Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 508 Special Lottery: Grade Three Golden Core, Ancient Cultivator's Treasure

boom!
The Temple of the Witch God began to collapse.

The scene before me was distorted and fragmented, like a reflection in water.

There was a sudden spin.

When Fu Changsheng opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar ice valley, with towering ice walls all around him gleaming with a faint blue light under the moonlight.

"Is this... the outer edge of the Frozen Valley?"

He looked down at the object in his hand—the bronze short staff he had brought from the Temple of the Witch God was now as still as ever. A glimmer of gold occasionally flowed through the ancient patterns on the staff, and the gems in the nine snake eyes were dull and lifeless, as if the strange phenomenon just now was just an illusion.

Fu Changsheng took a deep breath.

A thought.

The scepter was stored in the Five Elements space.

His intuition told him that the cause and effect involved in this treasure was far beyond his imagination.

"First, find Yaoyao and the others."

He took out a communication talisman from his pocket, and the moment he infused it with spiritual power, the talisman ignited with a blue flame. After learning the exact location of Yao Yao and the others, he immediately used his escape technique to speed southeast.

Half an hour later, a dazzling ice crystal forest came into view—countless naturally formed ice pillars stood under the moonlight, resembling a forest crafted from crystal. In a clearing within the forest, Fu Yongyao and Master Yu were meditating and resting.

"Father!"

Fu Yongyao sensed Fu Changsheng, opened his eyes, and saw that Fu Changsheng was unharmed, his eyes lit up.

"I told you long ago, your father is incredibly resilient." Master Yu swaggered over, carrying a wine gourd, his words laced with sarcasm, but his eyes were full of satisfaction.

Uncle Yu, Fu Changsheng, looked at the two enormous creatures behind him—they were even larger than Han Xiao, with six legs like pillars, a single horn like a sword, and their entire bodies covered in ice-crystal-like scales.

"It seems you've had quite a haul too," Fu Changsheng said with a smile.

Hanxiao looked up, its six eyes blinking simultaneously. "My parents said they were only able to escape thanks to Master." It flicked its tail, its tone unusually gentle. "Um... Master, my parents are also willing to become members of the Fu family."

Han Xiao's parents are both near-fourth-tier spirit beasts, only one step away from breaking through to the fourth tier, which is the Golden Core stage.

Fu Changsheng smiled with satisfaction.

at the same time.

A familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
"Ding"

"You have added two Purple Mansion warriors to the family, and have gained two thousand family contribution points."

The family contribution value on the panel is enough to deduce the Golden Core chapter of the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique".

"Uncle Yu, Yaoyao, let's go and take a look at the central area of ​​the secret realm."

Han Xiao's parents exchanged a glance, and the rhinoceros whispered, "Master, we'll stay and guard the entrance to the secret realm to prevent the Northern Frontier bandits from returning." It gently touched Han Xiao with its horn. "You go with your master."

Hanxiao reluctantly rubbed against his parents, then shrunk to the size of a horse and boarded the jade boat with the others.

As the jade boat ascended, Fu Changsheng glanced back at the receding ice crystal forest. Under the moonlight, the figures of the two six-legged frost rhinoceroses stood like two ice sculptures, silently guarding that secret realm.

The jade boat traversed the vast icy plains, the surrounding chill growing ever more intense. Fu Changsheng stood at the bow, his robes fluttering, his gaze fixed on the distance. Gradually, a hazy curtain of light appeared at the edge of his vision, shrouding the entire sky like a thin veil.

"That's the barrier in the central area." Master Yu put away his wine gourd, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

The group disembarked from the jade boat and stepped onto this ancient land covered in ice and snow. The barrier was close at hand, and the outline of a palace with broken walls and ruins could be vaguely seen within, like a ruin forgotten by time. Golden runes flowed across the surface of the barrier, emanating a chilling pressure.

Master Yu stepped forward, a ray of spiritual light condensing at his fingertips, and gently touched the barrier. In an instant, the runes shone brightly, and a recoil force forced him back several steps.

"Such a powerful restriction!" He frowned, took out several ancient array plates from his robes, and began to deduce their power. The array plates floated in the air, emitting a faint hum, but they were unable to penetrate the barrier.

Fu Yongyao also took out several jade slips and studied them with Master Yu. Her fingertips traced the jade slips, and they flashed with spiritual light, but when they touched the barrier, they were like mud oxen sinking into the sea, without any reaction.

"This restriction is at least a Nascent Soul level technique," Master Yu finally shook his head and sighed. "With our current cultivation level, forcibly breaking it will only trigger a backlash."

Fu Changsheng stared at the palace that was faintly visible within the barrier, a strange feeling stirring within him, as if something was calling to him. But for now, they were truly powerless to do anything.

"Uncle Yu, what are your plans next?" Fu Changsheng asked, turning his gaze away.

"My internal seal has loosened after several previous actions, so I can't leave this Heavenly Mystery Array," Master Yu pointed to the ancient array patterns on the outer edge of the barrier, "It's perfect for me to stay here and study this barrier."

