Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 638 Three Sects Join Forces, Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Spiritual Object, Breakthrough
Joyful Sect, Soul Palace.

Inside the dimly lit hall, only rows of life-soul lamps burned silently, their flickering flames reflecting the life force of each core disciple.

The Sixth Elder, who was in charge of guarding the Soul Hall, was originally drowsy and routinely glanced at the familiar lights.

Suddenly, his gaze froze.

Immediately afterwards, his body began to tremble uncontrollably, and his face turned deathly pale, as if he had witnessed the most terrifying sight in the world.

The life-soul lamps representing the four core pillars of the sect—Crimson Serpent Fairy, Mysterious Bone Venerable, Blood Dove Granny, and Gu Ying—swayed violently in a few breaths, and then, with four soft "poof poof poof poof" sounds, they went out completely almost simultaneously!

Four wisps of green smoke rose up, symbolizing the end of four powerful lives, and also the instantaneous collapse of the upper echelons of the Joyful Sect!

"No...no! This is impossible!" The Sixth Elder let out a mournful cry as if he were being choked, his whole body turned ice cold, and he felt as if the sky above his head had completely collapsed at this moment! He scrambled out of the Soul Palace, almost using both his hands and feet, and rushed towards the Sect Leader's Hall like a madman.

……

Inside the main hall of the sect leader.

Master Huanxi sat cross-legged on a futon, stroking a jade pendant that radiated a warm luster in his hand, with a hint of expectation and pride on his face.

Not long ago, he received a secret message from the Crimson Serpent Fairy, stating that she had located Fu Changsheng's whereabouts and laid a trap, guaranteeing that she would capture this fiend within five years and present him to him. He believed this without a doubt, after all, three fake infant elders had been dispatched, and they had brought that precious treasure...

The thought of that precious treasure made his heart tighten slightly, but it was quickly overshadowed by an even greater ambition. If he could capture Fu Changsheng, force him to reveal the secret of his rapid rise, and then present him with that treasure… the spiritual artifact that the Supreme Elder had promised to help him condense his Nascent Soul would practically be his for the taking!

At that time, he, Master Huanxi, will be able to leap to become a Nascent Soul cultivator, live for two thousand years, and dominate a region!
Just as he was immersed in his wonderful dreams.

"Sect Leader! Sect Leader! Something terrible has happened!" The Sixth Elder's panicked, tearful voice came from afar, accompanied by hurried, chaotic footsteps, abruptly shattering the tranquility of the hall.

Master Huanxi frowned, a hint of displeasure flashing across his face, and scolded, "What kind of behavior is this, all flustered and disorderly! Is the sky going to fall down?"

"It's collapsed! The sky has truly collapsed!" The Sixth Elder collapsed to the ground, disregarding etiquette, pointing in the direction of the Soul Hall, his voice trembling so much it was almost incoherent: "Chi Lian... Elder Xuan Gu, Elder Xue Jiu, Elder Gu Ying... they... their life-soul lamps... are all extinguished!"

"what?!"

Master Huanxi abruptly stood up, his aura erupting uncontrollably, shattering the jade table beside him! He grabbed the Sixth Elder by the collar, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and shouted sharply:

"Say it again?! Did you see that clearly?!"

"It's absolutely true! How could this disciple dare to speak falsely! Just now, the four life-soul lamps went out almost simultaneously!" The Sixth Elder was in tears, terrified beyond measure.

"Simultaneously extinguished..." Master Huanxi was struck as if by lightning. He staggered and let go of his hand, taking two steps back. His face was first filled with extreme shock and disbelief, and then an uncontrollable rage surged into his heart, causing the veins on his forehead to bulge.

"Idiots! A bunch of idiots! Useless trash!" He could no longer maintain his sect leader's dignity and cursed wildly, his voice distorted with rage. "Three fake Nascent Soul cultivators, carrying the 'Spirit-Sealing Box,' went to capture a mere Golden Core junior, and they were all wiped out?! How did they do that? Are they pigs?!"

He was so angry that he was trembling all over, and his chest was heaving violently.

However, after the outburst of rage, a deeper, colder panic gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

He remembered that priceless treasure—the Spirit-Locking Box!

That was one of the sect's most valuable assets, which he had temporarily "borrowed" from the Supreme Elder, who was in seclusion for many years, under the pretext of capturing Fu Changsheng and uncovering his secrets, in order to ensure the plan would go perfectly! It was a true spiritual treasure!

