Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 495 The Struggle for New Territories, The Opening of the Secret Realm, and the Avenging of Great Revenge

Lightning bolts pierced the sky, their oppressive force shaking the entire palace!
A bolt of purple lightning ripped across the sky, accompanied by a deafening roar, and the figure of the Lei Clan Chief landed with a thunderous crash before the gates of the Fu Family Mountain.

He stood with his hands behind his back, lightning patterns flashing all over his body, and the pressure of his Golden Core was released without restraint, causing the Fu family's protective mountain array to hum loudly.

"The Lei family has come to offer their condolences to Fellow Daoist Fu Changsheng!"

The sound was like thunder, echoing and startling the entire Fu family.

—He deliberately used the term "fellow Daoist" instead of the respectful title "master" required by subordinate and vassal forces, clearly using his status as a Golden Core cultivator to intimidate others!
-
Inside the main hall of the Fu family, Liu Meizhen, dressed in plain clothes, walked out slowly with a calm expression.

She was not intimidated by the Lei clan chief's imposing aura; she merely nodded slightly and said calmly:

"The Lei Clan has come from afar, and the Fu family is deeply honored. Please come inside and we will have tea."

Chief Lei narrowed his eyes, sneering inwardly—this Liu Meizhen dares to be so indifferent?

He strode into the hall, his gaze sweeping around. He noticed that although the Fu family was dressed in mourning clothes, there was no sign of dejection; in fact, there was a hint of menacing intent. He couldn't help but frown.

— Fu Changsheng is dead, so why is the Fu family still so calm?
After taking his seat, Chief Lei picked up his teacup but did not drink. He merely tapped the rim of the cup with his fingertips, and a flash of lightning appeared. The teacup instantly turned into dust!

"The Fu family's tea... isn't strong enough."

He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, his eyes full of mockery, clearly a veiled criticism of the Fu family's current weakness.

Liu Meizhen remained expressionless, simply raising her hand to signal the maid to change the tea.

“Now that Clan Chief Lei has reached the Core Formation stage, his tastes will naturally differ. Someone, bring him ‘Nine Heavens Thunder Sprout’.”

Nine Heavens Thunder Sprout is a treasured spiritual tea of ​​the Fu family. It must be refined with thunder magic and cannot be enjoyed by anyone other than a Golden Core cultivator!
Chief Lei's eyes narrowed.

The Fu family actually possesses such a spiritual object? Moreover… Liu Meizhen's words clearly indicated that she was telling him:

"The Fu family has a strong foundation and is not afraid of the Lei family!"

Seeing that his verbal probing had failed, Chief Lei decided to lay his cards on the table and sneered:
"Madam Fu, I have come here today for two reasons. First, to pay my respects to Fellow Daoist Fu, and second... to inform the Fu family of some good news."

He slowly rose, his body crackling with lightning, and the pressure of his Golden Core surged forth like a tidal wave, causing the tables and chairs in the hall to tremble!

"I have already condensed my Golden Core, and soon I will be promoted to a sixth-rank aristocratic family in accordance with the 'Approved Grace Decree'!"

He stared at Liu Meizhen, his eyes filled with contempt:

"At that time, the Fu family will no longer have the right to issue any conscription orders to the Lei family!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Meizhen simply put down her teacup, raised her eyes, and smiled.
"Congratulations, Chief Lei!"

Her reaction was too bland, which displeased Chief Lei, who continued to provoke her.
"It's a real pity that Fellow Daoist Fu, with his extraordinary talent, was cut short while trying to form a first-grade golden core. It's truly heartbreaking..."

He deliberately drew out his words, his eyes full of sarcasm.

Liu Meizhen remained expressionless, and simply said:
"Although my late husband is no longer here, he paved the way for the Fu family before he died, so Chief Lei need not worry about it."

Chief Lei sneered:
"Oh? What future? Could it be that the Fu family has a second Golden Core cultivator?"

Liu Meizhen smiled slightly, a hint of something deeper flashing in her eyes:
"If Chief Lei is interested, we shall wait and see."

Seeing that Liu Meizhen remained tight-lipped, Chief Lei grew furious and decided to abandon all pretense, coldly saying:
"Madam Fu, I have another matter to discuss with you today!"

"Six years ago, the Fu family conscripted forty elite disciples from my Lei family to go to the Demon Suppression Pass. Their fates are now unknown. Shouldn't the Fu family provide an explanation for this?!"

Liu Meizhen's eyes turned cold, and she finally stopped being polite, slowly rising to her feet and saying, word by word:

“Clan Chief Lei, the summons to Zhenmo Pass was issued by the imperial court; the Fu family is merely acting on orders.”

"If the Lei family has any objections, they can submit a memorial to the imperial court, instead of... raising an army here to demand an explanation!"

Her last sentence was delivered with a sudden sharpness, and a faint aura of Golden Core power emanated from it!

