the various forces surrounding the mountain peak stared in terror at the figure hovering not far away. The decisive blow he had just delivered was truly intimidating. Who could have imagined that in a mere flash, a master of the Seventh Heaven cultivation level had fallen at Zhou Yuan's hands? At this point, anyone who still thought of Zhou Yuan as possessing only ordinary Seventh Heaven strength would be a complete fool.

"Hmph, so he was feigning weakness, no wonder he was so arrogant!" Lei Qinghai's sinister voice cut through the air, his eyes fixed on Zhou Yuan with a hint of rage. He had previously misjudged, assuming Zhou Yuan was only at the Seventh Heaven, which was why his words had been so aggressive. Now, it was clear Zhou Yuan had been intentionally concealing his true capabilities.

Even now, armed with this knowledge, Lei Qinghai remained unfazed. He was confident in his own power. Although he had only recently entered the Ninth Heaven, he believed his Genesis Qi reserves were comparable to, if not stronger than, some of Cangxuan Sect's chief disciples. After all, the Little Thunder Gate was considered a first-rate force in Cangxuan Heaven, far from weak. In the current situation, while Cangxuan Sect's disciples were elites, his own group was no pushover. They held a numerical advantage, and if it came to a true battle, the outcome was far from certain.

More importantly, if he emerged victorious, Lei Qinghai’s name would instantly resound across the continent. Defeating a Cangxuan Sect chief disciple would be enough to bring him true renown throughout the Shengzhou Continent. Conversely, Zhou Yuan would become nothing more than a stepping stone to his glory.

The thought ignited a fervent glint in Lei Qinghai's eyes. He fixed his gaze on Zhou Yuan as formidable Genesis Qi surged from within him, manifesting as a colossal pillar of lightning, thousands of feet high, towering between heaven and earth and exuding immense pressure. This display of power was impressive, causing the other somewhat apprehensive forces to subtly relax.

"Everyone, leave Zhou Yuan to me," Lei Qinghai declared in a low, alluring voice. "You simply attack the mountain. There's a vast quantity of Three-Colored Profound Origin Essence here; I'm sure it won't disappoint us." He knew that his handful of Little Thunder Gate disciples alone would be no match for the Cangxuan Sect team. Only by involving everyone else could they truly threaten their opponents.

In the sky, a hundred figures instantly showed greed in their eyes. These were individuals who had long lived by the blade, willing to kill and plunder for the slightest opportunity. While they might be cautious encountering Cangxuan Sect disciples on the Shengzhou Continent, within this Profound Origin Cave Heaven, the struggle was inherently life-or-death. If Cangxuan Sect couldn't defend its opportunity, it simply meant they were not strong enough, and even if they all perished here, Cangxuan Sect would have no recourse. Thus, after only a few moments of hesitation, their menacing gazes fell upon the Cangxuan Sect disciples.

Within this Profound Origin Cave Heaven, some would betray even their own brethren for Profound Origin Essence, let alone face disciples of the Cangxuan Sect. They believed their current strength was not inferior to that of the Cangxuan Sect team. At worst, they could simply disperse and flee after seizing their prize. Even if the Cangxuan Sect's Saint Sons found out, they likely wouldn't be able to do anything.

"All disciples, prepare for battle! Face the enemy with full force; show no mercy!"

On the mountaintop, Gu Hongyi unhesitatingly seized command. Though her personal strength was slightly less, her authority was significant. As her sharp command rang out, dozens of disciples from various peaks flashed with cold determination, and formidable Genesis Qi slowly surged around them.

"Kill! Since they intend to stop us from seizing this opportunity, there's no need to hold back!"

In the next instant, both sides charged forward almost simultaneously. Violent Genesis Qi erupted skyward as hundreds of figures engaged in fierce combat, creating a commotion that caused the very Genesis Qi of heaven and earth to boil. Zhou Yuan cast a glance at the chaotic battlefield. Although the Cangxuan Sect disciples were outnumbered, their individual strength was clearly superior, ensuring they did not fall into a disadvantage during the fierce engagement.

A violent torrent of lightning-infused Genesis Qi suddenly hurtled towards Zhou Yuan with unmatched ferocity. He shifted his foot, stepping back half a pace. The lightning torrent roared past him, its furious thunder echoing in his ears. His expression remained calm. His gaze shifted to Lei Qinghai, who, wreathed in lightning Genesis Qi, was slowly advancing through the air, an imposing figure.

"Zhou Yuan, I offered you a choice, yet you rejected my goodwill and instead created this situation," Lei Qinghai said, his expression chilling as he stared at Zhou Yuan. "Now, it's too late for regrets!"

Lei Qinghai abruptly clasped his hands. Lightning-infused Genesis Qi roared from within him, and with a powerful stomp of his foot, the surging energy coalesced behind him, transforming into countless silver lightning spikes. Lightning pulsed and danced across the spikes, dazzlingly bright.

"Since you enjoy concealing your true power, let me see how much you've truly hidden! I hope you don't disappoint me!"

"Thunder Shuttles!"

Lei Qinghai swept his sleeve. In the next instant, the silver lightning spikes behind him burst forth in an overwhelming barrage. Thunder boomed, and countless bolts of lightning whistled through the air, all striking Zhou Yuan's position in the blink of an eye.

