Chu Tian, after ensuring everyone had arrived, asked in a calm tone, "Are you ready to face the wrath of the heavens?" His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear. The sight of the ominous thunderclouds in the distance and the apocalyptic scene somewhat unsettled everyone, who hadn't expected Hell's Gate to present such a fearsome landscape.
As they moved towards the Thunderstorm Area, the atmosphere became increasingly oppressive, with the dark clouds seeming to almost collapse upon them. As soon as Chu Tian stepped into the Thunderstorm Area, the thunderous roars and lightning strikes intensified, sending shivers down the spines of the group.
Chu Tian observed everyone's reactions with his mental perception, noticing that only Xu Qiao Sheng remained indifferent, making it difficult for Chu Tian to decide where to strike.
He led the group northwest instead of the direct southwest route previously taken with Mukto. "We must move quickly through this area," Chu Tian stated, sprinting ahead in the northwest direction.
The group followed, running through the area while dodging the occasional lightning strikes. Surprisingly, they managed to cover a distance of about 500 meters without any casualties. However, as they reached nearly 1000 meters, multiple lightning bolts struck down, instantly killing and severely injuring several people.
Chu Tian, noticing the increasing intensity of the thunderstorm and the growing fear in Xu Qiao Sheng's demeanor, realized that the more they delayed, the more powerful the lightning strikes would become. Eventually, the entire area might be engulfed in a massive thunderstorm, something even he wasn't keen on experiencing.
As they continued, a vortex-like formation appeared in the sky, signaling the imminent arrival of a severe thunderstorm. The group's pace quickened, but Chu Tian subtly altered their route to prolong their time in the Thunderstorm Area, aiming to weaken Xu Qiao Sheng's guards.
As they reached the center of the Thunderstorm Area, they found themselves in a dire situation, with about four kilometers to the first safe zone ahead and about six to seven kilometers back to the entrance. They had no choice but to push forward.
The first massive bolt of lightning from the storm's eye struck down, instantly killing several guards and injuring others. The screams of agony mixed with the thunderous roars created a nightmarish symphony.
Chu Tian, acting as the harbinger of doom, noticed that the formation of the giant lightning bolts was slower due to the large number of people. He planned for a few more strikes of the one-meter thick lightning before the massive ten-meter wide bolts would form.
However, Xu Qiao Sheng, realizing that Chu Tian had deviated from the mapped route, confronted him, demanding a quicker exit from the area. Chu Tian, realizing that Xu Qiao Sheng was aware of the map's details, reluctantly agreed to lead them out along the original northwest direction.
Accelerating his pace and using his abilities, Chu Tian quickly outdistanced the group by about 500 meters. Xu Qiao Sheng, enraged by this, urged his troops to increase their speed, as the danger of the thunderstorm grew more imminent.
Xu Qiao Sheng, determined to survive and reach the Red Lotus Karma Fire area, led his diminished group onward, racing against the merciless wrath of the thunderstorm in Hell's Gate.