"Thunder Resonance Valley is a newly risen sect that suddenly appeared a few years ago and expanded its power. You can say they mainly train Lightning Path Methods and Sword Path Methods...but in essence, they are a cult that worships a transcendent True Immortal. Centered on the Lightning Sword High Person of the Human Race, they aggressively proselytize without distinguishing between the Heaven Tribe, Earth Tribe, or Mortal Races... In everything they do, they keep pulling in nearby dragon veins with formations and are reducing the amount of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy everywhere."
Kugugugugu!
Together with Gyu Ryeon, as they transfer to a place called Thunder Mountain in the Earth Tribe territory, Wol Ryeong's party listens to her explanation.
"If they were only depleting the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of a single region, it would be inconvenient but bearable. But...whatever they are trying to do, they are depleting the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the entire Earth Tribe territory. At this rate, the Earth Tribe territory's Heaven and Earth spiritual energy will drop to the level of a Decaying Corpse Realm."
At that grave voice, Wol Ryeong asks, looking puzzled.
"That aside, Senior Gyu. Why is such a heinous evil god's cult still left alone? Even in the Earth Tribe there are Esteemed Ones at the Star Shattering stage, and just looking at you, Senior Gyu, it seems you could trample someone like the Lightning Sword High Person or whatever as is..."
"Hah, in the end it is because we are the Earth Tribe."
Gyu Ryeon clicks her tongue with a cold sneer.
"Hundreds of thousands of years ago, when the Vast Cold Realm, which was originally in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, moved to the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, Sacred Master Baek Woon, who originally held the Sacred Master position, disappeared...and the will of some transcendent True Immortal took the Sacred Master seat. Unlike Sacred Master Baek Woon, that True Immortal's will truly takes a completely hands-off stance, not interfering no matter what happens in the Vast Cold Realm. Aside from restoring the name of the realm from Bright Cold (光寒) to Vast Cold (廣寒), that True Immortal has done nothing in this world. Thanks to that...the Esteemed Ones who were formerly bound to duties and obligations under Sacred Master Baek Woon are not particularly staying in the Vast Cold Realm now."
"Pardon? But the Heart Tribe territory also has three Esteemed Ones, and there is even a person called the Final Heaven Esteemed One of the Fighting Ghost Race..."
"Ah, the originally sly Heart Tribe spy bastards, whether their main body is in the Vast Cold Realm or in another Middle Realm, find it easy to exercise power regardless of distance...so we have to set those ones aside."
When the Heart Tribe comes up, Gyu Ryeon's expression worsens, and toward the puzzled Wol Ryeong, Seo Gyeong suddenly sends a voice transmission.
[I looked into it before I came. They say Senior Gyu was a cotton plantation owner who worked the Mortal Race as slaves, but when one of the Mortal Race awakened as a Heart Tribe and fled, she suffered an injury.]
[Oh dear...]
Clicking her tongue inwardly, Wol Ryeong brings the topic back.
"If so...is there some relation between being of the Earth Tribe and being unable to subjugate Thunder Resonance Valley?"
"The True Immortal."
Gyu Ryeon continues.
"A sect that clearly has a True Immortal as backing...even if it is a race of a Middle Realm, no one dares touch it. If it is a Middle Realm that has a Sacred Master, the Sacred Master on their own keeps even sects backed by True Immortals from crossing the line...but the True Immortal who currently rules the Vast Cold Realm does not care at all no matter which sect crosses what line or how far. If it were ordinary matters between sects, clans, or races, it is possible to respond at the Heaven Tribe or Earth Tribe level, but in the case of a sect with a True Immortal as backing..."
Gyu Ryeon's eyes grow dark.
"...unless it is a faction backed by a True Immortal as well, if things go wrong, there is absolutely no way to deal with the aftermath."
"..."
Gyu Ryeon bitterly glares at Thunder Resonance Valley's main headquarters, Thunder Mountain, and mutters.
"We are the Earth Tribe. This world is ruled by Heaven Immortals, and since the Immortal Beasts who support the Earth Tribe mostly are beings of the faction after death...unless we have the help of the Heaven Tribe, who are far more likely than us to receive the support of Heaven Immortals, there is no answer."
"..."
"And...for that reason, even if it is because you bear the orders of Heaven Immortals on your backs...nonetheless, I extend deep thanks to you members of the Radiance Spirit Sect who have come to help us."
