Chapter 243: Thunder and Elven Blades

After Lan An gifted Bing Lan Xi the Ice Emperor Robe, Heavenly Punishment Sword Art, and Ice Mysterious Zither, the beauty was deeply moved. Any trace of jealousy toward Bing Ling'er vanished, replaced by a flood of passion as she entangled with him once more.

They spent half a month on Dwarf Island, watching sunrises by day and bathing in the Blissful Hot Spring by night, their marital bond growing ever tighter. But all joyful feasts must end. The Ice Mysterious Empire's turmoil demanded her return.

"Husband, come to the Empire to wed me properly! And don't forget, Fifth Sister awaits your charm," Bing Lan Xi teased, brushing away tears with a forced smile.

Lan An pulled her into his arms, kissing her lush lips until they swelled, savoring her sweet tongue before smacking her rear playfully. "Rest assured, my love, I'll come. But the time isn't right yet," he said solemnly.

Bing Lan Xi touched her lips, cherishing the lingering sweetness, gazing at him reluctantly. With a resolute bite, she tore space apart and stepped through. Her fragrance lingered, but she was gone. Lan An sighed, vowing to one day keep all his wives by his side, never parted.

Boom!

A deafening roar erupted from the volcano's peak, the Dwarf Clan Chief's cave. Lan An spun around, eyes sharp. Thunder echoed across Dwarf Island, drawing the gaze of countless beings.

Lan An's figure vanished, reappearing near the cave's entrance. Roaring thunder resounded within, a familiar aura sparking joy in his heart—the Thunder Scepter.

Moments later, the thunder subsided. "Come in, lad," a calm voice called, tinged with satisfaction.

Lan An entered, his gaze locked on a scepter hovering mid-air. Crackling with lightning, each bolt carried earth-shaking might, tearing space apart. Its sleek, sturdy shaft gleamed with the noble luster of Diamond Ore. At its apex, a spherical Heavenly Thunder Stone pulsed with boundless energy, exuding the oppressive aura of a high-grade beast core. It was perfection incarnate.

"This aura… it surpasses Spirit-Grade?" Lan An murmured, inhaling deeply, his eyes gleaming as he looked to the Dwarf Clan Chief.

"Not bad. It's Half-True Grade now. Absorb a potent lightning source, and reaching True-Grade is only a matter of time," the Chief said, stroking his beard with a smile. "Lightning materials are rare, or I'd have pushed it to True-Grade already."

"Senior, can it truly advance further?" Lan An asked, swallowing hard, his heart pounding.

"Indeed. The Heavenly Thunder Stone you provided can absorb lightning to grow stronger. Most of the scepter's power comes from it, so it can handle stronger lightning, though there's a limit before it shatters," the Chief explained lightly.

The Thunder Scepter thrummed violently, its arrogant nature threatening to shatter the space around it. Yet a massive hammer, radiating destructive might, suppressed it—the Chief's Azure Thunder Battle Axe.

"Take it before it wrecks my cave. I've got your Heaven-Splitting Gauntlets to study," the Chief said, waving his small hand, returning to his examination of the gauntlets.

"Thank you, Senior!" Lan An stored the Thunder Scepter in the Spirit Realm Pearl, his gratitude sincere. The Chief and his wife had done him great favors, while he'd merely lent the gauntlets for study, costing him nothing. The Tịch Lạc Sword would boost Bing Lan Xi's prowess immensely, and with his gifts, her Mid Void Refinement cultivation could challenge Peak Void Refinement foes. He felt confident letting her return to the Empire. Even the gauntlets' crack from blocking a tribulation was being repaired. He was the one profiting.

For those who aided him, Lan An held deep respect, vowing to repay the Dwarf Clan a hundredfold. "No need for pleasantries. Just treat that girl well," the Chief huffed proudly.

"Tâm'er is my wife. Even without your words, I'd never let her suffer the slightest grievance," Lan An said, meeting the Chief's gaze firmly before bowing and leaving.

Watching his back, the Chief stroked his beard, nodding with satisfaction. A millennia-old fox, he saw the sincerity in the young man's words.

Within the Spirit Realm Pearl, Lan An sat cross-legged, the Thunder Scepter hovering before him. Staring at the gleaming Heavenly Thunder Stone, he asked, "Jin'er, can it handle the Three-Colored Thunder Tribulation?"

"In theory, no. But your tribulation, summoned by you, isn't as potent as the Heavenly Dao's Eye. It's worth a try," Jin'er replied calmly. The stone's base grade wasn't high; a full tribulation might destroy it.

Lan An nodded, conjuring a wisp of Purple Thunder at his fingertip, feeding it into the stone. Sizzle! The stone flared, absorbing it effortlessly. He increased the intensity. The stone trembled but held firm.

