Book 2 Chapter 90: Reunion - Martial God

**Chapter 90: Reunion** This voice echoed from afar, and the figure also hurried forward. He Wude moved swiftly, darting out like a flash, and shouted loudly, "Brother He Wuji, I have returned." He Laibao was just a step behind He Wude, and also left the pavilion shortly after. However, he intentionally or unintentionally lagged a few steps behind. He Yiming scratched his head; his grandfather, who had always given an impression of an unwavering mountain-like steadiness, suddenly displayed such an unexpected side, which indeed surprised him greatly. Or perhaps, given He Yiming’s current age, it was difficult for him to fully comprehend what He Wude was feeling—the profound sensation of returning to one's homeland after wandering for forty years. It was something beyond He Yiming’s current understanding. Nevertheless, He Yiming could at least sense his grandfather’s excitement. So, he tugged Yuan Lixun along, and the two of them walked forward at a leisurely pace, leaving time for the elders to reunite. Both He Wude and the elderly man descending the mountain were experts at the pinnacle of internal energy, tenth level. While their speed might not be as exaggerated as He Yiming’s, they were certainly not slow. In just a few leaps, they reached each other, and after exchanging a glance, their two large hands clasped firmly together. The elder from the mountain also appeared ancient, but to He Yiming's eyes, his grandfather’s face seemed to have endured much more of life’s hardships, appearing significantly older. “Junior brother, it’s really you,” He Wuji sighed deeply. “It’s been over forty years. Had you not announced yourself, I would have never dared to recognize you.” He Wude also sighed, “Senior brother, you’ve aged as well.” “Having not seen each other for so many years, I am not our benefactor; of course, I'd have aged,” He Wuji chuckled. He Wude’s expression turned earnest, “Senior brother, how is our master doing?” “Our master’s health remains robust as ever, though his temper has been less favorable recently.” He Wude’s expression tightened immediately, “What has troubled him?” He Wuji shook his head slightly, hesitating for a moment before stopping himself from speaking further. He Wude quickly realized—having been expelled from the Hengshan sect, if it involved anything confidential, he most certainly wouldn't be privy to it. Lowering his head deeply, He Wude said, “Senior brother, I was expelled from the sect in former days and almost brought shame to our master and you. I am truly ashamed.” He Wuji waved it off, “So many years have passed; there’s no use bringing that up. It wasn’t solely your responsibility. If I had double-checked, mistakes might not have happened.” The guilt on He Wude’s face slowly dissipated; he straightened his back, “Senior brother, ever since I left Hengshan, I have longed to return. Now, after over forty years, I've finally earned this opportunity.” His voice was filled with excitement, and his eyes sparkled with fervor. “Yes, over forty years. It's not easy for this news to reach you,” He Wuji nodded with a smile. “Junior brother, who informed you of this?” His gaze passed over He Wude and He Laibao, landing on He Yiming and Yuan Lixun, “Was it these young friends?” He Wude and He Laibao exchanged glances, suddenly realizing that after forty years of separation, their senior brother seemed more profound in his words, leaving them guessing at meanings. Seeing the old men's expressions, He Wuji laughed heartily, “Junior brother, Laibao, you two have been away from the mountains for so many years—where has your old spirited confidence gone? It’s just a few extreme pills, hardly a challenge for our teacher, right?” He said proudly, “Young friends, thank you for notifying my junior brother of this news. The reward of ten extreme pills prepared by our master is ready for you to take back to your family at any time.” He Yiming blinked twice. To be honest, he dearly desired those ten extreme pills. Although he couldn't use them, his father, uncles, and a slew of siblings back home certainly could. However, upon noticing his grandfather’s skeptical face, he stubbornly suppressed this thought. With a slight bow, he and Yuan Lixun declared in unison, “He Yiming (Yuan Lixun) pays respects to the elder.” He Wuji nodded slightly, then started, “What’s your name?” “I am He Yiming, accompanying my grandfather to Hengshan,” He Yiming replied calmly. He Wuji widened his eyes, turning to ask, “Junior brother, is this your grandson?” “Yes, indeed, my grandson,” He Wude turned around, “Yiming, there’s no need for such formality. You and Lixun can just call him great-grandfather.” He Yiming replied