Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 642 Nine Revolutions to Condensate the Nascent Soul, Destroy the Vermilion Bird, Super Doubled!
Fu Changsheng's divine sense quickly swept across the sparse clusters of light on the ninth floor.

His goal was clear: to prioritize finding the inherited light clusters related to elixirs and the Daoist principles of herbs and plants. These light clusters were extremely rare, numbering no more than a dozen at this level.

"what?"

A dark, dull, and even somewhat incomplete and unstable dark golden light cluster caught his attention.

Compared to other complete inheritances, the aura of this ball of light seemed much weaker, but the unique Daoist charm of "breaking out of the cocoon and becoming a butterfly" and "condensing the origin" faintly emanating from its core made Fu Changsheng's heart skip a beat.

Touch it with your divine sense carefully.

A flood of fragmented information rushed into my mind:
[Title]: Fragment of "The Nine Revolutions Nascent Soul Secret Record"

[Rank]: Nascent Soul Secret Technique (Incomplete)
[Status]: Severely damaged, with about 60% of the core techniques missing and about 40% of the medicinal power analysis missing.

[Brief Description]: A closely guarded secret of an ancient alchemy sect, its core being the formula for the "Nine-Turn Nascent Soul Pill" and the accompanying Nascent Soul Formation technique. Upon completion of the pill through nine transformations, it greatly increases the success rate of Nascent Soul formation and solidifies the foundation of the nascent soul. Currently, only some conjectures regarding the ingredient combinations and a rough outline of the first three transformations remain, significantly diminishing its value. However, the underlying principles still offer valuable insights.

"The formula for the Nascent Soul Pill..." Fu Changsheng was shocked.

The formation of the Nascent Soul stage is a huge chasm on the path of cultivation, and any treasure or pill formula that can increase the chances of forming the Nascent Soul stage is priceless.

Although this formula is severely incomplete, its underlying principles and remaining parts may have immeasurable reference value for him in deriving a complete method for condensing the Nascent Soul in the future!
He suppressed his urge to immediately delve deeper into the research, added it to the system, and continued his search.

Soon, another ball of light, burning with pale purple flames and radiating scorching soul energy and a fierce killing aura, attracted his attention.

This is not a prescription, but a supernatural power.

Upon contact of consciousness, information emerges:
Title: Godslayer

[Rank]: Nascent Soul Treasure Technique
[Brief Description]: This is a secret technique specializing in spiritual attacks, condensing spiritual energy into invisible thorns to specifically harm the opponent's soul and nascent soul, making it extremely difficult to defend against. Upon mastery, it can severely injure the soul of a nascent soul cultivator of the same level in a single thought, demonstrating its ruthlessness and sharpness. However, practicing this technique requires an extremely strong spiritual foundation and is prone to backlash; those without exceptionally strong spiritual energy should not attempt it lightly.

"A Nascent Soul level divine sense attack technique!"

A glint of light flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes.

His spiritual strength far surpasses that of others of the same level, making the "God-Slaying Thorn" technique practically tailor-made for him! If he could master it, it would undoubtedly be an extremely powerful trump card.

He quickly had the system include it.

Time is tight.

He focused his divine sense even more intently on the remaining clusters of light related to the pills.

Finally, he stopped before a seemingly plain and unremarkable gray-brown ball of light, as inconspicuous as a withered tree. From within the ball of light, a special fluctuation emanated, gently nourishing the soul and repairing the origin.

Divine consciousness probes in.

[Title]: *The Elixir of Nourishing the Spirit*

[Rank]: Fifth-Rank High-Grade Elixir Recipe
[Brief Description]: This is an ancient, mystical elixir for nourishing the soul, its main ingredient being a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb. It can nourish and repair injuries to the cultivator's spiritual essence, and has remarkable effects on damage to divine sense and hidden injuries to the nascent soul. The refining process is complex and requires extremely high control over divine sense.

found it!
Fu Changsheng was overjoyed.

He immediately focused all his attention and began to "browse" and record the detailed contents of the "Spirit Nourishing Pill Formula". The combination of medicinal materials, refining techniques, control of heat, secrets to condensing pills... countless subtle and profound pieces of information flooded into his sea of ​​consciousness like a tide and were quickly collected by the system panel.

Time passed by minute by minute.

When Fu Changsheng finished recording the last character of the prescription.

He clearly felt the invisible repulsive force within the Scripture Pavilion begin to intensify, and the surrounding space fluctuated slightly, indicating that the teleportation was about to begin.

He took one last look at the fragments of the "Nine Revolutions Nascent Soul Secret Record" and the orbs of light from the "God-Slaying Thorn":

"Pity!"

This time, we entered the Sutra Repository.

