Chapter 2088: True Thunder Casting Symbol

"General," the shadowy figure asked, clasping his hands, "What was the outcome of the last battle?"

Minshan burst into laughter, beaming with satisfaction. "Fellow Daoist, the reward you requested has been fully prepared by my clan. We are just about to send it to the location you specified. You can send someone to retrieve it in ten days."

The shadowy figure also smiled. "Naturally, I trust the General completely."

After several dealings, both parties had proven trustworthy. Minshan had achieved victory, and the shadowy figure had reaped benefits, a win-win situation that drew them closer.

"Fellow Daoist, your personal visit this time must mean you have important news, right?" Minshan narrowed his eyes slightly.

"General, have you prepared the Azure Spirit Qi?" the shadowy figure asked meaningfully.

Minshan's spirits immediately lifted.

The shadowy figure was undoubtedly greedy, otherwise, he wouldn't betray, yet he also understood boundaries. Each time he requested a reward, it was commensurate with the value of the intelligence, never excessive. His daring to ask for Azure Spirit Qi indicated his strong confidence in this piece of information.

"This old man has a wisp of Azure Spirit Qi in his tent right now!"

Minshan's expression turned serious. "As long as your intelligence is verified as true, the Azure Spirit Qi will be presented with both hands. If we can conquer the Northern Sea, I can offer you even more Azure Spirit Qi!"

"The General is indeed straightforward!"

The shadowy figure laughed heartily, his voice tinged with urgency. "This news concerns Qingyang Temple. Whether it's important or not, I believe I don't need to elaborate..."

Minshan remained composed. "I'd like to hear the details!"

"Qingyang Temple intends to re-establish its sect, which I believe the General is aware of," the shadowy figure said.

Minshan nodded. They had other channels to gather intelligence from the foreign tribes and had learned about this soon after the three clans convened.

However, he didn't see any exploitable opportunities in it.

Qingyang Temple held an extremely high reputation among those foreign tribes, being a top-tier sect. Their intention to open a new sect gate to enhance their prestige was quite normal. It was said that this move by Qingyang Temple unsettled the hearts of the foreign tribes, but its impact wouldn't be immediately apparent.

"General, you only know one side of the story. The new sect gate of Qingyang Temple, its mountain-guarding array, is extraordinary..."

The shadowy figure's tone was mysterious as he slowly revealed the secrets of Qingyang Temple's mountain-guarding array.

After listening, Minshan's gaze flickered slightly. "Such a secret... it's unlikely many outside of Qingyang Temple would know about it, isn't it? How did you uncover this, and why are you so certain?"

The shadowy figure replied calmly, "General, you don't need to ask too many questions about these matters. You can certainly send people to investigate. However, this is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. Once the moment is missed, you will only be filled with regret!"

"You say Qingyang Temple has sealed its mountain. How can this be verified?"

Minshan frowned slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face.

This information indeed had some value, but it was far from what he had anticipated. Qingyang Temple was only one of the top-tier sects. Even if all its experts were tied up, the strength of other sects should not be underestimated; they could still defend the Northern Sea.

The shadowy figure shook his head. "It's not about having the General investigate Qingyang Temple, as that would alert them. Instead, the General should keep a close eye on the forces and cultivators friendly with Qingyang Temple. Such a complex mountain-guarding array cannot be completed by Qingyang Temple alone; they will certainly need to seek assistance. Qingyang Temple's ancestral home is located in the Beichen Realm of the Northern Sea, and most of their allied forces also originate from the Northern Sea, with their most important ally being Xuantian Palace. At that time, many experts from Xuantian Palace, as well as Fairy Liuli, will likely be invited to the Central Plains, along with other allies of Qingyang Temple. With so many experts gone, the Northern Sea will be vulnerable. Isn't this precisely the General's opportunity?"

Upon hearing this, Minshan was truly moved. If the situation unfolded as the shadowy figure described, it would indeed be a golden opportunity.

The premise was that the shadowy figure's intelligence was absolutely accurate.

Though he thought so inwardly, his expression showed hesitation. "Even if this is true, with the teleportation array, they can quickly return. Our time would be very limited, making it difficult to achieve significant results..."

The shadowy figure suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, openly mocking Minshan. "Does the General wish to conquer the Northern Sea in one fell swoop? This is not like the old days!"

He paused, then continued, "Once Qingyang Temple begins forming the array, it cannot be stopped immediately at will. And the Central Plains forces will initially choose to observe. The time is actually more ample than you imagine. General, do not be overly eager for quick success. It would be better to proceed cautiously, using this opportunity to first break through the Northern Sea's meticulously arranged defenses, even occupying a certain region, and then gradually expand your influence over the Northern Sea. Of course, if the General can press straight in, capture String Moon Realm, destroy the ancient teleportation array, sever the connection between the Northern Sea and the Central Plains, and turn the Northern Sea into an isolated island, there might indeed be a chance!"

These were two strategies, both sounding somewhat feasible.

Minshan was hesitant.

The shadowy figure said, "There is still plenty of time, General. Please go back and weigh your options carefully before making a decision. I will closely monitor the movements of Qingyang Temple and its allies. After success, I hope the General will not go back on his word! However, once the General makes a decision, remember to make ample preparations."

