Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 497 Successive Breakthroughs, Promotions, and Opportunities
Twelve cold, sinister gazes shot towards them like sharp arrows, and the single horn on the high priest's forehead suddenly shone with a blinding blood-red light!
"run!"

With a fierce shout, the five of them simultaneously crushed the jade talismans in their robes—the "Thunder Escape Talisman" exploded with blinding lightning, and their figures instantly transformed into streaks of light, shooting out of the canyon!
"Roar--!"

A non-human roar came from behind, and the entire canyon trembled. Countless demonic vines burst from the ground, coiling towards the five like living creatures. Lei Yue suddenly threw the Demon-Repelling Lamp backward, and the wick burst into dazzling golden light. The demonic vines ignited upon contact, emitting a piercing shriek.

"Third brother!" Lei Li's eyes were bloodshot—Lei Yue had deliberately lagged behind by half a step to cover the rear, and now his right leg was entangled by three demonic vines!
"Go!" Lei Yue gritted his teeth and crushed the second jade talisman, his body crackling with lightning as he forcefully broke free of the demonic vines. But even more demonic creatures poured out from the cracks in the rock wall, bat-like creatures with human faces shrieking as they pounced!

"Five Thunderbolts Unite!"

The five of them simultaneously formed hand seals, and five bolts of lightning intertwined in the air to form a net, temporarily blocking the pursuers. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lei An unleashed a "Wind Escape Talisman," and a gust of wind carried the five of them rapidly away.
-
When the five stumbled out of the canyon, they were covered in wounds. Lei Yue's right leg was a bloody mess, and Lei An had three deep claw marks on his chest that revealed the bone. Lei Heng was the most seriously injured, with half of his body stained with blood and his left arm hanging limply at his side—the result of being grazed by the high priest's bloody light.

"Report immediately!" Lei Li coughed up a mouthful of black blood; demonic energy had already invaded his lungs. Trembling, he shoved the image-recording pod into Lei An's hand, the one with the least serious injuries. "You go first."

Before he could finish speaking, the ground suddenly shook violently!
At the canyon entrance, the rock wall collapsed with a deafening roar. From the dust and smoke, the terrifying, three-meter-tall figure of the high priest slowly emerged. The human heart necklace around its neck pulsed wildly, and its single horn emitted a blood-red light that shot straight into the sky!
"Ants." The high priest spoke in a human voice, his tone like the scraping of metal, "Sacrifice."

Lei Li was devastated to discover that despite their best efforts, they had only managed to escape less than three miles!
-
"Form up!"

At the critical moment, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky! Fu Changlei, wielding a lightning halberd, strode through the air, followed by Fu Qingyun and Fu Qingyun. With each swing of the halberd, dozens of bolts of lightning rained down, pulverizing the pursuing low-level demons into charred remains!
“Captain Fu.” Lei Li was stunned. He hadn’t expected the Fu family to come to the rescue.

Fu Qingyun flicked his sword, and azure sword light, like a swimming dragon, circled the five people, forming a protective shield. Fu Qingyun then silently slipped into the shadows. The next second, the shadow beneath the high priest's feet suddenly erupted, transforming into countless sharp spikes that pierced its eyes!

"Roar!" The high priest roared in pain and fury, his blood-red light sweeping across the area, instantly turning rocks within a hundred feet into dust!
Fu Changlei's expression was grave: "A demon general at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm! Everyone retreat!"

"Trying to leave?" The high priest grinned maliciously, his single horn of blood-red light suddenly splitting into twelve beams, each precisely targeting a person. "Become a sacrifice!"

The moment the blood was about to strike, Fu Qingyun suddenly appeared behind the high priest, a dark short blade that had appeared in his hand at some point, and thrust it straight at the high priest's back!

"Pfft!"

The short blade could only penetrate three inches into the flesh before it could go no further—the priest's muscles were as hard as iron!

"You're courting death!" The high priest grabbed Fu Qingyun's chest with his backhand, and five deep, bone-revealing wounds appeared instantly! But a strange smile appeared on his lips, and what gushed from the wounds was not blood, but countless black vines as thin as hair!
"You are...!" the high priest suddenly cried out in terror, as if he had seen something horrifying.

Taking this opportunity, Fu Changlei raised his Thunder Halberd high: "Thunder Shakes the Nine Heavens!"

"boom--!"

A bolt of purple lightning as thick as a bucket descended from the sky, striking the high priest's single horn squarely! At the same time, Fu Qingyun's sword light split into countless fragments, raining down upon the high priest's vital points!
"Ah—!" The high priest let out a shrill scream, black smoke billowing from his body. It glared venomously at Fu Qingyun, then suddenly transformed into a blood mist and fled back into the depths of the canyon.
-
"go!"

Fu Changlei and the others dared not linger there, lest the chief priest launch a surprise attack, and the group returned to the camp.

"Captain Fu, here is the information you needed regarding the inside of the canyon."

