Chapter 2255: Qingxiao Thunder

“Is the Azure Sky and Verdant Void within these azure clouds?” Qin Sang gazed at the sky.

In the distance, the green mountains were like painted brows, imbued with a tranquility not found elsewhere. The sky was azure, but not a clear blue; rather, it was filled with wisps of faint azure mist. These azure clouds floated high above, lingering year after year, creating a dreamlike scenery, yet they had no effect on the creatures below.

From the outside, the interior of the Azure Sky and Verdant Void was invisible. Qin Sang also couldn't sense any guardian's presence nearby. He could only wait for the mysterious Azure Luan to guide him into the secret realm. While waiting, Qin Sang did not give up on the 'Water and Fire Harmony' chapter. The opportunity was rare, and Qin Sang was eager to deepen his understanding of the Dao of Yin and Yang in the illusion, but he estimated it would be difficult to catch up to the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement Art'. Qin Sang understood priorities; he had to prioritize the main task. To what extent he could elevate his understanding of the Dao of Yin and Yang would depend on how the situation unfolded.

After waiting for three consecutive months, Qin Sang finally heard the voice of the mysterious Azure Luan: "You... broke through?"

Upon receiving Qin Sang's affirmative reply, the mysterious Azure Luan couldn't help but exclaim in approval. Not long ago, Qin Sang had mentioned sensing an opportunity for a breakthrough, but this didn't guarantee success; it was common for cultivators to spend decades in secluded cultivation. Yet, Qin Sang had achieved it so quickly. This increased its confidence in Qin Sang even further. With Qin Sang's significant increase in strength, infiltrating the Azure Sky and Verdant Void would be more assured.

"Tell me... your... current... location..." Under the guidance of the mysterious Azure Luan, Qin Sang began to act. He first moved towards the azure clouds but didn't get too close. Then, he circled the edge of the clouds, arriving at their true northern side. The scenery appeared largely the same from any direction. With Qin Sang's eyesight and spiritual perception, he could only vaguely sense the fluctuations of the restrictions within the azure clouds, as well as subtle differences in two directions.

Qin Sang stopped, listened intently, then swept his gaze and pinpointed a direction. Next, following the secret art taught by the mysterious Azure Luan, he formed a hand seal. A faint silver glow appeared at his fingertips, which he then struck against himself with the back of his hand. The silver glow landed on him, washing over Qin Sang's entire body like flowing water. With each brush of the silver glow, Qin Sang's figure faded a little.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Qin Sang continuously performed the hand seals, his figure growing fainter and fainter until he disappeared, then covertly flew towards the azure clouds. Protected by this secret art, Qin Sang faced no obstacles, easily entering the azure clouds without causing the slightest ripple. By this point, Qin Sang knew that the guardian stationed there had been perpetually guarding within the azure clouds. The entire expanse of azure clouds was a phenomenon created by a super-large formation. Throughout the entire Azure Luan clan, only a handful knew the secrets of this formation, and the mysterious Azure Luan was naturally among them. However, it couldn't directly help Qin Sang; getting Qin Sang inside still required a good deal of effort.

Qin Sang slowly proceeded within the azure clouds. The scenery before him began to change, manifesting into various mystical and bizarre sights. Occasionally, an Azure Luan would appear, circling overhead. These Azure Luans appeared almost real, as if they were guardians of a sacred land, but in reality, they were manifestations of the grand formation's power. This was the first layer of defense of the grand formation, and all Azure Luan guardians ignored Qin Sang.

Qin Sang cautiously flew past these Azure Luans, right under their noses, only to eventually find his path blocked by a great river. The river water was made of azure mist, yet it was starkly different from the calm scenery observed outside. The mist churned furiously, surging and roaring. Qin Sang had no doubt that if he were to charge in now, he would be instantly pulverized. Without the guidance of the mysterious Azure Luan, he wouldn't even dare to conceive such an idea.

He stopped by the riverbank and consulted the mysterious Azure Luan, learning that he had already passed through the first major formation and arrived at the second. "That... restriction... I taught you... before..." Communication between the mysterious Azure Luan and Qin Sang was unaffected by the grand formation, and as Qin Sang's cultivation improved, the voice became even clearer. Qin Sang suddenly understood, recalling a restriction the mysterious Azure Luan had taught him earlier; it was meant to be used here. This restriction was extremely complex, but Qin Sang was no ordinary person; he had already thoroughly comprehended it.

He began to inscribe runes upon himself, using his body as a vessel. The runes almost completely covered him. Finally, the restriction activated, Qin Sang's body trembled, a brilliant azure light erupted, and he ultimately transformed into a small azure fish.

Splash!

Qin Sang flicked his tail and leaped into the river. The river remained turbulent and dangerous, yet Qin Sang moved like a fish in water. He continuously flicked his tail, swimming upstream, bravely pushing forward until he reached the river's source, where he leaped out of the water and reverted to his original form. Repeating this process, Qin Sang, guided by the mysterious Azure Luan, passed through three more grand formations. Although without serious incident, it was an immense test for Qin Sang. His performance far exceeded the mysterious Azure Luan's expectations, earning its continuous praise.

