Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 507 The Oriole Awaits: The Power of the Nine Li

Fu Changsheng was secretly delighted, but he didn't show it on his face; he simply thought to himself:
"Redeem for a special lottery draw."

In an instant.

A dazzling panel appeared in his mind, divided into countless tiny grids, each grid shimmering with different phantom images of treasures—an ancient alchemy cauldron, a sharp flying sword, a mysterious talisman, and even several demonic beast eggs radiating powerful energy.

The panel is spinning rapidly.

As the yellow light on the panel faded, an ancient box appeared in his storage bag, and his divine sense entered it.

Fu Changsheng let out a soft "Eh":
"It's a token?!"

This bronze token, about the size of a palm, has a ferocious three-headed, six-armed deity carved on the front, while the back is covered with densely packed tadpole-like characters, exuding an ancient and weathered aura.

Just wondering.

A familiar voice echoed in my mind.

"Ding--"

"Obtain one [Witch God Token], which can unlock the Witch Clan's secret treasure."

The Secret Treasure of the Witch Clan?

What a coincidence that this special lottery draw happened so coincidentally.

According to intelligence reports, there is a ruin of a witch temple ahead.

Fu Changsheng raised an eyebrow; this was an unexpected delight. He subtly withdrew his divine sense from the storage bag and turned to look at Fu Yongyao, who was communicating with Han Xiao.

"Father, Hanxiao said there are many good things in its cave." Fu Yongyao's little face was very excited, and the rhinoceros totem on his wrist glowed slightly. "Most importantly, it knows the exact location of the Witch God Temple!"

Upon hearing this, Master Yu's cloudy old eyes immediately lit up: "The Temple of the Witch God? Is that the legendary temple that holds the inheritance of the ancient witch clan?"

Hanxiao growled, "Master, the Temple of the Witch God opens once every hundred years, and judging by the time, it will be in a month. However," it hesitated for a moment, "a group of people recently entered the Frozen Valley before us, and it seems they are also after the Temple of the Witch God."

what?
Fu Changsheng was startled; he hadn't expected that there were other entrances to this secret realm.

Fu Changsheng frowned slightly: "Do you know who it is?"

Han Xiao shook his massive head: "They have an aura that I find repulsive, like the smell of Gu worms."

"Miao Jiang Gu cultivators?" Master Yu took a swig of wine, his face grave. "This is troublesome. Those who play with insects are the most troublesome."

Fu Changsheng pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Hanxiao, where is the cave you mentioned earlier? Let's rest there first, and then discuss this further."

Led by Han Xiao, the group arrived at an ice cave deep within the Frozen Valley. The entrance was hidden by a thick curtain of ice, making it nearly impossible to spot without guidance. After passing through a winding passage, the view suddenly opened up—a spacious cavern appeared before them, its walls inlaid with glowing blue crystals, and in the center a pool of icy spring water.

"Frosty Marrow Spirit Spring!" Master Yu exclaimed, rushing to the spring and scooping up a handful. "What a treasure! This is a top-grade material for refining ice-type magic weapons!"

Hanxiao smugly flicked its tail: "This is nothing, all my collection is over there." It pointed to a corner of the cave with its horn.

Fu Changsheng walked over and saw a pile of messy items on the ice platform: several spiritual herbs emitting cold air, several pieces of ore shimmering with starlight, a broken bronze compass, and a bead emitting an eerie green light.

"This is..." Fu Changyao was about to take the green bead when he suddenly felt a pang of fear. The Lotus Lantern automatically protected its owner, emitting a dazzling blue light.

Han Xiao hurriedly said, "Master, be careful! That is the 'Frost Soul Pearl' that I obtained from the outer perimeter of the Witch God Temple. It contains a fragmented witch soul, and it took me a hundred years to barely refine thirty percent of its power."

Fu Changsheng nodded thoughtfully, then picked up the broken bronze compass. The compass surface was covered with fine cracks, but the central pointer was strangely spinning on its own, occasionally pointing in a certain direction outside the cave.

"Huh?" Master Yu leaned closer, his breath reeking of alcohol, and sprayed Fu Changsheng's face. "This thing... looks like a replica of the 'Dragon-Seeking Compass'!"

"Dragon Hunting Plate?"

"It's a magical artifact specifically used to find dragon veins and secret realms." Master Yu rubbed his hands together. "Although it's damaged, if it can be repaired, it might come in very handy."

Fu Changsheng put the compass into his sleeve and then checked the other items. Those few spiritual herbs were the main ingredients for refining ice-type pills, while the starlight ore was the rare "cold star iron," an excellent material for refining flying swords.

"A good haul." Fu Changsheng nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Han Xiao, "You just said the Witch God Temple will open in a month. Do you know the exact time?"

