Chapter 2124: Nine Heavens Azure Pond Thunderstorm Technique

Dabei Chan Temple.

Located in the desert, the climate is arid, with only a few rainfalls each year. But at this moment, a torrential downpour raged. Darkness enveloped everything, and the only sound was the incessant rain, as if the sky had ruptured, pouring down an endless deluge. This violent storm had been ongoing for a long time without a moment's pause, with enough rainfall to submerge any area. Yet, no rivers or lakes formed on the ground; the desert remained the desert. The rainwater seeped into the earth as soon as it fell, as if an bottomless pit beneath the surface could never be filled, no matter how much rain poured down.

Several monks hovered above Dabei Chan Temple, surrounding an elder monk. The elder monk had sallow, emaciated skin, but his eyes were bright and piercing, like a bronze statue. To his left was a young monk. The young monk looked around, then activated his spiritual eyes, gazing towards the far west. The torrential rain poured down. Above the curtain of rain, an occasional flash of lightning illuminated the heavens and the earth. These thunderbolts and lightning strikes were far less numerous and impactful than those seen before.

Since the start of the conflict, the Thunder Altar had transformed the desert into a realm of thunder, and countless thunder talismans possessed world-shattering power. The sight of myriad thunderbolts striking simultaneously had long become commonplace. The cultivators of the Western Lands finally experienced firsthand the terrifying power of battles between Void Refinement cultivators. Such battles, which stirred the heavens, were beyond their previous imagination. In comparison, the war between the Storm Realm and the Changyou Clan seemed like two children clumsily fighting with weapons, both awkward and ridiculous.

Just recently, the thunder suddenly faded, and its presence significantly weakened. However, as the heavy rain continued without cease until now, an invisible pressure gradually accumulated, growing increasingly dreadful. Indeed, the altar's power had not diminished; the torrential rain firmly held the enemy at bay.

“If the enemy breaks through this formation, they will approach the temple,” the young monk murmured, his voice tinged with worry. For over a year, the enemy had successively breached various formation checkpoints. Each time a position was lost, the Storm Realm had to retreat significantly, abandoning vast stretches of land. By now, most of the Western Desert had fallen. If one were to look down from above, a clear dividing line would be visible. To the east of the line lay endless yellow sand, while to the west, the landscape had drastically changed, transforming from desert into lush mountains and verdant waters. This revitalization of the desert brought not hope, but intense murderous intent.

The fall of the desert meant not only the usurpation of territory but also the destruction of the altars meticulously built within it by the enemy. Fortunately, Qin Sang did not abandon the cultivators garrisoning these altars; each time a position was lost, they were able to retreat promptly. Thus, while the Storm Realm appeared to be constantly retreating, their casualties were not severe. Now, the enemy had pressed close. Grandmaster Huaiyin was leading the monks, stationed at the altar in the back mountains of Dabei Chan Temple. If they retreated further, would they have to abandon the temple again? As the saying goes, ‘people value their homeland and are reluctant to move.’ The monks of Dabei Chan Temple did not wish to relive the painful memories of the past.

“Amitabha!” The elder monk, an elder of the Arhat Hall, clasped his hands together, showing neither sorrow nor joy. “I believe the Grand True One must have a plan.”

At this moment, a fierce battle was raging within the curtain of rain. For this battle, Qin Sang had carefully selected several thunder talismans from the Five Thunder Envoy Seal, similar to the Twelve Thunder Lords Talisman Charms, all suited for battle formations. The Nine Heavens Jade Pond Thunder Rain Great Law was one such technique. This technique drew water from the Nine Heavens Jade Pond, bringing it down to the mortal realm. No visible thunder appeared, yet the power of thunder was omnipresent. The raindrops of this thunder rain were not ordinary water; instead, they were formed by mobilizing the elemental energy of heaven and earth, transforming into thunder water, with every single ‘raindrop’ containing immense thunderous might. As the rain fell to the earth, the thunderous power would dissipate, returning to the heavens in an endless cycle, never ceasing. This ensured the torrential rain would not cause floods in the desert.

Qin Sang gazed forward with cold eyes. Rainwater would explode upon touching him, his figure appearing as if shrouded in mist. Amidst the downpour, countless figures moved. As the raindrops descended, they could transform into thunder soldiers. These thunder soldiers possessed no sentience, no thoughts, and no pain; they were pure killing machines. However, Qin Sang could, through the main altar, draw the wills of cultivators from various sub-altars and infuse them into the thunder soldiers.

At this very moment, the altar masters and altar guardians at the various sub-altars felt as if they had entered a ‘phantasmagoria.’ Within this ‘phantasmagoria,’ they entered a battlefield shrouded in torrential rain, possessing a thunderous avatar. They could feel the grim atmosphere of the battlefield and the pressure from the enemy, as if they were truly present. They seemed to merge with the thunder soldiers, remotely controlling them to fight. This was a novel sensation. Previously, they could only assist Qin Sang in deploying thunder talismans through the altars; this was the first time they felt truly immersed. Only now did they understand what a battlefield looked like and how terrifying the enemy was. As they joined the battle, they were infected by the atmosphere of the battlefield. Although unsure if the death of a thunder soldier would affect them, they felt immense tension. After all, they were merely a wisp of will transmitted over, still requiring a commander to lead them—namely, the cultivators truly present on the battlefield.

