Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 569 The Prodigal Son Returns, Nascent Soul's Wish Power, Ancestral Heirloom
"Thank you, my lord!" Chief Qinglong breathed a sigh of relief, bowed again, and then stepped through the city gate light curtain that emitted spatial fluctuations, officially entering this vast capital city that symbolized the core of power and strength in the Eastern Wilderness.

Upon entering the city.

An even denser, almost tangible, spiritual energy rushed towards them. The streets were wide enough for giant beasts to run freely, and on both sides stood rows of pavilions and palaces, with carved beams and painted rafters, shimmering with precious light. Pedestrians and cultivators thronged the streets, with powerful auras everywhere, Golden Core cultivators were commonplace, and even Purple Mansion cultivators seemed unremarkable.

Feel the overwhelming prosperity and power.

Chief Ao Cang of the Azure Dragon clan concealed all his sharpness, like a country bumpkin entering the city for the first time, cautiously walking along the edge of the street towards the western district. His heart, which had been restless because of the true dragon, had to be temporarily subdued under the unfathomable pressure of the capital, as he pondered how to persuade his high-ranking great-aunt.

Walk through the bustling streets.

Following the directions in his memory, Chief Ao Cang of the Azure Dragon Headquarters headed towards the majestic and solemn architectural complex deep within the western district of the capital. The closer he got, the quieter the surrounding noise gradually subsided, replaced by a solemn, ancient, and even slightly bloody aura of oppressive power.

Hunting Temple.

This is an extremely special institution in the capital of the Eastern Wilderness, responsible for managing, taming, and conscripting powerful demonic beasts in the capital and even the entire Eastern Wilderness, as well as handling all matters related to hunting and beast tides.

The main building of the temple was constructed from huge animal bones and some kind of dark red rock, with a rough and primitive style. The gate resembled a giant maw ready to devour people, and a complete skull of an unknown behemoth hung on the lintel, its eye sockets burning with eerie green soul fire, looking down on all visitors.

As Ao Cang approached the temple gate, a suffocatingly fierce aura swept over him, causing even this fake infant cultivator to feel his blood surging and instinctively stop in his tracks.

On either side of the temple gate, instead of human guards, lay two enormous wolves with fur as dark gold as if cast in stone and bodies as large as small mountains!
They appeared to be dozing, but their eyes, which occasionally opened and closed, flashed with a cold, bloodthirsty, and intelligent light, and the pressure emanating from their bodies had reached the Nascent Soul level!

One of the golden wolves seemed to sense Ao Cang's approach. It lazily raised its massive head, its cold, golden vertical pupils locking onto him. A low, yet terrifying howl escaped its throat, causing the air to tremble slightly.

Ao Cang felt a chill run down his spine and immediately stopped, bowing deeply from afar with the most humble smile on his face, not daring to show the slightest negligence. In front of such a being, his status as a tribal chief was utterly meaningless.

He took a deep breath and carefully took out two jade boxes that he had prepared beforehand from his storage ring.

The moment the jade box was opened, a rich aura of blood and pure energy filled the air. Inside were a fist-sized, blood-red, and faintly heart-beating strange fruit, and a section of warm, jade-like purple lotus root that emitted a faint fragrance.

"Greetings, two Divine Wolf Venerables."

Ao Cang's tone was so respectful it bordered on obsequious:
"I am Ao Cang from the Azure Dragon Tribe, and I have come to pay my respects to my great-aunt, Elder Ao Qing, who serves in the temple. My humble gifts are the tribe's special 'Blood Marrow Fruit' and 'Purple Jade Spirit Lotus Root,' which have a slight effect on tempering blood and nourishing demon souls. I hope you two venerable ones will accept them with a smile and do me the favor of conveying my message."

He presented the jade box with both hands, his heart pounding.

These two items would be treasures that would cause even Golden Core cultivators to fight tooth and nail outside, but now they could only be used to bribe the gatekeeper beasts. However, he dared not show the slightest heartache on his face; instead, he plastered his face with a fawning smile.

The golden wolf that had just woken up twitched its nostrils; the crimson blood marrow fruit was clearly very attractive to it.

Its enormous tongue licked its gleaming white fangs, a hint of satisfaction flashing in its cold, vertical pupils. It didn't immediately take the jade box, but instead tilted its massive head, speaking in a deep, thunderous voice with the distinctive intonation of a demonic beast:
"Elder Ao Qing's clansmen? Please wait here."

