In a remote corner of Gu Province, one of the largest cultivation sects in the world, the Qinming Sword Sect, stood tall against the vast expanse of land. "What’s the matter?" Upon landing, a disciple immediately knelt on one knee, channeling his True Qi and shouted, "The Qinming Sword Sect is under attack; the Sect Master has sent for help. Please, Ancestral Martial Uncle, come to our aid!"
"I understand," responded a voice. "A mere mortal in the Qi Condensation stage dares to claim he is a disciple of the old Qinming! Ha! The insult you speak far surpasses anything I could have imagined!" In this vast and desolate world, the name of the sect was known far and wide. It was said that, every few hundred years, the sect would produce powerful beings capable of merging with divinity or even transcending heavenly tribulations. Over three thousand years ago, their Sect Master broke through the shackles of the heavenly tribulation, ascending to become an immortal in broad daylight!
"What figure approaches?!" As he landed, the disciple knelt once again to shout about the sect’s distress. "The Qinming Sword Sect is under attack; the Sect Master has sent for help. Please, Ancestral Martial Uncle, come to our aid!"
"You ignorant young one! Have you not heard the fearsome name of the Thunder Demon Lord? You are merely in the Qi Condensation stage!" The Thunder Beast responded mockingly.
"Hahaha, a thousand years later, the successor of the old Qinming Lord is merely this strong!" A boy with a gentle smile interjected, "Today, I come on behalf of my master, the Qingming Daoist, to have a word with you."
Meanwhile, as the master of the Qinming Sect, Jue Yunzi, confronted the Thunder Demon Lord, the direct disciple in red swiftly flew atop his sword to the summit of the Seven Stars Peak. The Thunder Beast seemed momentarily distracted, studying the boy before it suddenly broke into laughter.
On that same night, a calamity would quietly descend upon the Qinming Sword Sect, unnoticed by its inhabitants.
“Hmm? What nonsense are you talking about? Have you encountered your inner demons?”
“Ah, I see…”
The Thunder Beast, taken by surprise, was kicked back, tumbling to a small hill outside Qingming Mountain, crashing down the entire summit. Meantime, disciples guarding the mountain gates detected an overwhelming sensation of pressure, akin to the suffocating heat before spring thunder, realizing something was amiss.
"Ha, ha, ha!" The disciples in crimson robes screamed at the sight of the thunderbolt, but Jue Yunzi remained calm, as he saw Bai Qiuran unsheathing his sword.
Meanwhile, the Thunder Beast locked its gaze onto the young boy, bursting into boisterous laughter once again.
Bai Qiuran, standing calmly before Jue Yunzi, noticed the beast's rage as it issued another deafening roar. "You think you can humiliate me, an immortal beast?”
"I am here to settle the debt with the old Qinming!" Then, like a storm, dark clouds rolled over the sect’s protective array, merging dramatically with the rumbling thunder.
The disciples around the Sect Master were in shock, whispering amongst themselves, “The master is fighting someone at the gate!”
The distant bell tolled, echoing the overcast sky; it was time for the once-in-twenty-years disciple selection event at the Qinming Sword Sect. Cultivators from several countries across Gu Province, and even from other continents, gathered in Hanging Sword Town, full of hopes for potential immortality.
Resounding through the mountain peaks, Bai Qiuran's True Qi ignited his sword, flames licking up its blade, the very basic martial technique essential for newcomers. "What’s your opinion on Qi Condensation cultivators?" he retorted with a smile, emboldened by the ignited energy.
Suddenly, the thunderous roar erupted once again, as the colossal Thunder Beast appeared, its imposing figure shrouded in dark clouds, claws gripping the air and ready to strike the sect’s protective barrier that had stood for millennia.
“Your arrogance will be your downfall!” roared the Thunder Beast, its confidence booming as threats echoed deeper into the clouds.
But it was not only the disciples who sensed the incoming storm. The Grand Elder was in solitary cultivation, and any disturbance could jeopardize his time refining. "If something were to happen to him…" The consequences loomed heavy upon Jue Yunzi's mind.
What followed could be described as a fateful encounter. The clash between the young challengers standing before a foe of legend was imminent. Would the Qinming Sword Sect rise to the occasion, or falter before the Ancient Beast?
And so the stage was set for a confrontation that would either seal the sect's demise or usher in a new era of glory. As disciples and elder prepared, the thunder rolled yet louder, shaking the very foundation of their sect, foretelling of the impending strife awaiting within their sacred grounds…