Lei Li quickly presented the photo pod with both hands. If Fu Changlei and the others hadn't appeared, they would have been dead long ago, so he was still somewhat grateful.

"Yes, you've worked hard. You five can step down and rest for a while."

Fu Changlei put away the photo pod that Lei Li had presented, leaving only the three members of the Fu family in the tent. Fu Qingyun quickly made a hand seal to set up a soundproof barrier, while Fu Qingyun checked the area around the tent and nodded to Fu Changlei after confirming that no one was spying on them.

Fu Changlei took a deep breath and channeled his spiritual energy into the image-recording pod. The patterns on the pod's surface suddenly lit up, projecting a three-dimensional image—the scene deep within the canyon was revealed in exquisite detail.

"Twelve Purple Mansion Priests!" Fu Qingyun gasped. In the image, twelve demon priests dressed in purple robes sat around a blood-red altar, chanting obscure incantations. A jet-black crystal floated in the center of the altar, constantly absorbing the purple spiritual energy surging from the priests.

Fu Changlei's pupils contracted slightly as he noticed that most of the runes on the altar were already lit up. "The ritual has progressed to this stage; it will be completed in at most another hour."

The video continued playing, shifting the view to the canyon entrance. Three watchtowers stood there, each manned by two demon warriors. Even more chilling, dark red patterns were faintly visible on the rock walls on either side of the canyon—activated defensive magic arrays.

"Uncle Changlei, we must request reinforcements immediately!" Fu Qingyun said urgently. "Twelve Purple Mansion Priests, plus that chief priest, the three of us simply cannot handle them!"

Fu Qingyun sneered, "Waiting for reinforcements? Qingyun, have you forgotten how Li Wanhu brushed us off last time we asked for help?" A shadow of gloom flashed in his eyes, "By the time his reinforcements arrive, the demon race's summoning ritual will have already been completed!"

Also.

Li Wanhu sent them on this mission to their deaths. Why would he offer any support?

Silence fell over the tent, broken only by the faint buzzing of the image-recording pods. Fu Changlei's gaze swept across his two nephews' faces, finally settling on the suspended images. He suddenly reached out and took another blank image-recording pod from his storage bag.

"Qingyun is right, we should request support."

"However, the person we requested support from was not Li Wanhu, but Chixiao Zhenren, our former superior, Commander Chi."

This statement came out.

Fu Qingyun's eyes lit up.

They served under Commander Chi for six years, and Commander Chi was a trustworthy person.

Last time, Li Wanhu poached their men directly. Although Commander Chi didn't say anything, he was very displeased with Li Wanhu's actions. After they were assigned this dangerous mission, Commander Chi learned about it after leaving the pass and even came to give him a talisman. He felt somewhat guilty for not being able to protect them.

Obviously.

Commander Chi is all bark and no bite.

If he were to see the situation within the canyon, he certainly wouldn't ignore it. After all, once the demons successfully construct the summoning altar, the defensive pressure on the Demon Suppression Pass would undoubtedly increase significantly.
“Uncle Chang Lei, if that’s the case, why not let Lei Peng deliver the message? Lei Peng has cultivated the Lei family’s secret techniques and is at the half-step Purple Mansion realm. His flying speed is comparable to that of a Purple Mansion cultivator.”

"Um"

Fu Changlei nodded and immediately summoned Lei Peng in.

"I have met the three seniors."

Lei Peng was lean and had a straight gaze. He entered and bowed respectfully.

Fu Changlei took out the shimmering image-recording pod from his pocket and said in a deep voice, "This matter is of utmost importance. This must be delivered to Commander Chi personally. Remember, personally!"

A strange barrier was set up in the Demon Realm.

The human race's communication jade talisman has become ineffective.

Information can only be conveyed manually.

"Understood, sir." Lei Peng took the bean pods with both hands, feeling the thunderous power contained within. When he looked up, he met Fu Changlei's sharp, lightning-like eyes.

"The lives of your twenty-nine brothers depend on this." Fu Changlei pressed down on Lei Peng's shoulder, the force so great that the young cultivator almost stumbled. "Go and return immediately."

After Lei Peng left.

Fu Changlei and his two companions huddled together again. Fu Changlei's finger traced across the image, zooming in on key locations within the canyon. "A direct assault would be suicidal; we must outsmart them."

“Those Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Lei family can be used,” Fu Qingyun narrowed his eyes. “They can feign an attack on the eastern watchtower to draw the demons’ attention.”

Fu Qingyun added, "The defensive array on the west cliff looks the weakest; I can lead a team to break through from there."

Fu Changlei nodded, his finger pausing on a shadowy spot behind the altar in the image: "The high priest will undoubtedly be guarding the front of the altar. The three of us will attack from behind. Qingyun will disrupt the priests' incantations, Qingyun will deal with the nearest priests, and I'll handle the high priest."

