Chapter 2116: True Thunder Inscription Crafting

**The Mortal World**

The standing man withdrew his gaze from the chessboard, turned to look, and echoed, "It's clear how much Chief Yuanxiang values those foreign tribesmen. This plan will surely succeed!"

The man holding the chess piece, however, harbored doubts. He looked at the white-robed man opposite him across the chessboard. "They are merely insignificant outsiders. Even if Chief Yuanxiang fails to protect them, leading to their extinction, can it truly create a rift between the Zhuyan tribe and 'that side'? Uncle, you mentioned 'that side' is an external force, but I'm unsure how they obtained the Mirage Jade. Since they are outsiders, if they wish to make progress in the Holy Land, they wouldn't easily discard the Zhuyan tribe as an ally."

"It takes more than one cold day for ice to form three feet thick! If this plan fails, there's always a next time. Over time, it will inevitably create a rift! With one less ally, the Zhuyan tribe's power weakens, and our tribe's opportunity grows." The standing man paused, also looking at the white-robed man. "Furthermore, Uncle, you must have another objective this time: to win over the great high priest of the Lu family, right? I wonder what makes that high priest so special that Uncle values him so highly?"

As they spoke, the Siyou tribe's army outside the mountain had assembled. The high priest invited Yuanmiao to board the Lu King's imperial carriage.

The sky was a dismal black.

The imperial carriage soared into the sky, transforming into a rainbow as it flew eastward. The vast army followed, their momentum shaking the heavens and changing the very weather.

The white-robed man calmly watched the Siyou tribe's army depart, saying nothing.

The two brothers exchanged glances, wisely refraining from asking further questions. The man holding the chess piece returned his focus to the game. After a moment's thought, he finally made his move.

*Clack!* The imperial carriage led the way, with the army following behind.

Dark clouds rolled across the sky, resembling a surging river flowing eastward.

The Zhuyan tribe and its vassal tribes would not allow them to continue using teleportation arrays. They could only follow the agreed-upon route, traverse the Zhuyan tribe's territory, and fly to the Storm Realm on their own. They made no attempt to conceal their movements, nor was there any need to; if Silu was well-informed, they would surely have received a warning long ago.

On top of the imperial carriage was a jade orb the size of a human head. The orb emitted colorful iridescent light, which tinged the dark clouds beneath the army, making them glow with various hues. The soldiers of the Siyou tribe instantly felt lighter, their speed dramatically increased, and their energy consumption significantly reduced.

As the army advanced rapidly, inside the imperial carriage, the high priest invited Yuanmiao to the guest seat, while he himself sat below the Lu King.

The Lu King himself was a master of the mid-level of the second stage of the Void Realm. To his left and right sat the Royal Young Master and the Lu family's great high priest, respectively.

Yuanmiao, facing three masters alone, secretly thought it was a difficult situation. Those in his tribe capable of handling such matters believed that if they couldn't personally fight on the battlefield, it was better to cultivate in their caves. They were unwilling to take on this assignment, so they pushed it onto him. Fortunately, he possessed excellent composure and was a battle enthusiast, fearless even on a life-or-death battlefield. In response to the three's inquiries, his replies were neither overly enthusiastic nor dismissive, fitting his role as a military inspector.

After a back-and-forth exchange, an awkward silence fell within the imperial carriage.

After flying for an unknown distance, the high priest and the young master seemed to sense something, focusing their gaze forward, followed by the Lu King. Yuanmiao was the last to detect a presence ahead, seemingly waiting for the army. This presence was familiar. Yuanmiao immediately recognized the person's identity, and his expression subtly darkened.

The imperial carriage slowed down. The high priest rose, flew out of the carriage, and soon returned with a person. The person was precisely Minzhuo, the chief of the Changyou tribe.

