C2565
C2565
A thunder pool materialized in front of Jiang Fann, amplifying his lightning magic. The dark clouds flickered with electric light, accompanied by rolling thunder. Even Wan Chengfeng and his companion were taken aback by the sheer power, never expecting Jiang Fann's lightning magic to be so formidable.
In that moment, the purple-furred mice that had gone out to forage began to return, and from a burrow beneath Jiang Fann, a silver flash shot towards him in the air. Wan Chengfeng quickly shouted a warning, "Jiang Fann, watch out!"
What happened next would be etched in their memories forever. A figure suddenly appeared beside Jiang Fann, raising a hand to strike the lightning-like figure, sending it crashing to the ground with an undeniable force—a clear display of overwhelming power.
Both were astonished, as the mouse king had reached the fifth cycle of reincarnation, nearly invincible in their eyes, yet the difference in power was stark. The figure was none other than Xiao Mo.
Meanwhile, Jiang Fann paid no attention to what was happening behind him. He was focused on harnessing the power of the Sun Thunder Pearl, sensing its true potential could only be fully realized under the enhancement of his lightning magic.
As for Mo, she charged directly at the ground where the rat king was, intent on taking it down and retrieving its core to impress Jiang Fann. The rat king, knowing it was no match, had no intention of fighting back. It turned and scurried into its burrow, clearly not wanting a confrontation with Mo.
Mo didn't waste any time waiting around; she followed it into the burrow. The ground shook instantly, and explosions echoed through the underground tunnel as Mo, skilled and fearless, completely dominated her opponent.
Fang Xiang glanced at Wan Chengfeng. "Brother Wan! Did you... did you know he had such a powerful protector by his side?"
Wan Chengfeng quickly shook his head, exasperated. "If I knew he had someone like that with him, would I have been so worried? That's the aura of a top-tier expert!"
Fang Xiang, though shocked, finally understood many things. For instance, why Jiang Fann had sealed his senses during the fire qilin's legacy, and why those guardian beasts were so wary of him. It seemed Jiang Fann had summoned this expert back then, which explained the immense deterrent effect. After all, this was a truly elite expert.
In mid-air, the thunder pool continuously released spiritual strength, and within the thunderclouds above, a mysterious force began to form a light screen. It seemed as if there was an opening above, just the size of a pearl.
The shimmering barrier emitted a peculiar energy, bending the space around it in a mysterious way. Jiang Fann activated his Divine Eye and could faintly see a mountain gate within the warped space, confirming its existence.
Without hesitation, Jiang Fann took out the Sun Thunder Pearl and placed it into the gap. The pearl unleashed a blinding flash of lightning. On the other side of the distorted space, a black pearl of the same size emerged from the mountain gate. Jiang Fann recalled the records in Fang Xiang's bamboo scrolls, identifying it as the Yin Thunder Pearl, a treasured artifact of the Thunder Sect.
The two pearls were a pair, and their union was tearing open a rift, just as the rumors Fang Xiang had heard suggested. This realization filled Jiang Fann with excitement.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from an unknown source, shaking Jiang Fann to his core and nearly causing him to fall from the sky. "Who dares trespass in my forbidden zone? Do the young ones today have no fear of death?"
Though no presence could be felt, the voice alone left Fang Xiang pale and trembling, unable to stand. He had never experienced such a sensation before.
Jiang Fann furrowed his brow, watching as the Sun Thunder Pearl was about to open the rift. He quickly called out to Wan Chengfeng, "Brother Wan, bring Fang Xiang up. We should be able to enter before that guy arrives."
Despite feeling incredibly wary, Wan Chengfeng managed to hold his ground and pulled Fang Xiang along as they headed towards Jiang Fann. Just then, Xiaomo emerged from the ground, having clearly heard the commotion, and quickly returned to Jiang Fann's side.
She looked at Jiang Fann with a serious expression and said in a determined voice, "Don't worry, I can keep you safe."
At that moment, a massive handprint appeared in the sky, heading straight for them with an overwhelming force. Without a second thought, Xiaomo charged forward to counter it, and the two forces collided instantly.
Even though Xiaomo was strong, she was only able to hold her ground for a moment before being knocked back. However, the handprint shattered, and the resulting shockwave blasted a huge crater into the ground, obliterating trees with a diameter of over 300 feet, showcasing the immense destructive power.
What shocked Jiang Fann even more was that Xiaomo was clearly outmatched. Just then, a spatial rift opened, and Jiang Fann's lightning technique was rapidly drawn into the other side. Without hesitation, Wan Chengfeng rushed in. As the second handprint approached, Jiang Fann, along with the returning Xiaomo, entered the rift, and the Sun Thunder Pearl followed them in.
