The family reunion after twenty years was naturally full of warm affection. The elderly couple were in fine health, and their spirits were particularly buoyant under such joyful circumstances. As for the couple from Zhennan, they were naturally delighted to see Lei Dong return home, though they expressed a slight regret. They had originally intended to visit Wanguigu to see Wan Yan, as she had messaged them saying she was returning there first, inviting them to join her. However, no sooner had they arrived than they learned that Wan Yan had only been back for a few days before rushing off on another mission. She had left a letter instructing the old couple to wait for her in Wanguicheng and not to go anywhere else.

This caused Lei Dong’s brow to furrow slightly. He now knew that Wan Yan had made quite a name for herself in the East Sea, earning the moniker "Blood Asura." Before entering his seclusion, he had secretly ordered Tian Mo to remotely recall Wan Yan from her current assignment, ordering her back to Ziguigu to await further orders.

Awaiting orders was, in essence, a covert mission, and since Tian Mo was the leader of the War Hall, her directive should have held the highest priority. Even if others had assigned Wan Yan tasks, she had every reason to refuse. Her hasty departure suggested something hidden, perhaps a complication? Of course, Lei Dong kept this concern to himself for the time being, unwilling to worry his elders at home.

Originally, he had planned to visit his parents and then immediately return to Wanguigu to pay respects to his Master. But in Lei Dong’s current view, Wanguigu seemed to have undergone vast and significant changes over the past twenty years. Out of caution, Lei Dong decided to observe the situation secretly first, lest any disadvantageous circumstances arise for him. Although Tian Mo had mentioned the thriving development of Wanguigu, his grandaunt always operated from such a high vantage point that she wouldn’t concern herself with the petty details of lower-level cultivators. Lei Dong understood a crucial truth: great trees attract the wind. Wanguigu’s foundation was too thin for its rapid growth, inevitably inviting envy that might lead to backstabbing schemes.

Given this situation, Lei Dong resolved to linger in Wanguicheng for a few more days.

He spent a night accompanying his parents, using his true essence to soothe and regulate their bodies, and also gave them a batch of potent tonics highly effective for mortals. The next day, Lei Dong changed into a simple, unassuming black robe and began wandering the cultivator market in Wanguicheng. Though he appeared nonchalant, his divine sense—comparable in power to that of a peak Golden Core cultivator—covered the entire market, subtle and light as gossamer.

Lei Dong’s current cultivation level was at the early stage of the Golden Core realm. At this strength, he was qualified to apply to a sect to guard a territory. Furthermore, the sheer might of his spirit soul likely approached that of the Wangu Ancestor. Consequently, the probability of encountering anyone in Wanguicheng whose divine sense approached his own would be extremely small.

This initial probe genuinely surprised Lei Dong. Within this moderately sized market, there were no fewer than a thousand cultivators, including dozens at the Foundation Establishment stage, and remarkably, even one early Golden Core cultivator lingered. This clearly demonstrated that Wanguigu’s influence in various aspects had substantially increased.

After this initial sifting, much of Lei Dong's attention focused on those Foundation Establishment cultivators. His divine sense trailed them with exquisite subtlety, mapping their movements, actions, and even their whispered communications with perfect clarity. In a short while, seven or eight out of ten were eliminated; they were genuinely there to conduct trade in the market, while the remainder required further observation.

As for that one Golden Core cultivator, Lei Dong paid him exceptional attention, dedicating the majority of his focus to him. The reason was simple: this Golden Core cultivator, like himself, employed a technique to conceal his aura, suppressing his true cultivation to the level of the Foundation Establishment stage. However, his technique for concealing his breath was rather crude, lacking the profound refinement of the Zhou Tian Cang Ri Jue that Lei Dong practiced. Because of this, Lei Dong, with his exceptionally powerful divine sense, saw through the disguise immediately. It was likely that his concealment technique couldn't easily fool even ordinary cultivators of the same rank.

What truly unsettled Lei Dong about this individual was that after lingering distractedly in the market for a short while, he used a disguise technique and moved towards the residential area of Wanguicheng, his divine sense sweeping directly toward the mansion where Lei Dong's parents resided. This observation significantly heightened Lei Dong’s vigilance. Yet, since the man made no overt move, posing no immediate threat, and Lei Dong was loath to act within the city or startle the snake, he refrained from taking action for the moment.

Capturing an ordinary, unremarkable early Golden Core cultivator would have been effortless for Lei Dong. But doing so without causing a stir was difficult. Fortunately, after observing for several hours, the man reverted to his assumed identity as a "Foundation Establishment" cultivator, returning to the market to browse. He even theatrically purchased two mid-grade spirit artifacts, haggling over the price with great animation. Finally, with a look of considerable satisfaction, he left the city in the evening.

Lei Dong followed in pursuit, a matter of course. With the profound mystery of his Zhou Tian Cang Ri Jue, combined with his current divine sense strength—which Tian Mo had appraised as capable of evading even a mid Nascent Soul cultivator—tracking a mere early Golden Core cultivator was trivial.