Countless thunder soldiers formed massive battle formations. Marquis Gui and others were at the very center of these formations, their true bodies present and requiring protection. More and more thunderous power surged towards them, causing the battle formations to transform and generate power far beyond their individual cultivation levels.

“Kill!” Their roars shook the heavens. The thunder soldiers transformed into torrents of black rivers, surging towards the enemy formation with immense momentum, causing the earth to tremble and the void to shake. The opposing forces clashed instantly. Outwardly, only Marquis Gui and his companions seemed to be truly participating in the battle, but behind them lay the combined strength of the entire Storm Realm. Although the enemy possessed several Void Refinement level masters, the thunder soldiers remained fearless. Even if they were defeated, at the brink of death, they had one final desperate move: self-detonation!

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Instantly, countless bolts of thunderous light illuminated the battlefield, like the most dazzling fireworks, blossoming with a poignant brilliance.

A moment later, Qin Sang also charged into the battlefield. Through successive engagements, Qin Sang’s techniques as a body cultivator had been largely revealed; even the Five Elements Crown had been used multiple times. As expected, the moment Qin Sang appeared, he immediately drew the attention of the strongest individuals in the enemy formation. He showed no weakness, unleashing both the Great Vajra Wheel Seal and the Sun Wheel Seal. Supported by the Nine Heavens Jade Pond Thunder Rain Great Law, he appeared formidable even when besieged.

Seizing an opportunity, Qin Sang once again deployed the Five Elements Crown, two beams of Five Elements Divine Light shooting forth alternately. The cultivator locked by the Five Elements Crown had no time to react. During this period, the Five Elements Crown had repeatedly displayed its might. Although it hadn't killed anyone, the companion beasts struck by the Five Elements Divine Light were either dead or severely crippled, instilling great fear in King Lu’s forces. This cultivator had a feminine appearance, dressed in brocade robes, resembling a female cultivator.

The cultivators pooled their wisdom and finally devised a countermeasure. One of their objectives this time was to draw out the Five Elements Divine Light, thus requiring someone to act as bait. At this moment, the cultivator in brocade robes served as the bait.

“Whoosh!” The Five Elements Divine Light struck in rapid succession. The others ceased their actions and each brought forth a token. The tokens were crimson, wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, shaped like command arrows. Enveloped in flames, they trailed long streams of fire as they moved. Flames danced, and all the tokens turned their fronts towards the brocade-robed cultivator, their fiery glow dazzling. Just as the Five-Colored Divine Light struck the brocade-robed cultivator, a burst of flames erupted before him, forming a ring of fire. Through the ring of fire, it was clear that the brocade-robed cultivator was not completely immobilized the moment the Five-Colored Divine Light struck. He distinctly twisted, but unfortunately still couldn’t evade the Reverse Five Elements Divine Light. In that critical moment, Lu Gan intervened promptly, a flash of profound yellow light appearing as he whisked the brocade-robed cultivator away.

Upon seeing this, the cultivators’ eyes lit up. The tokens were treasures personally refined by the Great Consecrated One, intended to counter the Five Elements Crown. Although they couldn't save the individual, they finally saw a glimmer of hope. As they continuously probed, Qin Sang gained a deeper understanding of the Indeterminate Eight Extremes Diagram. When the brocade-robed cultivator had escaped earlier, he clearly felt a resistance; had they been a moment slower, the outcome would likely have been disastrous. Therefore, a treasure capable of countering the Five Elements Crown was crucial. This treasure still had room for improvement. Having achieved their objective for this time, the cultivators gave a signal and began an orderly retreat.

The battlefield gradually returned to peace. The thunder soldiers reverted to raindrops, and the torrential rain continued endlessly.

East of the Demon Sea.

An isolated island lay in the sea. Though not large, it was exceptionally rich in spiritual energy. Cultivators were permanently stationed there, their task being to monitor changes in the Turbid Lands. The island, bordering the Turbid Lands, risked attacks from fierce beasts and also had to be wary of the Changyou Clan. However, many cultivators still competed for this assignment because the island housed a grand formation personally set up by Fairy Liuli, capable of concealing the island's location, ensuring no incidents occurred over the years. Furthermore, stationed here only required observing the Turbid Lands, avoiding battlefields, and not interfering with cultivation, making it a desirable post. On the small island, a stone hall had been built, and three additional cave dwellings were established. A total of three cultivators jointly guarded the island, allowing them to take turns in seclusion.

