Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 552 Double-crossing, ingratitude, and simultaneous breakthroughs

Demon Suppression Pass - Ghost Cry Gorge

Blood gushed from the wound on Blood Wolf's neck, soaking his chest clothes into a dark red stain. He leaned on his knife with one hand, his eyes gleaming with even greater ferocity: "So this is Fu Changlei! He actually managed to injure me to this extent!"

The short, dark-skinned Feng Zhenren, one of the Black Wind Duo, clutched his severed arm, his face ashen. His sinister gaze lingered on the Blood Wolf's retreating figure for a moment before he suddenly gave his elder brother, Hei Zhenren, a meaningful look.

"Big brother, make your move!"

The Black Immortal's tall frame trembled slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. But seeing the charred wound on his younger brother's severed arm, he gritted his teeth and nodded, the Ghost Banner appearing silently in his hand.

Blood Wolf was about to give chase to the fleeing Fu Changlei when he suddenly felt a chilling wind coming from behind. His instincts, honed by years of licking blood from the edge of a knife, made him jerk to the side. A poisoned short blade grazed his ribs, sending a spray of blood flying.

"You—!" Blood Wolf turned around in shock and anger, only to see Feng Zhenren's face contorted with pain and a sinister grin.

"Brother Blood Wolf, I'm sorry," Master Feng said with a sinister smile, "It seems we won't be getting Li Wanhu's reward. We can't have made a wasted trip, can we?"

Blood Wolf flew into a rage, sweeping his crimson longsword horizontally: "You're courting death!"

Before the blade even arrived, seven ghostly eyes opened simultaneously, spewing out viscous blood mist. Master Feng was prepared; he crushed a bone talisman, his figure instantly transforming into three afterimages and dispersing. At the same time, Master Hei's ghost banner reached the Blood Wolf's head, nine skulls spewing poisonous smoke, enveloping the Blood Wolf within.

"Two bastards!" Blood Wolf roared, his blade thrusting even stronger than before, resorting to a desperate, life-or-death tactic. A blur of motion was shattered by the flash of the blade, and Feng Zhenren's true form groaned as another deep, bone-revealing wound appeared on his left leg.

Enraged by this, Black Immortal slammed his ghost banner into the ground. The canyon trembled violently, and three ancient bronze corpses burst from the earth, their claws aimed straight for Blood Wolf's back. Blood Wolf had no choice but to parry with his blade, the blade clashing with the corpse claws, sparks flying.

Seizing the opportunity, Master Feng made a hand seal with his one arm, and a ghostly green fire shot out from his fingertip, accurately striking the Blood Wolf's neck wound. The Blood Wolf let out a scream that was not human, and the flesh at the wound rotted at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Corrosive Heart Poison Fire? You—" Blood Wolf's eyes turned bloodshot, and he suddenly bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the blade. "Blood River Nine Revolutions - Seventh Form!"

The longsword transformed into a crimson streak, instantly cleaving the three ancient corpses in half at the waist. The Black Immortal's Ghost Banner spun rapidly, its nine skulls forming a defensive array, only to shatter one after another under the blade's light. Seeing the situation was dire, the Wind Immortal hurled three poisoned darts and retreated swiftly.

Blood Wolf grinned maliciously as he took the poisoned dart head-on, his blade's momentum increasing rather than decreasing, aiming straight for Black Master's head. At the critical moment, Black Master suddenly crushed a black jade talisman, his figure shifting three zhang horizontally in a strange manner, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow.

"Brother, use that move!" Master Feng shouted from afar.

Black Master struggled, but finally nodded under his brother's urging. He suddenly ripped open his shirt, revealing a hideous ghost face tattoo—exactly the same one Blood Wolf had just used!
"When did you steal my Blood Demon Technique?" Blood Wolf asked, filled with shock and rage.

The Black Immortal remained silent, his ghostly face tattoo detaching from his skin and transforming into a two-zhang-tall blood demon that lunged at the Blood Wolf. The two blood demons collided in mid-air, tearing and entangled, the black mist and blood light intertwining, making the canyon resemble hell.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Master Feng circled behind Blood Wolf, made a hand seal with his one arm, and a ghostly green fire line silently shot towards Blood Wolf's back. Blood Wolf seemed to sense something and hastily dodged; the fire line missed his heart but pierced through his right shoulder.

"Ah—!" Blood Wolf roared in pain, his movements slowing for a moment. Black True Man's blood demon seized the opportunity, biting off a chunk of flesh from his left arm.

Enraged, the Blood Wolf suddenly plunged its longsword into its own abdomen, the seven ghostly eyes on the blade simultaneously shedding tears of blood: "With my lifeblood, I offer this sacrifice to the Blood Demon!"

