Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 613 Soul-Devouring Ring, the Destruction of the Huang Family, the Holy Maiden's Item
"Where is this..." Fu Changsheng cautiously probed outwards with his divine sense, and soon, a familiar aura of the earth's veins confirmed his location, "Yunlang Mountain Range!"

Unexpectedly, the other end of that ancient teleportation array led to the edge of the far west, to the Yunlang Mountains, where he had fought fiercely with the three major sects and rescued his family!
His consciousness swept away.

He discovered that an invisible force enveloped the entire valley, making it difficult for outsiders to see inside and subtly restricting the creatures inside from leaving.

"A natural illusion array?" A chaotic light flickered in Fu Changsheng's eyes as his [Clear Mind and Bright Vision] supernatural power quietly activated.

The scene before my eyes was suddenly peeled back layer by layer, revealing its true nature.

The surrounding cliffs, trees, and even the flowing mist of the valley subtly formed a vast and intricate natural maze. This formation, utilizing the earth's spiritual energy, was perfectly natural. Without mastery of formations or the ability to pierce through illusions, one could easily become lost within it, or even trigger hidden dangers.

"Qiu Niang".

A thought.

Qiu Niang's figure appeared in a flash.

After a moment of deduction.

Qiu Niang's clear and beautiful voice rang out:
"Master, this is the 'Nine-Bend Maze Formation,' a combination of trapping and illusion formations naturally formed by the unique geological veins of this place. Its power is considerable, enough to trap even a Golden Core cultivator. However, its core has three points, located under three inconspicuous blue stones in the Xun, Kan, and Li positions within the valley. Simply inject the spiritual power of the wood, water, and fire attributes simultaneously, following the incantation I taught you, and you can temporarily open a gap that allows only one person to pass through, lasting for about ten breaths."

Immediately afterwards, a sophisticated technique for controlling spiritual energy entered Fu Changsheng's mind.

Fu Changsheng did as instructed, his figure moving like lightning, quickly finding the three blue stones that served as nodes of the formation. His fingertips flashed with spiritual light, and spiritual energy of varying shades—green, azure, and crimson—was simultaneously and precisely injected into the three blue stones.

hum!
The mist in the valley rippled slightly, and the seemingly solid rock wall in front of them rippled like water, revealing a twisted portal of light that could only accommodate one person at a time.

Without hesitation, Fu Changsheng took a step forward!
...

...

Deep within the Yunlang Mountains lies a secluded cave hidden behind a waterfall.

A foul stench permeated the air. Deep within the cave, a crude magic circle, constructed from piles of white bones and inscribed with eerie blood-red runes, emitted a nauseating red light.

At the heart of the formation, a massive, lizard-like, fourth-tier demonic beast called the "Blood Lizard Beast," with sharp bone spurs on its back and covered in dark brown scales, lay prone, its scarlet vertical pupils gleaming with cruelty and greed.

It had just returned from its hunt, and beside its massive claws lay four unconscious human cultivators—two men and two women, all at the early Golden Core stage. Their clothes were tattered, and their auras were weak; clearly, they had been ambushed by this blood lizard beast in the mountains and captured.

"Roar--"

The Blood Lizard Beast let out a low roar, seemingly urging it on. It raised one forepaw and pressed it against a node of the magic circle, pouring in a surge of powerful demonic energy.

hum!
The crimson magic array suddenly lit up, and the red light writhed like a living thing, transforming into countless fine crimson threads that wrapped around the limbs and bones of the four unconscious cultivators like tentacles.

"Ugh..."

Even while unconscious, the intense pain still caused the four to groan unconsciously. Their essence, blood, and even the origin of their golden cores were forcibly extracted by the blood-red threads, turning into four streams of crimson blood that continuously flowed into the center of the magic array, and were then greedily inhaled into the mouth and nose of the blood lizard beast.

The dark brown scales on the Blood Lizard Beast's body visibly brightened, and its aura slowly and steadily increased. It reveled in the pleasure of plundering the cultivation of others to strengthen itself, its scarlet pupils filled with satisfaction.

And this moment.

Outside the cave, a figure hidden in the shadows was silently approaching.

Fu Changsheng originally just wanted to find a place to stay temporarily and search for some clues about the outside world, but he unexpectedly sensed the faint but evil array fluctuations coming from here, as well as the life force of a Golden Core cultivator that was rapidly dying.

"A demonic beast that cultivates using the essence and blood of cultivators?" He frowned slightly, his divine sense like an invisible spider web, quietly probing into the cave behind the waterfall, and "saw" the situation inside clearly.

