C22 The Specialty of the Thunder Bloodline

From a distance, Lee Yu spotted a dark line emerging on the horizon. With each passing moment, the line not only grew larger but also seemed to swell in size. Narrowing his eyes, Lee Yu focused on the city that loomed ever larger before him.

Tall city walls surrounded it, stretching unbroken to the limits of sight. The city gates, flung wide open, teemed with people. From his vantage point, the crowds merged into a writhing black thread.

"Is this Green Mountain County City?" Lee Yu exclaimed in surprise. "The number of people is staggering."

And this was just a glimpse of a few city gates. Within his view, there were many more such bustling spots. It was likely that few cities on Blue Star could match this scale.

"You'll have plenty of time to explore it later," Qing Heng remarked, gliding over the city walls. After a lengthy flight, they finally reached their destination, alighting in a spacious plaza.

"Then I'll be sure to take it all in," Lee Yu said with a smile.

"That would be wise," Qing Heng replied. "The beauty of Green Mountain County is beyond measure."

More than a dozen individuals were already gathered in the plaza, a mix of men and women, young and old. They had been ordered to assemble here after the hunting grounds relayed news of the Thunder Bloodline, awaiting to confirm its veracity.

An elderly man with a beard that nearly touched the ground stepped forward, clutching a pitch-black stone. At Qing Heng's signal, his gnarled fingers clasped Lee Yu's arm.

"Let's hope it truly is the Thunder Bloodline," Qing Heng murmured, standing to the side.

The old man, his movements swift as lightning despite his decrepit appearance, made contact with Lee Yu in an instant. Warm energy began to stream continuously into Lee Yu's body.

"This is surprisingly pleasant," Lee Yu mused internally. The dormant power within him was coaxed forth, reminiscent of his prior experience in Stone Village. This time, he paid close attention to the sensation.

The energy entering his body was purposeful, navigating through his veins and converging in his heart. Lee Yu's heart throbbed with vigor as the force of the thunder awoke, thundering through his body and finally radiating outward.

Squinting against the glare in the plaza, onlookers could see electric arcs dancing across the young man's body.

"Indeed, the Thunder Bloodline!" A spark of recognition lit up Qing Heng's eyes. The phenomenon before him matched the ancient records to the letter.

The others in the plaza scrutinized the youth with equal intensity, their mission requiring them to confirm additional details.

Lee Yu's eyes snapped open, his body enveloped in a cloak of lightning that only faded once the warm energy within him was spent.

Hearing Qing Heng's exclamation, Lee Yu smirked. "Could a system product ever be a fake?" Yet, it was clear that the County Duke's demeanor had taken a turn following the test.

"What are you all waiting for? Didn't I call you here for a reason? Get to work!" Qing Heng chided the women, who stood agape.

Snapping to their senses, the women who had been at the ready hurried over with their medical supplies.

"No, really, I'm okay," Lee Yu insisted.

But the women paid him no mind, meticulously tending to his wounds with an expert touch.

The medicine was clearly extraordinary; it soothed rather than stung, and within moments, fresh skin began to replace the less severe cuts.

"With this stuff, Blue Star's Yunnan Baiyao might just go out of business," Lee Yu mused, utterly astonished.

Qing Heng, still enthusiastic, then led Lee Yu to a picturesque lakeside pavilion, where several maids awaited with a prepared table and tea set.

"How do you find this tea?" Qing Heng inquired, lifting his cup. "Barely ten kilos are produced each year. After tributes, a mere five taels remain for our household."

"It's quite remarkable," Lee Yu, a man accustomed to nothing but plain water, admitted, his eyes lighting up as he took a gulp. "The tea buds are like little green gems dancing, and once settled, they leave a lingering fragrance and an unforgettable aftertaste."

Qing Heng's eyebrow quirked. He doubted an ordinary family could cultivate such a discerning palate, but Lee Yu's unconventional approach to tea drinking pained him as a connoisseur.

"A fitting description," he conceded, then ventured, "And what are your thoughts on the surroundings here?"

"Quite pleasant," Lee Yu replied.

Lee Yu wasn't just offering empty flattery. Beyond the pavilion that stretched from the long corridor into the heart of the lake, there stood a small wooden house adorned with intricate carvings and paintings by the water's edge, and beyond that, a dense forest encircled the area.

Had he not witnessed the splendor of the county city upon arrival, Lee Yu wouldn't have hesitated to believe he was in the midst of mountains. He had never encountered a more exquisite ancient setting.

"Would you like to live here? After all, Stone Village, where you once lived, is no more," Qing Heng said, cradling his teacup with a mischievous grin.

Lee Yu was silent, thinking, Here it comes, the moment of truth!

He was aware that Qing Heng would allow him time to ponder, so he didn't rush his response. There was much to consider, and he needed time to sort through his thoughts.

