Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 167 The Feng Family's Response: Playing the Fool to Deceive the Tiger (Please Subscribe, Please Vote)

“My lady, if you don’t have enough spirit stones, you can exchange them for spirit herbs, ores, secret techniques, spells, etc.” Xu Mingyuan smiled faintly.

"Fellow Daoist is really stingy."

This coquettish cry made countless male cultivators around swallow hard.

However, no one came near.

This is because she is the daughter of the head of the Feng family in Guangling County, and is suspected to have a naturally alluring body and the aptitude for cultivating immortality with true spiritual roots.

Its future was almost predetermined.

"Three blue crystal diamonds, one bloodstone, and a 150-year-old pure heart flower."

"sufficient."

Feng Yuzhen stared quietly into Xu Mingyuan's eyes, and after a moment said, "What a boring man."

She then brushed her slender fingers across the storage bag, leaving behind the items she had just mentioned, and put away the brooch and jade hairpin together before gracefully departing.

Feng Yuzhen was in her early thirties and possessed a profound spiritual cultivation, so she naturally had no need for these magical artifacts. She bought them only to give to her favorite niece.

Seeing that there was no more excitement to be had, everyone dispersed.

Xu Mingyuan looked at Xu Deling and said, "Second Uncle Lingyao will keep it. You can keep the refining materials and spirit stones yourself."

"Thank you, second uncle!"

"As expected of Second Brother, he managed to sell three low-grade magic artifacts for nearly a hundred spirit stones." Xu Mingshu said, giving a thumbs up.

"These three magical artifacts are all quite good, and they are also women's magical artifacts. It just so happens that they were acquired by a very wealthy person. Otherwise, it would be quite good if they could be sold for sixty or seventy spirit stones."

Xu Mingyuan explained with a smile, then added, "Alright, let's find an inn to stay in."

However, not long after, Xu Mingshu noticed that someone was following her and sent a telepathic message to Xu Mingyuan.

"Have your spirit insects monitor us and see who is following us. They shouldn't dare to cause trouble in the market."

"Understood, Second Brother."

The group settled into the Floating Life Inn, and not long after, Xu Mingwei also arrived.

Soon after, Xu Mingshu gathered everyone in a room, activated the room's protective barrier, and said, "The ones targeting us are a group of rogue cultivators."

"It seems my selling pills in various places has caught attention after all," Xu Mingyuan said calmly.

"Based on my divine sense perception attached to the spirit insect, there are a total of five people, all of whom are at least at the seventh level of Qi Refining. I can't estimate the highest level, but it's either the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining."

"Not weak at all," Xu Mingxuan commented casually, not taking them seriously at all. He then asked, "Big brother, second brother, what do you think?"

"Then let's try the methods of a rogue cultivator." Xu Mingyuan looked at Xu Mingwei and said, "Big brother, you deal with the one with the highest cultivation level. After you kill him, you can cover for us."

It's rare to encounter someone of similar strength; this will allow us to gain some combat experience.

“No problem.” Xu Mingwei nodded. “But you must not be careless. Release your offensive and defensive magical artifacts as soon as the battle begins.”

"You have all cultivated the Nine Flames Technique and reached the level of 'two thoughts as one,' allowing you to perfectly control two magical artifacts. This gives you an advantage."

Xu Mingshu nodded and said, "Indeed, Father's secret method is truly remarkable. The method of tempering one's divine sense is something that many cultivators have never even heard of."

"My father said that the Nine Flames Technique can be mastered with hard work through the three stages, but from the fourth stage onwards, some comprehension is required."

Cherish this opportunity; with your father's personal experience in cultivation, you can accelerate your progress in mastering this secret technique.

"Yes, elder brother (father)."

"Second brother, you devise the plan."

at the same time.

In the market town.

A message reached the Feng family: Wei Dao, the chief disciple of the Pill Hall.

Xu Mingwei was wearing a hood, revealing his Qi Refining Level 9 cultivation, and unintentionally mentioned the imperial city in Feng's alchemy shop.

It's not surprising that a rogue cultivator of his level would have been to the imperial city.

The mere fact that he was the chief disciple of the Pill Hall and the name Wei Dao was enough to make the Feng family think of many things.

Who told them that their old rivals were the Wei family?

The Feng family at this time.

The head of the Feng family and a few others, including the Grand Elder, gathered together to discuss matters related to upholding justice.

"Patriarch, we should send someone to the capital. If Wei Dao is indeed a member of the Wei family, then we must make a decision soon. It is hard to predict how much influence the future chief of the Pill Hall will have."

As the head of the Feng family pondered, another person said, "Then I will go myself."

