Daqin arrests alchemists, what does it matter to me as a qi refiner?

Ying Zheng gripped his longsword tightly and asked in confusion, "Who possesses such great power to control the weather?"

The dark clouds in the sky grew thicker and thicker, as if they were about to shroud the entire world in darkness. The thunder grew more frequent and deafening, each sound seeming to shake people's souls.

Li Si looked around anxiously and said urgently, "We must leave this place immediately! This force is far beyond our ability to resist."

Yang Ling nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, let's find a safe place to take refuge first. We'll make further plans after we understand the situation."

Everyone agreed, and they quickly left their spot, rushing away from the dark clouds. However, the thunder behind them seemed to follow them relentlessly, drawing ever closer, as if foreshadowing some ominous sign.

On their escape, Xu Fu, panting, pressed Yang Ling for an answer: "Brother Yang, are you sure all of this was caused by human intervention? Could it be that some ancient magic was triggered?"

After pondering for a moment, Yang Ling replied, "Although I cannot be entirely certain, there have indeed been extraordinary individuals throughout history who have been able to manipulate the power of heaven and earth. This sudden appearance of dark clouds and lightning is very likely the work of a master casting a powerful spell."

"Could it be the work of cultivators?" Ziya guessed. "I have heard that some cultivators have the ability to summon wind and rain and control the power of nature."

"No matter who is manipulating all this behind the scenes, our top priority now is to escape this dangerous place as soon as possible." Ying Zheng held his long sword and cautiously observed the surrounding environment. "The power of this lightning is extraordinary. If we are hit, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Li Si also said urgently, "Yes, let's escape from here first. We can slowly gather information and find out the situation later."

The group quickened their pace, but the thunder behind them relentlessly pursued them, as if an invisible hand in the darkness was controlling everything. The sky, thick with dark clouds, flashed with lightning and roared with thunder, creating a scene of apocalyptic terror.

Suddenly, Yang Ling stopped in his tracks, his brows furrowed. He said, "Wait! Can you sense that this thunder is guiding us in a specific direction?"

Xu Fu also stopped and listened carefully for a while before saying, "Indeed, the thunder seems to be driving us to some place."

Ziya asked worriedly, "Could this be a trap?"

Ying Zheng calmly analyzed, "Whether it's a trap or some other trick, we have no better choice at the moment. We can only follow the direction of the thunder to see if we can find a way out."

Yang Ling nodded in agreement. "Ying Zheng is right. This is all we can do now. Let's remain vigilant and continue on our way."

So, remaining highly vigilant, they continued onward. They traversed through dense forests and carefully crossed rugged hills, finally arriving at an open plain.

In the very center of the flat land stood an ancient temple. Before the temple entrance, a massive stone stele stood majestically, as if telling ancient secrets unknown to the world. Some blurred characters and patterns were engraved on the stele, but due to the erosion of time, they were no longer fully decipherable. Xu Fu looked around curiously and couldn't help but ask, "Where exactly is this place? This temple looks very ancient; could it be related to this unusual thunder?"

Yang Ling stepped to the stone tablet, bent down to carefully observe the ancient characters and patterns, and slowly said, "This stone tablet seems to record a legend, closely connected with cultivators and the power of heaven and earth."

"Oh? A legend?" Ying Zheng raised an eyebrow and asked with great interest, "What's written on the stone tablet?"

As Yang Ling deciphered the inscriptions on the stone tablet, he explained, "It is said that this place was once the hermitage of a great cultivator. He possessed the miraculous ability to manipulate the power of heaven and earth, able to summon wind and rain with boundless power. However, during his cultivation, he unfortunately suffered a qi deviation, his power went out of control, and caused a series of disasters. In the end, for the sake of all living beings, other cultivators joined forces to seal him in this temple."

Upon hearing this, Li Si solemnly speculated, "In that case, could this unusual thunder be a sign that the cultivator is trying to break the seal?"

Yang Ling nodded, his expression grave: "That is indeed possible. We must leave this place as soon as possible. If that cultivator really breaks the seal, the consequences will be unimaginable."

However, things unfolded much faster than they had anticipated. A strange and flamboyant laugh suddenly erupted from within the temple, sending chills down their spines. Immediately afterward, a dark figure shot into the sky from the temple, hovering in mid-air. It was an old man with a twisted and terrifying face, his eyes flashing with an evil and violent light.

"Hahaha!" The old man burst into wild laughter, his voice filled with madness and triumph. "I have finally broken free of my shackles and seen the light of day again! You insignificant ants dare to disturb my peaceful cultivation! Today, I will show you my true power!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the old man suddenly waved his hands. The dark clouds in the sky instantly surged and boiled, and the thunder was deafening, as if the heavens and earth trembled. Blinding bolts of lightning, like the wrathful whips of gods, fiercely struck down at the crowd.

"Everyone, get out of the way!" Yang Ling shouted, his figure flashing as he nimbly dodged a bolt of lightning that was hurtling towards them. The others also unleashed their movement techniques, doing their utmost to evade the devastating attack. However, the old man's strength was simply too overwhelming; they were unable to get close enough to contend with him. For a moment, the entire battlefield was locked in a stalemate, everyone struggling to hold on, the situation hanging by a thread.

Yang Ling's eyes flashed like lightning as he watched the old man's every subtle movement, trying to find a flaw in his agile movements. "Everyone be careful! Quickly, use the formation we practiced earlier to deal with him!" he shouted urgently to the team behind him.

Upon hearing the sound, Li Si and Ziya quickly changed positions and began to chant the complex and ancient incantations in a low voice. Li Si slowly opened his palm, and in an instant, a transparent wind blade condensed, gleaming with a chilling light. Meanwhile, the long whip in Ziya's hand seemed to be imbued with a spirit, with leaping blue sparks crackling around its blade.

As they activated their spells, the spiritual energy in the air began to surge, forming strange runes. These runes seemed to have a life of their own, rotating around them and radiating a mysterious power.

Xu Fu and Ying Zheng, as the guardians of the team, stood at opposite ends of the formation, their weapons gleaming with an unusual luster. Xu Fu's sword was covered with an earthy yellow halo, appearing heavy and steady; while Ying Zheng's sword exuded a layer of cold frost, as if it could freeze everything.

The old man looked at the young people before him and smiled contemptuously. "Hmph, you bunch of kids, you think you can fight me?" He waved his hands, and a violent bolt of lightning instantly tore through the sky, heading straight for the formation. (End of Chapter)