Building a long-lasting family lineage starting with genealogy

Chapter 204 Xu Chuan's Conditions, the Ruthless Young Master, Join Forces to Slay Demons (10k Long Chapter)

Two days ago.

Zhou Qingfang's celestial official decree sent a shockwave, indicating that a large-scale beast tide had occurred in Tongshan County.

The Cao family of the Great Wei issued an urgent order, summoning celestial officials of the sixth rank and above to provide assistance, without any reward.

But it is profitable.

After all, those monsters are a resource in themselves.

Moreover, large-scale beast tides inevitably include monsters at the Foundation Establishment stage or above, and their numbers will be considerable.

Zhou Qingfang set off with a portion of the Zhou family's elite troops, informing Xu Chuan along the way.

Xu Chuan also gathered his elite disciples, including martial artists who had reached the peak of the Innate Realm.

After a long period of training, it's time to put them to the test.

The Xu family's martial artists are basically trained in a five-person battle formation. Two of the five are sword and shield bearers or axe and shield bearers, one specializes in close combat, one uses long weapons, and the other is an archer.

This five-person combat method allows them to kill enemies of higher levels, and even fight against mid-to-late stage Grandmasters.

As for cultivators, they are in groups of three.

They are not in fixed positions, but often two people are the main attackers, using spells or flying swords, while one person assists by using talismans or defensive artifacts.

However, these are all commonly used in the mid-stage of Qi Refining.

In the later stages of Qi Refining, most people fight alone.

Xu Chuan made a detour to Guangling County and informed the Guangling branch to send out suitable disciples as well.

Ren Xiaoyao also set off.

Even if the Wei family had ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare attack the Xu family at this point.

Otherwise, the Wei family would face the wrath of the foundation-building families of Tongshan County, as well as the fury of the Cao family.

On the road.

"Mingwei, keep an eye on the younger generation when you have some free time."

"And what about you, Father?"

"Fighting and killing are not suitable for me, so I, your father, would like to use my alchemy skills to make a deal with Tongshan County and expand the market."

The resources here are much richer than those in our Yuehu County.

Whether it's spirit iron, spirit ore, or the demonic beasts and spirit herbs of the Cangwu Mountains, they are all among the best in the entire Great Wei Dynasty.

Xu Mingwei glanced at the younger members of the Xu family who had come this time, including Xu Mingqing, Xu Deqian, Xu Deyue, and Xu Chonghui.

Xu Chuan brought them here for training.

It is clear that in one or two decades, they may also be key figures in the Xu family.

Xu Mingxuan also came along this time. His cultivation level has recovered to the late stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining. It wouldn't be difficult for him to return to the peak of Qi Refining in another three or four years.

After all, all his cultivation resources are of the highest quality.

Arrived in Tongshan County.

There are tens of thousands of wild beasts swarming outside the city, and more and more ferocious beasts are constantly leaping out of the mountains and heading straight for Tongshan County.

Most of them headed towards the county seat.

Because the magical artifacts on the city walls of the prefecture can lure monsters towards the prefecture.

If they are scattered throughout this prefecture, the manpower will be too dispersed, making it difficult to manage.

However, the effects of this magical artifact are limited, so some demonic beasts still wreak havoc in Tongshan County.

Some villages were affected.

Those beasts with exceptionally large sizes in the beast tide are mostly demonic beasts.

At this time, many cultivators and martial artists were already engaged in fierce fighting.

Martial artists clear away wild beasts, while cultivators either ride their swords through the air or confront demonic beasts on flat ground.

Upon seeing the Xu family arrive in their Dharma boat, someone immediately stepped forward and asked, "May I ask which family you fellow Daoists are from?"

"The Xu family of Yuehu County came to help in the battle after hearing about the beast tide."

"So it's the Xu family. Please enter the city first, register, and receive your wartime tokens. With these tokens, you can enter the city's protective formation at any time."

The number of wild beasts and monsters killed can also be recorded for post-battle statistics, so that Tongshan County can distribute rewards accordingly.

The man led the Xu family members into the great formation to register.

Then Xu Chuan said, "Ming Wei, take them there."

"Yes, father."

Xu Mingxian was very interested in the restrictions in the token, so instead of going out to hunt monsters, he stayed in the city to study it.

Xu Chuan said, "I have a past relationship with Prince Cao. I wonder where he is. May I go and pay him a visit?"

"You two are Foundation Establishment seniors, right? All the Foundation Establishment seniors who have arrived so far are gathered in the Royal Palace. You two seniors may go there to rest for a while."

Should we have a younger person lead the way?

"No need, I know the way."

"Then I won't disturb you two any longer. I'll take my leave."

Xu Chuan led Ren Xiaoyao and Xu Mingxian to the Prince's Mansion.

In the main hall of the Prince's Mansion.

Xu Chuan met many acquaintances.

There was the Wei family of Guangling County who laid the foundation, and the Feng family patriarch of Yunshan County.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, you've arrived," Zhou Qingfang said with a smile.

