Ren Sea.
Thunder boomed, tribulation light flared and died, and streams of violet and white radiance collided and parted in the sky, trailing countless bolts of lightning that swept away layer upon layer of ink-black clouds. The vast sea rose and fell beneath them.
Peerless sword qi lingered, forming a forbidding forest of blades between sea and sky.
Violet lightning condensed into perfect spheres and burst forth against countless fine, silver lightning rays. In an instant, light flooded heaven and earth.
On distant Ancient Hua Mountain, the earth veins trembled and yellow dust billowed, as though the mountain had been struck by a sword. The demon generals guarding it hastily activated the formation to stabilize the spirit mountain.
Both spirit swords returned to their sheaths at once. At the same moment, the sword qi and lightning filling heaven and earth abruptly dispersed. The Cinnabar Thunder Sword rang once, stirring a mighty storm of wind and thunder that lingered without end.
Mu Youdu stood with his hands behind his back, flecks of lightning flickering in his flood-serpent eyes. He raised a hand and pressed down through the air. Dragon qi spread, and an immense pressure swept out from the Dragon-Ritual Heaven-Pillar in the sea. Ren Sea fell silent once more.
Only then did the many demons emerge from the water palaces and treasure halls sheltered by formations, looking tremblingly up at the dragonkin above.
Layers of ink-black clouds shrouded the sea again, offering fleeting glimpses of a huge, ferocious, ink-dark dragon body churning within.
Xu Xuan's face remained as still as an ancient well, but his mind was surging. The Immortal Register within him stirred faintly, and the Interflowing Union Thunder Tree grew ever more wondrous: Thunder-Shock gave birth, Altar brought death, and life and death turned in an endless cycle.