Wielding the Thunders Across Two Worlds

"Hmm..." Gu Zhao’s movements paused for a moment.

"What’s wrong?" Zhuo Qingyan asked.

"Everyone’s working so hard," Gu Zhao remarked with a sigh. Another Thunder Seed had condensed from the Five Thunders Order in his Sea of Consciousness.

"I need to work hard too." Gu Zhao nodded and picked up his pace.

"Mmm—" This time, it was Zhuo Qingyan’s turn.

...

The next morning, a refreshed and invigorated Gu Zhao was practicing the Eight Pieces of Brocade in the courtyard.

The movements seemed ordinary, but they allowed Gu Zhao to merge with the heavens, earth, and nature. A certain Dao rhythm emanated from his actions, as if he were surrounded by an invisible, intangible, and profound aura.

The Silk Embroideress brought Bai Ke over to deliver Gu Zhao’s breakfast. Now practicing Taoist Skills herself, she had achieved some minor success. She could only sense that Gu Zhao’s current state was so profound and mysterious that it was completely beyond her comprehension.

But she knew that if she could just comprehend a sliver of the Dao rhythm Gu Zhao was unconsciously revealing, her own Cultivation would advance by a great leap.

However, the Silk Embroideress didn’t watch or try to immerse herself in it. Instead, she carried the tray and carefully placed the breakfast on the small table in the courtyard, afraid of making the slightest sound and disturbing Gu Zhao’s Cultivation.

Bai Ke also knew what was appropriate. Following behind the Silk Embroideress, she used the unique Divine Sense communication they shared through their Harmony to ask her, "It feels like Gu Zhao can enter this state of Cultivation every time he sleeps with Zhuo Qingyan."

The Silk Embroideress couldn’t help but smile and nod. Just then, she saw Zhuo Qingyan emerge from the bedroom, so she pointed at the tray, indicating that there was a portion of breakfast for her as well.

Zhuo Qingyan nodded with a smile. She then saw Gu Zhao practicing his forms and, not wanting to disturb him, simply beckoned for the Silk Embroideress to join her for breakfast.

Meanwhile, although Gu Zhao was merged with nature as he practiced, he still noticed the arrival of the Silk Embroideress and Bai Ke. However, he didn’t interrupt his morning exercise.

’We’re all family. No need for formalities.’

Then, he received a message from Jingyi through the Thunder Seed.

"Zhan Qing and Xue Bingbing are getting along well. The Snow Maidens of Snow God Mountain are all Spirit Monarchs. Although they only guard Jing’an Prefecture in the southernmost part of Yazhou, they actually protect the entire southern Central Plains, keeping the Demons and Ghosts of the Southern Border beyond the frontier."

"Of course, when I say ’keeping them out,’ it means that no powerful Demons and Ghosts have come to the Central Plains to slaughter cities and wipe out counties for Soul Refining. However, some Demon Fiends from the Southern Border still sneak in alone to cause trouble."

"Additionally, the overall atmosphere in Yazhou is better than in Jiangzhou and Yongzhou. There are no factions that openly murder people for Soul Refining or treat mortals as slaves or even tools. Still, there are plenty who cause trouble."

"As long as these factions don’t go too far and don’t extend their reach into Jing’an Prefecture, they won’t draw the wrath of Snow God Mountain. Their methods are probably similar to the Xuanwei Divine Sect and the Spirit Court back in the day."

"Also, the first Snow Maidens of Snow God Mountain were spirits formed from the essence of ice and snow. Every generation consists of women who, upon reaching adulthood, descend the mountain to find a human male for Harmony. They then return to Snow God Mountain to cultivate together and bear children."

"The children they bear are also all Snow Maidens. However, not all of them are capable of cultivating to five hundred years of Dao Practice to extend their lives. So, while there are many Snow Maidens on Snow God Mountain, most of them don’t have particularly high Dao Practice."

"The most powerful one on Snow God Mountain is the Snow Goddess. She’s said to be the third-generation Snow Goddess, but she usually lives in seclusion atop Snow God Peak. The one who manages the mountain’s affairs is the Snow Goddess’s fifth-generation descendant, who is also Xue Bingbing’s mother."

Jingyi had certainly gathered some detailed information. Of course, none of this was a secret on Snow God Mountain, so Xue Bingbing hadn’t hidden anything once they became friendly.

"Where are you now?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Songyun Prefecture, Yazhou," Jingyi sent back. "We destroyed a small sect called the Heart Wheel Sect."

Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Not bad."

