Lin Yuan stood quietly within his secluded courtyard, feeling the faint breeze against his face. The Broken Sky Sect seemed peaceful, yet an inexplicable sense of unease lingered in his heart. Ever since his return, he had maintained a low profile, his aura suppressed, making him seem like a mere Qi Condensation disciple. Yet the hidden powers he possessed were anything but ordinary.
Ever since the last time he was attacked by the demonic cultivators and annihilated them he began to increase his time in practicing formation technique as it was very effective.
Suddenly, a faint hum disrupted the calm air around him. His keen senses, sharpened through countless life-and-death encounters, instantly alerted him. Without hesitation, he stepped aside, and a sharp, invisible force brushed past his cheek, leaving a faint scratch on his skin.
"A formation attack?" Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed.
His gaze darted around, and he instantly noticed a faint ripple in the air above his courtyard—a concealed formation! The formation lines shimmered faintly, a deadly light accumulating within them.
"Who dares?" Lin Yuan's voice was calm, but his eyes turned cold.
The formation activated again, dozens of sharp wind blades slashing toward him. But Lin Yuan was not an ordinary cultivator. With a light step, his figure blurred, and he reappeared at the edge of the courtyard. His hand rose, and a faint blue and red light shimmered on his palm—the Star Shattering Palm's power converged.
"Break!" Lin Yuan's voice was sharp.
The air trembled, and his palm struck forward. A surge of explosive power erupted, colliding with the formation. The wind blades shattered instantly, and the formation lines cracked under his might. In the next instant, the entire formation collapsed, revealing a shadowy figure retreating swiftly.
"You won't escape." Lin Yuan's figure flashed, his speed enhanced by the thunder essence within his body. He seemed to blur, appearing before the fleeing figure.
A desperate howl erupted. The shadow released a dark mist, demonic energy flooding the air. The pungent, corrupted aura immediately revealed the attacker's nature—a demonic cultivator.
"Who sent you?" Lin Yuan's voice was cold.
The demonic cultivator snarled, his hand forming a strange seal, and the mist surged violently toward Lin Yuan. But Lin Yuan's palm rose, and a fierce lightning arc danced around his fingers, the thunder energy within him countering the demonic mist. The dark energy was instantly purified.
"Impossible! Heavenly Thunder!" The demonic cultivator's eyes widened in horror.
Lin Yuan wasted no time. His Star Shattering Palm erupted once more, the radiant force obliterating the demonic cultivator's chest. The man fell lifelessly to the ground, his body dissolving into a wisp of dark smoke.
But something caught Lin Yuan's eye. From the fading mist, a faint piece of black parchment fluttered out. He caught it between his fingers, his gaze sharpening. It was an old map, faintly marked with sinister symbols, leading to a location outside the Broken Sky Sect.
"A hidden cave… Could it be their hideout?" Lin Yuan's mind raced. His initial plan was to continue his low-profile cultivation, but this sudden attack changed everything. The presence of a demonic cultivator within the sect was a clear danger.
After storing the map, Lin Yuan calmly cleared the traces of the battle. His courtyard looked undisturbed once more, as if nothing had happened. He didn't bother informing the sect elders—exposing this matter could lead to unnecessary trouble and suspicion. He would handle this himself.
Later that night, with his aura perfectly concealed, Lin Yuan left the sect quietly. The moon hung high, its pale light casting eerie shadows as he navigated through the dense forest. The map's route was cryptic, but with his spiritual sense, he could easily follow the path.
Hours passed, and the dense forest grew more oppressive. Twisted vines and unnatural mist surrounded him, signs of a place tainted by demonic energy. Finally, he arrived before a cave entrance, half-hidden by thick overgrowth and shadowed by tall, ancient trees.
"The map leads here…" Lin Yuan murmured, his eyes cold. But instead of rushing in, he activated his spiritual sense, scanning the area. A faint formation shimmered, attempting to mask the cave's presence.
"So, they even have protective measures," Lin Yuan chuckled, his fingers tracing complex formation runes in the air. His mastery over formations had grown significantly since the ruins, and now, these petty tricks were nothing to him.
Within moments, the concealment formation shattered, and the cave entrance became clear. The air inside was thick with a dark, corrupted scent. Lin Yuan stepped forward, his body enveloped in a faint electric glow—the power of his heavenly thunder ready to counter any demonic force.
His cautious steps echoed within the cave, and the darkness seemed to pulse, as if alive. Strange whispers floated to his ears, but his mind remained calm, unaffected. His Thunderfire Essence technique continuously purified his qi, protecting his consciousness.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed. Dark shadows lunged from the cave walls, twisted, grotesque creatures formed of demonic energy. But Lin Yuan's thunder crackled, arcs of lightning flashing out and disintegrating the shadowy beings instantly.
"I see… a place of demonic cultivation," Lin Yuan whispered, his resolve strengthening.
Deeper into the cave, he found crude altars made of black stone, each marked with eerie symbols. Bloodstains and foul-smelling herbs scattered around, revealing the twisted rituals performed here. Lin Yuan's gaze remained cold.
"This place must be destroyed."
But just as he was about to take action, a strange pressure descended, and the darkness around him surged. From the deepest part of the cave, a figure stepped forward, its body draped in a dark robe, eyes glowing with a sinister red light.
"So you are the one who killed my follower. A mere Qi Condensation disciple dares to meddle in my affairs?" The figure's voice was a mix of anger and disdain.
Lin Yuan's lips curled into a faint smile. "Qi Condensation, is it? Let's see how you handle this."
His aura surged, the Star Shattering Palm and the power of thunder converging in his hands. This battle would be anything but simple.
