Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 258 The Heart of Despair
Wu Shi Kui gripped the Netherworld Furnace in his hand, and a powerful divine sense instantly invaded it!

As the spirit of the artifact, Wu Qianrou has been trying her best to prevent the other party from discovering the most core secret of the Underworld Furnace.

But at this moment, Wu Qianrou could not stop it.

Her strength was only comparable to Shen Chongxu's, and she couldn't withstand the powerful divine sense of a veteran Golden Core cultivator.

Wu Shi Kui's divine sense forcibly tore through the barrier constructed by Wu Shi Qianrou and saw the blood puppet clone formed by Shen Chongxu's soul seed deep within the Mingxu Filth Furnace.

"I see……"

"That's it!"

Upon seeing the Blood Puppet clone, Wu Shi Kui was first stunned, then suddenly burst into laughter.

After laughing loudly, he suddenly reached into the Netherworld Furnace and pulled out Shen Chongxu's soul seed!
"If you do not stop, I will crush the soul of your Shen family junior!"

"Although this action won't kill him, I don't need to tell you the consequences, do I?"

In the void, Shen Wen'an held the Dragon-Slaying Sword, frowning as he looked at the ball of light in Wu Shi Kui's hand that emitted the aura of Shen Chongxu's soul. A murderous intent suddenly surged in his heart!
He had never intended to fight to the death with Wu Shi Kui.

I came here to see why the ruler of Fushan Kingdom suddenly appeared in Yangnao Land.

Upon arriving, they heard Wu Qianrou's voice and learned that the Netherworld Furnace was Shen Chongxu's magic weapon, and that he simply wanted to take it back.

But now, Wu Shi Kui is actually threatening Shen Chongxu with his soul seed.

A murderous intent arose in Shen Wen'an's heart.

"None of the sons of the Shen family have ever been afraid of death."

"If you destroy Chongxu's soul seed today, I, Shen, hereby swear."

"From the highest heavens to the deepest hell, I will surely kill you!"

"As long as you, the Wu clan of Fushan Kingdom, have any bloodline, my Shen family will completely eradicate them!"

A chilling killing intent was fixed on Wu Shi Kui, and Shen Wen'an showed no intention of compromising.

"you……"

Wu Shi Kui had not expected the other party to be so resolute. His hand holding Shen Chongxu's soul seed trembled slightly, and for a moment he felt that the soul seed was a little hot.

If he hadn't used this soul seed to threaten others earlier, and had instead found an opportunity to subtly knock the Netherworld Furnace away, he, a Golden Core Realm ruler of a nation, wouldn't have lost so much face.

But now, by threatening the younger generation of someone else's family, they were ultimately intimidated.

If we compromise on this, we'll likely become a laughing stock among Golden Core cultivators in the future.

Wu Shi Kui struggled internally, but never dared to fight to the death.

He had already experienced Shen Wen'an's strength firsthand. If he were to truly crush the soul seed in his hand this time, it would only provoke such a monster to hunt him down.

In the vast Yangnao land and southern border, there is probably no place for him to settle down.

More importantly, Wu Shi Kui did not believe that Shen Wen'an had already exhausted all his means and might still have some tricks up his sleeve.

It is very difficult for a Golden Core cultivator to be killed by someone of the same realm, but he dared not gamble.

Wu Shi Kui was struggling internally, while Wu Shi Qian Rou, inside the Mingxu Huiye Furnace in his hand, didn't dare to breathe loudly.

The Soul Seed is the key to the Blood Puppet's clone.

The Blood Puppet clone is not yet fully formed. Once the Soul Seed is destroyed, it will not only mean that all her efforts over the years have been in vain, but she and Shen Chongxu will also suffer severe damage!
Wu Qianrou also knew that Shen Wen'an had no choice but to make this decision.

Because once Wu Shi Kui leaves with the Mingxu Huiye Furnace, her soul seed will also be erased, and she herself will be forcibly refined.

