Family Rise: Start with Daily Intelligence.

Chapter 619 Unexpected Gain, Dealing with a Tiger, Lottery
Fu Changsheng's gaze swept past the extraordinary robe and landed on an inconspicuous gray jade slip next to the withered hand of the corpse.

The jade slip was covered in dust and could easily be missed unless one was specifically looking for it.

He made a gesture from a distance, and the jade slip flew into his hand, his divine sense sinking into it.

In an instant, a sense of desolation and resentment surged into my mind.

The master of this place, whose Daoist name is "Lingxiao", comes from the Heavenly Sword Sect, the number one sword sect in the far west.

He was not some prodigy; he started as a mediocre outer disciple of a sect, enduring endless scorn and bullying. However, his will was as firm as iron. He rose from humble beginnings, relying on extraordinary perseverance and countless life-or-death struggles to carve out a bloody path from the bottom, ultimately making his sword famous throughout the far west!
Just as he was condensing his nascent soul and about to reach the pinnacle, at that crucial moment...

However, he was betrayed by his senior brother, the sect leader Wan Jian Dao Ren, who planted the extremely insidious [God-Eating Gu] in his Nascent Soul Dao Seed.

This Gu is extremely secretive; when it takes effect, it can quietly erode the nascent soul's essence, severing one's path to enlightenment.

Ling Xiaozhi truly deserves to be called a remarkable person of his generation.

Sensing the anomaly at the last moment, he forcibly interrupted the condensation process with immense willpower and secret techniques. Although he saved his life and some of his cultivation, it also resulted in a flawed nascent soul and the severance of his Great Dao.

Even more terrifying.

His lifespan was thus rapidly depleted, leaving him with only a few years left.

The Wan Jian Daoist who plotted against him was incredibly powerful.

Given his condition at the time, he was simply incapable of taking revenge.

In utter despair, he took all his accumulated knowledge and fled to the northern frontier, where he found this secluded place. He set up numerous restrictions, leaving behind his own lineage and the names of his enemies, hoping that a destined person in the future could inherit his mantle and, when they had enough strength, settle this karmic debt for him.

The end of the jade slip.

Ling Xiaozi's divine sense carried endless regret and a glimmer of hope:
"...Those who inherit my legacy bear my karma. If future generations cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage, or their spiritual consciousness reaches the Nascent Soul realm, they can follow the divine imprint I left deep within the jade slip to open my true treasure chamber, which contains all that I have collected throughout my life to aid your cultivation. I hope you... will not fail my trust!"

The message ends there.

"Master, have you found anything?" Qiu Niang, noticing his strange expression, leaned closer and asked curiously.

Fu Changsheng handed her the jade slip: "A senior worthy of respect."

Qiu Niang took the jade slip and probed it with her divine sense. After a moment, a look of both sympathy and anger appeared on her pretty face:
"Ah! This Senior Lingxiao is so pitiful! That Wan Jian Daoist is truly despicable! Master, we've received favors from him, so if we ever encounter that villain again, we must help Senior Lingxiao get revenge!"

Seeing her expression, Fu Changsheng couldn't help but smile and nodded.
"Given this cause and effect, if the opportunity arises in the future, it would be perfectly acceptable to do so."

Immediately following the faint divine imprint indicated in the jade slip, he condensed his powerful divine sense, comparable to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, into a single strand and carefully touched and guided it.

hum!
Suddenly, the rock wall on one side of the quiet room rippled with water-like patterns. An invisible portal, constructed entirely of divine consciousness and invisible to the naked eye, slowly opened, revealing a small, secret chamber behind it, only about ten feet in diameter.

"Wow! There really is a secret room!" Qiu Niang exclaimed in surprise, her curiosity completely ignited, and she followed closely behind Fu Changsheng.

There was nothing else in the secret room except three seemingly ordinary stone boxes.

Fu Changsheng stepped forward and opened them one by one.

The first stone box contained three jade slips with soaring sword intent, which respectively recorded Ling Xiaozi's main cultivation technique, "Lingxiao Sword Canon", his lifelong insights into swordsmanship, "Sword Heart Carving Dragon", and several powerful unique sword techniques and supernatural abilities.

"An extraordinary swordsmanship inheritance!" Fu Changsheng exclaimed, "It is of immeasurable value for perfecting one's own swordsmanship and enriching the family's heritage."

Inside the second stone box, hundreds of crystal-clear, spiritually vibrant high-grade spirit stones were neatly stacked! Beside it was a jade bottle containing three pills the size of longan fruits, but with a dull color and no spiritual energy.

