Chapter 593: Lightning Emperor Scepter

"No, even though the demonic tattoos on his body have been erased, and this sliver of consciousness that has been sealed here for thousands of years is finally free. However, he probably can't live for long before he dissipates," Xiao Ming shook his head at Ying Huanhuan's words.

"Dissipate?" Ying Huanhuan was puzzled. "Hasn't the Demonic Qi in this senior's body been eradicated? Why would he still dissipate? Aren't the life spans of Profound Death Stage practitioners quite long?"

Indeed, the lifespan of strong practitioners in the Tian Xuan Continent was considerably longer than those in the Dou Qi Continent. Although the Thunder Palace had been destroyed a thousand years ago, it was entirely possible for a Profound Death Stage practitioner to live for a millennium. Logically, this practitioner before them should still have a life to live.

"Haha, this sliver of consciousness is merely a remnant fragment of my soul. After being sealed for thousands of years, it has reached its limit. If not for my persistence, it might have already been lost a long time ago to the corrosion from the Demonic Qi."

The silver glowing figure explained with a light laugh. His voice sounded abnormally free and suave. After being freed from that state of corrosion, he must be feeling extremely satisfied.

"Regardless, I'm a person that had died thousands of years ago. Being able to regain consciousness now, even if only for a fleeting moment, is already fulfilling enough. Why bother harboring any more extravagant desires?"

"Those brothers of mine from those days have all turned to dust and returned to the ground. Thus, there is nothing left in this world that will keep me around."

The girls fell silent for a moment upon hearing the silver glowing figure's words. The mindset displayed by the latter, which had come to terms with life and death, was something they, in their teens, couldn't yet comprehend.

"What's your name?" Xiao Ming asked.

"Zuo Fei," the silver glowing figure smiled. Then he continued, "With Senior's strength, Senior must have come to this Thunder Palace in search of the Thunderbolt Ancestral Symbol, right?"

Xiao Ming nodded his head.

"The Thunderbolt Ancestral Symbol..."

Zuo Fei's eyes showed a hint of reminiscence as he spoke softly, "Indeed, Lord Thunder Emperor did obtain the Thunderbolt Ancestral Symbol. However, it was also because of this that our Thunder Palace was targeted by those Yimo. They dispatched a Yimo King, two Yimo Generals, and numerous Yimo Commanders. Those Yimo even waited until Lord Thunder Emperor was attempting the Reincarnation Tribulation to break into the Reincarnation Stage before attacking…"

"Although we managed to seal the Yimo King in the end, Lord Thunder Emperor paid the price with his life." Zuo Fei's expression became much gloomier as he spoke.

"The Thunderbolt Ancestral Symbol should still be in this cave dwelling, right?" Mu Lingshan became lively again at the mention of the Ancestral Symbol.

"Hm."

Zuo Fei nodded his head before replying, "If my guess is correct, the Thunderbolt Ancestral Symbol should be in the Thunder World. It's a space created by Lord Thunder Emperor himself, and no one can enter it except for him unless you have the key."

"A key is actually required to enter the Thunder World?" Ying Huanhuan's brow furrowed slightly at the side. She had been following her Master all this time, but she hadn't seen any key.

Zuo Fei glanced at Xiao Ming, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "With Senior's strength, there should be no need for a key. The Thunder Hall is at the center of the depths of the cave dwelling. That's the most central location of this cave dwelling, and the entrance of the Thunder World is also there."

"He he he, I said Big Brother is awesome!" Mu Lingshan's big eyes glittered and sparkled as she stared at Xiao Ming with admiration.

"Indeed, Senior's cultivation is profound. Even with my strength, I cannot sense the depth of his capabilities. The central area may be somewhat dangerous, but I believe it won't pose much of a challenge to him."

Zuo Fei also smiled, but suddenly, his body began to emit a brilliant lightning glow. Faintly, an extremely violent fluctuation slowly emanated from him.

"Haha, it is all thanks to this Senior that I am able to regain my consciousness this time. I'm deeply grateful, but I have nothing to repay your great kindness. The only thing I can do is to offer this remaining body of mine."

As Zuo Fei's body turned bright and resplendent, a thunderbolt core approximately three meters large gradually condensed and took shape within the resplendent glow. The lightning energy it contained was undoubtedly much richer than those previously obtained.

"Sigh…" Xiao Ming sighed as he watched Zuo Fei disappear.

Zuo Fei had been dead for too long, and his soul was not very strong. He had barely managed to maintain his consciousness through the erosion of the demonic marking. Xiao Ming would have rescued him if he could, as he admired those with unwavering determination.

However, the laws of life and death in the Tian Xuan Continent were somewhat different from those in the Dou Qi Continent. There was reincarnation on the Tian Xuan Continent, so at least Zuo Fei had not completely dissipated; he would have another life.

...

In the depths of the Thunder Palace, there was a vast expanse of silver-colored earth, the edges of which could not be fathomed. On the surface of the earth, if one were to look closely, one would see lightning streaming through it like snakes slithering about. Seen from a distance, it appeared like a gorgeous and magnificent lightning sea.

