Chapter Eighty-One: Divine Embryo

“Master Feng!”

“Master Zhao!”

“Master Tu, you’ve received the news as well?”

Tu Lu nodded in response.

After resting for a day, he received word from Zi Camel Peak early in the morning, summoning them to gather here.

Yet the master himself, Zi Camel Peak, had not arrived.

“After we parted yesterday, I wonder if Master Tu was granted an audience with Young Master Zi?” Feng Ru asked with a smile.

“If Master Feng was not, then naturally neither was I,” Tu Lu replied.

Feng Ru paused for a moment, then let out a muted laugh and shifted the topic.

“I heard yesterday that Master Tu managed to inscribe all three magical artifacts with their runes in less than two hours. Is that true?”

“It was merely a stroke of luck,” Tu Lu shook his head.

Feng Ru sighed bitterly, “I’m truly humbled by what you call luck, Master Tu.”

“Indeed, I thought at the time Master Tu was already a master of runes, and even if not, he must be very close.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Tu Lu replied modestly.

The three continued their polite conversation for a while longer.

It was nearly midday when Zi Camel Peak finally arrived, fashionably late.

This time, however, his complexion seemed somewhat pale.

“Thank you for waiting, esteemed masters. I was delayed by certain matters—please forgive me.”

“No matter. To exchange insights with such distinguished colleagues is a rare opportunity for me.”

“Master Feng speaks truly. For us runesmiths, such an occasion is invaluable; half a day’s wait is of little consequence.”

“Thank you all for your understanding. There will be plenty of time for the three of you to converse at length, but for now, please follow me.”

Zi Camel Peak smiled faintly and led Tu Lu and the other two deeper into the courtyard.

The grounds still retained the style of a provincial manor, dominated by peculiar rocks. After winding through several bends, the original path was lost to sight as they moved toward the innermost part.

Zi Camel Peak then opened a concealed passage and guided the three downwards.

At the deepest point, Tu Lu felt an inexplicable sensation.

Within him, the connection between his various incarnations and his true self seemed suddenly strengthened, as if they were on the verge of merging into one!

Startled, he pressed on until they reached the end of the passage, where they finally understood what Zi Camel Peak meant to show them.

Zhao Yuanyang was composed, but Feng Ru and Tu Lu were genuinely astonished.

Before them lay an enormous Thunderstone!

It was truly massive, requiring two or three people to encircle it, and taller than a man.

More striking still, its entire body was blue, faintly radiating golden halos—signaling it was nearing the fourth grade.

“A Thunderstone above the fourth grade, if it’s as large as a human head, is called a Matriarch Stone and can produce primordial thunder essence. If it’s bigger than a person, it’s called a Divine Embryo, capable of generating a Sacred Seed!

This one, though not yet fourth grade, is extremely close. Left alone, it would become a true Divine Embryo in several thousand years,” Zi Camel Peak murmured, caressing it with fascination.

Tu Lu glanced at its base and saw over a dozen layers of powerful formations, continuously drawing primordial energy from heaven and earth to nourish the Thunderstone.

“I see now. Young Master Zi intends to use the Sacred Seed to forge the Thunder Sacred Body!” Feng Ru exclaimed in surprise.

Tu Lu’s heart trembled at the words.

The Thunder Sacred Body, innately at the Purple Palace level—if Zi Camel Peak truly achieved such a physique, even if he were a pig, he could easily reach the Transcendent realm!

Zi Camel Peak cast a meaningful look at Feng Ru and nodded.

“Master Feng is correct.

Sadly, a fourth-grade Divine Embryo is far too rare—not only in Taixu Manor, but perhaps nowhere in the entire Southern Cloud Kingdom.

This is only a third-grade Thunderstone. Even with these formations to nurture it, reaching the Divine Embryo stage would take at least a thousand years, and I cannot wait so long.”

“So Young Master Zi means…”

“I possess a set of runes that will rapidly stimulate this Thunderstone. Though the Sacred Seed produced will be but a minor one, it will suffice.”

He looked at the three.

“All of you are the most suitable talents. Ordinarily, I would entrust you, but the secret here is too great. Thus, I must ask you to swear a soul contract, ensuring this secret never leaves these walls.”