"It would be best if the Second Elder would be so kind as to invite you. With your Qi Refining Perfection strength, you should not encounter too much risk."

"Please rest assured, Patriarch, this elder will definitely find out the truth. Otherwise, the Feng family will not be at ease."

The First Elder also said, "Indeed, seeing the death of the Wei family's alchemy master, our Feng family was able to suppress the Wei family for decades or even centuries, but now such a change has occurred."

This is no longer a matter of mutual suppression, but rather a question of whether my Feng family will have a place in Guangling County in the future.

After the Second Elder and the others left.

Only the Feng family patriarch and the eldest elder remained in the study.

"Let's go find our ancestors," said the head of the Feng family.

The eldest elder of the Feng family nodded slightly.

In the Feng family's territory.

There is a jade peak, which is five or six hundred feet high.

It rises abruptly from the ground, like a giant jade hairpin piercing the sky, with a light mist enveloping the mountain from its midsection.

At the foot of the mountain are mostly pine and camphor trees, while on the mountainside, bamboo and fir trees intertwine, with new leaves and old branches layered upon each other, creating waves of green in varying shades when the wind blows.

The most amazing thing is the ancient banyan tree that has sprouted from the cracks in the rock. Its roots are like golden snakes wrapped around the stone, while its canopy spreads out like an emerald canopy covering half an acre. Crested ibises often rise and fall among them, like floating red agate.

The north side of this peak is exposed with a large area of ​​gray-white rock wall. Over the years, wind and rain have eroded and carved out sheet-like rock layers that stand upright like unsheathed swords.

There are also large, reddish-brown boulders that are slanted into the mountainside, their surfaces covered with honeycomb-like holes, and they emit a mournful sound during the new moon.

This is a forbidden area of ​​the Feng family, and only a select few are qualified to freely ascend the peak to pay their respects.

Other members of the Feng family are not allowed to trespass on this peak without being summoned.

The Feng family patriarch and the eldest elder arrived at the main hall atop Qingyu Peak by flying on their swords.

Inside the main hall, there was an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face, and a middle-aged man, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

The spiritual energy of this peak is the most abundant in the entire Guangling Prefecture.

"Ancestor, I humbly request an audience."

"come in."

Although the main hall doors were open, the two dared not barge in without the patriarch's permission.

"Thank you, ancestor."

The Feng family patriarch and the eldest elder entered the main hall and immediately bowed to the two men.

"Speak plainly about what you want to say," the white-haired old man said calmly.

"Today, my Feng family received a rumor that someone from the Wei family has become an apprentice of a certain alchemy master in the capital."

"This news is from two years ago, isn't it?"

"Yes, but what we learned today is more specific: that Wei family disciple may have become a disciple of Yun Zhongzi, the chief disciple of the Imperial City Pill Hall."

Upon hearing this, another Foundation Establishment cultivator, who appeared to be middle-aged, instantly opened his eyes, revealing an expression of disbelief, and blurted out, "Is this true?!"

"We have sent clan elders to the capital to investigate, and we believe we will have news in seven or eight days."

"Could it be that the Wei family is deliberately creating a smokescreen, spreading rumors through their own people?"

The head of the Feng family shook his head and said, "It shouldn't be. If the Wei family had spread the word, then most people in the entire Guangling County would probably know."

This news came from the imperial city, passing through the mouth of a rogue cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining in our Guangling County. He even mentioned the name of the Wei family member: Wei Dao.

"Defending the Way? Could it be that you're not a direct descendant of the Wei family, but merely a remote branch?" the Foundation Establishment elder asked doubtfully.

"It sounds like it might actually be true. If that's the case, even if it's just a collateral branch, it's still a member of the Wei family."

The middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator said, "I remember Senior Yun Zhongzi is quite old. Now that you are accepting disciples, you should be accepting them as your personal disciples."

How terrifying must Wei Dao's alchemy talent be?

The hall fell silent instantly, and a sense of solemnity filled the air.

"Let's wait for news first," the Foundation Establishment elder said quietly.

"What if the news is true?" The Foundation Establishment middle-aged man seemed to have a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

“Xiuyuan, you’ve lived for over a hundred years, how come you still have such a rash attitude when things happen?”

Upon hearing this, the Foundation Establishment cultivator seemed ashamed. He immediately calmed himself down, clasped his hands, and said, "Ancestor, I was too hasty."

"Even if the news is true, so what? Wei Dao's son will need at least sixty or seventy years to grow up, while Yun Zhongzi doesn't have that much lifespan to teach him. At most, he'll only have forty years left."

