Rat in Yellow Wind Ridge, rising from plundering entries

Chapter 22 Initiation into the Path of Thunder! The Demon King’s Might—A Gathering of Beasts!

Yellow Wind King fused [Devour (Purple)], but since he already had [Swallow (Blue)], a subordinate entry, the fusion did not result in any noticeable change.

Stepping forward, he exerted his strength, lifting the Thunder Toad’s massive corpse, weighing dozens of tons, and carried it to the shore. With each step, the ground trembled.

As he cultivated and purified his bloodline, his strength had far surpassed that of ordinary demons. On the distant ridges, various demons observed from afar.

“Strange… since when did Yellow Wind Ridge have a demon king? And he actually killed that lightning-spewing toad!”

At the foot of the mountain, Yellow Wind King lit a massive bonfire. Stretching out his claws, he activated [Molten Gold Body], allowing him to absorb metallic qi, fortifying his bones and claws. His claws, already razor-sharp, gleamed with a golden glow, resembling divine blades that could pierce metal and stone.

Approaching the Thunder Toad’s corpse, he began cutting it apart—a treasure trove for any refining master.

“Its skin is highly toxic—inedible! First, I’ll extract its poison glands. They can be refined into potent weapons, and the hide can be crafted into leather armor.”

“The meat, however, is filled with spiritual energy—nourishing qi and blood, comparable to the Celestial Banquet of dragon liver and phoenix marrow! Roast it!”

“Its tendons carry innate thunder power—perfect for crafting bow strings. Just what I need for my Thunderwood Divine Bow!”

“They’ll be ideal for training in ‘Thunder Roaring Archery’.”

“The bones are incredibly dense and naturally infused with spirituality—excellent for refining weapons, bows, and arrows.”

“Its tongue? A perfect material for a whip.”

“Its eyes enhance vision—eating them could refine a third eye, improving my dynamic vision!”

“The stomach acid can temper metals—it already holds divine iron and rare stones within.”

“And its stomach itself? I could refine it into a Spatial Pouch!”

Spatial Pouches were highly sought-after treasures among immortals, capable of storing objects—or even people. A must-have for travel.

Yellow Wind King butchered the Thunder Toad with expert precision, stripping meat from bone.

“Ah-ha! Found it—the Thunder Gland!”

Hanging from the giant skeletal remains, the massive, deep-purple gland, taller than a man, crackled with arcing electricity. Yellow Wind King’s eyes burned with desire. Since he couldn’t obtain [Innate Thunder Control (Gold)], he’d take another approach—consuming thunder-based treasures to cultivate his own lightning imprint.

Opening his maw wide, he devoured the Thunder Gland whole.

Zzzzzt!

Electricity exploded in his mouth!

In an instant, his fur stood on end, his entire form resembling a white puffball crackling with arcs of lightning.

Zzzzz…

Suppressing the initial electric shock with his formidable physique, he activated [Devour (Purple)], allowing his stomach to absorb the gland’s boundless thunder energy. Focusing intensely, he guided the thunder energy into his demonic core, attempting to inscribe a lightning rune upon it.

He was bypassing the Heavenly Court’s forbidden laws—not cultivating the Five Thunder Techniques of Heaven, but instead using the Thunder Toad’s innate thunder body to develop his own thunder imprint.

If he could engrave a lightning imprint, he would be able to command and wield lightning. And even if Heaven’s Thunder Department descended to question him, he would have a solid excuse. This was fate!

The greatest opportunities lay in fate itself. Since the Heavenly Court claimed the mandate of Heaven, how could they argue against it? The Thunder Toad had clearly devoured an enormous amount of thunder energy.

Even with [Devour (Purple)], it still took three full days to fully digest the Thunder Gland. For anyone else, it would have taken three to five years!

Finally, his demonic core had successfully inscribed a lightning rune, marking his entry into the Thunder Dao!

Currently, Yellow Wind King’s demonic core bore three fundamental runes.

Moon Rune

Gold Rune

Lightning Rune

These three represented his core cultivation paths. He would nurture his divine powers through these runes, refine his body and spirit, and eventually surpass three great tribulations to achieve the Grand Celestial Rank of the Supreme Immortal!

Opening his eyes, he flipped his claws, summoning a spark of lightning that danced across his fingertips.

Raising his palm, he struck forward.

Crack!

A lightning bolt shot out, snaking through the air for over ten zhang before striking the lake’s surface.

BOOOOM!

A thunderous explosion sent massive waves rolling across the water!

Thunder techniques were notoriously lethal. Among demon clans, it was said that Heaven’s Thunder Department was the most fearsome of all, filled with arrogant and battle-hardened warriors.

Yellow Wind King retrieved his Thunderwood Divine Bow, nocking a sharp arrow, and channeled lightning along its shaft.

Crackle!

Electric arcs surged.

Whoosh!

The arrow streaked across the sky, crackling with thunderous force, piercing through the air for ten thousand zhang, before exploding against a distant cliffside.

BOOM!

A massive section of rock shattered and tumbled down the mountainside. This stunned the gathering demons who had come to watch.

“A true Demon King!”

“Such might!”

Excited murmurs spread among the crowd.

News of the Thunder Toad’s death and Yellow Wind King’s rise had already traveled far, drawing numerous demons from across the region. Yellow Wind King gazed at the surrounding mountains.

Then, he simply sat down, igniting a roaring fire, and roasted the Thunder Toad’s flesh. The meat was rich in spiritual energy, immune to decay for centuries. However, the longer it sat, the more its spiritual essence faded—so it was best to eat it fresh!

Sizzle…

The fragrance spread far and wide.

Splash!

A ripple disturbed the water’s surface. A golden carp emerged, floating within a water sphere, its round eyes blinking as it stared hungrily at the roasted meat.

Drooling.

“You want it raw?” Yellow Wind King asked.

The carp shook its head.

Laughing, he tossed a chunk of roasted leg meat into the water sphere. The carp devoured it in one gulp—then stared at him expectantly. Feeding it felt like tending to a pet dog or cat.

After eating dozens of pieces, the carp let out a satisfied burp, wriggled happily, and returned to the lake to digest the meal. It had grown up accustomed to being served!

Yellow Wind King also ate his fill, though the mix of spiritual energy and violent demonic qi made it difficult to fully absorb.

“Demonic Qi? Perfect for training the Earthly Fiend Transformations!”

Forming seals, he began cultivating ‘The 72 Earthly Fiend Transformations’, delving deeper into demonic transformations.

Yellow Wind King was startled.

“Fusion of these entries leads to upgrades?”

“That easy?”