Hanxiao lay prostrate on the ground, its enormous body almost taking up half of the cave: "Every year on the night of the full moon, at the third quarter of the hour of midnight, the restrictions on the main gate of the temple will weaken. But," it hesitated for a moment, "the temple has powerful restrictions. My parents went in before and never came out again."

Speaking of the back.

Han Xiao's voice was full of sadness.

Fu Yongyao reached out and stroked its head, saying softly, "Xiao Han, you'll be with us from now on. And with the opening of the Witch God Temple this time, we might be able to find your parents inside."

Han Xiao's eyes lit up.

Fu Changsheng's eyes gleamed. "Since others have also set their sights on the Temple of the Witch God, why don't we play the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"

Master Yu's eyes lit up: "You mean, let those Miao Jiang Gu cultivators go and be cannon fodder first?"

Fu Changsheng nodded.

...

...

Ice Valley.

The stone steps wound upwards, each one engraved with ancient witch runes. Miao Qingluo stepped barefoot across them, the silver bells jingling softly, creating ripples in the darkness. Meng Yan followed closely behind, the blue witch runes faintly glowing beneath his skin.

"The real Temple of the Witch God is just ahead." Miao Qingluo suddenly stopped, the tip of her silver hairpin pointing to the end of the stone steps—two massive bronze doors stood majestically, with a relief of a nine-headed python coiled on them, its eighteen eyes inlaid with emerald green gems.

Meng Yan's muscles tensed abruptly: "There's something there!"

“Click.”

The clicking sounds of mechanisms coming from all directions. The space in front of the bronze door suddenly distorted, and a puppet clad in black iron armor slowly materialized. It was two zhang tall, with a bronze Nuo mask on its face and scarlet flames dancing in its eye sockets. Seven bone bells hung at its waist, and it held a bronze battle axe in its left hand and a talisman wreathed in purple light in its right.

"A fake Infant Realm puppet!" Meng Yan gasped. "What it's holding is..."

“A Nascent Soul talisman.” Miao Qingluo narrowed her eyes. “And that axe—the ancient witch treasure, the ‘Soul-Splitting Axe.’”

Suddenly, the shamanic mask cracked open, revealing its fangs and emitting a piercing shriek.

The seven bone bells moved automatically without wind.

Countless black insect phantoms surged out of the bone bell, transforming into a swarm of insects that blotted out the sky.

Meng Yan roared, his body covered in magical runes that shone like blue flames, and fine scales appeared on his skin. But the black insects pierced through his defenses and burrowed into his seven orifices!
"Ah!" Meng Yan roared as he knelt on the ground, blood spurting from the corner of his eye.

Miao Qingluo shook her silver bells rapidly, nine silver lights swirling around her like swimming fish. She bit her fingertip and drew a blood talisman in the air: "With blood as the guide, may the Witch God protect me!"

The blood talisman exploded into a shower of silver stars, dissolving the black insects wherever it touched. Seeing this, the witch puppet's Soul-Splitting Axe suddenly emitted a blinding blue light:

"Mountain-Splitting, Heaven-Opening Slash!"

The axe light transformed into a hundred-foot-long blue rainbow, causing the entire cave to tremble.

boom!
Miao Qingluo grabbed Meng Yan and retreated swiftly. The rock wall where they had been standing was cleaved into a bottomless ravine, and the rubble was pulverized by the axe's energy before it even hit the ground.

"Cough, cough." Meng Yan spat out a mouthful of black blood. "The Holy Maiden goes first, I'll cover the rear!"

He made hand seals, and as the incantation was recited, the witch runes lit up one by one.

"Blood Burning Secret Technique?!" Miao Qingluo's expression finally changed. "Are you crazy?"

Blood seeped from every pore of Meng Yan's body, yet his aura surged: "Someone has to open this door." He grinned, drawing his spine, which transformed into a blood-red spear. "Take care of the Miao village for me."

The puppet seemed to sense the threat, and the purple talisman rose into the air. The Nascent Soul talisman unfolded with a "boom," transforming into three thousand burning chains that sealed off all escape routes.

"You beast, you're asking for death!"

Meng Yan roared and charged forward, his blood spear colliding with the chains and exploding into blinding sparks.

Miao Qingluo's eyes turned cold. She released the silver hairpin, which transformed into a giant silver-scaled python in the air and coiled around the Soul-Splitting Axe. She formed hand seals, and a nine-headed serpent totem appeared between her brows.

hum!
The silver python suddenly tightened its grip.

The axe handle snapped.

Just as Wu Kui was about to activate the talisman, he saw Miao Qingluo suddenly appear in front of him, her jade hand like a knife piercing his chest!
"Pfft——"

The moment her five fingers gripped the puppet's core, she parted her lips slightly: "Devour."

The hydra totem suddenly came to life, burrowing into the puppet's body along her arm. The chains of the talisman suddenly froze, and the red flames beneath the Nuo mask trembled violently—it was in fear!
"boom!"