"With Yun Zhongzi's nurturing, forty years is enough for him to grow to the point of attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Indeed, but don't forget, what Yun Zhongzi wants is a successor in alchemy. To think that one can reach Yun Zhongzi's level of alchemy in forty years is wishful thinking."

Therefore, the position of chief of the Pill Hall may not necessarily belong to that kid, or rather, it won't be his anytime soon.

"Leaving aside whether they have a sense of belonging to the Wei family, even if they do, my Feng family is not afraid of the Wei family. After confirming the information, I will go to the Wei family and force them to swear an oath not to use Wei Dao to influence the war between the two families."

If they refuse, I will risk my remaining lifespan to take the younger Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wei family down with me, or I will wipe out the entire younger generation of the Wei family, severing their lineage.”

"Ancestor, this..." Both the Feng family patriarch and the eldest elder looked horrified.

"I only have a little over ten years left to live. If I can bring long-term peace and stability to my Feng family, it won't be a loss. Of course, this is also the last resort that results in mutual destruction."

After saying this, he looked at the middle-aged Foundation Establishment cultivator and said with a faint smile, "Xiuyuan, the path of aristocratic families is difficult, but it is not only about fighting to the death and swallowing each other up."

You must remember that unless it is the very last moment, never fight the Wei family to the death. If one day the defeat of my Feng family is inevitable, then preserve the family's strength and withdraw from Guangling County.

"If we manage things well, the Feng family can rise again after the first time."

"I will remember the teachings of our ancestor and never forget them for the rest of my life!" Feng Xiuyuan stood up and bowed to him.

The patriarch of the Feng family looked at the head of the Feng family and said again, "Wande, you may all step down. Report back when you have news. Remember not to act rashly and not to leak any information."

"Yes, old man."

Feng Wand bowed respectfully, then left the main hall with the Grand Elder and returned on their swords.

"Elder, you understand what the Ancestor meant. He instructed that anyone who knows about this matter must not speak of it to outsiders, or the family will severely punish them."

"Yes, master."

The next day.

Xu Mingwei and his group then pretended to leave Guangling County Market and headed deep into the nearby mountains.

Since they are prey, how could the hunter allow them to escape from his grasp?

Almost immediately, five people followed.

"Daoist Qinghe, these people are quite a fat sheep this time. They probably have two or three hundred spirit stones alone, and the other materials and spirit herbs they traded are also quite a lot. They might even be enough for a high-grade magic weapon."

A bald man with thick eyebrows and big eyes grinned.

"Fellow Daoist Yu, I understand what you mean. You want a larger share to gather enough spirit stones for a high-grade magic weapon. However, I cannot make that decision myself; I will need to consult the other fellow Daoists."

A middle-aged Taoist nun said calmly, "Distributing according to merit is the fairest approach." "I think whoever kills it should get it!"

Before they even saw the person, the group started discussing how to divide the spoils.

It can be summed up in just one word.

poverty!
They had originally planned to try another county town to see if they could find anything, but the arrival of Xu Mingwei and his group gave them a pleasant surprise.

There's not much to gain from being a rogue cultivator, unless you're at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining, in which case there might be a slight chance you have a high-grade magic weapon.

However, battles at this level are mostly dangerous.

When scions of prominent families from other counties travel, the highest-ranking elder they have is an elder at the seventh level of Qi Refining, who is their favorite companion.

"Stop arguing, let's wait until we kill those aristocratic families first."

"Then we will listen to Daoist Qinghe."

Among them, Master Qinghe had the highest cultivation level, reaching the peak of the eighth level of Qi Refining. Moreover, he had received the most resources from their numerous collaborations.

Therefore, he already possessed a high-grade magic artifact.

Their strength is further enhanced.

For independent cultivators to grow, they can only rely on opportunities if they don't have any special abilities; without opportunities, they can only resort to plunder.

If none of these options are available, then the only recourse is to attach oneself to a powerful family or sect.

Their figures moved like fleeting shadows through the dense forest, and they soon caught up with Xu Mingwei and his group.

The bald man, holding a mid-grade magic weapon longsword, grinned and stepped forward, saying, "Fellow Daoists, you are also leaving Guangling County. Why don't you travel together?"

"Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together," Xu Mingshu sneered.

As the middle-aged Taoist nun raised her hand, a streak of crimson light shot out from her Taoist robe, directly hitting Xu Mingshu's heart.

Qiang~
A small, exquisite shield suddenly appeared, instantly expanding to block the crimson light.

The crimson light retreated, and when it subsided, a short sword was revealed.

The impact on the black iron shield caused Xu Mingshu to stagger backward several meters.

