Chapter 2120: Twelve Thunderstorm Talismans Summoned

Shi Mu and Shi Ying led their people into the Thunder Marsh, and their every move was within Qin Sang's perception.

Next, Qin Sang would engage them, just as King Lu and the others had surmised, creating the illusion that he was doing everything possible to buy time.

His gaze swept past Shi Mu and his group, falling upon the landmass on the sea. Anyone could discern that this landmass was extraordinary; the subtle fluctuations it emitted put Qin Sang on high alert.

Unfortunately, Si Lu didn't know much about the Lu family or the royal clan, so he was unaware of this landmass's origin. It could be a unique magical artifact, something formed from divine abilities, spiritual treasures, or array formations, or even an exotic treasure never seen before. All possibilities were on the table.

What was certain was that the landmass, having descended here, had already connected with the earth's energy through eight mountain peaks. The Xuanhuang light that occasionally flickered from it gave a sense of immense weight and solidity. However, this also created another layer of restraint; if it were to be moved later, this connection would first have to be severed.

Without understanding the opponent's full capabilities, activating the Thunder Altar and unleashing the Thunder Sacrificial Edict now would not be a wise move. Even if the mysterious landmass's power was weak, as long as it could resist the Thunder Sacrificial Edict for a single moment, the Great Enshrinement and the others would have a chance to survive.

Qin Sang had gained insights from comprehending the Spirit Severing Pagoda and could now integrate the Sword-Rising Heart Sea technique when activating the Thunder Altar. However, for both this technique and the Spirit Severing Pagoda, the prerequisite for them to work was to actually hit the opponent. With King Lu and his group hidden within the landmass, it was like facing an unknown barrier. Qin Sang either needed to discover the true nature of this landmass or lure them out.

Showing weakness to gradually lower the enemy's guard was a tried-and-true strategy.

Withdrawing his gaze, Qin Sang looked behind him. Cultivators and demon soldiers, led by the two Demon Marquises and other demons, stood ready in strict formation.

Currently, most of the powerful cultivators in the Storm Realm were stationed at the sub-altars, leaving limited high-level experts. Qin Sang had to be meticulous with his planning.

"Marquis Gui! Marquis Luo!"

"Here, your subordinate!"

The two Demon Marquises stepped forward. Upon receiving the order, they immediately selected over a hundred individuals, who then set off amidst the thunder.

As they set out, at the main altar of Qingyang Temple, Qin Sang's dharma body silently activated the Thunder Altar. At this moment, the entire Qingyang Temple was enveloped by an illusory altar. The altar hovered in the air, immensely vast; even when the Thunder Altar at Moon Ditch Bay first manifested its power, it could not compare to its current might.

Qin Sang's dharma body sat cross-legged atop the Thunder Altar, activating a thunder talisman inscribed within it. A third-tier thunder talisman: the Twelve Thunder Lords Summons!

The Daoist sect believed that lightning also came in different types, with various classifications. One reason for this was that when the Daoist sect established the Divine Court, using thunder magic as its foundation, it absorbed legacies from numerous sects and schools. Different sects possessed different legacies and therefore varied in their understanding of the cosmos and Daoist magic, each with its own rationale. These legacies did not die out; as the Daoist sect gradually expanded, each developed independently before eventually integrating into the Daoist thunder magic system.

One such theory classified lightning into thirty-six types, corresponding to the thirty-six Thunder Lords of Heavenly Thunder. Human transgressions were categorized into thirty-six types: human sins, earthly sins, and heavenly punishments. The Thunder Lords oversaw the world, punishing evil and striking down wrongdoing. Mortals who committed sins would incur thunderous retribution. However, the Great Dao possessed the virtue of cherishing life; as long as one sincerely burned incense, prayed to the constellations, and offered heartfelt prayers, one could be spared this suffering.

Tracing back its origins, this belief likely stemmed from humanity's earliest, most primitive worship of heaven, earth, and nature. Passed down to this day, even as Daoist priests gained a deeper understanding of the Great Dao, this legacy endured. The thirty-six Thunder Lords also held esteemed positions within the Divine Court, with corresponding techniques to summon deities and divine generals.

