Ten thousand li of yellow sand, utter desolation!
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but yellow grit.
Rumor had it that countless years ago, this place had not looked like this.
Back then, the waters had been clear and lush with grass, the mountains graceful and verdant.
Until a thousand years ago, when the Nine Peaks of Mount Thunder Accumulation thrust up from the earth to defy heaven's might, bathing in thunder. Over time, the overwhelming might of the lightning shattered the mountains, rivers, and soil across ten thousand li, reducing them all to endless grains of sand.
Even as oceans turned into mulberry fields and landscapes shifted, this land remained subjected to constant, ceaseless lightning strikes.
Only through such ages did it turn into a golden desert stretching ten thousand li across.
Moreover, it was unlike any mortal desert.
In this desert birthed by Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks, there were no flowers, grass, or trees, nor any animals or demonic beasts.
Across the entire desert, mounds of earth rose and fell, undulating constantly like an ocean of sand.
Without the Wind Controlling Art cast upon their bodies, ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators would be dragged in by the shifting sands and buried deep within.
Even Foundation Establishment cultivators had to stay constantly alert against being drawn in.
Luo Chen stayed near the center of the formation.
Looking around, he assessed the strength of this force.
Over ten thousand cultivators, primarily in the late stages of Qi Refinement.
Yet the number of Foundation Establishment True Cultivators among them reached as high as a thousand.
This was almost comparable to the total strength of a major Golden Core sect.
In truth, an ordinary Golden Core sect could not even assemble this many Foundation Establishment True Cultivators; within the Jade Cauldron Domain, only Azure Pill Valley and the Sword Sect possessed such deep foundations.
"Led by the four sects, with their subordinate forces forming the main body, and numerous rogue cultivators who believe themselves capable mingling among them."
"If a war of this scale fully breaks out, even with my strength, it will be hard to guarantee complete safety. And my Luotian Association's hundred-odd people..."
Compared to the excitement visible on the faces around him, Luo Chen appeared rather subdued.
In his heart, he felt a measure of pessimism.
Amid his silent contemplation, the army of cultivators marched on without pause, soon approaching the Sixth Peak.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a crash of thunder resounded in his ears.
Luo Chen looked up, feeling a sudden chill of shock.
In his sight, nine precipitous, solitary peaks towered above the yellow sand plains, seeming to link heaven and earth.
Their bases planted in golden shifting sands, their crowns shrouded in pitch-black clouds.
Dazzling white lightning bolts, twisting like snakes and dragons, bared their fangs and claws as they violently shook the empty air.
"Halt!"
"The thunderstorm is discharging. It will last about ten breaths, and then we will enter the mountain."
"Remember, your identification tools have lightning-warding formations inscribed upon them! Do not lose them under any circumstances!"
The voice of a Golden Core Master rang out from the heart of the host.
Luo Chen tightened his grip on the wooden plaque in his hand.
The plaque was pitch-black and somberly dense, carved from second-order lightning-warding spiritual wood. He had no idea how the Luoyun Sect had managed to mass-produce so many.
In the past, only the Sword Sect had produced these in bulk, for miners working prolonged shifts inside Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks.
After a brief wait, a scorchingly warm breeze swept past.
The lightning and thunder filling the sky vanished, and the dark clouds overhead receded into hiding.
Yet it was merely a temporary retreat; everyone knew that in less than a month, heavy clouds would gather once more, brewing another thunderstorm.
"Enter the mountain!"
At the command, over ten thousand cultivators surged forward like two streams of light, dividing between the Fifth Peak and the Sixth Peak.
These were the only two peaks fully controlled by the Four Sects Alliance at present.
Of the remaining seven, apart from the Ninth Peak, which was unsuitable for cultivators to inhabit long-term, all six were under the control of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect.
Rumor had it that the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs had an agreement: if the Luoyun Sect was completely driven out of Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks, it would count as their defeat.
And vice versa!
Relying on many years of experience developing the Nine Peaks, the Sword Sect had initially suffered from inferior numbers, losing four thunder peaks in the opening stage. But in the days that followed, they pressed their advantage with relentless, ferocious assaults, hammering the Four Sects Alliance until they could barely raise their heads.
The Seventh and Eighth Peaks, which had been captured with tremendous effort, had both been lost again over the past two years.
Presently, the Four Sects Alliance's position was as precarious as a stack of eggs.
Word was that the Luoyun Sect had developed a batch of puppets impervious to lightning that could fight effortlessly within the thunder peaks, soon to be transported here for deployment.
When that time came, it might be the hour of the Luoyun Sect's counteroffensive.
Because of this, the Four Sects Alliance was fiercely defending the remaining two thunder peaks.
***
"Phew, finally here!"
"Ten thousand li of shifting yellow sand... Staring at it too long makes my eyes ache."
"Are we returning to our previous post this time?"
The moment Luo Chen touched down, chatter and bustle washed over him from every direction.
He paid it no mind, quietly waiting for Tantai Jin's arrangements.
"No rush. My master has already arranged everything. Once the handover is complete, we can head straight over."
Tantai Jin's voice transmission reached his ear.
Luo Chen nodded.