After tracking continuously for thousands of miles, the Golden Core cultivator furtively suppressed his escape light and descended into an inconspicuous small canyon. Lei Dong employed the Gui Ying Dun (Ghost Shadow Evasion) to slip in, concealing his presence. But just as he reached the valley entrance, he felt a massive, oppressive wave of divine sense sweeping the vicinity. His face paled in shock, and he swiftly flattened himself behind a rock, holding his breath and focusing his Zhou Tian Cang Ri Jue to its absolute limit.

It proved itself worthy of being an arcane art passed down from ancient times. Sure enough, the Nascent Soul-level divine sense swept over him without detecting Lei Dong’s existence in the slightest. The cold, potent spiritual awareness passed over him, registering him only as a rock devoid of any life sign; nothing was discovered.

Feeling a slight dampness on his back, Lei Dong let out a quiet breath. By nature, encountering a Nascent Soul cultivator alone would mandate a retreat. However, this matter seemed connected to Wanguigu, leaving Lei Dong no room to withdraw. After all these years, he held deep affection for Wanguigu. Moreover, Lei Dong had considerable faith in the Zhou Tian Cang Ri Jue; failing that, he could always use the Wings of Asura for escape. Even at the Foundation Establishment stage, he had escaped a Nascent Soul cultivator. Now that he was Golden Core, his true essence was several times stronger; unless the opponent was monstrously powerful, there was no reason he couldn't flee.

Without further hesitation, Lei Dong began to infiltrate cautiously. Regardless, Nascent Soul cultivators possessed a certain arrogance and would not likely search the same location repeatedly. He pushed the Gui Ying Dun to its extreme—drifting like a specter, silent, unpredictable, clinging closely to the Golden Core cultivator, merely tens of feet behind. At this distance, with his current skill and power, without relying on divine sense, not only speech but even the slightest rustle of wind would fail to escape his perception.

Wait—there wasn't one Nascent Soul cultivator, but two.

Hiding tens of feet away, Lei Dong relied purely on sight and hearing to observe the surroundings. Within a temporarily constructed stone pavilion, two Nascent Soul cultivators, both possessing imposing auras and making no effort to conceal their power, were seated regally. The previous Golden Core cultivator stood respectfully beside the table, head bowed, reporting fearfully: "Reporting to Lord Blood Fiend, the couple from Zhennan in the Great Ding Kingdom are indeed currently guests at the Lei family residence in Wanguicheng. The strength they brought is minimal, only two guards at the early Foundation Establishment stage."

Upon hearing this, a jolt went through Lei Dong. Could this plot not be directed against Wanguigu, but rather...

However, Lei Dong was a man of firm will and meticulous thought. Realizing this was not the time for emotional shifts, he merely allowed his expression to turn cold and continued listening. Lord Blood Fiend? Could that person truly be one of the sect’s Supreme Elders, the Blood Fiend? Lei Dong glanced briefly with his naked eye and saw that the man was indeed enveloped in a pervasive aura of blood energy, closely resembling the legendary Blood Fiend.

"Then proceed according to the original plan. Continue monitoring them, and attack to abduct them only after they leave Wanguicheng. Remember, do not harm them. Go now; there will be ample reward for you upon success," the Blood Fiend’s deep, ethereal voice sounded, not even bothering with sound transmission or concealment. This showed the Blood Fiend’s supreme confidence in his own strength, certain that no one was spying nearby.

"Yes, this humble one takes his leave." The Golden Core cultivator retreated from the stone pavilion in fear and awe. Only after putting some distance between himself and the pavilion did he activate his escape light and fly away.

Lei Dong naturally remained perfectly still, continuing to monitor the two Nascent Soul cultivators. He still couldn't grasp the purpose behind kidnapping the Zhennan couple, but the root of the matter would inevitably be discussed between the two.

As expected. The other Nascent Soul cultivator, who looked like a young man, spoke with arrogance and languor: "I say, Brother Blood Fiend, isn't it just about snatching two people from the territory of a mere peak Golden Core cultivator? Is it worth such excessive caution and fuss?"

"Heh heh, Brother Li has traveled far and is thus unaware. That kid Wangu’s own strength cannot be underestimated. Even if he cannot defeat a Nascent Soul cultivator, he is one of the strongest among the Golden Core realm, after all. He possesses an ultimate spirit ghost and a congenital spirit treasure." The Blood Fiend showed no annoyance at his counterpart’s demeanor, instead smiling as he explained, "Most importantly, in recent decades, he seems to have established a relationship with Tian Mo. If we act too brazenly, alerting Tian Mo prematurely will cause trouble."

"Hmph, an ultimate spirit ghost and a congenital spirit treasure. Such treasures falling into the hands of an ant like him is a terrible waste," the cultivator surnamed Li grumbled, sounding envious and resentful. "Even I cannot obtain an ultimate spirit ghost." After a pause, his gaze flickered slightly: "I also heard that Tian Mo is a great beauty; perhaps I could..."

"Brother Li, one cannot be excessively greedy in life," the Blood Fiend’s tone also betrayed a hint of displeasure. "Helping you acquire Ding Wan Yan is already a concession based on the excellent relationship between our two sects. Tian Mo's strength is vital to our sect."

Just from this brief exchange, the murderous intent surging within Lei Dong, concealed in the distance, erupted fiercely.

... (To be continued RH)