The blade trembled violently, and a beam of blood-red light shot into the sky, condensing into a three-zhang-tall demonic shadow in mid-air. As soon as the demonic shadow appeared, Black Master's blood demon howled as it was sucked into its mouth.

"Not good!" Master Feng's expression changed drastically. "Big brother, retreat quickly!"

The Black Immortal stood still, his ghost banner plunging into the ground: "Nine Netherworld Soul-Locking Array!"

Nine fissures appeared in the ground, and nine jet-black chains burst forth from the earth, binding the phantom of the Blood Demon.

at the same time.

Suddenly, Master Feng appeared behind Blood Wolf, his single arm extending like a venomous snake, his five fingers forming a claw aimed straight for his back. Blood Wolf hastily dodged, only to see Master Feng's lips curl into a sinister smile. His claw technique suddenly changed, and a thin black needle shot out from between his fingers, precisely piercing Blood Wolf's temple.

"Soul-Devouring Needle?!" Blood Wolf's eyes widened, and his body convulsed violently.

Master Feng grinned maliciously as he retreated, saying, "I've gone to great lengths to deal with you."

The Blood Demon phantom fluctuated violently due to its host's injury. Taking advantage of this, the Black Immortal unleashed a flurry of attacks with his Ghost Banner, tearing the phantom to shreds with nine chains. The Blood Wolf collapsed to its knees, black blood gushing from its seven orifices, its eyes rapidly losing their luster.

"You will all die a horrible death," Blood Wolf managed to utter his last words before passing away.

Blood Wolf's corpse lay supine amidst the rubble, the large hole in his neck no longer bleeding. His wide eyes still held a look of disbelief—he couldn't understand why his ally had suddenly betrayed him until his death.

"Brother, this guy's storage bag has more stuff than we imagined!" Master Feng was excitedly rummaging through a blood-red leather bag. The wound on his severed arm had been stopped bleeding with a secret technique, his face was pale from blood loss, but his eyes gleamed with greed.

Black Master: "Second Brother, aren't we being a bit too..."

"Too much what?" Master Feng sneered, taking out a blood jade slip from his bag and toying with it in his palm. "This Blood Wolf has committed countless evil deeds; killing him is an act of justice. Besides," he weighed the storage bag in his hand, "we can't get the reward that old dog Li Wanhu promised; we can't just make this trip for nothing."

Looking at the lingering lightning in the canyon, Hei Zhenren's rugged face showed worry: "Fu Changlei escaped, but what about Li Wanhu?"

"Who cares!" Master Feng spat. "That old dog's intelligence was wrong. He said it was a first-level Golden Core cultivator, but it turns out he's a formidable character who can fight against a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator! If you ask me, he didn't pay enough!"

He suddenly lowered his voice: "Big brother, look at this." He took out a domino engraved with runes from his storage bag. "Blood Wolf's 'Seven Fiends Soul Nourishing Tablet,' it has nurtured at least a hundred living souls. It can be exchanged for three bottles of 'Mysterious Yin Pills' on the black market!"

A hint of reluctance flashed in Black Master's eyes, but upon seeing his brother's severed arm, he ultimately only sighed and said:

"Second brother, our injuries are too severe; we must leave this place as soon as possible."

The two brothers had only taken a few steps when they suddenly froze simultaneously—

"Clap clap clap."

A crisp round of applause came from the shadows of the canyon. A masked man in black slowly stepped out, a mocking smile in his eyes.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant," the man in black said in a deep voice. "A classic case of double-crossing, dogs fighting dogs. I've certainly seen something amazing today."

Feng Zhenren's pupils shrank sharply: "Li Wanhu?"

The man in black chuckled, pulled off his mask to reveal Li Wanhu's seemingly refined face. He was toying with a blood-red jade slip in his right hand—the token used to communicate with the Blood Wolves.

"I originally planned to send you all on your way after you killed Fu Changlei," Li Wanhu sighed. "I never expected that three good-for-nothings working together would still let a heavily injured Fu Changlei escape."

The Black Immortal shielded his younger brother behind him, holding the ghost banner horizontally across his chest: "Sir, are you going to abandon me after I've served my purpose?"

Li Wanhu's smile remained unchanged: "Smart. It's a pity you know things you shouldn't know." He flicked his finger, and the blood-red jade slip shattered with a "crack." "The fact that I colluded with the Black Fiend Sect must not be revealed."

Master Feng's eyes darted around, and he suddenly shoved Master Hei aside: "Brother, run! I'll hold him off!"

Black Master was stunned, and before he could react, Wind Master had already bitten his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence onto his severed arm. The blood wriggled eerily, transforming into three blood snakes that lunged at Li Wanhu!

"Run!" Master Feng roared, "or we'll all die!"

