Chapter 85: The Thunder Well
The appearance of the Mark signified that the mission had to be completed within a set time; otherwise, the contact would vanish.
Xia Bei Yi glanced at Wang Jie and Jiang Cai, pondering how he could shake them off to meet his contact. At the same time, Wang Jie was also considering how to obtain the item from the meeting. It had to be something of great importance.
Both harbored their own intentions as they returned to Puppeteer Tower. Along the way, Xia Bei Yi became exceptionally friendly with Wang Jie, calling him “brother” at every turn and even speaking of familial bonds. However, his greatest grievance remained that Wang Jie refused to reveal his name.
Time passed quickly. A month went by in the blink of an eye.
Throughout this month, Xia Bei Yi invited Wang Jie out three times, claiming he wanted to explore. Yet, each time, Wang Jie demanded payment of a Two-Tribulation Star Artifact. The audacity infuriated Xia Bei Yi, making him wish he could crush the man with a single palm. Where was he supposed to find so many Two-Tribulation Star Artifacts? This wasn’t Frost Radiance Star Chain, after all. Even if he did have them, he couldn’t just give them away—such an exorbitant fee for a simple outing would certainly raise suspicion. Even a fool would sense something amiss.
Jiang You Sheng returned, expressing his deep gratitude to Wang Jie. He then retrieved a slab of Thunder Pattern Gold, allowing Wang Jie to examine it.
Wang Jie marveled at the material, feeling the numbing sensation as he touched it. “A fine material indeed.”
Jiang You Sheng laughed heartily. “If Master likes it, it’s yours.”
“How could I accept this? You went through great lengths to harvest it from the Thunder Well.”
“It’s nothing. I can always go again.” His expression turned serious. “I heard that the Berserk Clan commissioned you for two hundred Star Artifacts in three hundred days. Do you think you can manage it? If needed, I can negotiate on your behalf. The Berserk Clan still gives me some face.”
Wang Jie waved his hand dismissively. “Pressure fuels progress. I also want to improve my Celestial Refinement speed, so it’s not a problem.”
Jiang You Sheng nodded approvingly. “Master’s speed in Celestial Refinement is truly unparalleled. I am in awe.”
As they conversed, Jiang You Sheng casually brought up the Essentials of Star Method. Without hesitation, Wang Jie handed the book over. It wasn’t anything he needed to keep hidden.
Jiang You Sheng declined politely. “This is something you obtained through great effort. How could I accept it for free?”
Wang Jie laughed. “Tower Master, you are being too formal. We share a rare camaraderie—how can there be any talk of ‘free’? Feel free to peruse it.”
Jiang You Sheng took the book, sighing with emotion. “The cultivation world is rife with deception and betrayal. To meet someone as open-hearted as you is truly my fortune.” With that, he flipped through the book.
After reading, he pondered for a moment. “Do you think this will be of help to you, Master?”
Wang Jie nodded. “Lock Force and Star Force share certain similarities. I do not yet know the full extent of their compatibility, but if I can refine Star Methods using Lock Force, I believe I can make further breakthroughs. Many cultivators spend their lives unable to step into the Star-Breaking Realm. I am confident that I won’t have that problem. This book has given me a clear path forward.”
Jiang You Sheng nodded again. “If that is the case, Master should accompany me to the Thunder Well. It is the perfect place to refine Star Methods.”
He then described the Thunder Well in detail.
According to him, the Thunder Well suppressed both Star Force and Lock Force, making it an ideal place to train in their usage. Many creatures across the universe gathered there for cultivation.
“There are multiple Thunder Wells scattered throughout the cosmos. The Ninth Star Chain has one, but I know of others in different Star Chains as well. Each one attracts countless cultivators.”
“Where is it located?”
Jiang You Sheng provided the coordinates.
Wang Jie calculated the distance. His current location was still short of the required distance for his Mourning Water Art, but a trip to the Thunder Well should be enough to fulfill that requirement.
Moreover, if it truly expedited cultivation, it would be worth it.
Jiang You Sheng had no reason to harm him. If he wanted to, he could have done so already within Puppeteer Tower. Who could stop him there?
Thus, Wang Jie agreed.