Now that the person is dead, what about the treasures?

It must have fallen into Fu Changsheng's hands!

The thought of the Supreme Elder's wrath upon learning of this matter after his seclusion sent a chill down Huanxi's spine!
The position of sect leader is in jeopardy!

More importantly, the spiritual artifact that the Supreme Elder promised to help him condense his nascent soul, which was crucial to his future path, would surely vanish into thin air!

"Fu Changsheng! You little beast! You ruined my plans! You stole my opportunity! I will never let you get away with this!"

He took a deep breath, and the last message that the Crimson Serpent Fairy had sent back flashed through his mind: "Five years later, the three major tribes will join forces to attack the Fu family's Shuiyun Cave in Huixi County."

“Water Cloud Cave Heaven…” A glint flashed in the eyes of Master Huanxi.

A bold and crazy plan quickly took shape in his mind.

"Sixth Brother." His voice regained its usual authority.

"Disciple is here!" the Sixth Elder replied hastily, still feeling uneasy.

"Issue my secret order to secretly mobilize all available forces within the sect, especially elders and true disciples at the late Golden Core stage, and keep them on standby at all times. At the same time, closely monitor the movements of the three major tribes in the Eastern Wilderness to confirm whether their Great Wilderness Sacrifice and subsequent plans to attack Shuiyun Cave Heaven proceed as scheduled."

"Sect Leader, you mean..." The Sixth Elder's face paled again upon hearing this, "But...but if we want to attack the Fu family, we must pass through the Great Wall's defenses! Last time we..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Last time they tried to infiltrate the Eastern Wilderness, they suffered a great loss at the hands of the Great Border Defense Army. That border general was incredibly powerful and not someone to be trifled with.

"Hmph, my Joyful Sect alone is naturally unable to cross that defense line." Venerable Joyful snorted coldly, a calculating smile curving his lips. "But what if it's not just us?"

He paced to the window, gazing in the direction of Qiuyue Nunnery and Wanling Gate, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"The Fu family has risen too quickly, occupying such a precious place as Shuiyun Cave, and has repeatedly clashed with us. Do you really think Qiuyue Nunnery and Wanling Sect can just sit idly by? They just lack an opportunity and enough incentive to get things done."

"Does the sect leader mean... to unite with them?" The Sixth Elder suddenly realized, but was still worried. "But the nuns at Qiuyue Nunnery have always considered themselves aloof, and Wanling Sect has no enmity with the Fu family. Why would they easily make a move?"

Master Huanxi chuckled.
"The Fu family possesses the Shuiyun Cave Heaven and is developing rapidly. Given time, will there still be a place for the two families in Yunshan County and even the wider region? This is the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'!"

He paused, then offered the most tempting bait:
"Send a message to Abbess Jingnian of Qiuyue Nunnery and Master Wanshou of Wanling Sect, saying that my Huanxi Sect is willing to conspire with them on a great undertaking, the target of which is the Shuiyun Cave Heaven of the Fu family in Huixi County! After the matter is accomplished, the cave heaven and blessed land will be divided among the three families! In addition, the wealth, cultivation techniques and secrets accumulated by the Fu family over the years will also be shared!"

"Three families sharing the Water Cloud Grotto-Heaven?!" The Sixth Elder gasped, shocked by the sect leader's grand gesture. This was a true blessed land, enough to greatly enhance the foundation of any sect!
“That’s right!” Master Huanxi said decisively, his eyes gleaming with a determined light. “In addition, with the three major tribes of the Eastern Wilderness launching an attack from the other side, our six forces will be able to attack from both inside and outside! No matter how powerful Fu Changsheng is, or how strong the Fu family’s formation is, it will be extremely difficult for him to withstand it!”

The more he talked about it, the more he felt the plan was feasible.

"You must personally handle this matter immediately and persuade Abbess Jingnian and Master Wanshou! Tell them that this is a golden opportunity that will not come again! If we wait until the Fu family becomes too powerful, we will all become fish on their chopping block!"

"Yes! Sect Leader! This disciple will do his utmost!" The Sixth Elder was also stirred by this grand plan. If it succeeded, he would also be a hero!

Watching the Sixth Elder leave to receive his orders, Venerable Huanxi stood with his hands behind his back, his face regaining its usual gloom and scheming expression.