There are only a dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators here; some who arrived early are already meditating in the guest rooms of the Prince's Mansion.

"Master San Shu, it's been over twenty years since we last met. You've also reached the Foundation Establishment stage," the dignified middle-aged man on the main seat said with a smile.

"Thanks to Your Highness, if I had not had the good fortune to meet Fellow Daoist Yun Zhongzi in the Prince's Palace, I might not have had this opportunity."

"This is your own good fortune," Cao Jinming laughed heartily.

"Please take a seat, everyone."

The patriarch of the Feng family also clasped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, we meet again. The last time we met, you were still in the Qi Refining stage. In the blink of an eye, several years have passed, and you have successfully established your foundation."

"You're lucky."

"Fellow Daoist Feng," Xu Chuan said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Cao Jinming said, "There are no Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts yet. Let the younger generation hone their skills with those wild beasts and Qi Refining stage demonic beasts. I don't think you all have any objections."

"That's natural."

"Fellow Daoists, you may stay temporarily in my royal residence. When the Foundation Establishment demon beast appears, that will be the time for us to make our move."

The group cupped their hands and said, "We will do everything as Your Highness has instructed."

More than 20 years ago, Cao Jinming was at the peak of the third level of Foundation Establishment, and had been stuck at the bottleneck for many years. Now he has finally stepped into the fourth level of Foundation Establishment.

Among those present at the Foundation Establishment stage, he possessed the highest cultivation level.

Ren Xiaoyao and Xu Mingxian rested in their room, while Xu Chuan was invited by Cao Jinming for a chat.

"I heard that Fellow Daoist Xu did not become a Celestial Official. Why did you come to my Tongshan County to help this time?" Cao Jinming asked.

"Firstly, it's to give the clan's members some experience; secondly, Tongshan County shouldn't withhold rewards just because the person who came to help isn't a celestial official."

"Haha, that won't happen." Cao Jinming said, "Such a large-scale beast tide is a once-in-a-century event, and the many noble families of Tongshan County alone cannot withstand it."

The more powerful families come to our aid, the easier things will be for my Tongshan County.

After a pause, Cao Jinming added, "Fellow Daoist Xu, you are quite talented to have reached the Foundation Establishment stage on your own."

"Xu's aptitude is only average, but he has a better chance thanks to the rare thousand-year-old spiritual herb and his superhuman divine sense."

During the breakthrough attempt, he was trapped in a mental block, almost lost his way, and failed.

Fortunately, I realized the truth.

Perhaps because of this, breaking through the Foundation Establishment bottleneck became much easier later on.

"Encountering a mental obstacle while attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage? That's quite rare." Cao Jinming's eyes showed surprise. "Although this is not as bad as the mental demons one might encounter when attempting to break through to the Golden Core stage."

However, most people who encounter this will fail to establish their foundation.

However, perhaps this is where your opportunity lies, Fellow Daoist Xu. The appearance of mental barriers greatly increases the difficulty of Foundation Establishment, but if you break through these barriers, you can also loosen the bottleneck in Foundation Establishment.

"maybe."

"However, in any case, congratulations, fellow Daoist."

"Haha, congratulations to Your Highness on reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage."

A few moments.

Cao Jinming finally got to the point.

"Now that Fellow Daoist Xu has entered the Foundation Establishment stage, his alchemy skills must be even stronger, right? I heard that you were close to Fellow Daoist Yun Zhongzi when you were practicing Qi Refining, and now that I think about it, you're not far behind."

"I dare not compare myself with Fellow Daoist Yun Zhongzi. I have only been a Foundation Establishment cultivator for a few years and still need to spend time on cultivation. My alchemy skills have not improved much."

Xu Chuan has now revealed himself to be at the first level of Foundation Establishment, as has Ren Xiaoyao.

If, within just a few years, two members of the Xu family were to advance to the second level of Foundation Establishment, it would likely arouse malicious speculation from those with ulterior motives.

"I have discussed with my fellow Daoists from the five Foundation Establishment families of Tongshan County that after the beast tide ends, in addition to distributing the rewards to the demon beasts according to their merits, we also want to refine some pills and magical artifacts as a token of our gratitude."

Regarding magical artifacts, one of my fellow Daoists in Tongshan County is a top-notch artifact crafting master.

He can refine exquisite and high-grade magical artifacts as rewards for the top three families in this battle.

The rest are paid in the form of pills or materials from demonic beasts.

And the foundation-building families.

The difficulty of refining top-tier magic artifacts is too great. That fellow Daoist only has a 20-30% chance of success. The material consumption would be too great, and it would be a loss. Having only a few demon beast materials is not very humane.

After all, without a weapon refiner, the value of these monster materials isn't actually that high.

Therefore, we considered refining some Foundation Establishment Pills to improve our cultivation.

I had been planning to send someone to the Pill Hall to invite a few worshippers in a few days, but I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Xu to arrive so soon.

