Starting with the creation of the Immortal Clan through the compilation of the family genealogy.

Chapter 18 The Demonic Serpent's Demise, Mysteries Abound

"His creation of the 'Hidden Spirit Seed' and the 'Locust Tree Breath Concealment Technique' in succession resulted in a huge depletion of his mental and physical strength, but it also pushed his potential to the limit."

In addition, the constant threat of being spied on by the Lin family had left him exhausted, and the tension in his body actually accelerated the circulation of his spiritual energy, constantly impacting the already weakened barrier caused by the accumulation of power.

That night, as he was recovering from his shock, Meng Xihong felt a sudden jolt in his dantian. The emerald stream suddenly grew more than twice as large, its surging momentum becoming even more turbulent, and its perception and absorption of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth also increased significantly.

Reaching the second level of Qi Refining is a natural progression.

However, the advancement in his cultivation level didn't bring much joy; instead, he felt the pressure from the Lin family even more acutely, like dark clouds looming over the city. The second level of Qi Refining was still far from enough to face potentially powerful enemies!

That night, Meng Xihong did not sit cross-legged under the old locust tree to cultivate as usual.

He first coaxed his three young children to sleep one by one, and looking at their peaceful sleeping faces, his heart felt warm.

Turning to look at the bed, Bai Shi was already sound asleep. After merging with that [Immortal Bone], her aura became increasingly long and steady, and even her sleep seemed exceptionally deep and peaceful.

After confirming that his wife and children were safe, he slid off the bed and quietly left the bedroom.

Without disturbing anyone, he slipped over the courtyard wall like a shadow in the night and disappeared into the quiet streets of Wufeng County.

His goal was clear: the abandoned houses on the back street of the City God Temple.

During the day, it was there that Zhou Maocai handed over the oil paper package containing intelligence or equipment!

At this moment, the thick, impenetrable darkness was his best shield.

Meng Xihong pushed the "Green Wood Nourishing Body Technique" to its limit, using the Locust Wood Breath Concealing Technique to gather his aura.

The keen senses granted by the spiritual energy of the green wood spread out, allowing the wind and grass, the chirping of insects and the scurrying of rats within a ten-foot radius to be fully grasped.

Soon, the abandoned residential area shrouded in dilapidated shadows came into view.

With its crumbling walls and overgrown weeds, it is truly a prime location for petty theft.

Meng Xihong did not rush into the core area out of eagerness.

He knew the hunter's way well; patience was the sharpest weapon.

Like the most patient hunter, Meng Xihong moved slowly around the perimeter. His insight, enhanced by the "Literary Mind and Integrity" skill, was at its peak. His eyes gleamed with a faint blue light in the darkness as he carefully discerned every anomaly.

footprint!

Near the entrance, close to a partially collapsed courtyard wall, two distinctly different sets of footprints are clearly imprinted on the thick layer of dust.

The line is quite deep, and the stride is somewhat scattered and unsteady, with the sluggishness characteristic of a pampered civil official; it must be Zhou Maocai.

The other line was much shallower, and the footing was exceptionally steady and even, clearly indicating that the person was skilled in martial arts.

Meng Xihong's gaze followed the steady trail of footprints and finally stopped at the edge of a slightly protruding bluestone slab at the base of the wall.

The stone slab itself was normal and fit perfectly with its surroundings, but the raised angles and the wear on the edges appeared particularly deliberate under the scrutiny of [Wenxin Fenggu].

He crouched down, held his breath, and brought his right index and middle fingers together like a sword, quietly gathering a wisp of pure, finer-than-a-hair spiritual energy at his fingertips.

This wisp of spiritual energy, like the most precise probe, gently brushed across the almost invisible cracks along the edge of the stone slab.

Om-!
He keenly detected an extremely faint residual fluctuation with a cold, metallic feel!
This fluctuation was neither metal nor stone, nor did it originate from grass, wood, soil, or rocks; it exuded a unique aura of artificial refinement, intended for exploration.

A magical artifact. It really is a remnant of a magical artifact!

The items passed down from the Lin family were indeed artifacts used to detect spiritual energy or special physical constitutions.

Meng Xihong's heart sank.