At this moment, inside the stone hall, a cultivator in brocade robes sat before a mirror plate. The brocade-robed cultivator sat cross-legged, hands on his knees, constantly changing hand seals as he contemplated a Taoist technique. Occasionally, he would glance at the mirror plate. The mirror plate reflected the scene inside the Turbid Lands: black streams of mist howled back and forth with great momentum. This sight had persisted for nearly a century; anomalies only appeared during ebb tide. Immersed in his Taoist technique, the brocade-robed cultivator failed to notice that the scene in the mirror plate was gradually changing. The mist streams suddenly slowed, collisions became less frequent, and finally, all the mist seemed to solidify. One could clearly see streams of mist stagnating and stacking to form mist walls.

The next moment, stillness gave way to motion: all the mist streams exploded with a roar, the mist forming a colossal tide that erupted suddenly. The brocade-robed cultivator seemed to sense something, his eyes darted around, then narrowed, and he hurried to the mirror plate. The explosion was followed by a rapid contraction; the mist rolled back, as if the power accumulated over a century had suddenly deflated, retreating wildly and revealing the sea surface previously enveloped by the mist. Immediately after, another new explosion occurred, and the mist reclaimed the lost ground. This scene continually repeated itself.

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!” Three figures rushed into the main hall.

The brocade-robed cultivator saluted an elder, saying, “Uncle-Master Bai.” It was his first time overseeing this station, and he wasn't sure if this was a sign of the ebb tide, so he nervously watched the elder. Uncle-Master Bai stared intently at the mirror plate, then threw his head back and laughed. “The turbid qi is finally receding! Quick, go report to the sect!” His excitement had a reason: according to the rules, he hoped to receive a wisp of Azure Spiritual Qi this time!

“Yes!” The brocade-robed cultivator and the other two immediately set up a formation. All of them were cultivators from Xuantiangong, and they quickly relayed the news back to Xuantiangong.

Qingyang Temple.

The mountain-guarding formation was activated, clouds and mist obscuring the sky, concealing the anomalies caused by the main altar. At this moment, most of Qingyang Temple’s masters had been dispatched to guard the sub-altars, leaving few within the main sect. Just then, a streak of light flew in from the west, approaching the mountain-guarding formation without any sign of stopping. A Daoist boy flew out from the mist, shouting, “Who goes there?” The streak of light paused slightly, revealing a figure. The Daoist boy recognized the newcomer’s appearance and quickly bowed, saying, “This junior greets Master of the Hall!”

Shi Xue nodded, “I have an urgent matter to report to the Grand True One.”

“This…” The Daoist boy hesitated, but then a voice transmission reached his ear, “Let her in.” Recognizing his ancestor’s voice, the Daoist boy relaxed and bowed, saying, “Master of the Hall, please enter!”

On the altar, Qin Sang’s dharma body looked towards the sect gate, wondering what urgent matter brought Shi Xue here in person. Upon entering Qingyang Temple, Shi Xue saw an altar soaring to the Nine Heavens, utterly magnificent. Suppressing her awe, she flew high and said, “There are signs that the turbid qi is about to recede!”

“Oh?” Qin Sang’s eyes flashed. According to the pattern, it was indeed time for the ebb tide, but this time it was earlier than in previous years. “Liuli hasn’t returned yet?” Qin Sang guessed why Shi Xue had come in person.

“No!” Shi Xue shook her head, a hint of urgency flashing across her pretty face. “Could something have happened to Junior Sister?” Before departing, Liuli had said she wouldn’t miss the competition for the Azure Spiritual Qi. Without her, the Storm Realm would have found it difficult to contend with the Changyou Clan previously. Normally, she should have returned half a year ago, but now there was no news of her, making them naturally anxious.

Qin Sang frowned. Ever since he learned that Liuli had a mysterious ‘master,’ he had felt reassured, but now he couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy. “Given Liuli’s intelligence, there’s no need to worry about her safety. She might just be entangled in something else,” Qin Sang comforted. Looking on the bright side, Liuli was unaware that Chief Minzhuo had already broken through. Perhaps she had found an opportunity for her own breakthrough and, having weighed her options, decided that a single setback wouldn’t matter as long as she could successfully advance to the Void Refinement stage, choosing instead to focus on her breakthrough.

“Let’s hope so…” Shi Xue suppressed her unease and asked again, “Should we still contend for the Azure Spiritual Qi this time?” The timing was unfortunate; with the enemy army pressing, the Storm Realm’s masters were all preoccupied. Sending just a few people would certainly not be a match for the Changyou Clan. On one side was the Azure Spiritual Qi, on the other, life and death. She naturally understood which was more important, thinking to herself that they would likely have to give up this time.

Western Lands.

Within a mountain, several stone caves had been carved out as residences for Minzhuo and the Changyou Clan cultivators. In one of the cave dwellings, an elder of the Changyou Clan was meditating with closed eyes when his wrist suddenly flashed with light. He instantly awoke, learned of the message from outside, and hastily exited his cave, flying towards the stone cave closest to the mountain peak, where he activated a restriction.

“Enter!” Inside the cave, Chief Minzhuo was recuperating from injuries. They weren’t severe, having been sustained during his last attempt to break through a formation. The elder quickly entered the cave.

Minzhuo asked, “What is it?”