Chapter 402: The Most Familiar Stranger

Lei En hovered several thousand meters above the ground.

He glanced at the Thunder God's Hammer in his hand; not only can it pierce the void, but while he holds the war hammer he can tread on the void, borrowing its force with his feet as if standing on an invisible floor, steadier and more reliable than a flight spell.

"This is just too useful!"

Lei En gave a heartfelt exclamation of admiration, then looked down at the city below.

It was already evening; under the setting sun Longshande was bathed in a layer of dusky amber, and the familiar city remained as bustling as ever.

Lei En instantly recognized his location, above the Los District.

He recalled that on his first day after crossing into Ai Lun E Si, he had spent it in an apartment in the Los District.

He had been in a hurry to fetch the Thunder God's Hammer earlier, leaving little thought for anything else; now that the war hammer was in hand, a flood of mixed emotions rose within him. Longshande truly was his second hometown, where he became a transcendent, walked the path of a battle Wizard, met Viola here, and his family also resided here.

"Family…"

Lei En whispered to himself, since leaving Longshande for Mo Du he had not seen his family again.

Though his feelings for this life's family were not deep, he had nonetheless inherited everything of the former "Lei En", so now that he was in Longshande he would pay them a visit along the way.

Lei En looked toward the Silver Star District and immediately spotted the villa he had purchased, now the family's residence.

He did not rush to fly over; he released his grip, and the Thunder God's Hammer vanished into the void.

The Thunder God's Hammer cannot be stored in a spatial ring; when not in use, he can conceal it within a void fissure nearby, swimming like a fish in water, appearing and disappearing, ever close like a shadow.

Without the war hammer in hand, Lei En immediately plummeted like a meteor.

He activated his invisibility ring to avoid being seen by those on the ground; just as he was about to hit the earth, a flash of movement buffered his fall, letting him drift lightly onto the roof of an apartment building, then he used an Arcane Torrent staff to open a portal and stepped through.

Emerging from the portal, he was already in the Silver Star District.

Lei En changed into ordinary clothes, removed his conspicuous blood‑red cloak, then left the secluded alley, turned a few corners and arrived at the front of his own villa.

He did not enter immediately, but stood at the street edge and listened for a while.

As dusk deepened, many voices could be heard from the villa—father, mother, younger brother and sister, as well as the butler and servants, plus a few unfamiliar strangers, likely newly hired staff, preparing the day's most important dinner.

After the Soul Transformation amplified the Voice of All Things, Lei En could, from sound alone, sketch the scene and people at the source in his mind, and discern the speaker's health—heartbeat, pulse, even the flow of blood within.

The family's condition was all fine, a harmonious joy.

However, Lei En discovered three transcendent beings in the house next to the villa: one a high‑level Wizard, two Mid‑stage Iron Guard, covertly monitoring the villa's activity.

"It should be the Silver Star Title: Duke sent to protect the family."

Lei En guessed their origin.

He hesitated a moment, then walked from the street and knocked on the villa's main gate.

A few seconds later, the side door beside the main gate opened.

"May I ask who you are, esteemed…"

A middle‑aged man looking like a gatekeeper stuck his head out, stopped mid‑sentence, then upon seeing Lei En's face, his eyes widened and he shouted, "Count! You're back!"

Lei En recognized him; when he bought this villa, he had already been the gatekeeper here.

The main gate burst open with a roar.

"Count, I didn't know it was you who returned…" The gatekeeper's face was very anxious; Lei En had been away for almost two years, and he had almost forgotten who the true owner of the villa was.

"It's fine, just close the door."

Lei En didn't mind at all, entered the villa, his figure flashing across the front lawn, appearing at the main hall entrance just as the butler Maril hurried out.

"Lord Count!"

Maril, hearing the commotion and assuming an honored guest, came out to greet his master; upon seeing Lei En he was both startled and delighted, loudly proclaiming, "A warm welcome, Lord Count, back home. The master and madam have been mentioning you today, saying they intend to find time to visit Mo Du; we didn't expect the Lord Count to return first—how wonderful!"

"Maril, thank you for your effort."

Lei En smiled gently; the butler was someone he had hired, his Soul Eye was precise in judging people, Maril was dependable, and from the conversation he had just overheard he learned that Maril was deeply trusted by his father.

"This is what I ought to do; serving the Lord Count is my honor," Maril said, trying to stay composed but unable to hide his excitement.

The current Lord Count was no longer the obscure youth he once was; he had become a famed hero of the Empire.

In Longshande, aside from that Title: Duke, no noble of higher rank than the Lord Count could be found.

Maril maintained his decorum, bowing, "Sir, please come in."

As he said so, he stepped back half a pace and gently pushed the door open.

Lei En gave a slight nod and entered; Maril hurriedly followed, never overtaking him, keeping a half‑step distance behind.

The crystal chandelier in the main hall was already lit, and the family, startled by the butler's loud words, all poured out from the adjacent dining room.

"Lei En!" Father Bard said, his face full of surprise.

Mother Marinda was even more overjoyed; disregarding the dignified demeanor of a noble lady, she lifted her long skirt and stepped forward, trying to embrace Lei En but finding it a bit awkward, stopping a step away, wiping the corner of her eye, and happily saying, "Lei En, you finally returned."

Lei En smiled and replied, "Father, Mother."