Next came the quiet watch over the turnover across the Sixth Peak's various defense posts.
With fresh forces entering the mountain, those who had served naturally rotated out to rest.
The cultivators who had been stationed here for months flew out slowly from the mountain, one by one, looking thoroughly exhausted.
Standing beside Luo Chen, Xu Huanzhen quietly explained the taboos of fighting within Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks.
"Steeped in lightning for countless years, the thunder peaks are saturated with violent, frenzied lightning power. Because of that, low-rank defensive formations simply cannot function here."
"At present, the Sixth Peak has three large-scale defensive formations laid down, ranking as high as the fourth order, yet their protective effect is only equivalent to ordinary third-order formations."
"Those three formations were established jointly by formation masters from the Luoyun Sect and Mount Ailao."
"So long as Golden Core powerhouses do not launch an all-out assault, we can hold the terrain and keep outside enemies at bay."
Luo Chen nodded.
This information matched what Min Longyu had told him.
The Nine Peaks of Mount Thunder Accumulation were not actually that massive.
A single peak was roughly the size of Danxia Peak.
Yet a peak of that size could not even be covered by a single fourth-order defensive formation—it required three, and even then the effect was severely degraded.
That alone showed how hostile the environment of this battlefield was.
"Additionally, when fighting here, if you encounter cultivators possessing a Lightning Spiritual Root or skilled in lightning arts, be extremely careful. The power they can unleash far exceeds their usual level."
"On the Sword Sect's side, there are three sword cultivators specializing in the Dao of Lightning—two in the mid Foundation Establishment stage and one in the late stage, all formidable. Over in the Yan Alliance, there is also a mid Foundation Establishment master of lightning techniques whose true name is unknown; his Daoist title is Yanleizi."
"Here are their portraits. If you run into them, Association Leader, try to avoid clashing with them."
Xu Huanzhen produced several portraits and showed them to Luo Chen.
After memorizing the faces carefully, Luo Chen asked in passing, "What about our alliance? Do we have any experts specializing in lightning?"
"We do!"
Xu Huanzhen discreetly pointed toward a man in the cultivator host who had an arrogant demeanor and curly hair.
Luo Chen glanced over. Instant noodle hair?
"That man's Daoist title is Shanling'er. He hails from Mount Ailao and is in the late Foundation Establishment stage. His Thunder Spirit Drill magic treasure is exceptionally fierce; whenever he encounters sword cultivators from the Sword Sect, he is always the first to rush forward, completely fearless."
"Also, Azure Pill Valley has a cultivator with a Lightning Spiritual Root who possesses a Dark Cloud Miasma magic treasure, which is superbly suited for large-scale battles."
"Furthermore, on the Fifth Peak, the Luoyun Sect has a lightning expert whom the Sword Sect fears deeply."
At this point, Xu Huanzhen suddenly paused.
He gave a wry smile. "Actually, our Luotian Association also has a lightning master who was placed on the Sword Sect's list of low-tier cultivators to watch out for."
"Min Longyu?" Luo Chen asked.
Xu Huanzhen nodded. "Yes. Though Elder Min lacks a Lightning Spiritual Root, he can channel the power of thunder using materials and formations. His feat of instantly blasting five Foundation Establishment True Cultivators to death with a Five Thunder Strike Grand Formation is still widely told throughout the Nine Peaks. The name Leizhenzi inspires dread in countless foes!"
Luo Chen nodded with feeling.
He had always felt that Min Longyu did not need to feel so much guilt.
In that night battle back then, Min Longyu had done everything humanly possible.
The Daoist title 'Leizhenzi' was the perfect testament to the glorious deeds of that battle.
Remembering the formation disk Min Longyu had gifted him before parting, along with a specially prepared formation, Luo Chen felt a swell of confidence.
Though Leizhenzi was no longer on the battlefield, the culmination of his formation arts was still here.
As long as the conditions were right...
Luo Chen instinctively looked around. The blackened mountainside was of a color that might have come from years of ceaseless thunderfire bombardment, or perhaps from the blood of countless cultivators seeping in and staining it dark over time.
Such terrain was not quite suited for deploying that formation.
"Lastly!"
Xu Huanzhen's expression turned solemn. "Association Leader, remember above all: when fighting on the thunder peaks, never fly too high."
Luo Chen's brow twitched. "Easy to get struck?"
"Exactly! The lightning power accumulated in the thunder peaks over countless years is simply too terrifying. Even if it looks perfectly calm, no one can say when a bolt of lightning might suddenly plunge from the sky. If you fly too high in battle, you easily become a living target. After all, not a single living creature exists within Mount Thunder Accumulation's Nine Peaks!"
Ordinary thunder and lightning did not pose much of a threat to cultivators.
It was not tribulation lightning from a Nascent Soul breakthrough.
Powerful figures could even harvest heavenly thunder to forge artifacts or temper their bodies.
Yet if struck suddenly mid-battle, a brief moment of paralysis and stagnation could instantly overturn the fight.
To fall in battle simply because one flew too high and caught a stray lightning bolt would be utterly laughable.
Xu Huanzhen said all this in a single breath.
