Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 261 Alliance
On an August afternoon, a light rain fell in the mountains and forests. The raindrops, like fine needles, gently pierced the tranquility of the forest, and the sound of dripping echoed among the treetops.

"Hey you, stop right there!"

Duan Heng's voice cut through the rain, his figure soaring through the air like a hawk, his eyes sharp as lightning, fixed on the woodcutter not far away.

Hearing the sudden, sharp shout, the woodcutter shuddered and turned around, his face filled with panic: "Is that the immortal master? May I ask what brings you here?"

Duan Heng landed in front of the woodcutter, his brows furrowing slightly.

He carefully sensed the woodcutter, but could not detect the slightest fluctuation of magical power.

Could this person really just be an ordinary mountain dweller who went up the mountain to chop firewood?
The Luoyang Mountains have fertile soil, abundant grain production, and a wide variety of wild animals.

Although the area is mountainous and forested, with inconvenient transportation and rampant monsters, the development of prosperous towns has been limited.

But the mountain people are still happy to live here, forming many villages scattered in the mountains.

The nearby cultivation forces were also happy to maintain good relations with these mountain people, protecting them from demonic beasts in exchange for the daily necessities such as grain and cloth offered by the mountain people.

As far as Duan Heng knew, there were several such villages around Green Cloud Cave.

"Are you from a nearby village?"

Duan Heng asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Yes, they are mountain people!"

The woodcutter nodded and bowed repeatedly.

It seems I was just overthinking it!

Duan Heng shook his head slightly.

Of course, even if they were mountain people, he would bring them back to Ouyang Zhen.

Just as he was about to speak, the woodcutter seemed to remember something, rummaged through his bundle, and revealed a dark red jewelry box: "I am just a commoner who goes into the mountains to cut wood, and I do so every month. Please do not misunderstand, Immortal Master. This is my humble offering to you, Immortal Master."

"These mere mortal objects are hardly worthy of my attention."

Duan Heng snorted softly, not accepting it.

The woodcutter had no choice but to take it back, his face showing embarrassment.

Just then, the jewelry box suddenly fell from the woodcutter's hand and, before it hit the ground, assembled into a small wooden figure in mid-air.

"puppet?"

Duan Heng's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly moved away.

However, the wooden puppet exploded first.

The explosion echoed through the valley, like thunder booming in one's ears, making the air tremble.

The aftershocks raged, raising clouds of dust that obscured everything around them in a hazy mist.

"Damn it!"

Duan Heng roared and his body burst out of the smoke and dust.

He looked disheveled, his hair disheveled from the blast.

His clothes were also torn in several places, revealing the robes underneath that faintly emitted a milky white light.

If it weren't for the protective robes bestowed upon him by his master, he would have died here today.

Duan Heng's lips were pale, but his face was unusually ashen, and his eyes were intently searching for targets in his surroundings.

But where was the woodcutter now?
"what happened?"

The commotion was so great that it quickly attracted Ouyang Zhen's attention.

He came over in person, his eyes gloomy.

"It's a Fireball Talisman!"

Xu Chuan's expression was equally solemn; he couldn't care less about mocking Duan Heng's comical appearance.

The vast majority of Qi Refining cultivators regard the Explosive Talisman as the mainstream talisman for combat.

Because the Fiery Talisman is not only powerful, but also affordable.

As for the Flame Burst Talisman, a high-level talisman, it is said to be able to injure Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, as long as a Foundation Establishment cultivator erects a magical shield, the effect of the Flame Burst Talisman is greatly reduced.

Its ultimate target market for combat is still only among Qi Refining cultivators.

A fiery talisman is sufficient to deal with Qi Refining cultivators.

Only larger cultivation forces like the Ouyang family and the Xuanjian Sect would use the Flame Burst Talisman, whose price has increased several times over, in pursuit of destructive power at a certain stage of combat.

This is enough to show that the other party is someone of considerable importance.

Who exactly is coveting them?

No, they are coveting the Enlightenment Spring!
-
As Li Xiangming left the valley, he frowned and continued to ponder.

As expected, the area outside Green Cloud Cave was occupied by a group of mysterious cultivators.

The short man who came looking for him was quite skilled.

My own methods might not be enough to kill him.

But Green Cloud Cave is no ordinary place; its four true disciples are all at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Not to mention his master, the Foundation Establishment Sect Leader.

Judging from their strength on paper, Green Cloud Cave is more than capable of easily driving away this group of mysterious cultivators.

But for some reason, Green Cloud Cave did not do so.

As news of the Enlightenment Spring spreads further, the number of cultivators coming to Green Cloud Cave to search for treasures will only increase.

If these people unite, it will be unrealistic for Green Cloud Cave to deal with them.

As he was pondering, Li Xiangming suddenly stopped.

Directly in front of him, a strange man dressed in hemp clothing appeared out of nowhere.

The man wore a faint smile: "Your skill is impressive. The disciple of the Fa Rong Cave almost died at your hands."

Li Xiangming's gaze turned serious. The "disciple of the Dharma Cave" that the other party was referring to was undoubtedly the short cultivator from earlier.

This indicates that the person was present when he made his brief move.