"But those patrolling demon warriors..." Fu Qingyun frowned.

Fu Changlei took out three talismans glowing with lightning from his robes: "I've prepared 'Thunderfire Talismans,' which can create chaos when detonated. Qingyun, how many 'Ice Soul Talismans' did you bring?"

"Twelve sheets are enough to temporarily freeze four priests."

“I have nine ‘Wind Blade Talismans’ here,” Fu Qingyun patted the talisman pouch at his waist. “They can remotely disrupt the priests’ positioning.”

The three then discussed in detail the timelines and contingency plans for each step. Outside the tent, night had fallen, and most of the monks in the camp had already rested, with only the occasional sound of patrolling footsteps.

"We'll act at midnight," Fu Changlei finally decided. "That's when the Yin energy is at its peak, and the demon priests will be fully focused on the ritual, their vigilance at its lowest."

Fu Qingyun put away the photo pod, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Uncle Changlei, what if... what if we fail?"

Fu Changlei remained silent for a moment, then took out a jade slip from his robes and handed it to Fu Qingyun: "This contains all my cultivation insights and secret techniques. If we don't return, you must ensure it doesn't fall into Li Wanhu's hands."

"Uncle Changlei!" Fu Qingyun called out urgently.

Fu Changlei raised his hand to stop him: "Just in case. What haven't we three, uncle and nephew, weathered? This time is no exception." He stood up, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Go prepare. We'll assemble at midnight."

...

...

Dark clouds hung like ink, pressing down and making it hard to breathe. Lei Peng's figure darted through the mountains and forests, each step leaving charred footprints on the withered leaves—the marks of the Lei family's unique "Thunder Step" pushed to its limit.

The photographic pod he carried burned his chest; it contained the death warrants for twenty-nine of his kin: deep within the canyon, thirteen Purple Mansion Demons were constructing an altar to summon the Demon Lord.

"We must get there before sunset." Lei Peng's throat tightened with the taste of blood, and the image of his cousin Lei Li gripping his hands tightly as he left flashed before his eyes: "Brother Peng, the lives of twenty-nine Lei family sons rest on your shoulders."

The cold wind of Black Crow Ridge brushed against Lei Peng's cheeks, yet he felt a surge of heat.

"Whoosh——"

A golden light grazed past his ear, and Lei Peng whirled around, the thunder talisman at his waist already clutched in his fingertips. Upon seeing who it was, his pupils constricted: "Commander Li?"

Li Wanhu emerged from behind the withered tree, his snow-white robes spotless, the jade pendant at his waist jingling. His face wore his usual warm smile, yet it sent chills down Lei Peng's spine.

"Isn't this Lei family's Xiao Peng?" Li Wanhu's voice was sweet as honey. "Didn't you go to the canyon on a mission? What are you doing here?"

"Commander, you are wise." He suppressed his panic and, in a moment of quick thinking, said, "Captain Fu ordered me to return to the city to replenish supplies, and that's how..."

"Replenishing supplies," Li Wanhu suddenly sighed, "Little Peng, do you know what I admire most about your Lei family?" Before anyone could answer, he answered himself, "It's this self-righteous cleverness."

Before he finished speaking, three golden beams shot out from his sleeves!

...

...

As midnight approached, the dark clouds above the canyon grew thicker and heavier, as if they would crush the entire mountain. Fu Changlei stood on a high point in the camp, gazing at the faint crimson light at the canyon entrance in the distance, his fingers unconsciously tracing the patterns on the Thunder Halberd.

“Uncle Chang Lei, Lei Peng hasn’t returned yet.” Fu Qingyun walked to his side, his voice very low.

Fu Changlei frowned slightly: "Time waits for no one; the altar could be completed at any moment. Proceed according to the original plan."

In the camp, more than thirty Lei family cultivators were ready to depart. Lei Li, his right leg wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage, was quietly instructing his clansmen on tactics. Upon seeing Fu Changlei approach, everyone bowed in unison.

"Everyone," Fu Changlei's gaze swept over each young face, "This battle is dangerous, but if we can destroy the altar, we can leave this hellish place of Zhenmo Pass. You can return to your families and focus on your cultivation to advance to the Purple Mansion realm!"

He didn't mention Lei Peng's absence, but a hint of worry flashed in Lei Li's eyes.

"The feint attack on the east flank will be led by Lei Li." Fu Changlei took out three Thunderfire Talismans and handed them to him. "Detonate them and retreat immediately. Do not linger in battle."

Lei Li nodded solemnly and carefully put the talisman away from his body.

Fu Qingyun had changed into a night-clothes outfit, with twelve Ice Soul Talismans hanging from his waist: "I've marked the magic array nodes on the west rock wall; I'll definitely break through them within half an hour."

Fu Changlei finally looked at Fu Qingyun. This usually taciturn nephew was wiping the strange short blade with a black cloth, and black mist was faintly flowing on the blade.

"action."

