The sound of the wind and the unceasing thunder echoed all around, and the surrounding scenery blurred, receding at the limit of speed. The deeper they ventured, the more intense the thunder energy saturated the air, condensing into fine electric serpents that swam and exploded atop the soul shield of Chu Shanhe, crackling with piercing clarity.
Within Chen Yi's sea of consciousness, the resonance of the Thunder God's presence grew ever sharper and stronger, as if invisible threads were firmly tugging them in a certain direction.
Finally, after passing through a place devastated by year-round thunderstorms—an expanse of vast, glassy ground—their speed abruptly slowed, and the two landed in a relatively open area.
At a glance, there appeared an extremely peculiar cliff, quite unlike the other charred, desolate landscapes of the thunder plains. It radiated a soft, magnificent rainbow light, dreamlike against the dimness and the occasional flicker of lightning.
But Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe's gazes were soon drawn to something even more eye-catching on the cliff: a strange, deep purple vine as thick as an adult's thigh, coiled and floating atop the multicolored stone wall like a sleeping dragon. Its surface was not smooth, but covered in intricate, mysterious silver patterns, as if liquid thunder flowed slowly along it, radiating pulsating energy.
At the vine's top, instead of flowers or leaves, a crown-like cluster of purple tendrils swayed faintly, gathering the thunder elements between heaven and earth.
This was the legendary Thunder Hell Prison Vine of the Douluo Continent series!
Chen Yi took a deep breath, filling his lungs with intense thunder elements and suppressing the excitement in his heart. The moment he laid eyes on the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, he clearly felt the posture of the Thunder God, which had been trembling slightly in his sea of consciousness, gradually calm down.
Chen Yi understood this didn't mean the source of the god's transformation had vanished. Rather, it was because the it stood before him, and the Thunder Hell Prison Vine no longer needed to desperately stimulate its bloodline or sense the divine presence from afar. This was a kind of silent confirmation—"It's right here."
At that moment, the corner of Chen Yi's vision unconsciously swept across the lower part of the Thunder Hell Prison Vine. His pupils contracted slightly, and he exclaimed inwardly, "Amazing!"
Beneath the multicolored stone wall, near the root of the vine, was not a colorful object but a nearly transparent crystal substance, with faint, thin electric wires sealed within, circulating endlessly.
"How many times has this been struck by lightning…? To split this stone wall and turn it into quartz crystal?!"
Chen Yi was shocked inside—how much thunder had to be contained to create such a majestic scene?
Beside him, Chu Shanhe's gaze was fixed on the body of the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, an intrigued expression on his face as if admiring a rare treasure.
"The aura is impressive. This Hell Vine might not have reached a hundred thousand years yet, perhaps drifting for close to fifty thousand. But in terms of momentum, it's far stronger than the Giant Ape of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"If it's god-blooded, common sense does not apply," Chu Shanhe's eyes narrowed as he made a quick judgment internally.
As Chu Shanhe secretly observed, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine floating on the multicolored cliff seemed to awaken from its dormant state. Its crown-like tendrils shifted slightly. Lacking true eyes, it still managed to cast a sharp, perceptible gaze upon Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe.
Chu Shanhe's unfathomable aura caused the Thunder Hell Prison Vine to tense slightly, a trace of surprise and wariness surfacing. Yet its "gaze" swept past Chu Shanhe, locking firmly onto Chen Yi.
"Heavenly Father…"
A voice sounded, but this time it was not a spiritual echo—it was an actual, physical voice. Upon hearing it, both Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe were stunned. For a soul beast to speak human words—this was a skill only a hundred-thousand-year soul beast could possess after complete transformation, and yet the Thunder Hell Prison Vine before them could speak so clearly before reaching that mark.
But considering the mysterious Thunder God bloodline, such an anomaly was not surprising—divine legacies were always extraordinary.
Chen Yi quickly remembered that the original story described the Thunder Hell Prison Vine as being born with enlightenment and exceptional wisdom. Looking at this being now, its speech and complex tone made clear it possessed a far higher intelligence than ordinary soul beasts, not inferior to a human's.
