A bitter, cold wind slashed across the desolate landscape like a knife, sending sand and gravel whirling through the air, while two hazy figures pressed onward.
Not far ahead rose a towering mountain, thousands of meters high. The peak had been split open all the way down to its waist, and from a distance, at first glance, it looked like a pair of ram's horns. On the map of the plane battlefield, this "Ram Horn Mountain" was a landmark location.
"We're here!" Lin Lei, draped in a deep teal robe, swept his gaze like lightning across suspicious spots at the base of the mountain.
"I don't see any cave," Bei Bei muttered.
"Even if Lei Sijing and the others are here, how would we spot it from the surface? Let's search carefully along the base of Ram Horn Mountain." After Lin Lei finished speaking, he and Bei Bei transformed into two phantom streaks and shot toward the mountain.
With Lei Hong around, even the most desolate mountain could be turned into a magnificent cave dwelling.
Inside the bowels of Ram Horn Mountain, in a cavernous hall that seemed to have formed naturally, the hulking Lei Hong sat cross-legged in a corner, quietly cultivating. For these supremely powerful beings, the vast stretches of infinite time were mostly spent in cultivation. Meanwhile, Lei Sijing sat in a chair with his legs propped up on a table laden with all manner of fruits and food.
"That bastard Monteluo!" Lei Sijing grabbed the leg of some unknown fierce beast, tore off a savage bite, and snarled. "So arrogant — isn't it just because he has more people?"
Lei Sijing recalled the events of three years ago, and the anger still hadn't subsided.
He turned to glance at Lei Hong, who was deep in cultivation, and couldn't help but call out, "Hey, Lei Hong, stop cultivating like a statue over there. It's not like cultivation is urgent right now — the Absolute stage isn't exactly easy to reach. Come over and have a drink with me, chat a bit."
Lei Hong, who looked like a war god forged from iron, opened his eyes. A gaze as solid as a physical force shot out.
"Yes." Lei Hong stood up and sat across from Lei Sijing.
"I asked you to chat — why aren't you talking?" Lei Sijing said helplessly. Seeing Lei Hong's stony expression, he could only sigh. "Fine. Ugh, I should've brought a few more people along. Even if they couldn't help in a fight, they'd at least be good company. Speaking of fighting… if I ever reach the Absolute stage, I'll make Monteluo wish he were dead and alive at the same time!"
"He deserves to die," Lei Hong said in a low voice.
Lei Sijing immediately grinned. "Right — he deserves to die!"
"Lei Sijing!" A hearty voice echoed down the corridor ahead. "Hey, Lei Sijing, we're here!" A cheerful voice also rang out from the cave's front corridor. Immediately after came a thunderous boom — clearly, the rock wall concealing the corridor had been blasted open.
Lei Sijing and Lei Hong sprang to their feet reflexively with twin whooshes, exchanged a glance, and identical looks of delighted surprise lit up their eyes.
"Lin Lei and the others are here," Lei Hong said.
"Haha… let's go — quick, let's welcome them!" Lei Sijing was the first to dash out, and Lei Hong followed close behind. By the time the two of them made it from the main hall to the front courtyard, the courtyard gate had already been pushed open. Lin Lei, in his deep teal robe, and Bei Bei, dressed in black, walked in side by side, both wearing smiles.
"Lei Sijing!" Bei Bei called out cheerfully.
"吼吼, Bei Bei!" Lei Sijing charged over excitedly and swept Bei Bei into a bear hug. "Our dream team is finally back together!"
"Lin Lei." Lei Hong offered Lin Lei a hint of a smile, and Lin Lei smiled and nodded in return.
Lei Hong had shifted into a two-meter-tall form, roughly the same height as Lin Lei. And Bei Bei and Lei Sijing were about the same height as well… The four members of this hunting squad standing together was quite a sight.
"You bastard!" Lei Sijing turned to look at Lin Lei and drove a fist into his chest, huffing. "You brat Lin Lei, you worried me sick! When you were being chased by that Uman, I wasn't worried about Bei Bei — but I was damn worried about you! Uman couldn't do anything to Bei Bei, but you — that was a different story. You're my only disciple, you know. If you died, I'd be devastated!"
Lin Lei smiled bitterly.
Disciple?
"Lei Sijing, we're brothers, you know." Bei Bei slung an arm around Lei Sijing's shoulder and tilted his head. "We're of the same generation — how can you be my master's teacher?"
"Uh…" Lei Sijing was momentarily stunned.
"Fine." Lei Sijing eyed Lin Lei with a sidelong glance. "Anyway, you were the one who figured out the secret of the Amethyst Space, and it was my mother who told me to do it that way! So you're my mother's disciple, which makes you my peer." As he spoke, Lei Sijing broke into a grin. Lin Lei's heart stirred. "Huh? So what Lei Sijing did back then — ostensibly a punishment, but actually teaching me — was arranged by a Sovereign. But why would a Sovereign do that? I've never even met the Amethyst Sovereign."
Bei Bei asked in confusion, "Hey, Lei Sijing, that was your mother — a Sovereign arranged it?"
"Right. And my mother even gave Lin Lei the most important Soul Stone," Lei Sijing grumbled. "I'm still not over it."
"Soul Stone? You mean the black stone?" Lin Lei asked quickly.
"Right." Lei Sijing nodded confidently. "Just thinking about it makes my heart ache. This Soul Stone… my mother has never given one to any outsider. You're the first! Did you know, even a Sovereign once tried to ask my mother for a Soul Stone, and she refused?"
"A Sovereign wanted one?" Lin Lei asked, puzzled. "Is it useful to Sovereigns?"
"Not particularly useful to Sovereigns," Lei Sijing shook his head. "But for High Gods, it's incredibly valuable!"
Bei Bei exclaimed, "Lei Sijing, how does this Soul Stone compare to the 'Netherfruit' from the Netherworld?"
"The Netherfruit?" Lei Sijing scoffed. "The Netherfruit is indeed a treasure, but ten Netherfruits couldn't match a single Soul Stone. For a Sovereign it might not amount to much, but for a High God, the Soul Stone is a true treasure. Lin Lei, stop looking at me like that. In the future, you'll understand just how precious this Soul Stone is. Although there are only my mother and me — two Amethyst Divine Beasts across all the infinite planes — even among us, only my mother can extract a single Soul Stone to give away."