Ling Han raced out, and very quickly arrived at the room the Heaven’s Medicine Pavilion had arranged for receiving guests. This room would usually only be used by the bigger customers of Heaven’s Medicine Pavilion, but because Ling Han’s status was a bit unique, his visitor had also been brought here.
He pushed the door open and entered, immediately asking, “What’s happened at the clan?”
There was a middle-aged man who had been continuously pacing to and fro inside and when he saw Ling Han, he immediately rushed towards him like an arrow shot from a bow.
“Uncle Yang Ping!” Ling Han recognized his visitor. He was a member of one of the branch families of the Ling Clan.
“Young Master Han!” Ling Yang Ping’s fiery eyes immediately brimmed with tears as he spoke, his voice choking with insurmountable grief. “Our Ling Clan, Ling Clan… has been destroyed by the Cheng Clan!”
Cheng Clan?
Ling Han said quickly, “Uncle Yang Ping, calm down first and slowly explain. What exactly happened?”
Ling Yang Ping regained his composure a bit, before he once again began to speak, though his hands were still shaking, “There’s an ancient monster in the Cheng Clan, called Cheng Ji Yu. Everyone said he’d already died long ago, but we never imagined that he had actually been in seclusion all this while! A few days ago, he broke through to Gushing Spring Tier! The moment he had broken through, he immediately led the Cheng Clan and charged towards our clan, killing almost every member of the clan!”
“Kuang,” this news was like a bolt out of the blue. All of a sudden, Ling Han could only feel his sight darken as he very nearly passed out from such a blow. Fortunately, Liu Yu Tong acted in time and held onto him in support. Otherwise, he’d definitely have fallen in a dead faint onto the ground. He forcibly calmed himself and asked, “What about my father?”
“Clan Head was apprehended by Cheng Ji Yu and is now being tied up at the town entrance, left to suffer from the elements, baked by the sun, pounded by the rain, and freezing as the weather turns cold. Cheng Ji Yu has declared that he would kill you in front of our Clan Head when you return before killing all the other survivors!” Ling Yang Ping raged, “I was off on an errand out of town when this happened, and thus fortunately escaped this disaster. Once I got news of it, I immediately rushed here. Young Master Han, you must not act rashly, or you would definitely fall into the trap laid by the Cheng Clan. They are currently waiting for you to come walking right into their trap.”
Ling Yang Ping was naturally filled with anxiety. From the moment he entered Da Yuan City, he had already heard of how Ling Han had won the first place in this year’s Da Yuan Tournament, defeating geniuses such as Fourth Prince and Jin Wuji. This meant that Ling Han’s future was filled with unlimited possibilities. As long as he managed to survive to see the age of thirty, he would definitely be able to become a powerful warrior of Gushing Spring Tier.
He was of course afraid that Ling Han would act rashly. Ling Han was a young man after all, and young men were always impetuous and easily gave in to emotions. After finding out that his own father was currently being held captive, his first reaction would of course be to rescue him–without knowing that this would only cause him to lose his own life and bring a true end to the last hopes of the Ling Clan.
“I understand. Please don’t worry, Uncle Yang Ping. I know my own limits!” Once he found out his father had not died yet, Ling Han’s heart calmed; yet how could he just stay there without making any move at all?
Forced to kneel at the town entrance, suffering all manner of hardship due to the weather, and watched by others like some kind of show…. was this how a human being should be treated?
Moreover, even if a martial artist of Element Gathering Tier possessed a strong life force and vitality, without food and water, he would not last much longer than a normal person. The maximum amount of time he would be able to hold on for would be five or six days–and then he’d definitely die.
He had to act immediately!
After calling Liu Yu Tong to accompany him, the two of them immediately set out, rushing back to Gray Cloud Town.
Gushing Spring Tier?
If his opponent had broken through to Gushing Spring Tier a long time ago and possessed the battle prowess of someone in the second or third layer of Gushing Spring Tier, then he may still feel afraid. But Cheng Ji Yu had only just broken through–with his current prowess, he felt that there was no need to fear.
…Furthermore, the Black Tower in his Dantian afforded him a single chance to increase his cultivation level by a complete tier, allowing his cultivation level to instantly zoom up to the fourth layer of Gushing Spring Tier!
Liu Yu Tong brought Hu Niu with them and the group of three, riding on two horses, raced back toward Gray Cloud Town. However, as she did not know that Ling Han possessed a blessing from the Black Tower, she naturally informed Zhu He Xin and Zhang Wei Shan of the happenings in Gray Cloud Town.