After the Thunder Hell Prison Vine made its call, it seemed to sense Chen Yi's aura more carefully. After a moment of silence, its voice came again, this time tinged with clear confusion and disappointment, but no less wary:
"You… are not the Father… Your breath is very similar, but the essence is different."
"You are not him!"
Hearing this, Chen Yi took a deep breath, stepped forward, and calmly greeted the invisible gaze.
"You're right. I am not the Thunder God himself. I am the inheritor of the Thunder God's throne. The true Thunder God fell beyond this realm, long before the end of endless years. I am merely the successor chosen by him before he left."
As soon as Chen Yi finished speaking, it was as if the most violent thunder exploded directly at the core of the Hell Vine!
The deep purple vine trembled violently, its silver lines instantly blazing with dazzling brilliance. Terrifying thunder burst uncontrollably from its body, transforming into countless thick purple electric serpents that fiercely lashed out in a chaotic frenzy!
The multicolored cliff was battered by the electric serpents, countless dazzling sparks exploded, and the earth was plowed into deep, scorched ravines. The air was filled with destructive energy, and even the natural thunder from the sky was drawn in, feeding the violent maelstrom.
"Impossible!!" A sharp, incredulous roar mixed with thunderous rumble echoed through the valley. "The Heavenly Father is invincible! He commands the thunder of heaven and earth! How could he fall?!"
"You're lying! Lying!!"
It couldn't accept it. In its distant, blood-born memories, the Thunder God was the symbol of invincibility, the absolute ruler of thunder in this world!
When the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's aura went berserk, Chu Shanhe immediately grabbed Chen Yi, swiftly retreating to avoid the indiscriminate thunderstorm. He watched the agonized vine with a solemn expression, making no rash moves, only quietly observing.
Even a little pressure from the Thunder Hell Prison Vine in this state revealed its current fury.
Such fierce emotional surges and energy eruptions lasted for quite a while. The Thunder Hell Prison Vine visibly withered, the dazzling thunder around its body gradually weakening, until only the silver lines on its body still glowed. The mournful roar faded into deathly silence.
Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe exchanged glances and slowly approached again.
At this point, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine looked as if it had just survived a life-and-death struggle, exposing indescribable exhaustion and sorrow. Its coiled form seemed greatly diminished in vitality.
Chen Yi opened his mouth, about to say something. But before he could speak, the low, hoarse voice of the Hell Vine sounded first.
"Human… inheritor…"
"You came here and found me…"
"Are you here to take my soul ring?"
"Isn't that right?"
Hearing the thunderous voice, Chen Yi's gaze hardened, his eyes—previously filled with complex emotions—became sharp, and his body subconsciously tensed.
Chu Shanhe stood behind, his invisible aura spreading, trapping the Thunder Hell Prison Vine before him. Should the vine make any sudden moves, a world-shaking strike would certainly follow.
Faced with this core question, Chen Yi did not dodge or hypocritically deny it. He met the invisible "gaze" head-on, his tone calm and steady, his answer frank:
"Yes. I came here for my fourth soul ring."
The Hell Vine fell silent for a moment, its coiled body rising and falling slightly, as if it were studying Chen Yi's state more carefully. After some time, its voice echoed again, this time with a strange resonance, not angry, but rather… judgmental?
"Fortieth rank… With such bone age, your talent is outstanding, but that's not enough. You want to bear my soul ring… you are not yet ready."
"My power comes from the Father's bloodline, but I have been halted here by the jealousy of Heaven. My essence far surpasses that of ordinary fifty-thousand-year soul beasts."
"Your body cannot withstand this violent thunder. Go back among humans, become stronger, and return when you are ready."
Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe were both stunned once more. They had expected fierce resistance, an unwilling roar, even a death battle—but never imagined the other side would respond as if persuaded. What's more, it seemed… not a complete refusal?
They quickly realized that Chen Yi's true identity as the Thunder God's inheritor carried special weight in the heart of this soul beast, whose blood flowed from the god himself. It was not hostility, but rather practical concern.
Chen Yi drew a deep breath and stepped forward, meeting the gaze directly.
"Thank you for the reminder. But since I'm here, I'm certain."
He roused the energy and blood within him. A vast force surged from his body, a faint golden glow flowing beneath his skin, even the air around him seeming to warp slightly under the pressure of his pure power.