Minzhuo entered the main hall and immediately saw Yuanmiao. His expression froze momentarily, and he formally bowed, saying, "Minzhuo greets Envoy Yuan!" Nominally, the Changyou tribe was still a vassal tribe of the Zhuyan tribe, and the proper courtesies could not be abandoned.

Yuanmiao nodded, without directly questioning or reprimanding him. In fact, Yuanmiao harbored no ill will towards Minzhuo. As a tribal chief, Minzhuo sought revenge for his people, feared no power, refused to compromise, and remained indomitable, a temperament that quite suited Yuanmiao. Since their superior tribe wouldn't help them, what right did they have to blame them for seeking aid from outsiders? If this venture succeeded, he would also hold Minzhuo in high regard. Of course, this didn't mean Yuanmiao would show favoritism towards Minzhuo.

Minzhuo had braced himself for a storm of reproaches but was unexpectedly let off lightly. Surprised, but also relieved, he stepped forward two paces, bowed, and said, "Minzhuo greets the Lu King!"

"You must be the chief of the Changyou tribe. This King has long admired your reputation!" The Lu King smiled kindly and gestured, "Chief Minzhuo, you've waited long enough. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you, Lu King, for the seat!" Minzhuo sat upright and formally, looking straight ahead. "Upon learning that the Lu King is leading a great army to vanquish the enemy, I was overjoyed. My tribe finally has hope for revenge, and I specially came in person to welcome the royal army!" He had prepared many flattering remarks but, worried about provoking Yuanmiao and causing complications, had to swallow them.

The Lu King burst into laughter. "We also owe Chief Minzhuo many thanks for sending the warning; only then did we learn that the rebels had fled here. This expedition to suppress the rebels is also to avenge Chief Minzhuo. Once successful, both you and I will have performed great deeds. This King and the Young Master will personally request a commendation for Chief Minzhuo from Emperor Si!"

As he spoke, both he and the great high priest looked at the Young Master sitting nearby. The Young Master merely smiled, idly playing with the jade cup in his hand, offering no comment. The two men secretly thought, *What an old fox*. This time, the Lu King had met with Emperor Si and obtained a declaration of war and the Young Master's assistance. Beyond the Young Master, Emperor Si had not dispatched a single soldier; the army consisted solely of the Lu King's subordinates and the allies they had invited. The wording of the declaration was also very precise, stating that the Lu King had reported the Sijia clan of Yanshan as rebellious, with irrefutable evidence. This punitive expedition was nominally to bring the descendants of the Sijia clan back to face Emperor Si for questioning. This way, if anything went wrong, the Royal Family could distance themselves at any time. Before gaining a clear advantage, they couldn't expect the Young Master to truly exert himself on their behalf. Of course, the Lu King would not allow the Royal Family to simply reap the benefits. After some negotiation, he also secured a formation map, prepared to counter the enemy's altar array.

Yuanmiao, meanwhile, glanced at Minzhuo, secretly thinking, *So it was indeed the Changyou tribe who leaked the information.*

Minzhuo showed no pride, humbly saying, "I dare not take credit. This request for aid was truly for our own sake. If the Lu King can severely cripple the enemy and reclaim my homeland, I will be content. This is the intelligence I have recently gathered; please, Lu King, take a look. Unfortunately, the enemy is powerful, and my few old friends dare not offend them. I am alone and dared not approach too closely."

Seeing his perceptiveness, the Lu King was even more pleased. He drew the jade slip into his hand, read it, and secretly shook his head. Indeed, as Minzhuo had said, there wasn't much valuable information, less even than what Lugan had uncovered during his trip. The Lu King's expression remained unchanged. He handed the jade slip to the high priest and continued to ask, "For this defeat of the enemy, Chief Minzhuo, do you have any good strategies?"

Minzhuo rose and solemnly said, "I am of shallow learning and dare not offer advice. I observe the Lu King's army is mighty and boasts countless strong cultivators. Surely, by simply overwhelming them head-on, the enemy will be struck with terror! I am willing to lead my tribe's elites and obey the Lu King's command!"

