Chapter 1890: Respecting the God Sitting on the Altar

A silver lightning serpent broke through the celestial clouds of the nine heavens, rapidly expanding in Qin Sang's eyes.

Infinite divine power descended with the thunder.

Qin Sang's eyes widened. He froze in place, his blood congealing, and an instinctive tremor ran through him.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Two ominous gusts of wind surged from behind him, belonging to the Jade-Scaled Demonic Serpent and the Black Demonic Roc.

The two demons noticed Qin Sang had given up his escape, standing still, seemingly stunned by the sudden turn of events in Thunder City. They knew the situation in the lower realm had surely changed, but they had to make a desperate gamble. The Sky Patrol Divine Chariot beneath Qin Sang was likely their only hope.

Unexpectedly, as soon as the two demons moved, they saw the Thunder Ancestor manifest, his target none other than Qin Sang! They were not far from Qin Sang. The moment Qin Sang felt the Thunder Ancestor's aura, his oppressive might descended upon them, hitting them directly. The two demons were powerless to resist, as if struck by a massive hand. They tumbled like gourds into the sea of clouds, spewing blood, curling into a ball, their bodies trembling, their hearts filled with terror.

Qin Sang was completely unaware of what was happening behind him. Only the roar of heavenly thunder filled his mind; he couldn't hear any sounds around him.

*Crack!*

The Sky Patrol Divine Chariot also suffered an impact. The parts Qin Sang had repaired had been damaged during the chase and were now severely broken. Unable to bear the strain, cracks spread across the Sky Patrol Divine Chariot, even more severe than before. The golden dragon pulling the chariot, the instant the Thunder Ancestor's aura appeared, respectfully prostrated itself. Even if Qin Sang still had his wits about him, trying to command the golden dragon would be futile.

*Crrrack…*

The sounds of shattering continued, and the golden dragon's body became increasingly ethereal, until, like a dreamlike bubble, it burst apart.

Qin Sang stood isolated on the ruined chariot, unable to do anything. After all, he cultivated the Supreme Divine Lightning Registry of the Jade Mansion of Thunder and knew the sacred title of the Celestial Lord of Universal Thunder and Response of the Nine Heavens, who was the head of the Thunder Ministry Celestial Gods, known as the Thunder Ancestor. Coupled with his various encounters and discoveries after entering the Divine Court, he guessed the origin of this lightning.

"Could it be the Thunder Ancestor?"

"Who is performing a ritual to summon the Thunder Ancestor?"

Faced with such a sudden upheaval, Qin Sang had too many questions, but the biggest one was singular:

"Why… me?"

The lightning struck fair and square, directly at the crown of Qin Sang's head. Where Qin Sang stood, only dazzling lightning was visible, his figure obscured. He seemed to have transformed into lightning itself. Inside him, an even more violent and earth-shattering transformation was taking place.

With the Thunder Ancestor's divine power pouring into him, how could his mere late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation possibly withstand such power? Yet Qin Sang was utterly powerless to resist, forced to let the terrifying energy surge into his body. He felt no pain, for he was numb. It was as if he had fallen into a sea of thunder, his body melting within the lightning, losing all sense of self. The Thunder Ancestor's power surpassed the limits of Qin Sang's perception; he had no idea what this power would do to him.

However, the most terrifying change for Qin Sang came from his Nascent Soul! As the Thunder Ancestor's power flowed in, his Purple Mansion also suffered an unimaginable impact. The only thing Qin Sang could do was guard his Nascent Soul, praying that the summoner had left some leeway to control this power, so he wouldn't explode. Unexpectedly, after a millennium of cultivation, the Jade Buddha, which had always been impregnable, for the first time under the Thunder Ancestor's impact, began to tremble!

