Shaluo shot her a look but didn't say much.
"Shaluo, where did Lis go? Why did he leave mid-match?" Kenny, standing nearby, was more concerned about the departing Lis.
Hearing Kenny mention it, Shaluo finally recalled that Lis had said he had something urgent during the fight, though she didn't know the specifics.
※※※※※※
Outside the arena, in a quiet, deserted spot.
Lis stood there silently, gazing at the middle-aged man before him, his eyes starting to redden involuntarily.
"Lis, you've grown up!" the middle-aged man spoke first.
"Father, why are you here? Where have you been all these years?" Lis asked, suppressing the ache in his chest.
"You shouldn't have come looking for me!" The middle-aged man sighed, as if recalling bitter memories.
Having spent so long with Zhong Shenxiu, even a little wisdom should have rubbed off on Lis. He certainly noticed his father was troubled and quickly asked, "Father, are you hiding something from me?"
The middle-aged man was silent for a long time before finally letting out a heavy sigh. "Very well. You are a grown man now; it is time I told you!"
Hearing his father say this, Lis's heart tightened with tension.
"Lis, the reason I've been living here incognito is simply because I wanted to see your mother!" the middle-aged man said, his face etched with weariness.
This statement was like a thunderbolt to Lis, leaving him stunned and unable to recover for a long time.
Lis had never seen his mother since childhood, and his father always forbade him from asking. Lis had always assumed his mother was long gone, but now, hearing his father speak, his mother wasn't only alive but right here.
An indescribable excitement instantly enveloped Lis, giving him an urge to shout out loud!
"Father, where is my mother now? Why... why has she never come to see me all this time?" Lis rushed close to his father, asking urgently.
"Don't blame your mother; she had no choice. I believe she thinks of you constantly!" The middle-aged man's voice cracked with emotion, sounding deeply moved.
Did he not miss his wife just as much? He had endured hardship and humiliation for over a decade just for a chance to see his wife again—a bitterness that words could never fully describe!
"Father, tell me quickly, where is my mother?" Lis was almost dizzy with happiness. He hadn't anticipated that in the space of one day, he would not only meet his father who had been missing for years but also learn news of his mother!
"Sigh!" The middle-aged man let out another long sigh. If Lis's appearance hadn't disrupted his plans, he might have seen his wife soon. But now... all his efforts were in vain!
The moment he and Lis emerged, they had drawn the attention of the "Krystine Family." If he went back now, he was certain to face a storm of interrogation because the current head of the "Krystine Family" was a deeply suspicious man!
"Father?" Lis finally calmed down. He remembered seeing his father sighing toward the heavens many times as a child, and only now realized something heavy weighed on his father's heart.
"Your mother..." The middle-aged man managed to control his emotions before continuing, "Your mother is being held in a secluded courtyard. I had planned to rescue her, but there are several master guards there. It’s difficult even for me to get a glimpse of her..."
Held?
The word stunned Lis, and he almost blurted out, "Who is holding my mother?"
As the words left his lips, a powerful aura burst forth uncontrollably, forcing his father back several steps before it grudgingly stabilized.
Fortunately, Lis realized his loss of control and quickly restrained his aura, but the light shining from his eyes remained terrifyingly sharp!
The middle-aged man stared blankly at Lis, feeling as if he didn't quite recognize his own son. In that single instant, he had sensed a kingly presence emanating from Lis. Though Lis quickly suppressed it, those piercing eyes still sent a chill down his spine. Is this truly my son?
"Father, tell me quickly, what is going on? Who has imprisoned my mother?" An inexplicable fire burned within Lis. He wanted to see who had kept his family separated for so long!
Just as the middle-aged man was contemplating whether to tell Lis, the "Magic Communicator" in Lis's embrace vibrated.
"Lis, where are you right now?" Shaluo's concerned voice came through the communicator.
"Sister Shaluo, I've met my father... Okay, I'll be right back!" After talking to Shaluo, Lis's emotions stabilized considerably. He turned to his father and said, "Father, come with me to see my companions. They all miss you very much. Don't worry about Mother anymore; our whole family will be reunited soon, I promise!"
The sharp glint in his eyes flashed again...
※※※※※※
After everyone listened to Lis's father’s account, they finally understood the whole story.
Lis’s mother was named Sheryl. She hailed from the "Krystine Family" and had fallen in love secretly with Lis's father. When the family discovered this, they considered it a disgrace. To avoid ridicule from outsiders who might learn of the affair, they ultimately decided to imprison Sheryl indefinitely.
