118: Chapter 118 How can this debt of gratitude be repaid?

Inside the Lei Residence, everything was in chaos.

Having just received news of Lei Mengsha's death on the front lines, Li Xinyue suppressed her grief and began preparing for the funeral rites.

Before she could even gather her thoughts, a sudden commotion erupted outside.

Holding her young son, she stepped out of the main hall, and with one look, she froze in place.

She saw Lei Mengsha leaning against a corridor pillar, retching uncontrollably.

Beside him, Li Hanyi stood quietly.

Her fingers loosened, and the child almost slipped from her arms.

Su Rui's brows arched slightly; with a flick of his wrist, he abruptly yanked back Lei Wujie, who was about to crash into the ground.

He grabbed the little fellow by the back of his collar, lifting him up like a kitten, and squinted as he examined the boy, whose face was flushed red from crying.

If he really fell, even that last bit of spiritual wit would probably be knocked out of him.

Yet, the Lei Wujie currently dangling in mid-air didn't seem frightened out of his wits; instead, he strained his throat and shouted with all his might:

"Xinyue! I'm back—!"

Over there, Lei Mengsha finally caught his breath, and the churning sensation in his stomach subsided quite a bit.

Looking up and seeing Li Xinyue, tears almost burst forth again as he rushed forward in a few steps and pulled her tightly into his embrace.

Li Xinyue stood stunned, her fingertips touching the familiar fabric, her nose filled with the scent from her memories.

"Mengsha!"

"Xinyue!"

"Mengsha!"

"Xinyue!"

The two called out to each other name by name, as if trying to make up for all the calls they had missed over the years.

And the background music was none other than Lei Wujie, held in Su Rui's hand like he was being hung, howling at the top of his lungs.

Full of vigor, his high notes were steady, precise, and piercing—he was a natural for the opera stage.

Seeing her parents lose their composure like this, Li Hanyi's face burned with embarrassment, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to hide in.

"Here, your younger brother." Su Rui stuffed the little ball, who was still kicking and screaming, into her arms.

Li Hanyi scrambled to catch him, but in her fluster, she ended up holding him upside down.

...

No wonder this child isn't very bright; has the root cause been found now?

Hearing Su Rui speak, Li Xinyue finally snapped out of the emotions of their long-awaited reunion. She broke away from Lei Mengsha's embrace, her gaze first falling on Su Rui before moving to her daughter, Li Hanyi.

Only then did she remember she also had a son.

Seeing Li Hanyi holding Lei Wujie in a disoriented manner, she hurried forward and took the child back, setting him upright.

"Hanyi, where did you go?" Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with confusion.

The scene before her was truly bizarre.

One moment she had heard her husband had died in battle, his bones not yet cold; the next, the man was standing perfectly intact before her, smiling like an idiot while holding their daughter.

She turned to glare at Lei Mengsha, who was scratching his head and grinning happily, and raised her foot to give him a kick in the buttocks.

"Get inside and explain everything clearly, what on earth is going on!"

After the kick, she still wasn't satisfied, but as her gaze swept over Su Rui and Mu Liangyue beside Li Hanyi, her tone softened: "Please, both of you, come in and have a seat."

...

Deep within the Apocalypse Palace, Emperor Mingde's expression was solemn as he listened to a guard's low-voiced report about the strange phenomenon outside the city just now.

Before the words were finished, the State Preceptor arrived together with The Five Grand Eunuchs.

"Let them in," the Emperor said in a heavy voice, already understanding why these people had come.

The palace doors swung wide, and the six of them entered in unison, bowing in salutation.

"Your Majesty."

"Speak," Emperor Mingde said with a hint of coldness in his tone.

"The newcomer... if this old man is not mistaken, should be the Master of the Nameless Martial Arts School in Snow Moon City.

Witnesses just reported seeing a Giant Roc sweep over Snow Moon City with a world-shaking Aura.

And the person traveling with him was none other than General Lei's daughter—Li Hanyi."

"Lei Mengsha's daughter?" Emperor Mingde nodded slightly, then frowned. "The six of you joined forces and still couldn't stop them?"

The Five Grand Eunuchs looked ashamed and lowered their heads in silence.

The State Preceptor sighed softly. "That person has likely entered the Divine Roaming Profound Realm."

The Emperor's eyes suddenly brightened. "Then is he not a Land Immortal? Even Ye Dingtian was only so-so... Could we ask this person to take action and deal with the one from the Demon Sect?"

The State Preceptor sighed inwardly.

As expected, this Eastern Crusade of the Demon Sect was pressing down so hard that this supreme sovereign could hardly breathe.

Now, emergencies were being reported from all sides; over a hundred thousand Demon Sect troops had split into three routes, surging southward like a mad tide.

Within Northern Li, Sects were numerous, yet most could hardly withstand their edge.

Aside from a few major Sects with deep Foundations that could still protect themselves, almost all other small households had submitted.

Killing was secondary; the key was the recruitment of people's hearts, with no regard for hidden dangers, pressing step by step toward Tianqi City.

As for the so-called banner of "overthrowing the imperial power"... the State Preceptor, having lived for nearly a hundred years, had long seen through it.

It was nothing more than a disaster caused by a single woman.

"Your Majesty," he began slowly, "Ye Dingzhi has not yet truly stepped into the Shenyou Realm; he is only half a step away.

While the expert who appeared today is speculated to have reached this realm, such figures have long transcended the mundane world. How could they be driven by the imperial court?"

The Five Grand Eunuchs nodded silently.

The scene from just now was still fresh in their minds—the other party hadn't even looked at them directly.

Just being swept by the aftershocks of that Roc's phantom image had caused the five of them to vomit blood and fall heavily injured; though the State Preceptor was stronger, his blood and Qi were also churning, and his face was deathly pale.