Black Master's eyes reddened, and he turned to flee. Li Wanhu sneered, and a golden light flew from his sleeve, aiming straight for Black Master's back!
"clang!"

Master Feng deflected the golden light with his body; it was a golden needle that had pierced deeply into his left shoulder. He groaned, his face turning ashen—the needle was poisoned!

“Brotherly affection?” Li Wanhu scoffed. “I detest this kind of acting.”

He formed hand seals, and eight golden pillars of light suddenly rose from the ground, enveloping an area of ​​a hundred feet in radius. The Black Immortal crashed into the light barrier and was violently bounced back.

"The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation?" Master Feng's expression changed drastically. "You were prepared!"

Li Wanhu slowly drew a small golden sword: "I always handle things meticulously." He looked at Hei Zhenren, "Your brother pushed you just now, but he secretly placed a teleportation talisman on your back. Too bad, it was blocked by my Golden Lock Formation."

Black Master's body trembled, and he abruptly turned to look at Wind Master. Wind Master's expression was uncertain, then he suddenly grinned maliciously, "Brother, don't blame me, one of us has to live!"

After saying this, he suddenly lunged at Li Wanhu, his remaining arm exploding into a cloud of blood mist: "Blood Fiend Disintegration Technique!"

Li Wanhu's expression changed slightly, and he quickly retreated several steps, unleashing three sword lights with his golden sword. Feng Zhenren's body twisted strangely, managing to dodge them all, while simultaneously spitting out a beam of black light, aiming straight for Li Wanhu's throat!
"A mere trick!" Li Wanhu scoffed, parrying with his golden sword. But the black light suddenly changed direction and pierced his right arm!

"Ah!" Li Wanhu cried out in pain as his right arm instantly turned black. He acted swiftly, his left hand forming a knife-like motion, severing his right arm at shoulder length!

"You!" Li Wanhu was both shocked and furious, never expecting Feng Zhenren to be so ruthless.

Master Feng chuckled sinisterly, "Lord Li, how does this 'Heart-Corroding Nail' taste?" He turned to Master Hei, "Brother! Now's the time!"

A struggle flashed in Black Master's eyes, but the instinct for survival still made him rush to the edge of the formation—Wind Master's Blood Fiend Disintegration Technique was corroding the formation's light barrier!

"Trying to leave?" Li Wanhu endured the excruciating pain, his left hand forming a hand seal, "Golden Sword. Slash!"

The golden sword transformed into a streak of light, slashing towards Black Master's back. At the critical moment, Wind Master suddenly rushed forward, using his body to block the sword!
"Pfft!"

The golden sword pierced through Feng Zhenren's chest, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood, but revealed a sinister smile: "Big brother, remember to avenge me."

With tears welling in his eyes, the Black Immortal slammed his fist into the already weakened light barrier. The formation shattered, and he charged into the dense forest without looking back.

Li Wanhu was furious and was about to give chase when he suddenly felt a pang of fear—a blinding blood-red light shone from Feng Zhenren's dantian!
"The Golden Core self-destructed?!" Li Wanhu was shocked and hurriedly summoned three small golden shields.

"boom--!!!"

Amidst a deafening explosion, the entire canyon collapsed once more. When the smoke and dust cleared, Li Wanhu stood amidst the ruins, his clothes tattered, all three of his golden shields shattered, and a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

"Damn it!" he cursed, glancing in the direction where Black Master had fled, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

Thunder Ruins.

"A lost land, a forgotten prison." A young woman stepped out from the crowd, her demonic aura faintest, her eyes clear and bright. "We are descendants of the ancient Thunder Sect, cursed and trapped here for generations because our ancestor angered the Heavenly Dao."

Fu Changlei noticed the lightning patterns on her wrist, the mark of a true lightning cultivator: "You mean the Thunder Sect? The ancient sect recorded in the Ancient Origin Thunder Scripture?"

The woman looked at him in surprise: "You know the Ancient Thunder Scripture? It's our Thunder Sect's most treasured manual, but unfortunately it's long since incomplete."

"Ah Li!" Elder Mo Fang shouted sternly, then said to Fu Changlei, "Cultivator, your arrival here is the will of Heaven. We will not harm you, but you can never leave."

Fu Changlei sneered: "You guys?" Despite his greatly diminished cultivation level, he still possessed the strength of the late Foundation Establishment stage. Although the demonic energy emanating from these villagers was strange, its intensity was at most equivalent to the Qi Refining stage.

Elder Mo Fang gave a strange smile: "Try your lightning magic."

Fu Changlei secretly made a hand seal, but was horrified to find that the lightning spiritual power in his body was completely unresponsive! Not only that, he felt something slowly devouring his remaining spiritual power.

"You've discovered it?" Ali said softly. "The laws of heaven and earth here are different from the outside world; all lightning magic will be ineffective. And your cultivators' spiritual power," she pointed to the sky, "will be slowly devoured by 'it'."

