Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 461

"Fengdu... the Great Emperor".

When the spirit of the Ming family dragon king ceases to resist, it will be difficult for the Ming family members in the ancestral home to continue supporting this battle of cause and effect.

The dark shadow in the sky continued to spread, gradually revealing its shape.

The Ming family finally recognized the intruders.

The emperor's phantom raised his hand, palm down, and pressed down on the Ming family's ancestral home.

The most difficult and costly betting phase is over; now, He is about to deliver a tangible result.

He wanted his last disciple to have a clear and measurable concept in his mind every time he thought of this day.

After that day, He had to return to suppress the unrest in Hell, and for a long time, His power could not be projected outward.

But it doesn't matter.

He has done what He needed to do, and now He can sit in Hell and wait with a clear conscience for his last disciple to pay the price for him.

For a long time to come, the things that the disciples do for themselves can only be considered interest; the principal remains untouched.

After paying off the interest, in the end, you still need to properly settle the principal.

Li Zhuiyuan had previously likened his situation to being burdened with a 30-year mortgage.

Yes, it's still equal principal and interest payments.

The Emperor's palm brought darkness to the entire Ming family.

At this moment, the Ming family members can activate the Yin-Yang walk and see that faint black mist is rising from every person, every building, and even every flower and plant in the Ming family.

This is to inflict calamity and diminish one's fortune after breaking through its defenses.

If it is a lineage that focuses on formations, it can continue to hold out; if it is a lineage that specializes in feng shui, such as the former Dragon King Liu, it might be able to put up a fight.
Even the direct impact on the Qin family, including the Dragon King Qin of yesteryear, might actually be smaller.

However, for the Ming family's unique inheritance of this secret technique, almost everyone felt fear and a sense of unease.

The cultivation of the Ming family's original technique requires continuous strengthening and tempering of the soul, without considering the resulting emotional loss of control. The more times it is practiced, the higher the quality and the stronger the power.

The birth of fear signifies a pre-emptive fear of one's own improvement, even before the battle begins.

Unless the Ming family produces a genius capable of revising this manual and opening a new path, there's no need to consider the next generation or the generation after that. This almost clearly indicates that the Ming family's overall strength has reached its peak.

Standing here and looking down, you see a bottomless drop.

This makes them an ideal prey for other forces in the martial arts world, since the Ming family has lost its ability to generate wealth and heal itself.

A bite today, a handful tomorrow—these little things add up to permanent, irreversible damage.

Ming Qinyun sat blankly on the prayer mat inside the ancestral hall.

The spirit of the Ming family dragon king, who had previously left home, has returned.

Ming Qinyun had no expectations left for this.

These ancestors proved time and again that they were unreliable.

"Buzz! Buzz. Buzz!"

However, to Ming Qinyun's surprise, even though she had no expectations, her ancestors were still able to push the boundaries of what was acceptable when it came to her.

The returning spirits of the Ming family's Dragon Kings did not linger. They did not comfort the family's descendants, nor did they select exceptionally gifted children for special protection. Instead...

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

"Crack!"

The Ming family's Dragon King memorial tablets are cracked.

Ming Qinyun's eyes widened as she stared at the scene in disbelief.

Beams of white light emanated from the cracked memorial tablet, flew out of the ancestral hall, and continued to disperse, spreading in all directions.

The spirits of the Ming family's Dragon King collectively destroyed their memorial tablets and cut off their incense offerings.

The fortune that originally belonged to the Dragon King Ming family and was gathered here because of their existence will be given back to the entire martial arts world!
From today onwards,

The Dragon King Ming family will no longer have spirits.

Ming Qinyun supported herself on the ground, lying on her side with her mouth open and a blank expression on her face.

Above the ancestral hall, the emperor's enormous hand, about to strike, stopped.

Originally, what He wanted to do was to completely extinguish the Ming family's fortune.

However, the spirit of the Ming family dragon king did not choose to make a final resistance or struggle, nor did it waste its fortune on this.

The enormous hand slowly retracted.

Since taking up residence in Fengdu, the Great Emperor has witnessed two thousand years of turbulent history in the martial arts world.

This world of martial arts is never boring or dull because it is people who are born from generation to generation.

The darkness in the sky began to recede, and the figure of the Great Emperor gradually dissipated.

He has achieved the result he desired; now, it is time for him to leave.

The Ming family is still the Ming family, but it is no longer the Ming family. The dragon scales have been stripped away, leaving only a seemingly huge mass of rotting flesh.

His own disciple only needs to keep moving forward step by step, and it won't be long before he can personally visit him to settle accounts and seek revenge.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze finally landed on the Ming family ancestral hall in the blurry image before him.

The old woman from the Ming family was inside at that moment.

The boy's gaze was icy.

Grandma Liu endured humiliation and hardship, managing to keep both families' businesses afloat until now, finally seeing the tide turn around.

now,

The mistress of the Ming family,

It depends on your performance.

The shadow vanished completely.

