Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 209 The Formation Breaks, Calamity Descends!
The setting sun, like blood, dyed the entire Blackwater Pool red.

For some unknown reason, ripples appeared on the still, windless water. The gentle waves reflected the light, creating a play of light and shadow on the Blackwater Pavilion.

Shen Yuan stood with his hands behind his back on the pontoon bridge, quietly watching the water ripple in the pool.

"Dad/Grandpa".

Shen Wenxing and Shen Chongxuan approached and bowed slightly.

Coming to his senses, Shen Yuan turned to the two of them, nodded, and said, "Let's talk inside the pavilion."

The two followed him to the first floor of the Blackwater Pavilion.

Shen Li was still diligently cultivating in the corner, while the giant golden toad lay lazily beside her, seemingly fast asleep.

The silver-threaded centipede has probably gone out to forage for food; it's nowhere to be found.

After the three generations of the family were seated, Shen Wenxing cupped his hands and said, "News has come from the mountains."

"Senior Fu Yang sensed that someone was breaking the formation on the other side of the Void Harmony Corridor Formation. There must be some action in the Southern Frontier."

Shen Yuan didn't speak, but turned his head to gesture to the yellow paper on the desk next to him.

Shen Chongxuan stood up, cupped his hands in greeting, and then took the note.

"You two take a look first."

Shen Chongxuan handed the yellow slip of paper to Shen Wenxing, and both of them looked at the slip of paper.

[Thunder and Fire Biting Through, Line 94 Change]: Dark clouds obscure the sun, blood-red light is cold, golden arrows pierce rocks and break through dangerous passes; do not use the hibernating dragon that has been lurking in the abyss for a long time, wait for the tide to rise and break through the nine heavens.

The divination result written in cinnabar appears somewhat solemn and dignified.

After reading it, Shen Wenxing frowned and pondered for a while before turning to Shen Chongxuan beside him and saying, "Your uncle's learning is not as good as yours, so you tell me the meaning of this prophecy."

Shen Chongxuan took the yellow paper prophecy and examined it carefully for a long time. He then spoke with some uncertainty:

"Chongxuan also does not understand the Dao of Great Evolution, but according to the prophecy, the first sentence should mean that great calamity is about to befall them and blood will be shrouded in darkness."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon Shen Yuan opposite him.

Seeing that he did not speak, he continued, "'Golden arrow piercing through rock and breaking through dangerous pass' must be an allusion to an opportunity, but to obtain this opportunity, one needs to be patient."

"The last two lines are easy to understand; they mean that a dragon hidden in the abyss can soar to the heavens when it encounters water."

After expressing his views, Shen Chongxuan closed the yellow paper and respectfully handed it to Shen Yuan.

Taking the yellow paper, Shen Yuan sighed softly and said:

"This divination is a specific prophecy that I obtained after expending a great deal of energy and deduction over a long period of time."

"Chongxuan's interpretation is pretty much correct."

He slowly stood up, paced back and forth for a few moments, then turned to look at Shen Wenxing and said, "Based on the intelligence you just mentioned about the mountains..."

"The weather in this Yangnao land is about to change."

Shen Wenxing nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Father, do you mean that the Void Harmony Corridor Formation can't stop the cultivators from the Southern Frontier?"

Shen Yuan remained silent instead of answering.

After obtaining this divination result, he exhausted all his accumulated spiritual energy but still couldn't come up with a way to stop the invasion from the Southern Frontier.

Even in the attempt to salvage a sliver of hope, the white jade tortoise shell in his sea of ​​consciousness suffered a backlash from the unseen forces, resulting in a tiny crack appearing.

Within that crack, he saw a scene of blood staining the sky and a murderous aura soaring to the heavens.

"As the prophecy foretold, this calamity is also an opportunity for my Shen family."

"However... the chances of survival after this calamity are slim, so we must proceed with caution."

"If we miss this glimmer of hope, we will face utter ruin..."

Seeing his father's solemn expression, Shen Wenxing dared not be careless in the slightest and immediately cupped his hands and said, "Please give me your instructions, Father."

At this moment, he also understands that only his father can steer the fate of the entire Shen family, and perhaps there is still a chance to turn danger into safety.

Shen Yuan continued pacing, pondering for a long time before solemnly speaking.

"Although I did not find a solution to the problem by borrowing the 'Xiaobo Suangua Yaojing' from my father, I did find a way to protect myself wisely."

"You must remember this."

He slowly walked up to the desk and solemnly said, "From this day forward, all members of the Shen family must 'avoid bloodshed,' stay away from places of trouble, protect themselves and act cautiously, and not act rashly."

Silently repeating his father's words to himself, Shen Wenxing replied, "Father, do you mean to evacuate everyone from the mountains?"