Paaat!
At last, they arrive right in front of Thunder Mountain and look up at it.
"Have you come?"
Kwarurung!
Then, as they arrive in front of Thunder Mountain, thunder roars and someone appears.
A race whose entire body is made of wooden logs.
It is the Tall Tree Race.
Flinch!
And, seeing that Tall Tree Race, Wol Ryeong cannot help but be startled.
"E-Esteemed One?"
"My name is Slaughtering Heaven Esteemed One Geuk Gwang. I am the one who requested support from the Radiance Spirit Sect for the subjugation of Thunder Resonance Valley."
From Geuk Gwang, who introduces themselves as the Slaughtering Heaven Esteemed One, Wol Ryeong feels for some reason as if she can exert strong influence over them.
More precisely, it is not influence, but rather the feeling she once had when looking at family slaves or dogs raised in the household when she was in her clan.
It is a distinct sense of treating someone beneath her.
'What in the world is this? As an Esteemed One, they should be in the same realm as Master...so why do they look so easy to face...and feel like someone beneath me?'
Just then, while she feels puzzled.
Her eyes meet Geuk Gwang's, and their eyes shine.
"Hmm, you must be the representative of the late-stage disciples of the Radiance Spirit Sect. Somehow it feels as though your fate itself resonates with mine, do we share a connection? Of course, you come from the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain where that one resides, so it is only natural we share a connection."
"...It seems...so."
"In this subjugation campaign, I leave it in your care. Everlasting Sword Spear."
"Amitayus Buddha."
Geuk Gwang and Wol Ryeong exchange greetings by speaking the folk-religious names of the divinities they believe in, and soon the explanation of the operation begins.
"The current Valley Master of Thunder Resonance Valley, the Lightning Sword High Person, seems to be continuously transmitting the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the Earth Tribe territory in the Vast Cold Realm to somewhere else. And in exchange for repeating such transmissions and proselytizing, they seem to be receiving power from an evil god."
"By power, what kind...?"
"Things like special authority or divine power. However, the reason I urgently requested subjugation from the Radiance Spirit Sect recently is because...from the information I obtained while infiltrating Thunder Resonance Valley, there are signs that they are trying to summon something terrifying into the Vast Cold Realm."
"Something terrifying...?"
"The Divine Banner of the God they enshrine in Thunder Resonance Valley. They seem to be trying to bring something called the Heavenly Lightning Banner into this land. And if that Heavenly Lightning Banner is truly the one I know..."
Shiver...
The body of Esteemed One Geuk Gwang trembles.
"...The Valley Master Lightning Sword High Person will instantly rise to become a Star Shattering Esteemed One, and Thunder Resonance Valley will sweep across the entire Vast Cold Realm, proselytizing the doctrine of their evil god to all of the Vast Cold Realm and turning all into fanatics."
"...!"
At those words, Wol Ryeong realizes the danger of the matter.
'It is not without reason that the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones were mobilized.'
Though she is separated from her master for now due to the insidious scheme of the Gi Clan's clan head, their group was to originally conduct the subjugation of Thunder Resonance Valley together with Esteemed One Baek Geom.
Considering that even one of the Vast Cold Realm's Esteemed Ones, Slaughtering Heaven Esteemed One, is taking part in the subjugation, a total of two Esteemed Ones were being mobilized just to destroy a sect whose sect master is, at best, only at the Integration stage.
'Carrying out the missions of the Grand Cultivator Association for ten years in the Vast Cold Realm has been beneficial.'
She realizes that the Grand Cultivator Association has actually been considerate towards them.
If they had recklessly charged into Thunder Resonance Valley without even their master, they surely would have suffered a great setback.
Perhaps some of them may have even lost their lives.
Through cultivation and missions over the past ten or so years, Wol Ryeong rose to the Grand Perfection Integration stage, and Seo Gyeong, by diligently hunting criminals and devilish cultivators of the Vast Cold Realm, quickly built the axes through the Heterodox Axis Foundation and rose to the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage.
Seo Gyeong's progress as everyone expects, but none can help but be appalled at Wol Ryeong's speed of growth.
A being who had just entered the early Integration stage rose to the Grand Perfection Integration stage in only ten years?
This means that the being either is the clone of a True Immortal, or they carry on their back an immense fate beyond imagination.