Having said that, it opened its mouth and inhaled, and the two jade boxes floated up and disappeared into its mouth. The other golden wolf also opened its eyes, glanced at the purple jade lotus root, snorted, and accepted it.

Immediately afterwards, the golden wolf let out a low and long howl towards the temple, the sound penetrating the heavy stone door and carrying into the temple.

Ao Cang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed, "Thank you, Venerable Divine Wolf!"

...

...

In Jinzhou, deep within the mansion of the fifth-rank Cao family, there lies a secluded courtyard brimming with spiritual energy.

Cao Xiang'er had changed out of her crimson official robes as the head of the Zhenshi Division and into a more casual lake-blue brocade dress. Her hair was also looser, but the heroic spirit between her brows and the authority of someone who had long held a high position were still hard to completely conceal. She sat in the flower hall, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the rim of her teacup, her eyes looking out the window with a somewhat complicated expression.

She had just returned from her period, not to rest, but because she had received a message from her clan—her son, Fu Yongqiang, who had been in seclusion for decades, had finally emerged.

Cao Xiang'er had mixed feelings about this son.

There was the worry of being a mother, the guilt she felt towards Fu Changsheng because of his past words and actions, and an indescribable sense of alienation and powerlessness. Yongqiang's extreme behavior was certainly due to his own personality, but as a mother who had not been by his side since childhood and had not fulfilled her responsibility of raising him, wasn't she also responsible?

Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, she no longer wants to dwell on the past. She only hopes that her son can truly wake up after this period of seclusion, and that she will teach him well and make amends for him for the rest of his life.

"Shadow Seven." Cao Xiang'er called out softly without turning around.

A blurry figure silently emerged from the shadows in the corner, bowing and awaiting orders. This was a shadowy figure trained by the Cao family, specifically responsible for monitoring the movements of important figures, and Fu Yongqiang's courtyard was naturally among them.

"During Young Master Qiang's seclusion, has anything unusual happened?" Cao Xiang'er asked, her tone calm and devoid of emotion.

The shadow's voice was dry and steady: "Reporting to Miss, since Young Master Qiang went into seclusion, he has not stepped out of his meditation room even once. The spiritual energy fluctuations in the room are stable, and although there are occasional signs of restlessness, they are all within a controllable range. His food and drink are delivered to him on time by puppets, and he has not been seen to have any contact with the outside world. Everything is normal."

“Everything is normal…” Cao Xiang’er repeated softly, nodding slightly. “Go down.”

"Yes." The shadowy figure flickered and disappeared back into the shadows.

Just then, a maid's respectful voice came from outside the courtyard: "Miss, Young Master Qiang has arrived and says he wants to see you."

Cao Xiang'er perked up slightly and straightened her sleeves: "Let him in."

Footsteps approached from afar, and Fu Yongqiang slowly walked into the flower hall.

After decades of seclusion, the sinister and violent aura around him seemed to have dissipated considerably. His face was more composed, and although he was still thin, the spiritual pressure flowing around him was already at the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm. Clearly, the resources that Cao Xiang'er had poured into him had not been in vain.

He walked up to Cao Xiang'er, lifted the hem of his robe, and respectfully bowed deeply: "Mother, your son has emerged from seclusion."

Cao Xiang'er looked at him, a hint of relief flashing in her eyes, and raised her hand to help him up: "Get up. Your cultivation has improved a lot. It seems that these decades have not been wasted."

Fu Yongqiang stood up, but instead of rushing to boast or complain as usual, he lowered his head slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke, his voice hoarse and heavy:

“Mother, I have come today for two reasons: first, to pay my respects to you, and second, to apologize for what happened back then.”

Cao Xiang'er's eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't speak; she just looked at him quietly.

Fu Yongqiang took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind:

“Back then, I was foolish and narrow-minded. Because of my own dissatisfaction, I harbored resentment and spoke ill of my father to my mother, causing a rift between them and almost leading to a terrible mistake. In the past few decades, I have been in seclusion and reflecting on these events. The past is still vivid in my mind, and I have come to realize that everything was caused by my lack of gratitude and my self-abandonment. My father has been more than kind and righteous to me.”

His voice carried genuine remorse, no longer the extreme and distorted tone of the past.

Looking at the clarity and guilt in his eyes, Cao Xiang'er felt the last trace of resentment in her heart quietly dissipate, and she sighed softly.
"Let bygones be bygones. It's best if you can understand it."