Outside, the atmosphere of confrontation between the two sides is becoming increasingly tense.

The sword energy on Shen Wen'an's body had condensed into substantial Tai Xuan sword energy, which slowly circulated around his body.

Each Tai Xuan sword aura emitted a sharp edge that shot straight into the sky, stirring up the surrounding winds and clouds.

In other words, the two are currently in the void far from the ground; otherwise, such a full-force battle would have devastated the surrounding mountains and rivers.

The puppet of the Wu clan was topped with the golden seal of the national seal that embodied the power of the entire Fushan Kingdom. It was surrounded by flowing golden chains. It held Shen Chongxu's soul seed in one hand and gripped the Mingxu Furnace tightly in the other. Its sinister eyes were filled with hesitation as it kept glancing at Shen Wen'an.

At this moment, Shen Wen'an remained calm, his eyes filled only with a sharp killing intent.

Meeting his gaze, which was like two peerless divine swords, Wu Shi Kui's heart slowly began to tilt.

"Although this treasure is an ancient demonic artifact, obtaining it can greatly increase my strength and even have endless uses, but this sword cultivator in front of me is really difficult to deal with."

"These sword cultivators are all obsessive individuals. Once they set their sights on me, I fear I will never have a peaceful life!"

"Never mind, spirituality is more important..."

Remembering what the mysterious man had said earlier, Wu Shi Kui gave in.

Several Nascent Soul True Monarchs and some mysterious powerful figures in the Southern Frontier are plotting to seize the Dao Source of Yangnao Land.

Once the source of the Dao is extracted, the entire Yangnao Land will suffer "Dao Collapse" and "World Destruction".

The spirit is the only thing that can survive this cataclysmic disaster.

Without spiritual essence, one cannot enter the Dao Source Secret Realm. For a cultivator from Yangnao Land, continuing cultivation in the endless ocean is by no means easy.

Suppressing the humiliation in his heart, Wu Shi Kui angrily stuffed Shen Chongxu's soul seed back into the Mingxu Huiye Furnace, then threw the Mingxu Huiye Furnace to Shen Wen'an, before transforming into a streak of light and flying away into the distance.

Shen Wen'an caught the Mingxu Filth Furnace and, after confirming that Wu Shi Kui had gone far away, looked at the dark purple furnace in his hand and spoke.

"Come out."

A cloud of blood mist emerged from the Netherworld Furnace, which then transformed into the form of Wu Shi Qianrou.

"Thank you for your help, senior."

Wu Qianrou bowed slightly, her tone filled with relief.

Shen Wen'an handed her the Underworld Furnace of Impurity, frowning as he asked, "Why did you come to Yangnao Land by yourself?"

What about Chongxu?

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianrou's expression changed slightly.

"Is Master... not at the Shen family's house?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an's heart sank.

"Didn't Chongxu return to the southern border?"

Now, both of them realized that something was wrong.

"Come back to Yunshui City with me and we'll talk about it then."

After a moment's thought, Shen Wen'an took a step forward, transforming into a sword of light and flying towards Yunshui City.

After a moment of hesitation, Wu Qianrou immediately followed after them.

Inside the side room, Shen Yuan, Shen Chongming, and the others gathered. Wu Shi Qianrou bowed to everyone and said, "It has been half a year since the master left last time, and he has not returned to Yangquan Mountain."

"Moreover, I... I can feel that the connection between me and my master has been severed."

Half a year...

Shen Chongming said with a solemn expression, "Chongxu left three months ago. Judging by the time, he should have gone back long ago."

He turned to look at Shen Yuan, whose brows were furrowed.

"grandfather……"

Shen Yuan sighed heavily and said, "It seems that kid has really run into trouble..."

At this moment, he finally realized what was causing the unease he had been feeling lately.

Someone must have ambushed Shen Chongxu on his way back to the southern border from Yangnao.

Moreover, the person who made the move was well-prepared, not only concealing the secrets of heaven but also disrupting the causal chain, so much so that he himself was completely unaware of it.