Lin Yuan's calm gaze locked onto the sinister figure, whose oppressive demonic aura flooded the cave, the darkness almost tangible. But Lin Yuan remained unshaken. With his thunder essence crackling around him, he looked like a lightning deity in the midst of a storm.
"Foolish boy!" The demonic cultivator sneered, his voice carrying a chilling malice. "I have cultivated here for decades, and you dare to intrude?"
Black mist surged from the demonic cultivator, twisting into countless ghostly faces, their silent screams filling the air. The cave walls quivered, and the oppressive demonic energy grew even thicker.
But Lin Yuan's eyes only grew colder. "Years of cultivation, yet you chose a path of evil. Allow me to end it."
With a flick of his wrist, a faint blue and red glow swirled in his palm—the Star Shattering Palm. The brilliance intensified, and his body was enveloped in a crackling web of thunder, the lightning essence he absorbed fusing with the palm's power.
The demonic cultivator's expression changed slightly, but he refused to back down. "Arrogant child!" He roared, his hands weaving complex seals, and the mist condensed into a monstrous claw, shadowy and foul, slashing towards Lin Yuan.
"Thunderfire Essence." Lin Yuan whispered, his body glowing with a fiery aura, a perfect fusion of thunder and flame. The demonic claw collided with his thunderfire barrier, the searing heat and lightning instantly purifying the corrupted energy.
"Impossible!" The demonic cultivator staggered back, his face pale. "Heavenly Thunder and Flame combined?"
Lin Yuan did not waste time. His figure blurred, and he appeared directly before the man. "Star Shattering Palm!"
The radiant blue-red palm struck out, its power magnified by the thunderfire essence. The cave shook violently, and the demonic cultivator's chest caved in under the impact, his body blasted into the cave wall.
"How…can you…" Blood spilled from his lips, his body disintegrating into dark mist, his corrupted soul struggling to escape. But Lin Yuan's lightning flashed, purifying even the escaping essence.
Silence returned to the cave, save for the faint crackling of Lin Yuan's thunder. He calmly inspected the cave, noticing the crude altars and twisted symbols scattered around. His eyes focused on a small dark crystal in the corner, still pulsating with an eerie glow.
"A demonic core…" Lin Yuan murmured, recognizing the source of the overwhelming dark energy. He stepped forward and reached out. But the moment his fingers touched it, the orb within his body hummed, and a familiar interface appeared before him.
[Absorbing Demonic Core…]
[Purifying…]
[Heavenly Thunder Essence strengthened.]
[Thunder Affinity enhanced.]
[Golden Core enhanced.]
Lin Yuan's lips curved slightly. Every time he encountered powerful energies, the orb allowed him to absorb, purify, and transform them into his own strength. Even this demonic energy was no exception.
After a brief moment, the demonic core crumbled to dust in his palm, leaving behind a faint, pure essence that merged into his body. His thunder essence grew even more potent, crackling lightly across his fingertips.
As he prepared to leave, his spiritual sense detected a faint fluctuation from a hidden corner of the cave. He traced it, his eyes narrowing at a well-concealed formation array etched onto the ground, faintly glowing with dark energy.
"A transmission array?" Lin Yuan muttered, carefully inspecting it. His understanding of formations allowed him to see through its complexity. The array wasn't just a basic teleportation formation—it was directly linked to another location, and judging by the residual energy, it was connected to the Broken Sky Sect.
"So this is how they infiltrated the sect…" His eyes turned cold. Someone within the sect was maintaining this array, either a traitor or an unwitting pawn. But for now, he needed to ensure this array couldn't be used.
With a surge of thunder essence, he disrupted the formation, distorting the runes and severing its connection. The array flickered and went dark, temporarily disabled.
But this was only part of the mystery. As he inspected the cave further, he noticed a subtle energy flow along the walls, leading deeper. Following it, he reached a hidden stone door, sealed with ancient runes.
"This must be something more…" Lin Yuan whispered, pressing his palm against the runes. His thunderfire energy surged, and the door rumbled, slowly sliding open.
Beyond the door was a vast chamber, bathed in a faint, ethereal light. At the center stood a massive stone tablet, ancient runes shimmering across its surface. The air was filled with a primal, thunderous aura, but also a hint of scorching heat.
As Lin Yuan approached, the tablet glowed brightly, and an ethereal voice echoed.
"Only those who possess thunder and flame may inherit my legacy."
Without hesitation, Lin Yuan activated his Thunderfire Essence, his body glowing with a fiery thunderous aura. The light from the tablet intensified, and the runes floated, swirling around him before merging into his body.
[Inheritance Recognized: Thunderfire Dragon Scripture obtained.]
[Scripture Unsealed: Basic Techniques Revealed.]
Lin Yuan's eyes gleamed as knowledge flooded his mind. The Thunderfire Dragon Scripture was an advanced cultivation art, but it also contained martial techniques, including the Lightning Flame Dragon Claw, a powerful combat skill.
"This… is a true treasure." Lin Yuan muttered, a rare smile gracing his lips. But his joy was tempered with caution. Treasures always brought danger.
With the Thunderfire Dragon Scripture now engraved in his mind, he looked around, ensuring no one else was near. Sealing the chamber with a basic formation, he turned to leave, his body concealed once more.
As he returned towards the sect, his mind raced with thoughts. The demonic cultivators had a hidden transmission array leading to the sect. A traitor was likely within the Broken Sky Sect.
But now, he had gained a powerful inheritance, a secret weapon that would only become stronger as his cultivation advanced.
"I will root out the traitor… and master this Thunderfire Dragon Scripture." Lin Yuan's gaze was sharp, his figure disappearing into the forest shadows.