Chapter 1918: Thunder Altar

The Mortal World

“Let’s go.”

Qin Sang withdrew his gaze and flew deeper into the secret realm.

The layout of the secret realm was simple; the entrance was a vast jungle.

Within the dense forest, there was no shortage of demonic beast aura, likely descendants of spirit beasts once raised by the Thundercloud Sect. These demonic beasts weren’t very strong, but they posed a significant challenge for the disciples entering the realm.

After passing through the dense forest, a cluster of towering peaks came into view. Heavy mists shrouded the area, lending an air of mystery to the mountains. Faint outlines of pavilions and towers were visible, all silent and deserted. The mists were clearly a manifestation of array restrictions.

These cloud-shrouded mountains were the core of the secret realm, and the primary focus of contention for factions like the Five Radiance Sect. Upon entering the secret realm, the disciples rushed to this location. In the forest, scenes of conflict unfolded continuously.

Qin Sang didn’t stop to watch the battles. In a flash, he reached the edge of the cloud mountains. A brief scan confirmed that these mountains were meticulously arranged, forming a spirit array that hinted at Thunder Arts, though it wasn’t any type recorded in the Five Thunder Envoys’ Court Seal. To Qin Sang, this spirit array wasn’t sophisticated enough, possibly something the Thundercloud Sect had developed on its own.

The vast, white mists couldn’t obscure Qin Sang’s vision. He easily pinpointed the innermost core and disappeared into it. He was alone in the mountains.

Qin Sang landed on a mountain path, looked around, and began walking towards the summit.

“Hurry up! There must be treasures up there!” The Vermilion Bird chirped excitedly, unable to contain itself.

“What’s the rush? No one’s competing with you.” Qin Sang secretly shook his head. The Vermilion Bird had very high standards, and it was highly probable there were no treasures on the mountain that would catch its eye. It was simply amusing itself after being constrained by him for so long.

As he walked, he glanced around, his eyes occasionally sweeping over the surrounding mountains. He noticed the peculiar terrain, seemingly holding hidden mysteries, and couldn’t help but feel a quiet sense of wonder. This trip might yield unexpected gains.

In the blink of an eye, Qin Sang reached the summit. The summit was empty, save for a stone pavilion containing a stone table and stools. Scattered on the table were oddly shaped chess pieces, part of an unknown game. Besides these, there was nothing else.

Qin Sang passed through the stone pavilion and stood before the sheer cliff. He gently stomped his foot, and profound light burst forth from beneath him. A rainbow bridge materialized from the cliff face, spanning the valley and connecting to a peak behind it. That peak had been unremarkable before, but now, with rainbow light rising and colorful mist swirling, a three-story jade pavilion emerged.

The jade pavilion shimmered with colorful light, clearly extraordinary at first glance. This jade pavilion was cleverly concealed; even Nascent Soul cultivators would find it hard to detect without knowing the trick.

Qin Sang crossed the rainbow bridge to the jade pavilion, finding it perfectly preserved with no signs of damage. The entrance was sealed by a restriction. Qin Sang waved his hand, dispelling the restriction, and pushed the door open. He saw a meditation mat and an incense burner, empty of incense, appearing to be someone’s quiet cultivation place.

Qin Sang glanced around, then ascended to the second floor, where he saw three rows of jade shelves. On the shelves were glowing orbs, most of which contained jade slips, bamboo scrolls, scriptures, and similar items. He quickly scanned the contents of these orbs. As expected, they contained various cultivation methods and secret arts, highly diverse but unrelated to Thunder Arts. Qin Sang guessed they were cultivation techniques from other sects, collected by the Thundercloud Sect over the years and stored here. Besides the scriptures, there were also some magical artifacts and spiritual materials of some value. The Vermilion Bird’s eyes lit up as it swept them all away.