"Senior, I see the forest you mentioned." After passing through another grand formation, the scenery before Qin Sang changed, and his expression grew solemn as he informed the mysterious Azure Luan of his current situation.

"What... do you... see..." Qin Sang looked ahead. Within his vision was an endless jungle with ancient trees reaching the sky. There was no wind whatsoever; it was completely still, unsettling him. Even more bizarrely, all the leaves were vivid red, like raging flames, and red clouds drifted across the sky. Qin Sang described the scene he saw.

"How... thick... are the red clouds?"

"Nearly three feet," Qin Sang squinted and replied.

"Good... luck!" The mysterious Azure Luan seemed to sigh in relief, then told Qin Sang the method to break the formation. After listening, Qin Sang realized that this grand formation before him was not static; it operated according to certain laws, with different scenes, different timings, and entirely different methods to break it. Red clouds nearly three feet thick meant the formation was about to undergo a transformation, which would cause tremors when it began.

Qin Sang's silent infiltration to this point was already his limit. To continue breaking the formation would undoubtedly alert the guardian. He could only use the changes in the grand formation to conceal himself. Even so, the difficulty remained extremely high, and the timing was fleeting, allowing no room for error. Although Qin Sang's cultivation had greatly advanced, the time was too short. The mysterious Azure Luan worried that Qin Sang's abilities might still be insufficient to cope, leading to panic and a grave mistake. The appearance of the red clouds meant that the next transformation would cause the most intense tremors, offering a greater chance of success.

Qin Sang stood on a red tree, listening intently to the method for breaking the formation. Breaking the formation involved several steps. According to the mysterious Azure Luan, if Qin Sang felt he couldn't do it all at once, he could break it down, lie in wait there, and advance one step with each tremor of the grand formation, which would be safer. Qin Sang, however, didn't want to wait that long; he intended to charge through in one go! He gazed at the red clouds in the sky, silently calculating the time. After waiting for over ten days, he noticed the red clouds had thickened by another inch compared to when he arrived.

Whoosh!

The jungle truly ignited in a massive blaze. The towering flames burned through the red clouds in the sky, threatening to incinerate everything. Facing the terrifying sea of fire, Qin Sang did not hesitate and plunged into it.

Somewhere within the grand formation. A palace floated there, unsupported from above or below, with nothing around it. Inside the palace, an Azure Luan was sleeping soundly. Not long after Qin Sang plunged into the sea of fire, the Azure Luan suddenly opened its eyes, a hint of confusion flashing within them. It raised its head, its profound gaze seemingly piercing through the palace to see the scene deep within the grand formation.

"So I've been sleeping for this long..." The Azure Luan sensed that the phenomenon was caused by the formation's rotation and felt relieved. It murmured, then calculated the time, sighing, "I still have thirty years before I can leave. I might as well keep sleeping!" With that, it stretched its body, shifted its posture, and fell into a deep sleep.

On the other side, after a series of perilous maneuvers, Qin Sang actually seized this fleeting opportunity, breaking through several grand formations consecutively. When Qin Sang successfully completed the task and reported to the mysterious Azure Luan, the mysterious Azure Luan couldn't help but marvel at his audacity. However, without such courage, how could he possibly stand out as a lone hero?

The mysterious Azure Luan asked, "Are... there... clouds and mist... around?"

Qin Sang hummed in affirmation, "This junior is currently within the clouds, just like the azure clouds seen from outside." After all that effort, it seemed as if he had returned to the starting point.

"Downwards!" Qin Sang looked down, seeing nothing at first. His figure rapidly descended, and gradually, he began to discern the outlines of mountains. Finally, Qin Sang's feet touched solid ground, landing on a mountain. Looking ahead, he was immediately drawn to the silhouette of a mountain. Azure clouds permeated the area, making the mountain appear very blurry in Qin Sang's vision. Yet, it was clear at a glance that this mountain was extraordinary, exuding a mysterious and alluring aura. Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he guessed that this mountain might be the core of the Azure Sky and Verdant Void. A considerable distance still separated him from this mountain, with layers of formations and restrictions in between. However, both Qin Sang and the mysterious Azure Luan knew that reaching this point was already his limit.

"Hide! Bring forth... that magic treasure..." Hearing the mysterious Azure Luan's command, Qin Sang immediately took out a magic treasure. It was azure in color, shaped like an alms bowl, and had been refined by him in advance at the mysterious Azure Luan's instruction. Even though he had personally refined this treasure, Qin Sang still didn't know what it was for.

Qin Sang immediately excavated a cave dwelling, then activated the azure alms bowl, placing it before his knees. Previously, no matter how Qin Sang tried to activate it, there had been no response. Now, Qin Sang immediately felt a difference. Faintly, Qin Sang sensed that something, attracted by the azure alms bowl, was drifting over from deep within the Azure Sky and Verdant Void. At the same time, wisps of azure smoke emanated from the alms bowl. The smoke spread, enveloping the cave dwelling, then seeped outwards in fine strands.

