Chapter 87: That Woman
Within the storm of thunder, Wang Jie executed Armor Eight Steps, his comprehension elevating in an instant. His range expanded from a mere hundred meters to a full kilometer, each step allowing him to traverse great distances with ease. With his sword poised, he unleashed Gazing Star Sword Style, each strike entwined with lightning, descending upon the massive beast before him.
The beast was utterly engulfed, unable to dodge, its agonized wails piercing the heavens.
Above, the last of the three beasts roared in fury. “Human, we have spared you once! Cease this at once!”
Wang Jie’s gaze remained frigid. If he had been weaker, he would already be dead. Spared?
Raising a single finger, he pointed forward.
Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger surged forth, pressing sideways against the beast’s torso before piercing through its massive form. The creature plummeted into the thunderous abyss, disintegrating into ash.
Without sparing it a second glance, Wang Jie ascended. One more to go.
The remaining beast glared at Wang Jie with bitter malice, its tail arched high before launching a barrage of sharp projectiles. Wang Jie dodged with ease.
Above, the beast bellowed, “Human, I will devour you whole!” It threw open its maw and let out a deafening screech.
The sound waves rippled downward, unimpeded by the surrounding thunder.
Wang Jie’s heart sank. It’s calling for reinforcements!
Without hesitation, he surged forward, pushing his speed to the limit.
Sensing its disadvantage, the beast turned and fled. The deaths of its brethren had left it no confidence to face him alone.
Wang Jie pursued relentlessly, closing the gap. Just as he was about to reach his target, a chilling sensation crawled up his spine. His back stiffened. He turned his head ever so slightly, his eyes widening at the sight below.
Emerging from the depths of thunder, a creature over ten times the size of his current prey stormed forth. Its scales gleamed under the flashing bolts, a colossal beast undeterred by the storm. It opened its maw and let out a terrifying screech.
A Full Star Realm beast!
Wang Jie gritted his teeth, dashing toward the nearby structure. He had no idea if it would provide him refuge, but it was his last hope.
Yet even at his fastest, he was no match for a Full Star Realm beast.
Lightning coiled around the monster’s massive form as it locked its gaze upon Wang Jie and swiped downward with an enormous claw.
In an instant, the colossal talon loomed over Wang Jie’s head, descending with overwhelming force. His pupils shrank. No escape. No retreat. Damn it, I have no choice but to fight!
He channeled thunder beneath his feet and lunged toward the beast.
Mockery flashed in the creature’s eyes. It withdrew its claw momentarily, as if manipulating space itself, then reappeared behind Wang Jie, slamming into him with crushing force.
Wang Jie barely managed to twist his body in the void, avoiding a direct hit, but the claw still grazed him. The impact sent him plummeting toward the depths of the Thunder Well like a fallen star.
Endless thunder roared, lightning tearing at the heavens.
Sight, sound, sensation—all of it sought to rip him apart.
All he could do was retrieve his Star Artifact – Bell, enveloping himself in its protective field. Simultaneously, he unleashed all his Seal Power, activating Silver Radiance Art. His form became a streak of silver light, hurtling deeper into the well.
Behind him, the monstrous beast refused to let him go, diving in pursuit.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Lightning struck the Bell, causing it to tremble violently. Cracks spread across its surface, and stray bolts of thunder seared into Wang Jie’s armor.
Even with his protective gear, he wouldn’t last long.
As the thunder intensified, he realized he had passed beyond the Shallow Thunder Region, plunging into the Deep Thunder Region.
A final thunderous crash resounded.
Darkness swallowed his consciousness.
His body continued to fall.
The beast, grinning ferociously, reached out a claw to claim its prey.
At that moment, from the depths of the Thunder Abyss, something ascended—a sleek, elliptical construct resembling a spaceship, crafted from countless interwoven swords. It twisted and shifted as it moved, parting thunder like a blade through silk. Within its metallic heart, a woman slumbered.