Fu Yongqiang shook his head, bowed again, and said firmly:
"Mother, you are forgiving, but my sins are hard to atone for. I have been in seclusion for decades, and although my cultivation has made some progress, my inner demons remain and my worldly ties are not yet severed. I beg you, Mother, to allow me to go to the family cemetery and serve as a tomb keeper. With the dim light of the lamp and ancient books, I will cleanse the courtyard and spend the rest of my life cleansing my heart, which is also my way of doing my part for the family and atoning for my past sins."

Tomb keeper? That's the most austere and lonely job in the clan, spending years with tombs and steles, almost like self-exile.

Cao Xiang'er was stunned. She looked at her son's calm yet firm face. His eyes were no longer filled with the murky resentment of the past, but with a clear-headedness and determination that came after years of experience.

A flood of emotions overwhelmed her—heartache, surprise, but above all, an indescribable sense of relief. Her son had perhaps truly grown up, understanding the meaning of responsibility and repentance.

After a long silence, only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window could be heard in the flower hall.

Finally, Cao Xiang'er nodded slowly, her voice gentle but with a barely perceptible sob: "Alright. Since it's a decision you've made after careful consideration, Mother... approves."

"Thank you, Mother, for your kindness!" Fu Yongqiang bowed deeply, a relieved and calm smile on his face.

Cao Xiang'er stood up, walked to him, and gently straightened his clothes: "Go. Rest and recuperate. If you need anything, send someone to inform your mother immediately."

"Yes." Fu Yongqiang bowed again, turned and left the flower hall. His back was still thin, but much straighter than when he came, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden.

……

The Cao Family Cemetery is located on Cangsong Ridge outside Jinzhou City. The location is remote, shrouded in mist all year round, with the sound of pine trees rustling in the wind, making it appear exceptionally quiet and solemn.

Ancient stone tablets stand in rows, engraved with the names and achievements of Cao family ancestors. The air is filled with the faint scent of incense and the desolation of time.

The former tomb keeper was an old man with white hair and beard, and a hunched back. His name was Cao Yu, and his cultivation was only at the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm. His lifespan was coming to an end, and his aura was waning. When he looked at Fu Yongqiang, who came to take over, a trace of displeasure and resistance flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

“Young Master Yongqiang,” Cao Yu’s voice was dry and hoarse, with obvious estrangement, “this job of guarding the tomb is arduous and lonely, and exhausting. Why did you come here?”

In his view, Fu Yongqiang was ultimately surnamed Fu, and half of his blood was from the Fu family. It was inappropriate, both morally and logically, to have someone from another family guard the Cao family's most important ancestral grave. But he also understood that he had no children in the clan, his cultivation was low, and now that his time was coming to an end, he was no longer a person of much influence. He was powerless to resist the decision made by those above.

Fu Yongqiang remained calm, revealing no emotion whatsoever, and simply bowed slightly.

"Old Master Yu, you've worked hard. From now on, I can take care of this place. The clan has made other arrangements, so please go back and enjoy your old age."

Cao Yu opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he only let out a long sigh and tremblingly handed Fu Yongqiang a token that controlled the basic formation of the mausoleum, a jade book that recorded the daily cleaning and worship matters, and a heavy set of bronze keys that symbolized the identity of the tomb keeper.

The handover was silent and swift. Cao Yu took one last deep look at the cemetery he had guarded for hundreds of years, then staggered away, disappearing at the end of the path leading down the mountain, his figure desolate.

After the old man left, the calm on Fu Yongqiang's face suddenly vanished, replaced by a long-suppressed burning desire and urgency.

He quickly closed the cemetery entrance and then activated the token in his hand without hesitation!

Om-!
Layer upon layer of light curtains rose from all around the cemetery, and all sorts of formations, such as illusion formations, trapping formations, and killing formations, were activated to protect the ancestral tombs. The light flowed, isolating the entire Cangsong Ridge into an independent secret realm that was extremely difficult for outsiders to see.

Do it all.

Fu Yongqiang then carefully took out a talisman from his bosom. It was neither gold nor jade, and its surface was covered with mysterious and ancient patterns.

The jade talisman felt slightly warm in his palm, and the patterns on its surface glowed faintly, pointing towards the depths of the mausoleum.

Fu Yongqiang suppressed his excitement and followed the guidance of the jade talisman, passing through rows of tombstones, finally stopping in front of an ancient stone tablet in the center of the third row in the core area of ​​the cemetery.

This stone tablet was taller and thicker than the surrounding ones. Fu Yongqiang only glanced at the names engraved on it, his gaze settling on the ancient characters "Cao Family Ancestor":
"found it!!"