Before long, the alms bowl suddenly vibrated. Qin Sang looked down and saw electric light flickering within the alms bowl. At some point, a wisp of lightning had appeared. He carefully held up the wisp of lightning to examine it. The lightning wisp was azure, reminding Qin Sang of true Azure Luan lightning.

"Senior, what kind of lightning is this?"

"Azure Sky Lightning..."

Listening to the mysterious Azure Luan's explanation, Qin Sang finally understood the full story. It turned out that not all lightning nurtured within an Azure Luan could be called 'true lightning.' It had to undergo continuous refinement to a certain extent, followed by successive transformations, before reaching the level of 'true lightning.' Undoubtedly, what Qin Sang had obtained back then was true Azure Luan lightning, but the lightning of most demon cultivators in the Azure Luan clan could only be called 'demon lightning.' The cultivation process of the Azure Luan clan was also a process where the demon lightning within their bodies gradually became purer, continuously advancing towards true lightning. Azure Sky Lightning, on the other hand, was a type of lightning most similar to true Azure Luan lightning. Refining Azure Sky Lightning could help the Azure Luan clan accelerate the refinement of their demon lightning, thereby also increasing their cultivation. Azure Sky Lightning could only be nurtured deep within the Azure Sky and Verdant Void. The mysterious Azure Luan had actually used this magic treasure to draw out the Azure Sky Lightning for Qin Sang to refine.

"Be careful... you... might... explode! To the north... there are... Blue Lotus Fruits..." The mysterious Azure Luan reminded Qin Sang that refining Azure Sky Lightning came with a price. The most terrifying consequence was the riot of lightning power within his body, causing a backlash. There was a way to alleviate this: consuming a spiritual medicine called Blue Lotus Fruit, which could be found in the Azure Sky and Verdant Void. Furthermore, the mysterious Azure Luan also imparted a cultivation method to Qin Sang to help him refine the Azure Sky Lightning as quickly as possible. However, all these methods could only alleviate the problem, not completely resolve the hidden danger. To what extent he could succeed would ultimately depend on Qin Sang himself. Prior to this, no Azure Luan had ever received such an opportunity. The Azure Sky and Verdant Void was used by the Azure Luan clan to reward outstanding young talents within the clan. It would only open once enough Azure Sky Lightning had been nurtured, allowing selected Azure Luans to enter and compete for it. Now, with no one disturbing Qin Sang, all the Azure Sky Lightning was his.

Qin Sang didn't actually need any Azure Sky Lightning. He activated the 'Lightning Contemplation Art in the Palm' to observe this wisp of lightning. "Indeed, it bears some resemblance to true Azure Luan lightning..." Qin Sang secretly nodded; he had a deep understanding of true Azure Luan lightning. After a moment's thought, Qin Sang activated the cultivation method imparted by the mysterious Azure Luan and attempted to refine the Azure Sky Lightning.

Suddenly, a surprised expression flashed across Qin Sang's face. He opened his eyes, raised his palm, and azure electric sparks danced at his fingertips. As a human, Qin Sang could only cultivate the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement Art' by envisioning an Azure Luan. However, from beginning to end, he was never a true Azure Luan, neither in illusions nor in reality. In the real world, when Qin Sang used true Azure Luan lightning, he initially relied on the phoenix wings born from his Heavenly Demon Transformation. Later, when he possessed a Dharma Idol, he used the power of his Dharma Idol. When breaking through to the Sixth Transformation of the 'Heavenly Demon Refinement Art,' Qin Sang faced a choice: he could actively merge his essence and vital energy into his Dharma Idol, potentially transforming into an Azure Luan, but he gave it up for various reasons. It could be seen that there was always a barrier between his own being and the true Azure Luan lightning.

Yet, while refining the Azure Sky Lightning this time, Qin Sang discovered something different: he didn't need to rely on phoenix wings or his Dharma Idol; he could refine it directly, as if he himself were an Azure Luan! Furthermore, Qin Sang also sensed that the Azure Sky Lightning didn't seem to be naturally generated by heaven and earth; it contained an extremely unique aura. He told the mysterious Azure Luan about his discovery.

"For you... to notice... that, it's not simple! You... and Azure Sky Lightning... are very compatible. I... am very much looking forward to this!" The mysterious Azure Luan exclaimed in admiration. Azure Sky Lightning was indeed not naturally formed by heaven and earth, but rather specially created by the Azure Luan clan. Perhaps, with the help of Azure Sky Lightning, Qin Sang might one day be able to nurture his own true Azure Luan lightning! Qin Sang was temporarily unsure whether the changes in his body were due to an abnormality in his Azure Luan Dharma Idol or because of that unique aura. He suggested that he wanted to visit the place where Azure Sky Lightning was born in the future, hoping to find the reason there.

"Wait until... you become... strong enough. I will... deduce... a divine ability..." The mysterious Azure Luan told Qin Sang that it would remain dormant for a period, allowing Qin Sang to cultivate peacefully there. No other Azure Luans would enter and disturb him before the secret realm opened.

Without realizing it, Qin Sang had stayed in the Azure Sky and Verdant Void for ten years.