Lei Clan Chief's pupils contracted!
—This Liu Meizhen has actually reached the half-step Golden Core stage?!
Seeing that she couldn't gain any advantage, Liu Meizhen didn't reveal any useful information and had no objection to continuing the conversation. Clan Chief Lei snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and lightning exploded as he soared into the sky!

"So this is the Fu family! I'd like to see how long you can remain so arrogant!"

His voice was like thunder, echoing over the Fu family compound, full of threat.

Liu Meizhen watched him leave, a cold glint in her eyes, and muttered to herself:

"The Lei family... do you really think the Fu family will let you do whatever you want with them?"

She turned and entered the inner hall, her fingertips lightly stroking a communication jade talisman, and said coldly:
"Send word to Zhenmo Pass: forty disciples of the Lei family... not one will be spared!"
-
On the way back, Chief Lei grew angrier the more he thought about it, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

"How dare a mere widow be so insolent before me!"

He decided that once the Lei family was promoted to the sixth rank, the first thing they would do was to join forces with the Prince's Mansion to completely annex the Fu family!

"Fu Changsheng is dead. The Fu family... is nothing but a grasshopper in autumn, it won't last much longer!"

...

...

Yunshan County, Yinwu Valley.

The 730th Heavenly Mystery Compass floated in front of Fu Yongyao, its surface densely engraved with records of every failed array formation over the past nineteen years.

"The Heavenly Stems govern the seasons, the Earthly Branches determine directions, and the constellations serve as guides," she murmured softly, her pale golden pupils reflecting the flowing runes on the compass. With her left hand she formed the Zi-Wu mudra, and with her right hand she drew the Mao-You seal, spiritual light pouring from between her ten fingers, weaving into a three-dimensional array in the air.

This is the array diagram she redesigned after summarizing 729 failures—converting the shifting of constellations into changes in the Earthly Branches, and then calibrating it using the Heavenly Stems and their sequence. The three sets of deduction systems are interlocked, like putting three reins on the elusive barrier of the secret realm.

"Add fire to the Zhen position, add water to the Dui position." Her sleeves fluttered, and twelve array flags shot out from them, precisely embedding themselves in specific locations on the ground. When the last flag disappeared into the Xun position, the entire stone platform suddenly lit up with a spiderweb-like golden light path.

hum!
Fu Yongyao's silver hair moved on its own even without wind.

She clearly felt that this formation was different from the previous ones—when her spiritual power flowed through the formation flags, there was no longer that sluggish feeling of being blocked by an invisible barrier. Instead, it was like water seeping into sand, naturally connecting with the secret realm's barrier.

“Now!”

She bit her tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the Heavenly Compass. The blood droplet rolled across the surface, automatically outlining the final three missing array patterns. The entire array roared into operation, stirring the mist in the valley into a vortex.

"Success!"

Fu Yongyao was overjoyed.

It took decades to complete.

Finally, the Heavenly Secrets Array was set up, and Second Brother and Grandpa Yu can finally see the light of day again. In addition, the resources of this secret realm can also be used by the Fu family.

Just as she got up.

Fu Yongyao suddenly froze on the spot.

The world has changed in her eyes.

Those originally abstract array patterns now transformed into countless flowing threads of light in her vision. Each thread carried a unique rhythm: the Heavenly Stems threads vibrated like harp strings, the Earthly Branches threads rippled like water, and the Constellation threads flickered like breaths. Even more wondrously, the secret realm barrier was no longer mysterious to her—it was merely a cocoon woven from even more complex threads of light.

"This is."

Vaguely.

She felt that she had encountered an opportunity that others would only see once in their lifetime.

She calmed down.

He allowed his divine sense to rise continuously, as if he were standing on a cloud overlooking the entire Hidden Mist Valley.

Every detail of the Celestial Array was clearly visible, and it could even predict how the array patterns would adjust themselves according to the changes in the stars over the next twelve hours. Countless array problems were solved at this moment, like scattered pearls suddenly being strung together by a golden thread.

In a trance.

She saw a replay of every failure she had experienced over the past nineteen years.

Those fragmented array patterns spontaneously reassembled in mid-air, arranging themselves into a perfect three-dimensional array. The seven hundred and twenty-nine failures were no longer in vain, but transformed into steps leading to the truth.

The spiritual energy within his body began to run rampant.

Fu Yongyao instinctively formed the "Heavenly Evolution Return to One Seal".

Her dantian spun rapidly, and patterns identical to those on the Heavenly Compass appeared on its surface.

"The Four Symbols form the foundation, and the Eight Trigrams form the framework."

Unconsciously, she recited the general outline of the "Heavenly Secrets Manual," while her hands spontaneously formed even more complex hand seals. The ground around the stone platform cracked, revealing meteorite iron ore buried for thousands of years. At this moment, these ores were emitting a resonant hum, infusing her body with pure stellar power.