Luo Tianxing, the Nascent Soul True Monarch at the Danzhou barrier, once said that Golden Core cultivators who cultivate the Great Evolution Path can easily conceal heavenly secrets and deceive his perception.

It would be easier for someone at the Purple Mansion Realm to do this.

Given the current situation, figuring out who attacked Shen Chongxu is not an easy task.

The only thing he can be sure of now is that Shen Chongxu is still alive.

"The Shen family will handle Chongxu's matter. You should go back now."

"The White Propaganda is Chongxu's life's work; it cannot be destroyed like this."

After some thought, Shen Yuan spoke.

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianrou respectfully cupped her hands in greeting.

"Go back and keep a low profile. Just keep the White Propaganda Department in mind."

"The situation in southern Xinjiang has been quite turbulent lately, so stay away from trouble."

Wu Shi Qianrou nodded again, then transformed into a cloud of blood mist and flew towards the Southern Frontier.

Inside the room, Shen Wen'an pondered for a moment before speaking: "The King of Fushan, Wu Shikui, has already arrived in Yangnao Land. I reckon that Golden Core cultivators from other forces will arrive soon as well."

"It seems that Chongxu's previous deductions were all true."

Upon hearing this, both Shen Yuan and Shen Chongming nodded in agreement.

"Grandpa, what do you think these Golden Core cultivators are here for in Yangnao Land?"

He paused slightly, then continued, "You can't really be planning to take action against my Shen family, can you?"

Shen Yuan chuckled and shook his head.

The Shen family has been quite prominent in recent years, but that's not enough to warrant the six major Golden Core forces in the Southern Frontier joining forces against them.

The reason why those old Golden Core stage cultivators broke their promise and descended upon Yangnao Land must have been for some other purpose.

There's no need to waste your energy speculating about this.

"Chongming, you will go to Beidi County later."

Shen Yuan spoke slowly.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's eyes suddenly lit up.

"My grandson has completely forgotten about this."

The unusual movements of the major Golden Core forces in the Southern Frontier are certainly not a coincidence; they must have all thought of the same thing.

There must be some news circulating among them behind this.

As an ally of the Shen family and a powerful force in the Southern Frontier, Tian Tan Mountain would naturally receive the news.

"Grandson will go to Beidi County now."

……

"Patriarch Shen's guess is correct. Ancestor Changyou did indeed send news recently that a mysterious cultivator with the Golden Core cultivation level visited Tian Tan Mountain and talked about many things about the Dao Source and the Spiritual Essence."

In the capital of Beidi County, Old Man Jin looked at Shen Chongming in front of him and said in a deep voice, "Ancestor Changyou believed that this matter had been discussed with the Shen family and Luoxia Mountain in advance, so he did not instruct me, Rat Lord, to specifically inform you."

"He is currently reorganizing the demon cultivators under the jurisdiction of Tian Tan Mountain. He plans to visit Senior Jiang and Senior Sword Immortal in person after he descends upon Yang Nao Land in a few days to discuss this matter."

Shen Chongming suddenly realized what he meant.

"No wonder these major powers have all mobilized most of their forces to the Yangnao Land."

"So they were all here to steal my soul."

Old Man Jin nodded and said, "That mysterious person said that there are only nine spiritual beings in the complete Yangnao Land, and it is known that the Heavenly Golden Light has already been obtained by the Longevity Pavilion."

"Of the remaining eight spiritual entities, only two remain in the Southern Frontier, while the other six are currently in the Yangnao Land."

"Therefore, many forces are willing to give up everything in the southern border and mobilize all their forces here with a do-or-die attitude."

Shen Chongming frowned upon hearing this.

He had seen the panoramic map of Yangnao that Shen Xiuchan brought back from the Seven Sages Mountain Secret Realm, and he had also heard his grandfather and third uncle mention the matter of spirituality.