Qing Heng was indeed patient, even taking the time to personally refill Lee Yu's tea.

Although unsure of the exact size of a county, Lee Yu was certain it wasn't insignificant, especially after laying eyes on such a vast city. He understood the weight carried by the title 'County Duke'—the top authority of a county.

The fact that someone of such stature was here, spending time with him and doing nothing else, led Lee Yu to suspect that the Thunder Bloodline must hold additional significance and value beyond cultivation. Otherwise, why would the army chant about 'Heaven's protection over Azure Mountain County'?

Lee Yu was convinced there had to be more to the story; he wouldn't buy it otherwise.

After much deliberation, it dawned on him that he had been focusing on the wrong issue. With the County Duke's grand presence, how could he possibly be allowed to leave? What he should be considering was what he could do while living here.

That was the real question Qing Heng wanted him to contemplate.

"Of course, I'd be willing. What downside could there be to living in such a place?" Lee Yu replied. "I don't remember how I ended up in Stone Village. If you could, I'd appreciate it if the County Duke could assist in uncovering my past. I'd also be grateful for any cultivation techniques you could provide."

His request was forthright, causing Qing Heng to pause momentarily before bursting into laughter. "Certainly. Settle in for a few days. Gathering the lightning cultivation technique will take a little time."

Lee Yu leaned against the window, gazing out at the lake's scenery. It was his second day residing in the quaint lakeside pavilion. Each night, he would silently wait until the maids on either side had fallen asleep before stealthily returning to Blue Star for a brief moment.

On one hand, he needed to make an appearance to keep Huang Xiu from worrying and to check in with the system. On the other, he was concerned about the maids the County Duke had sent. Even he wasn't naive enough to miss their true purpose: to watch and monitor him.

Lee Yu was acutely aware of his dubious origins, and with Mu Yinhua still alive, any lie could land him in the dungeon by morning. So, he proactively confessed what he could, aiming to diminish Qing Heng's doubts.

Of course, the best lies were those hidden within the truth. He claimed amnesia, knowing full well that Qing's people would find nothing upon investigation.

"Young Master, here is the book you requested."

"Bring it here," Lee Yu said, turning with a smile. He had intentionally left the door ajar—a 'transparent' lifestyle that would help alleviate any suspicions.

Wasn't his life practically an open book at this point? What was there not to trust?

"Of course," replied the maid clad in emerald green as she entered.

Two maids had been assigned to him: Cui, who favored green attire, and Hong, who preferred red. Their names were as memorable as their distinctive dresses, impossible to forget.

"Thank you, Cui," Lee Yu said, accepting the book. Though confined to Qing's territory, he found himself with ample freedom in other respects. He chose to remain in his lakeside retreat, immersing himself in the literature brought by the maids.

"Imperial Age."

Lee Yu examined the third book he had acquired that day. As he turned the pages, a vast and sprawling empire came to life before his eyes. Coupled with his recent readings, he felt he had nearly mastered the historical narrative of this world.

The earliest nation with clear records was Qin. The empire chronicled in the texts was so expansive that all inhabited lands were considered its domain. It boasted thirty-six counties, but following a catastrophic disaster, it fell and fractured into three nations and two houses.

In the vast Ming Country, which was the largest nation during the Qin Dynasty era, the Qing's held significant territory. They controlled Qingshan County, an entire county within the nation. Lee Yu snapped the book "The Golden Age of the Empire" shut, his reading speed remarkable, skimming ten lines in a single glance. "The Qin Dynasty left behind six Nation Armaments, each linked to metal, wood, water, fire, and earth... The final one must be tied to the Thunder Bloodline!" he deduced.

The book offered scant details, but to Lee Yu, the conclusion was glaringly obvious. Considering the Thunder Bloodline as a key to wield the Imperial Armament, he pieced together the emerging details: the Qing's were detaining him because he was crucial to them—like a nuclear weapon, too dangerous to use or to give away. Their current disregard for him likely indicated they were still conducting their investigation.

The Qing's had established themselves as sovereigns within their own right, ruling their domain with an iron fist. This was supposed to be a world of immortals and martial heroes—when did it morph into a saga of dynastic strife?

Lee Yu's brow furrowed momentarily before he let it go. The conflicts of this Otherworld were of no consequence to him. He had ventured here seeking adventure and a respite, not eager to confront his father. Should the situation spiral beyond his control, he could always escape back to Blue Star.

After all, just yesterday, a squad of guards had delivered Lin Sanjin, captured alive, and Mu Yinhua had executed the man responsible for decimating Stone Village with her own hands.

As Lee Yu had anticipated, a dossier now lay on Qing Heng's desk—a dossier that contained the covert investigation into him.