Reborn Medicine King

"It seems this Thunder Sect is also protected by a grand formation, and this gate is the only entrance up the mountain."    

As they passed through the barrier, a clap of thunder echoed, catching the three of them by surprise. Looking up the mountain, they saw thunderclouds rolling directly above the peak, a stark contrast to before they crossed the barrier.    

Wan Chengfeng frowned, "Is this supposed to intimidate us?"    

Fang Xiang, feeling uneasy, asked, "Could someone still be controlling this? Are there really cultivators here?"    

Jiang Fann waved his hand dismissively, "Don't scare yourself. If there were cultivators here, they would have let the people from the nearby city in long ago. Over the years, they could have trained a decent group of cultivators. However, someone must be controlling everything in this Thunder Sect, likely a formation spirit. This isn't uncommon among powerful sects."    

The three of them began to ascend the steps up the mountain. After only a few steps, they felt an invisible pressure enveloping them.    

The surroundings remained very quiet, seemingly no different from before, and they didn't sense any spiritual power. The pressure felt as if it had appeared out of nowhere.    

Despite this, they continued their ascent.    

Although it was unclear how many years had passed, the place remained clean, with no signs of past events. The vegetation on the mountainsides was lush, and occasionally they sensed the presence of spiritual beasts, though none appeared.    

Jiang Fann carefully sensed the changes in the atmosphere around him, noticing that the higher he went, the stronger the spiritual energy became. The Dry Thunder Sect was nestled in the mountains, but its buildings were completely hidden among the lush trees, with only a palace at the peak visible, adorned with lightning patterns.    

As rows of buildings appeared on either side, Jiang Fann was fairly certain this was where the sect's disciples usually rested. He could also see a gathering formation in the open space nearby, indicating that disciples typically trained here, though the formation had long since ceased functioning.    

Fang Xiang initially intended to take a closer look, but as soon as he stepped off the stairs, he walked straight into an invisible barrier, stopping him in his tracks. "Huh?" Fang Xiang tried again, but the barrier continued to block him.    

Wan Chengfeng approached, sensing the area before turning to Jiang Fann. "Something feels off. There shouldn't just be one path. It feels like we're being led into a trap."    

Jiang Fann activated his Divine Eye, scanning the surroundings, but was visibly startled by what he saw. "Close your eyes," he instructed. Although unsure why Jiang Fann made this request, they trusted him and complied.    

Jiang Fann's necklace began to glow, casting its light onto the spiritual platforms of the three. His expression grew more focused, and in an instant, the scene around them transformed.    

Fang Xiang and Wan Chengfeng felt a slight dizziness and couldn't help but open their eyes. The scene around them was completely unexpected.    

The entrance to the Thunder Sect was right beside them, even though they had just stepped into its range. The sound of thunder still echoed.    

Wan Chengfeng frowned and said, "What's going on? We walked so far uphill, was it all just an illusion?"    

Jiang Fann replied, "It seems someone is playing tricks on us. Reaching the top might not be as easy as we thought."    

Fang Xiang approached the edge of the steps and tried to touch it with his hand, only to find there was no barrier. He could easily step off the stairs, confirming that everything earlier was indeed an illusion.    

"How could the illusion feel so real? The pressure we felt didn't seem fake! And when did we fall for it?"    

Jiang Fann explained, "After we stepped through the entrance and heard the first clap of thunder, it shook our spirits and distracted us. That's when we got caught. But now that we've broken through the illusion, it won't be as easy to trap us again."    

To be safe, Jiang Fann took out three pills, giving one to each of them. These pills could strengthen their mental focus, making them less susceptible to illusions.    

Jiang Fann glanced toward the mountain top and then said to the others, "Wan, you made a good point earlier. If we keep following these steps, we might fall into another trap. We need to find another way up."    

"Why don't we go up this way? There's nothing blocking us here."    

The two joined Fang Xiang and left the steps. It wasn't the easiest path, but it was manageable for them. In the forest, Jiang Fann kept a close watch on their surroundings, using his Divine Eye to ensure they didn't fall into another illusion. However, what they encountered next was unexpected.    

Many trees had fallen in the forest, and it was hard to tell how many years had passed. The mountainside bore marks of past attacks, extensive and hard to imagine the level of power the attackers once wielded.    

"Could all this be from that battle back then? Were the Nine Desolations cultivators really bold enough to attack the Thunder Sect's stronghold?"    

Fang Xiang replied, "Unfortunately, there's no way to verify these events now, and it's unclear why the nine dynasties chose to cover it up."    