Her defensive artifact activated so quickly, as if she had been prepared in advance.

"A mid-grade defensive magic weapon, no wonder it could stop my attack, but a mere early stage of Qi Refining level 6, I'd like to see how long you can hold out against me."

Master Qinghe frowned slightly, a sense of alarm rising in his heart, but he remained calm and said, "They seem to have been prepared. Leave the one at the seventh level of Qi Refining to me."

The rest of you should finish quickly to avoid any accidents.

"I'll take care of those two little guys who are at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refining," said a thin, middle-aged man. "Such vibrant lives. I love to torture and kill the genius scions of aristocratic families."

Xu Dezhao and Xu Deling's eyes revealed disgust, and a hint of crimson light flashed in their eyes.

The remaining two also approached Xu Mingyuan and Xu Mingxuan respectively.

However, as soon as the battle began, Daoist Qinghe vanished in an instant. His magical boots made him move as fast as if he had used a speed-enhancing talisman, leaving only a blur behind.

"Master Qinghe?!"

The middle-aged Taoist nun and the others were all taken aback, but Xu Mingshu and the others took out high-grade magic artifacts from their storage bags and quickly approached.

They had witnessed the power of a superior magical artifact many times before, and recognized it immediately.

"A top-grade magical weapon?"

"All of them?"

"Could you perhaps be from a second or third-rank noble family in the capital?"

But no one responded to them.

Among Xu Mingshu and the others, only Xu Deling had cultivated immortality since childhood, while the rest had entered the Dao through martial arts. Relying on the advantages of magical artifacts, they had the upper hand in close combat.

“Be careful, all of you. I will go after that Taoist priest.”

After saying that, Xu Mingwei's figure flashed like a black lightning bolt, disappearing into the mountains and forests.

In a short while, he arrived in front of Master Qinghe.

Upon seeing this, Master Qinghe's pupils contracted slightly, and he patted his storage bag, sending out a talisman.

He activated it instantly, and a blue light enveloped him, making him as light as a swallow.

If Master Qinghe was like a gentle breeze at this moment, then Xu Mingwei was like a flash of lightning.

Its speed is even better.

In the blink of an eye, it's surpassed again.

"How is that possible? I didn't see you use any talismans like the Swiftness Talisman, nor did I see any fluctuations of wind-type magic. How could your speed be so fast?"

"Taoist Master, the great battle has just begun, and you want to take advantage of the chaos to escape? That is unethical."

"Morality? Better to die for a fellow Daoist than for myself. Caution is the reason why I, Daoist Qinghe, have survived to this day in the cultivation world."

He carefully examined Xu Mingwei and saw that he was indeed only at the early stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining. He patted his storage bag, and a flying sword and an earthen-yellow shield flew out and hovered in front of him.

He gently shook the whisk in his hand, his face ruthless, and said, "Since you won't let me leave, then I have no choice but to kill you."

Xu Mingwei ignored the threats and, without a word, released the Ink Dragon Bow and arrows from his storage bag.

Nine arrows were spread out in a fan shape and hung behind him.

With five fingers gripping the bowstring like a golden eagle seizing a rabbit, he held the Ink Dragon Bow in his hand.

In that instant, his entire aura was like a sharp arrow, its tip pointing directly at Master Qinghe's brow.

A sense of impending death rose in Master Qinghe's heart.

The bow and arrows exuded a seamless aura, startling him so much that he exclaimed, "A high-grade magic weapon set?!"

An arrow is nocked on the bowstring.

"go with!"

The arrow roared and shot out.

Master Qinghe hurriedly controlled his superior-grade flying sword to stab, but its power was no match for the arrow, and he was directly knocked away.

Next came the earthen-yellow magic shield.

Qiang~
Click~
The shield cracked where it was hit and slammed into Master Qinghe's chest.

The force was like a small mountain crashing down, almost shattering his internal organs.

puff~
"It didn't penetrate? It really does require the use of magic power to achieve the attack power of a high-quality magic weapon, but..."

Xu Mingwei made a hand seal, combining his index and middle fingers into a sword-finger gesture, and gently swirled it around.

But the arrow, its power diminished by the shield, seemed to gain sentience, suddenly slicing through the shield from the side and piercing through Qinghe Daoist's head.

Master Qinghe's eyes widened in disbelief.

Despite being a peak Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator, possessing a high-grade magic weapon, a mid-grade shield, and speed-enhancing magic boots and a Swiftness Talisman, he couldn't withstand a single attack from a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator.

What kind of monster is this?!

In an instant, his world was plunged into complete darkness.

