Dark clouds tumbled, and suddenly a torrential downpour began.
On the official road, a carriage was being laboriously escorted by more than a dozen knights.
The world was dark, and suddenly another crash of thunder sounded.
Zhu Ling’er lifted the carriage curtain, comforting the young boy in her arms with a gentle voice, "Little brother Long’er, be good, don’t be afraid, it’s just thunder... Once you reach the Xuanhai Sect and cultivate Daoist Skill, you, too, will be able to command the wind and the rain, and wield the might of true Divine Thunder."
Zhu Long’er, after all, was just a child, and after making a fuss for a while, he fell into a deep sleep.
Only then did a look of concern flash across Zhu Ling’er’s face, "This storm and thunder are truly peculiar..."
At that moment, a knight came to the side of the carriage window.
His mount was a Black Demon Qilin Horse, which was not only two heads taller than ordinary fine horses but also had a layer of fine scales covering its vital parts like the belly. It was said to be the offspring of a Celestial Horse and a Qilin, possessing the blood of a Qilin. It was wildly sought after by princes and nobles, worth a fortune for just one.
The knight’s aura was concentrated, and his body was wrapped in a flexible strength; whenever rain hit him, the water rolled off as if on lotus leaves, not dampening his clothes in the slightest—clearly, he was a Martial Arts expert whose power had infused his every movement.
"The rain came suddenly, and there’s nowhere to shelter in this wilderness... Thank you for your efforts, Commander Qing."
Zhu Ling’er spoke softly.
Her family had been merchants for generations, wealthy in Yue Country, with businesses stretching across the entire region of Jiangnan. They had raised a group of formidable guards and even paid tribute to several Immortal Masters.
This time, the Zhu Family had paid a tremendous price to secure relations with a cultivation sect like the Xuanhai Sect, and they were able to send a family Disciple for an entrance test.
If not for pressing matters at home, even her father would have personally undertaken the task.
"It’s just a bit of rain, no big deal. The brothers don’t mind the hardship, but this rain is odd..."
Commander Qing had only replied halfway when another startling boom of thunder fell from the sky.
The sky and earth grew dark as though only that magnificent strike of Heavenly Thunder remained!
The flash of lightning was like a streak, crashing down directly and striking the forest not far from the caravan, trembling with traces of Evil Qi.
Zhu Ling’er had yet to react when another Five Evil God Thunder struck, aimed at the same location.
The master and servant exchanged wordless glances; even the dullest among them could tell something was amiss.
"Commander Qing, with your extensive travels and experiences, have you ever seen such a thing?"
Zhu Ling’er’s face was a bit pale, but she still asked.
Commander Qing replied with a bitter smile, "I’ve been traveling with merchant caravans since I was twelve, and I’ve seen many strange people and wonders... But this chain of Heavenly Thunder, I truly haven’t seen before. I’m afraid it’s tied to the Immortal Sect—if not some treasure emerging, then perhaps a demon beast is undergoing its tribulation..."
"If my little brother is about to become a disciple of the Xuanhai Sect, obtaining a treasure would be beneficial..."
Zhu Ling’er’s eyes lit up, then quickly dimmed, "It could also be a disaster. He’s too naïve; I’m afraid he can’t keep it safe... Besides, if it’s a demon beast undergoing tribulation, then we are in extreme danger. It’s best to leave quickly."
Commander Qing couldn’t help but secretly admire her. This young lady had always been decisive since she was a child, and her father often lamented why she wasn’t born a son.
After all, a daughter must be married off, but if Miss had been born a son, not only would the wealth of the Zhu family have been hers to inherit, but even the opportunity at Xuanhai Sect would likely have not fallen to the young master.
"Even if a treasure has emerged, it can easily cause all sorts of demons and Immortal Masters to fight over it. When immortals clash, the mortal realm suffers... Let’s go, quickly."
With a commanding cry, Commander Qing was about to order the caravan to speed up.
However, at that moment.
Three consecutive blasts of thunder struck the same place, without any deviation.
A terrifying presence erupted.
That was the overflow of the Evil Qi from the Five Evil God Thunder, and within the caravan, the livestock, including the Black Demon Qilin Horse, worth a fortune, all collapsed to the ground, rolling in puddles of their own piss, unresponsive to any beating or scolding.
Beasts, although dull-witted, often have a keener sense of spirit communication than humans.
For example, when the Earth Dragon Flips, flocks of birds take flight, and even domesticated livestock become panicked, while humans typically show no reaction at all.
The Five Evil God Thunder is truly the might of the heavens!
Under the might of the heavens, all creatures bow their heads in submission.
Even if these guards slaughtered them, they would not be able to move.
Zhu Ling’er had no choice but to order the caravan to stop and make repairs; a few guards set up a rain shelter for Zhu Ling’er and her brother to take cover from the rain.
At this time, Zhu Long’er also came to his senses, silently staring at the sky, when he suddenly said, "Sister, I counted, and it seemed like there were eight claps of thunder just now..."
"Hmm? Weren’t you asleep?" Zhu Ling’er was slightly surprised.
"Even asleep, I could hear them."
"This thunder is most likely to shake one’s divine soul. You must be very careful, my brother. If you feel unwell, tell your sister right away." Zhu Ling’er was startled and hugged her brother tightly.
The thunder was fierce; although it could eradicate evil spirits, it could also frighten the soul out of someone, especially the divine soul of a young child.
Just then, another bolt of thunder struck.
This thunderbolt was as thick as a barrel and lasted for quite a few breaths’ time.
A chestnut horse, terrified by the shock, actually died from fright!
Strangely enough, after the thunderbolt struck, the clouds in the sky cleared away and a rainbow appeared, signaling that the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared.
Seeing that the horses had finally returned to normal, Zhu Ling’er made a decisive decision and ordered the caravan to move on.
Just after they had traveled a dozen li, Commander Qing suddenly stretched out his hand to halt the procession.
Zhu Ling’er looked ahead and her expression changed.
By the roadside, a graceful young man, with somewhat tattered clothes, was leaning against an ancient tree, smiling at the caravan—it was Zhong Shenxiu!
He had triggered his own calamities and had withstood nine bolts of the Five Evil God Thunder with his own cultivation, yet he remained unscathed.
Not only that, but his Daoist Skill and Mana had greatly improved, and in the main world, he would be considered a genuine One Disaster True Man.
However, his clothes had inevitably become a bit unkempt because of the ordeal.
After transcending the calamity, Zhong Shenxiu swept his divine consciousness and discovered this official road and caravan, naturally flying over to hitch a ride and casually inquire about some news.
After all, he was completely clueless about this world.
"May I know why you have stopped us?" Commander Qing urged the Black Demon Qilin forward and asked with a serious tone.
He was also afraid of encountering some high-level Sword Immortal, so he spoke very politely.
’Can he actually understand?’ Zhong Shenxiu felt a surge of joy in his heart.
It’s common for languages to differ when traversing different worlds.
Even within a single country, dialects can vary every ten li, and customs every hundred li, not to mention other places?
But the language spoken by these people was not the official language of the Second Yan Han Empire; instead, it was the most basic of Daoist incantations known to cultivators.
After all, there are thousands of Daoist Scriptures; when it comes to reciting incantations, they can’t all include regional accents.
The common Daoist Scriptures of the Second Yan Han Empire descend from the Heavenly Emperor himself and have their own pronunciation, known as the orthodox phonetic system, equivalent to the official language of the Cultivation World.
And the language used by the people of this region was also this ’official language’!
Zhong Shenxiu instantly knew that this world must have a significant connection with the Heavenly Emperor’s domain.