Chapter 1110: Divine Martial Return

Though he called him "uncle," his tone and demeanor showed not the slightest humility or respect typically shown by a junior to an elder. Instead, his leisurely gaze seemed to condescendingly look down upon a lowly, inferior creature.

Yet, Lei Qianfeng showed no sign of irritation. He hastily replied, "Yes, yes. If you hadn't come, Guik, I'm afraid my old life would have been forfeit. It's just a pity about Mo'er and the others..."

Thinking of his seven sons who had met tragic ends, one after another, Lei Qianfeng's muscles tensed, and his tightly clenched fists trembled uncontrollably.

"My aunt told me all about these matters yesterday," Wu Guik said, narrowing his eyes. "I heard from Aunt that all of this was done by someone named 'Ling Yun'? He not only poisoned your seven sons, but also indirectly caused the deaths of over a hundred thousand elite disciples and four elders. He nearly killed you, and yet you couldn't even touch his shadow?"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Xiao Qingtong, who was nearby. When he looked at Xiao Qingtong, his gaze was significantly softer than when he stared at Lei Qianfeng.

In addition to his extreme pain, anger, hatred, and humiliation, Lei Qianfeng had already developed a deep fear of Ling Yun. His entire body trembled, and his voice became somewhat hoarse. "Ling Yun... he... he's simply a devil!"

"A devil?" Wu Guik chuckled softly. "Heh, uncle, uncle, if Aunt hadn't told me all this herself, I wouldn't have believed a single word. While I've always thought you were unworthy of Aunt, I never imagined you could be so utterly useless. As your nephew, I feel completely disgraced."

Lei Qianfeng's face registered surprise, and he dared not argue. After his lips trembled for a moment, he lowered his head and said, "Yes, it is true that I am incompetent... But as long as I live, I will tear Ling Yun to pieces and scatter his ashes!"

"Is that so?" Wu Guik slowly approached, his gaze gradually darkening. "Before you tear that Ling Yun to pieces, you'd better take care of yourself first! What exactly happened with that Royal Wood Spirit? My royal father has rarely been so truly enraged because of this! You'd better provide a proper explanation, or the consequences won't be as simple as you think!"

What was meant to come, came. Lei Qianfeng's body stiffened. He hastily and anxiously explained, "The matter of the Royal Wood Spirit is absolutely true. After we captured it, we were going to present it to your royal father immediately, but unexpectedly, due to a moment of carelessness, it was stolen by Ling Yun!"

"How would Ling Yun know it was a Royal Wood Spirit?" Wu Guik demanded sharply.

"No, no, Ling Yun didn't steal it because it was a Royal Wood Spirit. Rather, that Royal Wood Spirit was hidden among a Wood Spirit clan outside Blackflame City. Ling Yun had known that Wood Spirit clan for a long time, so he stole it after we captured the Royal Wood Spirit. We never imagined anyone would be so bold as to oppose us, which is why we lost it. Afterward, we quickly located that Wood Spirit clan and slaughtered all the Wood Spirits, but we couldn't find the Royal Wood Spirit again. Our enmity with Ling Yun also stems from this reason."

"Is that so?" Wu Guik sneered, clearly disbelieving.

"Guik," Xiao Qingtong said softly, "Your uncle isn't lying to you. Every word he says is true. If we hadn't genuinely captured the Royal Ancestor Wood Spirit, I wouldn't have been so eager to tell your mother. I just didn't expect... sigh..."

Wu Guik's expression softened, and he nodded. "Since it's Aunt's word, then of course, Guik must believe it." But as his gaze turned back to Lei Qianfeng, his face darkened again. "However, whether my royal father will believe it is not for me to decide. Leaving aside the matter of the Royal Wood Spirit, the number of Wood Spirit pearls and cultivation cauldrons you've presented as tribute has been decreasing in recent years. It will be quite difficult to appease my royal father's anger over this!"

