Chapter 652: The Ancient Tree's Gift and Meeting the Father-in-Law
"The Bodhi Ancient Tree!"
Before Mu Yu stood an enormous ancient tree, towering thousands of feet tall, exuding a powerful and ancient aura.
"It's really the Bodhi Ancient Tree..." Soul Fiend's face darkened as he gazed at the colossal tree. He never expected that, at such a crucial moment, a tree would suddenly appear and intervene.
"Bodhi Ancient Tree, my target is only him. Stay out of this, or if you provoke my clan's leader, not even you can bear the consequences!" Soul Fiend threatened sharply.
However, the Bodhi Ancient Tree didn't respond. Just as Soul Fiend began to think his warning had worked, the massive tree suddenly shook, and its enormous branches, as thick as giant vines, surged toward him like a violent storm.
"Not good!"
Seeing the sudden attack, Soul Fiend's face changed. He could feel an overwhelming power from the tree's branches—one that seemed to surpass even a Saint-level expert.
"Could it be…?"
Above the Dou Saint level was the Dou Emperor level. The Bodhi Ancient Tree had lived for countless millennia, even longer than the last Dou Emperor, Tuo She. If it possessed Dou Emperor-level power, it wouldn't be surprising.
Realizing this, Soul Fiend had no desire to fight and began searching for a way to escape.
In the next moment, his eyes flashed with malice. With a quick change of hand seals, his blood-red blade flew from his hand. The blade expanded instantly, growing to over a thousand feet in length, hovering in the sky. The killing intent it emitted was so intense it seemed tangible, and the blade's edge glowed with a bloody light that made even souls tremble.
"Blood God Splits the Sky!"
As the killing intent condensed, Soul Fiend's gaze turned cold. With a sharp motion, the enormous blood blade descended, and the sky resounded with an ear-splitting boom. As the blade passed, the space within ten thousand feet collapsed, and the ground below was cleaved into a massive, bottomless gorge.
The blood blade collided violently with the incoming branches of the Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Boom!
An indescribable shockwave swept across the sky. The plains below sank several feet, and most of the surrounding mountains collapsed into dust.
But even as the blood blade severed a few branches, more branches surged toward Soul Fiend in an unending assault.
Swish!
The relentless barrage of branches dulled the blood blade's edge, and the blade quickly shrank before retreating toward Soul Fiend.
Seizing the opportunity, the Bodhi Ancient Tree pressed its advantage. Several branches, each hundreds of feet long, shot toward Soul Fiend like spears.
However, just as the branches were about to strike, Soul Fiend's figure vanished.
"A shadow clone?!"
Seeing this, Mu Yu raised an eyebrow, realizing that Soul Fiend had wisely chosen not to confront the Bodhi Ancient Tree head-on.
It was well known that the Bodhi Ancient Tree, in its prime, had faced off against Dou Emperor-level opponents. With Soul Fiend's Seven-Star Dou Saint power, he wasn't even a match.
"Mu Yu, just wait. When my Soul Clan dominates the continent, no one will be able to protect you!"
Having used a substitution technique to escape, Soul Fiend knew he had lost his last chance. He cast a venomous glare at Mu Yu before transforming into a black streak, fleeing into the distance.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree, however, showed no intention of pursuing him. Instead, a thick branch slowly extended toward Mu Yu.
Seeing the platform-like branch before him, Mu Yu seemed to understand the tree's intent. With a light leap, he landed firmly on the wide branch.
As soon as Mu Yu touched down, the enormous branch quivered slightly, then swiftly retracted, moving with incredible speed.
In the blink of an eye, Mu Yu found himself standing before the towering Bodhi Ancient Tree.
Looking up at the massive tree, which seemed to bridge heaven and earth, Mu Yu couldn't help but feel awed. He cupped his hands in gratitude. "Hehe, thank you, Brother Bodhi, for your help."
Rustle...
The ancient tree swayed gently, producing a soft rustling sound, as if to say that no thanks were necessary.
Mu Yu smiled. Though the Bodhi Ancient Tree couldn't speak, it was clearly intelligent, and after their previous encounter, the two had developed a good rapport.
"By the way, Brother Bodhi, why are you here? Were you looking for me?" Mu Yu asked curiously.
The Bodhi Ancient Tree came and went like the wind, and with no Dou Emperor-level beings left on the continent, it was considered invincible. Unless it chose to reveal itself, no one could force it to come out.
Rustle...
The ancient tree swayed again, and from within its massive trunk, a green lightning bolt floated out. It hovered before Mu Yu, its glow slowly fading. Mu Yu's eyes widened in shock—it was the Shenmu Gang Thunder, and not just any thunder, but one that had been fully restored to its peak state.
In just a few years, the Bodhi Ancient Tree had nurtured the Shenmu Gang Thunder, ranked second on the Mystical Thunder List, back to its prime!
Mu Yu also noticed that the Bodhi Ancient Tree's aura was much stronger than the last time they met, likely thanks to the synergy between the tree and the thunder.
"Thank you, Brother Bodhi." Mu Yu's eyes shone with excitement as he accepted the green thunder. This came at the perfect time—after the destruction of the Medicine Clan, the Soul Clan was gearing up for something big, and Mu Yu needed to strengthen his power. With the Shenmu Gang Thunder, his strength would explode!
As Mu Yu expressed his gratitude again, the Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed once more. A green, glowing leaf gently fell into Mu Yu's hands.
When Mu Yu touched the leaf, he felt a strange energy radiating from it, one that was identical to the aura of the Bodhi Ancient Tree itself.
"Could this leaf allow me to contact you, Brother Bodhi?" Mu Yu asked, his eyebrows raising slightly.
Hearing this, the Bodhi Ancient Tree shook its branches up and down, clearly confirming his guess.