Since the Divine Court was concealed, Qin Sang couldn't directly summon deities for aid. However, Daoist talismans and incantations were plentiful. For instance, the Twelve Thunder Lords Summons, though not a direct summoning technique, could still achieve similar effects in situations where the Divine Court couldn't be sensed. The Twelve Thunder Lords mentioned here refer to the Twelve Human Thunder Lords. Above them existed more powerful Earth Thunder and Heavenly Thunder, along with the General Summons for the Thirty-Six Thunder Lords. Unfortunately, Qin Sang had not received those legacies; he suspected the rank of those talismans was higher than third-tier.

Rather than a mere talisman summon, it was more akin to a talisman array. The caster would unleash the spiritual talisman and link its power to a group of individuals, usually a multiple of twelve. Through the Twelve Thunder Lords Summons, these individuals were interconnected and, under the blessing of the talisman's power, transformed into the Twelve Thunder Lords to engage the enemy in battle.

After transforming into Thunder Lords, their strength became less dependent on their own cultivation, instead correlating with the caster and the quality and power of the spiritual talisman. At this moment, with Qin Sang casting it and the Thunder Altar's blessing, it was undoubtedly a top-tier Twelve Thunder Lords Summons!

Qin Sang chanted incantations, and then a bolt of thunder light rose from the center of the altar. The thunder light split, transforming into twelve points of light that rotated above Qin Sang's head. Simultaneously, his will was transmitted to the sub-altars through the altar formation. Si Lu and the others dared not delay and immediately coordinated their spellcasting. The busiest were the altar masters below, who chanted incantations and performed celestial steps. Regardless of whether they were demon-witches, righteous cultivators, demonic cultivators, or heterodox practitioners, they all exhibited the demeanor of Daoist masters at this moment.

As the Thunder Altar activated, the twelve points of spiritual light stirred restlessly.

Qin Sang raised his hand and pointed distantly to the west, sending the twelve points of spiritual light shooting towards the sky. Simultaneously, far away in the Western Lands, thunder suddenly gathered above the heads of Marquis Gui, Marquis Luo, and 120 other cultivators, then abruptly descended. The cultivators had already been warned, so they remained unperturbed and stood still.

*Swish!*

Dazzling thunder light engulfed the cultivators, followed by a vast surge of power. This power was not ostentatious; it didn't stir up raging waves. After it descended, it was as profound as a secluded abyss.

The next moment, the thunder light receded, and the cultivators' figures reappeared, their aura and appearance having undergone earth-shattering changes. Led by Marquis Gui and Marquis Luo, the cultivators' faces were either green, red, black, or gold. Some wore yellow turbans and green robes, others black robes and golden armor. Some wielded swords, others held shackles, and some carried fire beads and water wheels. There were twelve distinct forms in total, precisely matching the legendary appearances of the Twelve Human Thunder Lords.

The Twelve Human Thunders: Plaguer, Poisoner, Eliminator, Averter, Sealer, Destroyer, Ghost-Striker, Tiger-Subduer, Miasma-Breaker, Corpse-Annihilator, Monster-Purifier, and Soul-Controller. Each was majestic and awe-inspiring, with eyes like bronze bells and boundless might!

As they transformed into Thunder Lords, they experienced an unparalleled, immense power that far surpassed their own cultivation. Unfortunately, unlike summoning deities or generals, they could not command this power themselves nor receive revelations. They were merely vessels for the power, and at this moment, they had to relinquish their ego, maintain their true selves, and allow the power to control them.

Marquis Gui roared, and the other Thunder Lords responded, their voices like a collapsing mountain. They continued to advance, the surrounding lightning retreating as if it had encountered its sovereign.

Meanwhile.

Upon entering the Thunder Marsh, Shi Mu and Shi Ying found their vision inundated with dazzling, omnipresent thunder light. Despite their cultivation, their spiritual senses were restricted, causing them to secretly grow cautious.