The puppet exploded from the inside, and the purple talisman fell to the ground, its color dim. Miao Qingluo shook the bronze fragments off her hands and turned to look at the dumbfounded Meng Yan.

"Let's go." Miao Qingluo picked up the fragments of the Soul-Splitting Axe and the purple talisman, and lazily tidied her hair.

The massive bronze gate opened silently, revealing a deep, dark passageway behind it. Her bare feet trod upon the ground, where ice crystals and snake-like flowers condensed.

Fu Changsheng and his group trudged through the thick snow, following the hidden path of the Frozen Valley. Han Xiao's massive body left deep footprints in the snow, and wherever his six feet trod, the ice trembled slightly, emitting a low hum.

"Master, there's a smell of blood ahead." The blue-faced white fox suddenly stopped, its ears twitching slightly as it sniffed the air.

Fu Changsheng's gaze sharpened, and he raised his hand to signal everyone to stop. He flicked his fingertips, and a wisp of chaotic energy transformed into an invisible wind, dispelling the snow mist that filled the air ahead.

—Scattered on the snow were pieces of torn black cloth and… a shriveled corpse.

“This is…” Master Yu squatted down, poked at the remains of the corpse with his wine gourd, his brows furrowed, “The flesh and blood are withered, the bones are broken, it’s as if something has drained its life force.”

Fu Yongyao stepped forward, his fingertips lightly touching the blue patterns remaining on the corpse's chest. His silver eyes flickered slightly: "These are Miao witchcraft patterns, and... this is the attire of a high priest."

"People from Miao territory?" Fu Changsheng's eyes darkened, and he immediately thought of the "Gu cultivators" that Han Xiao had mentioned earlier.

Hanxiao let out a low growl, pointing his horn not far away: "Master, there are still signs of battle over there."

The crowd looked in the direction they were looking and saw a mess on the snow – broken ice spikes, scorched ground, and even a few scattered copper coins covered with strange runes.

"Soul-capturing copper coins?" Qiu Niang picked one up, and the moment her fingertips touched it, the copper coin "hissed" and vanished into black ash. "As expected of Miao methods!"

Fu Changsheng's gaze swept across the surroundings, finally settling on the serpentine mountain peak in the distance. A crack appeared in the mountain wall, revealing the vague outline of a giant bronze gate.

"The entrance to the Temple of the Witch God," he said in a deep voice. "It seems someone got there before us."

Master Yu took a swig of wine and chuckled, "Isn't this perfect? ​​Let them scout ahead first, and we'll reap the benefits."

Fu Changsheng nodded slightly and took out the [Witch God Token]. The bronze token felt slightly warm in his palm, and the tadpole-shaped characters on the back glowed with a faint light, seemingly echoing the distant temple.

"Hanxiao, lead the way."

Hanxiao roared in response, his six legs treading on the snow, leading the group toward the crevice in the mountain wall. The closer they got, the lower the surrounding temperature became, and their exhaled breath instantly condensed into ice crystals that fell to the ground.

Just as he was about to step into the crevice, Fu Changsheng suddenly raised his hand and shouted, "Stop!"

Everyone immediately went on alert.

At the entrance to the crack, the ground was covered with clusters of...ice crystal snake flowers.

“This is…” Fu Yongyao’s pupils contracted slightly, “The Witch Clan’s secret technique, ‘Ice Serpent Seal’!”

Qiu Niang crouched down, her fingertips lightly touching the petals, instantly feeling the chill seep into her skin, which was covered with a thin layer of ice. She hissed as she withdrew her hand, and only the ignition of foxfire dispelled the cold.

"What a domineering chill!"

Fu Changsheng's gaze turned grave: "It seems the person who went in is no ordinary person." He turned to look at Han Xiao, "Are there any other entrances inside the temple?"

Han Xiao pondered for a moment, then his unicorn suddenly glowed faintly: "Master, there is an underground river behind the temple, which my parents discovered back then. Perhaps it can bypass the main gate's restrictions."

"go!"

The group circled around to the back of the mountain and, sure enough, discovered a dark waterway beneath the ice. Hanxiao let out a low roar, and a beam of cold light shot out from its horn. The ice surface cracked open with a "crack," revealing the pitch-black passage.

Fu Changsheng leaped in first, the Lotus Lantern hovering above his head, its blue light illuminating the path ahead. The waterway was narrow, its ice walls on either side covered with ancient murals—giant serpents coiled around heaven and earth, and people kneeling in worship.

“These murals…” Master Yu squinted, “do they record the history of the Wu tribe?”

Fu Changsheng did not answer, because he suddenly sensed a subtle fluctuation of spiritual energy coming from ahead.

—There's a fight going on!

"Conceal your presence and sneak over!"