Ming Qinyun stared at the cracked ancestral tablet in front of her, her expression a mixture of crying and laughing.

The Ming family, who once sat at the table with other big names in the martial arts world, discussing how to divide the spoils between the Qin and Liu families, is now also being served at the table.

Ming Qinyun never expected that one day she would end up in the same situation as that jinxed woman.

His fingernails dug into his palm, drawing blood, but he paid no attention.

"Liu Yumei, no matter what, my Ming family is still a centipede, while you have long since lost all hope."

I don't care what happens to the Ming family in the future.

at least,

I'll see you, along with Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu, lying in your coffin before me, hahaha!

……

Above the town outside the guesthouse, the portrait of the Emperor of Fengdu was completely burned to ashes.

Everyone in the guesthouse returned to normal, only to glance up at the clock and realize how quickly time had passed, or perhaps to sigh with self-deprecation at how long they had been lost in thought.

Inside the room, the dark shadow standing by the window slowly receded, transforming back into the shadow on Old Master Zhai. Perhaps due to the soft moonlight, the shadow had faded considerably.

At the entrance to Lujiazhuang Mountain, the towering and majestic figure of the Great Emperor gradually faded away.

Before leaving completely, the majestic figure slowly lowered its head.

The boy, whose red lines kept coming off his body, looked up at that moment.

Like heaven and earth meeting each other at this moment, everything is understood without words.

The Emperor has departed completely.

The thunder that had been raging above Fengdu for so long finally stopped.

Within the hell of Fengdu, with the return of the Great Emperor, everything was rectified.

First, the enormous body that was about to stand up fell back into place, but the slight trembling and loosening of the body did not completely disappear.

The tomb owner sat back in the underworld. The underworld no longer flowed upstream, nor downstream, remaining stagnant.

The five lowest levels of hell were filled with the sounds of chanting sutras and reciting Buddha's name. For a time, darkness covered two levels, but the last three levels still persisted in chanting "Namo Amitabha Buddha".

The gates of the Five Ghost Emperors' palaces reopened, continuing to assist in the operation of the Underworld.

The Ten Kings of Hell returned to their seats, as if their previous wriggling was just a change of position after sitting for too long.

The Great Emperor was tired and weary, but his remaining power still lingered. When he returned, this hell was still called Fengdu.

All the judges, ghost messengers, and ghost soldiers and generals immediately took up their duties, cracking their whips and reheating the oil in the cauldron.

A pitch-black official road extends from the top of hell, descending all the way to the Young Lord's Mansion, which was originally located at the very edge of the corner.

From then on, the Fengdu Emperor's Palace and the Fengdu Young Lord's Mansion were connected.

Inside the mansion, a group of ghost officials surnamed Zhao wept with joy, leaving behind strings of eerie tears.

Reluctant to waste her own ghostly energy crystals, she picked them up and stuffed them into her mouth while crying.

This is an improvement in courtesy, and this is recognition of the treatment received.

From then on, when the ghost officials surnamed Zhao in Shaojun's mansion went to arrest evil ghosts who had committed many evil deeds in their previous lives, no other ghost officers would dare to make things difficult or ridicule them.

Inside the Fengdu Emperor's Palace, Yin Meng removed her imperial robes and crown.

Sticking out her tongue, Mengmeng tiptoed back to her spot on the edge of the room, picked up a book, and pretended to read it very seriously.

The already obscure characters became even more mysterious.

Well……

Yin Meng quickly took the book that was upside down and turned it right side up.

"Boom!"

Something fell onto Yin Meng's desk.

Yin Meng picked it up with a puzzled look, and after glancing at it, her face immediately lit up with joy.

Last time, she was able to leave Hell and go to the Ghost City above to see Brother Xiao Yuan because of a piece of yellow paper, similar to a written order.

The edict has an expiration date; it will be burned before nightfall, and the person will be forcibly taken back to hell.

This time, what fell was the token for entering and exiting the gates of hell.

Yin Meng put the token to her mouth and bit it with her teeth.

It's very hard and sturdy; it's definitely not disposable.

This means that she can now go to ghost towns whenever she wants, without time restrictions.

Although she still cannot leave Fengdu to reunite with everyone in Nantong, everyone... Runsheng can come to Fengdu to see her!
Yin Meng began to look expectantly at the gray-black circle on the table, eager to tell Runsheng the good news.

Then, she immediately shook her head.

No, Runsheng is on the river with Xiaoyuan right now, and I can't let it affect his mood.

At that moment, a flame appeared in the gray-black circle, and a piece of yellow paper with writing on it appeared inside. The writing was in a familiar and endearing ugly style, clearly written by Runsheng.

"Xiao Yuan said that after this wave is over, I shouldn't rush back to Nantong, but go to Fengdu first."

……

Runsheng, with a simple and honest smile on his face, tidied up the offering table.

Last time, Xiao Yuan took A Li to Fengdu and met Yin Meng, but he was with Tan Wenbin catching evil spirits at the time and couldn't go.

