Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

269: people blocking the roadLin Jingyu rose and took down the jade talisman that could now control the Formation.

This place was of no use to him anymore.

He pushed open the heavy stone door and stepped out, his entire demeanor seemingly undergoing a subtle yet profound change. He became more reserved, like a deep, still abyss, unfathomable.

Yet, he was also more profound, as if beneath the calm surface of the sea, there lurked a surging undercurrent and the power of Thunder capable of stirring up towering waves.

Outside the Immortal Cave, the sky was bright, but above Thunder Mountain, leaden clouds still hung low, and electric snakes danced wildly. The agreed-upon Cultivation time seemed to have arrived, and he could now apparently leave directly and return to Lin Family Village at the foot of Mount Taihang.

However, Lin Jingyu looked up towards the peak, where thunderclouds were dense and heavenly might was vast, and a difficult-to-suppress flame of ambition ignited in his eyes.

Cultivating guided by a Formation, while safe and able to absorb pure Thunder Origin power, was ultimately separated by a layer, like watching fire through glazed glass.

It lacked the original shock and most fundamental enlightenment of facing heaven and earth between life and death to seek a great Breakthrough.

He felt that his Thunder True Intent still lacked one last crucial element.

That was the purest heavenly might and the most primitive power of destruction.

To complete these, he had to step out of this Formation-protected Immortal Cave and directly face and embrace the truly unreserved Nine Heavens Thunder!

Besides, Thunder Mountain didn’t seem to strictly stipulate when he had to leave... He could totally... stay for a while longer.

Thinking of this, Lin Jingyu took a deep breath. The Thunder aura permeating the air made the runes deep within his Divine Soul subtly leap with joy.

He could no longer suppress the impulse and longing in his heart and began to move, no longer heading down the mountain.

Instead, he resolutely advanced towards the higher reaches of Thunder Mountain, where the thunderclouds were denser, the heavenly might more terrifying, and human traces were rare.

Streaks of Thunder as thick as a child’s arm, like silver Dragons, wove through and exploded in the clouds, and deafening thunderclaps rumbled incessantly, as if the heart of heaven and earth was beating violently.

The Thunder aura in the air was even more violent, subtly forming an invisible pressure that made it difficult for ordinary Qi Refining Cultivators to move an inch.

But this pressure, falling upon Lin Jingyu, caused the newly condensed Thunder Origin mark deep within his Divine Soul to subtly heat up, transmitting a sense of longing and closeness.

The Evergreen spiritual power within him also seemed to become more active, no longer just resisting the destructive power in the surrounding environment, but also subtly absorbing and transforming it.

”Though the Thunder filtered by the Formation is safe and stable, it ultimately lacks the true essence of heavenly might, and the primitive enlightenment of facing destruction to find life in a dead end.

It also lacks the most violent and powerful destructive force.”

Lin Jingyu understood in his heart, ”My Thunder True Intent has already reached the getting Started (introductory) stage, but to advance further and truly grasp its essence, I must directly face the most primitive and violent Nine Heavens Thunder!”

With this thought, he no longer hesitated, taking steps up the scorched and mottled stone steps carved into the mountain, which bore the marks of lightning, climbing higher step by step.

The higher he went, the harsher the environment became.

Whistling mountain winds carried fine fragments of Thunder, making crackling sounds as they struck his protective spiritual power. On either side of the stone steps, he occasionally saw some closed Immortal Cave stone doors.

Numbered starting with ’ Second’ (Yi) or even ’ First’ (Jia), they were clearly prepared for Cultivators of higher cultivation or more distinguished status.

However, most stone doors were tightly shut, completely devoid of aura, indicating that no one was Cultivating there.

After climbing for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Lin Jingyu was already beneath thick thunderclouds, able to vaguely see the peak in the distance.

The surrounding light was dim, with only frequent flashes of lightning illuminating the mountain in a stark white.

The power of Thunder here was so dense it was almost liquid, like Thunder Hell. Every breath felt like inhaling a mouthful of scalding electricity, burning his lungs and internal organs.

If not for his Thunder True Intent having reached the introductory stage, and his Physical Body and spiritual power having undergone a thousand refinements, he would likely have collapsed long ago.

Just as he was fully focused on resisting the pressure and comprehending the increasingly violent Thunder Laws around him, an unexpected change occurred at a turn in the path ahead.

”Chich!”

Two subtle yet sharp sounds of air being torn apart rang out, not of Thunder, but two faint purple spiritual power arrows, one left and one right, accurately shooting half a step in front of him, deeply embedding themselves in the scorched rock.

The arrow tails still trembled, humming. The arrows carried a sharp aura, not fatal, but a clear warning.

Lin Jingyu paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, and he looked up.

Ten feet ahead, the path widened slightly. One side was close to a steep mountain wall, and the other was a cloud-shrouded, bottomless cliff.

In the middle of the path, a young man in a moon-white brocade robe sat cross-legged.

The young man had a handsome face, his eyes closed, and faint electrical arcs flowed around him. He was actually Cultivating in this Thunder environment.

His aura was restrained, but Lin Jingyu, with the keen perception of his Spirit Refining Art, could sense that the other party possessed a vast spiritual power exceeding that of an ordinary Ninth Layer of Qi Refining.

Moreover, the nature of his spiritual power was upright and peaceful, yet carried a hint of inviolable majesty, clearly indicating an extraordinary background.

Even more striking was that beside the young man, on his left and right, stood two stern-faced guards in green tight-fitting attire.

These two also had formidable auras, both possessing the cultivation of the Peak of Ninth Level Qi Refining, their gazes sharp as eagles. The two warning arrows just now had come from their hands.

At this moment, the two were coldly staring at Lin Jingyu, their eyes filled with scrutiny and undisguised rejection.

”Stop.” The slightly thinner guard on the left spoke coldly, his voice like clashing metal, ”This path is closed. Retreat quickly!”

Lin Jingyu frowned slightly, his gaze passing over the two guards and falling on the young man in the moon-white brocade robe.

The young man seemed completely immersed in his Cultivation, oblivious to the outside commotion.

But from the attitude of the two guards and their chosen position, it was clear they would not allow anyone to disturb them, or even pass this way to go higher.

Although Thunder Mountain was a Cultivation ground for Qinglan Sect, there was no clear rule that a certain path was for one person’s exclusive use.

The other party’s actions were quite overbearing.

However, the Cultivation world was like this: the strong preyed on the weak, and power was the only truth, with no mention of human rights.

Lin Jingyu suppressed a hint of disgust in his heart and calmly said, ”Fellow Daoists, the path on Thunder Mountain does not seem to be private property. I wish to borrow this path to go higher and comprehend Thunder; I will not disturb you. Please make way.”

The burly guard on the right snorted coldly, his tone arrogant:

”Our Young Master is Cultivating here and dislikes disturbances. If you know what’s good for you, turn around and go down the mountain immediately, otherwise, don’t blame us for being impolite!”

His spiritual power surged around him, faintly accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, the threat self-evident.