Following her pointing finger, Fu Changlei noticed something writhing deep within the leaden clouds, like a giant black shadow roaming among the clouds. Just one glance was enough to make him dizzy, and the fragment of his golden core within his dantian trembled violently.

"What is that?" he asked, forcing himself to remain calm.

“The guardian of Thunder Prison, we call it ‘Soul Devourer.’” Elder Mo Fang stood up. “Take him to the ancient prison. We’ll decide on a course of action tomorrow during the sacrificial ceremony.”

Fu Changlei was led to a stone house on the edge of the village. The door was carved from a single piece of black stone, covered with seal lightning patterns. As the woman named Ali closed the door, she quietly slipped him a blue stone, whispering, "Hold it in your palm; it will slow down the loss of spiritual energy."

The stone house was pitch black. Fu Changlei sat cross-legged, examining his internal condition. The situation was worse than he had imagined—not only had his cultivation level plummeted, but his spiritual energy was also continuously draining away. At this rate, he would regress to a mortal within a few days.

“We must find a way out as soon as possible.” He gripped the blue stone given to him by Ali and indeed felt the rate of loss slow down. The stone was icy to the touch and had a faint fluctuation of thunder spirit inside, which was very similar to the “Thunder-Attracting Stone” recorded in the Ancient Thunder Scripture.

As night deepened, the stone house door opened silently. Ali slipped in, carrying a set of coarse cloth clothes: "Change into these; your robes are too conspicuous."

Fu Changlei looked at her warily: "Why are you helping me?"

“Because you are the first lightning cultivator from the outside world in nearly a thousand years.” Ali’s eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness. “I heard my grandfather say that the complete Ancient Source Lightning Scripture can lift our curse. And you,” she pointed to Fu Changlei’s dantian, “your cultivation technique contains the aura of the Lightning Scripture.”

Fu Changlei pondered for a moment, then decided to take a gamble: "Take me to see the relics of the Thunder Sect that you have preserved."

Ali led him away from the patrolling villagers to a cellar deep within the village. In the center of the cellar stood a broken stone tablet, engraved with ancient thunder patterns. Fu Changlei immediately recognized it as a fragment of the *Ancient Thunder Scripture*!

"This was left by our ancestors," Ali said reverently, stroking the stone tablet. "Our clan was originally an inner disciple of the Thunder Sect. We angered the Heavenly Dao by participating in the forging of the 'Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Tower' and were banished to this place. Generations of demonic energy corrupted us, gradually turning us into this."

Fu Changlei carefully studied the stone tablet, but couldn't figure it out for a while.

"What is this ritual?" he suddenly asked.

Ali's face turned pale: "Every year on the full moon of the fifteenth of August, the elders choose a member of the clan to offer as a sacrifice to the 'Spirit Devourer' in exchange for temporary peace in the village. Tomorrow..." Her voice trembled, "Tomorrow, my younger brother, Zhu Zi, will be chosen. My brother has the purest bloodline of this generation. The elders say his blood is the best at calming the Spirit Devourer's wrath."

Fu Changlei wasn't good at comforting people, and this wasn't the time to do such things. After a moment of silence, once Ali had recovered, he said directly, "Miss Ali, please tell me everything about 'Spirit Devourer'."

A flicker of fear crossed Ali's eyes: "The Spirit Devourer is the ruler of this world, resembling a giant python, but with a thousand eyes. Every year on the night of the full moon on the fifteenth of August, it descends from the clouds to devour the offerings we make..."

Fu Changlei frowned and suddenly asked, "Did you see its full appearance during your sacrificial ceremony?"

“No.” Ali shook her head. “It always hides in the clouds and mist, only showing part of its body. But the notes left by my grandfather mentioned that the tail of the Soul Eater is locked with nine lightning chains, which are connected to the lightning pool deep in the ruins.”

Lightning Chain? Lightning Pool?
A glint flashed in Fu Changlei's eyes, and a bold guess came to mind.

"Ah Li, take me to the Thunder Pool!" he decided immediately.

Ah Li's expression changed drastically: "No! That's a forbidden area; anyone who gets close will have their soul devoured..."

“If you want to save your brother, do as I say,” Fu Changlei said in a deep voice.

After hesitating for a moment, Ali finally gritted her teeth and nodded. She took out a dusty gray cloak and handed it to Fu Changlei: "This is made from the skin shed by the Soul Eater. It can conceal your aura."

Under the cover of night, the two slipped out of the village and headed deeper into the ruins. Along the way, Fu Changlei noticed that the lightning patterns on the ground were becoming increasingly dense, some even forming complete array patterns. He secretly memorized these patterns and compared them with the records in the "Ancient Origin Thunder Scripture".