promptly, bowing to He Wuji, “Greetings, great-grandfather.” Yuan Lixun, however, knelt, bowing three times and murmuring, “Greetings, great-grandfather.” He Wuji paused momentarily, eyeing He Yiming curiously. According to tradition, upon first meeting, He Yiming should have prostrated like Yuan Lixun, yet he only bowed. Despite his displeasure at this lack of courtesy, seeing the unquestioning acceptance from He Wude and He Laibao, the elder let his joy at reuniting with his long-lost brother override his dissatisfaction. “Senior brother, when will our master come out of seclusion?” He Wude inquired with concern. He Wuji chuckled, “You've been with him for years—don’t you know his temperament? If the pills are completed, he’ll come out naturally; otherwise, unless there’s a major incident, he won’t budge.” After pausing, he continued, “But your return might indeed be a reason for celebration for him, and I won’t be punished if I disturb him for that.” He Wude quickly waved his hand, “Absolutely not; I’ll wait here for the teacher to emerge.” Raising his eyebrows, He Wuji suggested, “No need to disturb him, but waiting here is certainly not fitting. Come back to Lingyao Peak with me and see what’s changed since you left.” He Wude replied with humility, “Senior brother, have you forgotten? I'm still an expelled disciple, forbidden to enter the mountain.” He Wuji hesitated momentarily, then burst into laughter, “Junior brother, I thought you knew, which is why you came up the mountain. But it seems you weren’t aware.” “What is it?” He Wude asked, confused. He Wuji gazed deeply into his eyes, “Ten years after you left Hengshan, our master successfully refined the Growth Elixir.” He Wude was astonished, “A Growth Elixir? Did master really succeed?” “Yes, although there were only five per batch, it was an immense achievement,” He Wuji stated proudly. He Wude nodded solemnly, “Master devoted his life to the art of alchemy, and indeed he has gained tremendous harvests.” Abruptly, He Wuji became somber, “The Supreme Elder personally intervened, allowing our master to request any reward. Do you know what he asked for?” The two elderly men exchanged understanding glances but shook their heads slowly. He Wuji declared solemnly, “Our master’s request back then was to allow your return to the sect.” "Crack." He Wude’s jaw clenched tightly, emitting a crisp sound, and his fists unknowingly tightened. After a moment, he awkwardly wiped his face with his sleeve and said, “The mountain wind is too strong; it’s blurring my eyes.” He Wuji nodded slightly, fully understanding his junior brother's emotions at that moment, and sighed, “Unfortunately, even though the Supreme Elder agreed, our master and I searched for you several times but never found your trace.” He paused, “Didn't you always long for the Kai Rong Kingdom? But even after searching there, we couldn’t find you, so messages were left with various prestigious families there, offering ten extreme pills as a reward for locating you.” He Yiming thought to himself, what a grand gesture; no wonder the Hengshan sect’s Elder was so esteemed—it showed how genuine Master Yaodao’s feelings were towards his grandfather. He Wude sighed helplessly, “I'm ashamed. I stayed in the Kai Rong Kingdom for a year, but it is a place full of hidden talents and not somewhere I, with only the ninth level of internal energy back then, could establish myself. So I ventured elsewhere and settled down in Taicang County of Tian Luo Kingdom. If only I had known…” He shook his head regretfully. He Yiming frowned slightly, “Grandfather, you may have missed that chance, but as the saying goes, ‘a misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.’ Didn’t you establish a significant foundation with your bare hands in Taicang County?” He Wuji's face showed no change in expression, but internally, he felt some displeasure. This young man spoke freely even during elders' conversations, and added unwarranted judgments—if he were Wuji's own grandson, he would have received a firm reprimand long ago. Upon hearing He Yiming’s words, He Wude's spirit was instantly lifted. "Indeed, for every loss, there is a gain. At my age, I shouldn't have forgotten such a saying," he straightened his chest, declaring, "Senior brother, though I did not hear the news, bringing my grandson up the mountain was a rightful endeavor to return to the sect." He Wuji looked at him, a hint of suspicion flashing across his face. "Junior brother, when you left, the Supreme Elder said that unless you brought back a five-hundred-year-old spiritual beast's inner core or introduced an innate master to the sect as a new elder, you would not be allowed back. Have you found an inner