Back then, he had by accident cultivated the Golden Thunder Bamboo and forged seventy-two Qing Bamboo Honey Cloud Swords. Yet he had never imagined that this lightning carried such profound origins, nor that there existed a special method of summoning and commanding it. Should the earth-deep demons indeed be correct—claiming that the Bixie Divine Lightning was one of the Five True Lightnings of the Spirit Realm, known as the "Supreme Wood Divine Lightning," with its power capable of increasing by over tenfold—then its might would indeed be astonishing, making it a decisive weapon of his own. While this development was undoubtedly a great blessing, the prospect of journeying to the Yinhe realm, where these demon kings so extensively trained their ghost soldiers and automata, presented considerable risks. A single misstep on his part might well prove fatal. Fortunately, from the tone of the other party, it seemed that at least six or seven years of preparation remained before the matter would unfold, giving him ample time to carefully consider and devise strategies to avoid such perilous circumstances. It was also a significant stroke of fortune to reencounter Yuan Yao here. Met Yuan Yao's willingness to sacrifice her golden elixir to restore Yanli's vitality, it was indeed admirable. Yet after so many years, whether she still holds such deep sense of loyalty and devotion remained uncertain. After all, human hearts are most prone to change. However, Yuan Yao's reluctance to reveal their acquaintance gave him a quiet sense of relief. Though the matter of her pretending to be from the Feilin Clan wasn't absolutely essential to keep secret, Han Li still wished to keep her true origins concealed from these Earth-Deep Dragon Kings. Han Li silently pondered these thoughts. Reflecting on Yuan Yao, he recalled their several meetings in vivid detail. When he remembered her bathing in the spiritual spring within the secret chamber of the Xitian Hall, her flawless beauty flashed through his mind, stirring a subtle ripple within him. Yet immediately, the image of Nan Gong Wan surfaced, and with it, clarity returned, filling his entire heart. Years passed by. If everything went smoothly, she should have reached the stage of Divine Spirit in the human realm by now. He wondered when he would finally be able to reunite with his beloved wife in the spiritual realm. Images of Nangong Wan's appearance and voice swirled continuously in Han Li's mind, and scenes of their shared life in the southern sky, flying together like twin stars, kept reappearing. A gentle smile played on Han Li's face as he sank into warm, nostalgic memories. After a long while, as Nangong Wan's image gradually faded, another breathtakingly beautiful face emerged in his consciousness—once again transporting him into the past. Time seemed to pass without end. Finally, after a long, deep sigh, Han Li regained full awareness, his face now etched with a wry, sorrowful expression. He hadn't expected that the memories of Yuan Yao's past would have such a profound impact, causing him to lose his mental composure for so long. Fortunately, no one nearby had been watching with ill will; otherwise, the situation could have been quite perilous. However, since he couldn't leave the Earth's Deep Realm immediately, he and Yuan Yao would surely meet again at some point, and there was no need to rush matters regarding their continued connection. Han Li slowly pondered this in his mind, his expression once again reflecting his thoughtful contemplation... Three days later, standing before a small mountain, he gazed at the strangely translucent stone walls before him, almost glowing with a vivid emerald hue, and a fleeting expression of surprise passed briefly across his eyes. "This is the Wood Spirit Cavern where I have been meditating and refining my cultivation. The concentration of wood essence energy here is rare even throughout the entire spiritual realm. Practitioners of wood-based cultivation techniques can achieve several times the usual progress when training within this cavern," said Mu Qing, proudly. When Han Li arrived as instructed three days later, the woman led him over several large mountains and through a dense fog filled with intricate seals, finally settling at this unusual location. It was now quite distant from their original residence—indeed, it was unexpected that she had chosen to establish her cultivation grounds here. Yet the smooth green rock wall before him shone like a mirror, revealing no cave at all. Han Li scanned it with his divine awareness several times, finding nothing out of the ordinary, and his expression grew slightly puzzled. Mu Qing stepped a few paces forward and gently brushed his hand against the wall. A shimmer of green light passed over the surface, and then the wall silently split open, revealing a straight, emerald-green passage extending inward. A layer of soft, glowing green mist sealed the entrance, while some strange symbols flickered subtly on the nearby stone walls, adding to the mysterious atmosphere. Han Li was utterly astonished. How had he failed to notice such a passage, given his keen divine perception? Clearly, these earth-dwelling demon kings possessed truly extraordinary abilities—and he would indeed need to remain vigilant. Han Li felt a sudden sense of alertness. Mu Qing moved swiftly and stepped into the passage first, the green light mist having no effect on him. Han Li hesitated briefly, then followed suit. To his surprise, it seemed that Mu Qing had already arranged something beforehand, for the light curtain offered him no resistance at all. Shortly after the two of them stepped into the light, the entire stone wall flashed once, and the passage entrance vanished entirely. Moreover, not long after, the entire