Upon reaching the edge of a broken cliff, Ali suddenly stopped: "The Thunder Pool is just ahead."

Fu Changlei stared intently and saw a huge circular pit below the cliff, about a thousand feet in diameter. A layer of dark red liquid had accumulated at the bottom of the pit, and tiny streaks of lightning occasionally flashed across its surface. Even more chilling was that nine thick chains extended from the bottom of the pit, reaching straight into the sky, and the chains were engraved with intricate lightning patterns.

"Just as I thought!" Fu Changlei clenched his fist excitedly. "This isn't some cursed land, but an ancient Thunder Prison! That Soul Devourer is very likely the Thunder Spirit guarding the Thunder Prison!"

As they were talking, the leaden clouds in the sky suddenly churned violently. Ah Li's expression changed drastically: "Oh no, the Soul Eater has awakened!"

Fu Changlei looked up and saw a giant, jet-black python coiled in the sky. Every scale gleamed with a metallic sheen, and purple lightning flickered between the gaps. Most chilling of all were the countless eyes on its body—there were thousands of them, each flashing with a different kind of lightning.

"It really is Lei Ling!" Fu Changlei's eyes narrowed slightly.

However, Lei Ling's aura was weak at this moment, which was obviously the weakest time of the year. He quickly assessed the opponent's combat strength and felt that it was not impossible to win.

This is his most powerful moment, while Lei Ling is the opposite.

Miss this opportunity.

He might then be left here forever.

"Roar!"

Lei Ling's Thousand Eyes spun simultaneously, locking onto the tiny figure at the edge of the cliff. It let out a roar that was neither quite a dragon nor a dragon, and nine pillars of lightning as thick as buckets instantly crashed down from the clouds! "Brother Chang Lei, get out of the way!" Ali screamed and lunged behind a nearby rock.

Fu Changlei stood motionless, his hands forming a hand seal like a blooming lotus. The Nine Heavens Starry Sky Technique was circulating wildly within his body, and fine silver patterns appeared on the surface of his skin—the unique stellar energy of the Great Perfection of the Marrow Refining Realm.

"boom--"

The lightning bolt struck Fu Changlei, exploding in a blinding white light. A-Li closed her eyes in despair, only to hear a long laugh echo from within the lightning: "That felt good!"

As the smoke and dust cleared, Fu Changlei's clothes were torn to shreds, revealing a muscular, iron-like body. The silver patterns on his clothes now shone like a galaxy, channeling his lightning power into the ground. A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, but his fighting spirit burned even brighter: "Again!"

Lei Ling seemed enraged, its thousand eyes simultaneously blazing with purple light. The leaden clouds in the sky suddenly formed a massive vortex, within which countless lightning snakes swam. This was a pre-emptive strike ten times more terrifying than before!
Fu Changlei had been waiting for this moment. He reached into his storage pouch at his waist with his right hand, and seven silver talismans shot out, arranging themselves in the shape of the Big Dipper in the air.

"The Lord of the Big Dipper is dead, and the Seven Killers descend upon the mortal realm!"

As the incantation was recited, the seven talismans simultaneously ignited, transforming into seven dazzling stars suspended in mid-air. This was none other than Fu Changlei's trump card, the "Seven Killing Talismans of the Big Dipper"—a masterpiece by a fourth-tier talisman array master.

Lei Ling's attack arrived as expected, hundreds of bolts of lightning raining down like a storm. Fu Changlei clasped his hands together, and seven stars spun to form a light screen. The lightning collided with the starlight, and the resulting shockwave shattered rocks within a hundred feet in radius!
With a "crack," three star talismans showed signs of damage. Fu Changlei groaned, but took the opportunity to bite his tongue and spit a mouthful of blood onto the remaining four talismans.

"The Southern Dipper governs life, and the Six Stars prolong life!"

Six more golden talismans flew out, echoing the Big Dipper. The Zhou Tian Star Array was initially completed, and the spiritual energy above the entire Thunder Pool stagnated. Fu Changlei stood at the array's core, his bones crackling like popping beans—he was using the power of the Thunder Spirit to temper his marrow!
Sensing danger, the Thunder Spirit suddenly contracted its massive body, transforming into a purple-black lightning spear that descended from the sky. This was its most powerful killing move, "Nine Heavens Thunder Strike," which had once destroyed a Golden Core cultivator in a single blow!

Rumble.

All defenses were breached.

The remaining lightning entered Fu Changlei's body.

Fu Changlei coughed up blood from all seven orifices, yet revealed a maniacal smile: "So this is how the Purple Mansion transforms into the starry sky, and the Golden Core absorbs the light of the universe!"