He suppressed his excitement.

First, they burned incense and washed their hands, then respectfully performed the three bows and nine kowtows before the stone tablet, chanting words of apology and prayer for forgiveness from their ancestors.

The worship ceremony is over.

His eyes sharpened, and his hands quickly formed an extremely complex and obscure hand seal. This hand seal was not passed down by the Cao family, but was automatically transmitted into his mind by the ancient jade talisman when he touched the stone tablet!

As he completed the incantation, he pointed his fingers like a sword and suddenly pointed at the bottom of the stone tablet!
"open!"

The ground beneath the stone tablet silently collapsed, revealing a deep cave entrance just wide enough for one person to pass through. A pure yet ancient and weathered energy wave emanated from it.

Fu Yongqiang jumped without hesitation.

The cave is not deep, but it is a hidden world inside.

This is a small stone chamber, in the center of which sits a three-legged bronze cauldron, about half a person's height. The cauldron is simple and unadorned, engraved with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and ancient sacrificial rituals, exuding an indescribable aura of weight and mystery—it is the Cao family's legendary "Clan Fortune Cauldron"!
There was no incense ash in the cauldron; instead, it contained a thin layer of viscous liquid, like liquid gold, emitting a strange and fragrant aroma. This was the pure incense power accumulated by the Cao family over countless years! And deep within that golden power, a wisp of purple energy, as thin as a hair, slowly moved about, emanating a majestic aura that made one's soul tremble!

"Nascent Soul level incense offerings and vows!"

Fu Yongqiang's breathing suddenly quickened, and his eyes flashed with an extremely joyful light:
"As expected! The legend is true! The Cao family's ancestor did indeed produce a Nascent Soul True Monarch, and sealed a trace of his original will power in this cauldron to nourish the family's fortune!"

He could no longer restrain himself. He immediately sat cross-legged in front of the cauldron, bit his tongue, and spat a mouthful of his life essence blood onto the Qi Luck Cauldron. At the same time, he repeatedly cast refining spells with both hands, and the ancient jade talisman transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the cauldron.

Amidst the humming sound, the Qi Luck Cauldron trembled slightly, establishing a subtle connection with him.

The initial sacrificial process is complete!

Fu Yongqiang greedily inhaled, the fragrant aura entering his body causing even the bottleneck of his late-stage Purple Mansion realm to loosen slightly. Without further hesitation, he placed his hands on the rim of the cauldron, circulated his cultivation technique, and began frantically absorbing and refining the vast power of will within the cauldron, especially the core wisp of Nascent Soul Purple Qi!
"Hahaha! Heaven is helping me! With such an opportunity, how can I not achieve the Golden Core!" He laughed wildly in his heart, his face twisted with extreme excitement and greed, and he immersed himself in cultivation.

The entire stone chamber was enveloped by the magnificent golden light of the power of will and that wisp of supreme purple mist. Fu Yongqiang's aura began to rise madly toward the Golden Core Realm at an astonishing speed! Meanwhile, the Cao family cemetery outside remained silent, with all the formations operating at full power to completely conceal everything that was happening there.

...

...

Several days later, Fu Changsheng rode his escape light and quietly returned to his fiefdom, Huizhou Prefecture.

The grand opening banquet of the Princess's mansion will be held in a few months, and various forces will come to witness the ceremony, making the affairs quite complicated. Although he received the "Sea Heart Barrier-Breaking Elixir" from Luo Haitang, Fu Changsheng did not immediately go into seclusion to consume it—this substance requires time to refine, and it is difficult to achieve full results in a hasty manner.

Since he decided to temporarily refrain from cultivation, he casually strolled towards the mansion's storeroom.

The warehouse was a heavily fortified location, with strict security measures in place.

Fu Changsheng waved his hand to lift the seal, and the heavy stone door slid open silently, revealing a dazzling array of resources: piles of spirit stones, shimmering spiritual materials, and magical artifacts gleaming—all the accumulated wealth of the Fu family over the years. A flash of blue light appeared on his shoulder, and the blue-faced white fox that usually loved to curl up and doze off appeared, its small nostrils twitching slightly, its bright fox eyes curiously surveying its surroundings.

"Go and see if there are any other treasures that we've overlooked."

Fu Changsheng gently patted its little head, his tone filled with anticipation.

According to intelligence reports.

The clan's treasure vault contains many valuable items.

