Thunder Division

The Thunder Division was located at the very front, where a broad plaza stretched out.

At the center of the plaza lay a circular thunder pool.

Purple lightning fluid drifted slowly through the pool, flashing with arcs of lightning.

From time to time, it crackled with heart-pounding sparks.

The Thunder Division's main hall, the Divine Sky Thunder Palace, stood at the far end of the plaza, radiating majesty.

Holding his token, Dong Lin arrived before the hall. A young attendant came forward from within and led him inside.

Elder Zheng must have informed the Thunder Division about Dong Lin,

which was why someone had been waiting for him inside the hall the moment he entered the Thunder Division.

"Little Friend Dong, please wait a moment. Elder Zheng should be back soon."

"May I ask how to address you, Senior?"

"I am Xue Zhan, the Thunder Division's steward. If Little Friend Dong has any problems regarding food, clothing, or daily necessities in the Thunder Division,

you may come to me. Please, have a seat. It has been many years since the Thunder Division last took in a new formal disciple."

Before long, Elder Zheng hurried in from outside the hall.

Dong Lin quickly rose to greet him. "Greetings, Master."

"Sit, sit, sit. Xiao Lin, sit down. The Thunder Division has few people, so there are few rules as well."

Zheng Huayuan beamed as he looked Dong Lin over from head to toe, then said with a smile,

"My Thunder Division hasn't had any business in ages. Every time I ask the Cavern Repository to approve more resources for me,

they brush me off with that lousy excuse that no new disciples have joined in years, so there's no need for additional resources.

Let's see what the Cavern Repository has to say now. Xiao Lin, first follow Old Xue and get settled in the Thunder Division.

In a couple of days, once I've discussed things with the Sect Master, we'll hold a promotion ceremony for true disciples.

A few other old fellows have recently taken in some prized disciples too.

We discussed it and decided we might as well hold one grand ceremony together.

When the time comes, we may have you show them what you can do.

Prepare yourself, Xiao Lin, and give them an eyeful when the time comes.

That Mystic Spirit Heavenly-Thunder of yours has killing power nearly on par with Foundation Establishment. It's far fiercer than I was back then.

Since the mountain is currently sealed, your senior brothers and sisters are all on the mountain. This afternoon, I'll call them together, and we'll have a gathering.

All right, I'll come back this afternoon. Xiao Lin, go get settled first."

With that, Elder Zheng turned to leave.

"Oh, right. I haven't given you a meeting gift since you became my disciple."

Zheng Huayuan rummaged through his storage ring for a moment and took out a smooth, round thunder pearl.

"Here."

Zheng Huayuan tossed the thunder pearl to Dong Lin.

"This is a Blackwood Thunder Pearl made from Millennium Dragon-Thunder Struck Wood. It can assist in lightning art cultivation,

and you can also cast spells through it to increase the power of your lightning arts."

"Thank you for your generosity, Master." Dong Lin caught the thunder pearl and examined it carefully.

Holding the Blackwood Thunder Pearl in his hand, Dong Lin sensed a trace of the true essence of lightning within it,

causing his understanding of lightning arts to surge sharply.

It seemed as though every lightning art was within his grasp.

Dong Lin even had the illusion that he had already comprehended the Great Dao of Lightning.

Shaking his head, Dong Lin quickly drove that immature illusion from his mind.

I can't become arrogant or complacent. The path of cultivation is long—how far have I really come?

Following Old Xue, he found a side hall.

This hall was named Thunderwave Hall and was located toward the front left of the Thunder Division's rear courtyard.

Dong Lin entered and swept his gaze across the interior, gaining a rough understanding of its layout.

There were two rooms on each side, a main hall in the middle, and a painting of a thunder dragon hanging at the center.

"If you have any requests for alterations to the side hall, you may tell this old man, and I'll have specialists make the changes.

When true disciples first move into Black Mountain, the sect provides renovations free of charge.

After all, changing the style and adding a few furnishings doesn't cost much."

Dong Lin nodded.

"Alright, I'll have to trouble you, Old Xue. I'll plan it out carefully first and let you know once I've decided."

After Old Xue left, Dong Lin carefully inspected each room.

The room at the front left was completely empty. The walls seemed to have undergone special treatment and were extremely sturdy.

Even when Dong Lin used a lightning art, he could not leave the slightest mark on them.

It was probably a practice room for techniques.

