Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Without any hesitation, Xueyin prostrated himself deeply before the image of the Heavenly Emperor, his forehead touching the ground. His voice, filled with genuine emotion, said, "Disciple Xueyin is honored by the Emperor's kindness in dispelling my confusion and pointing out the path ahead! I am foolish and ignorant, but I wish to become the Emperor's disciple, to receive your teachings, and to cultivate the Great Dao! I would gladly die for you!"

The radiant light of the Heavenly Emperor nodded slightly, a satisfied smile seemingly emanating from the pure lightning. "Good."

Guangying raised his finger, and a wisp of pure lightning, as thin as a hair yet indescribably clear, silently entered Xueyin's brow, like the first ray of dawn.

In an instant, Xueyin felt a cool and gentle force, yet containing boundless purification and vitality, flow into his sea of ​​consciousness.

This force did not forcibly suppress the ferocity of the Abyss Devourer, but rather, like the purest spring water, gently washed away the slight ferocity and restlessness he had acquired from devouring, making his divine sense clearer, purer, and more resilient.

At the same time, a profound Daoist concept about the "purification," "cleansing," and "nurturing new life" of thunder was deeply embedded in his understanding, like a seed.

"This is a wisp of the true essence of 'Purifying Lightning,' which can help you stabilize your mind and resist the backlash of devouring. It is also the beginning of your comprehension of the creation of thunder." The voice of Emperor Tianguang echoed in Blood Shadow's sea of ​​consciousness. "Hold my token and wait outside the Holy City 'Purifying Light Heaven' in three days. Once you enter my sect, you must remember: the way of thunder lies in 'transformation,' in 'absorption,' and in rebirth after destruction. Your devouring may be the extreme of destruction, but after reaching the extreme, you should think about the beginning of rebirth."

The light and shadow gradually thinned: "Your 'Abyss Devourer' has begun to possess sentience, with boundless potential. Treat it well, guide it. When you find your own 'Sheath of the World,' it will be your 'Blade' for creating the world. Take good care of yourself."

As the words faded away, the figure formed from the purifying lightning completely dissipated in the quiet room.

The sense of openness in the space also disappeared, and the quiet room returned to its original state.

Only Xue Yin remained in the prostrate posture, a pure lightning mark faintly visible between his brows. In his hand, a token that was neither gold nor jade, but flowed with a warm white light, appeared out of nowhere. On the front of the token was a pure lightning mark, the very symbol of the Heavenly Light Emperor.

Xueyin slowly rose, holding the token that still carried a trace of warmth. He felt the coolness and guidance brought by the wisp of world-cleansing lightning in his sea of ​​consciousness. Then he looked at the Abyss Devouring Blade, which was quietly floating beside him and seemed to have lost some of its ferocity and gained some of its deep composure because of the wisp of world-cleansing lightning. His heart was filled with turmoil.

The Emperor's gates were finally opened to him.

This is not only the highest honor, but also the most solid and precious "foothold" in this land of origin where the strong prey on the weak.

The difference between having a foothold and not having one is like heaven and earth.

The former signifies protection, inheritance, resources, and guidance to a higher realm, while the latter signifies groping alone, an uncertain future, and the possibility of becoming a stepping stone for others at any time.

“Jingguangtian…” Xueyin silently murmured the name in his heart. Without delay, his figure transformed into a condensed dark purple lightning bolt in the quiet room, following the pure guidance in the token, tearing through space and heading away.

Traversing the endless thunderous realm, space becomes fragile under the protection of the Emperor's Token, allowing one to roam freely in the skies above the Holy City.

Head straight to Thunder Mountain.

When Xueyin set foot on solid ground again, the scene before him shook him to his core.

There was no thunderous roar or scene of destruction as I had imagined.

Before me lay a vast and boundless world of "light".

The sky is not the firmament, but rather composed of flowing, pure, and translucent liquid purifying lightning, like an inverted, calm, and waveless pure sea of ​​light, radiating a gentle and eternal glow that illuminates everything. The earth is not soil either, but rather paved with warm, jade-like white light crystals, giving one a strange tactile sensation of stepping on substantial light.

The air was filled with a vitality so rich it was almost tangible; every breath felt like a cleansing of the soul, nourishing even the slightest damage to the body.

As far as the eye can see, there are no majestic palaces, only "mountains of light" and "springs of light" of various shapes, yet harmoniously unified, formed naturally from pure light streams, flowing with gurgling liquid purifying lightning.

This is the Pure Light Heaven, one of the nine great imperial dojos of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, belonging to the Heavenly Light Emperor.

There is no destructive tyranny, only a vast atmosphere of purification, rebirth, and all-encompassing nature.

Blood Shadow calmed his mind, suppressed the instinctive alarm bells that Abyss Devourer felt upon entering an unfamiliar environment, and, holding the token, followed the directions to the edge of the most expansive and tranquil "Field of Light".

The pure lightning mark on the token lit up on its own, resonating with the world around it.

Silently, the space in front of him parted to the sides like ripples on water, revealing an upward-extending staircase made of pure light crystals.

