I Studied Abroad in the Modern Times

Vol 2 Chapter 108: Summoning Thunder

The young temple attendant was unconscious for a moment before slowly waking up.

She lay on the ground, dazed for a while, before suddenly recalling Zheng Fa’s voice. Glancing cautiously at the towering deity statue, she carefully spoke, “Lord Thunder God, are you there?”

“I am here.”

The young temple attendant shuddered again, but this time she didn’t faint. Instead, her face showed an expression of fervent reverence. “Lord Thunder God, you have finally revealed your divine presence!”

But Zheng Fa could hear the thoughts in her heart:

“Oh no, oh no… If I had known Lord Thunder God would truly appear, I would have made better offerings… Uh, well, that’s not really my fault, my father taught me… Wait, no, it was Grandpa who taught him… Actually, no, Lord Thunder God has just awakened, he probably doesn’t know…”

Seeing how her words didn’t match her thoughts, Zheng Fa found it somewhat amusing.

“What is thy name?”

“Thy surname?”

“Surname?” Xiao Qing looked a little confused. “What’s that? I’m just called Xiao Qing.”

Zheng Fa understood now—this world must be vastly different from the outside world.

Moreover, in Half-Mountain City, it was quite possible that everyone shared a common ancestor.

“Dost thou know of the Thunderstrike Sect?”

“The Thunderstrike Sect?” Xiao Qing’s face visibly relaxed upon realizing that Zheng Fa wasn’t blaming her for stealing offerings. She became more animated as she said, “Everyone in the city knows about it…”

“The sect leader of the Thunderstrike Sect supposedly had a strange illness for over ten years—then he suddenly gained control over heavenly thunder. After that, he founded the Thunderstrike Sect, and now no one in the city dares to disobey him.”

Control over heavenly thunder…

Listening to Xiao Qing’s account, Zheng Fa suspected that this man wasn’t merely a fraud.

Xiao Qing seemed like someone who loved to talk. Without waiting for Zheng Fa to ask further, she continued,

“But he’s not a good person,” Xiao Qing said angrily. “Our Half-Mountain City relies entirely on gathering mountain goods and fishing to survive, but now the most fish-rich river has been taken over by the Thunderstrike Sect. Those who collect mountain goods have to give them more than half—sometimes even ninety percent! They’re heartless! And to think, the sect leader himself used to be a gatherer!”

Zheng Fa was already aware of this. The last time he came, he had been observing his own invested territory.

In the Heavenly Monument Realm—at least within his own domain—people only had two sources of food: the mountains and the marshes.

Or rather, due to the overwhelming frequency of lightning storms, it rained constantly year after year.

Plains and basins had all turned into swamps and lakes, leaving only the mountains temporarily untouched.

His domain consisted of only these two terrains.

The mountains had plenty of fungi, some edible plants, and small animals. Large animals were rare—mostly because the ecosystem couldn’t sustain them.

The marshes, however, had an abundance of fish and aquatic plants. Xiao Qing’s clothing, for example, seemed to be made from the fibers of an aquatic vine.

From what Xiao Qing was saying, it seemed that the Thunderstrike Sect had already taken over Half-Mountain City and was even collecting taxes…

“Anything else?”

“There’s more…”

Xiao Qing’s face suddenly turned pale, her expression filled with fear. Her lips trembled, and she seemed unable to speak.

But in her heart, one phrase echoed so clearly that Zheng Fa even wondered if he had misheard—

“They… eat people.”

Looking at the terrified Xiao Qing, Zheng Fa fell silent.

He had always thought the Xuanyi Realm was terrible, but under the rule of the Immortal Sects, at least on the surface, cannibalism was strictly forbidden.

Yet here, he had just heard those two words.

At that moment—

A middle-aged woman entered the temple, carrying two sets of clothing. The fabric was rough, similar to what Xiao Qing was wearing.

“Aunt Yun?” Xiao Qing stood up and greeted her. “Are you here to pay respects to Lord Thunder God? Let me tell you—”

She seemed about to mention that Lord Thunder God had manifested.

“Xiao Qing.”

Aunt Yun was even thinner than Xiao Qing. Her face was sallow, her lips covered in cracked, grayish-white dead skin. Cutting Xiao Qing off, she said, “Look at these. Do you want them?”

Xiao Qing glanced at the clothes and seemed to recognize them.

“These belong to Sister Xia, right?”

“They’re hers.”

“She doesn’t want them anymore?”

“She was taken by the Thunderstrike Sect.”

Xiao Qing was stunned for a moment before speaking.

“Taken? Why would they take Sister Xia?”

“They said the sect leader is going to become a god. They’re celebrating.”

There was not even a hint of sorrow in Aunt Yun’s voice.

“…Celebrating.”

Xiao Qing seemed to understand.

She looked at the two sets of clothing and said softly, “Then when Sister Xia comes back…”

“She’s not coming back.”