His cultivation level began to rise.

Within the Niwan Palace, a mark appeared in the sea of ​​consciousness, gradually developing eight sharp edges. Each edge corresponded to a trigram, and the edges were connected by fine, hair-like array patterns. When the last Kan trigram edge was formed, the Purple Palace suddenly erupted with dazzling golden light.

"boom--"

Fu Yongyao heard a deafening roar, as if the heavens and earth were splitting apart.

Wait for the light to dissipate.

She suddenly snapped out of her reverie.

Inner vision of the Purple Palace.

But then a miniature celestial array appeared out of nowhere, slowly rotating within the sea of ​​qi. At the array's core floated a multifaceted array plate, each rotation causing the surrounding spiritual energy to form mysterious trajectories.

Fourth-tier array master, achieved!

Not only that.

Even her cultivation level broke through to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

This is an unexpected surprise.

Looking at the secret realm's barrier so close at hand, she could break through it effortlessly. The Heavenly Secret Array was already set up; if she wanted, she could break through the barrier right now.

"Let's report to Father first!"

Father will surely be very happy to learn that the Heavenly Secrets Array has been set up.

The wooden hairpin in her silver hair trembled slightly; it was the "Soul-Suppressing Hairpin" that her father had carved himself. For nineteen years, it was this hairpin that had kept her company, making her feel that she was not fighting alone.

Fu Yongyao stood in front of the mountain gate of Yunshan County, looking at the brand-new sixth-rank family archway, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Sixth rank..."

She murmured softly, a hint of relief appearing in her eyes.

After nineteen years of seclusion, she finally completed the Heavenly Mystery Array, and her cultivation broke through to the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm, becoming a fourth-order array master. Now, her family has also been promoted to the sixth rank, making it a triple celebration.

However, when she stepped into the Demon-Controlling City, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

White banners fluttered and paper money flew in the air along both sides of the street.

In front of the Fu family mansion, all the clansmen were dressed in mourning clothes, their expressions solemn.

Fu Yongyao's heart sank suddenly.

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she stopped a member of the Fu family.

The tribesman looked up, saw her, and was first startled, then his face showed sorrow: "Young Miss...you're back?"

"Who died?" Her voice turned cold.

The clansmen lowered their heads, not daring to look her in the eye: "Yes...Clan Head."

-

"boom!"

A thunderbolt seemed to explode in Fu Yongyao's mind. The Heavenly Mystery Array Plate, which had just been stabilized in his Purple Mansion, suddenly trembled, and his spiritual energy instantly became chaotic!
"impossible!"

She practically screamed, and in a flash, she rushed straight towards the main hall of the Fu family.

Inside the hall, Fu Changli, dressed in plain clothes, was discussing matters with several elders. Upon seeing Fu Yongyao burst in, her expression froze: "Yaoyao?"

"Where is Father?" Fu Yongyao's voice was icy, but his eyes were already bloodshot.

Fu Changli remained silent for a moment, but finally could not hide it any longer: "The patriarch... has passed away."

"nonsense!"

Fu Yongyao slammed his palm down, shattering the table beside him. His late-stage Purple Mansion power erupted uncontrollably, causing the spiritual energy in the entire hall to surge violently!

"My father was able to reverse the demise of a Golden Core cultivator at the eighth level of the Purple Mansion realm, how could he..."

She doesn't believe it!
I absolutely don't believe it!
In her heart, her father had always been an invincible figure! His unparalleled talent and flawless strategies—how could he have fallen?!
Seeing that her breathing was disordered, Fu Changli quickly stepped forward: "Yaoyao, calm down! You just broke through, your realm is not stable yet—"

"Take me to see his life-giving lamp!"

Fu Yongyao ignored him completely, grabbed Fu Changli's wrist with such force that he almost crushed her bones.

Fu Changli winced in pain but did not break free, only sighing, "Alright, I'll take you there."

-

Inside the ancestral hall, a broken spirit lamp rests quietly before Fu Changsheng's memorial tablet.

The wick is broken, and the flame has gone out.

Fu Yongyao stared intently at the lamp, and the Heavenly Mystery Array Plate in his Purple Mansion began to tremble violently. Countless array patterns collapsed, and spiritual power raged through his meridians like a flood!
"No...it's impossible..."

She staggered back a step, a metallic taste rising in her throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Father is dead?

The father who taught her to draw array diagrams when she was five... The father who shielded her from a killing array when she was ten... The father who, before she left home, personally put the Soul-Suppressing Hairpin on her head and said with a smile, "When Yaoyao comes back, Dad will celebrate your victory"...

died? !
"puff--!"

A mouthful of blood spurted out, Fu Yongyao's vision went black, and his spiritual power completely went out of control!

"Yaoyao!"

Fu Changli was shocked and rushed forward to support her, only to see that her eyes were bloodshot and her spiritual energy was running wild, indicating that she was about to suffer a qi deviation!