Continuing to the third floor, he finally found what Qin Sang desired: the true inheritance of the Thundercloud Sect! Picking up the jade slip that recorded the fundamental techniques of the Thundercloud Sect, Qin Sang’s heart trembled. Inside was a scroll of the "Six Waves Thunder Scripture." Although this Thunder Scripture wasn’t included in the Five Thunder Envoys’ Court Seal, it was mentioned. Regarding Thunder Arts, few forces had likely researched it more thoroughly than the Daoist Thunder Division. Within Daoism, there were also differences regarding Thunder Arts, with various classifications. The Six Waves Thunder was one of the Thirty-Six Thunders, also considered a type of water thunder, and was one of the important inheritances of the Penglai Water Control Office. The Penglai Water Control Office was as renowned as the Five Thunder Court and belonged to the Jade Mansion of Thunder. This Thunder Scripture alone proved that the Thundercloud Sect had undoubtedly obtained the orthodox inheritance of the Daoist Heavenly Court’s Thunder Division!

However, the "Six Waves Thunder Scripture" was an incomplete scripture. The portions from Qi Condensation to Nascent Soul were complete, but it was fragmented after the Soul Transformation stage. The latter half of the jade slip contained various notes. The Thundercloud Sect’s ancestors had attempted to deduce the Thunder Scripture, adding their thoughts and conjectures for future generations to refer to. There were also a few other Thunder Arts, but none were as profound as the "Six Waves Thunder Scripture."

Apart from the Thunder Scripture, the most important part of the Thundercloud Sect’s inheritance was its various thunder talismans, all bearing the clear influence of the Daoist Heavenly Court’s Thunder Division. Among them, there were only a few types of third-tier thunder talismans, and they were all relatively simple ones for their tier. From this, Qin Sang could infer that the level of inheritance the Thundercloud Sect had received wasn’t very high. However, what they received might not have been the complete inheritance.

The preface of the "Six Waves Thunder Scripture" recorded how the Thundercloud Sect’s ancestors obtained this scripture. Qin Sang’s spiritual sense detached from the jade slip, overlooked the ground, and ‘looked’ underground. No wonder he had felt the surrounding mountains were peculiar earlier; the Thunder Scripture was obtained from within this very mountain! His spiritual sense penetrated the rocks and layers of array restrictions, sensing a grotto within the mountain. Simultaneously, he felt an obstruction and hesitated.

The grotto was sealed by restrictions. Although meticulously laid out by the Thundercloud Sect, it wouldn’t be difficult for Qin Sang to break them. If the grotto contained what Qin Sang suspected, investigating it would not be a task completed in a day or two. However, the grotto’s restrictions were seamlessly integrated with the aura of the entire secret realm. The realm was already very fragile, and even a slightly larger disturbance could cause it to collapse, unable to withstand any turmoil.

After thinking it over, Qin Sang didn’t directly break open the grotto. He returned all the scriptures to their original places, merely erasing the records of their origins.

Leaving the jade pavilion, Qin Sang tapped several times in the air, asked the Vermilion Bird for a piece of the recently acquired Red Wind Copper, kneaded it a few times, transforming it into a gleaming golden copper plate, and casually tossed it out.

Inside the secret realm, casualties gradually increased.

The young man Qin Sang had encountered had now exchanged his white Daoist robe for a set of leather armor made from demonic beast hide. The original owner of this armor had been injured by an enemy. Although he escaped, his injuries worsened, and he died while fleeing. The young man stumbled upon the corpse, thus acquiring a windfall. The leather armor was damaged, but its defensive capabilities were far superior to his Daoist robe. After killing his first opponent, his courage grew, and he no longer panicked when encountering enemies.

Now, the young man cautiously moved through the forest, eyes scanning all directions, ears attuned to every sound. With a yellow talisman clutched in his palm, he could respond systematically even if an enemy suddenly appeared. Once he confirmed there was nothing unusual around, the young man swiftly climbed to the treetops like a monkey, cautiously gazing into the depths of the jungle.

