Translator: CinderTL
At first glance, Song Wen recognized the altar.
This altar was identical to the one from the Lei Family, which was used to devour others' lightning talent.
Connecting the dots with the lightning in the valley and the Thunder Falcon, which possessed the bloodline of the divine beast Thunderbird, Song Wen instantly understood the purpose of this small secret realm.
It was to raise lightning-type demon beasts and use them to devour their lightning talent.
Knowing that there was no greater opportunity at the mountain peak, Song Wen naturally had no intention of risking the climb.
However, to his surprise, he wasn't the only one who wanted to give up on the ascent.
Hearing that Song Wen wouldn't climb, Tai He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Senior Sister Xi Ling, fellow Daoists, I also won't climb this mountain."
Xi Ling looked at Tai He with confusion.
After three days of recuperation, her eyes had mostly recovered.
"Junior Brother Tai He, why is that?"
Tai He replied, "Senior Sister Xi Ling, no matter what treasures are in the Immortal Spirit Pavilion at the peak, one must be alive to claim them. The lightning at the peak is equivalent to a full-force strike from a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. With my mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, attempting to climb this mountain would be beyond my capabilities."
Xi Ling said, "Tai He, you must think carefully. In this small secret realm, we have yet to discover any teleportation arrays. If we find a teleportation array at the peak, we might leave directly and not return to the base. If you don't accompany us, you won't be able to climb this mountain alone. If you can't find another teleportation array, you might have to leave the Divine Blood Hall."
Tai He replied, "Senior Sister, I understand the stakes."
Xi Ling gazed at Tai He for a moment, then sighed.
"Alright, then you stay."
Gou Jun's eyes shifted between Tai He and Song Wen.
When only Song Wen had expressed reluctance to climb, he hadn't thought much of it. But now that Tai He also refused, he couldn't help but wonder.
"Tai He, Yin Shuo," Gou Jun questioned coldly, "have you discovered something?"
Song Wen said, "Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, you are perceptive. I am merely weak and don't wish to throw my life away."
Tai He added, "Fellow Daoist Gou Jun, how could I dare to show off in front of you? Like Yin Shuo, I just don't want to take unnecessary risks."
"Best if that's the case. If I find out you're hiding something, I won't let you off lightly."
Given the current situation, Gou Jun couldn't take action against Song Wen and Tai He, so he could only threaten them before turning to ascend the stairs.
The other seven followed closely.
Soon, the eight Nascent Soul cultivators entered the range of the formation.
Lightning continuously fell around them, and each of them used their own methods to fend off the strikes.
At the base of the mountain, the eight moved swiftly, leaving only afterimages on the stairs.
By the time they reached the mountainside, the power of the lightning was nearing that of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator's attack, forcing them to take each strike seriously, and their speed slowed significantly.
As they continued upward, the eight gathered together, combining their strength to withstand the lightning. This also reduced the area they occupied, minimizing the number of strikes they had to endure.
Watching the eight figures grow increasingly indistinct within the lightning, Song Wen asked Tai He beside him, "Fellow Daoist Tai He, why aren't you climbing?"
"Why aren't you climbing?" Tai He countered instead of answering.
Song Wen said, "I'm merely afraid of death. Climbing this mountain would be no different from seeking my own demise. What about you, Daoist? If there truly is the Fallen Immortal Blood in the Immortal Spirit Pavilion at the summit, wouldn't you be missing out on the opportunity to advance to Divine Transformation?"
Tai He replied, "No matter how great the opportunity, one must be alive to seize it. Even if I could safely navigate the endless thunder to reach the Immortal Spirit Pavilion at the summit, I would surely be left with little Spiritual Power. How could I then compete with Gou Jun and the others for the treasures?"
"If the Fallen Immortal Blood is indeed in the Immortal Spirit Pavilion, there will undoubtedly be a fierce battle among the eight of them. By staying here, I might unexpectedly reap some benefits."
Upon hearing this, Song Wen immediately understood that Tai He intended to let others fight and then take advantage of the situation.
If there was no Teleportation Array at the Immortal Spirit Pavilion on the summit, the eight who ascended would inevitably have to return.
These people would go up and down the mountain, and conflicts would arise as they competed for the treasures. By then, their strength would be greatly diminished, giving Tai He the chance to benefit from their weakened state.
Moreover, with Xi Ling ascending the mountain, Tai He could learn from her what treasures were in the Immortal Spirit Pavilion and who obtained them, allowing him to choose the right target to act against.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Song Wen's gaze toward Tai He grew wary.
"What do you think?" Tai He's lips curled into a cold smile. "At the cliff outside the Divine Blood Hall, you provoked me repeatedly. It's time we settled this grudge."
Song Wen glanced up at the summit, where he could faintly see Gou Jun and the others still a mile away from the top—the most perilous stretch of the journey.
Tai He wanted to kill him, and he wanted to kill Tai He.
But now was not the time to act.
"Daoist Tai He, why hold onto such trivial grievances? How about we reconcile?"
Tai He's face showed disdain. "Do you think that's possible?"
"Daoist Tai He, my cultivation is inferior to yours. But killing me won't be so easy." With a flip of his hand, Song Wen produced a silver talisman. "Don't forget, I have the Minor Teleportation Talisman you gave me, and I have three of them."
Tai He's expression stiffened slightly.
This small secret realm was vast, and if Song Wen used the Minor Teleportation Talisman to escape, there would be little Tai He could do to stop him.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for his earlier arrogance, having forgotten that 'Yin Shuo' possessed the teleportation talisman.
A sincere smile spread across Tai He's face.
"Daoist Yin Shuo, you speak wisely. The grievances between us are but trivial matters, not worth dwelling on. How about we shake hands and make peace?"
Song Wen replied, "Your words align perfectly with my thoughts."
The two exchanged smiles, as if all past enmity had been erased in that moment.
...
At the summit of Thunder Mountain.
Gou Jun and the other seven gathered together, braving the relentless thunder as they slowly advanced.
The Immortal Spirit Pavilion was now in sight, only a few dozen meters away.
But the closer they got to the pavilion, the more densely the thunder fell from the sky.
Countless bolts of lightning struck continuously, leaving them no room to dodge or catch their breath.
They had no choice but to endure the thunder.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
The deafening roar of thunder was unceasing.
Gou Jun, Gui Ni, and Xue Cangqiong, whose techniques and methods were all countered by thunder, were the most heavily drained.
Especially for Gui Ni, his ghostly creatures and Mystic Treasures were utterly powerless against the thunder.
Throughout the journey, he had been barely holding on, relying solely on his immense Spiritual Power.
If it weren't for the assistance of the other seven, he would have likely fled in panic, descending the mountain in a disheveled state.
(End of the Chapter)
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