After nodding, Shen Yuan continued, "After avoiding the bloodshed, the next step is to 'refine one's character'."

"The lower trigram is fire, which refines true gold. In this great calamity, my Shen family may suffer great sacrifices, but crises can temper our character."

"Cultivating a resilient mind is the key to 'seizing opportunities'."

"You must remember these nine words, for they concern the life and death of my Shen family."

Avoid bloodshed, cultivate your mind and character, and await the opportune moment...

After silently reciting the nine characters in his mind, Shen Wenxing stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "I will go and make the arrangements now!"

He knew very well that these things could not be taken lightly.

After he left, Shen Chongxuan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Grandpa, what are the arrangements for the literary cultivators of my Shen family who are under the jurisdiction of other immortal sects and aristocratic families?"

"If there is any sudden unusual activity, will it arouse suspicion from other forces?"

In recent years, as the Shen family's academies and schools have spread throughout Yangnao, many immortal sects and aristocratic families have gradually taken notice of the existence of literary cultivators.

However, the Yangnao Land has been relatively peaceful recently, and the strength of the literary cultivators has not had a chance to be displayed, so other immortal sects have not paid much attention to it.

After a moment's thought, Shen Yuan said, "We can't worry about that now. Let's call everyone back first."

When the landscape changes dramatically, every bit of strength needs to be carefully preserved.

Shen Chongxuan cupped his hands in greeting, stood up, and said, "Then I will go and make the arrangements immediately."

"By the way, write a letter to inform Luoxia Mountain and several other forces that are on good terms with my Shen family about this matter."

"This act can be considered as my Shen family having done everything in its power and righteousness."

Shen Yuan gave a brief instruction.

The Vajra Sect, the Heavenly Talisman Sect, and other immortal sects in Yangnao Land have maintained a good relationship with the Shen family over the years.

Now that we know a great calamity is about to befall us, notifying them in advance to prepare is fulfilling our responsibility as allies.

Shen Chongxuan turned around, cupped his hands in greeting, and hurriedly left the Blackwater Pavilion.

In the corner, Shen Li slowly opened her eyes.

"grandfather……"

Looking at Shen Yuan, whose body was slightly hunched, she called out softly.

Shen Yuan turned around, a slight smile appearing on his face, and said, "There's no need to worry or be impatient. Just focus on your cultivation."

The younger generation is the hope for the family's rise, and he had already made the worst-case scenario plan in his mind.

If things truly reach a point where there is no turning back, then we must find a way to preserve a trace of the Shen family bloodline so that it can be passed down.

In this way, this life has not been lived in vain.

……

Green Vine Sword Pavilion, a thousand-foot cliff.

In the bamboo grove, Huang Lingshan looked at Shen Chongming in front of her and said gently, "Judging from your aura, it is quite refined, far surpassing those embryonic breathing cultivators who practice orthodox methods."

"It seems there is a good opportunity."

After a moment's thought, Shen Chongming cupped his hands and said, "To be honest, Aunt, I obtained a true method from the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm and used top-grade innate spiritual energy that matched my own spiritual root to forge an immortal embryo, which is why I have achieved this."

After learning Huang Lingshan's identity, he didn't bother to hide anything and directly told her about his situation.

Huang Lingshan nodded and then said, "In that case, there's nothing I can do to help you with your cultivation methods."

"but……"

A flash of light appeared in his hand, and he directly took out an arrow that exuded a fierce aura!
The arrow was entirely purplish-black, with several runes on its surface imbued with a mystical aura. When viewed with divine sense, it emitted a faint, scorching heat.

"I heard from your third uncle that you have been practicing archery since you were a child, and this arrow was obtained by your aunt from a ruin."

"It's a pity that the large bow that was supposed to be paired with the arrows was stolen by an old guy from the Yinhe Sect. Without a good bow to match, the power of these arrows will be greatly reduced."

Shen Chongming's gaze never left him from the moment he took out the arrow.

He could sense that the aura emanating from the arrow in Huang Lingshan's hand was stronger than that of his Silent Great Bow.

It seems that even a single arrow has reached the level of a mid-grade magic weapon!
“There is a large bow in Chongming.”

"Although the bow given by my third uncle is of inferior quality, it is still a fine bow."

As he spoke, he directly took out the Silent Guest, a magical artifact nurtured in the Thunder Pool within his body.

Several lightning patterns flashing with azure light appeared on the bow's original bone core, and the bow's aura changed slightly.

Shen Wen'an was somewhat surprised to see this.

He remembered that large bow.

Back then, a Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator from the Western Wilderness used this great bow to ambush and kill Shen Chongming's maternal grandfather, Huang Qingzhou.

He then personally took action, killing the cultivator and seizing the large bow.