Lightning illuminated his Purple Mansion. Endless lightning seemed to assault Qin Sang's Nascent Soul, with a faint Buddhist light flickering unsteadily amidst the lightning.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Qin Sang's consciousness roared, and he was horrified to 'see' the Buddhist light on the Jade Buddha's surface surge, with the most violent fluctuations occurring at its broken arm. In his previous life, the Jade Buddha had already been damaged. As a family heirloom, his ancestors were reluctant to discard it, and it was eventually passed down to Qin Sang. After arriving in this world, knowing the Jade Buddha's power, Qin Sang had always intended to investigate its origin. He had perused Buddhist scriptures throughout the Central State of the Storm Realm with this intention, but unfortunately found nothing. Even though the Jade Buddha had lost an arm, it had seemingly had no impact until now. Actively drawing in celestial demons, helping him overcome his Nascent Soul stage inner demon tribulations, and enduring the Heavenly Dao demonic sounds of the Storm Realm – none of these had been able to shake the Jade Buddha. Qin Sang had almost forgotten that the Jade Buddha still had a flaw.

At this very moment, the Jade Buddha finally revealed its limits. The flaw at the broken arm caused the Buddhist light to become unstable, and the impact transferred to Qin Sang's Nascent Soul. After a thousand years of cultivation, Qin Sang experienced pain in his Nascent Soul for the very first time that was not self-inflicted. It felt as if his Nascent Soul was being torn apart. What was even more terrifying than the pain was the illusion Qin Sang experienced: he had become the true Thunder Ancestor, dwelling in the nine heavens, the sovereign of all thunder. Infinite majesty, boundless power, looking down upon all.

Summoning deities and generals could grant power beyond one's own, and exceptionally gifted individuals could even gain enlightenment through a talismanic deity. However, this act also concealed grave dangers. This feeling was intoxicating, yet extremely perilous. Those with weak temperaments, if they lost themselves in it, would have their cultivation foundation destroyed. This was why Daoist cultivators placed great importance on their mental fortitude.

Fortunately, the Jade Buddha was still protecting Qin Sang. Were it not for the Jade Buddha, the pain Qin Sang was currently enduring and the mental impact would be far greater. He would likely only be able to cling to a sliver of clarity in his Nascent Soul, drifting in a daze, unaware of life or death, merely to survive. Even so, this impact was unimaginable to ordinary people. As a result, Qin Sang did not notice the changes in his Talisman Altar.

Within the Talisman Altar, the position of the Altar Guardian Deity, which was originally Qin Sang's inner visualization, now had a bolt of lightning descend, occupying the altar, manifesting the divine will of a venerable deity. It was none other than the Celestial Lord of Universal Thunder and Response of the Nine Heavens. Qin Sang could never have imagined that he had summoned the Altar Guardian Deity at such a moment.

Thunder rumbled continuously. Qin Sang involuntarily spread his arms, lifted off the ruined chariot, and slowly ascended. Countless bolts of lightning snaked around him, transforming into thunder dragons beneath his feet. Thunder condensed into a lightning robe and an emperor's crown. Qin Sang's eyes were tightly shut. Clad in a lightning robe, wearing an emperor's crown, and wielding heavenly thunder, he stood above the clouds, as if the Thunder Ancestor himself had descended. However, no statue of the Thunder Ancestor in the world bore such a contorted and pained expression.

"Ah!"

Qin Sang finally let out an uncontrollable long cry, as if releasing his pain, or perhaps venting the terrifying power within him.

The situation was somewhat better than Qin Sang had expected. The Thunder Ancestor's power did not directly burst his body. In the spiritual realm, it seemed someone was helping him restrain this power. Even so, Qin Sang was utterly unable to control the power within him, and it wouldn't be long before he would still meet his doom. He was eager to vent, when a talisman seal suddenly flashed in his mind: the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal Talisman! This talisman carried the power of the Five Thunders Registry, and was the highest-ranking, most powerful thunder talisman Qin Sang had ever learned!

Suddenly, Qin Sang raised his right hand. This action—whether it was Qin Sang's own intention, the impulse of the Thunder Ancestor's power, or someone else's will—Qin Sang himself did not know. He simply did it instinctively.

At this moment.

All the demonic gods within the Divine Court saw a Thunder God. The Thunder God's majesty was peerless, commanding wind and thunder, wielding lightning and bolts, orchestrating creation, and striking terror into all beings! His index finger pointed to the sky, and a point of lightning gathered at its tip. The lightning transformed into a bolt, shooting towards the nine heavens, like a drop formed from condensed thunder, eventually bursting apart high in the sky.