Given that Azure Spirit Qi was involved, his eagerness was natural.

With that, the shadowy figure did not wait for Minshan's response and gradually faded away.

Minshan snapped back to attention and cupped his hands in farewell. "Fellow Daoist, travel safely."

Inside the general's tent, Minshan's true form sat before a desk, deep in thought.

What his avatar had seen and heard felt as if he had experienced it himself. There was too much for him to consider regarding this matter.

They could not stake everything on a single piece of intelligence.

Was the shadowy figure trustworthy, or were the foreign tribes laying a long bait to lure them into a trap?

However, they were not without means of verification.

Minshan mused privately on how to approach Qingyang Temple or obtain corroborating evidence from other sources.

If they were to attack the Northern Sea, there were even more factors to weigh. The Northern Sea's military strength was not entirely sufficient. If they transferred a large army from the Central Plains, they would lose their deterrent, and the Central Plains might seize the opportunity to cause trouble. It would be a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, leading to more harm than good.

What the foreign tribes referred to as the Demonic Sea and the Canglang Sea were now the garrisons for the Changyou clan's armies. Firstly, this was to guard against any foreign tribes' intentions concerning the contaminated land, and secondly, it allowed several routes of the army to rest in rotation.

Once a decision to act was made, they would definitely need to dispatch troops from there, but they would have to take a circuitous route to avoid detection by the foreign tribes' scouts. The shadowy figure was right; they had to prepare in advance.

In the quiet hall, Minshan sat alone, motionless for a long time.

Qingyang Temple.

Forbidden Area.

Inside the valley, two figures sat cross-legged: Qin Sang and Shen Chen.

Shen Chen couldn't help with forging the Thunder Altar and could only watch, yet he appeared even more exhausted than Qin Sang.

At this moment, a majestic altar materialized before Qin Sang.

Taoist altars typically have three tiers: the upper tier is circular, the middle octagonal, and the lower square. Qin Sang was about to complete the lower two tiers.

Nearly half of the spiritual objects floating in the air were gone. Suddenly, a ball of spiritual light was drawn into Qin Sang's palm. Fire ignited in his palm, enveloping the treasure within the spiritual light, and refining began. The refining speed was incredibly fast; in less than the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, a brilliant golden radiance appeared within the flames, and a molten-gold-like liquid slowly flowed out.

Shen Chen watched Qin Sang's palm intently, afraid of missing any detail.

Most of his master's actions were beyond his comprehension, but he forced himself to remember them, knowing they would be valuable assets in the future.

This process consumed a terrifying amount of mental energy. His master couldn't wait for him to slowly digest everything, so Shen Chen was pushing himself relentlessly. Such an opportunity, once missed, would be hard to come by again.

The molten gold flowed onto the altar, as if coating its surface with a layer of gold leaf. Within the molten gold, spiritual light frequently appeared, and a series of talismans, never before seen by Shen Chen, flashed continuously, making him dizzy.

Gradually, the molten gold seeped into the altar's interior. Finally, the altar suddenly trembled, and the earth roared.

The vibrations were felt both inside and outside Qingyang Temple.

Over the years, such tremors had occurred more than once, and the disciples of Qingyang Temple had grown accustomed to them, all believing they were caused by the construction of the mountain-guarding array.

As the tremor occurred, the altar erupted in dazzling golden light, soaring towards the sky. Qin Sang pressed his palm down, suppressing the golden light. As the golden light gradually dissipated, a complete, two-tiered altar appeared before them.

Gazing at the altar, Qin Sang nodded with satisfaction. This altar, like the one at Moonfall Bay, was a Thunder Altar, but not entirely identical.

Qin Sang couldn't fully comprehend the spiritual materials used by the previous owner of that Thunder Altar for its construction, and some of them were beyond his reach. However, he wielded the Seal of the Five Thunder Envoy Court, which contained many Taoist Thunder Department inheritances, detailing various altar construction methods, as well as the characteristics and versatility of numerous spiritual objects.

Qin Sang modified it based on his understanding, and its power was no less. The foundation of the altar had been laid, and the next step would be the most crucial.

"Shen Chen."

Qin Sang called out.

"Disciple is here!" Shen Chen quickly stood up, answering with renewed vigor.

"You should go out first," Qin Sang said.

At this point, Shen Chen's observation would be of no further benefit, and he had reached his limit. He might as well go help Li Yufu, as they were short-handed outside.

"As you command, Master!"

Shen Chen bowed and exited the valley.

Qin Sang waved his sleeve to seal the forbidden area, then slowly floated up to settle motionless above the altar.

His mind sank into the altar, and a lightning talisman appeared in his consciousness.

The type of lightning talisman inscribed in the Thunder Altar determined its power.

Taoist fourth-tier lightning talismans corresponded to the Integration Stage, but the Seal of the Five Thunder Envoy Court only recorded up to third-tier talismans. The only fourth-tier lightning talisman Qin Sang knew was the Oath of Sacrifice to Thunder, obtained from the Thunder Altar itself.