At the time, however, he did not notice anything unusual.

"Who are you?"

Li Xiangming asked in a deep voice.

"My name is Pei Si, an unknown rogue cultivator from Hao County. Today, I have come to pay my respects to you, fellow Daoist."

Pei Si cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, behaving quite politely.

Li Xiangming remained silent for a moment. What was so noteworthy about launching a sneak attack?

Pei Si must have had ulterior motives for stopping him.

He continued, "What brings you here, Fellow Daoist Pei?"

"Why have you come, fellow Daoist? I have come for the same reason."

Pei Si smiled but remained silent.

Li Xiangming narrowed his eyes.

So, Pei Si also came for the Enlightenment Spring.

The two are rivals.

"Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand. We share the same goal, but we haven't found our target yet, have we?"

Seeing the change in Li Xiangming's eyes, Pei Si quickly waved his hand and said, "The group of people who are entrenched in front of the Green Cloud Cave are not simple people. They are all from major sects in Hao County. Their leader, Ouyang Zhen, comes from the Ouyang family."

The Ouyang family?

Li Xiangming was startled. The Li family had a century-old foundation in Hao County and naturally had a good understanding of the major powers in Zhangning Prefecture.

The Ouyang family was one of the cultivation forces that settled in Zhangning Prefecture along with the Hengyue Sect back then.

At that time, the Ouyang family's strength was in no way inferior to that of the Hengyue Sect.

However, as time went by, Hengyue Sect gradually became the leader of the Taoist sects in the entire Zhangning Prefecture.

The Ouyang family gradually declined.

However, the decline of the Ouyang family was relative to their past glory.

In fact, the Ouyang family has never stopped producing Golden Core cultivators, and remains one of the top cultivation families in Hao County.

In terms of the number of Golden Core cultivators, the Ouyang family has one more than the Bailu Sect.

Of course, the Xuanling Zhenren of Bailu Sect is very special.

His cultivation level has reached the late stage of Golden Core, ranking among the top even among the many Golden Core cultivators in Hengyue Sect.

It is far superior to the Golden Elixir of the Ouyang family.

Although not as skilled as the Xuanling True Person, if we disregard the Golden Core stage, the Ouyang family's overall strength surpasses that of the Bailu Sect. The elite disciples they cultivate are naturally extraordinary.

"What is the cultivation level of this Ouyang Zhen?"

Li Xiangming hurriedly inquired.

"Perfected Qi Refining Technique!"

Pei Si did not hide anything and explained the backgrounds and cultivation levels of Ouyang Zhen and the cultivators around him.

After a long pause, Li Xiangming's expression turned grave.

I had underestimated this group of mysterious cultivators.

This group consists of five people, led by Ouyang Zhen. Each of them is at the ninth level of Qi Refining and possesses a unique skill from their sect.

Even the short monk he had deceived was not as wretched as he had imagined.

According to Pei Si, the man's name was Duan Heng, and he was a direct disciple of Farong Cave.

He knows the sect's ultimate technique, "Fixed Shadow Imprisonment Technique".

This technique is derived from the immobilization technique, but it is even better. It can not only restrict the cultivator's movements, but also slow down the cultivator's transfer of magical power.

When magical power circulates slowly, breaking the seal naturally becomes more difficult.

If one were to fall victim to this technique on the battlefield, they would undoubtedly be like a sitting duck, at the mercy of others.

That Xu Chuan is also quite skilled; he is a sword cultivator from the Xuanjian Sect.

Sword cultivators possess astonishing combat power. It is said that Xu Chuan carries six flying swords on his back, making him even more powerful than ordinary sword cultivators.

The others are no worse than these two.

Not to mention there's also Ouyang Zhen.

No wonder Green Cloud Cave is so calm.

If it weren't for Fairy Green Cloud, the four true disciples of Green Cloud Cave wouldn't have been able to do anything to these people.

"It seems that you, fellow Daoist, are also aware of the seriousness of the matter."

Pei Si observed Li Xiangming's expression, his eyes flickering: "Although we all came for the Enlightenment Spring, we are all alone, while this group has formed an alliance early on. Isn't that unfair?"

Li Xiangming glanced at the other party: "Fellow Daoist Pei, do you mean we should join forces?"

Pei Si nodded quickly: "Only in this way can one be qualified to compete for the Enlightenment Spring."

Li Xiangming pondered for a moment and said, "Joining forces is not impossible, but we lack trust in each other. I think we should forget about it."

After saying that, Li Xiangming was about to leave.

Pei Si hurriedly stepped in front: "Although we are strangers, I am willing to be frank and open."

"Oh?"

Li Xiangming glanced at him curiously, only to see Pei Si take out a map that meticulously depicted the terrain around Green Cloud Pool.

The image also cleverly includes seven or eight special symbols in different positions.

Pei Si explained, "After several days of investigation, I found that all the cultivators gathered in Green Cloud Cave are up there, about twenty people, divided into seven camps, with Ouyang Zhen's group being the strongest."

More than twenty people?

Li Xiangming gasped.

These are just the people Pei Si has found so far.

There must be other cultivators hiding behind this.

