I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

We passed through the South Heavenly Gate, which still reeked of the "Abyss Stinky Tofu" smell.

The scene before them plunged everyone in the car into a brief silence.

They imagined they would see magnificent palaces shrouded in mist and clouds.

But the reality is... this place is more like a [suffocatingly sophisticated server room].

Look around.

There were no clouds, only countless blue-glowing data transmission strips, like highways in the sky, interwoven into a huge network.

The so-called "Thirty-Three Heavens".

In reality, it's... [a massive, stacked array of thirty-three servers].

Each layer is like a giant circuit board continent, suspended in a vacuum orbit.

Countless golden heat dissipation towers stood tall, releasing waste heat into space and creating the illusion of "ethereal mist".

And in those server grids.

There are no gods.

There are only one... [life support capsule].

Or you could call it... [Brain Jar].

Hundreds of millions of brains, submerged in nutrient solutions and connected by tubes, are immersed in the "paradise" woven for them by the Heavenly Path AI, contributing their computing power.

This is the truth about ascension.

This is—the Heavenly Server.

……

"That's disgusting."

Nezha sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window at the densely packed brain jars.

The Samadhi Fire in his eyes pulsed even more intensely.

"Is this the immortality they're after?"

"It's become a mining rig for AI to mine cryptocurrency?"

"Still the kind where you have no sensation."

Jiang Li gripped the steering wheel (because Er Gou had just gotten carsick, and he was driving now), his expression calm.

"For some people."

"As long as the dream is realistic enough, there's nothing wrong with using it as a battery."

"but……"

Jiang Li stepped on the gas.

The Treant's engines roared as it evaded several patrolling "electronic dogs".

"For people like us who enjoy the 'real' feeling (of eating)."

"This place is simply... hell."

……

"Warning! Warning!"

Alice's voice suddenly became urgent.

"High-energy electromagnetic reaction detected..."

"Ahead... we've entered the [Raiden Restricted Area]."

"That's... the Heavenly Court's main substation."

"Boom!"

The voice just fell.

The once calm sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds (actually, it was an electromagnetic storm cloud).

Countless thick bolts of purple lightning, like giant pythons, weaved through the clouds.

In front.

Blocking the way to the core of the Heavenly Dao is a massive palace composed of countless Tesla coils.

[Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin of Thunder and Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable's Mansion] (Thunder Command Center).

This place controls the energy supply and punishment system of the entire Heavenly Court.

……

"You audacious monster!"

"How dare you trespass!"

A roar like thunder shook the glass of the Tree Demon.

Followed by.

The gates of the thunder palace opened.

A giant slowly walked out.

He was a hundred feet tall, and his body was not made of flesh and blood, but of blue light composed of high-energy plasma.

He was clad in heavy, black and gold insulating armor and had a third eye on his forehead (actually a [Heavenly Punishment Laser Cannon]).

He held two roaring... [Lightning Whips] in his hands.

And behind him.

Also following them were twenty-four [Thunder Gods] (high-ranking mechanical warriors) carrying "Thunder Drums" (sound wave generators).

[BOSS: Wen Zhong (Lei Zu)]

[Position: Minister of Energy of the Heavenly Court / Supreme Executive Officer of the Thunder Department.]

[Form: Plasma Energy Body / Absolute Lightning Controller.]

[Realm Level: Mid-stage Nascent Soul.]

……

"Wen Zhong..."

Nezha's gaze turned complicated when he saw the giant.

"Grand Tutor."

"Have you turned into this grotesque state too?"

"They're even abandoning their bodies, turning themselves directly into electricity?"

Wen Zhong's eyes, brimming with plasma, stared coldly at Nezha.

Nezha.

"Your rebellious data."

"The Way of Heaven has bestowed upon us an eternal form of energy; this is evolution!"

"You don't understand the greater good!"

"Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven and completely... [demagnetize] you!"

Shila-

Wen Zhong's third eye on his forehead lit up.

"Divine Firmament - Thunder Purgatory!"

boom!!!

The space within a radius of a hundred miles was instantly submerged by a purple sea of ​​lightning.

This is not just ordinary lightning.

This is the [Purple Heaven Divine Thunder] (Antimatter Annihilation Thunder).

……

"not good!"

"The vehicle's insulation layer has been breached!"

"Engine (Tree Spirit) overload!"

Alice screamed.

Although the Tree Demon had evolved after being hit by lightning, it was still somewhat unable to withstand the arrival of the Thunder Ancestor of this level.

The vehicle began to shake violently, and pieces of the dragon scale armor on its surface charred and peeled off.

"get off!"