Suddenly, the broken golden core within his body shone with dazzling starlight, forming a wondrous balance with the invading lightning power. The essence of the Golden Core chapter of the Nine Heavens Starry Sky Technique suddenly became clear at this moment—not to resist the lightning, but to use the stars as a guide to transform the lightning into a furnace!

Lei Ling sensed something was wrong and tried to withdraw, only to find her lightning power being frantically devoured. A vortex-shaped nebula pattern appeared on Fu Changlei's chest, drawing the purplish-black lightning spear inch by inch into his body.

"Trying to leave now? Too late!" Fu Changlei gripped the lightning spear formed from the lightning spirit with both hands like iron clamps, his silver markings turning dark gold. Veins bulged on his forehead as he slammed the lightning spear to the ground!
"Boom——"

The entire Thunder Pool boiled, and dark red liquid shot into the sky. The Thunder Spirit let out a shrill roar, its body swelling back into the form of a giant python, but it was noticeably more ethereal. The nine lightning chains at its tail rattled as it desperately tried to shrink back into the clouds.

How could Fu Changlei let this opportunity slip by? He used the Seven Star Steps, each step leaving a starlight footprint in the void. As he landed the seventh step, he gathered all his star power in his right fist and slammed it towards the vertical pupil at the very center of Lei Ling's eye!
"break!"

The space itself was subtly distorted wherever the fist's force passed. This punch contained the full physical power of a fully-fledged Marrow Refining Realm cultivator, comparable to the power of a self-destructing spiritual weapon!

With a muffled "thud," Lei Ling's largest eye was smashed open by a punch. It let out a deafening wail, and its remaining eyes dimmed simultaneously. The nine chains of lightning trembled violently, rapidly pulling it back into the depths of the clouds.

The news of Fu Changlei's defeat of Lei Ling swept through the entire village like a storm.

When he and Ali returned to the village entrance, they found almost all the villagers gathered there, their eyes fixed on him with shock, awe, or fear. For generations, they had been oppressed by the "Soul Devourer," and had never imagined that anyone could contend with it, let alone severely injure it!

"He...he really repelled the Soul Eater?" someone murmured, their voice trembling.

"That's someone even Elder Mo couldn't handle!" another person exclaimed.

Just then, Elder Mo stepped out from the crowd, a warm smile on his face: "Young friend Fu, today's battle has truly broadened our horizons!"

"Elder Mo, you're too kind," Fu Changlei said calmly. "I simply did what I was supposed to do."

"Hahaha, what a fine 'thing we should do'!" Elder Mo laughed heartily, then turned to the crowd and announced loudly, "Young friend Fu has rendered a great service today, and we should certainly hold a banquet to celebrate!"

The villagers cheered and crowded around Fu Changlei as he walked into the village. Ali followed behind, her brows furrowed, sensing that Elder Mo's attitude was somewhat unusual.

-

That evening, a bonfire was lit in the village square, the air filled with the aroma of wine and meat, and the villagers sang and danced to celebrate this unprecedented victory.

Fu Changlei sat in the main seat, and Elder Mo personally poured him wine, beaming, "Young friend Fu, in today's battle, you not only saved Zhu Zi, but also gave us hope! Come, let me toast you!"

Fu Changlei picked up the wine glass and used his divine sense to confirm several times that the wine was not poisonous before drinking it all in one gulp.

Upon seeing this, Elder Mo's eyes flashed with a hint of triumph.

After a few rounds of drinks, Fu Changlei suddenly frowned, clutched his chest, and his face quickly turned pale.

"Brother Changlei! What's wrong?" Ali quickly helped him up.

Fu Changlei's lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he closed his eyes and fainted.

"Young friend Fu?!" Elder Mo feigned surprise. "Could it be that he's exhausted from today's battle? Quickly, help him to rest!"

Ali was extremely anxious, but Elder Mo had already directed several strong men to carry Fu Changlei away, so she could only follow closely behind.

-

Inside the dungeon, Fu Changlei was bound by chains and lay unconscious.

Elder Mo stood aside, watching him coldly, his face devoid of any smile.

"Elder, what are you doing?" Ali exclaimed in shock and anger. "He just saved the village!"

"Save him?" Elder Mo scoffed. "He severely injured Lei Ling today, seemingly showing off, but once Lei Ling recovers, he will surely retaliate fiercely! Then, our entire village will suffer!"

“But he said we weren’t cursed, we were sealed! As long as we find a way, we can completely break free from Lei Ling’s control!” Ali argued.

"Absurd!" Elder Mo roared. "For thousands of years, we have relied on sacrifices to ensure our peace. What right does an outsider have to break the rules?"

Ali gritted her teeth: "So what do you plan to do with him?"

Elder Mo narrowed his eyes: "At the sacrificial ceremony tomorrow, offer him to Lei Ling to quell his anger."

