"You… can I, uh, rub against you for a bit?"
Thunderclap's massive body twisted and trembled, its voice filled with uncontrollable excitement. It was beyond words — a kind of fervent longing it had never felt before.
That was something it had never possessed. From the moment it was born with consciousness, it had been struck by lightning day after day. To grow stronger, it could only rely on being struck — endlessly.
But as its cultivation deepened, Thunderclap felt something else — the world itself was rejecting it. It could sense it more clearly each year — even hating it.
And with the looming hundred-thousand-year tribulation, its heart was filled with unease and fear.Deep inside, a voice had long whispered to it: you won't survive it.
So, in recent years, Thunderclap had been suppressing its lightning power. Each time it absorbed the thunder between heaven and earth, it only kept a small part — the rest it passed on to the surrounding Thunderclap Hell Vines.
It had questioned, raged, and cursed countless times — why was this world so unfair?It only wanted to live.
Was that so wrong?!
Even though it had long since left behind a seed — the chance to live a second life — when that seed grew, it would awaken its memories.
But… would that still be it?
So it waited. Waited for a chance — any chance — to keep living.
And just now, it had felt that chance.A miracle — the one that could let it survive the hundred-thousand-year tribulation!
It came from the will of the world, the fortune of heaven and earth — and that fortune came from the human boy it now coiled itself around.
"Hm?"
What kind of wild talk was this?
Jiang Jue raised an eyebrow at the trembling Thunderclap and felt a surge of joy inside.Sure enough, his guess had been right.
"Thunderclap, what are you doing circling me like that?"Jiang Jue asked, eyes flashing curiously.
"Hey now! Don't call me that,"Thunderclap swayed its body, sounding almost bashful."Just call me Little Lei, alright?"
Its tone carried a hint of flattery — unthinkable for a creature once so proud.But for the sake of survival? Dignity could wait.
"Thunderclap, what kind of nonsense are you spouting now?"
Golden Roc approached the man and the beast, confusion in his eyes.In his memory, Thunderclap had been arrogant, stubborn, even beaten before — but never this deferential.
And especially not to someone it had only met once.
"This doesn't add up… not at all."
Could it be this Jiang Jue truly carries great fortune? A tiger's aura so powerful that others instinctively submit? That's something out of storybooks!
He remembered when Poison-Immortal returned and told him everything that had happened on their journey — how just by roasting a single lion's head, they'd drawn out a mythical imperial beast.
And when Jiang Jue connected with that beast through fate, it even loosened the barrier that had trapped Poison-Immortal for years.
Even Golden Roc, normally composed, found that nearly impossible to believe.
"Little Jin, watch your mouth! You better show some respect — this beast's future boss is standing right here!"Thunderclap ignored Golden Roc entirely, still circling Jiang Jue with feverish excitement.
"Thunder— Little Lei, can you please let me go first?"Jiang Jue said gently, looking at Thunderclap's eager expression.
He had expected that his Fortune Power would tempt Thunderclap — but he hadn't expected it to be this overwhelming. The beast was practically obsessed.
"Thunderclap, stop fooling around. Jiang Jue just finished thunder tempering — he's still weak! Let me take him to the medicinal bath now."Golden Roc's eyes hardened as he reached out, grabbing Thunderclap's vines in one massive hand and holding it still.
"Much appreciated, Elder Jin."Jiang Jue nodded politely, walking out from the tangled vines. His lips curved upward slightly as he glanced back at the struggling Thunderclap.
This was exactly what he wanted.
Sometimes, he appeared to be the prey — but in truth, he had already become the hunter.
"Thunderclap, what's your hurry? Jiang Jue will be back for thunder tempering again — it's not like he's leaving forever."Golden Roc gave a sharp shout and drove his fist into Thunderclap's body with a solid bang.
Sure enough, the physical "cooling" worked — Thunderclap's emotions slowly calmed down.
"You don't get it — this concerns my very—"
Thunderclap suddenly stopped mid-sentence, realizing he'd almost said too much.
"I don't care what's going on with you,"Golden Roc said firmly, pointing at the beast."This boy is the future of our True Body Sect. Don't you dare mess around."
The suspicion he had once held toward Jiang Jue was completely gone now.
That gold-tier secondary awakening he had witnessed earlier had shaken him to the core. Jiang Jue was still only a Soul King, and he had reached that level without the True Body Secret.
That was an achievement beyond comprehension — and before such monstrous talent, all his doubts had vanished.
"Bah, nonsense. I'll be protecting him from now on,"Thunderclap muttered to itself but said no more.
Just as Golden Roc had said — Jiang Jue would return. There was no need to rush.
"Let's go, Jiang Jue," Golden Roc said kindly. "I already told them to prepare your medicinal bath.
After thunder tempering, if you don't replenish your vitality properly, you could suffer blood and qi depletion — that would undo all the gains."
Golden Roc's tone was genuinely earnest.
Jiang Jue could tell — Golden Roc's attitude toward him had changed.The guarded caution was gone, replaced by sincere regard.
As expected, Jiang Jue thought to himself.In a sect like the True Body Sect, talent is cherished… unlike that so-called Academy.
He gave a respectful nod. "Thank you, Elder Jin."
"No need for thanks. Come."
Golden Roc smiled faintly, releasing a surge of golden soul power that enveloped Jiang Jue. In a flash, the two vanished from the cliffside.
"Come often! Come often~~!""Think of this place as home…"
Thunderclap's voice echoed behind them, filled with reluctant longing.
Golden Roc's speed suddenly increased.
"…Truly cursed…" he muttered under his breath.
Moments later, a young man arrived at the cliff behind the mountain. He bowed deeply and said respectfully:
"Senior Thunder, junior Long Aotian requests thunder tempering."
"Huh? You again? Didn't you just come not long ago?"Thunderclap slowly extended its vines, its tone a mix of confusion and irritation.
"…"
Long Aotian's face twitched, but remembering his goal, he forced a smile and said earnestly:
"Senior Thunder, I just want to improve!"
After his second uncle's lecture, he had vowed to work hard — to claim the highest seat of the True Body Sect.
"Fine, fine. It's just thunder tempering. Come over."Thunderclap sounded bored.
"Yes!"
Long Aotian's face brightened. Thunder tempering was the fastest way to gain power — and he could already sense he was close to a silver-tier secondary awakening. Perhaps he could achieve it before reaching Soul Sage.
As he sat cross-legged, Thunderclap suddenly remembered something and asked:
"Kid, you wouldn't happen to know a human named Jiang Jue, would you?"
Long Aotian, who had just been full of enthusiasm, froze instantly the moment he heard that name.
(End of Chapter)