"Fu Changsheng... let's see how you escape this inescapable net this time!"

...

...

Eastern Wilderness, Elephant Head Mountain
As the souls of the three elders of the Joyful Sect were absorbed into the Netherworld Heavenly Dragon Temple, the violent energy fluctuations within the stone chamber gradually subsided.

In the corner, the air distorted, and the concealment formation that had blended into the rock quietly dissipated, revealing the figures of Master Yu and Qiu Niang.

"Master! You are truly amazing! The three Nascent Soul cultivators and that Crimson Serpent Fairy, you actually... you actually dealt with them all so cleanly and efficiently!"

She witnessed firsthand how Fu Changsheng used puppets and the Illusionary Breath Gu to set a trap, how he secretly attacked and killed the Crimson Serpent Fairy, and how he impersonated her to launch a fatal backstab when the three elders were most relaxed. The entire process was meticulously planned, precise, ruthless, and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

This was not merely a crushing defeat in strength, but a perfect display of intellect and strategy. Thinking that the person before her was her sworn master, Qiu Niang couldn't help but feel a surge of pride and honor.

Master Yu did not speak immediately.

He carried the vermilion wine gourd that he seemed to never part with, and slowly strolled forward. His seemingly sleepy old eyes were now gleaming, and he looked Fu Changsheng up and down with a very complicated expression.

Shock, relief, and emotion all culminated in a long sigh, tinged with disbelief:
"Hey...good lad, really good lad!"

He took a swig of wine, shook his head, and sighed:

"I still remember the first time I saw you in that small market town in Yunshan County. You were just a little guy in the early stage of Qi Refining, running around for a few spirit stones, but your eyes showed a tenacious spirit that refused to admit defeat."

"All told, it's only been about two hundred years, right?" Master Yu held up two fingers and waved them in the air. "You've actually reached this level! The ninth level of the Golden Core stage, killing fake Nascent Souls like cutting melons and vegetables... This level of cultivation and these combat skills are far beyond what I've seen in the past, even among the true disciples of those great sects!"

"Given time, once you successfully condense your Nascent Soul..." Master Yu's tone became extremely solemn, "Young Changsheng, your future is truly limitless! I'm afraid even this small Tiannan cultivation world might not be able to accommodate a true dragon like you!"

His words were not empty praise, but a judgment from the bottom of his heart.

Fu Changsheng's potential has far exceeded his expectations.

"Uncle Yu, you flatter me."

Fu Changsheng turned his gaze to the guardian beast, which was still bound by the silver chains of the [Spirit Locking Box] and was constantly growling and struggling, as well as to the place where a faint light was coming from deeper in the stone chamber.

"Right now, let's deal with this guardian beast first, and then explore the mysteries deep within this barrier."

……

With a slight thought, Fu Changsheng's consciousness sank into the mysterious temple space within his body—the Netherworld Heavenly Dragon Temple.

The interior of the temple remained empty and solemn. On the stone walls on both sides, four newly added twisted bas-reliefs stood out. They were the souls of the Crimson Serpent Fairy, the Mysterious Bone Master, the Blood Dove Granny, and Gu Ying. Their faces were contorted with pain and resentment, yet they could not utter a sound.

"Autumn Cicada, extract their memories of the manipulation techniques for the [Spirit Locking Box]," Fu Changsheng instructed the temple spirit.

However, a moment later, the information Qiu Chan provided made him frown slightly.

"Master, we have extracted most of the fragments of the four people's memories, but the part about how to specifically control the 'Spirit Locking Box' seems to be protected or erased by some kind of powerful restriction. The key information is completely blank and cannot be read."

Fu Changsheng withdrew his consciousness from the Netherworld and informed the Grandmaster and Qiu Niang of the situation.

"Just as I expected." Master Yu was not surprised by this. Holding his wine gourd, he said, "For such a powerful artifact of spiritual treasure level, the sect would definitely set up a soul restriction to prevent the core techniques from leaking out. It seems that trying to obtain the method of control from their souls will not work."

He walked to the dark gold box that was suspended in mid-air, still radiating the silver chains that bound the guardian beast, and carefully sensed it. His expression gradually became serious.