The group withdrew their spiritual energy and moved forward quietly. At the end of the waterway, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a huge ice cave.

An altar stands in the center.

There is an ancient and mysterious stone gate on the altar.

Beyond the stone gate lies the true legacy of the Witch God Temple!
And below the altar—

Miao Qingluo's silver hair flew wildly, and the silver bell in her hand transformed into a giant python as she fought fiercely against a bronze statue with three heads and six arms!
Meng Yan knelt on the ground, his chest dripping with blood, yet he still gritted his teeth and activated his witch runes, attempting to assist.

"They really are from the Northern Frontier!" Qiu Niang whispered.

Fu Changsheng's gaze was cold and stern. He raised his hand, signaling everyone to remain still.

—The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Now, all we need to do is wait for the perfect moment!
The battle on the other side has reached a fever pitch.

The bronze statue had three heads and six arms, wielding different magical weapons, and each swing caused spatial tremors. Miao Qingluo's giant silver bell python was shattered by an axe. She retreated rapidly, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her lips, but her expression remained indifferent.

"Holy Maiden!" Meng Yan roared, forcefully activating the remaining witch power within his body. The blue patterns around his body lit up as if burning, transforming into a blood-red battle axe that cleaved towards the statue.

"clang--!"

One of the statue's arms rose up, and it actually caught the battle axe with its palm. Sparks flew, Meng Yan's tiger's mouth split open, and he was blasted several feet away by the recoil, crashing heavily onto the ice wall.

“A dying struggle.” Miao Qingluo murmured, her fingertip tracing the silver bell, blood seeping into its body, instantly causing it to shine brightly. She looked up at the statue, a cold smile curving her lips, “However, I’ve had enough.”

Before she finished speaking, her figure suddenly became ethereal, and the next moment she appeared directly on the top of the statue's head. She pointed the silver bell at the top of its head and whispered, "Devour."

"Om-!"

The silver bells trembled, the statue suddenly froze, countless cracks appeared on its surface, and a cracking sound came from inside.

"boom!!!"

Suddenly, a crack appeared in the head of the bronze statue, and Miao Qingluo's pupils contracted sharply. She instinctively tried to pull away, but found that Yinling was firmly imprisoned in the top of the statue by a strange suction force.

"Holy Maiden, be careful!" Meng Yan exclaimed.

The three-headed, six-armed statue suddenly grinned maliciously, and all six magical artifacts simultaneously emitted a blinding blood-red light. The two uppermost arms gripped Miao Qingluo's shoulders with lightning speed, their sharp bronze nails digging deeply into her snow-white skin.

"Ugh!"

Miao Qingluo let out a muffled groan, the blood spilling from the corner of her lips gleaming eerily in the moonlight. She gritted her teeth, and the silver hairpin in her hair suddenly transformed into a stream of light, piercing towards the statue's brow.

"clang!"

The bone shield of the statue's third arm blocked the attack precisely, while the bronze battle axe held in its fourth hand swept towards her waist and abdomen!

At the critical moment, a figure covered in blue veins suddenly slammed into Miao Qingluo.

"Pfft!"

The battle axe cleaved deep into Meng Yan's back, with half of the blade protruding from his chest. His bronze face turned deathly pale instantly, yet he still clung tightly to the statue's arm.

Miao Qingluo fell to the ground, her silver gauze dress soaked in blood.

"Roar"

The statue emitted an angry roar, its remaining arms pounding furiously against Meng Yan. The sound of bones cracking was incessant, yet the two arms, with bulging veins, remained as still as iron hoops.

"You're asking for death." Miao Qingluo was about to fight back.

"We must get back alive!" Upon seeing this, Meng Yan roared, his body trembling violently, and a hydra totem suddenly appeared on his shattered chest. He turned to look at Miao Qingluo, a relieved smile tugging at the corner of his bloodied mouth.

"boom--!!!"

A dazzling blue light engulfed the entire cave.

In the violent shockwave, Miao Qingluo was thrown back by the blast and slammed her back heavily against the ice wall.

Mengyan perished along with the statue.

When the smoke and dust cleared, only a huge crater ten feet in diameter remained on the ground. Fragments of Meng Yan's bone shield were deeply embedded in the ice, covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

The saintess murmured something to herself, then stood up and walked toward the stone door on the altar. Now all she had to do was open the stone door to obtain the inheritance of the Witch God Temple.

Just as Miao Qingluo's fingertips were about to touch the stone door, a sinister laugh suddenly came from behind her:
"Your Holiness, why the haste?"

Miao Qingluo's pupils constricted sharply, and her figure instantly shifted three zhang to the side. Where she had stood, a cloud of black mist exploded, corroding a pit over ten feet deep into the ice. "Chi Gu?" Miao Qingluo's silver eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the withered old man who emerged from the shadows. "You really didn't die."

