Chapter 15: Just This?
The purple glow of the thunder talisman flickered in Wu Bo's hand.
Before him stood a young man in coarse cloth, looking to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, holding a bundle of firewood and wearing an expressionless face.
At first glance, Wu Bo's heart jolted—this man's aura was completely normal, yet his body showed not a single leak of true essence.
That was a trait only seen in those of the Saint Realm?!
But a moment later, he almost laughed at his own thought.
In the entire world, there were no more than twelve Saints—how could he stumble across one here?
Besides, there was another explanation for a complete lack of true essence—having no true essence at all.
And without true essence, one was simply a mortal.
Looking at this plainly dressed man holding firewood, he seemed nothing more than a rustic from the mountains.
"I'm scaring myself~"
Wu Bo shook his head in amusement, relaxing his tense shoulders.
Still, if this man could appear in the valley, he was probably connected to the family that had saved the young lady years ago—perhaps a servant or menial worker.
It was said that some small cultivation families in remote areas still kept mortals to mine or tend fields.
"Who are you?" Wu Bo lowered the talisman, speaking with arrogance.
…
On the other side, Chen Chang'an, who had been a little apprehensive at first, relaxed completely after sensing the other's cultivation.
Not even at the Longevity Realm?
Trash.
It had been a long time since he'd left the valley, and his old fear of the outside world had gradually faded.
Although he still bore a shadow in his heart about leaving, he wasn't one to underestimate himself.
His cultivation wasn't that bad—maybe, in the outside world, he could even become some small leader.
But after years of living in the valley, his natural reclusive nature had taken over.
Coupled with his modern upbringing and dislike for conflict, he had simply let go of any desire to venture out.
Even so… he still had a reverse scale.
And that reverse scale's name was—Chen Xingcai.
"Old man, you're on my turf chasing my bear, and shouting my daughter's name," Chen Chang'an set the firewood aside and brushed the wood dust from his hands, "shouldn't you be giving me an explanation?"
Wu Bo narrowed his eyes. Daughter?
So he'd been wrong from the start? The young lady had been adopted by an ordinary mortal?
That made things easier.
He couldn't be bothered to talk further. With a flick of his left hand, he formed a seal and cast the Hong family's Dragon Seizing Hand. An invisible suction force swept toward the man—enough to drag an ordinary mortal to his knees in front of him.
Yet the young man didn't budge, not even the hem of his robe moving.
Wu Bo frowned, changing his seal and tripling the suction. Loose stones were lifted from the ground, but the young man remained unmoved, even bending down to pick up a dropped piece of firewood.
"You…" Sweat began to bead on Wu Bo's forehead, the concealed weapon in his right hand sliding into his palm.
Something was wrong—very wrong.
That strength should have dragged even a Return to Origin Realm cultivator over.
"Any more tricks?" The young man tilted his head. "If not, it's my turn to ask—who are you, and why are you looking for my daughter?"
Wu Bo sneered and stopped holding back. With a sudden motion, he released seven Soul-Locking Nails, each turning into a streak of black light aimed at the man's vital points.
This was a Hong family secret treasure, personally bestowed by the family head. Even a Longevity Realm cultivator struck by it would have their cultivation sealed for a time, reduced to a true mortal.
Ding ding ding…
Seven crisp sounds rang out as the nails froze three inches from the man's body, then fell to the ground as if they had hit an invisible wall.
Cold sweat poured down Wu Bo's back.
Impossible!
"Who are you?!" he demanded.
Chen Chang'an frowned. "What do you mean, 'who am I'? I'm Chen Xingcai's father. Old man, what nonsense are you muttering?" He casually picked up one of the fallen nails. "And please, don't throw these toys around. Even if they can't hurt anyone, it's not good if they damage the plants."
Wu Bo stared hard at him, thoughts racing.
Could this be some supreme technique that perfectly concealed one's aura?
Looks like force won't work, so he would have to try a softer approach.
Forcing himself to remain calm, he cupped his hands and said, "I am Wu Tiande, chief steward of the Hong family from Yunzhou, acting under the orders of my family head to search for our bloodline. The girl in your care is our eldest young lady, Hong Yuezhan."