"Young man of longevity, there's an even more troublesome problem. Inside this box lies an extremely subtle yet incredibly resilient divine imprint, its aura... already reaching the Nascent Soul level! It was probably left behind by that Supreme Elder of the Joyful Sect!"

Master Yu looked at Fu Changsheng, his tone heavy:
“With this mark present, it is impossible to erase unless one’s spiritual sense surpasses that of the caster. This also means that we cannot truly refine this treasure, let alone activate it. Moreover, as long as this treasure remains outside, that Supreme Elder can probably sense its approximate location based on this mark!”

It's unusable and a hot potato, as its location could be exposed at any time, attracting the pursuit of Nascent Soul stage monsters!

Upon hearing this, Qiu Niang's pretty face also showed worry: "Master, this..."

Fu Changsheng's gaze swept over the struggling, growling guardian beast and the imprisoned spiritual treasure, but his eyes remained calm.

"It doesn't matter, I have my own way."

Under the slightly puzzled gazes of Grandmaster Yu and Qiu Niang, Fu Changsheng first waved his hand and cast a collection spell. The huge body of the guardian beast, which was wrapped in silver chains, quickly shrank and turned into a stream of light, seemingly being put into an ordinary spirit beast bag.

However, just as the guardian beast disappeared into the "spirit beast bag," Fu Changsheng's thoughts quietly stirred.

The shrunken guardian beast did not enter any storage artifact, but was directly transferred by him into the mysterious [Five Elements Space] within his body!
……

at the same time
Deep within the Joyful Sect, countless miles away, in a secret chamber filled with restrictions.

An elderly man, sitting cross-legged and shrouded in a hazy glow, suddenly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

"Huh? The imprint... has disappeared? How is that possible?!"

He clearly felt that the Nascent Soul Divine Consciousness Imprint he left in the [Spirit Locking Box] was completely isolated and shielded just now, and even... it was as if it had been completely erased from this world, and he could no longer sense it at all!

"What kind of method could possibly sever my divine sense's tracking?!" The old man's expression shifted rapidly, his heart filled with astonishment. He had never encountered such a situation in nearly a thousand years of cultivation!

……

Inside the stone chamber of Elephant Head Mountain.

Master Yu vaguely sensed that the aura of the spiritual treasure had completely vanished. It wasn't the isolation of an ordinary storage artifact, but a more fundamental and thorough "disappearance." He looked at Fu Changsheng in surprise:
"Kid, how...how did you do that? That mark..."

Fu Changsheng smiled calmly, without explaining in detail, and simply said:

"Uncle Yu, don't worry, that mark can no longer cause trouble. As for the method of control, since we can't obtain it from the soul, we can think of another way. We will eventually find a way to control this treasure."

Master Yu gave Fu Changsheng a deep look, his heart filled with even greater shock.

He found himself increasingly unable to understand this little guy he had watched grow up. This method, capable of completely severing the connection between a nascent soul and divine sense, was unheard of!

He laughed heartily, suppressing his surprise and doubt, and took a swig of wine:
"Good! Since you have such skills, I'm relieved! Let's go see what other treasures are hidden deep within this barrier!"

Fu Changsheng nodded slightly, and with a thought, left the Chaos Beast and the Skeleton Demon Vine at the entrance of the passage to keep watch. Then, he, along with Master Yu and Qiu Niang, headed towards the source of the light deep inside the passage.

After passing through a not-too-long passage, the view suddenly opened up before me.

What came into view was not the narrow stone chamber one might have imagined, but an extremely spacious underground space.

Looking around, all that could be seen was a continuous stretch of palace ruins!
Most of these palaces have collapsed, and the ruins are covered with unknown glowing moss, providing a faint light source.

Although it was dilapidated, the spiritual energy permeating the entire space was astonishingly rich, even several times purer than at the entrance of the barrier earlier, and one could feel their magical power subtly increasing with each breath.

"Such rich spiritual energy! This ruin is quite large. It seems that in ancient times, this place must have been an important stronghold or the cave of some powerful being." Master Yu looked around, his eyes showing interest.

Fu Changsheng spread his divine sense, attempting to scan the entire ruins, but found that many areas were blocked by the remaining, seemingly broken but still functioning restrictions, making it difficult for his divine sense to penetrate deeply.

A thought came to my mind.

A beam of white light flashed from his body, landed on the ground, and transformed into a fox that was entirely white except for strange blue markings on its face.

