Vast and deep in the mountains, the lush green hues stretch to the very horizon, forming an endless sea of green. Standing within it, a gust of wind stirs the forest, causing the green waves—each towering up to a hundred paces—to surge in from afar and roll toward the observer, magnificent beyond words. Suddenly, a rustling sound breaks the stillness of the forest, and then a figure swiftly glides from the distance. With a gentle vibration of its wings, the figure hovers mid-air, gazing down at the endless expanse of the forest, a faint smile of mild surprise on its face. Unbeknownst to him, the forest beyond the inner courtyard is so vast that even the great wyrm mountains spanning the Gamma Empire appear comparatively modest. Taking a deep breath, recalling the rigorous training environment described by the Elder of Medicine, Xiao Yan feels a touch of resignation—where in this endless mountain range could one possibly find a marshland? His gaze swept across the landscape, and from deep within the forest, low roars and growls of wild beasts echoed. At the same time, the purple cloud wings behind Xiao Yan gently fluttered, and his form once again became a streak of shadow, moving swiftly through the continuous range of mountains. The body hovers above the marsh, supported by the purple cloud wings. Xiao Yan casually tosses a stone into the water, watching as it splashes mud and uproots the grass. A slight smile plays on his face—this marsh's size indeed matches what the Elder of the Medicine had described. "Heard this, Xiao Yan hesitated slightly, then nodded gently, and slowly descended. As he approached the marsh, his shoulders trembled slightly, and with a soft snap, the purple cloud wings behind him retracted. Without the lift provided by the purple cloud wings, his body fell straight into the marsh. At the very moment his feet touched the marsh mud, a surge of energy erupted from his feet, producing a crisp, resonant crack that echoed continuously across the marsh. 'Puff!' A large mound of black mud was violently thrown upward, yet Xiao Yan's body did not fly out as it had in the past. Instead, due to the formation of a vortex beneath his feet, he descended directly into the marsh. His feet were soon enveloped by the black mud, and his face slightly paled as the mud exerted a strong suction force, pulling his body steadily downward into the depths of the marsh." The two palms were slightly raised, then powerfully pressed downward, sending out a strong, intangible surge of force. Instantly, two distinct depressions appeared on the surface of the marsh. Taking advantage of the thrust from the Blowing-Flame Palm, Xiao Yan pulled his foot out of the marsh, his back trembling as the purple-cloud wings snapped out like lightning and rapidly flapped, striving to lift his body into the air. However, as soon as Xiao Yan's foot had just cleared the marsh, the surrounding marsh suddenly surged to life, black water arrows shooting fiercely from the depths, all aimed directly at Xiao Yan in the air. The sudden assault left Xiao Yan astonished, though fortunately he was not entirely unprepared. With both hands pressing down again, the invisible gust of wind collided with the water arrows in mid-air, shattering them into a swirling cascade of black water. The two wings vibrated rapidly, and only after hovering several meters beyond the marsh did Xiao Yan gradually come to a stop, his gaze fixed upon the marsh. There, numerous serpentine creatures were moving continuously within the water. One black serpent in particular thrust out its head, its face fierce, and a jet of foul-smelling black mud shot forth. "The old medic smiled faintly, saying, 'Should you master the "Three Thousand Thunder Waves," the marsh will be as familiar to you as a well-trodden path. Should you refine it to the point of perfection, you could even hover and move short distances in the air simply through this footwork.' 'Back when the Master of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion used this "Three Thousand Thunder Waves" to escape the joint attacks of three Dou-Zong-level cultivators, and further used the footwork's subtlety to wound one of them severely, it clearly demonstrated the technique's strength. Though it is only a lower-tier Earth-stage technique, its speed rivals that of mid-tier Earth-stage footwork techniques.'" "If you truly master this technique, with your current strength, even if confronted by a Supreme Battle Rank powerhouse, you'll be able to escape unharmed." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart warmed considerably. Should he succeed in mastering "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes," his chances of eventually claiming the "Falling Heart Flame" would undoubtedly increase significantly. With a light flick of his fingers, a silver scroll materialized in his hands. Gently running his palm over the scroll, whose entire surface shimmered with the hue of lightning, he could almost hear faint whispers of wind and thunder. "Master, how exactly can I successfully cultivate 'Three Thousand Thunder Strikes'?" Turning to Yao Lao, Xiao Yan asked with eager anticipation. "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes" is indeed a technique that commands widespread admiration across the entire continent. Back in my day, I even expressed interest in borrowing it from the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, only to be turned down each time. "The senior physician smiled faintly, saying, 'This is one of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion's hallmarks. Each scroll requires immense effort—within every scroll lies a thread of wind and thunder energy sealed and infused by the Pavilion's master. Only by absorbing and internalizing this thread can one truly master the extraordinary technique known as 'Three Thousand Thunder Roars.' Therefore, within the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, only senior elders and outstanding disciples who have made significant contributions are granted the privilege of studying it.' 'Wind and thunder energy...' murmuring the words softly, Xiao Yan smiled, 'Now I understand why holding this scroll allows me to hear faint sounds of wind and thunder—it's all because of this.' "This wind and thunder power is the most crucial factor that has allowed the Wind and Thunder Pavilion to remain enduring across the Qi Continent. It is said that only when the sky is overcast with dark clouds and thunder flashes, can one, seated atop a mountain peak, miraculously absorb a slender strand of wind and thunder energy drifting through the void. However, this wind and thunder energy is remarkably potent and demanding—those with less resilient minds may struggle to control it, and even a single misstep could result in a reversal of effects, leading to their demise. There have been countless outstanding disciples of the Pavilion who have perished during this very stage. Yet once successfully mastered, the attack power of their Qi becomes so formidable that even the renowned Thunder-type Qi, famed for its strength, falls short. This is indeed reminiscent of the way the Burned Decree enhances the potency of Qi through the absorption of unique fire energies. Master Yao smiled and added, 'Your current Qi, blended with the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire, is undoubtedly far stronger than ordinary Fire-type Qi. You should have noticed this by now, shouldn't you?'" “Hmm…” Xiao Yan nodded slightly, mentally noting the name of Fenglei Pavilion. Then, he raised the silver scroll in his hands toward the old doctor and smiled, asking once again, “So now, what should I do to cultivate?” “Wait!” the old doctor smiled. “Wait? Wait for what?” Xiao Yan was surprised. Looking up at the slightly overcast sky, the old doctor chuckled, “Wait for the wind to rise, wait for the lightning to flash… then absorb the wind and thunder energies within the scroll. Only then can you begin to cultivate the technique of Three Thousand Thunderous Roars. Given the current weather, it won’t be long now…” Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily astonished, then gradually enlightened. He lifted his gaze toward the sky, which stretched like an endless, faintly shaded curtain, and nodded slightly. In the mountainous region, the weather was ever-changing, making it hard to predict. This wait did not last long. On the very night of the second day after Xiao Yan arrived at this mountain range, the sky—just moments before still bathed in the golden glow of sunset—was suddenly veiled by dark clouds that surged forth from nowhere. Strong winds blew down from the clouds, rustling the trees and shrubs throughout the forest. The sky grew thick with clouds, and deep, resonant thunder rolled steadily from within. Before the overwhelming presence of this natural power, the entire mountain range fell into a state of panic and stillness. Xiao Yan slightly raised his head, gazing at the dense cloud cover above, and smiled faintly. With a gentle twist of his palm, a scroll shimmering with the color of thunder and lightning materialized. Ancient characters on the scroll emitted delicate streaks of silver electric light against the lightning. "Three thousand thunderclaps!"