Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 454 Mother and Daughter
Daishan.

The night was silent, even the chirping of insects was hidden.

As the embers of the campfire were about to die out, a plump woman in a blue dress said softly, "Feng Xue, get some rest. With the Five Elements Illusion Array in place, the monsters won't be able to find us."

The girl opposite, also dressed in a blue dress, was about twelve or thirteen years old, her still-childish face full of worry. She hugged her knees tightly and said sullenly, "Mother, if we leave Shengyi Gate without saying a word, Father will definitely be furious when he finds out."

"He's just that stubborn person."

The woman in the blue dress stuffed the last piece of wood into the campfire: "It's alright, we'll go back after the beast tide recedes. With your grandfather in charge, how could he possibly bully us, mother and daughter?"

"Grandpa..."

A kind old man with a white beard flashed through Shi Fengxue's mind, and she nodded involuntarily, "Grandpa was indeed very good to me."

"That's right."

The woman in the blue dress looked at her daughter with doting eyes: "Your father is very proud. If I don't take you away, even if the mountain gate is destroyed, he won't send anyone to send you off. What he can't do, I have to do."

Upon hearing the words "the mountain gate is destroyed," Shi Fengxue's face turned pale: "Will Father die?"

"Pooh!"

The woman in the blue dress quickly interrupted, "It's just a precaution. Shengyi Sect has a thousand-year-old tradition, and Lingyue Peak has the Heavenly Gang Absolute Abyss Formation. How could it be so easily breached by the beast tide?"

"Then why did Mother insist on sending me away?"

Shi Fengxue looked puzzled: "I also want to stay by Father's side and help him."

"Fengxue, your filial piety is clear to your mother!"

The woman in the blue dress shook her head and said softly, "But staying here will not only be useless, but will also distract your father. If you want to help your father, you should come with me to Qingju Mountain to find your maternal grandfather."

"Ask Grandpa for help?"

Shi Fengxue realized what was happening, and her eyes lit up immediately.

"Yes."

The woman in the blue dress nodded: "Your maternal grandfather was the previous head of the Wang family of Qingju Mountain, and he was very prestigious in the family. Your father was too embarrassed to ask the Wang family for help because of some things in the past, but I am not afraid to ask. In short, once you go to Qingju Mountain, your safety will be guaranteed, and Shengyi Sect will also be able to welcome a strong reinforcement."

After saying that, the woman in the blue dress gently took Shi Fengxue's small hand and urged, "Go to sleep quickly, you haven't slept for two days. Once we reach Yuanmen Ferry, we can easily travel south by water."

"Ah."

Shi Fengxue nodded obediently.

Just then, a slight sound of footsteps suddenly rang out.

"It's human!"

The woman in the blue dress made a quick judgment, and beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead.

You must understand, this is the Five Elements Maze Formation; neither the sound of conversation nor the light of fire can be heard outside.

To an outsider, it should only look like the most ordinary grass and stones.

But the footsteps approached from afar, clearly intentionally getting closer.

Even though the other party is very likely to be human, human nature is treacherous, and who can guarantee that they will encounter a good person?
"Mother, I'm scared."

Shi Fengxue seemed to realize something and gripped the sword tightly in her hand.

This precious sword is named "Cui Luan". It was a top-grade magical artifact that her father made for her when she entered the Taoist path at the age of seven. It is said to have the power to split mountains and seas.

At Shengyi Gate, "Cui Luan" has become her trademark.

Everyone who mentions her brings up this precious sword.

However, the sword had never actually been used and could not provide her with any sense of security at this moment.

"It's alright, Fengxue, your mother is here, your mother is here!"

The woman in the blue dress quickly comforted her daughter, while she herself drew a dagger and cautiously looked around.

The footsteps stopped just then.

The atmosphere on the field suddenly became extremely tense, like the eve of a storm.

Soon, their footsteps resumed, and they began to move into the distance.

The woman in the blue dress breathed a sigh of relief; the other party hadn't noticed them!

Just then, Shi Fengxue's frightened voice suddenly rang out: "Mother! That...that person is back!"