Jiang Li jerked the steering wheel and stopped the car behind a huge floating meteorite.

Everyone jumped out of the car.

Nezha rushed out immediately.

"Old man! Watch out for your gun!"

The Fire-Tipped Spear unleashed a burst of flames, colliding with Wen Zhong's Thunder Whip.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Firelight and lightning intertwined.

But it's clear that Nezha is at a disadvantage.

This is Lei Bu, Wen Zhong's home turf.

Countless Tesla coils around him were continuously charging Wen Zhong.

His energy is limitless!

"it's useless!"

Wen Zhong laughed wildly, and the thunder whip in his hand transformed into thousands of electric snakes, tightly binding Nezha.

"Here, I am electricity, I am light!"

"Who can kill me?!"

……

"Electricity? Light?"

Jiang Li hid behind the meteorite, holding a frying pan to block the splashing electric arcs.

He looked at the lightning giant, whose entire body was glowing, its temperature was extremely high, and it was impossible to get close to it.

His brows furrowed slightly.

"This thing... is hard to eat."

"It's all energy, it has no physical form."

"It will explode if touched."

"Boss."

Odin stood beside him, holding his shield, his hair standing on end from the electricity (turning into an afro).

"This old lamp is amazing!"

"Physical attacks are ineffective! Hitting him is like hitting thin air!"

"Besides, the voltage is too high; if you get too close, you'll be cooked!"

"They'll get to know each other once they get closer..."

Jiang Li repeated the sentence.

Sudden.

His eyes lit up.

It was as if he had come up with a brilliant recipe.

"yes."

"Since he is an energy body, he is high voltage electricity."

"Then we can't use ordinary cooking methods."

"We need to use... [braising]."

"Simmer?" Odin was bewildered.

"That's right."

Jiang Li looked at Wen Zhong as if he were looking at a free-range, overly energetic chicken.

"For this type of ingredient with firm texture (high energy density) and prone to becoming dry (explosive)."

"The best way."

"Just wrap it up."

"Wrap it up with mud."

"Let its own heat cook it."

"This is called—Beggar's Chicken."

……

"Beggar's chicken?"

"But where did the mud come from?"

"This is outer space!"

Jiang Li smiled.

He glanced at Odin.

"Don't you still have a lot of [Pixel Blocks] in your backpack?"

"Those blocks are absolute insulators."

"and……"

Jiang Li then took out the divine artifact he had just subdued—the [Hun Tian Ling]—from his backpack.

"We also have the best... [lotus leaf] (wrapping material)."

"Odin! Heed my command!"

"Let's give this Lei Zu... a spa treatment."

……

On the battlefield.

Nezha was being electrocuted and his body was smoking; he was about to collapse.

"You little brat! Prepare to die!"

Wen Zhong raised his thunder whip, preparing to deliver the final blow to Nezha.

Just then.

"Hey! Old Lamp!"

Look here!

A tiny figure suddenly teleported above Wen Zhong's head.

It was Jiang Li.

He was holding a red "cloth" in his hand.

Here, have some clothes to wear!

"The Heavenly Silk Sash! Go!"

wow-

The Hun Tian Ling instantly grew larger, transforming into a giant red net that blotted out the sky.

When the hood is down.

"Hmph, just a mere rag..."

Wen Zhonggang wanted to burn it with lightning.

But he forgot.

The Hun Tian Ling not only has extremely high physical defense, but it is also... [insulated].

More importantly, it can block signals.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The Hun Tian Ling instantly enveloped Wen Zhong's enormous body.

He severed his connection with the surrounding Tesla coils.

"What?! Charging interrupted?!"

Wen Zhong was startled.

"Odin! Seal the clay!"

Jiang Li shouted loudly.

"Here we go!"

Odin had already prepared everything.

He unleashed his divine power, acting like a mad bricklayer.

Countless brown [pixel blocks] flew out from his hands.

"Pixel Sealing Technique - [Dump Truck Technique]!"

Boom boom boom!

Countless earthen blocks were precisely attached to Wen Zhong's body, which was wrapped in the Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon).

layer.

Two layers.

Three floors.

In the blink of an eye.

That once invincible lightning giant was now encased in a thick layer of pixelated earth, becoming...

Huge, brown, square... [a large mud ball].

……

"How dare you! Let me out!"

Wen Zhong's furious roar came from inside the mud ball.

"Boom! Boom!"

He unleashed a torrent of lightning inside, attempting to blast open the earthen crust.

but.

Pixel clay is a regular product that does not conduct electricity or heat.

The more lightning he puts inside, the more heat is generated.

