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The thunder on the day of Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) was particularly deafening.

Su Ning stood on the edge of the cliff outside the cave, letting the rain soak his robes.

A wisp of purple lightning danced at his fingertips, echoing the thunder falling from the sky.

After cultivating the Great Evolution Technique to the third level, he was able to initially communicate with the thunder spirit energy between heaven and earth.

"Master Su!" Xiao Cui, Mo Caihuan's personal maid, rushed over in a panic, "Madam Caihuan is about to give birth!"

Su Ning's figure flickered, and he disappeared into the lightning.

Outside the bedroom, Madam Yan and the midwife bustled in and out, carrying in basins of hot water that turned into bloody water and then being brought out.

With his Foundation Establishment cultivator's hearing, he could clearly hear Mo Caihuan's suppressed cries of pain.

"Immortal Master, please don't worry." Madam Yan wiped her sweat as she came out. "Caihuan has a strong constitution, and now she's being nourished by rare and precious herbs. She won't..."

Before the words were finished, a thunderclap suddenly exploded on the roof.

Before anyone could react, five-colored rays of light burst forth from the room, making the window paper look like colorful silk!

“This…this is…” Madam Yan was dumbfounded.

Suning has already slipped into the delivery room.

The midwife held a crying baby in her arms, and her body was surrounded by five-colored spiritual light: gold, green, blue, red, and yellow.

Mo Caihuan leaned weakly against the headboard, her face flushed with an unusual blush: "Brother Su, look! Caihuan didn't lie to you, she really gave birth to a child with spiritual roots!"

The moment Su Ning took the baby, she felt a subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy emanating from her palm.

He scanned the area with his divine sense and immediately understood...

He possessed all five elements of spiritual roots, though each one was as thin as a thread, and was known as a "pseudo-spiritual root" in this world, but it was an unexpected delight for him.

The opening of the Great Wilderness Manual states: Among the human race, those who possess all five elements are the best.

This child's spiritual root attributes perfectly match the requirements of the cultivation technique!
"Have you chosen a name yet?" Su Ning asked softly.

Mo Caihuan's eyes sparkled: "I'm waiting for you, my father, to give me a name."

“Su Mo.” Su Ning condensed a drop of blood essence from her fingertip and placed it on the baby’s forehead. “He takes the father’s surname and the mother’s surname.”

The moment the essence and blood merged, the five-colored spiritual light around the infant suddenly began to flow in an orderly manner, forming a small cycle.

Upon seeing this, Mo Caihuan burst into tears: "He...he can really cultivate immortality?"

"Not only can it be repaired, but its future is limitless." Su Ning rarely showed a smile.

He took out a jade bottle that he had prepared beforehand, poured out a few drops of amber-colored spiritual liquid, and applied it all over the baby's body.

This is a "Qi-Nourishing Dew" made from five kinds of ancient medicinal herbs, specially formulated to nourish the spiritual roots of newborns.

Nourished by the spiritual liquid, little Su Mo stopped crying and opened his big, dark eyes to curiously observe the world.

Deep within those pupils, a faint five-colored light swirled.

Three days later, Su Ning was in his study recording an improvement plan for the "Five Elements Nourishing Qi Technique" when a familiar fragrance suddenly wafted from outside the door.

Without looking up, he asked, "Senior Sister Chen, what brings you here uninvited?"

"Come and see our great Casanova of Yellow Maple Valley." Chen Qiaoqian wore a pale yellow dress, but had a sword at her waist, clearly indicating that she had just returned from a mission.

She walked casually to the desk, her gaze sweeping over the parenting notes. "I heard you had a wonderful son?"

Suning put down his brush: "Five Elements Spiritual Roots."

"A pseudo-spiritual root is something to be happy about?" Chen Qiaoqian scoffed, but suddenly froze...

She saw that on the spirit-testing plate on the table, five beams of spiritual light were evenly distributed, with none of them being wasted.

This is almost unheard of in the world of cultivation!

“You…” She looked up abruptly, meeting Su Ning’s deep gaze.

“If Junior Sister Chen is here today only to offer her congratulations, I have prepared some spiritual tea.” Su Ning gestured to the tea table. “If it’s for something else…”

Chen Qiaoqian suddenly slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "Su Ning! You would rather have a child with a mortal than marry me? In what way am I, Chen Qiaoqian, inferior to that Mo family woman?"

His voice was choked with emotion.

