Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 203 Blood for Blood, Cao Family Visits, Old Jiao Moyue, Demon Flame Bandits (10k long chapter)

The evil in people's hearts is even greater than that of demons.

Those present felt somewhat uncomfortable listening to this.

Even though many people also regard the common people as ants, they don't deserve to be mocked like this.

"Aren't you afraid of being punished by the Xu family?"

"Two commoners, would the Xu family kill me because of them?"

My great-grandfather was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator!
However, the fact that the Xu family, a prestigious family of cultivators, wants to enjoy themselves with the common people is quite tantalizing and actually lowers the status of the other families present.

I've heard that the Xu family's eldest elder is Li Shu's son, and...

"You bastard, shut up!"

Wei Changkong roared, his voice carrying a divine sense impact, instantly breaking Xu Chuan's bewitching spell.

The young man from the Wei family immediately regained his clarity and murmured, "What happened?"

"Fellow Daoist Changkong, why don't you let your grandson continue? I'd love to hear what else he has to say!"

"My grandson is still young and doesn't understand things, so please don't be offended, fellow Daoist!"

"Kneel down and kowtow to Fellow Daoist Xu to apologize."

Seeing that Wei Changkong was truly angry, the young man from the Wei family quickly complied, kowtowing to Xu Chuan and saying, "Senior, I was wrong. I shouldn't have caused trouble in the Xu family."

But this was truly an unintentional mistake on my part.

Everyone looked at him with disdain. If they hadn't heard his true feelings earlier, they would have been fooled by his pretentious act.

"Stop talking nonsense!" Wei Changkong scolded again, and then said to Xu Chuan, "Fellow Daoist Xu, my grandson has made a grave mistake and disturbed everyone's enjoyment."

"My Wei family is willing to compensate you with two high-grade magic artifacts. What do you think?"

Trading two commoners' lives for two top-grade magical artifacts would be a worthwhile deal for almost all the aristocratic families present.

"Two top-grade magic artifacts." Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Brother Wei is truly generous. I wonder if these magic artifacts are compensation for the lives of the people of Dongxi, or for disrupting my Xu family's grand ceremony?"

Wei Changkong was taken aback. Was this guy trying to make an exorbitant demand?
He gritted his teeth and glanced at his great-grandson.

Although he was disappointed in him, this was the most talented of his great-grandchildren, and there was even a chance that he would become the next Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Wei family.

"We will compensate the people of Dongxi. However, it was also our Wei family's fault for disrupting the Xu family's grand ceremony. Our Wei family is willing to offer another high-grade magic artifact. Is that alright?"

"That sounds promising," Xu Chuan said calmly. "But what about his insult to the Xu family earlier?"

"What should I do if I, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, am insulted?"

“It’s not just me. Xiaoyao is also from a humble background. He also insulted him in his words. How can you appease him?”

"Fellow Daoist Xu, are you perhaps toying with me?"

Xu Chuan stared at Wei Changkong and said, "My Xu family does things the way of the eye, the tooth, and the blood!"

The sound exploded, echoing over Dongxi and reaching the ears of a certain Dongxi resident.

The other prominent families were all taken aback.

This is an attempt to kill the Wei family's outstanding genius in public!

The Xu family is far too decisive in their actions!
Haven't I heard that he has a low-key style and is good at enduring hardship?

Before Wei Changkong could speak, the Wei family patriarch preemptively said, "Since Fellow Daoist Xu has spoken, then my unworthy disciple of the Wei family will be handed over to Fellow Daoist Xu for disposal."

"Ancestor!" The young man from the Wei family looked incredulous and hurriedly said, "Great-grandfather, save me!"

The Wei family patriarch transmitted his voice, saying, "Have you forgotten what you said before? At this time, you must be on good terms with the Xu family no matter what, but now Mingyang has already offended the Xu family."

Do you want to put my entire Wei family in danger because of him?!

If you make a move, it will be a three-on-two situation.

Moreover, this is the Xu family's ancestral land. Don't forget that Feng Xiuyuan died in the Xu family's ancestral land.

If even he couldn't escape, the Xu family's territory wouldn't be as peaceful as it appears before us.

"I know what to do."

Wei Changkong glanced at Xu Chuan and said, "My Sun Mingyang indiscriminately slaughtered the people of Dongxi and insulted the Xu family and Brother Xu. How to deal with him is up to Brother Xu to decide."

I thought he might act impulsively!
Indeed, having an elder in the family is like having a treasure!
Xu Chuan glanced at the Wei family patriarch, then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Wei Changkong and said, "Brother Changkong is a man of great integrity, I admire him!"

"Xiaoyao, you can pronounce the sentence and take action."

"Yes, Great Elder!"

Ren Xiaoyao stared coldly at Wei Mingyang, his voice booming across the Dongxi River, echoing far and wide.