"If you have any conditions, please feel free to state them."

"If you have the essence of a mid-Foundation Establishment demon beast, I'd like a share. If not, an early-Foundation Establishment beast will do."

"Your Xu family has two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one of whom will surely go hunting Foundation Establishment demonic beasts. Fellow Daoist Xu has also worked hard to refine pills for us. This condition is not excessive."

"In addition, my Xu family would like to request that Tongshan County open its doors to my Xu family and allow my Xu family disciples to come to the Cangwu Mountains for training."

Cao Jinming nodded. "This isn't a big problem."

"My Xu family business wants to establish itself in the market of Tongshan County, selling things like pills and magical artifacts."

“My Tongshan County is rich in magical artifact materials, but it is not rich in mid-to-high-grade pills. If the Xu family can trade these, it will also benefit my Tongshan County.”

"I, the King, hereby grant your permission."

Xu Chuan grinned, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "Then thank you very much, Your Highness. I have no further questions. May I ask what kind of pill Your Highness wishes to refine?"

"For the first tier, let's go with Qi Gathering Pills and Barrier Breaking Pills. With your alchemy skills, refining mid-to-high grade pills shouldn't be difficult."

"The second-tier pills are True Essence Pills and Azure Spirit Pills. Fellow Daoist Xu, refine as many as you have, and we will distribute them according to the situation."

"I understand. Your Highness, please send someone to deliver the ingredients for the pill formula to my room. I will go to the alchemy room to refine it when I have time."

"Thank you," Cao Jinming said, clasping his hands in thanks.

There are alchemists in Tongshan County who can refine second-grade pills, but only one or two low-grade pills can be produced from six or seven batches, which is too low a utilization rate of materials.

This time, a considerable amount will be used as compensation for those who have helped the Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The only solution is to ask a top-tier alchemy master to take action.

As for the reward offered by Xu Chuanti, only the essence of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator is valuable; the rest is insignificant.

Even if it were open to the Xu family, how could the Xu family possibly compete with so many prestigious families in Tongshan County?

Cao Jinming had originally thought that Xu Chuan would mention some rare, centuries-old spiritual herbs.

However, Xu Chuan had already set aside a portion of the reward for his work in the amount of the pills he refined.

It's not unreasonable for an alchemist to take a cut when helping others refine pills.

After Xu Mingxian deduced the restriction of the token, he also went out to hunt monsters.

He rode his magic boat, standing above the city wall. As far as the eye could see, the ground was scorched, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and the smell of burning.

Most wild animals were stripped of their fur and claws and then burned.

As for the monsters, after they were killed, people in Tongshan County would collect them and transport them back to the city for disposal.

Groups of cultivators flew out of the city's outer formation, while many others, having exhausted their magical power, returned to the city to recuperate.

The same applies to martial artists.

Xu Mingxian searches for traces of the Xu family.

Suddenly a bird of prey swooped down, its sharp claws outstretched, and lunged at Xu Mingxian's head.

With a flick of his sleeve, a high-grade flying sword flew out from his sleeve.

A flash of cold light streaked across the twilight, leaving a dark blue trail, piercing the head of a bird like a comet striking the moon.

Then, he absorbed the soul essence of the demon beast from his token.

Based on the strength of their souls, wild beasts and demonic beasts are distinguished and recorded separately.

Soon, he discovered traces of Xu family's innate martial artists on the ground. The five-person team formed a formation that was particularly eye-catching.

Like a sharp knife, it tore a huge gash through the pack of wild beasts.

"My father's allocation of personnel was quite ingenious; their cooperation far surpassed the effect of one plus one."

Sword and shield users are primarily defensive, but also possess offensive capabilities, capable of repelling close-range enemies.

It is equipped with a ruthless fighter who can fight opponents of higher levels, and can reap huge rewards. If there is any oversight, a warrior wielding a long spear can force them back.

Archer warriors also first clear out a wave of distant enemies to prevent their numbers from becoming too large.

The battle lasted a long time.

The Xu family's various teams suffered only minor injuries. They all carried pills to heal their wounds and restore their true energy, giving them a combat endurance far superior to other aristocratic families.

Many scions of prominent families were discussing which family they belonged to.

After discovering the monster.

Xu Mingxian quickly headed there, and the three members of the Xu family formed a rather eye-catching formation.

"Fifth Brother, you've arrived." Xu Mingqing greeted Xu Mingxian with a smile.

Then a flying sword flew past him.

With a clang, the flying sword collided with the claws of the late-stage Qi Refining demonic bird, forcing it back.

"One must not be careless on the battlefield."

"Understood, Fifth Brother."

Xu Mingqing smiled and turned around, making a hand seal with one hand to instantly cast two first-tier mid-grade wood-type spells to bind the demonic bird.

At the same time, he used his flying sword to kill him.

He also cultivated the "Nine Flames Technique," which allows him to simultaneously perform hand seals, cast spells, and control flying swords.

