Zhou Changqing carefully examined the mysterious quality dwelling within his lightning-attribute Dou Qi, a sense of profound familiarity washing over him.
This… why does this feel just like the heavenly lightning that struck me before I transmigrated?
After a moment of thought, he recalled the bolt from the blue that had sent him to the Dou Qi Continent. The two weren't perfectly identical, but their essential auras were remarkably similar. The only difference was that the energy his own lightning attribute manifested was far, far weaker.
A wave of realization crashed over Zhou Changqing.
The lightning that sent me here was definitely no ordinary bolt!
He had always assumed his transmigration was a mere accident, especially since he hadn't received a system or any other typical golden finger, just the classic "struck by lightning" opening.
But thinking about it now, for a bolt of lightning to appear out of thin air, strike him precisely, and possess the power to traverse entire worlds… how could it be simple? Even earlier, when his life had flashed before his eyes, it was the memory of that clear-sky thunderbolt that had joloken him awake. Otherwise, once the flashback ended, he likely would have died for good.
As for why this fundamental change to his lightning attribute hadn't appeared before, it was likely because he had never been struck by heavenly lightning since his arrival. The aftershock of the recent strike, however, had sent arcs of electricity into his body, which then fused with his own lightning Dou Qi, triggering an incredible transformation. This was what had caused the source of his lightning attribute to evolve so drastically.
So I've had a golden finger all along, but the activation condition was to get struck by lightning?
Zhou Changqing's expression darkened.
If not for this accident, who knows how long it would have taken him to discover this! After all, what sane person would actively try to get struck by lightning? That was just asking for death.
Most importantly, Zhou Changqing had no idea what this mutated lightning source actually did or what its benefits were. It was as if he had unlocked it, but it was no different from it being locked.
"Forget it. Why think so much? I'll find out eventually."
Zhou Changqing shook his head, casting aside his needless worries. He turned his focus inward and began to cultivate using the Heavenly Dipper Gold Tempering Art. His sudden jump to a Three-Star Dou Shi required him to stabilize his realm and solidify his foundation. If he continued to advance recklessly, his foundation might become unstable.
The rain was heavy, lasting for nearly an entire day before it finally ceased.
Washed clean by the downpour, the air in this part of the Magical Beast Mountain Range felt fresh, pure, and humid, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and the rich fragrance of plants. From time to time, the subtle aroma of distant flowers would drift by on the breeze.
As the dark clouds dispersed, sunlight once again cascaded down. It filtered through the dense canopy of leaves, casting a dappled mosaic of light upon the muddy ground.
By now, Zhou Changqing had emerged from his meditative state. Glancing at the sky, he walked out of the cave and began to search the surrounding area, moving with incredible speed.
He had sworn that every last Flame Wolf and Silver Lightning Panther in the vicinity would pay for the deaths of his adoptive parents, and he was not a man to go back on his word. He was defined by his commitment to action. If he said he would kill your entire family, he would kill your entire family. Not a single one would be spared.
Beyond his quest for vengeance, he needed to properly mourn his adoptive parents and inform their spirits that he had avenged them.
And then, there was the matter of preparing for the next thunderstorm.
Time passed in a blur.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.
During this period, Zhou Changqing had made this area of the Magical Beast Mountain Range his home. His days were spent hunting Flame Wolves and Silver Lightning Panthers, with the rest of his time dedicated to cultivation. His Eight-Star Dou Shi cultivation had been thoroughly stabilized, and he had even taken another step forward, nearly touching the threshold of the Nine-Star level.
He had also found a secluded spot and carved a hundred-square-meter cave dwelling into the side of a mountain. Using the clothes of his adoptive parents that he had brought with him, he created a cenotaph. He used the monster cores of Flame Wolves and Silver Lightning Panthers as offerings, holding a solemn memorial for them. He would even occasionally bring the captured descendants of those two beast clans to the cave, cooking them into dishes to be offered to his parents' spirits.
The rest of his time was spent exploring the nearby mountain peaks and tinkering with his new body-tempering method.
One day, the sky grew dim as dark clouds gathered, flickering with faint flashes of lightning. The low, muffled rumble of thunder echoed in the distance.
Zhou Changqing had already climbed to the top of the highest peak in the area.
Ten days prior, he had completely cleared the summit. He had not only felled all the trees but had also used his greatsword to painstakingly carve out a fifty-square-meter platform from the rock.
Stepping onto the stone platform, Zhou Changqing looked up at the sky. A smile of faint excitement touched his lips as he watched the clouds grow ever denser.
"I hope this works. You'd better be useful, you beast."
Muttering to himself, Zhou Changqing turned to look at a fiery-red wolf, more than two meters long, that was tied up nearby. It was a high-level Rank Two Flame Wolf, its strength equivalent to a human Seven-Star Dou Shi.
The Flame Wolf's jaws were bound shut, and its legs were secured with specially crafted metal wires, rendering it immobile. But that wasn't all. A thin iron line extended from the wires binding its front paws, running for several meters before connecting to one side of a cylindrical metal coil that stood half a meter tall. Another iron line extended from the other side of the coil, connecting to a thick, bowl-mouthed iron pillar embedded in the center of the platform.
Zhou Changqing gazed at his creation with anticipation.
Ever since he discovered that heavenly lightning could be used to temper his body and rapidly advance his cultivation, he had been trying to figure out how to channel it without getting himself killed. As a transmigrator, Zhou Changqing might not have been a scholar, but he understood some modern common sense. To reduce an electrical current, you needed resistance.
The problem was, he had no idea how to make a proper resistor, nor did he know what level of resistance would be needed to weaken the energy of a lightning bolt to a point where a mortal body could withstand it.
So, he had resorted to a brute-force method: a lightning rod and a metal coil.
Metals conduct electricity, but their conductivity varies. A metal with low conductivity was, in a way, a resistor itself. As a weapons refiner, Zhou Changqing was familiar with the properties of many metals. He began experimenting with several different types from his knowledge base.
For his first three attempts, he had used Flame Wolves as test subjects, each with a physical toughness roughly equal to his own. But without exception, they had all been annihilated by the terrifying power of the heavens.
This was his fourth experiment. He was now using the metal with the lowest conductivity he knew of and possessed: Blackgold Iron.
If this failed, he would have no choice but to leave the mountains and head to a human city to gather more materials.
BOOM!
A deafening thunderclap ripped through the sky. The brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the dim, ten-li radius of the forest as if a camera flash had gone off.
Gulp.
The overwhelming might of the heavens sent a tremor through Zhou Changqing. He swallowed hard and instinctively took a few steps back. He was truly terrified of being struck again, fearing that a moment's carelessness would lead to another direct hit.
Looking around, Zhou Changqing decided it still wasn't safe enough. He retreated from the summit platform, descending thirty or forty meters down the slope. His eyes remained fixed on the faint black silhouette of the rod at the peak, his expression once again filled with hope.
Pitter-patter…
As he watched, a torrential downpour began, soaking the dry forest floor. Zhou Changqing activated the defense of his inner armor, creating a barrier that repelled the raindrops.
Time slowly ticked by.
Then, at a certain moment…
RUMBLE!
A blinding light erupted in the heavens, accompanied by a terrifying, ear-splitting roar!
A silver-white bolt of lightning, as thick as a python, twisted and writhed as it descended from the dark clouds. The very space around the bolt seemed to warp under its violent, destructive power.
CRACK!
ZZZZZT!
As if drawn by an unseen force, the heavenly lightning struck directly at the peak where Zhou Changqing had set up his experiment.