Chapter 367: Farewell, Lord Han (1/5, Autumn Subscription)

Since Ni Dongmei said his Spirit Root was nonexistent, Fang Yue could only consider the possibility that he belonged to the Night Moon Tribe.

At least he wasn't a blank slate.

Letting Ma Ling'er go back in Mo Cun was a huge mistake!

Back then, Fang Yue never imagined Ma Ling'er's issue would trigger such a massive trouble.

If Ma Ling'er returned to the Wu Yu Tribe and came back with a group of strange beings as a royal member, he couldn't possibly resist.

So this matter still needs to be asked of Lord Han—see if it's truly this serious.

"Are we really not killing Ma Tiejiang?"

Hua Wuye also stepped over and asked; she despised traitors intensely and wanted nothing more than to chop off Ma Tiejiang's dog head with one slash.

"Keep him alive—he can still yield more intelligence. I checked: Ma Tiejiang is truly just a mortal, with nothing more than the strength of an ordinary martial artist."

"But he claims he's from the Wu Yu Tribe! That makes him one of those strange beings! How could he have only this much power?!"

Blood Hunter rode up and said: "I asked him. According to his own words, his power was stripped after he was exiled. This body is the result of ten years of training. In other words, as I understand it, though he is one of those strange beings, he has possessed a human body and lived in it for ten years!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yue and the others changed expression: "Ten years of possession? Where does his lifespan come from? How do they survive? Why doesn't the body decay?"

"The lifespan of those strange beings cannot be judged by human standards—I don't fully understand either. Ma Tiejiang said he can live ten years, but refuses to say anything else."

"Won't cooperate?" Fang Yue's eyes flashed with cold light.

Blood Hunter shook his head slightly: "Useless. He knows Ma Ling'er is still alive. He understands his own value and has stopped answering any questions."

"Then kill him!" Hua Wuye's murderous intent surged.

"... Not yet. If he won't talk, we'll find a way to make him speak when the time comes."

The information Ma Tiejiang revealed is already enough; there's nothing urgent left to ask.

The team quickly dragged Ma Tiejiang back to the village.

The villagers murmured about the scene.

Everyone stared in shock at Ma Tiejiang, bound behind a horse and dragged along the ground.

"Is that… Ma Tiejiang?"

"What happened? Why are they treating Ma Tiejiang like this?"

As the crowd buzzed, Fang Yue gave Lin Ling a glance; the latter sighed, left the group, and quickly spread the news that Ma Tiejiang was a traitor to the village.

"What?!"

"Impossible! Ma Tiejiang is my brother—we've been iron brothers for ten years! How could he betray the village?!"

"Exactly! Captain Lin Ling, are you sure you didn't make a mistake?!"

The crowd erupted in chaos; no one believed Ma Tiejiang, who had lived in the village for ten years, could be a traitor.

Only after Lin Ling's lengthy explanation did they reluctantly accept the truth—but they remained dazed.

"I'll lock Ma Tiejiang up." Hua Wuye parted from the group, took out the iron box, and gently rubbed it, lost in thought.

Fang Yue was curious about what was inside the iron box, but since Hua Wuye didn't bring it up, he didn't dare ask—it clearly involved matters between the Hua Family's main and branch houses…

After dismissing everyone else, Fang Yue went to Han Fu.

The last time he came to Han Fu felt like a distant memory.

Looking at the familiar mansion, Fang Yue couldn't help but sigh.

He entered effortlessly, waved off the steward and others, and arrived at the courtyard where Lord Han had once secluded himself.

"Lord Han, I'm back. I have something to ask you."

In a blink, Fang Yue appeared inside Lord Han's meditation chamber.

Lord Han, seated on the ice bed, slowly opened his eyes.

"Back from Mo Cun?"

"Yes!"

"Second-rate Realm… your strength has improved rapidly."

Lord Han's eyes held admiration.

For a normal martial artist, advancing from Third-rate to Second-rate Realm takes years.

But Fang Yue did it in days.

And he isn't the only one—any player who, like Fang Yue, frequently kills high-intensity strange beings, gains attribute boosts, and gets lucky enough to obtain the corresponding breakthrough Heart Method can achieve similar rapid advancement.

Lord Han rose from the ice bed, smiling at Fang Yue: "What do you want to ask me?"

"It's like this…"

Fang Yue told Lord Han everything he'd experienced on the journey, including the matter of the Wu Yu Tribe.

"Wu Yu Tribe…"

Lord Han frowned: "That's an ancient strange being. Even I avoid confronting such a group. I never realized they had been lurking in Gu Yue Village for so many years."

This was also the point that puzzled Fang Yue most.

Who was Lord Han?

At his peak, he was Rain Grade Peak!

Now, with Night Cold inside him and Heavy Injury untreatable, he had fallen to Half-step Rain Grade.

Yet even so, he was absolutely not someone to be trifled with!

Qing Guo had seen no Spirit Root appear for a long time; Immortal Grade had become legend.

Thus, Rain Grade was the peak of combat power.

Half-step Rain Grade was nearly indistinguishable from invincibility.

At least, that's what Fang Yue thought—but Lord Han chuckled bitterly.

"You overestimate me. Half-step Rain Grade is still only half-step Rain Grade."

"The Black Rain Clan is an ancient and bizarre race, their methods are unfathomable. It's normal that I can't see through it."

"Moreover, with my strength at half-step Rain-rank, the Black Rain Clan is fully capable of dealing with me!"

Ah, this?!

Lord Han's words startled Fang Yue. So Lord Han couldn't handle the Black Rain Clan either??

"Don't panic. From what I know, if it comes down to one-on-one combat, the Black Rain Clan members who can match me can be counted on one hand."

"But if they swarm me… I'd have no choice but to flee for my life."

"However, from what you've said, although Ma Ling'er is of royal blood, her standing within the Black Rain Clan isn't that high. It shouldn't lead to a situation beyond my ability to handle."

That's good then, that's good then.

Fang Yue patted his chest. Lord Han really is something, way too modest.

It had scared him into thinking he'd really have to run this time.

"Lord Han, I was just bringing it up casually. Ma Ling'er may not even come looking for trouble with me."

"That may not be the case. From what I know, the royal bloodline of the Black Rain Clan is usually heavily tainted—monstrous hybrids born of humans and the strange. To become a pure royal, they must purge the taint, that is, the human part. To accomplish this, the first step is to sever Causality.

Setting aside the fact that you've killed Ma Ling'er, just her ten years in Gu Yue Cun have already forged a deep karmic bond with the village.

If she wants to sever Causality, her priority will be to destroy Gu Yue Cun, to annihilate every trace of her existence as a human. Your problem is secondary."

(End of chapter)