"As expected of the most talented person in the Xu family, he killed a late-stage Qi Refining demonic bird in a short time."

Xu Mingxian smiled faintly.

Xu Mingqing possesses the eighth-grade Yi Wood bloodline and the [Taiyi Qingling] destiny talent, allowing him to conserve 30% of his mana when casting wood-type spells.

Its power is also stronger.

Coupled with his comprehension of wood-type magic, he had already learned quite a few first-tier high-grade wood-type spells at the early stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining, and could cast them quickly.

Almost all items below the highest quality can be cast instantly.

If it were someone else at the seventh level of Qi Refining, simply casting a high-grade spell would take a considerable amount of time, which would be detrimental to combat.

Xu Mingwei and his group were also in the vicinity.

These elders intentionally kept themselves from spreading out too far, so as not to fail to take care of the Xu family's cultivators.

After all, there are very few cultivators in the Xu family. If four or five of them were to die, it would be heartbreaking.

Although they are still recruiting independent cultivators, few can pass the Xu family's review.

Xu Jianing prefers quality over quantity, preferring to spend more time cultivating loyal people.

Even with only pseudo-spiritual root aptitude, it can still be cultivated to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

As for the seventh level of Qi Refining, it would be very difficult for them to reach that level on their own.

However, if they make significant contributions to the Xu family, the Xu family will also bestow upon them breakthrough pills to lend them a helping hand.

More than ten miles away.

It was just as a certain elder of a powerful family was about to kill a demon beast that was in the late stage of Qi Refining.

In silence.

A streak of light arrived in an instant, and an arrow pierced the monster's head, killing it instantly.

Then, the arrow returned along the same path.

Enraged, the elder of the aristocratic family cursed, "Which fellow Daoist is so despicable!"

Looking around, I saw no one using bows and arrows.

Someone said, "Fellow Daoist, stop looking. That person isn't nearby at all; he's more than ten miles away."

"What? Killed a late-stage Qi Refining demon beast with a single arrow from over ten miles away?"

"It's over there." The man pointed to the location of the Xu family. "If you want to reason with them, you can go, but you only need to be able to block one of his attacks."

"Someone once went to ask for the algorithm, but his mid-grade magic weapon was pierced by an arrow. If he hadn't shown mercy, he would probably be dead."

The elder of this family bobbed his Adam's apple, "So terrifying! Which family's prodigy is this?"

"Moon Lake County, the Xu family, Xu Mingwei!"

"Many fellow cultivators gave him a nickname: Arrow Demon!"

"Any monster that came into his sight was shot dead!"

"But being more than ten miles away is terrifying! What kind of eyesight do they have?!"

"A fellow Daoist once said that Xu Mingwei's eyes seemed unusual when he shot arrows, turning dark gold, and that he also had a black tiger spirit beast, which was also extremely fierce."

However, they seemed to be protecting their own people and didn't launch a large-scale operation; otherwise, we would have gained absolutely nothing!

"The Xu family, a clan that has just advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage, actually has such a powerful expert," an elder of the clan remarked.

"Xu Mingwei seems to be the number one Qi Refining expert in Yuehu and Guangling counties, no, in my opinion he should be the number one expert in the surrounding five counties!"

"The Xu family is truly remarkable; they are likely another third-rank aristocratic family like the Liu family of Qingbo."

The elder of the family had completely lost his previous anger.

Sometimes the gap is so large that it completely dampens one's competitive spirit.

The area within a radius of several miles centered on Xu Mingwei was almost entirely controlled by the Xu family.

Xu Mingwei will let some monsters in.

As for other powerful families, if they wanted to make a move, Xu Mingwei would be one step ahead of him in shooting them down.

They were forced to leave.

However, there will always be those who refuse to give up and will come knocking.

“Fellow Daoist, isn’t it a bit too much for your family to occupy this area of ​​more than ten miles?”

A young man approached, sword in hand.

The crimson robe billowed in the wind like burning flames, the hem rustling in the wind, and dark patterns embroidered with gold thread seemed to flow in the sunlight, faintly revealing an intimidating aura.

His face was sharply defined, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards towards his temples, and his eyes were deep and dark, like stars reflected in a cold pool, exuding a domineering aura that brooked no dissent.

The red robe was not made of ordinary cloth, but woven from the silk of thousand-year-old fire silkworms.

The cuffs and collar were trimmed with dark black cloud patterns, and a dark gold dragon-patterned belt was tied around the waist, from which hung a jade token. The token was engraved with the character "Liu".

The corners of his lips curved into a smile that was neither gentle nor playful, more like the mocking gaze of a raptor surveying its prey.

"That's Liu Wuqing, a genius from the Liu family. He's known as the Ruthless Young Master because he's dabbled in all kinds of flowers but never takes a single one with him."

"Some people say that he has outstanding talent and will soon become the next Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Liu family."

