Chapter Thirteen: He Is Lei Bingye

The cave before them was pitch-black and eerie, yet it could not halt their advance. Han Tianyue, Mao Xuanzi, Fang Zhe, Feng Shang, Lei Dong, Lei Cong, and Lei Qiaoer—all seven of them—made their way toward the cavern.

Though the cave entrance did not appear spacious, it was not cramped inside. Guided by a faint glimmer of light, they could faintly discern various grotesque and ferocious murals etched into the stone walls.

At that moment, Mao Xuanzi spoke in shock, "It feels as though I've seen these murals somewhere before!"

Ever since he was six years old, Mao Xuanzi had followed his elder sister, Mao Taizi, into the orphanage and stayed with Han Tianyue. From then on, the siblings had practically never parted ways with Han Tianyue, meaning Mao Xuanzi surely could not have seen these grotesque murals during that time.

"Could it be...?" Mao Xuanzi felt a momentary trance, for the memory that remained most vivid in his mind was his mother's compassionate smile. He remembered the year his mother died; it had been a harrowing passing. She had wailed in agony at home for seven days before finally dissolving into a pool of foul pus and blood.

Mao Taizi and Mao Xuanzi had stayed steadfastly by their mother's side, telling her not to be afraid, "We will stay right by your side until the very end!"

Their mother had shed tears as she looked upon Mao Taizi and Mao Xuanzi, while the tearing, relentless pain forced her to shriek in torment. Right before their very eyes, Mao Taizi and Mao Xuanzi watched helplessly as their mother melted into a puddle of foul fluid.

Mao Xuanzi had wanted to cry, but Mao Taizi forbade him from shedding tears. From that day onward, no matter how overwhelming the hardships they encountered, neither Mao Xuanzi nor Mao Taizi ever wept—save for that single time. To this day, Han Tianyue's soul could still feel the lingering warmth of that tear shed by Mao Taizi, echoing endlessly within the palm of his soul's hand.

"I do not know why my mother inexplicably melted into a pool of pus and blood. My sister has always warned me that I must become stronger, so that one day I can avenge our mother!" Mao Xuanzi glanced once more at the hideous murals, sensing that they somehow concealed the reason behind his mother's tragic demise.

"Mother, who on earth harmed you?" Mao Xuanzi's gaze grew as ferocious as the creatures depicted on the murals. Anyone unfamiliar with him would have mistaken him for a monster that had leaped straight out of the paintings.

To soothe Mao Xuanzi, who had suddenly grown agitated, Fang Zhe stepped forward and said, "Mao Xuanzi, if it were Taizi, I believe she would face this with absolute calm."

Hearing Fang Zhe's words, Mao Xuanzi calmed down. Indeed, Mao Taizi was just as Fang Zhe described; no matter how monumental the crisis, she always remained detached and composed, never acting on rash impulse. The only exception was Han Tianyue. At this thought, Han Tianyue conjured an image of Mao Taizi's face in his mind—she always wore that same tranquil expression, rarely showing anger or a smile. "Taizi, what burdens are you truly carrying? Are you exhausted? Once I grow stronger, you can finally rest, and I will shoulder these burdens for you!"

Lei Dong looked at Mao Xuanzi and thought, *This young man harbors an evil power within him. It seems he is no ordinary child; given such an extraordinary and mysterious background, he is bound to stir a tremendous upheaval one day.*

***

Although Mao Xuanzi's emotions had fluctuated upon seeing the murals, it did not deter the group from continuing their pursuit of the Thunder-Winged Dragon. As they reached the end of the cave, a massive, broken bridge spanned across their path. All around them stretched bottomless chasms whose peaks vanished into the upper gloom, while beneath lay a boundless abyss filled with roiling, boiling magma that exhaled blistering heat.

At the terminus of the cave, a perilous, winding path along the cliffside led off into the distance. The Thunder-Winged Dragon stood quietly at the very edge of this narrow trail.

Catching sight of Han Tianyue and the others approaching, the creature instantly took flight, soaring far down the twisting path.

"Let's move!" Even though boiling magma raged in the unfathomable abyss below their feet, Han Tianyue had no intention of abandoning the chase. The Thunder-Winged Dragon seemed to be guiding them toward a specific destination.

Feng Shang glanced down at the scorching magma in the abyssal depths, and his legs went weak. He slumped down at the cave entrance and blurted out, "I—I—I won't go, not even if you kill me!"

Fang Zhe stepped forward and said, "Feng Shang, if we all leave and another dragon happens to chase after us from behind, you'll have to face it all by yourself!"

Upon hearing this, Feng Shang immediately leaped to his feet, pressed his back tightly against the cliff face, and hurried after Han Tianyue.

Following closely behind were Lei Dong, Lei Cong, and Lei Qiaoer, with Fang Zhe and Mao Xuanzi bringing up the rear.

In this manner, hugging the cliffside closely, they slowly made their way forward in the direction the Thunder-Winged Dragon had taken.

Below the immense abyss, the scorching magma surged endlessly, spitting gouts of incandescent liquid high into the air, reaching all the way toward the unseen heights of the towering cliffs.

Just then, the Thunder-Winged Dragon ceased its flight and landed near the mouth of another cave not far ahead.

"That must be its lair!"

Pressing tightly against the cliff, Han Tianyue resolutely pressed on toward the cave ahead.

***

Feng Shang's mouth trembled, his legs shook uncontrollably, and his eyes kept straying toward the boiling magma below. With a sudden slip of his foot, had Lei Dong not reached out and grabbed him in the nick of time, Feng Shang would have plummeted straight into the blazing abyss. Scrambling back up with great difficulty, he wailed tearfully, "Why is it always me who gets hurt?"

Lei Dong, walking right behind him, advised, "Brother Feng Shang, whatever you do, don't look down!"

Lei Cong and Lei Qiaoer followed closely in their footsteps.

Fang Zhe proceeded with utmost caution.

Mao Xuanzi cast a glance at the scorching magma swirling in the bottomless depths. *I never imagined such a place could hold such intense heat. If I could absorb this thermal energy and convert it into my own, I believe my power would increase significantly.*

Though he entertained this thought, the main party had already entered the cave ahead, prompting Mao Xuanzi to banish the idea and hurry after them.

As they all stepped into the cavern, they were startled to find Lei Bingye sitting hunched over on the ground.

"Uncle Lei Bingye!" Lei Qiaoer stepped forward, only to discover that every bone and tendon in Lei Bingye's body had been shattered, leaving him slumped motionless right where he sat.

The Thunder-Winged Dragon sat coiled behind Lei Bingye, channeling bolts of azure lightning from its body into Lei Bingye's frame. At that moment, Lei Bingye slowly opened his eyes.