“Wei Mingyang, a member of the Wei family in Guangling County, has killed a grandfather and grandson in Dongxi, and insulted the Xu family and the Xu family’s elder. His crimes are unforgivable.”

"No, no, I don't want to die, I don't want to die!"

"Great-grandfather, save me! Ancestor, save me!"

"I am the hope of the Wei family!"

"You're just a lowly commoner, why kill me? What right do you have to kill me!"

"We are the same kind of people!"

Ren Xiaoyao's face was icy cold, and his eyes seemed to flash with the light of swords. He said indifferently, "According to the Xu family rules, he should be sentenced to death!"

"No, I don't want to die. I want to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the future!"

Wei Mingyang tried to unleash his magical artifact to defend himself, but two invisible divine thorns shot out from Ren Xiaoyao's eyes. After being hit, he immediately clutched his head and screamed in agony.

Then, Ren Xiaoyao flicked his finger and condensed a white light spot.

This is the Yuan Condensation Technique!
With a flick of a finger.

He pierced through the center of his forehead with a single blow.

Wei Changkong's angry expression suddenly turned calm. He glanced at Wei Mingyang, then clasped his hands in thanks to Xu Chuan and said, "Thank you, Brother Xu, for ridding my Wei family of this scourge."

If such people were to grow up, my Wei family would likely face a great calamity.

Now that the matter is settled and the ceremony is over, my Wei family will take our leave.

"Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality. Fellow Daoists, please take care and we won't see you off," Xu Chuan said, clasping his hands in greeting.

After the Wei family members reached the Foundation Establishment stage and flew away, the others followed on their swords.

"Elder, we shall take our leave now."

"Me too."

One after another, prominent families passed away.

In the end, only the Zhou family members remained.

Xu Chuan said calmly, "De Zhao, send someone to return the bodies of the grandfather and grandson to their family so they can grieve in peace. Also, give them two of the Xu family's key training quotas."

"Yes, grandfather."

Zhou Qingfang said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, this Wei family member seems to have good talent. I'm afraid there will always be a rift between your Xu family and the Wei family."

"My Xu family will handle this carefully. If we need to ask the Zhou family for help, Brother Zhou, please don't find it troublesome."

"Haha, my Zhou family couldn't be happier." Zhou Qingfang laughed and stroked his beard, saying, "We should head back now, farewell."

"Take care, Brother Zhou."

Seeing that the Zhou family had also left, Xu Mingwei and the others stepped forward and said, "Father, what about the Wei family?"

"Mingyuan, Mingwei, when you go back, just have someone keep an eye on things. Xiaoyao, even if you go out to seek opportunities, be careful of your whereabouts."

Judging from the Wei family's actions today, they are not likely to rashly attack my Xu family.

But if they find an opportunity, they will definitely take revenge on the Xu family.

"Yes, Father (Elder)!"

Xu Mingshu said, "Then why not wipe out the Wei family first?"

"My Xu family is already quite conspicuous. If we were to destroy the Wei family in the blink of an eye, how could those Foundation Establishment families in the surrounding area sit still? They would probably launch a joint attack."

"It was my daughter's oversight."

"Rest at home tonight, and go back to the branch tomorrow."

The next day.

Xu Mingwei, Xu Mingyuan, and Ren Xiaoyao led their people back to the Guangling branch.

A few days later, Xu Mingshu left the Xu family and traveled around.

A few months later.

Xu Chuan stepped into the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Soon, it will be tax day again.

Just like last year, it was Xu Dezhao who went.

Qingyue Terrace.

“Master Xu, now that your Xu family is stronger than my Zhou family, why don’t we hold the reception for the Spirit Tax Envoys at the Xu family’s residence from now on?” Zhou Zongran said.

"Before we came, my grandfather instructed that there was no need for that. Our Xu family is located in a remote area and it is really not suitable to entertain the envoy. We can stay at Qingyue Terrace as usual."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zongran smiled slightly and said, "In that case, my Zhou family will not shirk our responsibility."

When the heads or elders of the various families arrived, they all greeted Xu Dezhao first, and then Zhou Zongran.

This shows that in their hearts, the Xu family's status has surpassed that of the Zhou family.

When the spirit tax envoy arrived, he asked whether the spirit tax would be collected from the Xu family in the future, to which Xu Dezhao naturally declined.

The tax collector didn't seem to care and continued, "I heard that your Xu family's Grand Elder recently withdrew from the Pill Hall. Do you know why?"

"The Pill Hall?" Many family heads were shocked.

No wonder the Xu family has developed so rapidly.

If a clan has a top-tier alchemy master whose alchemy skills are enough to join the Pill Hall, then any other clan could grow rapidly in that situation.

Xu Dezhao clasped his hands and said, "Your Excellency, I do not know, but I suppose it is because he has to stay in the clan for a long time and cannot take care of everything."

