Chapter 472: The Great Change of the Era

Using military might and firearms, they suppressed all the Martial Arts Sects under heaven, truly unifying the world and claiming dominion over all.

Thus, the dynastic change was complete.

The Great Kang dynasty ended. The Great Wu dynasty began.

As for Xu Lei and the other members of the Royal Family, they scattered to various locations, living in disguise.

Xu Lei traveled with his mother.

After all, his mother was a Grandmaster Level expert.

She felt she could protect Xu Lei by keeping him with her. Xu Lei, on the other hand, figured that since he still possessed Magical Power and had lived for so many years, he might even be able to look after his mother.

Furthermore, Xu Lei took out his Human Skin Mask and had his mother put it on.

After all, as the Grand General, his mother had campaigned in all directions over the years. She was a very prominent figure, and many people recognized her.

Xu Lei’s mother was utterly shocked when he produced the Human Skin Mask.

“Xiao Shiliu, I can’t believe you have something like this! It can actually change a person’s appearance.”

Xu Lei simply smiled and said he had acquired it by chance.

As for Xu Lei’s second older brother, Thirteenth Sister, and the others…

They took other retainers with them and fled to different places to survive.

After all, the members of the Royal Family couldn’t possibly flee as a single group.

That would make it too easy for their enemies to capture them all in one fell swoop.

Xu Lei told his mother not to worry. He said that with the Human Skin Mask, she was safe now. They just needed to find a place to live and focus on her Cultivation. The day she became a Martial Saint Level expert, they could turn the tables.

Xu Lei’s mother nodded in agreement.

Traveling with his mother also had its benefits. As a Grandmaster Level expert, she could serve as Xu Lei’s protector.

If he could rely on his mother in the future, Xu Lei wouldn’t have to work too hard to live a relatively good life.

He could also more easily marry a wife with talent.

And so, Xu Lei and his mother arrived at a small city in the Northwest.

The region had recently been ravaged by war, with various Martial Arts Sects slaughtering one another in fierce battles.

After the Court’s army came to pacify the area…

…the Court’s army was then wiped out by the Martial Artists.

As a result, many areas had fallen into chaos.

In fact, many of the locals here could no longer account for their household registration or origins.

Many refugees had also fled to this area.

Therefore, Xu Lei and his mother also posed as refugees, fleeing here and settling down.

A small display of his mother’s Martial Arts prowess was enough for the two of them to gain a foothold in the city.

Thanks to the Human Skin Mask, her identity was not exposed.

Just when Xu Lei was thinking he could live a good life here with his mother—that he could wait until he grew up, then rely on her strength to marry various talented women and have children…

He never expected what would happen that day.

His mother rushed home in a panic, grabbed Xu Lei, and pulled him straight out of the house.

In a secluded alley, she even took the Human Skin Mask from her face and placed it over Xu Lei’s.

“Mother, what are you doing?”

Xu Lei’s expression changed as he asked, “Have we been exposed?”

“That’s right. We’ve likely been exposed.”

Xu Lei’s mother said, “I’ve seen wanted posters with your portrait all over the city. It’s possible some of our former confidants in the Imperial Palace have already defected to the Emperor of Great Wu.”

After all, the Human Skin Mask was the only Magical Artifact Xu Lei had that could alter his appearance.

As for the other one, the Jade Pendant, Xu Lei had forgotten who he’d given it to. He couldn’t remember if it was Bai Ling or Qing Lian.

Because of this, Xu Lei had no way to alter his own appearance while living here.

Xu Lei had planned to gain some weight to change his appearance, but he was exposed before he had the chance.

“If you give the mask to me, what will you do?” Xu Lei asked.

“I’m a Grandmaster, after all. I still have the ability to escape,” said Xu Lei’s mother. “Besides, my skills have actually improved a bit recently. As long as I don’t run into the Emperor of Great Wu himself, I should be able to get away. So you take this mask. However… this means we have to separate now. You’re still so young, and I don’t want to leave you, but now I must. You have to take good care of yourself. Don’t trust people too easily, especially beautiful women. Take this silver, and don’t spend it all at once. Be frugal…”

As she spoke, tears began to fall from her eyes.

Then, she kissed Xu Lei on the forehead before turning and sprinting away.

She ran directly to the city wall, threw her sword so it embedded itself in the stone, and then leaped up. Stepping on the hilt of the embedded sword, she vaulted over the wall and escaped, leaving the Martial Artists guarding the gate utterly stunned.

But everyone could see she was a Grandmaster Level expert, so no one dared to give chase. They only cried out in alarm, yelling to report it immediately, and began to follow from a safe distance to see where the Grandmaster was headed.

Wearing the Human Skin Mask, Xu Lei made his way to the upper floor of a restaurant. He blended into the crowd by a window and silently watched his mother’s figure recede into the distance.

He watched until her silhouette vanished completely among the mountain forests, beyond the horizon.