Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Divine physical strength, fundamental comprehension... these are the foundations to reaching higher realms. The allure of the Thunder Source Heart is enough to drive any Chaos Ruler mad.

In an instant, the Origin Continent was in turmoil.

Many ancient monsters who had lived in seclusion for years, detached from worldly affairs, broke free and emerged, their auras stirring up the chaotic void. Some low-profile, solitary rulers also revealed their sharp fangs.

……

The Starbone Elder is an ancient being whose true form is a special life form called the "Starbone Beast".

He had already reached the peak of the Chaos Realm, with an extremely high level of cultivation, but he was stuck at the last step. His divine body strength and willpower were difficult to improve further, and he had been searching for a breakthrough opportunity for countless years.

He lives in seclusion deep within the "Sea of ​​Buried Stars," a secret place formed by countless ancient star remnants, and has recently become famous for his "astrological divination techniques."

When news of the Thunder Source Heart arrived, the ancient star chart floating in front of him suddenly burst forth with unprecedented brilliance, and countless star trails intertwined wildly, ultimately pointing towards the Thunder Ancient Kingdom.

"The bloodline of the progenitor... the leap of life... my path is complete!" The old man of the Stars exclaimed with wild joy on his withered face. His immense will swept across the Sea of ​​Burial Stars in an instant, stirring up countless fragments of stars, which transformed into a stream of light that traversed the Milky Way and left this place.

The chaotic air currents along the way were pushed aside by this terrifying pressure, forming a vacuum channel.

……

Originating from the eternally silent ice cap in the far north of the continent, the ice cap is so cold that the flow of time is almost frozen.

Xuan Yin Niangniang is a special life form born of nature and nurtured by the essence of matter. She is known for her terrifying methods of freezing all things and freezing time and space.

Because of a heartbreak in her early years, her heart was as cold as ice. She lived in seclusion there and was also stuck at the peak of the Chaos Realm. Her understanding of the material world had reached perfection, but she was suffering from the limitations of her divine body due to its origin. It was too yin and soft and lacked strength, so she could never cross the last threshold.

The Thunder Source Heart contains the supremely yang and powerful thunderous essence, which is the ultimate opportunity for her to temper her divine body, make up for her shortcomings, and even achieve a balance of yin and yang to reach a higher realm.

At the core of the eternal ice cap, on the unmelting throne of Xuanbing, the Xuan Yin Lady suddenly opened her tightly closed eyes, and deep within her pupils seemed to be an endless ice storm brewing.

She stretched out her jade-like hand and gently touched it. The vast, eternally silent ice sheet groaned under the weight, and the terrifying cold air was forcibly contained within her.

The next moment, a streak of icy blue light tore through the ice cap, carrying a chill that seemed to freeze the ages, and also rushed toward the Thunder Kingdom.

Wherever it passed, the chaotic void condensed into a path of ice crystals spanning billions of miles.

……

The Master of Qiyun Palace is a notorious lone demon who proves his Dao through slaughter. His cultivation technique, the "Qiyun Demon Scripture," requires devouring the essence and soul of powerful individuals to advance.

He was extremely eccentric and violent, and vindictive. He offended top powers by devouring and plundering, and had been hiding in a dangerous place called "Guixu Dark Nest" for many years. Although he was the ruler of chaos, his divine body was left with indelible Dao injuries during that desperate escape, and his potential was almost exhausted.

The bloodline sublimation and divine body tempering effects of the Thunder Source Heart were his only hope for prolonging his life and breaking through.

In the deepest, unpredictable depths of the Ruins of Return, lies a palace constructed from countless skeletons and vengeful spirits.

The Palace Master of Qiyun Palace is currently refining the million True God Blood Slaves that his subordinates have captured from the wilderness, absorbing their essence and blood. This is merely a drop in the ocean and does not help his cultivation at all; it can only satisfy his appetite.

