Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 492 Spatial Evolution, Treasure Acquired, Blood Debt Repayed

Inside the Zhao family's Soul Hall, thousands of life-soul lamps are neatly arranged according to the family's seniority. The pale blue flames burn quietly in the bronze lamps, reflecting the mottled ancient runes on the walls.

Zhao Xiaowu, the lamp-keeper, was dozing off, his head nodding slightly, and the whisk in his hand almost slipped from his grasp.

"Snapped!"

A sharp crack startled Zhao Xiaowu, who looked up abruptly. He saw the seventh life lamp in the third row suddenly explode, the dark blue flames instantly extinguished, leaving only a wisp of smoke rising from the lamp.

"Old Zhao's life lamp has gone out!" Zhao Xiaowu, his face ashen, scrambled out of the Soul Hall, his voice trembling as he shouted, "Quickly report to the Enforcement Hall! Old Zhao's life lamp has gone out!"

In less than a quarter of an hour, the twelve elite disciples of the Zhao family's Enforcement Hall had assembled under the leadership of Hall Master Zhao. Hall Master Zhao's face was ashen, and the bronze token hanging at his waist jingled with his hurried steps.

"Old Master Zhao was ordered to Qingxi Town to collect offerings, how could he have suddenly perished?" Hall Master Zhao mounted his horse and sternly ordered his disciples, "Everyone, follow me to Qingxi Town immediately and find out the truth!"

Twelve dragon-blooded horses rose into the air, a faint blood mist rising from their hooves, and disappeared into the clouds outside the Zhao family's mountain gate in the blink of an eye.

On East Street in Qingxi Town, the once bustling "Huichuntang" pharmacy was now tightly shut, its doors covered with a thin layer of dust. Master Zhao blasted the doors open with a single palm strike, sending rotten wood chips flying everywhere.

"search!"

Disciples of the Enforcement Hall filed in, and soon someone exclaimed, "Hall Master, there are signs of a magical battle in the backyard!"

On the bluestone ground in the backyard, there was a sword mark three zhang long and more than a foot deep, and all the surrounding grass and trees were withered. Master Zhao squatted down and lightly touched the edge of the sword mark with his fingertip. He immediately felt a sharp pain and quickly withdrew his finger. A drop of blood had already seeped from his fingertip.

"Such domineering sword energy." Hall Master Zhao's expression was solemn. "The person who made the move is at least at the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm, and may even be..."

"A Golden Core cultivator?" The disciple beside him asked in surprise and doubt.

Master Zhao did not answer. His gaze swept over a barely perceptible scratch on the courtyard wall. A trace of coldness lingered in the mark, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

The group returned to their tribe.

Hall Master Zhao said coldly:
"Go and invite Elder Zhao's Daoist partner here."

A short while later, an elderly woman with gray hair and red, swollen eyes entered, tears streaming down her face. "I told you not to take this job," she said. "The black market bounty is so high; it means the person they're after is no ordinary person."

Hall Master Zhao frowned: "What bounty?"

The old woman sobbed as she pulled a crumpled piece of parchment from her bosom. On it were portraits of Master Yu and Fu Molan, and the signature was a hideous ghost face.

"This is... Granny Silver Flower's mark?" Hall Master Zhao's pupils contracted slightly. Granny Silver Flower was an ancient monster who had lived for a thousand years, and her strength was unfathomable. How could they possibly deal with the person she wanted a bounty on? This old man Zhao really had the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard. He immediately put away the parchment. "This matter is no longer something I can decide. I must report to the clan leader immediately."

talking.

He turned and walked towards the council hall.

Inside the hall, Clan Chief Zhao, who had just finished the Golden Core Ceremony not long ago, was meditating with his eyes closed. Three inches above his head floated a golden core the size of a pigeon egg, emitting a faint golden light. This golden core did not even reach the lowest grade of the ninth rank.

"Clan leader, Hall Master Zhao of the Law Enforcement Hall requests an audience," a servant whispered outside the hall.

Clan Chief Zhao slowly opened his eyes, his golden core disappearing into his dantian: "Let him in."

After listening to Chief Zhao's report, Clan Chief Zhao tapped his fingertips lightly on the armrest, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "The person Granny Silver Flower has offered a bounty for is hiding in Qingxi Town? Interesting."

"Clan leader, how should this matter be handled? Elder Zhao is, after all, an elder of the clan."

Clan Chief Zhao raised his hand to interrupt Hall Master Zhao: "Old Zhao's greed for merit and recklessness deserve no pity. But this Granny Silver Flower..." A meaningful smile played on his lips, "The reward she offered is indeed enough to warrant our risk."

That evening, a golden communication talisman shot through the air and headed straight for the Black Mist Swamp, three thousand miles away.

Deep within the swamp, in a palace built of bones, Granny Silverflower was toying with a skull cup in her hand. Suddenly, her withered fingers trembled, and blood from the cup spilled onto the scarlet carpet.

"A message from that brat of the Zhao family?" She narrowed her cloudy eyes, and after reading the message, she suddenly let out a laugh like an owl: "Good! Very good! You little slut, I've finally found you!"