Upon receiving the order, the white fox leaped down gracefully, transforming into a bluish-white shadow that swiftly darted among the mountains of supplies. Sometimes it would pause, poking at a piece of ore with its paws; other times it would sniff at a sealed spiritual herb, but mostly it would shake its head and leave.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed.

The little white fox suddenly stopped in a corner where low-level spirit plant seeds were piled up.

There were many dusty, unremarkable seeds piled up there, most of which had very little spiritual energy.

The little white fox nudged the bottom pile of seeds with its nose, picked out a seed about the size of a fingernail, dark iron-gray in color, with strange spiral patterns on its surface, and scurried back to Fu Changsheng's feet as if to claim credit. It rubbed its head against the hem of his robe and made a soft whimpering sound.

"Hmm? This thing..." Fu Changsheng bent down and took the inconspicuous "iron quinoa seed" from the white fox's mouth.

The moment he touched her, his gaze sharpened.

This object felt cold and heavy to the touch, unlike the texture of ordinary spiritual plant seeds. Upon closer inspection, the surface patterns revealed an extremely faint yet incredibly ancient and profound spatial fluctuation.

He gathered a wisp of pure spiritual energy at his fingertips and carefully probed into it.

hum...

The iron-gray shell glowed slightly, silently absorbing a trace of his spiritual power. The patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, flowing gently for a moment before returning to silence.

"It really is this thing!"

A glint of light flashed in Fu Changsheng's eyes, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

He was well-read, especially of ancient tales and strange stories, and immediately recognized that this was not an iron caltrop seed, but an egg of a strange beast that had almost disappeared in ancient times—the "Sky-Piercing Beast"!
The Void-遁兽 (Dun Kong Beast) is born with the ability to manipulate minute spatial forces. Although not skilled in combat, it excels at concealment and escape. Once fully grown, it can even assist its master in perceiving and subtly manipulating spatial laws, making it a rare and highly sought-after auxiliary beast. Its eggs are unremarkable in appearance and are often mistaken for stubborn rocks or ordinary spiritual plant seeds. If it weren't for the White Fox's exceptional talent, it would likely have remained hidden away forever in this corner of the storeroom.

"Goodness, you've done a great job."

Fu Changsheng chuckled and ruffled the white fox's hair, then carefully put the precious beast egg away. The white fox squinted its eyes and nuzzled his hand affectionately.

After leaving the warehouse, Fu Changsheng went straight back to his secluded chamber.

After setting up several layers of restrictions to ensure absolute safety, he sat down cross-legged and focused his mind on his body.

The next moment, with a thought, he appeared atop the Spirit Mountain in the Five Elements Space.

Within the space, spiritual energy abounds, teeming with life. Clouds surge and roll atop the mountain, creating a vast and expansive vista.

Qiu Niang, who was busy at the edge of the herb garden, sensed his arrival immediately. She put down her work and greeted him with joy: "Master, you've come!"

"Qiu Niang, take a look at this." Fu Changsheng nodded with a smile and handed over the Void-Escape Beast Egg.

Qiu Niang curiously took it, carefully sensed it, and immediately showed a look of surprise on her face: "What peculiar spatial fluctuations! Although they are very weak, their essence is extremely high... Master, what is this?"

“This is the egg of the ancient mythical beast ‘Sky-Piercing Beast’,” Fu Changsheng explained. “This beast is quite talented in the Dao of Space, which will benefit you and this world’s growth. I am entrusting it to you. You need to carefully nurture it with your own essence and blood mixed with the power of the origin of this world’s space. It should hatch in about a hundred years.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Niang's eyes lit up immediately, her curiosity piqued: "Don't worry, Master! Qiu Niang will definitely take good care of it and successfully hatch it!" She carefully held the beast egg as if it were some priceless treasure, her eyes filled with eager excitement.

"Tweet?"

At that moment, two figures emerged from the clouds.

It was the Flying Feather Beast and his son, Ice Flame.

A robust, honest-looking flying beast flapped its wings and landed, tilting its large head and curiously examining the tiny creature in Qiu Niang's hand. The lively and active Bing Yan transformed into a streak of blue and white light, darting to Qiu Niang's side in a flash, flying around her hand and trying to peck at the beast egg with its beak, only to be gently pushed away by Qiu Niang with a smile.

"It's a very precious beast egg," Qiu Niang said to them with a smile. "You'll have a new little friend now."

The Feathered Beast nodded its large head as if it understood, and let out a low, gentle call to welcome it. Ice Flame, on the other hand, was even more excited, chirping incessantly, as if asking when it would come out and if it could play together.