The woman in the blue dress was taken aback and quickly listened carefully. Sure enough, she discovered that the other person had returned.

No, the other party had no intention of leaving at all; they were just lingering around!
It’s over.

A sense of sorrow welled up in the woman in the blue dress.

Although she married the leader of the Shengyi Sect, her own cultivation level was not high, only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, and she was not good at fighting. On the other hand, Shi Fengxue was exceptionally talented, and having consumed many rare and precious herbs since childhood, she had reached the same cultivation level as her at a young age, making her a true prodigy.

However, Shi Fengxue had absolutely no experience in magical combat.

From childhood to adulthood, this child has never killed a person, let alone a chicken.

If the opponent has late-stage Qi Refining cultivation, the two will have no choice but to surrender.

"anyone there?"

Just then, a call came from outside the formation, which seemed to be a woman's voice.

The woman in the blue dress swallowed hard, not daring to answer.

After a while, there was no further movement outside the formation.

"Should we go?"

The woman in the blue dress was talking to herself.

Before the words were finished, the air in front of them suddenly distorted, and a female cultivator dressed in a gray and white Taoist robe seemed to break through the void and directly pass through.

"you you."

The woman in the blue dress was stunned. The Five Elements Maze Formation had actually been broken?
The female cultivator in the grey-white Taoist robe glanced at her and frowned: "Since there are people in the formation, why don't you answer? Don't you know that camping in the forest is very dangerous?"

The woman in the blue dress was stunned by the question. When she came to her senses and saw the other party's clothing, she was overjoyed: "You are disciples of the White Dew Sect?"

"You do have some good taste."

The female cultivator nodded and waved her hand, saying, "Get out of here immediately! A large group of demonic beasts is approaching from the due east direction. The Five Elements Illusion Array can conceal your movements, but it can't stop the beast tide. You dare to stay here overnight? You're really courting death."

Beast tide?

Upon hearing this, the woman in the blue dress's expression changed drastically, filled with lingering fear.

She then cupped her hands in greeting and said, "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist from the White Dew Sect. May I ask how I should address you, Fairy?"

"Liu Lingzhou".

"So it was Fairy Liu!"

The woman in the blue dress took Shi Fengxue's small hand and introduced them, "We are all disciples of the Shengyi Sect..."

"Are you disciples of the Shengyi Sect?"

Before she could finish speaking, Liu Lingzhou couldn't help but interrupt her, her tone urgent.

"That's right..."

"What is the current situation of Shengyi Sect?"

Liu Lingzhou interrupted again, her expression growing increasingly anxious.

The woman in the blue dress had a sudden thought, and her expression turned grave: "The situation is not optimistic. Dozens of Bone-Melting Demon Cultivators have besieged Lingyue Peak, and the mountain-protecting formation is in grave danger. Shengyi Sect urgently needs reinforcements. This time, we are going to Qingju Mountain to seek help."

"Qingju Mountain?"

Liu Lingzhou's eyes showed a hint of suspicion.

It wasn't that she didn't believe Shengyimen and the Wang family of Qingjushan had any connection, but Qingjushan was located on the north bank of the Pu River, west of Fuhu Temple on Zhanggongling. That was the real Puxi, which was more than ten thousand miles away from Shengyimen of Daishan.

By the time the Wang family's reinforcements arrive, the demonic calamity on Dai Mountain will likely have been resolved long ago. Wouldn't it be much faster to use that time and energy to seek help from the Li family of Danggui Mountain or the Daode Sect of Ye Mountain nearby?

If all else fails, we can ask Bai Lu Men of Daibei and the Qin, Liu and Geng families of Dainan for help!

However, Shengyimen did indeed send someone to Bailumen for help.

Sending more people to other places seems reasonable.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Lingzhou gently stroked the sect's jade pendant at her waist.

Before long, a middle-aged cultivator wearing a turban slowly flew over, followed by fourteen stern-faced disciples of the White Dew Sect.

"Lingzhou, has something happened?"

Ma Houchen's deep voice came through.

"That's not true."

Liu Lingzhou shook her head: "I just ran into two passersby who claimed to be disciples of the Shengyi Sect."

