Chapter 567: The Thunderous Beast's Shame
Chapter 567: The Thunderous Beast's Shame
"Haha, since the three of us are neighbors, we ought to look out for each other. With the Thunderfire Cave's cultivators patrolling and guarding, there shouldn't be much to worry about in terms of safety within Thunder Sea. If the opportunity arises, we can explore it together."
The one-eyed middle-aged man laughed heartily.
"Of course, of course," Lu Chen hastily nodded.
"Well, it's getting late. We won't disturb you further, Lu Daoist. Feel free to visit our cave residences when you have the time, and we can exchange insights on our cultivation experiences."
After chatting a while longer, the two bid their farewells.
"Sure, I'll pay a visit to you both soon," Lu Chen promised, asking for the detailed locations of their cave residences. He then took out two small white jade bottles from his storage bag. "These two bottles contain the spirit sap we mentioned earlier, personally brewed by me. Please take them back to your cave residences and enjoy them during your leisure."
"Thank you for your generous gift, Daoist Lu," the two men said happily, their faces lighting up as they accepted the bottles and disappeared into the thunderous glow.
Lu Chen activated the formation, and his cave residence was once again hidden within the thick white mist.
Turning back into the courtyard, he fell into deep thought.
"I'll definitely have to go to Thunder Sea. The reason I chose this Thunderfire Cave was mainly for the convenience of cultivating the sixth-grade Phoenix Wood and Purple Micro Thunderfruit."
"With the Sky Star Cave cultivators on guard, safety shouldn't be a major concern."
He made up his mind to visit Thunder Sea in a few days, feeling confident in his current strength and the array of treasures he possessed, believing he could even hold his own against an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
Seven days later, after meticulously tending to the spirit plants in his cave residence, Lu Chen set out for Thunder Sea.
Along the way, the subtle thunderous glow that permeated the entire Thunderfire Cave automatically avoided him due to the influence of the Thunderfire Token.
Lu Chen traveled at a steady pace, taking in the surrounding scenery as he went.
"Thunderfire Cave is indeed quite vast. Cave residences are scattered everywhere, but those larger than mine are rare, and there are even cases of several people renting a separate courtyard together."
With spiritual sense far surpassing that of an ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could easily perceive everything around him with a casual sweep.
"There are quite a few Qi Refining cultivators living in Thunderfire Cave, but it would be difficult for ordinary Qi Refining lone cultivators to afford the long-term rent."
"Perhaps they're cultivating some kind of thunder-attributed technique or spell, or gathering a specific type of thunderous power, which is why they choose to stay in Thunderfire Cave for a short time."
Lu Chen speculated.
Foundation Establishment cultivators were commonplace in Thunderfire Cave, and there were even more of them than Qi Refining cultivators.
His sharp eyes also spotted a Golden Core cultivator's cave residence, and he quickly steered clear of it.
Half a day later, he reached the edge of Thunder Sea.
The edge stretched on endlessly, with a Sky Star Cave cultivator stationed every ten li.
He had previously learned from Luo Ming and the others that Sky Star Cave had opened up numerous passages within Thunder Sea, allowing cultivators easy access. One simply had to present their Thunderfire Token to the stationed cultivator to gain entry to Thunder Sea for a period of time.
If one wanted to bypass the stationed cultivators and venture in through another route, not only would it be extremely difficult unless one possessed the strength of a Golden Core cultivator, but there was also the possibility of encountering unknown dangers, such as mysterious thunder beasts or erratic thunder movements.
Lu Chen had no intention of testing his luck against the thunder, so he obediently approached one of the stationed cultivators.
"Please show your Thunderfire Token, Daoist," the cultivator said with a smile after the people in front of Lu Chen had entered Thunder Sea.
Lu Chen quickly took out his Thunderfire Token and handed it over.
The cultivator lightly pressed a stamp adorned with countless intricate silver-white thunder patterns onto the token and returned it.
Lu Chen had learned from Lei Zheng and the others that the number of times one could explore Thunder Sea for resources was limited and determined by the rental period and fees of the Thunderfire Cave cultivators, a measure to prevent cultivators from recklessly depleting Thunderfire Cave's resources.
"Yes, it is," Lu Xuan acknowledged honestly.
"There are numerous mysterious thunder beasts within Thunder Sea, some of which are highly aggressive and dangerous to cultivators," the guardian warned. "However, these beasts mainly dwell in the central region, so you need not worry."
"Entering through this passage, you may encounter a Thunder Ox beast with strength nearing that of an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. It has distinct physical characteristics, making it easily recognizable."
"This Thunder Ox is somewhat unusual compared to others. It often guards one side of the passage, refraining from attacking cultivators entering Thunder Sea. It merely begs for a spirit fruit or a piece of demon beast meat."
"You may try to feed it if you wish, or choose to avoid it altogether. However, I advise against engaging in a fight with the beast. Those below the Golden Core stage are unlikely to defeat it."
Lu Xuan pondered the guardian's suggestion. "A demon beast that begs for food from cultivators... Now that's a shame for a Thunder Ox..."
"The greater shame is that passing cultivators can't even beat it," he added, a hint of amusement in his voice.
With the Lei Huo token in hand, Lu Xuan stepped into the outer region of Thunder Sea.
"Boom!"
The moment he entered, a thunderous roar exploded in his ear, deafening and formidable.
Countless rays of lightning swam slowly around him, and occasionally, a thick bolt of lightning would surge forth from the depths, striking down with immense force.
Fortunately, the Lei Huo token protected him from being struck directly.
"However, judging by the token's reaction, its ability to withstand the thunder seems limited. If I venture deeper into Thunder Sea, it won't be able to disperse all the lightning like it's doing now." Lu Xuan noticed this phenomenon with a frown.
Suddenly, an idea struck him, and the Mirage Sound Pearl embedded in his throat began to pulsate, shifting through various forms.
Thunderous roars seemed to enter the pearl, and Lu Xuan's lips parted.
"Boom!"
A fierce thunderous roar erupted from his mouth, causing the surrounding thunderous Qi to stir erratically.
"The Mirage Sound Pearl has learned another peculiar sound," Lu Xuan mused. With repeated attempts, he grew more adept, and soon, his imitation was nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.
The Mirage Sound Pearl embedded in his throat had been crafted from the demon core of an ancient mythical beast, the Mirage Sound Beast. It could collect, mimic, and unleash all sorts of wondrous sounds, proving to be a versatile tool.
Upon hearing the myriad of strange thunderous roars in Thunder Sea, Lu Xuan was inspired to collect and simulate them, adding another sonic attack to his arsenal.
"Thunderous roars are often fierce and overwhelming, especially effective against demons and evil spirits," Lu Xuan thought with satisfaction as he continued on his way.
After traveling for a little over a mile, he suddenly sensed a powerful beast up ahead through his spiritual sense.
A chill ran down his spine as he immediately recalled the guardian's mention of the food-begging Thunder Ox. He decided to observe from a distance.
About thirty feet ahead, he spotted a wolf-like demon beast with silver-white fur, through which streaks of lightning occasionally flashed, causing its fur to stand on end.
Despite its massive size, the beast sat motionless, its round belly pressed against the ground, exuding an air of docility that belied its strength and form.
"So, this is the shame of the Thunder Ox?" Lu Xuan realized with a start.
(End of Chapter)
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