But as far as I remember, this bow didn't originally look like this.

Huang Lingshan took the Silent Guest's Great Bow, her expression somewhat suspicious, and asked, "Have you cultivated the Spirit Nurturing Technique?"

Pregnancy Elixir?

Shen Chongming shook his head slightly, looking slightly taken aback, and said, "I don't know, but after breaking through to the embryonic breathing stage, I was able to naturally store this magic weapon in my dantian to nurture it."

He roughly understood that the method of nurturing spirits that Huang Lingshan mentioned should be the inherent ability of the Thunder Pool within his body.

"good."

"This great bow has a good foundation. It was probably forged from the breastbone of a demonic dragon rhinoceros in the late stage of the Fetal Breathing stage. With proper nurturing, it has the potential to become a mid-grade magic weapon."

She returned the Silent Guest Great Bow to Shen Chongming and then said, "Bows and arrows are good for long-range attacks. If someone gets close, it can be dangerous."

"Your aunt is giving you something to protect yourself."

Huang Lingshan got up and walked to the bamboo hut. A moment later, she came back carrying a dark green bamboo sword.

"This is a bamboo sword made from the Tongtian Sword Bamboo itself. It was originally carried by my aunt and is imbued with the pure sword intent of green bamboo."

"Now I'm giving it to you; you can take it with you whenever you go out."

"If any other Golden Core Realm experts want to make things difficult for you, you can show them that way."

"If he doesn't want to become mortal enemies with his aunt, he wouldn't dare to easily attack you."

Looking at the dark green bamboo sword in his hand, Shen Chongming did not reach out to take it.

"My aunt gave me her personal sword, so what about you yourself..."

Huang Lingshan smiled faintly and placed the long sword into his hand, saying, "You've reached your aunt's level..."

With a gentle tap of his finger, a bamboo leaf slowly rose and landed on his fingertip.

The pure sword intent and powerful sword energy surged, and the bamboo leaf instantly transformed into a sharp longsword, its aura even stronger than that of the dark green bamboo longsword!

"Everything can be a sword."

"So, Auntie doesn't need this longsword anymore."

Seeing this, Shen Chongming still had some doubts, but in the end he didn't say anything more.

Shen Wen'an watched the two quietly from the side, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Although Ling Shan, the Sword Immortal, seems to have become more divine than human, she is still closer to her nephew.

"Lightning-attribute spiritual roots are relatively rare, so this technique is also quite difficult to find in the cultivation world."

"In the future, your aunt will keep an eye out for news about thunder magic in Danzhou. If she comes across any, she will retrieve it for you and keep it safe. When the opportunity arises, she will give it to you."

After presenting the sword, she spoke again.

"Thank you, Auntie."

Shen Chongming respectfully cupped his hands in greeting.

After chatting for a while, the three of them saw the sun high in the sky and Shen Wen'an stood up and said, "Senior sister, it's getting late. Chongming and I need to hurry back to Yangnao Land."

Huang Lingshan looked slightly taken aback, then smiled faintly and stood up.

"If that's the case, then I won't keep you any longer."

"Chongming, remember when you get back, don't tell your mother about your aunt."

"Let her think that her aunt is no longer alive."

Shen Chongming hesitated for a long time before finally nodding.

Deep down, he really wanted the two sisters to recognize each other.

Now that their maternal grandfather and others have passed away, the two sisters are the closest people to them in this world.

But thinking back to what he had said at Luoxia Mountain, he ultimately gave up the idea.

"Senior sister, farewell."

"Auntie, please take care."

After the two bowed to each other, they rode the wind and left the Thousand-Foot Cliff.

Watching their figures disappear into the sea of ​​clouds, Huang Lingshan stood somewhat lonely on the edge of the cliff.

"The karmic connections of this life... shall end here."

She murmured something to herself and slowly turned to walk towards the bamboo grove cottage.

……

Southern Xinjiang.

The three figures, exuding immense power, tried for a long time against the sky in front of them, but found that they still could not do anything to the Void Harmony Corridor Formation.

If he hadn't seen the cracks in the Void Harmony Corridor Formation with his own eyes, King Wu of Fushan would probably have given up long ago.

"Just how terrifying was the strength of the Great Evolution True Monarch back then?"

Before the sky curtain, Wu Shi Kui spoke with a grim expression.

His metal element is known as "Extreme Radiance Flame," and he is particularly adept at countering various restrictions and formations. When fighting against an enemy, he can easily penetrate the enemy's protective spiritual energy shield.

This is also why the Yin Corpse Sect's Ou Chang was willing to spend a single Ten Thousand Children Blood Pill to invite him.

However, despite their continuous attacks over several days, the three were unable to break through the already breached Void Harmony Corridor Formation.

This really discouraged him.