You can only browse through one item completely.

However, with a concise outline, it is possible to deduce the result by spending more contribution points.

"The ninth floor already possesses so many wondrous techniques; I wonder what the last few floors of this Scripture Pavilion hold!"

...

...

The grand celebration of the Fu family's promotion to the fifth rank was finally held at the main residence in Huizhou Prefecture.

On this day, the Fu family mansion was brightly decorated and filled with guests. Outside the mansion gates, carriages and horses moved in a constant stream, and all kinds of magnificent flying magical artifacts and spirit beast mounts came and went, demonstrating the noble status of the guests who came to witness the ceremony.

"The Wu family, of the sixth rank, presents a 'Fire Lotus from the Earth'!"

"The Ouyang family, a sixth-rank official, presents 100 jin of 'Gengjin Spirit Iron' and 10 fourth-tier talismans!"

"The Cao family, a sixth-rank official, presents..."

Fu Yongpeng was the one responsible for loudly announcing greetings and receiving congratulatory gifts at the mansion gate.

His face was beaming with a warm smile.

Whenever he read out a long list of gifts, his eyes would involuntarily light up with a burning light.

If he could have even a portion of these resources, why would he worry about not improving his cultivation? Why would he have to be so mediocre among his peers?

Then, an even more eye-catching gift arrived.

"Master Yan from the Huizhou branch of the Zhenshi Division has arrived! He presents a piece of fourth-grade spiritual material, 'Void Cloud Stone', a fourth-grade magic weapon, 'Soaring Cloud Boat', and ten sets of specially made 'Patrol Angel Armor'!"

The arrival of Master Yan in person and the obviously extravagant gift caused a stir among the crowd and made Fu Yongpeng's heart beat even faster.

However, what truly propelled the atmosphere to its first climax was the arrival of the messenger:
"The envoy from the Ninth Prince's Mansion has arrived! Presenting the manor's treasures—a bottle of the fourth-grade elixir 'Breakthrough Pill,' a copy of the 'Purple Cloud Qi Control Technique,' and a blessing from the spiritual vein!"

The Ninth Prince's Mansion!

The value of the gifts and the clarity of the intentions all demonstrate the rising status of the Fu family.

Fu Yongpeng's voice trembled slightly with excitement as he greeted the guests. He gazed at the jade bottle and the jade slip containing the cultivation technique, which were solemnly presented into the mansion. The deep-seated excitement in his eyes was almost impossible to suppress.

'Breakthrough Pill…the Purple Cloud Qi Control Technique…If I were given it…if Father were willing to allocate these resources to me, I, Fu Yongpeng, would surely be able to form my core!'

……

The celebration square was filled with guests and distinguished patrons.

The core members and elders of the Fu family were all seated in order, each one looking spirited and exuding an extraordinary air. Fu Yongfan and Fu Yongjing were calm and capable, Fu Yongfu had a kind smile but a profound inner strength, Fu Molan was as elegant as an orchid, and Fu Yongyao was beautiful and charming... The new generation of outstanding talents of the Fu family were all here, drawing admiration from the guests from all sides for the abundance of talent in the Fu family.

Just as the atmosphere was at its most intense, a gentle yet vast and unfathomable pressure, like a tide, slowly enveloped the entire square. It was not suffocating, but it instantly silenced everyone, filling them with awe.

All eyes turned toward the main hall without prior arrangement.

Fu Changsheng, dressed in the black imperial robes symbolizing the head of the family, slowly walked out. His face was calm, his gaze sweeping over the entire scene with indifferent ease, and his steps were steady, as if he carried the fortune and majesty of the entire family.

"Welcome, Patriarch!"

All members of the Fu clan, regardless of age, stood up, bowed, and paid their respects in unison, their voices filled with heartfelt reverence.

The guests also stood up to greet them.

Fu Changsheng walked to the main seat, slowly sat down, and raised his hand to support himself.

"No need to be so polite, please take a seat."

...

...

Inside the Crimson Flame Hall of the Vermilion Bird Tribe.

A scout was kneeling on one knee, reporting in detail:
"Chief, all the information has been verified. At the Fu family celebration, Fu Changsheng personally presided over the event, and his cultivation at the ninth level of the Golden Core stage was clearly evident. Several core members of the Fu family, including Liu Meizhen, Ouyang Fei, Fu Molan, and Fairy Tianyin, all appeared in Huizhou Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Chief Suzaku's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and his fingers unconsciously tapped the armrest.

"It seems the Fu family has indeed mobilized all its resources for the celebration and has no time for anything else..." he muttered to himself, the last trace of doubt in his eyes gradually fading away.

