Lu Xuan had never imagined that the once utterly ordinary Small Loose Cultivator would one day become a Sword Dao genius.
With the Level 5 Treasure of the Clear Mind Sword, and by cultivating two stalks of Five-grade Sword Grass, his unique ability allowed him to delve into the sword intent of the Spirit Plants themselves, ultimately creating these two âFifth-Rank Sword Arts.â
âOnce they are perfected, the Peacock King Sword will also be able to unleash all its potential.â
He touched the golden colossal sword at his waist and continued inspecting the Spirit Field.
âBefore leaving the sect, the Xuan Chong Vine, Earthfire Heart Lotus, and âFive-Element Fruitâ among other Fourth Grade Spirit Plants from the Agricultural Department Hall had all reached maturity.â
Lu Xuan looked at the many well-growing Spirit Plants around the Spirit Field, feeling a subtle sense of achievement.
âWho knows if I might still be able to get treasures like the Gluttonous Insect Pouch and Illusion and Disappearance Five Elements Array in the Time Group.â
After diligently tending to all the Spirit Plants, he made some preparations and decided to make a trip to the Thunder Sea, to collect more Spirit Thunder and see if he could learn about any channels possessing large quantities of Spirit Thunder from the Thunder Beast.
Before leaving, he activated the Illusion and Disappearance Five Elements Array and the Cloud Bamboo Arrow Formation, and instructed the Grass Puppet owning four stalks of Arrow Vine to guard the Spirit Field well. Then, riding rapidly on the Wind-Thunder Sword, he headed for the Thunder Sea.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the Thunder Sea, he stared at the boundless Sea of Thunder, stopping in his tracks and pulling out the Thunderfire Order.
Just as he was about to show it to the Sky Star Cave Cultivator guarding the gate, suddenly, a voice came from not far away.
âFriend Lu?! What a coincidence, stumbling upon you here.â
There was a hint of delight in the voice.
Lu Xuan followed the sound and saw a naive-looking young cultivator walking towards him.
Behind him were three other cultivators, all possessing no less than a Foundation Establishment Late-term Cultivated Base.
âItâs Friend Zhang! Indeed, it is quite the coincidence.â
Lu Xuanâs lips lifted in a slight smile. This naive young man was named Zhang Zhizong, with a Foundation Establishment Late-term Cultivated Base, and lived less than a hundred miles from his Cave Abode. They had met a few times and were mere acquaintances.
âDoes Friend Lu also plan to enter the Thunder Sea to explore the Secret Land?â
The naive young man introduced Lu Xuan to the other three cultivators and asked aloud.
ââ¦Why else would I be here if not to enter the Thunder Sea?â
Lu Xuan commented in his mind, yet his face still bore a smile.
âI plan to explore inside to see if I can find some Spirit Thunder, and a few Spirit Ores, among other things.â
âHowever, as just a Spirit Plant Master and being quite weak, I only plan to stay near the outskirts, not daring to venture too deep,â
he stated rather humbly.
âWould Friend Lu be willing to join me and a few others to venture deeper into the Thunder Sea?â
The naive young man invited Lu Xuan.
âAn extra person is an extra strength, and we few have had numerous experiences exploring the Thunder Sea together and trust each other quite well.â
Lu Xuan heard this, furrowed his brow slightly, pondered for a while, but ultimately declined,
âThanks for your kind invitation, Friend Zhang, but Iâm not good at combat, and I only have a few life-saving tricks up my sleeve. Joining your group might just hold you back,â
he stated truthfully.
âAlright, Friend Zhang, since Friend Lu is not willing, letâs leave it be,â
Zhang Zhizong was about to persuade Lu Xuan further when a slightly somber handsome young cultivator stepped forward, looked at Lu Xuan, and spoke.
âIf thatâs the case, letâs not force Friend Lu,â
the naive young man, seeing the ambivalent attitude from his three companions, also did not insist further and folded his hands toward Lu Xuan, saying.
âAlright.â
Lu Xuan nodded.
âI wish Friend Zhang and several other friends find the treasure they desire in the depths of Thunder Sea and return safely,â he said.
He watched the four of them enter the passage to the Thunder Sea.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
As their figures were about to disappear, he sent a thought to the Cloud Leopard hidden in the Beast Master badge.
âAre you saying you detected an evil spite qi among these people?â
âAoâ¦â
The Cloud Leopard lazily landed on the ground, its emerald eyes shimmering with an unusual light, mixed with a familiar undertone, and it growled lowly.
Following its guidance, Lu Xuan looked towards the shadow of the Cultivator with a gloomy aura.
A misty spiritual light then emerged in his eyes.
Under the âBreaking Illusion Eye Technique,â he noticed something abnormal about the young cultivator. A faint black qi surfaced on the young manâs body, within which shadowy dark faces intermittently appeared, merging together as though they were one.
Before he could take a closer look, the group had already entered the passage to the Thunder Sea.
âIt is indeed related to the demon envoy.â
âItâs unclear whether a demon envoy has parasitized or taken over his body, possesses some sort of malicious strange treasure, or cultivates some venomous evil cultivation technique,â Lu Xuan thought to himself.
However, all this had little to do with him as long as he didnât encounter them in the Thunder Sea and they bore no ill will towards him.
If they ever intended harm, the Underworld Spirit Field was in need of high-quality souls, flesh, and bones.
He could ensure nothing went to waste.
As for Zhang Zhizong, with whom he had a passing acquaintance, Lu Xuan did not alert him.
One reason was that their friendship was merely superficial, barely different from being strangers, and it wasnât worth meddling.
Furthermore, since the group was together, it was possible that Zhang already knew about the gloomy young manâs condition or might even be involved in it.
Although Zhang seemed to kindly invite him to explore the Thunder Sea, Lu Xuan knew it was just a facade.
Once they entered the Secret Land, even the deepest relationships could turn sour over treasures, leading to betrayal and murder.
The invitation might not even have been well-intentioned.
Out of caution, Lu Xuan specifically walked around the edge of the Thunder Sea for a while before he finally approached the entrance.
After showing the Thunderfire Order to the Sky Star Cave Cultivator guarding the entrance, Lu Xuan entered the sea of thunder, where countless tiny thunderbolts drifted.
Thunderclaps continuously exploded near his ears, yet Lu Xuan remained undaunted, his throat gently pulsing as he produced a sound indistinguishable from the thunder.
High above his head, the Void Nightmare Eye appeared and disappeared within the thunderbolts, sharing its observed view into the protruding grey-white pupils in Lu Xuanâs hands.
A moment later, he sensed a familiar presence ahead and couldnât help but smile.
Seconds later, a giant silver-white wolf-like beast accompanied by flashes of lightning leaped towards Lu Xuan.
It was the Thunder Beast that always stationed near the passage, asking passing Cultivators for Demon Beast Meat.
It whimpered, its form as fast as lightning, and in an instant, it was before Lu Xuan.
Its round belly pressed against the ground, its eyes filled with longing as it looked up at Lu Xuan.
âLook at this poor fellow, what a state itâs in,â he said.
Lu Xuan smiled and took out a piece of Demon Beast Meat from his storage bag, tossing it to the Thunder Beast.
Every time he entered the Thunder Sea and encountered this Thunder Beast, he would stop out of habit as a Spirit Plant Master to feed it Demon Beast Meat or Spirit Fruit.
Sometimes, he would also encounter another Thunder Beast containing the Thunder Son bloodline, and he treated it the same way.
After many such encounters, he had built a certain rapport with these two Thunder Beasts.