That kind of power was simply not something mortals could contend with.

If he really wanted to take someone's life, who could stop him?

A flash of disappointment crossed Emperor Mingde's eyes.

After a long while, he said in a low voice, "According to what you say, perhaps Lei Mengsha's daughter found a Master and has now returned with her father... presumably, they heard the news of Mengsha's death in battle?"

Back when Lei Mengsha ascended the throne, Su Rui had also rendered great service; this time, upon his death in battle, he was also surprised.

"In any case, send someone to make contact."

Emperor Mingde pondered for a moment, his gaze slowly falling on the State Preceptor.

Seeing this, the State Preceptor didn't wait for him to say more and took the initiative to speak: "This old Taoist will make the trip personally."

"That is for the best." Emperor Mingde nodded. "If you can invite him, that is naturally best; if the other party is unwilling, there is no need to force it."

His tone was flat, yet it faintly revealed a bit of deeper meaning.

After the State Preceptor left, Emperor Mingde waved his hand to dismiss The Five Grand Eunuchs, leaving him sitting alone on the dragon throne.

His face suddenly darkened.

As an Emperor, he actually had to depend on others and act according to the whims of those Jianghu experts.

He had long grown weary of this feeling.

It was so with Ye Dingzhi, so with Li Changsheng of Snow Moon City, and now there was another powerhouse of unknown origin.

What was even more hateful was that Ye Dingzhi had already become a major threat, shaking the Foundations of the country.

A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Emperor Mingde's eyes, but it quickly dimmed.

Currently, the Demon Sect's Heaven Beyond Heaven was attacking like a tide, and the war in Southern Solitude was in a stalemate, making it impossible for the border armies to return and help.

With internal troubles and external threats, how could he not be worried?

...

Within Tianqi City, Luo Qingyang held the nine songs sword, his brow tightly furrowed.

The scene of that Giant Roc descending from the sky just now was still before his eyes.

With his eyesight, he naturally recognized the identities of the six people who had gone up to intercept it.

But in just an instant, the six of them had fallen from the clouds like kites with broken strings.

Just what kind of cultivation did the newcomer possess?

Luo Qingyang's fingertips stroked the sword hilt, his heart heavy.

This person's appearance would likely disrupt her original plans.

Various forces in the city also sent out spies to gather information.

Although Snow Moon City was known as Northern Li's number one Jianghu stronghold, in terms of truly top-tier experts, Tianqi was still second to none.

This was the center of imperial power, where countless extraordinary individuals had gathered over hundreds of years.

For a moment, undercurrents surged, and people's hearts were unsettled.

No one knew where this suddenly appearing peerless expert came from, what his purpose was, or why he headed straight for the Pillar State General's Residence?

Luo Qingyang's heart suddenly stirred—

When everyone's attention was drawn there, it might be the best time to sneak into the palace.

His figure flashed as he quietly glided toward the depths of the palace walls, intending to see his Junior Sister hidden in the rear palace, Consort Xuan, Yi Wenjun.

...

Inside the Lei Residence, Su Rui had already expected that his arrival would cause a stir, but he didn't care.

In his eyes, this Emperor of Northern Li really didn't amount to much.

After all, this Son of Heaven was already not the first time he had been forced into such a pathetic state.

Not to mention the distant past, Baili Dongjun had once punched Emperor Mingde so hard he vomited blood and retreated from court;

If not for unexpected changes, Li Hanyi would certainly have brought her sword to demand justice in the future;

And then there was Luo Qingyang, whose nine songs sword throw almost took his life, even taking the State Preceptor along for the ride.

For a dignified Emperor to fall to such a state, he could be considered unprecedented.

In the hall, Su Rui was invited to the primary seat on the right, with Li Hanyi and Mu Liangyue sitting on either side.

Li Xinyue listened to Lei Mengsha's account of his experience of returning from the dead, so shocked she was speechless.

Her husband had really returned?

At first, she had thought it was a false report, but she never expected it to be the truth.

To be able to be reborn after being dead for several days was simply inconceivable.

She returned the Lei Wujie in her arms to Lei Mengsha, then stood up and gave a deep bow to Su Rui.

"Thank you, Sir, for your life-saving grace."

"There's no need for that," Su Rui waved his hand. "I simply couldn't bear to see my disciple in grief."

As soon as these words came out, Li Xinyue's gaze couldn't help but fall on Li Hanyi.

She saw that her daughter's eyes, when looking at Su Rui, were filled with a flowing tenderness that couldn't be hidden.

She sighed softly in her heart.

A mother knows her daughter's heart best.

This child had a stubborn personality, but in her bones, she still carried the shyness and pride of a young girl.

This current appearance clearly showed she had been truly moved.

Looking at Mu Liangyue sitting on the side, her eyes were lively as she sized her up with a half-smile;

Then looking at Su Rui's elegant and transcendental, exceptionally handsome appearance and temperament, even she, as a mother, couldn't help but feel her heart tremble slightly.

Such a person, anyone who saw him would fall for him.

But with Li Hanyi's personality, once she set her mind on something, it would be hard to turn back.

Moreover, he had brought out such a rare Spirit Medicine to revive her husband; how could this kindness ever be repaid?

Li Xinyue's thoughts were still turning when she suddenly saw Lei Mengsha approaching with the child in his arms, asking with a smile:

"Darling daughter, do you like your Master?"

Li Xinyue's head snapped around, her gaze sharp as a knife; in the next instant, her fingers were already fiercely pinching the soft flesh at Lei Mengsha's waist.

Lei Mengsha instantly froze, his features contorting in pain as he bared his teeth, but he didn't dare make a sound.

Li Xinyue gritted her teeth and hissed, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

Su Rui's way of speaking was still quite improper.