The cave was silent for a moment.

After a long silence, Su Ning sighed: "Precisely because you are so much better than her."

"What do you mean?"

"What Mo Caihuan seeks is nothing more than a sliver of immortal destiny." Su Ning walked to the window and looked at the disciples training in the distance. "And you, Chen Qiaoqian, should have been on the path to the Great Dao. If you were my Daoist partner, what would you do if I failed to form my core and turned into dust? You wouldn't want to experience the backlash of the 'Su Nu Wen Xin Jue'."

Chen Qiaoqian was struck dumb.

She truly hadn't expected that Suning's refusal was based on such considerations.

The "Su Nu Wen Xin Jue" requires a Daoist partner to be of one mind. If one of them perishes or dies, the other will either lose all their cultivation or, in severe cases, have their heart meridians ruptured.

“I can switch to other cultivation methods…” she said weakly.

Su Ning shook his head: "You were born with dual spiritual roots of water and wood, and your compatibility with the 'Su Nu Wen Xin Jue' is over 90%. Changing to cultivate other methods is tantamount to cutting off your own future."

A tear rolled down Chen Qiaoqian's beautiful face.

She suddenly threw herself into Su Ning's arms and bit his shoulder hard: "Then why did you provoke me in the first place?"

This bite contained spiritual power, and it actually broke through the protective spiritual light of the Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Su Ning let her vent until Chen Qiaoqian tasted blood between her lips and teeth before she finally gave in.

"I can't control myself! If I don't react in the face of such a beautiful woman, I'm no better than an animal."

She wiped away her tears and suddenly ripped open her collar: "Since we can't be cultivation partners, then we can at least cultivate together, right?"

"Of course! I'm always ready."

"You're really my nemesis."

The hibiscus-scented tent is warm, and the rain and clouds have just ceased.

Chen Qiaoqian dressed herself and looked at the sleeping Su Ning with a complicated expression.

She tiptoed to the outer room, took a jade hairpin from her sleeve, and inserted it into her hair...

This is the Chen family's ancestral "Heart-Locking Hairpin," which can temporarily suppress the backlash from the "Su Nu Wen Xin Jue."

"You don't want to drag me down, but I'm going to gamble on this anyway." She murmured to herself in the bronze mirror, "Once you successfully form your core, let's see what excuse you have left..."

Suddenly, an extra person appeared in the mirror's reflection.

Mo Cai stood at the door, cradling the swaddled baby, her face pale yet strangely calm: "Is Fairy Chen... leaving?"

The two women's eyes met in the mirror; one was noble and radiant, the other pure and refined; one was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the other an ordinary woman.

Two people who should be worlds apart have their paths inexplicably crossed because of the same man.

"Let me see the child," Chen Qiaoqian suddenly said.

Mo Caihuan hesitated for a moment, but still handed Su Mo over.

Chen Qiaoqian took the baby and carefully scanned the weak five elements spiritual root with her divine sense. A trace of envy flashed in her eyes: "He looks just like his father! Raise him well."

As she spoke, she took out a warm and smooth jade pendant and hung it on the swaddling clothes. "This is the 'Tranquil Jade,' which can protect his soul from harm. When he grows up, he must never be a heartless man."

"Thank you fairy."

Mo Caihuan quickly thanked her, but then heard Chen Qiaoqian say quietly, "No need to thank me. If I have Su Ning's child someday, I might have to call you 'sister'."

"..." These words were like a thunderclap, leaving Mo Caihuan stunned on the spot.

By the time she came to her senses, Chen Qiaoqian had already vanished in a streak of light, leaving only the jade pendant emitting a faint spiritual light, reminding her that what had just happened was not an illusion.

Three months later, at Suning Cave.

Little Su Mo lay in a specially made jade cradle, his body soaked in five-colored spiritual liquid.

Using his finger as a brush, Su Ning sketched a simple Five Elements array in the air, guiding the faint spiritual energy within the infant's body.

“Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal…” He softly recited the incantation of the Five Elements Qi Cultivation Formula, and with each stroke of his finger, the spiritual liquid in the cradle would light up accordingly.

Mo Caihuan brought in the medicinal meal and stopped when she saw this scene.

Sunlight streamed through the window lattice, gilding the side profile of Suning.

Lei Xiu, who struck fear into the hearts of demonic cultivators on the battlefield, was now as gentle as an ordinary father.

