Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 551 The Birth of a Mythical Beast, Inventorying the Gains, Thunder Ruins
Master Xuan Yang stroked his long beard, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes: "Old Daoist Yan has really gone all out this time, even bringing out his four-stage Azure Lotus, which he has cultivated for six hundred years, as a congratulatory gift."

Master Yan has always been at odds with the Fu family.

What is the meaning behind this move?
Fu Changsheng was taken aback for a moment, but quickly understood what he meant:
"My lord, is Fellow Daoist Yan taking the initiative to seek peace?"

"That's right. With your potential as a first-grade Golden Core cultivator, there's a very high chance you'll break through to the Nascent Soul stage in the future. Plus, with your current combat strength, you're safe as long as you don't encounter a Nascent Soul True Monarch. This means that it's almost certain that you'll condense your Nascent Soul in the future. This old fox has finally figured it out and made me pass on a message to you."

Master Xuanyang gave Fu Changsheng a meaningful look:
"It's always better to have more friends than more enemies."

Fu Changsheng understood immediately.

Now that he has shown his prowess, various forces will inevitably realign themselves. Rather than dwelling on old grudges, it would be better to leverage this momentum to strengthen the Fu family.

"In that case, this junior will go and see Master Yan."

Master Xuan Yang revealed a look of satisfaction: "Excellent!"

……

Inside Tingyu Pavilion, Master Yan sat upright, the spiritual tea in front of him long since cold. Hearing footsteps, he looked up sharply and saw Fu Changsheng enter the pavilion. He quickly rose to greet him.

"Fellow Daoist Fu!" Master Yan bowed respectfully, his posture extremely humble. "Congratulations on your great achievement."

Fu Changsheng returned the greeting.

After the two sat down, Master Yan eagerly took out the jade box: "I heard that you are refining the Three Talents Lotus Lamp. This item may be of assistance to you."

The jade box opened, and the four-turn green lotus bloomed with a dazzling green light. Four profound patterns flowed endlessly in the lotus heart, emanating a rich life force. If this spiritual herb were refined, it would be enough to allow a Golden Core cultivator to break through a minor realm.

Fu Changsheng's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not immediately accept the gift: "Master Yan, such a generous gift, what is your request?"

Master Yan smiled bitterly: "To be honest, I misjudged Li Wanhu back then. Now, fellow Daoist, your battle has astonished the world," his voice trailing off, "I only hope to settle this karmic debt."

Fu Changsheng stared at the other person for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "It's just a small matter, why bother with such a grand gift?"

“No, this item has a deeper meaning.” Master Yan lowered his voice. “The Zhen Shi Division has recently noticed the Black Fiend Cult’s frequent activities, and since you killed the Black Fiend Master, you have likely become a thorn in their side.” He pushed the jade box closer. “This green lotus grows in the Xuanming Land and has a remarkable effect on resisting Yin Fiend energy.”

Fu Changsheng then accepted the jade box: "In that case, it would be impolite of me to refuse. Let bygones be bygones."

Master Yan breathed a sigh of relief and took out another jade slip: "This is the 'Records of Mysterious Yin Spiritual Objects' that I compiled. Perhaps it will be helpful for you in cultivating that ball of Mysterious Nether Ice Flame."

There is also an unexpected surprise.

Fu Changsheng gladly accepted it:
"Then I, Fu, will accept your offer without hesitation!"

……

He left Zhen Shi Si.

Fu Changsheng then returned directly to his fiefdom.

Above Huizhou City, Fu Changsheng rode his escape light past the city gate. From afar, he could see the city brightly decorated with lanterns, and red lanterns bearing the character "Fu" hung along both sides of the streets. Upon seeing the familiar azure light, the city gate guards immediately struck a gong and shouted:

"The patriarch has returned!"

The entire city seemed to be awakened by the shout. People on the streets stopped and looked up, and many cultivators even bowed in respect. Fu Changsheng nodded slightly, his escape light continuing as he flew straight towards the patriarch's mansion in the center of the city.

After changing out of the imperial envoy's robes, he said to his attendants:
"Go and invite Yongrui to see me."

Before long, a young man dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes appeared silently outside the study:

"Father!"

"Come in and talk."

After passing through numerous courtyards, the father and son arrived at a secret chamber deep within the patriarch's mansion. The moment the stone door closed, thirty-six protective barriers lit up simultaneously, completely isolating the inside from the outside.

"The Black Fiend Sect won't let this go easily." Fu Changsheng cut to the chase, taking a jade slip from his sleeve and handing it to his son. "This is information I found about the Black Fiend Sect at the Zhenshi Division. Take a look."

Fu Yongrui took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and immediately frowned: "One of the ten great demonic sects of the far west, skilled in commanding Yin spirits and cultivating strange flames. The Black Fiend True Man whom Father killed must have held a high position in the sect?"

"A late-stage Golden Core cultivator, in charge of nurturing the Profound Nether Ice Flame—at least a powerful elder-level figure," Fu Changsheng said, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table. "I'm worried they might send someone to infiltrate Huizhou in retaliation."