He turned to Fu Yongyao:
"Girl, now that you've found the item for your tribulation, the most urgent task is to break the seal as soon as possible and prepare for the Golden Core tribulation."

Fu Yongyao nodded, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes: "Father, what about Second Brother?"

Fu Yongrong remains in the secret realm.

But now there's nothing we can do.

“Let’s leave the secret realm first,” Fu Changsheng patted his daughter’s shoulder. “Your tribulation cannot be delayed.”

Hanxiao let out a low growl and gently touched Fu Yongyao's arm with its horn, as if to comfort him. Fu Changsheng took one last look at the mysterious barrier.

Fu Changsheng brought Fu Yongyao back to Yuyao City in Yunshan County. The cultivators in the city bowed to their patriarch upon his return. He did not delay and immediately took Yongyao to the main peak, preparing for her to undergo her tribulation there.

"Qiu Niang." Fu Changsheng called softly, and a beautiful figure appeared in the Five Elements Space. Qiu Niang wore a plain white dress, surrounded by a faint spiritual mist, and bowed slightly: "Master."

"You are in charge of the protective array of the Demon-Controlling City, and no one is allowed to interfere with Yaoyao's tribulation."

"Yes." Qiu Niang nodded, her figure transforming into a wisp of spiritual light and merging into the Demon-Controlling City.

After a while.

hum!
The entire Demon-Controlling City's protective array activated, with spiritual runes flowing, forming an invisible barrier to prevent outsiders from prying into its defenses.

Fu Yongyao sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and made hand seals with his fingertips, gradually unlocking the seals within his body—

boom!
In an instant, the color of the world changed!

The once clear sky suddenly darkened, and thick, ominous clouds gathered from all directions, looming darkly over the main peak. Lightning flashed within the clouds, and a muffled rumble, like the low growl of an ancient beast, sent chills down one's spine.

The spiritual energy of the entire mountain range surged wildly, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, converging towards Fu Yongyao.

A vortex of spiritual energy formed above her head. Initially only a few feet in size, it expanded to ten miles, a hundred miles... even hundreds of miles away. Cultivators could feel this terrifying fluctuation of spiritual energy from there!

"That's... the Golden Core Tribulation?!"

"Another member of the clan has achieved Core Formation?!"

Inside the Demon-Controlling City, many cultivators looked up in shock, discussing the matter animatedly.

—

Deep within the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, Fu Changli was taming a third-tier Crimson Flame Lion. Suddenly, the beast-taming bell at her waist started moving without wind, emitting a rapid buzzing sound. Looking up, she saw dark clouds churning in the distance, with streaks of lightning like silver snakes traversing the clouds.

"Cataclysmic Clouds?" Her pupils contracted sharply, and with a flick of her beast-taming whip, the Crimson Flame Lion immediately lowered its body. With a light touch of her toes, she transformed into a streak of light and rushed towards the Demon-Controlling City.

When she arrived at the city wall, Fu Changsheng was standing with his hands behind his back. In the twilight, his figure was as upright as a pine tree, and the cloud patterns embroidered on his black robe were faintly visible in the light.

"Patriarch! Yaoyao is forming her core?" Fu Changli's breathing quickened slightly, and the ribbon binding her hair fluttered in the wind.

Fu Changsheng nodded slightly.

Fu Changli's heart was surging with excitement, and a look of longing appeared in her beautiful eyes.

First Yongxuan, then the patriarch, and now Yaoyao is about to form her core... She clenched her fists, her fighting spirit growing even stronger:
"Looks like I should step up my efforts too."

-

At the summit, Fu Yongyao, dressed in pristine white, sat cross-legged. Her slender fingers formed a mysterious hand seal on her knees, and spiritual energy surged around her like a tide. When the last seal was broken, she suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils seemingly reflecting a myriad of stars.

Rumble!
The first bolt of tribulation lightning struck, tearing the sky apart with a thick, purple pillar of lightning as thick as a water bucket.

Yao Yao neither dodged nor evaded; with a light wave of her hand, seventy-two layers of ice crystal barriers rose up. Lightning collided with the ice crystals, bursting forth with dazzling white light, making her jade-like face flicker between light and shadow.

The second and third bolts of tribulation lightning followed one after another.

Yao Yao's figure was as graceful as a willow, dancing serenely amidst the lightning. With each step she took, an ice lotus bloomed beneath her feet. When the sixth bolt of tribulation lightning struck, she finally let out a muffled groan, a trickle of crimson blood spilling from the corner of her lips.

"The Six-Nine Thunder Tribulation has passed; the real test is yet to come." Fu Changli gripped the Beast Taming Whip tightly, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

The seventh bolt of tribulation lightning was crimson red, like blood, and struck down with the force to scorch the heavens and boil the seas.

Yao Yao formed hand seals, and nine ice crystal chains appeared around her, weaving into a net in the air. The lightning and ice clashed, unleashing a deafening roar. When the smoke cleared, she was seen kneeling on the ground, her white robes stained with blood.