Heartened, Lan An unleashed full-force Purple Thunder, opting to infuse each lightning type separately rather than the full tribulation. The scepter's aura grew, the stone glowing brighter.

"Next, Black Thunder," he murmured, channeling Black Thunder into the stone. Buzz! The scepter shimmered, faintly humming with excitement, its power surging from the high-grade lightning.

Time blurred as Lan An's face paled, the Tribulation Thunder Cauldron pushed to its limit, the Pearl's spiritual energy barely keeping up. He infused all three colors of thunder, distorting the Pearl's space, cracks forming and healing like a spider's web. The scepter's might soared.

Huff…

Lan An collapsed, a faint smile on his lips. Spiritual energy flooded his body, restoring him. Ignoring exhaustion, he grinned at the radiant scepter. The Three-Colored Thunder roared, the once-white stone now a vibrant blend of colors, the scepter majestic. Without the Pearl's suppression, it would've wreaked havoc.

"Your name will be hers to choose," Lan An whispered, closing his eyes, snoring softly in peaceful slumber.

It was a rare moment of solitude for Lan An, with his wives in secluded cultivation and the Elf Queen's birthday approaching. "Good thing Ya'er gave me Elf Island's location, or I'd be lost," he muttered, lips curling.

Elf Island was a mystical place, rarely seen by the world. Only Ji Ya, once of the Heavenly Secret Palace, knew its coordinates; even Niang Qing couldn't find it. Flying through the sky, Lan An scanned his surroundings. Few knew Elf Island floated above the sea, not on it, shrouded by a colossal array forming a vast cloud, masking its presence. Even Body Integration experts would struggle to locate it without precise coordinates.

Three thousand miles west of the Mermaid Archipelago lay Elf Island. Lan An pierced the cloud layer, revealing a new world. The morning sun bathed distant peaks in warmth, greenery dominating the landscape—endless flora and ancient forests stretching beyond sight. Birds chirped, beasts roared, winds rustled leaves, and streams babbled clearly, all on this massive island.

Towering trees pierced the clouds, hidden by the array. Wooden houses perched on branches, blending perfectly with nature. If these trees bore clouds instead of leaves and palaces instead of houses, they'd rival the Palace Tree's grandeur. The forests fueled the Elves' Wood Spiritual Power, while windmills along the island's edges spun, providing Wind Spiritual Power. Elves of the West Sea Continent cultivated only these two elements, their density rivaling the Spirit Realm Pearl.

"Elves are a noble race across the universe, beyond Wood and Wind. There are Fire Elves, Water Elves, Earth Elves, Dark Elves… You'll meet them someday," Jin'er said, perched on his shoulder.

Lan An nodded, about to descend, when his body stiffened. A longsword pressed against his throat—not Xiao Qing Xuan's short-handled greatsword, but a nearly two-meter blade, its crescent edge razor-sharp, infused with potent Wind Spiritual Power, stinging his skin.

A stunning elven woman, astride a noble White Heavenly Horse, held the blade. Around thirty, she had pointed white ears, flowing emerald hair, snow-white skin, lush red lips, and sharp, beautiful eyes framed by sword-like brows, giving her a heroic beauty unlike ordinary women. Her lithe, strong frame wore sturdy green armor, her full breasts proud, a longbow on her back, her shapely hips firm on the horse, her blade radiating killing intent.

A supreme imperial sister, reminiscent of Yan Yue Qi. Behind her, hundreds of breathtaking elven women stood in formation, their translucent wings fluttering. Each was a Western beauty, diverse and exquisite, making Lan An inwardly praise Elf Island as paradise.

"Intruding on the Elven Queendom warrants imprisonment," the woman on the horse declared coldly, her aura commanding.

"I'm here at the invitation of Ya'er and the Elf Queen," Lan An said calmly, ignoring the blade, bowing slightly. As a general leading hundreds of guards, she likely oversaw the island's security.

The elves' expressions shifted. A female captain presented a portrait to the general, who compared it to Lan An. Instead of lowering her blade, her eyes blazed with battle lust. "It's you. Fight me!" she laughed boldly.

Lan An blinked, baffled. Was she mad? Confirming his identity should end this, yet she challenged him? "My general loves strong opponents and has long been interested in you," a smiling elf guard explained, radiant as a flower.

Lan An understood—she was a battle maniac. From his romantic experience, such women required one of two responses: flee or dominate. As a guest, fleeing would lose face. He'd fight.

"A duel's fine, but I don't fight women, especially nameless ones," Lan An said, smiling at the general.

Gracefully dismounting, her battle intent surged, her lips parting with heroic vigor. "I am A Lian Ya, Golden Ranking's 15th. Let's battle!"

Lan An's eyes narrowed…