High Priest Chi Gu lifted his hood, revealing a face covered in the patterns of Gu worms. He grinned sinisterly and moved his neck, the writhing Gu worms beneath his skin making a chilling rustling sound.

"Thanks to the Holy Maiden's attack, I was able to escape unscathed." Chi Gu opened his palm, revealing a golden Gu worm that was spitting out blood mist. "This body was refined using a Golden Silkworm Gu with three hundred years of cultivation."

Miao Qingluo suddenly chuckled, her blood-stained silver veil fluttering in the cold wind: "The High Priest certainly knows how to spare no expense."

She leaned seemingly languidly against the icicle, but a silver rune quietly materialized at her fingertips. Chi Gu's turbid eyes darted around, and suddenly he launched an attack!

Countless black insects spewed from Chi Gu's seven orifices, condensing in the air to form a hideous demonic face. At the same time, his withered hand, like an eagle's claw, reached for the stone door—

"boom!"

Miao Qingluo's figure flashed like a ghost, and with a whip kick, she sent Chi Gu flying. The old man twisted strangely in the air, and seven dark lights shot out from his sleeves.

"Ding ding ding!"

The silver hairpin collided with the Gu worm, exploding into dazzling sparks. Miao Qingluo suddenly groaned, looking down to see a transparent Gu worm clinging to her calf, frantically sucking her essence blood.

"Hahaha," Chi Gu landed at the other end of the altar, "The Holy Maiden is still too young."

Before she finished speaking, Miao Qingluo directly pointed her fingers like a knife and ripped out the piece of flesh that was parasitized by the Gu worm!
The blood froze into ice crystals before it even hit the ground, but her pale face showed no sign of pain: "High Priest, have you forgotten that this holy maiden hates insects the most?"

Chi Gu's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly formed a hand seal. Miao Qingluo's blood-stained fingertips drew a mysterious trajectory in the air, and the scattered blood droplets suddenly transformed into a sky full of silver needles!
"Swish swish——"

Chi Gu dodged hastily, but was still pierced through the shoulder by three silver needles. The cold air attached to the needles instantly froze the wound, covering his entire arm with frost.

Just as the two were locked in a stalemate, a beam of blue light suddenly shone from the side of the altar.

"The Witch God's Decree?!" Chi Gu exclaimed in shock.

Fu Changsheng arrived, holding a bronze token. The three-headed, six-armed deity on the token was exactly the same as the one on the stone gate.

"Thank you both for clearing the way." Fu Changsheng smiled slightly at the battle group, and suddenly a beam of green light shot out from the token in his hand and disappeared into the stone gate.

"Rumble--"

The stone gate, sealed for millennia, slowly opened, revealing a passage shimmering with starlight. Chi Gu, his eyes blazing with fury, disregarded his injuries and charged forward: "How dare you, you brat!"

A cold glint flashed in Miao Qingluo's eyes, and the silver bell suddenly shattered. Countless silver light spots formed a cage, temporarily trapping Chi Gu, while she herself transformed into a stream of light and rushed towards the stone gate.

"Go!" Fu Changsheng instantly disappeared into the starlight tunnel.

Almost simultaneously, the silver cage shattered with a deafening roar. Chi Gu, covered in Gu worms, charged into the stone gate like a madman. Miao Qingluo snorted coldly and also slipped inside.

"boom!"

The stone gate was tightly shut.

"Father!"

Fu Yongyao, who was originally hiding in the shadows, instinctively rushed forward, but was gently bounced back by an invisible barrier.

Master Yu patted her shoulder, his wine gourd dangling at his waist: "Don't worry, girl. Your father has the Witch God's Token; you'll be fine going in."

“But…” Fu Yongyao clenched the rhinoceros totem on his wrist, the phantom of Han Xiao flickering in his palm, “that Miao woman and the high priest both went in.”

"Heh heh, when has your father ever suffered a loss?" Master Yu took a swig of wine, his cloudy old eyes scanning the surrounding ice walls. "Before he entered, he sent me a message saying that this Witch God Temple recognizes orders, not people. Why don't we take this opportunity," he lowered his voice, "to find the whereabouts of Hanxiao's parents."

The six-legged creature pawed restlessly at the ice, its single horn flashing intermittently. Suddenly, it turned to the right of the altar, its horn emitting a dazzling blue light. "Over there!"

Deep within the ice cave, two enormous black shadows could be vaguely seen amidst clusters of dark blue crystals. As they drew closer, the two six-legged ice rhinoceroses, each twice the size of Han Xiao, gradually became clearer—they were encased in transparent black ice, their auras so faint as to be almost imperceptible, and their ice-crystal-covered horns had lost their luster.

"Father! Mother!" Hanxiao roared in anguish, the blue light shooting from his horn refracting into dazzling spots on the surface of the ice.