A cold glint flashed in Fu Yongrui's eyes: "Son, we will immediately strengthen the screening of spies within the fiefdom, especially those unfamiliar cultivators who have recently entered the city." He paused for a moment, then added, "Furthermore, I suggest placing 'Demon-Revealing Mirrors' in important locations within the clan; these can expose the disguises of demonic cultivators."

"The Demon-Revealing Mirror," Fu Changsheng nodded. "You'll handle this. Remember, do it discreetly, don't alert them."

“Yes.” Fu Yongrui replied, then took out a list from his pocket. “These are suspicious individuals recently identified by the Dark Hall. Three of them have connections to the far west, and my son has already sent people to keep an eye on them.”

Fu Changsheng glanced at the list and nodded in satisfaction: "Well done. By the way, how are your mother and An'er's progress in alchemy?"

Mentioning Liu Meizhen, Fu Yongrui's stern face softened slightly: "Mother and An Di sent a message the other day saying that things are progressing well."

"That's good." A hint of relief flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes as he took out a white jade bottle from his storage bag. "This is the Profound Yang Pill, most suitable for you. You've been stuck at the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm for many years; it's time to advance further."

"Thank you father!"

Fu Yongrui was somewhat excited and carefully put away the jade bottle. He then lowered his voice and said, "Father, I have something else to report. The Lei family has been making frequent moves lately, and it seems they are secretly contacting some forces in the far west."

Fu Changsheng's gaze sharpened: "Is there any conclusive evidence?"

"For now, there are only some clues," Fu Yongrui shook his head. "My son has already increased the number of people monitoring the Lei family's movements."

"This matter is of utmost importance," Fu Changsheng said in a deep voice. "If the Lei family truly dares to collude with sects in the far west, they are courting their own destruction. Continue your investigation, but remember, do not act rashly."

After discussing some family matters, the father and son took their leave.

After her son left.

With a thought, Fu Changsheng entered the small wooden house in the Five Elements Space.

With a flick of his sleeve.

Black Fiend Master's storage bag hovered in front of him.

The restriction on the bag's opening had already been broken, and he probed into it with his divine sense, beginning to carefully count the spoils of war.

The first thing Fu Changsheng took out was a pile of spirit stones, roughly estimated to be over a million, including more than ten high-grade spirit stones radiating rich spiritual energy. Fu Changsheng put these into his storage bag, and then took out several bottles of pills.

He identified the pills one by one: "Mysterious Yin Pill, Blood Fiend Pill, Corrupting Heart Powder," keeping the useful ones and sealing the evil ones separately, preparing to hand them over to the clan for disposal.

Next came a pile of refining materials and spiritual herbs, most of them exuding a sinister aura, clearly auxiliary materials used by True Immortal Black Fiend to cultivate the Profound Nether Ice Flame. Fu Changsheng's gaze swept over them, and suddenly he discovered an ancient, rustic book made of animal hide among the materials.

"The Secret Technique of Fusion of Different Flames?" He carefully turned the pages and found that it was an ancient book that recorded how to fuse different types of different flames, but the second half had obviously been torn out, leaving only the beginning.

Fu Changsheng carefully read the remaining contents, a look of surprise gradually appearing in his eyes. This secret technique recorded a method for fusing different flames called "Yin-Yang Harmony," which was perfectly suited to the Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame and the Profound Nether Ice Flame in his possession!
"If we could fuse these two strange flames..." His heart beat slightly faster. The Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame is primarily destructive, while the Nether Ice Flame possesses both extreme cold and extreme heat. If the two could be perfectly fused, their power would probably be no less than that of the top twenty on the Strange Flame Ranking.

Thinking of this, Fu Changsheng closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness:
"System, deduce the 'Secret Technique of Fusion of Different Flames'."

"Ding"

"Incomplete cultivation technique 'Secret Technique of Fusion of Different Flames' detected. Deduction requires 30,000 contribution points. Continue?"

Fu Changsheng glanced at the panel.

Currently, his family's contribution points total over 50,000, and even after consuming 30,000, he can still receive them. Originally, he planned to accumulate them for deduce the [Ancient Origin Thunder Scripture], but now he has to use them temporarily. He immediately said:
"Confirm the simulation."

hum!
Yellow light surged.

Data streams cascaded across the screen like a waterfall, and after a moment, lines of golden text appeared:

"Deduction complete"

"Flaws in the original technique: 1. Lack of key steps for balancing Yin and Yang; 2. Lack of protective techniques; 3. Lack of auxiliary formations."

"Improvement Plan: 1. Add Chaotic Qi for Harmony 2. Add 'Mysterious Yellow Body Protection Technique' 3. Complete the 'Two Elements Heart Protection Array' setup method"

"Warning: This technique carries extremely high risks. It is recommended that practitioners at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm attempt it. Success rate is 55%."

With the system notification, the complete "Secret Technique of Fusion of Different Flames" flooded into Fu Changsheng's mind like a sudden enlightenment. He opened his eyes, let out a long breath, and already had a plan in mind.

