CHAPTER 61: HELL ELEPHANT II

The Primordial Elephant Eternal Body is the greatest body-forging art in the universe. It forges one’s body into that of a Primordial Elephant—one of the very few beings born at the dawn of the cosmos. In terms of sheer power, it stands at the very peak of the beast clan, and when it comes to physical strength, none can rival it.

The art itself is divided into twelve layers. Right now, Tian Lei has reached the second layer, known as the Hell Elephant. The first layer was the Ancient Elephant, and now he stands at the threshold of its darker, fiercer successor.

This art allows the cultivator to choose and condense the living phantom of the beast. When one reaches the peak completion of a layer, the phantom merges with their flesh and soul, granting immense physical transformation. Each layer grants two divine abilities tied to the beast’s nature.

The Ancient Elephant granted Tian Lei the Ancient Force Fist and the Elephant King Stomp. Now, upon stepping into the Hell Elephant layer, he will awaken two even more terrifying abilities... once he completes the lower completition stage of this level.

Tian Lei exhaled slowly, the golden mist swirling tighter around his form. The phantom behind him had taken shape far faster than he anticipated—its once-vague outline now swelling into something far more defined. The legs were thick as mountains, its curved tusks faintly glinting, and the oppressive aura it exuded was no longer that of the Ancient Elephant.

Dark strands began to thread through the golden qi, like ink seeping into clear water. That oppressive power... it was the whisper of the Hell Elephant.

His body drank in the qi, refining and condensing it until his meridians thrummed like taut bowstrings. He could feel it—the lower stage of the second layer was already beginning to take root within him.

The phantom behind Tian Lei grew clearer with each breath he took, its vast frame shedding the last of its haze until the image of the Hell Elephant stood partially revealed. The golden qi within his body now carried dark streaks, the mark of a new power bleeding into his cultivation.

By the time the phantom’s form had stabilized, eight days had already passed in the Golden Fortune Realm. Tian Lei slowly opened his eyes, his expression calm but his gaze faintly gleaming.

"So... I’ve already reached the lower completion stage of the second layer," he murmured to himself.

Without hesitation, he willed the new power to stir. A faint rumble echoed in his chest, and when he exhaled, a dense cloud of pitch-black breath poured from his mouth. The air around it warped and hissed; the floor beneath its path was etched with fine cracks.

This was his third divine ability—Hell Breath. Even a Heaven-rank weapon would corrode and melt under its touch in mere moments.

Tian Lei’s lips curved faintly. "Good. It can be used as a surprise attack," he muttered, his mind already running through scenarios—sneaking close, unleashing a sudden blast of the dark breath, killing before the enemy even realized the danger. The more he thought about it, the more brutal it seemed.

"Damn... it’s an evil ability," he admitted with a slight smirk.

The Hell Breath was a pure offensive-type divine ability—once awakened, it would grow stronger with him forever. That was why such powers were called divine abilities.

"I wonder what else I will awaken," he thought, before closing his eyes again and focusing on stabilizing his breakthrough.

With the session nearly over, his cultivation had already touched the eighth level of the Qi Core Creation Stage. It was just a passive gain from the body-forging process, yet his foundation was solid, without a single flaw or hidden weakness.

****

The next morning, the sect’s great bronze bell tolled, its deep notes rolling through every mountain peak like waves of thunder.

On the central platform of the Azure Feather Sect, a grand assembly had been prepared. High above, banners bearing the sect’s crest fluttered in the wind, and countless disciples gathered in orderly rows, their gazes fixed on the elevated stone dais where Sect Master Mu Qinxue sat.

She was a vision of serene authority—her snow-white robes trailing like falling frost, her presence as calm and cold as moonlight on an endless winter night. Yet beneath that stillness lay an unfathomable depth, a pressure that pressed faintly against the hearts of all present.

To her left and right sat the elders, each one a pillar of the sect. Their auras wove together into a subtle but immovable wall.

Before the dais stood five figures—Tian Lei, Meng Shen, Gao Fei, Wei Zhen, and Xiao Rou—The top five of the sects last new sect competition. Their presence itself drawing attention as other disciples wondere why are they called here for.

Mu Qinxue’s gaze swept over them slowly, lingering for a fraction longer on Tian Lei before her lips curved in the faintest of smiles.