At the top of the steps, the outline of a palace, constructed entirely of flowing, purifying lightning and radiating a soft glow, appears and disappears.

Blood Shadow took a deep breath and stepped onto the crystal staircase.

With each step he took, ripples of pure light spread from the crystal beneath his feet, washing away the dust and aura around him. Even the subtle battle marks on his Myriad Tribulations Thunderscale Armor appeared more subtle and profound in the radiance. The Abyss Devouring Blade also emitted a deep hum, and the rotation of its three reverse scale vortexes seemed to slow down, bathed in this pure world of light.

Stepping into the Hall of Light, the interior space is even more expansive and profound than what is seen from the outside.

The palace dome resembled a flowing galaxy, a manifestation of the pure, primordial laws of lightning. At the center of the hall was not a cold throne, but a vast "pool of light" formed from liquid, purifying lightning. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the lightning galaxy of the dome. The figure of the Heavenly Emperor sat cross-legged in the center of this pool of light.

At this moment, he is not an incarnation of his mind, but his true form has descended!

He was tall and slender, with a refined and thin face. His eyes were like two warm and gentle suns, containing the wisdom to see through all things and embrace all phenomena.

He was dressed in simple white linen clothes, and there was no earth-shattering pressure around him. Yet he seemed to be the embodiment of the entire Pure Light Heaven, and even a part of the origin of the Thunder Dao. He was natural, harmonious, and unfathomable.

"Disciple Xueyin pays respects to the Emperor Master!" Without the slightest hesitation, Xueyin walked to the edge of the pool of light and, as if pushing down a mountain of gold and a jade pillar, bowed deeply with the utmost respect.

His forehead touched the cool, smooth, crystalline ground, and his voice was filled with heartfelt awe and excitement.

"Rise." The Heavenly Light Emperor's voice was gentle, like the radiance flowing from the Pure Light Heaven itself, calming all restlessness. His gaze fell on Xue Yin, with scrutiny and even more so, satisfaction. "In the battle of the Thunderfire Crystal Forest, you displayed your brilliance, living up to your reputation as one of the top ten in Chaos. But do you know that excessive brilliance is easily broken, and easily harms oneself?"

Xueyin rose and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides: "This disciple is dull-witted, please enlighten me, Master."

"Your path uses devouring as its blade, shattering all laws to nourish itself; this is its 'sharpness.'" Emperor Tianguang spoke slowly, each word like a purifying thunderclap, striking directly at Xueyin's Dao heart. "However, the 'sharpness' needs a 'sheath' to contain it, so that it can be controlled at will without harming itself; after destruction, it needs the power of creation to be able to be endlessly regenerated and endlessly cyclical; beneath its unparalleled ferocity, it needs the principle of ultimate gentleness to be able to flow and change, becoming impenetrable. This 'sheath,' this 'creation,' this 'ultimate gentleness,' are the deeper 'transformation' and 'absorption' of the Thunder Dao."

His gaze swept over the Abyss Devourer beside Blood Shadow: "This blade is an extension of your will, a manifestation of your path. It is fierce and domineering, with devouring as its essence. It has already begun to possess spirituality and has boundless potential. However, its devouring power is also a double-edged sword. When I observed you fusing your bloodline and forging this weapon, your own will was already integrated into it. This is its 'soul,' but its 'form' and 'momentum' still need guidance in order to bear your future, even more vast, thunderous path."

As the Heavenly Emperor spoke, he extended his right index finger and gently tapped the void.

hum!
A point of pure, purifying lightning condensed from his fingertip, not shooting towards Blood Shadow, but disappearing into the pool of light beneath him.

In an instant, the tranquil pool of light seemed to have been struck by a pebble, emitting a soft yet magnificent glow.

Three treasures, each with a different shape and emanating a different aura, slowly rose from the center of the boiling pool of light and hovered in front of Xue Yin.

The first burst of light was a strange crystal formed entirely of countless leaping, extremely fine purple lightning runes.

Inside the crystal, there seemed to be a miniature universe that was constantly being created and evolving into countless forms of lightning—there was the destructive divine lightning that shattered stars, the creative lightning that nourished all things, the space-ripping lightning blade that tore through the void, the annihilating cold lightning that froze time and space, and countless other lightning forms that were ever-changing and contained different laws and true meanings.

As soon as it appeared, the thunder laws throughout the entire Pure Light Heaven seemed to resonate with it, emitting a deep hum.

"This is the 'Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison'." Emperor Tianguang pointed to the thunder rune crystal, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity. "This is one of the core inheritances of the royal family of our Thunder Ancient Kingdom, pointing directly to the ultimate realm of the Thunder Origin Dao! It is not an ordinary secret manual, but a 'seed of inheritance' condensed from the Thunder Origin Dao patterns! It contains all the myriad changes and billions of evolutionary possibilities of the Thunder Dao, encompassing everything, and can be said to have exhausted the transformations of thunder! All the mysteries from the Chaos Realm to the first and second levels of God King, and even to the ultimate third level of God King, are contained within it!"