"Mid-stage Golden Core, huh?" He sensed his cultivation level; he was only a hair's breadth away from breaking through. "It seems I'll have to wait for Meizhen and An'an to refine the elixir before I can break through the bottleneck of the early Golden Core stage."

After sorting and putting away the other items in the storage bag, Fu Changsheng finally took out a pitch-black token. The front of the token was engraved with a hideous ghost head, and the back had the words "Black Fiend". It was icy to the touch, and the faint wails of ghosts could be heard from it.

He toyed with the token thoughtfully, then suddenly an idea struck him. "Perhaps I'll need it someday."

Fu Changsheng had a sudden thought.

The next instant, it appeared on the clan cauldron of Shanhe Town.

Inside the cauldron, spiritual energy swirled like mist.

Fu Changsheng stood beside the spirit field, holding the Four-Turn Azure Lotus. A flying beast fluttered its wings and landed on his shoulder, its pale blue feathers brushing against his cheek.

"Little fellow, these two Seven-Heart Begonia saplings need careful tending." Fu Changsheng handed over the three spiritual plants, lightly tapping the top of the Flying Feather Beast's head with his fingertip. "Especially this Azure Lotus; it will be of great use after another four hundred years of nurturing."

The feathered beast carefully held the spirit plant's root in its beak, but instead of chirping joyfully as usual, it looked worried, and its wings drooped listlessly.

"Hmm?" Fu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, reaching out to stroke the feathered beast's back feathers. "Why are you looking so dejected today?"

The feathered beast flapped its wings in a panic, then suddenly grabbed Fu Changsheng's sleeve and pulled him northward. Seeing that its master didn't understand, it simply jumped to the ground, drew wavy lines with its claws, and then assumed a posture of holding an egg.

"Is Xuanbing about to give birth?" Fu Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly.

The feathered beast nodded repeatedly, its wings fluttering rapidly.

Fu Changsheng immediately made a hand seal, teleporting with it to Beichuan in the Five Elements Space. A cold wind swept over them, and from outside the cave in the center of the distant frozen lake, faint sounds of painful wailing could be heard.

"No wonder you've been so absent-minded these past few days." Fu Changsheng patted the Flying Feather Beast's head, and seventy-two array flags flew out from his sleeve. "Don't worry, Master will set up a 'Mysterious Yuan Gathering Spirit Array' to help it."

The moment the array flag was inserted into the ice, spiritual energy from within a ten-mile radius surged forth like a tide. Fu Changsheng then took out three mid-grade spirit stones and placed them at the array's core. The spiritual light instantly transformed into a pale blue shield that enveloped the cave. The Flying Feather Beast gratefully nuzzled its master's hand with its head, then turned and transformed into a streak of azure light, disappearing into the cave.

Fu Changsheng stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the frozen lake, his divine sense constantly monitoring the situation inside the cave. The groans of the Xuanbing Beast were intermittent, mixed with the anxious cries of the Feiyu Beast. Suddenly, he frowned—the Xuanbing Beast's aura was rapidly weakening.

"not good!"

With a flash, Fu Changsheng appeared deep inside the cave.

The Xuanbing Beast lay paralyzed in its nest made of ice and jade, a pool of pale blue blood beneath it. The Feiyu Beast was desperately channeling its spiritual energy into its mate, while an ice-patterned egg was stuck in the birth canal, only half of it protruding.

“The cub is too large.” Fu Changsheng immediately saw through the problem, and then pointed his fingers like a sword, transforming chaotic energy into threads that wrapped around the beast egg. “I will help you.”

The Xuanbing Beast weakly raised its head, a hint of embarrassment flashing in its icy blue eyes. It had always been aloof and proud, but now it had no choice but to accept that its master had seen it in its most wretched state.

Fu Changsheng understood, turned his back, and manipulated the chaotic energy solely with his divine sense:
"I won't look at you then."

After a while.

"chirp"

With a loud cry, a blinding blue light suddenly burst forth from inside the cave.

Fu Changsheng felt a sudden lightness in his hand. Turning around, he saw that the beast egg had been fully laid, and the naturally formed ice crystal patterns on the eggshell were frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy. The Xuanbing Beast struggled to protect its cub under its belly, and condensed its primordial blood essence on its tongue, smearing it little by little on the cracks in the eggshell.

“Click——”

Suddenly, a thin crack appeared in the eggshell, and a blast of cold air shot out like arrows, condensing into countless icicles on the cave ceiling. The Feathered Beast was so frightened that its feathers bristled.

Fu Changsheng comforted him:

"Don't panic, this is a hatching phenomenon of the Xuanbing Beast clan."

Before the words were finished, the entire Five Elements Space suddenly trembled violently.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and a beam of azure light descended from the heavens, piercing through the spatial barrier and reaching the cave! Within the beam of light, countless ice crystals could be vaguely seen dancing, like an inverted galaxy.

"A strange phenomenon from the sky?" Fu Changsheng's pupils contracted slightly.

Ordinary spirit beasts don't make such a commotion when they are born, unless...
The temperature in the entire cave plummeted the moment the eggshell shattered completely.