Now, he was really looking forward to this wave ending soon, and he hoped that the Valley Master of Living Man Valley would appear in front of him right now so that he could take a shovel and chop him to death.

Tan Wenbin: "Congratulations, Runsheng. Now that there are airplanes, transportation is convenient. You can go see Mengmeng, and then come with me and Ayou to drive to Jinling to see Yunyun and the others. It won't take too long."

Runsheng: "Airfare is expensive."

After a pause, Runsheng continued:
"When I get back, I'll ask Grandpa Li to lease a few more plots of land for me to cultivate."

When the red line merged with the figure of the Great Emperor, Li Zhuiyuan gained not only the Great Emperor's perspective, but also more experiences and feelings.

He guessed that since the Emperor had made such a big bet this time, he would surely grant Yin Meng his freedom upon returning.

But Li Zhuiyuan also sensed that Yin Meng's freedom was only in the ghost city in the mortal realm, and she still couldn't leave that place.

This isn't because the Emperor still wants to use Yin Meng to control him. Things have already gone this far, there's no need to hold back and make things unpleasant for himself.

Previously, the Emperor needed to keep Yin Meng, which could act as a trigger point against him at any time.

Now, the Great Emperor needs to keep Yin Meng to show Heaven that He still holds onto that rope.

The main reason is that his position in the Heavenly Dao is too special. No matter what he thinks now, the Great Emperor still has to put on a show that he and his disciple will inevitably kill each other in the future, thus preserving this conflict.

Yinmeng is the vessel for all the cause and effect between myself and the Great Emperor.

If I hadn't seen the girl in the coffin shop when I took Tan Wenbin and Runsheng to visit Ghost Street, then Ghost City would most likely still be just a tourist attraction in my eyes.

The previous path to grant Yin Meng complete freedom in the human world was to one day grow up, lead Run Sheng into hell, and force the Great Emperor to hand over the people.

It seems a bit unreasonable to take this as the only path now. In other words, there is another path: to break through the blockade from the gaze of Heaven. In this way, the Great Emperor can let go without any worries.

In essence, I am the same as Yin Meng.

What she can't leave is the ghost town, and what she can't enter is adulthood.

My right hand was held by a soft hand.

Li Zhuiyuan turned his head to look at the girl beside him.

I can understand her expression through her eyes, and she can empathize with the few emotions I have in my heart.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes, and after a while, he opened them again.

The boy cleared his mind of distractions and regained his composure.

"Brother Binbin."

"exist."

"We're done here. Go check on the situation inside, and if necessary, expedite it."

"clear."

Tan Wenbin faced the gate of Lujiazhuang Mountain, his snake eyes opening.

A moment later, Tan Wenbin smiled and said:

"Brother Xiaoyuan, they'll be done soon too."

The carnage in Lujiazhuang is drawing to a close.

In fact, if Li Zhuiyuan's sacrificial ceremony hadn't attracted the Emperor's projection and put immense pressure on the wolf pack inside, this massacre could have ended much sooner.

Overall, however, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Especially Tam Man-bun's earlier statement: "Everything is fine outside, everyone focus on the competition!"

To the wolves inside, the tiger outside, whether it was resisting terror or creating terror itself, was terrifying.

The so-called "raising a flag" is essentially about establishing authority.

On this river, it's not because you introduce yourself that people think you're powerful and treat you like royalty. It's because your family is powerful, your ancestors were powerful, and by extension, people assume you're probably powerful too.

If you have already demonstrated your strength, raising the flag simply makes everything more legitimate and makes everyone more willing to obey your commands.

The Lu family was almost entirely wiped out.

The last group of Lu family members who tried to hide in the Divine Deer's cage were either thrown out by Lu Jiu as scapegoats or had their blood drained by him to heal some of their injuries.

Even so, Lu Jiu was already exhausted and on his deathbed.

He is no longer the same person he once was, who can grow stronger with each battle, making his attackers increasingly uneasy.

Lu Jiu could see the bloodthirsty excitement in the eyes of these young people as they looked at him.

I remember someone who seemed to be from the Dragon King's family once said something like this:

"His family burdens are too heavy. The more they cannot afford to lose, the less they can afford to lose or die. Consequently, they are unable to fully realize the true meaning of the Qin family's strategy of putting themselves in a do-or-die situation."

Lu Jiu looked around and saw the Lu Family Village in ruins and blood.

He could let go of everything, but even at this point, he was still floating, unable to even throw his most powerful punch.

The wolf pack sensed an opportunity.

His powerful opponent was not only physically injured to the extreme, but his mentality was also on the verge of collapse.

Luo Xiaoyu's black and white pieces were about to fall from his fingertips, ready to kill!

The woman played the zither, and a deadly aura of feng shui locked onto Lu Jiu's head.

After fighting for so long, the white-robed monk, who had been fighting with magic, took out his staff for the first time, his figure flashing forward rapidly, his eyes blazing with fury.