Ou Chang, who was standing to the side, also looked grim.

The creator of this Void Harmony Corridor Formation, True Lord Daying, is said to have reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage back then. Even so, this formation has existed for countless years and has already begun to show signs of damage.

As Golden Core cultivators, and possessing the "Extreme Blazing Flame" specifically designed to counter formations, the three of them should have made no progress after several days of effort.

While the three were puzzled, on the other side of the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, an old figure was also slumped on the ground, his aura weakened.

"These lunatics have finally quieted down."

"If we hold out for another two days, this old man will surely be worn down to death by this great formation."

Fu Yang murmured something under his breath, then took out some pills to restore his spiritual power from his storage bag and put them in his mouth.

As a master of formations and a cultivator at the half-step Golden Core realm, Fu Yang came here after helping Yunshui City set up the great formation.

After years of research, he gradually became familiar with the basics of the Void Harmony Corridor Formation.

Upon discovering that someone was attempting to forcibly break through the great formation on the other side, a crazy idea arose in his mind.

That would be to manipulate the grand formation and compete with the cultivators from the Southern Frontier on the other side.

The Void Harmony Corridor Formation can draw power from the spiritual veins of heaven and earth on its own. He only needs to merge his divine soul into it and mobilize the power from other directions of the formation to this place, so that the efforts of the three Wu clan puppets on the other side for several days will have no effect whatsoever.

The funny thing is that the three of them were unaware of this, and only thought that the great formation itself was constantly repairing itself.

"Fellow Daoist Wu, do you have any other ideas?"

Gazing at the vast curtain connecting heaven and earth before him, Ou Chang spoke in a deep voice.

He had sacrificed a Ten Thousand Children Blood Pill this time, and if he failed at the last minute, the Blood Pill would certainly not renege on its promise.

Otherwise, if we drive that old bastard, the King of Fushan, insane, another bloody battle will be inevitable.

After pondering for a long time, Wu Shi Kui said in a deep voice, "I do have another method, but..."

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Fox Demon King knew that he would likely have to pay a price this time.

She immediately replied, "Your Majesty, please speak freely. If it is possible, I will certainly not take advantage of you two for nothing."

A strange smile appeared on Wu Shi Kui's face as he said, "I possess a Royal Cauldron, which was forged by the Human Emperor in ancient times."

"If we activate the Imperial Cauldron and use this gap as a breakthrough, we should be able to open a passage that allows us Golden Core cultivators to pass through."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Ou Chang's eyes.

"If that's the case, what price is required to use the Imperial Cauldron?"

The Heavenly Fox Demon King also looked at her repeatedly with her beautiful eyes.

Wu Shi Kui pretended to hesitate for a moment before speaking: "The ancient emperors were good at using sacrificial animals to pray for the well-being of all people. If you want to activate the Imperial Cauldron, you will naturally need to use sacrificial animals."

Ou Chang frowned upon hearing this: "What is a sacrificial offering?"

Wu Shi Kui glanced at the Heavenly Fox Demon King, then said calmly, "The so-called sacrificial offering is to use a demon beast that has taken human form as a sacrifice."

"I believe that in order for the Imperial Cauldron to be able to unleash its power to break through the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, it would require at least ten late-stage Nascent Soul demons, plus ten thousand lesser demons in the Qi Refining stage."

The Heavenly Fox Demon King's face turned ugly upon hearing this.

"I have known Your Majesty for hundreds of years. Is Your Majesty planning to destroy my Great Wushan Demon Cave?"

Ten great demons at the late stage of the embryonic breathing realm, and ten thousand lesser demons at the Qi refining realm.

While Mount Wushan was able to provide these offerings, the Heavenly Fox Demon King knew that after breaking through the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, plundering resources from the other side would still require the help of his lesser demons.

Surely the Demon King can't do everything himself?

"Fellow Daoist Tianhu, what are you saying?"

Wu Shi Kui smiled faintly, "I never said that the offering must be a demon from your Great Wu Mountain."

He paused slightly before continuing, "What does Fellow Daoist Ou think?"

Ou Chang's expression shifted several times, a cold smile playing on his lips.

This old bastard is planning to take advantage of the chaos and make me and the Heavenly Fox Demon King his free henchmen.

While offerings are certainly needed to activate the Imperial Cauldron, there is absolutely no need for so many.

Wu Shi Kui must be looking to take advantage of this opportunity to make a killing.

In the three hundred demon caves of the Southern Frontier, demon beasts at the late stage of the Fetal Breathing Realm are the core strength of each cave. If he wants to obtain so many, he will inevitably have to fight a deadly battle with one of the demon caves.

Now, however, we can use the Yin Corpse Sect and the Great Wushan Demon Cave to reap the benefits.

