Chapter 86: Crisis
Wang Jie cast a glance at Jiang You Sheng and reassured him, “Rest assured, I won’t venture too deep. You may collect the Thunder Pattern Gold without worry—I have no intention of gambling with my life.”
Jiang You Sheng nodded. “That is for the best. As long as you cultivate here, you will not be in any danger.”
Saying this, he handed Wang Jie two items. One was a material as thin as a cicada’s wing, translucent and delicate. The other was a Two-Tribulation Star Artifact Battle Armor.
“This cicada wing is a linked item,” Jiang You Sheng explained. “The moment you activate it, the counterpart in my hand will react. Should you face any peril, I will arrive immediately.”
“As for this Star Artifact, it will shield you from harm. A Two-Tribulation Star Artifact is more than sufficient in the Shallow Thunder Region.”
Wang Jie was genuinely grateful. Whatever Jiang You Sheng’s motives might be, he was indeed helping him. “Many thanks, Tower Master.”
Jiang You Sheng left.
Wang Jie donned the armor, securing the cicada wing close to his body. Taking a deep breath, he turned his gaze toward the Thunder Well.
It was time to cultivate.
Standing alone beside the Thunder Well was unnerving. No matter how formidable he was, falling in would mean certain death.
With careful movements, he began climbing downward along the Thunder Well’s edge.
Lightning flashed around him, and the intense heat thickened the Lock Force, making it sluggish and viscous. This was the essence of his cultivation method—the denser and more difficult the Lock Force was to control, the greater his mastery would be outside this treacherous environment. It was akin to tempering the body in high gravity.
In the distance, a shadow streaked through the Thunder Well—
A member of the Eight-Prison Berserk Clan.
The being glanced at Wang Jie but paid him no mind before diving deeper. Anyone cultivating within the Thunder Well would have already received permission from the Berserk Clan, for this was their domain.
Most of those seen here belonged to the Berserk Clan, followed by other Cosmic Giant Beasts and various cultivators. Occasionally, a Puppeteer would enter as well.
One such Puppeteer, controlling a Puppet, plunged into the Thunder Well. Wang Jie wondered if they had even noticed him.
Days passed before Jiang You Sheng returned for a brief visit. Seeing Wang Jie cultivating alone, he left without interruption.
The day after Jiang You Sheng’s departure, a pair of sinister eyes locked onto Wang Jie.
Greedy. Bloodthirsty.
A voice, filled with malice, muttered, “A Wandering Star Realm cultivator trailing behind? This kid might be someone important in the Seventh Star Chain. Capturing him could yield some fine treasures.”
“Third Brother, keep an eye on his residence. Don’t let him retreat.”
“Second Brother, prepare to strike.”
“Understood.”
Wang Jie, seated at the Thunder Well’s edge, suddenly felt a chill crawl up his spine—a deep, instinctual unease. He opened his eyes, his first thought being to return to safety.
Just as he began climbing back up, a sharp screech pierced through the air, sending another wave of cold dread through him.
He turned his gaze.
From the distance, an enormous Cosmic Giant Beast—ten meters long, with a triangular, scorpion-like head—swam through the lightning, rapidly closing in on him.
Without hesitation, Wang Jie reached for the cicada wing, intending to summon Jiang You Sheng. He had no desire to engage in combat in such an unfamiliar and perilous place.
Yet, he found himself unable to move.
What?
He willed his arm to lift, but it remained rigid, unresponsive.
Beneath him, a pool of blackness slithered, winding up his leg, creeping toward his torso.
The screeches grew louder in the distance.
The black entity reached the cicada wing, seized it, and began retreating swiftly.
Wang Jie’s eyes widened in fury. With a low growl, he forcibly merged Qi and Strength, breaking free from the binding force in an instant. He lunged for the black entity.
But it was fast. Too fast.
It evaded his grasp and scurried upward, escaping toward the surface. Wang Jie activated Armor Eight Steps, pursuing it to reclaim the cicada wing.
