Chapter 221: Thunder-Controlling Token

Following this, cultivators from other sects such as the Xiaoyao Sect, Huorong Sect, and Xuanyue Sect arrived at the edge of Mutian Gorge one after another, with little time between them.

The entire Mutian Gorge stretched for over a thousand miles. After arriving at the gorge, the various sects occupied different positions, seemingly each having their own territory.

Like Liu Zongping, they had been testing the condition of the barrier below from the edge of the gorge, waiting for the barrier's power to weaken. However, unlike the people from the Star Sect, each major sect possessed its own unique methods—some utilized hidden secret techniques, while others operated special talismans or puppet beasts. For a time, the once-tranquil Mutian Gorge became extremely lively.

Thus, as time passed, five or six days went by until the barrier below the gorge finally began to weaken slowly. Upon discovering this, each group immediately took action, ready at any moment to pass through the barrier and enter the inner valley.

The first to enter the gorge were still the Star Sect cultivators who had arrived first. After two consecutive tests, Liu Zongping put away the remaining paper cranes in his hand and shouted loudly to the many fellow disciples beside him who had been waiting with great anticipation:

"Come over to my side, prepare to set off!"

Liu Zongping took out a white jade token and used it to form a massive white protective shield, enclosing all the Star Sect disciples within it. He then led everyone as they flew down toward the depths of Mutian Gorge.

In a cave a hundred miles from the gorge, the red-clothed woman who had been the first to visit the gorge gazed at a bronze mirror before her. The mirror displayed the scene of Liu Zongping and the other Star Sect disciples entering the gorge. Seeing this, a faint smile slowly appeared on the red-clothed woman's face.

After the power of the barrier in Mutian Gorge weakened, the white mist below also thinned slightly, making it possible to see some of the surrounding cliff walls.

Under Liu Zongping's lead, the Star Sect group descended rapidly. After passing through the white mist above the gorge, those who fell into the depths of the gorge were immediately plunged into darkness.

Just then, several beams of white light suddenly lit up in the pitch-black darkness where one could not see their own fingers. Before anyone could react, a heaven-shaking boom erupted, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a bowl flew down, striking the white protective shield they had erected.

After being struck by this lightning, the white shield swayed slightly for a few moments before immediately scattering a shower of white sparks, briefly illuminating the pitch-black space nearby.

Struck by such a powerful bolt of lightning, the Star Sect members inside the white shield were also given a fright. If not for the protection of the shield just now, most of them would likely have lost their lives on the spot after being hit by such a formidable bolt of lightning.

Although they had blocked this strike, the people inside the shield were still shaken by the thunderous sound, nearly losing their footing.

Before they could even catch their breath, several more even more powerful bolts of white lightning struck down toward the shield. This time, the sight turned the faces of some Star Sect cultivators inside the shield a deathly pale.

Although the combined power of two consecutive lightning strikes had left those inside feeling dizzy and disoriented, the shield supported by the white jade token outside still held firm against these attacks, preventing those inside from suffering much harm.

Seeing that the shield's defensive capability was so strong, the Star Sect members gradually set their minds at ease. They could not help but become curious about what kind of treasure the jade token in Senior Brother Liu's hand was, to be able to block such formidable lightning power.

The treasure Liu Zongping had produced was personally handed to him by the Jin Dan Elder leading the Star Sect before entering the secret realm. This item was called the Thunder-Controlling Token, a very powerful second-grade top-quality defensive magic tool. It was particularly effective against the kind of lightning found in the gorge's barrier, and it was their greatest reliance for ensuring they could enter the inner valley.

After several lightning strikes, everyone grew accustomed to the scene of flashing lightning and rolling thunder in the depths of the gorge and gradually relaxed. However, before they could rejoice for too long, lightning began to flash nearby once more, and even more terrifying bolts of lightning struck toward them again.

——

On a sand dune in the northwest of the secret realm, a young man wearing a bamboo hat was walking quickly alone. As he walked, the young man carefully observed his surroundings. In this secret realm fraught with crises, there were not many people who dared to act alone like him.

Half an hour later, the young man finally walked out of the sand dunes and arrived at a grassy area. He happily took off his bamboo hat, revealing a very refined face.

This person was Song Qingming, who had been acting together with the Huang family members since entering the secret realm. It was just unclear why he had appeared here all alone.

After sitting down to rest for a while at the edge of the grass, Song Qingming took a golden feather about half a foot long from his storage bag, looked at it, and then put it away, changing direction to continue his journey.

Time returned to half a day ago. Song Qingming and Huang Shengxin were happily on a plain, preparing to seize two second-grade spirit herbs from several second-grade Green Bull beasts ahead.

These Green Bull beasts had average divine abilities and were not difficult to deal with. As long as no one came here to cause trouble, for the four of them to obtain the spirit herbs was basically a sure thing, like reaching into a bag to take something.

Just as the group was discussing and planning how to obtain the spirit herbs more easily, Song Qingming, who was sitting to the side, suddenly felt a strange fluctuation of spiritual power coming from his body, causing his expression to change instantly and his nerves to tighten.

After finding an excuse, Song Qingming walked to the side to carefully investigate. Only then did he discover that the cause of this disturbance was the strange five-colored feather that Huo Feng had given him.

Facing the feather that had sent the signal, Song Qingming also felt a headache. It had already been over ten days since they entered, and Song Qingming and the Huang family members had already found quite a few spirit items in the secret realm. This had almost made him forget Huo Feng's instructions to him.

Having not received any news from Huo Feng for so long, Song Qingming increasingly felt that his guess was correct: that arrogant Huo Feng likely really hadn't managed to sneak directly into the secret realm.

This was, after all, the territory of the human race. When entering the secret realm that day, Song Qingming had personally felt it; there were five or six Jin Dan level cultivators present at the scene alone. As a demonic beast, if Huo Feng dared to appear there, even if she were truly a Demon Emperor, it would be very difficult for her to escape the eyes of human Jin Dan cultivators.

In any case, he had entered according to their agreement. If Huo Feng couldn't get in herself and hadn't informed him in advance, she shouldn't be able to blame him!

Just when Song Qingming thought he could continue to drift along with the Huang family members until the secret realm ended, he didn't expect that Huo Feng would have sent him a message not long ago.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 222 =====