And this heat... cannot be dissipated.

It all bounced back onto him.

"It's hot...so hot..."

"My core temperature... is overloaded..."

Inside the mud ball, Wen Zhong's voice began to grow agitated.

"Add more fire!"

Jiang Li landed on the large mud ball.

He took out the [Wind and Fire Wheels].

"Nezha! You come too!"

"Use the Samadhi Fire to roast it!"

"good!"

Although Nezha didn't know what Jiang Li was going to do, he was a professional at setting fires.

call--

The Wind-Fire Wheel and the Fire-Tipped Spear simultaneously spewed out raging flames.

They started grilling that big mud ball like crazy.

……

in space.

An extremely bizarre scene unfolded.

A giant cube of mud, 100 meters in diameter, is suspended in a vacuum.

Two people set up a fire on top to barbecue.

Inside the mud ball, muffled thunder rumbled.

That was Wen Zhong struggling, and also... being "cooked".

"Sizzle sizzle..."

Ten minutes later.

White smoke began to rise from the cracks in the mud ball.

A strange fragrance wafted out.

That's not the smell of meat.

It's more like... the smell of ozone mixed with caramel.

This is a special aroma produced after high-energy plasmas are compressed and condensed.

"That's about it."

Jiang Li extinguished the flames.

"The heat is just right."

"It'll get too tough if you bake it any longer."

He raised the frying pan in his hand.

Facing that huge ball of mud.

"Dinner's ready!"

boom!

Put it all in one pot.

The pixelated clay shell, which had already been burned to a crisp, cracked instantly.

slam-la-

The soil clods peeled off.

Inside, Wen Zhong, who had shrunk considerably, was revealed.

Wen Zhong at this time.

He is no longer that raging blue giant.

He transformed into an energy body that was only the size of an ordinary person and was entirely golden in color.

He was curled up (bound by the Hun Tian Ling).

The lightning on his body was no longer dazzling, but became gentle and restrained.

It's like a freshly made... [Lightning Amber].

【Dish Name: Beggar's Chicken (Energy Amber)】

[Rank: Top-tier Heavenly Grade]

[Description: Utilizing the "self-heating principle," it locks the raging power of lightning within the body. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, it melts in your mouth. Consuming it grants "Lightning Spirit Root" or increases lightning resistance by 99%.]

……

"It's... cooked?"

Odin looked at the golden "Wen Zhong".

He swallowed.

"Master...I...I didn't lose..."

Within that golden energy body, a faint fluctuation of Wen Zhong's consciousness emanated.

"I'm just...familiar..."

"It smells so good..."

"Even I... think I smell good..."

As a dish, Wen Zhong lost his fighting ability.

But he gained... the dignity of being food.

……

Nezha.

Jiang Li pointed to the "Lightning Amber".

"This stuff is very nutritious."

"You were shocked quite a bit just now, this is a good thing to help you recover."

"Is it really edible?"

Nezha hesitated.

After all, he was the old Grand Tutor.

"Don't worry, it's just an energy body."

"Eat him, and you will gain access to the Thunder Department."

"Only then can we get through this."

Nezha nodded.

He walked up to Wen Zhong.

"Grand Tutor."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll take your share... and we'll fight our way up."

Nezha reached out and pressed his hand on the golden energy body.

"Star-Absorbing Technique... no, Devour!"

hum-

Golden lightning energy surged into Nezha's body along his arm.

Nezha's originally crimson flames began to change.

It turned into... [purplish-red lightning and fire].

His aura surged once again.

He broke through directly from the peak of the Nascent Soul stage to... the Divine Transformation stage.

……

"belch--"

Nezha let out an electrified burp.

"It tastes good."

"It's a bit like... popping candy."

He waved.

The surrounding Thunder Gods (mechanical warriors), who had lost their masters, instantly ceased their attack.

They sensed the supreme authority aura belonging to "Thunder Ancestor" emanating from Nezha.

They all knelt down.

"Greetings... New Lei Zu!"

……

"Done."

Jiang Li patted the dirt off his hands.

We boarded the Tree Demon again.

"Next stop."

"That must be the core of the Heavenly Court—the Lingxiao Data Center."

"There……"

"There's probably an even tougher guy waiting for us."

Jiang Li looked at the tallest tower in the distance, which was radiating white holy light.

There is one there...

【Sky Eye】.

They were being watched coldly.

"Erlang Shen..."

"Yang Jian".

"I wonder about his dog..."

"Between Er Gou and me, who's more like a dog?"

"Woof?"

Er Gou in the back seat suddenly sneezed.

"Boss, I feel like someone is insulting me."