"Huh? This pill..." Qiu Niang leaned closer to examine it carefully, then sniffed the almost non-existent medicinal aroma, shaking her head regretfully. "Master, this pill should originally have been of extremely high quality, like a [Sword Condensation Pill] to help sword cultivators condense their sword heart. Unfortunately, it's been too long and improperly stored, so it has become ineffective and lost all its spiritual energy." There was a hint of regret in her tone, but she was quickly drawn to the gleam of the spirit stones. "But so many high-grade spirit stones are hard currency!"

Fu Changsheng smiled nonchalantly, not caring that the pill had failed: "It doesn't matter. Obtaining the Lingxiao Sword Manual and these spirit stones is already an incredible stroke of luck."

The third stone box contained several extremely rare natural treasures, all of which were high-grade spiritual materials for refining spiritual treasures, such as [Ten Thousand Year Geng Gold], [Star Sand], and [Void Crystal].

"These are all good things!" Qiu Niang's eyes lit up. As a formation master, she was naturally sensitive to these top-grade materials. "They're perfect for building the clan's Reincarnation Pool!"

It's definitely a good product.

It also includes the spiritual materials needed to awaken the Water Cloud Body.

This is perfect for Liu Hanyan.

Fu Changsheng carefully put away the three stone boxes, especially the jade slips that recorded the inheritance and those precious materials.

After giving Lingxiaozi's remains a proper burial, I silently recited in my heart:
"Senior Lingxiao, I accept your inheritance. If I ever encounter Daoist Wanjian, I will certainly seek justice for you."

Having reaped such a bountiful harvest, Fu Changsheng was in high spirits and said to Qiu Niang:

"Now that this matter is settled, we should head back. You have rendered meritorious service in breaking the formation this time, and upon our return, you will be granted the [Void Crystal] for your research."

"Thank you, Master!" Qiu Niang was overjoyed upon hearing this, her regret over the failure of the pill long since vanished.

at the same time.

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

"You have acquired many rare materials for the clan, your clan contribution points have increased to 100,000, and you have been granted a special lottery draw opportunity."

Fu Changsheng's gaze fell upon the "Secret Technique of the Chaotic Nascent Soul," which was stuck at 41% of its deduction progress:
"System, inject 100,000 contribution points to continue deducing the 'Chaotic Nascent Soul Secret Technique'!"

"Command received, begin simulation..."

Yellow light surged.

The progress bar for the deduction of "The Secret Technique of the Chaotic Nascent Soul" began to leap again:
42%……45%……48%……50%……53%……

Finally, when the contribution value finally settled at [0], the system's deduction slowly came to a halt.

[Ding! The deduction progress of "The Secret Technique of the Chaotic Nascent Soul" has reached 50%!]

A much larger, more sophisticated, and even chaotic flow of information surged into Fu Changsheng's consciousness, giving him an unprecedentedly clear understanding of the road ahead.

[The Secret Technique of the Chaotic Nascent Soul (Fragment - 50%)]:
Foundation Laying (100% Complete): The foundation is perfect, no changes needed.

The Core Condensation Chapter (95% complete): The content is almost completely complete!
The Nascent Soul Transformation Chapter (15% complete): The content has been significantly expanded!
It is clear that the "Chaotic Yuan Dan" is the seed of the "Chaotic Yuan Ying". After the Golden Core is perfected, one must use one's own Dao thought as fire in the Purple Mansion Sea of ​​Consciousness, and draw on the chaotic Qi (which can come from the remnants of the Heavenly Tribulation or external objects) as fuel to ignite the "Chaotic Dao Fire" to temper the Golden Core. In the stillness and nothingness, a trace of innate chaotic spiritual energy will be nurtured, and only then can the Golden Core break through to become a Yuan Ying! This process requires great perseverance, great comprehension, and extremely high requirements for the strength of the divine soul.

Tribulation Transcending Chapter (5% Complete): Finally, it's no longer a complete blank!
A vague description of the Chaos Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation has appeared, mentioning that this tribulation is no small matter. Not only is its power far superior to those of other tiers, but it may also trigger other kinds of tribulations such as the Heart Demon Tribulation, so it is necessary to make full preparations in advance.

"53%! The Core Condensation Chapter is almost complete, and even the methods for utilizing Heavenly Tribulation and Chaos Origin Qi have been deduced! The Nascent Soul Chapter and the Tribulation Transcending Chapter are also showing promise!"

Fu Changsheng was extremely excited.

This simulation has perfected the most crucial core condensation step and pointed out the direction for the subsequent Nascent Soul Transformation and Tribulation Transcending. Although the road ahead is still arduous, the path is now clear!
"make persistent efforts"

Fu Changsheng silently recited in his heart:
"Redeem for a special lottery draw."

hum!
The golden light on the panel suddenly surged.

