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

Chapter 69 Returning Home
Huang Hao, along with the elderly man surnamed Zhao, split up again. The elderly man, who was still dizzy from the "generous gifts of gold juice," was sent away by Huang Hao to clean up.

Huang Hao and Old Zhao were extra cautious this time, scanning the area with their divine senses as if walking on thin ice, afraid of stepping into some disgusting trap again.

However, after searching for most of the day, turning Tonghe County upside down, they still found nothing. The presence of "Mr. Yun" seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whatsoever.

"Young master, that person seems to have vanished into thin air. We've searched the entire county, but we haven't found any clues about him." Old Zhao returned to Huang Hao's side, his tone tinged with doubt and helplessness.

Huang Hao's face was terribly gloomy. He sat down in a private seat in a teahouse, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the table, producing a series of dull sounds.

"It seems this person is very vigilant." A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. The series of blows tonight had left him barely able to contain his anger. For a rogue cultivator in the Qi Refining stage to be able to manipulate him like this was an utter disgrace.

"However, someone who dares to spend a fortune on a worthless, incomplete skill—I'd like to see what tricks you can pull," Huang Hao sneered, his tone filled with disdain and malice. He refused to believe that there were cultivators in this world who could simply vanish into thin air.

Old Zhao bowed and asked, "Young Master, what should we do next? Should we mobilize more people to seal off the surrounding area?"

Huang Hao picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and his eyes flashed with a cold light: "No need. Let's return to Qichuan County first and have the family's people keep an eye on the movements throughout Qingzhou." He put down his teacup, his gaze deep.

"This weirdo who likes to collect fragmented martial arts techniques will eventually slip up. You dared to embarrass me and make fun of my Huang family like this, you won't escape." Huang Hao has always been vengeful, and he will remember this grudge from tonight.

Meanwhile, Meng Xihong had already embarked on the final leg of his journey back to Yunni Township.

He was unaware that his little trap had worked, nor did he know that Huang Hao was furious because of him. He had only chosen such a secretive escape route out of instinctive caution, to avoid any potential pursuers.

A gentle night breeze carried the fresh scent unique to the mountains. The winding mountain road stretched out like a silver serpent under the moonlight.

Meng Xihong walked briskly, in a cheerful mood.

Tonight's gains are enough to allow him to take another step forward on his cultivation path.

Especially those two incomplete martial arts manuals, the Nine Revolutions Burning Flame Technique and the Dragon Stride, although incomplete, were not a problem for him at all.

With his "Immortal Bones" and his "Literary Mind and Spirit," it would not be difficult for him to deduce and perfect a cultivation technique.

He even had a vague idea of ​​what was going on, and all he had to do was go back and study it diligently so that he could give these two incomplete martial arts manuals a new lease on life.

As dawn broke, Meng Xihong finally returned to Yunni Township.

Without alerting anyone, he slipped into the inner courtyard and first went to his wife Bai Muyun's room.

His wife, nine months pregnant, slept peacefully, her eyes filled with tenderness. Meng Xihong watched her quietly from the window for a while, his heart softening.

He then went to his eldest son Meng Yanqing's room, only to find it empty.

Meng Xihong scanned the area with his divine sense and spotted the small figure in the backyard. Eight-year-old Meng Yanqing had already begun her morning practice. She performed a set of basic boxing techniques with great vigor and solidity, clearly demonstrating the hard work she had put in.

In his second son Meng Yanwei's room, the little guy sat upright, holding a book in his hands, exuding an aura of righteousness. His focused expression made Meng Xihong nod in approval.

What surprised him most was his third daughter, Meng Yanning.

The little girl was still fast asleep, but Meng Xihong keenly sensed that the spiritual energy fluctuations in her body had reached the third level of Qi Refining!

Keep in mind that Meng Yanning is only six and a half years old this year, and has never formally cultivated before. She has reached such a level solely through the natural absorption of her innate, flawless immortal bones.

"Good heavens..." Meng Xihong clicked his tongue, "The 'immortal bone' attribute given to me in this family genealogy seems... a bit like a bootleg compared to my daughter's naturally flawless immortal bones." Meng Xihong sighed inwardly.

Just as he was about to return to his room, a figure appeared silently in the courtyard.

It was Yunsongzi.

The senses of a Golden Core cultivator are incredibly sharp; he noticed Meng Xihong as soon as he entered the village.