Shi Mu halted and transmitted a message. The Nine Gui Division behind him uniformly stopped, not making a single sound, quietly awaiting orders. After sensing their surroundings, Shi Mu and Shi Ying exchanged a glance, then ordered their group to proceed deeper.

*Boom!*

Lightning danced wildly around them, and from time to time, thunder pythons charged at them. The thunder was deafening. While the display was immense, it lacked world-destroying power, and they could easily withstand the thunder strikes. Of course, Shi Mu and his group dared not let down their guard. Their spiritual senses were increasingly suppressed, indicating that these thunderbolts were far from simple.

The Thunder Marsh seemed endless. After traveling an unknown distance, Shi Mu ordered another halt. Along the way, they hadn't encountered anyone nor faced any fierce attacks. Despite its boisterousness, the Thunder Marsh gave off a sense of lifeless silence. Sensing within themselves, that faint connection still remained, not severed by the Thunder Marsh. Shi Mu felt relieved and secretly communicated with Shi Ying.

Upon arriving, the two suddenly sensed something unusual, though nothing appeared abnormal on the surface. They possessed secret detection techniques but didn't want to expose them so quickly. Therefore, they immediately decided to have the Nine Gui Division disperse on the spot and investigate separately. The Nine Gui Division meticulously executed their orders, splitting into several groups and continuing deeper into the Thunder Marsh in a fan shape.

Immediately after, Shi Mu raised his hand and swept it across his waist, and with a *bang* in his palm, a cloud of white mist burst forth, engulfing both their figures. The white mist dissipated extremely quickly. Once it vanished, Shi Mu and his companion had also disappeared. The surrounding thunder and lightning, having lost their target, danced wildly like headless flies.

Qin Sang's true body, observing from outside, had his eyes flicker slightly. The two had truly vanished from the Thunder Marsh just now, suggesting a rather sophisticated stealth technique. This Thunder Marsh had been deliberately created by Qin Sang. Its primary purpose was to suppress the opponent's spiritual senses, making them hesitant to act, and to conceal his side's movements. In other aspects, it was unremarkable.

However, in front of Qin Sang, Shi Mu and his companion still had nowhere to hide. Although their stealth technique was sophisticated, it couldn't deceive the Heaven's Eye Butterfly's spiritual sight!

After becoming invisible, Shi Mu and his companion remained in place, observing. Seeing nothing unusual, they chose a direction and quietly followed.

By then, the Thunder Lords had arrived!

One small team from the Nine Gui Division was led by a deputy general whose face was entirely covered by a visor, revealing only bright eyes that gleamed sharp as blades. He led the team through the lightning, where the surrounding 'silence' was unsettling.

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck diagonally. It appeared no different from other lightning bolts, and a cultivator to the side was about to block it as before, when the deputy general's expression suddenly changed, and he roared, "Dodge!" Those cultivators reacted extremely quickly, and a small gap instantly appeared in their battle formation, but the lightning's trajectory was extremely strange. The deputy general, holding a triangular green flag that had appeared in his hand at some unknown moment, shook it forcefully, causing green light to permeate the air, but it was already too late.

*Boom!*

Over ten individuals, unable to dodge in time, were struck by the lightning and instantly turned into nothingness. Among them were not a few at the peak of the Fourth Yuan Realm. The power of the lightning made the cultivators gasp in shock.

Immediately after, a thunderous roar came from the source of the lightning: "Evil spawn, you shall be punished!" The voice was full of majesty, startling the cultivators. Gazing intently, they saw a green-robed Thunder Lord emerge amidst the lightning, holding a thunder sword and glaring furiously at them. The Thunder Lord pointed his sword at the cultivators, its tip suddenly brightening intensely, and a bolt of lightning pierced through the air.

Immediately after, shouts came from all directions.

"Evil rebels, surrender your heads!"

"Your crimes are unforgivable!"

In an instant, several Thunder Lords appeared one after another, their figures flashing and disappearing. Their appearances, weapons, and even the colors of the lightning unleashed in their thunder punishments varied, but the power of those punishments was equally terrifying!