Yuanmiao listened to the conversation between the Lu King and Minzhuo, but kept his eyes closed, silently cultivating, not saying a word.

**The Storm Realm**

At this very moment, all altars had been completed according to Qin Sang's will, with countless altars spread throughout the Storm Realm. The Four Borders of the North Sea, the Central Continent, the East Sea, the Canglang Sea, the Demon Sea... Humans, Witches, Demons... Shaohua Mountain, Xuantian Palace, Dabei Zen Temple, Northern Desolate Demon Tribe, Eight Scenery View... Regardless of race or alignment, all cultivators and forces in the Storm Realm possessing altars had received the same command: to stand ready before their altars.

Suzaku, Silu, and Sunu were currently stationed at three core sub-altars, respectively. After overseeing the completion of the altars in the Canglang Sea, Silu swapped places with Suzaku, taking charge of the Western Land sub-altar. The enemy was highly likely to attack from the west, and Silu would need to make an appearance then.

**The Witch Tribe's Sacred Mountain**

One of the altars was built atop a broken mountain. In front of the altar, a spirit cicada floated, and behind it stood a young Witch tribe member, none other than Old Demon Fang's adopted son. The other sub-altars also had primary and secondary roles, with different requirements for those overseeing them. This particular altar required both Old Demon Fang and his adopted son to be stationed there. Further back, there were other Witch tribe cultivators, all at the Nascent Soul stage, each looking tense. The aura emanating from them was distinctly different from other Witch tribe members, as they had been cultivating a Daoist lightning spell during this period, preparing for the upcoming activation of the altar.

Old Demon Fang hovered motionlessly. Above the altar, there were no clouds for thousands of miles, and it was utterly silent. The Witch tribe youth waited for a long time. Seeing no reaction from the altar, he couldn't help but look up at the sky. At this moment, countless cultivators in the Storm Realm, like him, were anxiously waiting. Unfortunately, the altar remained motionless until sunset. As night fell and the landscape blurred, the altar finally trembled once, then immediately radiated brilliant light, casting a clear glow, and an unusual fluctuation spread outwards.

"Activate the Altar!"

Old Demon Fang swiftly flew above the altar. The Witch tribe youth immediately swept to the front of the altar. The other Witch tribe cultivators dispersed, forming a circle around the altar, hands forming incantation gestures, ready to cast spells at any moment.

After another brief wait, the altar suddenly pulsed with spiritual light, engulfing Old Demon Fang's figure. Immediately, the sound of cicadas chirping echoed in everyone's ears. The Witch tribe youth's gaze sharpened, and the hand seals he formed changed rapidly. A series of thunderous crackles could be heard, and lightning flashed and thunder rumbled around the altar. Within the lightning, a larger, ethereal altar could vaguely be seen, standing in the void as if naturally formed, gathering divine power, and resonating with a mysterious entity far away.

Similar scenes appeared in various corners of the Storm Realm. The Witch tribe youth, not being an altar master, could still be distracted at this moment. The astonishment in his eyes grew deeper. He hadn't felt it while constructing the altar, but now, with its true activation, he sensed that he had, through the altar, merged into a vast and formidable power. He could only vaguely perceive the existence of this immense power, not knowing its full might, but the altar he was at was merely a tiny, insignificant corner of this power! Since the grand ceremony at Qingyang Temple, a deep sense of awe had once again risen within him!

At this moment, Sunu, Suzaku, and Silu, who were stationed at the three core sub-altars, also truly felt the power of the altar array, their expressions varied. The power from countless altars continuously converged upon them. While the masters of those altars might be insignificant in the eyes of cultivators at the Void Refinement stage, the combined power formed by so many altars converging was something no one dared underestimate. However, strong as this power was, it likely wouldn't be enough to halt the Siyou tribe's army. Silu's eyes were tightly closed, her eyelids trembling slightly. She secretly urged herself to remain calm; what she controlled was only a part of the altar array, with the main altar located at Qingyang Temple. Since Qin Sang was so confident and the altar array was complete, it might truly possess world-shaking power!

