Chapter 235

"Bloodline..."

Lei Hao sighed upon hearing that, "Father, it's too late to say these things now; better to discuss the matter of the martial academies under heaven..."

"Too late?"

The old man raised his eyebrows, implying something, and said, "I don't think it's too late; you're still young, and there are plenty of marriageable girls in our village— isn't there one you like?"

"Father!"

Lei Hao's face flushed red, and he said angrily, "Please don't say such things in front of the child!"

"Alright, alright, I was indeed rash."

The old man also realized his words were inappropriate, his expression stiffening, "Cough, cough, are you still leaving this time?"

After a moment of silence, Lei Hao said, "If we're leaving, I plan to take Xiao Yu to stay in the village for a while, and we'll talk after those scum from the martial academies under heaven withdraw."

"Hmm, go as you wish; this time I won't stop you," the old man shook his head, "Xiao Yu can receive a better education outside; indeed she shouldn't stay in these mountains."

After Lei Hao broke that rule, many more villagers left the mountains for city life.

As village chief, the old man wanted to stop them but was powerless.

"Sigh, in my view, the bloodline of our Lei family village is growing thinner and thinner, not far from disappearing."

After a long sigh, the old man got up and added some charcoal to the stove, "Take Xiao Yu inside; after all that trekking over mountains and rivers, you must not have rested well."

Lei Hao nodded and led the little girl into the house.

These days of perilous flight, coupled with the hatred for his wife's killer, have left Lei Hao's spirit on the verge of collapse.

If it weren't for having to raise Xiao Yu, he would have long abandoned everything and fought to the death with the chief of the martial academies under heaven.

Just as Lei Hao was tidying up to rest, a panting boy came into the courtyard.

"Village chief! Uncle Hao!"

"What's wrong? What happened to make you so panicked?"

The boy pointed at the village entrance and said, "Outsiders have come; I don't know what they want, and they're still waiting at the entrance."

"Outsiders have come?"

The old man frowned, looking at Lei Hao who had risen indoors, "Are they your enemies?"

"Probably so; I didn't expect these people to be so persistent..."

Lei Hao felt a jolt in his heart, and his breathing grew heavy.

On the way back to the village he was still full of confidence; as long as the people from the martial academies under heaven dared to come, he was confident he could join forces with his father to detain them.

His father, as the chief of Lei family village, had already broken through to the peak of the fifth Realm in lightning-type ability; even against a grand master he would have a chance to win.

Moreover, his Martial Artist Realm is not low; suppressing the chief of the martial academies under heaven is no problem.

But fate thwarted his wishes; seeing the old man who needed a cane to walk, Lei Hao sighed.

With age and frailty, his Blood Qi is far inferior to before— how could he be a match for that grand master?

"Don't space out, come with me to the village entrance," the old man waved his hand and walked outside, "Rest assured, this old bone of mine can still muster some leftover strength; as long as I'm here, I'll fight to the death to keep you and your father safe."

"Father..."

Lei Hao's nose felt a bit sore; he turned to the little girl and said, "Xiao Yu, stay inside the house, don't go anywhere—I'll be back shortly with Grandfather."

The little girl nodded blankly, and after the people in the courtyard had left, she tiptoed out.

"Indeed, the closer one gets to the mountainside, the denser the lightning-attribute energy becomes..."

At the foot of the steep cliff, Lu Jing sped along a path trodden by animals, with a precipice on his left and dense forest on his right.

Relying on the perception of his mental power domain, each of his steps landed steadily, like a goat constantly leaping along the rugged path.

After a while.

Between the bluish-yellow towering mountains, a magnificent gorge lay exposed, as if a heavenly axe had cleaved a gap through the peaks.

"This place is indeed a secluded utopia."

Lu Jing extended his mental sense and discovered many traces of human activity.

"Does anyone still live here?"

Out of curiosity, and because the lightning-attribute energy inside was the strongest nearby, Lu Jing decided to venture deeper into the gorge to explore.

"Who goes there— halt!"

A boy in coarse cloth, holding an iron hoe, approached and said, "What are you doing? Where do you come from?"

"Hello, I'm a tourist with a travel group who wandered in by mistake."

Lu Jing answered with a smile, trying to appear friendly.

"Can a travel group really make it out here?"

The boy frowned, saw Lu Jing's harmless appearance, lowered his guard considerably, and planted his iron hoe into the ground.

"I've walked a long way to get here; now I'm tired and thirsty— could I have some water to rest a bit?"

Lu Jing's eyes lit up; this earthy boy had a special aura, just like Xiao Yu's father— could he also be a lightning-type Talent Endowed?

"Come with me first; our village is still some distance away."

Lu Jing nodded and followed the boy forward; along the way he asked many questions, but the other gave only vague answers.

"Wait here, don't run around; I'll go report to the village chief."

The boy led Lu Jing to the village entrance and instructed.

"Alright, you go."

Lu Jing casually stood by the roadside, his mental power silently spreading outward, probing deep into the village.

He seemed to have blundered onto the right spot by chance...

The boy didn't keep him waiting long; in under five minutes he led a group of people out.

Most of the crowd were young and able-bodied, each brandishing weapons, fists clenched and palms ready.

Where is that person? Who dares to provoke our village people!?

When friends arrive, we have good wine; when jackals arrive, we have hunting rifles!

Xiao Hao, don't worry, the villagers are your backing; whoever dares to bully you must first get past us!

Lu Jing watched this group of villagers arriving with great momentum, his expression somewhat puzzled.

Is this treating me as an enemy?

The leading old man, though leaning on a cane, moved quickly, arriving ten meters in front of Lu Jing.

Are you a member of the Under Heaven Martial Hall?

No, I think there's a misunderstanding here.

Lu Jing shook his head slightly.

Father, I know this person; he's probably not with those people.

In the crowd, Lei Hao stepped forward and stood beside the old man.

Do you know him?

The old man asked, somewhat puzzled.

Yes, he's from the same travel group as me, and he's a student currently in school—no problem.

Lei Hao waved his hand, signaling the villagers to put down their weapons, then nodded and smiled at Lu Jing.

He breathed a sigh of relief in his heart; it seemed the Under Heaven Martial Hall group hadn't found this place, and it was too coincidental that this youth had come to the village.