At the heart of Lei Province stood an immense city.
The city was magnificent and grand, its presence astonishing. From afar, it looked like a giant dragon coiled upon the earth, an utterly breathtaking sight.
This was the capital city of Lei Province, Thunder City!
Legend had it that the number one expert of Lei Province, Venerable Rumbling Thunder, hid in the deepest part of Thunder City.
However, figures of this Great Power Level were notoriously elusive.
People could often only speculate on his whereabouts, never daring to pry further.
On this day, deep within Thunder City, a great commotion erupted in the Provincial Governor's Manor of Lei Province, located by Dragon Court Mountain Lake.
"Elder Zhong is dead? Is this true?"
"It's absolutely true! Who would dare fake something so important? This concerns the reputation of our Provincial Governor's Manor!"
"But who would dare to touch one of our own? And with Elder Zhong's strength, besides the three major sects, there shouldn't be any other expert capable of handling him, right?"
"We have no quarrel with the three major sects, and they shouldn't have the nerve... Could the forces of the Demon Dao have made a move?"
"..."
Countless people within the Provincial Governor's Manor were abuzz with discussion, their expressions agitated.
An expert from their manor had been slain in the field—this was huge news!
All of Lei Province lived under the shadow of Venerable Rumbling Thunder.
For who knows how many years, no one had dared to touch anyone from the Provincial Governor's Manor!
Just then, a voice like a clap of thunder rang out, "Summon the Law Enforcement Team."
Everyone's heart trembled, and shock appeared on their faces.
It was the voice of the Lord of the Provincial Governor's Manor of Lei Province, Lei Qianjue!
The voice of that unflappable man, as steady as a mountain, now held a trace of simmering anger!
"What are the Manor Lord's orders?" A figure shot forward like an arrow from a bow, landing swiftly inside the manor and kicking up a violent gust of air.
Everyone recognized the newcomer.
It was one of the three Grand Commanders of the Law Enforcement Team, the unfathomably powerful Yan Qiushi!
"Even the Law Enforcement Team has been mobilized! This is going to turn Lei Province upside down!"
Everyone exclaimed in amazement.
The Provincial Governor's Manor of Lei Province had been quiet for many years; today, it seemed ready to display its former might once more!
Soon, Yan Qiushi accepted his orders and departed.
No one knew what orders the Manor Lord had given him.
But the chilling killing intent radiating from him as he left was enough to strike fear and cold into one's heart.
...
"A disciple of a righteous sect dared to collude with the Demon Dao, not only harming his own sect but causing the Cold Wind Sect to suffer as well?"
Within Lei Province, an ancient temple sat atop a towering mountain peak. It was grand and magnificent, shining brilliantly under the sunlight.
Inside the temple, monks sat with their heads bowed, attentively listening to the reprimand from the one seated on high.
"As the head of the three major sects in Lei Province, my Vajra Temple is also the leader of all righteous sects in the region!"
"Now that such a horrific atrocity has occurred, how can we simply stand by and do nothing?"
The one seated on high was an abbot with hair as white as snow.
A string of Buddha Beads was wrapped around his hand. With his every gesture, faint and ancient Buddhist chants seemed to linger in the air, inspiring awe.
"Thunder Sound Battle Buddha!"
Just then, the abbot called out in a low voice.
"Present!" a burly man wearing a kasaya with a bare upper body strode into the temple.
His features were resolute, and his vital energy surged like a tidal wave.
Fearsome scars crisscrossed his chest like deep ravines.
"Your family was shattered and your home destroyed by an invasion of the Demon Dao's forces. It was our Vajra Temple that took you in."
"Since then, your cultivation has flourished. You have repeatedly descended the mountain to hunt down and exterminate the remnants of the demon sects, and your contributions have been immense!"
"This time, it seems the forces of the demon sects are making a comeback. Even the Cold Wind Sect has fallen victim to them!"
"This is a matter of great importance, but I believe you can bear this heavy responsibility. I will order you to go down the mountain and handle this. What say you?"
The abbot's expression was stern, his voice solemn.
"Of course I will not refuse."
The Thunder Sound Battle Buddha replied respectfully, "Although the Cold Wind Sect is considered one of the three major sects of Lei Province alongside our Vajra Temple, anyone with eyes can see that Vajra Temple is far ahead of the other two. We are the undisputed leader of the three."
"Those demon sect forces may be able to destabilize the Cold Wind Sect, but in the eyes of Vajra Temple, I fear they still wouldn't withstand a single blow."
"As long as Vajra Temple stands tall in Lei Province, we will purge all forces of the Demon Dao from its lands!"
"The Demon Dao and I cannot exist under the same sky!!!"
A hateful light gleamed in the Thunder Sound Battle Buddha's eyes. He seemed to recall his past, and the memories churned within him. He wished for nothing more than to tear the members of the demon sects limb from limb.
"The Thunder Sound Battle Buddha has single-handedly taken out several demon sect strongholds before."
"With him on the case, this disaster will surely be brought under control."
"Besides, the Cold Wind Sect is so weak. What right do they have to be named one of the three major sects alongside our Vajra Temple? It's better that they've fallen. It'll stop them from always trying to ride our coattails."
Inside the temple, many of the monks were discussing amongst themselves, their expressions animated.
They had clearly held grievances against the Cold Wind Sect for a long time.
"Good. Your spirit is impressive."
"Then go down the mountain. I shall await your good news."
The abbot nodded slowly.
Upon hearing this, the Thunder Sound Battle Buddha transformed into a phantom and shot down the mountain.
Only after he was far in the distance did a shrewd gleam flash across the abbot's eyes.
'So, that disciple who colluded with the demon sects really has a Five Elements Pill?'
'I hope you haven't lied to me.'
'Otherwise, the wrath of Vajra Temple is not something you can afford to bear.'
Indeed, if not for the sake of the Five Elements Pill, he couldn't be bothered to care whether the Cold Wind Sect lived or died.
It was precisely because Shen Yanyue had made sure to mention the Five Elements Pill when she sent people to Vajra Temple for help.
That was the only reason the abbot of Vajra Temple had dispatched a powerful champion like the Thunder Sound Battle Buddha.
...
"What?"
"The one who killed my son was that old dog, Mu Shanhong? And he's taking orders from some young man named Ye Chen? And they're both at the Cold Wind Sect right now?"
Unlike other sects, the Nine Nether Sect's headquarters was situated above a bustling marketplace.
At this moment, inside a study deep within the headquarters, the Nine Nether Sect Leader, Yang Yan, was filled with a towering rage. He slammed his fist down.
The thick wooden desk before him shattered on the spot, exploding into countless splinters.
"Damn it! Damn it all to hell!!!"
"That old dog Mu Shanhong... he actually dared to lie to me?!"
"Telling me my son was killed by the demon sects, when the murderer was him all along?!"
"And who the hell is this Ye Chen? Why would that old dog listen to him? When did those two start scheming together?"
The more Yang Yan thought about it, the more furious he became. His heaven-shaking roar nearly shook the entire estate.
In an instant, figures radiating powerful auras flickered into view, their faces filled with alarm. "Sect Leader, please calm your anger!"
"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?"
"I didn't even know who slaughtered my own son!"
Yang Yan shot to his feet, his aura overwhelming!
"I'm going to the Cold Wind Sect to pay them a visit myself."
"I'd like to see for myself just who would dare to murder my son!"