The white bone array that refined essence blood exuded an eerie aura, unlike what a demon beast could set up on its own.

"Was it a coincidence that I obtained the inheritance of an ancient demonic cultivator, or... is there another hidden story behind it?"

With a thought, Fu Changsheng swayed and, as if merging into the water, passed through the waterfall without creating the slightest ripple, and entered the cave.

...

...

Just as the crimson threads were about to entangle the last female cultivator from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, extracting and refining her essence blood—

A sudden change occurred!

The seemingly ordinary jade pendant with a beast tooth at the female cultivator's waist suddenly burst forth with a dazzling white light! A wild and majestic aura spread out, temporarily forcing back the evil blood-red threads!

"Roar?!"

Startled by this sudden turn of events, the Blood Lizard Beast abruptly raised its head, a flicker of surprise and uncertainty flashing in its scarlet vertical pupils. It stopped activating the magic array, growling warily as it stared intently at the jade pendant emitting white light, seemingly weighing something. It instinctively sensed that the power contained within the jade pendant was restraining it.

In this brief stalemate, a figure in a green robe appeared in the cave without warning, like a ghost!
It was Fu Changsheng!
As soon as he appeared, the blood lizard seemed to sense an even greater threat. Without hesitation, it abandoned the "food" that was about to be eaten, roared, and stood upright with its huge body, slashing out with its two front paws!
laugh!laugh!
Two incredibly refined, dark red claw-like beams, imbued with a potent, corrosive aura of blood, crisscrossed and tore through the air like lightning, aiming straight for Fu Changsheng's vitals! This was its awakened bloodline spiritual technique—[Blood Poison Soul-Splitting Claw]!
However, Fu Changsheng's eyes remained completely unmoved in the face of this attack, which was enough to severely injure an ordinary late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

Just as the claw-like light was about to strike him, a jade talisman in his sleeve shattered silently.

Small teleportation spell!

A barely perceptible ripple spread through the space, and Fu Changsheng's figure vanished from his original spot, appearing the next moment behind the Blood Lizard Beast!

At the same time, a burst of purple-gold lightning flashed in his hand! A spear, its entire body wrapped in destructive lightning, its shaft imprinted with mysterious blood-red patterns, and radiating a spiritual pressure surpassing that of any magic weapon, suddenly appeared—it was the [Heavenly Punishment Lightning Spear], which had been promoted to a low-grade spiritual treasure!
"die!"

Fu Changsheng let out a cold shout and suddenly exerted force in his arm! The Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear transformed into a purple-gold lightning bolt that tore through the void, carrying the majestic divine power of heavenly punishment and the slaying of evil and demons. With lightning speed, it directly pierced through the Blood Lizard Beast's thick, dark brown scales, which were strong enough to withstand ordinary magic weapons!
"Pfft—Roar!!"

The Blood Lizard Beast let out a shrill, desperate howl, its massive body suddenly stiffening! A violent burst of lightning erupted within its body, instantly annihilating all its life force! In its scarlet pupils, there remained an incredulous terror and bewilderment, as if it could not understand, even in death, why it had been defeated so decisively.

Boom!

The massive carcass of the Blood Lizard Beast crashed heavily to the ground, shaking the cave.

Fu Changsheng reached out and summoned the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear back into his hand. The spearhead was spotless, humming with spiritual energy, seemingly quite satisfied with his recent "first taste of meat".

Without even glancing at the monster's corpse, he rolled up his sleeve and stored it directly into his Five Elements Space, then tossed it to Qiu Niang to dissect: "Qiu Niang, dissect what's useful."

"Yes, Master." Qiu Niang responded and moved within the Five Elements Space.

Fu Changsheng then turned his gaze to the unconscious female cultivator from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain. She was severely injured, had lost most of her essence and blood, and was barely breathing. If it weren't for the beast tooth jade pendant protecting its owner at the crucial moment, she would probably have turned into a skeleton by now.

"The people of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain..." Fu Changsheng's eyes flickered slightly. He was worried about how to leave the Yunlang Mountains without the eyes and ears of the Immortal Alliance outside, and this woman might be a good "guide" and "cover".

He flicked out a wisp of pure "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique" power to protect the female cultivator's heart meridian, stabilize her injuries, and ensure that she would not die for the time being.

Then, his gaze swept around the cave. In one corner, dozens of storage bags of various kinds were scattered, some still stained with dried blood, clearly the "trophies" accumulated by this blood lizard beast from hunting cultivators over the years.

Fu Changsheng and Qiu Niang were connected in spirit, and they acted at the same time, scanning the storage bags with their divine senses and quickly taking inventory.