"Brother Su, it's time to eat."

Su Ning finished his work, took the medicinal meal, and drank it all in one gulp.

Mo Caihuan hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Yesterday, Fairy Chen sent someone to deliver a box of 'Nourishing Essence Pills,' saying it was for the child..."

"Keep it." Su Ning's expression remained unchanged. "As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, there won't be any problems with the pills she takes out."

Mo Caihuan twisted her fingers: "I...I think I'm pregnant again."

Su Ning raised an eyebrow and looked at her belly, which was not yet showing.

Mo Caihuan quickly explained, "No! It's because my period is half a month late, and I had Dr. Gu examine me."

The cave was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a long pause, Su Ning chuckled softly, "Haha, you're quite diligent."

Mo Caihuan blushed and lowered her head, but then heard Su Ning suddenly say seriously, "Spiritual roots are something that can't be forced. What will you do if this one doesn't have a spiritual root?"

“Then let’s keep giving birth!” Mo Caihuan looked up, her eyes filled with an unprecedented determination. “Brother Su, although Caihuan is a mortal, I know how rare it is to have a chance to become an immortal. As long as there is even a sliver of hope that I can give birth to an immortal child for the Su family, Caihuan will die without regrets!”

That stubborn look reminded Su Ning of Mo Juren when they first met.

He sighed softly and pulled Mo Caihuan into his arms.

Outside the window, thunder rumbled again, seemingly out of nowhere.

The Awakening of Insects has passed, and spring rains are falling continuously.

The battles in the cultivation world have never ceased, but within this small cave dwelling, new hope is being nurtured.

……

On the Golden Drum Plain, blood-red clouds loomed overhead, where the righteous and the demonic forces gathered for a grand battle.

Su Ning squatted beside a charred corpse of a demonic cultivator, his fingertips flashing with lightning as he easily broke through the restriction on the storage bag at the other's waist.

Behind him came Zhang Tie's muffled complaint: "Senior Brother Su, this is the seventh one today! You should at least leave me a few intact ones to practice on!" "Shut up!" Li Feiyu suddenly shouted, his long sword gleaming with a blue light. "Three miles to the northeast, five early Foundation Establishment stage cultivators are approaching."

Han Li silently scattered a handful of colorless powder, which was carried by a gentle breeze towards the approaching enemy.

This is a "bewitching powder" he made from more than a dozen kinds of poisonous herbs. It is colorless and odorless, and can cause people's spiritual energy to stagnate without their knowledge.

"Prepare the 'Thunder Net Array'," Su Ning gave a brief order, and the four immediately took their positions.

This is a tactic they've figured out over the past two weeks...

Su Ning used lightning magic as the main attack, Han Li used the Azure Cloud Sword Technique to control the field, Li Feiyu used the Feather Sword Technique to finish off the enemies, and Zhang Tie was responsible for protecting everyone and finishing off the remaining enemies.

This fighting style has already claimed the lives of twenty-three demonic cultivators on Jingu Plain.

In the distance, five black-robed cultivators were cautiously making their way through the woods.

The leader held a blood-red compass, its pointer spinning wildly: "Strong spiritual energy reaction nearby, be careful of burying..."

Before the words were even finished, five bolts of purple lightning suddenly struck down from the sky!
The demonic cultivators hastily dodged, only to run into a lightning net that had already been laid out.

The lightning bolts coiled around them like living things, instantly paralyzing the three.

"Swift Wind Sword Formation!" With a single stroke of Li Feiyu's sword technique, countless sword lights poured down like a torrential rain.

The two demonic cultivators, who were still able to move, had just summoned their defensive magical artifacts when they were shredded into pieces by the sword light.

Zhang Tie charged into the battlefield like a raging bull, his metallic fist smashing the head of a paralyzed demonic cultivator into his chest cavity.

Another tried to escape, but got entangled in vines that suddenly sprouted from the ground...

Han Li's wood-based "Entangling Technique" filled the gap perfectly.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the last demonic cultivator bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence. His figure instantly turned into a blood shadow and fled far away.

Just as they were about to escape the attack range, a purple-gold lightning bolt as thick as a bucket descended from the sky!

"boom!"

When the lightning dissipated, only a charred, deep crater remained.

Su Ning slowly finished his incantation, and the purple lightning in his eyes gradually faded away.

This "Purple Heaven Divine Thunder" consumed a lot of energy, but its effect was remarkable.