*Sizzle!*

The lightning spread out like ripples in all directions, simultaneously splitting into countless tiny bolts of electricity. The lightning and ripples together diffused across the sky.

Outside the Divine Court, similar phenomena appeared. Daoist cultivators and mortals in both Daoist Provinces and Mount Ju Province, demon cultivators of the Ghostfang Nation, battlefields at both northern and southern ends, and even fierce beasts in the Sinful Wasteland and Sinful Sea… All living beings in this world felt it, looking up at the sky. They saw water-patterned lightning threads pervading the sky, rapidly spreading. The twisting, flickering lightning threads resembled countless mysterious talismanic characters, forming a thunderous talismanic diagram that unfolded in the sky, encompassing both Daoist Provinces, yet still not reaching its full extent. Even the moonlight dimmed. The seemingly thin lightning threads seemed to contain terrifyingly violent power. If they erupted, under the heavenly thunder, all life would be annihilated.

Mortals knelt and prayed. Demonic beasts lay prostrate on the ground, their bodies trembling. Even fierce beasts were agitated by the heavenly might, recovering some of their primal instincts. This was a more terrifying impact than the drums. The momentum of the beast tide immediately lessened. From the depths of the Sinful Wasteland and Sinful Sea, sharp ghostly wails echoed. In the Ghostfang Nation and Grand Sage Mansion, the Demon Kings gripped their drumsticks, staring blankly at the heavenly thunder, forgetting to beat their drums.

Only Daoist cultivators were all filled with excitement and shock. In the Left and Right Thunder Palaces, cultivators practicing the Supreme Divine Lightning Registry were in tears, unable to contain themselves. The Jade Mansion of Thunder had once been on par with the Celestial Pivot Court and the Northern Exorcism Court, but because its third-tier magic talismans could not summon an Altar Guardian Deity, it had declined to this state. How many years had it been? Finally, they witnessed the divine might of the Thunder Ministry! Finally, they witnessed the divine might of the Thunder Ancestor!

The lightning threads spread boundlessly across the sky, yet the celestial phenomenon was far from over. Dull rumbling sounds echoed in the sky. Soon, everyone realized this was not thunder, but the celestial and terrestrial energy vibrating. The night sky showed obvious distortion. High above, the celestial and terrestrial energy, stirred by the lightning threads, became turbulent, and a visible surge of spiritual energy immediately appeared.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…*

The spiritual tide roared, like monstrous waves, as if tearing the sky apart. Vast and boundless celestial and terrestrial spiritual energy surged wildly towards the center of the lightning threads, where the 'lightning drop' had burst. As the spiritual tide surged, it merged with the lightning threads, transforming into thunder dragons and lightning serpents. All creatures on the ground could witness it. Countless thunder dragons and lightning serpents soared through the sky, riding the spiritual tide, mighty and majestic. This scene was like divine dragons from all directions gathering to pay homage at the celestial gates!

The converging point of the thunder dragons and lightning serpents was precisely where Qin Sang's finger was pointing. Within the blinding lightning, individual lightning talismanic characters were born, arranged in the void according to a certain pattern. The characters were as large as dippers, collectively forming a divine talisman. The divine talisman took shape, outlined by straight lightning lines, appearing as a thunder seal. This seal resided in the center of the sky, like the Seal of the Heavenly Heart, it was the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal! The thunder seal was square and majestic. Compared to this seal, what Qin Sang had cast years ago could only be called an incomplete seal, incomparable to this one.

Qin Sang had received the Five Thunders Registry, and had continuously studied this talisman ever since. However, the Five Thunders Registry was a third-tier magic talisman, spanning both the Nascent Soul and Void Refinement realms. Before this, Qin Sang's understanding of the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal Talisman was less than half of the divine talisman's full meaning. Now, however, he had cast the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal Talisman in its entirety!

*CRACK!*

A bolt of lightning from a clear sky. Heavenly thunder illuminated the entire world! All living beings gazing at the sky instantly felt a sharp pain in their eyes, their vision filled with a blinding silver-white light, unable to see anything. In that instant, between heaven and earth, it became as bright as day. All beings were struck with terror!