At Fu Changlei's command, the three teams of men vanished into the night like ghosts.
-
On the eastern side of the canyon, demon warriors patrolled back and forth atop three watchtowers. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky, striking the central watchtower squarely!

"Enemy attack!" Before the demon warrior's roar had even faded, two more bolts of lightning struck in quick succession. The watchtower collapsed with a deafening crash, and more than twenty Lei family cultivators burst forth from the dust and smoke, unleashing a torrential downpour of various lightning-based spells.

"Form the formation!" Lei Li shouted, and the Lei family cultivators immediately formed a triangular formation, with lightning flowing between them to create a lightning barrier. Demon warriors surged in from all directions, but were blocked by the lightning.

Seizing the opportunity, Lei Li hurled out the Thunderfire Talisman. The talisman burned in the air, transforming into three fire dragons that lunged towards the most densely packed area of ​​the demons.

"withdraw!"

Amidst the explosions, the Lei family cultivators quickly retreated. Just as Fu Changlei had predicted, most of the demon race's forces had been drawn to the east side.

Meanwhile, on the western cliff face, Fu Qingyun climbed silently like a gecko. He held an Ice Soul Talisman in his hand, aiming it at the intersection of the dark red patterns on the cliff.

"break!"

The moment the Ice Soul Talisman was applied, a thick layer of frost formed on the entire rock face. The defensive array emitted a piercing cracking sound, and the dark red patterns quickly faded. A glint flashed in Fu Qingyun's eyes, and with a flick of his sword finger, a cyan sword light sliced ​​a gap in the rock face like a swimming dragon.

"superior!"

Ten elite Lei family cultivators filed in through the gap.
-
At the altar, twelve priests of the Purple Palace chanted obscure incantations around it. The black crystal in the center of the altar had swelled to the size of a human head, and a hideous face appeared on its surface.

The high priest stood directly in front of the altar, the blood-red light on his horn connected to the crystal. Suddenly, he abruptly turned his head to the east: "Human ants, how dare you..."

Before he could finish speaking, a dark figure suddenly emerged from the shadows behind him! Fu Qingyun's short blade pierced straight into the high priest's back, the black mist on the blade writhing like a living thing.

"It's you again!" the high priest roared, his body surging with crimson light. But this time, the short blade pierced three inches into flesh, and black mist surged wildly into the wound!

The high priest let out a scream that was not human, and the blood-red light from his unicorn flared violently. The chanting of the twelve priests was abruptly interrupted, and the black crystal on the altar began to tremble erratically.

"Now!" Fu Changlei swooped down from the sky, his thunder halberd flashing with blinding purple light as it cleaved straight down at the altar!

"boom--!"

A thunderous roar erupted, instantly turning the three nearest priests into charred remains. But the remaining priests reacted swiftly, unleashing a torrent of demonic energy at the Purple Mansion level upon Fu Changlei.

Fu Changlei retreated rapidly, his thunder halberd drawing an arc in front of him: "Thunder Prison!"

Dozens of bolts of lightning descended from the sky, turning the area around the altar into a field of lightning. The two priests were unable to dodge in time and were struck by the lightning, convulsing and collapsing to the ground.

"Qingyun!" Fu Changlei shouted.

"Freeze for a Thousand Miles!" Fu Qingyun waved his sword, and twelve Ice Soul Talismans were activated simultaneously, unleashing an extreme chill that swept across the altar. The four priests had no time to defend themselves and were instantly frozen into ice sculptures.

The battle seemed to be developing in a favorable direction, but alarm bells were ringing in Fu Changlei's mind—although the high priest was being held back by Fu Qingyun, the fluctuations of the black crystal were becoming increasingly intense! "Not good, the ritual has to be completed ahead of schedule!" Fu Changlei gritted his teeth, biting his tongue hard and spitting a mouthful of blood onto the Thunder Halberd. The Thunder Halberd immediately shone with a brilliant purple light, and ancient thunder patterns appeared on its surface.

"Thunder roars through the heavens!"

A bolt of purple lightning, several times thicker than before, struck the black crystal. Cracks appeared on the crystal's surface, but it did not shatter. Instead, countless black tentacles emerged from it, reaching out to grab Fu Changlei!

Fu Changlei swung his halberd, severing several tentacles, but more tentacles surrounded him from all directions. Just as he was about to be entangled, a black shadow suddenly appeared, and Fu Qingyun's short blade severed the tentacles like black lightning.

"Qingyun?" Fu Changlei was surprised to find that Fu Qingyun's eyes had turned completely black, and there were faint black lines flowing under her skin.

"Uncle Changlei, hurry!" Fu Qingyun's voice was hoarse. "I can only suppress it for a moment!"

Without further hesitation, Fu Changlei poured all his spiritual power into the Thunder Halberd. One by one, the lightning patterns on the halberd lit up, until finally the entire halberd transformed into a pure bolt of lightning!
"boom!"

