Stepping through the pitch-black gate, the light was dim, illuminated only by the soft glow of fire beads on the surrounding walls, which cast a faint light across the spacious, silent pavilion.
Inside the attic, several broad passages were visible. At the entrance of each passage, large characters representing various attributes were prominently displayed.
Mo Yu, with his thunder attribute, and Xiao Yan and Xun'er, with their fire attributes, separated after entering the pavilion.
As Mo Yu entered the Thunder Path, he noticed five smaller paths branching off. In these paths, the figures of some tribesmen could be vaguely seen.
"The second path of Thunder Road." After a quick scan, Mo Yu headed straight for the second path.
Upon entering the small passage, it felt like stepping into another world. Thick silver-white wooden doors lined both sides of the passage at regular intervals. All the doors were open, revealing faint silver light curtains beyond them.
The silver light curtain served as a defensive mechanism and was the final test for young clan members. To access the skills contained within, one had to break through the light curtain.
Several tribesmen were already in the passage, fiercely attacking the silver light curtains at various doors. The occasional sound of a curtain breaking, followed by cheers, indicated some had succeeded. The others, still struggling, looked on enviously.
Turning another corner, Mo Yu saw the number on the wooden door next to him: thirty-one.
He walked quickly and stopped in front of the door numbered 31, chuckling, "This is it."
Although he wasn't particularly concerned about Xiao Zhan's preferential treatment, Mo Yu appreciated the gesture and decided to check it out.
With more than a dozen tribesmen still in the passage, they were surprised to see Mo Yu stop at room 31. This room had the most solid defensive light shield on the path. Many had tried to breach it before and failed.
Realizing that Mo Yu had already reached the Fighter level, they soon understood why he might succeed.
Ignoring the curious stares, Mo Yu placed his palm against the light shield. His feet were slightly apart, his palms slowly clenched, and the faint fighting spirit in his body began to circulate along specific paths.
"Break!"
His half-closed eyes suddenly opened, and five lightning patterns on Mo Yu's right arm glowed brightly. He faced the light curtain, clenched his right hand into a fist, and, with a sharp whoosh, slammed into the silver light curtain.
"Thunder Body!"
With a focused shout in his mind, Mo Yu's fist struck the light curtain. Immediately, ripples spread from the center like waves.
The silver light curtain shattered like glass, and the tribesmen around watched in shock.
Mo Yu had effortlessly destroyed the light curtain, causing awe among the Xiao family members nearby.
Breaking the light curtain allowed him to enter the room.
Inside, the room was brightly lit but small. At its center stood an ancient black stone platform with a silver scroll resting on it.
Mo Yu walked forward, picked up the silver-white scroll, and glanced at the back. He murmured, "Yellow-level advanced technique: Thunder Art!"
"This must be the highest level of thunder-related skills in the family," Mo Yu thought as he examined the scroll.
Reflecting on Xiao Zhan's actions, Mo Yu shook his head. Although the patriarch had good intentions, he was "not blessed enough to enjoy" the advanced yellow-level martial arts.
Mo Yu casually tucked the martial arts technique into his arms and prepared to leave when his gaze fell on the ancient stone platform.
"Is this... Black Lightning Stone?"
The Black Lightning Stone was a rare material for weapon refining. It was not only extremely hard but also highly conductive, making it ideal for crafting weapons for those practicing lightning-attributed skills.
Realizing this, Mo Yu's face lit up with a smile.
He currently had the body-strengthening skill "Thunder Body" and the movement skill "Nine Flashes of the Wandering Dragon," but he lacked a powerful combat attack skill.
As his strength grew, Mo Yu had been considering leaving Wutan City. Preparing for such a venture required a comprehensive plan.
He had been seeking precious refining materials to craft a suitable weapon but had found none in the remote Wu Tan City.
The Black Lightning Stone sparked an idea.
The Mighty Black Thunder Gun!
In the Dou Qi Continent, the alchemist's medicine cauldrons were ranked from one to nine, with the thirteen highest quality cauldrons listed separately on the Tianding Ranking.
The Shenwei Black Thunder Spear, when converted to the Dou Qi Continent's quality scale, was around the fourth level.
Though only of fourth-grade quality, Mo Yu was not discouraged. He had a special connection with the Divine Black Thunder Spear. In his previous life, he had obtained it and its accompanying skills, eventually becoming a powerful figure.
Unfortunately, the spear had shattered in a great battle as his strength increased, leaving Mo Yu regretful.
The Black Lightning Stone was crucial for refining the Divine Black Thunder Spear.
Destiny had given him another chance to conquer the continent with the Mighty Black Thunder Spear. Mo Yu wondered if this time would see his rise.
"Fate is indeed unpredictable. I didn't expect a casual visit would lead me to such a treasure," Mo Yu said, touching the cold, ancient stone platform.
He had come merely to go through the motions and hadn't paid much attention to the patriarch's reminder, yet he found such a valuable item.
Mo Yu was not surprised that the Xiao family had this material. Being one of the eight ancient clans, it was normal for them to possess such resources.
However, with the Xiao family's decline, no one had identified the item's value recently. Even if some family members had noticed its uniqueness, they likely didn't know how to use it.
In the Douluo Continent, a weapon refiner capable of working with Black Lightning Stones would need to be at least level four. Such a person was beyond the reach of the declining Xiao family.
Thus, the precious refining material had been repurposed into a mere stone platform in the Dou Qi Pavilion.
Mo Yu decided to take it with him. Left here, it would remain a stone platform for years. Only by taking it could its true value be realized.
As for the Xiao family, Mo Yu would make amends in the future.
Although the Dou Qi Pavilion had many hidden strong men, their focus was primarily on defending against external threats, not internal ones. Moreover, Mo Yu's own soul power was substantial, making it easy for him to collect the Black Lightning Stone.