Then he looked at the youths standing beside his parents and called each by name, "Brisset, Cadilo, Cathy, it's been over a year since we last met; you've all grown a lot."

"Brother…"

The three shouted excitedly, yet also a bit nervous.

Lei En observed his family's reactions; despite their good concealment, there was still an unavoidable sense of distance between them and himself.

At that moment, the villa's servants also bowed and called out, "Lord Count…"

There were also a few male and female tutors, likely dining with the family, who, upon seeing his return, were all visibly uneasy.

Lei En's Soul Eye swept over them, responding one by one.

Though he had already restrained his aura, the innate soul presence of a legendary transcendent still caused everyone to feel an inexplicable fear, and they all knew Lei En's identity, having heard of his deeds, feeling even more reverence.

Only Brisset appeared relatively calm and at ease.

Lei En glanced at his closest younger brother and smiled, "When did you become a transcendent?"

"Just last month, I just completed the Soul Transformation ceremony!" Brisset said, as if presenting a treasure, his face full of pride.

He puffed out his chest, "Brother, I'm already a Level‑1 Ranger; next Soul Transformation, I will switch to become a Demon Swordmaster."

"Not bad, keep it up." Lei En nodded approvingly, encouraging.

Bu Li Sai Te's talent is indeed good; having just passed seventeen she became a Transcendent, and from her soul state her strength is quite impressive among rookie Transcendents, plus her swordsmanship talent is superb, so in the future she may well have a chance to break into Legend.

"Each time your soul ascends, you come to me, and I'll provide you the best demon soul." Lei En decided to give Bu Li Sai Te some guidance, merging the demon soul most suitable for him.

Bu Li Sai Te jumped up excitedly, shouting, "Brother, that's what you said!"

"Stop saying that." Ma Lin Da finally calmed down, looking gently at her eldest son, asking with concern, "Lei En, why did you come back alone, without a servant? Have you had dinner?"

"Not yet," Lei En patted his stomach, "Perfect, I'm hungry too; it's been a long time since I tasted the sweet wheat‑filled pastry you made yourself."

"I just finished some, come try them quickly." Ma Lin Da was overjoyed, pulling Lei En into the dining hall, also inviting the whole family to sit. The few tutors politely took their leave, Ba De escorted them out, and the servants, under the steward's orders, busily served the freshly prepared dinner.

At the table, Lei En ate while chatting and laughing with his family.

His parents and younger siblings were also dining; they have been taught well, chewing slowly and swallowing carefully, showing a hint of aristocratic lad and lady bearing, gradually shedding their commoner habits.

Lei En looked toward the head of the household, his father Ba De.

He seemed somewhat silent, unlike the father Lei En had imagined since childhood, but Lei En could guess that, as the usual head of the house, everyone had to obey him and he was accustomed to that status; now that Lei En had returned, he instantly lost his voice in the family and couldn't adjust.

"Father, how is your ranch doing?" Lei En asked casually.

Ba De finally smiled, "Very well. I'm confident that within three years the ranch's profit can grow to two thousand Gold Shields per year. With that money, I plan to send Ka Di Luo and Cathy to Si Tu Huo Er Academy, and train them into Transcendents as well."

Lei En caught the underlying meaning: his father wanted to support his children with his own means.

Si Tu Huo Er is Longshande's best academy besides Yin Xing Academy, generally admitting only aristocrats and wealthy merchants' children. Tuition alone costs hundreds of Gold Shields per year, plus various alchemical elixirs and cultivation resources, bringing a student's expenses to around five hundred Gold Shields.

Ka Di Luo, Cathy, and the household expenses, villa servants' wages, social engagements—relying solely on the ranch's two thousand Gold Shield profit per year is certainly far insufficient.

Lei En smiled, not exposing the truth.

He had long transferred his twenty percent share of the Yin Xing Record Company to his mother Ma Lin Da's name, so there was no need to worry about the family's finances.

Let his father retain his final dignity.

Lei En sighed softly; since becoming a lord in Mo Du over a year ago, his family had never visited Gra Morgan, not even a single letter.

Even though he didn't say it aloud, he could guess his family's thoughts.

Obviously, his current achievements are astonishing.

Perhaps to outsiders he is a once‑in‑a‑millennium prodigy among commoners, a humble‑born hero, but for his closest family their feelings are entirely different—initially surprise, then increasingly fear.

They know well what Lei En was like over the past twenty years: mediocre, cowardly, frivolous and restless, achieving nothing in three years at the academy; but the current Lei En is completely different—powerful, calm, omnipotent, yet also very alien, leaving them unable to comprehend.

The Lei En of the past could never have accomplished this; it's as if he's become a different person.

They simply cannot believe such a great figure was born in their family; as more of Lei En's deeds spread, the surrounding people grew increasingly respectful, the couple first felt pride, then gradually doubt, and finally fear.

Thus, subconsciously they wanted to keep their distance to avoid unforeseen disaster—a instinctive choice to seek benefit and avoid harm.

Lei En could understand, and felt a slight relaxation in his heart.

He never had deep feelings for these relatives, so keeping distance suited him.

After the meal, Lei En stayed behind to rest for a moment, learning about Bu Li Sai Te's cultivation status, when he suddenly looked up toward the doorway as steward Ma Li Er brought in a senior Wizard.

The Wizard bowed respectfully and said, "Earl, Title: Duke requests you to go to the High Tower for a visit."

(End of chapter)