"Quickly! Get Doctor Liu!"

Fu Yongyao could no longer hear the sounds from the outside world.

Within her sea of ​​consciousness, the Heavenly Mystery Array Plate shattered inch by inch, and countless fragments of memory pierced her soul like sharp blades—

The scene of her father teaching her how to deduce formations...

The blood-stained back of her father as he shielded her from the killing fray...

The gentle look in her father's eyes as he smiled and inserted the Soul-Suppressing Hairpin into her hair...

"father--!!!"

She roared to the sky, her silver hair danced wildly, and the spiritual energy within her Purple Mansion exploded like a storm!

Just as she was about to completely succumb to demonic possession—

The hairpin in her hair suddenly emitted a gentle golden light.

The light, like a father's hand, gently caressed her rampaging spiritual power, gradually stabilizing her nascent soul.

In a daze, she seemed to hear her father's voice:

"Yaoyao, calm down..."

Fu Yongyao trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

She knelt on the ground, clutching the Soul-Suppressing Hairpin tightly, and cried her heart out.

-

Three days later, Fu Yongyao woke up from his coma.

Outside the window, snow was falling heavily.

She lay quietly on the bed. The Heavenly Mystery Array Plate in her Purple Mansion had been stabilized again, but her heart felt as if a piece was missing and could never be filled.

"Yaoyao." Fu Changli pushed open the door and entered. Seeing that she was awake, he breathed a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

Fu Yongyao didn't answer, but slowly sat up, his voice hoarse: "Father's revenge...who will avenge him?"

Fu Changli was silent for a moment, then said, "Master Yin Kui's whereabouts are elusive; the family is investigating."

Fu Yongyao closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, his eyes were icy cold.

"No need to investigate further."

She raised her hand, reinserted the Soul-Suppressing Hairpin into her hair, and said, word by word:

“I will kill him with my own hands.”

Granny Silver Flower searched for months in the Valley of Broken Souls, and was attacked by evil spirits several times. Her injuries became more and more serious. In addition, her cultivation level had dropped to the early stage of Golden Core due to her previous battle with Master Yu.

Her left hand was festering and the bone was exposed; her robes were torn, yet her eyes still gleamed with a chilling killing intent.

"Little bitch..."

She gritted her teeth, wishing she could tear Fu Molan to pieces.

However, just when she was about to give up—

"Buzz!"

A familiar aura of ice spirit root suddenly appeared somewhere in the valley!
Grandma Yinhua suddenly looked up, a flash of wild joy in her cloudy eyes.

"Finally...found it!"

Ignoring her injuries, she transformed into a streak of black light and charged straight at the source of the aura!
-

Deep in the forest.

Fu Molan and Master Yu were staggering as they fled.

Master Yu's face was deathly pale, his magical power depleted, leaving him almost indistinguishable from an ordinary person. Fu Molan supported him, her expression grave: "Uncle Yu, she's caught up!"

"Don't look back!" Master Yu hissed. "Proceed according to plan!"

The two rushed into an ancient forest, and their figures suddenly disappeared.

Granny Silver Flower followed closely behind, sneering, "Another illusion array?"

With a wave of her hand, the Thousand Waves Banner billowed, and the water vapor transformed into giant waves that instantly swept away the surrounding trees!

However, at the very moment the formation shattered—

“Zheng!”

A clear, melodious sword cry echoed through the forest!
Granny Silver Flower's pupils contracted sharply, and she looked up abruptly. In mid-air, a jade lotus lamp floated silently, its flickering flame illuminating a slender figure.

Fu Changsheng!
He stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes like cold stars, surrounded by nine illusory blue lotuses, each petal swirling with chaotic energy.

“Grandma Silver Flower,” he said calmly, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

"He's just a junior who's only just condensed his core, yet he dares to act tough in front of me. He's practically courting death!"

Granny Yinhua narrowed her eyes, and the Frost Marrow Ice Soul Sword flew out from her sleeve. The sword flowed like water and instantly transformed into hundreds of fine ice crystal needles, which shot towards Fu Changsheng in a barrage!
Fu Changsheng neither dodged nor evaded. The flames of the Lotus Lantern above his head surged, and the nine green lotuses spun, blocking all the ice needles. The collisions produced a crisp "ding-ding" sound.

"Hmm?" Granny Yinhua's heart skipped a beat.

Her Frost Marrow Ice Soul Sword was a mid-grade fourth-order magic weapon, extremely sharp and capable of breaking through the defenses of a Golden Core cultivator, yet it was easily blocked by this Azure Lotus.

"You do have some skill, but unfortunately you've met me today. Prepare to die!"