When news of the Thunder Source Heart reached his ears through special channels, his crimson eyes flashed with a terrifying blood-red light, and he let out a chilling, maniacal laugh: "Hahaha, heaven is on my side! The legacy of an ancient kingdom? Perfect for strengthening my foundation! Anyone who dares to stand in my way will be killed without mercy!"

His body was filled with overwhelming demonic energy, which transformed into a blood-red cloud that blotted out the sky, carrying endless malevolent energy, and soared into the heavens.

His route was filled with bloodshed, and he casually slaughtered weak and idle cities or tribal strongholds along the way, turning them into his life essence.

……

These three are just the tip of the iceberg.

There are many more low-profile but incredibly powerful beings... all sorts of people, whether righteous or evil, arrogant or gloomy, have been unleashed from the silence of endless years by the bombshell that is the "Heart of Thunder Source".

The entire Thunder Kingdom instantly became the center of the storm.

The majestic Thunder Mountain is the true core of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, resembling a giant thunder spear piercing through the chaotic void.

From afar, it appears to be just a solitary peak, but once you step inside, you'll discover its vast and boundless interior, like an independent universe. Countless folded spaces of time and space, like layers of crystal crystals, are inlaid on the main body of Thunder Mountain. Each space-time is permeated with a different thunderous aura, sometimes violent, sometimes majestic, sometimes full of vitality, together forming one of the most dangerous and mysterious sacred places on the Origin Continent.

The nine largest and most stable core spacetimes, like nine eternally shining purple stars, float atop Thunder Mountain, radiating an aura of majesty that governs all spirits.

That was the residence of the nine supreme emperors of the Thunder Ancient Kingdom.

At this moment, in one of the core timelines—

Inside the Heavenly Light Realm.

There was no raging thunder here, but rather a world enveloped in a soft yet omnipresent purple-gold light. The sky was like pure amethyst, flowing with eternal radiance.

On the earth, rivers of liquid lightning flow, and strange plants that absorb the essence of lightning grow.

A palace, not particularly grand, but entirely constructed of divine light and lightning crystals, floated in the center of the world, emanating a gentle yet restrained terrifying aura.

This is the residence of Emperor Tianguang, one of the nine great emperors.

Inside the main hall of the palace, the light was so soft it was almost tangible.

On a massive throne carved from a single piece of Warm God Thunder Jade, a being leaned against the throne.

He was tall and slender, shrouded in a seemingly ordinary but actually pure white robe woven from endless lightning. His face was blurred, as if enveloped in a flowing halo, making it impossible to see his true features. Only his eyes, like two condensed white stars, flowed with a divine radiance that seemed to understand the world and control all things.

He simply sat there casually, and the surrounding space and time naturally distorted and worshipped him, as if he were the absolute core of this world of light and thunder.

The Heavenly Emperor. He toyed with a small universe in his hand that was constantly changing shape and emitting a low hum. It contained a vast number of royal descendants, who could only emerge from among eternal true gods.

This move was learned from Emperor Xuan of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom. In terms of ruthlessness, even the emperors of the Leiting Ancient Kingdom, who cultivated the Hunyuan bloodline and occasionally lost control, were no match for those people from the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom.

However, it must be said that confining a massive number of races into a miniature universe instantly reduced the resources consumed by 99%. And those races who could achieve eternal true godhood in the 'harsh' environment of the miniature universe were indeed all exceptionally talented geniuses. Investing resources in their cultivation would not be wasteful and would be much more efficient.

The area beneath the main hall was not empty.

A towering figure, nearly three zhang tall, covered entirely in heavy, dark purple armor with only two points of crimson lightning visible beneath his helmet, knelt on one knee, head bowed deeply, like the most loyal rock. He exuded a terrifying aura of a god-king, like a lurking ancient thunder beast; the occasional arcs of electricity leaping across the surface of his armor could easily tear apart a chaotic ruler.