He shared nearly every lesson and bit of experience he had gained over the past two years with Luo Chen.
Luo Chen looked at the ignorant, eager rogue cultivators nearby.
Presumably, many of them knew none of this.
"Pass all these tips on to our Luotian Association brothers as well."
"Understood. I have already dispatched people to instruct them."
While they spoke, the turnover on the Sixth Peak was drawing to a close.
Luo Chen's expression shifted, his gaze drifting toward a small detachment.
The Lianyun Merchant Alliance!
There, a woman was staring at him in a daze.
Luo Chen nodded slightly in greeting.
The woman offered a wry smile and nodded back.
"Fellow Daoist Li, what is it?"
In the group slowly flying out, Nangong Jin asked in bewilderment.
Li Yixian sighed. "I thought that with his Daoist title Danchenzi, Luo Chen could stay out of this war. I never expected that even he would be dragged in."
Nangong Jin started, glancing instinctively toward the Luotian Association.
He saw only Luo Chen's retreating back, already following the Ice Fort cultivators deep into the mountain.
He muttered, "When even an alchemy master renowned across the whole domain is sucked into this vortex, what right do ordinary people like us have to escape such a fate?"
Li Yixian gave a bitter smile and was about to reply when an aged voice sounded from behind them.
"Do not underestimate Danchenzi. The station they are heading to is clearly one of the safest."
"Ice Fort values him far more than they do the likes of us!"
Li Yixian and Nangong Jin froze, then bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Grand Elder!"
The Lianyun Grand Elder waved a weary hand. "No need for such formality. Go back and rest."
As he spoke, he looked at Luo Chen's receding figure, an envious expression involuntarily crossing his face.
Different stations faced vastly different degrees of pressure.
If the Lianyun Merchant Alliance enjoyed such treatment, their losses would never have been so catastrophic.
In just two years, the Lianyun Merchant Alliance, which once boasted nine Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, had only five left.
Even Zhou Qing, a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator he held in high regard, had unfortunately fallen.
If this continued, by the time the war ended, how many of the Lianyun Merchant Alliance would return alive to Tianlan Immortal City?
"Enough!"
"I only hope what Tianxingzi said is true. Otherwise, this entire trip of mine will have been for nothing."
Sighing, the Lianyun Grand Elder flew wearily away from the Sixth Peak.
***
The Luotian Association's assignment was to guard a rear mountainside terrace, where a rare grove of trees stood.
Lightning-Struck Wood!
A second-order material, and the most widely utilized resource in lightning-attribute artifacts and magic treasures.
Valuable, but not rare.
Certain major sects possessed methods to channel thunder power and cultivate Lightning-Struck Wood themselves.
This location was situated toward the rear, far from the frontline, and sat at a higher elevation.
The resources it produced were not exceedingly precious either.
It could be said that this post was easily the one an enemy would have the least interest in attacking.
It was unlike the posts of other subordinate forces, which were situated at vital thoroughfares, formation hubs, or precious resource extraction points.
"Satisfied?" Tantai Jin asked.
Luo Chen withdrew his appraising gaze and spoke sincerely: "To be honest, it exceeded my expectations."
He had anticipated that Master Jueqing would show great favor to the Luotian Association, but never imagined it would be this substantial!
In addition to all the perks mentioned, this spot was also ideal for an escape.
Even if enemies stormed the mountain, the cultivators at the front would bear the brunt.
Tantai Jin shook her head. "Good as it is, my master paid a steep price for it. Nearly seventy percent of the top-grade Blood Burning Pills you refined earlier were traded away to the Luoyun Sect and Martial Uncle Yinyue."
Luo Chen's brows twitched.
Damn it!
He had wondered why, despite having refined vast quantities of Blood Burning Pills over the past two years, the Jueqing lineage's position on the battlefield hadn't improved in the slightest.
Even the Luotian Association had originally been assigned a merely "relatively safe" post.
It turned out that woman Jueqing hadn't put all those top-grade Blood Burning Pills to use at all!
Instead, she had hoarded them until now before trading them away.
For a moment, a flare of anger rose in his chest.
Yet as Tantai Jin flew toward the peak, that anger gradually subsided.
Put in her place, he probably would have done the exact same thing.
Trading them early on would only make them slightly superior life-saving pills.
Valuable, but not indispensable.
Now that the war had grown increasingly dire, the Blood Burning Pill offered more than just survivability; temporarily boosting combat prowess by several tens of percent could completely turn the tide of a skirmish.
Offering them for trade now naturally yielded far greater benefits.
It had even secured protection for the Luotian Association along the way.
"I still underestimated these Golden Core Masters."
"They seem to spend their lives in secluded cultivation, but when it comes to profits, their vision is sharper than anyone's."
"Here I was feeling grateful to her—what a fool I was."
Looking around, Luo Chen shook his head.
This spot was where the Luotian Association ought to have been assigned from the very beginning.
"No matter. What's done is done; make the best of it."
"Dwelling on this is pointless. Weathering the coming battles is what truly matters."
Muttering to himself, Luo Chen drew the Eighteen Wandering Formation Disks from his storage bag!
Chapter 373