"Hong family?" Chen Chang'an's heart skipped a beat, alarms flashing in his mind. Could it be that after all these years, his daughter's biological parents had come looking for her? Should he return Xing Cai to them?
The next instant—like hell he would! With the way his daughter looked back then, who would believe she was lost by accident? Xing Cai was his daughter; he said so, and no one could take her away. He added silently in his heart— not even that black snake could.
Shaking his head, Chen Chang'an said casually, "Never heard of them. Xing Cai is my daughter; she has nothing to do with your Hong family."
Wu Bo's eyelid twitched again and again. Were all the people and animals in this valley able to lie without blinking? That tangled look on his face just now—what was that about? And now he could shamelessly pretend nothing had happened?
Still, the man's fists were big, so Wu Bo suppressed the urge to act, a flash of severity in his eyes. Behind him stood a Saint Realm family—the Hong family!
"You had better think this through! The Hong family is one of the top clans on the Xuanying Continent!" He produced a crimson command token. "This is the 'Heaven-Burning Order,' personally forged by the Hong family's ancestor. Once activated, the Hong family's flying vessel will arrive instantly, and everything within a thousand li will be reduced to rubble!"
Chen Chang'an fixed his gaze on the token, his expression finally changing. But… for a so-called top clan, they sent someone not even at the Longevity Realm to fetch their biological daughter? He wasn't entirely convinced.
"Is it really that powerful?"
Seeing this, Wu Bo felt a measure of relief. As expected, invoking the Hong family's name made no one dare resist. He said proudly, "Hand over the young lady now, and the Hong family will let the matter rest; otherwise—"
"Then use it. Let me see." Chen Chang'an suddenly interrupted.
"What?" Wu Bo froze.
"I said," Chen Chang'an pointed at the token, "use it and let me see if it's really that impressive."
Wu Bo's beard quivered with fury. "Fine! Fine! Since you seek death—"
He flung the token into the air and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto it. In an instant, it transformed into a crimson streak of light shooting skyward, the air distorting in its wake, faint thunder rumbling.
Then, a hand appeared.
With casual ease, as if picking fruit, it plucked the token from the air.
Wu Bo's mouth gaped so wide his jaw nearly hit the ground. He watched in disbelief as Chen Chang'an turned over the Hong family's treasured token—said to traverse ten thousand li in an instant—in his hand, even bringing it to his nose to sniff.
"This is it?" Chen Chang'an looked disappointed. "Slow as a turtle. Flying vessel in an instant? Leveling a thousand li?"
"Im… impossible…" Wu Bo's legs turned to jelly, and he staggered backward. The Heaven-Burning Order, personally forged by the Hong family's ancestor, contained Saint Realm laws. To stop it bare-handed… only another Saint Realm powerhouse could!
This young man carrying firewood was actually Saint Realm?! And judging by his ease, he was far beyond someone who had just entered it…
Wu Bo suddenly recalled what Patriarch Hong Tianque had said: "Beneath the Saint Realm, all are ants." Now, he fully grasped the meaning—before a true Saint Realm expert, his half-step Longevity Realm was no different from an ant.
Playing with the token, Chen Chang'an felt completely at ease.
This thing they bragged about so much—was this all?
Trash indeed—fit only for the garbage bin.
Bullying the weak and fearing the strong… he liked that the most.
Still, he realized, he'd never actually killed anyone before…
"Well…" Chen Chang'an began, weighing how to deal with the old man. Kill him? That didn't seem ideal. Let him go to report back? He wasn't afraid of this Hong family, but if they had some connection and drew in an opponent he couldn't handle, that would be trouble.
As he hesitated, a crisp voice came from behind.
"Father! I picked so many mushrooms! Can we have mushroom soup tonight?"
Both Chen Chang'an and Wu Bo turned their heads. A little girl of five or six came hopping out from the forest, carrying a basket of fresh mushrooms in her arms. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows over her bright little face.
Though they had never met before, the blood jade in Wu Bo's arms grew scorching hot. His whole body trembled, and tears welled in his old eyes. "Y-young lady…"
Chen Xing Cai paused at the sight of the stranger, looking questioningly at her father. "Father, who is this old grandpa?"
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{5 more chapters today in evening}