Meanwhile, Zhou Yu had returned to the main hall and entered seclusion.
All five forms of the "Burning Radiance Sword Chapter" have been awakened, and the ancient book he holds in his hands is the lightning-based transcendent cultivation technique that Qin Yu entrusted to him for safekeeping:
[Nine Abyss Silent Lightning Canon] First Level
First Tribulation: Lightning Mark Opens the Abyss
He drew upon the breath of ordinary thunder, transforming it into the seed of Silent Lightning, and inscribed the "First Silent Lightning Mark" within his body, marking the beginning of Silent Lightning cultivation.
He meditated with his Spiritual Sense, surrounded by swirling thunderous energy and gradually fading Sword Qi. Only in his sea of consciousness did a grayish-blue thunder pattern gradually emerge, like thunder and fire eroding and purifying his soul and consciousness.
--"Silent Lightning" finally separated its true form from ordinary thunder and was incorporated into his spiritual platform inch by inch. Thunder patterns entered the seal and the first moment was completed!
At that moment, he seemed to hear nine deep thunderclaps echoing faintly from the distance.
Thunder Codex Unveiled - Emblem Formation Takes Shape
Inside the meditation chamber on the main peak, the thunderous energy surged like mist, ceaselessly.
Zhou Yu sat cross-legged in meditation, lightning flashing between his brows. His entire being resembled the eve of a tribulation, and the air was filled with a sense of oppressive and desolate chill.
The "Nine Abyss Silent Lightning Canon" in his sea of consciousness had already opened its first page, and the breath of Silent Lightning slowly seeped out from his soul platform and merged into his meridians.
[First Stage: Initial Tribulation - Lightning Mark Opens the Abyss]
He drew upon the breath of mortal thunder and forged it into the "Seed of Silent Lightning," then inscribed the First Stillness Thunder Pattern on the Soul Platform.
He refined lightning with his soul and guided his breath with his spirit, meticulously drawing the mortal lightning he captured from heaven and earth into his body.
The thunder, initially violent, hissing, and uncontrollable, began to transform into calm and eerie gray-blue filaments after Zhou Yu refined it inch by inch with "Burning Sun Remnant Consciousness".
--Silent Lightning, complete.
A lightning-shaped mark suddenly appeared between his brows, resembling a soul fire within a crack, extremely subtle yet incredibly sharp.
Silence, desolation, annihilation, and soul-severing—the four qualities of thunder coexist within it.
Zhou Yu opened her eyes, her gaze deep, and murmured to herself:
"After the Five Forms of Burning Light... this is the beginning of my Thunder Path."
⸻
But he soon discovered that his Flame-Bearing Sword —the natal spiritual weapon that had accompanied him in cultivating the Burning Radiance to this day—was no longer able to harmonize with the Breath of Silent Lightning.
Even a wisp of "initial lightning" caused scorching black marks to appear on the sword's surface, indicating an unstable spiritual energy.
It can no longer be used.
He slowly sheathed the Flame-Bearing Sword, placing it into the Soul Box. After a moment of silence, his expression was calmer than ever before.
"I want a sword that truly belongs to the 'Thunder Tribulation'."
That sword was neither in the sect's treasury nor among those sealed in the Pill Hall's archives.
He had consulted the records and found that the only weapon embryo that could possibly bear the core Soul Seal of the Silent Lightning existed only in the high-level missions of the "Realm Calamity Tower"—it required obtaining the weapon soul bone by killing special soul beasts in order to forge its prototype.
However, given his current 70th ranking, he simply cannot access that mission alone.
He pondered for a moment, gripped the jade slip containing his voice transmission, and left five words:
"Qin Yu, may we travel together?"
The "Realm Calamity Tower" is a place where sects connect with high-risk missions such as those involving missions from outside the boundary, special resources, and exploration of sealed ruins.
Any disciple ranked in the top 100 of the Soul Stele Ranking can enter, but only the top ten can participate in the most core missions, such as "Special Hunt of World Calamity Level", "Exploration of the Abyss Seal", and "Forging of Ancient Weapon Soul Bones".
The task Zhou Yu needs to accept is a limited-time "Soul Bone Forging" mission.
[World Tribulation Quest: Thunder Tribulation Soul Shatterer]
Mission Objective: Slay the Thunder Soul type mutant [Soul-Shattering Lightning Sha] and obtain its Soul Bone Edge as the weapon base for the "Silent Lightning Seal-Bearing Weapon Embryo".
However, these kinds of strange beasts only appear in the Broken Realm Severed Abyss, and often coexist with Calamity-level Soul Mist, making it difficult for a single person to complete the task.
⸻
That evening.
Zhou Yu received a reply.
In just one sentence:
"I will travel with you in three days."
Almost simultaneously, Qin Yu himself received another message. It was a familiar crimson silk pattern, with a faint fragrance carried on the breeze.
"Young Master Qin, before 7:00 AM, at Ling Jingxi, east of Fushan, awaits you."
The letter was unsigned and unmarked, but that touch of crimson was like eyes from a memory.
Qin Yu stared at the jade slip, his fingertips pausing slightly.
The letter arrived at the perfect time, just as the mission to Realm Calamity Tower was about to begin.
He looked up at the sky, silently whispering to himself:
"This time... it seems they're going to make a real move."