The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

For the past three days, Han Mu had barely left his cave. With the system's help, the ten years of cultivation had been rapidly refined, and his cultivation naturally broke through to the early stage of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. His spiritual energy was now more abundant and pure, and his understanding of the second level of the "Primordial Longevity Technique" had deepened.

The deduction of the "Great Five Elements Sword Formation" was also successfully completed. Compared to the "Small Five Elements Sword Formation," the Great Formation is more complex in its changes, capable of simultaneously controlling twenty-five flying swords, integrating offense and defense, and increasing its power by more than three times. Han Mu used the newly acquired "Mysterious Iron Refined Gold" to refine five "Five Elements Sword Pills," each containing the power of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Once activated, they can form a one-time small Five Elements Sword Formation, powerful enough to threaten even a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator.

Early morning at Tianzhu Peak Square.

Seven figures stood in mid-air, the seven Nascent Soul cultivators of the assault team: True Person Qingyun, Liu Yueru, True Person Jinpeng, Qingxuzi, Li Tianxing, Duan Feng, and Li Canghai, another Nascent Soul elder from Tianque Fortress. Han Mu stood beside True Person Qingyun, dressed in a green robe, his aura still controlled at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

"Gentlemen, the dangers of this journey need no further explanation." Master Qingyun looked around at everyone. "The Valley of Burial Souls is 1,200 li from here. At our speed, it would take us an hour to travel there at full speed. However, in order to conceal our tracks, we will detour through the 'Misty Swamp,' which will add 300 li to our journey. We expect to arrive in about two hours."

"Why take a detour?" Duan Feng frowned.

"Because the Blood Fiend Sect has set up three lines of defense along the way," Han Mu explained. He took out a jade slip, infused it with spiritual power, and three red warning strips appeared in the air. "The first line is north of Luoyan City, guarded by twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators on rotation; the second line is east of Ghost Cry Forest, with a third-tier warning array; the third line is on the outskirts of Burial Soul Valley, patrolled by the Blood Fiend Sect's 'Blood Fiend Guards.' Although going through the Misty Swamp is a longer route, it avoids these three lines of defense."

Everyone looked at the map and nodded silently. Han Mu's intelligence gathering was very detailed; he had clearly put a lot of thought into it.

"Then let's do as Elder Han says," Liu Yueru said.

"Set off."

Eight streaks of light shot into the sky, heading southeast. To conceal their presence, everyone suppressed their aura to the extreme, controlling their speed to the level of late-stage Foundation Establishment. Even so, the eight experts traveling together still caused fluctuations in spiritual energy wherever they went, causing some low-level demonic beasts to flee in panic.

After flying for half an hour, a vast, grayish-white swamp appeared ahead. A light gray mist hung over the swamp, reducing visibility to less than a hundred feet, and even divine sense was severely limited in its penetration.

"This is the Misty Swamp." Master Qingyun stopped. "There are third-tier demonic beasts called 'Poisonous Mist Pythons' in the swamp, as well as naturally formed poisonous miasma. Even Nascent Soul cultivators can be poisoned if they accidentally inhale it. Everyone, stay close and don't fall behind."

Everyone nodded and entered the swamp one by one. Han Mu was protected in the middle, which was Qingyun Zhenren's arrangement and also tacitly accepted by everyone—after all, he was the key to this trip and the only Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The swamp was deathly silent, save for the occasional bubbling sound of water. The swirling gray mist obstructed visibility, forcing the group to rely solely on their spiritual senses to navigate. However, their spiritual senses could only extend a short distance within the swamp before being swallowed by the gray mist.

"Something's not right." After flying for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Golden Roc Master suddenly stopped, and the golden spirit eagle on his shoulder let out a low cry.

"What's wrong?" Qingxuzi asked.

"It's too quiet." Master Jinpeng frowned. "I came to the Misty Swamp once a hundred years ago. Although it was dangerous then, the roars of monsters and the crawling sounds of poisonous insects were constant. But now, there's nothing but the sound of bubbles."

A chill ran through everyone. Indeed, the journey had been far too quiet, as if all life in the swamp had vanished.

"System, scan the surrounding environment and detect any anomalies," Han Mu commanded in his mind.

[Scanning in progress...]

[A faint trace of bloodthirsty energy was detected, concentration 0.3%, distribution range: within a ten-mile radius]

[Life fluctuation detected: 3 Tier 3 Poison Mist Pythons (Death time: within 12 hours)]

[Array fluctuation detected: Tier 3 'Concealment Array' x1 (inactive), Location: 5 li directly in front]

Han Mu's expression changed slightly: "Five miles ahead, there is a concealment array that has already failed. There are remnants of bloodlust energy around it, as well as three recently deceased poisonous mist pythons. Someone cleared this area before us."

"What?" Li Tianxing's eyes turned cold. "Could it be that the information has been leaked?"