She abruptly stood up, her black cloak billowing without wind, extinguishing all the candles in the hall. In the darkness, only her sinister muttering could be heard: "Fu Molan, you think you can escape? Dream on!"

She was completely intimidated by the drunkard that day, but looking back, she realized he was already at his limit. If she had just held on a little longer, she could have killed him.
"This time, let's see where you two little mice can escape to!"

At dawn the next day, dark clouds covered the sky above Qingxi Town. A dark shadow descended from the sky and landed in the backyard of Huichun Hall. Granny Yinhua, her body hunched over, sniffed around the yard like an old dog, her nostrils twitching.

"Just as I suspected, there was that little slut's scent." She suddenly stopped at a corner, her withered fingers digging into the soil to pull out a bloodstained strip of cloth. The blood on the cloth had dried, but Granny Silver Flower treated it like a treasure, holding it to her nose and inhaling deeply.

"There's still the smell of medicine. It's that drunkard's!"

A wisp of black smoke flew from her sleeve, transforming into a skull-shaped plume of smoke in the air. The skull-shaped smoke circled the courtyard once before suddenly speeding off in a southeast direction.

Granny Silver Flower let out a strange laugh, and her figure transformed into a cloud of black mist, following closely behind.

Thousands of miles away, an inconspicuous carriage was slowly making its way along a mountain road. Inside the carriage, Master Yu suddenly opened his eyes, his expression changing drastically: "Not good! Someone's following us!"

Fu Molan was meditating when she heard this and immediately became alert: "Is it someone from the Zhao family?"

"No," Grandmaster Yu's expression turned grave. "His aura is sinister and ruthless; I'm afraid it's..."

"Grandma Silver Flower?" Fu Molan's voice trembled slightly, and her fingers unconsciously touched the sword at her waist.

Master Yu lifted the carriage curtain and urgently said to Fu Molan, "Change course to Soul-Severing Valley! Quickly!"

Fu Molan flicked her whip, and the ordinary carriage transformed into a flying dragon horse, soaring into the sky. Master Yu took out three talismans from his robes and affixed them to the inner wall of the carriage, forming a simple isolation array.

"Master!" A clear, melodious female voice rang out in her mind, filled with undisguised joy, "The Five Elements Space has undergone a change!"

With a slight thought, Fu Changsheng's figure appeared in the Five Elements Space from the training room. The scene before him made him raise an eyebrow—

In the northern part of the space, beside the sacred mountain that is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, a magnificent palace suddenly appeared out of nowhere!
The palace was entirely black, with upturned eaves resembling dragon heads. Nine steps led to a tightly closed vermilion gate. The gate was engraved with intricate runes, each stroke seemingly containing the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, making one dizzy just by looking at them.

"Owner"

Qiu Niang arrived through the air, her white skirt fluttering in the wind, her long black hair casually tied up with a green vine, her eyebrows and eyes exquisite, and her body radiating the spiritual energy fluctuations of a pseudo-core cultivator.

"When did this palace appear?" Fu Changsheng asked, his gaze still fixed on the mysterious palace.

"Just a short while ago, my cultivation also broke through to the Pseudo-Core Realm." Qiu Niang landed beside Fu Changsheng, bringing with her a faint medicinal fragrance. "I've tried everything, but this door doesn't budge." She stretched out her slender hand, and a beam of spiritual light struck the door, only to be immediately deflected.

Fu Changsheng reached out and pressed his hand against the door, feeling its icy coldness, like ancient ice. He activated his Golden Core spiritual power, and chaotic light surged along his arm toward the door, only to be repelled by an invisible force, causing him to stagger back three steps.

"Interesting." Fu Changsheng smiled instead of getting angry, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "A palace that even its master refuses to enter."

"Master, be careful!" Qiu Niang suddenly exclaimed.

Suddenly, the runes on the palace gates lit up with a blood-red light, and an ancient and vast aura rushed towards him. Fu Changsheng felt his sea of ​​consciousness tremble violently, as if countless primordial beasts were roaring in his ears. He quickly circulated the "Pure Qi Technique" to stabilize his mind.

A full quarter of an hour passed before the strange phenomenon gradually subsided. Fine beads of sweat had appeared on Fu Changsheng's forehead, while Qiu Niang's face was deathly pale.

"This palace," Fu Changsheng thought, "I'm afraid we can only try to explore it once he breaks through to the Nascent Soul stage." He took a deep breath and decisively turned around. "Since we can't explore it for the time being, there's no need to force it. Qiu Niang, what are the other changes in the space?"

"Reporting to Master, Beichuan has been widened three times, and schools of spirit fish have appeared in the water."

"also"

talking.

Qiu Niang flipped her wrist.

An exquisite box appeared in his hand:
"Master, when you broke through to the Golden Core stage, the Mountain and River Clan-Suppressing Cauldron simultaneously gave birth to ten Xuanhuang Spirit Pills."

Oh?
Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up.

With these ten Xuanhuang Spirit Pills, one can further perfect the Chaos Dao Foundation. However, Mei Zhen needs to assist in refining this item.

Fu Changsheng's gaze fell on the clan cauldron of mountains and rivers.

