After discovering that the puppets could drop items, Lei Qi spent all his time—aside from resting and recovering his Dou Qi—fighting puppets nonstop.
Spring went by, autumn came, and five years passed.
During these five years, Lei Qi replaced his cultivation method with a High Earth-Rank Lightning Technique.
Now, after reaching the third floor, his cultivation had broken through to the level of a Dou Huang (Fighting Emperor).
He had been here for nearly seven years.
From Dou Zhe (Fighter) all the way to Dou Huang, and before his Dou Di bloodline even awakened… he had consumed zero cultivation resources.
This alone showed just how terrifying the ancestral land's effects were!
Indeed, there were no cultivation resources here.
But the ancestral land consumed enormous amounts of energy itself.
So, whether inside or outside the ancestral land, cultivation always had its costs.
"Boom!!"
"Rumble!!"
At this moment, a Dou Huang Puppet was clashing head-on with Lei Qi.
The two figures had been fighting on the third floor for several days already!
Judging from its strength, the puppet should be equivalent to a Five-Star Dou Huang. Unlike other puppets, this one seemed like a fully-equipped human fighter with countless hidden trump cards. Fortunately, a puppet was still only a puppet—if it were a real human, Lei Qi wouldn't have any chance of defeating it.
Even now, his chances were slim.
However, after so long on the third floor, he had already seen many Dou Ling puppets and even Dou Wang puppets. But a Dou Huang puppet like this one—this was the first.
If not for wanting to see what treasure such a puppet held, he would've already left.
After all, he already possessed Heaven-Rank techniques and battle skills.
He simply couldn't change cultivation methods yet, and Heaven-Rank Dou Techniques consumed so much Dou Qi that he would be drained dry instantly.
Otherwise, how could this puppet have survived until now?
But precisely because it was so difficult to kill, its value was even greater!
"Lightning Frenzy!"
"Spark Wildfire!"
"Heavenly Thunder Seal!"
Lei Qi's Dou Qi surged as he unleashed his trump cards one after another.
After reaching the level of Dou Huang, he could fully display the power of Earth-Rank Dou Techniques.
After stalling for so long, this chain of explosive attacks—how could a puppet possibly react?
"Boom!! Boom!! Boom!!!"
Thunderous explosions sounded continuously, mushroom clouds rising everywhere, displaying the devastating strength of his trump cards.
Within the cloud of violent energy, the Dou Huang puppet was blasted away!
Lei Qi's lightning wings spread as he shot forward, long spear in hand.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared above the puppet and thrust his spear downward, shattering the puppet's head.
Crack!
Once the head shattered, the puppet's "life" officially ended.
"Huff…"
Lei Qi let out a slow breath.
At that moment, he noticed a wisp of black lightning floating above the shattered puppet.
Dark Demon Lightning?
No… no matter how he looked at it, it didn't resemble Dark Demon Lightning.
Its essence seemed even more terrifying.
But whatever it was, it looked like something he could absorb.
Lei Qi sat cross-legged, just as he did when cultivating the ancestral land's thunder, and drew the jet-black lightning into his body.
Then he immediately began refining it.
After all, this place was created by the Thunder Clan's ancestor—so it shouldn't harm him.
"Zzz…"
The moment he absorbed the black lightning, he felt as though his body was about to shatter!
But now that the lightning had entered his body, if he didn't refine it, it would probably tear him apart!
The thought of death made Lei Qi grit his teeth and go all out.
"RUMBLE!!!"
The moment he began refining, cracks began appearing all over his body!
As the cracks appeared, lightning from the sky poured into him.
Though this lightning also caused injuries, it carried a restorative effect as well.
Without the help of this external thunder, Lei Qi feared he would've been torn apart instantly.
"Rumble!!"
"Riiip!!"
"….."
The commotion was enormous.
Lei Dong, who had also reached the third floor, was drawn over by the noise.
Seeing Lei Qi completely naked, with cracks appearing all over his body, Lei Dong was stunned.
He didn't know what Lei Qi was undergoing, but one thing was clear—
If Lei Qi survived this, he would reach yet another new height.
Clenching his fists, Lei Dong whispered to himself:
"You better survive… I will defeat you one day!"
He didn't leave, because Lei Qi's commotion had attracted many puppets.
Lei Dong was only a Five-Star Dou Wang, but seeing the approaching Dou Ling and Dou Wang puppets, he charged forward without hesitation.
He didn't know whether Lei Qi feared interference… But since he was here, he would not let anything happen to him.
And defeating these puppets also meant treasures!
Lei Dong himself had obtained a spear here.
One man and one spear—facing three Dou Wang puppets and five Dou Ling puppets—he struggled.
But he seemed to have received a secret method here as well, temporarily absorbing lightning energy and boosting himself directly to the level of a Dou Huang!
With this secret method, the puppets stood no chance.
Within an hour, they were all defeated.
After that, Lei Dong quickly recovered.
Though Lei Qi was refining the black lightning, he was fully aware of his surroundings.
He didn't expect Lei Dong to come protect him.
And he didn't expect Lei Dong to gain so much—jumping from Five-Star Dou Wang to Dou Huang instantly using a secret art!
With Lei Dong guarding him, Lei Qi relaxed and endured wave after wave of body-tearing pain.
A full day passed before Lei Qi finally refined the Dark Demon Lightning.
However, he could clearly feel that the power was extremely unstable.
He couldn't control it yet.
If he suppressed it forcefully, disaster was only a matter of time.
He had to leave and seek help from the Thunder Clan elders.
Opening his eyes, he looked at Lei Dong.
"Thanks. But I have to leave now. When you come out, I'll explain everything."
Lei Dong asked immediately:
"You still have over two years left. The energy here is pure—why leave now?"
"I have no choice. The lightning I absorbed is too violent. I can't control it. If I don't find the clan leader soon, I might explode."
Lei Dong wanted to ask more when space rippled suddenly.
In the next moment, the tall figure of Clan Leader Lei Ying appeared in front of Lei Qi.
He didn't have the permission to stay long, nor spare any time for Lei Dong.
The rules here were absolute.
In an instant, Lei Ying took Lei Qi and left the ancestral land.