This flock of Heavenly Cranes numbered over a hundred. Though they were strikingly conspicuous, their speed in flight was exceptionally swift, making it extremely difficult for ordinary Xuan Guang practitioners to capture them.
Zhang Yan, however, paid no heed and charged straight through.
The flock of Heavenly Cranes, noticing a cultivator approaching, began scattering in all directions. Zhang Yan let out a long howl, and suddenly, a water-colored light screen rose behind him, sweeping through the air. In the blink of an eye, all of the cranes vanished without a trace.
After gathering this flock of cranes, Zhang Yan did not pause. He continued flying toward the peak. Not long after, he encountered another group of demon birds. Without uttering a word, he unleashed his True Light again, sweeping them into the screen.
As Zhang Yan advanced, his Water Element True Light rose and fell, group after group of demon birds disappeared into the water screen, their fate unknown.
After capturing over a thousand demon birds, Zhang Yan still showed no sign of stopping. He scanned his surroundings and spotted a massive, fiercely combative Jade-eyed Golden Eagle soaring upwards ahead.
With a hearty laugh, Zhang Yan formed a spell seal and transformed into a streak of green radiance, charging forward.
Such ferocious demon birds, with immense strength, fiercely aggressive temperaments, and steel-like feathers that were impervious to ordinary Dharma treasures, often preferred death to capture. Cultivators seeking medicinal ingredients typically avoided provoking them and allowed the birds to fly away. But in the face of Zhang Yan, such defenses were futile—he simply shrugged his shoulder, and a brilliant beam of light swept forth.
The Golden Eagle attempted to resist, but where could it possibly escape? A water screen enveloped it, and the bird was helplessly drawn into the flowing rivers within, its consciousness muddled as it drifted away.
As one ascended Shendu Peak, the demon birds grew increasingly ferocious. Even if they couldn’t defeat a cultivator, they could escape with the speed of their wings, making them rarely targeted. Yet, encountering Zhang Yan spelled disaster. Wherever he flew, the demon birds in proximity were wiped out entirely.
Having accumulated over a thousand demon birds, Zhang Yan deemed the materials sufficient for his Hidden Marrow Refining and refrained from further action. He flew straight toward the summit of Shendu Peak.
Within moments, he reached the peak and fixed his gaze upon the surging thunder pool below. Retrieving the golden plate from his Sleeve Bag, he tossed it into the air.
As soon as the metallic object materialized, it attracted dozens of strands of Thunder Radiance that flashed like golden serpents.
With a single invocation, Zhang Yan triggered the golden plate’s rotation, capturing the strands of Thunder Radiance within it.
Collecting Que Jue Thunder depended on individual fortune, as among hundreds of Thunder Radiances, only one Essence Thunder could appear. The more Essence Thunder gathered, the greater the efficacy during pill solidification.
However, the thunder pool would only stir for an hour at a time. If unsuccessful, one would have to wait for another opportunity.
Some cultivators who found the process too troublesome might space out the timing between Thunder collection and Hidden Marrow Refining, though doing so would significantly diminish potency compared to refining materials obtained simultaneously.
As Zhang Yan diligently harvested the thunder, two individuals observed him from another peak, watching his every action closely.
One was Hou Family Chief Hou Boxu, and the other was a woman dressed in a Feather Robe, holding a golden-ringed silken sash. She was someone Zhang Yan had encountered before—a Daoist couple of Xu Gongyuan from the Nine Nether Sect.
The woman gazed at Zhang Yan for a moment and pointed as she questioned the black-clothed Daoist beside her, "Daoist Sima, who is that man?"
The black-clothed Daoist pondered for a while before responding, "I do not recognize this individual."
The woman’s tone suddenly grew sharp, "Could it be that junior Zhang Yan in disguise?"
Hou Boxu coughed lightly and interjected, "Although Daoist Sima does not recognize him, it may not necessarily be Zhang Yan. Mrs. Xu, please remain calm. Let me approach later to inquire further."
Mrs. Xu scoffed disdainfully, "Why go to such trouble? He’s here alone—allow me to seize him and verify his identity first."
Hou Boxu’s eyelids twitched at this proposal and hastily objected, "Daoist, please hold back. Judging by his Xuan Guang, he appears to be using a Middle Method from the Taihao Sect. Bear in mind, this is East Splendor Continent, not the East Sea—you must not act rashly."
Mrs. Xu hesitated briefly. Prior to arriving, Xu Gongyuan had specifically warned her that while offending ordinary individuals was trivial, provoking anyone from the Ten Sects of Xuanmen would be disastrous and might force her to flee to the outer sea at all costs.
Driven as she was by vengeance against Zhang Yan for her son, Mrs. Xu was unwilling to leave so easily, and grumbled irritably, "Then, Daoist Hou, what should we do?"
Hou Boxu spoke in a solemn tone, "Daoist Sima, being an emissary under the Immortal Market’s proprietorship, has unrivaled access to information. Since this man’s cultivation stems from the True Sect of Xuanmen, he cannot be an obscure figure. Why not gather some details on him first?"
The black-clothed Daoist nodded slightly, extracting a Jade Talisman while channeling Qi Mechanism into it to reveal Zhang Yan’s likeness. After bowing, he remarked, "This humble Daoist shall return shortly."
In less than an incense stick’s time, the Daoist returned and informed the two, "This man claims his surname is Yue. Five years ago, he appeared here and seemed familiar with the Manager of Zhenyu Building within our Immortal Market."
All those entering the Flying Boat Immortal Market had their appearances recorded by the Mirror at its entrance. As a subordinate of the Market, the Daoist could effortlessly trace one’s origins.
Hou Boxu mused briefly, "Yue? The Yue Family is a Southeastern Great Clan—could this man indeed be from Taihao Sect?"
Mrs. Xu dismissed him impatiently, "If he’s not that brat Zhang Yan, then there’s no need to bother with him."
Hou Boxu shook his head, "No, this individual’s arrival is unusual. To be cautious, let me examine him personally after a short while."
Mrs. Xu, somewhat perplexed, asked, "Then why not inquire now?"
Xu Gongyuan cast her a glance and sighed, "Mrs. Xu, understand that this person is currently collecting medicinal materials. If he truly isn’t Zhang Yan and I approach unwarrantedly, won’t I disrupt his Daoist pursuit? Should his sect elders become enraged, I won’t be able to bear the consequences. Besides, it’s only an hour—why grow impatient?"
Mrs. Xu blushed faintly, snorted, and fell silent.
While they conversed, Zhang Yan continued absorbing Thunder without pause. When an hour elapsed, he retrieved the golden plate, infused it with Spiritual Energy and detected several Essence Thunder strands rolling within—lively and animated.
His smooth success delighted him, and he thought to himself, "Next, I’ll need to find an Earth Cave within the next half month to refine the Medicine Transformation Elixir."
He had deliberated this beforehand. Though Spirit Cleansing caves were abundant across the world, the ones at the meeting points of East Splendor Continent and Beiming Continent were superior.
The two continents were separated by fifteen thousand miles. If he used sword escape to fly non-stop at ordinary speed, it would take roughly ten days to reach the location. Once there, following the map would leave enough time. Updates are released by noᴠelfire.net
Having decided on his course, he wasted no further time. He absorbed the Spiritual Energy stored within his abdominal Golden Core and activated the Little All Heaven Moving Technique, transforming into Rainbow Light and flying away.
As Xu Gongyuan contemplated how to greet him after he finished collecting Thunder Radiance, a sudden flash caught his eye. Before he could speak, a streak of tunneling light shot toward the north and vanished into the vast skies within moments.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation!)