However, it was discovered that the original Primordial Mystic Vine had successfully grown an aerial root.

this means.

He will have an extra hundred years of lifespan.

"The Qi Root can replenish Qi and blood, and I currently have ample lifespan, but I'm not in a hurry to refine it."

He intends to save it for a critical moment.

"Master, the biggest surprise is," Qiu Niang pointed to the cauldron, "that the Four-Turned Green Lotus has matured!"

In the center of the spiritual pool of the Clan Cauldron in Shanhe Town, a lotus flower, entirely emerald green, quietly blooms. Its nine lotus leaves are like jade carvings, and the seven lotus seeds on the central lotus seedpod gleam with a jade-like luster, surrounded by a misty spiritual aura.

"Such pure wood-attribute spiritual energy!" Fu Changsheng exclaimed. "It matured six months earlier than I expected."

This statement came out.

The feathered beast that had been staying to one side let out a few whimpers.

Qiu Niang smiled and said:

"This is the result of Little Feifei watering it day and night with her newly mastered 'Spiritual Rain Technique'! Didn't Master say he was going to deal with Master Yun and Abbess Qiuyue? This Green Lotus comes in handy."

Fu Changsheng looked at the Flying Feather Beast with gentle eyes and praised it:
"Little Fei is good; no wonder he's about to become a father."

When he underwent the Golden Core Tribulation, all his magical treasures were destroyed, and he was in dire need of a suitable one. The Fourth-Rank Azure Lotus is a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth, and his Lotus Lantern can finally be upgraded to a natal magical treasure, at which time its power will surely increase greatly.

"Harvest them, using the 'Nine Spirits Sealing Technique'," Fu Changsheng instructed.

He glanced at the message tree again.

Since the last communication, that powerful being from the upper realm has seemed to have vanished, and has not sent any further messages asking him to find Ouyang Jin.

"Could it be that they have perished?"

Fu Changsheng shook his head and ignored it, deciding to go out for a while.

Based on intelligence.

Hidden in the secret chamber of the Yin Puppet Old Ghost was a treasure he desperately needed.

Since it is a treasure.

Naturally, we should get our hands on it first.

A thought.

Fu Changsheng reappeared in Yin Kui Zhenren's cave.

To save time.

He himself was too lazy to search for it.

"Little White," she called softly.

A flash of white light, and the blue-faced white fox gracefully landed on the ground. It was pure white except for a blue stripe between its brows, and its eyes were cold and aloof.

"Look around, see where the treasure is." Fu Changsheng smiled and ruffled the white fox's head, earning a disgusted look from Fu Changsheng.

The blue-faced white fox sat gracefully in the center of the stone chamber, the blue stripe between its brows glowing slightly. It closed its eyes, its nostrils trembling slightly, and nine invisible threads of spiritual energy extended from the tip of its nose, moving like living things across the four walls of the stone chamber.

This is the "Nine Apertures Spirit Seeking" innate divine ability that the Blue-Faced White Fox awakened after breaking through to the mid-stage of the third rank.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy threads intertwined and clumped together in front of a certain stone wall, emitting a faint blue light.

"Is it here?" Fu Changsheng approached the seemingly ordinary stone wall.

The white fox opened its icy blue eyes, proudly raised its head, and lightly touched the bottom of the stone wall with its front paw, about three inches away. As its paw slid across the stone wall, several faint silver lines appeared.

"A concealment formation!" Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up.

He was still a novice when it came to array formations, so he immediately summoned Qiu Niang.

"Owner!"

After Qiu Niang appeared, she first looked curiously at the white fox's discovery, then took a jade hairpin from her hair. Using the hairpin as a brush, she drew three nested rings in the air, each ring marked with peculiar runes.

“This is a diagram of the spiritual energy flow of the formation,” she explained, tapping the stone wall lightly with her jade hairpin. “What the white fox discovered was only the outermost ‘Hidden Spirit Formation,’ there are at least two more layers of protection inside.”

As Qiu Niang's jade hairpin swept across the stone wall, the silver patterns on the wall became clearer and clearer, eventually revealing a complete six-pointed star pattern, with different monster totems carved on each corner.

Qiu Niang sat cross-legged, her hands rapidly sketching in the air, and arrays formed by streaks of spiritual light spun before her.

“The outer layer is the ‘Hidden Spirit Array,’ the middle layer is the ‘Mysterious Yin Lock,’ and the innermost layer is the true ‘Nine Netherworld Spirit Locking Array.’” She lightly tapped her fingertip, and the three array diagrams lit up in turn. “The three arrays are interlocked; the order in which they are broken cannot be wrong.”

"How long will it take?"

“If it were just me, it would take at least a month, and possibly three months. This formation uses the technique of ‘using the formation to nourish the formation.’ Look here—” She pointed to a node in the middle layer of the formation diagram, “The spiritual power source of the Xuan Yin Lock is actually the essence of the sun and moon absorbed by the outer Hidden Spirit Formation.”

The white fox had also come over at some point, its icy blue eyes reflecting the rotating array.