The outer treasures had all been plundered, so he decided to head towards the core of the secret realm. The young man knew well that without reliable information and with his current cultivation, finding treasures in the secret realm would be a fool’s errand. That place was the stage for the elite disciples of the major sects. The major sects allowed rogue cultivators in simply to quell public criticism. Some entered the secret realm to hone their combat skills, others to kill and seize treasures to accumulate capital, but he was not among them.

Ahead, mists swirled, and the indistinct mountain shadows resembled devouring specters. The young man secretly gritted his teeth and pressed forward with determination. The further he advanced, the more formidable opponents he encountered, making the young man increasingly cautious.

Suddenly, a clap of thunder erupted ahead, shaking the trees, mixed with shouts. The young man’s heart tightened. He crouched in the weeds, not daring to move. "Someone’s fighting!"

Those who entered the secret realm were descendants of the Thundercloud Sect, skilled in Thunder Arts. The commotion was so astonishing; both sides were clearly masters, unable to gain the upper hand against each other for a time. "Could they both end up seriously injured again?" The young man touched the leather armor on his body, and this thought involuntarily popped into his mind. He immediately shook his head vigorously, casting away such a delusion, and carefully circled around the battlefield.

Zigzagging like this, the surrounding mists gradually grew thicker, and he finally approached the core of the secret realm. The young man knew nothing about this place, so he randomly chose a direction. After traveling intently for a while, his path was blocked by a mountain. "The outer mountains must have all been explored," the young man thought to himself, then went around the mountain and continued deeper.

The mists blotted out the sky and sun. The arrays here could also disorient one’s senses; a single mistake could lead to permanent disorientation and loss. But the young man had no choice. He used a secret technique he had prepared to mark his direction, and when he felt he was nearing his limit, he decisively stopped, gazing at the mountain ahead. Being able to reach this point safely meant his luck wasn’t bad. He hoped it would continue.

Thinking this, he followed the mountain path upwards, encountering a restriction blocking his way halfway up the mountain. Fortunately, due to the secret realm’s precarious state, the restriction was damaged. The young man, also skilled in Thunder Arts, spent some effort and found a way through. Afterward, he encountered several more restrictions in succession, but found no treasures, making the young man anxious.

Finally, he discovered a stone hall on the cliff. Just as he was trying to break open the hall’s door, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew. "Not good!" The young man was greatly alarmed. He had been too hasty and likely overlooked something. It was too late for regret now. The young man, even by channeling all his magical power, couldn’t resist the fierce wind. He was blown off the cliff on the spot, unable to control himself.

Bang!

The young man fell heavily to the ground, feeling pain all over his body. Fortunately, the fierce wind had also disappeared. He climbed up from the ground, realizing he hadn’t fallen to the bottom of the mountain, but landed on a large rock protruding from the cliff. The young man felt he had narrowly escaped death, secretly uttering his good fortune. He sensed the mountain was eerie and dared not linger, attempting to use his movement technique to descend the mountain and go elsewhere.

Before leaving, his peripheral vision suddenly caught a glimpse of golden light. "Huh?" The young man looked left and right, then reached out. A copper plate flew out from a rock crevice. "What is this?" He took the copper plate in his hand, greatly astonished. "The material is actually extremely rare Red Wind Copper!"

Looking closer, the surface of the copper plate was etched with intricate patterns, resembling a map, and it felt faintly familiar. His spiritual sense swept over it, and it imprinted directly into his mind! "This..." The young man’s heart pounded. He looked incredulous. "Could this be a map of these mountains?" Within the mountain map, one location was particularly striking and unique. It marked a route to reach it and included an enigmatic chess game. The young man found the chess game incredibly profound but couldn’t grasp its meaning, guessing he would have to reach that location first.

His hands trembled as he held the copper plate. He suddenly looked up, his expression constantly changing. If the copper plate was fake, he might get lost here. But if it was real, it was an immense stroke of luck! "Go? Or not?" Who would be willing to use Red Wind Copper to make a fake map?

