Swallowed Star: Lord of the Wolf

Deep within the Marquis's mansion lies the martial arts training ground.

A middle-aged man, nearly three meters tall, with a bare, muscular upper body, his muscles bulging like coiled dragons, and his skin bronze, was throwing a punch.

His movements weren't fast, but each punch he threw seemed to unleash the thunderous power of the entire training ground. Purple lightning crackled around his fists, shattering the void and producing a muffled, thunderous roar.

His face was resolute, with features as if carved by a knife and axe, and between his brows was an unyielding arrogance and suppressed anger. He was none other than the Fourth Prince, Lei Zhan!
Three people were standing not far behind him.

On the left is an elderly man dressed in a green robe, with a gentle face and a strong aura of life, leaning on a lush green vine entwined with tender buds—the Venerable Aoki.

On the right is an old woman with a hunched back, a wrinkled face, and eyes as deep as an ancient well. She holds a black cane that looks like a withered, gnarled branch, with a gray bead embedded at the top of the cane, radiating a strange power of withering and flourishing—Grandma Withering and Flourishing.

The remaining person was Lei Zhan's old servant, who was also at the Chaos Realm, but only had the strength of an ordinary Chaos Realm cultivator.

"Your Highness, not a single person has come to volunteer today," the old servant sighed. "The combined forces of Prince Lei Hao and Prince Lei Xuan are formidable; their power is too great. We..."

The expressions on the faces of Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong were not good, because the old servant had spoken out loud without trying to hide it from them.

Clearly, they look down on the two of them!

The two men were filled with resentment. It was only because this old servant was abusing his power that he was punished. If he hadn't been Lei Zhan's man, they would have made sure that servant went through the cycle of reincarnation!
"Hmph!" Lei Zhan slammed his fist into a huge wooden stake in front of him, which was engraved with layers of restrictions.

Boom!

The wooden stake trembled violently, its surface glowing with a frenzied light, leaving a deep fist-shaped imprint and sparks flying everywhere.

He withdrew his fist, the skin at his knuckles cracking and bleeding, but it healed rapidly under his powerful life force. His eyes burned with rage and resentment: "Are we just going to let them oppress us like this? I, Lei Zhan, have never feared anyone! Aren't the conditions they offered enough? Double them! As long as someone can help me obtain the Heart of Thunder Origin, I'm willing to give everything!"

This competition among the six princes is a contest concerning the future allocation of royal resources, and it was personally decided by the clan's Emperor, Ancestor 'Tianguang'!
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this matter concerns whether he can break through to the God King realm in the future. Now that Lei Hao and Lei Xuan are joining forces to stop him, he wishes he could tear those two to pieces.

At this moment, the withered old woman, her face trembling, spoke in a hoarse voice, like the rubbing of withered leaves: "Your Highness, please calm down. It's not that the conditions aren't tempting enough, but that the risks are too great. Fellow Daoist Qingmu and I can still rely on our life essence to maneuver in the abyss, but ordinary top-tier Chaos Realm cultivators, under the combined attack of Xuan Yin and Qi Yun, probably won't even have a chance to escape. It's only human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm."

That made sense, but Lei Zhan's ugly expression did not lessen at all.

Just then, a guard hurriedly passed through the layers of restrictions and quickly came forward, kneeling on one knee: "Your Highness! An old man has come from outside the manor, claiming to be 'Blood Shadow,' and has come to take the test!" His voice trembled slightly, clearly not yet fully recovered from the shock of the murderous aura just now.

"Someone's here?" Lei Zhan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, as if he had grasped a lifeline. "What's their cultivation level? What's their aura like? Have they detected anything?"

The guard swallowed hard. "I...I can't see through him! He calls himself 'Blood Shadow,' and his aura is so concealed that he seems like an ordinary mortal, but...but just one glance from him and I felt as if I were facing a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, my blood freezing! That murderous aura is something no ordinary Chaos Realm cultivator could possess. It's more...more terrifying than the two elders!"

He glanced at Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong with slight hesitation, then nodded emphatically, reiterating the terrifying feeling he had just experienced.

"A murderous aura? Stronger than both of you?" Lei Zhan frowned, looking at Venerable Qingmu and Granny Kurong. "You two, have you ever heard of the name 'Blood Shadow'?"

Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong exchanged a glance, both seeing solemnity and a hint of offense in each other's eyes. Clearly, the guard's words, "more terrifying than both of them," had made them feel a sense of crisis.

How come there are still some greenhorns who dare to come and take the test?

“Never heard of it.” Granny Ku Rong slowly shook her head. “This person… is either a reclusive old monster, or… a powerful figure deliberately concealing his identity.”

Venerable Aoki also shook his head, clearly having never heard of this name before.