He looked at Xueyin with piercing eyes: "Your absorption can be the 'sharp edge' of thunder, but to achieve the Great Dao, you must understand the 'transformation' of thunder and master its 'absorption.' The 'Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison' is the fundamental method for you to construct your own thunder 'world sheath,' evolving countless thunderbolts and containing the sharp edge of your absorption! Refine this Dao seed, communicate with it through your divine sense, and it will automatically evolve the thunder form and profound laws most suitable for your comprehension based on your current realm and understanding. However, this Dao seed is as vast as an abyss, difficult to comprehend, requiring great perseverance and wisdom, and even more so, the purification of the mind with the light of the world-cleansing thunder to resist the impact of the Dao patterns, otherwise you will easily get lost in the illusions of countless thunderbolts, and your Dao foundation will collapse!"

Blood Conceals the Mind and Spirit!
"Ten Thousand Tribulations Thunder Prison", the inheritance seed of the ultimate realm of the Thunder Dao!

It was not merely a guide, but a thunderous Dao treasure containing endless possibilities—it was practically the key to the ultimate realm of the God-King! He suppressed his excitement and bowed deeply: "Disciple thanks Master for bestowing upon me the true teachings of the Great Dao! Disciple will surely protect my mind and spirit with the Pure World Thunder Light, and exhaust all my strength to comprehend this Dao!"

This one secret technique alone is not enough to be measured by the amount of merit points one has, because it is impossible to obtain this royal secret technique without becoming an apprentice of the Emperor.

The second burst of light was a strange book woven from countless emerald green, vibrant lightning vines. The vines were not physical entities, but rather a manifestation of the fusion of pure life Dao patterns and the laws of lightning. As the pages opened and closed, one could almost hear the vigorous sounds of plants growing and all things flourishing, radiating a vast and boundless power of life creation.

"This is the 'Azure Thunder Creation Scroll'." The Heavenly Light Emperor's voice flowed like a fountain of life. "This is also a secret royal secret, directly pointing to the ultimate realm of the Great Dao of the Origin of Life. It uses the masculine force of thunder and lightning as a catalyst to create the mechanism of creation, explaining the supreme truth that life is conceived from annihilation, reborn from destruction, and transformed into strength under the baptism of thunder. Cultivating this scroll will make your divine body as resilient as an ancient tree reaching for the sky, indestructible through countless eons; your divine soul as tenacious as an ever-renewing vine, broken yet reborn; and you will also comprehend the wonder of the fusion of the origin of life and the creation of thunder, nurturing your own world after devouring destruction, transforming external forces into vitality. This path can be your 'sharp edge' for devouring, finding the 'sheath' for bearing and transformation, laying the foundation for your future Dao domain's life."

Xueyin's gaze fell on "The Azure Thunder Creation Scroll".

The boundless vitality and creative power of life made his divine body instinctively feel comfortable. However, at the very moment that this life force permeated his mind, the ferocious instinct originating from the bloodline of the Devouring Thunder Dragon and the greedy will of the Abyss Devouring Blade to devour everything in the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness were like a lake surface tossed with a stone, rippling slightly.

The ripples were extremely subtle and were instantly smoothed out by the World-Cleansing Lightning Mark between his brows, but they gave Blood Shadow a sudden sense of alarm!
Inherently incompatible?!

The essence of the Devouring Thunder Dragon bloodline is the ultimate in devouring and plundering; it is a ferocious beast that destroys all laws. The "Azure Thunder Creation Scroll," on the other hand, contains the Way of Creation, which is perpetually generating life and nourishing all things; it is the power of creation and protection.

These two are like ice and fire, naturally opposed!
Although Emperor Tianguang had lofty ambitions, intending to use the creation of life as a "sheath" for the Devouring Blade, to temper its ferocity and lay the foundation for the Dao Domain, Xue Yin was more aware than anyone of the ferocity of his bloodline.

Before one can tame their bloodline, forcibly fusing with the life Dao, which contains powerful vitality, may strengthen the foundation of the divine body. However, under the constant scouring of the vast life Dao and the fierce struggle of one's own devouring instinct, it is highly likely that not only will it fail to harmonize, but it will also intensify the ferocity of the bloodline and trigger a deeper backlash.

Just like dropping water into a pot of boiling oil, the consequences are unpredictable!
In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Blood Shadow's sea of ​​consciousness.

Refusing the ultimate secret technique bestowed by the master? This requires immense courage and is a questioning of the master's judgment. However, if one accepts it, there are serious hidden dangers, and it may not be a blessing!

Just as Emperor Tianguang was about to introduce the second treasure, Xueyin suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint flashing in his dark eyes. He bowed deeply again, his posture extremely respectful, but his voice carried a barely perceptible tension: "Disciple kowtows to thank Master for his generous gift! Master, considering my path of cultivation, bestowed upon me the supreme true teachings of the Great Dao of Life. Disciple is deeply grateful!" He first expressed his deepest gratitude, then changed the subject, his tone carrying a sincere inquiry and a hint of trepidation, "However... Disciple dares to make a presumptuous request, hoping for Master's holy judgment!" (End of this chapter)