Spirit stones, pills, materials, magical artifacts, jade slips... a wide variety and a huge quantity. Although the value of each item may not be high, they add up to a considerable windfall, enough to support his cultivation and expenses for a period of time to come.

However, when his divine sense swept over one of the most ancient and inconspicuous black rings, he suddenly paused!
The ring was completely black, of unknown material, and had no patterns on its surface, yet it faintly exuded a strange power that seemed to draw in one's soul.

Fu Changsheng tried to probe with his divine sense, but felt as if his divine sense had been swallowed up by the ring, unable to penetrate even a little bit! With his powerful divine sense, comparable to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, he couldn't even probe!
“The Soul-Devouring Ring…” Fu Changsheng recalled the information mentioned in the intelligence he had exchanged earlier—the remains of an ancient demonic cultivator were sealed beneath Zhenyuan Pass, and the incomplete spiritual treasure he wore, the “Soul-Devouring Ring,” had ended up in the Yunlang Mountains.

Could this be it?

He carefully picked up the black ring; it was icy cold to the touch, and the feeling of it pulling at his soul became even more pronounced.

"There's definitely something strange about this." Fu Changsheng's eyes were grave. This ring is no ordinary object; it probably requires a special method to open, or... it itself requires an extremely high level of spiritual cultivation to control.

...

...

After taking stock of the spoils in the cave and carefully storing the strange Soul-Devouring Ring, Fu Changsheng summoned the Green-Faced White Fox.

As soon as the little creature appeared, it affectionately rubbed against Fu Changsheng's trouser leg. Fu Changsheng transmitted a divine thought to it—find the "Ten Thousand Year Blood Poria" that was about to take human form.

The blue-faced white fox twitched its nostrils, its eyes flashing with intelligence. It quickly locked onto a direction and emitted a rapid "woofing" sound.

Fu Changsheng didn't delay any longer. He used his magic to lift the unconscious female cultivator from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, and his figure transformed into a faint, almost invisible streak of light. He followed the green-faced white fox and stealthily headed deeper into the Yunlang Mountains.

Guided by the innate talent of the blue-faced white fox, they avoided many dangerous areas and the territories of powerful demonic beasts, and their journey was uneventful. About half a day later, they arrived at the edge of a valley with exceptionally rich spiritual energy, yet shrouded in a faint blood-red mist.

Even before getting close, one can feel the intense energy fluctuations emanating from the valley and a heart-palpitating pressure!

Fu Changsheng concealed his presence and quietly approached the valley entrance, peering inside through the blood-red mist.

In the center of the valley, a huge, blood-red plant, shaped like a lingzhi mushroom, was rooted in the spiritual eye. It radiated a powerful blood energy and spiritual light. It was the "Ten Thousand Year Blood Poria"! It seemed to have reached the critical moment of its transformation. Its aura fluctuated and drew in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Beside the Blood Poria cocos, coiled up was a crimson-scaled demon python as thick as a water bucket, with a single horn on its head. Its aura had reached the peak of the fourth rank, making it the companion guardian spirit beast of this rare and precious plant.

However, at this moment the serpent appeared extremely agitated and angry, because it was facing a powerful attack!
The attacker was none other than Xue Qingyi, the Holy Maiden of the Jade Pool of Tianshan!

She had somehow found this place and was now hovering in mid-air, her veil fluttering, holding a chilling, ice-blue mirror in her hand! The mirror's surface shimmered, shooting out beams of "Mystic Ice Divine Light" powerful enough to freeze the soul, constantly bombarding the Crimson Scaled Python.

The demonic python had thick skin and powerful demonic energy, but under the attack of that ice mirror, which was clearly a spiritual treasure, its scales flew off, blood gushed out, and it let out painful hiss, clearly at a disadvantage.

"The Jade Pool's [Mysterious Ice Mirror]..." Fu Changsheng's gaze sharpened, recognizing the extraordinary origin of the mirror. It seemed that Xue Qingyi had spared no expense for this Blood Poria.

He held his breath, like the most patient hunter, waiting for his chance.

Finally, just as Xue Qingyi activated the Xuanbing Mirror, a beam of exceptionally thick divine light temporarily froze the Crimson Scaled Python—

It's now!

Fu Changsheng instantly activated a small teleportation talisman hidden in his sleeve!
The space rippled slightly, and his figure vanished from his spot, only to reappear directly above the ten-thousand-year-old Blood Poria cocos in the next instant! His speed was extreme!

With a swift motion, he scooped up the Blood Poria cocos without giving it any chance to react, along with a large clump of spiritual soil at its base!
"presumptuous!"

