Storm

A month had passed. The beam of light had swelled dozens of times larger than when it first appeared. It was now as thick as two men embracing, with cool luminescence rippling through it like an endless surge of astral power pouring into the mirror's surface, continuing day and night without pause. The silver mirror on the water was extraordinarily conspicuous, resembling a great silver portal leading into another world. Qin Sang's party arrived riding the demonic python, just in time to see cultivators from the Heaven-Traversing Alliance approaching from the south aboard a flying boat. Both sides halted near the beam of light. Qin Sang and the others hurriedly dismounted from the spirit python and bowed to express their gratitude. Although the python was Snake Granny's spirit beast, it was nonetheless a great demon at the Golden Core level and had vague, inextricable ties with Heavenly Demon Mound, so it was not to be slighted. Soon afterward, the roar of wind and thunder erupted from the north as other Core Formation stage cultivators arrived in groups. Once they entered visual range, they stopped advancing. After all, they had not come to fight today. Their presence was solely to prevent the Heaven-Traversing Alliance from breaking its word. To the south, a vast expanse of dark clouds rolled forward, likewise halting in the distance to confront the experts of the Lesser Cold Domain from afar. The stretch of water where the beam of light stood, however, remained exceptionally calm, brushed only by a gentle breeze. Qin Sang discreetly surveyed his surroundings in all directions. Apart from the two gathering places for the Core Formation experts, not a single figure could be seen. The Nascent Soul grandmasters of neither side had shown themselves. Not appearing did not mean they were absent. If a Nascent Soul grandmaster chose to conceal themselves, it would likely be difficult even for Snake Granny to notice. Thinking of the wood carving tucked against his chest, Qin Sang felt a prick of apprehension. An arrow shot from a bow could not turn back; there was no room for hesitation now, and he could only steel himself and press onward. Leading the Heaven-Traversing Alliance was a gold-armored general. This man was extraordinarily tall—twice Qin Sang's height—with arms as thick as water buckets. The heavy, gleaming gold armor he wore seemed almost small on his massive frame. Whether this was innate endowment or the result of a cultivation method was impossible to tell. The gold-armored general's standing within the Heaven-Traversing Alliance was comparable to Snake Granny's. He was an elite late Core Formation stage expert whose strength seemed to surpass even hers. Qin Sang had heard rumors that someone once witnessed this general single-handedly take on Snake Granny and her spirit beast, fighting two on one without falling into the slightest disadvantage. His formidable power was evident from that alone. Though each side viewed the other as mortal enemies, the atmosphere was not overtly hostile. Qin Sang noticed Snake Granny and the gold-armored general conversing soundlessly for a while, but he could hear nothing and could only wait patiently for Heaven-Pointing Peak to open. They waited for a full two hours. None of those present showed any signs of impatience. Finally, a change occurred within the beam of light. The mirror's surface brightened at a visible rate, growing increasingly glaring without any sign of stopping until it was impossible to look at directly with the naked eye. Under the mirror's influence, the light beam turned dazzling, its luminescent ripples undulating ever more violently. Qin Sang faintly sensed that this radiance was actually a peculiar power gathering toward the light beam on its own for some reason. There was also another possibility: the radiance was being drawn in by the mirror. *Boom!* With an explosion-like roar, the light at the mirror abruptly surged. A powerful wave swept out from it. *Splash!* The invisible shockwave surged in all directions, carrying a terrifying force that caused Qin Sang and his companions to pale, their hearts seized by alarm. The once-tranquil water was suddenly struck as if by a hurricane, sending towering waves dozens of zhang high crashing across the lake. Amidst the raging surge, Qin Sang and the others still managed to stand steadily in place. Snake Granny had raised her snake staff, its tip producing a dark green barrier that enclosed Qin Sang and the rest to shield them from the brunt of the shockwave. Across from them, the gold-armored general erupted with vital blood energy, his gold armor gleaming brilliantly to form a defensive wall blended of blood energy and golden light that firmly protected the cultivators behind him. For late Core Formation stage experts, shielding their charges was effortless. No longer worried about his safety, Qin Sang focused entirely on the mirror. Following the outburst, the light within the mirror was no longer so piercing. Countless fragments resembling stardust gushed forth, quietly dissolving into empty space. The mirror itself seemed to have shattered under the impact. Stardust and radiance formed a tempest, churning the surrounding lake water into a colossal whirlpool. The water within the giant vortex spun at incredible speed, generating a powerful suction that slightly warped even the barrier cast by the snake staff. When the swirling water reached its maximum velocity, a muffled boom sounded, and a dense beam of white light shot skyward, dispersing the original pillar of light in an instant. At the source of the white light, everyone could vaguely make out a profound, gaping opening deep within the tempest at the vortex's center. Right then, Snake Granny's low shout rang in their ears. "Enter!" Enter now? Everyone had assumed they would wait until the tempest subsided and the entrance to Heaven-Pointing Peak was fully revealed before heading in. No one expected they would have to force their way through the storm. The surges from the tempest were not quite as terrifying as at the beginning, but they were still not to be underestimated. Concern appeared on the cultivators' faces, but Snake Granny had already retracted her snake staff. With the suction tugging at them, none dared to disobey. They manifested their defensive magic tools one after another and flew straight downward. Qin Sang maintained a moderate pace. Just as he was about to reach the tempest, his azure robe-like vestment shone brightly with green light, arcane runes surfacing across its back. This vestment was a top-grade magic tool of fine quality, possessing formidable defensive capability. The moment he plunged into the tempest, Qin Sang felt immense tearing forces bearing down from every direction, nearly scattering the green glow of his robe. Fortunately, he channeled his spiritual power with all his might, saving the garment from disaster. His vision was completely overwhelmed by white light, and even his spiritual sense could not extend beyond his body. In the chaotic tempest, Qin Sang barely kept his balance as he plummeted swiftly. At last, he broke through the storm and dropped into the opening. Yet before he could rejoice, an even stronger suction seized him. This was not a single current, but countless streams tangled together into a new storm, far more chaotic and potent than the one outside—utterly impossible to resist! Remembering Vice Island Master Xiao's advice, Qin Sang put everything else from his mind, focusing solely on protecting himself. He let the storm buffet him like a lone leaf drifting with the tide. Even now, he could still clearly feel the wood carving nestled against his chest, and he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Granny Jing had not exaggerated; it truly had gone undetected. After a dizzying blur of motion... Qin Sang keenly sensed that the storm's fury had weakened slightly. Better still, the vision long engulfed by white light finally began to return. Well aware of the dangers inside Heaven-Pointing Peak, Qin Sang immediately opened his eyes wide. Even as his body tumbled amidst the storm's impact, he did everything he could to get his bearings. Fighting off the dizziness, he committed everything he saw to memory, barely piecing together a coherent picture of his surroundings. Apart from himself, there was no one else in sight. Before entering, Qin Sang and Senior Brother Rong had hoped to stick as close together as possible, but the moment they plunged through the opening, the storm had torn them apart.