Although enduring the pain took everything out of Du Shaofu, still, he felt his body was transforming due to the impact of the violent lightning energy. Thus, how could he give up and waste such an opportunity!

“Refining the Golden Plumage!”

The Lightning Pool surged, and the ripples made ‘chi~la~la’ sounds in the milky white waters. Du Shaofu let out a loud growl, bright golden light burst out from his body with vague runes swirling around.

In the golden light, a Golden-winged Garuda’s shadow emerged, creating the impression that it was a Garuda in the Lightning Pool instead of Du Shaofu; arms waved, splashing against the milky white substance.

“Honglong~long!”

The lightning in the pool broke out in frenzy!

Du Shaofu gritted his teeth, experiencing pain that the average people were unable to endure. The bones, muscles, and meridians within his body was being tempered under the scorching hot lightning, becoming stronger, firmer, and full of explosive power.

Everything was undergoing significant changes, changing as Du Shaofu sat half submerged in the Lightning Pool………..

“It has been nine days… how is he so strong, there has never been anyone that could pass the ninth day.”

On the square outside the odd ancient structure, streaks of lightning shot across the building from time to time. Doubt was in Ye Baolin’s eyes as he looked at the old building.

According to rumors, a long time ago, there was an extraordinary ancestor who came out from the An Family, and that person also entered the Lightning Pool but only lasted for seven days. Once the effect of the Impedance Lightning Dan disappeared, there was no way that someone could withstand the energy and pressure in the Lightning Pool without any assistance.

Despite that, this Du Shaofu spent nine days inside. This already broke the highest record of seven days!

“The improvements that happened on his body are too much to count.” Ye Zhijin said.

Ye Baolin shifted his posture to the side to look at his beloved daughter, “He is able to stay in the lightning pool for nine days, it's simply unbelievable. I suspect he did not go all out during the last competition. He is far stronger than what we had imagined.”

“Then, the matter where we coerced the Du Clan to stand on our side, whether it is a blessing or a curse, if the Du Clan……” For a long time, Ye Zhijin suddenly said, and a certain emotion rippled across her eyes.

“Houuuuu……..!!”

Before Ye Zhijin finished her sentence, a loud roar cut through the tranquil square. A terrifying atmosphere swept out from the ancient building, shaking the streaks of lightning.

Ye Baolin and Ye Zhijin’s expression changed instantly.

Watching the unstable lightning fluctuations, a somber expression was on Ye Baolin’s face, “Seems like the Lightning Ancestor can’t hold on much longer; really can’t hold on much longer….”

……………………..

In the surging Lightning Pool, Du Shaofu constantly absorbed the lightning power to quench his body; pale golden light surrounded Du Shaofu as a python size lightning continued to lash on Du Shaofu’s body.

“Chi~la~la!”

Although the lightning was strong and tyrannical, it gradually became weaker against the golden light as if all the energy inside the pool was absorbed away by Du Shaofu.

Borrowing the power of lightning to forge his body; on Du Shaofu’s part was an act of absolute self-torture. Throughout the nine days he was in the Lightning Pool, his body received tremendous pressure every second in addition to the terrifying lightning strikes.

Despite the pain, Du Shaofu could feel that his body was changing as if being reborn, from his muscles, bones, meridians, not to mention his aura had become increasingly stronger, and sturdier.

The milky white substance in the pool also contained a huge amount of energy that was beneficial to cultivation as Du Shaofu felt signs of a breakthrough.

On the tenth day, when the barrier of breakthrough had been loosened, the lightning energy in the pool suddenly became weaker.

In just a few breaths’ of time, all the flashing lightning in the pool had vanished as if Du Shaofu alone had squeezed clean all it had.

“Hula~~!”

With the sudden dissipation of the lightning energy, the breakthrough signs that Du Shaofu experienced was stalled and gradually weakened. The bright golden light of the physique refining process around him also dimmed down and dissipated.

All movements around the Lightning Pool ceased.

Du Shaofu slowly opened his eyes and looked around the cave.

“Just a little bit more, if there is a fraction more of lightning I can breakthrough in cultivation and advance to the second stage of physique refining law.”

A trace of loss emerged on Du Shaofu’s face, from the changes in his body and fluctuations, he just needed a little more time, and he could’ve advanced.