At this moment, His Highness Chi Ling stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"Chief, since the Fu family is too busy to attend to the east, this is the perfect opportunity to transport tribute to the royal court. This tribute is related to our tribe's centennial festival and cannot be lost. I believe that, to ensure its safety, it would be safest for you, Chief, to personally escort it. After all, you have the highest cultivation level in the tribe and are better able to handle any unexpected events that may occur along the way."

Upon hearing this, the Chief of the Vermilion Bird tribe had a smug look in his eyes.

He was indeed confident that his strength was unmatched in the tribe. More importantly, he also treasured a Nascent Soul talisman bestowed upon him by the Hundred Flowers True Monarch. With this item by his side, even if he encountered a Nascent Soul cultivator, he would have a good chance of escaping.

“Hmm… what you say makes sense.” Chief Zhuque nodded slightly, clearly persuaded. “The tribute is of great importance. My personal escort will ensure its safety.”

Seeing this, Chi Ling was secretly delighted and immediately seized the opportunity to volunteer:
"Chief, you are wise! Now that you have personally gone to the royal court, the tribe cannot be left without someone to lead it. The mountain-protecting formation needs an absolutely reliable person to control it. I am willing to take on this important task and will do my utmost to protect the tribe's safety until your return!"

His words were sincere.

However, when Chief Suzaku heard him request to take control of the mountain-protecting formation, his eyes instantly sharpened, and he gave him a cold glance.

"You?" Chief Suzaku's voice carried an undeniable tone of denial. "You fought against the Fu family and suffered heavy losses; you are a defeated general! The mountain-protecting formation is the foundation of our tribe; how can we entrust it to your control?"

Chi Ling felt a chill run down her spine and quickly lowered her head, not daring to argue.

After a moment's thought, Chief Zhuque made the following arrangements:

"The mountain-protecting formation will still be under the full control of the High Priest. He is experienced and his Nascent Soul cultivation is sufficient to handle it. As for you..."

His gaze fell on Chi Ling, carrying a hint of dismissiveness:
"You should go and stand guard at the Soul Hall. It's quiet there, and there's nothing important to do, so it'll be a good place for you to reflect on your mistakes."

The Soul Hall is a place where the soul lamps of the tribe's ancestors are enshrined. Normally, nothing happens there, so it's a sinecure.

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of disappointment and gloom flashed deep in Chi Ling's eyes, but outwardly he dared not show the slightest disobedience and respectfully replied:

"Yes, Chief. Your subordinate obeys and will guard the Soul Palace well."

"Go and prepare. Tomorrow morning, I, the chieftain, will personally lead the team to the royal court!" Chief Zhuque waved his hand, finally making the decision.

As Chi Ling bowed and withdrew, the moment she turned to leave the main hall, the respect on her face instantly turned into icy coldness.

'Old fox, indeed cautious... However, the Soul Hall... is not entirely useless.'

...

...

The night was deep, and the stars and moon were not shining.

A treasure ship, only a few feet long, dark red in color, and with understated runes, made by the Vermilion Bird Tribe, silently pierced through the layers of protective array light curtains.

Inside the treasure ship, Chief Suzaku sat alone.

The so-called "departure at dawn" is nothing but a smokescreen.

His real plan was to use this ancient shortcut, known only to the chieftains and high priests of past generations, to reach the outskirts of the royal court in the fastest and most covert way.

The treasure ship flew through the night sky at incredible speed, yet skillfully avoided all known gathering points and patrol routes of cultivators. It burrowed into remote, desolate mountains, crossed underground rivers, and even briefly submerged at the bottom of a swamp shrouded in poisonous miasma, its route shrouded in mystery.

After nearly a night of rapid travel, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The treasure ship quietly emerged from a seemingly ordinary crack in the mountain wall. Ahead, a relatively flat wasteland opened up. According to the map, crossing this wasteland and then passing through the "Black Wind Gorge" ahead would lead to the outer perimeter of the royal court's territory.

However, just as the treasure ship completely broke free of the shortcut and was exposed above the wasteland—

A sudden change occurred!

"Buzz!"

A jet-black arrow, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, shot out without warning from the shadows of the scattered rocks below! The arrow's speed surpassed the limits of divine sense, and it was wreathed in a chilling aura of destruction and law-breaking, its target being the core of the treasure ship—the location of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain!

This attack, in terms of timing, angle, and power, was absolutely lethal! The person who struck had an outrageously precise grasp of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain's movement route and the timing of his appearance!
The hairs on Chief Suzaku's body stood on end instantly! An unprecedented shadow of death completely enveloped him! He didn't even have time to summon his magical artifact for defense!

At this critical moment——

"Zheng!"

