Family Cultivation: Rise of the Wilderness

Chapter 523 No Return Cliff

"what is that?"

The Venerable Miaoyin had a bad thought in her mind.

The next instant, a burst of blue light erupted from the chest of the sinner puppet, and the cannonball roared out of the barrel.

The colossal bronze gate teetered on the brink of collapse amidst the deafening explosion.

"How dare you?"

The Venerable Miaoyin's eyes widened in fury, and she shouted shrilly.

At the same time, a pair of black wings suddenly unfurled from her back, carrying her instantly to the end of the tunnel.

The bronze door was in a terrible state, especially the dent in the center of the door panel, where a hole the size of a head had been corroded out.

Looking at the corner of the passageway, the place where Li Xiangming and Liu Xiongyu were was completely empty.

"Good, good, good!"

Immortal Miaoyin laughed in exasperation, transforming into a black light that passed through the cave entrance.

A look of surprise flashed in Su Qing's eyes, and she followed after them.

Behind the bronze gate lies the Su family's forbidden area—the Cliff of No Return.

There is no sky here, only endless fog, exuding a suffocating stillness.

Strangely, the fog did not spread, but was clearly divided into two layers: either rising to the top of the head and accumulating into a gray canopy, or sinking to the bottom of the feet and swimming around like the breath of a giant beast.

This gives the Cliff of No Return an extremely wide view, so wide that the opposite cliff is only a blurry outline in the fog, like a giant sword slashed down by a god, standing imposingly.

Similar sword-shaped peaks can be seen all around, facing the precipice below.

Su Qing glanced around quickly and noticed the figure of Master Miaoyin in mid-air that resembled a hawk.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Li Xiangming and Liu Xiongyu fled in panic.

"How dare such lowly beings as ants cling to life?"

Enraged, Master Miaoyin flapped her wings, and hundreds upon hundreds of crows swarmed out.

Li Xiangming turned around, gritted his teeth, and threw out the explosive talismans as if they were free.

The crows were stunned by the repeated bombings and quickly scattered and fled.

But this delay left Li Xiangming with no time to think, and in the blink of an eye, he arrived at the end of the cliff.

"Run, run again?"

Master Miaoyin let out a strange laugh, folded her wings, and landed in front of Li Xiangming: "You think you can rest easy just because you trespassed into my Su family's forbidden area? The Cliff of No Return beneath your feet is filled with bone-melting yin winds, which even I dare not easily set foot on. With your cultivation level, if you are entangled by the bone-melting yin winds, you will surely die!"

Bone-dissolving Yin Wind?

Li Xiangming glanced at the abyss beneath his feet, which seemed to be roaring in the distance, and his face turned pale.

He actually guessed that there was no way out behind the bronze door.

But when faced with life and death, how can one not struggle desperately?

In retrospect, everything he did was in vain.
I wonder how the family is doing now, and what about Yan Jun! She must be very worried, since I couldn't even protect the Fish-Dragon Wall Shadow.
"Jump down!"

Just then, Liu Xiongyu suddenly grabbed Li Xiangming's arm.

Li Xiangming was slightly taken aback, but then a resolute look flashed across his face. He picked up Liu Xiongyu and leaped into the air.

"It's just looking for death!"

With a sneer, Master Miaoyin caught up with the two in an instant, her five fingers forming a claw as she slashed across Li Xiangming's back.

A powerful surge of magic swept in, making it difficult for Li Xiangming to even breathe. He strained with all his might to raise the magical shield around his body, attempting to block the attack.

However, Master Miaoyin's claw shadows pierced through the protective shield effortlessly.

In the nick of time, wisps of black smoke rose from Liu Xiong Yu's body, and the two transformed into afterimages, instantly escaping the range of Miao Yin Zhenren's spell. Then, with lightning speed, they sank into the abyss. "Wind Release again?"

Master Miaoyin was furious and was about to give chase.

But suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she paused, her face turning extremely pale.

Su Qing arrived late, falling behind Master Miaoyin, and whispered a reminder: "Master, we have no way to resist the Bone-Melting Yin Wind. Once we go down the cliff, our strength will be reduced to less than one-tenth."

"Snapped!"

Master Miaoyin slapped Su Qing across the face, then grabbed her hair and his cold gaze seemed to pierce into her mind: "How could I have raised such a traitor? Well, I was originally planning to keep you around a little longer, but it seems I was too indecisive."
-
East of Pushuifang Market.

Yuyuan Garden.