Xue Qingyi noticed immediately, and for the first time, a look of fury flashed in her cold eyes! She never expected that someone would dare to snatch food from her mouth! The Xuanbing Mirror turned around, and a sharp beam of icy light shot towards Fu Changsheng!
But Fu Changsheng was prepared. At the same time as he grabbed the Blood Poria, he had already grabbed another small teleportation talisman in his hand!
"Buzz!"

The icy light pierced through only a slowly dissipating afterimage. Fu Changsheng's true form had already appeared dozens of miles away, and without hesitation, he threw the ten-thousand-year-old Blood Poria cocos he had obtained into the Five Elements Space, handing it over to Qiu Niang for disposal.

He swiftly used the Thousand Faces Technique to alter his appearance and aura, transforming himself into an ordinary-looking rogue cultivator with a hint of malevolence. At the same time, he released the restriction on the female cultivator from Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain and awakened her with a gentle surge of magical power.

"Uh..." The female cultivator slowly woke up, her eyes initially blank, but then, sensing the stable injuries within her body and the unfamiliar environment, she immediately looked at Fu Changsheng warily, "You are...?"

"Fellow Daoist is awake?" Fu Changsheng gave a perfectly timed, slightly weary smile. "I was passing by a monster cave when I saw you in danger, so I killed the monster and rescued you. This place is still not safe, so we need to leave as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, the female cultivator immediately examined herself and indeed found that she was still seriously injured, but her life was not in danger. Recalling the despair of being captured by the Blood Lizard Beast before she lost consciousness, she immediately realized that the person in front of her had saved her. She struggled to her feet and solemnly bowed: "Xiong Qi, a core disciple of Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, thanks you for saving my life! May I ask your esteemed name?"

"My surname is Fu, and I am just a rogue cultivator." Fu Changsheng waved his hand, feigning indifference.

"A rogue cultivator?" Xiong Qi's eyes lit up. She carefully sensed him and found that this "Fellow Daoist Fu" had a profound aura. Although he was only at the late Golden Core stage (Fu Changsheng in disguise), he was able to kill a peak fourth-tier Blood Lizard Beast, so his strength must be extraordinary. Moreover, judging from his words and actions, he did not seem like a wicked person.

She immediately had the idea of ​​recruiting them. The Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain had suffered heavy losses and desperately needed to replenish its ranks with fresh blood, especially powerful guest elders.

"I will never forget Fellow Daoist Fu's life-saving grace!" She clasped her hands in a fist salute again, her tone sincere. "Since you are a rogue cultivator, I imagine your cultivation is not easy. Although my Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain has suffered the previous upheavals, its foundation remains. If you do not mind, I, Xiong Qi, am willing to vouch for you with my own reputation and recommend you to become a guest elder of my Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain!"

Fearing Fu Changsheng would refuse, she quickly listed the benefits: "Becoming a guest elder not only means receiving a generous annual offering of spirit stones, but also the ability to exchange them for cultivation techniques and supernatural powers from the sect's library, priority service from the sect's alchemists and weapon refiners, and the right to have an independent cave dwelling and a certain degree of command over the disciples. More importantly, with my Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain as a backer, things will be much easier when we're out there, and we won't have to fight with petty people for a few resources."

She paused, then added with a hint of pride, "To be honest, my ancestor was Xiong Ba, the elder brother of Xiong Gang, an elder of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain! He had some influence within the sect. With my introduction, no one will dare to make things difficult for you!"

Fu Changsheng thought to himself that this was exactly what he wanted. With the identity of a guest elder of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain as a cover, he could not only leave the Yunlang Mountains openly and avoid the eyes and ears of the Immortal Alliance, but also use the resources and connections of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain to better gather information, seek opportunities, and even... investigate the secret of the Soul Devouring Ring.

He subtly showed a hint of interest on his face, pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "I am grateful for Fellow Daoist Xiong's kindness. In that case, I will accept it without being impolite. I hope Fellow Daoist Xiong will take good care of me in the future."

When Xiong Qi saw that Fu Changsheng had agreed, she was overjoyed: "That's great! Elder Fu, don't worry, I will make all the arrangements for you when we return to the sect! Let's not delay, shall we set off back to the sect now? There was a strong fluctuation of spiritual energy here just now, which may attract the attention of others."

“That’s exactly right,” Fu Changsheng nodded.

So the two of them didn't linger any longer. Led by Xiong Qi, who was familiar with the route, they sped off towards the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Sect.

...

...

