C21 Too Late!

It wasn't working.

Soong Yuan's Sense could faintly detect within his sea of consciousness three distinct entities: incredibly pure, condensed, and ethereal, each brimming with an unimaginable concentration of energy. These were undoubtedly the Innate Divine Thoughts.

However, a mist-like substance, akin to a thin layer of air, enshrouded these entities, preventing Soong Yuan's Sense from accessing and activating the Innate Divine Thoughts.

Soong Yuan tried to concentrate his Sense to penetrate this filmy barrier, but it was futile.

Time was running out. Vicious Thunder Grandma was dangerously close, with lightning crackling around her.

Hmm?

Suddenly, the temperature in the vast Quiet Room plummeted, a chilling Yin Qi filling the air. In a bizarre turn, the floor began to bulge as if a Yin Tomb were materializing out of thin air. Abruptly, it split open, revealing a seated Yin Corpse.

The corpse had only half a head, a broken knife stuck in its chest, and several deep gashes across its abdomen and legs, some even harboring maggots—a nauseating and alarming sight. It seemed as though it had been slumbering for centuries, but now, at this moment, it awoke.

Rising, the Yin Corpse moved with deceptive speed, instantly appearing beside Vicious Thunder Grandma.

With a tight embrace, the Yin Corpse's fingers dug into her abdomen, its partial jaw clamping onto her neck. The piercing screams, the sounds of flesh being torn, and the thunderous booms all ceased.

Qian Xiaoruo, Soong Yuan, and Qian Ji were left in shock.

The events unfolded too quickly to discern the details.

In the aftermath, the Yin Corpse was blasted into over a dozen pieces, completely destroyed; Vicious Thunder Grandma, severely wounded, retreated to the center of the Quiet Room to sit and meditate, her neck and left rib displaying horrific injuries.

A Thought Dividing Stage Great Cultivator had been gravely injured!

What kind of ferocious Yin Corpse was this?

"Perfect, perfect, what an incredible opportunity!" Qian Ji, who had endured the impact of the Thunder-shape Arrow, continued to shrink until he resembled a three-year-old child. He shouted excitedly at Soong Yuan, "This is a gift from the heavens! Hurry, hurry, kill this old hag!"

Qian Xiaoruo, positioned at the far end of the Quiet Room, silently watched Soong Yuan. She held her tongue, yet her heart was in complete agreement with Qian Ji's: she eagerly anticipated Soong Yuan seizing the moment to finish off Vicious Thunder Grandma.

The situation had taken a drastic turn. Qian Ji was teetering on the brink of death, Qian Xiaoruo was detained and unable to escape, and Vicious Thunder Grandma was seriously wounded. In contrast, Soong Yuan stood as the freest and most intact person there, with total control now firmly in his grasp.

Soong Yuan was the picture of calm. He understood that Vicious Thunder Grandma's cruelty knew no bounds; she had obliterated the members of the Thousand Thunder Sect and slaughtered the Blazing Fire Sect, her crimes monstrous and unforgivable. Her death was warranted, all the more so because she had nearly taken his life.

Acting immediately, Soong Yuan sprinted forward and threw a punch imbued with the full force of the Iron Mountain Fist, a punch that could break a tree as thick as a bowl, crush walls and stones, the very punch that had burst Sunn Liang's head the night before. It came crashing down with a resounding boom...

A halo of subtle thunder and lightning flickered into existence around Vicious Thunder Grandma, guarding her. As a result, Soong Yuan's punch merely sparked a flash of lightning that rebounded, leaving him with a tingling burn. That was it; Vicious Thunder Grandma remained untouched.

"Keep at it, keep at it, until she's dead," Qian Ji bellowed, his voice tinged with madness.

Punch after punch, the second, the third, the fourth... by the seventy-eighth, Soong Yuan was certain that even ten bulls would have fallen to his assault. Yet, Vicious Thunder Grandma was not only unscathed, but the protective aura of lightning around her grew brighter and more intense, signaling her steady recuperation.

"Damn it," Soong Yuan muttered under his breath, retreating a few steps to catch his breath. He glanced around frantically, searching for any weapon, even a brick, anything to take down Vicious Thunder Grandma.

But he soon gave up on that idea. The logic was simple: no ordinary weapon or brick could compare to his Iron Mountain Fist, and if that wasn't working... Soong Yuan was at a complete loss.

"Pathetic," Qian Xiaoruo couldn't help but sneer once more. "Vicious Thunder Grandma is severely injured, her power has dropped to Foundation Stage Level One or Two. She's just sitting there, defenseless, and you still can't... Soong Yuan, what can I even say to you? If you're not pathetic, then what are you?"