It seems that everyone says the complete Yangnao Land only has seven spiritual beings.

There are only four paths to Yangnao now, with the remaining three in the southern borderlands.

Old Man Jin seemed to see the doubt in his heart, sighed and shook his head, saying, "The rumors circulating in Zhantian Pavilion do say that there are only seven paths of spiritual matter."

"But right now, the most crucial thing is no longer the number of spiritual beings."

"After the talk of a world-ending calamity came out, all the forces were vying for the opportunity to enter the Dao Source Secret Realm in the future."

After a slight pause, Old Man Jin stroked his long beard and said with a solemn expression, "It's easy to imagine that the Yangnao Land will be in complete chaos from now on."

"The previous agreements are probably meaningless in front of these Golden Core experts."

Shen Chongming nodded.

The agreement was originally made by those powerful Golden Core cultivators.

They are the rule-makers, and naturally, they can also be rule-breakers.

For them, spirituality is a matter of life and death; what are rules and regulations compared to life and death?

“Fellow Daoist Jin, the three of us are allies. In the impending chaos, the Shen family, Luoxia Mountain, and Tiantan Mountain will have to support each other in attack and defense.”

"Only in this way can we achieve lasting success."

Changing the subject, Shen Chongming looked at Old Man Jin and spoke.

Tian Tan Mountain is a Purple Mansion power. Although their ancestor Feng Qi achieved Purple Mansion status through trickery, he was still a genuine Purple Mansion cultivator, stronger than the Shen family and Luo Xia Mountain.

Moreover, the Golden Core demon of Tian Tan Mountain is clearly not just Feng Changyou alone. The three sides are mutually attacking and defending each other, which is beneficial to both the Shen family and Luo Xia Mountain.

Upon hearing this, Old Man Jin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled dryly and said, "Of course, of course."

"However, the specific details will have to wait until Ancestor Changyou arrives, and he will personally discuss them with Senior Sword Immortal and Senior Jiang."

He understood Shen Chongming's thoughts.

But the situation is different now. It's not up to him, a cultivator at the half-step Golden Core stage, to decide what attitude Tian Tan Mountain should take.

Feng Changyou didn't say it explicitly, meaning he would let the elders discuss it themselves when the time came.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming gave Old Man Jin a meaningful look, then chatted for a while before returning directly to Yunshui City.

……

Southern Xinjiang, Canaan Temple.

Inside the magnificent Zen temple hall, six Buddhist monks, their bodies shrouded in a faint golden light and their faces compassionate and dignified, sat together.

"Hongye, how many leaves has your Bodhi tree sprouted by now?"

The leading old monk, draped in a brocade kasaya and with long, snow-white eyebrows that reached his shoulders, looked at the Great Illumination World-Honored One before him and asked in a slow voice.

Upon hearing this, Hongye, who looked like a seven or eight-year-old child, nodded slightly and said, "Uncle-Master, the Bodhi tree has already sprouted four leaves. The Shen family's fortune and luck are truly remarkable."

“I believe that if we can seize them all, it will enable Bodhi to grow six leaves and help us achieve the position of Arhat.”

Upon hearing this, the other Buddhist cultivators at the Great Bright Realm nearby were filled with envy.

"Congratulations, Brother Hongye! With this opportunity, you will be able to comprehend the profound mysteries, and it is not impossible for you to attain Buddhahood in the future."

Another young monk, Shi Xiu, smiled faintly and spoke.

Upon hearing this, Hongye was initially delighted, but then waved his hand repeatedly, saying, "Junior Brother Hongxiu, don't speak recklessly. How can one attain Buddhahood so easily?"

As he said this, he stole a glance at the old monk who had spoken earlier.

Seeing that he remained calm and seemed unconcerned, Hongye secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, we'll talk about this later."

"I have gathered you all here today for the sake of that spiritual matter."

"Several months have passed since that mysterious monk came to visit and spoke of matters of the spirit."

