From the family treasure tree to build an eternal family

Chapter 235 Open and Covert Struggles
Just as Du Wanyun stepped out of the deep mountains, a figure flew swiftly from high in the distance.

She quickly hid in the shadows and secretly watched.

Not one person, but two!

To be precise, it was a flying monk carrying another person who couldn't fly.

The two flew directly to Naruno's secluded residence.

"We've only known each other for a few days, so it's perfectly normal for him to betray me for spirit stones."

Thinking of this, Du Wanyun dared not linger and hurriedly left.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"The Demon-Slaying Guard is down below."

Chengye pointed to his dwelling, hidden deep in the mountains.

As a rogue cultivator, he only lived alone in this deep mountain forest where the spiritual energy was slightly more abundant than elsewhere because he lacked resources.

This does not mean that he has no desires or does not want more resources.

After spending three days with Du Wanyun, he felt that she was hiding something from him and that she had a secret.

So, while Du Wanyun was cultivating, he quietly left and inquired about her outside.

He quickly found out about Du Wanyun's arrest warrant!
Although Du Wanyun changed her name to "Du Xiaoyun", the wanted poster has a clear portrait of her.

Based on the portrait, the name, and their similar cultivation levels, Cheng Ye confirmed that she was Du Wanyun.

A Three-in-One Pill as a reward!

Cheng Ye doesn't need the Three Harmony Pill. He only needs to convert the Three Harmony Pill into spirit stones. With that huge amount of spirit stones, he can cultivate to the late stage of Qi Refining in a few years.

The difference between the second level of Qi Refining and the late stage of Qi Refining, where one can fly by controlling Qi, is like heaven and earth.

Cheng Ye decided to "betray" Du Wanyun without hesitation.

It couldn't even be called betrayal; he and Du Wanyun had no connection whatsoever, they were just strangers who happened to meet by chance.

He had only abandoned his conscience and misplaced Du Wanyun's trust in him, but in return, he received three thousand spirit stones. The price was far too good to pass up.

How many spirit stones are conscience and trust worth? Absolutely nothing!
Cheng Ye comforted himself: Du Wanyun was a demonic cultivator wanted by the Demon Subduing Division, utterly wicked and deserving of death. Reporting her was the fate she deserved.

The person who flew with him was Cheng Xingao, who was at the third level of Foundation Establishment.

Upon learning that Cheng Ye had found Du Wanyun, Cheng Xingao was overjoyed and quickly descended.

In the mountains and forests, I saw a few stone houses on the low hilltop.

He landed with Naruno, and his gaze swept across the area, but he saw no one.

"What about people?"

Cheng Xingao frowned, staring at Cheng Ye, suspecting that this man was deceiving him.

"This is impossible! She was practicing her martial arts over there when I left late at night. I saw it with my own eyes! She has no reason to leave without saying goodbye."

Cheng Ye began to panic.

"Then where is she? Hmm?"

Cheng Xingao had already used his divine sense to survey the surroundings, and there was no one else within a three-mile radius.

"Sir, she must have just left. You'll definitely find her! I'm only trying to help, please don't blame me."

Cheng Ye was somewhat apprehensive, worried that the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of him would blame him.

"How could I blame you? You came to me the moment you found her, I should thank you."

Cheng Xingao said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Then he saw Cheng Xingao casually unleash a burst of spiritual energy into his abdomen, shattering his fragile dantian.

Then, Cheng Xingao grabbed Cheng Ye's head.

"Ha, let me see for myself whether you're lying."

Cheng Xingao searched Cheng Ye's soul and found that what he said was true.

He casually tossed Cheng Ye's body aside. Even if Du Wanyun were really here, he would still kill Cheng Ye and claim all the credit.

Cheng Ye, an unknown rogue cultivator, was only at the second level of Qi Refining, and he had privately informed Cheng Xingao of Du Wanyun's whereabouts. Under such circumstances, death was his inevitable end.

"That Du Wanyun is quite wary. Which family is looking for her? A Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator with a reward of 3 He Dan pills, tsk tsk, there's a story here."

Cheng Xingao decided to investigate.