"Xiao Bai, see if there are any valuable spiritual items here," Fu Changsheng instructed.

The blue-faced white fox affectionately rubbed against Fu Changsheng's trouser leg, then stood up on its hind legs. A faint blue light suddenly shone in its bright fox eyes, scanning the ruins in front of it like two searchlights.

After a while.

The blue-faced white fox let out a light, low whistle, transformed into a white shadow, and darted towards a cave deep within the ruins that appeared to be completely collapsed and mostly buried by huge rocks.

Fu Changsheng and the other two followed closely behind.

Upon closer inspection, the cave's exterior structure was severely damaged, but the interior seemed to still contain space that hadn't been completely crushed. The blue-faced white fox stopped before several overlapping boulders, its paws pointing into the depths of a crevice, emitting urgent cries, clearly sensing something extraordinary within.

“There’s something inside. The spiritual energy is very strong, and it’s protected by a barrier,” Qiu Niang confirmed after sensing it.

"Let this old man take a look."

Master Yu stepped forward, observed the structure of the boulder and the remaining restriction patterns, then made a hand seal, and a soft spiritual light shot out, skillfully dismantling several key restriction nodes like a butcher dissecting an ox, and moving several non-load-bearing boulders to reveal a gap that could allow a person to pass through.

Behind the gap was a small stone chamber that barely maintained its shape.

In the center of the stone chamber, a miniature ancient array was set up, emitting faint sealing fluctuations—this was the [Spirit Sealing Barrier]. Within the barrier, a spiritual herb grew quietly.

It is about a foot tall, with a vibrant green color. Its leaves are like carved jade, with a misty, ethereal light flowing through their veins. At the top of its stem grows a crystal-clear silver fruit the size of a longan, which emits a refreshing fragrance that is so pleasant that just a whiff of it can clear one's mind and spirit.

What is even more striking is.

This spiritual herb is surrounded by a tangible aura of spiritual energy, a phenomenon that only occurs when the spiritual energy is extremely concentrated and restrained after it has been around for over ten thousand years!
"Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit-Nourishing Grass!"

Master Yu recognized the item at a glance, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement:
"And it's a fully mature form that's about to condense into a 'Spirit-Nourishing Fruit'! Haha, heaven is on my side! With this, and a few other auxiliary ingredients, I can start refining the 'Spirit-Nourishing Pill'!"

At that time, it is not an empty promise that one can briefly unleash the combat power of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator!
"Congratulations, Uncle Yu!" Fu Changsheng was also happy for Master Yu. "Qiu Niang, you and Uncle Yu should focus on breaking this spirit barrier and collecting the spirit herbs. Xiao Bai, let's continue searching and see what other opportunities there are in this place."

Master Yu cautioned Fu Changsheng to be careful.

He then focused intently on studying the spirit-sealing barrier, preparing to break it in the safest way possible to avoid damaging the ancient spirit-nourishing grass inside.

...

...

The blue-faced white fox's eyes gleamed with blue light, constantly guiding the way.

They entered several relatively well-preserved side halls or collapsed caves.

In a dusty corner of what appeared to be a former alchemy room, the blue-faced white fox rummaged through a pile of long-lost medicinal dregs and rotten wooden shelves and pulled out a jade box protected by a restriction.

Fu Changsheng broke through the restriction, revealing three golden pills, each the size of a longan, with natural cloud patterns on their surface and radiating a powerful aura.

"A fifth-grade pill, the Dragon Elephant Bone Tempering Pill!" Fu Changsheng recognized the pill as a precious pill that body cultivators dreamed of for tempering their bones and muscles and enhancing their physical strength, which was perfect for Fu Yongren.

Subsequently.

They discovered a box made of a special metal in the lower level of a ruin resembling a library, containing several jade slips of a unique material.

One of the jade slips did not record a cultivation technique, but rather a method for crafting a technique called the "Minor Void Teleportation Talisman." Although it was only a fragment, it involved the principles of space and was of immeasurable value.

The other one recorded the idea of ​​making an ancient puppet. Although it was incomplete, it gave Fu Changsheng a lot of inspiration, and he felt that he could give it to Fu Molan to study.

then.

In the ruins of a spiritual plant garden, they found several rare spiritual herbs that had long since disappeared from the outside world. Although they were not as old as the ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb, they were still essential ingredients for refining various high-level pills.