The room at the rear left contained two large, heavy solid-wood bookshelves and could serve as a study.

However, not a single book had been left on the shelves, though there was no dust either.

The steward must have maintained it well.

The room at the front right contained a cultivation cushion.

A spirit-gathering array had been laid out on the floor.

This spirit-gathering array seemed to be of a very high grade.

It could freely adjust the concentration of spiritual energy within a certain range.

Any setting from half to five times the normal concentration was possible.

"Can it really be set to five times the spiritual energy concentration around the Thunder Division?"

Dong Lin could not help clicking his tongue inwardly, marveling at how lavishly a great sect treated its geniuses.

The Spirit Chamber Dong Lin had inherited, which was meant for Foundation Establishment cultivators,

only gathered spiritual energy at three times the normal concentration.

And the baseline spiritual energy on this mountainside already far surpassed the concentration in that Spirit Chamber.

At five times higher, it could probably rival the spiritual energy concentration at the mountain peak.

Moreover, for a basic array like a spirit-gathering array, each additional increase in spiritual energy concentration

required dozens of times more materials and labor.

If he had not become a true disciple, Dong Lin would not have enjoyed such benefits for a very long time.

The final room was filled with the lingering fragrance of pills.

At the center of the room stood a bluish-green bronze pill furnace.

It seemed to be an alchemy room. The previous owner of this Thunderwave Hall had apparently been an alchemist deeply versed in the Dao of pill refinement.

The fragrance of pills had become one with the room. Even after so much time had passed, it had yet to disperse completely.

For the time being, Dong Lin was fairly satisfied with the layout of this side hall and had no intention of renovating it.

"I'll live here for now. When I have time, I'll go to the Spirit Chamber and move over some of the things I use regularly."

In the blink of an eye, afternoon arrived.

Dong Lin came early to the main hall to wait for Master Zheng and his senior brothers and sisters.

Everyone arrived at the hall one after another, each curiously sizing Dong Lin up.

After everyone had taken their seats, Zheng Huayuan looked around the room.

"Mm, everyone's here. Go ahead and introduce yourselves."

Dong Lin hurriedly stood, straightened his robes, and gave everyone a deep bow.

"This junior brother is Dong Lin. Today, I was fortunate enough to join Master Zheng's lineage. Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters. I hope you will look after me."

The first person seated on the left below him was a burly young man.

He wore a black robe patterned with lightning. His features were resolute, and he sat as straight as a spear, with faint currents crackling around him.

He rose with a hearty laugh, the lightning aura around him making the surrounding air seem to stiffen.

"You're called Dong Lin, right, Junior Brother? I'm your eldest senior brother, Lei Zhenxiao.

From now on, if anyone in the Heaven Sect dares bully you, just tell them your eldest senior brother's name!"

Warmth filled Dong Lin's heart, and he quickly bowed again. "Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother!"

"I heard from Master that your talent is exceptionally monstrous.

In the future, you can spar with your second senior sister more often."

The clear voice belonged to Second Senior Sister Han Tingxue.

"Your Second Senior Sister's combat prowess ranks among the best in the sect. In the last sect disciple tournament, she took second place.

If you spar with her more often, Junior Brother, your combat experience will surely improve by leaps and bounds."

Fourth Senior Brother Lu Heng said with a smile, removing a small jade bottle from his waist and tossing it over.

"This is our first meeting, and I don't have much to give you. This is a bottle of Blood Jade Spirit Pills.

It should be somewhat helpful for your current cultivation."

"Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother!" Dong Lin hurriedly caught it, gratitude filling his heart.

"Junior Brother, if you encounter any array problems you don't understand in the future,

come ask your Sixth Senior Brother! I finally have a junior brother!"

Zhang Shaoyou leaned over and said enthusiastically.

"Hahaha, Seventh Junior Brother, your Brother Zhang has waited nearly ten years for a junior brother.

He finally got what he was waiting for. It looks like the title of youngest junior brother will be passed from Shaoyou to Dong Lin."

Eldest Senior Brother Lei Zhenxiao said with a laugh.

"Mm, Junior Brother Dong Lin, welcome to the Thunder Division." Third Senior Brother Jiang Qingfeng opened his eyes and gave a slight nod in greeting.

Fifth Senior Brother Han Che also smiled shyly. "Junior Brother, if there's anything you don't understand in cultivation later on, you can ask me as well."