A clear and melodious phoenix cry suddenly rang out from within him!

A dazzling shield of light, formed from countless illusory pink petals, appeared out of thin air before him. The shield was adorned with a myriad of vibrant flowers, yet it also contained unfathomable power of the Nascent Soul Laws!
It was the life-saving trump card given to him by the True Lord of a Hundred Flowers—a Nascent Soul protective technique sealed within his body!

The black arrow slammed violently into the Hundred Flowers Light Shield!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a muffled, strange sound that seemed to tear space apart.

laugh--!
The destructive power attached to the black arrow frantically eroded the petal light shield, causing the light shield to fluctuate violently. The petals dimmed and shattered, but in the end, it blocked this fatal blow!
Finally, the arrow lost its power and vanished into thin air along with the remaining petals and light shield.

"puff!"

Despite blocking the attack, the terrifying impact and the shockwave of the laws still caused the Vermilion Bird Chieftain's blood to surge, and he couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of blood. The protective aura of the treasure ship also dimmed by more than half in an instant.

He was utterly horrified, his gaze fixed on the area of ​​rubble below, a mixture of shock and rage filling him:
"Who is it?! How dare they ambush this chieftain!"

His heart was filled with shock and disbelief. How did the other party know about this secret shortcut? And how did they seize the opportunity so precisely?
If it weren't for the precious technique bestowed by the True Lord of a Hundred Flowers, he would have already died and vanished by now!
A sharp, roaring sound responded to him.

"Buzz!"

The surrounding void suddenly froze!

Invisible array patterns lit up from all directions of the wasteland, instantly weaving together to form a massive isolation array, completely isolating this area from the outside world. The flowing light curtain not only obscured the view inside, but also sealed off sound and spiritual energy fluctuations.

At the same time, a figure that Chief Suzaku would never forget appeared directly in front of the treasure ship.

It was Fu Changsheng!
"You little beast! It's you!"

New and old grudges surged into his heart in an instant, and Chief Suzaku's eyes turned bloodshot, his killing intent boiling!
"Very well! Very well! Today, I, the chieftain, will personally end your life and eliminate this threat forever!"

He suddenly slapped his chest, and a crimson talisman radiating terrifying Nascent Soul power shot out and hovered in the air.

On the talisman, a lifelike phantom of a Vermilion Bird roared to the sky, causing the surrounding fire elemental energy to gather wildly, and destructive energy was rapidly brewing within it!
It is the Nascent Soul talisman treasure bestowed by the True Lord of a Hundred Flowers—the [Vermilion Bird Burning Heaven Talisman]!
"To die beneath a Nascent Soul talisman, Fu Changsheng, you have every reason to be proud! Heaven-Burning Vermilion Bird, issue the decree!"

"Your talisman is too slow."

The moment Fu Changsheng finished speaking.

A stream of light, far more intense and domineering than the [Vermilion Bird Burning Heaven Talisman], carrying an aura of endless destruction, shot into the sky from his hand, arriving first after the last one!

The moment the precious pearl appeared.

The temperature within the entire isolation array soared wildly. A phantom of a fire dragon, composed entirely of deep red and almost black flames of destruction, coiled and coalesced, its eyes wide open, gazing down upon all living beings, radiating a terrifying will that could burn the eight wastelands and reduce all things to nothingness!
It was the power of the pearl transformed from the precious fifth-tier mid-grade attack spirit treasure [Flaming Dragon Heaven-Burning Pearl], which Fu Changsheng obtained by consuming a rare lottery chance!

"Roar--!"

The crimson flame dragon detached from the talisman bead and grew rapidly in the wind, instantly transforming into a hundred-zhang-long giant dragon. Carrying the majestic might of heaven comparable to the full-force attack of a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, it pounced fiercely towards the Vermilion Bird Chieftain with overwhelming force!
"Chirp—!"

A mournful and piercing cry of the Vermilion Bird suddenly erupted from the Vermilion Bird Chieftain's body!

A solid, ethereal phantom of a Vermilion Bird, as if carved from crimson crystal, suddenly appeared, its wings folding to firmly protect him within.

The phantom exudes an ancient and majestic aura; it is the treasure passed down through generations of the Vermilion Bird tribe, automatically protecting its owner!
boom! ! !
The Fiery Dragon crashed violently into the phantom of the Crimson Crystal Vermilion Bird, unleashing a terrifying energy storm powerful enough to annihilate ordinary Golden Core cultivators.

Katcha...

The phantom of the Crimson Crystal Vermilion Bird let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain, countless cracks appeared on its surface, and finally it shattered with a crash, turning into countless points of light and dissipating.