emerald-colored stone wall itself dimmed, becoming as ordinary as any other. On the other hand, Han Li followed Mu Qing through the corridor for quite some time before suddenly finding himself in a modest hall. The hall was empty, save for several doorways leading to other areas. Yet, as Han Li stood there, he could clearly sense a strong flow of spiritual energy radiating from the ground and the walls around him—his heart filled with both delight and concern. He was delighted that the wood-based spiritual energy here was so abundant, making it seem quite feasible to master the technique of commanding the divine lightning that protected against evil within two years. Yet, he was also worried—Mu Qing had evidently chosen this particularly auspicious location for himself, indicating his strong determination to secure it. Thus, freeing himself from Mu Qing's control would surely prove to be no easy task. "Come with me, I'll arrange a place for you to stay. For the next two years, you'll remain here, never leaving this place. I've already set up a powerful seal around the area—without my personal touch, you won't be able to step outside." Wood Qing spoke calmly, her voice conveying confidence. Han Li's lips moved slightly, but said nothing, silently following the woman into another corridor. After passing through a grand garden filled with rare flowers and plants, they arrived at a pale yellow gate crafted from an unknown metal. Wood Qing halted. "This is my usual meditation chamber. I'll temporarily lend it to you for residence and cultivation. Starting tomorrow, every seven days, I'll guide you in the technique of channeling the divine protective lightning. On the noon of each seventh day, simply go to the hall to find me. That's all. Go in and settle in now. I'll head to another chamber. Aside from the areas I've sealed off, you're free to move about freely throughout the rest of the place." Mu Qing's demeanor was surprisingly graceful. "Thank you so much for your kind attention!" Han Li quickly expressed his gratitude. But as soon as Mu Qing finished speaking, she gave Han Li a quiet glance before turning and walking away. Watching her vanish around the bend of the path, Han Li finally sighed softly and pushed open the yellow metallic door before him, stepping into the inner chamber. ...Time flew by swiftly, passing in the blink of an eye. A year had passed in the span of just a moment. On this day, amid the mist, an unusual phenomenon suddenly emerged above what appeared to be an ordinary small hill! Dark clouds gathered low in the sky, and as flashes of green lightning illuminated the air, distant thunder rolled through the clouds, as though a fearsome beast were being born within the storm. Suddenly, a black magical array, stretching over ten zhang in width, rose from the ground at the summit of the hill. As the surface shimmered with a brief glow, two figures stepped out. One was wrapped in a cloak of black mist, slender and graceful; the other wore a long green robe, with a youthful face. It was precisely Mu Qing and Han Li! As soon as these two appeared, thunder roared loudly in the sky, the dark clouds surged violently, and the green electric arcs emerging from the clouds became dense and thick, creating an impressive spectacle. Mu Qing looked up at the lower sky and spoke calmly, "I never expected such a fortunate coincidence—your heavenly calamity has arrived precisely now. However, with your divine immunity to evil lightning and your growing understanding of the art of channeling thunder, this level of lightning storm should be easily manageable. In fact, it would be an excellent opportunity to further verify and refine your abilities, greatly benefiting your true immunity to evil lightning. Go ahead and make the most of it." With that, Mu Qing's foot-based spell array flashed once, and he vanished suddenly. The celestial lightning that descended was no longer the terrifying dual-color lightning, but ordinary green celestial thunder. Nevertheless, Han Li still could not afford the slightest relaxation, as this was his second lightning ordeal—he could not treat it lightly. As he opened his mouth, a small green cauldron burst forth and shot out, while with one hand he brushed against the back of his head, sending out waves of pale, hazy radiance that spiraled upward, forming a luminous shield around his entire body. Only then did he softly exclaim, clenching his fists together. Instantly, a roar erupted, and countless golden electric arcs surged from his body, shooting skyward. Soon, a golden grid shimmered outward, its electric flashes constantly flickering and thundering. At the same time, the green electric arcs in the sky grew in number and brightness, until, with a thunderous roar, countless green arcs surged down from the heavens, directly targeting Han Li atop the small mountain peak. Arcs of thumb-thick diameter, resembling slender green serpents, surged down in a violent storm, plunging directly into the outermost golden grid. Han Li's eyes flashed with unusual light as he pressed a single hand seal. A thunderous rumble echoed across the golden grid, and a series of blurred golden characters emerged, spinning smoothly before suddenly transforming into swirling golden halos. An eerie phenomenon unfolded! As soon as the green arcs touched these halos, a flash of light was all that occurred—then they vanished completely, as if absorbed. The entire process was silent and seamless, as though swallowed by the golden halos. Within moments, hundreds of green arcs—most of them absorbed into the halos—while the remainder were deflected by the golden grid, exploding with thunderous booms. Han Li remained completely still, his eyelids unblinking, effortlessly receiving the first wave of heavenly thunder. (Second update!)