Even knowing this, I can't refuse.

His gaze fell upon the Heavenly Fox Demon King.

After exchanging glances, the Heavenly Fox Demon King pondered for a moment and said, "If that's the case, then we can only choose an easy target."

"However, this matter still requires the assistance of Fellow Daoist Ou and your sect's disciples."

Ou Chang nodded: "There's no time to lose, let's all go back and prepare."

Having reached an agreement, the three figures transformed into streaks of light and disappeared into the vast mountains.

……

Yunshui City.

An ancient bronze ship landed outside the manor.

When the four of them disembarked from the ship, Shen Wenxing and the others were already waiting at the door.

After exchanging pleasantries, Huang Lingxiu and the others helped Hu Yufen into the backyard.

Shen Wen'an and the other two followed Shen Wenxing into the side room. "Brother, what happened?"

"There seem to be quite a few more cultivators in the city."

After everyone was seated, Wei Qiuling asked in confusion.

Shen Chongming also looked at his father with curiosity.

He saw many cultivators in the city who used to be stationed on the front lines in the mountains, but for some reason they had all been transferred back to Yunshui City.

Meeting their gazes, Shen Wenxing said in a deep voice, "Something serious did happen while you were away."

After briefly recounting the events that had transpired in the Void Corridor Formation to the group, Shen Wenxing solemnly said in a deep voice, "Father has instructed that for the next period of time, the Shen family needs to 'avoid bloodshed, cultivate their character, and await the opportune moment.'"

After saying this, he looked at Wei Qiuling and said, "A few days ago, Chongxuan personally sent secret letters to several immortal sects, including the Vajra Sect and the Heavenly Talisman Sect."

"However, judging from the current situation, the Vajra Sect and other immortal sects don't seem to care much, but what about Mount Luoxia..."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qiuling remained silent for a long time.

Judging from what Shen Wenxing said, this time it seems that a great calamity is really in the works.

However, the major immortal sects have been operating in Yangnao Land for decades. It would be difficult to let them give up so easily just because of some uncertain news.

"Since Father is taking this matter so seriously, I will immediately discuss it with Master about Luoxia Mountain."

"At least for now, it's not advisable to take any major actions. If the Southern Frontier really attacks, we need to be prepared to deal with it."

Shen Wenxing nodded and then looked at Shen Chongming: "I'll leave the family affairs to you for now. I need to go into seclusion again to improve my cultivation."

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming was momentarily stunned, then smiled and said, "Father, if anyone's going to improve their cultivation, it should be me, their son, who does it, right?"

"Your talent is not as good as mine."

Shen Wenxing laughed and scolded, "My talent may not be as good as yours, but our Shen family respects the elderly and cherishes the young. When it comes to fighting for our lives... it's only your turn after your father dies in battle."

Shen Chongming pursed his lips and muttered, "According to you... does that mean we have to wait for Grandpa to go first?"

Bang!
No sooner had he finished speaking than Shen Wenxing slammed his hand on the desk and glared at him, saying, "That's your father's father. With your father and third uncle around, how could he possibly be allowed to rush to the front?"

"Stop talking nonsense, it's settled then!"

As Shen Wenxing spoke, he turned to look at Shen Wen'an and said in a deep voice, "Wen'an, even if I risk my life, I might not be able to protect the Shen family with my limited strength."

"This heavy burden... we still need to rely on you more."

Shen Wen'an nodded slightly: "Don't worry, elder brother. As long as I'm alive, the Shen family will naturally be fine."

The two brothers exchanged a knowing smile.

After a moment of silence, Shen Wenxing spoke again.

"There is one more thing right now."

"Your second brother and sister-in-law passed away early, and their son Chongxuan was the same age as Chonghong."

"Chonghong and Hongxiu's son Xiuyun can already run, but Chongxuan is still unsettled."

"This child is taciturn and always prefers to keep things to himself."

Shen Chongming realized what was happening and nodded slightly.

“My brother Xuan has indeed reached the age where he should get married. Has Father asked him if he has a woman he likes?”

Shen Wenxing sighed.

"This child only knows how to be obsequious in front of his father, and never speaks of anything other than official business."

"I mentioned this today so that you could ask him about it."

"Now that calamity is imminent, it would be best to have him leave an heir for your second uncle's lineage."

Upon hearing this, Wei Qiuling took over the conversation, saying, "Should we tell Sister Mei'er about this?"

"Chongxuan still respects her?"

Shen Wenyan and Zhao Xuan had two sons, and Shen Chongxu was particularly hostile towards Hu Meier and Shen Li.

But Shen Chongxuan was much better; he respected his aunt greatly and doted on his younger sister, Shen Li.

"Your sister-in-law and Mei'er discussed this matter a few days ago."

