Prologue III: Heavenly Thunder

Heavenly thunder.

Lightning fell like rain.

In this mountain hollow within the Ten Directions Mountain Range, the area was completely shrouded in calamitous clouds. These clouds were rare in the world, as dark as lacquer, pressing down on the mountain peaks, nearly within reach. Clusters of lightning spread from the calamitous clouds like a net, yet the thunderbolts somehow pierced through the web, violently striking the cluster of blue shadows on the ground. The sound of thunder was dense and sprawling, booming in waves.

Outside the calamitous clouds, torrential rain poured down. Yet, a man dressed in mysterious robes stood on a nearby small hillside, facing the wind and rain, his figure as upright as a long spear. The night was too dark, and the rain curtain was as woven as fabric, making it impossible to discern his appearance. However, the aura surrounding him was as tangible as a physical presence, almost capable of separating him from the rain curtain.

Suddenly, the thunder ceased, and the lightning dispersed. The man gazed steadily in that direction and saw that within the mountain valley, there was an entity resembling a raccoon, enveloped in heavy blue shadows. It seemed that the unusual heavenly phenomena were the tribulation it was destined to face as it neared its fruition.

Curious, the man surged forward several times towards the blue shadows. Before he could approach, the blue shadow suddenly moved, rushing up the mountain peak as swiftly as lightning. Without much thought, the man followed swiftly, not considering that although the thunder and lightning had paused, the oppressive calamitous clouds had not yet dissipated. They were slowly rotating atop the peak, gradually splitting into two parts, intertwining like the yin and yang of the Taiji.

This peak was one of several perilous summits within the Ten Directions Mountain Range. The mountain was treacherous, and the summit was a bare, massive stone.

The man in the mysterious robes was likely a top-tier martial artist in the current world. However, the raccoon was a spirit creature that had taken a human form, making it impossible to catch up. While the man was still halfway up the mountain, the raccoon had already sprinted to the peak, its back fur bristling, angrily glaring at the almost tangible calamitous clouds. The layers of blue shadows emanating from it were radiating outward, matching the oppressive force of the clouds.

As the two confronted each other, something strange began to happen to the man in the mysterious robes.

It was as if a bright moon on his body was suddenly ignited, unleashing a surge of energy that charged directly toward the calamitous clouds.

The calamitous clouds, drawn by the moonlight-like aura, could no longer continue to gather strength. A tremendous crash resounded from the heavens, shaking the earth, and in an instant, the world was illuminated as brightly as a scorching sun, blinding his eyes.

The man was almost knocked off the mountain by the sound and the brightness, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood onto the circular moon-like jade disc in his hand. Struggling to hold onto a massive stone to stabilize himself, he took a moment to recover before looking back up the mountain.

The blue shadows were dense, clearly protecting the raccoon as they fiercely resisted the falling thunder and lightning. The raccoon, standing on all four legs, grit its teeth and struggled to rise, only to be violently struck down by another bolt of silver-white lightning, as thick as a water bucket's handle. Although the lightning shattered into dazzling brilliance on the blue shadows, the raccoon within was brutally knocked to the ground, spewing several streams of blood. Yet it stubbornly refused to submit, struggling to stand once more.

Another bolt of lightning struck, this time without visible color or substance. The heavens and earth roared, as if the strike itself was impacting his very soul. Although the man was not someone undergoing a tribulation, the sound violently shook his spirit, his vision darkened, and he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. Realizing the danger, he quickly sat down cross-legged, took a small jade bottle from his bosom, and consumed several pills while calming his mind.

This inadvertently acquired Kunlun meditation technique was indeed profound. After a few breaths, the man felt himself gradually merging with the heavens and earth, no longer affected by the thunder's tribulation shaking his spirit. Looking up again, the calamitous clouds had transformed into a perfect Taiji diagram, with the yin fish's dot falling on the tribulation thunder and the yang fish's dot on the lightning. The Taiji diagram spun faster and faster, the lightning became denser, and the blue shadows were gradually peeled away under the bombardment of thunder and lightning. Eventually, dozens of thunderbolts and lightning strikes, as thick as water jars, simultaneously fell, shattering the heavy blue shadows surrounding the raccoon in an instant. The brilliance intensified, as dazzling and fierce as nine suns illuminating the sky.

Although the man was in meditation, he still couldn't help but close his eyes. When he opened them again, the calamitous clouds had completely vanished. The raccoon stood on the peak like a mud sculpture or wooden carving, its four legs broken but deeply embedded into the massive stone, remaining upright. It held its head high, its neck strangely bent backward, gazing at the vortex where the calamitous clouds had disappeared. Its eyes were wide with determination, its body covered in blood and scorched like charcoal. Yet, its gaze was resolute enough to make the heavens and earth tremble.

"If I must die, then die, but I will not submit!"

For some reason, the man felt a deep anguish in his heart. Ignoring that the calamitous clouds had not completely dispersed, he stood up and rushed toward the peak. Before he could reach it, the vortex emitted a golden arrow just before disappearing, melting the raccoon with a single shot and igniting a blazing golden light on the summit.

The man stood stunned. The golden light on the peak seemed tangible, separating him from the surroundings. The raccoon had vanished, but something appeared to be contained within the golden light—something as pure as jade.

The golden light dispersed precisely one hour later.

For the past several hours, the man in the mysterious robes had been guarding outside the golden light. He looked up and saw that the summit, now reduced to a gruesome mess, was covered in blood and flesh. Amidst the bloodstains lay a woman, completely naked, curled up. Her skin was as white as jade, her figure enticing enough to stir anyone's emotions.

The man quickly closed his eyes, employing the newly learned Kunlun meditation technique, and then climbed up to lift the woman.

His touch was slippery and damp, likely having touched something inappropriate, causing his spirit to waver and almost drop the woman down the mountain again. He could barely muster the strength to lift her after circulating a few more energy cycles to steady himself.

Unexpectedly, as he lifted her, he saw the woman's face—exquisitely beautiful, almost blinding to look at directly. A few strands of dark hair fell from her forehead onto her face, extending down her jade-like neck to the side of the jade peak. Her eyelashes were as black as fans, slightly trembling on her pale face, appearing pitiful yet exuding a strange, enchanting allure. The man in the mysterious robes could no longer control himself, forcefully embracing her and planting a deep kiss.

Pulling away, the man quickly regained his composure, giving himself several heavy slaps before tearing off his long robes to wrap the woman, then fled down the mountain.

Half an hour later, two golden lights fell from the heavens, revealing their forms only as two men appeared. One wore a seven-colored brocade robe with a golden crown on his head and a jade belt around his waist, clearly a high-ranking figure from the celestial realm. The other wore black clothing, his face obscured, yet unlike attendants, his body emanated a black mist.

The celestial man carefully examined the disheveled state of the summit, calculated something with a series of finger gestures, and then spoke indifferently, "Let's go. Although our calculations were not wrong, our fourth brother and his group took the initiative, triggering the tribulation thunder half an hour early. Wang Er mentioned that the Hehe Pill is missing? Well done, fourth brother, your strategy is indeed superior. However, the game has just begun, and there's still much to unfold. Let's wait to see who ultimately claims victory in this battle."