Back on the second level, Lin Yun was still seated by the Hundred Treasure Lake as lightning spread across his body like tree branches. Under the tempering of the lightning, the membrane had grown denser in color and had even become purple.

The lightning energy contained in the Profound Lightning Bead was too terrifying. If Lin Yun didn’t have a good foundation in his physique, he would be in danger when refining the bead. But even so, Lin Yun still felt an aching pain coming from his meridians. Then again, this was nothing compared to the pain he felt previously when he was refining the Azure Dragon’s blood.

As lightning energy endlessly flowed into his body from the bead, the Iris Flower in his violet palace underwent some changes. Aside from nourishing his physique and strengthening the Azure Dragon Enneaform, the lightning energy also merged with his origin energy. After just half a day, Lin Yun discovered that his cultivation had been strengthened a great deal.

This was shocking because Lin Yun hadn't made any progress in his cultivation after reaching the greater Yang stage. So Lin Yun couldn’t help rejoicing about these changes. As lightning flickered, Lin Yun’s expression became grave as he fell into deep thoughts. At the same time, he circulated the Iris Sword Sutra to merge his origin energy with the lightning energy.

By circulating the Iris Sword Sutra, his origin energy swiftly merged with the lightning energy. Countless bolts of lightning drizzled down like lightning in his violet palace. But as the two merged, Lin Yun could sense that his origin energy was becoming even more refined at a rapid speed.

“Interesting… My foundation wasn’t stable because of the rapid increase in my cultivation from before. I never imagined that refining the lightning energy from the Profound Lightning Bead could stabilize my foundation.” Lin Yun could sense that his origin energy had grown even denser in such a short while.

As time gradually passed, the energy surging from the Profound Lightning Bead became even more ferocious, seemingly trying to tear his body apart.

Looks like I have to take this opportunity to improve my Azure Dragon Enneaform to the third stage… Lin Yun muttered inwardly with a grave expression. If he couldn’t make a breakthrough in his physique, he wouldn’t be able to refine the Profound Lightning Bead and there was naturally no way he could give up on it.

Circulating the Azure Dragon Enneaform, Lin Yun constantly guided the lightning energy from the Profound Lightning Bead to the few meridians that signified the third stage.

Whenever the lightning energy crashed with his bottleneck, Lin Yun’s body would jolt violently. When he repeated it for the ninth time, Lin Yun threw up a mouthful of blood as he could feel the aching within his body. But Lin Yun had joy on his face as he could sense that his bottleneck had been shaken.

Calming himself down, a ruthless expression flashed on Lin Yun’s face as he endured the pain of the lightning energy frantically pouring into his meridians. The entire palace began to tremble violently as rocks fell down from the ceiling.

Four hours later, a brilliant dragon roar echoed from within his body once he started feeling numb. Finally, he broke through the last meridian and the Azure Dragon Enneaform successfully reached the third stage.

Pure lightning energy coursed throughout Lin Yun’s body before being absorbed by his internal organs. At the same time, the insides of his body were stained with purple from the lightning. With that, his blood, flesh, skin, and bones had undergone a transformation.

At the same time, the ancient lightning runes on the surface of his body began to squirm as they gathered towards his heart like a creek flowing into a lake. When all the lightning runes gathered on his heart, a dazzling lightning radiance lit up like the sun.

When the light dissipated, a dragon mark was imprinted on his chest that emitted a faint dragon aura. As his heart throbbed, the mark would also beat like it had a life of its own.

Lin Yun let out a breath as he opened his eyes and a powerful aura spread out from within his body. The aura itself was at least two to three times stronger than it was before he refined the bead.

“This is the Azure Dragon Mark?” Lin Yun fell into deep thoughts. With a thought, the Azure Dragon Mark on his chest lit up and spread out on the surface of his body in the form of lightning runes. When it covered his entire body, his skin turned purple and looked like metal.

The membrane had undergone a total transformation. When Lin Yun clenched his fist, he could feel the power coursing through his body.

Azure Dragon Enneaform–Duoform!

Letting out a bark, Lin Yun punched the ground and cracks began to spread out on the ground. Shortly after, lightning began to crackle as the solid ground that once withstood the ordeal between the three Yin-Yang stage cultivators was reduced to ashes.

The entire palace trembled for a long time before it calmed down. Looking at the surroundings, Lin Yun was shocked and excitement was in his pupils. He was confident that he could face someone in the pinnacle lesser Yin-Yang stage even without using his sword. “This is the power of the Azure Dragon Enneaform–Duoform?”

