Translator: CinderTL
With their numbers on their side, the group did not bother to conceal their movements and directly pursued the Thunder Falcon.
However, the Thunder Falcon was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a mountain surrounded by lightning appeared before their eyes.
The mountain was not particularly tall, standing at roughly a thousand zhang.
Nor was it steep, with a gentle slope.
Above the mountain, dark clouds loomed heavily, casting a shadow over the area.
The clouds hung so low that it seemed one could reach out and touch them from the summit.
Within the clouds, flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder intertwined, forming a terrifying web of electricity.
Each bolt of lightning snaked through the sky like a monstrous serpent, tearing the heavens into fragments.
Strangely, once these thunderbolts broke through the clouds, they would automatically weaken.
Thus, the closer one got to the base of the mountain, the weaker the thunderbolts became, roughly equivalent to the full-force strike of a mid-Golden Core cultivator.
Conversely, the closer one got to the summit, the stronger the thunderbolts became.
Each bolt at the summit was comparable to the full-force strike of a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator.
The mountain itself was barren, with nothing but black rocks covering its surface.
When the thunderbolts struck the mountain, black array patterns would light up on the ground, absorbing the lightning.
Surrounding the mountain was a hemispherical barrier that enveloped both the mountain and the clouds, preventing the lightning from spreading outward.
It was evident that someone had set up a Thunder Array on this mountain.
"What a powerful Thunder Array. Even we might find it difficult to climb this mountain," Lan Chen exclaimed in awe.
"Look!" Mo Yexue suddenly cried out. "There seems to be something at the summit."
Hearing this, everyone immediately turned their gaze toward the summit.
Through the dense flashes of lightning, they could vaguely make out a structure resembling a building at the top.
Gou Jun turned to Xi Ling and said, "Xi Ling, as far as I know, you've cultivated a technique called the 'Clarity Pupil Technique,' which greatly enhances your vision. Could you take a closer look at what's on the summit?"
Xi Ling replied, "I'll try."
As Xi Ling formed a few hand seals, a faint glow began to emanate from her eyes, and her pupils seemed to swirl with starlight.
After a moment, she closed her eyes.
It seemed that forcibly peering through the lightning had taken a toll on her vision.
"I saw it," Xi Ling said slowly. "There's a three-story pavilion at the summit. The pavilion remains completely unaffected by the lightning, perfectly intact."
"Is there a plaque on the pavilion?" Gou Jun asked.
"Yes, but the lightning is too intense and blinding. I can't make out the characters on the plaque," Xi Ling replied.
Gou Jun said, "Xi Ling, I'd like to ask you to carefully examine the characters on the plaque. If you can decipher them, I, Gou Jun, promise that whatever treasures lie within this mountain, you will have a share."
Hearing this, Xi Ling opened her eyes and gave Gou Jun a deep look.
She understood that the lightning at the summit was incredibly powerful. As a corpse cultivator, Gou Jun was reluctant to take the risk of entering the mountain directly. Instead, he wanted to glean some clues from the name of the pavilion to determine whether it was worth venturing inside.
Xi Ling herself was unwilling to use the Clarity Pupil Technique again.
The thunder techniques at the summit were too potent, and forcing herself to read the plaque could easily damage her eyes.
Just as Xi Ling was considering how to decline, voices from others nearby interrupted her thoughts.
"Xi Ling, please use your technique once more," came Yang Yu's voice.
"We implore you to use your technique again," said Xue Cangqiong.
"Xi Ling, please..."
Xi Ling glanced around at the group. Except for Tai He, everyone was staring at her with intense gazes, making her feel an invisible pressure.
She knew well that unless she deciphered the characters on the plaque, these people would not let the matter rest.
"I hope everyone remembers their promises. I must have a share of the treasures within this mountain," Xi Ling said, taking a deep breath before activating the Clarity Pupil Technique once more.
As she had feared, deciphering the characters on the plaque was no easy task.
Her eyes glowed with a clear light, unblinkingly fixed on the faint silhouette of the pavilion at the mountain's peak.
Gradually, blood began to seep from her eyes, like two streams of bloody tears, trickling down her cheeks.
The blood dripped and drifted with the wind.
Yet, Xi Ling's eyes remained unblinking.
After thirty breaths, she suddenly closed her eyes.
At the same time, she uttered three words.
"Immortal Spirit Pavilion!"
Hearing this, Gou Jun's eyes lit up.
"Could there be a connection between the 'Immortal Spirit Pavilion' and the 'Fallen Immortal Blood'?" he wondered aloud.
Yang Yu chimed in, "That's possible. The Immortal Spirit Pavilion is likely a place for raising spirit beasts. Could the Fallen Immortal Blood be the essence of some special spirit beast?"
Gou Jun turned his gaze toward Thunder Mountain, his eyes burning with fervor.
"It seems we must enter Thunder Mountain no matter what," he declared.
As soon as he finished speaking, a thick wave of Corpse Qi erupted from Gou Jun's body.
The Corpse Qi surged like a roaring dragon, charging toward Thunder Mountain.
"Boom!"
The dragon collided with the barrier surrounding Thunder Mountain, producing a deafening roar.
The once calm barrier seemed enraged, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a water jar shot out from it.
The lightning intertwined with the Corpse Qi dragon.
The Corpse Qi, like morning mist meeting the rising sun, began to thin and scatter.
The dragon could no longer maintain its form, dissipating into wisps of black smoke that drifted away with the wind.
But the lightning was not done. It roared toward Gou Jun with unrelenting force.
Gou Jun's expression shifted slightly, and he hastily summoned a Bone Cleansing Knife.
The knife's appearance was almost identical to the one Song Wen had used in the Corpse Dissection Cave years ago.
However, the two were worlds apart in terms of power.
As soon as the Bone Cleansing Knife appeared, a fierce aura erupted into the sky.
Black energy coiled around the blade, almost tangible, exuding an extremely sinister and malevolent presence, as if it contained endless resentment and hatred.
The Bone Cleansing Knife sliced through the air, meeting the lightning head-on.
The lightning's divine might was awe-inspiring.
The knife's malevolent aura was chilling.
The blade's edge and the lightning clashed in mid-air, instantly erupting into a dazzling light.
A violent shockwave swept in all directions.
Gou Jun, caught in the forefront, was sent flying several meters by the force.
However, the lightning was ultimately extinguished by the Bone Cleansing Knife.
Gou Jun's expression darkened as he suppressed the surging energy within his body. He turned to the group, who had already retreated behind him, and said, "Forcing our way through the barrier is as difficult as ascending to heaven. It seems we'll need to find another way into the mountain. Let's split up and search for a possible entrance."
The group dispersed, searching the area.
After a while, Gui Ni's voice echoed from the foot of the mountain on the other side.
"Everyone, I've found something."
Hearing this, the group quickly gathered around.
At Gui Ni's location, there was a stone staircase leading directly into the barrier surrounded by lightning.
Through the barrier, they could vaguely see that the staircase seemed to lead all the way to the mountain's peak.
"Gui Ni, is this so-called discovery just this staircase?" Gou Jun asked coldly.
The existence of the staircase had already been sensed by everyone through their Divine Sense.
With the barrier of the formation blocking the way, what use is a stone staircase leading to the mountain top?
(End of the Chapter)
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