"The Heart Wheel Sect Leader had less than five hundred years of Dao Practice, which is why we were able to kill him by working together," Jingyi said.

Jingyi added, "That Heart Wheel Sect Leader was a Ghost God who had snuck over from the Southern Border. He had a Heart Wheel Magical Treasure he’d gotten from who-knows-where and was acting quite flamboyantly. Although he didn’t attract the attention of Snow God Mountain to be exterminated, Xue Bingbing heard about him and brought us over, which was the perfect opportunity to destroy him."

Gu Zhao understood and remarked with a sigh, "Sounds like it was pretty interesting."

’Logically speaking, traversing an Otherworld, roaming the lands, and encountering all sorts of adventures—that’s what a protagonist should be doing. But for some reason, I’m stuck here at Daluo Palace, unable to leave for long periods.’

Jingyi laughed. "Your exploits back then—outsmarting the Black Bear King, raiding the Stone King Cave, and destroying the Golden Wind Sect—are legendary too!"

Gu Zhao raised an eyebrow. "You know about all that?"

"The people of Cui Mountain Town pass down the stories by word of mouth. It’d be hard for me not to know," Jingyi chuckled.

Gu Zhao smiled faintly and slowly brought his movements to a close.

’The major powers of Changping Prefecture back then—Three Extremes Mountain, Stone King Cave, and the Golden Wind Sect—were each more villainous than the last. Daluo Palace had established its foothold and unified the prefecture only by stepping over their corpses.’

’The few who participated in those battles have all become first-tier Elders of Daluo Palace.’

’Taoist Yi Hong guards Changping Prefecture, Taoist Jing Feng guards Qianshan Prefecture, Taoist Yan Song and Taoist Ming Yu act as a mobile force, and then there’s Yunyang, who wanders around all day.’

’The ones traveling abroad now, spreading the fame of Daluo Palace, are from several subsequent generations of old Daoists.’

"Since Demons and Ghosts from the Southern Border are sneaking into Yazhou, there might be some powerful ones among them. If you run into any, don’t try to be a hero. Call for backup immediately."

"We know," Jingyi replied. "My master is in Yazhou right now. If we really encounter a master, he can get here quickly."

"Good." Gu Zhao nodded and severed the Divine Sense connection. He looked over at Zhuo Qingyan and the Silk Embroideress, who were already eating breakfast. "What’s for breakfast today?"

...

Meanwhile, Jingyi looked at Changyi, who was sitting to one side, fiddling with a wheel-like Magical Treasure in his hands. "How’s the research coming along?"

"I knew there was something off about his final attack that day. He was clearly just a Ghost God, but he revealed a trace of Demon Qi at the end. And after that one strike, there was nothing."

Changyi held up the Heart Chakra. "It’s a sealed Magical Treasure, just as I thought. It must be the treasure of a powerful Demon. The Heart Wheel Sect Leader got his hands on it, sealed the Demon Qi inside, and then tempered it with Ghost Qi."

Yangshuo asked, "Why would he seal the Demon Qi instead of just refining it away completely?"

Zhan Qing was also curious. "Yeah, why?"

Xue Bingbing shot them a look from the side. "Because he wasn’t capable of it, obviously. That Demon Qi is much thicker and purer than his Ghost Qi. If he had the ability to refine Demon Qi, we wouldn’t have been able to kill him."

The next moment, Changyi wiped his True Qi across the Heart Chakra, erasing the surface layer of Ghost Qi. A surge of Demon Qi immediately gushed out, and Runes seemed to flicker on the Heart Chakra’s surface.

Along with this Demon Qi, a bloody, ferocious aura erupted, shaking the minds of everyone present for an instant.

"What a ferocious Magical Treasure," Yangshuo said, startled.

Jingyi’s brows furrowed. "How many people were killed to create this Magical Treasure?"

Zhan Qing asked in surprise, "This Magical Treasure must be pretty powerful on its own. Why didn’t the Heart Wheel Sect Leader unseal it and use it against us that day?"

Xue Bingbing stood up. "This aura... it feels like the Six-headed Old Demon’s. But wasn’t he dismembered and killed by his own disciples?"

Just then, they all looked up toward the West. A streak of red light shot across the sky, heading straight for them, radiating a tyrannical Demon Qi and a dense Evil Qi.

Xue Bingbing cried out in alarm, "It really is the Six-headed Old Demon’s disciples!"

Jingyi, Changyi, Yangshuo, and Zhan Qing all rose to their feet, circulating their Magical Power. At the same time, they called for backup through their Thunder Seeds.