Chapter 338

Chapter 338: The Light of Summoning

Huangfu Ao, who was situated in the basement, sat cross-legged on the ground just then. Around him on the floor, seven spiritual crystals lay scattered. Though the positioning of each spiritual crystal looked utterly random, it actually followed precise requirements. Moreover, directly in front of him stood a large mirror, tall as a person.

The mirror’s surface did not show Huangfu Ao’s reflection; instead, it brimmed with swirling misty vapor.

Huangfu Ao suddenly thrust both hands forward, fingers spread, and seven surges of spiritual energy shot out towards the seven spiritual crystals resting on the ground.

The seven energies did not shatter the spiritual crystals; instead, they penetrated right into them. Instantly, the insides of the seven spiritual crystals filled with misty vapor similar to that on the large mirror’s face, and they gradually glowed with faint light.

The seven spiritual crystals emitted seven rays of light, and astonishingly, all these rays shot straight at the mirror, coalescing on its surface into a bright point of light.

This light point rapidly expanded. The misty vapor on the mirror seemed deeply afraid of its radiance, swiftly fleeing toward the mirror’s outer edges.

Once the light covered the entire mirror surface, the misty vapor completely dispersed. At the same moment, the mirror rippled like a lakeside brushed by soft winds, forming continuous shimmering patterns.

Within those ripples, a figure slowly materialized. Yet it was not Huangfu Ao, who remained seated before the mirror; it was a different, aged face.

Upon seeing that face, Huangfu Ao’s expression instantly brightened with joy as he said, "Father, how could it be you?"

The elderly man in the mirror gave a faint smile, saying, "And why shouldn’t it be me? You activated the light of summoning this time. What do you need?"

"Your son has urgent news to report!"

"Speak!"

"I met the clan head of the Lou family today!"

"Oh!" The old man’s eyebrows lifted; he was clearly intrigued by this. "What sort of person is he? What’s his cultivation level like?"

Huangfu Ao waved a dismissive hand, remarking, "Just a snot-nosed brat—nothing to worry about. But he had a master by his side!"

"A master?" A flicker of scorn passed over the old man’s face. "A master from the Spirit Weapon Star? Do such even warrant a glance from you?"

"Well," Huangfu Ao’s face flushed slightly, and he said gravely, "Father, this person is no common master. He likely reached the Weapon Emperor Realm—a supreme master!"

"The Weapon Emperor Realm?"

The old man’s expression finally shifted sharply. Had those words come from anyone else, he would have bellowed a rebuke. But since it was his own son speaking, he had to believe it. Yet even so, he furrowed his brows, saying, "Impossible! On the Spirit Weapon Star, forget ordinary folk—even the Nine Clans, even our Huangfu Family, none could hope to achieve the Weapon Emperor Realm in a lifetime! Son, have you misjudged this?"

If Huangfu Xuanlan were listening at that moment, he would grasp the truth in his lingering doubts—the Nine Clans’ strength on the Spirit Weapon Star truly paled against that of their peers from the other world!

Huangfu Ao maintained a firm gaze. "Father, I definitely haven’t misjudged it. I swear that person’s cultivation reached the Weapon Emperor Realm. That’s why I urgently cast the light of summoning. I must ask—what does this mean? Could he, like me, hail from our world?"

The old man didn’t answer straightaway. Instead, he lightly closed his eyes, clearly pondering. After a brief moment, he snapped his head up, looking startled. "Could it possibly be him?"

"Who?"

"The ghost weapons master, Gui You Quan!"

Huangfu Ao froze in shock. "Wasn’t it said that Gui You Quan had perished?"

"What did the person look like?" the old man inquired instead.

After Huangfu Ao detailed the man’s appearance, the old man shut his eyes momentarily before slowly opening them. "It is him, Gui You Quan. Who would guess he struck ties with the Lou family?"

Despite Huangfu Ao’s boldness, he had long known of Gui You Quan’s reputation. Now, hearing his father’s certainty that he’d met the very same person, a shiver of terror ran down his spine!

In that world, everyone knew Gui You Quan was a ghost weapons master, escalating his power by endless slaying. People preferred facing real ghosts over him, since meeting him always ended in death.

Huangfu Ao marveled that he had crossed blades with Gui You Quan, yet the man hadn’t ended his life despite overwhelming advantage. This clashed starkly with the rumored Gui You Quan’s nature!

But regardless, Huangfu Ao felt deeply thankful to be alive just then.