The reason the Grand Cultivator Association decided to help them after only ten years is perhaps because they perceived the possibility that Wol Ryeong might be the clone of a True Immortal.
However, rather than such things, Wol Ryeong contemplates what she gained from this journey to the Vast Cold Realm.
'Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, Time.'
The formulas of Various Omens, which the Radiance Spirit Sect did not exactly teach with passion.
By continually contemplating and repentantly enlightening herself on those basic formulas, she made them her own in ten years and attained Grand Perfection of the Integration stage.
'While repentantly enlightening, I came to understand. These formulas are not simple formulas. They are symbols containing power in themselves...'
She recalled the power shown by Do Ryeok on her first day in the Human Race territory, and the transcendent enlightenments shown by Hon Jin, and by madly racing toward those things, she has reached this place.
'Had I not seen those enlightenments, I would still be lingering in the early Integration stage. That I could behold those enlightenments that day is heavenly fortune.'
"I will explain the details as we go in. Right now, time of the essence..."
Following Geuk Gwang, she infiltrates Thunder Resonance Valley and thinks.
'Did Master...see such things, know of them, and send me here so that I would undergo repentant enlightenment upon them?'
For some reason, it does not seem to be something so simple.
'My fate is set to head to the Vast Cold Realm. If so, then the being called my master is not actually the existence called Baek Geom, but fate...the heavens themselves, isn't it?'
The heavens are her master.
Wol Ryeong, feeling a strange sensation she herself has never felt until now, follows along with Geuk Gwang.
"...First, their Heavenly Lightning Banner summoning ritual proceeds in four stages. Drawing in the nearby dragon veins and amplifying them, 'Amplifying Spirits'. Offering the amplified spiritual energy as a sacrifice to the Evil God, 'Banner Offering'. Mediating between the Evil God and the Lightning Sword High Person while also summoning the spirits of lightning that aid the summoning ritual of the true Heavenly Lightning Banner, 'Spirit Summoning'. Lastly, arranging a formation with those spirits of lightning to descend the Evil God's divine artifact, the Heavenly Lightning Banner, into this Vast Cold Realm, 'Heavenly Lightning Banner Summoning'."
"We must interfere with them at the third stage, 'Spirit Summoning'."
Listening to Geuk Gwang's explanation, Wol Ryeong's eyes gleam, and Seo Gyeong, Mu Geom, and Bi Hwa look at her in puzzlement.
"What do you mean, Junior Sister? Isn't it best to ruin the ritual of Amplifying Spirits rather than Spirit Summoning? Or during Banner Offering..."
"The Amplifying Spirits ritual is not that difficult. They can do it anywhere even if not here. If we interfere here, they can just move their base, hide somewhere else, and carry out the ritual.
"The Banner Offering ritual is difficult because it requires a place with the right conditions and the making of a consecrated site, and it also consumes a lot of materials each time it is performed, so it is a good point to interfere... But since the Evil God is directly involved, that too is dangerous.
"However, if it is only summoning the spirits of lightning that merely represent the will of the Evil God...then even if a portion of the spirits of lightning's power is summoned, it is relatively safe, the materials consumed by the summoning ritual would be astronomical, the creation of the altar to summon the spirits of lightning would also take an enormous amount of effort, and during the summoning ritual, it would be difficult for the caster to move, so they would be far more openings."
At Wol Ryeong's explanation pouring out like flowing water, they nod, and Geuk Gwang speaks.
"Your words are correct. You understand well. And that Spirit Summoning ritual is set to take place ten months from now. What you must do is, starting today, infiltrate into Thunder Resonance Valley, become thoroughly familiar with the valley's divine powers, their actions, and their habits, and then raid their Spirit Summoning ritual. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand. But if we are to infiltrate, by what method should we do so...?"
"How else? It is simple. I have already arranged to push for the initiation of new disciples, timed with your arrival."
Geuk Gwang, who has long hidden within Thunder Resonance Valley and taken up an important position, speaks with gleaming eyes.
"You will each conceal your identities and realms and enter as Qi Refining disciples of Thunder Resonance Valley!"
At those words, Seo Gyeong's face takes on a strangely odd expression, while Wol Ryeong, Mu Geom, and Bi Hwa, encountering an infiltration mission for the first time, wear expressions of fascination.
