Chapter 2168: Storm Approaching

Qin Sang couldn't get useful information from Ji Xia. Tracing the toxin to its source would likely take a long time.

Apart from the Thunder Palace, there were no visible opportunities here. Qin Sang only had a faint feeling that the place was unusual, and since he hadn't found anything, he naturally didn't want to waste any more time.

He returned to his original spot above the dark clouds. It was pitch black and silent. If not for the constant sensation of the mark on his palm, Qin Sang would never have guessed that a Thunder Palace was hidden here.

After pondering for a moment, Qin Sang didn't set up any formations here. The place was already perfectly concealed; adding any array formations or restrictions would be superfluous. Even if someone discovered its secret, entering without the golden scroll mark would not be easy.

With a flicker of his figure, Qin Sang passed through the dark clouds and descended to the ground. Thunder roared in his ears, and the sudden shift from silence to clamor was striking.

He gazed deeply at the palace gate, then touched the mark on his palm. His vision blurred, the thunder vanished, and he found himself back in the thatched hut.

This entry and exit felt very peculiar. Qin Sang didn't think it was a teleportation array, but then where exactly was the Thunder Palace located?

The multi-colored light being able to open up that space made him even more curious about it.

However, now was not the time to delve deeper into these matters. After encountering Ji Xia, Qin Sang had a persistent feeling that trouble was brewing.

Trapped here, if something abnormal happened in the Sacred Land of the Foreigner Race, he wouldn't be able to stay out of it. Achieving his goals as quickly as possible was crucial so he could calmly observe the changing situation.

As he pondered, Qin Sang looked at his palm and found the mark still there. He walked out of the thatched hut; the spiritual array's fluctuations had completely dissipated, and the mark had not reverted to the golden scroll. This showed that the mark was now bound to him and could not be taken by others.

This trip ended somewhat anticlimactically. Qin Sang hadn't had much confidence regarding the Thunder Palace to begin with, so he felt no regret about it. His biggest disappointment was not being able to clarify the true nature of the Xunshan Pearl and its connection to the golden scroll and the Thunder Palace, as he had placed high hopes on this treasure.

Flying out of the mountains and seeing that everything was normal, Qin Sang headed straight for the edge of the island. He quickly passed through the island's protective formation, left the island, and returned to Red Lake by the same route.

Upon returning to the cave, a point of spiritual light shot from Min Zhuo's brow towards Qin Sang, who instantly learned what had happened during his absence.

After he left, everything at Red Lake remained normal; no enemies had arrived.

Perhaps Grand Marshal was lucky enough to escape, or perhaps he was resolute and unyielding, not revealing any secrets. If the enemy had known he and Silu would meet here, they would surely have set an ambush long ago.

There was no longer any need to wait idly. Qin Sang put away his array tools, stored Min Zhuo in his small grotto-heaven, wiped away all traces of his presence with a wave of his hand, and departed.

From Red Lake to the rendezvous point with Liu Li, there was still nearly a ten-day journey. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Qin Sang didn't use his Thunder Escape technique, but he traveled almost without stopping, day and night.

Along the way, he passed two well-known secret realms. He sensed several auras: some people traveling in groups, others alone. Regardless of their strength, Qin Sang always concealed his presence and actively avoided them.

The journey was smooth, and Qin Sang covered half the distance in less than five days.

Evening of the fifth day.

Qin Sang was flying over a stretch of wilderness. There were no steep, rugged peaks here, only mounds of hills covered in tall, ancient trees, full of vitality.

There were no signs of human activity or fierce beasts, making it a rare place of peace.

Qin Sang was still contemplating the multi-colored light, and as the saying goes, persistent thoughts often bring a response. Just then, he suddenly detected a familiar fluctuation. His figure paused, and he looked ahead in surprise.

Above this wilderness, clusters of colorful clouds suddenly emerged.

Including Ji Xia, this was the fourth time Qin Sang had encountered the multi-colored light. Its frequency was simply too high!

The light was dazzling, appearing to be born within a mass of white clouds, quickly dyeing all the surrounding white clouds into a vibrant spectacle.

This was Qin Sang's first time witnessing the full process of the multi-colored light's eruption. It began as a single point, rapidly expanding outwards, illuminating the world. The ground and sky became a kaleidoscope of colors, truly magnificent.

Beneath this beauty lay a terrifying power capable of destroying everything. The beautiful clouds were merely fleeting, instantly dispersed by the light's force. Next, the ground suffered.

Qin Sang clearly saw a beam of multi-colored light descend from the sky and strike a hill.

In an instant, the earth shook, and the hill was utterly obliterated, leaving behind a bottomless crater.