At this point, the earth of the lightning sea was covered with deep ravines. These ravines were about ten kilometers deep, and their bottoms seemed unfathomable. Moreover, they appeared in fantastic oddities of all kinds that didn't seem to be naturally formed. They looked more like... scars left by an earth-shattering battle.

This was the key battlefield of the terrifying great battle at the Thunder Palace, where the Thunder Emperor had fought the Yimo King.

"Where's that Thunder Hall?" Scanning her surroundings with her big eyes, Mu Lingshan suddenly spoke out doubtfully.

"The Thunder Hall isn't on the ground, but above the thunderclouds…"

Xiao Ming glanced at the ruins of this battlefield before gazing up at the sky. Thick storm clouds were hovering at that spot. Boundless and enormous fluctuations were faintly discernable as they radiated from that spot.

Above the thunderclouds, an indescribably magnificent Thunder Hall stood silently.

"It's actually in the sky?" Upon hearing Xiao Ming's reply, amazement flashed uncontrollably in the girls' eyes.

Xiao Ming led the girls to the Thunder Hall as he gently pushed forward with his palm. Immediately, the hall's doors, which had been shut tightly for thousands of years, thundered open.

Three silver rays, resembling lightning bolts, burst forth from the Thunder Hall with a destructive force the moment its doors opened. Their primary target was naturally Xiao Ming, the one who had unlocked the Thunder Hall.

These silver rays were, in fact, three silver figures whose entire bodies were covered with dark and evil demonic markings. Sinister and powerful black qi continuously radiated from them, causing the temperature of the land to drop quite a bit.

They were once three strong practitioners at the Perfect Profound Death Stage. Alongside Zuo Fei, they were known as the Four Great Thunder Kings under the Thunder Emperor. They had also been eroded by Demonic Qi like Zuo Fei. However, they couldn't withstand the erosion as he did and had lost their consciousness, thus turning into puppets.

Xiao Ming sent three flames into the bodies of these puppets with a wave of his hand. As the Demonic Qi dissipated, three rays of spiritual light freed themselves from within the figures. The three puppets then turned to ash and vanished into the world.

Continuing forward, they entered the main hall of the Thunder Palace. The large hall was extremely spacious. At first glance, it appeared as though it was thirty thousand meters in size. A person was as tiny as an ant when standing in it. Its majesty and grandeur appearance caused one to involuntarily feel some fear and respect.

Inside the large hall, there were many large stone pillars. A light cluster with a lightning glow flickering on it was suspended above all the stone pillars. Within these light clusters, vague outlines of scrolls, weapons, and various treasures could be discerned. These items, all spiritual treasures and martial arts, immediately caught the attention of Ying Huanhuan, Mu Lingshan, and Qing Tan.

"There are so many treasures here!" Mu Lingshan exclaimed with wide eyes as she gazed at the clusters of light above the large stone pillars. The fluctuations emitted by these items were quite powerful.

Xiao Ming nodded his head. However, he didn't even pause at these treasures. Instead, he directly locked onto the deepest part of the hall, where a three-hundred-meter large stone statue stood.

The right hand of the statue was holding onto a silver scepter. There was a continuous lightning glow flowing out from the scepter, giving it an extremely brilliant appearance. Moreover, a powerful fluctuation was radiating from this scepter.

With a simple gesture, Xiao Ming claimed the scepter, which immediately erupted in a dazzling display of silver lightning. But just as quickly, the lightning faded. It seemed to have subdued itself to its new master.

This scepter was made of some unknown materials. It was completely silver in color. Countless obscure and complicated lightning symbols were carved on it. These lightning symbols flashed, appearing like numerous majestic lightning bolts.

At the top of the scepter, eight lightning dragons were roaring towards the sky. At the center of these dragons was a palm-sized silver thunderbolt. Traces of lightning arcs flashed from it before passing through the eight lightning dragons that covered the entire scepter.

"The Lightning Emperor Scepter, a fine weapon indeed, though it holds no value for me."

Xiao Ming said as he held the Lightning Emperor Scepter. With a gentle wave, thousands of thunderbolts whistled out, intertwining and swirling around him, yet causing no harm to anyone else.

'Big Brother looks even more handsome now!' The Mu Lingshan trio stared at him with sparkling eyes. At this moment, he appeared like an emperor commanding the power of thunder, walking through a tempest of lightning.

With a slight gesture, the Lightning Emperor Scepter shot a lightning bolt towards the stone statue of the Thunder Emperor that stood before them.

Chi Chi!

As the lightning bolt struck the stone statue, a silver glow instantly enveloped it. The space behind its chest began to distort slowly, forming a gradual, swirling spatial vortex.

As the spatial vortex near the chest of the stone figure slowly took shape, upon closer inspection, one would be able to see lightning sparks dancing within it. In the next instant, an indescribably ancient and boundless aura faintly radiated out.

"The entrance to the Thunder World," Xiao Ming said as he observed the vortex. "You three stay here and take the treasures for yourselves. I'll go in and be back soon."

With that, Xiao Ming held the Lightning Emperor Scepter and transformed into a ray of bright light. Despite the constant barrage of lightning bolts roaring toward him, he remained nonchalant as he approached the spatial vortex and eventually disappeared into it, leaving behind three pairs of bright and expectant eyes…