Jiang You Sheng chuckled. “Master, aren’t you afraid I have ulterior motives?”
Wang Jie smiled. “I trust the Tower Master.”
Jiang You Sheng regarded Wang Jie’s Puppet with a serious expression. “To be honest, I have a master residing at Little Circle Lake. He has remained at the Peak of Hundred Star Realm for a long time, just one step away from the Star-Refining Realm. However, he refuses to take that final step without gathering more materials. More importantly, he hopes to find a Celestial Refinement Master to assist him.”
He then stood up and bowed deeply. “If Master is willing, my mentor and I will never forget this favor.”
Wang Jie had his Puppet assist Jiang You Sheng to his feet. “You are too courteous. If I can help, I will.”
Jiang You Sheng was visibly moved. “Many thanks, Master. Many thanks!”
They departed without delay, bringing along the materials for Celestial Refinement.
Before leaving, Wang Jie made a request: that Puppeteer Tower remain sealed, preventing anyone inside from leaving.
Jiang You Sheng was puzzled.
Wang Jie explained that he did not want to be drawn into the war. If a cultivator from the Eighth Star Chain had infiltrated Puppeteer Tower, what then?
Though Jiang You Sheng found this precaution unnecessary, he still agreed to Wang Jie’s request.
Xia Bei Yi was oblivious to this. He had no idea that Puppeteer Tower was about to be unsealed—but due to Wang Jie’s single request, it was sealed shut once again.
In the Ninth Star Chain, cosmic travel was conducted using Cosmic Giant Beasts. The one they boarded resembled a massive beetle, its exterior encased in a hard shell that shielded them.
The beetle was vast, capable of carrying over a hundred people.
With Jiang You Sheng present, Wang Jie had to at least pretend to be refining Star Artifacts.
Ten days later, they arrived at the Thunder Well.
As they neared, an overwhelming sense of awe gripped them. A terrifying rumbling sound, reminiscent of a colossal beast devouring the cosmos, caused the beetle to tremble in fear.
Thunder roared, filling the starry void.
Wang Jie gazed ahead. The thunderbolts pierced through the darkness, sometimes expanding, sometimes contracting.
The Thunder Well—it was nothing short of a gigantic Lightning Inferno.
The Thunder Well is divided into four regions: the Shallow Thunder Region, Deep Thunder Region, Heavy Thunder Region, and the ominous Thunder Abyss.
“The Shallow Thunder Region contains billions of lightning bolts per second, condensed within a small area. The Deep Thunder Region sees hundreds of billions, while the Heavy Thunder Region escalates to trillions, each bolt infused with crushing gravitational force.”
“At the very bottom lies the Thunder Abyss—its depths are not merely tied to the Ninth Star Chain, but, as legends suggest, it connects to all major nebulas, even spanning across the entire universe.”
“No one knows exactly how it connects. But one thing is certain—without reaching the Star-Refining Realm, stepping into the Thunder Abyss is suicide. It is an endless storm of lightning, leaving no room to hide. The moment you enter, you are assaulted without pause.”
“Thunder Pattern Gold is typically found in the Deep Thunder Region. However, Master, for your training, the uppermost part of the Shallow Thunder Region will suffice. Generally, only Star-Breaking Realm cultivators can even attempt to train here.”
The massive beetle they rode upon refused to move any further.
Jiang You-Sheng led Wang Jie into the vastness of the cosmos, leaving behind the puppet atop the beetle’s back. It was simply incapable of withstanding the relentless bombardment of lightning, making it safer to remain behind.
Wang Jie felt a deep unease, but this was the reality of cultivation—walking the razor’s edge between life and death.
Back on Blue Star, during the apocalyptic era, he had struggled daily alongside orphaned survivors, each moment a battle for existence. Death was a constant companion; the land was littered with bones, stripped clean of flesh by an unforgiving world.
He had endured that nightmare.
Suppressing his reverence, Wang Jie gazed upon the Thunder Well.
Heat licked at his skin, the very air crackling with energy. The roar of lightning drowned out all other sounds, leaving only blinding flashes in his vision. The darkness was driven away entirely by the storm’s brilliance.
