Chapter 1

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At the southwestern part of the Thunderfall Abyss lies a vast marsh.

...

The once overgrown marsh had now collapsed into a wide pit, resembling a giant funnel from a distance. Purple lightning continuously coursed through it, strangely not leaking out of the funnel at all. It seemed that within this pit, a powerful force was controlling the movements of the lightning dragons.

Every time a blinding flash of light appeared, it was accompanied by a deafening thunder, turning the area into a sea of purple. The rich primordial energy contained within was terrifying and indescribable, so much so that even cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage would not dare to enter easily. Such abundant primordial energy, if it formed a chaotic flow, could easily tear a person's physical body and soul into powder.

If this were all, it would only cause fear. What was truly shocking was that in the middle of this sea of lightning, there were six figures of varying genders, sitting cross-legged in the air. Their faces were filled with a greedy desire and excruciating pain, clearly undergoing a significant transformation.

The purple lightning dragons, as they passed by the six people, seemed to be drawn by some force, surging into their bodies through every pore. The lightning traveled along their meridians, directly entering the mysterious sea of consciousness within their bodies.

What was happening now was something even the most learned cultivators could not explain. In the space where mortals lived, such pure primordial energy had long since disappeared, let alone the rare lightning-type primordial energy, which was being absorbed by these six people as if it were the cheapest river water.

The six people's endurance was clearly approaching its limit. Their faces were extremely distorted, their foreheads bulging with veins, and their expressions were filled with intense pain. Blood gushed out from every pore, only to be evaporated by the lightning surrounding their bodies.

All six were young disciples of the Lianyun Dao Sect, belonging to the Old Tree Peak lineage. During the sect's once-a-decade trial, they were mysteriously drawn into the bottom of the marsh. The originally vibrant and diverse spiritual energy in the world was replaced by lightning primordial energy. Initially puzzled, they soon became ecstatic upon encountering such vast amounts of lightning primordial energy and began to absorb it frantically. After all, the most crucial step in advancing from the Qi Condensation stage to the Foundation Establishment stage was the absorption and comprehension of primordial energy. Only by accumulating enough spiritual energy could one break through the threshold and achieve the Dao Foundation.

Among the six, the man with the deepest cultivation was originally at the tenth level of Qi Condensation. With the help of external forces, he had now crazily broken through to the twelfth level, just one step away from the thirteenth level of Great Perfection.

The other few also made significant progress, advancing rapidly.

However, their moods soon took a sharp turn for the worse, turning to fear and terror. The sudden surge of lightning primordial energy seemed endless, continuously pouring into their bodies. They could not refuse it, and it would eventually burst their physical bodies.

If it weren't for the lightning primordial techniques they had practiced since childhood, which gave them a strong resistance to lightning, they would have been charred to ashes long ago.

But they could neither refuse nor escape, and could only endure with their strong will. Who knew when this seemingly endless primordial energy would dissipate.

The world's blessings and misfortunes are intertwined, just like this.

Time became meaningless at this moment, leaving only endless pain and darkness.

The first to give in was a man in black. His muscles were swollen to the limit, as if about to tear his clothes. His eyes flashed with boundless madness, clearly on the verge of collapse. He panted heavily and muttered, "Elder Brother, save me, save me, I don't want to die!"

The others were focused on maintaining their spiritual platforms, barely able to take care of themselves, let alone save him.

Among them, the eldest disciple, Zhuang Heng, a tall and robust young man, suddenly opened his eyes, glanced at him, and then looked at the other disciples.

The second disciple, though of the lowest cultivation, had the most tricks up his sleeve. He had deployed nine spirit talismans with armor spells around his body, slowing down the entry of lightning primordial energy. He also took a fragrant pill every so often to repair his damaged physical body and soul.

The third disciple, with exceptional talent, was the most reckless in cultivation. He was still absorbing frantically, completely ignoring the fact that his physical body and soul were already at their limits. This encounter seemed to be the most important lifeline in his depressed life.

The fourth disciple, a young woman, was relatively calm. She was naturally intelligent and had the protection of the Sun and Moon Rings, a magical tool given by her teacher before the journey. Zhuang Heng's face showed a hint of warmth.

What surprised him the most was that the sixth disciple, the one with the lowest cultivation, was not the first to give in. His cultivation had actually advanced from the fifth level to the eighth level.

This youngest disciple, who was often looked down upon, had a will and courage that surpassed ordinary people. His physical body was severely damaged, with blood flowing from his eyes and nose, but his spine was straight. His face, not particularly handsome, showed no emotion, as if he had already placed life and death out of his mind. What did it matter if his body was shattered?

Zhuang Heng couldn't help but admire him in his heart. In terms of willpower, this disciple was even better than himself. He slowly closed his eyes, showing no further movement, but his thick eyebrows were more knitted, revealing that his nature was not as cold and indifferent as it appeared.

Seeing this, the man in black's face darkened, and he angrily shouted, "I am the bloodline descendant of the teacher! Zhuang Heng, if you dare not save me, I will inform the teacher when I get out and have you stripped and burned, your soul permanently sealed. Ah..."

A loud thunderclap echoed, and another wave of lightning dragons surged.

Before the man in black could finish his curse, he exploded, turning into a cloud of blood, his soul unable to escape.

The others, seeing this, instantly changed their expressions, their faces filled with complex emotions. The death of a rabbit made the foxes sad, and they might be the next to turn to ashes.

"Fool!"

A light scolding sounded, devoid of any emotion. The youngest disciple, the sixth, finally spoke, his thin lips curling into a cold arc. His unusually bright eyes flashed with a sharp light, which quickly disappeared.

He appeared to be only eighteen or nineteen years old, but cultivators never judge age by appearance. He might be older. His body was not particularly robust, his skin slightly dark, and his looks average. The only distinctive feature was his deep, ink-black eyes, which revealed a沧桑 (cāngsāng, meaning "weathered" or "worldly") look that did not match his appearance, as if he had endured great suffering.

Surrounded by lightning, he clenched his lips, struggling to control his trembling body and maintain his consciousness. It seemed that every second of his life required the full strength of his being.

Zhuang Heng's brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. There had always been a rift between the fourth and sixth disciples, and it was unnecessary to dwell on minor details in such a dire situation. Besides, he did not like this arrogant and spoiled disciple.

With the death of the man in black, the primordial energy that was originally shared by six people now fell on five, increasing the pressure on everyone. They had to use every means to endure.

The thunder roared louder, and the lightning dragons in the air became more numerous and active, like a surging tide battering their bodies. Their skin was torn in many places, and the fresh blood splattered, immediately turning into charred powder under the omnipresent lightning.

The bodies of the five were on the verge of collapse. Just then, the pain in their physical bodies seemed to recede like a tide, replaced by a deep pain from their souls. Their souls felt as if they were being pierced by countless needles, causing bone-piercing pain. For the first time, they regretted participating in this trial.

Before the next wave of chaos could hit, the second disciple, who had barely survived the physical refinement with the help of talismans and pills, let out a heart-wrenching scream. The light in his eyes gradually faded, and his body was swept away by the waves, disappearing into the unknown.

Soon after, two more people lost their souls, their consciousness destroyed, becoming two more corpses in this chaotic space.

"Little Sister!" Zhuang Heng could no longer maintain his calm, his spiritual platform finally breaking. The most favored disciple of Old Tree Peak, who had always been praised, finally succumbed to his emotions, a crack appearing in his Dao heart. At this critical moment, his efforts of many years were in vain, and he was swept away by the wind.

In this dark and hopeless space, only one young figure remained, barely holding on, like a flickering candle in the wind, uncertain and precarious.

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