Chapter 83: The Thunder Plains of the Wasteland

With a thunderous roar, Yang Xiao punched forward, sending a massive surge of energy slicing ahead like a sharp blade. The force traveled for several hundred meters, carving a deep ravine into the ground before him.

"What tremendous power," Yang Xiao murmured, feeling the surging spiritual energy within him and witnessing the devastating impact of his attack. The spectacle was truly astounding—such strength was beyond what Qin Feng, Xing Lie, and the others could ever have possessed.

"Back then, Qin Feng and Xing Lie may have had cultivation levels higher than the second stage of Qi Condensation, but they definitely lacked this kind of power. My current strength could rival cultivators at the fourth or fifth stage of Qi Condensation," Yang Xiao mused, deeply satisfied with his progress.

Over half a year of intense training, Yang Xiao had gained much: not only had he acquired a wealth of materials from spirit beasts, but he had also advanced significantly in various techniques. Among these, his Ninefold Golden Body had broken through to the second stage, his Thundercrack Fist had reached perfection, his Giant Spirit Technique had been successfully cultivated to its first layer, and his Peerless Sword Technique had attained the realm of Sword Soul.

The Thundercrack Fist and Giant Spirit Technique had broken through easily after entering the Qi Condensation stage, while the Ninefold Golden Body had advanced during prolonged battles with spirit beasts. The most difficult, the Sword Soul realm, had been achieved during a sudden moment of enlightenment. Of course, Yang Xiao's two-thousand-year lifetime of experience made cultivating these techniques much easier than for others. Otherwise, with the typical pace of cultivation, it would have been impossible to master so many techniques in just half a year.

Yet, these advancements in technique inevitably enhanced Yang Xiao's strength, ensuring he would not fear even more formidable opponents.

With his Qi Condensation cultivation, Yang Xiao no longer feared entering the heart of Yao Country. Among the younger generation, such strength made him a standout—wherever he went, none would dare underestimate him.

"First, I'll return to Lin Valley Village to bid farewell to Bai Sheng and his daughter, then head straight for the center of Yao Country," Yang Xiao resolved. His plan was to first visit a bustling city renowned for its trade in alchemical materials; there, he would purchase formulas beneficial to Qi Condensation as well as gather ingredients for pill refining. Only by leveraging the power of medicinal pills could his cultivation advance rapidly—mere hard work alone would yield slow progress.

Yang Xiao had no intention of repeating the arduous path of cultivation from his previous life; that road was too difficult, and its pace too slow to meet his aspirations. He needed to seek out potent pills.

Most importantly, with the aid of the mysterious jade fragment, he could greatly enhance the quality of his pills, further accelerating his cultivation. With this secret weapon, even reaching the Qi Condensation stage within ten years seemed entirely possible.

Having settled his plans, Yang Xiao set out from the valley, this time unleashing his Qi Condensation aura as he traveled. Not only did his speed increase dramatically, but the larger spirit beasts, sensing his presence, scattered and kept their distance. After all, these low-level beasts could never match a Qi Condensation cultivator; feeling his aura, they wisely avoided him rather than courting disaster.

Still, there was one particularly clumsy beast—a silver-tusked giant elephant—that failed to evade him and blocked his path.

Unlucky for the beast, it became Yang Xiao's practice target. With a single punch, before his fist even landed, a surge of true energy sliced through the elephant's head.

Having slain the giant elephant, Yang Xiao quickly harvested all its useful materials and continued on his way. From then on, he encountered no more reckless beasts. However, as he neared the mouth of the Ten Thousand Beasts Valley, he came across Fang Dong and his group, who seemed to be in a hurry to leave the valley.

Not only Fang Dong, but Yang Xiao also saw several others rushing out, as if something urgent were about to happen.

Though curious, Yang Xiao did not approach the unfamiliar cultivators. Now, meeting Fang Dong and his companions—two or three of whom Yang Xiao recognized and had previously saved—it seemed only right to ask them about the situation.

Since Yang Xiao had helped them before, he felt comfortable approaching.

Fang Dong immediately recognized his benefactor and hurried forward to greet him. "Brother, it's you! We meet again in the Ten Thousand Beasts Valley—what a coincidence. Wait, your cultivation has reached Qi Condensation? That's wonderful news! In our region, it's rare to see a Qi Condensation cultivator."

"Yes, I was lucky to break through while training in the valley," Yang Xiao replied with a smile.

"Brother, your abilities were always unfathomable. This breakthrough was only natural," Fang Dong said, eyeing the aura of true energy emanating from Yang Xiao with envy.

"Haha, just lucky. By the way, Fang Dong, why are you and your group in such a hurry?" Yang Xiao asked, puzzled.

"To be honest, brother, you must have noticed—many cultivators who were training and hunting spirit beasts in the valley are now rushing out, all for the same reason," Fang Dong replied mysteriously.

"Oh?" Yang Xiao queried.

"Have you heard of the Thunder Plains in the wilderness? That place is plagued by constant storms, so usually few cultivators venture there. But now, things have changed. It's said a cultivator discovered Thunder Crystals there—rare treasures that, when refined into magical artifacts, greatly enhance their quality and power. So, after hearing this news, we're all heading to the Thunder Plains, hoping to get a piece of Thunder Crystal. Even a small fragment is worth a fortune. What do you think, brother? Doesn't this news tempt you as well?" Fang Dong explained.

"So all the cultivators from the Ten Thousand Beasts Valley are heading for the Thunder Plains?" Yang Xiao asked.

"Of course. Why else would everyone be in such a hurry? Thunder Crystals are extremely valuable—everyone fears arriving too late and missing out," Fang Dong said.

"I see. As for Thunder Crystals, they truly are remarkable treasures. Looks like I'll have to pay a visit to the Thunder Plains myself," Yang Xiao said, narrowing his eyes.

Yang Xiao was indeed eager to acquire such a thing.