Lightning pierced through the black crystal, and the altar shattered with a deafening roar! The violent energy shockwave blasted everything within a hundred feet away. Fu Changlei was thrown dozens of feet by the shockwave, crashing heavily to the ground, coughing up blood.

When he struggled to get up, what he saw was a scene that terrified him—Fu Qingyun was pierced through the chest by the high priest's horn, and although the black crystal was broken, it turned into countless black wisps that surged into Fu Qingyun's body!
"Qingyun!" Fu Qingyun rushed in from the west, his eyes wide with rage.

Fu Qingyun smiled eerily, grasping the high priest's horn, his voice becoming inhumanly low: "You've been tricked."

Black patterns erupted from Fu Qingyun's body, instantly covering the high priest's entire body like a spider web. The high priest let out a terrified scream, and his three-meter-tall body visibly withered away!

"This is... a Demon-Devouring Body?!" a surviving priest cried out in terror. "Run!"

But it was too late.

Black lines, as if alive, crisscrossed Fu Qingyun's body. He hovered above the altar ruins, his long hair moving without wind. The high priest's three-meter-tall body had withered like a dead tree, while the other Purple Mansion priests seemed to be pulled by invisible threads, crashing into Fu Qingyun one after another.

"ah--!"

Amidst screams, the demonic energy within the priests was forcibly extracted, transforming into twelve purplish-black torrents that surged into Fu Qingyun's seven orifices. With each priest he absorbed, a wave of energy exploded around Fu Qingyun, and his cultivation level surged at a visible speed!

"Early stage of Purple Mansion, mid-to-late stage." Fu Qingyun struggled to his feet, leaning on his sword, his pupils contracting sharply. He saw ancient demonic patterns emerging beneath his cousin's skin, those patterns greedily devouring the demonic energy filling the sky.

As the last priest fell, his body desiccated, the demonic clouds above the canyon suddenly began to swirl, forming a vortex a thousand feet in diameter. A crimson beam of light descended from the sky, piercing straight into Fu Qingyun's crown chakra!
"boom--!"

The shockwave sent rubble flying over a radius of a hundred feet, forcing Fu Changlei to plunge his thunder halberd into the ground to steady himself. When the dust settled, everyone witnessed a scene that terrified them—

Fu Qingyun stood in mid-air, surrounded by a storm of purple and black spiritual energy. He slowly opened his eyes, his pupils now transformed into eerie vertical slits, and demonic markings similar to those of the High Priest appeared on his forehead. Most terrifying was the oppressive aura emanating from him; it had clearly reached the peak of the Purple Mansion realm, just one step away from forming his core!
“Qingyun.” Fu Changlei’s voice trembled, and the lightning halberd “Zihuang” in his hand unconsciously lit up with lightning.

The suspended figure seemed to hear the call, its vertical pupils shifting slightly. In that instant, Fu Qingyun suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, his demonic runes flashing violently. He plummeted from the sky like a kite with a broken string, only to be caught by Fu Qingyun who flew to his aid.

"He's fainted." Fu Qingyun checked his pulse, his expression changing drastically. "The spiritual energy within him is as chaotic as a rampaging thunder beast!"

The scene was deathly silent.

The fourteen surviving Lei family cultivators exchanged bewildered glances. Some unconsciously retreated, while others gripped their weapons tightly. Lei Li, dragging his broken leg, quietly aimed the recording pod at the unconscious Fu Qingyun—the runes on the pod's surface were silently recording everything.

"Brother Li," Lei Yun quickly transmitted his voice, "just now... what Fu Qingyun used... could it be..."

“The Demon-Devouring Technique.” A glint flashed in Lei Li’s eyes. “That’s a forbidden demonic art! I’ve seen it recorded in our family’s records! If we report this to the Suppressing World Division, the Fu family’s crime of colluding with the demons will be confirmed, and the Fu family’s downfall will be imminent!”

The Lei family members exchanged glances.

The fear in Fu Qingyun's eyes turned into a strange kind of fanaticism—the look of a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood.

The atmosphere changes in an instant.

Fu Qingyun clearly noticed it as well, and his longsword twitched slightly.

"Qingyun." Fu Changlei pressed down on his nephew's shoulder, his voice eerily calm. "Go check on Qingyun's injuries." He then untied a storage pouch from his waist and tossed it to Lei Li. "Here are twelve bottles of third-tier spirit pills, fifty thunder talismans, and a considerable amount of spirit stones and other cultivation resources. Considering we've fought side-by-side for so many years, drink the Forget-Me-Not Water and completely forget what happened today."

The Lei family cultivators' eyes lit up.

Look at each other.

Lei Li did not accept the storage bag: "Captain Fu, you are too kind. We brothers will naturally not reveal a word of what happened today to anyone else."

talking.

He quickly gave the remaining brothers a wink:

"Escape!"

"Humph"

Fu Changlei suddenly laughed.

