Chapter 120: The Consummation of the Lightning Body

"Please stand guard for me. I intend to cultivate; this place has a suppressive effect on one's cultivation realm, which is perfect for my needs."

Chu Han smiled slightly, and Duanmu Menger naturally had no objections. In fact, she fully agreed with his reasoning, knowing that cultivation under pressure allows for more rapid advancement in strength.

Chu Han sat cross-legged on the ground and picked up a piece of lightning-struck wood to begin his practice. Duanmu Menger sat opposite him, watching him unblinkingly, her mind filled with curiosity about what kind of person he truly was.

As time passed, the pieces of lightning-struck wood were one by one absorbed by Chu Han until they became nothing more than ordinary pieces of timber. Given his current level of power, a palm-sized piece of lightning-struck wood could not provide much of a boost, so he had to rely on sheer quantity.

With the shattering of the final piece, a surge of incredibly powerful energy erupted from Chu Han’s body, only to be suppressed again by the effects of the secret realm. Nonetheless, his strength was no longer what it once was. Although he remained at the Divine Bridge Realm, he sensed that had he been in the outside world, he would have already advanced through the five palaces of the Dao Palace realm. These pieces of lightning-struck wood had propelled him up by two minor stages, leaving him genuinely delighted.

However, the fifth palace of the Dao Palace realm was a bottleneck, and further cultivation would not be so simple. He had fifteen lightning-tribulation stones remaining, but even if he used them all, he would not be able to enter the sixth palace, so he decided to save them for now.

Furthermore, his "Lightning Body" had reached completion. This meant that he could manifest the effects of lightning through his physical form alone—a feat unheard of in the cultivation world, making him truly unprecedented.

Chu Han felt the power within his body and nodded in satisfaction. Yet, a lingering doubt remained: where were the transcendent, prestigious sects? All he had encountered here were smaller sects.

The two quickly departed, fearing that the larger sects might reach the ultimate treasure first. They returned to the main hall they had initially entered, only to find that the branching paths had vanished, leaving only a single route. It turned out the other paths were illusions designed to lead intruders into dead ends; this was the only path that truly led into the depths of the secret realm. They rushed inside and emerged into another grand hall, which was already crowded with people.

The transcendent sects, such as the Fire Dragon Valley, were all present. They were isolated from the rest, and no one dared to provoke them, while the smaller sects huddled together in their own groups.

Those who had previously clashed with Chu Han did not dare to meet his gaze. Soon, a group of people stepped forward to confront him. "So, you are the one who struck down members of various sects and plundered their lightning-tribulation stones? You seem a bit too arrogant, don't you think?"

Chu Han was slightly taken aback by the challenge; he hadn't expected anyone to look for trouble at such a moment. However, he felt a faint sense of excitement. With his Lightning Body now perfected, he wanted to see just how strong he had become.

"I did it. So what?" Chu Han sneered, the corners of his mouth curling upward in disdain. He looked at the eight men before him with utter contempt. He then cast a dismissive glance at the surrounding crowd, prompting several other sects, offended by his attitude, to encircle him.

The sects that had previously fought him held back. They weren't fools; knowing Chu Han's strength, they had no intention of throwing their lives away. They were more than happy to watch him being swarmed by others. These new challengers were not to be underestimated; while they were not on the level of the Fire Dragon Valley, their strength was still formidable. They had been swayed by the exaggerated tales of those who had lost to Chu Han, and greed had taken hold—after all, they knew he possessed many lightning-struck woods and other treasures.

"Then I shall kill you!" one of them shouted, charging forward. The others followed suit, as these sects were competitive and none wanted to see another claim the treasures on Chu Han’s person.

The great sects like Fire Dragon Valley remained idle. To them, they had the dignity of major factions to maintain; they would not strike out recklessly, as they cared deeply about their reputation. They had no interest in this petty squabble and waited in silence, not even sparing the combatants a second glance.

Chu Han remained unflustered by the attacks coming from all directions. He threw a punch, meeting the fist of the leading brawler head-on. At that moment, a powerful surge of lightning erupted from Chu Han’s fist, coiling around his opponent.

The attack shocked them all. How could someone only at the Divine Bridge Realm unleash such a potent qi-based attack? They did not realize that Chu Han’s physical body itself now possessed the properties of lightning.

This display drew the attention of the great sects. Even the masters of Fire Dragon Valley glanced over, surprised. They had dismissed Chu Han as a mere clown, yet his true strength was astonishing.

Chu Han charged into the crowd, striking with incredible speed. His opponents could not track his movements, and within moments, the ground was littered with fallen bodies.

"Chu Han, these people belong to mid-level sects. You cannot let them go. While they cannot compare to a powerhouse like the Taiyi Sect, their combined strength is not to be trifled with," Duanmu Menger cautioned.

Chu Han had not initially intended to kill them, but at her reminder, he nodded. These sects were different from the small ones he had dealt with before; their strength was significant, and sparing them would only invite future trouble.

His expression turned cold and ruthless. Just as he was about to deliver the final blows, he suddenly felt a wave of vertigo and lost consciousness.

When he came to, he found everyone standing within a new secret realm. This realm seemed to be inverted—they were walking on the ceiling while the floor was above their heads, with stones and debris floating overhead.

The chamber was dimly lit. Only those who had remained standing were transported here. Each group occupied its own area, and soon, Chu Han saw them beginning to dig into the ground.

Chu Han and Duanmu Menger wasted no time. Even without proper tools, these experts found the digging easy. Before long, people began to make discoveries: rare medicinal herbs, high-grade pills, and even a suit of soft armor that radiated strong defensive energy.

Seeing everyone else finding treasures, Chu Han worked harder. Soon, Duanmu Menger unearthed a sparkling, pinkish crystal that glowed with a brilliant light, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

"It's a Jade-Splitting Crystal. You are incredibly lucky!" Chu Han congratulated her with a smile. Among all the items he had seen today, hers was the most precious. The Jade-Splitting Crystal was invaluable for anyone attempting to cross into the Yin-Yang Realm.

Chu Han’s own smile was somewhat bitter, as he had dug up nothing so far. Frustration welled up within him, but just as he continued his efforts, a short-sighted individual approached them.

"Little girl, hand over that Jade-Splitting Crystal. I will trade this item for it. You are so young; you are still a long way from the Yin-Yang Realm. This is useless to you—why not trade with me?"