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Chapter 190 - Chapter 190 – The Temptation of Fortune

"Heh-teh, just wait until this beast breaks through the hundred-thousand-year mark—then I'll show you what it means to never look down on the old and poor!"

"When that time comes, I'll give you a good whipping!"

Thunder silently swore this to itself, then began to absorb the power of thunder it had just freeloaded.

Although it often squabbled and joked with Jin Peng like this, it knew very well that Poison Undying wouldn't play that way—he'd really tear it up by the roots, and when that happened, there'd be nowhere left to cry.

"Little friend Jiang, how is it? Any points you're uncertain about?"

Jin Peng walked straight to Jiang Jue's side and asked kindly. His mood was exceptionally good—clear-minded and refreshed, seeing beauty in everything around him.

"Elder Jin, not for now. But I'll only know for sure after I actually cultivate a bit."

Jiang Jue shook his head slightly and spoke in a soft tone.

"In that case, I'll have Thunder Vine assist you with thunder-body tempering so you can give it a try."

After a short pause for thought, Jin Peng said calmly.

"Elder Jin, this Thunder Vine is…?"

Jiang Jue closed the manual in his hands and asked with a hint of doubt.

"Ah, that's the nine-thousand-year-old Thunder Vine."

"While it's busy absorbing the thunder power, I might as well tell you about the connection between these vines and our Body Sect."

Jin Peng stroked his beard with a smile as he began.

"Originally, our sect's first patriarch chose to establish the Body Sect here atop this heavenly gorge to avoid worldly interference."

"As it happened, growing here on the cliff was a single Thunder Vine—the very one you see before you now."

Jin Peng gestured toward it, then continued.

"At that time, the vine had already reached seventy thousand years of age and was about to lose control of the thunder power within its body. Fortunately, it encountered our first patriarch."

"With the mindset of recycling waste materials… cough, I mean making good use of resources, the patriarch stabilized it and discovered that thunder power has an unexpected effect on Body-Martial-Soul cultivators."

Jin Peng glanced at Thunder in the distance, pausing briefly before sighing with emotion.

"But Thunder Vine had already reached its limit. Although the patriarch stabilized it in time, that was not a long-term solution. So the patriarch came up with an ingenious idea."

"He sought other Thunder Infernal Vines of the same lineage. Whenever Thunder Vines couldn't control its internal thunder power, it would conduct the excess energy to them."

"Because these vines shared their origin, just as the patriarch expected, the method worked perfectly."

At this point, Jin Peng's admiration for the first patriarch overflowed.

Indeed, if that method hadn't been conceived back then, the overall strength of the Body Sect would have dropped sharply—many disciples of lesser talent wouldn't even have been able to complete the second awakening of their Body Martial Souls.

But with Thunder Vine's thunder-tempering now available, as long as one trained diligently and endured hardship, even those born with weak innate soul power could complete their second awakening before the age of fifty.

"So ever since then, disciples of the Body Sect, when traveling outside, have always kept an eye out for wild Thunderclap Infernal Vines to bring back and plant along this cliff."

"Thanks to that, Thunderclap was able to grow freely. Over these thousands of years, its cultivation has risen rapidly, and it's now close to the ninety-thousand-year limit."

Jin Peng's expression carried a proud glow; by the end, even his tone was filled with fervor.

This was the heritage accumulated by their sect over millennia—generation after generation. Just thinking of it filled one with pride.

"Ninety-thousand years, huh? The hundred-thousand-year mark is quite the barrier…"

Jiang Jue listened attentively. When he heard Thunderclap was nearing that age, a trace of strange light flickered in his eyes.

He had just used the Eye of Destiny to look at Thunderclap's fate-threads. Although the black line above its head had temporarily turned red, it remained dark within—most likely unable to survive the hundred-thousand-year tribulation.

It wasn't for any other reason—this world itself simply wouldn't tolerate a soul beast that powerful.

Now that the power of fortune within him had grown stronger, Jiang Jue could increasingly feel this world's favor toward him. But in Thunderclap's case, he sensed only the world's deep disgust.

There was an apt saying to describe a Thunderclap Infernal Vine:"So long as thunder rages, it devours without end."

Such a soul beast was one that lived facing death. If Thunderclap hadn't met the first patriarch of the Body Sect back then, it would probably have exploded long ago.

"Elder Jin, do you think Thunderclap can overcome the hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation?"

Jiang Jue looked at Jin Peng and asked, pretending to be curious.

"Well…"

Jin Peng's expression stiffened at the question; after a moment's hesitation, he said slowly:

"Life and death rest in the hands of Heaven. It all depends on Thunderclap's fortune."

"The first patriarch decreed that no one may interfere in Thunderclap's tribulation—everything must rely on itself. You should also understand: if anyone forcibly meddles in a heavenly tribulation, the tribulation will only grow stronger in response."

From Jin Peng's tone, Jiang Jue could clearly hear a note of regret. It seemed he too had little confidence in Thunderclap surviving its ordeal.

"Multiple attribute fusions… perhaps Thunderclap would make a fine candidate."

Jiang Jue's brows arched slightly, a gleam flashing through his eyes as he murmured inwardly.

Ever since Jin Peng had suggested that he try adding multiple attributes to his Body Martial Soul, Jiang Jue had been tempted by the idea.

Along the path of ice, he already had the Ice Emperor and the Snow Emperor—enough to reach the peak. Yet his Body Martial Soul still had several empty soul-ring slots left.

"No hurry. At this rate, Thunderclap will soon face its tribulation anyway."

Jiang Jue suppressed his thoughts and took a deep breath.

Thunderclap was hated by heaven and earth—but he was not. He remembered that ten thousand years later, the child of fortune, Tang Wulin, would have a Thunderclap Infernal Vine as his soul spirit, and by virtue of his identity as Nature's Son, he would raise its cultivation to the hundred-thousand-year level.

Now, Jiang Jue himself was steeped in great fortune—and as for whether he or Huo Yuhao would be the true child of destiny in the future, that was still uncertain.

Just then, Jin Peng said,

"Actually, there's no need to worry. Thunderclap has long since left behind seeds. Even if it fails, there will still be hope in the future."

"As for us, we've got nothing to fear—those other Thunderclap Infernal Vines aren't just decoration."

He pointed to the cluster of thousand-year vines nearby, smiling as he spoke.

"Little Jin, can't you at least wish me well for once?"

A voice full of irritation and exasperation echoed out. Thunderclap stretched its body—tens of meters long—and slithered over to stand before Jiang Jue and Jin Peng.

"Thunderclap, this is Jiang Jue, the one I told you about."

Jin Peng introduced them, then pointed toward the vine.

"This is Thunderclap."

"Ahem—Jiang Jue, right? I'm several tens of thousands of years your senior. You can call me Brother Lei. From now on, I've got your back."

Thunderclap swayed its body proudly and spoke in a booming tone.

"If you keep running your mouth, I'll give you two more punches," Jin Peng said with a pleasant smile but a cold voice.

Sometimes, a smile isn't politeness—it's a warning.

Jiang Jue's eyes gleamed as he watched Thunderclap, smiling without a word.

"Just wait—you'll soon learn who the real big brother is."

He chuckled inwardly, already having a plan.

"You agree, don't you… Wheel of Fortune?"

(End of Chapter)

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