He slowly took out a bronze mask from his robes, the mask bearing a half-smile. "You Lei family, you really are all ungrateful wretches."

The moment the mask was placed on his face, Fu Changlei's aura changed abruptly.

"Hidden Sect. The Mask?!" Lei Li's face turned ashen. "You're a Hidden Sect assassin?"

“You guessed right.” Fu Changlei’s voice came through the mask, echoing with a metallic chill. He reached out and grasped, and the image-recording pod in Lei Li’s hand suddenly shattered into pieces. “Too bad there’s no prize.”

"Form the array!" Lei Li roared in despair. The remaining thirteen Lei family cultivators instinctively formed a lightning array, but it was too late.

Fu Changlei's figure flashed into the formation like a ghost, and the Thunder Halberd "Purple Radiance" displayed its full power for the first time—where the halberd blade passed, even the space itself showed subtle cracks. When the first cultivator's head flew off, disbelief was still in his eyes.

"Run! Split up and run!" Lei Li dragged his broken leg and retreated frantically, only to find that Fu Qingyun had blocked the retreat route at some point, with ice and fire intertwined on the blade of his sword.

The massacre lasted only a short time. When the last Lei family cultivator was pierced through the chest by a thunder halberd, Fu Changlei removed his mask, his face ashen. Blood seeped from the edge of the mask—the backlash from forcibly increasing his cultivation had begun.

"Uncle Changlei!" Fu Qingyun hurriedly helped the swaying elder.

Fu Changlei waved his hand, took out a purple talisman, and slammed it on the ground. The talisman ignited with a ghostly blue flame, rapidly engulfing the corpses scattered on the ground. "Inspect the battlefield. Leave no survivors."

Fu Qingyun suppressed his discomfort and rummaged through the charred remains. When he pried open Lei Li's tightly clenched right hand, his pupils suddenly contracted—a miniature image-recording bead was hidden in his palm!

"As expected, they had a backup plan." Fu Changlei sneered, crushing the bead in his hand. "The Lei family hasn't learned much from Zhenmo Pass these past few years, but they have certainly learned plenty of scheming and trickery."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly coughed violently, black blood seeping from between his fingers. Only then did Fu Qingyun notice that his uncle had three deep, bone-revealing claw marks on his back, the wounds tinged with an eerie purple.

"Demon poison?!"

"It's alright." Fu Changlei swallowed a pill and looked at the unconscious Fu Qingyun. "Take care of Qingyun's problem first."

Fu Qingyun was now placed on a flat rock. The demonic runes around his body had faded, but a blood-red vertical mark had appeared between his brows. Fu Qingyun had barely touched his wrist when she recoiled from the heat: "Such domineering demonic energy!"

Fu Changlei hesitated for a moment, then suddenly slit his wrist and dripped the blood onto Fu Qingyun's brow. The moment the blood touched the skin, it was completely absorbed by the vertical cut!
"As expected," Fu Changlei said with a complicated expression, "the ancient demonic vine within Qingyun's body has fully awakened."

Fu Qingyun gasped, "Then wouldn't that mean..."

"This matter must not be known to a fourth person." Fu Changlei's eyes were sharp as knives. "Qingyun, go to the east side of the canyon and fabricate evidence of a battle. Remember, make it look like we went through a fierce and bloody battle, and that the Lei family cultivators died heroically. After you've cleaned up the battlefield, you also drink a bottle of Forget-Me-Not Water."

"That Qingyun"

“I’ll handle this.” Fu Changlei took out a bottle of Forget-Me-Not Water and fed it to Fu Qingyun. “Seal this memory of his first. When we return to the Great Zhou…” He suddenly sneered, “Li Wanhu has given us this great gift; we must properly ‘repay’ him.”

Li Wanhu leaned back on the soft couch in the private room on the third floor of Zuixianlou, toying with a jade wine cup in his hand. Outside the window, the sky over Zhenmoguan was shrouded in a gray haze, but inside the city, the revelry continued. Two dancers dressed in light gauze swayed gracefully to the music of the pipa, occasionally casting affectionate glances at him.

"Lord Li, this is newly brewed 'Forget-Me-Not Dew,' would you like to try some?" The madam of Zuixianlou smiled broadly and personally poured him the wine.

Li Wanhu wore his signature gentle smile, but his eyes were icy cold. He casually accepted the wine glass, his gaze sweeping over the amber liquid within, his thoughts already drifting to the Black Abyss Canyon. Judging by the time, the three from the Fu family should have already become sacrifices to the demons, and the Lei family's bunch of good-for-nothings should have perished with them as well.

"Sir?" the madam called softly when she saw him lost in thought.

Li Wanhu snapped out of his daze and was about to raise his cup when the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open. His trusted confidant, Zhang Jiu, rushed in, sweating profusely, abandoning all formalities: "My lord! Something terrible has happened!"