The power of the Flame Dragon Talisman was also reduced by seventy or eighty percent by this desperate block. The remaining flames struck the Vermilion Bird Chieftain, blasting him open and causing him to spit out blood. His aura instantly weakened to the extreme.

With the help of the clan's most treasured artifact, he barely escaped the deadly attack of the Nascent Soul Pearl!

however.

Before he could recover from the severe injury and shock, a deadly sense of crisis that froze his soul descended once again!
"laugh--!"

A divine spear crackling with blue and gold arcs of electricity, like lightning tearing through the night sky, ignored the weak protective shield he hastily reassembled and pierced through him with unparalleled precision!

"Do not!!!"

The Vermilion Bird Chief's wide eyes reflected Fu Changsheng's expressionless, cold face, as well as the divine spear exuding an aura of destruction.

"Pfft-"

The Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear pierced through his skull without any resistance!

Chief Suzaku fell to the ground, utterly dead.

Fu Changsheng raised his hand and pressed down, and an invisible force descended. From the blood hole between the brows of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain, several drops of blood essence, red with golden patterns and containing a vast amount of life essence, were slowly drawn out, suspended in the air, and emitted a scorching aura.

Without even glancing at it, he rolled up his sleeve and collected the essence blood into a jade bottle that had been prepared beforehand, then sealed and stored it away.

Immediately afterwards, his hands moved like butterflies flitting among flowers, instantly forming a profound hand seal.

hum!
In the Five Elements Space Netherworld, the silent Heavenly Dragon Temple trembled slightly, and an ancient and majestic divine light emanated from its palm, enveloping the still-standing corpse of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain.

"Shoot!" Fu Changsheng shouted in a low voice.

A phantom, distorted soul, with a face identical to that of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain, was forcibly ripped from the corpse's head by the divine light! The soul's face was filled with terror, resentment, and disbelief, and it let out a silent roar.

"Fu Changsheng! You will die a horrible death! The Hundred Flowers True Monarch will surely sense it! She will definitely avenge me! She will slaughter your entire Fu family! I will be waiting for you in the Netherworld! Waiting for you—!"

The vicious curses and roars vibrated within the divine light's restraints, yet could not escape within a radius of several feet.

Fu Changsheng remained indifferent, ignoring the curse from the divine soul, and simply activated his divine light.

"Stubborn!"

The words fell.

The divine light suddenly intensified, enveloping the Vermilion Bird Chieftain's soul, instantly drawing it back into his body and directly striking the Underworld Temple.

Boom!

A ripple spread across the cold, rough stone wall of the Underworld Temple, like the surface of water. The Vermilion Bird Chieftain's soul was forced into the stone wall in utter terror.

Outside, Fu Changsheng's thoughts stirred again.

stop!
A dark shadow darted out from the spirit beast pouch at his waist, and upon landing, it grew into a hideous skeletal vine. The vine, like thirsty tentacles, instantly coiled around the Vermilion Bird Chieftain's corpse, which had lost its soul and essence.

chi chi chi...

A sickeningly loud swallowing sound rang out as flesh, bones, and even the remaining medicinal energy were rapidly decomposed and absorbed by the Skeleton Demon Vine. In just a short while, only a little ash remained on the spot, which was then blown away by the wind and disappeared without a trace.

at the same time.

The consciousness panel trembled slightly:
[Skeleton Vine: Peak Tier 4 (15/100)]

Family Contribution Points: 68000

Fu Changsheng took the dark storage bag, and as soon as his divine sense probed into it, he sensed several powerful protective barriers swirling within, firmly guarding a few of the most ancient and profound items. These barriers were connected to the tribal totems, and their methods were ancient; forcibly breaking them would only trigger a backlash, resulting in more harm than good.

Without hesitation, he moved the entire storage bag directly into the Five Elements Small World.

"Qiu Niang, take inventory."

Inside the small world, Qiu Niang, who was tending to the spiritual plants, looked up upon hearing the sound. With a light wave of her hand, she captured the storage bag floating in the air. As she scanned it with her divine sense, even though she had seen many rare treasures while following Fu Changsheng, she couldn't help but be slightly moved.

"Tsk tsk, Master, we've caught a big fish this time."

Qiu Niang's lips curled slightly, and with a light tap of her fingertips, several illusory figures shrouded in the light of the restrictive treasures appeared in the void:

"Look, this piece of 'Ten Thousand Year Soul-Nourishing Wood' can probably nourish a Nascent Soul; these few pieces of 'Great Wilderness Blood Crystal' contain frighteningly pure and malevolent blood energy; and this jar of 'Hundred Beast Blood Brew' has even developed law patterns on its sealing clay..."