Tao Zhuming rotated the square seal in his palm, signaling the Five Elements Whip to be unleashed. Zhu Yiwen lifted his folding fan, and even the heavily injured Feng Xionglin was enveloped in a mist of blood, preparing to charge forward.

Everyone will unleash their full power, intending to fight for Lu Jiu's head!

This was a rule set by the group outside: whoever took the head would receive the most prestigious deer head, and everyone agreed to and followed this rule.

Lu Jiu: "Hahaha..."

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The air currents surged, and the light and shadow were dazzling.

When everything had settled down, a blind man carrying a lame man appeared in front of them.

Zhu Qing, on Luo Yang's back, held Lu Jiu's head in her hands.

The first reaction of everyone else was to immediately launch another attack and finish off the person who had snatched the head.

This is their instinct.

Luo Yang sensed the terrifying killing intent closing in from all sides, and Zhu Qing even shouted out:

"Brother, something's wrong..."

But the next moment, everyone restrained this instinct.

What followed was a chorus of congratulations:
"Congratulations."

"Wow, that's really fast."

"The timing was perfect."

"Could we trade some deer antlers?"

Luo Yang slowly relaxed his legs and gently lifted the girl on his body.

Zhu Qing understood and said:

"This head wasn't removed by us. Before we could remove it, that guy removed his own head and committed suicide."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback at first, and then many people turned their gaze to Wang Lin, who had been sleeping in the corner the whole time.

This fat guy really put Lu Jiu to sleep!

Wang Lin opened his eyes, stretched, and then stood up while picking at his sleepy eyes, looking shy.
"Hehe, sorry, I was lucky, please accept my thanks."

I should have woken up earlier, but I deliberately slept a little longer to see if everyone would follow the rules.

Zhu Qing tossed his head over, and Wang Lin caught it and held it in his arms.

"Everyone who sees this gets a share! Anyone who wants deer antler, I'll give it to them, hehe, I'll give it to them."

With the severed head now at rest, everyone's attention shifted to the cage.

Only the head of the divine deer was separated; the rest of the body is also an absolute treasure.

But because of this series of interruptions, no one is in a hurry to rush in now.

Once inside, it's all fighting and killing, with everyone relying on their own abilities to fight for other parts.

But then the thought of having to protect the deer head from damage during the robbery... made the atmosphere a little unsettling.

In the past, opportunities were seized on the river based on individual ability, and there were no taboos. This time, however, there is a tiger lurking outside the door. Even if you don't come in, you will still have to face it when you leave.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

After ordering the Five Elements General to crack his thunder whip three times to attract everyone's attention, he spoke:

"I command the Five Elements to take the Dragon King's gate as their pledge, go in and bring out the divine deer inside intact, and then let everyone decide what to do with it."

Tao Zhuming: "Then I'll have to trouble your brother."

Seeing that no one objected, he ordered Wu Xing to leave his men outside and went into the dungeon alone.

No one was worried that he would take the opportunity to keep it all for himself. No matter how powerful the divine deer was, it was not a magic pill. If he kept it all, he would immediately achieve great power. If he failed to bring the divine deer out intact, then the big guys would attack him as they had attacked Lu Jiu before.

This move by Ling Wuxing actually laid the groundwork for the subsequent arrangements regarding the divine deer.

Zhu Yiwen wiped the blood off Feng Xionglin's body and sighed:

"Everyone is so well-behaved."

Feng Xionglin looked at Xu Mofan, who was walking slowly with a gun behind him, and said, "The more obedient one is over there."

Xu Mofan remained in the Lu family ancestral hall to protect the Dharma from beginning to end.

After the ceremony, he deliberately used the tip of his spear to break through the wall behind the offering table and glanced at the secret chamber inside.

White, human-shaped marks were left on the chair in the secret room.

It's likely that on the other side of the formation, these people have also been reduced to ashes.

Since Xu Mofan was not there, Xia He, who had been hiding in the corner the whole time, ran out and handed water to her young master.

Xu Mofan took it and drank several mouthfuls.

Feng Xionglin reminded him, "Save your stomach, there will be deer blood to drink later."

Xu Mofan looked around and asked in confusion, "Why aren't you robbing anymore?"

Zhu Yiwen: "It's not fun to fight over it."

Xu Mofan nodded and sighed, "Alas, that's true."

Feng Xionglin: "Hey, you look like you've seen through the world. Are you planning to light the lamp again after this wave is over?"

Xu Mofan: "We'll have to wait a bit longer."

It's a denial, but more of a tacit acceptance.

As Zhu Yiwen tilted his head back and squeezed the cloth, forcing the blood inside into his mouth and drinking it, he said, "He's probably facing that young master himself."

Feng Xionglin: "So they suffered the biggest blow."

Zhu Yiwen: "I can no longer understand this world, but it's alright. That person appeared before the Yu family, and he filled me with hope as I got through several waves."

Last time at the Yu family home, Yu Tiannan "woke up".