Illuminated by the thunder, her beauty was ethereal, skin flawless and crystalline, radiating an almost divine glow.
The deafening booms of lightning could not stir her.
Until—
A streak of silver light plummeted into the elliptical structure.
It entered her sight.
Her fingers twitched.
Her eyes slowly opened.
Before her, the silver glow dimmed, revealing the monstrous beast behind it.
With a single motion, one of the swords forming the construct vanished.
A flash.
In the distance, the Full Star Realm beast froze.
Then, it disintegrated into countless pieces, shredded in an instant. Its death was absolute, without even a final scream.
The sword embedded itself into the Bell, pulling it toward the woman.
She gazed at the unconscious Wang Jie within. The Bell, cracked beyond repair, was on the verge of collapse. The moment it shattered, he would perish.
She whispered softly, “In this boundless universe, our meeting—fortunate or unfortunate—no longer matters.”
“Today, we share the same calamity. Let us endure it in our own ways.”
As she spoke, the Bell shattered.
Wang Jie’s body tumbled into the elliptical construct.
The woman, her face tinged with the faintest blush, cast one last glance at him before quietly shedding her garments.
With a flick of her sword, she sealed the construct entirely.
Wang Jie dreamed.
In his dream, he returned to the orphanage, where the Dean stood smiling, offering him fried chicken and dough sticks. Hungry children surrounded him, clamoring for a share. Unable to push through, he grew desperate, shoving aside the others to grab his prize.
Huh?
Why does it feel so soft?
The scene shattered.
Endless thunder rained from the heavens. Cities lay in ruin. Fireballs fell like shooting stars. Beast tides engulfed the land.
The Dean, the children—
Flames swallowed everything.
Wang Jie’s heart quivered.
Where is everyone?
Do Not Die, Do Not Die.
“Do not die.”
Wang Jie suddenly bolted upright, gasping for breath as he surveyed his surroundings in bewilderment. For a brief moment, his mind struggled to catch up—where was he? This place… the border between the Shallow Thunder Region and the Deep Thunder Region?
His gaze swept the area, then shifted to his own body. What was going on? How had he returned here? Wasn’t he being hunted down by a Full Star Realm Giant Beast? Or had it all been an illusion?
No, it wasn’t an illusion.
His Star Artifact was gone, and his battle armor lay in tatters.
Did Jiang You Sheng save him?
Just as he was about to stand, his fingers tightened around something in his hand—
A sword tassel?
Such an exquisitely crafted sword tassel.
Where did it come from? His eyes fixated on the delicate ornament, a subtle fragrance drifting into his nostrils—an enchanting scent. Then, suddenly, a blurred visage surfaced in his mind—a woman. Her features remained indistinct, yet an inexplicable sense of familiarity gripped his heart. It was as though she was another version of himself. A fierce longing took root in his soul—he had to find her. He needed to find her.
At the same time, unfamiliar memories flooded his consciousness—
A battle technique?
Fragmented images flashed across his mind as Wang Jie shut his eyes, trying to piece them together. He saw the woman rise to leave, but in that moment, his hand had grasped onto something. She had looked at him, yet allowed it to fall before vanishing from his sight.
That object—was the sword tassel.
His gaze once again fell upon the delicate ornament, its lingering scent comforting yet perplexing.
Was it she who saved him?
Who was she? And why did he harbor such emotions toward her? He had never met her before—had he?
The universe was vast, and he had no true destination. But now—now he had to find her. She belonged to him, was a part of him.
The sword tassel—one of the essential materials for Sword Step—was perfect.
But he couldn’t bring himself to use it.
Clenching it tightly, he tucked it away in silence.
Rising to his feet, he immediately sensed the difference in his body. Though every muscle ached, his bones feeling as though they were on the verge of shattering, something fundamental had changed.
He looked at his hands, clenched his fists—
His strength had increased a hundredfold.
From ninety-ninefold, he had shattered the limit.
With this newfound power came an unusual force within his body—
Force.
Force was intrinsic, whereas Qi had always been part of him.