In the elegant pavilion, a middle-aged man with a goatee stood with his hands behind his back.

A short while later, another man of similar age rushed over.

The man with the goatee immediately asked, "Fuyi, I heard that Yanjun has come to Yuyuan?"

Cao Fuyi paused, then nodded: "I've come for the Li family."

Cao Fuchun looked surprised: "I know that Pudong is currently under attack by monsters and the situation is critical, but the Li family is not a poor and insignificant clan. Can't they even survive a mere beast tide?"

Cao Fuyi said helplessly, "According to Yan Jun, the Qin family of Red Stone Valley launched a surprise attack! The Li family suffered heavy losses from the sneak attack, and even Li Xiangren, the pride of heaven, was killed, and Xiangming also disappeared. The Li family lost two Foundation Establishment warriors in succession, and had to hastily fight back and face the threat of the beast tide, so it is inevitable that they are somewhat overwhelmed."

"Would the Li family want us to get involved in the war against the Qin family?"

Cao Fuchun's expression was rather unpleasant.

"Li Qianxiong does have this idea."

Cao Fuyi gave a wry smile: "However, Yan Jun's main purpose in coming here is to hope that we can help him find Xiangming."

"Oh!"

Cao Fuchun responded, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction: "That Li Xiangming is such a worry. He's already a hall master, yet he still shows his face in public, even personally leading unaffiliated cultivators to deal with the beast tide! How could a scion of a noble family like him not know the quality of those unaffiliated cultivators? Now look what's happened, causing Yan Jun so much worry and putting our Cao family in a difficult position."

"Seventh Brother, now that Yan Jun has come, we have to give him an explanation."

Cao Fuyi stepped forward and lowered his voice: "Marrying Yan Jun to Li Xiangming was a carefully planned scheme by the family head and elders, solely because Li Xiangming possesses outstanding management skills and is expected to take over the Li family's mantle in the future. Now that Li Xiangren has died in battle, it is a tragedy for the Li family, but it is also an opportunity for our Cao family."

Cao Fuchun frowned: "What do you mean?"

Cao Fuyi exhaled and slowly said, "At this critical moment for the Li family, if our Cao family can take charge of Danggui Mountain as a relative by marriage, Li Xiangming's prestige will surely rise greatly. If he can also eliminate the threat of the beast tide in Pudong with our assistance, and even defeat the Qin family, then who else but him can be the head of this family?"

"No!"

Cao Fuchun blurted out, and said in a deep voice, "My Cao family is far away in Qingshui County, while the Qin family is south of Pu County. The distance between us is more than ten thousand miles. Fighting the Qin family will not only be time-consuming and exhausting, but even if we win, can my Cao family occupy Red Stone Valley for a long time?"
Participating in the war between Qin and Li would be extremely unwise; my family would never agree! However, helping the Li family resist the beast tide and taking the opportunity to support Li Xiangming's rise to power would be a shrewd move.

As Cao Fuchun spoke, he paced back and forth, his expression somewhat hesitant.

Cao Fuyi quickly stepped forward: "That's what I think too. Let the Puxian forces handle their own affairs. But everyone has a responsibility to resist the beast tide. Our marriage alliance with the Li family has only lasted a few years, and we get along quite well. Yuyuan and Lingguang Pavilion have both brought considerable profits to the Cao family. It would be inappropriate to simply refuse them when they come to ask for help. On the contrary, we can not only maintain our business with the Li family, but also have the opportunity to complete the family's contingency plan for the marriage alliance policy. Why not?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Fuchun nodded slightly: "Then Fuyi, you write a report and submit it to the family. I can sign it."

"Yes!"

Cao Fuyi bowed and withdrew.

As soon as they left the garden, a young couple immediately came forward, looking anxious.

Cao Fuyi looked at the woman and sighed slightly: "Yanjun, I have done my best. Your seventh uncle has also agreed to help the Li family. It all depends on what the family decides."

Cao Yanjun bit her lip, her eyes red and swollen, and knelt down on the ground: "I will never forget the kindness of my seventeenth uncle."

Cao Fuyi gently helped her up: "Good child, I watched you grow up, how could I let you suffer? Don't worry, life and death in the cultivation world are only a moment away. As long as Xiangming's life tablet hasn't fallen, there is a chance for a turn of events. Don't worry too much."

After a pause, Cao Fuyi continued, "Even if my family doesn't agree to get involved in the Li family's disputes, at least in the matter of Xiangming, my Yuyuan will not sit idly by."

(End of this chapter)