Information about Du Wanyun is not difficult to find.

The wanted notice stated that she had murdered many people in Wutong County, and the county government had already investigated her background.

Cheng Xingao quickly investigated and found out the details.

"Ru'an Mountain, the Chu family... Did she offend the Chu family, or does she know some secret of the Chu family?"

Cheng Xingao guessed.

Having risen from humble beginnings to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he is a man who will stop at nothing to gain profit.

He's willing to do anything to gain more benefits.

Fortune favors the bold. If he had followed the rules, he certainly wouldn't have become a Grand Master at the third level of Foundation Establishment.

"If we find Du Wanyun, we should talk to the Chu family first. They're willing to offer a reward of three-in-one pills, so they're definitely willing to pay an even higher price to get Du Wanyun."

I wonder which superior in the Demon Subduing Division the Chu family has a connection with?

He was calculating the benefits, risks, gains and losses in his mind.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wutong County.

Du Wanyun, who had already fled far away, returned after much effort.

She was almost discovered several times along the way, but luckily she hid well and arrived in the county town without any major incidents.

She then discovered that the Du family mansion was deserted, with no one there.

"The Chu family?!"

She was furious, never expecting that the Chu family would be so heartless as to attack her ordinary family members.

"The Chu family are the demonic cultivators! They are the demonic cultivators!"

Now that things have come to this, even if Du Wanyun is slow to realize, she should know that the Chu family's purpose in seeking her out is not pure.

Du Wanyun guessed that her special constitution was extraordinary.

"Are you going to capture me to refine pills? Or use me as a furnace to drain my vital essence?"

she guessed.

Such rumors are not uncommon in the cultivation world.

For example, the news that the Xue family of Yunze Mountain once captured people to refine pills spread throughout the cultivation circle: using demonic cultivation methods, they refined women with special physiques into Foundation Establishment Pills.

Or it could be demonic cultivation techniques that absorb the yin essence of women and the yang essence of men, as well as various methods of blood-devouring and soul-absorbing.

In short, the cultivators had all heard of these evil cultivation methods.

It is perfectly normal for Du Wanyun to have this guess.

With the fate of her family members unknown, she was filled with worry, and her hatred for the Chu family reached its peak.

"Perhaps they've been plotting against me ever since the Chu family discovered my spiritual root."

she thought.

She didn't know what to do next.

After a long and arduous escape, she returned to Wutong County out of concern for her family's safety.

But she was helpless when faced with the Chu family.

"If I go to the Chu family voluntarily, will I survive?"

She even thought that as long as the Chu family didn't want her life, she was willing to sacrifice herself to keep her family alive.

"If the Chu family wants my life, will my family still be alive...?"

She couldn't help but despair.

This is the powerlessness of weak, independent cultivators against established cultivation families.

Just as she was hesitating and unsure of what to do, a voice sounded above her.

"It wasn't for nothing that I waited here for two days. I finally found you, haha."

As the sound faded, Cheng Xingao landed beside Du Wanyun.

After secretly investigating Du Wanyun and the Chu family, he inadvertently discovered that the Chu family had arrested all the members of the Du family.

Given Du Wanyun's relationship with her family, she is very likely to slip up.

So he stayed near the Du family mansion in Wutong County, occasionally using his divine sense to explore the surroundings.

For Cheng Xingao, who was at the third level of Foundation Establishment, it was impossible to constantly use his divine sense to probe; it would consume too much energy and make it difficult to maintain his sea of ​​consciousness. He could simply scan the area with his divine sense every incense stick's time.

Just now, he sensed a faint aura of someone at the early stage of Qi Refining approaching the Du family mansion.

Despite the person's best efforts to conceal their aura, Cheng Xingao still noticed them. At this moment, who else but Du Wanyun would be hiding among the early-stage Qi Refining cultivators?

"Foundation building?!"

Du Wanyun looked at the Foundation Establishment cultivator in front of her and knew that she had no chance of escaping.

"Don't resist, come with me."

Cheng Xingao used his spiritual power to lift Du Wanyun up and fly away into the distance.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In the desolate mountains far from Wutong County.