"The twenty-eighth." Han Li calmly collected the spoils of war, tossing five storage bags to the group to divide equally. "The Blood Fiend Sect members should have quite a few spirit stones."

With a flick of his sword, Li Feiyu dug out a blood-red crystal core from the charred corpse that had not yet been destroyed by lightning: "Mid-Foundation Establishment blood core, worth two hundred contribution points."

The four worked together seamlessly to clean up the battlefield; this was the third wave of prey for the day.

Since arriving at Jingu Plain half a month ago, their team has become known among the seven factions for their efficient hunting.

Even the Core Formation elder leading the team was amazed...

Four Foundation Establishment cultivators working together were able to unleash destructive power comparable to that of an early Core Formation cultivator!

"A large force is approaching!" Han Li suddenly looked to the north with alarm.

Dozens of streaks of light appeared in the sky, intertwined with red and blue spiritual light...

They were the main force of the Seven Schools and the Demonic Path.

Clearly, the two sides are finally about to engage in a decisive battle.

"Back to camp," Su Ning ordered decisively. "It's time to change."

In the center of the Seven Factions' camp, there is a platform ten zhang high.

The four members of Su Ning stood behind Li Huayuan, fully armed.

Unlike usual, they were all wearing standard spirit armor at this moment.

Su Ning's "Thunder Dragon Armor" was crackling with electric light; Han Li changed into the "Azure Jade Armor" which could resist the backlash of poison; Li Feiyu wore a snow-white sword robe, but it was woven with "ice silkworm silk" and was fireproof and poisonproof; the most exaggerated one was Zhang Tie, who was wrapped in Xuan Tie heavy armor, looking like a mobile fortress.

As for Su Ning's Thousand Illusion Mask, it was simply too terrifying, so Su Yan always used it as inner armor.

"Remember your mission," Li Huayuan said in a deep voice, "Target isolated demonic cultivator teams. If you encounter a Core Formation cultivator, immediately signal to retreat."

"Yes, Master." "Yes, Uncle-Master."

Below the platform, disciples from the seven factions had already formed battle formations.

Su Ning's gaze swept across the crowd and suddenly spotted an unfamiliar female cultivator at the front of the Yellow Maple Valley camp.

The woman, dressed in red and wielding two swords, stood out against the grim battlefield with her fiery beauty.

“That’s Sect Leader Zhong’s daughter, Zhong Weiniang.” Li Feiyu noticed Su Ning’s gaze and transmitted his voice, “Mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and has already cultivated the Phoenix Dance Sword Technique to the fifth level. What, Senior Brother Su, are you interested?”

Suning remained noncommittal, but glanced at it a few more times.

Zhong Weiniang seemed to sense something, turned around and met Su Ning's gaze. Instead of the shyness of an ordinary female cultivator, she raised her eyebrows and revealed a provocative smile. Then she turned around, leaped onto her flying sword, and rushed to the battlefield with the main force.

"Interesting." Su Ning chuckled, his body crackling with lightning. "Let's go!"

In the center of Jingu Plain, two torrents collided with a deafening roar!

The magical artifacts shone brightly, blotting out the sun, while the shouts of battle were deafening.

The Suning team was like a sharp knife, specifically targeting the weak points of the demonic faction to infiltrate.

Lightning cleared the way, poisonous mist filled the air, sword shadows swirled, and with Zhang Tie as a human fortress, demonic cultivators fell one after another in his path.

"Southeast!" Han Li suddenly transmitted his voice, "Three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators are besieging us!"

The four turned around and, sure enough, saw three black-robed cultivators besieging a woman in red—it was Zhong Weiniang!

She wielded her twin swords, creating a curtain of light, but she was already struggling to defend herself, her shoulders stained with blood.

"Save them!" Su Ning's speed surged, transforming into a streak of lightning as he sped off.

While in mid-air, his hands had already formed a complex hand seal: "Nine Heavens Thunder Prison!"

The area within a hundred feet was instantly enveloped by thunderclouds, and countless electric snakes danced down.

The three demonic cultivators were shocked and immediately abandoned their attack, summoning their defensive magic treasures.

One of them recognized Su Ning and shouted sharply, "It's the 'Thunder Demon' from Yellow Maple Valley! Be careful of him..."

Before he could finish speaking, dozens of poisonous vines suddenly sprouted from the ground and wrapped around his legs.

