The sky was shrouded in dense clouds, with silver lightning resembling serpents gliding across it before cascading down in a continuous torrent, illuminating the entire realm. The earth trembled subtly as the thunder rolled through, and within the deep, shadowed valley, the unceasing waves of silver lightning transformed the gloom into daylight, their thunderous roar echoing endlessly throughout the valley. Amidst the deluge of silver lightning, a brilliant silver figure floated in the sky, drawing every bolt of lightning to its body. Thud! Thud! Thud! Each time a silver bolt crashed down from the heavens, the figure was violently driven downward by the immense force of the thunder. The deep, resonant impact each time was quite unsettling, and for an ordinary person attempting to endure it, the force would likely reduce them to a pile of ash. On the stone platform, Xiao Yan's gaze was firmly fixed upon the terrestrial spirit automaton hovering upright amidst the swirling thunder. Due to the subtle connection between them, he could sense that the automaton's strength was gradually rising under the relentless thunder strikes. Though the automaton could not utilize qi, it possessed an extraordinarily formidable physical form—this very body, under the impact of the Dan Thunder, not only remained unbroken but actively absorbed the thunder's power, progressively strengthening its otherwise pain-free structure. "Indeed, the Dan Thunder generated by a seventh-rank advanced medicine is exceptionally powerful. Even for the terrestrial spirit automaton's capabilities, it is quite a challenge to withstand. Fortunately, its ability to absorb the thunder allows it to gradually adapt to the Dan Thunder. Otherwise, with so many silver thunders striking it continuously, even without any sensation of pain, it would have perished long ago." Glancing at the dense, persistent clouds that had raged for a while and still failed to dissipate, Xiao Yan shook his head slightly and murmured softly to himself. "Yet it should be nearing its end now—the current speed at which Dan Lei is descending is clearly no longer at the peak of its former strength..." "Such an unusual puppet. Its combat prowess alone seems to rival even the Seven-Star Dueling Sovereigns. And from its appearance, it appears capable of absorbing thunder power to enhance itself. Should it endure several more Dan Lei strikes, even a Dueling Sovereign might find it difficult to withstand..." On the stone platform, Tang Zhen's growing astonishment—witnessing the Earth Spirit Puppet remain utterly unscathed beneath the multitude of silver thunderbolts—was steadily deepening. Such a puppet, even with his vast experience, was truly rare. "Indeed, I never expected that Rock Jack, relying solely on this puppet, could successfully absorb the current Dan Lei. This young man continues to amaze at every turn..." With a quiet sigh, Tang Zhen naturally sensed that the magnificent Dan Lei overhead was now drawing near its conclusion. Of course, those who share his thoughts are far from a minority. Everyone present is well aware of the power of the Dan Lightning generated by high-tier seventh-rank elixirs—each time such an elixir emerges, several Douzong-level cultivators typically have to join forces to protect it, precisely to guard against that final surge of Dan Lightning. Yet now, the Dan Lightning that has long troubled numerous elixir masters is being effortlessly absorbed by the single puppet summoned by Xiao Yan. This development naturally leaves many astonished—should this news spread, even some elixir masters at the grandmaster level might be deeply inspired, for with this remarkable puppet, future elixir preparations would no longer need to worry about Dan Lightning at all. As the crowd exchanged thoughts and murmurs, another resonant thunderclap echoed across the sky. A silver lightning bolt, stretching half a zhang in length, surged forth like a silver dragon, slicing through the heavens with a hissing sound, and finally striking powerfully upon the body of the Earth Spirit Puppet. "Boom!" This powerful clash sent the Earth Spirit Puppet crashing down, landing squarely on the plaza. As stones flew in all directions, a deep crater measuring over ten zhang in diameter revealed itself, surrounded by numerous cracks as thick as human arms, spreading out like a web. The sudden upheaval caused the numerous Fengyan Valley disciples surrounding the plaza to jump back in surprise, then gasp in awe at the vast crater. After the most powerful silver lightning bolt surged through the sky, the dense clouds gradually ceased their rolling motion and thinned out swiftly, allowing beams of light to pierce through and scatter into countless spots, illuminating the Fengyan Valley that had just endured the Dan Lightning's assault. The sunlight poured down, swiftly banishing the gloom within the valley, and the once-terrifying thunderous presence faded away. Upon seeing Dan Lei dissipate, everyone present exhaled in relief, then simultaneously turned their gaze toward the massive, deep crater