Starting as a Talisman Master

In Dongyue County, deep within the Shen family's inner fortress, lies a secluded courtyard.

Inside the quiet room, Shen Yanqiu sat cross-legged, surrounded by a faint layer of crimson spiritual light. As he exhaled a long breath, the spiritual energy swirling around his body converged into his dantian like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them. He casually made a hand seal, and the spiritual power at his fingertips was several times more concentrated than before.

"Qi Refining Level 4..."

Shen Yanqiu murmured softly, a complex smile curving his lips.

The "Red Mansion Condensing Yuan Technique" bestowed by the Shen family, combined with the bottle of Yuan-Stabilizing Pill and the abundant spiritual energy of the inner fortress, allowed him to break through the bottleneck of the third level of Qi Refining, which had been stuck for a long time, within just a few months after his marriage.

Just as he was about to get up and experience the wonders of this new realm, several rapid and muffled chimes suddenly came from the depths of the inner fortress.

The tolling of the bell echoed in the still night, carrying a sense of sorrow and panic.

Immediately afterwards, the once quiet inner fortress of the Shen family was like a hornet's nest that had been suddenly poked open, and flames rose everywhere.

Countless powerful spiritual pressures intertwined in the night sky, interspersed with angry shouts and chaotic cries of alarm, and even the ground seemed to tremble slightly.

Shen Yanqiu felt a chill run down her spine and quickly walked out of the quiet room.

He had just pushed open the study window when the study door was gently pushed open.

In the dim candlelight, the newlywed mortal wife, wearing only a thin garment and carrying a thick cloak, walked in with a fearful expression and hurried steps.

"Husband..." She gently draped the cloak over Shen Yanqiu's shoulders, her hands unconsciously gripping his sleeves tightly, her voice trembling slightly, "What happened outside? The servants and maids in the front yard are in complete chaos, saying... saying that an elder from the main branch who was on business outside has fallen..."

Shen Yanqiu narrowed her eyes slightly, and her hands, hidden in her sleeves, tightened abruptly.

An elder has fallen? The Shen family has been entrenched in Dongyue County for many years and has a deep foundation. How could such a major event, resulting in the loss of high-level combat power, suddenly occur?

It seems that a considerable storm is about to break out in the Qingque Mountain area.

For him, a newlywed son-in-law, it was hard to say whether this turn of events was a blessing or a curse.

"Don't be afraid." Shen Yanqiu turned his gaze away from the window and grasped his wife's hands, which were slightly cold from fear.

The woman leaned against him, watching the streaks of light from cultivators occasionally piercing the night sky outside the window, her eyes filled with awe and unease. She

She bit her lower lip, her voice lowering:

"This celestial mansion usually looks ethereal, but the slightest movement exudes a terrifying pressure. I am just a mortal woman, I can't even understand what's happening outside, and I can't help my husband in the slightest... I'm really afraid that one day I will become a burden to my husband."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Hearing his wife's anxious and fearful words, Shen Yanqiu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He gently pulled her into his arms and patted her back reassuringly with his large hand.

"Though the wind and rain may blow outside, they will not reach this courtyard. Now that you are my wife, Shen Yanqiu, I will protect you from the wind and disaster. Though the path to immortality may be cold and the human heart may be treacherous, as long as I live, I will not let you suffer alone."

The woman nestled against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and the comforting sound, her eyes slightly red, and she hugged him tightly, filled with emotion and dependence.

Shen Yanqiu lowered his eyes to look at the person in his arms, and sighed slightly in his heart.

Heaven and earth are merciless, and creation is biased. Some are born with spiritual roots and step onto the path of immortality; others are confined to mortal bodies and their lives last no more than a hundred years. This single line separates them like heaven and earth.

He had cultivated himself since childhood and had witnessed the changing of the balance of power. He had long understood that there was no such thing as fairness in this world.

But the person in his arms at this moment made him feel a little unwilling.

If one day he can truly break through this barrier and successfully establish his foundation, he will no longer be confined to this small place. At that time, he will definitely travel throughout the mountains and rivers, search for spiritual herbs, and seek out items that prolong life to extend her life.

