Each With Their Own Schemes

Lei Jun raised his hand and waved, sending a Soul Lamp floating toward his subordinate.

"Lei He, take Lei Da's Soul Lamp and go bring Lei Da and Lei Hu back."

The subordinate known as 'Lei He' is a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

After catching Lei Da's Soul Lamp, he bowed and said...

"Yes."

Then, Lei He turned around and left Lei Jun's cave abode.

Lei Jun only sent Lei He to find Lei Da and Lei Hu because their Soul Lamp were functioning normally. From this, Lei Jun guessed that the other side had most likely released Lei Da and Lei Hu.

There was an even more important reason why he didn't go in person. He wouldn't risk his life based on a mere guess.

Therefore, he sent Lei He alone, so that if there was any danger, it would be Lei He who would take the risk.

It would not endanger Lei Jun himself, nor would it be a major loss for the Lei Clan as a whole.

About two hours later, Lei He, Lei Da, and Lei Hu returned An Ran.

"Tell me your experiences in detail," Lei Jun said in a deep voice to Lei Da and Lei Hu.

The two then recounted what had happened.

"Does the other party want to exchange Lei Weiyue for Zhou Siyi?" Lei Jun asked.

"Yes. That man said that the hostage exchange would take place at Azure Mountain at noon three days from now. If Zhou Siyi is not seen by then, he will kill Elder Lei Weiyue," Lei Da said.

Lei Jun frowned. Azure Mountain was more than 200,000 miles away. Even if the ancestor Lei Yue went there in person, it would take him an hour.

"In your opinion, what level of cultivation does that person possess?" Lei Jun asked.

Lei Da and Lei Hu exchanged a glance, and then Lei Da cupped his hands in reply.

"Reporting to the patriarch, our cultivation levels are too low to directly perceive that person's cultivation level. However, he used despicable means to ambush Elder Lei Weiyue, so he is unlikely to be much stronger than Elder Lei Weiyue, probably at the Late Golden Core Stage or Peak Golden Core Stage."

After listening, Lei Jun neither agreed nor disagreed with the two men's assessments, but said in a deep voice.

"The three of you go down. Remember, this matter must not be told to anyone."

"Yes."

The three men bowed and accepted the order, then withdrew.

Lei Jun paced back and forth in the cave abode, pondering for a long time. After that, he walked out of the cave abode and came to a high mountain deep in the Lei Clan's territory.

On the mountainside, there is an old wooden house.

Lei Jun stood outside the wooden house, bowing respectfully.

"Ancestor, Lei Jun requests an audience."

The matter involves Zhou Siyi, which means it involves the Ancestor. Regardless of the other party's cultivation level, the Ancestor needs to make a decision personally.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a voice drifted out from inside the wooden house.

"You just left, why are you back again?"

"Reporting to Ancestor, Lei Weiyue has been captured, and the other party demands Zhou Siyi in exchange," Lei Jun said.

"Squeak!"

The door of the wooden house suddenly opened, and an elderly man with slightly cloudy eyes slowly stepped out.

This person was none other than Lei Yue, the patriarch of the Lei Clan.

Do you know the other party's identity?

A sharp glint flashed in Lei Yue's eyes, like two bolts of lightning.

"It's unclear for now. Ancestor, how should we deal with this?" Lei Jun asked.

Lei Yue said, "Send a few clansmen skilled in concealment to Azure Mountain to find out the situation around it. I will go there myself in three days. I want to see who dares to attack my Lei Clan!"

"Ancestor, should we bring Zhou Siyi along?" Lei Jun asked.

Lei Yue shook his head. "Zhou Siyi originally cultivated the <Azure Wood Spiritheart Art>, an extremely pure Wood Element- Cultivation Method produces powerful life Law Power. Among Golden Core cultivators, very few cultivate this type of Wood Element Cultivation Method. She is extremely important to my longevity and cannot be allowed to suffer any mishaps. Furthermore, she is currently at a crucial moment in transitioning to cultivating the <Longevity Art> and cannot be disturbed."

Three days later.

Noon.

The sky was overcast, with thick clouds.

Lei Yue appeared precisely on time, a hundred feet above the Azure Mountain.