"Elder Ma?"

The woman in the blue dress greeted her.

Ma Houchen glanced at her in surprise, then his expression changed slightly: "You are Sect Leader Shi's."

"Shh!"

The woman in the blue dress put her finger to her lips.

Ma Houchen hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not reveal the other party's identity. He then looked at Shi Fengxue, who bore a resemblance to the woman in the blue dress, and roughly understood what was going on. He sighed and said, "Dai Mountain is full of demonic beasts. Even we have to take a detour. It is not a wise move for you to leave Shengyi Sect at this time."

We finally got out, how can we just go back like this?
The woman in the blue dress bit her lip and asked in a low voice, "Elder Ma, for the sake of my husband, would you be so kind as to escort us to Qingju Mountain?"

"Qingju Mountain?"

Ma Houchen frowned immediately: "I'm sorry, but I can't agree. We received orders from our sect to investigate the situation at Daishan and find an opportunity to rescue Lingyue Peak. We really don't have the time or energy to escort you."

"Can't even one person be spared?"

The woman in the blue dress asked, still unwilling to give up.

Ma Houchen shook his head again, and reminded her, "Qingju Mountain is thousands of miles away. Madam is of noble status, why take such a risk? Why not find a safe place nearby to stay for a while, and return to Shengyi Sect after the siege of Lingyue Peak is lifted?"

"Where in Daishan is there any safe place left?"

The woman in the blue dress gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Even if we weren't violated by the demonic beasts, we were completely wiped out by the Zhenhun Sect. If the Zhenhun Sect finds out about my daughter and me, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Ma Houchen was speechless for a moment.

He was also aware of the conflict between the two sects of Daishan.

The reason why Shengyi Sect was besieged by the beast tide and was under such great pressure was largely due to the coercion from Zhenhun Sect.

The Zhenhun Sect not only wiped out most of the Shengyi Sect's businesses outside, but also tried every means to prevent Shengyi Sect disciples from returning to provide assistance.

In just half a month, Shengyimen has lost all its "eyes" to the outside world and can only focus on dealing with the beast tide.

It is foreseeable that the Soul Suppressing Sect will definitely have a next move, and it will be far from a small-scale operation.

Bailu Sect's strategy has always been to let the two sects of Daishan weaken each other.

But if things continue like this, Shengyi Sect will likely fall under the dual pressure of Zhenhun Sect and the beast tide.

At that time, if the Soul Suppressing Sect unifies Mount Dai, it may threaten the White Dew Sect.

The sect leader didn't want to see this situation, which is why he agreed to Shengyi Sect's request for help. And this group was merely an advance team to investigate the situation at Dai Mountain.

Seeing that Ma Houchen had nothing to say, the woman in the blue dress quickly pressed her advantage.

However, no matter how much she pleaded, promised fame and fortune to her husband, or offered him magical artifacts and spirit stones to choose from, she still couldn't persuade Ma Houchen.

Only then did she recall Shi Yuan's evaluation of Ma Houchen: "This man is honest and kind, and adheres to his principles. He is truly a blessing to Bailu Sect!"

That blockhead!

The woman in the blue dress was both annoyed and anxious, but had no choice but to compromise and plead, "Qingju Mountain is too far away, and I understand that Elder Ma is unwilling to go through the trouble. Yuanmen Ferry is in Dainan, so you can surely take us there, right? I am willing to offer two hundred spirit stones as a reward."

"Yuanmen Ferry was attacked by unknown cultivators, and everyone inside has been wiped out!"

Liu Lingzhou chimed in, "Moreover, the ferry crossing has been severely damaged, with dozens of sunken ships stranded in the river, leaving it desolate. I predict that it will be at least a month or two before Yuanmen Ferry can resume navigation."

"The Ape Gate Ferry has fallen?"

The woman in the blue dress staggered and nearly fell to the ground.

"Mother!"

Shi Fengxue quickly helped her up.