Qiu Niang continued her analysis: "The key to breaking the formation lies in simultaneously severing the spiritual energy ties between the three formations. I need to prepare five formation-breaking beads with mutually restraining attributes, which will be activated sequentially according to the generating cycle of the five elements."

She made a list: Crimson Flame Stone, Dark Nether Water, Lightning-Struck Wood, Earth, and Platinum. Fu Changsheng took them out one by one from his storage bag; all of these were still alive in the Five Elements Space warehouse.

Fu Changsheng summoned the Azure Dragon to protect Qiu Niang.

With a thought of my own.

Re-enter the Five Elements Space.

He planned to use this time to enter the system's training room and refine the Lotus Lantern first.

My thoughts landed on the system's consciousness panel:
"Open the training room"

hum!
The panel vibrated.

A large amount of yellow light surged.

Immediately afterward, his vision blurred, and in the next instant, he stood by the lotus pond and entered the pavilion in the center of the lake. With a tap on his storage bag, the Four-Turn Azure Lotus roared out, its entire lotus platform as green as jade, its nine petals naturally unfurling, exuding a rich aura of wood spirit.

"call"

He exhaled a breath of stale air from his body.

Fu Changsheng formed the "Fire Separation Technique" with both hands, and the pool water moved on its own without any wind, gradually forming a whirlpool. He then threw the Lotus Lantern into the center of the whirlpool.

Add the void sand you collected earlier to it.

hum!
The instant the silver sand entered the water.

Strange spatial ripples spread across the surface of the lotus pond. The spiritual veins at the bottom of the pond were activated, and streaks of spiritual light darted through the water like swimming dragons.

"The lotus is its essence, and emptiness is its function."

As the incantation began.

Fu Changsheng slowly pushed the lotus platform toward the precious lotus lantern.

hum!
The moment the two came into contact, a dazzling blue light burst forth, causing the spiritual energy of the entire lotus pond to stagnate.

Fu Changsheng saw this.

With a flick of his sleeve.

Thirty-six battle flags flew out from his sleeves and were planted around the lotus pond, forming a complex star map.

"Feast!"

Veins bulged on Fu Changsheng's forehead, his golden core spun wildly, continuously outputting chaotic spiritual energy. The fusion of the lotus platform and the precious lotus lantern generated violent spiritual energy fluctuations, causing the pool water to boil as if being cooked.

As he pointed his sword at a point, the four lotus flowers turned.

Seven lotus seeds flew out automatically from the center of the lotus platform, circling the Lotus Lantern. With each rotation, one lotus seed merged into the lantern's body. As the lotus seeds merged, the runes on the lantern increased at a visible rate.

Cultivation has no time.

In the blink of an eye.

Months passed.

boom!
The space above the lotus pond suddenly distorted, and a beam of azure light shot into the sky. Within the beam, a brand-new lotus lamp slowly rose.

The lamp body had changed from bronze to a translucent jade-like material, with wisps of silver light flowing inside—the spatial veins formed by void sand. At the wick, a ball of blue flame burned quietly, and a miniature lotus flower could be faintly seen blooming at the center of the flame.

Fu Changsheng reached out and the Lotus Lantern fell into his palm as if it had a spirit. The moment it touched him, he felt a warm current flow up his arm and straight to his golden core, blending seamlessly with his own spiritual power.

This is his first natal magic weapon.

According to the magical artifacts he found in the Great Zhou Scripture Pavilion, magical artifacts are generally classified into different grades based on the number of Heavenly Gang restrictions added to them.

Currently.

His Lotus Lantern only has one Heavenly Gang Restriction, which is the lowest grade of fourth-rank low-grade magic treasure. If he collects all nine, it can be upgraded to fourth-rank mid-grade.

but.

Each of the Heavenly Gang Restrictions on a natal magic weapon requires the assistance of spiritual treasures from heaven and earth to refine, just like the Fourth-Rank Azure Lotus he just used:
"No wonder everyone's cultivation speed slowed down after breaking through to the Golden Core stage."

Just refining one's natal magic weapon requires collecting the necessary spiritual materials from heaven and earth, which takes a considerable amount of time.

but.

for him.

But it's not a big problem.

After breaking through the golden elixir.

His lifespan increased to 1,500 years, giving him ample time to refine and perfect his Chaos Dao Foundation and his natal magic weapon.
"I wonder how powerful this Lotus Lantern is?" Fu Changsheng's thoughts stirred slightly, and the Lotus Lantern immediately shone with a bright blue light.

After studying it.

The Lotus Lantern has been discovered to have undergone three transformations.

The first change—the lamp flame surged, transforming into nine blue lotuses that surrounded the body, forming a defensive barrier; the second change—the lamp body lengthened, transforming into a three-foot-long green sword, with the space at the sword's edge slightly distorted; the third change—the lamp wick separated, hanging above the head, casting a clear light to heal the injuries all over the body.

This is a spatial magic weapon that combines offense and defense:
"Qiu Niang should have successfully deciphered the location of the Yin Puppet Old Ghost's treasure trove by now!"

Fu Changsheng had a sudden thought.

After leaving the training room, we went straight to the outside world.

Qiu Niang has begun to formally break the formation.

"Owner"

"Qiu Niang, continue to focus on breaking the formation."