The light's power continued to spread. Even array restrictions within secret realm ruins couldn't withstand its impact, let alone ordinary objects. Countless plants, trees, and hills in the vicinity were destroyed by the light.

In a short time, the land became a mess, completely disfigured. If the multi-colored light continued to erupt, the entire wilderness would likely be annihilated.

Knowing the power of the multi-colored light, Qin Sang immediately changed direction and moved away from the area upon seeing this scene.

At the same time, he kept a close eye on the source of the multi-colored light.

In the previous three instances, the multi-colored light had erupted in places like lairs of ferocious beasts and secret realm ruins, suggesting a possible connection.

However, Qin Sang gazed for a long time but found no trace of any secret realm ruins or any power capable of resisting the light. He only saw layers of substantial light waves, surging and unrestrainedly washing over the landscape.

"Was it just a coincidence before?"

This thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind, but then he detected a strange fluctuation. His gaze shifted towards the edge of the multi-colored light.

As the multi-colored light continued to expand, sweeping over this wilderness, it began to affect other areas. Wherever it passed, mountains vanished, the earth collapsed, and thunderous roars shook the heavens.

As the light swept over several more peaks, the mountains were first pushed down by the impact, crashing heavily to the ground, then torn apart and annihilated within the light. The ground there collapsed into a massive, deep pit, but then an unusual sight appeared.

From the deep pit, two sharp cries rang out, and simultaneously, two white streams flew forth. Upon closer inspection, they were long silk ribbons. The ribbons twirled in mid-air, emitting invisible fluctuations, and the multi-colored light finally met resistance.

'Swish! Swish!'

The white ribbons danced in the air, and two white figures, two women with wings on their backs, flew out of the deep pit.

Immediately after, two gray figures pursued them, and as expected, they were the gray humanoids, having transformed into the likenesses of the two women.

"More Feathered Race experts?"

Qin Sang squinted, observing the two women.

The women's wings were not pure white but closer to silvery-white, indicating they were not members of the Feathered Race's Sacred Wing clan. The Sacred Wing clan held a supreme status within the Feathered Race, allowing no imperfections.

As for whether the two women were ordinary-winged members of the Feathered Race or members of another affiliated race, it was currently impossible to tell. Within the Feathered Race, some tribes had almost identical appearances and divine abilities.

Beneath them, within the deep pit, a dazzling reddish glow emanated as streams of magma erupted.

This was no ordinary magma; Qin Sang sensed the fluctuations of an ancient array formation within it, indicating that an ancient array had been transformed by the impact of the multi-colored light.

The two women were likely in the process of breaking the array when they suddenly encountered this unexpected disaster. Moreover, they weren't the only ones there.

Their cultivation levels were similar to Qin Sang's, but Qin Sang detected an even stronger aura within the magma!

'Whoosh!''Whoosh!'

The two women activated their silk ribbons, coiling them towards the gray figures.

The two gray figures also held identical silk ribbons, and their movements mirrored the women's exactly. The women clearly realized something was amiss and only engaged the gray figures, refraining from using other divine abilities.

While maneuvering, they kept an eye on the changes deep within the magma. Suddenly, their expressions drastically changed as they finally spotted Qin Sang outside the multi-colored light.

Qin Sang hadn't hidden himself; he stood openly there.

Seeing no gray figures near Qin Sang, the women guessed the reason. After a moment's hesitation, they flew towards him together.

The gray figures pursued them relentlessly. Once they left the multi-colored light's range and defeated the gray figures, the figures completely dispersed and did not revive.

The two women secretly sighed with relief. They looked at Qin Sang, their beautiful eyes full of vigilance.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

Qin Sang gave a slight bow, pointing towards the magma as he asked, "May I ask if that place is a ruin?"

The women's brows furrowed, and the vigilance in their eyes intensified. The white ribbons before them twitched, pointing ominously at Qin Sang, as if they would strike if he dared to make any sudden move.

One of the women, who appeared older, sharply cried, "This is not a place for you to meddle with! Retreat quickly, and my sister and I won't cause you trouble!"

It wasn't out of kindness, but because Qin Sang appeared overly fearless.

Moreover, the multi-colored light was creating too much commotion, potentially attracting more people. It was best to try and reason with him.

Qin Sang shook his head and chuckled. He knew his question was too abrupt and explained, "I merely happened to be passing by and didn't come for these ruins. I only stayed to ask a few questions, fellow Daoists. May I know how large an area the ruins' protective formation covers, and if the multi-colored light erupted within the ruins?"

He had seen the multi-colored light appearing to come from the sky, but that might not be the truth. Perhaps there was an unknown colossal formation here that had deceived his perception.