The other party was more cautious than he had imagined, even going so far as to send the magical artifact again to confirm the situation.

The good news is that this person's caution is clearly not the work of a high-ranking member of the Lin family. Otherwise, why would they act this way?

After all, Meng Xihong was just a minor official. He did not attempt to dig or touch the stone slab.

How could the things the Lin family has buried not have countermeasures or early warning mechanisms?

Stirring up trouble will only reveal that you've already noticed something amiss.

He quietly stepped back, his gaze sweeping over the ruins once more.

Why did the Lin family choose this location for the handover, besides for its secrecy? Was there another reason? Was it the feng shui of this place? The earth's veins? Or... something else that they were interested in?

Just then, a very faint hissing sound, almost completely drowned out by the night wind, reached Meng Xihong's ears.

The sound came from a small, half-collapsed earth god temple not far away!
He held his breath, his figure blending into the night as he quietly approached, hiding behind a thick clump of wild grass outside the temple.

Inside the dilapidated local temple, there were no statues of gods, only a crooked offering table.

By the light of the moon shining through the broken roof, Meng Xihong could clearly see a small snake, entirely green except for a red spot on its forehead, coiled in the shadows under the offering table!

The small snake was no more than a foot long and as thin as a chopstick. It was raising its head, flicking its scarlet tongue, and its eyes, the size of mung beans, gleamed with a cold and eerie light in the darkness.

Even more bizarrely, it was surrounded by an extremely thin yet exceptionally pure layer of...wood-attribute spiritual energy!
This spiritual energy was not naturally generated by heaven and earth, but seemed to be artificially created, carrying a strange aura with a hint of devouring.

This is... a monster.

Although it is only the lowest-level demon with no intelligence, it is definitely not something that should exist in a mortal place like Wufeng County.

In particular, the strange wood spirit energy emanating from it is quite peculiar.

Meng Xihong immediately thought of the old locust tree in the courtyard that had been stimulated by Yan Ning's spiritual energy and nourished by his own green wood spiritual energy.

Could this little snake be the "eye" that the Lin family placed here? To sense any unusual fluctuations in spiritual energy in this area?

The little snake seemed to sense something, and its cold snake eyes suddenly turned towards the direction where Meng Xihong was hiding.

Nobuko hissed even more rapidly, emitting a threatening hissing sound, and a faint demonic aura carrying a sweet and fishy smell spread out!
Meng Xihong's eyes sharpened; he absolutely could not allow it to sound an alarm.

He remained still, his right index and middle fingers joined together like a sword, and the green wood vortex in his dantian suddenly accelerated, a condensed and substantial green wood spiritual energy containing hidden sharpness instantly gathered at his fingertips!

There was no earth-shattering display, only a single, exquisitely refined emerald light that flashed and disappeared at the fingertips.

Green Wood's Hidden Strength!

*Pfft!* A soft sound.

The little green snake's raised head suddenly stiffened, and a hole the size of a pinhead appeared on the crimson spot on its forehead.

No blood flowed out; only a wisp of pure wood spirit energy instantly dissipated.

The eerie light in the little snake's eyes quickly dimmed, and it collapsed limply to the ground, lifeless.

Meng Xihong left silently, as if he had never been there.

Back home, he stood under the old locust tree, gazing up at the deep night sky.

Zhou Maocai, Li Langzhong of Huichuntang, the remnants of magical artifacts in the abandoned mansion, the eerie little green-scaled snake... the net woven by the Lin family seems to be infiltrating from all directions.

Although the crisis of Bai's origin has been resolved, the changes brought about by the fusion of the [Immortal Bone] have made them a new target.

How long can Yan Ning's "spirit box" remain a secret? The Lin family's investigative methods go far beyond this.

The crisis was not resolved; on the contrary, it became even more dangerous and unpredictable due to Bai's "recovery" and the death of the little snake.

Beneath the calm surface, the undercurrents have already surged into whirlpools!
He opened his palm, revealing a faint, almost imperceptible trace of emerald light—the pure yet strangely devouring power of the wood spirit that remained when he killed the small snake.

"The Lin family... it seems your schemes are deeper than I imagined..." Meng Xihong muttered to himself, a cold glint in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)