“Patriarch, Yaoyao…” Fu Changli’s heart tightened.

"Trust her." Fu Changsheng's voice was steady, but his gaze was fixed on that stubborn figure.

The eighth bolt of tribulation lightning, after a long period of preparation, transformed into a ferocious thunder dragon and plunged down. Immediately following was the ninth bolt of tribulation lightning. This bolt was as thin as a hair, yet it contained world-destroying power.

“Now!”

Yao Yao shouted and summoned the Frost Marrow Ice Soul Pearl.

The precious pearl hung overhead, radiating a cool, moonlit glow. The seemingly weak bolt of lightning struck the light barrier, creating countless ripples. Fine cracks appeared on the pearl's surface, yet it ultimately did not shatter.

The clouds of calamity gradually dispersed, and the sky began to lighten with the first light of dawn.

A seven-colored beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping Yao Yao. Her wounds healed at a visible speed, and her skin became increasingly translucent. Suddenly, a dazzling three-colored divine light burst forth from her dantian—blue, gold, and purple intertwined and flowed, illuminating the entire main peak as if it were a crystal world.

“A three-colored golden pill!” Fu Changli exclaimed in shock.

"Not bad!"

Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up with joy.

A third-grade Golden Core cultivator—this is an unparalleled talent with the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage!
Below the main peak, the Demon-Controlling City was already in an uproar.

Countless cultivators gazed up at the three-colored divine light; some knelt in worship, while others stood frozen in shock. An elderly cultivator with white hair wept uncontrollably.
"Having lived for over two hundred years, I have finally witnessed the appearance of a Grade Three Golden Elixir in the world. I can die without regret!"

Strange phenomena appeared in the sky.

Seven-colored auspicious clouds gathered to form the shape of a lotus platform, with flowers falling from the sky and golden lotuses springing from the ground. Even more breathtaking was the faint sound of celestial music drifting from the void, as if countless celestial maidens were dancing gracefully among the clouds.

"Heavenly music accompanies the way, golden lotuses offer auspicious omens—this is the 'sign of divine favor' recorded in ancient texts!"

The most astonishing changes occurred in the ley lines of the Demon-Controlling City.

Originally a low-grade fourth-order spiritual vein, it rapidly improved under the nourishment of auspicious omens, breaking through to a mid-grade fourth-order in the blink of an eye. Spiritual springs gushed forth, and spiritual energy rained down. Some cultivators in the city felt their bottlenecks loosen, and dozens of people even broke through on the spot.

Just now.

A familiar mechanical voice echoed in Fu Changsheng's mind:
"Ding"

"Your offspring, Fu Yongyao, has broken through to the Golden Core stage and has been granted a special lottery draw opportunity. Would you like to redeem it?"

Fu Changsheng was secretly delighted, but he didn't show it on his face. After reassuring Yaoyao to consolidate her cultivation, he returned to the family head's mansion, closed the secret chamber's magic array, and with a thought, entered the small wooden house in the Five Elements Space.

His thoughts landed on the panel in his mind's eye.

A thought immediately occurred to him:
"Redeem your prize for a special draw!"

hum!
The panel vibrated.

A large amount of yellow light surged.

Immediately afterwards, a mysterious box appeared in his storage bag, with countless profound runes flowing on the box like swimming fish.

A spell was cast in.

The box was opened.

boom!
A blinding silver-white beam of light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire wooden house as if it were daytime.

Within the pillar of light, a strange, entirely silver-white seed slowly emerged. Its surface was covered with fine golden patterns, vaguely forming the ancient Chinese character for "weapon." Even more astonishingly, countless miniature phantoms of weapons swirled around the seed—swords, spears, halberds, and other eighteen different weapons—rotating ceaselessly, emitting clear, resonant ringing sounds.

[Spell Type: Hundred Refinements of the Soldier's Soul]

[Rank: Peak Fourth Tier (Upgradeable)]

[Inheritance Requirements: Must have a gold spiritual root purity of 75% or higher, and possess a spiritual body with a physical artifact.]

【Features: Spiritual Connection to All Weapons: Can sense the spirits of all weapons in the world; Forged Through a Hundred Refinements: Inheriting the ancient weapon master's concept of "forging mountains and rivers with a single thought," the forging of weapons will inevitably produce spiritual patterns】

[Note: This method can only be granted to your direct bloodline offspring.]

"A weapon-refining technique!" Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up.

It is of a higher grade than the [Qi Chong Shan He] that was previously bestowed upon Yongjing.

Because this method is growth-oriented.

Furthermore, unlike the [Danrong Wanxiang] Dharma Seed he had previously obtained, this Dharma Seed emitted a sharp aura that even caused his divine sense to feel a slight stinging pain.

He carefully examined the strange seed floating in the air. The golden patterns seemed to flow slowly as if they were alive, sometimes transforming into the shape of a sword, and sometimes condensing into the shape of a cauldron.

however.

When he saw the conditions for inheritance, he frowned slightly:
"A spirit body made of artifact bones?!"