Granny Yinhua no longer held back. With a wave of the Thousand Waves Banner, the moisture in the entire dense forest was sucked away, condensing into a hundred-foot-long water dragon around her, roaring as it rushed towards Fu Changsheng!
Fu Changsheng's eyes turned cold, and the Lotus Lantern suddenly lengthened, transforming into a three-foot-long green sword. The space at the sword's edge slightly distorted as he slashed out!
"laugh--"

The water dragon was cleaved in two by a single sword strike, the sword energy still strong, heading straight for Granny Silver Flower's face!
"What?!"

Granny Yinhua was shocked. She instantly used the Xuan Shui Mirror to block the sword energy, which was deflected into the distance and flattened a small hill!

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

The power of this sword strike far surpasses that of an ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivator!
this moment.

Granny Yinhua no longer treated Fu Changsheng as a junior. She sneered and her withered fingers formed a hand seal:

"Very well, today I will show you what true Golden Core techniques are!"

Twelve bone nails suddenly flew out from her sleeve, each engraved with twisted runes, forming the "Twelve Yin Fiend Soul-Destroying Array" in the air. The bone nails hummed and vibrated, spewing out dark green poisonous fire, corroding even the air in their wake.

Fu Changsheng frowned slightly, and the flames of the Lotus Lantern surged, with nine green lotuses rotating to form a defensive barrier.

The poisonous fire struck the blue lotus, making a hissing sound and scorching the lotus petals with tiny holes!
"Yin Sha Poison Fire?" Fu Changsheng snorted lightly, made a hand seal with one hand, and the Chaos Golden Core circulated. Gray patterns immediately appeared on the surface of the green lotus, which devoured the poison fire completely.

When Granny Yinhua saw this, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.

Without hesitation, he bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence. The blood mist condensed in the air into three ferocious ghost heads. The ghost heads shrieked and pounced on Fu Changsheng, each radiating the pressure of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator!
"Blood Fiend Soul Splitting Technique!" Master Yu, who was watching the battle from the dense forest, changed his expression drastically. "This old hag actually split and refined her own soul?!"

Fu Changsheng dared not be negligent. The Lotus Lantern instantly transformed into a three-foot-long green sword. Space distorted at the sword's edge as he unleashed a slash!
"Uh-huh!"

The first ghost head was split in two, but the other two took the opportunity to pounce forward and opened their bloody mouths to bite Fu Changsheng's neck!

At this critical moment, countless golden patterns suddenly lit up on the ground—it was the "Nine Heavens Golden Lock Formation" that Master Yu had set up in advance!
"Lock!"

With a low shout from Master Yu, dozens of golden chains burst from the ground, binding the two ghost heads tightly. Granny Silver Flower swayed, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth—these ghost heads were connected to her soul, and if they were injured, she would suffer a backlash!
"Damn old drunkard!" She glared venomously in the direction of Master Yu, and swung the Thousand Waves Banner fiercely. "Break for me!"

"boom!"

A colossal wave appeared out of nowhere, instantly shattering half of the golden chains. A ghostly head broke free of its restraints and lunged at Fu Changsheng once more!
A cold glint flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes, and a seven-colored radiance surged from his body, illuminating his entire being. Under the glow, his aura rose steadily, temporarily reaching the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm!
"cut!"

The Qingfeng sword traced a mysterious trajectory, and chaotic sword energy burst forth, pulverizing the ghost head!

"Pfft!" Granny Yinhua spat out a mouthful of blood, and her breath immediately weakened.

"Youngsters..." She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, a glint of madness flashing in her eyes, "You forced me to this!"

She suddenly ripped open the front of her clothes, revealing her withered chest. What was truly chilling was that a jet-black bead was embedded where her heart was, and within the bead seemed to be the wailing of countless wronged souls!
"The Yellow Spring Pearl?!" Master Yu exclaimed in horror. "Retreat! She's going to fight to the death!"

With a sinister grin, Granny Silver Flower plunged her hand into her chest and forcefully ripped out the Yellow Spring Pearl. The moment the pearl left her body, half of her body visibly withered away, but the madness in her eyes only intensified.

Let's die together!

She tossed the Yellow Spring Pearl into the air, and the pearl swelled in the wind, instantly transforming into a black "sun." A terrifying suction force emanated from it, instantly withering the vegetation within a hundred feet and even distorting and swallowing the light!
Fu Changsheng's expression was grave. He knew this was a forbidden technique used by Granny Silver Flower, burning her life force. Once absorbed into that black "sun," even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator would be doomed!
"Mo Lan, lend me your sword!"

He reached out and summoned Fu Molan's Ice Soul Sword, which flew into his hand automatically. Fu Changsheng held Qingfeng in his left hand and Ice Soul in his right, the two swords crossed in front of his chest, and his Chaos Golden Core was operating at full power!

"Chaos. Creation of Heaven and Earth!"

With a roar, the twin swords unleashed a cross-shaped burst of sword energy. Wherever the sword energy passed, space shattered, revealing dark cracks in the void!

"boom!!!"