With his status as a guest elder of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, Fu Changsheng's actions in the far west became much easier. Under the guise of carrying out sect missions and collecting resources, he secretly used part of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain's intelligence network, combined with the intelligence he had previously exchanged, and quickly located the possible hiding place of "Poison Scorpion"—a chaotic area called "Black Fiend Workshop" on the edge of the far west.

On this dark and windy day...

Inside an inconspicuous stone house in the Black Fiend Manor, the Poison Scorpion, having changed his appearance and concealed his true cultivation level, was taking stock of his recent murders and robberies, plotting how to purchase resources to break through the Golden Core bottleneck. After possessing this body, thanks to the Shadow Sect's secret techniques and his previous accumulation, his cultivation level had recovered to the Pseudo-Core stage.

However, he was completely unaware that a ghostly figure had silently slipped into the stone house, standing behind him like a shadow.

It wasn't until an irresistible, terrifying pressure, far surpassing that of a Golden Core cultivator, descended like a mountain, imprisoning him in place so that he couldn't even move a finger, that Poison Scorpion's expression changed in horror!
"Who?!" He was terrified and tried to struggle, but found himself like a mosquito trapped in amber, his very soul frozen.

Fu Changsheng slowly revealed his figure, regaining his original appearance, and looked at him with icy eyes: "Poison Scorpion, I've been looking for you for a long time."

"Fu... Fu Changsheng?! You weren't already..." The scorpion's pupils constricted as he recognized the newcomer, terrified out of his wits! After possessing Fu Changsheng's body, he had naturally heard of Fu Changsheng's "infamous reputation" in the Yunlang Mountains and his subsequent "disappearance." He had assumed the man was long gone, but unexpectedly, he appeared at this moment, and his strength was so terrifying it suffocated him! Fu Changsheng was too lazy to waste words with him and directly used the Soul Searching Technique! With his current divine sense, comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator, dealing with a scorpion at the Pseudo-Core stage was a piece of cake.

A shrill scream rang out on the level of consciousness. Poison Scorpion's entire life memories, including how he was instructed by the Huang family to reveal the Fu family's secret realm, how he attacked the Fu family's caravan, and his later experience of being silenced by the Huang family, escaping by chance, and being possessed and reborn, were all read by Fu Changsheng.

After confirming all the key information, Fu Changsheng picked up the scorpion as if it were a chick and sealed off all his magical power.

The witness testimony is in hand!
Without lingering, he took the Poison Scorpion and quickly left the Black Fiend Workshop, heading towards the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Ten days later, Zhenyuan Pass came into view in the distance.

Fu Changsheng did not attempt to pass the test directly, but instead contacted the garrison general Yue Zhenshan through secret channels.

Deep within the pass, inside a secret chamber.

When Yue Zhenshan saw Fu Changsheng, who was unharmed and whose aura was unfathomable, his resolute face revealed undisguised surprise.

"Fellow Daoist Fu! You...you really came back!" Yue Zhenshan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement. "Everyone outside said that you met with misfortune in the far west more than ten years ago, and that you were likely dead! I never expected...I never expected that you would not only return safely, but that your cultivation had also reached the eighth level of the Golden Core stage?!"

He carefully sensed Fu Changsheng's aura, as solid as a mountain and as deep as the sea, and was utterly shocked. In just over ten years, he had broken through from the seventh to the eighth level of the Golden Core stage! Such a cultivation speed was simply astonishing! No wonder he was a prodigy who could reverse the demise of a false infant and slaughter nearly a hundred Golden Core cultivators!

Fu Changsheng smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your concern, General Yue. I escaped danger by chance and had some good fortune. I have returned for two reasons: first, to report that I am safe and sound, and second, ... there is a matter concerning the internal stability of the Great Zhou, which requires your assistance, General."

As he spoke, he threw the scorpion, which lay on the ground like a dead dog, and recounted the evidence he had obtained from the soul search regarding the Huang family of Wuzhou's collusion with sects in the far west, their plot against the Fu family, and their subsequent murder to cover it up.

The more Yue Zhenshan listened, the more solemn his expression became, until finally his face was ashen and his eyes flashed with cold light!

"The Huang family! What a bunch of traitors!" He slammed his fist on the table, his anger barely contained. As a border general, he hated nothing more than these scoundrels who colluded with foreign enemies and harmed their own people!

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Fu! The evidence is conclusive, with both witnesses and physical evidence! I will immediately send this urgent message, along with the case files and witnesses, to the Imperial Court and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau! The Huang family is finished!" Yue Zhenshan said with unwavering resolve.