Han Li's "Bone-Rotting Vine" was so deadly that it killed the demonic cultivator with a scream as his legs turned to bones!
Zhong Weiniang's pressure eased dramatically, and her twin swords suddenly emitted a dazzling red light: "Phoenix Dance in the Nine Heavens!"

The sword light transformed into a fire phoenix, engulfing another demonic cultivator.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the last demonic cultivator gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood essence, his body swelled up into a blood demon body three zhang tall.

Zhang Tie laughed wildly as he charged forward, his Xuan Tie heavy armor clashing with the Blood Demon's claws, producing a metallic clang.

"Die!" Su Ning descended from the sky, striking the Blood Demon's crown with a thunderous palm strike.

The purple-gold lightning pierced through the body, blasting this body, which had been formed from the consumption of essence and blood, into pieces!
The battle ended as quickly as lightning.

Zhong Weiniang, leaning on her sword and panting, looked in astonishment at the four people's fluid and coordinated movements: "You..."

"Is Senior Sister alright?" Han Li handed her a bottle of antidote pills. "There's poison on her claws."

Zhong Weiniang took the pills, but her gaze fell on Su Ning: "I've long heard of 'Thunder Demon' Su Ning's name, and seeing him today confirms it..."

"Watch out!" Su Ning suddenly tackled her to the ground.

A blood-red spear flew past the two of them, blasting the boulder behind them to pieces!

A hundred feet away, a gaunt old man standing on blood-red clouds stared menacingly at them: "How dare you, junior, kill a disciple of my Blood Fiend Sect?!"

The pressure from the Core Formation stage descended like a mountain!

Su Ning's bones cracked all over, but he forced himself to stand up and shielded Zhong Weiniang behind him: "Han Li!"

Without needing to say more, Han Li crushed a communication talisman.

"Retreat quickly!"

Li Huayuan's sword light arrived in an instant from afar, and he engaged in a fierce battle with the Blood Fiend Sect elder.

"Let's go!" Su Ning pulled Zhong Weiniang up, and the four of them quickly retreated from the core of the battlefield.

Once they reached safety, Zhong Weiniang shook off his hand, her pretty face slightly flushed: "Thank you for saving me, but I can walk by myself."

She straightened her disheveled red dress and suddenly leaned close to Su Ning's ear: "I'll treat you to drinks at the celebration banquet tonight."

After saying that, he flew away on his sword, as carefree as someone who had just escaped death.

Li Feiyu whistled: "Senior Brother Su, you really have some impressive skills."

Han Li had already begun inspecting the three newly acquired storage bags: "The belongings of an elite disciple of the Blood Fiend Sect should be quite good."

Li Huayuan returned safely in no time. After all, very few cultivators in the Core Formation stage died; the main force that suffered the most casualties were the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stage disciples.

As night fell, the campfires in the seven camps were brightly lit.

At the celebration banquet, the Suning team was given special recognition.

In this battle, they killed a total of thirty-four demonic cultivators, including many elite cultivators in the late Foundation Establishment stage.

The seized storage bags were piled up like a small mountain, containing tens of thousands of spirit stones alone, not to mention various cultivation technique jade slips and rare materials.

“The Azure Flame Technique is mine.” Li Feiyu picked up a fiery red jade slip. “It will perfectly complement my Gale Sword Technique.”

Han Li was interested in several bottles of poison pills and the "Bone Shrinking Technique," both of which were powerful tools for assassination and survival.

Zhang Tie took all the body-refining materials, especially several bottles of "demon beast essence blood," which could greatly enhance his physical strength.

Suning's gains were the most unique...

He discovered a copy of "Hehuan Demonic Art" in the storage bag of a Hehuan Sect cultivator.

“Drinking alone is no fun.” At this moment, Zhong Wei Niang appeared beside him without his noticing and handed him a jar of spirit wine. “Try our Zhong family’s ‘Phoenix Cry Brew’.”

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhong Weiniang's cheeks were flushed, but her boldness remained undiminished: "Junior Brother Su's thunder magic is truly remarkable! However, my Phoenix Dance Sword Technique is not bad either. Shall we have a friendly spar another day?"

"I'll be waiting anytime." Su Ning raised his glass in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping over her slender neck and calloused hands that held the sword.

Such a bright and spirited woman is indeed rare in the world of cultivation.

While the banquet was in full swing, Han Li quietly left his seat.

...(End of chapter)