Fu Changsheng held his breath and focused his gaze on the roulette wheel, which was filled with a murderous aura and was slowly slowing down.

The roulette wheel finally stopped spinning, and the pointer landed precisely on a diamond-shaped crystal grid that was entirely dark gold, with countless fine sword marks naturally formed on its surface, and seemed to faintly emit the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses inside.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have obtained a special magic seed: [War Soul Magic Seed]!]

next moment.

A dark gold box, forged from black iron and the bones of an unknown beast, appeared in his hand. The box's surface was covered with scratches left by battle, and a constantly spinning scarlet gem was embedded in its center, radiating a chilling aura of battle intent and malevolence.

He gathered a wisp of chaotic magic power at his fingertips and gently touched the key point of the box.

"Chong-"

A sharp, metallic clang rang out. The box lid suddenly sprang open, and an incomparably fierce battle intent, seemingly capable of tearing the heavens apart, soared into the sky! Inside the box, a magic seed the size of a longan, dark gold in color, with countless fine sword marks on its surface that seemed to move like a living thing, floated silently, and the surrounding air was slightly distorted by its presence.

The instant his divine sense touched the seed of Dharma, a violent and ancient killing intent, mixed with countless profound insights into battlefield combat, the evolution of military formations, and the breaking of formations and the slaying of generals, surged into his sea of ​​consciousness:
[The War Soul Seed of Military Conquest]

[Rank: Tier 5, High-Grade (Growth Type)]

[Origin: Contains a fragment of the undying battle spirit of an ancient military strategist and war god]

【characteristic:
1. Battle Spirit Boost: Greatly enhances one's own battle spirit and killing intent, creating a strong psychological deterrent to the enemy and weakening their fighting will.

II. Weapon Mastery: Enhances affinity and control over all weapons and magical artifacts, making it easier to comprehend weapon-based supernatural techniques.

3. Breaking Formation Edge: The attack comes with "armor-piercing" and "spell-breaking" effects, and has an additional destructive effect on protective aura and formation barriers.

IV. Military Spirit Domain: Can unfold a rudimentary "Military Battlefield" (the range expands with cultivation level and the growth of one's Dharma Seed). Within the domain, the morale and attack power of allies are amplified, while the enemy suffers suppression of fighting spirit and continuous erosion from malevolent energy.

[Special Ability: Inherited from the basic chapters of "The Art of War", which can be bestowed upon close blood relatives or specific inheritors]

Fu Changsheng carefully sensed the information in his sea of ​​consciousness, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

This [War Soul Seed] is completely different in style from the [Azure Emperor of Wood] Seed he obtained before, following a pure path of killing and conquest! Its value is immeasurable for cultivators or families who need to improve their immediate combat power!
"These kinds of battle spirit seeds..."

After pondering for a moment, Fu Changsheng already had a suitable candidate in mind.

He carefully closed the dark gold box, and the soaring fighting spirit and murderous aura subsided accordingly.

...

...

a few days later.

Fu Changsheng transformed into a streak of green light and landed in front of the brand-new Fu Family Mountain Gate.

The once-illustrious Huang family mansion has long since changed its nameplate and was transferred from the imperial court to the Fu family, becoming one of the important footholds for the Fu family's expansion in Wuzhou. The interior of the mansion has been renovated, and although the general layout remains unchanged, the atmosphere is completely new. It has lost some of the extravagance and ostentation of the Huang family in the past and gained more of the unique composure and restraint of the Fu family.

The pace never stops.

Fu Changsheng went straight to Liu Hanyan's residence.

The door to the quiet room slid open silently, and a slender figure came out to greet her.

She no longer had the charming face of "Huang Huanhuan," but instead had a beautiful face with a touch of aloofness and coldness. She was Liu Hanyan, who had completely restored her original appearance and joined the Fu family as a rogue cultivator named "Liu Hanyan."

Fu Changsheng stepped into the quiet room and casually set up a soundproof barrier:

"Senior Liu, are you settling in well here?" He didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point: "I've come today because it's something you've been looking forward to for a long time. We can get started now."

As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve, and several jade boxes and a bottle of spiritual liquid appeared on the jade table in the center of the quiet room. The jade boxes opened, instantly releasing a radiant glow and a surge of spiritual energy. One box contained "Mica Spiritual Spring Crystals," which resembled clouds and mist and constantly shifted in form; another contained several "Water Essence Crystals," each the size of a pigeon's egg, with what appeared to be swirling water within. The bottle of spiritual liquid was even more extraordinary; the moment it appeared, it caused the surrounding water vapor to condense, emitting a rich life force—it was "Millennial Stone Milk," an aid in fusion.