"Not necessarily," Master Qingyun pondered. "It's also possible that the Blood Fiend Sect cleared this area in advance to set up a perimeter. But in any case, we need to speed things up. If we are discovered, this trip will be dangerous."

Without holding back, the group increased their speed by 30% and flew swiftly towards the Valley of Burial Souls. However, they had only flown less than ten miles when a sudden change occurred.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three crimson beams of light shot into the sky from the swamp, weaving together into a massive crimson net that enveloped everyone. At the edge of the net, nine dark figures slowly emerged, each radiating a dense aura of malevolence—all possessing cultivation at the early Nascent Soul stage!

"The Nine Blood Fiends!" Liu Yueru's expression changed. "The nine guardian elders of the Blood Fiend Sect, what are they doing here?"

"We've been waiting for you for a long time." The leader was an old man in a blood-red robe, his face withered, his eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light. "The Seven Factions Alliance will indeed take this path. Unfortunately, we already knew about your plan."

"Traitor!" Li Canghai gritted his teeth.

"You only realize it now? Too late." The blood-robed elder sneered. "Today, I will use your blood to sacrifice for my Blood Fiend Formation! Attack!"

The nine people simultaneously formed hand seals, and the blood-red net rapidly contracted. Blood light surged within the net, transforming into countless blood-red blades that shot towards the group from all directions.

"Form a defensive formation!" Master Qingyun shouted.

The seven Nascent Soul cultivators instantly formed a seven-pointed star array, their seven-colored spiritual light intertwining to block the blood-red blades. However, the Nine Blood Fiends were clearly prepared; their blood-red net continued to shrink, increasing the pressure.

"Elder Han, can you break the formation?" Master Qingyun asked telepathically.

Han Mu carefully observed the formation. This crimson net was a fourth-tier trapping formation called "Blood Fiend Heavenly Net," requiring nine people to control it, and its power was extremely strong. If they were to fight it head-on, seven Nascent Soul cultivators might be able to break it, but it would inevitably consume a huge amount of energy, and some might even be injured.

"Give me ten breaths," Han Mu said.

"Okay, we'll try our best for you!"

The seven people unleashed their power simultaneously, their spiritual energy surging and expanding the crimson net by three-tenths of its width. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Han Mu took out five Five Elements Sword Pills and planted them into the ground according to the five elements' positions. Then, he formed hand seals, and the five sword pills exploded simultaneously, transforming into five sword energies of different colors that pierced into the five nodes of the crimson net.

"Five Elements Destruction, break it!"

Rumbling--

Five sword energies exploded inside the net, causing a violent clash between the power of the five elements and the blood-fiend energy. The blood-red net trembled violently, cracks appearing everywhere. The nine blood-fiend sons who were in charge of the formation changed their expressions and hurriedly activated their spiritual power to repair it.

But this was the moment Han Mu had been waiting for. He flashed forward, using the Five Elements Escape Technique to burst out of the crack and rush straight at the blood-robed old man who was in charge of the array.

"You're courting death!" The blood-robed elder sneered and unleashed a palm strike. The full power of a Nascent Soul cultivator at the early stage caused the space itself to distort slightly where the palm wind passed.

Han Mu dared not take the blow head-on, but he didn't need to. Just as the palm strike was about to hit him, he took out his white jade folding fan and gently fanned himself.

hum-

An invisible spatial fluctuation spread out, deflecting the blood-robed elder's palm strike by three feet, grazing past Han Mu's body. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Han Mu pressed a finger against the blood-robed elder's chest.

"burst!"

A "Five Elements Sword Pellet" hidden in his fingertip exploded. At such close range and so suddenly, the old man in the blood-red robe screamed as a bloody hole was blasted into his chest, and his life force instantly weakened.

With the core of the formation damaged, the blood-red net vibrated violently, and the cracks rapidly expanded.

"Now! Break the formation!" Master Qingyun shouted.

The seven attacked with all their might, unleashing seven strikes that slammed into the net. The already precarious net shattered instantly, and the Nine Blood Fiends who were in charge of the formation were sent flying backward, coughing up blood.

"Retreat!" The old man in the blood-red robe gritted his teeth and transformed into a streak of blood-red light as he fled. The other eight followed closely behind.

"Chase!" Li Tianxing was about to give chase.

"Don't pursue a desperate enemy," Master Qingyun stopped him. "Our goal is Burial Soul Valley, we can't afford to linger here. Besides, the appearance of the Nine Blood Fiends here means our whereabouts have indeed been exposed. Burial Soul Valley is probably already prepared."

A chill ran through everyone. If that were the case, the difficulty of this mission would increase significantly.

"Let's keep going," said Master Qingyun. "No matter what dangers lie ahead, we have no way back."

The eight set off again, but everyone's expression was much more serious.

Han Mu gazed toward the direction of Burial Valley, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

This battle is more difficult than expected.

But we must win.