Fu Yongyao lightly touched the ice, and his fingertips were immediately covered with a layer of white frost: "Their vitality is almost completely extinguished."

Woohoo!

Han Xiao was pacing anxiously in circles.

"Xiao Han, don't worry, I will bring your parents back to life," Fu Yongyao said, forming hand seals. Suddenly, a shimmering green light emanated from her body, and a blue lotus mark appeared between her brows. Upon seeing this, Han Xiao immediately pressed his unicorn against the ice.

"Click, click"

Fine cracks spread across the surface of the ice. The moment the ice shattered, the two massive rhinoceroses collapsed to the ground with a thud, pale blue blood seeping from their wounds, their breaths as faint as candles flickering in the wind.

"Waaah!"

At this moment, Han Xiao cried like a helpless child.

Fu Yongyao leaped forward, placing her hands on the foreheads of the two cold rhinoceroses. The blue lotus mark between her brows shone brightly, and countless tiny blue light spots fell like spring rain. The blue blood from the wounds of the cold rhinoceroses began to flow back, and the broken horns gradually healed.

But her face grew paler and paler, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth. Seeing this, Master Yu immediately slapped the Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Talisman on her back: "Girl, don't push yourself!"

"I'm fine," Fu Yongyao gritted her teeth, the green light around her growing even brighter. Suddenly, she spat out a mouthful of blood essence, the blood mist transforming into a crimson lotus in the air, slowly merging into the bodies of the two cold rhinoceroses.

"Buzz——"

The two rhinoceroses opened their eyes simultaneously, blue flames rekindling in their pupils. They struggled to prop themselves up on their forelimbs, nuzzled Fu Yongyao affectionately, and licked away the blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Father, mother!"

Han Xiao excitedly rushed forward, and the three giant beasts' horns touched, bursting out a dazzling blue and white halo.

Just now.

Suddenly, a ray of golden light shone through the tightly closed stone door.

Master Yu squinted and saw a phantom image of a three-headed, six-armed deity, exactly like the one on the Witch God's Decree, appear on the surface of the stone gate.

"It seems your father's progress is going well," the old Taoist priest stroked his beard and chuckled. "He's probably obtained the inheritance of the Witch God Temple!"

the other side.

The two rhinoceroses slowly stood up. Although they were still somewhat weak, their eyes had regained their luster.

Han Xiao's parents exchanged a glance, then suddenly opened their mouths simultaneously, spitting out a crystal-clear ice pearl. The pearl floated in front of Fu Yongyao, emitting a heart-palpitating aura.

"This is... the Frost Marrow Ice Soul Pearl?" Master Yu's drunken eyes widened suddenly, almost dropping his wine gourd. "A legendary treasure capable of withstanding Nascent Soul lightning tribulations!"

Han Xiao's father's deep voice rang out: "Little girl, this is what my husband and I obtained after surviving a near-death experience in the far north." He lightly touched the pearl with his horn, and countless mysterious patterns immediately appeared on the surface of the ice crystal. "We originally intended to leave it for this boy to use during his tribulation."

"Father!" Hanxiao flicked its tail in dissatisfaction. "Do I, a dignified six-legged cold rhinoceros, need to rely on external objects to overcome my tribulation?" Although it said this, its eyes were fixed on the precious pearl, clearly reluctant to part with it.

Hanxiao's mother gently nudged Fu Yongyao with her nose: "You saved our lives, this karmic debt must be settled." She turned and glared at Hanxiao, "Besides, with your constant sharp tongue, do you even deserve such a powerful magic weapon?"

"Me, sharp-tongued?" Hanxiao kicked wildly, its single horn gleaming with blue light in anger. "Isn't it just because of you! Last time you called me stupid as a block of ice!"

"You brat, are you asking for a beating?" Hanxiao's mother pretended to kick it.

Fu Yongyao chuckled and took the pearl from her hand. "Thank you, Uncle and Aunt." She turned to Han Xiao and winked. "Don't worry, I'll lend it to you when you undergo your tribulation."

"Who, who wants to borrow it!" Hanxiao turned his head away, but the tip of his tail wagged unconsciously.

Master Yu took a swig of wine and laughed heartily, "That's good, Yaoyao, you've got your tribulation-crossing item too."

Just then, the stone gate suddenly shook violently. Han Xiao's father's expression turned grim: "Oh no, the temple is about to collapse!" He swiftly shielded everyone beneath him, shouting, "Back off!"

The phantom image of the deity on the stone gate grew clearer and clearer, and the nine serpent heads simultaneously opened their scarlet eyes. The entire ice cave began to collapse, and countless ice spikes fell from the dome.

"Father is still inside!" Fu Yongyao anxiously tried to rush forward, but was stopped by Han Xiao with his unicorn horn.