Jiang You-Sheng had been watching him closely. Despite his pale complexion, Wang Jie’s gaze remained unwavering.
[Most first-time visitors succumb to fear,] Jiang You-Sheng mused. [Even now, I see awe in his eyes, perhaps even fear, but no terror. As expected of a Celestial Refinement Master.]
“Master, we are about to enter the Thunder Well in earnest.”
Wang Jie nodded. “I’ll trouble you, Tower Master.”
Jiang You-Sheng smiled and leaped downward, bringing Wang Jie with him.
In an instant, the storm of lightning roared toward them, a beast seeking to devour all trespassers.
Wang Jie’s pupils constricted as he witnessed the relentless onslaught of lightning. Thunder crackled in every direction—above, below, all around. The sheer force of it numbed his body with an icy chill.
Jiang You-Sheng raised his hand, casually diverting the incoming lightning, bending its path with a mere flick of his fingers.
Wang Jie felt the residual heat wash over him, momentarily choking his breath. He coughed violently.
“Master, are you alright?”
Wang Jie exhaled heavily. Only Star-Breaking Realm cultivators could endure this environment. He had come too soon. But he had not come unprepared.
He shook his head. “I’m fine.”
Jiang You-Sheng gestured to their surroundings. “This location is suitable. Should you find it unbearable, you can always climb out. Do you see those structures beyond the Thunder Well? They are residences for cultivators training here. Some are permanent, others available for rent.”
“The nearest one, just above our current position, belongs to me. If you need respite, feel free to return.”
Wang Jie squinted past the blinding storm and finally spotted the dwellings. Previously, he had been unable to see them through the sheer intensity of the lightning.
The buildings were widely spaced, varying in size and design.
Jiang You-Sheng led him out of the Thunder Well, bringing him before one such structure.
The moment the door shut behind them, the external clamor of the storm lessened, though it was not entirely silenced. At least, now, they could converse without shouting.
Wang Jie was drenched in sweat, his face ashen, his very skin quivering from the residual energy.
It took a long while before he recovered.
Jiang You-Sheng looked at him with admiration. “Master, your swift recovery is astonishing. Most Star-Breaking Realm cultivators take days to adjust after their first visit, and even longer before daring to enter again. Many simply flee, never to return.”
Wang Jie forced a smile. “Tower Master, there’s no need to flatter me.”
Jiang You-Sheng said no more, allowing Wang Jie time to acclimate.
Wang Jie turned his gaze toward the seething storm beyond the walls.
This was not merely a question of bodily endurance—it was about the natural fear of death.
What mortal does not fear the wrath of thunder?
Even at his level, standing before the Thunder Well was no different from an ordinary person standing beneath a sky filled with unrelenting, world-consuming lightning.
But as he had just experienced, it was not entirely hopeless.
The uppermost lightning strikes still fell within the limits of his tolerance. The only issue was mobility. Unlike a Wandering Star Realm cultivator, he could not traverse the storm freely. He had to cling to the Thunder Well’s surface, climbing along its charred, hardened edges—edges blackened by eons of relentless strikes.
[Will I reach that level within this lifetime?] he wondered, watching the distant, untouchable depths.
Before long, he turned to Jiang You-Sheng. “Tower Master, I am ready.”
Jiang You-Sheng nodded and guided him once more into the storm.
This time, Wang Jie climbed on his own.
The edges of the Thunder Well had been subjected to so many years of bombardment that they had become a bizarre, semi-transparent substance. Hardened yet smooth, they formed a natural path for those who could not yet walk the storm like true Wandering Star Realm cultivators.
Wang Jie peered downward, where countless lightning bolts slithered like celestial serpents through the abyss. The sight sent a chill down his spine.
He moved cautiously, avoiding strikes, continuously analyzing their patterns.
Days passed.
His fear diminished. He adapted. His movements became fluid, natural.
Seeing this, Jiang You-Sheng finally left him to his training, departing to gather Thunder Pattern Gold.
“Master, are you certain?”
“I can’t expect the Tower Master to babysit me forever.”
Jiang You-Sheng chuckled. “It is no trouble. Should you need anything, I will remain nearby.”
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