Aunt Yun forced the clothes into Xiao Qing’s hands. “If these stay at home, just seeing them makes me think of her… You’re about the same height as her…”

She didn’t finish her sentence and simply turned to leave.

From the moment she entered to the moment she walked out, she hadn’t looked at the deity statue even once.

Xiao Qing held the two sets of clothing in her hands, staring at them for a long time before gently placing them on the offering table.

She hugged her knees and sat beside the table’s leg, speaking as if addressing Lord Thunder God—or perhaps just talking to herself.

“Sister Xia always took care of me ever since I was little.”

“She came to offer tributes to Lord Thunder God every day. I know she did it because she was afraid I’d go hungry.”

She paused, then suddenly said,

“Lord Thunder God, did you know? Everyone knows that when the Thunderstrike Sect takes young women, they torture them for amusement… And if they’re still girls, they… eat them.”

“When people lose their loved ones, they come to the temple to offer tributes. They cry terribly, hoping that Lord Thunder God will manifest and bring them justice. When you don’t, they turn to me instead.”

“My father, my grandfather, my grandfather’s grandfather… For generations, my family has been temple attendants. People think I have a way to make you appear, to uphold justice, but I don’t. I don’t even remember the last time you manifested.”

“In the end, they understood. Fewer and fewer people come to the temple… and more and more people go to the Thunderstrike Sect.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t blame you, Lord Thunder God.”

Xiao Qing looked up at the statue, but her voice carried a trace of anger.

“If I weren’t a temple attendant, I probably would’ve been eaten long ago. But I still want to ask…”

“Lord Thunder God, are you just going to watch?”

The silence of Zheng Fa’s temple was broken.

A group of strong men approached the temple.

At the center of the group, sixteen people carried a middle-aged man on their shoulders. Though this man’s physique was not particularly imposing, none of them dared to look him in the eye.

Behind them, a massive crowd followed.

A dark, dense mass—nearly ten thousand people.

Most of them were extremely thin, their cheekbones jutting out sharply, but when they looked at the middle-aged man, the fervor in their eyes burned even brighter than that of the strong men.

The light in their eyes blazed in their sunken sockets, resembling ghostly flames.

Xiao Qing heard the commotion outside and walked to the temple entrance, staring at the uninvited guests.

“What do you want?”

Her voice trembled slightly, and she did not dare to look directly at the middle-aged man, showing even more reverence than she did before the deity statue.

“The great sect leader is ascending to godhood today, so naturally, this temple should belong to him!”

A brawny man at the front of the crowd declared loudly.

“This is Lord Thunder God’s temple!” Xiao Qing’s eyes widened as she scolded, “How dare you offend Lord Thunder God?”

“Thunder God? A false god!” The man sneered. “The so-called deity in this temple has been absent for who knows how many years. Now, only our sect leader is the true god of this world!”

“Today, we will smash this false god’s statue and rename this place the Thunderstrike Temple!”

Xiao Qing grew even more anxious upon hearing this. She stood in the doorway, seemingly trying to stop them.

…

Zheng Fa, from atop the deity statue, observed the group of strong men.

There were fewer than a hundred of them, but their presence was overwhelming—their broad shoulders and muscular builds were enough to intimidate the weak.

Compared to the malnourished, skeletal people of the city, their well-fed, robust bodies stood out even more.

It was a clear display of their privileged lives, full of nourishment, never lacking meat.

After all, although the Heavenly Monument Realm was covered in waterways and teemed with fish and shrimp, fishing was incredibly dangerous—whether by the riverbank or on a boat, one could be struck by lightning at any moment.

Fishermen could only cast their nets on rare days when the storms ceased.

But such days were unpredictable and scarce. A single fisherman could barely catch enough to feed himself in a day, let alone support a family.

Thus, in the Heavenly Monument Realm, severe protein deficiency was the norm.

These men…

Zheng Fa swept his gaze over the group of brawny men, feeling only disgust. Instead of dwelling on them, he cast his divine sense toward the middle-aged man seated high on the platform.

This was likely the so-called sect leader of the Thunderstrike Sect.

Under his divine sense, Zheng Fa immediately grasped the man’s true nature—there was a faint presence of spiritual energy within him, but no trace of any cultivation technique.

This phenomenon had appeared before in the Xuanyi Realm.

Fairy Lingye was a prime example—she had once consumed a lightning-attribute spiritual fruit. If she survived the ordeal, she would gain some cultivation even without formally stepping onto the Dao path.

Xiao Qing had previously mentioned that this man was once a mountain gatherer. It was likely that he had stumbled upon a fortuitous encounter in the wilderness.

His decade-long affliction had probably been his body struggling to digest the spiritual fruit.

Now, the spiritual energy within him was weak—only equivalent to the first or second level of Qi Refining. But in the eyes of the people of Half-Mountain City, even this level of cultivation made him akin to an immortal god.

What made Zheng Fa take the man more seriously was that, whether intentional or not, he had divided his followers into two drastically different classes of treatment…

A method that greatly enhanced their loyalty.