At that moment, the Cosmic Giant Beast lunging through the lightning reached him, extending a massive claw. Its strike carried searing heat and a lethal killing intent, its reach defying distance.
Wang Jie’s instincts flared. He retaliated with Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger, meeting the monstrous claw head-on.
Boom!
The impact reverberated through the Thunder Well, forcing the beast’s claw back.
Shock flashed in its eyes.
“A mere Ten-Seal human repelled my attack?”
Its desire to hunt surged even further.
Wang Jie recognized the beast’s Star-Breaking Realm strength, intensifying his urgency to retrieve the cicada wing. But the black entity was already too far, and in the fraction of distraction caused by the beast’s attack, it had disappeared.
“Human, give up. No one outruns a Shadow-Hunter Beast.”
The cold voice did not belong to the beast in the lightning.
It came from above.
Wang Jie looked up, and there, just outside Jiang You Sheng’s residence, another Cosmic Giant Beast emerged, grinning wickedly.
They had been watching him all along.
The Shadow-Hunter Beast had been sent to steal the cicada wing. One beast was tasked with delaying him. And another lay in ambush outside his shelter.
Wang Jie’s expression darkened. “Who are you?”
The beast within the lightning extended its claw once more—this time, it was tinged with a deep venomous green.
He had no escape.
Against two Star-Breaking Realm beasts, he had no certainty of victory.
Then, a worse revelation struck—
A third beast emerged, climbing along the Thunder Well’s edge.
Three Star-Breaking Realm Cosmic Giant Beasts.
Surrounded.
No way up, no way down.
Wang Jie’s face grew grim. He hadn’t expected to be targeted in such a manner. It was likely they made a habit of preying on those who entered the Thunder Well.
All three Cosmic Giant Beasts lunged at once.
Wang Jie’s eyes flickered.
He made his move—
Sliding downward into the depths of the Thunder Well.
The nearest threat was a Giant Beast, prowling amidst the raging thunder. Without hesitation, it descended, its voice rumbling like distant storms.
“Human, entering the Deep Thunder Region is courting death. Surrender all your resources, and we may spare your life.”
Wang Jie fixed his gaze upon the approaching beast, yet what he perceived was more than just its colossal form—he saw Qi.
Strangely, the Qi of this beast, along with that of the other two lurking nearby, extended behind them. From the shape of their Qi, each possessed a tail, though it was nearly invisible to the naked eye. This was their most insidious trait.
A sharp whistling cut through the storm as a massive claw lunged towards him.
Wang Jie reached into his Storage Ring, drawing his sword. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed the Star-Gazing Sword Style, sending streaks of sword Qi slashing at the closest Giant Beast while simultaneously striking at the other two.
The sound of impact rang out as the sword Qi collided against the beasts’ hides. They did not even attempt to evade.
Unlike the Nine-Eyed Mantis, these creatures were sluggish, but their defenses were formidable. Fighting three at once made the situation even more treacherous.
Wang Jie continued his descent. The deeper he went, the denser the lightning strikes became.
The Giant Beasts advanced relentlessly, ignoring the sword strikes. Though slow, they moved freely through the cosmos, unbound by the necessity of climbing the Thunder Well, quickly closing the distance.
As Wang Jie glanced back, two monstrous claws reached for him, but what truly alarmed him was the near-invisible tail darting between them at an even greater speed. Feigning ignorance, he allowed the tail to approach.
The Giant Beast’s eyes flashed with a sinister smirk. How many had perished under this very technique? Even Star-Breaking Realm experts had failed to withstand it—what hope did a mere Ten-Imprint cultivator have?
Just as the tail was about to impale him—
With a swift motion, Wang Jie executed Armor Eight Steps, skimming past the deadly appendage. He appeared above the beast’s head before it even realized he had vanished.
Star-Gazing Sword Style.
A cascade of dazzling sword Qi surged, converging along his arm before cleaving downward. Power surged into his Qi, erupting in a single strike that pierced straight through the Giant Beast, rending it from crown to base.
