Chapter Eighty-Four: Thunder Crystal

“Are you interested in the Thunder Plains as well, my friend?” Fang Dong asked. “Why don’t we travel together?”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m not fond of moving with others,” Yang Xiao replied casually.

“Oh, that’s understandable. Your cultivation is far above ours, and your speed naturally outpaces us. It makes sense you’d prefer to travel alone,” Fang Dong remarked, as though a realization had struck him.

Yang Xiao merely nodded in tacit agreement. What Fang Dong said was exactly what he had in mind. He had no intention of offending the man’s goodwill, so he declined the offer with tact.

“My friend, you must be careful in the Thunder Plains. There are not only opportunities, but also many dangers,” Fang Dong advised.

“Do you mean the threat of lightning?” Yang Xiao asked. Lightning posed no danger to him—thanks to the lightning sigil engraved in his sea of consciousness, he could absorb and wield its power. What would be a peril to ordinary cultivators was to him no threat at all.

“I mean not only the lightning, but also other unexpected dangers. For instance, competition from other cultivators. I’ve heard that quite a few cultivators at the Qi Condensation stage are venturing there this time. All of them are people of significant background—some from large clans around the Thunder Plains, and some might even be elite disciples from the Five Sects and Three Schools, drawn here by the news. If we encounter such people, it would be best to keep our distance. Offending them would surely bring disaster,” Fang Dong analyzed.

“I see. It seems this journey to the Thunder Plains will hardly be a peaceful one. But if it’s so dangerous, why go at all?” Yang Xiao inquired.

“Our strength is meager, but we still hope for some fortune. If we were lucky enough to find some thunder crystals, the rewards would be substantial. Besides, we know our limits—we won’t venture into the truly dangerous areas. Our plan is simply to search around the fringes of the Thunder Plains,” Fang Dong explained.

“Well then, I wish you luck. I’ll be on my way now,” Yang Xiao said. With that, a surge of spiritual energy lifted him into the air, and he flew swiftly toward the distance.

“Take care, my friend,” Fang Dong called out, but by the time the words left his lips, Yang Xiao’s figure was already a mere speck on the horizon.

“This young man is truly remarkable—already at the Qi Condensation stage at his age. Who knows when we’ll ever reach such a level,” remarked a young man who had been with Fang Dong, evidently unfamiliar with Yang Xiao.

“By the way, Fang, why did you address him as your benefactor?” he asked.

“It’s a long story,” Fang Dong replied. “This young man once saved our lives, which is why I hold him in such high regard. Even when he was only at the Spiritual Perception stage, he could easily slay large spirit beasts. Now that he’s advanced to Qi Condensation, his cultivation is even more unfathomable.” Fang Dong recounted how Yang Xiao had rescued them, describing the ordeal in such vivid detail that the young man could only nod in awe, his admiration for Yang Xiao growing ever deeper.

Yang Xiao departed the Valley of Beasts. Originally, his plan had been to return to Lin Valley Village and bid farewell to Bai Sheng and his daughter. But now that he had learned of the thunder crystals, it was the wiser course to hurry straight to the Thunder Plains. After some consideration, he decided not to go back to Lin Valley Village, but instead to head directly for his new destination.

After all, he had already paid Bai Sheng a hundred thousand spirit stones—more than enough to cover the rent. Yang Xiao had never intended to stay and do business in Lin Valley Village; the stones were as good as a gift, and he expected nothing in return.

Moreover, with this departure, it would likely be a long time before he returned. Even if he did come back, it would only be while passing through the region on his way back to the Myriad Peaks. That opportunity would probably not come for years.

Setting aside all other thoughts, Yang Xiao focused on his journey to the Thunder Plains.

To the east of the Valley of Beasts lay Lin Valley Village. But by heading south instead of east, and traveling several thousand miles, one would reach the Thunder Plains.

Along the way, Yang Xiao encountered many other cultivators making for the same destination. Most were at the Spiritual Perception stage, though occasionally he noticed one or two who had just entered the Qi Condensation stage. Still, none of them matched his cultivation. Yang Xiao paid them no heed, merely soaring past.

After traveling for several hours, he arrived at the Thunder Plains. The place was just as legend described—a land shrouded in thunder and lightning, with the sky perpetually wrapped in dark clouds. From those clouds, arcs of lightning would occasionally cascade down, each one powerful enough to threaten the life of an ordinary cultivator.

Yang Xiao, naturally, was unconcerned. He strode straight into the Thunder Plains without a moment’s hesitation. At the same time, he activated the lightning sigil, allowing it to absorb the arcs of electricity. No matter how powerful the lightning bolts that struck from above, the sigil devoured them completely. Rather than harming Yang Xiao, the more lightning it absorbed, the brighter and more potent the sigil grew—enhancing his own strength.

“So many arcs of lightning—all to my benefit. Once the lightning sigil absorbs enough, it should be able to unleash even more devastating attacks. My strength will surely rise to a new level,” Yang Xiao thought to himself. As he absorbed the lightning, he also searched for signs of thunder crystals.

He had only just entered the outskirts of the Thunder Plains, where he occasionally encountered others. Though weaker than Yang Xiao, these cultivators all possessed various defensive treasures and techniques to shield themselves from the lightning.

Areas that had already been searched by others were unlikely to yield thunder crystals, so Yang Xiao pressed deeper. As he ventured farther, the number of fellow cultivators dwindled.

In a remote, lightning-lashed region rarely touched by human presence, Yang Xiao finally found his first thunder crystal. It was the size of a broad bean, brown in color, and brimming with potent lightning energy.

“This must be a thunder crystal. Truly extraordinary—an excellent material for forging magical tools,” Yang Xiao remarked as he regarded the brown crystal in his palm.