Sheryl’s parents had died young, and the other family members were self-serving and deceitful. No one cared about the life or death of a mere woman like her, so no one stood up to speak for her. Consequently, she remained imprisoned all this time.
Some even claimed that sparing her life, instead of immediately executing her for disgracing the family honor, was an act of mercy!
Familial affection simply did not exist within the "Krystine Family"; there was only the struggle for profit!
The atmosphere suddenly became quiet, and everyone’s gaze inevitably settled on Zhong Shenxiu’s face, waiting for his decision!
Zhong Shenxiu did not disappoint them. True to his fiercely protective nature, the affairs of those around him became his own, and moreover, he welcomed any excitement to stave off boredom. After flashing a wicked smile, he stated calmly, "This sounds rather interesting. Then let us pay a visit to this 'Krystine Family'!"
At these words, the members of the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" looked eager for action; they hadn't had a real fight in a long time!
Lis's trouble was their trouble, as they were already family!
※※※※※※
The "Krystine Family" resided in "Bone Phoenix City" and was considered one of the foremost noble families in the entire "Spring Lou Empire"!
Zhong Shenxiu and his group arrived at a side entrance. They deliberately avoided the main gate because this entrance was closest to where Lis's mother was being held.
"Who goes there? Hurry and retreat! No loitering allowed here!" Several guards barked at Zhong Shenxiu and the others.
In their eyes, those who used the side door were mostly servants, who either had tokens or were known to them. Zhong Shenxiu’s group clearly didn't look like servants, nor were they expected guests, which is why they were so assertive—after all, this was the territory of the "Krystine Family"!
Lis's father looked somewhat nervous. He knew the "Krystine Family" too well; it was teeming with masters and countless guards. Though he admitted Lis’s friends were formidable, a strong dragon cannot overpower a native snake. Charging in so brazenly seemed reckless...
"Go, go! Didn't you hear us?" one guard said impatiently.
The chill in Lis's eyes grew colder. If Zhong Shenxiu and Kenny weren't nearby, he would have already silenced these gate-dogs!
"Oh? It seems the front gate won't let us in. Then we'll just go in from the side!" Zhong Shenxiu's lips curved into a smile as he walked toward the adjacent wall.
Lis's father was slightly bewildered. He couldn't grasp the true meaning of Zhong Shenxiu's words. Did he mean climbing over the wall?
Just because he didn't understand didn't mean the members of the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" didn't. Having spent so much time with Zhong Shenxiu, they easily caught the hidden implication. Almost simultaneously, cunning smiles appeared on everyone's faces!
"BOOM!" A deafening crash echoed, and the very ground seemed to tremble slightly.
The guards were startled by the sudden change and, when they saw the situation clearly through the dust and smoke, they were instantly dumbstruck.
The wall was gone. The continuous perimeter wall, stretching for miles, had been reduced to rubble!
Heavens, what just happened?
Watching Zhong Shenxiu and the others walk inside, not a single guard dared to utter another word; they were completely shocked into silence!
Following the directions given by Lis's father, Zhong Shenxiu and his group charged through, leaving devastation in their wake. No one could stop this group of demons from wreaking havoc!
Lis took the lead, clearing the path. The guards who rushed forward were often sent flying before they even registered what had happened.
Zhong Shenxiu, following behind, casually helped himself to anything he fancied. Hardly anything he set his sights on escaped him, not even a towering statue over ten meters high, which he managed to plunder. This made Lis's father sweat nervously!
In just over a minute, the entire "Krystine Family" compound was thrown into chaos, filled with incessant noise, shouting, and the sound of collapsing structures!
Terrifying, truly terrifying!
That was the first thought that crossed Lis's father’s mind. He hadn't expected the "Krystine Family" to be as fragile as tofu before the "Ethereal Mercenary Group." They were utterly monstrous!
While shaken to his core, he couldn't help but feel excited. The more overwhelmingly powerful the "Ethereal Mercenary Group" appeared, the greater their chances of successfully rescuing his wife!
Finally, Zhong Shenxiu and the others reached the small courtyard where Lis's mother was held.
But just then, several figures flashed out, intercepting their path. Judging by their movements, they were indeed masters!
However, if masters encounter monsters who specialize in crushing masters, what would the outcome be? V