A small beast, its body as clear and blue as jade, rolled out. Its wet fur was still covered with egg yolk, while six ice-crystal-like scales had formed on its back. Most peculiar of all was the tuft of flame-shaped white downy hair on its forehead, which fluttered wildly in the cold wind.

"The Ice Flame Mystic Crystal Beast?" Fu Changsheng rarely lost his composure. This was an ancient and rare species. After reaching adulthood, it could breathe extremely cold ice flames. It was ranked 173rd in the "Compendium of Ten Thousand Beasts," and its bloodline was two whole major ranks higher than that of the Mystic Ice Beast!
The Flying Feather Beast stood frozen in place, only managing to pounce on its cub after a long while, wanting to touch it but hesitant to do so. The little beast shakily stood up, then suddenly sneezed, the icy breath instantly freezing its father into an ice sculpture.

"Chirp?!" The Feathered Beast stared wide-eyed from inside the ice.

The Xuanbing Beast hurriedly swept its tail across the ice sculpture, and while melting the ice, it didn't forget to gently lick the cub's forehead as a warning. The little beast tilted its head as if it understood, and suddenly noticed Fu Changsheng standing to the side. It stumbled over and bit the hem of his robe, starting to grind its teeth.

"You've got guts." Fu Changsheng couldn't help but chuckle, condensing a drop of chaotic spiritual liquid at his fingertips. The little beast's nostrils twitched, and it immediately loosened its robe, staring longingly at the drop of spiritual liquid that emitted an alluring fragrance.

"I can have it," Fu Changsheng said, waving his finger, "but you'll have to acknowledge me as your master from now on, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, the Xuanbing Beast nodded and nudged its cub toward its master with its front paws.

As Fu Changsheng bent down, the little beast leaped onto his shoulder, its pink tongue darting in to swallow the spiritual liquid. It then let out a satisfied burp, curled up in its master's neck, and fell asleep, its icy scales flickering with each breath.

The strange phenomena outside the cave gradually dissipated. Fu Changsheng gently stroked the cub and smiled at the two spirit beasts, saying, "From today onwards, its name is 'Frostflame'." He then took out a jade bottle and placed it beside the nest. "This is a Cold Jade Pill refined from Xuanbing Grass, beneficial for Xuanbing cultivation."

The flying beast picked up the jade bottle and rubbed it against its master's hand, its eyes full of gratitude. Just as it was about to express something, it was suddenly attracted by the snores of its cub—the little thing was sleeping sprawled out in Fu Changsheng's arms, the downy fur on its belly rising and falling with its breath.

...

...

Inside the alchemy room of the Fu family in Huizhou Prefecture.

The Taixu Dragon and Phoenix Divine Cauldron stood quietly in the center.

The cauldron was entirely dark blue-black, carved with auspicious dragon and phoenix patterns, exuding an ancient and profound aura. Liu Meizhen gently stroked the cauldron with her fair hand, the chaotic energy flowing from her fingertips, echoing the spiritual fire within.

"Yong'an, have you deciphered the spiritual patterns of the Mo Xue Lingzhi?" she asked without looking up, her gaze fixed intently on the "Seven Apertures Elixir Classic" spread out on the table.

Fu Yong'an stood before a crystal table, the [Danrong Wanxiang] Dharma seed faintly visible between his brows, emitting a faint blue light.

He held a piece of ice in his hands, within which was sealed the three-thousand-year-old Ink Snow Lingzhi, its dark petals swirling with silver runes.

“Mother, the spirit runes are divided into nine stages, each corresponding to a change in medicinal properties,” he replied calmly, lightly tapping the ice with his fingertip. “If we use the conventional method, the medicinal power will be reduced by 30% by the seventh stage. However, if we use chaotic energy as a guide, combined with the remaining ingredients of the Nine Netherworld Orchid, we might be able to preserve more than 80%.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Meizhen raised her eyes, a hint of appreciation flashing in them: "Not bad, it seems these past two years haven't been in vain." With a flick of her sleeve, seven jade slips floated into the air. "However, the harmonization of chaotic energy requires a delicate balance; too much is as bad as too little. These are the seven plans I've devised; take a look."

The mother and son sat facing each other and began the final deduction.

The room was quiet, save for the crisp sound of jade slips clinking together. Outside the window, the sun rose and set, and half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

That morning, Liu Meizhen suddenly stood up: "The time has come."

She made a hand seal, and the Taixu Dragon and Phoenix Divine Cauldron hummed as its lid slowly rose.

Fu Yong'an immediately understood and laid out the prepared auxiliary materials one by one. His movements were fluid and precise, handling each herb with meticulous care, demonstrating a level of experience beyond his years.

"rise!"

With a soft shout, Liu Meizhen channeled the chaotic energy into seven streams of light that flowed into the divine cauldron.

The dragon and phoenix patterns on the cauldron lit up one after another, and an ancient and weathered aura spread out. Fu Yong'an seized the opportunity and put the unsealed Ink Snow Lingzhi into the cauldron.