Soong Yuan responded by flipping Qian Xiaoruo the bird.

Qian Xiaoruo's cheeks flushed with anger as she clenched her teeth and muttered under her breath, "Soong, if you ever fall into my hands, I swear, I'll... I'll castrate you."

A hush descended.

The Thunder Tribulation Cloud enveloped Qian Xiaoruo, with intermittent flashes of lightning accompanied by the occasional crackling sound. Qian Ji, pinned to the wall by a Thunder-shape Arrow and reduced to the size of an infant, had his eyes tightly shut, his chest heaving as if he were either enduring the intense pain of the Thunder Energy or contemplating some grave decision. Soong Yuan, trying once more to activate the three Innate Divine Thoughts within his Sense, realized it was still to no avail.

He came to the disheartening conclusion that the faint, membrane-like barrier could not be breached by willpower alone.

Vicious Thunder Grandma slightly opened her eyes to take in the situation in the Quiet Room, a cold smirk barely noticeable on her face. She was aware that her moment to strike was fast approaching...

Soong Yuan, bored and feeling somewhat useless, lamented his situation. The Vicious Thunder Grandma, the formidable foe, was right there, defenseless, and yet he was powerless to defeat her. If he waited any longer and the Vicious Grandma recovered her strength... "I'd better leave," he decided, making his way to the Quiet Room's door.

"Are you really just going to leave like that?" Qian Xiaoruo exclaimed.

"What else can I do?" Soong Yuan glanced at her and said, "Qian Xiaoruo, you're still holding out hope that I'll save you. But let's be honest, I can't. And even if I could... I wouldn't."

Qian Xiaoruo was so exasperated she rolled her eyes.

Soong Yuan was at the Quiet Room's threshold, just a step away from leaving...

"Mr. Soong, don't go," Qian Ji shouted. "I have a method that can help you kill that Vicious Grandma."

"You can't even save yourself," Soong Yuan replied, leaving without a backward glance.

"The Fire God Art I've cultivated has a unique technique that lets me transfer all of my Fire Essence to you as an enhancement. With it, you'll gain the attack power of someone at Foundation Stage Level Three. With such strength, you could easily defeat the Vicious Grandma, who's at Level One or Two. Please, don't go," Qian Ji cried out desperately. "Brother Tong, if you defeat this Vicious Grandma, I'll bestow upon you the Blazing Fire Sect's three sacred heirlooms."

Soong Yuan turned back and approached Qian Ji, inquiring, "What are these three treasures?"

"Pfft," Qian Xiaoruo, standing at a distance, snorted disdainfully at Soong Yuan and couldn't help but grumble, "What a greedy fellow."

The exchange between Qian Ji and Soong Yuan was a series of questions and answers.

"The Blazing Fire Sect's three treasures are the Thousand-fire Congealing Technique, the Fire Treasure Gourd, and the Fire Essence Pill."

"And what are their uses and ranks?"

"The Thousand-fire Congealing Technique is used to refine and purify Fire Essence from various Strange Flames. The Fire Treasure Gourd is a top-grade magic artifact capable of absorbing and emitting intense flames. The Fire Essence Pill helps cultivators of fire techniques break through and advance."

"Didn't that Vicious Thunder Grandma annihilate your Blazing Fire Sect? Didn't she thoroughly search the place and take these treasures?"

"That damned Vicious Grandma hasn't had the chance to search yet. Besides, without the combination, she can't unlock the treasure chamber."

"Combination?"

...

Soong Yuan asked his questions in detail, and Qian Ji answered them thoroughly.

Suddenly, from the other side, Qian Xiaoruo burst out in frustration, "Damn it, you money-grubbing jerk, still asking questions and wasting time... Turn around and take a look!"

Oh no.

Startled, Soong Yuan quickly turned around, and Qian Ji also looked up in shock.

Vicious Thunder Grandma had risen to her feet. The large, bloody wounds on her neck and chest had significantly healed. After completing her healing, her cultivation level had astonishingly returned to the Thought Dividing Stage.

"We're done for," Qian Ji muttered in a daze. "Even if I were to give all of my remaining Fire Essence to Soong Yuan, at best, we could only muster the attack power of Foundation Stage Level Three. Clearly, we stand no chance against a Thought Dividing Stage Great Cultivator like Vicious Grandma."

Soong Yuan's first instinct was to flee.

"Too late. You should have left earlier, but now, you can't run." The dry, eerie voice echoed once more as Vicious Thunder Grandma coldly fixed her gaze on Soong Yuan.