Liu Hanyan's gaze was instantly drawn to these spiritual objects. She gave Fu Changsheng a deep look, her tone carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible undertone:

"Thank you for your trouble in collecting this information, Fellow Daoist Fu. I will remember this kindness."

Fu Changsheng waved his hand, his expression calm:

“Senior, there’s no need for such formalities. Since we have formed a soul contract, we share the same fate. Helping you awaken your spirit and restore your strength will benefit both the Fu family and me.” He paused, then said solemnly, “The process of awakening your spirit may be fraught with difficulties. I will protect you here. If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Liu Hanyan said no more, but nodded solemnly.

She sat cross-legged on the futon in front of the jade table, adjusting her breathing and gradually raising her state to its peak. After a moment, she formed hand seals and, following a secret method she had practiced countless times, began to guide the spiritual objects on the jade table.

The "Mica Spirit Spring Crystal" first transformed into wisps of milky-white mist, swirling and entering Liu Hanyan's sea of ​​consciousness between her brows. Next, the "Water Essence Crystal" also rose, transforming into azure streams of light that merged into her limbs and bones. Finally, the bottle of "Millennial Stone Milk" was captured mid-air, transforming into sweet rain that evenly showered down upon her body, nourishing every inch of her meridians and flesh.

At first, the process went quite smoothly. A faint mist and cloud-like light began to emanate from Liu Hanyan's body, and her aura rose steadily.

However, just as the spirit's essence was being activated and it was about to fully awaken, a sudden change occurred!

The physical body belonging to "Huang Huanhuan" was, after all, not Liu Hanyan's original body. Although the latent Water Cloud Spirit Body within it was compatible with Liu Hanyan's cultivation technique, it still produced a violent rejection reaction when it was forcibly awakened and infused with a huge amount of energy! Liu Hanyan's body trembled violently, her face turned pale instantly, and fine beads of blood even began to seep from her pores. The originally peaceful Water Cloud Qi became restless and uneasy, showing signs of going out of control and backfiring!

She groaned softly, her brows furrowed, clearly enduring immense pain and risk. The difficulty of merging the possessed body with the spirit was now undeniably evident.

Fu Changsheng, who was guarding the Dharma, narrowed his eyes and did not hesitate! He took a step forward, his right hand forming a sword shape with his fingers together. The pure and powerful chaotic spiritual energy contained a trace of the life force of the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique", and he pointed at Liu Hanyan's acupoint on the back of her heart from a distance!

"Concentrate your mind and guide your spiritual energy back to your dantian to impact your spiritual platform! I will suppress any backlash from external forces!" Fu Changsheng's voice was steady and powerful, carrying a reassuring magic.

His chaotic spiritual power was incredibly profound. At this moment, it was not forcibly suppressed, but rather acted as a lubricant and guide, quickly calming the rampant spiritual energy within Liu Hanyan's body and organizing it. At the same time, his powerful divine sense also surged into her sea of ​​consciousness, helping her stabilize her mind.

With Fu Changsheng's crucial assistance, Liu Hanyan's pressure was greatly reduced.

She immediately focused her mind, fully circulated her cultivation technique, and guided the calmed and balanced spiritual energy of the water and clouds to launch an attack on the final barrier!
"Om-!"

An invisible buzzing sound emanated from Liu Hanyan's body.

The next moment, a dazzling blue light suddenly burst forth from her body!

The entire quiet room seemed to transform into a watery, cloud-shrouded paradise, where rich water elemental energy intertwined and permeated the air with drifting cloud mist, even condensing into specks of spiritual dew. An aura far purer, more vibrant, and vast than before awakened within Liu Hanyan's body, and steadily rose higher!
Her previously pale complexion quickly regained its rosy hue, and her skin became even more translucent, as if radiating a luminous glow from within. A natural affinity with water and clouds enveloped her.

Water Cloud Spirit Body, Awakening Successful!
As the light faded, Liu Hanyan slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes seemed to hold the image of drifting clouds and flowing water, her divine light radiating within, her aura having stabilized at a completely new level. She felt the surging, newly generated power within her, intimately connected with the water element of heaven and earth. Even with her composed nature, a smile of relief and joy involuntarily curved her lips. She rose and bowed solemnly to Fu Changsheng, this time with more sincerity than ever before.
"I will forever remember Fellow Daoist Fu's kindness. I will repay this debt of blood after I have taken revenge on that heartless man!"

Fu Changsheng accepted her bow without hesitation and smiled:

"With your spiritual body now complete, the path to the Great Dao is within reach. This is truly a cause for celebration."

