The Glory of the Tribe

Chapter 14

Normally, Lei Hong would not be in the tribal soil city at this time. Even if he were, there wouldn’t typically be any special interactions between the tribe and the Inspector-General. The Inspector-General’s role is one of fairness, which is enforced not only by strict laws but also by his immense strength. The Inspector-General is an existence beyond the innate realm, and even among top-tier experts in the catastrophe realm, they stand at the peak. Even in the prosperous city of Feixue, the Inspector-General is considered an important figure. Thus, with the tribe's financial capabilities, it would be nearly impossible to bribe the Inspector-General, who would look down upon such attempts.

The tribe doesn’t need to build connections with the Inspector-General, and the Inspector-General rarely deigns to regard "tribal barbarians" favorably. For thousands of years, this has been the case, and it has been normal for there to be no private exchanges between the tribe and the Inspector-General during the life-and-death battles.

Therefore, Lei Hong never expected that Jiang Xuan would suddenly come to seek an audience.

Jiang Xuan stepped into the delicately arranged courtyard and kneeled, saying, "I pay my respects to the Inspector-General."

"Mm." Lei Hong looked at Jiang Xuan’s frail figure with a neutral expression. "Get up."

"Thank you, Lord." Jiang Xuan rose.

"Do you need something?" Lei Hong asked.

"Lord, I would like to ask for your help," Jiang Xuan said, his tone urgent. "My mother, Wei Baiyun, took my sister to visit relatives in Feixue City four days ago. She said she was going to my grandfather’s house, and according to our agreement, she should have returned by now. But there has been no word from them. The Jiang tribe has no connections in Feixue City, so I would like to ask you to help me."

Whether they were visiting relatives or fleeing depended on how it was phrased.

This kind of situation was very common during the life-and-death battle, and the Inspector-General typically wouldn’t intervene.

However, Lei Hong didn’t expect Jiang Xuan’s mother and sister to break the rules of the life-and-death battle and disappear, and now Jiang Xuan had the audacity to come to him for help.

"You’ve got some guts," Lei Hong said, his tone low.

Jiang Xuan’s spirit wavered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, thanks to his breathing technique, which surprised Lei Hong, who thought to himself, "Such strong mental fortitude!"

"Please forgive me, Lord," Jiang Xuan said, not attempting to justify himself.

This attitude made Lei Hong feel more comfortable.

"Why should I help you?" Lei Hong asked calmly. "You know my position. If I help you find your family, word will spread that I’m favoring the Jiang tribe, and it will be said that I am not impartial. The life-and-death battle between your tribe and the Shentu tribe is at a critical point. As the Inspector-General, I cannot, nor should I, help you."

Jiang Xuan quickly sensed that Lei Hong was "playing the formalities"!

No Inspector-General would genuinely fear being accused of lacking impartiality, and no one would dare to say so! They were too powerful, strong enough to disregard many rules.

"Lord, your impartiality is well-known," Jiang Xuan said earnestly. "Even if you help me, there will be no criticism. It’s just a matter of investigating two people’s whereabouts."

Jiang Xuan continued, "I’ve heard from the tribe that you’ve been searching for someone recently, someone hiding in Heitan Mountain? Lord, I can make a deal with you. I am the current leader of the Jiang tribe. With this ancient ring, I command the forty-seven tribes under Jiang tribe’s rule. Our people have lived at the foot of Heitan Mountain for generations; no one knows the mountain better than us. We have the best guides, the best hunters!"

"Lord, as long as you help me find my mother and sister, I can order them to assist you in searching for the person hiding in Heitan Mountain, even in the outer regions of the Ten Directions Desolate Land. Our people can enter as long as it’s not too deep..."

Jiang Xuan felt a bit uneasy.

He didn’t know who Lei Hong was looking for or how important that person was! People like the Inspector-General typically didn’t easily change their principles. Jiang Xuan didn’t know if he could convince Lei Hong; he was essentially taking a gamble.

"Hmm..." Lei Hong pondered for a moment, eyeing Jiang Xuan up and down. Finally, he spoke, "Alright, it’s a deal."