"Impossible. Most geniuses who haven't yet reached the Foundation Establishment stage are preparing for the 'Wuhua Dharma Assembly,' and they certainly wouldn't hastily complete the Foundation Establishment process."

"So you are the Arrow Demon, Xu Mingwei?" Liu Wuqing said with a faint smile.

"What does the heartless young master want with me?"

"I've heard that a skilled archer has emerged in Guangling County, which is next to Longjiang. He is incredibly powerful and I've always wanted to test my skills against him, but unfortunately, I haven't had many opportunities to meet him."

Now that we've met in Tongshan, I'd like to ask for your guidance.

"Second brother, you watch over things here, I'll deal with this guy." Xu Mingwei transmitted his voice and ascended into the sky, saying, "Come up and fight!"

"readily!"

Liu Wuqing's lips curled up slightly, and his flying sword suddenly rose vertically upwards, quickly reaching the same level as Xu Mingwei.

"I'll only use four moves; if you can withstand them, you win!"

"Then I'll see just how strong your bow and arrow really are!"

Xu Mingwei said no more and quickly drew his bow and shot an arrow.

The first move is a normal attack.

He did not use any magic power, relying solely on his strength and the power of the magical artifact itself.

Liu Wuqing held a bluish-white longsword, the blade trembled slightly, and a bluish-white sword light, about ten feet long, shot out from the sky.

Like a silver river cascading from the heavens, the air hissed wherever it passed, even the twilight was cleaved in a ghastly white crack.

A glint of dark golden light shot out from afar.

Before the arrow even arrived, the sharp killing intent already stung the skin.

They transformed into lightning bolts and collided with the sword light in mid-air.

"boom--!"

The cyan and white sword energy intertwined with the dark gold lightning to form a violent net, instantly clearing away the clouds within a radius of ten feet.

The aftershocks of the explosion stirred up a strong wind that rippled outwards.

Just then, Xu Mingwei's second arrow was launched.

The magical power surged, binding the arrow and transforming into a black dragon that roared as it charged toward Liu Wuqing.

Liu Wuqing's pupils contracted slightly. His fingertips swept across the bluish-white sword, then suddenly changed his hand gesture. His five fingers opened like lotus flowers and then snapped shut. He shouted sharply, "Slash!"

The bluish-white longsword trembled violently, and a dazzling bluish-white light burst forth from the tip of the sword, transforming into a three-zhang-long blade of light, its edges wreathed with fragments of lightning, tearing the surrounding twilight to shreds.

As the sword light flickered, nine overlapping sword shadows faintly appeared, unfolding behind Liu Wuqing like a peacock spreading its tail.

A sudden gust of wind rose from the ground, whipping up his clothes and hair, and his gaze was colder than the glint of a sword.

Nine sword shadows flew out one after another, overlapping each other, with each additional sword increasing its power by 10%.

"boom--!"

The dragon roared, and the sword gleamed.

This strike.

The two were evenly matched again.

"Two dragons playing with pearls!"

Two black dragons, each three zhang long, materialized and emerged, intertwining and churning, their roars shaking the air.

"The blue lotus is in full bloom!"

Liu Wuqing's gaze was calm, and the sword stance in his hand suddenly changed.

His figure moved like a crane in flight, and the trajectory of his sword was no longer as sharp as thunder, but instead revealed a mysterious rhythm.

With each swing of the sword, a wisp of bluish-white sword light would linger in mid-air, eventually weaving into a nine-petaled lotus shape.

As he thrust his final sword at the lotus's heart, the sword lotus burst into full bloom—

The moment the lotus petals unfurled, pure blue light surged forth like a tide, each petal condensing an extremely powerful sword light, almost tangible.

The black dragon tried to strangle the green lotus from both sides, but was shattered by strands of powerful sword light.

Ultimately, they transformed into two arrows that flew back.

"Three Stars Reflecting the Moon!"

Xu Mingwei's bowstring twanged, and three black iron arrows shot out, intertwining in mid-air to form a bright moon three zhang wide.

Silver flames surged at the edge of the moon, like a meteor falling from the sky, hurtling towards Liu Wuqing with the force to crush mountains and rivers!
Seeing the bright moon, which was beautiful but full of murderous intent, Liu Wuqing's expression turned solemn. He immediately bit his fingertip, and a drop of blood flowed down the bluish-white sword.

The sword's spine suddenly erupted with a blinding flash of blood.

His sword techniques changed rapidly, and his face turned visibly pale, but three giant blue lotus phantoms suddenly appeared behind him.

The three blue lotuses slowly rotated and crashed fiercely towards the bright moon.

When the three blue lotuses overlap.

The azure light shone brightly, attracting all the wild beasts on the ground to look up, their eyes filled with the bright moon and the azure light.

After the bright moon was cleaved into countless points of light by the sword light, only a dazzling blue lotus remained in the air, spinning around and disappearing without a trace after a moment.

Xu Mingwei's eyes showed more joy than anger, but he still clasped his hands and said, "Young Master Wuqing is powerful and his swordsmanship is amazing. I have lost."

