Volume 1, Chapter 138 – Summoned

“May I ask how I should address Senior?” Lei Chen stepped forward and asked solemnly.

Bai Weiyang ignored Lei Chen. His gaze swept toward Heavenly Thunder Peak, and behind him a shaft of illusory sword qi nearly a thousand zhang long appeared, piercing heaven and earth.

That razor-sharp sword qi poured out without the slightest restraint. Even the surrounding void seemed unable to withstand its edge, faintly twisting and warping.

Lei Chen and the others were forced back several thousand zhang by the sword qi, faces all shocked.

“Lei Wuji, show yourself!”

Bai Weiyang looked at Heavenly Thunder Peak and let out a light shout. A visible wave rippled out in all directions, sweeping toward the soaring peak. Several banks of clouds in the sky were shattered in an instant and vanished without a trace.

The ink-black thundercloud that had long hung above Heavenly Thunder Peak was also shaken by that shout. Thunder roiled, and the cloud faintly showed signs of dispersing.

Suddenly, above Heavenly Thunder Peak, it was as if an invisible giant hand appeared and smoothed out the surging ripples stirred by Bai Weiyang’s shout.

A hundred-odd zhang before Bai Weiyang, layers of ripples spread through the empty air, and an old man in a gray robe slowly walked out.

“The Demon-Suppressing Army descends upon my Sky Thunder Hall. May I ask what brings you here?” Lei Wuji’s expression was calm, but as he looked at the pillar of sword qi behind Bai Weiyang, a trace of dread flickered in his eyes.

Bai Weiyang raised his hand and flicked a Martial Summons Order toward Lei Wuji. “By decree of the Imperial Court: the demon race has come to our borders, swallowing our lands and devouring our people. Our Demon-Suppressing Army is few and weak, unable to hold on alone. We require all forces of every side to join hands and resist the demon race together.”

“May I ask Senior’s honored name?” Lei Wuji said.

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“Bai Weiyang.”

Lei Wuji tightened his grip on the Martial Summons Order, feeling a weight settle in his heart. Bai Weiyang had simply raised his hand and produced the order. He hadn’t given Lei Wuji any chance to refuse.

Those who disobey the summons are to be killed without mercy.

That was not an empty phrase.

He had long since received word of the demon race’s invasion, but had not taken it very seriously before. Now, it seemed the situation was already dire.

“How does Sky Thunder Hall need to cooperate?”

“Sky Thunder Hall is a fifth-grade force. You may leave one Heavenly Astral Realm expert to guard the sect. Of your Earth Fiend Realm martial artists, nine-tenths are to be drawn, of the Innate Realm, eight-tenths. As for the Body Tempering Realm, five hundred at the seventh stage or above.” The sword qi behind Bai Weiyang slowly dispersed as he spoke in an even tone.

A flash of alarm passed through Lei Wuji’s eyes. This was essentially hollowing out the foundation of Sky Thunder Hall.

“How many Demon-Suppressing Orders can be allocated to my Sky Thunder Hall?” After a long silence, Lei Wuji finally spoke.

“For each Myriad Phenomena Realm expert, I can grant four. For each Heavenly Astral Realm expert, two. For each Earth Fiend Realm expert, one. Those at the Innate Realm and below do not count toward any allocation.”

At that, Lei Wuji’s pupils shrank. He forced out the words, “Then… can some of my disciples from Sky Thunder Hall join the Demon-Suppressing Army?”

“The Demon-Suppressing Army is not currently recruiting.”

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Bai Weiyang shook his head and refused.

Lei Wuji fell silent. With a thought, he sent his voice by divine sense:

“Since the invasion of the demon race until now, the Demon-Suppressing Army must have suffered grievous losses. There must be many vacancies tied to Demon-Suppressing Orders. What harm is there in letting my Sky Thunder Hall share a few? We can’t just send disciples below the Innate Realm to die for nothing.”

“There are indeed many vacant Demon-Suppressing Orders, but most of them have already been carved up by those third-grade and fourth-grade sects. The strongest in your Sky Thunder Hall is only at the Myriad Phenomena Realm. You’re not qualified to touch them.”

Bai Weiyang’s gaze grew cold as he sent back,

“Since the demon race invaded at the end of last year, how many of our Demon-Suppressing Army have had their souls return to the Nine Netherworlds? No less than several million. And how many of them died under the passes before they even had the chance to earn merits? Were they not dying for nothing? This general has nothing more to say.”