“Ran Mei’er has never left the Shen family since she came here, and she has begged us to take care of everything.”

Shen Wenxing sighed heavily.

"Mei'er only said one thing: do not wrong the child, and be sure to find him a woman he likes."

The unspoken message was that Shen Chongxuan should not follow in his father's footsteps.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Chongming said, "Leave this to me."

"If Brother Xuan truly has a woman he admires, even if she is a mortal without spiritual roots, I hope Father and Third Uncle will not stop him."

Shen Wen'an nodded immediately.

He certainly wouldn't interfere in such matters.

After discussing a few more matters, Shen Wenxing said, "Sister-in-law is pregnant and has had a long journey. She should go back and rest as soon as possible."

"There is a house on the west side of the manor. I have already ordered people to prepare it. It will be used for you and your sister-in-law to live in this house."

Before this, Shen Wen'an spent most of his time cultivating in the Blackwater Pavilion.

After Wei Qiuling arrived, the two of them also stayed in the side room of the courtyard where Shen Yuan lived.

When Yunshui City was expanded some time ago, Shen Wenxing had several courtyards built along the manor in advance to reserve living quarters for his descendants.

When the family grows larger in the future, the matter of expanding the house will be taken care of by Shen Chongming and his family.

The couple rose, bowed, and left the house.

……

Mountain-side Academy.

Inside the pavilion with its upturned eaves, a string of exquisite copper bells hangs.

A gentle breeze stirs, and the tassels beneath the copper bells sway in the wind, producing a clear, ringing sound.

Standing at the three-foot-high table, Shen Chongxuan looked up at the bronze bell, then lowered his head to pour tea for Shen Chongming and himself opposite him.

"Brother Ming, will you be able to see the wonders of Danzhou's mountains and rivers during your trip there?"

Shen Chongming picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and smiled faintly, "It's not much different from Yangnao Land."

"That mountain was just bigger and more beautiful."

“That must be so,” Shen Chongxuan replied in a deep voice, his tone slightly saddened. “My father mentioned the beauty of Qishan in many of his notes, as well as the wonders of Zhuixian Lake.”

"Brother... I really want to go and see."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming paused slightly, the teacup he was about to bring to his lips, and looked at him with a strange expression.

Meeting his gaze, Shen Chongxuan smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, Brother Ming, I certainly won't be like Father."

Shen Chongming breathed a slight sigh of relief and drank the tea in the cup in one gulp.

"Is Xuan Di twenty-one years old this year?"

Shen Chongxuan nodded after a moment of surprise.

"At this age, before the arrival of the Immortal Sect, he should have reached adulthood, married, and had children."

"Brother Xuan, do you have a woman you admire? Tell me about her."

Shen Chongming stared at him with a gossipy look on his face.

"Well... I'm preoccupied with matters of the academy and school, so I have no time to attend to anything else."

Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Shen Chongming's face.

As a cultivator at the Fetal Breathing Realm, how sharp are his eyes?

Although Shen Chongxuan's brief hesitation was well concealed, it still did not escape his notice.

Sensing that his brother didn't seem to have much emotional turmoil, Shen Chongming guessed that his brother might actually have someone in his heart, but it probably didn't count as romantic love.

"Does Brother Xuan consider me an outsider?"

"It's still okay for us brothers to have some private conversations."

Shen Chongxuan looked somewhat conflicted, and after a moment's thought, he said, "Brother Ming, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean to hide anything."

"It's just... just that the fallen flowers don't understand the feelings of the flowing water, and I don't want to say it out loud and only add to my troubles."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's smile deepened.

He then said, "Let me guess..."

"Was that woman an ordinary young lady from a prominent family?"

Shen Chongxuan remained silent.

"You're worried that if you reveal this, my Shen family will come to propose marriage, and that the woman's family, given the Shen family's current status, won't dare to refuse."

"So that the marriage won't be so wonderful?"

Upon hearing his words, Shen Chongxuan was somewhat taken aback, then smiled and shook his head.

"Ming tricked me."

Shen Chongming burst into laughter.

"Brother Xuan, don't worry, I will explain it to you now."

"Regarding your marriage, Aunt Hu has already given instructions, and my Shen family will certainly not force you."

"I have consulted with Father and Third Uncle before coming here. Even if Brother Xuan is in love with a mortal woman without spiritual roots, the clan will not object."

"In that case, can I speak to you with peace of mind?"

Shen Chongxuan picked up the teapot in front of him and poured tea for himself and Shen Chongming.

"Years ago, when I went to Lincang County to set up an academy, I encountered a group of great scholars making things difficult for me at Mingquan Academy in Tianzhang City."

"The Master once said that he and his father had debated with those Confucian scholars at Mingquan Academy, so I have no fear."