The two women exchanged a glance, and the older one coldly said, "We don't know what you're talking about. The space inside was only the size of a few rooms. We were fine inside when something suddenly happened, and we only saw this multi-colored light after we came out."

"I see, I understand now," Qin Sang said.

Qin Sang nodded, his heart sinking slightly.

If the previous three occurrences weren't coincidences, and the multi-colored light was now affecting ordinary wilderness areas, did it mean the light was rapidly evolving, becoming increasingly aggressive?

As far as Qin Sang knew, the trials in the Sacred Land had always been progressive, with experts from various tribes making full preparations before the final decisive battle.

This time, it seemed unusual!

"Thank you, fellow Daoists, for clarifying my doubts. I won't trouble you further. Farewell!"

Qin Sang's figure flickered, and he vanished into the air.

The women's expressions relaxed slightly, but they dared not lower their guard, carefully surveying their surroundings.

In the distance, Qin Sang flew a certain distance away from the area but did not leave immediately. He landed on a hilltop to observe.

If the multi-colored light attracted other experts, leading to a chaotic battle, and if there was an opportunity suitable for him in those ruins, he wouldn't mind taking a share. This wait wouldn't be long. Gradually, the multi-colored light reached its peak and began to recede rapidly.

Only then did Qin Sang notice two belated auras. The newcomers' cultivation and concealment techniques were not very refined, and the people within the ruins had already taken control of the situation.

Just as they had experienced before, while the multi-colored light brought danger, it also helped them decipher ancient formations.

"No opportunity left."

Qin Sang shook his head and, without hesitation, quickly retreated.

He didn't encounter the multi-colored light again, but on the eighth day, Qin Sang had another astonishing encounter.

At that time, he was flying over a vast lake, its surface boundless and dotted with countless islands.

As he flew, a strange aura emanated from the distance. Qin Sang stopped, carefully sensed it for a moment, and a look of shock appeared in his eyes. After a slight hesitation, he cautiously concealed his presence.

The source of that aura was an island.

The island was not large, and at its center stood a solitary peak, towering into the clouds.

The summit of the solitary peak had been flattened by immense power. A man in a green robe sat cross-legged there. Around the peak, ethereal spiritual banners hovered in the void, and between the banners was another person holding a magic sword.

The spiritual banners formed a grand array, and the magic sword was used to control it. The array sealed off the island and also concealed their auras.

However, at this moment, the grand array could no longer conceal the violently fluctuating aura on the island.

The person holding the sword looked up at the solitary peak's summit, where dark clouds gathered and hurricanes howled. The high-altitude winds and clouds shifted dramatically, resembling a splashed-ink painting or perhaps the end of the world.

Between the winds and clouds was a golden halo, and the colossal phantom of a green ox, incredibly majestic, stood proudly in the void, roaring at the heavens, its horns seemingly capable of piercing the sky.

What stirred the heavens and earth was an immensely powerful aura. Feeling this aura, the sword-wielder showed profound reverence and envy.

"Someone is actually attempting to break through to the Integration Stage!"

In the distance, Qin Sang softly exhaled, a hint of envy in his eyes as well.

The Sacred Land was a treasure trove for cultivators of the Foreigner Race. Over countless years, many had found opportunities within it to attempt breakthroughs to the Saint Realm.

However, Qin Sang hadn't expected someone to attempt a breakthrough so soon. He dared not approach, only observing from afar.

On top of the solitary peak.

The celestial phenomena intensified. The green ox grew increasingly agitated, roaring like thunder, yet it seemed perpetually bound by a layer of restraint.

That layer of restraint grew thinner and thinner, but ultimately, the green ox did not break through, perhaps having exhausted its strength. The green ox let out a final roar, transforming into a streak of light that merged into the green-robed man's body. The golden light also transformed into a golden bracelet, which settled on the man's wrist.

The winds and clouds in the sky began to dissipate.

"Elder Brother!"

Seeing this, the sword-wielder hurried to the mountaintop, his face full of concern.

The green-robed man, however, looked as calm as ever and chuckled faintly, "Don't worry! For me, reaching the Ancestral Realm is only a matter of time. Breaking through too early, even if I'm not called away, would impose many restrictions. I'd rather stay and see what the ancestors truly intend to do this time!"

Infected by his confidence, the sword-wielder's worries diminished slightly.

Having spoken, the green-robed man stood up, his gaze deep as he looked at the sky, his robes fluttering in the wind.

A moment later, he swept his gaze around and let out a cold snort.

Qin Sang and others who had been drawn by the green-robed man's breakthrough quietly retreated at this moment.

The two individuals on the island then put away their spiritual banners and departed.