Jiang Fann attempted to fly but discovered that his spiritual strength couldn't lift him into the air. It seemed that within the Thunder Sect's domain, flight was impossible.    

They had to climb slowly, observing the battle scars. Some still held traces of spiritual energy, but it was impossible to gauge the original power of the attacks from these remnants.    

When they reached the area with rows of houses they'd seen in their illusion, everything matched what they'd experienced. However, in reality, some houses had collapsed, shattered by some attack. Despite the protective formations, they hadn't survived the onslaught.    

As they approached the house, the formation on the ground was damaged, and Jiang Fann's attempts to channel energy into it proved futile.    

Boom—    

Thunder roared again, louder than what they had heard at the mountain gate. This time, Fang Xiang felt a bit dizzy, as if influenced by some force. Wan Chengfeng also frowned, clearly noticing the difference in the thunder.    

Being alert this time, the three of them didn't fall into any illusions. Jiang Fann was the least affected, focusing on the mountaintop, where the thunder originated.    

"Are you guys okay?" Jiang Fann asked.    

Wan Chengfeng replied, "This thunder is much stronger than the last one. Even though I was concentrating, it still affected me directly. If it gets any stronger as we go up, I might not be able to hold on."    

"I'll do my best to shield you with my power. That thunder is definitely controlled by some force, and we shouldn't stay on the defensive forever."    

With that, Jiang Fann tapped into Xiaoyu's power, bolstering the two of them to help stabilize their minds. Their destination wasn't here.    

They moved past the buildings without stopping, entering the forest and continuing forward. Here, the attacks they had faced earlier were much less frequent, and the surrounding energy was noticeably stronger.    

Jiang Fann remarked, "I wonder how far those experts got back in the day."    

As he spoke, Jiang Fann approached a spot where an explosion had occurred, carefully sensing the lingering energy above. Unfortunately, like before, most of it had dissipated, making it impossible to identify the technique used. He could only confirm that the person employed some kind of fire arts.    

After advancing roughly another hundred yards, the thunder rumbled again. However, this time it had little effect on Wan Chengfeng and Fang Xiang, who were clearly prepared.    

A few more steps forward, and a tower came into view for the three of them. The tower had seven stories, its main door shut tight, and the plaque was obscured by a mystical force, making it impossible to read what was written.    

The trio intended to get closer, but when they were about fifteen feet away, a barrier appeared, blocking their path.    

Jiang Fann had encountered this kind of situation before, so he knew what to do. He sensed the power of the barrier and determined it was a defensive formation, indicating that the owner didn't want anyone near the tower.    

Releasing the strength of array breaking, Jiang Fann began to assimilate the mystical energy above. For him, it was a simple task; he only needed to get the other two past the barrier without dismantling the formation on the tower.    

He recalled that the last time he broke a formation, he accidentally released a demonic entity that nearly cost him his life and caused a lot of trouble afterward. So, without fully understanding the situation this time, he decided not to break the formation recklessly.    

Having already witnessed Jiang Fann's skills, Wan Chengfeng and Fang Xiang stood guard nearby, allowing them to focus on their own cultivation for a while. They remained vigilant, knowing the thunder could strike at any moment, requiring their careful attention.    

The first day passed without incident, and by the next morning, Jiang Fann had completed his assimilation. Throughout the day, thunder rumbled eleven times, its power undiminished, though each occurrence was spaced out, as if it couldn't sustain a continuous assault. The mysterious Formation Spirit had yet to reveal itself, possibly observing the trio from the shadows.    

Jiang Fann wasted no time, urging his companions to stay close. He enveloped them in his spiritual strength, leading them toward the barrier, which proved much easier to pass than the one at the mountain's base. Jiang Fann expended minimal effort in the process.    

Standing before the grand entrance of the tower, they looked up at the plaque, still shrouded in spiritual energy. Wan Chengfeng and Fang Xiang couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. This was the Dry Thunder Sect, and acquiring some powerful ancient techniques here would be a significant boon for them.    

Jiang Fann approached the door, intending to push it open. However, the door remained immovable, layers of intricate patterns spreading across its surface, revealing a special formation—a second obstacle. At the sight of the formation, Lin Zhan's voice echoed in Jiang Fann's mind.    

"Young Master, this isn't an ordinary formation; it's a sealing formation."    

This revelation caught Jiang Fann off guard. The formation was etched from the outside, with materials embedded externally, typically used to seal something within.    

He attempted to probe the tower with his spiritual sense, but the formation above blocked him, making it impossible to determine what lay inside.    

Fang Xiang glanced at Jiang Fann.    

"This formation seems a bit unusual!"