"Haha, thank you again, Brother Bodhi!" Mu Yu smiled with delight and cupped his hands in gratitude.
With this leaf, Mu Yu would be able to summon the Bodhi Ancient Tree for help in times of crisis. Considering that the tree's strength was on par with a Dou Emperor, even if he and Xiao Yan hadn't yet reached that level, the Soul Clan's leader, Soul Heavenly Emperor, wouldn't be able to act recklessly with the tree protecting them.
After giving Mu Yu the leaf, the Bodhi Ancient Tree gently lowered him to the ground. The tree's massive body then began to tremble.
In the next moment, a circle of vibrant green light spread from the base of the tree, causing the ground beneath it to ripple like liquid. Slowly, the Bodhi Ancient Tree sank into the earth.
"Safe travels, Brother Bodhi!" Mu Yu called out as he watched the tree disappear.
Although their relationship was based on mutual cooperation, there was a sincere bond between them, as neither had any hidden motives. This was why the Bodhi Ancient Tree had been willing to gift Mu Yu the leaf.
After carefully storing the Bodhi leaf, Mu Yu was about to leave when he suddenly heard the sound of rapid movement approaching. A few dozen figures quickly appeared, their eyes scanning the devastated landscape below before they landed near Mu Yu.
Seeing them, Mu Yu became alert, but he relaxed when he recognized who they were.
At the forefront was Lei Ying, a powerful Lei Clan member who had fought alongside him against the Soul Clan before. Behind Lei Ying were familiar faces, including Lei Yin, one of the younger generation's top talents.
"Mu Yu, what happened here? I sensed Soul Fiend's presence nearby. Did you fight him?" Lei Ying asked, visibly shocked by the destruction around them.
Soul Fiend was one of the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan. Even Lei Ying found him difficult to handle. If Mu Yu had indeed fought him, it was an impressive feat—one that few in the Lei Clan could match, aside from the clan leader.
The younger Lei Clan members, including Lei Yin, glanced at Mu Yu in astonishment. To them, Soul Fiend was almost a mythical figure. If Mu Yu had truly fought him, they would have no choice but to admire his strength, no matter how proud they were.
Mu Yu briefly explained what had happened, then his expression turned serious. "Senior Lei Ying, we need to return to the Lei Clan immediately and inform the clan leader. The destruction of the Medicine Clan is no small matter, and the Soul Clan must have a grand scheme in motion."
"What?!"
Lei Ying and the others were stunned. Their eyes widened in disbelief—had the Medicine Clan really been wiped out?
After confirming the details with Mu Yu, Lei Ying's face grew solemn. "This is indeed a serious matter. If you hadn't come to inform us, we might never have known what happened in the Medicine Clan. It seems that even our clan leader couldn't detect the Soul Clan's methods."
Lei Ying's expression darkened. The Lei Clan and the Medicine Clan were allies, yet the Medicine Clan had been wiped out without the Lei Clan knowing. If this got out, they'd be a laughingstock.
With a heavy sigh, Lei Ying continued, "We must summon the leaders of the Flame and Gu Clans. The Soul Clan's actions clearly target all the ancient clans. If we don't act soon, we may all fall into their hands."
Mu Yu nodded in agreement.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, Lei Ying wasted no time. The group immediately set off for the Lei Realm.
News of the Medicine Clan's destruction caused a massive uproar within the Lei Realm.
All the Lei Clan's powerful members were alarmed. The fact that the Soul Clan had once again wiped out a clan in secret stirred deep fear in their hearts.
While the Lei Clan was stronger than the Medicine Clan, the difference wasn't vast. If the Soul Clan targeted them with similar methods, how would they defend themselves?
In the somber hall of the Lei Clan, all the elders had gathered. At the head of the hall sat Lei Ying, the clan leader, a towering figure whose Eight-Star Dou Saint aura far surpassed that of Soul Fiend. His presence alone cast a heavy atmosphere over the room.
Seated to Lei Ying's left were two elderly figures radiating powerful lightning energy with every breath. Though Mu Yu had never met them, he knew from Lei Fei'er's past conversations that these two were the Lei Clan's second-in-command, the Lei Clan's equivalents of the Soul Clan's Four Demon Saints or the Gu Clan's Three Immortals.
They were Lei Cang and Lei Sun, twin brothers and Seven-Star Dou Saints.
Among the elders, Mu Yu also spotted familiar faces. They greeted him warmly.
Though Mu Yu hadn't spent much time in the Lei Realm, his reputation had spread throughout the clan. The Lei Clan viewed him as one of their own, and the fact that he had risen from a Dou Zun to a Dou Saint in such a short time amazed many. Only the clan leader himself could rival Mu Yu's current strength.
To Lei Ying's right sat the younger generation of the Lei Clan. A familiar figure, Lei Fei'er, sat at the head of the group. Her eyes never left Mu Yu from the moment he arrived, filled with tenderness and affection.
"Mu Yu greets Clan Leader Lei Ying," Mu Yu said respectfully as the room grew silent.
"Hehe, in just ten short years, you've reached such an incredible level. Allowing you to grow independently was truly the right choice," Lei Ying said with a broad smile. His voice was filled with praise. When he had agreed to let Mu Yu grow on his own, he hadn't expected him to reach this height.
"From now on, you can call me father-in-law. Your relationship with Fei'er is already set in stone. We're family now."
Hearing this, Lei Fei'er blushed bright red. Although everyone in the clan knew about her and Mu Yu, hearing it publicly acknowledged still made her feel shy.
Mu Yu, however, remained calm. He glanced at Lei Fei'er with a smile, then turned to Lei Ying and cupped his hands.
"Mu Yu greets Father-in-Law."
(End of Chapter)
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