Just as Fu Changsheng finished taking over the Spirit Plant Garden.

The blue-faced white fox ahead suddenly became unusually excited, increased its speed, and rushed towards the deepest part of the ruins, which was also the best-preserved main hall.

Fu Changsheng's eyes narrowed, and he immediately followed.

Although the main hall also appeared dilapidated, with numerous cracks in the walls, its overall structure had not collapsed. The hall doors were tightly closed, covered with a thick layer of luminous dust, and faint, powerful fluctuations of protective energy emanated from them.

This restriction is more complete and powerful than any we've encountered before.

He did not act rashly, but first had the blue-faced white fox try to find the weak point of the restriction, while he himself carefully probed out with his divine sense to analyze the structure and energy flow of the restriction.

After a moment, he made up his mind.

With fingers held together like a sword, magical power gathered at the fingertips. It was not a forceful attack, but rather like a butterfly flitting among flowers, gently touching several key points of the palace gate's restrictions. The magical power penetrated in with a unique vibrational frequency.

hum!
The protective light barrier on the palace gate fluctuated violently, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread.

After a few breaths, the light screen flickered a few times and then suddenly disappeared!

"Success!" A hint of joy flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes.

He took a deep breath and gently pushed open the heavy palace door.

As the scene inside the hall came into view, the first thing one felt was an even purer, almost liquid, rich spiritual energy! In the center of the hall, instead of the throne or statue one might have imagined, there was a pool about ten feet square.

The pool was not filled with clear water, but rather with a viscous liquid that shimmered with iridescent colors, emanating a rich vitality and spiritual energy!

"This is... a seven-colored stalactite?!"

Fu Changsheng recognized this item as a rare treasure formed over countless millennia by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It possessed miraculous effects such as cleansing the marrow, nourishing the soul, and purifying magical power; a single drop was priceless! And here, there was an entire pool of it!
However, his gaze was soon drawn to something in the center of the pool.

At the very center of the cluster of colorful stalactites, something floats suspended.

It was neither a living thing nor a pill, but an egg about the size of a fist, perfectly round, and of a chaotic color...?

The eggshell is covered with naturally formed, complex, and mysterious patterns, as if it contains the ultimate truths of heaven and earth. It floats quietly above the colorful stalactites, rising and falling slightly, like breathing, constantly absorbing the essence of the pool.

Upon seeing this creature, the blue-faced white fox was so excited that its fur stood on end, yet it dared not approach. Instead, it lay prostrate on the ground, emitting a low growl of awe.

Fu Changsheng could clearly sense that this mysterious "egg" contained an unimaginable, vast, and ancient source of life! Its grade far surpassed any spiritual object he had obtained before, and might even be no less than that Nascent Soul level guardian beast!
"What kind of ancient spirit beast egg is this?"

Fu Changsheng suppressed his excitement and glanced at the pool full of colorful stalactites.

Such rare treasures of nature should not be missed.

He flipped his hand and took out several high-quality jade bottles. These jade bottles were engraved with spirit-sealing array patterns and were specially used to hold top-grade spiritual liquids.

He carefully aimed the bottle opening at the seven-colored stalactite in the pool, and with a slight channeling of his magic, a stream of seven-colored light flowed slowly into the jade bottle as if drawn by a force.

However, just as the spirit milk left the pool...

Fu Changsheng keenly sensed that the spiritual energy and vitality emanating from these spiritual milks seemed weaker than expected. He carefully probed the pool with his divine sense and was astonished to discover that the essence of the spiritual milks in the pool was being continuously absorbed by the chaotic-colored egg in the center, like a trickle of water!

It is precisely because of the egg's long-term absorption that the medicinal effects of this pool of colorful stalactites, which should have been brimming with spiritual energy, have been greatly reduced. Although it is still precious, it is far from reaching its peak state.

"It seems that the core of this place is not this pool of spiritual milk, but this unknown spiritual egg."

Collect all the remaining colorful stalactites in the pool, whose medicinal effects have been reduced by nearly half.

Fu Changsheng's gaze was completely fixed on the chaotic-colored egg.

A thought came to my mind.

The strange spirit egg was sent directly into the [Five Elements Space].

hum!
The moment the spirit egg entered the Five Elements Space.

He vaguely sensed that the dormant will inside the spirit egg seemed to fluctuate slightly before falling into an even deeper slumber.