Among her many offspring, Yongxing, whom Meizhen nurtured in the Dragon Transformation Pool of the Kunlun Secret Realm, possessed a single-attribute metal spiritual root, but lacked the [Artifact Bone Spirit Body].

"It seems we should try adding points to Yongxing to improve his spiritual root aptitude and see if he can give birth to this kind of spiritual body."

otherwise.

We can't let such a precious legal seed go to waste.

but.

Before that, he had to use the system's [Cultivation Technique Deduction] panel to deduce the Golden Elixir chapter of the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Manual".

My mind landed on the panel, and immediately a thought arose:
"Please deduce the Golden Core chapter of the 'Azure Emperor's Longevity Manual' based on my experience of condensing the Chaos Dao Foundation."

hum!
The panel vibrated.

A large amount of yellow light surged.

Within the sea of ​​consciousness, the runes deduced by the system poured forth like a galaxy.

Fu Changsheng's thoughts were lost in it.

The Azure Emperor's Longevity Manual was originally a supreme Daoist text of the Wood element, based on the cycle of life and death. Ordinary cultivators who obtained it could extend their lifespan by a thousand years and achieve the Wood Spirit Saint Body. However, he possessed a Chaos Daoist Foundation, with chaotic energy surging within his body. Ordinary cultivation methods were like streams flowing into the ocean, unable to contain its vast spiritual essence.

The system, based on chaos, evolved into an unprecedented Golden Elixir Dao—

This method is not a simple improvement, but a complete subversion of the traditional Golden Elixir Way. It uses chaos to generate the five elements and wood spirit as a guide to construct the "Eternal Cycle of Heaven and Earth".

An ordinary cultivator's Golden Core is a solid Golden Core, which condenses all of their cultivation.

This improved cultivation method, however, aims to transform the Golden Core into a "Chaotic Green Lotus," with nine grades corresponding to the first to ninth levels of the Golden Core. Once the lotus breaks through, one can break through to the Nascent Soul stage.

It even has a 20% higher success rate in condensing a Nascent Soul compared to Earth-rank cultivation techniques!
"Not bad!"

Fu Changsheng's face lit up with joy.

Because breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage is extremely difficult, the extra 20% success rate in condensing the Nascent Soul would surely cause a bloodbath if it were known to the outside world.

Although this technique is powerful, it is not something everyone can practice.

It requires four conditions.

First, the Chaos Dao Foundation—if a non-Chaos cultivator forcibly cultivates it, they will inevitably suffer a backlash and their soul will be annihilated.

Second, the remnants of the Jianmu tree—fragments of the World Tree that grew in chaos—are used to stabilize spiritual energy; otherwise, the chaotic energy would erode the soul.

Third, the Primordial Yin-Yang Pattern—must be engraved on the surface of the Golden Core with divine sense to balance Yin and Yang; otherwise, the Golden Core will explode due to the conflict between chaos and vitality.

Fourth, the Mysterious Female Rejuvenating Dew—taken once every twenty years, it can resist the erosion of chaos; otherwise, the physical body will gradually decay. "The Mysterious Female Rejuvenating Dew?"

He had never heard of such a thing before.

However, with a full twenty years, the family can use its resources to search.

Exit the consciousness panel with your mind.

The family contribution value has been reduced to only eight thousand.

"We still need to accumulate more resources to further improve Yongxing's spiritual root aptitude."

Now that he had the cultivation technique and the recipes for spiritual herbs and pills to improve his cultivation, he needed to go to the Yu family.

When Fu Changsheng stepped into the Yu family's Pill Pavilion, Fu Yong'an was deducing a fourth-order pill formula. Sensing a familiar presence, Fu Yong'an looked up, his eyes flashing with surprise: "Father!"

Fu Changsheng nodded with a smile, his gaze sweeping over the spiritual herbs displayed in the alchemy pavilion. He said with satisfaction, "Not bad, your alchemy skills have improved again."

Fu Yong'an smiled calmly: "Thanks to the [Dan Fusion of Myriad Phenomena] technique seed bestowed upon me by my father, I now have a 70% chance of producing a low-grade fourth-tier spirit pill."

Fu Changsheng patted his shoulder: "Today I've brought two main ingredients. You will refine a batch of 'Mysterious Origin Condensing True Essence Pill' and 'Mysterious Ice Tempering Body Pill'."

Fu Yong'an accepted the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Cold Star Grass with a solemn expression. Fourth-grade spiritual herbs are precious and cannot be wasted in the slightest. He closed his eyes and concentrated, circulating the [Dan Fusion of Myriad Phenomena] Dharma Seed in his sea of ​​consciousness to deduce the changes in the medicinal properties.

"The Purple Spirit Ginseng is warm in nature and needs to be neutralized with Ice Soul Grass, and then supplemented with Profound Nether True Water as a guide..." He muttered to himself, his fingertips shimmering with spiritual light, outlining the formula in the void.

Fu Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze gratified. Seeing that Fu Yong'an had finished his deduction, he finally spoke, "How was it?"