How many copies of the news about the Enlightenment Spring did Xu Zibu actually sell?
With so many cultivators, including many skilled cultivators at the ninth level of Qi Refining, how easy would it be to compete for the Enlightenment Spring among them?

However, with this map and the information recorded on it, they will undoubtedly have a considerable advantage in the competition for the Enlightenment Spring.

From this perspective, Pei Si can be considered quite sincere.

Li Xiangming tried his best to remember the locations marked on the map, then cupped his hands and said, "Since Fellow Daoist Pei has sincerely invited me, I, Meng He, am willing to accompany Brother Pei."

Upon hearing this, Pei Si smiled slightly and said, "I'm relieved to hear that. I'll take you to meet another friend."
-
At Pei Si's invitation, Li Xiangming did not immediately return to Dendrobium Market.

It must be said that both Ouyang Zhen and Pei Si were so well-prepared for the enlightenment of the spiritual spring that it was outrageous.

In this respect, Li Xiangming felt inferior.

Therefore, he hoped to find out what Pei Si and the others were up to.

After wandering around for a while, the two arrived at a secluded, dense forest.

During this time, Li Xiangming stayed more than ten feet behind Pei Si, fearing that he would be ambushed.

Pei Si didn't mind and introduced from the front: "This person is named Bai Shuo. He is also a rogue cultivator, but his talent is amazing and his cultivation is no less than yours."

On the journey, Li Xiangming could no longer conceal his magical powers.

Both of them had a basic understanding of each other's cultivation level.

Pei Si's cultivation level was lower, only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, while Bai Shuo, whom he mentioned, was no weaker than him, so he must be a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator.

To be honest, since arriving in Hao County, Li Xiangming has dealt with or is about to deal with no fewer than two palms' worth of Qi Refining Level 9 cultivators.

This is unimaginable in Puxian County, where the potential for cultivation is low.

Not long after, the two entered the depths of the dense forest and finally met Bai Shuo.

Bai Shuo was dressed in a white Taoist robe. The robe was made of exquisite material and was soft and light. It swayed gently in the wind, exuding a transcendent and otherworldly temperament, which was completely unlike that of a rogue cultivator.

He himself was handsome with fair skin, and beneath his sword-like eyebrows were a pair of deep, star-like eyes with slightly upturned corners, revealing a hint of arrogance.

"very young!"

Li Xiangming couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Bai Shuo looked to be only twenty-four or twenty-five years old, even younger than himself.

To have the cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining at this age, and still be a rogue cultivator!

No wonder Pei Si said the other party had amazing talent.

This person possesses at least two spiritual roots and has had many opportunities.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, look, I've brought in another ally!"

Upon seeing Bai Shuo, Pei Si warmly opened his arms and walked towards him.

However, Bai Shuo only gave him a cold look and said, "He is your ally, not my ally."

Pei Si awkwardly withdrew his arm and whispered to Li Xiangming, "Fellow Daoist Bai is quite confident and not afraid of Ouyang Zhen, and has not yet agreed to form an alliance with us."

Li Xiangming was stunned. Before coming, he was still thinking that Pei Si had made ample preparations.

It turns out that they only managed to recruit one "thoughtful person".

"In any case, I have a deep friendship with Fellow Daoist Bai. Even if we are not allies, we are still friends. It's better for us to be together than to be apart, right?"

Pei Si chuckled and skipped over the topic.

Li Xiangming, however, was very skeptical about the origin of this "deep affection".

However, Bai Shuo's attitude was also subtle; he neither agreed to Pei Si's alliance nor drove Pei Si away.

The three of them rested in this dense forest.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, you've also come for the Enlightenment Spring?"

Li Xiangming asked aloud.

"nature."

Bai Shuo appears incredibly aloof, but in reality, there are no communication barriers.

Even in conversation, he was quite polite, no less so than the family disciples.

This made Li Xiangming even more suspicious that the other party was a rogue cultivator.

Upon hearing Bai Shuo's reply, Li Xiangming pondered for a moment and then asked, "May I ask where Fellow Daoist Bai obtained information about the Enlightenment Spring?"

Upon hearing this, both Bai Shuo and Pei Si looked at Li Xiangming.

"I know this question is a bit presumptuous, but doesn't it seem strange to everyone?"

Li Xiangming's expression was solemn as he traced lines on the soil with his finger.

In a matter of moments, it replicated Pei Si's map.

"According to Fellow Daoist Pei, there are more than twenty cultivators around Green Cloud Cave, including rogue cultivators and elite disciples from aristocratic families and sects, among whom there are many at the ninth level of Qi Refining. But there is no Foundation Establishment cultivator among them. Is the Enlightenment Spring not worth the attention of Foundation Establishment cultivators?"

Li Xiangming's words shocked the two of them.

Pei Si's expression changed several times.

Li Xiangming continued, "Someone is leaking information about the Enlightenment Spring to the outside world, which is why so many people have gathered at Green Cloud Cave. However, this person is limiting the information to Qi Refining cultivators and is certain that these people will not spread the news of the Enlightenment Spring further for their own selfish reasons."

What is the purpose of doing this?

"And who is this person?"

(End of this chapter)