……

Fu Changsheng led the blue-faced white fox out of the main hall, but did not return immediately. Instead, he continued to explore the ruins.

Behind the main hall, a side hall connected by a dilapidated corridor was discovered.

As soon as he stepped into the side hall, the scene before him made Fu Changsheng's gaze freeze.

This is no side hall at all; it's clearly a strange swampy area!

However, what surged in this swamp was not muddy water, but countless dazzling silver lightning arcs!
Sizzle—Boom!

Lightning bolts darted and exploded across the swamp's surface like snakes, filling the air with a violent aura of thunder, several times more intense than the Golden Core tribulation that Fu Changsheng had once experienced!
The entire space was illuminated by a bright glow.

"This place... has actually evolved into a lightning swamp?"

Fu Changsheng was astonished, wondering whether it was a remnant of an ancient powerful being's formation or a result of geological and spiritual changes in the area.

But this pure and powerful thunderous energy was a rare opportunity for him!

A thought came to my mind.

A streak of purple-gold light flew out from his body and hovered in front of him!
At this moment, the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear seemed to sense the same but more violent power from the outside world. The spear trembled slightly and emitted an excited hum, with purple-gold lightning leaping at the tip.

"go with!"

Fu Changsheng pointed to one point.

The Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear transformed into a streak of purple-gold lightning, which shot violently into the lightning swamp!
Boom!

Like a drop of water falling into boiling oil, the entire Thunder Swamp instantly boiled!
Countless thick silver bolts of lightning, as if provoked or encountering a king, surged wildly toward the Heavenly Punishment Lightning Spear!

The Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear accepted all attacks without hesitation. The mysterious lightning patterns on its blade lit up, like tiny vortexes greedily devouring the surging pure lightning power. The purplish-gold spear visibly deepened and solidified, its destructive aura rising steadily!
This process lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

When the lightning power in the lightning swamp became noticeably thinner and the lightning was no longer so dazzling, the Heavenly Punishment Lightning Spear, which was suspended above the swamp, suddenly burst out with a dazzling light!
A terrifying pressure far exceeding anything seen before swept outwards. On the spear, purple-gold lightning condensed as if it were solid, and fine law runes faintly flowed and disappeared within the lightning!
Om-!
A clear, resonant spear rang out across the ruins, the sound waves rippling through the air.

The Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear transformed into a streak of light and flew back into Fu Changsheng's hand.

The moment Fu Changsheng grasped the Thunder Spear, he felt the immense power contained within it, as well as the awe-inspiring will that seemed to be able to punish evil and destroy falsehoods on behalf of Heaven!

Its rank jumped to—

Fifth-grade superior spiritual treasure!

Fu Changsheng smiled with satisfaction.

"Hey, this is..."

The mist that had enveloped the swamp dissipated.

In the center of the swamp, the place that was originally completely covered by the violent lightning now revealed its true form.

It was a bamboo about three feet tall, its entire body a dark gold color. The bamboo was straight, with distinct segments, and its surface flowed with a restrained and profound metallic luster, with faint, lingering sparks of electricity dancing between the bamboo's veins.

"Eternal Golden Thunder Bamboo!"

A look of surprise flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes.

He had seen descriptions of this object in ancient books. This bamboo was no ordinary plant; it was a rare treasure of heaven and earth that could only be nurtured in an extremely pure thunder environment over tens of thousands of years! It was a top-grade thunder-attribute refining material and a coveted item for refining thunder-type magic weapons!

"I never imagined that the core of this Thunder Swamp wasn't formed naturally, but rather because of this ancient Golden Thunder Bamboo! It was this bamboo that attracted and gathered the lightning here, thus forming this desolate place!"

His natal magic weapon, the Lotus Lantern, is made of various rare spiritual woods and possesses both protective and purifying abilities.

If this ancient golden thunder bamboo can be perfectly integrated into it, it will not only greatly enhance the toughness of the Lotus Lantern, but also imbue it with a trace of heavenly punishment thunder power, making it both offensive and defensive. Its power will surely undergo a qualitative leap, and there is even a great chance that it can take this opportunity to break through the bottleneck and advance to the level of a spiritual treasure!
With the opportunity right in front of him, Fu Changsheng naturally wouldn't miss it.