Fu Changsheng watched this warm and lively scene with a faint smile in his eyes. He briefly instructed Qiu Niang on the key points of nurturing the beast, and then teased the Flying Feather Beast and Bingyan. Seeing that Qiu Niang had solemnly placed the beast egg in her palm and begun to nurture it with the power of space and a trace of essence blood, he felt relieved.

As his mind withdrew from the Five Elements Space, Fu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes. The secret chamber was completely silent.

His gaze was calm as he looked towards the Princess's residence. After the banquet, he could finally focus on refining the spiritual liquid and attempting to break through to the fifth level of the Golden Core stage.

...

...

Huizhou Prefecture, the fiefdom of the Fu family.

A staggering streak of light fell like a meteor, startling the birds in the woods outside the mansion. When the light faded, it revealed Fu Yonglin's blood-soaked, wounded figure. His once spirited face was now filled with despair and panic; his robes were tattered, and deep, bone-revealing wounds continued to bleed. On his back, he carried his unconscious, barely breathing wife, Yu Peipei. Her face was deathly pale, her spiritual energy scattered, and she lay limply on her husband's back, devoid of her former cheerfulness and vitality.

"Peipei... hold on... we're home... we're home!" Fu Yonglin's voice was hoarse and dry, filled with sobs and unspeakable fear. He had almost exhausted his last bit of true energy to barely drag his crippled body back home.

The clansmen inside the manor were alarmed, and some immediately rushed forward with cries of alarm. When they saw the two people's miserable state, especially Yu Peipei's almost lifeless appearance, everyone gasped in horror.

"Quickly! Quickly, summon the elders! Bring the best elixirs!" someone shouted urgently.

Fu Yonglin carefully laid his wife on the hastily brought-over soft couch, holding her cold hand, his body trembling violently from exhaustion and grief. His eyes were bloodshot, and he kept repeating, "It's all my fault...it's all my fault for being too hasty...I didn't investigate properly..."

A few days ago, in the Wanfeng Mountains, Qianlang Mountain.

Based on intelligence gathered from various sources, Fu Yonglin and his wife Yu Peipei finally located a secluded valley where "Heavenly Cloud Grass" grew. This Heavenly Cloud Grass contained pure cloud spiritual energy, which was the key spiritual item for the couple to break through the bottleneck of the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm.

"My lord, intelligence reports that a mid-stage third-tier demonic beast is guarding this place. We must be careful," Yu Peipei whispered, cautiously observing the entrance to the valley.

"I know, I know. It's just a mid-stage third-tier demonic beast. If we join forces and use my formation, we'll definitely be able to capture it easily!" Fu Yonglin seemed a little impatient.

The two stealthily entered the valley and, sure enough, found the Heavenly Cloud Grass, which resembled condensed clouds and emitted a faint halo, on a cliff deep within the valley, shrouded in mist. Below it, at the entrance of a cave, a cheetah-like beast with a single horn on its head and covered in bluish-black scales was lying dozing, its powerful mid-stage third-tier demonic aura permeating the surroundings.

“It’s a ‘Zheng Beast’!” Yu Peipei recognized the type of monster, and her expression became even more solemn.

"No problem! Watch me set up an array to trap and kill it!" Fu Yonglin's eyes flashed with excitement. Confident in his status as an array master, he immediately began to work in a relatively narrow passage in the valley, taking out array flags and array plates, inscribing runes, and setting up a "Golden Lock Entangling Array" that combined killing and trapping.

With the formation set up, Fu Yonglin said, "Peipei, you stay here and control the formation. I'll go lure that beast over here!"

"Husband, wait!" Yu Peipei grabbed him, shook her head, and smiled brightly. "Your formation needs your personal control to unleash its full power. As for luring it in, my movements are more agile, so I'm more suitable. Get ready, and once it enters the formation, activate it immediately!"

Fu Yonglin thought about it and agreed, saying, "Alright! Then be very careful and don't linger in the battle. Just lure them into the formation!"

Yu Peipei concealed her aura and approached the cave silently, like a nimble cat. She calculated the distance, raised her hand, and a beam of spiritual light precisely struck the tip of the beast's nose.

"Roar!"

The beast, feigning sleep, awoke with a start, letting out a furious roar. Its crimson eyes instantly locked onto Yu Peipei, who had dared to provoke it. Without hesitation, the latter turned and sped towards the ambush site.