With the joint accusations from the border general and the fifth-rank imperial inspector, coupled with irrefutable evidence, let alone the fact that the Huang family is backed by only a Nascent Soul cultivator who has not yet emerged from seclusion and a princess, even if they were a true Nascent Soul family, they would not escape the severe punishment of the imperial court!

"Thank you, General Yue!" Fu Changsheng said solemnly.

Under Yue Zhenshan's arrangement, Fu Changsheng, accompanied by Poison Scorpion, silently crossed the border barrier through a secret passage and truly set foot on the land of the Great Zhou.

...

...

Wuzhou, Huangjiashan.

Inside the council hall, a joyous atmosphere prevailed. Clan Chief Huang sat regally in the main seat, stroking his beard and smiling with satisfaction. Below him, three young clansmen, their auras refined and their expressions excited, stood with their hands at their sides, their eyes filled with longing and gratitude.

These three individuals are the best he has carefully selected and nurtured from among his many disciples over the past two hundred years, expending a great deal of the family's resources. Their cultivation has all reached the Pseudo-Core stage, and they represent the hope for the future revival of the Huang family!
What delighted him even more was that, thanks to the rare mineral vein discovered by his daughter Huang Yuehua, the family's wealth increased significantly, and they successfully bid for three precious Core Formation aid spiritual items at a large auction not long ago!
Today, he intends to bestow these three spiritual gifts upon these three clansmen to help them break through to the Golden Core stage in one fell swoop, thus enhancing the prestige of his Huang family!
"The three of you are the pillars of my Huang family!" The Huang patriarch's voice boomed, filled with undisguised expectation. "Today, I will..."

Just then, a trusted clansman hurried inside and whispered, "Clan leader, Miss Huanhuan has returned from the Black Swamp stronghold and is requesting an audience outside the hall."

Chief Huang frowned subconsciously. This daughter, mediocre in talent and spoiled in nature, had been sent to the far west by him in a half-abandoned manner to avoid trouble. Why had she suddenly returned? Had she gotten into some trouble over there again?
He was displeased, but since she was his legitimate daughter, he couldn't very well refuse to see her. So he waved his hand and said to the three fake Dan clan members, "You may all step back."

……

A moment later, a figure in pale yellow gracefully entered the main hall.

After not seeing her for more than a decade, Chief Huang's gaze, which had initially been somewhat impatient, suddenly froze when it fell on his daughter, and then he burst into unbelievable joy!

"Huanhuan...you...you've broken through to the Pseudo-Core Formation stage?!"

"Thanks to my father's good fortune, I had a chance encounter in the Black Swamp and was able to break through."

"Okay! Okay! Okay!"

Clan Chief Huang was so excited that he exclaimed "Good!" three times in a row. He quickly stepped down from the main seat and carefully examined his daughter, becoming more and more satisfied with her! A pawn he had personally cultivated was ultimately an outsider; how could it compare to his own blood relatives! With his daughter's achievements, her future was promising! His Huang family had a worthy successor!

"Truly, the heavens have blessed the Huang family! Hahaha!" The Huang patriarch laughed, the slight displeasure he had felt earlier due to his daughter's sudden return had vanished, replaced by immense joy and relief.

His gaze swept over the direction where the three fake Core Formation members had retreated, and a decision instantly formed in his mind. Outsiders are, after all, outsiders! Resources should be allocated to our own people!

Without hesitation, he pushed all three jade boxes he had prepared as rewards for his clansmen in front of Liu Hanyan, his tone gentler and more solemn than ever before: "Huanhuan, these are the spiritual treasures your father prepared for you to help you form your Core! Now that you have reached the Pseudo-Core stage, you should seize the opportunity and strive to break through to the Golden Core stage!"

He carefully instructed, "The formation of the Golden Core is the first major hurdle on the path of cultivation, and it is extremely dangerous. Remember to find a quiet place with abundant spiritual energy, concentrate your mind and guide the medicinal power. Do not be too hasty! Your father will protect you! You must succeed!"

"Daughter, I will live up to your father's expectations."

...

...

Having received three Core Formation spiritual items, Liu Hanyan (Huang Huanhuan) respectfully withdrew from the council hall under the gratified yet ambitious gaze of Clan Chief Huang.

Returning to her long-unoccupied yet still luxurious boudoir, her face was now etched with a cold indifference.

Night falls quietly.

As the midnight drum sounded, and the entire Huang Family Mountain fell into silence, a communication talisman in Liu Hanyan's sleeve vibrated slightly—it was Fu Changsheng!
A glint flashed in her eyes as she quickly read the message sent by Fu Changsheng, confirming that he had quietly arrived outside the clan mountain and was lurking in the shadows.