"You think you can just admit defeat like that? I haven't agreed!" Liu Wuqing's face was pale as he shouted angrily, "I know you definitely have a backup plan, show it to me!"

Xu Mingwei seemed tempted, wanting to see if the other party could withstand his "Four Symbols Strangulation".

Just then, a middle-aged man in green robes arrived on a sword, his demeanor outstanding. He clasped his hands in a fist and said with a smile, "My younger brother is unruly, Brother Xu, please don't take it to heart."

It's just a friendly spar; getting serious wouldn't be good, especially with a beast tide around us.

Xu Mingwei glanced at him, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "What you say makes sense, fellow Daoist."

"Third brother, it's me."

"My father sent me a message saying that the battle here was too intense and had already attracted the attention of Foundation Establishment cultivators in the city. It is not advisable to draw any more attention to ourselves."

"I see."

Liu Wuqing said to Xu Mingwei, "Fellow Daoist Xu's strength is formidable and lives up to its reputation. Since we cannot determine a winner today, we can compete again another day when we have time."

After saying this, he left with the middle-aged man in green robes.

"Brother, Xu Mingwei of the Xu family might be stronger than me," Liu Wuqing transmitted his voice.

"It's not a matter of maybe. You're clearly slightly inferior to him. Qinglian Yaoshi beats him in the fourth move, but not necessarily in the fifth. Besides, you haven't even truly mastered this move yet."

Previously, it was also forced to activate by blood essence.

If this is done frequently, it will leave you with indelible damage.

"Third brother, I was wrong. I won't be so stubborn next time."

"After returning home, I will devote myself to secluded cultivation. The patriarch once said that this 'Wuhua Dharma Assembly' may be extraordinary, even more severe than in the past."

"I understand."

Xu Mingwei fell from the sky.

Xu Mingyuan stepped forward and teased, "Brother, it's rare to see you fight someone, and you lost."

"Yes, that's rare," Xu Mingxuan said with a smile.

“I didn’t lose,” Xu Mingwei said. “Liu Wuqing’s last move was clearly not fully mastered; he forcibly activated it with his blood essence, which amplified its power.”

However, he is indeed a notch stronger than Feng Qingyang of the Feng family.

It can only be said that the Liu family of Qingbo Lake truly lives up to its reputation as one of the few third-rank aristocratic families in various prefectures.

Xu Mingyuan pondered and said, "Based on my brother's several encounters with various geniuses, if Mingxuan, Mingshu and Mingxian cannot withstand your fourth move."

There's no need to attend the "Wuhua Dharma Assembly" then.

"No, at least you have to block my fifth move."

If this is how a third-rank aristocratic family is reduced to, what about second-rank, first-rank, and the Cao family?

Xu Mingwei said solemnly, "Even if his sword techniques and moves are similar to Liu Wuqing's, his trump cards are definitely stronger. Even I have to avoid his sharp edge."

"That's why Father allowed Mingxuan to enter as well. If there's danger, we should avoid it. Mingshu's combat strength isn't very strong either, but her beast-taming skills should be very useful in an environment like this secret realm."

Xu Mingwei remarked with emotion, "My father always thought things through more thoroughly than we did."

The next day.

The battle between Xu Mingwei and Liu Wuqing spread throughout the entire Tongshan County.

They come from all the counties.

The two became famous overnight!
Upon hearing this, Xu Chuan simply shook his head and chuckled.

"Cultivating immortality doesn't necessarily require fighting and killing."

After Cao Jinming delivered the spiritual herbs to Xu Chuan, he began refining the pills.

Only refine according to the requirements of Tongshan County; anything beyond that is taken as a cut.

Xu Chuan certainly wouldn't mind having too many Qi Gathering Pills and Barrier Breaking Pills, since the Xu family would ensure a continuous supply of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

The seventh day arrived in the blink of an eye.

With a series of astonishing roars, the sound waves materialized and rippled outwards like a tide.

The Foundation Establishment demon beast finally emerged from the mountains.

There is a Foundation Establishment flying demon bird, the Purple Lightning Thunder Eagle, whose aura is comparable to the third level of Foundation Establishment. However, because it is a flying demon beast and can use lightning magic, even a fourth level Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be a match for it.

Centipede, a monster at the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Bloodthirsty Black Panther, a demonic beast at the third level of Foundation Establishment.

Golden-backed Blood Mantis, a monster at the third level of Foundation Establishment.

White-scaled Flood Dragon, a demonic beast at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment.

Vajra Violent Ape, a demonic beast at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.

Finally, there was a Blood Python Tiger at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment.

Foundation Establishment cultivators generally possess top-tier magical artifacts, and it is difficult for them to kill monsters of the same level on their own, unless they have extremely strong combat abilities or profound hidden strengths.

Above the city wall of Tongshan County, more than thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators stood in mid-air, their gazes fixed on the eleven Foundation Establishment demonic beasts.