As expected, the ferocious beast was enraged. It reared up on all fours, stirring up a foul wind, and roared as it chased after Yu Peipei.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

Yu Peipei narrowly escaped into the formation's range, and Fu Yonglin immediately formed a hand seal and shouted, "Activate the formation!"

Instantly, golden light burst forth, and countless runic chains rose from the ground, transforming into a golden cage that instantly trapped the pursuing male beast within. Enraged and terrified, the beast slammed wildly against the array's light barrier, causing the array to shake violently.

"Success!" Fu Yonglin's face lit up with joy as he activated the formation with all his might, sending golden rays slashing at the demonic beasts within the formation like sharp blades.

However, at this moment, a sudden change occurred!
From the depths of that once quiet cave, a sharper, more furious roar suddenly erupted! Another female beast, slightly smaller but equally ferocious, charged out! It was clearly startled by its mate's roar and the energy fluctuations in the area, its beastly eyes fixed intently on Fu Yonglin, who was manipulating the formation!
"There's another one?!" Fu Yonglin's face turned deathly pale instantly, his mind reeling. He never expected that there were two mid-stage third-tier ferocious beasts hidden in the cave! His intelligence had made a fatal mistake! The consequences of his carelessness were now becoming apparent.

The formation trapped one of them, but it was powerless to deal with the second equally powerful monster's attack.

The female beast was incredibly fast, transforming into a streak of dark blue lightning as it pounced on Fu Yonglin.

"Husband, be careful!" Upon seeing this, Yu Peipei turned pale. Without thinking, she immediately abandoned maintaining the suppression at the edge of the formation, shouted, and summoned her protective magic treasure, flashing to block in front of Fu Yonglin!
boom!
The ferocious beast's claws, imbued with raging demonic power, slammed down on the defensive magic weapon Yu Peipei had hastily conjured. The magic weapon let out a mournful cry, its brilliance instantly dimming. The immense impact passed right through it!

"puff--!"

Yu Peipei was struck as if by a heavy blow, spitting out blood as her body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the mountain wall. The demonic power of the ferocious beast was extremely domineering, instantly invading her body and frantically destroying her dantian meridians!

"Peipei!!!" Fu Yonglin cried out in anguish, his eyes wide with fury. He was thrown into disarray by his partner's serious injury, and his control over the formation faltered slightly.

The male beast trapped in the formation seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, causing the formation's light barrier to flicker violently, on the verge of shattering.

With a female beast eyeing him menacingly from the front and a male beast about to break through his defenses from behind, and his beloved wife critically injured and on the verge of death… Fu Yonglin was in dire straits. He roared wildly, burning his life essence and unleashing all his potential, throwing out magical treasures and talismans like they were free, barely managing to force the female beast back a step.

He seized the opportunity to rush to Yu Peipei's side, picked up her limp body, and felt the life force rapidly draining from her body and her almost completely destroyed dantian. Endless regret and despair instantly engulfed him.

He dared not linger in the fight any longer. Using the brief strength gained from burning his life essence, he embraced his wife and transformed into a streak of blood-red light, rushing out of the valley in a disheveled state, leaving the furious roars of the two ferocious beasts far behind...

They fled all the way, barely escaping with their lives.

At this moment, inside the family mansion, looking at his wife lying on the bed, her face as pale as gold paper and her breath faint, Fu Yonglin suddenly knelt down and slammed his fist into the ground. Blood seeped from between his fingers, but he was completely unaware of it. Only endless pain and self-blame raged in his chest.

"It's my fault... Peipei... I was too eager for quick success, I was careless... It's all my fault..."

"Mother! Mother! Please beg the patriarch! Beg him to save Peipei! Only the patriarch might have a way! Father is in seclusion trying to break through to the Golden Core stage, and only the patriarch can save him now! If anything happens to Peipei, my Dao heart will be destroyed for the rest of my life, and I will never have peace of mind!" Fu Yonglin's voice was hoarse and desperate as he tightly gripped his mother's hand.

Madam Yu was equally anxious. The patriarch, Fu Changsheng, possessed extraordinary abilities and might truly have the power to turn the tide. But with her husband, Fu Changli, in seclusion, she, a mere woman, was utterly lost and helpless. She looked at her daughter-in-law, Yu Peipei, who struggled to open her eyes, shook her head, and spoke in a barely audible voice:
"Mother...no...don't go...I know my own injuries...my dantian and meridians are shattered, I'm already a cripple...to heal me, it will definitely require rare and precious spiritual medicines at exorbitant prices...even if the head of the family has a way, we can't repay that favor...I can't...I can't cause any more trouble for the family...let me...just like this..." Her tone was somber, with a hint of despair as if she were being relieved.