"Sizzle—"

The moment the Ganoderma lucidum was placed into the cauldron, the temperature of the entire alchemy room plummeted, and fine ice crystals condensed on the ground.

Liu Meizhen remained calm and composed, her seven-aperture exquisite mind operating at full capacity, precisely controlling the changes within the cauldron with seven different types of spiritual energy. Her robes fluttered, like a celestial being descended to earth, every movement subtly in rhythm. Fu Yong'an stepped aside.

The blue light of the [Danrong Wanxiang] Dharma Seed surged, forming an auxiliary formation around the cauldron.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, yet he maintained a steady breathing rhythm. Although his magical power was not as profound as his mother's, his grasp of the medicinal properties was in no way inferior.

Several days later, the medicinal liquid in the cauldron had turned from jet black to deep blue.

Liu Meizhen suddenly frowned: "Yong'an, in the northwest!"

Fu Yong'an immediately understood, a flash of blue light appearing at his fingertips as he precisely adjusted the heat in the northwest corner of the cauldron. A medicinal force that was about to go berserk was promptly calmed down and brought back on track.

"That was close." He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only to see his mother casting an approving glance at him.

The alchemy process entered its seventh day.

The medicinal liquid in the cauldron began to crystallize, requiring the simultaneous control of nine different temperatures. Liu Meizhen's seven orifices simultaneously emitted spiritual light, her entire being seemingly merging with the divine cauldron. Fu Yong'an also exerted all his strength to activate his Dharma Seed, his face gradually turning pale.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
The medicinal liquid in the cauldron churned violently, and an extremely cold aura burst through the lid, condensing into an ice spike that pierced straight down.

Liu Meizhen's eyes flashed sharply, and chaotic energy formed a barrier as she shouted, "Yong'an, retrieve the remaining materials of the Nine Netherworld Orchid!"

Without hesitation, Fu Yong'an produced a jade box from his sleeve.

The pale blue powder from the box was sprinkled onto the divine cauldron, colliding with the ice cone and producing a metallic clang. The extreme cold and extreme yin energy canceled each other out, ultimately transforming into pure energy that returned to the cauldron.

Even after the crisis was over, the mother and son dared not relax.

A few more days passed.

hum!
A clear and melodious phoenix cry finally emanated from the cauldron.

"Open the cauldron!"

At Liu Meizhen's command, the lid of the cauldron opened with a roar.

Two pills, each the size of a longan, shot into the sky. One was a deep blue, like the ocean, with nine golden lines flowing across its surface; the other was a lighter color and had only seven golden lines.

"One top-grade and one medium-grade, done!" Fu Yong'an rarely showed joy.

Liu Meizhen let out a long sigh of relief, her temples already damp with sweat.

She carefully placed the two pills into a specially made jade bottle:

"Angel, you've worked hard these past two years. If it weren't for your [Dan Fusion of Myriad Phenomena] technique seed, let alone top-quality pills, I'm afraid even making two pills would have been difficult."

Fu Yong'an shook his head and smiled:
"Mother, you flatter me. Participating in alchemy of this caliber will greatly benefit my cultivation."

He gazed at the jade bottle, a look of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

With these two elixirs, Father has a good chance of breaking through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm! The Fu family will have another layer of security!!

...

...

Demon Suppression Pass - Li Wanhu's Residence
Li Wanhu sat upright in his study, clutching a letter that had just been returned to him, his knuckles white from the force of his grip. The gilded "Yan" character on the letter was crushed, turning into specks of gold dust that spilled from between his fingers.

"So, Master Yan," he said in a low voice, a sinister glint in his eyes, "daring to destroy my letter in public?"

The messenger, kneeling on the ground with his forehead pressed to the ground, said in a trembling voice, "My lord, Master Yan has spoken to you about your affairs with the Fu family. He will no longer interfere and advises you to take care of yourself."

"Take care of yourself?" Li Wanhu suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with chilling coldness. "Back then, this old dog openly and secretly took countless bribes from me. This time, I came to Zhenmo Pass at his behest, and now this old dog is turning his back on me!"

He suddenly stood up, flicked his sleeve, and the teacup on the table shattered with a "bang," splashing scalding tea onto the messenger's face, but he dared not wipe it away at all.

"Fu Changsheng!" Li Wanhu gritted his teeth as he muttered the name. "A mere junior like him, how dare he force Old Dog Yan to bow his head?"

He walked to the window and gazed at the towering city walls in the distance. Outside the Demon-Suppressing Pass, black mist surged, the ever-present demonic energy. For decades, he had accumulated merits in this harsh land, hoping to one day return to the Demon-Suppressing Division, and perhaps even ascend to the position of Deputy Director.

But now.
"My lord, there is one more thing," the messenger said cautiously. "Fu Changsheng has been promoted to a sixth-rank patrol angel, and it is said that he killed a late-stage Golden Core cultivator from the Black Fiend Sect at the Wu family's medicine garden."

"What?!" Li Wanhu's pupils constricted, and he turned around abruptly. "Late-stage Golden Core?"