"There's still a chance. My body is already on par with a Soul Sage. Absorbing your soul ring will be a risk, but not impossible."
Chen Yi played his trump card openly—both to show sincerity and to demonstrate his resolve.
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine fell silent again. Only the wind and thunder remained in the valley, time seemed to pass slowly in the silence, every second stretched unbearably long.
Chu Shanhe remained vigilant, but his eyes softened slightly, becoming more observant.
Finally, after a heavy wait, the thunderous voice of the Hell Vine sounded again, now tinged with relief and determination, as if a thousand-pound weight had been released.
"If that's so… then let's begin."
A few simple words lit up disbelief in the eyes of Chen Yi and Chu Shanhe at once. They had thought the vine might be forced to accept after being overpowered, but never expected it would choose on its own… to advance toward death.
This defied all common sense for soul beasts.
Sensing their shock and confusion, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's voice explained frankly.
"You are not the Father himself, but you are his only successor, the new god of the future."
"You will become a part of the future Thunder God, walk the divine path with the new gods, and witness the continuation of thunder's authority. For me, who carries the Father's blood, this is my honor."
The tone remained calm, but it brimmed with almost devout conviction.
"Besides… fifty thousand years is already the limit for my kind. The path ahead is broken. If I remain here, I will eventually turn to ash beneath this thunderous tribulation."
"So… with my remaining body and the Father's bloodline, I offer this last strength to the new god of the future."
"This may be the ultimate meaning of my existence."
Now it was Chen Yi's turn to fall silent. If the Thunder Hell Prison Vine had resisted fiercely, he would not have hesitated to kill it with Chu Shanhe and claim the soul ring, without a second thought—such was the law of Douluo: the weak are prey to the strong.
But now, in this moment, faced with the vine's composure and willingness to embrace death, an unprecedented complexity welled up in his heart.
He gazed at the deep purple vine dancing quietly on the multicolored cliff, as if waiting for its final moment. All his emotions transformed into a solemn promise.
Chen Yi stepped forward again, approaching the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, and met its invisible "eyes" directly.
"I do need your soul ring, but today, you've helped me to grow. If I ever ascend the throne, I'll make myself worthy of you."
"Your name and soul will coexist with the Thunder God's authority, witnessing higher realms together with me!"
This was not hypocritical appeasement, but a heartfelt vow. He could sense the vine's loyalty and devotion from the bloodline, and he was determined to repay this heavy friendship.
The silver lines around the Thunder Hell Prison Vine, which had been fading, suddenly glowed with a soft, pure light, as if stirred by Chen Yi's oath.
"Understood. Remember what you've said today."
As those words fell, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's entire body erupted with unprecedented brilliance, enveloping Chen Yi completely.
A massive, pure energy poured into Chen Yi's body, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea.
At the same time, a miniature phantom of the Thunder Hell Prison Vine emerged from the light and shot into Chen Yi's forehead.
Sacrifice!
The Thunder Hell Prison Vine had chosen the most decisive and thorough path for a soul beast—offering everything to its acknowledged inheritor.
"This is… sacrifice?!"
Chu Shanhe, who had always been on guard, could not hide his shock at witnessing this legendary scene. This was a supernatural phenomenon only vaguely recorded in ancient classics, and obtaining a soul ring this way was far more difficult than hunting a soul beast.
Chu Shanhe quickly suppressed his breath, quietly retreating to guard Chen Yi, ensuring nothing could disturb this critical process.
The dark purple light wrapped Chen Yi like a giant cocoon, and the powerful energy fluctuations made all surrounding thunder elements bow in submission, as if worshipping their future lord.
…
At the same time, thousands of miles away at the Body Sect, the energies of heaven and earth suddenly erupted violently above Xie Xiaoqing's secluded courtyard.
An aura filled with the essence of nirvanic rebirth burst forth from within, like a sleeping volcano erupting.
Boom!
The closed door was instantly blasted to pieces by this uncontrollable force.
A clear, high-pitched phoenix cry soared straight to the sky, resounding throughout the Body Sect.
…
Bonus chapter at 300 PS