The tax collector nodded slightly. "I've heard that Master San Shu is one of the best alchemists in the Pill Hall. It's a pity that we have to go to other places to collect taxes on this trip."

When I have time, I will definitely visit Master Dongxi.

“Our Xu family would naturally welcome you with open arms.”

Xu Dezhao thought to himself, "Sure enough, as the Xu family's reputation spreads, many of my grandfather's deeds will be unearthed by the Cao family."

Fortunately, I left the Pill Hall in advance.

After that, even when members of the Cao family came to see my grandfather, it was at most to invite him, to make a deal, or to ask him to refine elixirs.

"Previously in Guangling County, I had a brief exchange with Xu Mingwei, the Grand Elder of your Xu family branch. His strength is indeed extremely formidable, deserving of the title of the number one Qi Refining expert in Guangling and Yuehu Counties."

Xu Dezhao's pupils contracted slightly, and he clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "How could my father be a match for the envoy? It must be that the envoy showed mercy. I am grateful for that."

"Oh, Xu Mingwei is your father? It seems your Xu family is indeed full of talented people."

"You flatter me, Your Excellency."

"Stop flattering me. In my battle with your father, we didn't really fight hard. We only exchanged three moves and it was a draw."

Cao could tell he had a trump card, but so could I.

But if it really came down to a life-or-death struggle, Cao was confident he could have a 60-70% chance of winning.

"Of course."

Then, the spirit tax was paid.

After the event concluded, the spirit tax messenger departed, and each family returned to their clan.

Zhou Zongran warned, "Brother Xu, being targeted by the Cao family could bring unpredictable fortune or misfortune."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou. I understand."

A few months later.

Previously, the tax envoy had indeed come to visit the Xu family of Dongxi.

This time, he was not accompanied by any Foundation Establishment cultivators, only a few Qi Refining Perfection guards.

Even within the Cao family, cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage who are not of the same surname are considered guest elders, and would not be reduced to serving as bodyguards for a Qi Refining Perfection disciple.

The Alchemy Hall.

main hall.

"I have long admired Master San Shu's name, and I, Cao Yuchen, have come to pay him a visit."

"Fellow Daoist Cao, there's no need to be so polite. May I ask what brings you here to visit me today?"

Cao Yucheng smiled faintly, "This junior originally thought that Master would be quite old, but I did not expect you to be so young. Could it be that you have taken a youth-preserving pill?"

"I have heard of the Youth-Preserving Pill, but I have never seen it."

"Is that so? Then I happen to have the formula for the pill. Why don't I give it to you as a gift?"

"Fellow Daoist Cao, you're too kind."

"Please accept this, senior."

Xu Chuan no longer refused.

Then, Cao Yucheng began to explain the purpose of his visit.

Xu Chuan said, "Xu Chuan is responsible for overseeing the clan and cannot leave. I can only thank Fellow Daoist Cao for the invitation, but if Fellow Daoist Cao has any pills he would like me to help with."

Perhaps Mr. Xu could be of help.

Cao Yuchen frowned slightly.

"Senior, are you really not going to reconsider? This junior is willing to offer you 50% of the profits."

"I only wish to live a quiet life in the mountains and protect the peace of my clan. I really cannot help with this matter."

“If you are unwilling, then I will not force you. But I would like to make a deal with you.”

"Fellow Daoist Cao, please speak."

"If one day I obtain the materials for Foundation Establishment Pill, could you refine it for me? Of course, I won't let you help me for nothing."

I have collected seven pill formulas, one of which is the formula for the Youth Preservation Pill.

Two of the remaining six are quite useful during the foundation-building stage.

Xu Chuan pondered for a moment, then hesitated and said, "I pride myself on my alchemy skills, but refining Foundation Establishment Pills is not easy, and I have never refined one before."

Therefore, even if Xu agrees, if the materials are insufficient, the entire effort may be in vain.

Cao Yuchen lowered his head and began to ponder.

He had also heard about this matter. When Yun Zhongzi first refined the Foundation Establishment Pill, he also used five sets of materials before he could actually refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Of course, his success rate is now almost 70% to 80%.

The materials for the Foundation Establishment Pills obtained by the Great Wei during the first two "Wuhua Dharma Assemblies" were all used to refine them.

"How about this, after this 'Wuhua Dharma Assembly,' I, Cao, will try to recommend you, senior, to refine Foundation Building Pills for our Great Wei. This will increase your experience in alchemy."

"Afterwards, if you help me refine more, as you know, the ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills are extremely strictly controlled. I can only manage to get one portion at most."

This child's talent may not be considered high, but his status is not low.

"Xu can only try his best. Whether he can succeed in one attempt or how many he can produce is hard to say."

"Junior understands."