The sword energy collided with the Yellow Spring Pearl, unleashing a deafening roar. A terrifying energy storm swept in all directions, leveling the surrounding mountains!

When the smoke cleared, Granny Yinhua was kneeling on the ground, a large hole torn in her chest, barely breathing.

"Impossible!" she exclaimed incredulously, looking at Fu Changsheng as he slowly approached. "You just formed your Core!"

Fu Changsheng did not answer, but gently swung his Qingfeng sword—

"puff!"

Granny Yinhua's head rolled to the ground, her eyes wide open, dying with unresolved grievances. Suddenly, a hazy, gray light shot out from the severed neck, transforming into a hideous ghost face that tried to escape.

“Want to escape?”

Fu Changsheng pointed his sword and his inner golden core spun violently. A phantom temple appeared behind him, its doors opening wide and shooting out divine light.

"Guidance from the underworld, Heavenly Dragon Suppresses the Soul!"

The divine light bound Granny Silver Flower's soul like chains, and no matter how she struggled, it was to no avail. She was forcibly dragged into the deep temple gate.

Inside the temple, Granny Silver Flower's soul reformed. She stared in horror at the dragon statue coiled around the pillar in the center of the main hall—its eyes were half-closed, yet it exuded a terrifying pressure that made even the most divine soul tremble.

"What kind of place is this?!"

Her heart trembled, and she turned and fled out of the temple. Outside the hall, a murky Yellow Spring stretched out, and the opposite bank was shrouded in mist and could not be clearly seen.

Just as she gritted her teeth and was about to jump into the Yellow Springs, the Heavenly Dragon God statue in the hall suddenly opened its eyes!

"roar--"

A dragon-shaped beam of divine light struck Granny Silver Flower hard on the back. Her soul was instantly shattered into pieces, then forcibly merged back together by the divine light and sent into the mural on the left.

"ah!!"

Amidst Granny Yinhua's agonizing screams, the murals rippled with patterns like water. On the left side of the mural, her soul and Master Yun were pressed together by a dragon's claw; on the right side, Master Yin Kui was clearly depicted.

at the same time.

A familiar mechanical voice echoed in Fu Changsheng's mind:
"Ding"

"You have killed a Golden Core cultivator from the far west, gaining 10,000 Imperial Merit Points, and your family contribution points have been increased to 40,000!"

Fu Changsheng rolled up his sleeve and put Granny Yinhua's magic weapon and storage bag into his pocket:

"Uncle Yu, Mo Lan, let's leave this place first."

Now is not the time to reminisce.

His body flashed.

He led the two to a secluded cave, where they stopped.

Fu Changsheng raised his hand and set up a barrier to isolate the aura before turning to look at Fu Molan. Seeing her complicated expression, he said gently, "Molan, you have suffered all these years."

Fu Molan shook her head slightly, her voice low: "The patriarch's cultivation has improved so much, Molan... feels guilty." She clenched her sleeves, her knuckles turning white, "Over the years, I have failed to contribute even a little to the family, and instead you and Uncle Yu have had to risk your lives to save me."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changsheng laughed heartily: "We're all family, why bother with these things? Mo Lan's safe return is a blessing for the Fu family."

Fu Molan looked up at him and saw the calmness in his eyes, which warmed her heart. But then she gritted her teeth and made a vow in her heart—she must improve her strength as soon as possible, she must not become a burden anymore, and she must contribute her strength to the rise of the family!
Nearby, Master Yu was taking several large gulps of wine from his gourd, smacked his lips, and sighed with satisfaction, "Good wine! Young man Changsheng, you do have a conscience; you haven't forgotten my taste!"

Fu Changsheng laughed and said, "Uncle Yu used to be a heavy drinker, how could I dare to neglect him? All the spirit wines I've collected over the years have been saved for you."

Master Yu laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder: "Not bad, not bad, I haven't spoiled you for nothing!" He squinted at Fu Changsheng, then suddenly clicked his tongue in amazement: "But you lad, you really surprise me. After decades, you've already formed a first-grade golden core and even forged a chaotic foundation?"

Fu Changsheng nodded: "Just lucky."

"A fluke?" Master Yu scoffed, shaking his head. "The Chaos Dao Foundation is a once-in-a-millennium event. Once mastered, it allows one to integrate all laws and glimpse the Heavenly Dao! You kid, you really are..." He paused, then suddenly said seriously, "However, this matter must never be revealed!"

Fu Changsheng's expression turned serious: "What does Uncle Yu mean?"

Master Yu took a swig of wine and said in a low voice, "Although your Chaos Dao Foundation is strong, if those old monsters find out about it, they will definitely try to seize your physical body! Although I can cover your aura, you'd better not use your full strength before the seal is complete."

Fu Changsheng pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Changsheng understands."

Master Yu then looked at Fu Molan, took out a bottle of "Forget-Me-Not Water" from his sleeve, and handed it to her: "Girl, to be on the safe side, you have to drink this."