Lei Wuji closed his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath and bowed slightly. “Sky Thunder Hall will abide by the Imperial Court’s decree.”

“In Sky Thunder Hall, I alone am at the Myriad Phenomena Realm. There are six at the Heavenly Astral Realm, one of them late-stage, three mid-stage, and two early-stage. We have forty-two at the Earth Fiend Realm, seven at perfected Earth Fiend, thirteen at late-stage Earth Fiend…”

Lei Wuji listed out Sky Thunder Hall’s strength as if reciting a family ledger, and Bai Weiyang compared it to the information he had previously gathered, then handed him the appropriate number of Martial Summons Orders based on the count.

Once this was done, Bai Weiyang returned to the warship’s deck and looked toward Shi Lan. “Take the ones behind you and go to Sky Thunder Hall. Bring back those who have been summoned.”

“Yes.”

Shi Lan answered, then led the several Centurions behind her off the warship and flew toward Heavenly Thunder Peak.

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……

Watching the figures swiftly drawing near, Lei Chen’s expression was grave. He looked at Lei Wuji standing before him and said in a low voice, “Grandfather, this campaign against the demons is filled with unknown danger. Sky Thunder Hall is certain to suffer heavy casualties. I think we should have Shen Tianlan stay behind, in case…”

“Shen Tianlan will go to the battlefield with me.”

Lei Chen paused, then quickly nodded. “That works as well. With Grandfather and me looking after him, he shouldn’t be in too much danger.”

“No… you are the one who will stay.” Lei Wuji shook his head.

“Grandfather, as Hall Master, if I don’t lead by example, then the ones below…” Lei Chen’s face changed.

“Just let me finish.” Lei Wuji raised a hand to stop him. “Now that the demonic beasts are ravaging the land and the Demon-Suppressing Army is forcibly conscripting strength here, if I’m not mistaken, the battlefield won’t be far from this place.”

“The world is about to fall into chaos, and people’s hearts are not as they once were. Those ghosts and monsters hiding beneath the surface will certainly seize this chance to stir up trouble, strike while the iron is hot, and make a fortune off the chaos. It’s inevitable some madmen will set their sights on Sky Thunder Hall, especially after I leave…”

A few chill glints flashed in Lei Wuji’s eyes as he spoke.

“In such a situation, Shen Tianlan will actually be safer if he stays closer to me. Now that the backbone of the Hall is being drawn away almost entirely, the pressure will only grow heavier. You must sit in town here to cow the petty villains…”

Lei Wuji broke off, looking toward the few figures flying over, a hint of surprise in his gaze. “I hadn’t expected there to be an acquaintance among the Demon-Suppressing Army.”

Lei Chen turned his head to look and froze, unable to hide his astonishment.

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“Hall Master Lei, Senior.”

After landing, Shi Lan greeted them. She only knew Lei Chen. As for Lei Wuji at his side, she had never seen him before and could only address him as “Senior.”

From Bai Weiyang’s reaction earlier, Shi Lan already knew this must be the very founding ancestor of Sky Thunder Hall spoken of in rumor, Lei Wuji.

Thoughts flashed one after another through Lei Chen’s mind. The fact that Shi Lan was a member of the Demon-Suppressing Army suddenly made that last martial meet seem far less simple. He even faintly suspected that Shi Lan’s participation in the meet had been to probe the depths of Sky Thunder Hall.

Sensing the aura on Shi Lan, Lei Chen was even more shocked.

“In armor, Miss Shi, you’ve added a few more shades of elegance,” Lei Wuji said with a kindly smile.

“Senior has seen me before?”

Lei Wuji’s words caught Shi Lan off guard.

“As the champion of the martial meet, it was only natural this old man would pay attention. When Shen Tianlan returned some days ago, he mentioned you to me, saying you had already stepped into the Earth Fiend Realm. I didn’t quite believe him at the time. Now that I see you today, I know he spoke the truth. Your talent, Miss Shi, is dazzling, truly astonishing.”

Lei Wuji shook his head slightly, a trace of emotion in his expression. Although he had never underestimated Shi Lan’s talent, in the end, he had still taken her too lightly.