The newly baptized warriors stood before Shao Xian, their bodies radiating the residual energy of the Thunder Emperor's Baptism. Their once-tattered robes had been burned away, leaving behind only the hardened forms of warriors forged in tribulation.
Shao Xian's gaze swept across them, his golden eyes glowing faintly under the dim light of the hall. These were no longer mere remnants of a fallen sect—they were something far greater.
The Stormbreakers.
A force that would soon shake the very foundation of the world.
"From this moment," Shao Xian's voice resonated like rolling thunder, "you are bound to the storm. Your past as weaklings has been incinerated. What remains… is power."
The disciples clenched their fists, feeling the surging energy coursing through them. Each one had been reforged, their bodies now capable of channeling the divine thunder.
Zhao Feng stepped forward, his body still trembling from the baptism. His dark eyes flickered with newfound determination. "My lord, the transformation… It's unlike anything I've ever felt before."
Shao Xian smirked. "Good. That means you have truly survived."
He turned, walking towards the grand doors of the hall. As he moved, the air around him crackled with residual lightning, a lingering echo of his overwhelming presence.
"Come," he commanded.
The Stormbreakers followed without hesitation.
Beyond the hall lay the training grounds—a vast expanse of ancient stone, surrounded by towering monoliths etched with runes of power. This was once the heart of the sect before its downfall, but now, it would serve as the crucible for his new army.
Shao Xian stepped onto the sacred ground and raised a hand.
Immediately, the sky darkened.
A low rumble echoed across the land as storm clouds gathered above.
"Your baptism was merely the first step," he declared. "Now, you will master what you have inherited."
With a sharp motion, he thrust his palm forward.
Lightning exploded from the sky, crashing down upon the monoliths with a deafening roar. The ground shook, and arcs of energy danced wildly across the stones.
The disciples flinched, but Shao Xian's voice cut through the chaos.
"Do not fear it," he commanded. "Embrace it."
One by one, the Stormbreakers stepped forward, their bodies instinctively responding to the call of the storm.
Zhao Feng was the first to act. He raised his hands, channeling the divine energy within him. The lightning that raged around the monoliths twisted, bending towards him as if drawn by an invisible force.
His body trembled as the power surged through his veins, but instead of resisting, he let it flow freely.
A sudden burst of energy erupted from him, sending a shockwave rippling through the air. His aura expanded, becoming more refined—more controlled.
Shao Xian nodded approvingly. "This is what it means to wield the storm."
The others followed suit, each of them attempting to harness the chaotic energy surrounding them. Some struggled, their bodies still adjusting to their newfound strength. Others, like Zhao Feng, adapted quickly.
Hours passed, yet Shao Xian did not allow them to rest.
This was not mere training—this was a war of survival.
By the time the storm finally began to wane, the Stormbreakers stood victorious against their own limitations.
Their auras pulsed stronger than before, their bodies tempered further by the relentless onslaught of divine energy.
Shao Xian turned to face them, his expression unreadable.
"This is only the beginning," he said. "Your power will continue to grow. And soon… the world will tremble before us."
A silence hung in the air, thick with anticipation.
Then, as one, the Stormbreakers knelt, their voices echoing like thunder itself.
"We live to serve the storm!"
Shao Xian's lips curled into a knowing smile.