Lei Qianfeng's face changed again, and his entire body began to tremble. In the Blackflame Realm, he was an all-powerful Great Realm King, but before a figure like the Divine Martial Realm King, he was no different from a lowly insect. The Soul Sect's prosperity to this day was largely due to the formidable reputation of the Divine Martial Realm, over eighty percent of it. While others in the Divine Martial Realm might be fine, this time it was the wrath of the Great Divine Martial Realm King... In his fury, crushing a Divine King like him, or even the entire Soul Sect, would require no effort at all. Why would he care if Lei Qianfeng was his son's uncle?

"Guik, it's not that your uncle has been negligent. It's just that Wood Spirits have become increasingly scarce over the years, and excellent cauldrons are even harder to find. It truly is... Guik, after you return, please speak well of me to your royal father, especially regarding the Royal Wood Spirit. Your uncle wouldn't dare deceive your royal father, even with ten thousand times the courage."

"Hmph!" Wu Guik sneered. "Is it truly just becoming scarcer? Or... are you quietly selling off a portion of the Wood Spirit pearls that should be tribute to others, in order to monopolize Blackflame and create leverage?"

Lei Qianfeng's head shot up suddenly, his pupils contracting sharply.

"Guik," Xiao Qingtong interjected, "This matter isn't entirely your uncle's fault. If I hadn't acted impulsively, your royal father wouldn't have been angered by the theft of the Royal Wood Spirit. Your royal father usually dotes on you the most, so now only you can save your uncle."

The moment Xiao Qingtong spoke, Wu Guik's previously dark expression instantly smoothed, as if touched by a spring breeze. He quickly reassured her with a smile, "No, no, Aunt, you are not at fault. Truthfully, Uncle merely missed a great opportunity this time; he didn't commit a major error. I'll clarify the situation here and persuade royal father for a few more days, and once his anger subsides, everything will be fine. I only spoke so harshly just now to remind Uncle to be even more cautious in the future. Guik will certainly settle this matter upon his return, so please rest assured, Aunt."

Wu Guik's attitude towards Lei Qianfeng and Xiao Qingtong was starkly different, and it had always been so. Lei Qianfeng had long grown accustomed to it. Upon hearing these words, his face instantly lit up with joy.

Xiao Qingtong smiled. "Guik is truly a good child; my affection for you hasn't been in vain. It's just a pity about your two brothers..."

Before her voice faded, Xiao Qingtong was already on the verge of tears.

Wu Guik quickly consoled her, "Aunt, please restrain your grief... Rest assured, now that Guik is here, I will certainly obtain justice for your two brothers. A mere Ling Yun dared to make Aunt cry... I will personally capture him and bring him back for Aunt to deal with as you please."

After speaking, he shot a harsh glance at Lei Qianfeng. "Where is that boy, Ling Yun, now?"

Lei Qianfeng hastily replied, "Although that boy's profound energy is low, he seems to possess extremely powerful concealment abilities, appearing and disappearing unpredictably every time. However, judging from his movements so far, the place he most frequently hides should be the Black Soul Mountain Range. During the day, it's teeming with profound beasts and their chaotic auras, and at night, thick fog descends. It's indeed an extremely suitable place for concealment, and coupled with his..."

"Then let's go check the Black Soul Mountain," Wu Guik interrupted him directly. "Aunt said that Ling Yun appears several times every day recently, and he appeared yesterday as well. That means he's been hiding somewhere nearby all along, never straying far. Hmph, Chenyan!"

"Young Master," the black-clad middle-aged man bowed to receive orders.

"Though it might be beneath your status, there's only a heap of useless, disgraced rubbish left here, so you'll have to personally go and catch that little worm."

"Yes," Wu Chenyan replied impassively, accepting the order.

Glancing at Lei Qianfeng, Wu Guik lowered the hand he had clasped behind his back. "Then let's go."

"Ah? Now?" Lei Qianfeng was stunned.

"What else? Should we wait for him to escape far away?" Wu Guik said coldly. "If he's truly as cunning as you say, if he learns that someone from the Divine Martial Realm has arrived, he'll surely flee a thousand miles instantly! Not everyone in this world is as naive and foolish as you!"

Though his nephew cursed him so, Lei Qianfeng dared not show the slightest anger. He waved his hand downwards. "Tiangang, take a few hall masters and accompany this King to the Black Soul Mountain!"

