The Thunderclap Ninth Heaven wasn't easy to cultivate.
At the time, in order for Ling Han to achieve initial success with body of lightning, he was struck by lightning for several days. To improve the body of lightning, he'd have to be struck continuously by thunderbolts to absorb the essence within the lightning, gradually improving.
This was a very slow process. From Ling Han's initial success till now, the steps he'd made were pathetically small, but it couldn't be helped. The lightning might look extremely frightening, but for a body of lightning, the essence of lightning contained within was extremely little. Being able to reach great mastery within fifty years? Ling Han already thought that it'd be extremely fast.
It indeed was fast. The great mastery of lightning body could correspond with the Shattering Void Tier, and how many Shattering Void Tier elites could achieve this level in fifty years?
In the past, that was something completely unrealistic, and 50 years might not even be enough to reach the Deity Transformation Tier. Only now, when martial arts flourished and prospered—accelerating the growth of elites—was it really possible to reach the Shattering Void Tier in 50 years.
However, the benefits brought by flower of lightning surpassed that of the total of the thunderbolts brought. How shocking was this?
"Hu Niu, you're definitely a blessing to me!" Ling Han said spontaneously.
Hu Niu was happy, and said proudly, "Niu's Ling Han's blessing!"
The two continued to advance, but what disappointed Ling Han was that they didn't encounter a flower of lightning for a long time. Only after walking for some more time did they finally see the second flower of lightning.
Hu Niu picked the remarkable flower once again.
Ling Han wasn't in a rush to refine it, and stored it into the Black Tower. He was now more interested in this mountain valley itself.
What produced this river of lightning?
Walking for a while more, hong, long, long, they heard the crash of the tide, but it wasn't emitted by the lightning river.
Ling Han was shocked. He turned his gaze to the other side, and saw another river appear, but what surged in this river also wasn't real water, nor lightning, but flames!
It was difficult to imagine flame surging like a river and emitting loud sounds as it crashed.
If this was lava, it would be easy to understand, but, against reason, it wasn't. It was pure flames with vein-like patterns flickering within. What was surprising was that Ling Han also discovered lightning element vein-like patterns within it.
… Earlier, there were also fire vein-like patterns within the lightning river.
Could it be?
Ling Han had a guess in his mind. The lightning river and fire river converged, so that was why they affected each other?
They continued to advance, and in a short while, as expected, the two rivers converged, but to Ling Han's surprise, the two rivers merged instead of crossing each other.
With only one river left, the river surged with lightning and flames, which were clearly separate, not interfering with each other—one white and one red—appearing ever so dazzling.
Ling Han came to a realization. No wonder the two rivers influenced each other, for they were of common origin, and although they split up afterwards, it was inevitable that they affected each other.
He was even more curious as to what was at the end of the river, and why it could produce such a miraculous sight.
However, it became harder to follow the stream, because the lightning and flames intertwined and produced even more terrifying power—even if it didn't attack on its own, the lightning kept shocking and shattering the nearby space, while the flames turned the mountain valley into a true furnace, burning everything.
"Niu doesn't like it here." Even Hu Niu began to complain. She didn't fear the lightning, but obviously wasn't immune to the flames as small beads of sweat appeared on her face.
Ling Han was speechless that Hu Niu only had some beads of sweat; he was already sweating a river.
"Let's look a bit farther. If it's too much, we'll leave!" Ling Han said. Although he was extremely curious, he wouldn't risk his life here.
After all, his cultivation was still low, and he could very well wait till reaching the Heaven or Shattering Void Tier to come again.
Just when they planned on giving up, the river of lightning and fire came to an end… They arrived at the bottom of the valley, and in front of them was a mountain wall, which the river of lightning and fire poured down from.
There was a pitch-dark hole in the mountain wall, but where it led to was unknown.
Here, the power of lightning and fire had unexpectedly fallen to a low point, and although it was still fierce, it was a at least tolerable.
Ling Han looked at that cave, feeling a shred of hesitation.
The cave could hold the secret of the mountain valley, but it could also contain endless dangers.
Should they continue onwards?
He only hesitated a little, and then decided to advance bravely.
He still had an Instant Teleportation Talisman and the Black Tower, and even the power boost could temporarily grant him the Shattering Void Tier battle prowess. What existence in the vast lands could still kill him instantly?
Go!
He held on Hu Niu's hand and walked into the cave. If anything went wrong, he would immediately put Hu Niu into the Black Tower.
The black hole was dark, very dark—to the point where Ling Han couldn't see anything even when he opened the Eye of Truth. He raised his hand and turned Origin Power into flames, but while he clearly felt the rising of the flames, he didn't see the glow of fire.
It was like he was blind.
However, when he turned and looked out the cave, he could clearly see the surging river of lightning and fire.
Ling Han was shocked. What was going on with this cave!?
Earlier, in the purple mist, only his sight and divine sense were affected but could at least be of use, but now? It was like he was truly blind, not only unable to see with his eyes, for even his divine sense couldn't sense anything. If he wasn't still holding on Hu Niu's hand, he definitely wouldn't sense that there was another person beside him.
Yes, he'd also lost his hearing.
Strange, too strange.
He was greatly alarmed within, but Ling Han still took another step and continued forward.
The more that things were so, the more curious he became to know why.
"Small Tower, do you know what this place is?" He communicated with Black Tower with his divine sense.
"There's a shred of… Source Power!" Small Tower seemed a little serious. "If you find it and let me devour it, I can repair by 0.00000001%."
Sh*t!
Ling Han really wanted to curse. This place was so terrifying, with the surging river of lightning and fire, emitting the radiance of the Shattering Void Tier. Thinking about it, one would know that its origin was remarkable. However, it could only repair Black Tower by 0.00000001%… Then, would he, in this life, be able to see Black Tower reappear in its divine light?
"Be careful!" Small Tower reminded. "If there was life here, then it would be too easy to kill you."
No kidding!
Ling Han couldn't be bothered to pay attention to it, and simply continued forward. It was a stretch of pure darkness. He couldn't see, hear, smell, and even… his touch was also disappearing. He clearly grabbed onto Hu Niu's hand, but he discovered the sensation was getting weaker and weaker as if he turned into a walking corpse.
He felt pins and needles. What exactly was this damn place? It was too strange.
Not knowing how long it had been, Ling Han finally couldn't feel anything. He didn't even know if he was still walking in this cave. Losing the five senses, what difference did he have with a living dead?
He told himself to search, but didn't know where to go at all or even whether he'd touched a wall, because without touch, he wouldn't even know if he'd bumped into the mountain wall and was constantly wasting strength, walking in one place while pushing against it.
Compelled by circumstances, he entered the Black Tower.