core?" He Wude laughed heartily, "Indeed, Senior brother, not only have I found a five-hundred-year-old spiritual beast's inner core, but I will also be introducing an innate master to our sect." He Wuji's eyes lit up with elation. "Junior brother, which elder have you brought? Is there any connection with our Hengshan sect? Can they be trusted?" He Wude nodded affirmatively. "Of course, he is deeply connected with our Hengshan sect and is my direct kin, completely trustworthy." He Wuji looked up, scanning everyone present and then gazed down the mountain, asking, "Where is this master, then? When will he arrive at Hengshan?" He Wude coughed lightly, "He is already here." "Already here?" He Wuji was stunned, looking incredulously at the four of them. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he said, thrilled, "Junior brother, have you attained the innate stage?" He Wude's mouth opened wide, thinking: I wish, but it's impossible. With a light cough, He Wude shook his head, "Not me, senior brother." He Wuji's gaze shifted to He Laibao, bowing deeply, "Mr. Laibao, it must be you who’s ascended to the innate stage, congratulations!" He Laibao waved his hand dismissively, "Old Master Wuji is joking. With my talents, breaking through to the innate stage is far beyond me." He Wuji was momentarily stunned until he seemed to suddenly remember, and his gaze turned to He Yiming and Yuan Lixun, revealing an expression as curious as it was strange. After a moment of contemplation, he murmured, “Junior brother, the innate master you refer to wouldn’t be…” He Wude proudly puffed out his chest and said, "Senior brother, Yiming is my grandson. He is exceptionally gifted, and though young, he has indeed become an innate master." He Wuji’s eyes widened, and for a moment, he was speechless. He Yiming smiled slightly, preparing to bow again, when he saw He Wuji leap backward like a startled monkey, his movement so swift that it startled even him given his tenth level of internal energy prowess. He seemed utterly unprepared to accept He Yiming’s gesture once more. At that moment, He Wuji comprehended why the young man exhibited such pride and why He Wude seemed unfazed. As an innate master, He Yiming was someone with the potential to become an elder within the Hengshan sect—a paragon of extraordinary achievement. Given his status, a sole bow to the ground was already a most honored gesture of courtesy. In an instant, all of He Wuji’s prior grievances vanished completely… --- Within this mist-shrouded mountain range lay about a dozen towering peaks, each one steep, majestic, and imposing, thus leading the inhabitants to call this place Hengshan. Among these peaks, Lingyao Peak was not the tallest, but it certainly was the most wondrous. Nestled in the foothills was a natural hollow with a flat land spanning nearly twenty acres. For unknown reasons, the climate here was peculiar, maintaining a perpetual spring-like condition—a veritable treasure trove of constant warmth. Moreover, it housed an unusual flora that emitted a unique fragrance capable of warding off all harmful insects. Though not the main peak of Hengshan, Lingyao Peak, undeniably, was a place of utmost importance, second only to the main peak. He Yiming hadn’t yet visited the herbal garden, but it was common knowledge that after three millennia of cultivation, it was undoubtedly a land brimming with countless treasures. It was no surprise when He Wude mentioned that finding all the auxiliary materials to refine an innate pill would be challenging outside of this place. By now, they had been on Lingyao Peak for five days. The news of He Wude’s return with two five-hundred-year-old spiritual beast inner cores and an innate master was too significant, causing He Wuji to rush to Yao Daoist's cave to knock on the door without hesitation. Contrary to all expectations, this time, after knocking, there was no response at all, as if the sound had disappeared into the ocean. Despite their anxiety, no one dared to barge in, neither did they have the guts or the heart, even with He Wude willing to take responsibility—it was He Wuji who halted him, seemingly carrying an unspoken burden. Awakened to some realization, He Wude silently dropped the subject. The two brothers seemed unworried about any mishap inside, a fact that left He Yiming utterly astonished. After arranging accommodation for everyone, He Wuji explained the situation on the mountain. Ten years prior, the Supreme Elder had deliberated with the other three elders for reasons unknown. Afterward, leaving Yao Daoist to guard Hengshan, the remaining elders and most experts at the peak of the postnatal tenth level left the mountain, the Supreme Elder included. No