Cheng Xingao put Du Wanyun down. "Tell me, what secrets do you know about the Chu family?"

Cheng Xingao did not immediately hand Du Wanyun back to the Demon Subduing Division, nor did he take her to the Chu family.

As a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, he must have gone to great lengths to find Du Wanyun, so he must have earned even more benefits.

"I do not know……"

Du Wanyun shook her head.

"Then why did the Chu family issue an arrest warrant for you under the name of the Demon Subduing Division? On the surface, they offered a reward of one Three-in-One Pill, but in private, they also had to give their superiors in the Demon Subduing Division a bribe. And they even wanted to capture you alive. There must be something fishy going on."

Cheng Xingao makes a lot of sense.

He refrained from performing a soul search on Du Wanyun because he believed she was only valuable if she was alive.

"I really don't know."

Du Wanyun shook her head again.

"The Chu family has captured everyone in your family, and they will definitely search your souls. Soul searches will kill people. Don't you want to take revenge on the Chu family? Tell me the Chu family's secrets, and I might be able to help you."

Cheng Xingao concocted various excuses, attempting to glean some information from Du Wanyun.

But Du Wanyun genuinely didn't know.

"Let me investigate first."

Cheng Xingao had no choice but to grab Du Wanyun's hand. Spiritual energy surged into her wrist, probing her body along her meridians.

"Four elemental roots, Qi Refining Level 3... Hmm, is this some kind of special physique?"

He noticed Du Wanyun's special constitution, but due to his limited knowledge, he didn't know what it was.

"It's very likely because of this constitution. Since you're unwilling to talk about it, I'll personally go and talk to the Chu family. Take this elixir."

A pill appeared in his hand.

Du Wanyun's expression changed slightly; she didn't know what it was and dared not take it.

However, as a mere Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator, she had no power to resist a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Cheng Xingao pressed his fingers, imbued with spiritual power, on a certain acupoint on Du Wanyun's neck. Du Wanyun opened her mouth with an "ah," and then a spiritual pill was inserted into her mouth.

"Don't worry, this pill will only deplete your spiritual energy and will be effective for three days. During these three days, you should stay here obediently."

After saying that, Cheng Xingao locked Du Wanyun in a hidden cave.

Unable to summon any spiritual energy, Du Wanyun was a woman with no strength whatsoever and could not escape.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Ru'an Mountain.

Chu Shuyue and Chu Luo received an anonymous letter stating that Du Wanyun was in his hands and requesting that the Chu family send someone to negotiate with him.

According to time and place.

Chu Luo met Cheng Xingao in a secluded area late at night.

Cheng Xingao was dressed in black, concealing his appearance and only revealing his Foundation Establishment Level 3 cultivation.

Chu Luo's cultivation level is weaker, only at the second level of Foundation Establishment.

"Chu Luo of the Chu family, may I ask your name, fellow Daoist?"

Chu Luo introduced himself and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

Cheng Xingao would not reveal his identity at this moment: "The person your Chu family found is in my hands. If you want them, let's talk about the terms."

"who?"

Chu Luo pretended not to know.

"Hehe, stop pretending, she's just Du Wanyun."

"Then you should hand it over to the Demon Subduing Division. The reward is three pills. That's no small sum."

The Chu family's connection with the Demon Subduing Division was through Deputy Director Jin Kuiyuan. Once Du Wanyun was handed over to the Demon Subduing Division, Jin Kuiyuan would naturally bring her to the Chu family.

"The bounty on the Three-in-One Pill is outwardly stated, but her actual value must be far more than that. What are the effects of that special physique, haha..."

Upon hearing "special constitution," Chu Luo thought to himself, "This person must have captured Du Wanyun, otherwise how would they know?"

He guessed that this person might not know what kind of constitution it was, otherwise they wouldn't have come to the Chu family.

Given the rarity of a spirit-bearing body, it would alarm many families even in Zhennan Prefecture.

"Tell me, how much do you want?"

Chu Luo's face was grim. Saying those words meant he had fallen into a completely disadvantageous position in the negotiations.

"Thirty thousand spirit stones."