"Yes!"

Qiu Niang patted the storage bag.

A flash of light.

Five spirit orbs shot out with a whoosh.

“Metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, earth overcomes water, water overcomes fire, and fire overcomes metal,” Qiu Niang chanted, her hands moving like butterflies flitting among flowers.

The first Crimson Flame Stone Bead flew out, striking the northeast corner of the six-pointed star on the stone wall. There, a dragon totem was carved; the bead embedded itself in the dragon's eye, instantly emitting a brilliant red light. Next came the Mystic Water Bead, which entered the mouth of the tortoise pattern in the southwest corner. The instant the bead entered, a thin layer of frost condensed on the entire surface of the stone wall.

Qiu Niang's forehead was covered in fine sweat, but her technique remained perfectly smooth.

As the third lightning-struck wooden bead struck the wings of the Azure Phoenix pattern in the southeast corner, the stone wall began to tremble slightly.

"It's coming!" she whispered, quickly placing the remaining two spirit orbs into their designated positions.

As the five beads returned to their positions, the six-pointed star pattern on the stone wall suddenly reversed, and all the totems seemed to come alive, struggling and writhing on the stone wall. Qiu Niang seized this moment of change, bit her fingertip, and drew a blood talisman in mid-air.

"break!"

The blood talisman was imprinted in the center of the stone wall, and the five spirit orbs simultaneously burst forth with dazzling light.

Fu Changsheng squinted and saw the array patterns on the stone wall rapidly dissolving from the outside in, like a lit fuse.

The final layer of the "Nine Netherworld Spirit Locking Array" reveals its true form—

A three-dimensional array composed of nine intersecting chains, each chain made up of countless tiny runes, slowly rotates in the void.

Qiu Niang took out the prepared silver and jade sand and blew on it gently.

Silver sand formed a thin stream in the air, passing through the gaps between the chains and reaching the core of the array.

"laugh--"

Like a red-hot iron block plunged into cold water, a wisp of blue smoke rose from the center of the chain array. One by one, the nine chains snapped and dissipated, finally revealing a stone door covered in runes behind them.
"Master, the treasure vault's formation has been broken!"

Rumble!
The stone gate opened.

When Fu Changsheng saw the scene inside, his pupils contracted, and he quickly took out the Shadow Gate Mask, penetrating it with his mind:
"Meizhen, do me a few things!"

Wuzhou Huizhou Prefecture, Fu Family Council Hall.

Half of the seventy-two bronze lamps in the hall went out simultaneously, and a black veil symbolizing the patriarch's demise hung from the beam. Liu Meizhen, dressed in a plain white mourning gown, stood atop the high steps.
"The patriarch was harmed by the Yin Puppet Demon, and his life lamp has been extinguished."

The moment the words were spoken, the hall erupted in an uproar!

Fu Changli stood up abruptly, shaking his head repeatedly:
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! Back then, our patriarch was only at the second level of Qi Refining, yet he still managed to lead us to safety from the Heavenly Dragon Tribe. In recent years, he has led our Fu family from an unranked family to the sixth rank we are today. How could our patriarch have perished!"

“Yes, mistress, the head of the family has just condensed a first-grade golden core. Even if he was kidnapped by that old demon, he must have a way to escape. The head of the family will definitely be alright!” Fu Changli’s face was also pale, as if she was trying to convince herself.

But the patriarch has fallen.

For Liu Meizhen, who had been with her husband since childhood and walked hand in hand for over a hundred years, this was more unacceptable than anyone else. Since the other party claimed it, it meant that the matter was most likely true.

Everyone realized this.

While grieving, his face was also full of worry.

Everyone knew that the Fu family's rise from the lowest rank to the sixth rank was almost entirely due to Fu Changsheng's efforts. Now that this pillar had collapsed, the family's future was suddenly shrouded in darkness.

"The Fu family's current prosperity is entirely due to my husband's efforts. Although he is no longer with us, the Fu family remains a sixth-rank noble family, and we must not allow the loss of our father to cause chaos. I have already ordered preparations for the funeral; a grand funeral will be held in seven days."

Her voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable authority. Seeing her composed demeanor despite her grief, everyone couldn't help but admire her—truly worthy of being the matriarch of the household, she could maintain composure even in the face of her husband's loss.

News of the Fu family's funeral spread throughout Wuzhou, and various affiliated families came to pay their respects.

After the clan chief Wu led his clansmen into the Fu family, he found that everyone in the Fu family, whether direct descendants or collateral relatives, had a sorrowful expression on their faces, and some were even weeping bitterly, which did not seem to be fake at all.

"Could it be... that Fu Changsheng has really perished?"

Wu Clan Chief Shan was shocked, but still couldn't quite believe it. Their Wu family had invested a lot in the Fu family, all because of Fu Changsheng's potential.

As it turns out, they were right.

Fu Changsheng has indeed condensed a first-grade golden core, and his future is limitless.

After offering incense.

Chief Wu secretly approached his son-in-law, Fu Yongpeng.

Fu Yongpeng is one of Fu Changsheng's legitimate sons. He has mediocre cultivation but great ambition.