It wasn't just this small team that was under attack. At this moment, the entire Nine Gui Division, including Shi Mu and Shi Ying, found themselves surrounded by Thunder Lords filling the sky, as if they had all become criminals awaiting judgment.

Divine punishment descended from the heavens, devastating the heavens and destroying the earth!

Shi Mu and Shi Ying's hearts tightened. Their decision to split forces was to break the stalemate and lure out their opponent. They had succeeded, but the ensuing attack was somewhat beyond their estimations. Fortunately, they had already prepared. Shi Mu flipped his palm, and a triangular green flag appeared there. This was the main flag, far more exquisite than the one held by the deputy general, with runes several times more complex.

The Nine Gui Division had meticulously drilled several battle formations, the strongest of which required the use of such a treasure flag. The higher the quality of the treasure flag and the higher the cultivation of the person wielding the main flag, the greater the power of the battle formation. Before entering the Thunder Marsh, Shi Mu had already taken the main flag into his hand. Without hesitation, he immediately activated it.

*Whoosh!*

The treasure flag flew autonomously towards the sky, and green winds began to rage around it, transforming into an azure dragon. Simultaneously, above each small team, azure flood dragons soared into the sky. The area became a nest of flood dragons. The dragons danced together, rising against the tide, boldly charging towards the thunder punishments.

However, for some unknown reason, despite their swift reactions, both Shi Mu and Shi Ying felt a hint of unease.

"Come back!"

Shi Mu trusted his spiritual senses and immediately ordered the Nine Gui Division to retreat.

Just then, Shi Ying's pupils suddenly constricted. A person had appeared out of thin air before them; it was none other than True Lord Qin! They had all heard about Lu Gan's engagement with the opponent; Lu Gan, even armed with the Heaven-Trapping Golden Lock, was still no match and had fled in disarray.

"He actually made a move in the very first engagement," a thought flashed through Shi Ying's mind. "They truly lack experts..."

He immediately stepped in front of Shi Mu, an aura fluctuating from his brow as two companion beasts leaped forth. One was a Feathered Fiery Bird, similar to Si Lu's, while the other resembled a white tiger in appearance but had a horn on its forehead and three tails. Amidst roars, the Feathered Fiery Bird and the white tiger pounced on Qin Sang from left and right, one unleashing flames, the other sharp tiger claws.

Qin Sang's dharma form empowered him, and he secretly activated the Great Vajra Wheel Seal. With a wave of the spiritual token in his hand, two *thumps* were heard, and the two companion beasts were immediately sent flying back. Immediately, with a flash of green light, Qin Sang, moving at unimaginable speed, shot past the two companion beasts and instantly closed in on Shi Ying.

Shi Ying only now realized that Lu Gan hadn't exaggerated a word. Although he still had a companion beast protecting him, his heart pounded wildly at this moment. He and Shi Mu were telepathically linked. Sensing his companion's unease, Shi Mu knew he shouldn't delay. He hastily split his consciousness and summoned his own companion beast for assistance.

At this moment, both their energies were fully occupied by Qin Sang. Seeing a smile appear at the corner of Qin Sang's mouth, Shi Mu was startled and inwardly cursed.

*Boom!*

All the Thunder Lords appeared in the sky, standing atop the thunder. Like gods descended to the mortal realm, their divine might covered the world.

"Demonic fiends, perish!"

Divine punishment descended from the sky, ten thousand bolts of thunder unleashed simultaneously. The flood dragons instantly vanished under the divine thunder; only the azure dragon formed by the main flag barely held on.

*Crack!*

The first treasure flag broke, and the entire small team was engulfed by heavenly thunder. Then came the second, the third...

Both Shi Mu and his companion were greatly alarmed. They hadn't expected the Thunder Lords' might to be so terrifying. While they themselves could still fight, the Nine Gui Division might very well be annihilated here. The Netherworld Clan's inter-transformation technique had greater restrictions for those with lower cultivation, meaning few could escape with their lives.

This was only the first engagement; to lose the Nine Gui Division immediately upon engagement, how could they report this to King Lu upon returning?

Shi Mu hurriedly activated that wisp of fluctuation within his body.