Unfortunately, the energy within the pool had dissipated, and from the looks of it, he was the one who absorbed everything.

“Obviously a human, yet his body exuded a trace of our beast clan atmosphere. Fine, for I cannot last long anyways; I shall lend you a hand.”

Out of nowhere, from the inner depths of the Lightning Pool, a vicissitude voice sounded.

“Who?”

Du Shaofu was instantly wary, eyes surveyed around the cave; he had never noticed someone else’s presence in the cave.

“Honglong~~!”

Just as Du Shaofu’s voice sounded, the calm Lightning Pool started to roll and surged, and python-thick lightning started to flash again. The energy and pressure once again rushed towards Du Shaofu.

“Honglong!!”

The fluctuations from the Lightning Pool became stronger than the past ten days, oppressive as it enveloped Du Shaofu.

The sudden surge of lightning made Du Shaofu grit his teeth in preparation; if it was an iota stronger, he would probably be thrown out from the pool.

“Could it be the rumored…. Continue to practice…”

Du Shaofu was dazed for a moment when he felt the changes and fluctuations in the pool. After a moment of hesitation, he quickly formed handseals and entered practice mode.

“Chi~la~la!”

Once again Du Shaofu was shrouded in a pale golden glow, golden runes flickered and the lightning streaks in the surrounding were pulled towards Du Shaofu like a magnet, becoming even more turbulent, and fierce.

But the moment they entered the area of the golden glow, the raging disappeared like it became a part of the calm sea.

In the Lightning Pool, the surface rolled in waves as lightning zigzagged.

Silver lightning rumbled in the huge cave, lighting up the cave space.

Once again, a ball of lightning was formed around Du Shaofu, inclusive of the golden light inside.

The darkness of the night blanketed Stone City.

Silvery moonlight weaved and shined on the land as the twinkling stars scattered in the night sky. Like a king it encompassed all living things with its glory, however, there was something in the air, that was ready to erupt.

“Roar!!!”

Beast roar resounded in Stone City’s quiet night, rousing the hundred thousand residents from their sleep.

In recent days, sounds of beast roars became more frequent, a trace of vicissitudes was present in the voice as though it came from a time beyond, carrying indescribable sadness.

“It could no longer hold on? Has it reached its final struggle…..”

Somewhere in Stone City, a silhouette stood in a pavilion with a look of anticipation like he had been waiting countless of years for this.

On the peak of a mountain, a silhouette stood straight with his hands behind his back, he looked back and said to someone, “The great existence in the Ye Family is close to… go and inform the Liuyun County’s Cao Family. We are prepared to act.”

Somewhere near a lake, an elderly figure stood, looking at the Ye Family’s direction, and mumbled lightly, “The time is finally here, peace will be disrupted…..”

In the Du Clan’s compound, the little wildcat sized Demonic Scale Tiger tilted up its little head, staring in the direction of the beast roar, golden lights flickered in its eyes showing desire and longing.

“Don’t think too much, your bloodline is not too bad, perhaps, you will encounter your path in the future. That existence in the city has too many people vying for it, in the end, it’s just scooping water with a bamboo basket, an effort in vain ah. That level of existence; not everyone can afford to take advantage of it.

Leaning back into the wicker chair, Du Tingxuan’s eyes were intoxicated as he stared at the sky; taking a swig off his wine jug, he mumbled to himself yet it sounded like it was intended to the Demonic Scale Tiger. Crouching tigers and hidden dragons are in little Stone City, it seems like there’s a good show coming.”

His words faded in the end, and snoring sounds were heard; turns out, Du Tingxuan had fallen into a drunken stupor.

A fluctuation rippled across the Demonic Scale Tiger as it stared skywards, then, it lightly came beside the wicker chair and laid down, joining Du Tingxuan in his sleep.

“Hou!!’

Another three days passed, and in these three days’ time, deafening beast roar became even more frequent, carrying a trace of unwillingness and helplessness, raising sympathy in the hearts of the Stone City residents.

A sense of unease hit the residents, for none of the common people knew what was happening; thinking if it was related to the beast tide from the Wild Beasts Mountains, hoping that the Five Families would send someone to find out something about it.

What baffled them the most was that the Five Families were calm and silent since the beast roars started.

“Hou!!!”

One night, at the darkest hour, beast roar thundered through Stone City, shaking Stone City as if something terrifying was moving.