I don't ask to defy fate, I only wish to keep her in this world for a few more years.

It would also allow her to accompany him and see the mountains and rivers and scenery of the cultivation world, instead of just growing old quietly in this small courtyard.

……

……

As time goes by, the storms in the cultivation world always come and go quickly.

Since the night Shen Yuanheng and Luo Wenshan perished in the abyss, Qingque Mountain Market has been engulfed in a turbulent undercurrent.

Two powerful figures from prominent families died silently, leaving no trace of their bodies. Such methods far exceeded the scope of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators.

The Shen and Luo families were shocked and quickly came to a chilling conclusion.

This matter is most likely orchestrated by a Foundation Establishment cultivator behind the scenes.

Neither side dared to be negligent, and both resorted to clandestine means to urgently summon their Foundation Establishment Ancestors, who were traveling abroad, back to the mountain to oversee the situation.

But man proposes, God disposes.

The old patriarch of the Shen family has not returned for a long time, and his messages have gone unanswered.

On the contrary, the Luo family, after waiting bitterly for half a month, finally saw a beam of light come from beyond the sky, its oppressive power sweeping across the mountains and fields.

The patriarch of the Luo family returned to the mountain.

After returning, this person did not linger but went straight to the secluded valley to investigate.

However, Lu Chi cleaned up the mess perfectly that day. Even though the Foundation Establishment Divine Sense swept through it repeatedly, only a few broken and disordered traces of spiritual energy remained, making it difficult to trace any clues.

The trail went cold.

The entire Luo family was holding their breath, but had nowhere to vent their frustration.

It was at this moment that someone mentioned Lu Chi, a high-grade talisman master who had recently gained fame and had had conflicts with the Luo family.

Suspicion arose in everyone's hearts, and they all urged the patriarch to come forward and investigate.

The Luo family patriarch immediately led his men straight into the market, barging into the small blue stone courtyard with murderous intent.

But when the courtyard gate was opened, all that remained inside was desolation.

The person is no longer here.

The news spread quickly, and the entire Qingqueshan market was in an uproar.

Some say Lu Chi was exceptionally talented and was spotted by a passing expert who took him away; others suspect that the Han family secretly intervened to transfer and protect him.

Rumors abound, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Unable to contain his anger, the Luo family patriarch personally went to the Han family's mountain gate and confronted the Han family patriarch in the air.

Unfortunately, the Han family was also unaware of this, and this standoff ultimately came to nothing.

At this point, no one could solve this unsolved case, and it could only gradually sink into oblivion with the passage of time.

Meanwhile, the feud between the Qixia Sect came to an end six months later.

On the day of the sect's grand ceremony, Qin Suniang sent out invitations to all the disciples from the Shen and Luo families who had participated in the past events.

The grand ceremony had just begun when murderous intent suddenly arose.

Qin Suniang, who had been biding her time, made her move simultaneously with Yan Guixuan, the master of Xuan Yin Valley, with whom she had secretly formed an alliance.

In the ensuing battle, Mu Changfeng, the Grand Elder of Qixia Sect, died on the spot, and all the disciples from the Shen and Luo families present were also wiped out, leaving the sect's gate filled with the aura of blood.

The feud is over.

Qin Su Niang did not linger, leaving all the mess to Yan Guixuan, and with the resources and foundation she had accumulated over the years, she fled from Dongyue County, her whereabouts unknown.

Yan Guixuan, on the other hand, faced the ensuing retaliation from both families.

Faced with the combined wrath of the powerful families, he not only did not back down, but instead used the resources left behind by Qin Su Niang as a catalyst to forcefully break through the barrier in the midst of a bloody battle and step into the Foundation Establishment realm.

A change in circumstances can instantly alter the course of a situation.

Furthermore, with the Shen family patriarch still not returning, rumors of his demise have been circulating, causing unrest among the Shen family members and making it difficult for them to maintain order.

Taking advantage of the situation, Yan Guixuan launched a counterattack, crushing the combined forces of the two sects in one fell swoop, and then swallowed up the leaderless Qixia Sect.

After the battle, Xuan Yin Valley's prestige soared. The Shen family, on the other hand, fell from grace.