Ultimately, the young man made up his mind. He flew down the mountain and followed the path indicated on the map, delving deeper. He found that the surrounding terrain matched the mountain map, and his anxious heart gradually settled.

Before the jade pavilion, "He’s got some guts!" The Vermilion Bird yawned lazily.

"You lost," Qin Sang said.

"I didn’t bet with you!" the Vermilion Bird grumbled, then jumped onto Xiao Wu’s shoulder, burrowing into her, acting spoiled.

Guided by the copper plate, he proceeded smoothly. The young man finally reached the mountain marked on the copper plate. Ascending to the summit, he saw the chessboard and pieces in the stone pavilion. He entered the stone pavilion, observing carefully but understanding nothing. After a moment’s thought, he arranged the chess pieces on the board one by one, following the game indicated on the copper plate.

The moment the pieces were in place, rainbow light shone, and the rainbow bridge extended. The young man stared blankly at the jade pavilion at the far end, trying hard to calm his excited heart. Just as he was about to step onto the rainbow bridge, he noticed the rainbow light growing brighter, and intense fluctuations spread from the jade pavilion. "What’s happening?" The young man was at a loss.

The spreading rainbow light affected the entire secret realm. To prevent anyone from making clandestine moves, the sect masters of the Five Radiance Sect and other major sects had locked their spiritual senses onto the secret realm, detecting any disturbance. At this moment, the sect masters, who had been meditating before the stone wall, suddenly awoke, their expressions drastically changing. They stared intently at the secret realm’s entrance, then all looked towards the depths of the mountains. There, myriad rays of rainbow light shone; the very heavens seemed to change!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sect masters, one after another, activated their escape lights and soared, rushing towards the colorful mist. From a distance, they saw numerous mountain silhouettes within the mist. Vast areas of unfamiliar mountains and forests had appeared out of nowhere in what was once a familiar mountain range. It turned out the so-called secret realm was actually a section of mountains sealed and hidden by array restrictions.

As the secret realm collapsed, peaks crumbled one after another, and the cultivators inside hastily fled outwards. The sect masters rushed into the secret realm, ignoring the crumbling peaks, and headed directly for the source of the rainbow light.

The young man didn’t yet know what had happened, when several figures appeared before him, staring at him and the copper plate in his hand. "S-seniors, I…" The young man recognized their faces, becoming both shocked and terrified, speaking incoherently.

The Five Radiance Sect Master waved the copper plate into his hand. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, sharp light flashed in his eyes as he stared directly into the young man’s eyes. "Where did you obtain this object?" The young man dared not conceal anything and quickly recounted his experience.

The Barbarian Thunder Sect Master lightly coughed. "Would this young Daoist friend be willing to join my Barbarian Thunder Sect?" The Golden River Mountain Sect Master was also eager to try.

The Five Radiance Sect Master snorted coldly. "Still scheming at a time like this! Do you want to wait until the jade pavilion shatters and the treasures inside are destroyed?" Everyone looked at the jade pavilion, which indeed was covered in cracks and on the verge of destruction. "If there is the true inheritance of the Thundercloud Sect inside, let’s study it together; magical artifacts and other items are secondary." The Five Radiance Sect Master glanced at the young man. "This young man’s contribution cannot be ignored. The various sects can discuss it later." Everyone exchanged glances. "Agreed!"

While the outside world descended into chaos, Qin Sang had already entered the grotto, taking advantage of the turmoil to destroy its restrictions and set up a spirit array, completely sealing it off. Seeing the scene inside the grotto, Qin Sang’s eyes narrowed slightly. "It truly was a Thunder Altar!"

Daoist altars are extremely significant for transmitting scriptures, performing rituals, cultivating, and more. There was actually a Thunder Division altar here, and it was certainly not recently constructed. Could it be that this place was once a branch of the Daoist Heavenly Court?