Plan, start!
She changed into a dark dress that allowed her to move around easily, picked up the token that symbolized the clan leader's authority and granted her access to most of the clan's forbidden areas, and left her boudoir silently, like a ghost in the night.

The clan's central control chamber, located deep within the clan's mountain, is heavily guarded. Two elders at the early Golden Core stage are seated cross-legged outside the chamber, eyes closed, waiting.

The sound of footsteps rang out, and the two immediately opened their eyes alertly. They were both stunned when they saw "Huang Huanhuan" walking gracefully towards them.

"Miss Huanhuan? What brings you here..." one of them asked, puzzled. What was this young lady doing at the array's central hub in the dead of night?
Liu Hanyan's face revealed just the right amount of anxiety and an undeniable air of authority as she displayed the clan leader's warrant: "By order of my father, I will take over the central control of the formation tonight. There are important matters to attend to. You two elders have worked hard; you may go back and rest for now."

The two elders exchanged a glance, both hesitant. The core of the formation was crucial to the safety of the entire clan; how could they easily entrust it to someone else, even if she was the clan leader's daughter? But the clan leader's order was undeniably true…

Seeing this, Liu Hanyan's tone turned slightly cold: "What? Even Father's order is no longer valid? Or do you two elders suspect that I am plotting something?"

She is currently at the Pseudo-Core Formation level and is the clan leader's most "valued" daughter. As soon as she released her aura, the two late-stage Purple Mansion elders felt a bit of pressure.

"No, no!" The two bowed quickly. "Since it is the clan leader's order, we will obey." They thought that perhaps the clan leader had some secret arrangements that were not convenient for them to know. In any case, only the clan leader could fully control the core restrictions of the formation. This young lady could only perform some routine operations with the warrant, and there was no way she would cause any major trouble.

So the two stopped insisting, bowed, and left.

Liu Hanyan watched them disappear at the end of the corridor, a cold smile playing on her lips. She pushed open the heavy stone door and stepped into the central chamber of the array, filled with countless shimmering runes and crisscrossing spiritual energy channels.

She didn't look at the complex control nodes, but went straight to the deepest part of the secret chamber, where there was an inconspicuous stone platform. Following the method taught by Fu Changsheng and combined with the secret information about the family's grand formation that she had gleaned from Huang Huanhuan's memories, she made hand seals and poured her own magical power and a trace of hidden soul power into several specific grooves on the stone platform.

hum!
The stone platform trembled slightly, and a miniature, enormous light screen that enveloped the entire Huang Family Mountain appeared above it—the core phantom of the "Nine Revolutions Profound Yellow Array"!

Her fingers moved like butterflies flitting among flowers, tapping several times in the most hidden corners of the illusory figure.

Suddenly, the enormous light curtain that enveloped the clan mountain silently cracked open in a remote, cliff-side spot in the northwest corner, creating a tiny gap just wide enough for one person to pass through. It lasted for less than three breaths before quickly closing up again.

Just as the gap closed, a figure as wisp of smoke silently slipped in through the crack—it was Fu Changsheng!

Fu Changsheng nodded slightly to Liu Hanyan, then his figure flickered and disappeared into the shadows, vanishing without a trace.

Seeing that he had successfully infiltrated, Liu Hanyan no longer hesitated. She walked to the main control array plate, took out the clan leader's token, pressed it onto the array's core, and simultaneously formed hand seals, casting a series of profound spells!

"Nine Revolutions of Profound Yellow, heed my command—Seal!"

Boom!

The entire Huang Family Mountain trembled slightly! The array light barrier that covered the surrounding area suddenly became several times more solid and thick, shining brightly and completely isolating the inside from the outside! From now on, entry is permitted, but exit is not!
In an instant, within the Huang family's mountain, streams of golden core energy soared into the sky from various caves and courtyards, carrying surprise and confusion, and quickly converged towards the council hall at the mountaintop.

...

...

The Huang family's council hall was brightly lit.

All five Golden Core elders, including Clan Chief Huang, were present, their faces showing doubt and a hint of unease.

"Chieftain, what has happened?"

Huang Yuehua was among them. She frowned slightly, sensing that something was amiss.

Chief Huang was about to speak.

Just then, the doors to the council chamber closed silently, and a faint aura separated the inside from the outside.

A figure in a green robe appeared in the center of the hall without warning, like a ghost!

"who?!"

"Be bold!"

The Golden Core elders were both shocked and furious, and they all shouted, their magical treasures instantly gleaming.

The moment Chief Huang saw the newcomer's face clearly, his pupils contracted sharply, his face turned deathly pale, and his heart almost stopped beating!