These Cao family disciples would only recruit Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Not to mention Xu Chuan, a top alchemy master whose alchemy skills are rumored to be close to those of Yun Zhongzi.

If we can recruit them, that would be best; if not, then we'll ask them to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill for us.

He only had ordinary true spiritual root aptitude. There were many people in the Cao family with higher talent than him, except for those with earth spiritual roots or above who did not need foundation-building pills.

True spiritual root aptitude basically requires its assistance.

The Cao family has a rule that Foundation Establishment Pills must be distributed according to aptitude, and a portion must be reserved for family disciples with outstanding talent in immortal arts.

His chances were slim, but his grandfather was the second elder of the clan, one of the few cultivators who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

He was the real power figure in the Cao family.

Getting Foundation Establishment Pills is unlikely, but obtaining Foundation Establishment Materials is still possible.

People have done this before, but back then they all privately asked Yun Zhongzi to refine it.

However, Yun Zhongzi's time was running out, and he would not live to see the "Wuhua Dharma Assembly".

The Cao family naturally had many alchemy masters, but none of them reached the level of Yun Zhongzi in alchemy.

Cao Yuchen had learned by chance that Xu Chuan's alchemy skills were close to those of Yun Zhongzi, which is why he specifically requested to serve as the Spirit Tax Envoy and was now paying a formal visit.

Xu Chuan accepted the prescription, and Cao Yuchen then took his leave.

"These pill formulas are quite rare; it seems Cao Yucheng selected them carefully, but the materials..."

The seven pill formulas are: Youth Preservation Pill Formula, Meridian Expansion Pill Formula, Marrow Cleansing Pill Formula, Yuan Explosion Pill Formula, Blood Burning Pill Formula, Azure Spirit Pill Formula, and True Yuan Pill Formula.

"Alright, we can collect them slowly. Besides, with the Qingling Pill formula and the Zhenyuan Pill formula, we can let Wanqing and the others learn these two pill formulas in the future."

half year later.

Xu Deling believed that his weapon-forging skills were sufficient to upgrade his father's bow and arrow set, so he specially sent a message to ask him to return to Dongxi.

After asking him about his preferences, Xu Deling began to craft magical artifacts for him.

Superior-grade magic robes, magic boots, and the exquisite defensive magic artifact, the Dingyuan Bell.

The Dingyuan Bell hangs above the head and can release a bell-shaped defensive light screen. When the bell rings, it will spread out special sound waves, disrupting the cultivator's magical power.

It can be of great use at critical moments.

The louder the bell, the stronger its effect.

This is related to the force of the strike, which is perfect for someone with strong strength like Xu Mingwei.

Finally, there's the upgraded Ink Dragon Bow set.

After upgrading his magical artifact, Xu Mingwei's strength increased by more than 70-80%.

Of course, Xu Mingyuan and Xu Mingxuan also had high-quality magic robes and magic boots.

It wasn't that Xu Deling couldn't produce high-quality silk; it was simply that there wasn't enough silk material.

This time, Xu Deling went on a large scale to refine high-quality magical artifacts, and the core members of the Xu family each possessed two high-quality magical artifacts.

He then went into seclusion to study the crafting of top-tier magical artifacts.

Besides cultivating, Xu Mingqing also learned alchemy from Xu Chuan.

Over the years, he has become familiar with all the medicinal herbs and spiritual plants in the Xu family and their medicinal properties.

Only then did he formally begin learning alchemy.

It has only been a little over a year, but it is already able to consistently refine low-grade pills and occasionally mid-grade pills.

The number of condensed pills remains at around two or three.

This is due to Xu Mingqing's own talent and understanding, as well as Xu Chuan's dedicated teaching.

In addition, his cultivation level has reached the early stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Another half year.

Xu Chuan would go to Bihan Pool every half month or month.

As the old dragon talked to Xu Chuan, he paid less and less attention to his tone of voice.

Simply put, it means stopping the pretense of being aloof.

Do whatever you want; scold when you want, praise when you want.

"Senior, what's your decision?"

Xu Chuan arrived at Bihan Pool. As soon as he opened his mouth, a phantom image leaped out of the pool and condensed into a dragon about ten feet long.

Its entire body is covered with rhomboid scales that resemble ice crystals, and the edges of each scale are shimmering with an indigo halo like the deep sea. Two coral-like silver horns protrude from its forehead, with wisps of cloud swirling around their tips.

Two amber-colored vertical pupils were embedded in his eye sockets. When the pupils contracted, they were like a blade slicing through the water, reflecting Xu Chuan's face.

Six long, transparent whiskers, like mermaid silk, hung down from either side of its nose, swaying with its breath as if they were alive.

Its body, which is about ten feet long, has a streamlined and sharp appearance, with bone spurs protruding from its back like serrated edges made of ice.

"They come every day, and they keep me up at night!"

