Thunder Valley, where thunderclouds gathered, cast a gloomy shadow even under a clear sky.
Stepping into Thunder Hall, Lin Xiao spotted an elder in blue robes. This man was none other than Elder Lei, the guardian of the Thunder Qi Tower.
“Elder Lei!” Lin Xiao greeted respectfully, “I’d like to enter the second level of the Thunder Qi Tower.”
“Come with me!” Elder Lei replied, as if he already knew Lin Xiao’s intentions. He nodded faintly and turned to walk deeper into the hall.
Lin Xiao didn’t think much of it and followed. With the sound of their footsteps, three entrances in different directions soon came into view across the hall’s floor.
“The second level requires one hundred thunder pearls to activate the formation once. Get ready and head in,” Elder Lei said calmly, glancing at the entrance.
Lin Xiao cupped his hands in thanks and stepped into the second level’s entrance.
Inside, the iron rooms of the Thunder Qi Tower’s second level were similar to the first, though they were about ten times smaller. It seemed few disciples could access this level.
Entering an iron room and closing the door behind him, Lin Xiao walked slowly toward the formation platform supported by stone pillars. He touched his storage ring, retrieving one hundred thunder pearls from it.
“Activating the formation on the second level costs one hundred thunder pearls each time. Good thing I’ve got plenty this time!” Lin Xiao muttered with a light sigh, taking a deep breath before placing the pearls into the platform.
The thunder qi formation activated instantly.
“Crackle!”
Rolling waves of thunder qi surged powerfully from the pillars, flooding the room. In the blink of an eye, Lin Xiao’s body was engulfed as bolts of thunder power struck him from all directions.
His body trembled, as if electrified, a mix of pain and stimulation rushing through him.
“The thunder qi on this second level is five times stronger than the first. This isn’t for training—it’s like getting struck by lightning!” Lin Xiao cursed inwardly, quickly circulating his meridians to cultivate with the thunder qi as his vital energy.
This cultivation speed was countless times slower than using regular vital energy. The wild, surging thunder qi felt like it might burst his entire dantian, swelling relentlessly.
Enduring the pain, it took about an hour for Lin Xiao to adjust to the second level’s thunder qi and cultivate with it as his energy source.
But this time, he wasn’t just cultivating with thunder qi—he aimed to condense thunder essence and gather it in his dantian.
The difficulty was immense, and the danger was just as great. One misstep could rupture his dantian.
Moreover, this wasn’t something he could achieve in a day or two. The longer he cultivated, the more pain he’d have to endure.
Still, entering the Thunder Qi Tower this time, Lin Xiao was determined to condense thunder essence and wouldn’t stop until he succeeded.
Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Lin Xiao had spent a full month in the second level of the Thunder Qi Tower, activating the thunder qi formation over ten times and consuming a thousand thunder pearls.
On the tenth activation, the thunder essence in his dantian finally took shape.
Within his dantian, where vast vital energy had condensed into a snake-gall-like form, a smaller, blue gall-like object now emerged.
This object was the thunder essence, formed from countless strands of thunder qi, containing a ferocious, sky-shaking thunder force.
This thunder essence dantian was like a mini-dantian within his dantian. If it exploded, Lin Xiao’s current physical body would likely be obliterated countless times over.
Fortunately, condensing the thunder essence had gone smoothly, with more thrill than peril.
“Finally done!” Lin Xiao exhaled deeply, faint currents of electricity flickering across his body, “Next, I can start practising the sword technique. But the thunder qi on this second level isn’t fast enough anymore!”
After a month of condensing thunder essence, Lin Xiao’s physical body had grown a level stronger, and the thunder qi here had less effect on him now.
With two months left before the Inner Court training began, he faced numerous formidable foes. He needed to boost his strength as quickly as possible in that time.
Stepping out of the Thunder Qi Tower’s second level, Lin Xiao emerged from the entrance and scanned the hall. His gaze soon landed on Elder Lei, who approached him.
“Not bad at all. Condensing thunder essence with thunder qi—you’re a rare case in Shengyuan Academy!” Elder Lei said with a hint of surprise, his tone appreciative.
“As expected, nothing escapes Elder Lei’s notice!” Lin Xiao sighed. This elder’s strength was unfathomably deep; the entire Thunder Qi Tower was likely under his watch.
“But don’t get too pleased yet. Condensing thunder essence is just the foundation for cultivating the Thunder Sword Art. There’s still a long way to go before you master it!” Elder Lei added, tempering his enthusiasm.
“Elder Lei knows I’m cultivating the Thunder Sword Art?” Lin Xiao blinked, startled.
“I’m the one who placed the Thunder Sword Art there!” Elder Lei admitted frankly. Since Lin Xiao had successfully condensed thunder essence, there was no need to hide it anymore.
“What?” Lin Xiao was stunned again. The Thunder Sword Art was put in the Library Pavilion by Elder Lei? Did that mean Elder Lei practised it too?
“No need to be shocked. I’m not the only one who knows this technique, but even I haven’t mastered it. Still, I can vouch for its power.”
A trace of pride crossed Elder Lei’s face as he spoke of the Thunder Sword Art’s might, “Train hard. This technique will bring you unexpected benefits!”
Lin Xiao roughly understood. If even Elder Lei had trained in it without mastering it, the Thunder Sword Art was likely close to being a core technique of Shengyuan Academy, if not one already.
“Thank you, Elder Lei!” Lin Xiao cupped his hands, saying no more.
“Now, you want to enter the third level of the Thunder Qi Tower, don’t you?” Elder Lei asked.
Lin Xiao nodded.
“The third level’s thunder qi is ten times stronger than the second. It takes a thousand thunder pearls to activate the formation once, and each activation lasts a month. Think it over carefully!” Elder Lei explained calmly.
“A thousand thunder pearls…” Lin Xiao clicked his tongue inwardly. The first level needed only thirty, the second a hundred, but the third demanded a thousand.
For an average disciple, saving up that much in a year would be impossible.
Had he not plundered the entire Mo Alliance, even he wouldn’t have gathered so many thunder pearls.
Luckily, his storage ring still held two thousand thunder pearls—enough for two activations.
Of course, one activation on the third level lasted a full month, with thunder qi ten times stronger than the second. By a month’s calculation, the second level was far more cost-effective.
But that assumed one had the physical strength and power to withstand it. Across the entire Outer Court, few could even enter the third level.
Stepping slowly into the third level’s entrance, Lin Xiao entered the inner hall of the Thunder Qi Tower again. There were only a dozen or so rooms here, each several times larger than those before.
Faint flashes of lightning flickered within, their aura so intense it seemed ready to erupt at any moment, sending a chill down one’s spine just looking at it.
Entering a room, Lin Xiao closed the iron door, took a deep breath, and retrieved a thousand thunder pearls. Rolling waves of thunder qi poured forth from the stone pillar.
This time, it took Lin Xiao several days to adjust to the third level’s ferocious thunder qi. He ended up charred black and utterly dishevelled.
Only after those days did he draw his longsword and begin practising according to the Thunder Sword Art.
Once Lin Xiao entered, two months passed.
During those two months, the Outer Court disciples of Shengyuan Academy were all frantically preparing for the slaughter training.
