I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield Chapter 685 - 503: Iceheart Lotus Seed, Tier 7 Dawn

A biting wind sliced through the cavern of ice.

The gaze of the Skeleton Demon swept across the quartet; its soul fire flared as its eyes locked onto Qin Tian.

The might of the recent purple lightning had instilled a primal fear, yet Qin Tian’s potent life essence ignited a far more profound avarice within it.

Its lower jaw clacked rapidly, emitting a shrill shriek as a palpable, dense malevolence descended upon them.

"Qin Tian, he is yours."

Zhuge Yu retreated beside Taishi Feng, his voice a low murmur. His brow twitched almost imperceptibly as his gaze traversed Qin Tian.

In the scant hour since their last encounter, Qin Tian’s aura had undergone a distinct alteration, though Zhuge Yu couldn't precisely discern the nature of the change.

"Understood."

Qin Tian replied, advancing with eagerness to gauge the efficacy of his [Thunder Ancestor] talent. This Tier Seven Skeleton Demon presented an ideal proving ground.

"Roar—"

Qin Tian’s unperturbed demeanor seemed to incite the Skeleton Demon’s fury. Its soul fire rapidly coalesced, and its form dissolved into a surge of black wind, moving at nearly double the speed it had pursued Taishi Feng.

The Demonic Qi swirling around its Bone Saber churned like spilled ink. Even before the attack landed, a frigid blade wind had already encased their surroundings in a layer of ice, threatening to engulf all four and extinguish the intruders who disrupted its domain.

Just as the Bone Saber was poised to strike Qin Tian's face, he halted his step momentarily, and a flash of purple-gold lightning ignited his eyes.

Thunder Vision Lock Soul.

In the subsequent instant, the charging Skeleton Demon abruptly froze mid-motion. Countless fine, purple-gold Thunder Locks materialized from the void, ensnaring its limbs and torso. As the Thunder Locks constricted, a crackling sound, akin to burning bone, echoed. Black scorch marks marred its surface, and wisps of dark smoke ascended.

The soul fire within its eye sockets quivered violently, as if seized by an unseen grip, emitting a silent wail of its soul. Incapable of even struggling, it could only endure the intensifying grip of the Thunder Locks. With each passing second, wild thunder energy permeated its soul fire through its very bones.

"What in the world..."

Astonishment etched itself onto the faces of Zhuge Yu and the others.

Taishi Feng, his strength recently recovered, watched with sharply constricted pupils. He had only just managed to cleave the Skeleton Demon using his Blood Burning Secret Technique. Yet here was Qin Tian, rendering this rampaging Tier Seven demon helpless with a mere glance.

Furthermore, he had witnessed Qin Tian's Thunder Skill previously; the thunderous power displayed now was no less than ten times greater than before.

Zhuge Yu calmly withdrew his gaze, his confusion deepening.

He could perceive that the source of Qin Tian's Thunder Spiritual Energy had shifted, becoming more potent and aggressive. Such a qualitative transformation in so brief a period was truly baffling.

However, he posed no questions to Qin Tian. In this perilous treasure vault, each individual might encounter their unique fortuitous encounters. Since Qin Tian offered no explanation, they would not press the matter. This represented the unspoken accord and mutual respect shared amongst brothers.

Qin Tian observed the demon, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips. Arcs of purple-gold lightning began to coalesce in his palm – the initial move was merely an overture. The true trial was about to commence.

Boom!

The Skeleton Demon unleashed a soul-shattering shriek and, in the next moment, violently broke free from the Thunder Bind. Billowing, pitch-black Demonic Qi erupted, instantly suffusing half of the ice cave. Even the icy ceiling adopted a darkened hue.

The demon's previously diminutive skeletal frame swelled ferociously within the Demonic Qi, its bones groaning as they thickened and lengthened. Within moments, it had transformed into a colossal entity, standing three zhang tall. Its trunk-like bone arms slammed against the ice walls, causing them to tremble, while its rib bones spread like wrought iron bars. The spectral green soul fire danced erratically within its bowl-sized eye sockets. Its finger bones elongated into foot-long talons, their tips dripping with demonic flames that seared blackened craters into the ice floor. The demon's menace was amplified overwhelmingly within the confined space.

"Qin Tian, it is burning its origin power, be cautious!" Zhuge Yu hastily retreated half a step, positioning himself to shield Taishi Feng. His palm array plate hummed with spiritual energy, poised to deploy a barrier and ward off any harm at a moment's notice.

"Hmm."

Qin Tian nodded, acknowledging the Skeleton Demon's activation of its Origin Power. While this might not result in its demise, its energy reserves would be significantly depleted following the engagement.

No matter how the Skeleton Demon struggled, its efforts were in vain. Outside this particular location, its lightning didn't possess a significant advantage against such demons. However, since entering this treasure trove, Qin Tian had discovered that both the black monkey, which had transformed from a mere finger, and this Skeleton Demon were exceptionally vulnerable to his Celestial Punishment Divine Thunder and the power of the Thunder Ancestor. These abilities inflicted exaggerated additional damage upon them.

The Celestial Punishment Divine Thunder dealt tenfold damage, while the Thunder Ancestor's power inflicted a staggering twentyfold!

"Roar—"

The Skeleton Demon lunged ferociously, its claws sweeping towards the four of them, accompanied by howling demonic flames. The path of its attack was such that any icicles in its way were instantly melted by the infernal fire.

Instead of retreating, Qin Tian advanced. He vigorously swung his arms, and the ice surface around him immediately became engulfed in web-like thunder patterns. Countless purple bolts of lightning converged beneath the ice at the cave's apex, ultimately forming a thunder dragon as thick as a barrel. This creature slithered down the ice wall, seamlessly coiling around Qin Tian's arm.

With a mere gesture, Qin Tian formed a virtual grip. The thunder dragon roared like a living beast, lunging forward and striking the Skeleton Demon directly in the chest.

"Crack!"

The formidable ribcage fractured with an audible snap, allowing lightning to surge through the bone seams with frenetic energy. This caused the soul fire within to tremble violently. In pain, the Skeleton Demon launched a desperate counterattack, its claws reaching out to rend Qin Tian's face.

With a light tap of his toe, Qin Tian's form vanished like lightning. Simultaneously, lightning gathered in his palm, coalescing into a semi-transparent Thunder Claw.

The Thunder Claw sliced through the air, precisely seizing the Skeleton Demon's neck and twisting with brutal force.

With a "crack," the Skeleton Demon's neck was snapped, sending black bone fragments splattering against the ice wall. These shards were instantly incinerated by the lingering electrical arc.

Before the Skeleton Demon could even collapse, Qin Tian was already above its head, his hands forming intricate seals.

"Chaos Lightning Domain!"