This time, being outside has led to such a terrible situation.

The gap in strength can be caught up with by working hard, but how do we bridge the gap in gameplay?

Then Ling Wuxing led out a divine deer.

The divine deer, radiating its own glow, caused everyone present to show greed the moment it appeared.

The Five Elements themselves were swallowing their saliva as they walked.

Tao Zhuming: "Brother, at least try to look presentable."

Ling Wuxing: "The closer you are, the more fragrant it is. You'll be drooling if you come over here."

Xu Mofan glanced at everyone's reactions, then at the intact deer, and finally understood Feng Xionglin's earlier meaning. He said with some shame:
"I didn't put in much effort, but I still managed to get some."

Feng Xionglin immediately retorted, "You call this not contributing? You've practically licked your way from the sole of my shoe to my ankle! Who said those who wield guns are upright and incorruptible?"

Zhu Yiwen: "When you lick someone upright and unyielding, and then look them up and make eye contact, it becomes even more lethal."

Xu Mofan frowned. He should be angry, even ready to fight to the death, but he also heard a sense of desolation from these two people that resonated with his own feelings.

They weren't targeting themselves; they were actually making fun of themselves.

After all, from being the lead wolf to breaking in through the back door first, the three of them were indeed very eager to curry favor.

Feng Xionglin took the initiative to retract his words, easing the atmosphere between the three of them, and said:

"Actually, it's alright. We're not licking their boots; we're just getting familiar with how to cooperate with the future Dragon King's Decree."

Zhu Yiwen patted Feng Xionglin's shiny, smooth head:

No wonder you're so incredibly smart.

Ling Wuxing looked at Luo Xiaoyu and pointed to the divine deer beside him:
"Come on, place a piece here and trap it."

Luo Xiaoyu understood, picked up a piece and placed it down, and nine squares appeared under the feet of the divine deer, trapping it.

Ling Wuxing: "Your skill in formations is indeed impressive. How come I've never heard of you in the martial arts world before?"

Luo Xiaoyu's expression darkened.

Tao Zhuming: "This shows that the person is humble, introspective, and indifferent to fame and fortune."

Ling Wuxing: "That's true, it's worth learning. We were just too young and impetuous, too arrogant."

Luo Xiaoyu felt bitter inside.

Tao Zhuming: "Alright, you brought the deer out, I'll go and invite the people."

Ling Wuxing: "This won't do."

Tao Zhuming: "Are you that greedy?"

Ling Wuxing: "Because my family may have worn deerskin gloves."

Tao Zhuming: "Okay, okay, here you go."

Ling Wuxing waved to everyone and pointed in the direction of the mountain gate.

No one objected, and the group watched him leave.

Tan Wenbin: "It's over, and the person has come out. They're pretty savvy; they've come to invite us."

Lin Shuyou: "We're having roasted venison?"

Tan Wenbin: "The person who distributes the meat cannot eat the meat."

Ling Wuxing walked over, smiled at Tan Wenbin, and Tan Wenbin returned the smile.

Then, Ling Wuxing looked at the boy standing behind him and said:

"The matter is over, and everyone is waiting for you to go in and have a get-together."

Li Zhuiyuan didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "Okay."

Ling Wuxing looked up at the sky. Even without being activated, the thunder whip in his hand had the urge to summon lightning, which showed just how terrifyingly dense the remaining ghostly energy was.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to Ling Wuxing's side, and Ling Wuxing turned around to accompany him.

As they passed the stone tablet in front of the main gate of Lujiazhuang, Li Zhuiyuan said, "Your Thunder-Gathering Whip is with me."

Ling Wuxing was not surprised at all and said, "Hehe, my elder has already gone into seclusion and will not come out again. It is an honor for that whip to be collected by you."

While at the Yu family's residence, Chen Xiyuan took advantage of everyone's exhaustion after the battle and forced the two elders from the Ling and Tao families to fulfill their promise and hand over the Nine-Flower Seal and the Thunder-Gathering Whip.

This item was quickly delivered to Li Zhuiyuan by Sister Chen.

They are treasures, but unfortunately, Li Zhuiyuan doesn't practice martial arts and can't use them, and none of his companions are suitable to control them, so they can only be left in the dojo as the core of the formation.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I have a question I'd like to ask you."

Ling Wuxing: "Speak freely."

Li Zhuiyuan: "When you have your family use thunder magic, will their belongings in the vicinity also respond?"

Ling Wuxing said, "You need to ask more specifically so I can answer."

Li Zhuiyuan: "For example, if you activate thunder magic here, and your whip is placed where I was originally, will it be charged and gather thunder because of your thunder magic?"

Ling Wuxing fell silent. He knew the boy wouldn't ask a question without reason, and besides, thinking about it, the question seemed more like a confirmation and investigation of clues.

He pursed his lips and ordered the Five Elements to answer: "When the lightning magic is activated, the surrounding lightning energy is dense. When a certain critical point is reached, I will order my family's lightning-attribute artifacts to automatically absorb the surrounding lightning energy."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Can other families' lightning techniques achieve the same effect?"