Cheng Xingao held up three fingers, demanding an exorbitant price.

"You're dreaming! Keep her then. You want to exchange her for 30,000 spirit stones? Do you think my Chu family owns a spirit stone mine?"

With that, Chu Luo turned to leave.

"Wait a minute~~"

Cheng Xingao was just testing the waters; the price was indeed outrageous.

"Twenty thousand spirit stones, can your family afford this price?"

"Ten thousand spirit stones, that's equivalent to a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Chu Luo held up one finger.

"Eighteen thousand..."

After some haggling, the two agreed on a price of 12,000 spirit stones.

"Here's a storage pouch for you; it contains enough resources."

Chu Luo brought plenty of resources with him this time.

"Oh?"

Cheng Xingao took the storage pouch and found that the soul imprint on it had been erased, and it was unclaimed.

Among them was a Foundation Establishment Pill and two thousand spirit stones.

"The Chu family is indeed having a great time! Haha."

He burst out laughing; he had really struck it rich this time.

Chu Luo's heart was bleeding. With the Chu family's power, 12,000 spirit stones was a huge amount of resources. The entire Ru'an Mountain's profits over several years would not amount to that much.

His family couldn't come up with 12,000 spirit stones, so he offered his only Foundation Establishment Pill as part of the transaction.

"Tell me, where is she now?"

"I imprisoned her in a wild mountain more than 300 miles south of Ru'an Mountain, called Erguniang Mountain, in a cave at the bottom of a low peak."

After saying that, Cheng Xingao turned and left.

However, they hadn't flown far when a whooshing sound came from the side.

"you?!"

He was shocked, never expecting the Chu family to turn their backs on him so suddenly. If it were just Chu Luo alone, it wouldn't be so bad, but it was someone nearby who launched the sneak attack, probably the head of the Chu family.

Chu Shuyue, the head of the Chu family, is at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment, and Cheng Xingao is no match for her.

He leaped to escape, but was severely injured by Chu Shuyue's bone-corroding poison rain. He was killed before he could utter his last words.

"They dare to extort even my Chu family. They have no sense of right and wrong."

Chu Shuyue retrieved the storage pouch and also took the storage pouch from Cheng Xingao.

They never intended to let Cheng Xingao leave alive.

Chu Luo flew forward to check Cheng Xingao's identity, but unfortunately Cheng Xingao's body was severely damaged and corroded to the point that only a skeleton remained, making him unrecognizable.

However, Chu Luo found a token next to him.

"Madam, something terrible has happened!"

The token was dull and cracked, but judging from its appearance, it was a token representing a Foundation Establishment Immortal Official!
"who is it?"

"I've seen this person before; he's Cheng Xingao from the Demon Subduing Division."

Chu Luo saw the small characters printed on the token: "Cheng Xingao".

"Why won't the Demon Suppression Division hand Du Wanyun over to them? Really..."

Chu Shuyue's face was grim; killing a Foundation Establishment Immortal Official would not end well.

"Quickly clean up the traces. He came to extort us on his own initiative and certainly won't tell anyone else. It'll be too late for anyone to trace it back to us. Also, bring Du Wanyun back immediately!"

They had no choice but to kill Cheng Xingao.

Cheng Xingao discovered that Du Wanyun had a special constitution. If he found out that she had a "spirit-bearing constitution" and it got out, the Chu family would be in trouble.

Besides, he brought with him resources worth twelve thousand spirit stones!

No matter how you look at it, killing him is the best option.

The Chu family simply did not expect him to be a Foundation Establishment Immortal Official.

However, when the Chu family arrived at the location Cheng Xingao had described, they were even more surprised to find that Cheng Xingao had lied to them.

They searched the entire mountain but couldn't find Du Wanyun.

Cheng Xingao was indeed on guard, fearing the Chu family might turn their backs on him, so he fabricated a lie. The place did exist, but Du Wanyun wasn't there.

His original intention was to wait until he was safe before using another method to hand Du Wanyun over to the Chu family.

He tried to reveal this secret to save his life in his final moments, but he died too quickly and didn't have time to say it.

(End of this chapter)