The pipa music stopped abruptly, and the dancers tactfully stepped aside. Li Wanhu frowned slightly, but remained composed: "What's the rush? Speak slowly."

Zhang Jiu swallowed hard and lowered his voice, saying, "Fu Changlei and the others are back!"

"What?" Li Wanhu's wine cup trembled slightly, spilling a few drops onto his brocade robe. He quickly composed himself and waved for everyone to leave. Once the door closed, his face instantly darkened: "Explain yourself!"

"Just received news that Fu Changlei and his two companions successfully destroyed the demon altar in the canyon! Although Fu Qingyun is unconscious, and Fu Changlei and Fu Qingyun are seriously injured, I heard they are not in mortal danger and have already entered the city!" Zhang Jiu's forehead was beaded with cold sweat. "Commander Chi personally came out to greet them, saying he wanted to recommend them for credit."

"Impossible!" Li Wanhu abruptly stood up, his sleeve flipping over the wine pot on the table. Amber liquid spread across the sandalwood surface, mirroring his surging rage. "I've seen the recording pods Lei Peng brought back. There were twelve Purple Mansion Demons in the canyon, the high priest being at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm! Of the three members of the Fu family, besides Fu Changlei, Fu Qingyun and Fu Qingyun are only at the early Purple Mansion stage. How could they possibly destroy the altar?!"

Zhang Jiu shrank back: "I don't know either, but that's the news. They supposedly used some secret method to launch a surprise attack while the demons were performing a ritual."

Li Wanhu's chest heaved violently, and a crack finally appeared in his refined mask. His meticulously planned scheme to kill by proxy not only failed to eliminate the three members of the Fu family, but instead allowed them to perform a great service, earning them the qualification to leave Zhenmo Pass early! Just thinking about Fu Changlei's calm face made him want to tear it to shreds.

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Li Wanhu's eyes. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Prepare the horses. I'm going to see Zhenyuan Zhenjun."

When Li Wanhu stepped into Zhenyuan Zhenjun's residence, he had already regained his humble and gentle demeanor. He respectfully bowed to Zhenjun, his face displaying just the right amount of surprise: "Having heard of Commandant Fu's great achievements, this junior has come to offer my congratulations."

Zhenyuan Zhenjun sat upright behind his jade table, his silver hair as white as snow, his eyes piercing. He glanced indifferently at Li Wanhu: "Commander Li is certainly well-informed."

"This concerns the safety of Zhenmo Pass, so naturally I'm paying close attention," Li Wanhu said with an unchanged smile. "However, I have some doubts. As far as I know, the demons in the canyon are powerful. How did Captain Fu and his men manage to..."

"You seem disappointed?" Zhenyuan Zhenjun suddenly interrupted him.

Li Wanhu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Your Majesty is wise, this junior is only worried that there might be a trap. The demons are cunning, what if Commander Fu and the others are controlled?"

“Enough.” Zhenyuan Zhenjun raised his hand to stop them. “The photographic pods that Fu Changlei brought back show that the altar has indeed been destroyed. As for how they did it,” he gave Li Wanhu a meaningful look, “everyone has secrets, don’t they?”

Cold sweat trickled down Li Wanhu's back; he felt as if the True Lord's gaze could pierce through his disguise. He forced a smile and said, "The True Lord is right. In that case, this junior will immediately go and prepare the rewards."

"No need," Zhenyuan Zhenjun said calmly. "Commander Chi has already made arrangements. Captain Fu and the others are seriously injured and will depart for Wuzhou to recuperate in three days."

Three days later! Li Wanhu inwardly cursed; time was too tight. But he didn't show it on his face, only respectfully replying, "This junior understands."

Upon leaving the True Lord's residence, Li Wanhu's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

When Commander Chi stepped into the medical clinic, the healers all stepped back and bowed, and even the seriously injured and bedridden cultivators struggled to get up.

"No need for formalities." Commander Chi raised his hand to indicate, and walked straight to the inner room where the three members of the Fu family were.

Fu Changlei had already sensed the presence and tried to get up to greet them, but Commander Chi pressed his shoulder down: "Lie down, you're badly injured this time."

Commander Chi's gaze swept over the three sickbeds: Fu Changlei had a blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his chest, his face was pale but his eyes were bright; Fu Qingyun's left arm was in a sling, and there were still several unhealed wounds on his face; Fu Qingyun, who was in the most serious condition, had his eyes closed, and there was a faint black aura between his brows.

"The True Lord has bestowed a reward." Commander Chi took out a sandalwood box from his bosom. The box was engraved with thunder patterns, and as soon as it appeared, a refreshing thunderous aura filled the room.

Fu Changlei's pupils contracted slightly as he felt a strong resonance between the items in the box and the lightning-attribute cultivation technique he was practicing.

Commander Chi opened the wooden box, and a beam of purple light shot out, illuminating the entire room. Inside the box lay a translucent purple fruit, its surface crackling with tiny electric currents.