Ling Wuxing bit his lip and replied, "It can only be the thunder magic of my Ling family!"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "Thank you."

Ling Wuxing said, "You know, with so many people in the family, it's inevitable that some will be dishonest or break the rules."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I don't understand, I have very few family members."

Upon hearing this, Ling Wuxing stopped in his tracks.

There are very few people in my family.

Ling Wuxing swallowed hard. He had guessed the boy's identity several times before, but now, because of this sentence, it seemed that he had one... no, two answers.

If this young man really comes from one of those two families, then that's truly terrifying.

What's frightening is that those two families, after reaching such a state, were still able to revive and turn the tide.

On the other hand, what's frightening is that this boy has grown to the point where he's very difficult to control. At least, he has made Wu Xing not to make such an attempt now, not because he's afraid, but because he doesn't see any possibility of success.

Even though she had just walked alongside the boy, his men had been extremely cautious, guarding her from the front and back, seemingly trusting her but actually wary of her to the core.

Instruct Wu Xing to quickly recall the various conversations his elders had made about those two families in order to discern whether his family had done anything in the past few decades.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and looked at Ling Wuxing: "Let's go."

Ling Wuxing: "Okay, here I come."

When Li Zhuiyuan approached, the wolf pack automatically parted to create a passable path.

Li Zhuiyuan walked over with neither arrogance nor servility, until he reached the divine deer.

Luo Xiaoyu was about to remove the shackles of the formation when the boy walked into it before he could. Not only did the formation not react at all, it was perfectly preserved.

"It really is him..."

Sister Hua asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Luo Xiaoyu: "Sister Hua, am I a genius in formations?"

Sister Hua: "Of course, you are a once-in-a-century talent in array formations for our sect."

Luo Xiaoyu: "If I'm this old and a reincarnation, then who is that person?"

Sister Hua: "Was it him who suppressed your formation in town that day?"

Luo Xiaoyu: "It's him."

Sister Hua: "Xiaoyu, don't be discouraged."

Luo Xiaoyu: "It's not that I'm discouraged, but I'm no match for him in terms of formations. So I'm counting on you, Sister Hua, to kill all four of his men by yourself. Sister Hua, can you do that?"

Sister Hua: "I..."

Luo Xiaoyu: "Come on, let's vent our frustrations together."

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and touched the divine deer; it was very soft and comfortable.

It is truly beautiful.

If you could keep it in your garden, opening the window in the morning and seeing it would feel like stepping into a fairytale.

Li Zhuiyuan looked at A Li.

The girl did not react.

An ordinary girl would find it hard to resist the allure of this divine deer, but Ah Li clearly doesn't have any fairy tale complex.

Ah Li didn't have many dolls or teddy bears. Compared to hugging those things to feel safe, she preferred to hug the wooden tablet and the paper flower roll.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around, faced the crowd, and said:

"This deer will be fully grown in less than half a day, at which point its effects will reach their peak."

The Lu Family Village has prepared a deer-sharing feast, so we shouldn't disappoint their hospitality.

Please take a moment to clean this place up.

At dawn, at noon, the banquet began precisely on time.

No one objected.

The cleaning and tidying work has begun; some are burying the bodies, while others are washing the floors.

At dawn, Li Zhuiyuan entered the Lu Family Ancestral Hall, stepping over the scattered memorial tablets, and entered the secret room.

A beam of light refracted in from outside.

It was Feng Xionglin, peeking his head in from the entrance of the ancestral hall.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around and nodded to Runsheng, who was guarding the door.

Runsheng stepped aside to let the other person in.

As Feng Xionglin walked in, he looked around at the surroundings.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You came in here?"

Feng Xionglin: No, this is my first time here, but I've heard Xu Mofan describe the environment here. He lay there for a long time, as a protector.

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, did you find it?"

Feng Xionglin: "Ah, what did you find?"

Li Zhuiyuan pointed to the white, human-shaped marks on the chair inside: "These are the instructions. If you want a mule to work the millstone, you have to feed it well first."

Lujiazhuang must have recently received a substantial amount of resources.

Feng Xionglin wiped the cold sweat from his bald head and said, "The location of this treasury is quite well hidden. It's not here, but in the middle of the cliff. As soon as I found it, I rushed over to tell you, wanting to give you a surprise, hehe."

Li Zhuiyuan saw Zhao Yi's shadow in this bald man.

However, the two of them are still somewhat different.

Although both possess extreme cunning, Zhao Yi has a touch of romanticism deep down.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You should go find someone who knows how to solve the array formation in the treasury. I won't go. I'm not skilled enough, and it's not convenient for me to go to the cliff."

Feng Xionglin: "Okay, okay."

In terms of formations, Feng Xionglin was rather rough and didn't want to break down the door by force and cause a commotion. He originally wanted to ask the young man to break the formation, and after the young man had chosen what he needed, the rest would be his.