She counted them one by one, her tone tinged with surprise:

"As expected of the once-in-a-century Great Wilderness Sacrifice of the Eastern Wilderness Tribes, these offerings are all rare treasures that are hard to find in ordinary times. Chief Zhuque has probably gathered all the most precious treasures from his tribe."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changsheng remained expressionless, only replying telepathically, "Keep it sealed properly; it will be useful in the future."

"Qiu Niang understands." The woman smiled sweetly, and with a flick of her sleeve, she put away all the items along with the storage bag.

Fu Changsheng took out the jade bottle containing the essence blood of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain. With a flick of his finger, the drop of blood, intertwined with crimson and gold, floated in the air. He formed hand seals, his magical power flowing around him, and uttered a low shout:
"A thousand faces, ten thousand forms, transform!"

His essence and blood suddenly dispersed, turning into a hazy blood mist that enveloped his entire body.

Within the blood mist, bones emitted a faint cracking sound, and facial muscles rippled and reshaped like water. In the blink of an eye, the blood mist dissipated, revealing the figure of the "Vermilion Bird Chieftain"—even the arrogance of someone long accustomed to a superior position between his brows and the sinister intent deep in his eyes were perfectly imitated.

At the same time, he focused his mind on the Heavenly Dragon Temple within his body.

"Autumn Cicada, Search for Souls."

On one side of the temple's stone wall, the distorted relief of Chief Vermilion Bird trembled violently.

Standing to the side, Qiu Chan's eyes were cold and clear. Her slender fingers lightly touched Fu Diao's brow, and beams of divine light, like threads, probed in, forcibly seizing the sealed fragments of memory within. Countless details about tribal secrets, cultivation routes, and especially that ancient shortcut, flooded into Fu Changsheng's sea of ​​consciousness like a torrent.

A moment later, the cicadas stopped, and the floating flowers solidified again, only their colors became increasingly dull.

"Master, the path and key points have been analyzed."

Fu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes, a hint of understanding of the secret passage flashing in his eyes.

With a swift movement, it transformed into a crimson rainbow, silently retracing its steps along the extremely concealed route it had taken, heading straight for the Vermilion Bird Tribe.

...

...

The Soul Palace, deep within the Crimson Flame Palace, was eerily silent.

Only hundreds of soul lamps burned silently, illuminating the ancestral tablets of past generations and Chi Ling's obscure face.

He was ordered to stand guard here, ostensibly to reflect on his mistakes, but in reality, his mind was elsewhere, constantly deducing Fu Changsheng's seemingly far-fetched plan and his own uncertain future.

suddenly!

Katza —

A faint yet thunderous cracking sound emanated from the row of soul lamps at the highest point!
Chi Ling trembled violently and abruptly looked up.

The soul lamp, which was based on red crystal and had the most intense and vigorous flame, representing the highest authority and power of the tribe—the life soul lamp belonging to the Vermilion Bird Chieftain—had its flame completely extinguished, and a clear crack spread across the lamp base!
Lights go out, people die!
"this……!"

Chi Ling Tong's eyes shrank abruptly, his breath almost stopped, and a chill rushed from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!
Despite having secretly pledged allegiance to Fu Changsheng and harboring resentment towards the chieftain, witnessing the extinguishing of this soul lamp was still an immense shock.

He knew the chieftain's strength well, and he was even more aware of how many life-saving trump cards True Monarch Baihua had bestowed upon him! That Nascent Soul talisman, that protective magic technique... any one of them would be enough to allow the chieftain to hold his own against a Nascent Soul cultivator for a while and save his life.

But now, the chief is still dead!

He died at the hands of his master, Fu Changsheng, who seemed to have only Golden Core cultivation but whose methods were endless and unfathomable!

"So... so he really does have that kind of strength... I actually thought this plan was too risky, almost suicide..."

A belated, unseen chill swept through my entire body.

He had initially thought that even if Fu Changsheng won, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, or he would need to rely on other forces. He never expected such a clean and decisive kill! The chieftain didn't even have a chance to escape back to his tribe to report!

The Vermilion Bird Tribe's greatest asset and strongest fighting force has fallen!
Chi Ling understood perfectly what this meant.

The tribe's sky has fallen!
Having lost their chieftain at the peak of the Golden Core stage, how could the high priest, a mere nascent infant, possibly withstand that malevolent star? The tribe's decline was practically inevitable.

He staggered forward a few steps, came to the ancestral tablets enshrining his ancestors, slowly knelt down, touched his forehead to the ground, and bowed deeply.

"Ancestors, behold..."

His voice trembled slightly, carrying with it endless complexity and bitterness.

