Chapter 2639: Chapter 2639
Ye Liuyun didn’t dodge, taking the lightning strike from the venomous toad head-on. Even though he possessed lightning energy within himself, the impact still sent violent tremors through his entire body.
"Damn, the lightning power of a second-level Dominator is this strong!"
He absorbed as much of the lightning energy as he could, then immediately unleashed five flaming golden crows from his golden pupils, sending them hurtling toward the toad.
The venomous toad moved swiftly, leaping aside to evade the attack. Sparks of electricity crackled across its body as it blasted another bolt of lightning at Ye Liuyun.
Again, Ye Liuyun took the hit with his bare flesh. Meanwhile, the golden crow flames he had released circled back, swooping toward the toad once more.
The blue-skinned toad shimmered with an azure glow, conjuring a watery barrier around itself. Simultaneously, arcs of electricity scattered the flaming crows into nothingness.
"Huh, so you’re not going down easy!"
Without hesitation, Ye Liuyun shifted his attack, channeling frost energy this time. The icy assault trapped the toad within the very moisture surrounding it.
"Ribbit!"
The toad croaked, shattering the ice with another surge of lightning.
But this attack seemed to have struck a nerve. Sensing real danger, the creature abandoned the fight, plunging straight into the murky swamp beneath it.
Ye Liuyun tracked its descent with his golden pupils, watching as it settled into a hollow at the swamp’s bottom. There, to his surprise, three smaller toads—also blue-skinned with golden eyes—waited.
Unsure if the toad’s golden pupils functioned like his own, he kept his gaze locked on it. But just then, a massive crocodile lunged at him.
"Looking to die?"
With a single furious slap, Ye Liuyun split the beast clean in half, his irritation flaring at the interruption.
As he shifted his focus back, he thought he saw the venomous toad glance his way. But with the crocodile’s interference, he couldn’t be sure. And after that, the toad simply closed its eyes, falling completely still.
However, since Ye Liuyun had discovered it, he was determined to investigate further. Moreover, this venomous toad possessed both lightning and water attributes, making it exceptionally unique.
But as the surrounding giant crocodiles began closing in again, Ye Liuyun had no choice but to temporarily retreat. He ascended into the starry sky to monitor the toad’s movements, waiting for it to reappear.
While he waited, a thundercloud suddenly drifted over the swamp, crackling with electricity. At that moment, the venomous toads immediately leaped from the depths of the marsh, soaring into the air as if preparing to welcome the lightning strikes.
Meanwhile, the giant crocodiles in the swamp scattered in panic, desperate to avoid being struck.
Seeing this, Ye Liuyun swiftly summoned Lei Ming. "This thundercloud is a rare opportunity—go absorb some of its lightning energy!"
Together, they plunged into the heart of the storm, greedily drawing in the crackling power. Lei Ming even took out a Thunderstrike Stone to ensure none of the energy went to waste.
Down below, the four toads—one large and three small—tilted their heads upward, eagerly awaiting the lightning. But all they got was a few raindrops—not a single spark of electricity reached them.
Growing impatient, the largest toad opened its eyes and glared at the thundercloud, only to lock gazes with Ye Liuyun, who was watching it intently from within the storm.
The moment it spotted him, the toad let out an enraged croak, hurling a bolt of lightning straight at him.
"Haha! Just as I thought—those golden eyes can see through anything!"
Overjoyed, Ye Liuyun froze time with his temporal power, then swiftly descended. He branded each toad with a slave mark, stashed them away in his spatial world, and returned to the thundercloud to drain every last drop of lightning energy.
Afterward, Ye Liuyun landed on a patch of dry ground with Lei Ming, intending to show off his newly captured toads and let her refine a pair of golden eyes for herself. But before he could, they were suddenly ambushed by several earth dragons.
"Leave them to me! Leave them to me!" Lei Ming exclaimed excitedly, blasting them one by one with lightning. She even shifted into her true form, digging furiously with her claws until she unearthed the entire earth dragon nest—all of which ended up as her meal. She then urged Ye Liuyun to release the Dragon Maiden so they could feast together.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Liuyun let out all his beasts—including the red-maned lion, the gray ape, the fox hunter, and the iron bull he had subdued later—allowing them to forage freely.
As for the toads’ golden eyes, Lei Ming declined, insisting that Ye Liuyun refine them himself. She only took their inner cores for herself.
Within the cores of those venomous toads, aside from thunder essence, there was also potent poison energy—perfect for Lei Ming’s refinement. Even the water-attribute power of the toads could enhance her frost abilities. Though these creatures weren’t particularly formidable, their utility was remarkably diverse.
Ye Liuyun handed the cores to Lei Ming before retreating into his spatial realm with his doppelgänger to refine the four pairs of golden pupils.
Days later, having fully assimilated the golden pupils, Ye Liuyun emerged just in time for another thunderstorm. Seizing the opportunity, he immediately absorbed another surge of lightning energy.
With his newly acquired golden vision, his sight now extended far beyond the horizon—even to neighboring planets. Peering underground, he could discern the density of the world’s primordial energy.
For the first time, he truly grasped the sheer abundance of reptilian beasts infesting this planet. Beneath the swamps, layers of monstrous crocodiles and water serpents writhed in dense clusters, while the surface teemed with all manner of crawling horrors.
Lei Ming and the other beasts were having the time of their lives, slaughtering their way through the hordes, each amassing a hefty haul. None were eager to leave, especially with the frequent thunderstorms providing ample lightning energy. Lei Ming darted between the skies—gorging on thunder—and the ground, gleefully hunting and feasting.
Seeing their reluctance to depart, Ye Liuyun decided to release the women from his spatial realm as well, letting them sharpen their skills. The reptilian beasts here were not only plentiful but also perfectly matched to their cultivation levels.
For over two months, Ye Liuyun lingered, chasing storm clouds daily to absorb vast quantities of lightning energy, refining his thunder power into something purer and far more potent.
The others, too, stumbled upon unexpected gains. The Dragon Maiden devoured two golden flood dragons in the bay, her physical and spiritual strength surging—even the quality of her true essence now rivaled Ye Liuyun’s.
Lei Ming, ever the glutton, hoarded a mountain of beast cores but hadn’t yet found time to refine them. Once she did, her power would undoubtedly skyrocket. She even discovered and refined the golden pupils of those venomous toads for herself.
Though her golden vision paled in comparison to Ye Liuyun’s, she could still see through a couple of earthen walls. Amusingly, she often used this ability to peek at Ye Liuyun and his doppelgänger before scurrying off, giggling to herself—much to his exasperation.
Meanwhile, the White Tiger extracted the spines of giant lizards, forging them into a bone spear with devastating offensive power. Wu Qingcheng encountered illusionary butterflies, enhancing her illusion techniques. Man Shu refined an ice silkworm, her frost energy now surpassing all others. And Liang Xue, attuned to the planet’s primordial energy, absorbed vast quantities of it...
Each returned with unique treasures, sharing their spoils with the group.
