The Central Domain,
Eastern Region,
The Desert.
For tens of thousands of years, this place had always been desolate and silent, uninhabitable for mortals, and rarely visited by cultivators.
Just over seven years ago, it had been lively for once, hosting the Myriad Prodigy Ranking, drawing millions to witness the event.
On that day, a young man and woman were to have their final battle.
On that day, an enemy, unseen and claiming to be of the demon race, descended from the sky.
On that day, millions fought to repel the invaders.
On that day, the teleportation array was shattered, cutting off the demon race's follow-up forces. The demon lords were sucked into spatial turbulence, and the young man and woman were also drawn in.
On that day, the demon race's vanguard lost hope.
Without reinforcements, without demon lords appearing, these two vanguard teams were no match for the Thunder Wind Realm.
Marshal Liu Huang, after wounding several Tribulation-Crossing stage elders, was dismembered by countless blades.
Marshal Qiong Xin, seeing the situation, surrendered voluntarily and was sealed.
The former finals arena, the former battlefield, now only had a vast array spread across the ground.
Beneath the ground, low roars and struggles could be heard from time to time; the sealed marshal was restless, attempting to break free.
A middle-aged cultivator, clad in a black robe, sat cross-legged in mid-air, suppressing the array with his cultivation.
Around the periphery of the array stood a hundred figures in black robes, each with a "Liu" embroidered on their cuffs.
A moment later, the black-robed cultivator opened his eyes. They were like stars, vast and boundless, with the light of wisdom flickering within.
"Someone."
Immediately, a member of the Liu family flew up, cupped his hands in a bow,
"Greetings, Old Ancestor."
"Go to the Heavenly Array Pavilion and invite their Pavilion Master. Tell him that the array suppressing the demon marshal has become unstable again. I have an ancestral array here, bestowed by the old ancestor Thunder Emperor, ask him to come and help set it up."
"Uh..."
The Liu family member's expression was somewhat awkward.
"Old Ancestor, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Array Pavilion was sealed by an array a month ago and has not yet been freed."
"The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Array Pavilion was sealed by an array?"
The Liu family's Old Ancestor frowned slightly, finding it somewhat preposterous.
"What happened? Tell me in detail."
Immediately, the Liu family member recounted the events at the Heavenly Array Pavilion a month prior.
"That Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Array Pavilion is truly shameless."
The Liu family Old Ancestor scoffed.
"If that's the case, then Wan Lei's mastery of arrays must be far superior to that of the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Array Pavilion?"
"It should be. If he didn't resort to trickery, Wan Lei is indeed stronger than the Pavilion Master. Old Ancestor, we can send people to forcibly break the array and rescue the Pavilion Master."
"What's the point of saving such a useless fellow? If there's someone stronger, just use them. Summon that Wan Lei and have him set up the array."
"Uh..."
The Liu family member hesitated again.
"What is it now?"
The Liu family Old Ancestor's expression grew displeased. His clansmen usually answered his questions promptly, without any hesitation. What was this ignorant fellow always stammering about?
"Old Ancestor, that Wan Lei is currently with the Fang family."
"The Fang family? Is he a member of the Fang family?"
"Not exactly. This person, Old Ancestor, you have met him before."
Seeing his descendant about to falter again, the Liu family Old Ancestor commanded,
"Tell me all about his background."
"As you command."
Immediately, the Liu family member recounted the entire story from the demon invasion that year, Lei Yu's disappearance, Wan Lei's slaying of ten Great Ascendances with his Nascent Soul cultivation, and the Heavenly Array Pavilion's suppression of their own Pavilion Master.
"A descendant of the Thunder Emperor... a son-in-law of the Fang family... It's only been a little over seven years, and he's grown from a mere Core Formation junior to someone who can crush Great Ascendances? To think that I would have to interact with him as an equal?"
The Liu family Old Ancestor let out a self-mocking laugh, finding it absurd.
"Old Ancestor, this person previously killed our Liu family members, and the Patriarch also vowed to kill him. Given the blood feud between him and our Liu family, he probably won't be willing to help us set up the array."
"He will. Doesn't he love money? Go and give him five million spirit stones. Pay him first, then get the work done. And then, appeal to his sense of duty. Suppressing the demon marshal is for the safety of the Thunder Wind Realm. As a descendant of the Thunder Emperor, he has to contribute, whether out of obligation or reason. We don't have to worry about him refusing."
"This subordinate understands. This subordinate will go to the Fang family now."
The Liu family member rose and left.
The Liu family Old Ancestor looked up, gazing towards the north, his eyes filled with a cold glint, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"An enemy, that makes him even more suitable."
"Can't the two of you do something productive?"
Old Fang watched helplessly as the two sat by the lake, leisurely fishing. The entire family, including himself, had tasks to perform, contributing to the family with their own strength. Yet, these two slackers sat cross-legged by the lake every day, fishing. Were they on vacation?
"Did Old Feng surrender?"
Wan Lei's eyes lit up when Old Fang approached, thinking that the Heavenly Array Pavilion had conceded and he would get his money.
"No. Everyone knows how stingy that old geezer Feng Zhenzi is. You probably won't get your money back."
"Truly shameless,"
Wan Lei mumbled, returning to his fishing.
"There's a serious matter that needs your attention."
"What matter?"
Fang Xiaoyu raised her head, her big eyes wide like a curious baby.
"Someone from the desert has come, asking Wan Lei to help set up an array to suppress that Marshal Qiong Xin. They're offering five million spirit stones."
Old Fang stood beside Wan Lei.
"They're paying money? Who's paying?"
Wan Lei had always assumed the nine great powers were jointly suppressing the marshal.
"It must be the Liu family."
"Why are they the ones paying?"
"After the Marshal Qiong Xin was suppressed, the nine Tribulation-Crossing stage cultivators remained there. But later, they found the seal to be quite strong, and the marshal was well-behaved. They had the nine Tribulation-Crossing cultivators stationed there to suppress him, which was a waste of everyone's time. So, they proposed a rotating duty, with each family taking guard for ten years in turn. During this period, the expenses for suppressing the demon marshal would be borne by the family on duty. The Liu family was the first to serve their ten years, with their Tribulation-Crossing Old Ancestor, Liu Nai Weng, responsible for the guard. In another five years, it will be the Fang family's turn. Therefore, this fee is also to be paid by them."
"I see. I'm not going."
Wan Lei shook his head.
"Why not? Don't you love spirit stones the most?"
"Are spirit stones more important than my life? I have a feud with the Liu family. The Liu family Patriarch has publicly declared he wants to kill me. And I'm supposed to shamelessly go to their Tribulation-Crossing elder for help? Besides, I've already been swindled once by the Heavenly Array Pavilion. Am I going to be swindled again? Unless they give me the money first. But I don't believe the Liu family would be so kind as to give me the spirit stones in advance."
"The Liu family has already sent the spirit stones. Also, I will invite our Fang family's Tribulation-Crossing Old Ancestor to accompany you, to ensure your safety."
"Since that is the case,"
Wan Lei stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and declared with great bravado,
"For the peace of the Thunder Wind Realm, to prevent being ravaged by the demon race, I, Wan Lei, shall sacrifice myself to serve my country in its time of need, facing death as if returning home. I shall go."