Lei Wanhe

Chapter 233: Lei Wanhe

This was the second cultivator Han Li had extinguished whose Primordial Soul had fled its body.

Most cultivators would never resort to Primordial Soul Departure to save their lives in the middle of a battle. The technique required a fixed period of chanting and concentration, during which the caster could not move.

And in an ordinary fight, who would give you the time to chant and flee? They would have killed you dozens of times over before your soul even left your body. Only cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above could use their Nascent Souls to achieve instantaneous soul departure.

This Senior Brother Lin and that Yu Zitong from before were equally unlucky!

He had originally planned to fly over Han Li's cave dwelling and return directly to Yellow Maple Valley to seek treatment and reinforcements. But he had blundered into Han Li's formation, where the illusions and shifting energies had trapped him alive. Unable to leave even half a step, he could only watch helplessly as the poison consumed him. Only then, as a last resort, had he forced his Primordial Soul to depart.

This also explained why Senior Brother Lin harbored such resentment toward the master of the formation. Combined with his urgent need for a new body to reincarnate, he had attacked Han Li on sight without a second thought, intent on possession no matter the cost.

But he had never imagined that Han Li would react so quickly. Even caught off guard, Han Li had seized his Primordial Soul and extinguished it into nothingness.

Now that the man was dead, Han Li wasted no more thought on him. Outside his cave, a mountain of trouble still awaited.

The Thousand Bamboo School's assault was ferocious, but seeing that his formation showed no signs of breaking, Han Li felt considerably reassured.

He believed that these people would not dare to linger here much longer!

Although this area was at the edge of the Tai Yue Mountain Range and relatively secluded, it was still within Yellow Maple Valley's sphere of influence. After making such a commotion, Han Li refused to believe they felt no apprehension. At this point, they had likely already committed themselves to this siege and could not easily withdraw.

In truth, the thought had crossed Han Li's mind—handing over Senior Brother Lin's corpse to send them on their way.

But the traces of Primordial Soul Departure on the body were too obvious. If they received only the corpse, they would probably be even less willing to let the matter rest. So it was better to simply turtle up inside the formation. After all, they lacked the ability to break the Reversed Five Elements Formation.

In hindsight, Han Li had to admire his own foresight. If he had not set up this formation in advance, he would have surely been captured without any warning.

Still, although the formation seemed secure for now, Han Li did not dare return to his cave and sleep. Instead, he went inside, dragged out a green stone stool, and sat down to rest with his eyes closed.

Perhaps because they were using puppets for the attack, their assault lasted far longer than Han Li had anticipated.

Over an entire hour of relentless bombardment finally produced the first change in the formation. The previously tranquil formation began to flicker with a faint azure light, which spread across the entire sky above it. The volleys of light arrows and beams striking it now caused ripple-like patterns across its surface.

Seeing this, the Thousand Bamboo School men grew excited. This change indicated that the formation was not indestructible. With a little more effort, they could break it open. If the formation had remained as calm as it was at the start, Huang Long and his companions would have seriously considered retreat.

Just as the Thousand Bamboo School was planning an even stronger assault, and Han Li's expression began to shift, a thunderous roar came from the distant horizon:

"Which brazen whelps dare to cause such trouble in the Tai Yue Mountain Range and attack a disciple's cave dwelling! If you're tired of living, I'll be happy to send you on your way!"

The voice was so powerful that even Han Li, protected by his formation, felt his ears ringing and his face go pale. The Thousand Bamboo School men, who faced it directly, fared far worse. Several of them wobbled and nearly tumbled from their bamboo rafts.

"A Core Formation cultivator! Retreat!"

Huang Long, despite his rough and brutish appearance, was the most cunning of the group. Hearing the sheer force in that voice, he paled and immediately prepared to flee.

But Huang Long had clearly underestimated both the flight speed and the unfathomable power of a Core Formation cultivator. As they scrambled to recall their puppets and flee, thunder suddenly rumbled from the distant sky. A burst of white light flashed, followed by a streak of silver light that shot toward them. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them.

Terrified out of their wits, the Thousand Bamboo School men abandoned their remaining puppets and scattered, each flying in a different direction.