Fu Yong'an opened his eyes and said calmly, "The heat must be controlled. When the pill is formed, it must be finished with the 'Nine Revolutions Pill Condensation Technique,' otherwise the medicinal power will easily dissipate."

Fu Changsheng nodded: "Good, go ahead and refine it."

In the center of the alchemy pavilion, a bronze alchemy furnace floated, its surface engraved with ancient alchemical patterns, faintly shimmering with spiritual light. Fu Yong'an took a deep breath, flicked his sleeve, and the furnace blazed!

With a flick of his finger, the Purple Spirit Ginseng flew into the furnace, the flames transforming into the shape of a blue phoenix, enveloping it. The medicinal liquid slowly extracted, filling the air with a delicate fragrance. Then, the Ice Soul Grass was added, and the cold and heat mingled, the medicinal liquid transforming into a pale purple spiritual mist.

Fu Yong'an remained focused, not daring to be distracted in the slightest.

The Xuanming True Water transformed into a fine stream, merging into the medicinal mist. Fu Yong'an formed hand seals, and the spiritual liquid within the alchemy furnace swirled, gradually condensing into a pill embryo.

The flames turned from blue to green, and the temperature dropped sharply.

As the embryo gradually stabilizes, mysterious patterns appear on its surface.

"Nine Revolutions Pill Condensation Technique!" Fu Yong'an shouted, his hand seals shifting, causing the elixir within the furnace to rotate nine times, each rotation making the medicinal power more concentrated. Finally, the furnace lid opened, and three pale purple pills flew out, filling the air with their fragrance!

"Father, I have fulfilled my mission!" Fu Yong'an breathed a sigh of relief, a look of joy flashing in his eyes.

Fu Changsheng nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, your control over the heat has reached a state of perfection."

After a short rest, Fu Yong'an took out the Cold Star Grass. This medicine is cold in nature and needs to be refined using special methods.

A wisp of icy flame appeared in his palm, with the Frost Star Grass floating on it, slowly melting into a dark blue spiritual liquid. Then, he added several auxiliary ingredients, guiding them with ice-type spiritual power to perfectly blend the medicinal effects.

"Condense!" Fu Yong'an shouted in a low voice, and the spiritual liquid condensed into a pill, with ice crystal patterns appearing on its surface.

As the pills were completed, the temperature inside the pill pavilion plummeted, and even a thin layer of frost formed on the ground. Fu Yong'an raised his hand and grabbed two Xuanbing Tempering Pills, which fell into the jade bottle.

Fu Changsheng picked up a Mystic Ice Tempering Pill, examined it closely, and smiled, "The pill's patterns are clear, and its medicinal power is restrained. It has reached the mid-grade level of the fourth rank. Yong'an, your talent in alchemy is even stronger than Meizhen's back then."

Fu Yong'an shook his head: "Without Father bestowing upon me the seed of Dharma, I would not have achieved what I have today."

Fu Changsheng laughed loudly: "Excellent! Humility and composure are the true essence of alchemy."

Inside the Dan Pavilion, the furnace fire gradually died down.

Fu Yong'an put the two bottles of elixirs into the jade box, then suddenly frowned slightly: "Father, recently when I practiced the 'Great Void Condensing Yuan Technique,' every time around 3:40 AM, my Tanzhong acupoint feels like it's being bitten by thousands of ants."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changsheng joined two fingers together, channeling a stream of chaotic energy into his son's meridians. Within his son's Purple Mansion, spiritual energy surged like a tide, yet formed a strange vortex at his heart meridian. "Silly boy, this isn't a problem with your cultivation technique," he suddenly said, his fingers forming a knife-like shape as he traced the trajectory of the Big Dipper in the air. "You've tempered your body with the fire of the elixir for many years, and the accumulated fire poison within you is now clashing with the spiritual energy of the Great Void."

Fu Yong'an suddenly realized: "No wonder every time I practice my internal energy..."

"Listen carefully." Seven ice crystals flew out of Fu Changsheng's sleeve, arranging themselves in a celestial formation in the air. "Every day at the hour of You (5-7 PM), take three drops of Xuanming True Water and apply them to the Tian Shu, Tian Xuan, and Tian Quan acupoints in that order. After six months, then harmonize them with the Wood Marrow Pill."

Fu Yong'an's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately began to practice. Frost formed on his fingertips, and seven major acupoints lit up with blue light in succession, while a rumbling sound like flowing glaciers emanated from his body.

"Father is truly amazing," he said, his body radiating a chilling aura as he finished his practice. "This 'Seven Stars Summoning Evil Technique' truly can eliminate the fire poison."

Fu Changsheng gave Fu Yong'an a few more instructions, then returned to the family mansion in Yunshan County, where he announced to the public that he would be going into seclusion for cultivation.

Wuzhou City, the ancestral home of the Lei family.

Inside the magnificent ancestral hall, the Lei clan patriarch, dressed in a purple-gold python robe, knelt respectfully to receive the imperial edict. The supervising official, holding a jade scroll and yellow silk, announced in a booming voice: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that the Lei clan, having guarded Wuzhou for three hundred years, is hereby granted the title of a sixth-rank noble family."