Fu Molan was taken aback: "What is this?"

“This water can wash away your memories of the Chaos Dao Foundation,” Master Yu explained. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but just in case—if someone searches your soul in the future, at least this matter won’t be revealed.”

Fu Molan was silent for a moment, then reached out and took the drink, downing it in one gulp without hesitation.

Seeing this, Fu Changsheng smiled. He knew that although Uncle Yu seemed carefree, he was actually very meticulous.

After Fu Changsheng closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, digest the medicinal effects, and his magical power was almost fully restored, Master Yu stood up and said, "Alright, this place is eerily yin and is also a place where others refine corpses. It's not advisable to stay here for long. Let's leave first."

Fu Changsheng nodded, and the three of them transformed into streaks of light and quickly left the Valley of Broken Souls.

...

...

Demon Suppression Pass, Teleportation Hall.

Spiritual patterns flickered within the hall, the space slightly distorted, and a dazzling pillar of teleportation light suddenly shone forth. As the light faded, Li Wanhu stepped out, followed by several trusted cultivators.

He was dressed in a brocade robe, with a refined and scholarly face and a gentle smile on his lips. Anyone who saw him would praise him as a "gentleman of virtue." But deep within his narrow eyes lay a venomous coldness.

As soon as he stepped out of the teleportation array, a communication jade talisman at his waist began to vibrate slightly.

Li Wanhu frowned almost imperceptibly, raised his hand to signal everyone to wait, and then scanned the area with his divine sense—

"Grandma Yinhua's attempt to possess someone failed, and her soul was scattered."

These nine short characters were as powerful as a thunderclap!
"What?!" His pupils shrank, and his knuckles clenched the jade talisman so tightly that he almost crushed it.

Granny Yinhua is a heretical cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core stage, and she even possesses secret techniques that allow her to briefly unleash Nascent Soul combat power!

How could such an old monster fall into Fu Molan's hands?

Unless... the Fu family has powerful backers!
A terrible thought came to mind—

"Could it be that Fu Changsheng is really not dead?!"

Fu Changsheng deliberately allowed Yin Kui Lao Gui to kidnap him so that he could enter the far west to rescue Fu Molan.

Thinking of the photo pod that Liu Meizhen took out in court.

He understood in an instant.

all of these.

It was most likely a scheme orchestrated by Fu Changsheng.

This would not only allow him to be dismissed from his post, but also give him a legitimate reason to enter the far west and rescue that bitch Fu Molan!

This is a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

"What a shrewd man, Fu Changsheng!!"

This thought sent a chill down his spine, and a fine layer of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. If it really was Fu Changsheng returning, given the talent the other had displayed…

"My lord?" His trusted aide asked cautiously, noticing the strange look on his face.

Li Wanhu instantly composed himself, a warm smile returning to his face: "It's nothing, just some trivial matters."

He walked out of the hall with his hands behind his back, seemingly calm, but his hands trembled slightly in his sleeves.

"We need to come up with a new plan..."

Standing on the high steps of the teleportation hall, he gazed at the majestic city walls of Zhenmo Pass, his eyes filled with uncertain emotions.

His immediate priority was to achieve military merit and restore his cultivation. As long as he was reinstated... He gazed at the churning demonic clouds beyond the pass, a chilling venom seeping from his gentle smile.

Fu Changsheng, if it really is you who has returned…

I will make you die again!
Just then, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating half of his face that was hidden in shadow.

—A gentleman is like jade? He's nothing but a demon in human skin!
...

...

Inside the Huang family's council hall.

Twelve bronze crane-beak lamps burned quietly on the pillars of the hall, illuminating the interior.

Chief Huang sat upright on the carved rosewood chair at the head of the table, his long, pale fingers gently caressing a gold-embossed document—the imperial court's newly issued decree granting him fiefdoms.

"You've all seen it."

"The imperial court has kept Wuzhou, this fiefdom, hidden for sixty years; now it's finally about to see the light of day."

The Third Elder stroked his white beard, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his cloudy eyes:
"Clan leader, I remember sixty years ago, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion spread a rumor that the 'Mysterious Yin Realm' might be hidden there."

"Later, rumors circulated that it was the ruins of the ancient 'Azure Nether Sect'," the Fifth Elder continued, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "But none of the people the imperial court sent to investigate over the years have brought back any concrete information."

The Grand Elder coughed lightly, his voice steady:

"If the imperial court had truly discovered something, why would they so easily bestow it upon a sixth-rank noble family? In my opinion, they must have failed to find anything and are simply offering it up as a favor."

Chief Huang suddenly chuckled, his wide sleeves drawing a scarlet arc in the air:
"Elder, you are mistaken."

