Southern Heaven Continent, Great Ming Dynasty.
Shenxiao Mountain Range, a place renowned for its legends of immortals and gods.
According to legend, deep within the "Shenxiao Mountain Range," there is a gate known as the "Shenxiao Dao Sect."
Immortals in the mountains can fly, vanish, move mountains, and overturn seas, overlooking the entire Southern Heaven Continent, witnessing the passage of time and changing tides...
"Boom!"
The night's darkness was deep, the sky covered with dark clouds.
The Moon Star and all the stars in the sky were no longer visible.
In the void, dark clouds roiled from time to time, producing deep thunderous sounds, like a giant beast growling softly...
Occasionally, silver lightning streaked across the void, tearing through the darkness and illuminating the world.
A thousand-mile silver serpent writhed and fell upon a remote path in the "Shenxiao Mountain Range," producing a terrifying roar.
Beside the ancient mountain road, a large tree struck by lightning began to burn with crackling sounds...
"Splash! Splash! Splash!"
A torrential downpour fell like a waterfall from the heavens.
Before the fire could spread, the pouring rain extinguished the flames.
The muddy dirt road was already flooding with rainwater, and Li Yunjing lay in it, covered in mud.
"Damn it! I actually got struck by lightning!"
"I've traveled through time to this place for three years, enduring numerous hardships to obtain a Qi Cultivation Technique, just stepping onto the path of cultivation."
"I was lucky enough to find the location of the Shenxiao Dao Sect and was about to join the sect to seek eternal life."
"I never expected that before I could make any progress, death would come. Do I really have to die pathetically in this ditch?"
Li Yunjing powerlessly complained, his eyes hollow, his face filled with disappointment.
His clothes and the bundle he carried with him had been turned to ashes the moment the lightning struck.
His body was pitch black, as if he had been burned in a furnace.
Even the torrential rain seemed unable to wash away the charred marks on his body.
On closer inspection, the power of lightning had left terrifying cuts on Li Yunjing's body.
Crimson blood flowed from the wounds, mixing with the rainwater and slowly trickling away.
Li Yunjing's condition was deteriorating quickly.
His skin, bones, organs, and meridians all seemed to be injured.
His head was submerged in water, making it difficult to breathe.
His severe injuries left him unable to move, even turning over to expose his nose and mouth was impossible.
"Maybe the heavens didn't intend to strike me dead, but rather let me drown in this little ditch?"
Li Yunjing sneered, seemingly resigned to his fate, unable to move at all.
But the anger in his heart was burning fiercely!
Frustrating!
Utterly frustrating!
Thinking about his manner of death drove Li Yunjing nearly mad with hatred!
He had acquired the entry-level cultivation technique and had gone through hardships to find the location of the legendary Immortal Sect.
Everything was progressing in the right direction, but now he was about to die...
The extreme joy and sorrow of life had driven even someone as determined as Li Yunjing to despair.
"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."
Uncertain how much time had passed, Li Yunjing's consciousness began to blur, and he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves...
"Maybe it's just an illusion!"
At that moment, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and passed out completely, unable to sense anything from the outside world.
What Li Yunjing didn't know was that the power of the lightning strike hadn't threatened his life.
Instead, it was circulating through his body, strengthening every cell, and deeply transforming his physique...
"Miss, there's a dead man ahead!"
An old voice sounded, as three carriages gradually approached along the dirt road.
Two teams of ten Black Armored Knights flanked the road, protecting the convoy.
Each carriage had a driver seated on the saddle, guiding the vehicle.
At this moment, an elderly man dressed in a straw rain cape approached the first carriage and whispered through the curtain.
This carriage was extremely luxurious, pulled by four tall and majestic horses. Even on the muddy road, the carriage remained stable with few bumps.
This was partly due to the driver's skill and partly due to the carriage's comfort.
The four black and shiny tall horses were extraordinary. Unfazed by the rain and thunder, they followed the driver's guidance steadily.
In two rows with four wheels, each with a diameter of nine feet, reinforced with rivets and wrapped in leather.
The carriage's body was inlaid with gold and agate, silk curtains, and door drapes, keeping the interior completely hidden from view.
"Plop! Plop!"
Raindrops hit the carriage and rolled off the silk-like curtains and drapes.
The rain couldn't soak these fabrics, nor could it penetrate the carriage.
Clearly, the fabrics were waterproof.
The elderly man outside the carriage remained completely dry.
It seemed an invisible force kept the rain a foot away from him, preventing any from landing on him.
"Is that so? Steward Li, go take a look."
A cool female voice came from inside the carriage.
The voice was calm, without any emotional fluctuation, seemingly unaffected by the sight of a "dead" man on the road.
"Yes, Miss!"
The old man moved like a wisp of smoke, appearing beside Li Yunjing ten feet away.
"Bang!"
He lightly kicked Li Yunjing, turning him over, and frowned slightly when he realized Li Yunjing still had a breath left, which would be troublesome...
"Clip-clop, clip-clop..."
The carriages continued to move forward steadily without stopping.
The two teams of knights, cold as ice, remained silent.
This was a team of elite knights, strictly disciplined, focusing only on protecting the occupants of the carriages.
Since Steward Li hadn't responded immediately, the woman inside the carriage gently asked again, "What happened?"
Her voice was soft, yet it clearly cut through the rain without any obstruction.
"Sigh! Miss, this person was struck by lightning but still has a breath left."
Steward Li sighed, knowing his miss was a kind-hearted person.
This kid had incredible luck, snatching his life back from death.
Unfortunately, it also meant more trouble for the old man...
"Since he's still alive, save him."
The woman's cool voice carried a hint of cheerfulness, seemingly aware of the old man's reluctance.
"It can't be helped! Yu San, Yu Si, come over and carry this kid to the last carriage."
Steward Li shook his head slightly and signaled to two of the ten guards.
"Yes, Steward Li!"
Yu San and Yu Si did not dare delay, dismounting swiftly and moving quickly to Li Yunjing's side.