Chapter 2421: Core Disciples' Benefits

After a while, the lightning dissipated. The Twin-Pupil Rat's aura was weak, its body scorched black, and it emitted a burnt smell. Its eyes were filled with terror.

A rumbling thunder echoed from high above, like a muffled roar, causing the heads of low-level cultivators to buzz.

After violently churning, the thundercloud transformed into a three-colored lightning dragon, over a hundred zhang long, emanating a terrifying aura.

The three-colored lightning dragon swooped down from the sky, baring its fangs and claws. Wherever it passed, space was ripped open, creating numerous cracks.

The Twin-Pupil Rat let out an earth-shattering roar. Its body shone with a brilliant yellow light, from which a beam of yellow light shot out, materializing into a colossal rat illusion – the Heaven-Devouring Rat Dharma Idol.

The moment the colossal rat illusion appeared, it instantly opened its gaping maw and unleashed a hazy yellow glow, enveloping the three-colored lightning dragon. Wherever the yellow radiance reached, space twisted and distorted.

Some Dharma Idols can withstand lightning tribulations. The Heaven-Devouring Rat possesses the formidable divine ability to devour heavens and earth, naturally allowing it to consume lightning tribulations. However, the Twin-Pupil Rat's current condition was dire, making it a struggle to devour the lightning tribulation.

Enveloped by the yellow glow, the three-colored lightning dragon visibly shrank. It struggled incessantly, but to no avail, and was ultimately swallowed by the colossal rat illusion.

Shortly after, the colossal rat illusion emitted a bloodcurdling shriek as countless three-colored electric arcs erupted from within.

Following a tremendous explosion, the colossal rat illusion burst apart. A blinding sphere of three-colored lightning suddenly rose, akin to a blazing sun, illuminating more than half of Qinglian Island.

A moment later, the lightning dispersed. An area spanning a hundred li was razed to the ground. The Twin-Pupil Rat lay in a massive crater, its body stained crimson with blood, its aura feeble, and a charred scent emanating from it.

It had successfully advanced to the sixth rank, but was severely wounded.

Countless blue mists materialized out of thin air, then swiftly condensed to form Wang Changsheng.

Upon seeing Wang Changsheng, the Twin-Pupil Rat let out a series of mournful squeaks, evoking pity in anyone who heard them.

Wang Changsheng flicked his sleeve, and a blue glow swept across the ground, revealing a pile of several hundred thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, all acquired from the Deng family.

The Twin-Pupil Rat immediately squeaked with excitement. Its body flared with dazzling yellow light, and its size rapidly expanded. It exhaled a hazy yellow glow that enveloped all the spiritual herbs, drawing them into its mouth until they vanished.

The Wang family did not yet have a sixth-rank alchemist, preventing them from refining sixth-rank elixirs. Wang Yingjie had been severely wounded during his attempt to reach the Void Refinement stage, and all of Wang Mengbin's healing elixirs had been given to him for recovery. Thus, the Twin-Pupil Rat could only be given thousand-year-old spiritual herbs.

After consuming hundreds of spiritual herbs, the Twin-Pupil Rat quickly reverted to its original size and promptly scurried back into Wang Changsheng's arms.

Wang Changsheng arranged for its cave to be rebuilt and returned to Qinglian Peak with the Twin-Pupil Rat.

The Twin-Pupil Rat would require a period of rest and recovery. Currently, only the Soul-Devouring Golden Cicada and the Wood Demon had yet to advance to the sixth rank; the Gold-Devouring Ant Queen had perished in the lightning tribulation.

Wang Changsheng settled the Twin-Pupil Rat in one secret chamber before proceeding to another.

The Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron hovered above a magical array, in the process of purifying materials.

Wang Changsheng approached, opened the lid, and a wave of silver light surged forth.

Inside the cauldron lay a silver crystal, its surface teeming with countless shimmering silver electric arcs, alongside a pungent, blood-colored liquid.

Wang Qingfeng had acquired a Heavenly Thunder Crystal tainted with poisonous blood, rendering it unsuitable for condensing a Dharma Idol, though it could barely be used for artifact refining. However, Wang Changsheng used the Azure Lotus Creation Cauldron to extract the poisonous blood, making the Heavenly Thunder Crystal suitable for Wang Mengbin to condense his Dharma Idol.

Wang Changsheng retrieved the Heavenly Thunder Crystal and collected the poisonous blood using the Blood Toad Gourd. He would later refine the blood into the gourd to enhance its power.

He took out his communication disk and contacted Wang Mengbin, instructing, "Mengbin, come to Qinglian Peak. I have something for you."

"Yes, Patriarch, I'll be right there," Wang Mengbin replied.

Wang Mengbin's voice was full of joyous anticipation.