“The unworthy descendant Chi Ling… did not truly betray the tribe, but was truly… forced into this situation. The chieftain was arrogant and made enemies with the Fu family, which has already brought annihilation upon the tribe. Now that a powerful enemy is at our doorstep, and the chieftain has already fallen… in order to survive, and also to… preserve a trace of the tribe's bloodline, so that the tribe will not be completely wiped out… Chi Ling had no choice but to do this rebellious act…”

He spoke in a low voice, as if he were confessing to his ancestors, or as if he were trying to find a reason to convince himself of his next actions.

"I beg my ancestors' forgiveness!"

The tribe's old path is broken, so let's follow the path our master pointed out. At least, we can leave a few survivors for the Vermilion Bird tribe.

Chi Ling turned around expressionlessly, made hand seals, and several beams of restrictive spiritual light entered the Soul Palace. A faint light screen rose around the Soul Palace, temporarily sealing off the entire Soul Palace.

Without stopping, he walked straight toward the central hall of the array in the core area of ​​the tribe.

Outside the hall, spiritual light swirled, and the guards were heavily armed. However, when the guards saw him, although they showed surprise, they did not stop him—after all, his former power and influence still lingered.

Upon entering the outer perimeter of the central hall, two Golden Core elders dressed in red robes immediately came to greet us, their expressions showing a mixture of respect and barely perceptible wariness.

"Uncle, what brings you here?" one of them asked, glancing behind him to make sure no one was with him.

Chi Ling forced a perfectly measured solemnity onto his face: "I have an important matter to discuss, concerning the survival of the tribe, and I need to borrow the central array."

The two elders exchanged a glance, a hint of hesitation flashing in their eyes:
“This… the chief has strictly ordered that you are not allowed to stay in this important central location for long,” the other person said, sounding troubled.

"Just a moment, it's urgent, do you not even believe me?" Chi Ling's tone deepened, carrying an unquestionable air.

Intimidated by his imposing presence and mindful of their past relationship, the two finally nodded. One of them cast a spell, causing the light barrier surrounding the entrance to the hall to ripple and reveal a crack.

Chi Ling flashed inside, and the light barrier closed rapidly behind him.

"Uncle, what is the matter?" an elder couldn't help but ask, his eyes fixed on him.

Chi Ling did not answer. Instead, he took out an antique wine pot from his storage bag, uncorked it, and a rich aroma of wine with a strange sweet fragrance instantly filled the air.

"No rush, have a drink first, then we can talk slowly."

The two elders' expressions changed slightly, and they waved their hands repeatedly: "No, no! How can we drink alcohol while on duty? If the chieftain finds out, we will be in grave danger!"

"If that's the case, then so be it."

However, the strange aroma of the wine had already filled my lungs.

At first, they only felt the fragrance, but in just a few breaths, their expressions changed drastically!
"This wine...is not right!"

"My magic power...!"

They were horrified to discover that their golden cores were as if they were trapped by invisible shackles, their core essence was solidified, their spiritual energy was stagnant and they could not mobilize even a little bit!

"Red Feather! You...!"

Before the words were even finished, Chi Ling had already made her move!
A beam of dark light shot out from his sleeve, transforming into two black ropes covered in runes, which coiled around the two like venomous snakes.

"I'm sorry to trouble you for now."

……

Chi Ling strode to the central compass and placed her hands on the cool array patterns.

The massive array's spiritual light rippled slightly, and the giant light screen enveloping the Vermilion Bird Mountains quietly opened a tiny, almost imperceptible gap.

A crimson shadow, like a ghost, flashed through the gap and landed silently outside the control hall. It was Fu Changsheng, who had transformed into the appearance of the Vermilion Bird Chieftain.

Once it was confirmed that Fu Changsheng had entered, a fierce glint flashed in Chi Ling's eyes, and her ten fingers moved like wheels, casting one completely different core technique after another into the compass!

"Om-!"

The entire control hall suddenly trembled, and a roar ten times stronger than before resounded outwards!

The next instant, the protective array covering the entire Vermilion Bird Mountain Range suddenly lit up with a dazzling light! Countless previously hidden rune chains appeared and intertwined in the air, like a huge crimson cocoon, firmly enveloping the entire tribe.

Fu Changsheng stepped into the Hall of Control.

"well done."

With a thought, the void beside him rippled slightly, and Qiu Niang's figure appeared.

She walked straight to the core of the array, gently stroking the violently flowing runes on it with her delicate hand. Her divine sense forcefully penetrated it like silk, and she began to take full control of this massive array that had been activated to its limit.

Fu Changsheng then took out the Vermilion Bird Token.

A spell was cast:
"All elders, proceed immediately to the Crimson Flame Hall for a meeting! No delays are permitted!"

...

...