"Since that's the case, who cares who he is! Daring to come proves he has guts!" Lei Zhan nodded, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit, his suppressed anger seemingly finding an outlet. "If he truly has the ability, I'll treat him as an honored guest! If he's just all talk..."

He snorted coldly, and purple lightning arcs crackled again on his fist. "Invite him in and take him directly to the 'Thunder Punishment Hall'!"

"Yes!" The guard accepted the order and left.

Lei Zhan took a deep breath, and lightning surged around him. A set of ferocious and domineering dark purple lightning armor instantly covered his entire body, making him look like a thunder god descending to earth.

He strode towards the right front of the training ground, where there stood the tallest palace, constructed entirely of jet-black thunder-patterned stone, exuding a heavy and oppressive aura—the Thunder Punishment Hall.

Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong followed closely behind, both with solemn expressions on their faces.

I wonder if this person is really capable, or if they might take their spots away from the other two...

……

The heavy gates of the Marquis's mansion slowly opened.

The Blood-Hidden Elder walked with composure, stepping into the Lei Zhan Marquis's residence under the watchful eyes of the guards.

The interior style is consistent with the exterior: rugged, sturdy, and practical.

The ground was paved with massive black rocks, and the pillars were decorated with simple lightning totems. The air was filled with rich lightning energy and a faint, almost imperceptible, aura of iron and blood.

There were no luxurious gardens, only training grounds, weapon racks, and rough statues.

Led by the guards, we passed through several heavily guarded courtyards and arrived at the Thunder Punishment Hall, which exuded a heavy aura.

The palace doors were wide open, and the interior was dimly lit, with only a few beams of light shining down from the dome. In the center of the palace, Lei Zhan, dressed in dark purple lightning armor and holding a ten-foot-long spear wreathed in raging purple lightning—the Thunder Punishment Spear—stood like a war god.

His gaze, like two tangible bolts of lightning, instantly locked onto the ordinary figure at the door.

Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong stood silently in the shadows on either side of the main hall, like ghosts, their gazes also focused on Elder Xueyin, their perception of the laws of life's origin instantly reaching its peak.

A heavy, mountain-like fighting spirit and thunderous pressure, mixed with Venerable Qingmu's gentle yet resilient life force field and Granny Kuru's eerie Kuru Domain, instantly filled the entire Thunder Punishment Hall.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating!
Faced with this imposing aura that would put even the most elite Chaos Realm cultivators under pressure, the Blood Shadow Elder did not falter at all, and strolled into the hall as if taking a leisurely walk.

He slightly raised his head, his turbid gaze calmly meeting Lei Zhan's thunderous eyes, which were full of scrutiny and fighting spirit.

"This old man, Xueyin, greets Your Highness Leizhan." The hoarse voice rang out in the empty hall, without the slightest ripple, as if the overwhelming pressure around him was merely a gentle breeze.

"Blood Shadow?" Lei Zhan's voice boomed like thunder. He slightly raised the Thunder Punishment Spear in his hand, the tip of the spear pointing directly at the Blood Shadow Elder. Purple lightning snakes flickered erratically, and the void emitted a hissing wail. "This prince is outspoken. I have never heard of such a powerful person as you! Therefore, no matter who you are... whether you are hiding your identity or a reclusive old monster, since you have come to take the test, show me your true abilities! If you have real skills, this prince will devote all his resources to supporting you. Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless under my spear."

"Hehe~~~ Your Highness, please proceed." The Blood-Hidden Elder was not annoyed, only a faint smile appeared on his withered face.

"Excellent! Take this spear from me! If you can withstand it, then we can discuss qualifications!!!"

The words have not yet been spoken!

Boom——! ! !
Lei Zhan made a move!

He seemed to transform into a purple thunderbolt that tore through the void, and the Thunder Punishment Spear emitted a piercing shriek!
It was not a simple thrust, but rather it drew upon the vast thunderous power accumulated throughout the entire Thunder Punishment Hall. A thunderous phantom, a hundred feet tall and composed of pure destructive thunder, suddenly appeared behind Lei Zhan. In sync with his movements, it wielded a thunderous spear phantom magnified dozens of times, carrying terrifying power capable of destroying the world, and slammed down towards the Blood Shadow Elder.

This strike contained the explosive power of Lei Zhan's divine body, the primal power of the Thunder Punishment Spear, the blessing of the Thunder Incarnation, and the resonance of the Thunder Punishment Hall's grand formation.

Its power is so great that it is almost close to the full force of a peak Chaos Realm attack!
To possess strength comparable to the peak of the Chaos Realm in less than ten thousand years... even with the support of a grand formation, is enough to demonstrate Lei Zhan's extraordinary talent.