He was none other than Thunder Nightmare God King, a trusted general under the Heavenly Light Emperor and the commander in charge of the "Heavenly Light Realm's" external conquests and many other affairs.

"Is everything arranged?" Emperor Tianguang's voice rang out, not loud, but clearly echoing in every ray of light in the hall, carrying a kind of languid air of looking down on all living beings.

“Reporting to Your Majesty.” Lei Yan’s voice was like the clash of metal, powerful and resonant, containing thunder. “The entrance to the ‘Thunder Punishment Abyss’ has been fully activated, and the power of the ‘Nine Heavens Thunder Prison’ is steadily increasing, expected to reach its peak in a hundred epochs. Six preliminary ‘Thunder Refining Platforms’ have been selected in various parts of the capital, the Heart of Thunder Source has been placed in the core of the abyss, and the causal attraction has been laid out, enough to attract the chaotic rulers of all sides.”

"Good." Emperor Tianguang nodded slightly, and the miniature universe at his fingertips leaped, reflecting the scene of countless powerful auras from the outside world swarming in like sharks smelling blood.

"How is the recruitment of the Chaos Realm going?" Emperor Tianguang's tone was calm and even, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.

"Your Majesty, the effect is excellent." A cold glint flashed in Lei Yan's crimson lightning eyes. "The Heart of Thunder Source is renowned throughout the Chaos, drawing out those with considerable strength, those whose potential is nearing its end, or those with lofty ambitions. Like the Starbone Elder, aged and frail, his divine body decaying; the Mysterious Yin Lady, her path of cultivation twisted, her Yin and Yang unbalanced; the Palace Master of Miracle Fortune, her foundation destroyed, vicious and bloodthirsty… These are all desperate individuals, willing to risk everything for a single opportunity. The twelve external slots are enough to make them fight tooth and nail, killing each other. Those who survive to step onto the 'Thunder Refining Platform' will possess superior strength and character, making them the perfect choice for the charge on the long front between our Ancient Kingdom and the Flame Wind Ancient Kingdom!"

“Desperados…” A faint smile seemed to appear on the corner of Emperor Tianguang’s lips. “Very well. Yanfeng has been very aggressive lately, and has reinforced its troops on the southern front. The more cannon fodder, the better. Tell them that those who are recruited by my ancient kingdom will receive merit in addition to the opportunity of the Thunder Source Heart, which can be exchanged for the secret treasures of the ancient kingdom’s treasury.”

"Your Majesty is wise!" Lei Yan lowered his head even further. "Where there is great profit, there will be brave men! Especially for those old monsters whose potential has been exhausted, making up for the lack of breakthroughs is more tempting than any promise, enough to drive them mad on the battlefield."

"What about the royal family?" Several young, arrogant figures with exceptionally powerful bloodlines appeared in the lightning projection at the fingertips of Emperor Tianguang, their bodies shrouded in either rich or pure primordial energy.

These are all exceptionally talented individuals among the 'young generation' of the Thunder Royal Family.

"The six princes are ready," Lei Yan announced. "Prince Lei Hao shows clear signs of ancestral bloodline reversion, possesses the aura of a thunderstorm, and has a fiery and unyielding temperament. His combat prowess is unparalleled among his peers. Prince Lei Xuan is meticulous in thought, his thunder magic is exquisite and subtle, and his control over it is extremely strong. Prince Lei Yue..."

These six are not the first-class marquises corresponding to the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom. Their status in the Leiting Ancient Kingdom is slightly lower because there are still marquises above them who are stronger and more ancient!
However, this does not mean they are not noble. In fact, the Thunder Ancient Kingdom has nine emperors who govern nine lineages, and the six princes this time are the best of the new generation among the six lineages. Each of them has only reached the Chaos Realm for less than ten thousand years, and they are still very 'fresh'. The opening of the Thunder Source Heart event is also because these six have laid a solid foundation and can try to go further, as well as recruit soldiers for building their own teams later.