“Don’t rush,” Master Yu said with certainty, “Your father is very shrewd; he won’t die. Let’s go first and destroy the entrance to that secret realm in the Northern Frontier, so that the people from the Northern Frontier can’t sneak in again.”

Hanxiao's father roared, his single horn emitting a blinding blue light: "Follow me! Those barbarians from the Northern Frontier came in from the ice fissure in the northwest corner!"

"Let's go!" Master Yu grabbed Fu Yongyao's sleeve and took another swig of wine.

Hanxiao's mother explained, "That barrier was originally a mark of our Hanxi clan's territory, inscribed with ancestral ice runes. We never expected that the people of the Northern Frontier would tamper with it using evil magic."

"arrive!"

Han Xiao's father suddenly stopped, his six feet carving deep marks on the ice. On the ice wall ahead, a three-zhang-long crack was slowly closing, its edges gleaming with an eerie blood-red light, as gruesome as a wound.

Fu Yongyao's silver eyes turned cold, and her slender fingers unconsciously clenched:
"It's a blood sacrifice barrier!"

Master Yu snorted coldly, slamming his cherished wine gourd heavily onto the ground, yet the gourd remained completely undamaged. A sharp glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes: "Yaoyao, set up the Four Symbols Demon-Sealing Formation! I will lead the formation!"

As he spoke, he pulled an ancient array plate from his tattered sleeve.

Without saying a word, Fu Yongyao waved her hand, and thirty-six blue array flags filed out of her storage bag.

The battle flags grew longer in the wind, transforming into three-foot-long banners that precisely embedded themselves in various parts of the ice, emitting a hissing sound. She formed hand seals, her fingertips swirling with azure light, tracing mysterious paths in the air:

"The Azure Dragon position is set!"

The nine battle flags in the east suddenly lit up with a brilliant blue light.

Watch me!

Master Yu suddenly became extremely serious, and the drunkenness on his face vanished completely.

His wide sleeves fluttered without wind, and eight purple-gold talismans flew out like swimming fish, arranging themselves in the air to form a Bagua pattern. The old Taoist bit his finger, and the blood congealed in the air without dissipating, drawing complex blood-red array patterns with his movements:
"Heaven and earth reverse, yin and yang are sealed!"

Each stroke of the brush caused a violent fluctuation in the surrounding spiritual energy.

The three members of the Han family roared simultaneously, and six single horns shot out beams of azure light as thick as bowls, perfectly merging with the formation.

"Give me the title!"

Master Yu's hair and beard bristled, and he roared like thunder.

Eight purple-gold talismans exploded simultaneously, transforming into eight purple chains that wrapped around the crack. The entire ice cave trembled violently, and ice crystals from the ceiling fell in a flurry. The blood-red barrier shattered like a broken mirror, and shrill screams echoed from the cracks.

Seizing the opportunity, Fu Yongyao quickly formed hand seals with her slender hands and unleashed a blue light spell.

The Four Symbols Array Flags burst forth with dazzling four-colored light, and the phantoms of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise hovered above the rift.

The chilling air exhaled by the Han family condensed into thick layers of black ice on the surface of the crack, completely solidifying it. As the last wisp of bloody light dissipated, the unwilling roars of the Northern Frontier cultivators could be faintly heard.

Mother Hanxiao nodded in satisfaction and gracefully flicked her tail: "This seal combines the primordial cold energy of our Hanxi clan. Unless a late-stage Nascent Soul True Monarch intervenes..."

...

...

at the same time.

The roar of the stone gate gradually faded from Chi Gu's ears, replaced by a sticky, wriggling sound. He blinked his dim old eyes and found his hands pressed against something warm—an altar of human bones bound together with the slime of seven poisonous insects.

"this"

Didn't he enter the land where the sorcerer god inherited his legacy?
What the hell is this place?

Panic flashed in Chi Gu's eyes.

Raise your arms.

But then they heard the crisp sound of chains piercing wrist bones.

The scene he had seen in the ancient scrolls of Miao territory five hundred years ago was now replaying before his eyes frame by frame: nine lanterns made of human skin moved automatically without wind, and the distorted faces on the lampshades were clearly the sacrifices he had personally killed over the years.

"Illusion!"

"This must all be an illusion..."

Chi Gu felt a chill run down his spine.

Just now.

Boom boom boom!
Familiar drumbeats suddenly sounded from below the altar.

Chi Gu trembled. It was the blood drum he had made from the skin of a traitor the year he became high priest. The shamans wearing Nuo masks began to chant, the lyrics of which were the sacrificial incantations he had altered years ago—every misplaced syllable felt like poisonous insects gnawing at his brain.

"what happened?"

He recalled the legend of cause and effect and reincarnation in the Chronicles of the Witch Gods.

"The Witch God is still alive."

Stab it!

When the bronze knife was pressed against his throat.