Liu Hanyan has three spiritual items that aided in the formation of the Golden Core, given to her by Clan Chief Huang. If nothing unexpected happens, breaking through to the Golden Core stage should not be a problem.

...

...

at the same time.

Inside the stone fortress atop Tianlang Mountain, three pairs of eyes were peering through a floating bronze mirror, clearly observing the flow of spiritual energy in the direction of the Luo family's stronghold.

Although no specific image could be displayed in the mirror, the undisguised golden core aura that gathered like smoke rising into the sky, along with the faint sense of impending doom, was enough to explain everything.

"The Luo family... is finally going to make a move." Su Wan said softly, her delicate hand waving as she put away the priceless "Thousand-Mile Spirit-Gazing Mirror." Her face was elegant, her brows carrying her usual composure and deep thought. "So undisguised, with the aura of a Golden Core fully revealed, it seems Luo Tianyue is determined to go all out."

"Hmph! Sending out their entire force? I think they're just courting death!" Chen Feng sneered from the side. He was burly, with a rugged and impatient face. "That old man Luo Tianyue has been blinded by the little bit of wealth he gained in the Cangling Realm. Does he really think that he can run rampant in the Eastern Wilderness with just a dozen or so Golden Cores he created with pills? He actually dares to dream of taking over the Tianyin Tribe for himself. He's just delusional!"

He grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, turning to Su Wan: "Madam, we should report this to the patriarch immediately! It would be a good opportunity to show him the arrogance of the Luo family, and perhaps we can..."

"Perhaps what?" Su Wan glanced at her husband indifferently. That look made Chen Feng's momentum instantly falter, and he swallowed back the words "take the opportunity to get a share of the pie." He awkwardly touched his nose and dared not say anything more.

Su Wan ignored him and turned her gaze to the Fairy of Heavenly Sound in the shadows of the stone fortress.

After receiving the miraculous "Azure Lotus Refining Elixir Talisman" from the family head Fu Changsheng, Fairy Tianyin's ungraded Golden Elixir has been refined into an eighth-grade Golden Elixir!

This was something she wouldn't even dare to dream of!

"The Luo family... they deserve to die." Fairy Tianyin spoke, her voice like the friction of ice shards, carrying undisguised killing intent. "If they succeed, their strength will increase greatly, and they will surely become a stumbling block to the patriarch's great cause in the Eastern Wilderness. If they fail, they will cause turmoil in the Eastern Wilderness and may also disrupt the patriarch's plans."

She abruptly raised her head, her eyes flashing with an extreme and fanatical light:

"Regardless of victory or defeat, the Luo family should not exist! The patriarch is merciful and may observe the situation. But we... might be able to secretly intervene and ensure that the Luo family's journey in this battle is one of certain death!"

Su Wan frowned:
“Fairy Tianyin, the patriarch has entrusted us with the important task of monitoring the Luo family and the Tianyin tribe, which is a sign of his trust. We only need to act as his eyes and ears and report the intelligence accurately and promptly. The patriarch has the final say on how to make decisions, which is not something we can presume to speculate on or act on our own.”

Su Wan continued:

"The patriarch is exceptionally gifted; slaying a false infant is nothing more than a trivial matter. In my view, within sixty years, the patriarch will surely be able to condense his Nascent Soul and become a Nascent Soul True Lord bestowed by the Great Zhou! At that time, expanding our territory and establishing a kingdom belonging to our Fu family will not be a pipe dream!"

Her gaze swept over her husband and Chen Feng, finally settling on Fairy Tianyin: "At that time, we will both be founding fathers, with limitless futures. Why rush for such small achievements and take risks?"

Upon hearing this, both Chen Feng and Fairy Tianyin's expressions turned serious.

Thinking of Fu Changsheng's unfathomable strength and extraordinary abilities, and of that bright future, the restlessness and killing intent in their hearts subsided considerably. Indeed, following the patriarch's lead was far more important than acting on their own.

"What Madam (Sister Su) says is absolutely right," the two said in unison.

Su Wan nodded, no longer hesitating, and took out a communication jade talisman engraved with profound runes and imbued with spiritual light. She took a deep breath and carefully recorded the unusual movement of the Luo family's Golden Core aura that she had just observed, as well as their judgment of the Luo family's intentions based on intelligence, into the talisman with her divine sense.

The next moment, the jade talisman transformed into a thin but incredibly swift stream of light, piercing through the stone fortress, ignoring the distance in space, and hurtling towards the direction of the Fu family's main clan, towards the man who decided everything—Fu Changsheng.

...

...

Tianyin Mountain.

The flickering lights inside the hall illuminated every solemn face.

