Eastern Sea.
Li Qinghong rode the water veins all the way back from the Scarlet Pristine Sea. Only when she reached the Shallow Sea did she emerge from the water, then flew for a few more days, gradually finding the skies above growing livelier.
She had only ridden the thunder for a few miles when she sensed mana fluctuations from all directions. The flow of spiritual energy was unstable, and when she looked around, dharma lights streamed across the sky. It was chaotic and bustling.
"It’s come to this kind of mess..." she muttered.
At that, Li Qinghong had no choice but to conceal her light, lower her speed and fly a bit higher as she headed westward. Along the way, she witnessed many battles.
There were immortal cultivators clashing in dazzling light, buddhist and devil cultivators locked in chaos, and even some familiar sects among them.
As she passed over an island, the sea below was dyed blood-red and just then, she ran into a black-robed man riding the wind with a severed head in his hand.
Li Qinghong sensed trouble and quickly veered her light in another direction, hoping to avoid him. But the man frowned at her, then actually rode his spirit wind to approach.
Hmm? A surge of warning rose in her heart. She gave the man a brief glance. His robes looked to be from the Great Xiukui Temple, black and gray interwoven, inscribed with many runes.
They glanced at each other. The man seemed to have confirmed something and flew straight toward her. Li Qinghong had no way to avoid it, so she cupped her fists and said, "May I ask what business brings you here, senior?"
The man had just killed someone and still held a severed head, yet his expression was polite and gentle as he said softly, "Are you Qinghong?"
"And you are...?" Li Qinghong was certain she had never seen this man before, and doubt filled her heart.
The man simply said, "I am Lin Chensheng. I’ve seen your portrait before. I have some acquaintance with your second uncle."
The Great Xiukui Temple didn’t have a particularly bad reputation. Li Qinghong was half convinced when the man added, "Best not to go ahead. Detour a bit as the Great Xiukui Temple is attacking the Crimson Reef Island market ahead. If you stray into it, you might get hurt..."
With that, he stowed the severed head, paid a brief farewell, and turned to ride the wind away. He didn’t care whether Li Qinghong believed him or not.
After thinking for a moment, she recalled vaguely hearing that name from her second uncle, Li Xuanfeng. She changed direction and flew with her aura suppressed, but soon noticed more and more devil cultivators appearing.
The Eastern Sea was Dragon Clan territory, it was not like the Southern Sea that was known for its devil cultivators. Its major powers were mostly Purple Mansion and Golden Core Realms cultivators, considered orthodox immortals nowadays. Normally, one wouldn’t see so many devil cultivators here.
But now, the sky was truly filled with rolling demonic clouds. After a few more seconds of flight, she suddenly saw thunder roiling ahead. There were multiple bolts of lightning interlinking in the clouds, unleashing deafening booms.
It’s truly descended into chaos! Avoid one disaster, run into another! thought Li Qinghong.
"Miao Quan! You... how dare you...!" A clear, cold, melodious female voice rang out. Li Qinghong had been preparing to flee stealthily, but the voice made her pause. There was something familiar about it. She thought to herself, Seems like... someone I know...
She glanced slightly and saw a female cultivator standing amid the clouds, with elegant brows and bright eyes. Recognition immediately dawned in her heart, So it’s her...
Sure enough, there came a dull thunderclap from within the clouds, lightning scattering, followed by a male voice, "Fellow Daoist Yanqing... I do not seek your life, only that Profund Thunderstone... I simply wish for a way to exchange for it. You need only name your terms, Fairy."
The woman was none other than Shen Yanqing, whom Li Qinghong had met back when she visited the Purple Smoke Gate. Also a practitioner of thunder arts, Shen Yanqing came from an illustrious background. Not only was she born into a Purple Mansion Realm immortal family, but she was also a personal disciple of the Purple Smoke Gate. She had been very courteous to Li Qinghong back then.
Now, however, her expression was nothing like the polite warmth she had shown Li Qinghong, it was cold as she replied, "Profund Thunderstone? What Thunderstone... I’ve only heard of such an item and it’s extremely rare. Why would I have such a treasure?"
The man gradually revealed his figure. He was bare-chested, muscular, with a wild expression. He held a large axe in his hand and spoke with relative politeness, "Fairy Shen must be joking. With your background and lineage, that Profund Thunderstone must surely be in your possession."
Profund Thunderstone...
Thunder roared around them. Li Qinghong sighed inwardly. Now that she had come this way, she likely couldn’t avoid this matter. She wasn’t sure if the others had noticed her, so she remained silent.
But Shen Yanqing was growing colder by the moment. She said simply, "Daoist Miao, please step aside."
Miao Quan, standing before her, stared intently. A subtle calculation began to form in his heart, The Purple Smoke Gate’s senior is preparing for a breakthrough. He definitely has no time to oversee anything. The Yue Cultivating Sect is sealed, and Daoist Master Yuming is in no state to interfere... This is a perfect opportunity...
I don’t need to kill her... just force her to hand over the item. As long as I get the Thunderstone, even if Daoist Master Yuming has objections, my own elders can shield me... If I miss this chance, there may never be another opportunity for the Profund Thunderstone!
After a moment of silence, he raised his great axe and spoke gently, "I’ve heard that several thunder cultivators have emerged in the mainland, all from lineages that summon and command lightning. Yet I’ve never had a chance to test myself against one.
"It’s rare to encounter a fellow Daoist here, how about a friendly match? It’ll be a good learning experience."
Those words made Shen Yanqing’s expression shift slightly. A cold sneer tugged at her lips, "You, a well-known late-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator who’s nearly at Purple Mansion Realm... want to 'spar' with me, a junior barely in the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm?"
Miao Quan said nothing more. He silently raised his lightning axe and started gathering white lightning. Shen Yanqing responded in kind, summoning her own thunder.
Boom!!
Miao Quan struck her lightning technique apart with a single axe blow, and felt a considerable force coming through his hands. He thought, This Shen Family girl does have some skill, she’s not like the usual Foundation Establishment Realm rabble.
Just as he gathered more white lightning, a silver spear burst through the clouds, radiating intense violet light. It streaked across the sky, decisively and forcefully barring his path.
As the clouds briefly parted, a female cultivator in jade armor appeared. Her apricot eyes gazed calmly ahead as she spoke in a soft tone, "Daoist friend, if you seek to test yourself against thunder cultivators of the mainland... then you're in luck. Let us spar together."
Miao Quan’s expression darkened instantly. Courteous as he had been to Shen Yanqing, she was, after all, a direct descendant of the Shen Family. But he had no idea who this new woman was. He said coldly, "You meddle too much... Are you not afraid of death, or the extermination of your family?"
His voice was icy. Behind Li Qinghong, Shen Yanqing looked pleasantly surprised. After a slight pause, she called out, "Sister!"