The Frozen Abyss' biting chill faded behind Yan Xuanlanbin as he stood before a swirling vortex of dark clouds and crackling lightning — the gateway to the fourth realm: The Realm of Storms. Thunder growled like a restless beast overhead, and jagged bolts of lightning split the sky with violent fury. The ground beneath was scorched and torn by countless tempests, a battlefield where only the strongest survived.
The air was electric — thick with untamed energy. It hummed with power so raw it made Yan's skin tingle.
The Elders were silent now, watching with unblinking eyes.
One elder's voice broke the roar of thunder. "The Realm of Storms tests your ability to harness the fury of the skies. Here, your cultivation must rise beyond mere swordsmanship. You will learn to bend the tempest itself."
Yan nodded, tightening his grip on the Supreme Sword. The blade pulsed, its golden flame now intertwined with icy blue light — the dual essence he had forged in the Frozen Abyss. But this realm demanded more than fusion; it demanded mastery over chaos itself.
He stepped through the storm gate. The world transformed instantly.
Lightning cracked overhead like exploding firecrackers, casting sharp shadows across jagged rocks and shattered earth. Gusts of wind howled, threatening to rip Yan from his feet.
His cultivation senses tingled violently — this realm's energy was volatile, a wild beast snarling to be tamed.
Suddenly, a massive whirlwind erupted nearby, tearing rocks and debris into a swirling cyclone of destruction.
From its center emerged the realm's first guardian — the Storm Herald. Towering and fierce, clad in armor crackling with raw lightning, its eyes blazing with electric fury.
Yan's heart pounded as the Storm Herald raised its arms, summoning bolts of lightning that arced through the air like living serpents.
Without hesitation, Yan channeled his cultivation energy into the Supreme Sword.
His Bloodstage Seal flared brighter than ever, golden light mingling with glacial blue, now sparking with crackling electricity.
He unleashed the Tempest Dragon Slash — a move combining his previous fire and ice techniques with the storm's chaotic energy.
The sword arced through the air, releasing a torrent of flame, frost, and lightning that cut toward the Storm Herald like a comet.
The guardian roared, raising a shield of storm energy that shattered under the assault, but not before sending an electric backlash that slammed Yan backward.
He crashed into the jagged rocks, the ground cracking beneath him.
Yan gritted his teeth. This realm demanded everything — speed, power, control.
The Storm Herald charged again, its scythe crackling with lightning. Yan rolled aside, sword flashing as he parried the attack.
He realized that raw power wouldn't win here. The storm's energy was unpredictable, wild — like a raging river that could drown the unwary.
Yan closed his eyes for a moment, reaching deep into his cultivation core.
He invoked the next level of the Glacial Heart Technique, fusing storm energy into the frost-fire balance within him.
Lightning danced along his arms, golden flames flickered around his body, and icy mist swirled at his feet.
When he opened his eyes, they shone with fierce clarity.
With a shout, Yan surged forward.
His sword glowed, crackling with the combined elements of fire, ice, and storm.
He spun, unleashing a devastating technique he named the Dragon Tempest Vortex — a whirlwind of blade energy infused with lightning bolts and freezing winds, tearing through everything in its path.
The storm realm seemed to tremble at the power.
The Storm Herald staggered but retaliated with a deafening roar, summoning a massive bolt of lightning aimed directly at Yan.
Time slowed as the bolt crashed toward him.
Yan summoned his cultivated speed, activating the Shadowstep Technique — a rapid movement skill he had refined since his first realm trial.
In a flash, he vanished and reappeared behind the Storm Herald.
With no hesitation, he drove the Supreme Sword deep into the guardian's back.
Lightning exploded from the wound, crackling wildly as the Storm Herald screamed in rage and pain.
But the battle was far from over.
The guardian's final act was to unleash a cataclysmic storm pulse, a shockwave of thunder and lightning that sent Yan flying.
He crashed against the jagged rocks again, blood trickling from his mouth.
Yet his grip on the Supreme Sword never wavered.
Panting, he rose to his feet.
The storm around him calmed, thunder fading to a low rumble.
Yan knew this was only a taste of the trials ahead.
The cultivation system's powers had been pushed to their limits today.
But with each victory, Yan's bond with the Supreme Sword deepened.
His cultivation level had advanced — he had broken through the Third Bloodstage Seal, a milestone few cultivators dared dream of.
The Supreme Sword's power responded, its golden flame now brighter, its icy edge sharper, and its storm crackling with fierce energy.
The path to mastering the nine realms stretched before him — more brutal, more unpredictable than ever.
Yan's journey was far from over.
He sheathed the Supreme Sword and took a deep breath.
The Realm of Storms had tested his limits.
And he had survived.