The pupils of Venerable Aoki and Granny Kurong contracted slightly.

Your Highness is truly enraged and is showing no mercy whatsoever!
Faced with this terrifying blow that could send even a top-tier Chaos Realm cultivator flying, the Blood Shadow Elder remained standing still, without even lifting his eyelids.

Just as the giant spear, imbued with destructive thunder, was about to strike.

hum!
A thin, almost transparent, scarlet halo appeared without warning three feet in front of the Blood Shadow Elder.

Within the halo was an infinitely deep miniature world, seemingly condensed from an endless sea of ​​blood, where countless fine, blood vessel-like scarlet lines flowed, died, and rotated!
A strange, intensely dense wave of law, a fusion of boundless life force and absolute death and annihilation, spread out.

puff!
There was no earth-shattering collision or roar.

The colossal thunder spear, powerful enough to destroy the heavens and the earth, vanished without a trace the moment it pierced the thin layer of crimson light.

The raging purple lightning energy was frantically devoured and decomposed by the scarlet veins that seemed to have a life of their own. The speed of the giant spear decreased rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the lightning on its surface quickly dimmed and disappeared!
The colossal avatar composed of destructive lightning let out a silent wail when it touched the aura of "deathly annihilation" emanating from the crimson halo. The power of the laws that constituted the avatar seemed to have encountered its natural nemesis, violently collapsing and melting away, like ice and snow encountering the blazing sun!
Just one breath!
The mighty thunderous spear, along with its enormous avatar, was silently and completely devoured by the thin, blood-red aura just three feet in front of the Blood-Hidden Elder.

Transformed into wisps of pure lightning essence, it was greedily absorbed by those scarlet veins, making the color of the halo seem even deeper.

Inside the Hall of Thunder Punishment, there was a deathly silence.

Lei Zhan remained frozen in place, his thrusting motion still in place, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror, followed by a surge of wild joy!
His hand gripping the Thunder Punishment Spear trembled slightly from the excessive force. His strongest attack, imbued with his own martial will and the Thunder Punishment Hall's blessing... was so easily neutralized by his opponent!
He didn't even see how the other party made their move.

He was at the peak of the Chaos Realm, and his composed demeanor was enough to show that he was a super expert among those at the peak of the Chaos Realm!

Unlike Lei Zhan, who cultivated the Great Dao of Thunder, Venerable Qingmu and Granny Kurong, who cultivated the Great Dao of the Origin of Life, were even more shocked, their pupils dilating and they gasped in astonishment.

“Life…and death…reincarnation?!” Venerable Qingmu exclaimed in a low voice. As a powerful cultivator of the spiritual branch of life, he also had knowledge of other branches of the Great Dao of the Origin of Life and his perception was extremely keen.

"Life and death have reached their peak, and not only that... there is also an extremely pure and extremely ancient bloodthirsty power! Is that a branch of life-giving blood?!" Granny Ku Rong's voice was filled with unprecedented solemnity and a hint of... fear!
She cultivated the Life and Death branch, and she could feel that her proud Domain of Withering and Flourishing, in the face of that scarlet aura of death and annihilation, seemed to encounter a king, instinctively trembling and contracting.

These are fellow travelers who walk the same path, but go further and further ahead!
The Blood-Hidden Elder slowly raised his head, his turbid eyes now clearly reflecting Lei Zhan's shocked face. Deep within his eyes, a scarlet light swirled like an abyss.

"Your Highness's spear strike was powerful and unparalleled in its fighting spirit." A hoarse voice rang out calmly, as if commenting on a trivial matter. "Unfortunately, though thunder is domineering, it will eventually come to an end. But the cycle of life and the return of blood to the void... that is eternal."

He took a small step forward.

Silently, the crimson aura that had just swallowed the destructive lightning quietly dissipated.

The heavy, oppressive thunderous aura and fighting spirit within the entire Thunder Punishment Hall were instantly wiped out as if by an invisible hand, leaving only the seemingly frail yet seemingly ordinary figure of the Blood Hidden Elder, and his calm, chilling eyes.

Lei Zhan's throat bobbed as he forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

He looked at the unfathomable old man before him. The initial scrutiny and arrogance in his eyes had long since disappeared. The resentment and anger in his eyes, which were surging with thunder, were instantly replaced by the blazing light of ecstasy, like dark clouds blown away by a gale!

It's the immense joy of a drowning person grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, suddenly finding a way out of a desperate situation!
"Ha...hahaha...hahahaha!" Lei Zhan's laughter rose from low to high, finally exploding like rolling thunder in the empty hall, causing fine dust to fall from the dome.

He slammed the Thunder Punishment Spear into the ground! (End of Chapter)