Xiao Yan immediately moved, approaching Queen Medusa's burnt and severely injured body.
Silently, Xiao Yan gazed at Queen Medusa's body, the look in his eyes reflecting an understanding of the suffering that the woman was going through.
On the other hand, El simply stood still, observing everything with a calm expression behind his mask.
Inwardly, El muttered, "If it's given some seasoning, this roasted snake meat must smell even more fragrant."
After a few moments of watching Queen Medusa lying on the ground, Xiao Yan patted El's shoulder briefly, then turned his gaze towards the Heavenly Flame spinning in the air.
El felt the pat on her shoulder from Xiao Yan and nodded briefly in response.
Without saying much, the two of them stepped toward the Blue Lotus Geocentric Flame that was rotating slowly in the air. However, before they could get any closer, a rumbling sound suddenly sounded from outside, shaking this entire place.
BANG!
Instantly, a flash of lightning struck the top of the temple with devastating force, piercing through the ceiling of the basement and illuminating the darkness with dazzling light.
Xiao Yan immediately looked up with a shocked expression. "What happened?" he muttered, his eyes tracing the ceiling which had now begun to crack from the lightning strike.
From behind the cracks, wild lightning bolts were continuously trying to pierce through the energy barrier protecting this place, as if raging because something was disturbing its balance.
On the other hand, El remained silent, but the eyes behind the mask narrowed slightly, watching the phenomenon seriously. At this moment, El saw something familiar about this lightning.
'This should be lightning that comes from the energy of heaven and earth...' he thought, his body staying alert, preparing for the worst.
El's gaze sharpened, the six tomoe behind his mask turning slowly as he observed the strange phenomenon on the ceiling of the underground cave. 'Strange... Why is that energy like a Samsara Spell?'
A thought occurred to El, as if an epiphany had suddenly dawned on his. 'Wait, is this because the energy of heaven and earth contains the concept of Destruction and Birth?'
As the creator and practitioner of the Samsara Mantra, it was only natural that El could recognize the essence of Samsara in the lightning raging in the sky.
The more El analyzed it, the more it made sense to his. 'If that's the case... then this heaven and earth energy contains the Essence of Samsara! I should be able to absorb it.'
That conclusion made him grin faintly behind his white mask. If El could utilize this energy properly, then the realm of Da Dou Shi could be reached as soon as possible.
After all, this was not the first time El had been struck by lightning. Previously, when in the Black Bullet world El had been struck by the lightning of Tribulation Yuri who ascended the realm.
From the corner of his eye, El momentarily glanced at Xiao Yan who was still focused on watching the situation vigilantly. 'Brother, Yan Strange Occurrence... You are indeed unique.'
'Luck and misfortune always seem to follow you, and somehow, I too am always dragged into that vortex.'
El's faint smile deepened and broadened. 'But this time, it is probably me who will benefit the most.'
On the other side, Xiao Yan was still staring at Queen Medusa's charred body with a solemn expression.
El, who had been focused on the lightning on the ceiling of the cave, now returned his attention to Queen Medusa's body.
El looked intently, the purple scales that were once so beautiful were now blackened, burnt by the Heavenly Flames. However, something else caught his attention.
The lightning current from the cave ceiling managed to break through the energy barrier and struck Queen Medusa's prone body.
'Even with the barrier, the energy of heaven and earth can still break through... This is proof of how powerful it is,' El thought silently.
Of course, as someone who intended to absorb that energy, he already understood the risks. However, that wouldn't deter him.
El grinned slightly. He had many Skills that he could use at any time, no need to fear the side effects of this wild energy.
Plus, El is no ordinary human. El was a Beyonder with a high level of physical specialization.
On top of that, El also possessed the God-level Skill Rinnegan, an ability that gave him a great advantage over anyone else in the world.
Suddenly, a more powerful lightning struck the energy barrier protecting the place. In an instant, the barrier shattered into pieces, tearing like paper dissolving in water.
Now, the lightning raged even more wildly than before, raining down on the entire area mercilessly. El and Xiao Yan separated, each trying to avoid the fury of heaven and earth.
Xiao Yan moved to the left, while El ran to the right and immediately took cover behind a rock.
Without wasting any time, El began to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, utilizing this opportunity to break through to Da Dou Shi's realm.
El sat in the lotus position, Rinnegan rotated slowly, and then the Preta Path was fully activated.
An invisible barrier formed around his body, allowing El to absorb attacks from all directions.
At the same time, the Samsara Mantra was activated. Purple Dou Qi spread out like an ocean of stars, enveloping El's body and making his look like the center of a galaxy.
Plus, El is no ordinary human. El was a Beyonder with a high level of physical specialization.
On top of that, El also possessed the God-level Skill Rinnegan, an ability that gave him a great advantage over anyone else in the world.
Suddenly, a more powerful lightning struck the energy barrier protecting the place. In an instant, the barrier shattered into pieces, tearing like paper dissolving in water.
Now, the lightning raged even more wildly than before, raining down on the entire area mercilessly. El and Xiao Yan separated, each trying to avoid the fury of heaven and earth.
Xiao Yan moved to the left, while El ran to the right and immediately took cover behind a rock.
Without wasting any time, El began to absorb the energy of heaven and earth, utilizing this opportunity to break through to Da Dou Shi's realm.
El sat in the lotus position, Rinnegan rotated slowly, and then the Preta Path was fully activated.
An invisible barrier formed around his body, allowing El to absorb attacks from all directions.
At the same time, the Samsara Mantra was activated. Purple Dou Qi spread out like an ocean of stars, enveloping El's body and making his look like the center of a galaxy.
Shortly afterward, a fierce lightning bolt struck Preta Path's barrier with tremendous force. The impact was so great that El vomited a mouthful of fresh blood.
"Ugh..." El's consciousness had blurred, his body jerked violently.
The lightning that had previously only struck, now wrapped El's body completely, winding wildly like a raging dragon.
The white light of lightning flared from every strand of hair, while electric currents danced along his muscles and skin, scratching fine burns that soon recovered thanks to his regeneration power.
The air around him trembled, reeking of pungent ozone, as if the world recognized his existence as the axis of this chaos.
However, El's desired result had not yet appeared, instead of benefiting from the energy of Heaven and Earth, all he felt was immense pain, as if his internal organs were being cooked alive.
With a furrowed brow, El reactivated the Demon Slayer Mark, increasing his overall physical quality, except INT, by 70%.
El's heart pounded loudly, beating against his chest like a war drum. His blood rippled rapidly, delivering a searing heat from within, as if his entire body became a furnace of melting energy.
Within the dantian, the Cyclone spun faster and faster, creating a violent vortex that engulfed the energy of heaven and earth without stopping.
Purple light shimmered from within, forming a bright new star, a symbol of the step towards the peak of the Dou Shi Realm.
El's body trembled for a moment, then suddenly the energy in his body exploded, surging like a flood crashing through a dam, electrifying the air around him.
The surrounding rocks and the rock face below cracked as a result of the overwhelming pressure.
Ding!
At that moment, El received a system notification, officially reaching 9-Star Dou Shi.