"You're quick, senior. I hadn't even finished speaking when you appeared."

"Young human, who are you saying comes whenever you call?!" The old dragon opened its amber vertical pupils, its dragon face almost touching Xu Chuan's.

"Does this mean whoever has the bigger eye is right?"

The old dragon was enraged again. It circled in the air for a while, stared at Xu Chuan for a few breaths, and then sneered, "I won't stoop to the level of an ant." "That way of addressing you changes too quickly. Just now you called me 'me,' and now you're calling me 'this one.' You seem so arrogant!"

"Who's old? Who are you calling old?!"

"If I had a physical body now, I would kill you with a single claw."

"Yes, yes, yes, you have big claws." Xu Chuan smiled and said, "It's been a few years, have you made up your mind yet, senior?"

You help my Xu family, and my Xu family will help you.

I believe you can see that my Xu family has considerable potential, and we have the hope of becoming a Golden Core family within two hundred years.

At that time, my Xu family can also help you recover to your full strength, and even help you advance to the fourth tier.

If you can reach the fourth stage, you will surely be able to escape the predicament of lifespan.

Otherwise, even a hundred or two hundred years from now, would you be able to escape on your own, flee the pursuit of so many Foundation Establishment cultivators from my Xu family, and recover your strength with your meager abilities, perhaps even advancing further?

"You should learn from us humans. Sometimes face and dignity are not important. What matters is survival."

If you survive, you can regain both your face and your dignity.

Perhaps in the future, you will also feel proud to be a member of my Xu family.

"Heh, wishful thinking. You want to make me feel proud? Unless your Xu family has a way to become a Nascent Soul family, comparable to the immortal sects and demonic sects in this region."

Xu Chuan's eyes flickered. Could the Upper Sect that Senior Yun Zhongzi had mentioned earlier be the Immortal Sect or Demonic Sect he had been talking about, both of which had Nascent Soul cultivators in charge?
Xu Chuan grinned and said, "What's impossible about it?"

"Senior wasn't born with the strength of a Golden Core cultivator, was he? He started from the first rank and gradually improved until he reached the peak of the third rank."

"You want me to become the spirit beast of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like you? That's impossible!"

"Senior is really concerned about saving face. How about this: you become my spirit beast, but this matter is only known to you and me. On the surface, you are the Supreme Elder of my Xu family."

You are free to move about as long as you swear not to harm any member of my tribe.

When that time comes, every member of the Xu family will bow respectfully to you and address you as the Supreme Elder.

“That sounds good,” the old dragon murmured.

"I will consider it."

"This is a rare opportunity. If you agree now, I swear that if I fail to achieve my Golden Core, I will set you free, to a life of boundless freedom."

"Of course, you may stay. My Xu family has always kept its promise and will help you recover and even break through."

"You must be tired of that dark and sunless place inside the sealing formation. After all, divine sense illusions are not as real as feeling the fresh air outside."

"Then you must swear that you will never use the spirit beast restriction to forcibly command me."

"That's natural. As I said before, as long as what you do doesn't harm my Xu family, you are free to do as you please."

"Give me three days, and I will give you an answer in three days."

“Alright, then we’ll consider this as our Xu family’s final consideration for you, senior. If it doesn’t work this time, I will have my son, Mingxian, patch up the gaps in this great formation.”

"Isn't this unnecessary?"

"Does Senior think I'm bluffing you?" Xu Chuan said, "You should take good care of yourself for the next three days and carefully consider the gains and losses."

If it were a younger person, and death was inevitable anyway, they would naturally choose to die under the sun.

"I will not die!"

"Golden Core cultivators die, Nascent Soul cultivators die, and even Deity Transformation cultivators may perish. No one can live forever. Who can escape death?"

The old dragon fell silent.

He saw in Xu Chuan's eyes a yearning for immortality, a steadfast pursuit of the Dao that even made him feel ashamed.

This young human is indeed extraordinary.

The mind of Tao remains pure, directly pointing to longevity.

The cultivators he had encountered before either reached the Foundation Establishment stage or the Golden Core stage, while some human geniuses with Heavenly Spiritual Roots aspired to become Nascent Soul or even Divine Transformation experts.

Perhaps, I really should give this a serious consideration.

The old dragon watched as Xu Chuan left the Bihan Pool formation, and then disappeared into the Bihan Pool in the blink of an eye.

Three days later.

"Auspicious day!" Xu Chuan's lips curled into a slight smile. "It's finally done!"

"My Xu family will gain another trump card!"

Chenshi.

Xu Chuan went to Bihan Pool.

"Senior, this junior has arrived."

The phantom of the old dragon appeared.

After a moment, the old dragon asked, "Aren't you curious about what decision I've made?"

"Whether you ask or not, there will be a result today, just like whether you walk or not, the road is still there."

The old dragon paused for a moment, then said, "That seems to make some sense."