Yet now, with his strength surpassing the hundredfold threshold, a force of its own had emerged. This Force Qi was distinctly separate from his own Qi.
Wang Jie couldn’t fathom what had occurred. Even if someone had saved him, it shouldn’t have triggered such a breakthrough.
The Force Qi and his original Qi coexisted within him, yet they refused to merge. He attempted to control them, guiding them toward unification.
As Force Qi and Qi collided, a visible vapor emanated from his body. It bore some resemblance to Star Force, yet it was something else entirely—a fusion of two opposing energies. The moment they combined, Wang Jie felt an unparalleled surge of power erupting from within. It was a strength far greater than any he had previously known, surpassing the sum of Qi and Force alone.
The combined Qi was visibly blazing along his form, resembling transparent flames. Even his hair began to float upwards under its force.
He had never felt this powerful before.
Slowly, he withdrew the Qi, separating the two forces. The overwhelming power subsided, but he did not feel weaker. He was undoubtedly stronger than before. Breaking past his limits had changed him fundamentally. Moreover, a mysterious battle technique had surfaced in his mind.
He did not yet comprehend its full might, but he knew one thing—it suited him perfectly.
Retrieving a Cataclysm Material, he absorbed its essence. This was still the Shallow Thunder Region—he would have to tread carefully to avoid the ever-present lightning.
It was unfortunate that the bell artifact had been destroyed.
After some time, Wang Jie restored his Lock Force. It was time to ascend.
There was no rush. Even with his newfound strength, he was still powerless against a Full Star Realm Giant Beast.
The Thunder Veil above loomed like an impenetrable net of lightning.
Wang Jie weaved his way through the treacherous web of lightning, ascending towards the Thunder Well’s upper reaches. Then, he saw it—
A giant beast.
But not the Full Star Realm one that had hunted him.
Instead, it was one of the three-headed beasts that had initially attacked him.
Where was the Full Star Realm Giant Beast?
He dared not be reckless. Now was the time to wait—wait for Jiang You Sheng to return.
Days passed. Still, Jiang You Sheng had not returned.
The three-headed beast had fallen, slain by other creatures.
Wang Jie seized the opportunity. As the other creatures left, he quickly climbed out of the Thunder Well and darted into the nearest shelter—a house.
Only then did he allow himself to breathe.
This journey had truly been a brush with death.
Even he didn’t know how he had survived.
Exhausted beyond measure, he collapsed into sleep.
For two days, he slept undisturbed, only awakening when a knock at the door roused him—
Jiang You Sheng.
“What? The Great Master encountered a Sharp-Horn Beast?!” Jiang You Sheng was stunned.
Wang Jie sighed. “That thing is called a Sharp-Horn Beast?”
Jiang You Sheng nodded grimly. “The Sharp-Horn Beast is a notorious Cosmic Giant Beast—unruly and violent, known for its penchant for plundering. The Eight-Prison Berserk Clan nearly exterminated their entire species, yet some always manage to survive in hiding.”
“I never expected to find one here in the Thunder Well.”
At this, he bowed deeply toward Wang Jie. “It was my failure in planning that placed the Great Master in such peril.”
Wang Jie waved him off. “It’s over now. Besides, I was lucky—other creatures seemed to have a vendetta against that beast and killed it. By the way, what’s a Shadow-Hunter Beast?”
Jiang You Sheng looked surprised. “The Great Master encountered one as well?”
Wang Jie nodded.
“No wonder you couldn’t send a distress signal. It must have ambushed and taken control of you, allowing the Sharp-Horn Beast to strike.”
“The Shadow-Hunter Beast is a peculiar creature. Unlike Cosmic Giant Beasts, it cannot survive in the vast expanse of space. Instead, it thrives by hiding within the shadows of living beings, seizing control of their movements.”
His expression darkened. “Rest assured, the Eight-Prison Berserk Clan will be held accountable for this. This was clearly a premeditated ambush. Who knows how many have already fallen to their scheme?”
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