"Nonsense!" Fu Yonglin roared. "As long as there's a glimmer of hope, I will never give up! Mother, go quickly!"

Looking at the determination in her son's eyes, and then at her daughter-in-law's pale face, Madam Yu gritted her teeth and stamped her foot heavily: "Fine! I'll go and beg the head of the family right now! No matter what, we have to try!"

Madam Yu hurriedly arrived outside the patriarch's mansion, anxiously requesting an audience. Soon, she was led inside.

Fu Changsheng sat upright, listening calmly to Yu's tearful account. He briefly examined Yu Peipei's injuries and found them indeed severe; her dantian was shattered and her meridians were broken, making ordinary elixirs ineffective.

"Bring her over here," Fu Changsheng said calmly.

Overjoyed, Madam Yu quickly and carefully carried Yu Peipei to the head of the household with Fu Yonglin.

Fu Changsheng took out a jade box. After opening it, a scorching and vibrant aura instantly filled the entire hall. Inside the box was a small piece of crystal-clear substance, like blood-red amber, with faint dragon-shaped phantoms flowing around it.

"This is... Dragon Blood Resin?" Yu Shi, with her extraordinary knowledge, exclaimed in surprise. This was a top-grade spiritual material that was said to be able to heal flesh and bones and reverse life and death!

Fu Changsheng flicked a strand of resin with his fingertip, which transformed into incomparably pure crimson energy, slowly flowing into Peipei's body. Peipei's terrible wounds healed at a visible speed, and her shattered dantian and meridians were forcibly reshaped and reconnected under this vast yet gentle power!
In just a short while, Yu Peipei's pale face regained its rosy hue, her breathing became steady and powerful, and the spiritual energy emanating from her body was even more solid and powerful than before she was injured! The dragon blood resin not only healed her injuries but also transformed her meridians and marrow, elevating her foundation to a higher level!

Yu Peipei sat up in disbelief, examining herself internally. She discovered that not only were her injuries fully healed and her cultivation stable, but the width and resilience of her meridians were even far greater than before! She trembled with excitement, hot tears welling in her eyes. She rolled off the bed and kowtowed deeply to Fu Changsheng:
"Thank you so much, Patriarch, for your life-saving grace! Peipei... Peipei thought her life was over, but she never expected... Patriarch's kindness is like that of a second parent. Peipei is willing to give her all for the family and for Patriarch, even unto death!"

Fu Changsheng accepted her greeting and said calmly, "It was nothing. However, treating you was quite costly, so I'll use the ancestral jade pendant at your waist as payment."

Upon hearing this, Yu Peipei did not hesitate at all. She immediately took off the ancestral jade pendant that she had worn since childhood, which was warm and translucent, and presented it respectfully with both hands above her head: "It is the good fortune of this item to have caught the eye of the family head. Peipei is willing to offer it to the family head!"

Fu Changsheng reached out and took the jade pendant, gently ran his fingertip across it, nodded slightly, and signaled that they could leave.

Yu Peipei and Fu Yonglin thanked them profusely and left. Yu followed behind, her face showing a hint of doubt and thoughtfulness.

After leaving the patriarch's mansion for a while, Madam Yu couldn't help but whisper to Yu Peipei, "Peipei, your ancestral jade pendant... Mother thinks it seems quite extraordinary. The patriarch is a Golden Core cultivator; what treasures hasn't he seen? Yet he specifically asked for it. Could it be... that it contains some great opportunity that we don't know about?"

Yu Peipei was filled with gratitude and joy at being reborn. Hearing this, she smiled and didn't want to directly refute her mother-in-law. She simply said softly, "Mother, whatever it is, it belongs to the head of the family."

Fu Yonglin, standing beside her, spoke up directly, his tone resolute: "Mother! No matter what incredible opportunity that jade pendant holds, it can't compare to Peipei's rebirth! The patriarch saved Peipei, and let alone a jade pendant, even if it cost me, Fu Yonglin, my life, I wouldn't bat an eye! Let's not mention this matter again!"

Looking at her son and daughter-in-law, Yu saw her son's calm expression and her daughter-in-law's unwavering gaze. She opened her mouth, but swallowed the rest of her words, sighed softly, and said no more. Perhaps she was overthinking things.

(End of this chapter)