"Yongpeng, your father... has he really perished?" Wu Clan Chief Shan asked in a low voice.

Fu Yongpeng's eyes were red-rimmed as he gritted his teeth and said, "Father-in-law, the Soul Lamp has been extinguished; there is no falsehood!"

This son-in-law's cultivation level is not high enough to have entered the Fu family's decision-making level, so it's unlikely we'll get any useful information from him. Clan Chief Wu pondered for a moment, then asked, "Then... who will be the next clan chief of the Fu family?"

A hint of reluctance flashed in Fu Yongpeng's eyes as he said in a low voice, "The family hasn't decided on a candidate yet, but..."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "My younger brother, Yongjing, is already a Purple Mansion cultivator, and my older sister, Yongxuan, is a Golden Core True Person. If Sister Yongxuan supports Yongjing, then my brother is the most likely successor to the position of clan leader!"

Wu Clan Chief Shan narrowed his eyes: "You want me to support Yongjing?"

A calculating glint flashed in Fu Yongpeng's eyes: "Father-in-law, if you can support my younger brother Fu Yongjing's rise to power, the cooperation between the Wu family and the Fu family will undoubtedly become even closer in the future!"

Wu Clan Chief Wu sneered inwardly—Fu Yongpeng himself lacked the ability to contend for the clan chief position, so he wanted to use his influence to support his younger brother so that he could profit from it. What a clever scheme!

just.

Fu Changsheng's body is still warm.

This son's selfishness makes him seem heartless and ungrateful. The entire Fu family, and even ordinary people, are still deeply grieving.

But he didn't show it on his face.

Clan Chief Wu still didn't believe that Fu Changsheng had really perished. After all, Fu Yongxuan and Luo Haitang were at Xuanxiao Mountain at the time. If they really watched Yin Kui Zhenren kidnap people, it was probably all part of Fu Changsheng's plan.

Before leaving.

Chief Wu couldn't help but add a word of advice:
“Yongpeng, sometimes you should not be too ambitious and aspire to great heights. You should know your place and never do anything out of line at an inappropriate time.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Yongpeng frowned.

He only said those words out of consideration for the interests of the Wu family, so how was that inappropriate!

Also.

Was he plotting to become the clan leader for himself?

ridiculous!

That old devil Wu is truly a case of biting the hand that feeds him, not recognizing a kind heart!

but.

Fu Yongpeng originally planned to go find his younger brother, Fu Yongjing, to discuss the election for clan leader, but Clan Leader Wu's words still lingered in his mind:
"That's all!"

During the subsequent funeral arrangements, Fu Yongpeng did not do anything out of line and focused solely on the funeral arrangements.

Wuzhou Huizhou Prefecture, Fu Family Mountain Gate.

Ninety-nine-zhang-long (approximately 33 meters) long plain white banners hung from the mountaintop, fluttering in the wind. Seventy-two Foundation Establishment cultivators, dressed in mourning clothes and holding soul-guiding banners, stood on either side of the mountain path. In the mountain gate plaza, three hundred and sixty lamps of rebirth formed a massive magic array, their azure light shooting straight into the sky.

"The pomp and circumstance of a sixth-rank aristocratic family is indeed extraordinary," a spirit fruit vendor whispered to his companion. "I heard that this Rebirth Lamp Array alone cost thirty thousand spirit stones."

His companion clicked his tongue in astonishment: "Is the head of the Fu family really dead?"

"If the Soul Lamp is extinguished, how could it be fake?" The vendor lowered his voice mysteriously. "My cousin works for the Fu family, and he said that the Yin Puppet Master himself took action."

On the second floor of a teahouse not far away, a gray-clad man wearing a straw hat silently listened to the conversation, paid for his tea, and quietly left. After turning three corners and confirming that no one was following him, he took out a blood-red jade slip and placed it on his forehead, engraving everything he had seen and heard that day into it.

The land of the far west.

"Fu Changsheng is dead?" Abbess Qiuyue crushed the jade slip, a twisted glee appearing on her cold, beautiful face. "Good! Very good!"

With a flick of her sleeve, a water mirror appeared before her. The mirror was shrouded in mist, gradually revealing the figure of a middle-aged Taoist priest with a sinister expression.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, have you received the news?" Abbess Qiuyue's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Fu Changsheng is dead."

“Seeing is believing,” Master Yun interrupted her, a glint of suspicion in his eyes. “That brat Fu Changsheng is full of tricks; who knows if he faked his death?”

Master Qiuyue sneered, "You've seen the images from Wuzhou too; the shattered Soul Lamp is undeniable. Judging by the timeline, that old ghost Yin Kui should have already completed his possession. If you want to confirm it with your own eyes, then we can go together to meet that old ghost Yin Kui. This plan was set before he attempted the possession; if it had failed, Fu Changsheng would never have known."

"it is good!"

Several days later, at dusk, at the edge of the Black Mist Swamp.

Master Qiuyue descended on a white bone flying sword, exuding a chilling aura. She appeared to be only in her early thirties, her graceful figure accentuated by a greyish-white robe, yet her eyes held a cruel and stern look.