But the boy meant that he still didn't want the resources in the treasury; everyone should share them equally.

Although this would dilute his share many times over, Feng Xionglin had to admit that he was young and impetuous.

Feng Xionglin left to call for help.

He first stood at the entrance of the ancestral hall and shouted that the young man had calculated the location of the Lu Family Manor's treasury and asked him to call a few array masters to break the array and then call a group of warriors to move the goods.

Lin Shuyou winked at Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin: "You have to give up something to gain something. We won't take a single thing from this manor, but the best things in the Living Valley Hell will automatically belong to us."

As the sun rose higher and approached noon, the feast was laid out.

Tablecloths were laid out on the round tables, and everyone took their seats.

There was no distinction made between those who lit the lamps and their followers, because someone like Luo Xiaoyu would feel uneasy sitting with a group of martial artists or swordsmen.

Li Zhuiyuan had previously promised to take responsibility for everyone's injury treatment.

However, because the internal fighting and competition were eliminated, and the attack was only directed at the Lu Family Village, everyone's condition was generally well maintained, and some injuries could be handled and resolved internally.

Conversely, Li Zhuiyuan did indeed provide the best medical care.

The head chef for the banquet was Zhu Yiwen.

Although his taste is unique, his culinary skills are beyond question.

He had already prepared the feast, and all the ingredients were readily available.

Some people are worried and are keeping a close eye on him, not because they're afraid he'll poison someone, but because they're afraid he'll add his own ulterior motives.

Wang Lin took the initiative to approach Li Zhuiyuan and said, "Let's all share that deer head of mine. It's all thanks to everyone."

Li Zhuiyuan: "What's yours is yours, follow the rules."

Wang Lin: "Alright then."

Feng Xionglin led his men to move the items out of the Lu Family Manor's storeroom and place them in the banquet hall.

There are many good things here; it's a grand gesture. Even the least valuable items are worthy of being called "heavenly treasures."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Everyone works as a team, each taking what they need. If there are any conflicts, we will compensate and adjust the situation internally."

Everyone rose from their seats and began making their selections.

They took the items in batches, one by one. Even when there were universally acknowledged top-quality items, they were all quite modest. The person who got the last item would also offer to compensate them by bringing something from their own cave after this wave was over.

What used to be a fight to the death was now as harmonious as a small market practice class organized by the school, with everyone being very polite and well-mannered.

Not everyone is truly convinced. In fact, everyone knows that if this atmosphere continues, it's equivalent to constantly bowing down to that person.

In this environment, no one will be the one to stick their neck out.

After sorting and preparing the ingredients, Zhu Yiwen sharpened the two kitchen knives in his hand and said:
"The auspicious time has arrived."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Then let's begin."

Zhu Yiwen: "Okay."

With a single stroke, Zhu Yiwen chopped off the deer's head, then placed it on a plate and delivered it to Li Zhuiyuan's table.

Li Zhuiyuan looked down at Wang Lin, who was sitting below:
"Come and get it."

Wang Lin walked along the river alone and personally left his seat to retrieve it.

The chubby boy didn't say anything more about sharing the deer head with everyone. He could have said that privately before, but not now. This was not only because he was now the object of Xi Mu Li Xin's affections, but also because he couldn't compete with the boy to show off his generosity.

Other parts of venison require cooking time, but venison blood is readily available. The key is freshness. In some local areas, there is also a custom of eating raw blood, aiming for tenderness.

Under Zhu Yiwen's command, bowls of deer blood were continuously served, still in teams, regardless of the number of people, with each team's lamplighter deciding how to distribute it. The distribution of the meat chunks, broth, and fur followed the same method.

Only at Li Zhuiyuan's place was there only home-cooked food on the table, and no one from his team had shared the previous resources.

The divine deer was very effective. Many people drank its blood and ate its flesh, and even those who only drank a bowl of meat soup started to have white smoke rising from their heads.

But everyone was holding back, refusing to leave their seats to digest and absorb the information, all waiting for an answer.

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, and the banquet hall immediately fell silent.

"From the current perspective, Lujiazhuang is not the true destination of this wave; we have taken the wrong path."

The young man picked up the wine bowl, poured it onto the ground, and said:

"I'm sorry, there was a mistake."

The others below followed suit and spilled their drinks on the ground.

Whether it's right or wrong, everyone knows the answer, but now that people are killing and eating deer, so what if it's wrong?

Li Zhuiyuan: "The path of righteousness is full of hardships and difficulties, and it is inevitable that we will go astray. But we must not be discouraged by this, and we must remain steadfast and forge ahead."

Only in this way can we comfort the spirits of the Lu family in heaven. Even if it becomes the price of trial and error, or the cost of upholding the right path, they should still be extremely gratified and able to rest in peace.

I was the first to arrive, and it was my fault for not being able to spot the mistake in time and for failing to guide everyone properly.

Here, I hope everyone will give me a chance to make amends and redeem myself.