The atmosphere inside the Crimson Flame Hall was heavy.

The eight Golden Core elders, having received the urgent message, gathered here, their faces showing confusion and a hint of unease. The mountain-protecting formation had suddenly been fully activated, and the chieftain's urgent summons of everyone must mean that something earth-shattering had happened.

Just then, steady footsteps came from the passageway in the rear hall.

Chief Suzaku, with a gloomy expression, strode in and went straight to the main seat.

"Chief, what exactly happened? Why was the highest formation suddenly activated?" A hot-tempered, red-faced elder couldn't help but ask first.

"Could it be that the Fu family has attacked?" another elder asked anxiously.

All eyes turned to the person in the main seat.

Chief Vermilion Bird's gaze swept across the entire area, but he did not answer directly. Instead, he gave a wink to Chi Ling, who was following closely beside him with his head bowed.

Chi Ling understood and silently stepped forward, taking out the ancient wine pot as before.

"Chi Ling, what are you doing?" An elder frowned, feeling that drinking at this moment was really inappropriate.

"This wine is a fine brew newly bestowed by the royal court. Let us all drink together to calm our nerves." The voice of the "Vermilion Bird Chieftain" carried an unquestionable tone.

As the stopper was pulled out, the strange and mellow aroma once again filled the entire hall.

This time, the scope is wider and the effect is more intense!
"Wait! This fragrance..."

"My golden core... its magical power can't be used!"

"Red Feather! How dare you...!"

Exclamations and shouts of anger rang out instantly, but quickly turned into terror.

Chi Ling remained expressionless, a dark light flashing from her sleeves. Several black immortal ropes, covered in runes, emerged like serpents from their holes, precisely and swiftly binding all eight elders who had lost all their cultivation. None of them could resist in the slightest.

Until then.

The "Vermilion Bird Chieftain," seated in the main seat, had his face and figure ripple like water, revealing Fu Changsheng's true appearance to the horrified gazes of the crowd!

"Fu Changsheng!"

"It's you! What are you doing here! Where is the chief?!"

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell, filled with disbelief.

Fu Changsheng looked down calmly, holding a wriggling Gu worm that emitted an eerie black aura in his palm.

"Let me introduce this to you. This is the Heart-Eating Gu. Once planted, your lives and deaths will be entirely in my hands." His voice was devoid of any emotion. "Now, I give you two choices: acknowledge me as your master and plant this Gu; or, die."

A choice? This isn't a choice at all!

"Bah! You barbarian thief, you dare to ask us to acknowledge you as your master! Kill me if you want!" The red-faced elder's eyes were bloodshot as he cursed loudly.

"Chi Ling! You traitor! You will die a horrible death!" Another elder stared intently at Chi Ling, his eyes filled with resentment and venom.

Despite the curses from her former colleagues, Chi Ling remained unmoved, only coldly speaking:
"The chief is dead, gentlemen. Those who understand the times are wise. As long as we live, we can fight again. What is the point of resisting stubbornly, except to throw away our lives and destroy the last bit of vitality of the tribe?"

"What?! The chief... has fallen?!"

This news struck like a bolt from the blue, causing all the elders to tremble violently. Even the red-faced elder who had been cursing angrily was instantly rendered speechless, his face drained of all color.

A deathly silence fell over the hall.

After a moment, a gray-haired elder, who had been silent and aged, sighed deeply, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He looked at Fu Changsheng and said dejectedly:
"I... am willing to surrender. I only ask... to leave some seeds for the tribe."

With one person taking the lead, three more elders who already had a decent relationship with Chi Ling, or who were more pragmatic or even cowardly, also bowed their heads and submitted after struggling.

Fu Changsheng flicked his fingertips, and four beams of black light instantly pierced the chests of the four men.

The four of them trembled, their faces contorted in pain, as they sensed a strange and irresistible master-servant connection forming between themselves and Fu Changsheng.

“Now that you have submitted, you are under my command. Now,” Fu Changsheng turned his gaze to the four who refused to submit, his eyes suddenly turning icy cold, “send them on their way.”

Upon hearing this, Chi Ling and the four newly surrendered elders turned pale, but fearing the power of the Heart-Eating Gu, they dared not disobey. Under Chi Ling's leadership, although their magical power had not fully recovered, dealing with four other members of the same level whose magical power was also imprisoned was still a piece of cake.

A moment later, the four tough elders lay dead in pools of blood, lifeless.

at the same time.

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

"The family has gained five Golden Core cultivators and received five special lottery draws."

"Ding"

"The family has been promoted to the fifth rank, and has received a super-double prize draw."

"Ding"

"You've secured a new base for your family and earned a super-double prize draw."

(End of this chapter)