The roar that tore from Lei Ze's throat was not just anger; it was the raw sound of his soul tearing from the impact of Yáng Zhàn's words. Betrayal, sorrow, and searing fury, all fused into a single, desperate challenge.
"Where do you think you are going!"
Lei Ze lunged forward, fueled by the immediate need for answers, not violence.
The revelation that his mother's death was a side-effect of a feud involving his own Master, Jìng Xū, was an impossible burden. He couldn't let the source of this agonizing truth simply walk away.
Yáng Zhàn paused, not turning around, merely tilting his head. "To attend to matters far more significant than a lost artifact, boy."
"My mother!" Lei Ze shouted, his voice cracking with emotion. "You told me the man who killed her is in the Northern Lands! You will tell me more!"
Yáng Zhàn finally turned, his expression cold and unimpressed. "The Pagoda is gone. The balance of power shifts. Your mother's death is ancient history. We deal in the future, Lei Ze."
Mò Zhàn, seeing Lei Ze's emotional state, seized the chance to intimidate the weaker cultivator. He stepped between his father and Lei Ze, his massive figure radiating overwhelming dominance. "Listen to the Sect Master," Mò Zhàn growled, his voice deep and rough, carrying crushing spiritual pressure. "The artifact is claimed. You are insignificant now. If you dare raise your voice to my father again, I will personally crush you, Pagoda or no Pagoda."
Lei Ze stood his ground, the memory of Lán Tíng's suffering and his own shattered understanding of Jìng Xū giving him defiant strength. He had the Jade Sun Pagoda now; he was no longer a powerless ant.
"You can threaten me, Mò Zhàn," Lei Ze countered, his eyes blazing, "but you cannot take what I have claimed through destiny. And I will not rest until I know the full truth about my mother and this Dark Lord, Yǒng Yè."
Yáng Zhàn watched the exchange, a flicker of something calculating in his gaze. He realized the full potential of the Pagoda, not just as a power source, but as a lever.
"Very well, Lei Ze," Yáng Zhàn said, dismissing Mò Zhàn with a wave. "You are clearly too unstable to think logically. But understand this: Yǒng Yè is a powerful enemy, far beyond your current comprehension. His dark energy is what faintly taints you, the very thing the Pagoda suppressed. If you seek the Northern Lands now, you seek your own demise."
He stepped closer to Lei Ze, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"However, the world is vast, and masters of forbidden arts leave traces. If you truly wish to track Yǒng Yè, perhaps an elder with deep knowledge of Dark Arts and powerful artifacts might know how to find him. An elder like... Gāo Fēng, for instance."
Lei Ze's mind raced. Gāo Fēng, the master who stole the Emperor's Scorch and was acting suspiciously. Was Yáng Zhàn giving him genuine advice or setting a trap?
"Why would you tell me this?" Lei Ze asked, suspicious.
Yáng Zhàn smiled, a chilling expression of cunning. "We both want different things, but we both hate the Green Pine Sect's deception. You have the Pagoda; I want my son to dominate the Eastern Lands. If you distract the Elders and expose their secrets, it benefits me. Think about it: the man who supposedly saved you, Jìng Xū, is the reason your mother died. Go home. Ask him."
With that final, poisoned seed planted, Yáng Zhàn grabbed Mò Zhàn and Měi Lín.
"We are done here. We have greater power to claim elsewhere," he declared, and the three Jīn Yàn figures ascended, vanishing quickly through the shattered temple roof.
Lei Ze was left standing alone in the desolate hall, the weight of the massive Jade Sun Pagoda throbbing in his spiritual core, a painful truth resonating in his mind: his father was a Dark Lord, his mother was a Jīn Yàn Sect Leader, and his revered Master, Jìng Xū, was indirectly responsible for her death.
He looked down at the stick he still clutched, the only witness to his confrontation with the centipede. His path was no longer about simple cultivation; it was about vengeance and unearthing painful secrets.
Go back to the Green Pine Sect. Confront Jìng Xū. Find Gāo Fēng.
Lei Ze took a final deep breath, the pure air of the Pagoda-infused hall filling his lungs.
The Treasure Hunt was over for him. He had to return to face the betrayal.
As Lei Ze prepared to ascend and leave the Pagoda Hall, a searing pain erupted from deep within his spiritual sea. Though the Jade Sun Pagoda had sealed the demonic residue, the Demonic Energy pulsed fiercely, seemingly fueled by the immense pressure and stress he had just experienced.
Lei Ze dropped instantly to the cold stone floor, tightly clutching his head as the pain intensified. A loud, discordant noise vibrated through his ears and skull. Then, a terrifying vision materialized: the Bloodfire Halberd, ablaze with roaring, blood-red Demonic Qi.
A distinct whisper, ancient and filled with malevolence, resonated in his mind.
"Seek the Halberd. Seek and claim my power, or face oblivion."
The Pagoda immediately fought back, unleashing waves of purifying light, but the fury of the Demonic Energy was overwhelming. The containment seal shattered. The dark force successfully wrested control of Lei Ze's physical body, silencing the Pagoda's desperate efforts to restore order.
"I must have my weapon back! Hahahaha!"
The voice was deep, resonant, and utterly foreign, the voice of Kūn Zhān.
Lei Ze, now moving with Kūn Zhān's terrifying intent, turned abruptly and headed for the path Jìng Xū had strictly warned him to avoid: the left path.
The possessed Lei Ze walked with an unnatural speed. After a short distance, they reached a vast dark tomb, a mausoleum that looked both ancient and utterly dreadful.
Lei Ze stopped at the entrance, a wide, predatory smile stretching across his face.
He inhaled deeply, savoring the thick, malignant energy surrounding the tomb. "I am back. I am back for what belongs to me. Hahaha."
He walked through the tomb, making a beeline toward the largest volcano within the Wǔ Yán Gǔ territory.
He arrived at the lip of the colossal volcanic caldera. The heat here was so extreme it could melt flesh in seconds. Immediately, dark, swirling energy radiated from Lei Ze's body, forming an invisible shield that prevented the intense heat from scorching his skin.
He took a step onto the brim and immediately spotted four imposing figures, designated as the Four Protector Soul Devourers, standing guard over the deeply buried Halberd.
"Oh, I almost forgot about the Soul Devourers," Kūn Zhān muttered through Lei Ze's lips.
The four guardians spoke in unnerving unison, their voices echoing with authority.
"What is your purpose here? Withdraw at once."
Kūn Zhān, inhabiting Lei Ze's form, folded his arms, a mocking smile fixed on his face.
"I believe you are guarding something that is rightfully mine. I'm simply here to retrieve it, so step aside."
The four Devourers immediately surrounded him, their hands outstretched, ready to drain his essence. "No mortal seeks the forbidden dark weapon. Not even the owner."
Kūn Zhān chuckled, a dry, mocking sound.
"Stop this nonsense. The rightful owner is standing right in front of you, and you address him so rudely. Let's make a simple arrangement so no one gets hurt."
He paused, dramatically examining his fingernails. "The arrangement is this: hand over the Halberd, and I promise not to cause a mess."
The Soul Devourers took this as a severe insult. Their eyes glowed, and they intensified their efforts, trying to devour the very soul of the intruder.