Xu Mingwei thought for a moment, then used an arrow to strike the body's chest again. Seeing that the body had no reaction, he then went forward to touch the corpse.

That whisk was also a mid-grade magic weapon, and its three thousand silver threads seemed to have a binding effect.

The shield was already cracked and almost pierced, but Xu Deling was among them and should be able to repair it.

In addition, there is a high-grade flying sword and a pair of low-grade magic weapon boots.

The storage bag also contained a Swift Travel Talisman, a Crimson Flame Talisman, over twenty spirit stones, and three magic manuals.

"The Art of Weapon Control, the Art of Wind Control, and the Art of Divine Wood. The first two are quite good, and we don't have them in our clan. The Art of Divine Wood should be a cultivation technique. Our Xu family doesn't lack such techniques at the moment, but it can also be added to the Daoist Archives."

Seeing that the body had no other belongings, Xu Mingwei immediately cast a fireball spell, burning the corpse to ashes before turning into lightning and heading towards the battlefield.

When he returned, the thin, tall man who had boasted about dealing with Xu Dezhao and Xu Deling was already a corpse on the ground.

After all, among the Xu family members present, Xu Deling had the highest cultivation level. He was only a little short of accumulating enough to reach the peak of the seventh level of Qi Refining and then swallow the pill to enter the eighth level.

At seventeen years old, he was at the early stage of the eighth level of Qi Refining, which would be considered top-tier even in the imperial city.

They are comparable to the prodigies of the royal family and the three great first-class families.

With the help of Xu Dezhao and Xu Deling, the other three rogue cultivators were also quickly dealt with.

When Xu Mingwei returned, the five of them were surrounding and dealing with the middle-aged Taoist nun.

She is at the peak of the seventh level of Qi Refining and also possesses a decent mid-grade defensive magic weapon, which is why she has been able to hold on until now.

However, when faced with the encirclement of five people, the five high-grade magic artifacts unleashed their power simultaneously, and the middle-aged Taoist nun could only hold on for a moment before she was unwilling to perish.

“Father, you’re back.” Xu Deling was the first to notice Xu Mingwei.

Xu Mingwei nodded slightly.

Afterwards, the group cleaned up the battlefield, looted the corpses, burned the bodies, and tallied their spoils.

The five independent cultivators together possessed over a hundred spirit stones, seven mid-grade magic artifacts, one high-grade magic artifact, and several spellbooks.

The most useful techniques for the Xu family are "The Art of Weapon Control" and "The Art of Wind Control".

"Ling'er, this 'Controlling Weapons Technique' should be very useful to you. You can try practicing it."

"Thank you, Dad."

"Also, see if you can repair this damaged magic artifact. If not, take it back to Elder Wu."

Xu Deling immediately took the earthen-yellow shield from Daoist Qinghe.

"Uh, the mid-grade magic weapon was almost pierced by an arrow. Father, your attack is truly unparalleled." Xu Deling exclaimed in surprise. After observing for a while, she said again, "It's alright, it's not a big problem. I should be able to repair it."

"Then I'll leave it to you." Xu Mingwei smiled and nodded, glancing around before adding, "Let's go back to Guangling County."

For several consecutive days.

Everyone was meditating quietly at the inn, or occasionally going out to wander around the market.

Xu Mingyuan stopped trading pills and magical artifacts.

Xu Deling rented the Feng family's workshop in the market and spent more than half a day repairing the earthen-yellow shield.

Everyone possessed a variety of magical artifacts, including high-grade offensive artifacts and mid-grade defensive artifacts.

Xu Mingyuan was in charge of this trip, so most of the items obtained from killing and robbing rogue cultivators were in his storage bag for easy planning.

As for the low-grade wind boots, they were given to Xu Dezhao, but Xu Deling borrowed them to study them, as were the mid-grade whisks.

The rest were all ordinary magical artifacts, and even the superior ones were not worth Xu Deling's attention.

Time flies.

The second elder of the Feng family returned from the capital.

He was in a hurry, and as soon as he returned, he went directly to the head of the Feng family.

"Second Elder, you've returned. How was your trip?" the Feng family patriarch asked.

But his face was solemn, and he said in a deep voice: "What that rogue cultivator said is true. Several years ago, when Yun Zhongzi returned from his travels, he brought back a boy named Weidao."

Rumor has it that he not only possesses the aptitude of a true spiritual root, but also has the bloodline of a wood spirit, making him an excellent candidate for the path of alchemy.

Unfortunately, the Dan Palace almost never allows him to meet with members of aristocratic families, so I had no chance to meet or speak with him, and therefore I don't know his feelings towards the Wei family.

(End of this chapter)