"Whoosh!" A massive beam of light and shadow surged through the deep, black void, cutting across like a lightning bolt, radiating an unusual ripple that countered the relentless, all-pervasive force of tearing and pulling emanating from within the void. As the beam approached, it became clear that it was a colossal black dragon, with a figure seated cross-legged atop its head—none other than Xiao Yan. Truly a celestial ancient dragon; only they could glide and soar freely within this void. Should any other beast or human warrior attempt it, even if they could briefly fly, they would fall far short of such seamless mastery. Xiao Yan gazed at the void space retreating swiftly on either side, his voice filled with quiet awe. Within this void, space collapse occurred constantly, and the relentless, violent tearing force was strong enough to shatter a typical Douzun-level warrior into fragments. Few dared to traverse such a space without special survival abilities. "Xiao Yan, in no time, you'll reach the 'Void Thunder Pool' mentioned by the third elder," he murmured to himself. At that moment, the massive black dragon suddenly spoke, its voice unmistakably that of He Qing. "Hm." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his heart also growing subtly more excited. The so-called "Void Thunder Pool" was the place where thunder accumulated, as described by Elder Zhu Li. It was said that the space here was peculiar, naturally emitting a strong suction force that caused various energies to become chaotic and eventually coalesce into countless bolts of lightning. Such a location was generally considered extremely hazardous—indeed, Elder Zhu Li would only have mentioned it willingly if Xiao Yan had specifically requested it. After Black Qing issued a brief reminder, he swept his massive tail through the void, and his body surged forward like a lightning bolt, instantly blazing with bright light and vanishing at the far end of the space... "Is it arriving yet..." Feeling the turbulent energy that was both familiar and intense, Xiao Yan's heart stirred as he slowly stood up from the crest of the colossal dragon's head, his gaze fixed steadily on the ever-approaching silver glow. As it drew nearer, the silver glow rapidly expanded, and thunderous roars thundered vividly in Xiao Yan's ears. "Hmph..." Standing atop the dragon's head, Xiao Yan gazed at the scene before him, his eyes filled with awe. Before him lay a vast expanse of nearly a thousand zhang—a "lake," yet unlike ordinary water, it was entirely filled with brilliant silver lightning and electric radiance. This was a true lake formed entirely of lightning! Standing before the lake, the deep, resonant thunder from within constantly spread outward, shaking the very soul, making those present feel remarkably small and insignificant. "Such a powerful surge of thunder energy..." After a long while, Xiao Yan finally slowly regained his composure from this overwhelming sensation, murmuring, "The thunder energy contained within this pool is far stronger than the blended dian-lu thunder that I summoned during the pill ceremony." "Indeed, it's a perilous location, Xiao Yan. Are you certain you want to train here?" The colossal dragon formed by He Qing stared in astonishment at this vast expanse of thunder pool. The energy here was so intense that even he felt a tremor of awe—unfortunately, he hadn't expected such a hazardous site to exist so close to the eastern dragon island in the void. Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. With this pool, he was confident not only that he could fully heal the injuries sustained by the Tian Yao Gui, but also that the other ten Di Yao Gui could significantly enhance their capabilities—perhaps even reaching the level of Tian Yao Gui, which would certainly not be impossible. And if that truly happened, then Xiao Yan would possess eleven Tian Yao Guai—equivalent to eleven strong beings at the Dou Zun stage. Such a lineup would be exceptionally formidable. "Crack… crack…" As Xiao Yan surged into the thunder pool, numerous lightning bolts surged forth like silver serpents, rushing toward him with blinding speed. However, upon touching the unusual flame on his body, each bolt emitted a subtle, dull sound and then vanished without a trace. Though the lightning was powerful, it proved insufficient against the flame's relentless destructive force—this very strength was what granted Xiao Yan the courage and capability to enter the pool alone. Seeing Xiao Yan enter the pool without any immediate mishap, the black dragon erupted with a bright glow and swiftly solidified into a robust form, settling into a meditative posture with both feet crossed, his gaze fixed intently upon the pool. Amidst the thunderous ocean, lightning surged like silver serpents, constantly exploding in all directions. Under the protection of the Strange Fire, Xiao Yan stood calmly within this storm, and the surrounding lightning—perhaps intimidated by the power of the Strange Fire—did not launch fierce, relentless attacks upon him. Seeing that the Thunder Pool remained undisturbed despite his entry, Xiao Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He sensed the surrounding lightning energy, hesitated slightly, then lifted his steps and moved steadily toward the deeper reaches of the pool. After walking nearly a hundred paces, he finally halted. Here, the lightning energy was now exceptionally dense, and subtly, it exerted upon Xiao Yan a sense of quiet yet undeniable pressure. "If we delve deeper, the thunder power will grow increasingly terrifying, and at the very core, even the Strange Flames may prove unable to withstand it..." Xiao Yan frowned, reflecting. This Void Thunder Pool had accumulated thunder forces over countless years—naturally, it was extremely formidable. Should he not be cautious, and if the pool unleashed its full might in retaliation, even with the Strange Flames protecting him, he would likely be reduced to ashes in an instant. "Then here we shall stay..." With a decision made, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated. He settled into a meditative posture, calmed his mind, and with a wave of his hand, the celestial spirit automaton—once shattered by the senior disciple of Tianming Sect—materialized before him. Now, the automaton's dark-gold glow was dimmed, its body riddled with dents and depressions. In several areas, its dry skin showed signs of cracking. "These fellows really go hard on us, huh. Tianming Sect—this debt will surely come due from you someday." Xiao Yan sneered, then deeply inhaled, sweeping his sleeve with a gentle force that pushed the celestial demon automaton toward the spot where the thunderous energy was especially concentrated... Boom! Boom! Boom! As soon as the Tian Yao Puppet took flight, the surrounding lightning seemed to be drawn by some unseen force, suddenly turning and fiercely charging toward it. Yet these seemingly violent bolts of lightning vanished instantly upon touching the Tian Yao Puppet's body—like water absorbed by a sponge. Though it was somewhat slow, Xiao Yan was quite satisfied with the progress. If he had to summon dan lightning to repair the Tian Yao Puppet through the process of refining pills, he would undoubtedly need to produce countless high-tier pill formulations—the labor and effort involved would be no less burdensome than helping Zi Yan dissolve the Dragon and Phoenix crystal layers. At this thought, Xiao Yan's heart instantly warmed up, for such a leap in strength was truly irresistible.