"But it also feels like nonsense."

Xu Chuan looked at him, smiling without saying a word.

"Fine, I'm too lazy to bother with a junior like you!"

"Now, I solemnly tell you, let your Xu family welcome my arrival."

Xu Chuan turned to leave.

"Don't go!" the old dragon cried out.

Xu Chuan turned around and said, "Speak properly, speak like a human being."

"I am a dragon, I don't speak human language."

"Haha, just kidding. You've made fun of me so many times before."

"Isn't this joke funny?" the old dragon asked seriously.

Xu Chuan's lips twitched.

"I, Mo Yue, hereby swear a true dragon oath: if the Xu family is willing to help me escape this predicament, I will become Xu Chuan's spirit beast until the day his lifespan comes to an end."

If I break this oath, my bloodline will degenerate, my intelligence will be destroyed, and I will be reduced to a mortal beast in this life.

"Xu Chuan, it's your turn," Mo Yue said.

"The Oath of the True Dragon?"

"This is an extremely powerful oath of the Dragon lineage, with a binding effect even stronger than your oath of inner demons. Once this oath is made, it will be sensed by the true ancestor of dragons in the dark."

If he breaks the oath, he will immediately fulfill it.

"Your oaths of inner demons or oaths of the Dao heart are common oaths, but they are not unbreakable. The former is an oath to the ancestor of inner demons, and the latter is an oath based on one's own Dao heart."

As for more powerful oaths, such as oaths of the soul and blood oaths, they involve taking a wisp of the soul and essence to perform a secret technique.

If disobeyed, one's soul will be shattered on the spot, or one's essence and blood will spontaneously combust.

"Senior, do you know these two oath-making techniques?"

"Of course you will. Why do you want to make these two kinds of vows? Actually, there's no need for you."

Xu Chuan cupped his hands and said, "Please teach me, senior."

"Very well, I will summon you."

Previously, the Xu family's soul restriction could only prevent soul searching, but if they leaked their secrets, the Xu family would have no way to stop them.

But if there is a vow of the soul.

Then the Xu family's information will most likely not be leaked.

The methods for performing the two secret techniques entered Xu Chuan's mind. These techniques were not difficult, and he learned them in a short while.

"What oath does the senior want me to make?"

“A vow of faith is sufficient,” Mo Yue said.

"According to the senior, the oath of the Dao heart is not very effective, and can even be broken."

"That's right. The Dao Heart is ethereal and can be rebuilt even if it is broken. But no matter what kind of oath it is, there are flaws. It's just that one's own methods and realm are not enough."

"But for someone like you, whose only true path is to pursue the Dao, the oath of the Dao should be even stronger."

“Then let’s make a vow of Dao heart.” Xu Chuan smiled and immediately made a vow: “I, Xu Chuan, swear today with my Dao heart that when Senior Mo Yue becomes my spirit beast, I will definitely help him escape his predicament.”

As long as their behavior does not harm the Xu family, they will never be forcibly restrained by the spirit beast restriction.

Furthermore, he will lead the Xu family to help him recover, and even break through to the realm of a transformed great demon, when he has the ability.

When the time comes for the spirit beast to reach the end of its lifespan, the restriction on it will be automatically lifted, and it will be set free.

If I break this oath, my Daoist heart will be shattered, and my path to enlightenment will be severed!

"Are you satisfied, senior?"

Mo Yue nodded, somewhat excited, his dragon whiskers fluttering, "I, Mo Yue, am finally going to escape this predicament!"

"Senior, don't be too happy yet. The great formation that sealed you is extraordinary. My son told me last time that even if we go all out, it will probably take several months to widen the opening to a certain extent."

As for completely breaking it open, we do not yet have that capability.

"Once the opening of the great formation is widened, the senior will send out a wisp of his essence and give it to the junior. The junior will set up a spirit beast restriction, and from now on, my son will stay here permanently to help the senior escape from the predicament."

"Let's do it your way."

After three months.

Xu Chuan made all the martial artists and cultivators of the Xu family swear an oath of divine soul, including the major vassal families, the Chang and Yang families.

The same applies to the Guangling branch.

Shortly after, Mo Yue sent out a wisp of his essence, which Xu Chuan absorbed into his sea of ​​consciousness after casting a spirit control spell.

From then on, one could control their life and death with a single thought.

Following Xu Chuan's instructions, Xu Mingxian did her utmost to help Mo Yue escape his predicament.

The Azure Cold Pool was set up with a second-tier high-grade magic array, the Returning Origin Locking Spirit Array, which completely prevented the leakage of spiritual energy.

This small world is becoming increasingly rich in spiritual energy.

It is perfectly adequate for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators to practice, and can also be used as a place to attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment.

In this way, there is no need for those who are trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage to go to the county city or Qingyu Peak in Guangling.