Just then, they all felt Qin Sang's thoughts being transmitted, and immediately activated their altars according to his command. At this moment, the altar array truly activated, but its power remained hidden, and there were no astonishing celestial phenomena outside the altars.

**Qingyang Temple**

Qin Sang's true body returned, and his Dharma Body merged into it. The main altar beneath him was already complete: the lower altar square, the middle altar octagonal, and the upper altar circular. Countless runes adorned it, making it profoundly mystical and dizzying to behold. However, the Lightning Altar still lacked one crucial item: the Oath Scroll of Thunder Sacrifice!

After a conversation with Chief Yuanxiang, Qin Sang felt confident. He quickly returned to Qingyang Temple to engrave spirit talismans. Spirit talismans were the core of the altar. Qin Sang still lacked the power to engrave the fourth-tier spirit talisman, the Oath Scroll of Thunder Sacrifice, so he decided to leverage the power of the True Qingluan Thunder. He had been preparing for this matter since his time in Moon-Drenched Bay, having made thorough preparations. Subsequently, he continuously drew strands of True Qingluan Thunder from the phoenix wings. As expected, the True Qingluan Thunder proved to be of an extremely high rank. Using it to 'trace' the runes of the Oath Scroll of Thunder Sacrifice felt effortless, greatly reducing Qin Sang's pressure.

Scattered forms were successively engraved onto the altar, progressing very smoothly, until today, they reached the most crucial step: the spirit talismans coalescing! This step required the aid of the altar array, gathering the power of all altar masters to assist him.

As Sunu, Suzaku, and Silu activated their sub-altars, the main altar unleashed immense divine power, transforming the sky above Qingyang Temple into a vast expanse of thunder! At this moment, the Oath Scroll of Thunder Sacrifice had not yet fully formed, yet the prestige displayed by the Lightning Altar was no less than it had been in earlier times.

Qin Sang's expression was calm. His body was enveloped by the illusory shadow of the lightning altar. His wings spread wide, strands of azure lightning permeated the air, and finally, his entire being transformed into a ball of lightning, completely merging into the lightning altar. As the lightning shimmered, countless runes frequently flashed into existence, yet without any sense of disarray. The runes combined into various forms, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Although they were just scattered forms, they seemed even more complex than third-tier spirit talismans. Qin Sang immersed himself among these scattered forms, as if he had fallen into an ocean of spirit talismans. With the successful formation of the Oath Scroll of Thunder Sacrifice this time, his understanding of the Dao of Talismans was bound to undergo a complete transformation!

*Sizzle! Crackle! Boom!* The mountain-guarding array of Qingyang Temple activated, obscuring the celestial phenomena.

Within the lightning current, Qin Sang was completely absorbed, guiding each scattered form to its designated position. Gradually, the scattered forms floating outside grew fewer, and at the center of the lightning pool, a ball of lightning became increasingly brilliant and dazzling. Inside the lightning ball, there was chaos, indicating that the scattered forms were merging, becoming indistinguishable. Gradually, a blurry outline emerged from within, like a sheet of paper made of lightning, but instead of the previous silver, it was azure!

In an instant, Qin Sang's figure reappeared above the main altar; in truth, he had never truly left.

*Whoosh!* Qin Sang opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the ethereal lightning paper, and he suddenly struck a hand seal.

At this moment, all altar masters felt an inexplicable tremor. This sensation vanished in an instant, and before they could react, the altar's power abruptly receded. Sunu, Suzaku, and Silu all sensed that the altar had undergone some change, though they couldn't articulate what it was.

Qin Sang extended a hand with a smile. A sheet of azure lightning paper, light as a feather, floated gracefully into his palm, then passed through his hand and merged into the altar.