The two old men had been in the process of attempting to concoct the Reverse Pill. When he heard the news, Zhu He Xin was instantly enraged. In his heart, he considered Ling Han to be half his master, and now his master’s father was suffering such humiliation at the hands of his enemies, waiting to be killed. How could he not be furious?
He was not the only one furious. Zhang Wei Shan was also extremely furious. He owed Ling Han a debt of gratitude and had been troubled about being unable to repay this debt. He had immediately set out together with Zhu He Xin.
These two Black Grade alchemists immediately set off, and this piece of news, as if it had suddenly sprouted wings, spread to every corner of Da Yuan City.
“What? Ling Han’s father has been captured by the Cheng Clan, waiting to be executed together with Ling Han after the latter returns?”
“What kind of clan is this Cheng Clan? They’re really too bold, aren’t they?”
“Ah, the Cheng Clan is actually just a minor clan, and only recently did one of their clansmen break through to Gushing Spring Tier?”
“Go, go, go. Immediately make arrangements to assist Ling Han in his rescue effort. This is a wonderful opportunity; we’d be able to form a friendly relationship with a future ruler!”
“Hahaha, this is really a godsend of an opportunity. With barely sacrificing anything in return, we’d be able to form a good relationship with Ling Han! Immediately form a group and follow me to Gray Cloud Town!”
“…”
When all the Great Clans of the city heard the news, they were both shocked and overjoyed. Their shock was due to the audacity and boldness of the Cheng Clan, while their joy was because an excellent opportunity to form a close relationship with Ling Han had fallen into their laps.
Just think, they sent their people to help Ling Han rescue his father. How big would this debt of gratitude be?
“Let us quickly set out, and head towards Gray Cloud Town!”
Any clan that had the a powerful warrior of Gushing Spring Tier immediately set out at the first available opportunity. They all wanted to be the first person to rescue Ling Dong Xing from his captivity. The magnitude of such a debt would be enough for Ling Han to use his whole lifetime to repay them!
Because of the panic Ling Han was experiencing, they did not stop at any moment on the journey to rest. Thankfully, their mounts were “Black Foot Horses”, which possessed a strand of demonic beast blood. Otherwise, normal horses would definitely have died from exhaustion on the way.
After a mere half day’s journey, Gray Cloud Town had already come into sight.
From afar, Ling Han could already see that there were over ten people kneeling at the town entrance, and the one in the very middle, wasn’t that just Ling Dong Xing?
“Father!” He shouted loudly, his tone filled with immeasurable rage.
“Hahahaha, this little bastard had really dared to return!” Cheng Wen Kun laughed loudly, raising his right foot to step on Ling Dong Xing’s face, and said, “All right, I admit it now. You truly have a good son. He clearly knows that it is dangerous, but still returned to die!”
He of course did not mean it as a compliment. He only wanted to make things worse for Ling Dong Xing.
After nearly four days without food, Ling Dong Xing’s sight had become blurry from hunger, so he couldn’t see Ling Han who was some distance away from town. He only had the vague feeling that he might have heard Ling Han’s voice. He opened his mouth, and in a weak voice, said, “Han’er, run! Run quickly!”
“Don’t waste your energy. He can’t even hear you!” Cheng Wen Kun stepped on Ling Dong Xing’s face, and even deliberately ground his foot in, a malevolent expression on his face. His limited patience had long been exhausted through the last few days, and he could not wait to slaughter this pair of father and son.
“Old dog, you’re looking for death!” Ling Han urged his horse into a gallop and arrived. He leaped off his horse. “Shua,” his sword was drawn from its sheath, immediately sweeping towards Cheng Wen Kun.
“Shua, shua, shua,” five flashes of Sword Qi appeared in a dance!
Due to his towering rage, Ling Han actually underwent a breakthrough, and stepped into the level of having five flashes of Sword Qi!
“What!” Cheng Wen Kun was flabbergasted. There actually appeared five flashes of Sword Qi in front of his eyes!
He hurriedly put up his hands to parry the incoming blow, but Ling Han’s attack was filled with his fury, so of course, he had done his very best. Added with the five flashes of Sword Qi, what magnitude of power was that?
“Ah…!!!” Cheng Wen Kun released a horrible scream. Only one strike was enough to fling him away, and blood splattered from his body.
“Peng,” he fell on the ground. He hadn’t even managed to get up and a foot had descended from above, ruthlessly stepping down on his face. Cheng Wen Kun suddenly felt as if he had charged at full speed and crashed into a boulder–as if his head would be bursting at any moment. With a “ka”, his nose was broken, and he had lost about four or five teeth, his face completely covered with blood.
“You dare to humiliate my father, I will make you experience living hell!” Ling Han said in a deep voice. This time, he was really enraged.