The messenger nodded tremblingly: "It's absolutely true. This matter has been recorded on the Zhenshi Division's merit stele, and the merit is worth four points."

"Four points." Li Wanhu's face was ashen. He had risked his life in this Demon-Suppressing Pass for decades, and even that amounted to only a few dozen points of merit for a Patrol Envoy. Yet Fu Changsheng's single battle had equaled almost half of his hard-earned achievements!

"Fine, very well!" Li Wanhu laughed angrily. "Since that old dog Yan can't be trusted, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He slammed his hand on the table, and a dark figure silently emerged from behind the screen, kneeling on one knee: "My lord."

"Go, summon 'Blood Wolf'," Li Wanhu said coldly. "Also, send a message to the 'Black Wind Duo' outside the pass, telling them that I have a big deal to discuss with them."

The black shadow took the order and left.

Li Wanhu took out a blood-red jade slip from his robes, gently tracing its patterns with his fingertips, a glint of malice flashing in his eyes: "I'll use you as my first target, Fu Changlei!"
-
Several months later, a thousand miles outside the Demon Suppression Pass

A fierce wind howled, and black fog filled the air.

Fu Changlei led a team of Fu family members on a mission, his body crackling with lightning, dispelling all the approaching demonic energy.

Since being promoted to commander, he has almost always been out on missions, trying to accumulate merit points in the imperial court so that the Fu family can be promoted to the fifth rank as soon as possible.

"Fourth Grandfather, 'Ghost Cry Ravine' is just ahead," Fu Qingyun said, pointing to a deep, dark canyon in the distance. "Recently, some cultivators have reported that demonic energy there is unusually active, suggesting the presence of demonic cultivators."

Fu Changlei narrowed his eyes, his divine sense scanning the canyon: "There's definitely a problem." He raised his hand, signaling the team to stop. "Qingyun, you stay here with some men to provide support. I'll go in and investigate first."

Fu Qingyun said urgently, "Fourth Grandfather, it's too dangerous! Let's wait for Commander Chi to send reinforcements."

"It's alright." Fu Changlei grinned, lightning condensing into a long spear in his palm. "A mere demonic cultivator can't do anything to me. It's dangerous here, Qingyun, you should quickly return to Zhenmo Pass for reinforcements."

Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a bolt of lightning and rushed into the canyon.

Deeper into the canyon, the black fog grew even thicker.

Not long after Fu Changlei stepped in, blood-red array patterns suddenly lit up around him, the ground cracked open with a "crack," and dozens of chains burst out of the ground, instantly binding his limbs!
"Hahaha, Commander Fu, we've been waiting for you!"

Amidst sinister laughter, three figures emerged from the black mist. The leader, wearing a blood-red wolf-head mask, was none other than the infamous "Blood Wolf," a cultivator at the early Golden Core stage. The other two, one tall and one short, were shrouded in demonic energy and were known as the "Black Wind Duo" from beyond the Great Wall.

"You think you can do this?" Fu Changlei sneered, his lightning spiritual power erupting, the chains crackling, yet remaining completely still.

Blood Wolf grinned maliciously: "Don't waste your energy. This 'Spirit-Sealing Lock' is specifically designed to counter lightning magic; it was specially prepared for you by someone!"

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Pass.

His only enemy was Li Wanhu.

A cold glint flashed in Fu Changlei's eyes.

The Black Wind Duo, led by Black Master, sneered, "Commander Fu, blame your family for being too arrogant. Someone said that taking your head would reward you with two elixirs that would increase your cultivation by sixty years. Blame yourself for offending someone you shouldn't have!"

"Then let's see if you have the ability!"

Fu Changlei suddenly roared, and the Nine Heavens Starry Sky Technique within his body began to circulate wildly, causing starlight to illuminate the acupoints all over his body. The previously suppressed lightning spiritual power flowed in reverse through his meridians, transforming into a violent stellar force!

"What?!" Blood Wolf exclaimed in shock, "How can the Spirit-Sealing Lock..."

"break!"

With a thunderous roar, the spirit-binding chains binding his limbs shattered inch by inch. Amidst the bursts of lightning, Fu Changlei was like a tiger unleashed. His lightning spear crackled and popped, and a three-zhang-long bolt of lightning condensed at the tip, aiming straight for the Blood Wolf's throat!
"Well done!"

The Blood Wolf grinned maliciously, slashing horizontally with its blood-red longsword. Suddenly, seven scarlet ghost eyes opened on the blade, spewing out viscous blood mist. The lightning spear pierced into the blood mist as if sinking into quagmire; the lightning on the spear was corroded and dissolved at a visible speed.

Fu Changlei's pupils contracted sharply. His left hand formed a hand seal, and an ancient thunder seal suddenly appeared in his palm: "Azure Wood Divine Thunder - Spring Thunder Awakens Insects!"

"Boom!"

A thunderclap suddenly erupted in the sky above the canyon, and a pillar of emerald lightning descended from the heavens, scattering the blood mist in all directions. The lightning's momentum did not diminish, blasting spiderweb-like cracks into the rock walls, causing rubble to fall in a flurry.