"You five," she said, her voice soft yet carrying effortlessly through the plaza, "stand at the forefront of your generation. The path before you will decide not only your own fates, but also the strength of our sect in the years to come. Today, I summon you for a matter of great consequence."

"Ten days from now, the Immortal Secret Realm will open. It is a vast domain created by an immortal from the upper realms, filled with countless treasures. Every time it opens, many sects send their disciples to compete for its opportunities. This year, you will go on behalf of our sect—entry is restricted to cultivators of the Mortal Realm only."

As she spoke, the outer-core disciples present, as well as those who were already top contenders, felt their eyes widen with excitement. For many, this was a chance they had dreamed of—proof that all their hard work and perseverance might grant them entry into this legendary realm.

Among those watching was Lan Yue, who had participated in the trials but failed to enter the top five. She could only blame her luck; her skill and power were not lacking, but fate had placed her just outside the cut.

"Grand Elder Haiyun will take you to the location. Tian Lei, you are the team leader—make sure everyone returns safely," Mu Qinxue said.

Tian Lei bowed and nodded in acknowledgment.

The whispers in the crowd deepened, anticipation brimming.

Then, without further explanation, Mu Qinxue lifted her hand slightly. "Grand Elder Haiyun—take them."

From the elder’s row, Grand Elder Haiyun stepped forward, his beard swaying with the movement. "Yes, Sect Master."

He turned toward the five, his weathered face breaking into a small smile. "Come, little ones. Time waits for no cultivator."

They followed him through a side passage out of the plaza. Soon, the space ahead opened into a vast cliffside platform—and there it was. Suspended in the air, glowing faintly with azure light, was a massive vessel shaped like a great bird in flight. Its hull was carved from celestial ironwood, inlaid with gold talismans that pulsed gently, and from its flanks extended shimmering wings of pure energy.

Tian Lei’s gaze sharpened slightly. This was no ordinary ship.

Haiyun’s voice carried a note of pride. "Behold—the Azure Heaven Ship. One of the sect’s greatest treasures. It will carry us across domains to your destination."

Xiao Rou’s eyes widened. "Destination...?"

Haiyun chuckled softly. "The Immortal Secret Realm. Your true trial begins there."

The ship’s wings spread wide, and its formation arrays began to hum. One by one, they stepped aboard, the deck thrumming beneath their feet as the ancient vessel prepared to pierce the skies.

The Azure Heaven Ship cut through the clouds like a soaring dragon, its vast deck bustling with activity as disciples settled in for the journey.

Tian Lei stood near the railing, the wind tugging lightly at his robes. Several disciples approached to greet him—polite, respectful—but he offered only a faint nod before turning his gaze back to the endless sea of clouds ahead. He was never one for idle chatter; every spare moment not spent cultivating felt like a wasted opportunity.

Eventually, the top five gathered together near him. Meng Shen, ever the curious one, finally asked, "Tian Lei, why is it that you’re always off on your own? Even during breaks, you disappear instead of resting with the rest of us."

Tian Lei’s expression didn’t change, but his tone carried quiet steel. "Because while you’re resting, I’m working. Every breath, every heartbeat matters. The moment I stop, I fall behind—and I have no intention of being second to anyone."

Meng Shen blinked, then grinned, shaking his head. "No wonder you’re always so damn scary in the trials."

Gao Fei let out a low chuckle. "Guess some people are just born without an ’off’ switch."

Even Wei Zhen allowed himself a rare smirk, while Xiao Rou covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

Tian Lei chuckled along with the others, but anyone who looked closely could see the guarded edge in his eyes. After a while, the group exchanged their farewells and drifted away to rest, the hum of conversation fading across the deck.

Not long after, Meng Shen wandered back over, hands tucked into his sleeves and a faint grin on his lips.

"I heard a little something from my master," he began. "About your past..."

Tian Lei’s gaze shifted slightly. "So?"

Meng Shen leaned closer, voice dropping just enough to suggest this wasn’t for others’ ears. "I’m not saying it’s bad to be the way you are... but you might want to ease up. You walk around like everyone’s your opponent. Try loosening up a little. I know you can’t help but be wary of others—given your past—but you can’t always be alone, you know?"