"Thank you, Lord!" Jiang Xuan exclaimed with joy.

Lei Hong’s investigation speed exceeded Jiang Xuan’s expectations.

Just one day later, Jiang Xuan received word from a black-armored guard, informing him that Lei Hong had found out the results. Jiang Xuan hurried to the courtyard to meet with Lei Hong, who, as always, maintained a neutral expression. With a nonchalant tone, Lei Hong explained the findings.

"It’s just a transaction."

Lei Hong gestured for the old man to sit. "I helped him investigate his mother and sister’s whereabouts. He’s sending the tribe’s people to cooperate with the black-armored guards to search the mountain for people. With local help, the chances of finding that person hidden in Heitan Mountain are higher."

"I see." The old man relaxed.

He poured tea for Lei Hong and then for himself. After drinking a few sips, he set the cup down and said, "Yesterday I heard you were investigating the Wei family. I thought something big had happened. I also had someone investigate, and hey! The Wei family really messed up! Wei Chengshan is getting old, and he really doesn’t care about his reputation!"

"He stopped managing things long ago. It was his fourth son’s arrangement," Lei Hong said, adjusting his tea cup. "The Wei family has truly fallen. Sending a young girl to marry a middle-aged man to stabilize their family strength. Even if word gets out, they’re not afraid of being ridiculed."

"Even in decline, they’re not something a little tribe boy can shake." The old man shook his head. "I just observed that boy for a bit. I can only say he has some talent, but it’s still far from enough. If his talent were high enough, with the current state of the Wei family, they’d definitely make him 'acknowledge his ancestors,' and then fully cultivate him. They wouldn’t treat his mother and sister like this. It’s a pity; he’s not worth it."

"Mm, his talent is lacking." Lei Hong nodded and took another sip of tea.

"Damn!"

"The Wei family deserves to die!!"

In the dense forest behind the mountain, in front of the sound transmission stone, Jiang Xuan’s sword light slashed through the air like the wind, more frenzied and rapid than before. His mind was filled with the faces of his mother and sister. He knew how resolute his mother’s character was—she was a strong and determined person. Years ago, she had willingly given up her noble status in one of the four great families and married into the tribe, enduring all the criticism and pressure.

But she did it.

His mother was fasting, and she would fast to the point of death. Though it was difficult for someone at the innate stage to die from hunger, the body would grow weaker and weaker. In a few months, no matter how strong the innate stage, they would be drained dry.

And his sister!

They had grown up together, just one year apart. For his sister, who was brave only in front of him yet timid and clingy otherwise, Jiang Xuan loved her deeply.

"Damn!!" The sword light slashed like rain.

"Kid, what’s wrong?" A soft, puzzled voice came from the sound transmission stone.

Jiang Xuan stopped abruptly.

"Senior, you’ve arrived," Jiang Xuan said dejectedly.

"Who are you cursing?" The ethereal voice asked.

"The Wei family." Jiang Xuan didn’t hide it.

"The Wei family? The one from your maternal side?" The Qian Emperor asked, "What happened?"

"They’ve captured my mother and sister," Jiang Xuan sat down cross-legged in front of the sound transmission stone, placing the sword across his lap. He explained everything to the "Odd Stone Senior," never holding back. Over the years, he had rarely hidden anything from this senior. For Jiang Xuan, Odd Stone Senior was someone he could confide in.

"I see..." The Qian Emperor’s reaction was extremely flat.

Jiang Xuan had become accustomed to this indifference. After eight years, the Jiang tribe had gone through so much, especially in the past three years, with so many deaths. Jiang Xuan had told Odd Stone Senior about it all, but the senior always responded with apathy. As an unparalleled expert, the Qian Emperor would remain indifferent to the lives of ordinary people. Jiang Xuan understood that.

He never expected Odd Stone Senior to show any anger or offer help.

But this time, it seemed different. Odd Stone Senior seemed particularly concerned about him.

"In that case, I’ll pass on a secret technique to you." The ethereal voice said.