On either side of the long bronze table, the elders of the Tianyin tribe sat facing each other.

"The Luo family has decided to go to war." A withered elder's voice was dry. "In ten days at most, their troops will reach my Tianyin Mountain Gate."

The oppressive silence was broken, like a boulder falling into water.

"Let's retreat!" The chief of the left, the elder in charge of criminal law, suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot. "We only have one Golden Core cultivator and dozens of Pseudo-Core cultivators. How can we withstand the Luo family's all-out attack? Preserve our elite bloodlines, retreat into the depths of the Southern Wilderness, and we may have a chance to make a comeback someday!"

"Nonsense!" A red-faced elder slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter. "Wu Xing! Have you forgotten our ancestral teachings? Every blade of grass and every tree on Tianyin Mountain was nurtured by the blood of our ancestors! If we hand it over to those outsiders from the Luo family, how will we face our ancestors in the afterlife!"

"Do you think you can save face by having your entire clan buried with you?!" Wu Xing roared.

"Shut up, everyone."

The Grand Elder Wujiu, seated to the right of the head of the table, finally spoke. His voice was not loud, but it instantly cooled down the boiling argument.

“The Luo family thinks we are still the Tianyin tribe from a hundred years ago.” A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. “They don’t know that our seemingly unchanging ‘Mysterious Yin Myriad Souls Formation’ has already undergone a complete transformation.”

He turned his gaze to the last remaining silent, hunched-over old man: "Elder Wuzhen, you speak."

The old man whose name was called slowly stood up. His skin was withered like old tree bark, but his hands were fair, slender, and untouched by dust. He extended his index finger and gently traced a line on the bronze tabletop.

A faint light shone from the fingertip, and then an extremely complex three-dimensional array composed of countless fine runes appeared out of thin air, slowly rotating and emitting a heart-palpitating spiritual energy fluctuation.

"Starting decades ago," the elder of the witch array said in a hoarse voice, yet with an undeniable authority, "my disciples and I have been working day and night, nourishing the array's foundation with our own essence and soul, connecting it to the earth's veins, and even refining the golden core remains of three generations of our ancestors into it..."

As he spoke, the array diagram changed, revealing the massive array base deep within the mountain's belly, covered in blood-red patterns, and the Golden Core remains floating above it, slowly rotating like three small suns, radiating terrifying pressure.

"This formation, on the surface, is still the Myriad Souls of Profound Yin, but at its core it is the 'Three Talents Slaying Immortals.'" A glint of fanaticism flashed in his eyes. "If it doesn't move, it's fine; but if it does... it can slay a Nascent Soul!"

"Om-"

The air in the entire hall seemed to freeze. Elder Wu Xing, who had previously advocated for evacuation, opened his mouth, but ultimately slumped down, his face filled with shock.

The Grand Elder Wujiu stood up and walked to the floating array diagram, shadows shrouding half of his face.

"If the Luo family wants to come, then let them come."

His voice was calm, yet it carried a murderous intent as vast as mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"Use the blood of their entire tribe to sacrifice for my Tianyin tribe!"

"Hmph!" Chief Tianyin's voice echoed in the hall, tinged with bitterness. "With the Immortal Slaughtering Formation, we might be able to hold off the Luo family once, or even twice. And then what?"

He looked around at everyone, and all the elders fell silent in his gaze.

"Our intelligence indicates that Fu Changsheng, the patriarch of the Fu family, in the far west, single-handedly severed a false infant with his sword, leaving nearly a hundred Golden Core cultivators dead beneath him. With such overwhelming ferocity, how many of his swords can our Tianyin tribe, relying on a single great formation, withstand?"

He paused, his tone growing increasingly heavy:
"Even if the Fu family can't do anything to us for the time being, the Luo family and the Fu family live next door and their interests are intertwined. Once we fight the Luo family to the point of mutual destruction, will the Fu family stand by and watch? If the two families join forces, my Tianyin tribe... will be destroyed together. We don't have the absolute fighting power to intimidate all the heroes. It's only a matter of time before our mountain gate is breached."

This analysis, so calm it was almost cruel, was like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's hearts. The red-faced elder, who had previously advocated for holding out to the death, moved his lips, but could no longer utter the words "I have failed our ancestors."

"Chief!" A younger elder clenched his fist in despair, his eyes filled with a final glimmer of hope. "There might still be a chance! The Eastern Wilderness Royal Court and the Great Zhou have been at peace for over two hundred years. Perhaps war is about to break out! If the Eastern Wilderness sends troops, the Fu and Luo families will be the first to be hit! We just need to hold our ground and wait for things to change, and perhaps we can..."

"There's no more 'maybe'."