"...With this, the initiation test is concluded, and by the special selection of Elder Dae Gwang, these four individuals are specially admitted: Wol Ryeong of the Celestial Dog Race, Mu Geom of the Heavenly Fox Race, and Bi Hwa and Seo Gyeong of the Human Race!"
A Qi Building cultivator supervising the new Qi Refining disciples entering Thunder Resonance Valley raises a register and shouts, and at his declaration, the Qi Refining disciples glare, seeking those lucky ones with such fortune.
They may be a cult of fanatics, but Thunder Resonance Valley is one that clearly has the backing of a True Immortal.
How hard is it to enter such a Thunder Resonance Valley, and yet they come in so easily merely under the status of being connected to an Elder called 'Dae Gwang'!
And so, the eyes filled with jealousy instantly find the four.
A white robed cultivator showing the ears and tail of a dog, Wol Ryeong.
A white robed cultivator showing the ears and tail of a fox, Mu Geom.
A white palace-robed disciple with flower-like beauty: Bi Hwa.
A white martial-robed cultivator with no distinguishing features, Seo Gyeong.
These are the ones who catch their eyes.
"You are the specially selected disciples of the Elders? Follow me. Since Elder Dae Gwang has recommended you to the Inner Valley, you are Inner Valley disciples."
The Qi Building cultivator serving as their guide repeatedly glares at them, clearly displeased that these new disciples are entering Thunder Resonance Valley through special selection.
Seeing this, Wol Ryeong's group does not know what to do with the strange amusement rising inside them.
[Well now, hiding our realms and pretending to be at the Qi Refining is quite fun.]
[Ahaha, indeed, Senior Brother. If that one found out I am actually at the Integration stage, I wonder how his expression would change.]
Mu Geom and Bi Hwa chatter and chuckle through voice transmission, and Wol Ryeong, holding Seo Gyeong's hand so he does not grow too tense, also finds it hard to suppress her smile at the strange amusement of this situation.
'This...is more fun than I thought.'
Hiding their realms, hiding their strength and skill, pretending to be low-level Qi Refining cultivators, and calling a mere Core Formation cultivator their 'great senior'—the very situation itself is ridiculous and entertaining.
'Elder...Dae Gwang. Even Esteemed One Geuk Gwang is amusing too.'
She recalls the Star Shattering stage cultivator Geuk Gwang, who infiltrated Thunder Resonance Valley under the name Daeg Gang and the realm of Nascent Soul, and she lets out a chuckle.
"Give your greetings, you kids. This is Elder Ten Thousand Laws. At Elder Dae Gwang's request, though they are not your formal master, they will serve as your temporary master."
"Call me Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord. I hold the role of spreading Thunder Resonance Valley's teachings. Greetings are unnecessary. Now then, you will soon be at the Qi Building stage, so let us first go get your Qi Building pills and Qi Building methods."
The old man who introduces himself as Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord leads them to the library of Thunder Resonance Valley.
"Give your greetings, this is Eastern Brilliance. He is the keeper of the Valley's library."
"I am the Library Keeper Eastern Brilliance. Call me Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord. Do you have any particular type of method you want?"
"Well, nothing too grand. Just basic methods would be greatly appreciated."
Wol Ryeong and the others accept Thunder Resonance Valley's basic Qi Building methods handed to them by Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord, thinking to themselves.
'My word, Qi Building methods! I've never practiced them since I was born at the Core Formation stage. How fascinating."
'I learned these as a baby since I was born at the Qi Building stage. How nostalgic.'
'These are the foundational methods I learned as a child. Haha, it brings back memories of when I was six years old.'
[Are they not just too cute, Junior Sisters?]
[Yes, Senior Brother. Was he called Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord? He brought this for us to practice, right? He's so adorable I want to scratch his belly.]
[But why are they staring at us so intently, Senior Sister, Senior Brother?]
[Who knows. There is no way Nascent Soul babies could overhear the voice transmissions of Integration Grand Cultivators...they must just be putting on a solemn act. So cute. And did you hear? Spiritual Lord! Ahahaha, even if it is just a title...they're calling themselves Spiritual Lords as a Nascent Soul! Ahahaha! Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord, Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord...ahahaha! Them pretending to be dignified is so cute it is killing me.]
Centered around Mu Geom, Wol Ryeong's group accept the basic methods while exchanging amused voice transmissions about how cute they find the Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord and Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord, who stare at them with peculiar eyes.