"You—" Ali trembled with anger, but quickly calmed down. She knew that a direct confrontation was futile and she had to think of another way.

-

The following day, Elder Mo couldn't wait to hold a sacrificial ceremony, wanting to "apologize" to Lei Ling.

However, no matter how much he prayed or offered sacrifices, the leaden clouds in the sky remained silent, and the thunder spirit did not respond.

"How could this happen..." Elder Mo's face was grim.

Ali stood to the side, sneering inwardly, "Lei Ling is severely injured and won't wake up anytime soon. Brother Chang Lei is right, this isn't a curse, it's a seal!"

-

In the dead of night, Ah Li quietly sneaked into the dungeon.

She looked at the unconscious Fu Changlei and whispered, "Brother Changlei, I will definitely get you out of here."

She took out a crystal-clear lightning crystal from her bosom. It was something she had secretly collected from the edge of the lightning pool and contained pure lightning spirit power.

“The Ancient Thunder Scripture states that thunder crystals can cure all poisons. I hope it will be useful…” She placed the thunder crystal on Fu Changlei’s forehead and whispered the ancient incantation.

Gradually, Fu Changlei's fingers trembled slightly...

He slowly opened his eyes, just in time to meet Ali's surprised gaze.

"Brother Changlei, you're finally awake!" Ali whispered. "We must leave as soon as possible; Elder Mo won't let you get away with this!"

Fu Changlei then discovered that not only could he not use his lightning spiritual power, but his star power was also sealed, meaning that he was no different from an ordinary person.

Wuzhou, Huizhou Prefecture
Fu Changsheng was meditating in the quiet room when suddenly the communication jade talisman at his waist vibrated slightly, emitting a familiar fluctuation of spiritual energy. He opened his eyes, a blue light swirling within them, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

A spell was cast.

hum!
From the communication jade talisman and pendant came Liu Meizhen's gentle yet weary voice: "Longevity pills, two pills are complete."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changsheng abruptly stood up, his wide blue Daoist robe billowing even without wind. In a flash, he transformed into a streak of blue light, passing through the many courtyards of the Fu family and heading straight for the alchemy room.

Outside the alchemy room, the protective array sensed its master's presence and automatically parted to create a passage. Fu Changsheng stepped into the room, and was immediately greeted by a lingering fragrance of pills, mixed with the unique, refreshing scent of the Black Snow Lingzhi.

"Meizhen! An'an!" Fu Changsheng's gaze swept across the room and immediately locked onto the mother and son standing beside the Taixu Dragon and Phoenix Divine Cauldron.

Liu Meizhen's face was slightly pale, but her eyes were bright. When she saw Fu Changsheng arrive, a gentle smile appeared on her lips. In her hands, she held a cold jade bottle. The bottle was transparent, and two pills inside could be vaguely seen flowing with spiritual light of different intensities.

Fu Yong'an stood beside his mother, his brow furrowed with weariness, yet his expression remained composed. Upon seeing his father arrive, he respectfully bowed, saying, "Father."

Fu Changsheng rushed forward, first grasping Liu Meizhen's hand, then channeling his chaotic energy into her body. After confirming that she had only suffered from excessive depletion of her magical power, he breathed a sigh of relief: "You've worked hard."

Liu Meizhen gently shook her head and handed the cold jade bottle to him: "As expected, one is of superior quality and one is of medium quality."

Fu Changsheng took the jade bottle and examined it carefully through the bottle wall. The superior pill was a deep blue, like the deep sea, with nine golden patterns on its surface that seemed to flow endlessly as if they were alive; the other pill was a slightly lighter color, and the seven golden patterns also appeared somewhat dim. Even with his vast knowledge, he couldn't help but be moved at this moment.

"Nine-Turn Golden Pattern... This is a legendary quality!" Fu Changsheng's voice trembled slightly. "The Ink Snow Spirit Mushroom is rare to begin with, and to refine it into a superior quality is even more difficult. Meizhen, your alchemy skills have improved again."

Liu Meizhen smiled and said, "This time, we are very grateful for An'an's help; otherwise, most of the medicinal effects would have been lost by the seventh stage."

Upon hearing this, Fu Changsheng turned to her son, her eyes filled with pride. She reached out and patted Fu Yong'an's shoulder, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy: "Good lad, you didn't embarrass your mother."

Fu Yong'an smiled calmly: "It is my duty to share my father's burdens."

Fu Changsheng laughed three times, his voice shaking the roof tiles: "Good! Good! Good! My Fu family has a successor!" He looked around and saw that the alchemy room was in a mess, especially the ice crystals that had formed on the ground around the Taixu Dragon and Phoenix Divine Cauldron, which had not completely melted. One could imagine how dangerous the alchemy process was.