"You're late." Master Yun emerged from the shadows, gently waving his folding fan. His eyes were murky and occasionally flashed with lewd light.

"Enough with the nonsense." Abbess Qiuyue tossed out a jade slip. "The details of the Fu family's funeral are all here. Where is the location agreed upon by the Yin Puppet?"

Master Yun took the jade slip but didn't examine it. Instead, he squinted at Abbess Qiuyue: "So many years have passed, and you're still so impatient." He suddenly leaned closer, "Remember back then..."

"Shut up!" A cold glint flashed from Abbess Qiuyue's sleeve, grazing Master Yun's cheek and leaving a bloody mark. "If you bring up the past again, the next sword strike will take your dog's life!"

Master Yun wiped away the blood, and instead of being angry, he laughed: "Such a fiery temper, no wonder back then..." Seeing that Abbess Qiuyue was about to erupt again, he quickly changed the subject, "The Yin Puppet's appointment is at 'Ghost Cry Abyss'."

"Ghost Cry Abyss?" Abbess Qiuyue frowned. "That place has too much yin energy. It's beneficial for possession, but it's not good for the living."

"That's why I said something was strange!" Master Yun snapped his folding fan shut, his eyes gleaming. "That old devil has always been cunning; perhaps..."

Abbess Qiuyue interrupted impatiently, "What are you afraid of? You and I are both in the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. He just successfully possessed someone; it's good if he still has 20% of his cultivation left."

Master Yun was still uneasy: "That kid Fu Changsheng has many secrets. What if the Yin Puppet gets his memories and techniques?"

"Stop being so fussy. Do you still want to avenge your grandson and your apprentice? You're not acting like a man. If you won't go, I'll go myself."

"Hey, hey, I'll go, I'll go, okay?"

Master Yun quickly followed.

As night deepened, they arrived at the eerie Ghost Cry Abyss and dared not continue their journey rashly. The two found a cave to rest for the time being.

Master Yun took out a pot of spiritual wine, poured himself a drink, and occasionally glanced at Abbess Qiuyue, who was meditating. Although she was over a hundred years old, this woman had mastered the art of preserving her youth, and her profile was still breathtakingly beautiful in the moonlight.
"If you look again, I'll gouge your eyes out," Master Qiuyue said coldly, without even opening her eyes.

Master Yun chuckled, "Why be so heartless? Back then, you were..."

A sudden sword aura struck, cleaving the wine jug in his hand in two. Abbess Qiuyue said coldly, "Say one more word, and you'll die!"

Master Yun's face darkened: "Qiuyue, don't forget, you're the one begging for my cooperation now. Without my 'Thousand Cloud Escape,' you can't even enter Ghost Cry Abyss!"

Just now.

A golden light suddenly pierced through the air and stopped in front of Abbess Qiuyue. She reached out and caught it; it was a golden communication talisman engraved with a lotus pattern.

"The abbess urgently summons you?" After reading the message, Abbess Qiuyue's expression changed slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "I must return to the abbess's immediately. Go to Ghost Cry Abyss to see Yin Kui, find out his plan, and then send me a message."

"You want me to go alone?" Master Yun's eyes widened. "What if it's a trap?"

"Useless!" Abbess Qiuyue shouted sternly, "We've cultivated for hundreds of years, are we afraid of an old ghost who just possessed a body?" She tossed out a blood-red jade pendant, "Take my 'Blood Fiend Talisman,' it'll be enough to escape if danger arises."

Master Yun took the jade pendant, his fingertips tracing the lingering warmth of his body as he asked, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes: "When will you be back?"

Master Qiuyue, already mounted on her flying sword, turned back upon hearing this and coldly replied, "Seven days at the shortest, half a month at the longest."

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned into a streak of gray light and disappeared into the horizon.

Master Yun gazed in the direction she had left, only turning his gaze away after a long while. He weighed the jade pendant in his hand, giving a knowing smile: "Truly a sharp tongue but a soft heart!"

If Abbess Qiuyue truly had no feelings for him.

How could he possibly agree to send Qiu Shuang to the Fu family?

At this moment, he would certainly not take out the Blood Fiend Talisman, which could withstand a fatal blow from a late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Perhaps, if he tries harder, the two of them can start over.

Guikuyuan is located at the border of Wuzhou and the far west, and is shrouded in poisonous fog all year round.

Master Yun used the Thousand Cloud Escape technique to carefully avoid the wandering spirits in the abyss. The deeper they went, the heavier the Yin energy became, making even Golden Core cultivators feel uncomfortable.

"The old ghost Yin Kui really chose this place with great caution," Master Yun muttered, clutching the Blood Fiend Talisman given to him by Abbess Qiuyue tightly in his hand.

According to the map given by Yin Kui Zhenren.

The journey was winding and circuitous.

After spending most of the day, they finally arrived at the entrance to the enemy's cave. As the formation was activated, the mist in front of them suddenly dissipated, revealing an altar made of white bones. In the center of the altar, a figure draped in black robes stood with his back to them.

“Fellow Daoist Yin Kui?” Master Yun stopped ten feet away from the altar, ready to flee at any moment.

The man in black robes slowly turned around, revealing a young and handsome face—it was none other than Fu Changsheng!

