Ultragene Warlord

Chapter 1334: Father's Letter

These manifestations all drew from Zhang Lie's immense spiritual and genetic energy reserves, along with the sword techniques and willpower that he had honed over countless battlefields.

The spiritual sea seemed to belong to a separate dimension altogether, whereas the scarlet water-attuned genetic energy was in Zhang Lie's current dimension. The two sources of energy were linked and made manifest by Zhang Lie, and they both surged forward as Zhang Lie swung his twin blades.

The two blades combined spiritual and genetic energy, willpower and time. All that melded into a tsunami which surged toward Silver.

The combination of these disparate energies was so potent that it could destroy any lifeform's body and soul.

The entire arena was swamped by Zhang Lie's attack, which was so wide-ranged that Zhang Yangyan wouldn't be able to escape no matter what he did. The battle ended thusly.

Zhang Lie released a deep breath.

Even with only 30% of his strength, Zhang Yangyan was truly an incredible foe. With the ability to predict the future, he would be able to counter the vast majority of strategies. If his eidolon had been able to channel more of his strength, this wouldn't have been the end of the battle.

Zhang Lie now had a greater understanding of his father's combat power.

He hadn't expected that his missing father would have been so strong.

Bu Wentian clapped. "What an exciting battle. If not for the fact that Zhang Yangyan were pitted against his wife, whose ability directly countered his, he too would have been able to pass through this last and final trial. If he truly is your father, then you've done something that even he failed to accomplish."

Zhang Lie didn't care for small talk. He flashed up to Bu Wentian and extended a hand. "Where's the letter?"

Bu Wentian handed him a letter, which Zhang Lie looked at skeptically. "You're not going to try to mess with me again, are you?"

The letter was made of ordinary paper, and it was addressed to "my son"—that was, Zhang Lie himself.

Zhang Lie was shaken. He had wondered whom the letter was meant for—perhaps one of his father's erstwhile friends, a familiar face, an enemy—but never did he imagine that it would be for him.

Bu Wentian shrugged. "I had no intention of tricking you. Zhang Yangyan left me a letter, requesting that I hand it over to someone like him. I asked what characteristics he would have— and he replied, "If he can defeat all the past eidola, hand him the letter."

Zhang Lie grew even more curious about the contents of the letter.

Had Father known that he would be able to pass through the trials and defeat all previous challengers, including himself? Was he that confident? His father did have the ability to predict the future, after all, but was it so strong that he could even catch glimpses of the far future?

Bu Wentian continued, "Although I don't know if you are certainly his son, the fact that you've passed through all the trials means that I'll hand the letter to you."

Zhang Lie broke the seal and began reading the contents of the letter.

[Son, by the time you read this letter, you'll have defeated all the eidola of past challengers. As expected of my son! I will no longer be of the fourth realm, nor even in the Milky Way. You must be curious as to how I knew that you would arrive at Heavenly Monarch Wentian's trial-taker's chamber.]

[I'm sure that you must have seen during your fight with me that I have the ability to predict the future, that I've spent long hours pondering the meaning and structure of time. I can instantaneously see the near future, and may occasionally catch glimpses of the far future. It was through this ability that I managed to survive in the dimensional realm—and also to meet your mother.]

Zhang Lie frowned. Father had seen him arrive at the trial-taker's chamber through a vision? But he must have known that there were no guarantees when it came to fate. Father had seen only a single possibility, but in his past life, he had never managed such a feat. Neither was he aware of the treasure.

However, Zhang Lie didn't understand why it was that, despite his parents' strength as genetic hunters, that he and Zhang Hanxiang lived a life of such poverty and lack of renown.

After all, his parents were strong enough to be famous even by the standards of the fourth realm.

[Strong though your mother and I might be, we chose not to improve our living conditions compared to those of ordinary genetic hunters. This was a subject of long conversation; we thought it would be detrimental to your growth if that were the case. Furthermore, I had seen a vision of the future that suggested you would be in danger if you had been brought up in riches.]

[Your mother and I still have unfinished business, and we cannot remain by your side for eternity. Furthermore, as hunters of the fourth realm in our own right, we don't particularly want to see you tread down this perilous path. We know its dangers and difficulties; we know how easy it would be to lose our lives.]

Under ordinary circumstances, even if his parents wanted him and Zhang Hanxiang to grow up like regular children, they would surely be renowned throughout the Milky Way. Why hadn't Zhang Lie read about their exploits, their strength, their names anywhere?

Zhang Lie had always thought that his parents had been unremarkable hunters, but that seemed not to be the case. Rather, someone had deliberately censored that information within the Milky Way. Zhang Lie had to investigate this matter when he returned.

[As genetic hunters, we hoped that you would not follow in our footsteps. Being hunters is no happy affair.]

If Zhang Lie had read this letter before he became a genetic hunter, he wouldn't have understood what his parents meant—but now, he did appreciate their concerns.

Hunters put their lives on the line each and every day in an attempt to improve themselves, and no parent would be happy to see their children brave such dangers.

[But I have seen the future. After our disappearance, you two will continue on this path—you are, after all, our children.]

Despite having seen this future, his parents had still chosen to leave.

It seemed as though they truly had an important task ahead of them.

[There are matters that I cannot divulge to you, answers that you must seek out on your own. Don't try to find us—just keep advancing. Sooner or later, we will reunite again. The reason your mother and I couldn't stay by your side is because we have to find a way to save the Milky Way, and because we have to save your sister.]

Zhang Lie was startled.