Black Master Hei, one of the Black Wind Duo, suddenly chuckled sinisterly. As the ghost banner fluttered, the falling rubble twisted and deformed in the air, transforming into countless hideous ghost-faced stone statues, baring their fangs and sharp teeth as they lunged forward. Wind Master Feng, meanwhile, blurred into three afterimages, his poisoned short blades tracing eerie green paths as they aimed directly at Fu Changlei's vital points.

"A mere trick!" Fu Changlei sneered, stomping his right foot on the ground. Suddenly, thirty-six lightning-summoning talismans appeared around him, the cinnabar patterns on the talismans glowing with dazzling golden light: "Heavenly Thunder Formation - Activate!"

"Crack—!"

The instant the rune array took shape, the entire canyon transformed into a pool of lightning. The ghost-faced stone statue shattered in the lightning, two of the three afterimages of the Wind Immortal were cleaved apart, and his true form retreated hastily, his sleeves charred and smoking. The Black Immortal's ghost banner spun rapidly, and seven vengeful spirits formed a shield, but it wailed and dissipated under the lightning.

Enraged by this, the Blood Wolf suddenly bit its tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the blade. Blood tears simultaneously flowed from its seven ghostly eyes, and the blade extended a ten-zhang-long crimson light, sweeping across with a pungent, foul wind: "Nine Turns of Blood River!"

Fu Changlei parried with his spear, and with a loud clang, the spear was actually cleaved in two. The second strike came immediately afterward. He hastily dodged to the side, and a bloody glint grazed his chest. His robe was instantly corroded, leaving a large hole, and spiderweb-like blood patterns appeared on his skin.

"Poison?" Fu Changlei grunted, his internal lightning spiritual power automatically protecting him, forcing the invading blood poison out of his body, where it condensed into tiny blood crystals on his skin and fell off in a flurry.

Seizing the opportunity, Master Feng suddenly crushed a bone talisman. The ground cracked open, and three ancient bronze corpses emerged from the earth, their claws wreathed in eerie blue corpse fire, forming a triangular formation to surround and attack. Master Hei unfurled his ghost banner again, this time releasing nine skulls that formed a nine-palace formation in the air, spewing poisonous smoke.

"Ancient corpse? Ghostly path?" Fu Changlei's eyes flashed with cold light. He suddenly slammed his thunder spear into the ground, his hands forming complex thunder seals: "I'll show you the true 'Ancient Origin Thunder Scripture'!"

A bolt of lightning suddenly shot out from the top of his head, transforming into a three-zhang-tall phantom of a thunder god in the air. The phantom had three heads and six arms, wielding a thunder hammer, a thunder cone, and a thunder drum—it was the legendary Dharma form of the Thunder God!

"Evil-repelling Divine Thunder - Demon-slaying!"

With a simultaneous swing of all six arms, a golden thunderstorm swept across the canyon. The ancient bronze corpse melted in the lightning, and its nine skulls shattered one after another. Feng Zhenren was unable to dodge in time and was struck on the right shoulder by a bolt of lightning. His entire arm instantly carbonized, and he let out a shrill scream.

Seeing this, Blood Wolf's eyes widened in fury. Suddenly, he tore open his shirt, revealing a hideous ghost face tattoo. The tattoo wriggled and detached from his skin, transforming into a three-zhang-tall blood demon that lunged at the Thunder God's image. The shockwave from their collision caused most of the rock walls on both sides of the canyon to collapse, sending rocks raining down.

“Now!”

Despite the burning pain in his meridians, Fu Changlei charged forward like lightning, his spear aimed straight for Feng Zhenren's heart. The instant the spear tip touched his skin, he suddenly changed his move, slicing upwards and severing Feng Zhenren's entire right shoulder and remaining arm cleanly!

"ah--!"

Master Feng screamed as he plummeted to the ground. Master Hei roared as he rushed to his rescue, but was forced back by three explosive lightning talismans thrown by Fu Changlei. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Blood Wolf attacked from the flank, his blood blade suddenly splitting into hundreds of blade shadows, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the illusory.

Fu Changlei suddenly closed his eyes, and a lightning pattern lit up between his brows.

The moment the blood-stained blade was about to strike, his body twisted strangely, and he passed through the gap between the blade's shadows. His lightning spear, like a poisonous dragon emerging from its cave, went straight for the Blood Wolf's throat!
"Pfft!"

The spear tip pierced three inches into his flesh, and Blood Wolf retreated in horror, blood gushing from his neck. But Fu Changlei also staggered backward—his previous extreme dodge had almost drained his last bit of spiritual energy.

"He's finished!" Black Master roared, and the Ghost Banner suddenly burst into flames, transforming into a ghostly green fire python that lunged forward. Blood Wolf grinned maliciously, wiping the blood from his neck and drawing an evil rune on his blade: "Blood Fiend Soul-Sealing Slash!"

Fu Changlei took a deep breath, suddenly plunging his thunder spear into the ground, his hands rapidly forming hand seals. With each seal, his face paled further, and blood seeped from his seven orifices. When the ninth thunder seal was completed, the dark clouds above the canyon suddenly swirled into a vortex.