Let me lead you to the source of this calamity that the will of Heaven truly wants us to eliminate—the Valley of Living People—so that this so-called little hell may return to the human realm!

"As it should be!"

"As it should be!"

"Let's go together!"

Now that everyone is seated, they have already accepted this outcome and are cooperating in completing the process.

Soon, the banquet hall became completely silent.

All eyes were on the boy. The flag had been raised and the alliance for this wave had been formed. Shouldn't the announcement of what everyone was most concerned about be made now?

Although they could ask themselves whether revealing their identities now would affect the continuation of the situation, the tea at the tea stall had already whetted the appetites of many in the wolf pack.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you for your trust and for giving me the opportunity to make amends. But since I made a mistake before, I have to be responsible for it. We can't just let the Lu family off the hook because they are so righteous."

"Regarding the events at Lu Family Manor, all the causes, consequences, and responsibilities, as well as the damage to my reputation, I alone shall bear the burden. I should plead guilty and accept the accountability of the martial arts world."

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on Xu Mofan.

Xu Mofan flipped his palm, and the cloth bag in the arms of the maid beside him flew out. The spear combined in the air and flew forward.

Zhu Yiwen lifted Lu Jiu's head and tossed it upwards.

The spear tip pierced his head, while the butt of the spear stood upright on the table.

Li Zhuiyuan walked up to the gun and looked at Lu Jiu's head on it.

According to Aunt Liu's account book, the burn wound on Uncle Qin's back should have been caused by him.

Li Zhuiyuan began to bow to Lu Jiu's severed head.

Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing were the first to stand up, and said in unison, "Qin..."

Soon, many people below also recognized him.

"This is a gift from the Qin family..."

"The Qin family still has members... Ah, thank goodness, the lineage of the Dragon King Qin has not been severed!"

"In this generation of the Qin family, someone actually went across the river with a lantern as early as this?"

The white-robed monk clasped his hands together and said, "May Buddha have mercy."

After Li Zhuiyuan finished performing the Qin family's rites, everyone below waited for Li Zhuiyuan to turn around and face them so that they could perform their own sect's rites in return.

Tao Zhuming and Ling Wuxing had already prepared their stances. As inheritors of the Dragon King's lineage, they were well aware of what the Qin family's reappearance on the river meant.

Xu Mofan picked up a bowl of wine and drank it all in one gulp. Now, he completely understood his uncle's attitude towards the boy when he was in Luoyang.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that he had actually lost in the art of spear fighting to a member of the Qin family who hadn't even practiced martial arts.

Luo Xiaoyu hugged Sister Hua: "Qin family, sister, my formation was lost to the Qin family..."

After Qin Jiamen finished his greetings, Li Zhuiyuan did not stop and continued to perform the greetings.

The entire banquet hall immediately fell silent after this action, which had previously been abuzz with excitement.

Tao Zhuming: "Qin Liu Shuang Men Ting..."

Command Five Elements: "One shoulder carries two doors..."

In the martial arts world, everyone knows about the marriage between Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu back then, and everyone also knows that the current Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu rely entirely on the former eldest daughter of the Liu family, who is also the young mistress of the Qin family, to maintain their facade.

Therefore, when Li Zhuiyuan performed the rites of greeting to both families, it meant one thing: the old lady had entrusted the inheritance of both Dragon King families to one person.

White-robed monk: "My Buddha...is merciful?"

Luo Xiaoyu wiped his snot on Sister Hua's clothes and said, "I feel much better now."

Xu Mofan was completely relieved, a smile on his lips, and drank another glass of wine.

Everyone present knew that this news would soon spread throughout the martial arts world. Whether it was the Qin family or the Liu family, the emergence of a successor on the river would be a major event that would shake the martial arts world. Not to mention, this time, a successor from two different families had emerged.

What's even more crucial is that the reason these people were willing to sit down and eat at the banquet was because they tacitly acknowledged the other party's high position. They are not all those currently on the river, but they are definitely a very good microcosm of the situation.

After decades of decline, two Dragon King clans have seen new successors emerge, and these successors have already shown signs of suppressing their peers and vying for the Dragon King's throne.

The strings on the zither on the woman's back, influenced by her thoughts, emitted a resounding sound, like a melody of breaking through an enemy formation, or the music of battle.

This also stirred the hearts of everyone present. With the emergence of a new Dragon King from the two long-dormant Dragon King clans, the martial arts world would inevitably undergo a reshuffling.

Some people looked uneasy, while others looked excited.

Tao Zhuming: "Among his peers, who has a higher status than him?"

Ling Wuxing said, "Even if we take Qin Liu as an example, it would be difficult to compare with him."

Li Zhuiyuan took two steps back, looking at Lu Jiu's head on the tip of the spear.

He raised his voice:
"Justice exists in the world, and justice resides in the hearts of the people."

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor.

today,

Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu are the current family head—Li Zhuiyuan.

The Lu family village will be held accountable...

"Let's punish the martial world!"

(End of this chapter)