“Father, I have discussed with Senior Mo Yue, and it is estimated that it will take three years to achieve the size of the crack he requested.”

"Three years is just right. By then, Ling'er should be able to refine top-tier magic weapons. It shouldn't be a problem to get Mo Yue to contribute a few dragon scales."

"Senior Mo Yue probably wouldn't agree."

"Don't worry, Father has plenty of tricks up his sleeve."

Tongshan County.

"Qiu Jiu, this is the Great Wei."

"Yes, Boss Xue Ming, this is Tongshan County of the Great Wei Dynasty. Back then, they were the ones who hunted me and my brothers everywhere, and in the end, only I escaped."

A red-haired man in a black robe surveyed the majestic city, his eyes narrowing.

There were three other people with him.

One of them was a nun.

Her face was like a peach blossom in March, and her lips were like rouge dipped in blood.

A cinnabar mole between his eyebrows, shaped like an inverted dagger, exudes a faint crimson spiritual power as his gaze shifts.

The corners of her eyes were adorned with mandala patterns outlined in gold powder, fluttering like butterfly wings when she blinked.

Her shoulders were like carved jade, her waist like bound silk, and a crimson robe made of mermaid gauze was loosely tied below her collarbone, revealing half of her snow-white chest, with a blooming black lotus flower tattooed on her chest.

"Don't worry, Xiao Jiu. Now that you've joined our Flame Demon Thieves, your second sister will stand up for you."

This woman, named Qingling, was even a Blood Netherworld Daoist companion. Her voice was captivating and alluring, clearly indicating that she was not someone who cultivated proper techniques.

"Thank you, Second Sister."

Qiu Jiu clasped his hands in a fist salute, glanced at the snow-white figure out of the corner of his eye, and couldn't help but lower his head and swallow.

The remaining person was called Leng Mu, the third-ranking member of the Flame Demon Thief Gang.

The four people stood high in the sky, seemingly floating on air.

They were all Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The Flame Demon Thieves mainly roam within the territory of the Great Jin Dynasty.

There was no imperial court or similar entity governing the territory there; instead, it was a place where powerful families thrived, with the big fish eating the small fish, and the small fish eating the shrimp.

Every year, there are rises and falls among prominent families.

It was even more chaotic than the Great Wei and Great Liang.

It was precisely this chaos that gave rise to demonic cultivators like the Flame Demon Thief.

The Demon Flame Bandit was infamous throughout the Great Jin Dynasty, and many ordinary Qi Refining families were wiped out by him.

Because of his recklessness, he accidentally killed a disciple of a Foundation Establishment family who had just established his foundation. This family was ranked among the top three in the entire Great Jin Dynasty, second only to the Golden Core families.

Equivalent to a first-rank noble family in the Great Wei Dynasty.

This Foundation Establishment family joined forces with many other families to hunt down the Demon Flame Thief.

The Demon Flame Path originally had five members, but only three remained after they were killed.

Two Qi Refining Perfection cultivators died.

Qiu Jiu joined later, switched to demonic cultivation techniques, and entered the Foundation Establishment stage.

As for the Great Wei and Great Liang, due to strict management, it is rare to see local cultivators practicing demonic arts, because once discovered, they will be hunted down.

"I wonder what Second Sister plans to do?" Qiu Jiu asked curiously.

“I remember you said, Xiao Jiu, that the Cangwu Mountains, not far from Tongshan County, are rich in monster resources, and there are so many ferocious beasts that they can form a beast tide.”

"Second Sister, you can trigger a beast tide?!"

"We obtained the Demon-Attracting Incense in our early years. In the hands of my second sister, it had an effect on demons and beasts, and wild animals would go mad if they smelled it."

Now that only a quarter remain, it's enough to trigger a sizable beast tide.

"Boss, should we wait until Tongshan County is in chaos and then go into the city to plunder?" Leng Mu turned to look at Xue Ming.

"Let's find out the situation first. I've heard that the Great Wei is different from the Great Jin. There are basically no demonic cultivators here. Once they are discovered, they will be hunted down."

"Isn't that right, Qiu Jiu?"

Qiu Jiu nodded, "Brother Xue Ming, you're right. We really can't expose ourselves casually. This pursuit isn't from a Foundation Establishment family, but from the Cao family of the Great Wei royal family."

All celestial officials will hunt him down.

"A celestial official?" Qing Leng asked in confusion.

"The Great Wei divided officials into celestial officials and military officials, and also established a court. Military officials were under the jurisdiction of the court, but celestial officials were not. Almost every aristocratic family would have a registered celestial official."

Most foundation building is like that.

Normally, celestial officials only receive a salary, but once the Cao family assigns them a task, they must carry it out, and the rewards for such tasks are usually quite substantial.