Bang! Bang!

Violent lightning raged, causing even space to vibrate violently. A cold sneer spread across Lei Qinghai's face: "Arrogant fool, daring to take that head-on..."

Before his words could fully settle, a streak of light burst from the lightning, appearing as if by teleportation directly in front of Lei Qinghai. A jade-glowing fist, imbued with violent power and accompanied by a sonic boom, shot like lightning toward Lei Qinghai's chest. The jade-glowing fist rapidly expanded in Lei Qinghai's eyes, yet his pupils slightly constricted. He realized that this ferocious punch from Zhou Yuan contained surprisingly little Genesis Qi fluctuation. This meant it was purely physical strength.

"This kid's physical body is actually this strong?" Lei Qinghai was stunned. His own physique wasn't particularly strong, so he naturally dared not take the blow head-on. He instantly drew his hands together, and with a ripping sound, Genesis Qi surged forth, forming a lightning-imbued mirror roughly a zhang in size, shimmering with electric light.

"Thunder Mirror!"

Zhou Yuan's jade-glowing fist slammed heavily against the lightning mirror, instantly creating rapid ripples. His eyes remained calm and unperturbed. In that instant, countless afterimages of fists erupted like a storm.

Clang! Clang!

Within a few breaths, the lightning mirror abruptly shattered under the relentless assault, sending countless fragments of lightning scattering in all directions. As the lightning fragments scattered, a slender, jade-glowing hand seemed to pierce through the void, its afterimage trailing as it fiercely lunged for Lei Qinghai's neck.

Lei Qinghai's expression flickered. His hands swiftly formed a seal: "Phantom Thunder Movement!" His form shimmered with lightning, appearing slightly ethereal. Zhou Yuan's palm swept through empty air. He looked up to see a lightning-like figure retreating like a phantom, its speed like a thunderbolt. A flicker of subtle surprise crossed Zhou Yuan's eyes. Lei Qinghai's demeanor was off-putting, but he certainly possessed some formidable techniques, which explained his willingness to step forward. However, shaking him off wouldn't be easy.

"Void Transformation Art!"

Zhou Yuan's figure swiftly blurred, then shot forth, adhering to Lei Qinghai like a shadow. Countless luminous outlines of fists and kicks surged relentlessly and overwhelmingly toward Lei Qinghai. In the sky, two blurred streaks of light continuously flickered, eliciting rumbling sounds.

In just a few minutes, the two had exchanged hundreds of blows in the sky. As the prolonged engagement continued, Lei Qinghai grew increasingly alarmed. He realized that Zhou Yuan had been relying primarily on physical strength, supplemented by Genesis Qi, from start to finish. This intensely violent and ferocious offensive was steadily overwhelming him. This realization ignited a surge of frustration within him. Zhou Yuan's physical offensive was indeed a whirlwind, catching him off guard, but it was impossible to truly defeat him with that alone. Its only effect was to make him appear somewhat disheveled.

"Get out of my way!"

Lei Qinghai gritted his teeth, unleashing violent Genesis Qi from his body without reservation. Zhou Yuan's assault faltered momentarily, and Lei Qinghai's figure reappeared a thousand zhang away. His gaze, dark and grim, locked onto Zhou Yuan. He formed a hand seal with both palms, then slammed them together. Between his palms, violent Genesis Qi converged furiously. Above his head, dark clouds even began to gather, subtly stirring the Genesis Qi of heaven and earth. Evidently, Lei Qinghai had reached his limit and was about to unleash his ultimate killing blow.

"Is your confidence solely in your physical strength? From what I see, your Genesis Qi cultivation truly is only at the Seventh Heaven!" Lei Qinghai cackled sinisterly. Zhou Yuan had consistently used little Genesis Qi in his previous skirmishes. To Lei Qinghai, this clearly indicated Zhou Yuan's weakness lay in his meager Genesis Qi reserves. "But unfortunately, while your physical body may be strong, ultimately, Genesis Qi reserves are what truly matter!"

Lei Qinghai sneered. In his Qi Mansion, he now commanded around eight thousand Genesis Qi stars—the source of his immense confidence. He estimated that Zhou Yuan, whose Genesis Qi cultivation was merely at the Seventh Heaven, likely only possessed a meager five or six thousand Genesis Qi stars.

Boom! Boom!

Above his head, dark clouds churned, and streaks of lightning descended, gathering between Lei Qinghai's palms. Within his grasp, lightning violently surged, and slowly, from its depths, a silver lightning seal began to rise. A heart-pounding, violent fluctuation emanated from it.

Lei Qinghai let out a prolonged roar toward the heavens, a sound that surprisingly drew the attention of many engaged in the ongoing battle. When they caught sight of the silver lightning seal, their expressions all shifted, clearly sensing the terrifying power it contained. Such might was indeed beginning to rival that of the Cangxuan Sect's chief disciples from various peaks.

"Haha, Zhou Yuan, watch as I utterly shatter that proud physical body of yours into dust! Experience the unique secret technique of my Little Thunder Gate!"

"Thunder King Seal!"