"Aunt, please rest well and take care not to harm your health. Guik will bring that child, Ling Yun, back for you to deal with." Before leaving, Wu Guik bowed to Xiao Qingtong in farewell.

Outside the Soul Sect, Wu Guik's face instantly turned grim. He said unceremoniously, "Uncle, you should know how serious it is when my royal father gets angry. If Aunt hadn't pleaded so desperately despite her immense grief, I wouldn't have taken on this matter. Hmph!"

"Yes, yes," Lei Qianfeng hastily responded, forcing a smile. "Guik, you've saved your uncle this time. Your uncle will never forget it."

"That won't be necessary. If you truly mean it, just be kinder to Aunt," Wu Guik said, narrowing his eyes. "Yesterday, as soon as we arrived, Chenyan spent the entire night expelling poison from you, while I comforted Aunt for the entire night. You're a Realm King of a lower star realm, yet you're in such a sorry state. You've utterly disgraced me and my mother, hmph!"

"..." Lei Qianfeng mumbled, not daring to speak.

"I'm eager to come out and capture Ling Yun, partly to comfort Aunt, and partly because... while you've never managed to catch Ling Yun, you also haven't found that Royal Wood Spirit. This means it's highly likely to be in Ling Yun's hands, or at the very least, Ling Yun should know where it is."

"Yes, that's exactly right!" Lei Qianfeng affirmed. "I've been pursuing Ling Yun with all my might, regardless of the cost, for this very reason."

"Hmph!" Wu Guik scoffed, picking up his pace.

Wu Guik led the way, with Wu Chenyan beside him, while Lei Qianfeng followed with his group. As Wu Guik fell silent, none of them dared to make a sound. These individuals, who usually swaggered freely in the Blackflame Realm, were now all as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to breathe loudly.

Wu Guik's status went without saying. Wu Chenyan, a terrifying expert at the Divine Sovereign Realm, was an otherworldly being capable of looking down on all lower star realms. Even within the Divine Martial Realm, he held a high position. His purpose in accompanying Wu Guik on this journey was to ensure his safety.

Soon, they arrived before the Black Soul Mountain Range. Lei Qianfeng said, "Guik, this is the place. We've ambushed Ling Yun here dozens of times, and once, we almost succeeded, but... we failed at the last moment."

"Chenyan," Wu Guik said, ignoring Lei Qianfeng, and raised an eyebrow.

Wu Chenyan nodded slightly, then soared into the air. His immense divine sense, akin to a sky-covering mist from a Divine Sovereign, rapidly enveloped the area.

But just then, a faint aura fluctuation suddenly emanated from ahead. Everyone's gaze subconsciously turned. They saw at a glance a delicate, graceful girl in a colorful iridescent dress bouncing through the low bushes, coming straight towards them, faintly humming a clear, pleasant tune.

"Hmm? Why is there a little girl here?" Lei Qianfeng said, his voice deep.

"Who goes there!" Lei Tiangang roared.

Seemingly startled by the sharp shout, the little girl stopped. Her star-like eyes carefully examined them, and then a strange expression appeared on her small face. "Oh my, what a coincidence."

"She... she is!" Behind Lei Tiangang, a Black Soul Hall Master suddenly exclaimed in surprise. "Sect Master, Chief Hall Master, she's the little girl who appeared with Ling Yun half a month ago and was then rescued by him! It's her, there's no mistake!"

That colorful dress and that exquisite, youthful face, beautiful enough to dim the sun and moon, were unforgettable to anyone who saw them.

"What!?" Both Lei Qianfeng and Lei Tiangang's expressions changed. Lei Qianfeng instantly roared, "Seize her immediately!"

However, they did not notice that the moment the little girl's figure appeared in sight, Wu Guik's body froze solid, unmoving as if petrified. His mouth slowly opened wide, yet no sound escaped him. Meanwhile, his pupils visibly contracted violently, then rapidly dilated, and dilated even further...

The son of the Great Divine Martial Realm King, a transcendent figure no one in the Upper Star Realm dared to provoke, now had pupils dilated to their extreme, trembling with horror as if he had seen a ghost or a god.