"Master Yun, how have you been?" The man in black robes smiled, but his voice was the unique hoarseness of Master Yin Kui.

Master Yun's pupils constricted sharply: "You really succeeded in possessing my body!"

Yin Kui Zhenren chuckled lightly: "If it weren't for the two of you sending the Tianluo Sect to attack Xuanxiao Mountain back then, how would I have had the chance to sneak in during the chaos? Speaking of which, I still owe you two a huge favor. But... why isn't Master Qiuyue here?"

Master Yun, being cautious, said, "She has something to do and will arrive later."

Yin Kui Zhenren narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly raised his hand and cast a spell. Instantly, twelve wisps of black energy rose around the altar, forming a sealed barrier.

"What are you doing!" Master Yun shouted, ready to activate his Thousand Cloud Escape technique at any moment.

"Don't be nervous." Yin Kui Zhenren slowly stepped down from the altar. "Just to prevent anyone from eavesdropping, I discovered that Fu Changsheng has a big secret. The reason he was able to condense a first-grade golden core in less than 140 years is all because of that treasure."

Master Yun asked with skepticism, "What treasure?"

Yin Kui Zhenren pointed to the secret chamber: "This thing is somewhat special. I have used a secret method to seal it in the secret chamber. Please come with me."

Yin Kui Zhenren formed hand seals, and the stone door to the secret chamber slowly opened, releasing a surge of rich spiritual energy. Yun Zhenren cautiously stood ten paces away, his divine sense flooding into the chamber to investigate.

"This is..." His divine sense had just touched the center of the secret chamber when he froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.

A large, ancient, three-legged cauldron floats silently in the center of the secret chamber. Its surface is engraved with a map of mountains and rivers, exuding an aura of antiquity. Inside the cauldron is a microcosm—to the left, a crimson dragon blood tree sways gracefully, its leaves faintly revealing the silhouette of a dragon; to the right, starlight twinkles among the branches of a star tree, seemingly encompassing the entire Milky Way; most astonishingly, in the center stands a spirit-gathering tree, its branches and leaves forming vortexes of spiritual energy that draw in spiritual energy from within a hundred miles!

"The Mountain and River Suppressing Clan Cauldron?!" Master Yun's voice trembled, his eyes practically radiating greed. "A legendary treasure capable of nurturing innate spiritual roots!"

He instinctively took three steps forward, then abruptly stopped. Years of ingrained vigilance forced him to suppress his impulse, and he turned to stare intently at Yin Kui Zhenren: "Why don't you keep such a precious treasure for yourself?"

Yin Kui Zhenren gave a bitter smile, tearing open his robe to reveal a golden chain around his chest: "Fu Changsheng placed a restriction on me before he died; it requires the combined power of three Golden Core cultivators to break." He pointed to the faintly visible array patterns around the cauldron, "This seal is even stranger; I've tried various methods..."

Master Yun's eyes flashed, and he suddenly raised his hand to cast a detection spell. Golden light swept across the cauldron, and the feedback made his breathing become even more rapid—this was indeed the genuine article! The Daoist aura emanating from the spiritual root inside the cauldron was unmistakable; that profound aura that pointed directly to the Great Dao could not be imitated by illusions.

"How should we cooperate?" Master Yun took two more steps forward, but the Blood Fiend Talisman he had been holding tightly in his hand remained firmly in place.

A glint flashed in Yin Kui Zhenren's eyes: "It's simple. You and I will each take the two positions of Qian and Kun, and wait for Fellow Daoist Qiuyue to arrive and occupy the Li position. The three of us will then..."

Before he could finish speaking, Master Yun suddenly launched an attack! He activated the Thousand Cloud Escape technique instantly, transforming into a blur as he lunged at the treasure cauldron. At the same time, twelve golden chains flew out from his sleeve and wrapped around Master Yin Kui.

"Fool!" Yin Kui Zhenren seemed to have anticipated this, neither dodging nor avoiding as the chains tightened around him. "You think I wasn't prepared for this?"

The moment Master Yun's fingertips touched the cauldron, his expression suddenly changed drastically. The cauldron, seemingly within reach, was like a mirage, impossible to touch no matter how much he channeled his spiritual power. Even more terrifying, his golden core suddenly trembled violently, and his spiritual power surged uncontrollably into the cauldron!
"This is... the Soul Devouring Array?!" Master Yun was horrified to find himself standing at the core of the array. He frantically activated the Blood Fiend Talisman, only to discover that the jade pendant had turned into a pool of blood, which was spreading upwards along his wrist.

In an instant, Yin Kui Zhenren's entire demeanor changed, and his originally hoarse voice suddenly became clear and bright:

"Fellow Daoist Yun, how have you been?"

This is Fu Changsheng!
"Impossible!" Master Yun's eyes widened in fury. "Your life-soul lamp is clearly already..."

Only at this moment did Yun Zhenren suddenly realize—

This was all a scheme orchestrated by Fu Changsheng, designed to lure him and Abbess Qiuyue into this trap.
"You little beast, do you really think you can kill me with this Soul Devouring Array?!"

(End of this chapter)