"There are even late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic beasts." Cao Jinming said with a faint smile, "Everyone, Foundation Establishment demonic beasts are treasures from head to toe."

Its feathers, fur, sharp claws, and fangs are all excellent materials for crafting fine or even top-tier magical artifacts.

"I urge all fellow Daoists not to hold back. Once the chaos of the beast tide is resolved, Tongshan County will naturally offer rewards in gratitude for your assistance."

"Your Highness is too kind. This is also our duty."

They all came on missions assigned by the imperial family of the Great Wei dynasty, while the family members came to gain experience.

"For early Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts, two people can deal with them together; for mid Foundation Establishment stage demonic beasts, three or four people can join forces; and the rest can come with me to deal with that late Foundation Establishment stage Blood Python Tiger."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

then.

Zhou Qingfang asked, "Fellow Daoist Ren, where is your Grand Elder?"

"The Grand Elder has other important matters to attend to and will not participate in this attack on Foundation Establishment level monsters."

"Is that so? How about we hunt down a Foundation Establishment demon beast together?"

"Ren could not have asked for it more."

Both of them were newly established Foundation Establishment cultivators. Zhou Qingfang was at the second level of Foundation Establishment, while Ren Xiaoyao appeared to be at the first level. They were a perfect match to deal with a centipede at the second level of Foundation Establishment.

The two flew to the vicinity of the centipede.

The air here is filled with the smell of damp earth and decaying leaves, mixed with a faint, sweet, fishy odor.

This is the unique scent emitted by the Hundred-Legged Iron-Backed Centipede, a demonic beast at the second level of Foundation Establishment.

Its massive body loomed in a forest clearing, its dark brown carapace gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen in the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.

The countless, steel-nail-like legs twitched slightly, each scrape against the ground producing a teeth-grinding "rustling" sound.

Its triangular head was held high, its huge jaws opening and closing erratically, making a threatening "click-click" sound, and its compound eyes stared intently at the two people in the air.

Ren Xiaoyao's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

He made a hand seal, and a flash of light appeared in the storage bag at his waist. A simple and exquisitely crafted Five Elements Box flew out instantly and hovered about a foot in front of him.

With a few soft clicks, the spirit box unfolded gracefully in a fan shape, like a peacock spreading its tail, revealing five inlaid grooves.

"out!"

With Ren Xiaoyao's command, five sword lights of different colors and dazzling brilliance suddenly shot out from the groove!

The golden sword is sharp and imposing, the wooden sword is full of vitality, the water sword is agile and long, the fire sword is fiery and explosive, and the earth sword is steady and heavy.

Five exquisite flying swords each occupied a position, their tips pointing at the centipede, trembling slightly in the air and emitting a clear, melodious sword sound.

In an instant, it formed a simple sword formation containing the principles of the five elements' mutual generation and restraint, and the sharp sword energy stirred the surrounding air.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfang was secretly amazed. "I only had a brief glimpse of it last time, but now that I look at it closely, Fellow Daoist Ren's magic weapon is truly extraordinary, containing the essence of the five elements' mutual generation and restraint."

If one does not have a deep understanding of the Five Elements, one cannot control such magical artifacts at will.

Moreover, I believe this magical artifact also contains a hidden sword formation.

Its power is estimated to be no less than that of a top-tier magic weapon!

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, you flatter me. This was obtained by chance. My Xu family's resources are limited, and we only have one Xuanbing Cone. I heard that it was given to the Xu family by you back then."

It hurts to even think about it.

Zhou Qingfang's lips twitched slightly.

But he was also glad that he did not take revenge on the Xu family because of his greed.

Otherwise, the two families could never have such a harmonious relationship.

Looking across all the prefectures, there are probably few like their two families.

Cast aside distractions and calm your mind.

A flash of light appeared in Zhou Qingfang's left palm, and a small, exquisite black mountain, exuding an aura of immense pressure, materialized out of thin air and rested steadily on his palm.

Although the mountain peak is small, one can vaguely see its rugged rocks and ancient pines, and a powerful and heavy earth element permeates the air.

In his right hand, he tightly gripped a green wooden sword with a bright blue light and mysterious runes engraved on its blade. The blade exuded vitality, yet it also contained a hidden sharpness.

"You beast, take this!"

With a roar, Zhou Qingfang charged towards the centipede like an arrow released from a bow!

With a change of hand seal, the Xuanmo Peak he was holding in his palm instantly grew larger in the wind, transforming into a phantom of a pitch-black mountain peak about ten feet high.

With an overwhelming force, it roared and slammed down hard on the centipede's head, which was covered with a thick carapace!
It is precisely to suppress its ferocity with absolute power!

The centipede let out a sharp hiss, clearly enraged by the sudden pressure.

Its thick tail lashed out, creating a foul gust of wind, and lashed fiercely at the falling phantom of Xuanmo Peak!

"clang!"