Chief Tianyin interrupted him directly:

"Haven't you seen it clearly yet? Fu Changsheng caused such a commotion in the far west, killing nearly a hundred Golden Core cultivators. Which of those sects, such as the Joyful Sect, the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain, and the Xuanming Sect, doesn't have a Nascent Soul True Monarch in charge? Why hasn't anyone taken any action to retaliate? Why has the barrier between the far west and the Great Zhou, which has lasted for thousands of years, been quietly opened in recent years, tacitly allowing Golden Core cultivators to travel between them?"

His series of rhetorical questions sent a chill down the spines of all the elders present. Some things go unnoticed until they are brought to light, and once they are pointed out, a chill runs down one's spine.

“It’s not that they don’t want to, nor that they’re afraid of Fu Changsheng.” Chief Tianyin spoke slowly and deliberately, revealing the chilling conjecture. “I’m afraid that whether it’s the Great Zhou royal family, the sects of the far west, or even the Eastern Wilderness Royal Court and the Northern Frontier Witch Village, whose details we don’t yet know… all forces are deliberately avoiding large-scale conflicts and are trying their best to maintain some kind of superficial balance.”

He took a deep breath and stated his final judgment:

"The unusual 'restraint' of the various giants in this world can only mean one thing—a calamity far more terrifying than sectarian feuds or dynastic struggles may be imminent. They are all preserving their strength to prepare for that unknown upheaval. But we... are still here, fighting like cornered beasts for the survival of this mountain and this land."

Chief Tianyin's words struck the hearts of every elder like a thunderbolt, sending a chill down their spines. They had only focused on the survival of their tribe, never imagining that it involved such unfathomable forces of the world. A sense of powerlessness, as insignificant as ants, mixed with fear of unknown calamities, permeated the hall.

"Chief," the Grand Elder bowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of seeking instructions and a barely perceptible weariness, "the path ahead is clear; to remain entrenched will lead to destruction. However... we are foolish and dare to ask, where exactly does the tribe's path lie? We beg the Chief's guidance."

Chief Tianyin sighed softly.

"Living under someone else's roof is not my wish. But the times are such, and we cannot force it." He spoke slowly, each word striking a chord in everyone's hearts. "Since we no longer have absolute certainty of protecting this legacy passed down from our ancestors, rather than having it ultimately seized by a powerful foreign enemy, leaving nothing behind, it would be better to... proactively invite capable individuals to join us, exchanging half of our territory for a glimmer of hope for the entire clan, and even... a foothold in the future."

These words shocked everyone present. Voluntarily relinquishing half the country?
Chief Tianyin continued:
"Beneath the Eastern Wilderness Royal Court, various tribes stand in great numbers."

The Vermilion Bird tribe is powerful, and their ancestors have some connection with us.

Furthermore, once my Tianyin tribe is conquered by the Luo family or even the Fu family of the Great Zhou, the next territory to directly face the Great Zhou's military might will be the territory of his Zhuque tribe! For both moral and practical reasons, and for their own safety, they cannot stand idly by.

He looked at the elders:
"Give the western side of the Tianyin Mountains, along with its medium-sized branch, to the Zhuque tribe. In exchange, ask them to send troops to garrison the area and fight alongside our tribe against external enemies. In this way, although we lose half of our foundation, we can preserve the other half and gain strong support. In this potentially chaotic world, relying on the strong and preserving our lineage is the way to continue. This, perhaps, is the true responsibility we should take to the foundation laid by our ancestors."

Da Chang took a deep breath, his face filled with reluctance and sorrow, but his eyes had become resolute. He looked around at the crowd and saw that many elders, though their faces showed grief, were also slowly nodding.

"The chief's foresight is beyond our reach," the chief said in a deep voice, slightly hoarse but exceptionally clear. "Sacrificing half to preserve the whole, bringing in strong reinforcements, and weathering the storm together... is currently the best option."

"agree."

"Seconded."

"For the continuation of the tribe..."

One by one, the elders spoke, their voices heavy, yet carrying a resolute air of relief after a heavy burden had been lifted. Rather than perish along with their intact heritage, they would make a painful sacrifice to secure an uncertain, but at least existible, future for the tribe.

"Very well." Chief Tianyin nodded slightly. "In that case, I will immediately send a secret envoy to the Vermilion Bird Tribe to explain the advantages and disadvantages and to present our tribe's sincerity. We must make this happen before the Luo family's army besieges the city!"

...

...

On a dark and windy night, on the back mountain of Tianyin Mountain, a cliff face completely covered by vines and illusion arrays silently slid open, revealing a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.

Chief Tianyin, draped in a black cloak that blocked divine sense from detection, appeared as a ghost.