on the plaza, exchanging glances, wondering if they would finally fail under this last surge of lightning. "Young Master Yanjiao, are you all right?" Tang Zhen was also startled by Dan Lei's final burst, glanced down at the crater, and then quickly turned his eyes to Xiao Yan, urgently asking. Xiao Yan's face remained as pale as paper. He waved a hand, his laughter sounding weak and strained. "Master Tang, please don't worry..." As he finished speaking, he changed his hand seal, and a deep, resonant voice emerged from the crater. A silvery figure surged upward and landed steadily upon the stone platform. Xiao Yan immediately focused his attention on the earth spirit automaton before him. After this final baptism of Dan Lei, the radiant silver hue on the automaton's body appeared especially pure, looking almost as if forged from solid silver, and stood out remarkably. Pressed gently against the earth spirit puppet's body, the surface felt cool and metallic, conveying an unusually resilient quality. Yet, slightly disappointed, Xiao Yan found no trace of golden hue on the current earth spirit puppet. Spirit puppets were categorized into three levels—Heaven, Earth, and Human—distinguishable by their outward color: Human-level appeared copper-colored, Earth-level silver, and Heaven-level golden. The present puppet was uniformly radiant silver, clearly still at the Earth-level. Only when it eventually transformed into golden would it truly be recognized as a Heaven Spirit Puppet, rather than an Earth Spirit Puppet. Yet though it had not yet turned golden, Xiao Yan clearly sensed that the Earth Spirit Puppet's strength had been enhanced by this Dan Lightning baptism. Based on his assessment, he believed the Earth Spirit Puppet could now at least hold its own against a senior immortal like Fei Tian—though not necessarily defeat him—no longer being as insignificant or powerless as it had been before. "It seems the path to achieving a Heavenly Rank is quite challenging," Xiao Yan murmured, just as he was about to store the Earth Spirit Puppet in his storage scroll, his hand suddenly stilled. His gaze fixed firmly on the puppet's hollow eyes, where now, subtly, a faint shimmer of golden light was beginning to emerge. "Golden?" Though the golden glow was delicate, it stood out remarkably against the otherwise empty eyes, and thus could not escape Xiao Yan's notice. Fixing his gaze on that subtle, deep golden luminescence, Xiao Yan felt a surge of excitement. Though the glow was faint, it had clearly solidified his understanding of the method by which the terrestrial spirit puppet evolved—by absorbing Dan Lightning, harnessing its thunderous power to refine and strengthen the puppet's body, ultimately achieving a transformative leap in strength. "It seems I'll need to find ways to ensure the spirit puppet absorbs more Dan Lightning in the future. If it can reach the Heavenly Rank, it will be of immense benefit to me. After all, this will be the true powerhouse—reliable, unyielding, and never prone to betrayal," Xiao Yan murmured to himself, suppressing his excitement. With his resolve set, he extended his hand, sealing the terrestrial spirit puppet into his storage scroll. Then, his eyes shifted to the medicinal cauldron, where a round pill, blending jade and crimson hues, spun steadily, releasing a rich, invigorating aroma that filled the air with tranquility. "This is the Huo Pu Dan, isn't it?" Staring at the jade-like, vibrant crimson and green pills within the cauldron for a moment, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile. With a flick of his finger, the lid of the cauldron lifted on its own, and instantly, a beam of bright crimson and green light shot out, cutting through the air without a single pause—flying straight toward the sky as if determined to escape. "Master Tang, it's yours," Xiao Yan said, smiling gently at the pill that seemed eager to flee. Such a refined pill had developed a touch of spirit, instinctively seeking good fortune and avoiding danger—thus, as soon as it emerged from the cauldron, it naturally took flight. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Master Tang burst into laughter and then nodded. With a simple palm movement toward the sky, the space in the direction the pill was heading instantly solidified. The pill collided with it head-on and was then launched back. Unfolding the robe, a sudden surge of suction effortlessly drew the Fire Bud Pill back. Tang Zhen then swiftly produced a fine jade vial, inserting the jade pill that continuously leaped in his palm. Holding the vial firmly, Tang Zhen exhaled deeply, relieved, before turning seriously to Xiao Yan, bowing and speaking in a measured tone: "Young friend Xiao Xiao, thank you so much! This debt of gratitude, I shall never forget." "It's merely what one is entrusted to do," Xiao Yan shook his head. Suddenly, an intense wave of exhaustion and weakness surged from the depths of his soul, and then darkness gradually spread across his vision, causing him to collapse without resistance from his seated stone chair.