"Meizhen," Fu Changsheng suddenly said seriously, "during my seclusion, all affairs of the Fu family, large and small, are entrusted to you."

talking.

Fu Changsheng took out a bronze box from his storage ring. When the lid was opened, the entire alchemy room was bathed in a vibrant emerald light. "This is the thousand-year-old Emerald Spirit Essence I obtained from an ancient cultivator's cave. It will help you increase your magical power." Without further ado, he divided the essence into two portions. "Mei Zhen, who controls the alchemical fire, suffered the most damage; this portion contains thirty percent more."

"Thank you, Father!" Fu Yong'an gratefully accepted the box.

Having finished his explanation, Fu Changsheng didn't linger any longer and took the Cold Jade Bottle straight back to his secluded cultivation chamber.

After closing the magic circle.

A thought.

He went directly into the small wooden house in the Five Elements Space.

At the same time, his mind focused on the [Training Room] on the panel in his mind's eye. He still had tens of thousands of family contribution points left, which should be enough for him to refine the medicinal power and break through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.

"Open the training room"

hum!
The panel vibrated.

Accompanied by a surge of yellow light.

next moment.

Fu Changsheng then appeared in the pavilion in the middle of the lotus pond.

The pavilion is located at the confluence of underground spiritual veins, and the ground around the futon is covered with ancient runes, forming a perfect spiritual gathering array.

Fu Changsheng sat cross-legged on the central futon, first taking out the medium-quality pill and placing it in the jade plate in front of him. Then, he formed hand seals and activated the spirit-gathering array.

"The Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique, fourth level." Fu Changsheng took a deep breath to calm his mind. After he deduced the Golden Core chapter of the Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique, with each breakthrough of a level, the Azure Lotus in his Golden Core would grow an additional leaf, and his magical power would increase exponentially.

As the cultivation technique circulated, a faint azure halo began to appear around Fu Changsheng. His divine soul in his Niwan Palace gradually became more active, and his senses became exceptionally sharp. The dense spiritual energy within the pavilion seemed to be summoned, beginning to converge towards him.

As time passed, Fu Changsheng became completely immersed in cultivation. He circulated his energy through one great cycle after another, and the magical power within his body became increasingly pure. The blue lotus within his golden core was already faintly showing the beginnings of its fourth leaf.

I do not know how long it has been.

Fu Changsheng finally adjusted his condition to its peak.

He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp as lightning, and reached out to take the pills from the jade plate.

"It's time."

The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, transforming into a torrent of icy yet vibrant spiritual energy that swept over his entire body in an instant. Fu Changsheng let out a muffled groan as fine ice crystals appeared on his skin, but they were quickly melted away by the rising azure light within him.

Extreme cold and vitality, two completely different forces, intertwined and collided within his body, bringing excruciating pain. Fu Changsheng's face was contorted, but he remained motionless, fully circulating the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique" to guide these two forces.

"Condensation!"

With a low shout, Fu Changsheng's golden core trembled violently, and the fourth green lotus leaf finally took full shape. At the same time, his divine soul in his Niwan Palace also underwent a miraculous change, as if it had entered a completely new realm.

In a daze, Fu Changsheng found himself standing in the center of a lake where blue lotuses bloomed. The lake water was crystal clear, reflecting the starry sky. This was the scene within his golden core, the "Blue Lotus Mirror Image" that only appeared after cultivating the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique" to a certain level.

"This is the mystery of the mid-stage Golden Core realm." Fu Changsheng felt the surging magical power within his body, which had increased at least three times compared to before his breakthrough. What surprised him even more was that his divine soul strength had also undergone a qualitative leap, and his perception range had expanded several times over.

Just as he was immersed in the joy of his breakthrough, the Azure Lotus Space suddenly trembled slightly. Fu Changsheng looked around alertly and found a blurry image floating on the distant lake surface—it seemed to be a divine cauldron, but the patterns on the cauldron were more complex and profound than he had seen before.

"This is..." Fu Changsheng tried to get closer to observe, but the image suddenly disappeared. He thoughtfully exited the inner vision state and returned to the real world.

Inside the secret chamber, Fu Changsheng slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. After leaving his body, the breath transformed into a miniature azure dragon, which circled several times before gradually dissipating. This was a manifestation of his magic power reaching its ultimate purity.

"Golden Core Level 4, done." Fu Changsheng felt the surging power within his body and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips. "However, it will still take a lot of time to consolidate my realm."

This is why everyone's cultivation slows down after reaching the Golden Core stage.

For him.

A breakthrough achieved effortlessly using only a mid-grade Breakthrough Pill is something most people wouldn't even dare to dream of. This is the advantage of a first-grade Golden Core and a Chaos Dao Foundation.

but.

Consolidating one's realm requires real time and effort; there are no shortcuts.

(End of this chapter)