"Nine Heavens. Divine Thunder Summoning!"

“Boom—!”

A massive, barrel-thick, purple-gold lightning bolt descended from the sky, but instead of striking the enemy, it struck Fu Changlei directly! His body gradually blurred in the lightning, transforming into thousands of lightning snakes that scattered and flew in all directions.

"Lightning Release Technique?!"

Blood Wolf was filled with shock and rage, and his blood-red blade slashed wildly, only managing to scatter a few bolts of lightning. The fire python controlled by Black Immortal missed its target and was instead devoured by several lightning snakes, leaving its chest charred black.

...

...

After the lightning dissipated, Fu Changlei's consciousness fell into chaos.

"Well"

Fu Changlei opened his eyes with difficulty, his vision blurred.

He attempted to circulate the "Nine Heavens Starry Sky Technique," only to find that the spiritual energy in his meridians was as stagnant as mud, and even the slightest exertion triggered excruciating pain. Looking inward at his dantian, he saw that his golden core, originally the size of a pigeon egg, had shrunk to the size of a soybean, and his cultivation had plummeted to the late Foundation Establishment stage!

"The poison from the Spirit-Sealing Lock combined with the backlash from the Lightning Release technique."

He gritted his teeth and propped himself up, a faint wisp of lightning gathering in his palm, dimmer than a candle flame. This was the weakest moment of his life.

Looking around, Fu Changlei's pupils contracted slightly.

He found himself in an endless wasteland, with crumbling walls stretching to the horizon. The sky was an eerie dark red, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, only thick, leaden clouds hanging low. What alarmed him most was the sparse spiritual energy here, almost imperceptible, as if drained by some force.

Where is this?

Fu Changlei forced himself to stand up, his robes already tattered. He remembered that there were no ruins of this scale within a radius of ten thousand miles of Zhenmo Pass, and the Geography Records in the Scripture Pavilion had never recorded such a place.

A gust of wind carrying the smell of sulfur blew by, and the sound of metal clashing echoed in the distance. Fu Changlei immediately lowered his body and concealed his aura. After his cultivation level plummeted, he had to be more cautious than ever before.

The sound came from deep within the ruins.

He crept forward, following the sound, passing through collapsed stone pillars and the severely weathered remains of statues. The architectural style was ancient and unfamiliar, and the remaining patterns on the stone walls vaguely showed a connection to thunder magic, but it was even more primitive and mysterious than the "Ancient Thunder Scripture" passed down by the Fu family.

After scaling a broken section of the city wall, the sight before him made Fu Changlei gasp for breath—

A simple village sits in the center of ruins, with dozens of thatched huts surrounding an ancient well. The well platform is engraved with faded lightning patterns, but the well water has an eerie dark red hue. Even more chilling are the people who move about in the village: they look no different from ordinary people, but there are faint black lines flowing under their skin, and their eyes flash with a scarlet light when the light changes.

"Neither demon nor human, neither human nor demon"

Fu Changlei was observing from behind the broken wall when he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

A bone knife was pressed against his back.

“Outsider.” A hoarse voice came from behind. “Turn around, slowly.”

Fu Changlei slowly turned around and saw an old man with a face full of wrinkles.

The old man's left eye was normal, but his right eye was a cloudy white, and the black lines under his skin were denser than those of the other villagers. Most striking was the pendant hanging around his neck—it was clearly a talisman carved from lightning-struck wood, but it had been stained half black and half purple by demonic energy.

"I meant no harm."

Fu Changlei said calmly, while observing the escape route. In his current state, a direct confrontation was definitely not the best strategy.

The old man narrowed his one eye: "A cultivator?" He sniffed the air. "I haven't smelled the scent of lightning magic in years." His tone suddenly became excited. "Take him back to the village!"

Three burly men emerged from the ruins, wielding rusty iron spears whose tips gleamed with an ominous green light.

After weighing the pros and cons, Fu Changlei temporarily gave up the resistance.

The village looked even more dilapidated than it did from a distance.

The walls of the thatched hut were covered with animal bones and withered vines, and a broken stone statue stood in the center of the open space, which could be vaguely identified as the shape of some kind of thunder beast.

The villagers gathered around, curiously examining the stranger. Fu Changlei noticed that the concentration of demonic energy on them varied, and some of the children even looked no different from ordinary people.

"I am Mo Fang, an elder of Qingyan Village." The one-eyed old man sat on the stone statue's pedestal. "Outsider, state your origins."

“Fu Changlei, the patrol commander of Zhenmo Pass.” He spoke frankly, while observing the villagers’ reactions. Upon hearing the words “Zhenmo Pass,” several elders visibly trembled.

A flicker of reminiscence crossed Elder Mo Fang's single eye as he spoke of the Demon-Suppressing Pass. "My ancestor mentioned it in his notes."

Now that you know about the Demon Suppression Pass.

Does that mean there's an exit here?

Fu Changlei remained calm: "Where is this place?"

(End of this chapter)