“That’s really troublesome, but once I’ve done one job, I can find a secluded place to hide for a few years. Those celestial officials of the Great Wei can’t just let me stop cultivating and keep chasing me, right?” Leng Mu said.

Qiu Jiu nodded slightly, "This method is feasible, but it's not safe either."

"What do you mean?" Leng Mu asked, quite surprised.

"If we can't find anyone, it will probably become a matter of each prefecture conducting its own investigation. There aren't many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the prefecture cities, basically only one or two, but there are still quite a few Qi Refining cultivators."

If more martial artists are mobilized, the number will be even greater.

The other three remained silent.

Xue Ming looked over and said, "Chou Jiu, you're familiar with the Great Wei, tell me a way."

"To be on the safe side, avoid using demonic arts to kill. Refine non-demonic magical artifacts to kill enemies, and avoid leaving behind any demonic aura."

Furthermore, Foundation Establishment families should avoid provoking others, as engaging in conflict with Foundation Establishment cultivators inevitably exposes one's demonic abilities.

We can plunder more Qi Refining families.

Many Qi Refining families in the Great Wei Dynasty are not bad in terms of resources, but they lack Foundation Establishment cultivators to oversee them.

Like many fifth-rank families, they have at least a few hundred-year-old spiritual herbs, or even one or two thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, as well as materials for refining fine magic artifacts, and even top-tier magic artifact materials.

It's hard to tell from appearance alone.

Almost everyone hid their things very well.

If you're going to raid, I suggest doing a maximum of two raids per county, and then moving on to the next county.

Too many family scandals can also raise suspicions.

Furthermore, news doesn't travel very smoothly between counties; it's estimated that it will take several months for the news to spread to the surrounding counties.

"Several months?" Xue Ming asked in surprise.

"Because each prefecture is basically autonomous and ruled by Foundation Establishment families, they are very resistant to outside forces. Generally, Qi Refining families will not go to other prefectures, as this can easily cause disputes."

Of course, some scions of noble families would disguise themselves as wandering monks and travel to other prefectures.

The scar on Xue Ming's rugged face curved like a crescent moon, and his chapped lips revealed menacing canine teeth. "This is truly interesting."

The various prefectures were jointly governed by the established families, and there were also institutions set up by the imperial court to manage ordinary people and warriors. The Cao family of the Great Wei only needed to supervise these established families.

That's much easier than the Wen family in the Great Jin Dynasty.

"It is precisely because of the imperial court's management style that the Great Wei and the Great Liang often fought wars over border resources, while we have hardly heard of any wars with the Great Jin," Qiu Jiu said.

"Although it's a bit humiliating, we'll do as Qiu Jiu says. Those Qi-cultivating families are just small fry; we can take them even if we don't want them."

The real opportunity lay in the corpse of a peak-stage third-tier dragon.

At this point, a glint of greed flashed in Xue Ming's eyes.

That's an opportunity that even a Golden Core Ancestor would risk everything for!

Qiu Jiu said, "It's a pity that Boss Xue Ming's map is too old, at least several thousand years old. The terrain seems to be different now, so we can only check little by little to see if there are any mountain peaks that look like broken teeth."

Finally, carefully search the surrounding area for the sealing formation.

After entering Tongshan County, the group discovered that entry into Tongshan Market was extremely restricted.

It's no longer as easy as it was for Qiu Jiu and his gang to plunder the market back then.

As for those aristocratic families, they are all in the city.

They weren't far apart, so it wasn't a suitable place for them to plunder.

After all, beast tides can occur in Tongshan County. If a family is located outside the city, it will surely be destroyed and its clan wiped out once a beast tide breaks out.

Each county has its own unique circumstances.

The four members of the Demon Flame Thieves did not dwell on this matter, but they still used the Demon-Attracting Incense to unleash a large-scale beast tide.

Even just watching the fun is fine.

Cao Jinming immediately sent a request for help to the capital.

Subsequently, Cao ordered the officials of various prefectures to go and provide assistance.

This was an urgent mission, and all celestial officials of the sixth rank and above set off for Tongshan County.

A day or two later.

Tongshan County.

As dusk settled,

Suddenly, it was torn apart by streaks of light.

At first, only a few silver rays pierced the clouds, but in an instant, they developed into dozens or even hundreds of rainbow bridges spanning the sky.

Each sword beam trailed a comet-like trajectory of spiritual energy, drawing ever-changing star trails on the indigo sky.

The four members of the Demon Flame Thieves, who were secretly observing, were all shocked.

Xue Ming said with a solemn expression, "Chou Jiu was right after all, even if they are not necessarily sincere."

But the fact that they arrived at Tongshan County so quickly is enough to demonstrate the influence of the Cao family of the Great Wei.

Among those who came.

There were also members of the Xu clan from Dongxi.

And there were quite a few people who came.

There are martial artists and cultivators.

(End of this chapter)