Clan Cultivation: Starting from Foundation Establishment on Mount Luoxia

Zhen Yue slumped in mid-air, panting heavily.

Li Xiaoyao flew to his side, took out healing pills from his storage ring, and handed them to him.

"Who is that?" Li Xiaoyao asked.

Zhen Yue swallowed the pill, his face deathly pale: "I don't know. It's not from the Blood Wolf Tribe, nor from any medium-sized tribe in the Cangmang Demon Kingdom."

Its demonic power... is very pure, like... "He paused, "like it came from the depths of the demon kingdom."

Li Xiaoyao fell silent.

It comes from the depths of the demon kingdom. Late-stage Purple Mansion realm cultivator. What does the appearance of such a thing on the border signify?

He dared not think.

Other inspectors arrived one after another. Some bandaged Zhen Yue's wounds, some went to investigate the whereabouts of the demon king, and some reported to the Immortal Sect.

Li Xiaoyao stood in the void, looking in the direction where the demon king had disappeared, his brows furrowed.

Late stage of Zifu (紫府).

What should he do if it comes back?

......

Zhenyue was seriously injured.

His left arm was broken in three places, five ribs were shattered, and residual demonic power was still rampaging through his meridians.

When Li Xiaoyao helped him back to Zhenxiguan, his face was as white as paper, his lips were purple, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

The healer from the fortress rushed over, glanced at the wound, and frowned so deeply it could trap a fly: "Late-stage Purple Mansion demonic power? How did you get injured?"

Zhen Yue didn't speak, but just glanced at Li Xiaoyao.

Li Xiaoyao answered for him: "On the border, we encountered a demon king at the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm. His origins are unknown."

The healer stopped asking questions and focused on treating the wound. He first forced the remaining demonic power out of Zhen Yue's body, which took a full hour.

The moment the demonic power left its body, it transformed into a dark red streak of blood light, rampaging through the stone chamber before being dispersed by Li Xiaoyao's palm strike.

"If it had been half an hour later, this arm would have been crippled by the demonic laws."

The healer wiped the sweat from his brow, channeled a stream of law power into Zhenyue's left arm to nourish it, and fed him several pills. "Rest quietly for three months, don't do anything."

Zhen Yue leaned against the headboard and nodded. After the physician left, he looked at Li Xiaoyao and remained silent for a moment: "That demon king is probably no ordinary person."

Li Xiaoyao sat down beside his bed: "What do you mean?"

"Its demonic power is too pure." Zhen Yue closed his eyes, as if recalling something. "The demons of the Cangmang Demon Kingdom all have some impurities in their demonic power."

Because the demon kingdom is a melting pot of forces with impure bloodlines, its demonic power is naturally also impure. But the demonic power of that demon king…”

He opened his eyes, "It's like it was directly inherited from an ancient bloodline, without a trace of impurity."

Li Xiaoyao frowned slightly: "Ancient bloodline?"

"Deep within the demon kingdom, there are some ancient demon clans whose bloodlines have been passed down for tens of thousands of years. Their demonic power is pure, and their innate supernatural abilities are much stronger than those of ordinary demons."

Zhenyue looked at him and said, "If that demon king belongs to one of those aristocratic families, then its appearance on the border is no coincidence."

The two remained silent.

Footsteps sounded outside the stone chamber, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator pushed open the door and bowed to Li Xiaoyao: "Senior Shangyuan, a message from the Immortal Sect."

Li Xiaoyao took the jade slip and probed it with his divine sense.

The message was brief, consisting of only a few sentences: "A report has been received from Zhenxiguan, and the identity of the demon king is being verified. Increase vigilance in the near future; do not venture into the demon kingdom without authorization. Report any unusual activity immediately."

"That's all?" Zhenyue asked.

Li Xiaoyao handed him the jade slip: "That's all."

After reading it, Zhen Yue sneered: "Check. After the check, the person is dead."

He didn't say anything more, tossed the jade slip aside, and closed his eyes. Li Xiaoyao knew he needed to rest, so he got up and left the stone chamber.

In the corridor, several inspectors were talking in hushed tones.

They all rushed here from various places after receiving the distress signal; some were stationed in the scree belt, some in the Ghostfire Sea, and some in more distant unknown areas.

Li Xiaoyao glanced around and saw that there were nine people in total, including himself.

These are all the Purple Palace Inspectors of Zhenxi Pass.

"Fellow Daoist Shangyuan."

A middle-aged Taoist priest dressed in a greyish-white robe approached him, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Xuan Heng, a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator, stationed at the Netherfire Sea. How serious is Fellow Daoist Zhen Yue's injury?"

"Rest quietly for three months," Li Xiaoyao said.

Xuan Heng nodded, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly lowered his voice: "That demon king, you fought him head-on?"

"We exchanged one blow," Li Xiaoyao said truthfully. "Its innate divine ability is Blood Fiend Demon Light, which is specifically designed to break through protective spiritual light. My magic robe couldn't withstand it."

Xuan Heng's expression changed: "Blood Demon Light? That's the innate divine power of the Blood-Eyed Clan of the Cangmang Demon Kingdom."

This race lives deep within the demon kingdom and rarely ventures out. How could they possibly appear on the border?

Li Xiaoyao's heart skipped a beat: "The Blood-Eyed Clan?"

"One of the ancient families deep within the Demon Kingdom, with a bloodline that has been passed down for tens of thousands of years. The family members are very few, but each one is an outstanding individual among their peers."

Xuan Heng lowered his voice even further, "If they really are from the Blood-Eyed Clan, then this matter is not as simple as a border skirmish."

He didn't say anything more because the other inspectors had also gathered around.

The crowd discussed animatedly, with some speculating about the origins of the demon king, others expressing concern about border security, and still others suggesting increased patrols.

Li Xiaoyao stood at the edge of the crowd, without saying a word.

He was pondering a question. Was that demon king coming for him, or for Zhenyue? Or was it merely passing through, intending to kill a few immortal cultivators as a side effect?

If it came for Zhenyue, why would it appear near the scree belt?

Zhenyue's garrison area is in the south, not the north. If it's targeting him, how would it know he'd be at that location at that time?

Unless someone is watching him.

Li Xiaoyao recalled the three little demon kings. They appeared in the gravel area and lured him there. Then Zhenyue was attacked in the south.

One in the north and one in the south, happening simultaneously. This is certainly not a coincidence.

"Fellow Daoist Shangyuan?" Xuanheng's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Li Xiaoyao snapped out of his daze: "What's wrong?"

"We've discussed it, and starting tonight, we'll patrol in pairs. You and Fellow Daoist Zhenyue have been working well together, but he's injured now, so you'll be temporarily paired with—"

Xuan Heng looked around. "Come with me. We need people over at the Netherfire Sea too."

Li Xiaoyao nodded: "Okay."

The crowd dispersed. Li Xiaoyao did not return to the stone chamber, but instead walked to the fortress wall, looking at the dark void to the west.

The vast demon kingdom lies deep within that void, unseen and intangible.

An ancient force that has existed for tens of thousands of years, occupying the western territory of the vast universe, with a complex internal structure and a mix of all sorts of people.

There are ancient clans, emerging tribes, exiled wandering demons, and spies from external forces.

They fight among themselves, but when facing the Immortal Sect, they are surprisingly united.

This is his opponent.

A force so vast it's unimaginable. He alone couldn't kill that many demons. But he didn't need to kill that many demons.

He only needs to hold this border for one year. After that, he can leave or stay as he pleases.

But before that, he cannot allow any demon to cross this line.

Li Xiaoyao withdrew his gaze, turned around, and walked down the city wall.