one knew their purpose for leaving, but with most top experts gone, vigilance tightened on Hengshan. Upon ascending the mountain, He Wude and others encountered a youth, Zibo Bay, who, upon hearing of their request to see Yao Daoist, adopted a defensive posture—not without reason. With strong figures absent, they couldn’t afford any lapses in caution. Understanding this, they settled at Lingyao Peak, waiting for Yao Daoist to exit seclusion or for some elder to return suddenly. Meanwhile, details about the spiritual beast inner core and He Yiming being an innate master remained under wraps, known only to He Wuji. On this particular day, He Yiming finished his practice for the day and glanced at Yuan Lixun, also concluding her exercises. A thought struck him, and he removed a small white parcel from his neck, handing it to her, "Lixun, during your cultivation, use this and place it over your dantian; it might help." Inside the parcel was a thumb-sized piece he had chipped off from the white boulder days before. He discovered, after several days of experimenting, that it offered little help during his cultivation and didn't impact his body negatively, leading him to think it might be beneficial for Yuan Lixun. The glow it emitted enhanced one’s vitality, potentially aiding internal energy conversion. However, its ultimate efficacy remained uncertain given its small size. Yuan Lixun accepted it obediently but hesitated before saying, "Young master, perhaps you should keep it." He Yiming asked, surprised, "Why?" Yuan Lixun softly replied, “Holding it makes me restless, preventing any cultivation.” Astounded, He Yiming probed further but uncovered nothing specific, forcing him to take it back with a sigh. He wasn't sure whether it was a psychological issue with Yuan Lixun or if the boulder itself was unsuitable for postnatal cultivators. Smiling, he exchanged a few more words with her, before suddenly his expression changed. His ears twitched intensely for a moment, and he said, "Lixun, I need to check something outside. Do not venture out carelessly." Yuan Lixun agreed with a nod as He Yiming swiftly exited the door at an incredible pace without disturbing He Wude in the adjacent room. Once outside, He Yiming became a swift breeze, covering a hundred meters almost instantly. Moments ago, his keen hearing had caught an extraordinarily faint sound of footsteps. Though the number of people on Lingyao Peak wasn't excessively large, it wasn't uncommon to hear footsteps as people moved about. But these steps were so subtle, barely existing, like whispers in the air. Despite his mastery of the sonic eavesdropping technique, it took pushing his abilities to the utmost limit to finally confirm the presence—a single person heading toward the peak’s summit. He Wude had mentioned that atop the peak was a cave dwelling, painstakingly constructed over decades. It was where Yao Daoist retreated for alchemical pursuits and indeed the most vital locale on Lingyao Peak. Just a few days ago, when He Wuji went to knock on the cave door, he did so alone while He Wude and the others waited in the mid-mountain lodgings for news. But now, an enigmatic figure was stealthily making their way toward the peak. It would have been one thing if He Yiming hadn't noticed, but once he did, he couldn’t just stand idly by. The person’s light-footed technique was extraordinary, akin to flowing clouds and water, quickly moving away. However, He Yiming’s speed was even more astonishing; within mere moments, he had significantly closed the gap between them. The figure suddenly halted, as He Yiming knew they had sensed the aura he hadn’t bothered to fully conceal. His heart tightened; this figure was indeed an innate expert. He Yiming had controlled the release of his aura to a level that would be undetectable to anyone below the innate stage, who hadn’t yet connected with the qi of heaven and earth. Yet, he felt no fear or trepidation; rather, a strong battle spirit surged within him. Perhaps his only regret was not having his guandao in hand. Otherwise, even two experts like Cheng Fu would fall into four parts with a single strike. Still, even without his trusty weapon, He Yiming brimmed with confidence. His mastery of the innate skills—Wind, Rain, Cloud, Mist, and Rolling Stone—had reached an exceptionally potent level. Even unarmed, he was absolutely confident in defeating any other innate master. His movements were swift, like mist and cloud, leaving no trace for others to follow. As he stopped, the surrounding anomalies faded completely, and he stood facing the figure directly. In that moment, both innate masters' expressions subtly shifted, their eyes revealing a strong, incredulous intensity…