92: Chapter 92 Thunder Strike

The two left the small courtyard and walked toward the workshop area deep within Artifact Refining Peak.

After passing through several bluestone alleys, they arrived in front of a detached black stone building.

Rhythmic hammering sounds came from within the building, and there were faint fluctuations of Thunder Spiritual Energy in the air.

Chen Hao knocked on the door.

A moment later, the door opened.

The person who opened the door was a young man who looked to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wearing a smoke-gray short jacket, with a resolute face and special insulating gloves on his hands.

Upon seeing Chen Hao, he nodded: "Junior Brother Chen."

"Senior Brother Han." Chen Hao introduced with a smile, "This is my good friend Lin Xuan, a Disciple of Emerald Bamboo Peak, who wants to see that Thunder-Striking Thorn."

Senior Brother Han glanced at Lin Xuan and stepped aside: "Come in."

The room was simply furnished, with a forging furnace standing against the wall; the furnace fire was extinguished, but the residual heat remained.

Several semi-finished Magical Artifacts were laid out on the workbench, and various Ore were piled in the corner.

Senior Brother Han took a long wooden box from the inner room and opened it.

On the red silk lining inside the box lay a short thorn that was dark purple all over.

The thorn body was only one foot and two inches long, as thin as a bamboo chopstick, with a streamlined shape and a tip as sharp as a needle.

Its surface was covered with fine silver thunder patterns, the lines natural and smooth, as if born that way.

Even without injecting Spiritual Qi, one could feel the sharp thunder intent contained within it.

"Thunder-Striking Thorn." Senior Brother Han introduced briefly, "Using a thunder-struck wood core as the bone, woven with soft gold thread for the sheath, it has nine embedded 'Penetration', 'Speed', and 'Paralysis' Talisman formations. Once activated, it can turn into a three-foot thunder ray at its maximum."

Lin Xuan picked it up carefully.

It was extremely light in his hand, less than three jin. The texture was slightly cool, but there were fine anti-slip patterns where it was held. He injected a trace of Thunder Spiritual Energy.

"Hum—"

The Thunder-Striking Thorn vibrated gently, the thunder patterns on its surface lighting up with silver light one by one, and a grain-sized purple thunder ray condensed at the tip, with faint crackling sounds in the air.

What strong Thunder-attribute affinity!

Lin Xuan could clearly feel that this Thunder-Striking Thorn had a very high resonance with his Thunder Spiritual Energy, making it easy to control, as if it were an extension of his own arm.

"How is it?" Senior Brother Han asked.

"A good Magical Artifact." Lin Xuan praised sincerely, "One thousand four hundred points?"

Senior Brother Han nodded: "If I weren't in urgent need of contribution points, I wouldn't sell it at this price."

Lin Xuan did not hesitate any longer and took out his identity Jade Slip: "I'll take it."

The transaction was completed.

Lin Xuan carefully put the Thunder-Striking Thorn into his Storage Pouch. Senior Brother Han handed over a Jade Slip: "This contains the control incantations and maintenance points. This thorn needs to be regularly nourished with pure Thunder Spiritual Energy, and its power will increase slightly with usage time."

"Many thanks, Senior Brother Han."

Leaving Senior Brother Han's residence, Chen Hao walked Lin Xuan to the mountain path entrance of Artifact Refining Peak.

"With this Thunder-Striking Thorn, your attack methods should be sufficient." Chen Hao said with a smile, "Paired with the earth fiend bell, you have both offense and defense, so even if you really encounter any accidents, you will have the power to protect yourself."

Lin Xuan nodded: "Thanks to you this time."

"What are you being polite for." Chen Hao waved his hand, then his expression became serious again, "Lin Xuan, those words just now... don't take them too much to heart. Perhaps the situation isn't as bad as I thought."

Lin Xuan looked at his friend's forced relaxed expression and said nothing, just patted him on the shoulder.

"Take care."

"You too."

Lin Xuan cast the Wind Control Technique and left Artifact Refining Peak.

Looking back, Chen Hao was still standing at the mountain path entrance, his crimson robe particularly eye-catching in the thin early winter snow.

The chimneys of Artifact Refining Peak were still emitting thick smoke, and the clanging of hammering could be vaguely heard.

He turned his head and accelerated toward Emerald Bamboo Peak.

The string in his heart tightened even more.

Returning to the small courtyard, Lin Xuan did not immediately Cultivate.

He sat in the Quiet Room, took out the Thunder-Striking Thorn, and examined it carefully.

The dark purple thorn body shone with a restrained luster in the light of the Quiet Room, and the silver thunder patterns flowed slowly like living creatures.

Holding it in his hand, he could clearly feel the explosive power contained within it.

Combined with his Thunder Spiritual Energy, the power of this Thunder-Striking Thorn could probably threaten the defense of a Late Stage Qi Refining Cultivator.

But it was not enough.

Lin Xuan put away the Thunder-Striking Thorn and took out his identity Jade Slip.

Contribution point balance: two thousand and thirty points.

Buying the Thunder-Striking Thorn cost one thousand four hundred, leaving two thousand.

He changed into an inconspicuous gray cloth outfit, put on a mask, and went to the market.