Fu Changsheng! He's still alive?! And he's even appeared in the core area of ​​the Huang family?!

Fu Changsheng's gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on the pale-faced Clan Chief Huang. His voice wasn't loud, but it resounded like thunder in everyone's ears:

"I am Fu Changsheng, a fifth-rank Imperial Envoy of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"

He brandished the envoy's token, his imposing official aura mingled with a chilling killing intent.

"It has now been determined that Huang Yuanshan, the patriarch of the Huang family of Wuzhou, a sixth-rank official, secretly colluded with the Joyful Sect in the far west for his own selfish gain, leaking the secrets of our Great Zhou families and plotting to harm the relatives of the Imperial Inspector. The evidence is conclusive! According to the laws of the Great Zhou, anyone who colludes with foreign enemies and harms his colleagues shall have his entire family executed as a warning to others!"

"what?!"

"Colluding with foreign enemies?!"

"This...this is impossible!"

Apart from Clan Chief Huang, the other four Golden Core elders were all shocked and utterly horrified! This crime was too grave! Enough to bring the Huang family to its doom!

The Huang clan chief suddenly stood up, roaring with a fierce but weak voice, "Fu Changsheng! You're spouting nonsense! What evidence do you have?! My Huang family is loyal to the Great Zhou! My great-uncle is an elder of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion and is about to break through to the Nascent Soul stage! Princess Runyu is also a guest of honor of my Huang family! If you dare to touch my Huang family, they will never let you off!"

He tried to pull out his backing and make a last-ditch effort.

"Evidence?" Fu Changsheng sneered, flicking his sleeve to reveal a screen of light. Within the screen, the mentally impaired Poison Scorpion, under some secret technique, mechanically recounted how he was instructed by Huang Yuanshan to leak the secrets of the Water Cloud Cave, attack the Fu family's caravan, and ultimately be silenced by the Huang family! The images, sounds, and even the fluctuations in his soul were all crystal clear, leaving no room for falsehood!

"hiss……"

Upon seeing this irrefutable evidence, a collective gasp filled the hall. The three collateral Golden Core elders turned ashen-faced, utterly despairing.

Huang Yuehua was struck dumb, her delicate body trembling violently. She stared at the Huang clan leader in disbelief, her voice hoarse with despair: "Clan leader...you...you actually...why did you do this?! You're pushing our Huang family to the brink of destruction!!"

She never imagined that while she was wholeheartedly planning for the family, the clan leader would do something so foolish and self-destructive, endangering the entire clan! Colluding with external enemies is a bottom line that no power can tolerate!

"Shut up!" Clan Chief Huang roared like a madman. Knowing there was no way out, a crazed glint flashed in his eyes as he roared at the other elders, "Everyone! Things have come to this point, we have no choice but to fight to the death! Kill him! As long as we kill Fu Changsheng and destroy the evidence, we can ask our great-uncle and the princess for help, and there will still be a glimmer of hope! Otherwise, we will all die! Attack together!!"

He was the first to unleash his natal magic weapon, a golden light striking Fu Changsheng fiercely!
The three elders from the collateral branch, who were already terrified, also subconsciously activated their magical artifacts in preparation for a siege, encouraged by the clan leader and driven by their survival instincts.

Only Huang Yuehua stood motionless, her face ashen. She looked at the clan leader, who seemed to have gone mad, and the elders who had acted in panic, her eyes filled with sorrow and regret.

'If only I had taken decisive action when I became the first Golden Core cultivator in the Huang family, instead of blindly obeying and handing the family over to an ambitious but unscrupulous patriarch... the Huang family wouldn't be in this state...'

Unfortunately, it's too late to regret.

Facing the siege of four Golden Core cultivators, Fu Changsheng's eyes remained unwavering, displaying only cold mockery.

"The fly shakes the tree."

He didn't even use much supernatural power; he simply raised his hand.

hum!
A purple-gold spear, crackling with destructive lightning and radiating a chilling spiritual pressure, appeared out of thin air—a low-grade spiritual treasure, the Heavenly Punishment Thunder Spear!

The lightning spear transformed into several afterimages, appearing in front of the four Golden Core cultivators as if by teleportation!

"Do not!!"

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The four soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

Under the overwhelming power and spiritual treasures, the protective spiritual light of the Huang clan chief and others shattered like paper, and their brows were pierced by the lightning spears! The violent lightning power instantly annihilated all their vitality, and even their golden cores were not able to escape before being devoured by the lightning spears!
Four corpses, their faces contorted in disbelief and terror, collapsed to the ground with a thud.

(End of this chapter)