Monarch of Darkness

Evan didn't venture into the thunder valley recklessly. He knew for a place to be known as danger zone, there must be something dangerous in it or else it wouldn't have known as a danger zone. "Leaving aside any hidden danger, just these thunderbolts are enough to obliterate any breathing life. I can't estimate how much cultivation is needed to face these thunderbolts without any harm to body", he thought to himself.

For his cultivation, he didn't have to face the shower of thunder himself. He choose a place nearby and sat down.

The sky was full of cloud and thunderbolts were flashing amidst heavy rain. Evan closed off his eyes and started to operate the Element devouring technique. This technique was not a technique meant for any normal human. Breathing so much energy in one go, only a resilient body could bear this. 

Purple coloured strands came pouring down onto him and Evan fully concentrated on madly devouring the element. He had a high affinity towards thunder element. Thus, he didn't feel any obstruction while absorbing the thunder element.

Evan could see the purple strands making their way into his body. But what bothered him was the bluish strands which started to make their way into his body on their own. The bluish strands represented the water element. Initially he felt concerned because he was worried about any unfavorable changes due to absorption of two elements simultaneously but after seeing that there was no problem in his body, he calmed down.

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Despite the time it was taking, Evan was cultivating diligently to master the five elements only because he had a grand plan related to his future cultivation path. As a scholar who always loved to collect knowledge, he had in-depth knowledge about the greater cultivation realms. 

As examle he knew that Profound transformation realm was like preparing foundation for higher cultivation realms. In profound transformation realm, a cultivator trained his body by tempering it step by step.

First step started with blood condensation. This is the stage where creatures with stronger bloodlines differentiated themshelves from the creatures with weaker bloodlines. A creature with stronger bloodlines, developed bloodline pressure toward others. It was like a ability which supressed the weaker bloodline creatures.

Then came the tendon transformation stage. In this stage, a cultivator tempered his body muscles with elemental power which inturn transformed their tendons to contain explosive power. The third step was the bone transformation and then the peak profound transformation stage represented the transformation of inner organs including heart. Many human cultivators failed to overcome this process in their lifetime.

Further one progressed in the cultivation, there would be more obstacles they faced in their way. The next realm after the Profound transformation realm was Core condensation realm. It was a realm which differentiated heavenly warriors from ordinary cultivators. Only after attaining this realm, a cultivator could claim that he truely stepped in the path of cultivation.

In entire Northpeak empire, there was less than hundred cultivators who had attained the Core condensation realm. Core condensation realm enabled a cultivator to fly in the sky and they could perform large scale attacks by channeling the energy stored in their magical cores. Evan was cultivating hard to master the five elements because he wanted to lay a solid foundation in the Core condensation realm. Although it was a realm which was far away from him but he was preparing for it beforehand. An early preparation was key for great success in future. Evan always believed in this logic.

Cultivation was a steep path. It was a path where difficulty increased with every step. If one's foundation was not stable how could he reach the top! Evan wanted to make a core made of all the five elements which was rare even in the God race. Devils never used five elements as the source of their core but Evan was different. With his current human body, he wanted to make full use of every advantage he possessed. Every Element provided an extra ability in combat. With Evan's darkness Element and death element, the five elements would provide him an extra edge in future battles.

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Evan was already cultivating for two months in the vicinity of the thunder valley. Thunderbolts were flashing as usual and rain was as frequent as the coming of day and night. Thick strands of purple and blue were gathered above Evan's head. He continued to operate the element devouring technique nonstop. Suddenly, the amount of purple and blue started to increase above his head and the thickness of purple and bluish strands increased.

Evan could feel the increased amount of thunder and water element all over his body. He continued to operate the Element devouring technique and the strands started to swim toward his Meridians. A smile appeared on his face and he opened his eyes. "It takes two months to to reach the peak Element sensing realm in thunder and water element. I have underestimated my compatibility with water element before. Without actively cultivating it, I have achieved mastery in it. It most be the work of my Ice phoenix bloodline", Evan thought to himself. He stood up and stretched his body.

Shadow rats were scouting the nearby places entire time. He was expecting some thunder attributed magical beasts in this area but he had not encountered any in this time period.

Evan had already guessed a reason for it. From the behaviour of shadow rats, he drew conclusion that this place had a supressing effect on their soul. Strangely, it was affecting more to the creatures of higher cultivation realms. The leader of Shadow rats was feeling more suppression than the other Shadow rats.

Evan found this fact strange. His curiosity increased towards the thunder valley and he decided to check the thunder valley from a more closer distance. He walked forward and he also started to feel increasing pressure on his soul. When he reached a distance which was just a arm's length away from the entrance of valley, his soul palpitated in fear. He felt a premonition that if he would cross this distance, then a life thretning danger may come for him. Evan was just thinking to back away when he heard a voice.

"There is nothing here except death. Go back".