A lightning talisman wasn't necessarily better simply because its tier was higher; it couldn't exceed one's own capabilities. However, having invested so much effort, Qin Sang naturally didn't want to just inscribe a third-tier talisman and be done with it.

A third-tier lightning talisman, enhanced by the altar, would certainly gain significant power, but it would still be insufficient to deter a powerful clan like the Zhu Yan.

Inscribing a fourth-tier lightning talisman by hand would undoubtedly be extremely difficult for Qin Sang.

At Moonfall Bay, Qin Sang had fully comprehended the Oath of Sacrifice to Thunder with the aid of the Thunder Altar. Even so, if he were to craft the talisman on his own, even as a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator, the chance of success would be very low.

However, if all the sub-altars were completed before inscribing the lightning talisman, people could be assigned to oversee them, and then partial power from these sub-altars could be borrowed to assist him in crafting the talisman, allowing both the main altar and the lightning talisman to reach full completion simultaneously.

Furthermore, the success of crafting a talisman was also closely related to the chosen spiritual materials, talisman brushes, paper, ink, and so on.

This was Qin Sang's greatest confidence, for he possessed the Azure Phoenix True Thunder!

Qin Sang still could not control the Azure Phoenix True Thunder; it was at least Integration Stage level power, perhaps even higher. Using the Azure Phoenix True Thunder as 'ink', its quality would be more than sufficient to bear the power of the Oath of Sacrifice to Thunder.

The owner of the previous Thunder Altar might not have had such favorable conditions.

At the same time, this was also the biggest challenge. Both the fourth-tier lightning talisman and the Azure Phoenix True Thunder were existences beyond his realm, requiring the most precise control, allowing no room for error. Otherwise, Qin Sang would have to settle for a third-tier lightning talisman.

Before proceeding, Qin Sang also needed to activate the altar's foundation, combine it with the Azure Phoenix True Thunder, and then re-evaluate the chances of success.

He sat cross-legged on the altar. Behind him, a flash of azure light appeared, phoenix wings spread open, and a lightning bolt as fine as a hair floated towards his palm.

With his mind connected to the altar, Qin Sang activated the 'Observation of Thunder in the Palm' technique. The lightning twisted and turned, generating waves of fluctuations, all blocked by the array restrictions within the forbidden area.

Above Qingyang Temple, Lu Ye had been suspended since the establishment of the new sect gate.

Si Lu pushed open the door of his cave abode and slowly walked out, now radiant, his internal injuries completely healed.

He flashed to the edge of Lu Ye, looking down at the earth, his spiritual sense silently sweeping over Qingyang Temple, pausing briefly before the forbidden area.

Seeing the drastically changed appearance of Qingyang Temple, Si Lu murmured, "It seems I've been in secluded cultivation for at least several decades..."

He had focused entirely on stabilizing his cultivation, losing track of time.

Qingyang Temple was changing rapidly, but it didn't surprise Si Lu much; his focus was on the entire Storm Realm, and of course, most importantly, on Qin Sang himself.

Perceiving that the forbidden area was sealed, Si Lu was considering whether to disturb him when he suddenly heard Qin Sang's voice transmission.

"Fellow Daoist has emerged from seclusion."

Si Lu's expression shifted slightly, and he appeared outside the forbidden area.

A path opened in the forbidden area, and Si Lu stepped in. Seeing Qin Sang, he respectfully bowed. "Thank you for your protection, Fellow Daoist Qin, which allowed me to heal my injuries with peace of mind."

He couldn't help but look at the altar beneath Qin Sang, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

From a previous conversation between Qin Sang and Su Nu, he had learned that Qin Sang intended to build an altar, but he hadn't known its full extent.

Now, seeing it with his own eyes, Si Lu found that even though the altar was not yet complete, it seemed to contain infinite profound mysteries, which he could not fully grasp.

"Fellow Daoist's Dao foundation is also stable now. Congratulations," Qin Sang said with a smile and a nod.

Si Lu showed no complacency. "I wasted too much time after my breakthrough. Compared to other fellow Daoists of the same rank, especially in terms of divine abilities, spells, and combat techniques, I still have much to learn."

"These things must be pursued gradually, without haste. I now have a matter I'd like to ask for your assistance with. Do you have leisure?" Qin Sang asked.

Si Lu replied without hesitation, "Please instruct me, Fellow Daoist!"

Qin Sang nodded. "This main altar beneath me is now just one step away from completion, but we must first prepare the sub-altars. The three most core sub-altars are already being forged, but I have some new ideas, and the younger disciples might not be capable enough. It might require you to personally make a trip. In the future, when activating the altar, you will also need to personally preside over one of the sub-altars!"

Si Lu had no objections. He was curious about what kind of altar this was and immediately agreed.

"The details regarding the altar are recorded in this jade slip. Please take a look, Fellow Daoist."

Qin Sang sent out a jade slip. Si Lu reached out and took it. After speaking with Qin Sang for a while longer, he took his leave.

Several days later, Si Lu quietly departed Qingyang Temple, first visiting the Four Saints Palace to inspect the first core sub-altar.