Behind him followed a female nun.

The female cultivator was bound by a chain, and her appearance and figure were 90% similar to Zhou Siyi's.

Moreover, the female cultivator possessed an item that concealed her aura, making it completely hidden.

To outsiders, this woman is undoubtedly Zhou Siyi.

Over the past three days, several Lei Clan cultivators have thoroughly searched the area within hundreds of miles of Azure Mountain, both above and below ground, to confirm that no one is lying in ambush or secretly setting up any formations.

Lei Yue then felt relieved and came.

He unleashed his powerful Divine Sense, which was at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage realm.

After searching several times, he discovered that apart from the Lei Lineage members hiding in the shadows, there was no one else within a radius of two hundred miles.

"What's going on? Could it be that, as Lei Da suspected, the other party is merely Golden Core cultivator who dares not show himself upon seeing me in person? Or has he discovered that my Lei Clan has secretly set up an array?"

Lei Yue secretly speculated.

At the same time.

The Lei Clan's residence was more than 200,000 miles away.

Song Wen and Lei Weiyue appeared in the sky above Commonfolk City.

Commonfolk City was built right next to the north gate of the city wall where the Lei Clan was stationed.

The North Gate was also the busiest city gate in the Lei Clan's territory, with many members of the Lei Lineage coming and going.

Over the course of these three days, Song Wen distributed four Shadow Gu around the four sides of the Lei Clan's territory.

He himself hid on the road halfway between the Lei Clan's residence and Azure Mountain.

When he noticed that Lei Yue had personally gone to Azure Mountain, he rushed to the Lei Clan's residence without stopping.

The Lei Clan's stronghold is protected by an array; unless one can forcibly break through the array, it is impossible to force one's way into the Lei Clan's stronghold.

The North City was about ten zhang high and was blocked by a faint layer of blue light.

In front of the city gate, there were two Foundation Establishment cultivators and more than ten Qi Refining Stage cultivators stationed.

"You should know what to do, right?" Song Wen said to Lei Weiyue in a deep voice.

"I understand," Lei Weiyue said fearfully.

Song Wen reassured her, "Don't worry, as long as you rescue Zhou Siyi, I will keep my promise and spare your life."

Within Lei Weiyue's body, there are two Shadow Gu, one in her brain and the other in her heart.

It could be said that her life was entirely in Song Wen's hands, and she had no choice but to follow Song Wen orders.

After Song Wen discovered that Lei Weiyue's soul had not been damaged after being searched, Song Wen devised this plan.

He sent Lei Da and Lei Hu back to the Lei Clan tell them about the transaction at Azure Mountain.

Then, act according to the circumstances.

If Lei Yue, the patriarch of the Lei Clan, does not personally go to Azure Mountain, Song Wen plans to detain the Lei Clan members who come to make the deal, continue to increase his bargaining chips, and exchange them for Zhou Siyi.

If Lei Yue were to personally go to Azure Mountain, Song Wen would decide to threaten Lei Weiyue, forcing her to return to the Lei Clan and find a way to rescue Zhou Siyi.

As for exchanging Lei Weiyue for Zhou Siyi, Song Wen knew from the beginning that it was absolutely impossible.

Zhou Siyi was someone the Lei Clan had gone to great lengths to acquire from the Beast Taming Sect. She was crucial to Lei Yue's longevity and far more important than Lei Weiyue, a member of their clan who was only at the Middle Golden Core Stage. The Lei Clan would never hand her over easily.

"Remember, you only have half an hour. If you don't show up within half an hour, you will die just the same," Song Wen said.

"I understand."

Lei Weiyue took a deep breath, trying to calm her chaotic emotions.

Then, she flew to the North City gate.

Lei Weiyue remained indifferent, flying three zhang off the ground towards the city gate.

Many members of the Lei Clan, both guards and passersby, noticed Lei Weiyue.

However, she was a Golden Core cultivator and the deputy hall master of the Lei Clan's Law Enforcement Hall. Seeing her icy expression, no one dared to approach her.

A flash of blue light.

Lei Weiyue easily passed through the array barrier and entered the city gate using her own identity token.