The vital energy within Qin Shilei's body was slowly dissolving and transforming into lightning power.
If he had taken a moment to check his personal panel, he would have seen his experience bar constantly fluctuating.
Though it only increased by a small amount each time, it was continuous and surprisingly fast.
After absorbing the lightning summoned by the Thunder Spirit Pearl, Qin Shilei's vital energy not only became more robust but also his lightning attribute physique underwent a subtle change.
The vital energy in his dantian, initially white, now shimmered with hints of purple light.
Another half hour passed, and the lightning bolt descending from the sky finally vanished.
Qin Shilei's vital energy had increased by twenty percent. In terms of experience, his Black Iron Four-star progress was nearly complete, on the verge of advancing to Black Iron Five-star.
Not only had his vital energy surged, but its power had also significantly increased. The Astonishing Thunder Stab, when cast with this enhanced energy, was at least thirty percent stronger.
Of course, this was only the case for the initial improvement; subsequent growth would be gradual.
"Haha!" An Qian, observing Qin Shilei's post-lightning-bath refreshed demeanor, couldn't help but laugh. "This is the first time I've seen someone so happy after being struck by lightning."
Zhang Xiaoli also teased, "And I've never seen anyone deliberately draw lightning to themselves before."
Qin Shilei shot the two women a glare. "Do you want me to zap you with lightning?"
"Yes," the two women replied in unison.
"You two are no better, asking to be electrocuted."
After saying that, Qin Shilei carefully controlled the lightning to strike An Qian and Zhang Xiaoli.
Half an hour later, the two women had also completed their first lightning baptism.
Their strength had increased by at least thirty percent.
Although they hadn't evolved lightning-attribute vital energy or abilities, their resistance to lightning had greatly improved.
If a thunder beast were to strike them now, they would only feel a tingling sensation rather than suffer significant damage.
Qin Shilei put away the Thunder Spirit Pearl and said, "Let's open the treasure chests before we head back."
"Sure!" An Qian agreed with a beaming smile.
Opening treasure chests always brought a sense of joy.
First, there were over two hundred Bronze Treasure Chests.
Qin Shilei and Zhang Xiaoli each opened twenty, indulging their desire for a taste of the excitement. The rest were entrusted to An Qian, the "European Emperor," to open.
In total, they obtained over two hundred blue items, seventy-six green items, and two red items.
Among the green items, one was opened by Zhang Xiaoli; Qin Shilei had none.
It was unclear whether the drop rate of the treasure chests had decreased or if Qin Shilei's luck was simply that bad.
The green items included twenty-one various single-use scrolls, which the three of them took some of as spares.
There were also eighteen ability orbs and eight healing potions, twelve mental potions, and some life-skill items.
The most valuable among them were two Combat Skill Books, two Ability Books, and two special items.
Combat Skill: Splitting the Mountain (Green): Using a bladed weapon, strike downwards with triple the attack power. There is a twenty percent chance of causing a shattering attack.
Combat Skill: Ghostly Steps (Green): Increases speed by thirty percent.
Giant Log Bash (Green): Strikes enemies with a massive log, with a knockback effect.
Plucking Leaves and Falling Flowers (Green): Slices enemies with countless falling petals and leaves.
The two red items were a combat skill and a substitute doll.
Combat Skill: Fleeting Light, Fleeting Shadow (Red): Travels fifty meters in an instant, with a three-second cooldown.
Substitute Doll (Red): When the holder receives a fatal attack, the doll will absorb it, then disintegrate into powder.
Next came the main event: two Silver Treasure Chests.
An Qian clicked lightly, and two items, one red and one purple, appeared in the chests.
Chain of Defense (Red): Automatically triggers upon being attacked, forming an energy shield on the body. The shield can withstand a full-power blow from a Silver One-star opponent.
Ultimate Skill: Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix (Purple): Requires a trace of true phoenix blood to perform. This ultimate skill summons one hundred types of flying creatures using all of the caster's vital energy and abilities, launching a devastating attack on the enemy.
Seeing purple items again, Qin Shilei and the other two revealed excited expressions.
An Qian was ecstatic, her breathing quickening.
Qin Shilei smiled and said, "Only you can learn this. Let's finish opening the treasure chests, then I'll give it to you."
An Qian then opened the last Silver Treasure Chest, which contained one more red item than the first.
Heart of the Spirit Wood (Red): Amplifies wood-attribute abilities by thirty percent.
Fire Essence Sword (Red): Forged by a master craftsman using fire crystals, it enhances the attack power of fire-attribute vital energy.
Ultimate Skill: Teleportation (Purple): Allows instantaneous movement to any location within a fifty-meter radius.
Nice!
Another powerful ultimate skill.
Two purple ultimate skills; Qin Shilei and An Qian each took one.
Qin Shilei first picked up the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.
[Perform attribute refresh?]
[Refresh.]
Command of the Phoenix (Purple): When performing Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, allows the host to completely control all flying creatures within a one-kilometer radius for ten minutes.
Cry of the Phoenix (Purple): When performing Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, emits a sky-shattering bird cry that attracts all flying creatures within a ten-kilometer radius to attack the target collaboratively.
Jade Dust with Ashes (Red): When performing Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, can sacrifice the host's essence blood to double the attack power.
Two purple attributes, which could sometimes be considered divine skills, yet at other times utterly useless.
After a moment of thought, Qin Shilei ultimately chose the Command of the Phoenix attribute.
He then handed Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix to An Qian.
As soon as An Qian received the ultimate skill, she eagerly chose to learn it.
The milky white stone containing the skill transformed into a beam of light and shot into An Qian's body.
As expected, An Qian, who had awakened the Azure Phoenix Body, could indeed learn this ultimate skill.
"Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix!"
An Qian shouted and unleashed the newly learned ultimate skill at a large rock about three to four meters high nearby.
Instantly, countless fiery-red phantom birds appeared before An Qian and soared towards the boulder with a fierce cry.
Boom!
The boulder instantly shattered into countless small fragments.
Such a powerful move, if unleashed upon the Thunder Beast King, would likely leave it severely wounded, if not dead.
"Chirp!"
After unleashing the ultimate skill, An Qian weakly collapsed to the ground.
Qin Shilei quickly stepped forward to support her. "Are you alright?"
An Qian shook her head. "I'm fine, just exhausted. I'll be alright after resting for a bit."
In reality, the situation was far more serious than An Qian let on.
A purple ultimate skill, at the very least, required a Silver realm to be performed with ease.
An Qian, at the Black Iron realm, had unleashed such a potent ultimate skill. It not only depleted all her vital energy and abilities but also consumed more than half of her stamina.
She could barely even lift her sword.
Even the weakest zombie could kill her.
After consuming some high-energy food and absorbing over a dozen energy cores and ability orbs, An Qian slowly recovered.
Such an ultimate skill could only truly be used as a last resort.
If the enemy couldn't be completely annihilated, she would be left at their mercy.