Chi Gu saw himself, 380 years old, kneeling in an ice cave, using his natal Gu to prolong the life of his dying master, all in order to extract the last incantation of the Witch God Temple.

In the master's cloudy pupils before his death, his greedy face was reflected.

"Pfft——"

The dull thud of a sharp blade piercing flesh brought him back to his senses.

The old shaman holding the knife lifted the Nuo mask, revealing Gu worms crawling in the wrinkles that were exactly the same as those on his own face.

...

...

the other side.

Fu Changsheng felt dizzy and disoriented.

An ancient force forcibly separated him from the others, and the starlight before him twisted into countless bizarre and fantastical illusions.

When his feet touched solid ground again, he found himself standing beneath an endless starry sky. The floor beneath his feet was a transparent crystal, reflecting the countless stars. In the distance, nine towering bronze pillars stood in the void, each entwined with a lifelike bronze serpent.

"Is this... the origin of the Witch Clan?" Fu Changsheng gripped the Lotus Lantern tightly, cautiously looking around.

Suddenly, the pythons on the bronze pillars simultaneously opened their scarlet eyes. The giant python coiled on the largest pillar in the center slowly slithered down, transforming into a tall man clad in bronze armor the instant it landed.

The man's face was covered by a grotesque bronze mask, revealing only a pair of golden vertical pupils. When he spoke, his voice was like the hissing of a thousand snakes:
"After ten thousand years, someone has finally arrived with the decree."

Fu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat as he discovered that the Witch God Token in his hand was getting hot. The tadpole-like characters on the back of the token lit up one by one, turning into streams of light and entering the man's brow.

“This junior, Fu Changsheng, meant no offense.” He bowed respectfully. “May I ask who you are, senior?”

"I am Chi Ming, the last high priest of the Wu tribe." The man raised his hand and removed his bronze mask, revealing a face indistinguishable from an ordinary person's, except for a striking golden snake-shaped pattern between his brows. "And also... the tomb keeper trapped here."

As he spoke, the starry sky suddenly shifted. Countless starlight coalesced into a scene, depicting the glory and destruction of the ancient witch tribe—

The towering Jianmu tree pierces the heavens and earth, and the Jiuli tribe performs sacrifices beneath it; fire falls from the sky, and warriors wearing bronze masks fight against alien races from beyond the heavens; the final scene freezes on a spectacular explosion, and the entire sacred land of the Wu tribe sinks into the ground.

"Do you see that?" Chi Ming's voice carried an endless sense of vicissitude. "This is the truth. So-called inheritance is nothing but the obsession of us, the departed souls."

Fu Changsheng suddenly noticed his sleeve turning into specks of light and disappearing, and exclaimed in surprise, "This is...!"

“Space-time assimilation.” Chi Ming smiled bitterly. “This place is an illusion constructed from the remnants of the Jianmu tree. The longer outsiders who enter without the order of the Witch God stay, the more they will be assimilated into this illusion.”

As they were talking, two bronze pillars in the distance suddenly collapsed. Two giant pythons fell with mournful cries, turning into molten bronze in mid-air.

"The seal is about to collapse." Chi Ming suddenly grabbed Fu Changsheng's shoulder. "Listen, the true inheritance is not power, but—"

"Boom!"

The entire space trembled violently. Chi Ming's body began to turn transparent, and he urgently pointed to the last intact bronze pillar: "Quick! Put your hand on the pillar!"

Fu Changsheng leaped forward, but the moment his palm touched the cold bronze, he felt a sharp pain. The giant python on the pillar came to life and bit his wrist.

Blood flowed down his arm into the pillar, and the entire bronze pillar suddenly glowed with a blinding golden light. Chi Ming's voice drifted in the wind:
"Remember, the mission of the Witch Clan is to protect."

"Crack!"

The bronze pillar shattered, revealing a simple, ancient-looking bronze staff inside. The staff head was carved with nine snake heads, each snake's eye inlaid with a gemstone of a different color.

The moment Fu Changsheng grasped the short staff, he felt dizzy. Countless fragments of memories forcibly flooded his mind—

He saw Chi Ming leading the warriors of the Wu tribe in a bloody battle against the alien race; he saw the heavens and earth wailing as the Jianmu tree was cut down; and finally, he saw a bronze box buried deep in the earth's core, containing "that thing" that terrified all the Wu tribe.
"Ugh!" Fu Changsheng collapsed to his knees, blood seeping from his seven orifices. The bronze staff in his hand grew hotter and hotter, and the nine snake eyes lit up one after another.

As the last snake eye lit up, a line of small characters suddenly appeared on the staff:
The power of the Nine Li tribes can subdue heaven and earth.

"I see." Fu Changsheng suddenly realized. This wasn't some inherited magical artifact at all, but rather a key to unlock a certain seal!

(End of this chapter)