The next day, a completely different scene appeared before my eyes.

The distant mountains tinged with a faint crimson hue, and the air was thick with a scorching, wild atmosphere, with the faint, melodious cries of birds audible. This was the territory of the Vermilion Bird Tribe, one of the most powerful Golden Core cultivators under the Eastern Wilderness Royal Court.

Two imposing warriors from the Vermilion Bird tribe, bearing crimson markings, appeared:

"The chief has been waiting for a long time, please follow me."

After passing through layers of visible and hidden sentries, as well as several protective light curtains emanating dangerous fluctuations, Chief Tianyin was led to a heavily guarded secret chamber deep inside the mountain.

The room was brightly lit, and the walls were painted with murals of Vermilion Birds engulfed in flames. Seated in the main seat was a middle-aged man with a burly build, a rugged face, and long, flowing crimson hair. His aura was as intense as fire, like a volcano that might erupt at any moment. He was none other than Chi Liao, the current chieftain of the Vermilion Bird tribe.

"Brother Wuyao, you are a rare guest indeed."

Chief Chi Liao's voice boomed like thunder, and his face wore a seemingly hearty smile, but deep in his eyes lay a calm and scrutinizing gaze:

"You and I have been openly fighting to the death for over a hundred years. How dare you, Chieftain of Tianyin, infiltrate my den of dragons and tigers alone? Aren't you afraid that I can just give the order to keep you here and then swallow up the Tianyin tribe?"

Faced with these subtly sharp words, Chief Wu Yao of Tianyin remained unmoved, took his seat in the guest seat, and said calmly:
“If Brother Chi Liao truly intended this, I would already be a corpse. Why bother making me come all this way?”

Upon hearing this, Chi Liao burst into laughter, the sound causing dust to fall from the secret chamber.

"Good! As expected of those from the same source, you have guts! Tell me, what makes you risk such danger to come here in person?"

Wu Yao took a deep breath, stopped beating around the bush, and frankly told them about the Luo family's impending large-scale attack and the desperate situation facing the Tianyin tribe. Finally, he said in a deep voice:

"...In order to preserve the heritage of my tribe, I am willing to offer the western side of the Tianyin Mountains, along with the medium-sized spiritual vein beneath it, and ask the Zhuque tribe to send troops to join my tribe in resisting the foreign enemy."

A brief silence fell over the sealed room.

Chief Chi Liao tapped his fingers lightly on the crimson jade armrest, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, clearly weighing his options rapidly. He had long wanted to reclaim this bloodline that had separated from him years ago, but he couldn't disobey ancestral precepts and hadn't been able to find a suitable opportunity.

This is a golden opportunity!

“Hehe,” Chi Liao suddenly chuckled, leaning forward slightly. His scorching aura brought a great sense of oppression to Wu Yao. “Brother Wu Yao, you expect my Vermilion Bird tribe to withstand the Luo family’s all-out attack on just that little place on the west side? This deal doesn’t seem very worthwhile.”

He paused, a glint of undisguised greed and domineering gleaming in his eyes:
"Since you want me to help, the price... will naturally be heavier. I think the Luo family's newly acquired 'Black Mountain Stronghold,' which has decent resources, is quite good. After we defeat the Luo family, that stronghold, along with the land west of your Tianyin, will belong to my Vermilion Bird Tribe. Only then can I persuade the elders of my tribe to give us their full support."

His words were resolute and carried an unquestionable tone. In fact, within the Vermilion Bird Tribe, Chi Liao held absolute authority; the tribe's Golden Core elders all obeyed him without question. The so-called "persuasion of the tribe's elders" was merely a pretext. He not only intended to seize half of Tianyin's territory but also to use this opportunity to extend his reach directly to the Luo family and even the edges of the Great Zhou's power, expanding his territory and increasing his strength!
“…Okay.” Chief Tianyin’s voice was dry. “But the Vermilion Bird Tribe must ensure that after defeating the Luo family, the remaining territory and heritage of our Tianyin Tribe are preserved and not disturbed.”

Chief Chi Liao wore a satisfied smile, the smile of a hunter finally catching his long-awaited prey.

"Of course! We come from the same source, how could my Vermilion Bird tribe do such a thing as exterminating our lineage? Brother Wuyao, you have made the wisest choice. This matter is settled then!"

He raised a jade cup filled with amber-colored wine: "May our cooperation be fruitful, and may we jointly resist foreign aggression!"

Chief Wuyao looked at the cup of wine that symbolized the turning point in the tribe's fate, remained silent for a moment, and finally raised the cup in front of him, which had been filled at some point.

(End of this chapter)