He approached cautiously, not touching it directly with his hands. Although the ten-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo had concealed its power, its essence still contained extremely strong thunderous energy, and rash contact might result in a backlash.

He formed hand seals, casting gentle treasure-gathering hand gestures that, like weaving an invisible net, slowly enveloped the Golden Thunder Bamboo. At the same time, he activated his newly upgraded Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear, emitting a wisp of thunderous aura of the same origin but a higher level, to soothe and guide it.

Drawn by the high-level aura of the same origin, the ten-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo trembled slightly, its dark golden luster flickering uncertainly, as if making some kind of judgment. After a moment, its resisting lightning power gradually subsided, as if it had accepted Fu Changsheng.

Seizing the opportunity, Fu Changsheng abruptly withdrew his magical power!
Swish!
The ancient golden thunder bamboo transformed into a dark golden stream of light, which he successfully collected and carefully sealed into a specially made jade box. He then affixed several sealing talismans to prevent its spiritual energy and thunder essence from being lost.

Having acquired the Ten-Thousand-Year Golden Thunder Bamboo, Fu Changsheng was in high spirits.

He looked around the side hall, which had become peaceful due to the absorption of lightning power, and was about to leave when his gaze was drawn to something in the deepest part of the side hall.

It was a well opening located in a corner, half-hidden by several collapsed stone pillars...

The wellhead is made of an unidentified grayish-white stone, which looks ancient and old, with weathered marks all over its edges.

The well was deep and dark inside. Even with Fu Changsheng's eyesight, he could not see the bottom. He felt that the darkness seemed to swallow up light and was unfathomable.

The strange thing is.

There was no spiritual energy fluctuation near the wellhead; instead, there was a sense of emptiness and deathly stillness that chilled the heart.

"A dry well?"

Fu Changsheng frowned slightly. In this vibrant ruin, the presence of such a lifeless, bottomless dry well seemed particularly abrupt.

With a thought, he summoned several spirit-devouring insects. These insects were tiny, had keen senses, and were connected to his mind, making them ideal for scouting.

"Let's go down and take a look."

The Soul-Devouring Insects flapped their wings, transforming into several barely perceptible black lines that silently disappeared into the deep darkness of the dry well.

Fu Changsheng closed his eyes and concentrated, sensing the information transmitted by the Spirit Devouring Insects through mental connection.

Declining...continuously declining...

The perception transmitted by the Soul-Devouring Insects revealed only endless darkness and cold well walls, devoid of any spiritual energy or signs of life, as if leading to the Netherworld.

Time passed slowly, and at the speed of the Soul-Devouring Insects, they had probably descended several thousand feet, yet there was still no sign of them hitting the bottom.

After a long while, the Soul-Devouring Insect finally sent a faint response, but the response made Fu Changsheng frown even more—the ground below was not solid, but a more empty, void, dark space, seemingly without boundaries. The Soul-Devouring Insect's perception rapidly weakened and became lost in it, unable to detect any more specific information.

"Boundless? Or some kind of spatial barrier?" Fu Changsheng felt a chill run down his spine.

This dry well is definitely not simple; its depths may connect to some unknown secret realm, or it might even be a spatial rift or a place of void turbulence. With his current cultivation level and preparations, venturing deep into it rashly would be too risky.

He decisively recalled the few Soul-Devouring Insects that had almost lost contact.

"This well is strange; we need to consider it carefully."

Suppressing his curiosity, Fu Changsheng set up a few simple warning barriers around the dry well before turning and leaving the side hall.

When he returned to the cave where he had discovered the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit-Nourishing Grass, Master Yu and Qiu Niang had just finished breaking the spirit-sealing barrier. Master Yu was carefully transplanting the radiant Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit-Nourishing Grass, along with the spiritual soil around its roots, into a specially made jade box, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy.

"Uncle Yu, did it work?"

"Haha, I have fulfilled my mission! With this spiritual herb, the Divine Essence Pill is within reach!" Master Yu stroked his beard and laughed heartily. He carefully put away the jade box before looking at Fu Changsheng. "Judging from your expression, it seems you have discovered something else?"

Fu Changsheng nodded and informed Master Yu of the discovery of the dry well and the results of the Soul-Devouring Insects' investigation.

"Oh? Unfathomable, with endless perception?" Master Yu also showed interest upon hearing this. "Now that we've encountered it, it's really itching not to explore it."

(End of this chapter)