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace!" Clan Chief Lei kowtowed heavily, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, but a smug smile appeared on his lips.

Outside the ancestral hall, cannons roared in unison. The Lei family members, dressed in their finest attire, stood tall and proud. From this day forward, their Lei family would be a sixth-rank aristocratic family, on par with the Fu family, no longer needing to be subservient to anyone!

That night, the Lei family decorated their home with lanterns and held a grand banquet. The Lei patriarch sat at the head of the table, raising his cup in a toast: "From this day forward, my Lei family shall stand on its own! And Fu Changsheng…"

Before he could finish speaking, a communication talisman flew through the air.

Clan Chief Lei casually took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and his expression changed drastically.

"boom!"

The jade cup shattered in his palm, and the fine wine dripped through his fingers.

"Clan leader?" the elder beside him asked in confusion.

Clan Chief Lei's face turned ashen as he slammed the communication talisman on the table: "That little bitch from the Fu family has actually formed a third-grade Golden Core!"

The whole house was in an uproar.

"Third rank? How is that possible!"

"Adding Fu Changsheng's first-grade golden core and Fu Yongxuan's fourth-grade..."

"Three Golden Core cultivators from one clan, and all of them are of mid-to-high grade."

The ancestral hall fell into complete silence. The Lei family members, who had been so full of vigor just moments before, now felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

Chief Lei abruptly stood up, his sleeves billowing as he flipped his wine cup: "Summon all elders for an immediate meeting!"

In the secret chamber, the elders of the Purple Mansion stood on either side. The Lei Clan Chief, with his back to the others, gazed at the ancestral portraits on the wall, his voice chilling: "Speak, all of you, how should we deal with the Fu family's matter?"

The Third Elder slammed his fist on the table and stood up first: "What's there to be afraid of! We are now a legitimate sixth-rank aristocratic family, and the Seventh Prince is the clan chief's own grandson. No matter how powerful the Fu family is, would they dare to touch a member of the imperial family?"

"Indeed!" the Fifth Elder echoed. "The imperial court is most wary of powerful aristocratic families growing too strong. The Fu family's arrogance is unsustainable; sooner or later..."

"madness!"

The First Elder suddenly roared, his eyes beneath his white eyebrows gleaming with sharp light: "Do you think the imperial court would offend three promising talents poised to reach the Nascent Soul stage for the sake of a prince from another clan?" He turned to Clan Chief Lei and said in a deep voice, "Clan Chief, I suggest we prepare substantial gifts and personally visit the Fu family to reconcile."

"Bullshit!" Clan Chief Lei whirled around, his eyes blazing with fury. "You want me to bow down to the Fu family? Elder, have you lost your mind?!"

The First Elder, neither humble nor arrogant, said: "Clan Chief, Fu Changsheng, a first-grade Golden Core cultivator, can fight against Nascent Soul cultivators, and his daughter, a third-grade Golden Core cultivator, has a limitless future. What can my Lei family use to resist? Let's take advantage of this before things come to a head."

"Shut up!" Clan Chief Lei slammed his hand down, shattering the sandalwood table. "My Lei family also has Yunfeng, a born swordsman! Once he forms his core, he might just be able to..."

"Clan Chief!" the First Elder cried out in anguish, "No matter how strong Yunfeng is, can he be stronger than the three Golden Core cultivators of the Fu family? That Fu Changsheng..."

"Enough!" Clan Chief Lei roared, his Golden Core aura erupting forth. "Great Elder, if you dare to embolden others again, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

The atmosphere in the secret chamber was tense, as if swords were about to be drawn. The Grand Elder sighed deeply and slumped down.

Clan Chief Lei surveyed the crowd and sneered, "Prepare a generous gift. I intend to personally visit the Prince's residence to request a Core Formation spiritual item for Yunfeng."

"Clan leader, continuing to collude with the Prince's Mansion is tantamount to...!" The First Elder abruptly stood up. "This is tantamount to putting the Lei family to death!"

The Lei clan chief grinned maliciously, "Old fool, you've been scared out of your wits." He flicked his sleeves and left, his voice carrying far away, "No one can stop the rise of the Lei family!"

The cheers at the Lei family's ancestral home gradually faded away.

The eldest elder stood alone in the ancestral hall, gazing at the ancestral tablets, and murmured to himself:

"The Lei family's legacy cannot be ruined by this fool."

Wuzhou, the ancestral home of the Huang family.

The Imperial Censor, holding an imperial edict on a jade scroll, stood before the Huang family ancestral hall. The Huang clan patriarch and all the clan members knelt on the ground, their faces displaying just the right amount of respect and excitement.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Huang family has rendered meritorious service in guarding Wuzhou, and is hereby specially granted the title of a sixth-rank noble family."

"Your subject kowtows in gratitude for the Emperor's grace!" Clan Chief Huang kowtowed heavily, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes as his forehead touched the ground.