"After a heated debate, even the so-called great Confucian scholars were defeated."

Just when I thought that even the great scholars of the old school were nothing more than this, a handsome young servant boy next to one of the scholars spoke up and challenged me to a debate.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's expression became somewhat strange.

Upon seeing this, Shen Chongxuan quickly explained, "That page is a woman disguised as a man, named Zhantai Yujing."

"Oh?"

Shen Chongming said with some surprise, "The surname Zhan Tai seems to be quite famous in Lincang County."

Shen Chongxuan nodded and said, "His ancestor, Zhan Tai Wujiu, once wrote 'Meng Hua Lu,' which was highly praised by the Master."

"Before my elder brother and third uncle went to Danzhou, I also went to Tianzhang City to borrow the 'Great Dream Sword Manual' treasured by the Zhan family. Unfortunately, I was blocked by the disciples of Tingfeng Valley and could not fulfill my wish."

After a moment's thought, Shen Chongming smiled and said, "So, what does Brother Xuan think of Zhantai Yujing?"

After pondering for a long time, Shen Chongxuan gave an evaluation.

"A remarkable woman of our time, she is learned yet not bound by old or new ideas."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming smiled.

It is said that scholars are jealous of each other, so the fact that Shen Chongxuan could give Zhan Taiyu Jing such high praise shows that the woman truly has extraordinary talent.

More importantly, he and his brothers are kindred spirits, so it's worth trying to bring them together.

"Listening Valley is getting rather boring..."

"Brother Xuan, make some preparations today. After I finish my other business tomorrow, I will go with you to visit Tianzhang City again."

"We'll see if Listening Valley will intervene then."

As Shen Chongming spoke, a hint of domineering glint flashed in his eyes.

This is his philosophy on managing a household.

Unlike his grandfather's "leveraging influence" and his father's "forming alliances," he took over the Shen family with a more "competitive" approach.

In a world of great strife, those who lack the will to strive for dominance will be slowly devoured and become weaklings awaiting death.

Listening Valley's strength is not weak; in the past, he might not have wanted to have a direct conflict with them.

However, after learning about Huang Lingshan's identity during his trip to Danzhou, Shen Chongming understood.

Backed by two Golden Core Realm experts, the Shen family is fearless among the immortal sects in Yangnao Land!

"Brother Ming..."

Staring blankly at Shen Chongming's expression, Shen Chongxuan wanted to say something, but saw that he had already stood up.

He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, then stood up and bowed.

"Don't worry, Brother Xuan, I know what I'm doing."

Gently patting his shoulder, Shen Chongming was about to leave when he suddenly asked, "How's Chongxu's cultivation going lately?"

Mentioning his younger brother, Shen Chongxuan's expression changed slightly, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "He has been somewhat lax, but I personally reprimanded him some time ago, and things should improve."

Shen Chongming gave him a deep look and nodded, saying, "In that case, I can rest assured."

After leaving the academy, Shen Chongming quietly looked in the direction of the residence, his eyes filled with contemplation.

"Ugh!"

After a long while, he sighed heavily, shook his head, and walked towards the main courtyard of the clan.

The monks and clan soldiers in the mountains were all recalled.

These arrogant and unruly soldiers are used to being wild in the mountains. Once they return to their cities, they're likely to cause trouble.

This matter necessitates reminding the clan councilor to strengthen patrols.

……

Southern Xinjiang.

Before the canopy of the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, King Wu Shi Kui of the Fushan Kingdom stood proudly in the void, holding a huge bronze cauldron.

In the distance, Ou Chang, dressed in a wide, dark purple robe and with her hair tied up in a bun, strode into the void.

A large patch of dark clouds followed behind it.

The dark cloud was being pulled along by a long thread of spiritual energy, the other end of which was tightly gripped in Ou Chang's hand.

Above the clouds, one could vaguely see large demons in their original forms struggling and roaring violently, yet they were unable to break free from the cloud's grasp.

But seeing the demonic beasts struggling in the clouds, Wu Shi Kui's expression flashed with a hint of joy.

"Fellow Daoist Ou, you've been quick this time."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Heavenly Fox Demon King flew over from the other side of the void, his three fluffy fox tails swaying casually behind him.

If you look closely, you can see that among the fur of the three fox tails, one after another demonic beasts are imprisoned.

However, compared to the demonic beasts captured by Ouchang, the demonic beasts imprisoned on the tails of the Heavenly Fox Demon King were all unusually quiet and obedient, as if they were under some kind of spell.

"Both of you fellow Daoists are quite fast."

Wu Shi Kui spoke with an uncontrollable smile on his face.

"Alright, we've prepared the offerings you requested. If we still can't open this Void Harmony Corridor Formation, don't blame us for being ruthless."