As the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal Talisman burst forth, the silver thread had already pierced into the Divine Court, locked onto its target, and shot towards the Ninth Heaven of Thunder City. Before the silver thread arrived, the immortal clouds of the Ninth Heaven were already destabilized. At this moment, the silver thread seemed to sense something, suddenly halting. It hesitated for a moment, but the power of the thunder seal had already erupted. The thunder seal unleashed countless bolts of lightning, each with the power to destroy heaven and earth, surging towards the silver thread. The silver thread swayed, retreating upwards, but it was too late. In a blink of an eye, the front end of the silver thread was swallowed by several bolts of lightning.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The Divine Court violently shook. A section of the silver thread's front end was instantly destroyed by the lightning, while the remaining silver thread fled at an even faster speed. Clearly, the one wielding the silver thread on the other side of the void was trying to pull it out of this world. But the lightning was relentless, continuing its pursuit. The silver thread broke off section by section, destroyed by the intersecting lightning. Countless bolts of lightning chased the silver thread, surging towards the zenith of the sky, leaving a striking trail, like a lightning pillar formed by coiling thunder, connecting to the depths of the void.

Finally, the lightning rushed into the void vortex, the source of the silver thread, and without pausing, gathered all its thunderous power, forcefully plunging into the center of the vortex.

*BOOM!*

After the divine ability emerged, the void was already unstable, exhibiting various anomalies, ready to tear apart at any moment. Now, it was even worse. An extremely violent storm erupted at the center of the vortex, the void roared, as if someone was roaring in anger.

The heavenly thunder faded. But the shock the Five Thunders Heavenly Heart Right Seal Talisman brought to all beings would be etched deep in their hearts for a long time.

At the White Stone Province's altar.

The Kun Dao's body went limp, and she slumped onto the magic altar, her face pale, her breath faint. She had been trying her best to share the burden for Qin Sang and restrain the Thunder Ancestor's power. Otherwise, Qin Sang alone would have been unable to withstand the Thunder Ancestor's power and would have exploded long ago.

Inside and outside the Divine Court, all was silent. Qin Sang floated in the air, standing still in place, motionless.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!"

Qin Sang's eyes were tightly shut. His breathing was extremely rapid, his chest heaving violently. He had not yet recovered from the impact of the Thunder Ancestor's power. His aura rapidly weakened. This single strike destroyed the silver thread, but it was all the power he had left. In that battle long ago, the Thunder Ministry suffered the most grievous losses, and the Thunder Ancestor was severely damaged. Though he had recuperated in the Divine Court for countless years, he had not fully recovered.

Now, within the Divine Court, only Qin Sang remained! As for the Jade-Scaled Demonic Serpent and the Black Demonic Roc, and the demonic gods in Thunder City, the moment the thunderbolt struck, their internal organs were shattered, and they died by lightning.

At this moment, Qin Sang's eyelids twitched slightly, as if he was about to awaken.

Suddenly.

*BOOM!*

The Divine Court violently shook again. A deafening roar, no less powerful than the previous heavenly thunder, erupted almost right beside Qin Sang, instantly jolting him awake.

Qin Sang's face was filled with confusion. He opened his eyes, only for them to widen once more. Right before him, less than ten *zhang* away, a massive palm print had appeared in the void! Countless dense void cracks appeared on the palm print. It was as if someone from beyond the void had shattered the Divine Court's barrier with a single palm strike, pulverizing the void! The area where the palm print had shattered became dark red, and the dark red light twisted erratically, resembling a pool of blood formed from mud and gore. Heart-rending screams emanated from the blood pool, as if something was enduring terrible agony.

In an instant, an illusory, bizarre figure struggled out of the blood pool. The figure's aura was unstable, the pain still visible on its face, yet its eyes burst with sharp light. Its gaze swept across the Divine Court in an instant, locking onto Qin Sang, and it immediately revealed a malevolent grin.

"Hand over the Emperor's Sword, and I will spare your life!"