Outside the ancestral hall, the Huang family members cheered with joy. The Huang clan patriarch received the imperial edict and, turning to face his clansmen, beamed with pride: "From this day forward, our Huang family is officially ranked as a sixth-rank aristocratic family!"

At the banquet, cups clinked and toasts were exchanged. Clan Chief Huang, holding a jade cup, toasted each of the elders. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the excited expressions of several young disciples in the corner, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Clan leader, we finally don't have to put up with the Fu family's attitude anymore!" The Third Elder said in a low voice, his face beaming.

Clan Chief Huang took a sip of the spiritual wine and smiled meaningfully: "Yes, finally."

Before he could finish speaking, a communication talisman flew through the air. Clan Chief Huang casually caught it, scanned it with his divine sense, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Clan leader?" The second elder beside him noticed something was amiss.

Clan Chief Huang calmly crushed the communication talisman, his smile unwavering: "That little girl from the Fu family has formed a third-grade Golden Core."

"What?!" Several elders changed color at the same time.

The laughter at the banquet abruptly ceased. Chief Huang surveyed everyone, gently setting down his wine cup: "Continue the celebration; don't spoil the fun."

He turned and walked towards the inner room, and several core elders immediately followed.

Inside the secret chamber, Chief Huang stood with his hands behind his back, his back to everyone. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on his face.

"Clan leader, the Fu family now boasts three Golden Core cultivators, all of them of mid-to-high grade," the Second Elder said, his voice trembling. "We..."

Chief Huang raised his hand to interrupt: "What's the panic?"

He turned and sat down, his fingertips lightly tapping the table: "Does the Fu family have a grudge against us?"

Several elders looked at each other.

“No,” the Third Elder hesitated, “but we have always…”

"Stand by and do nothing?" Clan Chief Huang sneered. "So what? If the Fu family wants to settle scores, they'll go after that idiot from the Lei family first."

The Fourth Elder cautiously suggested, "Clan Chief, should we prepare some gifts to offer our congratulations to the Fu family? After all..."

"Adding flowers to brocade?" Clan Chief Huang shook his head. "It's too late. The Fu family is at its zenith now; they don't need our small token of appreciation."

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the distant moonlight: "Let the Lei family test the Fu family's strength first. That brute, Chief Lei, relying on having a prince's grandson, should have learned his lesson long ago."

"But what if the Fu family really..." The Second Elder hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Clan Chief Huang turned around, a cold glint in his eyes: "No matter how strong Fu Changsheng is, would he dare to openly destroy the Lei family? The Seventh Prince will not stand idly by."

The candlelight flickered in the secret room, illuminating the Huang clan chief's ever-changing expression: "Pass down the order: the entire clan is on high alert, but do not act rashly. Also," he lowered his voice, "send men to keep an eye on the Lei family; I need to know their every move."

"The clan leader is brilliant!" the Third Elder exclaimed in sudden realization. "Wait until they are both severely injured..."

Clan Chief Huang raised his hand to stop them: "Watch your words." He surveyed the crowd, his voice icy: "Remember, what the Huang family must do now is observe the situation. If the Fu family wins, we will show goodwill at the opportune moment; if the Lei family gains the upper hand," a cold glint flashed in his eyes, "then don't blame us for kicking them when they're down."

The elders understood immediately and revealed sinister smiles.

Clan Chief Huang walked to the ancestral tablets, lit three incense sticks, and in the swirling smoke, his face became increasingly blurred: "In this chaotic world, those who survive to the end are never the strongest."

As night deepened, the celebratory sounds from the Huang family ancestral home gradually faded. Unlike the Lei family's ostentatious celebration, the Huang family's festivities were restrained and cautious. No one noticed that the Huang patriarch stood alone on the roof of the ancestral hall, gazing in the direction of the Fu family, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"Fu Changsheng, let me see just how far you can go."

The autumn rains in Huiyang County were incessant, shrouding the mines in a hazy mist. Han Ping stood at the mine entrance, letting the cold rain soak his clothes. He looked to be about forty years old, with an ordinary face that was easily forgotten, except for a glint of shrewdness that occasionally flashed in his eyes, hidden under a straw hat.

"Manager Han, there's been another collapse in the East Third Mine tunnel. This time, two miners have died," a foreman covered in mud reported, his voice filled with fear.

Han Ping's face immediately contorted with worry, and he rubbed his hands together, sighing repeatedly, "What are we going to do? The patriarch is most averse to deaths at the mine. Quickly, bring the body out first, and I'll go to the accounting office to get some silver to appease the family."

After the foreman left, Han Ping's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. The "accidental" collapse two months ago had allowed him to successfully bury the Fu family members who were monitoring him in a mine shaft a hundred meters deep. Now, the black iron mine in Huiyang County was completely under his control.

Back in his simple dwelling, Han Ping confirmed that no one was around before taking out a blood-red jade slip from his robes. The jade slip was engraved with the unique acacia flower pattern of the Joyful Sect, and it was now slightly warm.

"It's finally here." A hint of excitement flashed in his eyes as he probed the jade slip with his divine sense.