…

“You’re called Xiao Qing, aren’t you?” The Thunderstrike Sect leader spoke. “This temple was originally built by the people of Half-Mountain City to worship the Thunder God. Now that I am ascending to godhood, it is only natural that this temple worships me instead.”

“Lord Thunder God has manifested!”

Xiao Qing said angrily.

“Manifested?” The sect leader chuckled lightly. “I have studied the records thoroughly. Your lineage of temple attendants has always deceived the people of Half-Mountain City. Since the city’s founding, this statue has never once revealed a divine sign!”

“…”

“We have offered tribute day after day, prayed year after year, yet this wooden idol has never moved in the slightest!”

Zheng Fa couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

This man was probably telling the truth…

The Heavenly Monument Realm had only recently emerged, and the former Thunder God had likely disappeared long ago.

Even in the Investiture Hall, the phrase ‘fall of the immortals and gods’ had been spoken.

This deity statue… was most likely a relic of an ancient faith, with no recorded miracles in Half-Mountain City for ages.

It was clear that this sect leader was a cautious man—he had made sure to investigate whether the temple was something he could afford to provoke.

“And I!” The sect leader raised his voice. “Am blessed by the heavens, wielding thunder itself. I am the new generation’s Thunder God!”

As he spoke, he gently brought his hands together, and sparks of electricity flickered at his fingertips.

Seeing this so-called ‘divine sign,’ the followers behind him all fell to their knees, their voices filled with fanaticism as they chanted:

“Thunder God!”

“Thunder God!”

“Thunder God!”

Though their bodies were frail, their voices were deafening.

The overwhelming cry of tens of thousands surged like a storm, forcing Xiao Qing, standing at the temple entrance, to take two steps back.

“Do you see?”

“This… is the will of Half-Mountain City!”

“I am the true god of Half-Mountain City!”

The grand procession of the Thunderstrike Sect heading toward the temple drew the attention of many Half-Mountain City residents.

They followed behind the crowd, surrounding the temple, their gazes fixed on Xiao Qing.

There was a hint of fear on Xiao Qing’s face.

Before her stood tens of thousands of Thunderstrike Sect followers, while she was all alone.

Her eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for help.

These people were not members of the Thunderstrike Sect. On the contrary, most of them had suffered under the sect’s oppression.

Some had their fishing grounds seized by the sect.

Some had their mountain goods stolen.

Some had daughters who left home and never returned.

Yet, when her gaze met theirs, they either turned away indifferently or lowered their heads in quiet shame.

The Thunderstrike Sect’s followers continued to advance, led by the dozens of brawny men in front. Their imposing stature made Xiao Qing’s small, thirteen or fourteen-year-old frame seem even more insignificant.

“When I ascend to godhood, all within the Thunderstrike Sect shall enjoy peace and prosperity!”

Behind them, the sect leader of the Thunderstrike Sect softly recited these words. Upon hearing them, the eyes of the brawny men gleamed with excitement.

The way they looked at Xiao Qing grew even more vicious.

As if they were looking at food.

Xiao Qing trembled, crossing her arms over her chest. She seemed uncertain, yet also as if she were desperately hoping for something.

She looked toward the deity statue, praying:

“Thunder God above, divine might vast and boundless.”

“This humble devotee prays with utmost sincerity.”

“May heavenly thunder descend to punish evil and uphold justice.”

“To enlighten the people, and spread divine grace upon the world.”

Her body was frail, and her voice was low.

But the sect leader seemed to hear her. He burst into laughter. “Foolish stubbornness! I am the true Thunder God!”

As he spoke, arcs of electricity surged across his body, making him appear almost majestic.

“In the days to come, I shall command the thunder! The clouds, the rain, and the lightning of the heavens shall heed my call!” He pointed to the sky, his voice brimming with pride.

Upon hearing this, the followers’ eyes burned with even greater fanaticism.

“To command heavenly thunder!”

“To command heavenly thunder!”

“To command heavenly thunder!”

A golden bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky.

The brilliant radiance illuminated all of Half-Mountain City, forcing people to squint.

The lightning struck directly toward the sect leader’s outstretched finger, reflecting his stunned and fearful expression.

In a flash of light, the sect leader’s figure vanished.

His followers looked left and right, searching for their leader’s whereabouts, but after a long time, they found nothing.

“This heavenly thunder…”

“It must have been summoned by the sect leader! Didn’t he say he could command heavenly thunder?”

“Then what about this pile of ashes?”

“……”

“The sect leader has become a god!”

Among the brawny men, a quick-witted one, sensing that something was amiss, quickly spun his words and declared, “The sect leader has shed his mortal form and ascended as the Thunder God!”

“If we continue to worship him devoutly, we too shall become gods one day!”

Another bolt of lightning struck.

Another pile of black ashes remained on the ground.

“……”

The remaining brawny men exchanged glances before turning and fleeing.

It seemed none of them were particularly eager to become gods anymore.