The handprint passed through where Jiang Fann had just been, hitting nothing. Throughout all this, the mysterious figure never revealed themselves, seemingly uninterested in pursuing them quickly.
After Jiang Fann and his group steadied themselves, he noticed Xiao Mo's hands trembling, her palms split open and bleeding from the recent clash. Her usual confidence was replaced with a serious expression.
"The master of the forbidden zone, a top-tier expert! Let's avoid provoking such beings next time, Master. I can't take them on yet..."
Jiang Fann quickly administered a healing pill to her and used the Natural Aura to help mend her physical injuries. "I underestimated the situation this time. Go back and rest, and recover as soon as possible."
Xiao Mo didn't say much more and returned to Jiang Fann's sanctuary. Jiang Fann couldn't help but feel a lingering fear; the situation had spiraled beyond his expectations and control.
Wan Chengfeng, too, seemed shaken, lacking any excitement about entering the secret realm. Meanwhile, Fang Xiang remained seated on the ground, clearly struggling to regain his composure.
"Is that what a top-tier expert is like? Truly terrifying..."
Jiang Fann was also having trouble accepting it. "I thought the forbidden zone wasn't much of a threat. I believed having a peak-level ally by my side would suffice, but even she was defeated in a single blow by such a master."
Fang Xiang spoke up, "Surviving an attack from a master of such a high level—doesn't that mean we've already hit the jackpot? We could brag about this for ages! Most cultivators probably won't ever get struck by someone of that caliber in their lifetime!"
Wan Chengfeng replied, "I don't ever want to face someone like that again. It's the first time I've felt so insignificant."
Jiang Fann was the first to regain his composure. He hadn't expected a master of such a high level to appear and attack them directly. Perhaps his use of the thunder technique, which covered such a wide area, had angered the master. Fortunately, Xiao Mo was able to withstand one attack from him; otherwise, they might have been taken out with the first strike.
"That master can't possibly wait outside for us forever. Let's not worry about him for now. We've successfully made it inside, and that's the entrance to the Dry Thunder Sect."
Jiang Fann put away the Yang Thunder Pearl, knowing they might need it again when they leave.
The three of them looked toward the distant gate, and sure enough, the words "Dry Thunder Sect" were inscribed above it. They had clearly found the right place.
Just then, on the clearing where the swarm of rats had been, a middle-aged cultivator appeared. He had horns on his head and was looking around the sky with some confusion.
"Is this the Holy Land that flew here all those years ago? It's a shame I don't have the key to enter. Those kids are really lucky to have found such a treasure, but they shouldn't expect to leave with all their gains."
After speaking, he glanced down at the ground. A silver-furred mouse darted out of the hole and began rubbing against the man's leg, emitting a series of pitiful squeaks. It had just been given a good beating by Xiao Mo and was clearly complaining about it.
This creature seemed to be the man's pet. He reassured it, saying, "Go heal up quickly. Once they come out, I'll handle it. I won't let them get away easily."
Though reluctant, the mouse king crawled back into the hole to find a place to recover. Meanwhile, the man stayed put, quietly waiting. He was confident that Jiang Fann and his group would have to exit through the entrance, right where he was stationed. All he had to do was wait for them to appear.
Jiang Fann was unaware of all this. Wan Chengfeng had also gathered his thoughts but decided not to head to the mountain gate. Instead, he planned for the three of them to move together, ensuring they could support each other if anything went wrong and avoid being separated.
After regaining his composure, Fang Xiang stood up, still feeling a bit awkward but mostly relieved. To help him recover quickly, Jiang Fann teased him, "If Zhu Ying saw you looking so disheveled right now, she'd definitely leave you behind."
Fang Xiang didn't seem to mind and instead asked Jiang Fann, "How do you have such a powerful cultivator by your side? Why does she call you master?"
"Well, that's a long story. It's more of a mutual assistance thing. I helped her out of a bind, and she swore loyalty to me. Isn't that pretty common in the cultivator world?"
Wan Chengfeng remarked, "That sounds a bit enviable. At your level, how did you dare to help her out? If I'm not mistaken, she's a dark cultivator. If you let her loose, she could take you out in no time."
Jiang Fann chuckled, "Instead of discussing this, maybe we should think about what's next. Besides the Thunder Pearl, we know nothing about this place, not even if it's dangerous. Should we start by exploring the surroundings or head straight up the mountain?"