Wang Changsheng put away his communication disk and left the room.

A moment later, Wang Mengbin appeared before Wang Changsheng.

"Take this Heavenly Thunder Crystal and use it to condense your Dharma Idol!"

Wang Changsheng retrieved the Heavenly Thunder Crystal and offered it to Wang Mengbin.

"A Heavenly Thunder Crystal!"

Wang Mengbin's voice trembled slightly. For years, he had dispatched numerous clan members to search for Heavenly Thunder Crystals, and he himself had attended several gatherings and major auctions. Yet, he hadn't even seen other lightning-attribute materials for condensing Dharma Idols, let alone obtained a Heavenly Thunder Crystal.

Many types of materials exist for condensing Dharma Idols; Five-Element materials are relatively common, but lightning-attribute materials are much rarer.

"Thank you, Patriarch," Wang Mengbin said, his expression filled with excitement.

Wang Changsheng gave him a few instructions before telling him to return and cultivate.

Entering a secret chamber, Wang Changsheng sat cross-legged, retrieved his artifact refining materials, and resumed forging treasures.

He intended to refine a mid-grade defensive Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure to increase his chances of surviving the Great Heavenly Tribulation. The Great Heavenly Tribulation was no trivial matter; it would undoubtedly unleash special lightning power, though he didn't know what form it would take or its intensity.

At the Myriad Spirits Sect, Sun Tianhu stood atop a steep peak, gazing at the distant thunderclouds with a hint of worry in his eyes.

A thundercloud, over a hundred zhang in size, floated high above, countless silver electric arcs flickering within it like frenzied lightning snakes.

Below the thundercloud lay a vast valley. Gongsun Yang sat cross-legged in a massive crater, his face pale. He was enveloped by a dense light barrier adorned with five beast patterns that appeared vividly alive.

The Five Beasts Spirit-Guarding Talisman, a unique secret talisman of the Myriad Spirits Sect, was a sixth-rank defensive talisman. It had been refined by incorporating the spirits of five low-grade sixth-rank demonic beasts, whose formidable defenses made resisting the Six-Nine Lightning Tribulation effortless.

A rumbling thunder echoed from high above. The thundercloud violently churned and surged, suddenly manifesting electric arcs of five colors: green, red, blue, gold, and yellow.

"Five-colored Divine Lightning!"

Gongsun Yang's expression turned solemn. He took a deep breath, then produced a light blue pill and popped it into his mouth. His pale complexion swiftly regained its healthy color.

The Golden Jade Snow Condensation Elixir, a sixth-rank elixir, allowed cultivators to rapidly restore their magical power.

With a raise of his hand, a shimmering small umbrella flew forth. Its canopy bore four beast patterns that twisted ceaselessly as if alive.

The Four Symbols Umbrella, a low-grade Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure, possessed exceptional defensive power.

A five-colored lightning spear, over a hundred zhang long, tore through the sky and instantly struck the light barrier.

Dazzling lightning enveloped Gongsun Yang. Before the first bolt even dissipated, a second, thicker five-colored lightning spear descended, intensifying the brilliance. Shortly thereafter, a third five-colored lightning spear struck.

The thunder was ceaseless. After the fourth five-colored lightning spear struck, the thundercloud violently churned, transforming into a five-colored lightning whale, over a hundred zhang long, which then plunged from the sky.

Following a thunderous boom, the five-colored lightning whale exploded. A colossal, blazing orb, a thousand zhang in diameter, suddenly appeared high in the sky, simultaneously unleashing powerful shockwaves and billows of dust.

After a while, the dust settled, and the lightning vanished. Gongsun Yang lay in a massive crater, looking slightly pale but otherwise uninjured.

As a spirit-body cultivator with a grand-master in the Integration Stage, he possessed a sixth-rank formation, sixth-rank elixirs, sixth-rank defensive talismans, and multiple low-grade defensive Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasures. Even five bolts of five-colored divine lightning failed to severely injure him. An ordinary cultivator would never have been able to withstand five such bolts.

Sun Tianhu flew over, his expression filled with excitement.

There was no such grand display when he himself attempted to break through to the Void Refinement stage; indeed, the student had surpassed the master.

"Congratulations, Yang'er!" Sun Tianhu said with a smile.

"This disciple owes it to the treasures, formations, and secret talismans provided by Grand-master, as well as the elixirs from Master. Otherwise, this would not have been so easy."

Gongsun Yang expressed his gratitude. After joining the Myriad Spirits Sect, he had enjoyed the treatment of a core disciple. In truth, he also had Wang Changsheng to thank; otherwise, he might have already perished.

"Let's put that aside for now. You should go back and recuperate. Another day, when you're free, we'll visit Fellow Daoist Wang on Qinglian Island together."

Gongsun Yang assented and departed.