The beast let out a tormented howl, its savage eyes locking onto Wang Jie in disbelief. How? How did this human understand their weaknesses?
“Second Brother!” came a furious roar. The other Giant Beast charged at Wang Jie, its murderous intent saturating the air.
Above, the third Giant Beast, having initially remained still, now went berserk and surged downward.
Even as Wang Jie’s sword impaled his foe, he followed up with a precise strike of Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger. Before the mortally wounded beast could retaliate, the immense force crushed its skull, obliterating it in one decisive blow.
The Star-Breaking Realm was powerful—but it had grown complacent.
Eliminating it had been easier than slaying the Nine-Eyed Mantis, thanks to the carelessness of the other two, who had failed to surround him.
Panting, Wang Jie turned to see the remaining Giant Beasts closing in, their bloodlust palpable.
He gripped his sword tighter and slashed again. The sword Qi soared skyward, only for much of it to be obliterated by the relentless lightning, while the rest struck the approaching foes—without effect.
One of the beasts swiped at him, its massive claws dripping with a murky green toxin.
Were it not for that, Wang Jie might have been able to sever them outright with sheer strength.
Ducking past the lethal claws, he rushed forward. He had to eliminate one before the last beast could encircle him.
Then—his body stiffened.
No! The Shadow-Hunter Beast again. Damn it!
A claw whipped around, slamming into his back.
Sent hurtling through the void, Wang Jie spat blood—directly toward the waiting Giant Beast, which opened its maw wide, ready to devour him whole.
As its fangs neared, Wang Jie lifted a single finger.
That earlier strike had barely harmed him—thanks to the Star Armor gifted by Jiang You Sheng.
The Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger struck the beast’s gaping mouth, piercing through its cheek and out the other side. It shrieked in agony, tail lashing violently—but Wang Jie had been watching for that. Executing Armor Eight Steps, he dodged instantly.
The Armor Eight Steps was unparalleled for evasion, to the point even Star-Breaking Realm cultivators struggled to track it. One of the Armor One Sect’s greatest legacies indeed.
The wounded beast staggered backward, its surroundings distorting into a poisonous green haze, which then condensed into a toxic cloud, rushing toward Wang Jie.
Just as he prepared to strike again—his body froze.
He lowered his gaze—there it was.
Gathering his Qi, he forced it downward into his right leg and raised his foot. The Shadow-Hunter Beast recoiled in terror—it had never expected Wang Jie to resist its paralysis.
His foot came crashing down.
The beast, dark as the void itself, exploded into a puddle of blue blood.
Above, the toxic cloud reached him, while an emerald arrow of venomous energy descended like a spear. With no hesitation, Wang Jie performed Armor Eight Steps, narrowly avoiding the deadly shot. Even so, it grazed his wrist guard.
The Giant Beast above sneered. It had struck its target. That was a Star-Breaking Combat Technique—even a mere graze would be enough to dissolve a human.
Yet its triumph turned to bewilderment.
Nothing happened.
The human remained unscathed.
Wang Jie glanced at his wrist guard, untouched. Swiftly, he dashed forward, closing in on the final Giant Beast. The toxic cloud descended to block his path—
Just then, a bolt of thunder streaked across the sky, tearing a rift through the poison.
Using Armor Eight Steps, Wang Jie sidestepped the lightning and turned, slashing his sword at the instant before it faded. His blade seized the residual thunder, redirecting it toward the toxic cloud. The venomous mist dissipated wherever the lightning passed.
It worked.
Without hesitation, Wang Jie channeled more lightning into his strikes, directing it toward the Giant Beast.
He had assumed these creatures were impervious to thunder, given their dominance within the Thunder Well. Yet it turned out that thunder negated their venom completely.
The beast staggered backward, its tail rising high. In Wang Jie’s eyes, all of its Qi flowed into that appendage. Then—a green arrow, identical to the last, shot forth from its tail.
But this time, Wang Jie had anticipated it.
Without even needing his wrist guard, he dodged with ease.
His sword danced with thunder, his steps shifting like flowing clouds.
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