Now, Yun Songzi has shed his former slovenly appearance; his white beard and hair are neatly groomed, giving him a rather venerable and otherworldly air. Meng Xihong thought to himself, "Since taking Yan Wei as his disciple, this old man is paying more and more attention to his image."

"Xi Hong, you're back?" Yun Songzi asked, a smile in his eyes.

"Senior Yun Songzi," Meng Xihong bowed respectfully, "This junior was just about to go and find you." The two entered Yun Songzi's meditation room one after the other.

Meng Xihong recounted everything he had seen and heard at the auction, focusing on who owned the superior Foundation Establishment Pill and the two incomplete skill manuals he had purchased.

As for the "fragmented map of heaven and earth," he only said that he thought it looked ancient and interesting, so he took a picture of it without mentioning any changes to the family genealogy.

After listening, Yun Songzi stroked his beard and laughed, "It's just a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. It's normal for it to fetch an astronomical price. You don't need to worry about it."

"What do you mean, senior?"

"Although I mainly cultivate literature, I traveled the world in my early years and have some rudimentary knowledge of alchemy." Yun Songzi glanced at him, his tone indifferent.

"Have you forgotten? In that secret realm we discovered, all the main ingredients for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill were present."

Meng Xihong's eyes lit up.

Yun Songzi continued, "Once you reach the peak of Qi Refining, I will start refining pills for you. Although I can't guarantee top-grade pills, I still have a good chance of getting mid- to low-grade ones. After all, I am a Taoist priest, and refining pills is my livelihood."

Upon hearing this, Meng Xihong couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Just a moment ago you were calling yourself a scholar, and now you're a Taoist priest. Your identity changes so quickly."

Yun Songzi, with his exceptional hearing, heard everything clearly and was immediately amused and pointed at him, saying, "You little brat, you're talking about me behind my back again?"

"Whether it's literature or Taoism, all methods share the same origin and lead to the same goal, regardless of their paths." Yun Songzi waved his hand, his expression suddenly becoming solemn.

"On the path of cultivation, the worst thing is to be impatient and restless. You are exceptionally gifted, so you must know how to conceal your talents and keep a low profile, taking one step at a time."

"Those minor skills can be studied, but we must not put the cart before the horse. First, lay a solid foundation for yourself, and then think about those fancy tricks."

Meng Xihong nodded solemnly: "This junior understands."

Yun Songzi nodded in satisfaction: "Your success this time is due to your good fortune. However, you should also keep a close eye on that young man from the Huang family."

A barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes: "Your little tricks were quite effective. You managed to escape without losing a single soldier. That's wisdom."

Yun Songzi said calmly, "Although the Huang family has some influence in Qichuan County, it's limited to that. Even if their Golden Core ancestor personally came to visit, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble. Besides, you are now the quasi-Sect Master of the 'Tianyan Sect,' and with me here to oversee things, who would dare to make a rash move?"

At this point, Yun Songzi changed the subject, and his tone became serious.

"But, kid, remember this. These are ultimately external forces, unorthodox methods. True strength comes from a pair of fists, from absolute power that can overturn the chessboard."

Meng Xihong was startled and bowed, saying, "This junior has learned a lot. But... it's not that I lack the strength, so I can only make up for it with my brain for now."

"You rascal!" Yun Songzi chuckled and shook his head, then added, "But what you said makes sense. When you're not strong enough, using strategy is indeed the best approach. But you can't always rely on strategy."

Meng Xihong's eyes flickered slightly, but he had another plan in mind.

Strength is certainly fundamental, but before you have the power to overturn the chessboard, you must first ensure that you can sit safely in front of it.

Yun Songzi got up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky gradually turning white in the east: "It's almost dawn, you should go back and rest too. You can bring those two incomplete manuals to me when you have time, maybe they can give you some advice."

Meng Xihong took his leave.

Back in his room, he quietly lay down next to Bai Muyun, gazing at his wife's peaceful sleeping face, a surge of tenderness welling up within him.

Tonight's harvest was indeed considerable, but what truly satisfied him was this hard-won peace.

The path to immortality may be exciting, but having family by your side is the greatest happiness in life.

He closed his eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Inside the storage bag, the mysterious "Fragment of the Universe Map" lay quietly, as if waiting for something.

(End of this chapter)