The woman in the blue dress snapped out of her daze, grabbed her daughter's arm, and said tremblingly, "It must be those filthy villains from the Soul Suppressing Sect! Feng Xue, when the demonic beasts invaded Dai Mountain, the Soul Suppressing Sect, as a human sect, didn't think of resisting the alien races, but instead aided and abetted them, kicking them when they were down. They are no different from beasts. When you achieve great cultivation in the future, you must avenge the wronged souls who died in the battle of Ape Gate Crossing!"

Shi Fengxue was in pain from being grabbed, her face streaked with tears, but she nodded and replied, "I understand."

Seeing this, Ma Houchen hesitated, but ultimately said nothing, only giving Liu Lingzhou a wink.

Liu Lingzhou rolled her eyes and said to the woman in the blue dress, "Yuanmen Ferry is destroyed. If you want to travel by water, you must reach Wujin Port. Wujin Port is quite a distance from here. It would be too much for two weak women like you to travel together. I suggest you head south and visit Monkey Valley."

Monkey Valley?

The woman in the blue dress frowned, seemingly unfamiliar with the name.

Liu Lingzhou explained, "Monkey Valley is a market spontaneously established by demon-hunting cultivators outside the middle section of Puyin Mountain. However, there are also rumors that it was created by the Li family. In any case, there is a demon-hunting guild in the valley, similar to a brokerage firm. As long as you can afford the price, you will have the opportunity to hire a demon-hunting team to escort you to Qingju Mountain."

Are demon-hunting cultivators reliable?

The woman in the blue dress was quite concerned.

Daishan originally had many demon-hunting cultivators, but as the two sects fought, many demon-hunting cultivators were lured into the battlefield. The rest either ran away or became plunderers, making a living by plundering.

Even a major sect like Shengyi Sect has had its possessions stolen.

Therefore, she was not interested in demon hunters.

"This is the best way."

Liu Lingzhou's eyes held a hint of impatience: "If you want to be on the safe side, contact the Li family in Monkey Valley and ask them for your help. In short, you'll be safe once you get to Monkey Valley."

"Lingzhou!"

Ma Houchen coughed slightly, signaling Liu Lingzhou to show some respect.

Liu Lingzhou was unaware of Shi Fengxue and her daughter's identities, but he knew them perfectly well.

If these two return to Shengyi Sect, they will have a chance to see Ding Taijiang, the leader of Bailu Sect. If they then file a complaint against them, it will be troublesome.

Wasn't it you who told me to get rid of these two burdens quickly?
Now that you've said everything, are you going to make me take the blame?

Liu Lingzhou inwardly grumbled, but her expression softened instantly as she looked at the woman in the blue dress: "We're only doing this for your own good. If you stay here, you might become food for the monsters."

Upon hearing this, the woman in the blue dress finally made up her mind.

She plucked a crystal-clear white jade hairpin from her hair and placed it in Liu Lingzhou's hand: "Fairy Liu reminded us in time, allowing my daughter and me to escape the beast tide. Consider this magical artifact a token of my gratitude to Fairy Liu. I hope Fairy Liu will cherish it."

"this."

Just as Liu Lingzhou was about to decline, the woman in the blue dress turned to Ma Houchen and said, "Bailu Sect is very righteous and has supported Shengyi Sect at this critical juncture. I am extremely grateful. I only regret that I am too poor to repay Elder Ma. After the siege of Shengyi Sect is lifted, I will definitely ask my husband to allow us to properly entertain the distinguished guests from Bailu Sect."

Ma Houchen waved his hand: "Madam, rest assured, I am following my master's orders and will do my best to help Shengyi Sect."

"That puts me at ease."

The woman in the blue dress sighed softly, took Shi Fengxue's small hand, and disappeared into the woods.

As Liu Lingzhou weighed the jade hairpin in her hand, she watched their retreating figures and asked curiously, "They casually produce mid-grade magic artifacts. If this is considered shabby, then who can be called wealthy? Elder Ma, what is the background of this mother and daughter? They say they are disciples of the Shengyi Sect."

"Alright, Lingzhou, stop overthinking."

Ma Houchen took out a metal token and held it in his hand. He closed his eyes and opened them after a moment, frowning as he said, "Elder Hua and the others should be arriving soon, but it seems that something unexpected happened to Elder Wen."

(End of this chapter)