At this moment, the old man in the mirror spoke: "Son, since it is Gui You Quan we’re dealing with, do not act rashly. We cannot send anyone else over so soon after just transporting you. During this time, be careful. If you encounter Gui You Quan, flee immediately. Never face him in combat!"

To be honest, even without his father’s warning, Huangfu Ao would have done the same: "I know, Father. But what should we do now? Don’t we do anything?"

"Of course not! I will contact the other eight families and inform them of this matter. Once we have discussed and formulated a plan, I will naturally notify you!"

"Understood!"

"Mm." The old man nodded. "I won’t delay speaking with you further. The matter of Gui You Quan staying close to the Lou Family is far too important. I must contact the other eight families immediately. If you have nothing pressing, simply stay vigilant and await my news."

"Wait!" Huangfu Ao couldn’t help but call out just as the old man was about to leave.

"What now?" A trace of impatience flashed across the old man’s face.

Huangfu Ao spoke haltingly: "That… Father… Gui You Quan didn’t kill me, but he… he stole the sacred artifact of our Huangfu Family!"

Upon hearing this news, the old man’s face changed again. His two graying eyebrows furrowed tightly together, and unconcealed anger flared in his sharp, intelligent eyes. Had the bearer of this news not been his son, he would have killed them without a moment’s hesitation!

Taking a deep breath, the old man shook his head. "Stolen? Then so be it. Reclaim it if possible. But if it’s impossible, let it go! After all, it is not the genuine Divine Heavenly Weapon!"

"What!" Huangfu Ao’s eyes widened to their limits. The Divine Heavenly Weapon so meticulously hidden by the Huangfu Family on Spirit Weapon Star… wasn’t genuine?

This was news even he hadn’t known!

Clearly unwilling to say more, the old man’s demeanor turned icy. "Ao’er, this is a secret of the Huangfu Family. Know it and keep it. Do not tell another soul. If anyone else learns this, even as my son, I cannot protect you. Do you understand?"

Never in his life had Huangfu Ao witnessed his father speak with such severity. The gravity of the secret struck him clearly, and he hurriedly nodded repeatedly. "Father, be assured! Your son will never reveal this secret!"

"Mm. Alright. Take care until we speak again."

With a flick of his broad sleeve, ripples spread across the mirror surface before Huangfu Ao. When the ripples dispersed, the mirror’s glow faded, and wispy mist settled over it once more.

Though the mirror surface had returned to normal, Huangfu Ao remained seated, frozen. The two revelations he had just heard were too shocking. Especially the fact that the Divine Heavenly Weapon, revered as divine objects by the Huangfu Family on Spirit Weapon Star, was not authentic! That was an unknown truth to him!

But understanding quickly dawned. If they were genuine Divine Heavenly Weapons, such precious artifacts wouldn’t have been entrusted to the Huangfu Family on Spirit Weapon Star. They must be possessed and safeguarded by the true Huangfu Family!

A deeper question then struck Huiangfu Ao: If the sacred object of the Huangfu Family on Spirit Weapon Star was fake, what about the sacred objects revered by the other eight families?

While he had no definite answer at present, a suspicion solidly formed in Huangfu Ao’s mind.

……

Lou Yun remained meditating cross-legged beside the churning lava deep within the volcano. His face was serene, expressionless, as if he had become one with his surroundings.

Just like his face, his inner state was equally calm and unruffled. He quietly experienced the continuous influx of the heavens and earth’s energy into his body—an immensely comfortable sensation.

This wasn’t laziness. After perceiving the way of nature, this state was merely the natural manifestation of his cultivation.

Since the core principle of the way of nature was going with the flow, he would now act accordingly. He ceased conscious thought about commanding the heavens and earth’s energy. Instead, within this state, he attuned himself to natural law, deepening his resonance with the energy. In doing so, the command of that energy would come naturally, like water flowing downhill.

Indeed, after Lou Yun sat quietly for a month, he distinctly felt the heavens and earth’s energy within his body reach a state of saturation.

If the body was a container and the heavens and earth’s energy water, then Lou Yun’s body-container was now full. Although external energy continually poured into it, the result was that the water overflowed.

However, Lou Yun’s body-container was effectively closed—energy could only enter, not escape. Reaching saturation yet having more energy pour in ceaselessly, with no way for the excess to dissipate—if this continued, it wouldn’t be long before his body, unable to handle such overwhelming energy, would explode!

At this critical moment, Lou Yun broke from his previous peaceful tranquility. Abruptly, a frenzied, surging impulse to let it out overwhelmed him.

No one had told Lou Yun what to do at such a time. Yet, inexplicably, he knew—action was required.