A dull, bell-like impact rang out!
The illusory image of Xuanmo Peak trembled violently, and its downward pressure momentarily halted.

The centipede's hard carapace collided with the Xuanmo Peak, even sending up a few sparks!
Zhou Qingfang swayed slightly, clearly finding it quite difficult to control the magical artifact and withstand such a powerful impact, but his eyes remained even more determined.

Without hesitation, the green wooden sword in his right hand transformed into a streak of green light, stabbing straight at the centipede's vulnerable jaw, exposed by its tilted-back attack!

This sword strike was swift and cunning, containing wood-elemental sword energy with penetrating and corrosive power.

Just as the centipede was completely distracted by Xuanmo Peak and was somewhat rushed in dealing with the Green Wood Sword—

"The Five Elements revolve swiftly!"

Ren Xiaoyao's cool voice rang out.

His hand gestures changed like butterflies flitting among flowers, and the five hovering flying swords moved in response!

Five sword lights crisscrossed and weaved into an impenetrable net, precisely slicing at the centipede's relatively vulnerable joints and abdominal legs!
"Chucky!"

The flying sword struck the gaps in the carapace, producing a teeth-grinding cutting sound.

Although it failed to immediately break through the strong defense of the Foundation Establishment Level 2 demon beast, it successfully left obvious sword marks on its tough shell.

The centipede, in pain, went berserk!
It inhaled sharply, its chest and abdomen bulging violently, and a foul-smelling, highly corrosive dark green toxic mist gushed out like a fountain towards Zhou Qingfang, who was standing right next to it!
Wherever the poisonous fog passed, the weeds on the ground withered and turned black instantly, and the rocks made a "sizzling" sound.

"Watch out for the poisonous fog!" Ren Xiaoyao's pupils contracted as he sharply warned.

Zhou Qingfang had already anticipated this move. The moment the poisonous mist was released, he pressed down hard on Xuanmo Peak with his left hand, forcing the illusory mountain peak to drop by a foot, narrowly blocking in front of him and forming a solid barrier.

At the same time, his body rapidly drifted backward.

"puff--!"

The thick poisonous fog slammed into the illusory image of Xuanmo Peak, producing a sound like boiling water being poured on snow.

The heavy earth elemental energy shimmered, stubbornly resisting the corrosive effects of the poison, but the light of the phantom visibly dimmed.

"good chance!"

Ren Xiaoyao's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his hands suddenly joined together in a magic seal, pouring all his spiritual power into the core of the Five Elements Box!
"Five Elements Sword Formation, vanquish evil!"

Om-!
The five flying swords emitted a deafening hum, instantly abandoning their individual agile trajectories and transforming into five intense primal rays of gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow.

As if drawn by some powerful force, they suddenly converge at a single point!
The five-colored light merged and flowed, eventually transforming into an extremely condensed Primordial Sword Qi that carried an aura of destruction, tearing through the air and emitting a piercing shriek.

At several times the speed of before, it directly hits the centipede's mouthparts, which cannot be fully closed due to the venomous mist it spews!

The centipede sensed a deadly threat, and a look of fear flashed in its compound eyes. It was too late to shut its mouth and defend itself!

"Pfft!"

The Hunyuan Sword Qi pierced through its open mouth with unparalleled precision!

“His ...

A piercing, distorted scream echoed through the mountains and forests!
The centipede's enormous body convulsed and writhed violently as if struck by lightning, its hard head being ravaged by the raging Five Elements Sword Qi!

Dark green, foul-smelling blood mixed with shredded tissue gushed from his mouth and nose!

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qingfang's face lit up with joy.

His figure sprang up again, and a surge of magical power poured in, causing the Green Wood Sword in his hand to burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant green light.

Like an angry azure dragon, with an indomitable spirit, it fiercely pierced into the depths of the centipede's compound eyes, which were vulnerable due to intense pain!

"Die!"

The sword energy of the green wood erupted inside the centipede's skull!
The centipede's mountain-like body suddenly stiffened, and then all its struggles and hisses abruptly ceased.

Its head, which had been held high, drooped limply and crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The countless centipedes twitched a few times before finally falling completely silent.

The open space was a mess, the ground was torn apart, and the huge centipede corpse lay motionless, with remnants of sharp sword energy still on its shell.

The poisonous fog also dissipated into the air.

Ren Xiaoyao glanced at it, then immediately made a hand seal to completely purify the poisonous mist.

Then he waved his hand to recall the five flying swords whose light had dimmed slightly.

Zhou Qingfang also withdrew the Xuanmo Peak, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at the dark green blood dripping from the tip of the Green Wood Sword, a relieved smile appearing on his face.

"Senior, please keep this monster's corpse and hand it over to Tongshan County after the battle."

"Alright."

Tongshan County will definitely give a lot of monster materials to the various families, but it's impossible for them to take all the materials away.

Especially materials from Foundation Establishment monsters.

"Let's go check on the others!"

(End of this chapter)