If he faced the two chiefs from the Three-Eagle Stronghold again, he was confident that he could heavily injure them with just a punch. He was also confident that he could take their lives with just three moves. Aside from the great boost in strength, Lin Yun was surprised to find a total transformation in the armor. Previously, it was a skin-like membrane, but now, it had completely merged with his skin. More accurately, it could be called the Azure Dragon Battle Physique.

“It’s time for me to head to the third level,” said Lin Yun calmly. Now, he was confident that he could face everyone using the Azure Dragon Mark. He wouldn’t have to be afraid of them even if he faced them all at once. What he had to be concerned about was the Thundercloud Treasury.

Meanwhile, Feng Wuhen and Master Gu were anxiously waiting at the core region of the third level. The Blood-Devour Demonic Canon might be tempting, but they didn’t dare to make a move recklessly, especially since Feng Wuhen had a taste of the consequences.

That pair of crimson pupils made him plunge into hell and caused his blood to freeze. When he was sent flying, he could even feel that his soul had been injured. Sitting on the ground, Feng Wuhen opened his eyes impatiently, “Still nothing?”

The Three-Eagle Stronghold could only rely on Leng Xiangyun, so it was natural that they would be a lot slower than Master Gu and Master Fu. Although Feng Wuhen knew this, he still couldn’t help feeling impatient.

Suddenly, the stone gate opened up, which made Feng Wuhen and Master Gu’s eyes light up. But when they saw who it was, they couldn’t help looking disappointed because it was only Bloodwolf and Master Fu.

“The Blood-Devour Demonic Canon!” Bloodwolf became excited with greed when he looked at the floating demonic canon.

“I advise you to stay where you are,” said Feng Wuhen.

“What are you trying to do now?” Bloodwolf recovered from his excitement and looked at Feng Wuhen with doubt. If Feng Wuhen was already here, why didn’t he claim the Blood-Devour Demonic Canon?

“Take a look at it yourself,” said Feng Wuhen as he pointed at the altar.

When Bloodwolf and Master Fu saw the inscription, Bloodwolf began to curse, “What the hell? Is Lei Yunzi fooling around with us even after his death? We’ve already come so far, so how are we going to find a Pure Yin Physique for him?”

The journey here wasn’t easy and Bloodwolf couldn’t be blamed for being angry when he saw the Blood-Devour Demonic Canon that he wasn’t able to obtain.

“Tsk tsk, Pure Yin Physique. Who says that we don’t have this around?” Feng Wuhen smiled. Looking at the curiosity on Bloodwolf’s face, Feng Wuhen said, “You’ll see after the Three-Eagle Stronghold’s men are here.”

“The Three-Eagle Stronghold?” Bloodwolf and Master Fu exchanged a glance before they both exclaimed, “That lass?! That old geezer has really hidden it well!”

Then, the stone gate opened once more as the Three-Eagle Stronghold’s men came out. Bloodwolf and Feng Wuhen instantly turned to look at Leng Xiangyun with a peculiar smile that frightened Leng Xiangyun.

“What are you two trying to do?” Chief Leng barked cautiously.

“You don’t know what we’re trying to do?” Feng Wuhen mocked.

Chief Leng began to feel uncertain. But when he looked at the altar, he had a rough idea of what was going on.

“Old geezer, don’t tell me that you really brought your biological daughter just in case the altar happened to need a Pure Yin Physique. I don’t believe in such coincidences,” said Bloodwolf coldly.

“F-father, are they telling the truth?” Leng Xiangyun trembled as her face turned pale.

“Xiangyun, I raised you for over ten years. I have feelings for you, but this is your fate,” sighed Chief Leng.

Leng Xiangyun’s face became ashened when she heard that and she began to tremble. She never imagined that this would be her outcome.

“So it really was the case!” Bloodwolf and Feng Wuhen looked at Leng Xiangyun with greed in their eyes. This made the naive and innocent young lady look like a helpless lamb.

“There were some artisans who built the Thundercloud Treasury who managed to escape. You’re not one of them, right?” Feng Wuhen looked at Chief Leng curiously.

“No, all those people died. However, I was the one who killed them. I just didn’t think that that demon would try and kill me. I served him for my entire life, but he tried to kill me with the Blood Curse before his death.” Chief Leng had a reminiscent look on his face as he began to get emotional, “But he didn’t expect that I would manage to survive the curse despite the ordeal!”

Bloodwolf and Feng Wuhen we're stunned because they clearly didn’t expect that Chief Leng was a servant of Lei Yunzi. All of a sudden, the last stone gate opened and Lin Yun entered.