"Purple Cloud Thunder Spirit Fruit?" Fu Qingyun exclaimed, then realized his mistake and quickly fell silent.

Commander Chi smiled slightly: "Young man, you have good insight. This is indeed a rare and precious treasure that can help Lei Xiu condense his Golden Core. The True Lord specially retrieved it from the treasure vault and bestowed it upon Captain Fu."

Fu Changlei's breathing hitched slightly. Such a spiritual object was practically priceless in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and even in the Demon Suppression Pass, it was a rare treasure. He struggled to sit up and accepted the wooden box with both hands: "Your subordinate thanks the True Lord for his generous gift."

“No need for thanks.” Commander Chi looked at him meaningfully. “The True Lord asked me to pass on a message—if Captain Fu is willing to stay at Demon Suppression Pass to break through to the Golden Core stage, once successful, he can personally vouch for you and recommend you as the new commander of Demon Suppression Pass.”

The room was completely silent; even Fu Qingyun's faint breathing could be heard clearly.

Fu Changlei's fingers tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white. He knew all too well what becoming a commander meant—not only would his status be equal to Li Wanhu's, but more importantly, the clansmen sent by the Fu family afterward would be directly under his protection and would no longer be subject to Li Wanhu's harassment.

“This…” Fu Changlei’s voice was hoarse, “I’m afraid…”

Commander Chi seemed to see through his concerns and continued, "You also know the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Every ten years, the Fu family must send a group of people to serve at Zhenmo Pass. If you leave, the next group will be newcomers, unfamiliar with the place and its people." He paused meaningfully, "Commander Li seems to be paying special 'attention' to your Fu family lately."

Upon hearing this, Fu Qingyun's eyes flashed with anger, but he was stopped by a look from Fu Changlei.

"Your subordinate understands Your Majesty's good intentions," Fu Changlei took a deep breath, "but..."

"Uncle Changlei!" Fu Qingyun suddenly spoke up, "I think we can stay!"

Commander Chi raised an eyebrow at the young man. Although Fu Qingyun's face was pale, his eyes were unusually firm: "Brother Qingyun needs to return to the clan for treatment, but we can stay. Firstly, it will increase our chances of obtaining a Core Formation spiritual item, and secondly..." He gritted his teeth, "it will also be good for receiving the next batch of clansmen."

Fu Changlei remained silent for a long time before turning his gaze to the unconscious Fu Qingyun. Others might not know, but he was well aware of what lurked within his nephew—that day in the canyon, Fu Qingyun hadn't used any secret technique at all, but rather released the ancient demonic vine that had been suppressed within him for many years. If he remained at the Demon Suppression Pass, the consequences would be unimaginable should the demonic energy erupt.

“Qingyun can stay,” Fu Changlei finally spoke, his voice low and firm, “but I must escort Qingyun back to his clan. He has old injuries that require special treatment.”

Commander Chi glanced thoughtfully at Fu Qingyun, seemingly sensing something, but said nothing. He rose and straightened his sleeves: "Three days. Consider it carefully. The spiritual fruit bestowed by the True Lord is best consumed at the Demon Suppression Pass. There is an excellent blessed land there, rich in thunderous spiritual energy, which will greatly benefit your breakthrough."

After Commander Chi left, Fu Qingyun lowered his voice impatiently, "Uncle Changlei! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Once you successfully form your core, Commander Li will never be able to..."

"Keep your voice down!" Fu Changlei shouted sharply, simultaneously casting a soundproof barrier. He wearily rubbed his temples. "You think I don't know this is an opportunity? But Qingyun's situation..."

“Uncle Changlei, if you are really worried about Qingyun, I can escort him back. Four years later, I will lead another group of clansmen into Zhenmo Pass. Until then, you should stay in Zhenmo Pass to cultivate and break through to the Golden Core stage, how about that?!”
-
Inside the private room of Zuixianlou, the wine cup in Li Wanhu's hand shattered with a "crack," and the fine wine dripped through his fingers.

"The Purple Heaven Thunder Spirit Fruit? The position of commander?" His voice was terrifyingly soft, yet his smile grew even more gentle. "True Lord Zhenyuan truly favors the Fu family."

Zhang Jiu knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head: "My lord, please calm your anger. Commander Chi also said that he would give Fu Changlei three days to consider."

“Consider?” Li Wanhu chuckled. “Of course he’ll stay. Who would let such an opportunity slip by?” He slowly rose, walked to the window, and gazed at the gloomy sky above Zhenmo Pass. “It seems the True Lord is determined to cultivate the Fu family to oppose me.”

"Sir, then what about us?"

Li Wanhu turned around, his refined expression returning. "Prepare a generous gift; I intend to personally visit Commandant Fu." A cold smile played on his lips. "Since the True Lord values ​​him so highly, I, as his superior, will naturally take good care of him."

(End of this chapter)