Ou Chang spoke in a cold voice.

The Heavenly Fox Demon King's eyes also gleamed with a sinister light.

In preparing the offerings, the two of them inadvertently provoked another enemy.

Having captured so many demons, both big and small, if it all comes to nothing in the end, the two of them will certainly not give up easily.

"Rest assured, fellow Daoists."

"As long as there are enough offerings, my Imperial Cauldron can tear a hole in the heavens."

Wu Shi Kui patted the bronze cauldron in his hand with great confidence.

"Then...shall we begin?"

Ou Chang remained silent.

He gently tugged at the spiritual energy thread in his hand, pulling all the demonic beasts in the clouds onto the top of Wu Shi Kui's head.

Wu Shi Kui was not idle either, holding the Huangji Cauldron in one hand while constantly making hand seals with the other.

Gradually, a faint suction force emanated from the Imperial Cauldron, drawing all the demonic beasts on the dark clouds into it.

The monsters howled and screamed in the air, but after falling into the cauldron, they gradually died.

Seeing that all the offerings captured by Ou Chang had been thrown into the cauldron, the Heavenly Fox Demon King didn't waste any words and simply flicked its tail.

The demonic beasts trapped within the fur fell into the Imperial Cauldron with pinpoint accuracy, like dumplings being dropped into boiling water.

After all the demon beast offerings were absorbed by the Imperial Cauldron, a large amount of bloody aura permeated the mouth of the cauldron!
In an instant, it seemed as if something inside the bronze cauldron was slowly coming back to life.

An ancient and boundless aura emanated from the cauldron.

A faint yet ancient chanting sounded in the void, like a group of devout believers praying and performing a ritual.

Wu Shi Kui looked solemn, his spiritual power surging, and walked towards the Void Harmony Corridor Formation while holding the Imperial Cauldron.

But then he arrived at the gap in the Void Harmony Corridor Formation and carefully placed the Imperial Cauldron at the gap.

He then immediately sat cross-legged in front of it and began to pour spiritual energy into the cauldron.

The blood-red aura within the bronze cauldron began to surge, followed by a blazing blood flame, and the cauldron itself slowly grew larger.

The canopy of the Void Corridor Formation was quickly cracked by the ever-growing cauldron.

Seeing that the method was indeed effective, the Heavenly Fox Demon King and Ou Chang, who were not far away, instantly showed joy on their faces.

Meanwhile, Fu Yang, at the other end of the Void Corridor Formation, was feeling rather uncomfortable.

The last time he integrated his divine soul into the great formation to withstand the attacks of the three, it greatly depleted his divine soul.

Before they had fully recovered, they discovered that the other party had started again.

Moreover, this time he could clearly feel that no matter how much power he used to activate the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, he could not stop the opponent's attack.

"It's over, it's over, we can't stop it."

Fu Yang stared at the spreading cracks with a grim expression, thinking to himself.

"Enough. This place is about to become a place of trouble. I'd better leave as soon as possible."

After extracting his soul from the Void Harmony Corridor Formation, Fu Yang got up and flew away on the wind.

Just a few breaths after he left, an even more terrifying gap suddenly appeared in the great array behind him!

As the gap appeared, three terrifying figures suddenly appeared in the sky!
"It seems the rumors are true. A terrible battle really did break out here back then, and the spiritual veins of heaven and earth were shattered."

After carefully sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations of Yangnao Land, the Heavenly Fox Demon King narrowed her charming eyes and said in a low voice.

Beside him, Ou Chang was emanating a strong aura of death. He greedily licked his lips and said, "I have heard that back then, True Lord Daying used the Void Harmony Corridor Formation to separate Yin and Yang. The Southern Frontier where we are located is Yin, which has gathered the foul air of this world."

"Then this side must be the sunny side. I wonder if the blood food in the sunny side is really as nourishing as the legends say."

"Fellow Daoists, I will not stand on ceremony."

Before he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and flew off towards the northeast.

"Where does Fellow Daoist Tianhu plan to go?"

Wu Shi Kui held the Imperial Cauldron in his hand, not in a hurry, and looked at the Heavenly Fox Demon King with a smile.

The Heavenly Fox Demon King looked at the north and northwest directions, struggled for a moment, and then spoke to the north: "I will go in this direction."

Wu Shi Kui glanced at the direction she had chosen, pondered for a moment, and said, "I wish to make a deal with Fellow Daoist Tianhu."

"Fellow Daoist Tianhu, if you encounter any women with decent looks or qualities while you are harvesting blood food, please keep them for me."

"After we return, I can exchange with you two other cultivators of equal aptitude, how about that?"

The Celestial Fox Demon King looked at him, then suddenly chuckled: "Deal..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the vast mountains to the north.

(End of this chapter)