“Lei Hao is fierce, Lei Xuan is agile, Lei Yue is resilient…” Emperor Tianguang’s fingertips crackled with lightning, as if he were manipulating six chess pieces. “Hmm, they are among the promising talents of our royal family this generation. Tell them that the Heart of Thunder Origin is both an opportunity and a whetstone. If they cannot even suppress those desperate outsiders, or even perish within it, then it proves that they are not worthy of bearing the name of the progenitor, and their deaths are justified.”

"We will obey His Majesty's decree!" Lei Yan said in a deep voice. "The six princes have all been warned and will not dare to slack off."

"That's good then." Emperor Tianguang seemed somewhat disheartened, and the small universe in his hand dissipated. "Go, keep an eye on things. Anyone who tries to disrupt the trial or spy on core secrets... kill without mercy. Be especially careful of those rats from the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom; they'll try to burrow as soon as they smell blood."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Lei Yan stood up, the clash of his dark purple armor producing a muffled thunderous sound.

……

Xuanhu City, quiet room.

The dense Daoist aura of destruction, like solidified ink, filled every inch of space, yet was restrained by an invisible force, without leaking out in the slightest. Xu Yang's true form sat cross-legged in the void, his mind focused, carefully comprehending the deeper mysteries of the pseudo-realm of destruction—the annihilating true meaning of "all things returning to nothingness"—by drawing upon his experience in the battle against the projection of the Blood Prison Great Sage's will.

Suddenly, his mind stirred slightly, and a shared memory, originating from the same source, traversed endless time and space, transmitting to him. It was a stream of information from the white jade clone rooted in the eastern region of the Origin Continent.

The information stream not only contained detailed announcements about the battle for the "Heart of Thunder Source" in the Thunder Ancient Kingdom, but also included the shock and discussion among various forces in the Eastern Extreme Region. The scene of countless powerful auras surging towards the Thunder Ancient Kingdom seemed vivid in everyone's mind.

"Heart of Thunder Source... True Essence of Bloodline Origin... Tempering the Divine Body..."

Xu Yang suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes in the quiet room.

Deep within his eyes, a dormant vortex of destruction was instantly ignited, bursting forth with unprecedented blazing light. It was as if two dormant stars had reignited their core fire.

"Divine Body Tempering! Bloodline Essence Refinement!"

These eight words resounded like thunder deep within his soul!
One of his strongest reliance now is this top-tier Chaos Divine Body, which has been transformed by the Primordial Qi and possesses boundless potential! However, as the system panel once indicated, this divine body is like an unpolished gem, and its true ultimate potential has not yet been fully unleashed! He needs a higher level of tempering method and an opportunity that can propel his life essence to a further leap!

And this "Heart of Thunder Source" points directly to the core!

What's more important is——

The system panel, which was suspended deep within his consciousness and visible only to him, also began to tremble violently at that moment.

[Warning lifted: High-energy life force fluctuations consistent with the 'Hunyuan Bloodline' guidance path detected!]

[Source identified: Thunder Kingdom, 'Heart of Thunder'!]

[Fluidity Characteristics Analysis: Contains the primordial imprint and true essence of the laws of a portion of the bloodline of a higher-level primordial life form!]

[Compatibility Assessment: High!]

"As expected!" Xu Yang's eyes gleamed. "The clues about the Hunyuan bloodline guided by the system are in the Thunder Ancient Kingdom! This Thunder Origin Heart is one of the key keys to unlocking the subsequent path."

Ecstasy and resolve filled my heart in an instant.

All previous insights gained from meditation were left behind; at this moment, nothing was more important than this opportunity.

"We must fight with all our might for the Heart of Thunder!" Xu Yang suddenly stood up, his body surging with destructive Daoist energy, the space in the quiet room silently twisting, annihilating and then regenerating.

But then, a serious problem arose.

How to participate? (End of Chapter)