When the Duke of Thunder entered the central area of Lei Mansion, a beam of light shone down from the glowing orb atop the tower.
The Duke of Thunder naturally and effortlessly stretched out his arms, while Ye Hao stood outside the light, warily observing the surroundings.
At this moment, the orb at the tower's peak began to descend slowly. Ye Hao kept a close eye on it, prepared to pull the Duke of Thunder back immediately if the orb showed any malicious intent.
The dazzling orb stopped at a height level with the Duke of Thunder, though it continued spinning incessantly.
The Duke of Thunder attempted to reach out and touch it, but the orb spun too quickly. His hand was injured, bleeding profusely the moment it touched the orb.
Ye Hao signaled for him to be careful, and the Duke of Thunder nodded.
Just then, a voice echoed, aged yet authoritative, conveying the nature of the speaker on first hearing.
"Haha, you brat, how many years have I waited for you to appear? Were you planning to wait until my soul was completely exhausted and the Thunder God Technique vanished from history?"
The voice was filled with arrogance, power, authority, age, relief, and ease. Hearing this, Ye Hao relaxed slightly, his first impression being that the speaker was a forthright person who disdained sneaky deeds.
"I apologize for being late, and hope you can forgive me, senior," the Duke of Thunder spoke to the glowing orb.
At this time, a small figure emerged from the glowing orb. Initially tiny, it grew in size against the wind, becoming larger and more imposing than a normal person.
This was a middle-aged man, with bushy eyebrows and large eyes. He wore a Thunder Battle Robe and a golden Emperor's Crown.
Upon seeing this figure, the Duke of Thunder immediately knelt down, his voice respectful, "Junior greets the Thunder Emperor."
"Haha, get up, you brat! If you hadn't come today and watered with blood, I might not have emerged from the Forbidden Soul Bowl left over from my lifetime." The middle-aged man, owner of this mansion, was indeed the Thunder Emperor. It was obvious he was not a ruler from the last five thousand years or more.
"I had no intention to intrude on the Thunder Emperor's abode, but a strong pull drew me here, disturbing your rest. I hope the Thunder Emperor won't take offense," the Duke of Thunder said.
"If you didn't come today, you'd be left out in the cold if you came later!" The Thunder Emperor laughed heartily.
Outside, Ye Hao listened to their conversation, unable to understand what the Thunder Emperor was saying, but the Duke of Thunder communicated with him as if naturally versed in his language.
Ye Hao asked Qianqian in his mind, "Qianqian, can you discern the Thunder Emperor's language?"
"Yes, Master, the words he speaks are estimated to be in a language from Earthcirca two hundred thousand years ago," Qianqian replied in his mind.
"Wasn't that the era of practitioners?" Ye Hao asked, puzzled.
"It should be. Much of Earth's data was lost, and modern times in the Fifth Age carry no information about the practitioner era, so it's impossible to provide you with exact periods," Qianqian said.
"Then translate what the Thunder Emperor is saying to me?" Ye Hao asked.
"Certainly." Qianqian then translated the exchange between the Thunder Emperor and the Duke of Thunder for Ye Hao.
"Well, kid, I don't have much time to chat with you. You saw that when I first emerged, my soul was relatively solid, but now it grows increasingly faint. In a few more hours, I'll be gone from here completely," the Thunder Emperor spoke, a touch of resignation in his gaze as he looked at his own body. Ah! Ultimately, one cannot escape death!
"Thunder Emperor, is there anything I can help you with?" the Duke of Thunder asked.
"There's nothing you need to do for me, but you must do something for the world," said the Thunder Emperor.
"Please guide me, senior," the Duke of Thunder said.
"Haha, there's really nothing much to guide you on. I thought I had a lot to tell the Inheritor, but today I realize I don't know what to say when the time comes," the Thunder Emperor shook his head helplessly, fearing that sharing too many secrets might pressure the Duke of Thunder excessively.
Not saying anything, he feared, might not provide the push the Duke of Thunder needed, leaving him in a bind.
"Thunder Emperor, if there's something you wish to say, tell me." Ye Hao, hearing Qianqian's explanation, guessed the Thunder Emperor might want to share something significant but was hesitant for fear of impacting the Duke of Thunder's future.
"Who are you?" The Thunder Emperor frowned, not having paid attention to his surroundings initially. Now Ye Hao spoke, he noticed Ye Hao.
"I am the Duke of Thunder's brother, having met the Thunder Emperor," Ye Hao said.
"You can understand us speaking?" The Thunder Emperor's sharp gaze seemed to pierce into Ye Hao, trying to discern how he understood their speech.
"Yes," Ye Hao nodded, withholding nothing.
"Haha, it looks like you hide quite a few secrets within you!" The Thunder Emperor seemed to see something in Ye Hao, chuckling as he spoke.
"Thunder Emperor, do I hide some secrets?" Ye Hao wished to see if the Thunder Emperor could recognize his Eighth-generation System, hoping to avoid embarrassment in front of other Great Powers in the future.
"Bai Yingxue's legacy, martial arts modified by those disciple monks, and an unusual Body Technique— your opportunities indeed are not bad! A person... Hmm? You also possess the Dragon Subduing Palm?" The Thunder Emperor seemed to find something interesting.
"The Dragon Subduing Palm? Do you mean the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms?" Ye Hao asked.
"Haha, no, not the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, but the Twenty-Eight Dragon Subduing Palms. Damn it, who altered the martial arts again? Don't they know that while some martial arts can be complex, mastering them thoroughly can unleash even greater Palm Techniques?" The Thunder Emperor rambled on.
"Please guide me, senior," Ye Hao said.
"Even though we are destined, I cannot assist you. This is the technique of Emperor Yang and was never shared. You're lucky to have learned the Eighteen Techniques; still, I am curious about the source of your Body Technique?" The Thunder Emperor returned to the mysterious origin of Ye Hao's Body Technique.
"Learned from a Great Power, who asked me never to reveal his identity, so I hope the Thunder Emperor understands," Ye Hao lied.
"Hehehe," The Thunder Emperor just laughed, saying nothing more. Such clumsy lies were easy for him to see through.
But he was near death; what did it matter if he knew or not?
"I have little time left. Please pass my legacy to this kid in my stead!" (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to recommend or vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)