"It is precisely because this fiefdom has been favored by the imperial court that it is all the more precious. Just think about it, sixty years of the imperial court's fortune has nourished it; even if it was originally a wasteland, it should now be a place of auspicious geomancy."

Suddenly a strange wind blew outside the hall, making the window frames creak.

The Huang clan chief walked to the window, gazing at the gloomy sky in the distance. "My Huang family must fight for this fiefdom," he said, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "Although the Fu family has already risen to the sixth rank," he continued, "with Fu Changsheng dead, they are like kites with broken strings in the court."

"We must be wary of the Lei family," the First Elder said in a deep voice, his brows furrowed. "Clan Chief Lei formed his core three months ago. Although it's a ninth-grade Golden Core, he has the backing of the Prince's Mansion."

The words have not yet fallen.

Rumble!
A muffled clap of thunder suddenly boomed, causing the candlelight in the hall to flicker violently.

Everyone looked up in astonishment.

The once clear sky had become covered with dark clouds, and purple lightning flashed through the thick clouds like awakening dragons.

"It's a Golden Core Tribulation!"

The second elder suddenly stood up, his sleeve flipping over the teacup, and the emerald green tea soup spread across the sandalwood table.

Clan Chief Huang threw his head back and laughed heartily, his laughter filled with smug satisfaction: "Excellent! Excellent! Yuehua has indeed lived up to everyone's expectations!" He turned to face the elders, his scarlet cloak fluttering behind him, "As long as we survive this calamity, my Huang family will immediately be able to advance to the sixth rank with the 'Guardian Grace Decree'! With the assistance of True Person Xiao of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, that fiefdom will surely be ours!"

—

Above the secluded cave on the back mountain, thunderclouds had condensed into a huge vortex, with lightning constantly brewing within it.

Rumble!
The first bolt of lightning struck down with a deafening roar.

A bolt of purple lightning, as thick as a palace pillar, struck down with an aura of destruction.

The entire Qingwu Mountain trembled, and the mountain-protecting array was automatically activated, but it was pierced through three layers of light barrier the moment it came into contact with the lightning.

"A tribulation for a fifth-grade Golden Core cultivator!" The Grand Elder stood in the plaza outside the hall, his white beard whipped about by the gale, his cloudy eyes reflecting terrifying lightning. "Yuehua actually possesses the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage!"

No wonder Master Xiao of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion chose this woman back then.

It seems that Yuehua's potential was anticipated long ago.

boom!
The second lightning bolt was even more ferocious than the first, with purple-gold lightning pouring down like a celestial river, shattering the defensive array above the cave one after another.

"Moonlight, you have to hold on!"

The elder was so nervous that his palms were sweating.

hum!
Just as the third bolt of lightning was about to strike the cave.

Thirty-six golden beams of light suddenly shot up from all parts of the mountain, intertwining in the air to form complex star patterns.

"The Celestial Star Array!" The Third Elder's beard trembled with excitement. "Master Xiao truly kept his word! This is a grand array from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion designed to resist lightning tribulations!"

boom!
boom! !

...

Each bolt of lightning was more ferocious than the last.

When we reached the seventh path.

It had transformed into a ferocious lightning dragon, baring its fangs and claws as it lunged towards the cave.

boom!
The light screen of the star array was violently shaken by the impact.

They were on the verge of collapse.

boom!
The stone gate to the cave suddenly opened with a roar.

A white figure shot out like an arrow.

Huang Yuehua, dressed in a plain white robe and holding a crystal jade ruler, faced the thunder dragon without hesitation. The jade ruler swelled in the wind, and countless ancient runes appeared on its surface. With each rune lighting up, a beam of golden light shot out.

"This is... a high-grade fourth-tier magic weapon?"

Clan Chief Huang's eyelids twitched. He hadn't expected Master Xiao to be so generous. From this, it was clear that Master Xiao was intentionally supporting the Huang family.

boom!
The moment the thunder dragon collided with the jade ruler.

The blinding light forced everyone to close their eyes.

Wait for the light to dissipate.

Huang Yuehua stood in mid-air, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, but her spiritual energy surged, and five-colored light flowed endlessly in her dantian.

The robbery was successful!

The dark clouds dispersed, and a ray of golden sunlight pierced through the clouds.

Followed by.

Glistening raindrops began to fall from the sky.

That's the kind of sweet rain that only falls from medium to high-quality Golden Elixir pills.

Raindrops fell on the Huang family's land, and the withered spiritual herbs instantly sprouted new shoots. The long-neglected array was automatically repaired, and even ordinary disciples felt their spiritual energy circulating more smoothly.

The Huang family was immediately in an uproar.

"A fifth-grade Golden Core, a divine omen!" The Huang Clan Chief laughed, opening his arms wide. "Quickly prepare a congratulatory memorial! Our Huang Clan is about to be promoted to a sixth-grade aristocratic family! Issue the order: a seven-day grand celebration for the entire clan!"

(End of this chapter)