But the enormous silver light, over ten zhang long, gave them no chance. With a flicker, it split into six or seven slightly smaller beams, each encircling a fleeing Thousand Bamboo School man.

"Spare us, Senior! We are—"

Huang Long cried out in panic, trying to speak. But the silver beams did not pause. They simply twisted together with a light crackle of thunder. In an instant, every one of the fleeing men was reduced to ash. Huang Long was granted no exception.

Only then did all the silver light converge once more, revealing a man of enormous girth.

His eyes were squeezed into two thin slits. Layers of flesh hung from his chin, folding one upon another—impossible to tell how deep they went. Paired with a waist as thick as a barrel, he was without question the fattest man Han Li had ever seen in his life.

And yet, this man was a Core Formation cultivator. Judging by his methods, he practiced a lightning-element technique of an aberrant spiritual root. Han Li was utterly astonished.

Regardless, this man had just saved Han Li from a siege. Moreover, he was an elder of Yellow Maple Valley. So the moment the Thousand Bamboo School men were destroyed, Han Li did not hesitate. He opened his formation and immediately flew forward on his tool to greet him.

When he reached the fat man, Han Li halted his flight and bowed respectfully:

"Disciple Han Li greets Uncle-Master. Thank you, Uncle-Master, for your timely rescue. May I ask your esteemed name?"

The fat man had been studying Han Li with his narrow eyes since the moment Han Li rose into the air. Seeing Han Li's respectful demeanor, a hint of a smile appeared on his enormous face. His first impression of Han Li seemed favorable.

"I am your Uncle-Master Lei Wanhe. Call me Uncle-Master Lei. Why would these Thousand Bamboo School men attack your cave dwelling without cause? Did you provoke them?" The fat man's question went straight to the heart of the matter, revealing him to be a sharp-witted individual not easily fooled.

Han Li's heart tightened, but he kept his expression calm. He recounted the events, omitting the beginning and the end. Naturally, he did not mention his trip to the Tianxing Sect market or the fact that he had extinguished Senior Brother Lin's Primordial Soul.

Lei Wanhe's expression remained placid until he heard that Senior Brother Lin had died of poison inside the formation. Only then did his face shift:

"So it was that Thousand Bamboo School brat. I knew admitting him into Yellow Maple Valley would cause trouble. But even after all these years, they hunted him down to the death. That Golden Apex Lord's heart is narrow indeed."

Uncle-Master Lei Wanhe showed no sign of grief. He merely sighed briefly before continuing:

"Where is Junior Disciple Lin's corpse? Take me to see it."

"As you command, Uncle-Master. This way, please." Han Li dared not refuse. He quickly led the man into his formation.

As they walked, Han Li silently congratulated himself. It was fortunate that he had been so preoccupied with the Thousand Bamboo School attack that he had not touched a single item from Senior Brother Lin's body—not even his storage pouch. Otherwise, the situation would have been far more awkward.

"Oh? This formation of yours is quite unusual. Even if I had not intervened, it seems those bastards could not have done anything to you." Lei Wanhe had barely entered the Reversed Five Elements Formation before he discerned something of its nature.

"Hehe, this is merely a set of high-grade formation flags that your disciple purchased at great expense from the market. It is hardly worthy of Uncle-Master's notice." Han Li was secretly pleased by the compliment, but his words remained humble.

"No, this formation has a remarkable origin. Even if I tried to break through it by force, it would take considerable effort." Lei Wanhe shook his head like a rattle, firmly disagreeing.

By then, they had reached the spot. Senior Brother Lin's corpse lay face-down on the ground, completely untouched.

Seeing this, the fat man raised his hand. The corpse immediately flew into his enormous, spade-like palms. Lei Wanhe then examined it without any pretense of courtesy.

"It seems what you said was true. He died of Gu poison from the Gu Insect Sect in the far western lands."

Lei Wanhe nodded after finishing his inspection. This sent a chill through Han Li.

"But before his body completely failed, his Primordial Soul should have escaped. Did you happen to see it, Junior Disciple Han?" The fat man casually tossed the corpse back to the ground and asked Han Li in a leisurely tone.

(Chapter End)