He did not go to the Fuyuan Pavilion or Tiangong Pavilion, which he frequented, but instead wound into an alley and found a small shop with an inconspicuous storefront, hanging only a sign with the word "Miscellaneous".

The light in the shop was dim, and the shelves were cluttered with things, from Yao Beast Materials to old Magical Artifacts, everything was there.

The shopkeeper was a thin, withered old man, who was dozing behind the counter.

"Shopkeeper," Lin Xuan lowered his voice, "Do you have second-tier Talisman?"

The old man opened one eye and looked at him: "What kind do you want?"

"One second-tier Low Grade attack Talisman, one earth-escaping talisman, one illusion-shaping Talisman."

The old man's eyes widened, and he sat up straight: "Little brother, these are not easy to get. Especially the earth-escaping talisman and illusion-shaping Talisman; for these special functional ones, the price..."

"Name your price." Lin Xuan said briefly.

The old man stared at him for a few breaths and held up three fingers: "Second-tier Low Grade 'Thunderstorm Talisman', five hundred and fifty points. earth-escaping talisman, six hundred points. Illusion-shaping Talisman, five hundred and eighty points. A total of one thousand seven hundred and thirty points."

One thousand seven hundred and thirty.

Lin Xuan calculated quickly in his heart. This price was slightly higher than the market price, but considering it was wartime and special functional Talisman were in short supply, it was reasonable.

"Can it be cheaper?" He asked.

The old man shook his head: "This is the price. If you don't want it, it might be more expensive next month."

Lin Xuan was silent for a moment: "Give me one of each."

The old man grinned, revealing his gums with a missing front tooth: "Straightforward."

He took out three special wooden boxes from the bottom hidden compartment of the counter.

He opened them for inspection.

The Thunderstorm Talisman was dark purple, its Talisman patterns complex like dark clouds pressing down, with a faint sense of thunder roaring; the earth-escaping talisman was earth-yellow, its lines like the veins of the earth; the illusion-shaping Talisman was translucent, its lines changing uncertainly.

Lin Xuan checked that there were no errors, paid the contribution points, and the balance dropped to three hundred points.

He turned and left.

When he walked out of the shop, the market streets were still bustling with people.

But Lin Xuan could feel that the tense atmosphere was thicker than it had been two months ago.

The number of patrolling law enforcement Disciple had doubled, each with a stern expression.

Many shops had "Sold Out" or "Temporarily Closed" signs hanging on their doors. There were long queues at the exchange office, and most of the Disciple had anxious expressions on their faces.

Lin Xuan walked to the exchange office and exchanged for five more Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.

Now he had thirty-five Mid-Grade Spirit Stone in his hand, four top-tier Magical Artifacts, covering offense, defense, and escape. Five second-tier Talisman (Thunderstorm Talisman, earth-escaping talisman, illusion-shaping Talisman, Vajra Talisman, God-Speed Talisman), and more than fifty Thunder Shield Talisman and twenty Thunder Spear Talisman that he had secretly accumulated in the Hundred Talisman Hall during this period.

These were his confidence for the "worst-case scenario".

Returning to the small courtyard, the night was already deep.

Lin Xuan entered the Spirit-Taming Tower Space.

The flower buds of the thunder essence fruit tree had grown another circle, the pale purple petals tightly wrapped, vaguely revealing the silver stamens inside, and the fragrance emitted was even richer.

The fruits on the thunder-attracting vine were deep blue-purple, their surfaces covered in complex thunder patterns like natural runes, with sparks jumping and crackling, occasionally bursting into tiny arcs of electricity.

The Herb-Seeking Mouse sensed him coming in, scurried over with a "squeak", climbed up his trouser leg onto his shoulder, and sniffed around his ear with its little nose.

The Pangolin poked its head out of the burrow, its dark golden eyes shining under the thunder light.

Lin Xuan stood by the spiritual field, looking at this peaceful little world.

Outside, the flames of war were raging, market prices were soaring, and fellow Disciples were anxious, but here, time was still peaceful, spiritual plants grew slowly, and Spirit Beast lived leisurely.

He stroked the Herb-Seeking Mouse's head, and the little guy squinted its eyes comfortably.

"If I really have to go near the front line..." Lin Xuan whispered to himself, "You all need to be prepared too."

The Herb-Seeking Mouse "squeaked", seemingly understanding half of it.

The Pangolin growled low, conveying a thought of "ready to fight at any time".

The Thunder-Light Bug flew around the thunder-attracting vine, its wings flapping and bringing up tiny arcs of electricity.

Lin Xuan smiled and exited the space.

He began tonight's Cultivation.

The Purple Heaven Divine Thunder Art circulated, and the Thunder Spiritual Energy surged through his Meridians like a river.

Under the shadow of war, amidst the turmoil of the Sect, only strength was the most reliable reliance.

Cultivation base needed to be improved, Spells needed to be mastered, Magical Artifacts needed to be honed, and Talisman needed to be well-stocked.

Outside the window, the early winter snow began to fall quietly again.

Fine snowflakes drifted in the night, landing on the bamboo leaves and accumulating a thin layer.