"Fu Yongyao has condensed a third-grade golden core, and Fu Changsheng has gone into seclusion. We will continue to lie low and wait for them to emerge."

A single line of text caused Han Ping—or rather, the Golden Core assassin Mo Huaiyuan—to shrink in shock. A third-grade Golden Core? That little girl who was not even a hundred years old? A tightness gripped his chest, and jealousy gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

"Why should I?" His fingers unconsciously tightened, and the jade slip made a "crackling" sound as it struggled to bear the weight.

Five hundred and thirty years ago, Mo Huaiyuan nearly went bankrupt trying to condense his Golden Core, only managing to barely reach the eighth rank. Yet a mere girl from the Fu family could easily condense a third-rank Golden Core? Not to mention Fu Changsheng's monstrous first-rank Golden Core!
A flash of lightning streaked across the window, illuminating his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face. Amidst the sound of rain, he seemed to hear again the seductive voice of the Crimson Fairy:

"Elder Mo, your lifespan is nearing its end, and your path to Nascent Soul is hopeless. But if you obtain Fu Changsheng's body, and use my Joyful Sect's secret technique for reincarnation, you know the potential for a First-Grade Golden Core."

Mo Huaiyuan took a deep breath to calm himself. Yes, jealousy was useless; what he needed was patience. The investiture document for the Fu family's new fiefdom was about to be issued, and Fu Changsheng would definitely emerge from seclusion. At that time...
He retrieved a map made of animal hide from a hidden compartment under the bed. It detailed the array nodes and patrol routes of the Fu family's various locations. Over the past six months, he had made numerous trips to the Fu family's main residence under the pretext of needing to strengthen the defenses of the mine, secretly memorizing everything.

“Only three more places are needed.” He traced the map with his fingertips, stopping at the location of “ancestral hall”.

Footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. Mo Huaiyuan immediately put away the map and his expression returned to that of the timid and submissive Steward Han.

"Steward Han, someone from the Prefect's Office has come to discuss mining taxes," a servant said respectfully from outside the door.

"Coming, coming!" Mo Huaiyuan responded repeatedly, taking his bamboo hat off the wall. In the instant he turned around, a jet-black seed slipped from his sleeve and silently fell into a crack in the corner of the wall.

Those were the eggs of the Devouring Essence Gu, which he purchased at great expense from the black market. After just half a month of cultivation, they could silently parasitize the Fu family members, instantly draining the host's life essence and turning them into a deadly poisonous mist at crucial moments.

In the rain, Mo Huaiyuan walked hunched over toward the prefectural governor's mansion. No one would have guessed that this seemingly lowly mine manager was actually a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator who had sealed his cultivation level.
-
A few months later.

Deep within the mines of Huiyang County, Mo Huaiyuan walked alone through the dimly lit mine tunnels. Every few steps, he carved an almost invisible rune into the rock wall. These runes shared the same origin as the Fu family's protective mountain array, which he deduced by reverse engineering from the array materials used in the mineral vein's transportation.

"This formation is actually a formation within a formation, it's really something," he muttered to himself, his voice echoing in the empty mine tunnel.

As he rounded a bend, Mo Huaiyuan suddenly stopped. A fresh crack on the rock face ahead caught his attention. The crack's edges were clean, clearly not formed naturally.

He cautiously released his divine sense, and only after confirming that no one was following him did he carefully approach. He gathered a wisp of spiritual energy at his fingertip and probed into the crack. A moment later, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Is this... a seal from an ancient cultivator?"

From the depths of the crack, faint fluctuations of spiritual energy emanated. Mo Huaiyuan hesitated for a moment, but greed ultimately triumphed over caution. He formed hand seals, and a beam of black light shot out from his sleeve, slowly widening the crack.

With a muffled boom, a hidden cave appeared before them. In the center of the cave, three jade boxes were placed in front of a seated skeleton. The talismans on the boxes had turned yellow, but their spiritual power remained.

Mo Huaiyuan's heart raced. Only a Golden Core cultivator could carve out a cave dwelling deep within a mine. He carefully avoided the faintly visible array patterns on the ground and approached the withered bones.

"I apologize for my rudeness," he said, giving a perfunctory bow before eagerly opening the first jade box.

Inside the box was a pitch-black pill with blood-red patterns on its surface, emitting a nauseating stench.

"Blood Fiend Pill?" Mo Huaiyuan frowned. This was a pill commonly used by evil cultivators, capable of boosting combat power for a short time, but with severe side effects:
"What a pity, the medicine has already worn off!"

Mo Huaiyuan then opened the second jade box.

This time his eyes lit up—

The box contained twelve fine silver needles, each as thin as a cow's hair, with strange runes engraved on their surfaces.

"Soul-Destroying Needle!" he couldn't help but exclaim. This was a particularly vicious magic weapon designed specifically for Golden Core cultivators. Once it entered the body, it could directly attack the Golden Core, making it extremely insidious.

Suppressing his excitement, he opened the third jade box, only to be stunned. Inside was a seemingly ordinary jade slip, devoid of any spiritual energy fluctuations.

(End of this chapter)