“Now, various forces such as Fushan Kingdom, Dawu Mountain, and Yinshi Sect have already taken action, and Tiantan Mountain is also reorganizing and deploying the demon cultivators under its jurisdiction. It is clear that they are ready.”

"It's time for my Canaan Temple to take some action."

Having said that, the old monk looked at Hongye.

"You've been in charge of things in Yangnao Land all along, so you'll continue to handle things this time."

Upon hearing this, Hongye's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant.

After struggling internally for a long time, he braced himself and said, "Uncle, I have recently gained some insights and am preparing to go into seclusion."

"Regarding this Yangnao land... what do you think..."

Some time ago, he went to great lengths to capture Shen Chongxu, and then used the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda to plant the Nine-Leaf Bodhi on him, slowly drawing away the Shen family's blessings and fortune.

In the future, there will be no need to take such a big risk. Just wait quietly for the Nine-Leaf Bodhi to fully mature, refine and absorb it completely, and your cultivation will easily reach the Arhat realm, which is equivalent to the Purple Mansion of an immortal cultivator.

If one is lucky, one might even touch the threshold of Buddhahood, which means one's future is limitless.

If we were to preside over the matter of going to Yangnao to compete for spiritual essence, and something were to happen to us, wouldn't this great opportunity be given to someone else for nothing?
"Since Senior Brother Hongye is reluctant to part with that Nine-Leaf Bodhi..."

"Master, shall I take care of the journey to Yangnao?"

Hongxiu, who had just spoken, chuckled.

He also has a nine-leaf bodhi.

Hongye was able to capture a direct descendant of the Shen family and use the Nine-Leaf Bodhi to extract the Shen family's fortune and luck, and he wanted to do the same.

At worst, we'll see who draws the fastest and gets more good fortune.

Upon seeing this, Hongye was initially delighted, but then became somewhat worried.

He seemed to see through Hongxiu's thoughts and worried that the other party would compete with him for the Shen family's good fortune and luck.

However, there was no way to stop Hongxiu from going to Yangnao, so they could only hope that the Shen family would take precautions and prevent Hongxiu from succeeding.

"In that case, this matter will be entrusted to Hongxiu."

"I have already chosen my reincarnation. For the time being, the position of abbot of Canaan Temple will be temporarily handed over to Hongjing. You should all work together to ensure that Canaan Temple can be better passed down."

After the old monk finished speaking, he gently waved his hand.

After the crowd stood up, clasped their hands in greeting, and dispersed, everyone in front of them left.

After leaving the main hall of the Zen temple, Hongye hurriedly went to the place where Shen Chongxu was being suppressed.

Looking at the sapling with four lush green leaves growing on the open ground in front of him, Hongye's face revealed a greedy look of joy.

"Excellent, excellent."

"However... I will need to speed things up a bit from now on."

“That scoundrel Hongxiu will definitely not let such a good opportunity slip by; he will definitely try to get a share of this opportunity from me.”

With a sinister look in his eyes, Hongye immediately made a hand gesture and unleashed a golden light.

A portal shimmering with light appeared out of thin air, and its figure stepped out, appearing inside the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda.

The tiny flame of the lamp burned quietly, its faint light elongating the figure sitting cross-legged in the darkness.

Hongye quietly observed Shen Chongxu, whose figure had noticeably thinned and whose back was covered with dense tree roots. He frowned and pondered for a moment before slowly walking over.

Inside the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda, Shen Chongxu heard footsteps outside and slowly opened his eyes.

At that moment, Hongye pushed open the door and entered. Meeting Shen Chongxu's gaze, he smiled and said, "Young friend, are you not entirely satisfied with this place?"

Shen Chongxu chuckled but didn't reply.

Hongye glanced at the porcelain bottle on the table in front of him and continued, "These pills are all top-quality cultivation resources. If you feel it's not enough, I will have someone send some more over."

"Never mistreat yourself."

Shen Chongxu slowly turned his head, his eyes narrowed as he looked at him and said in a deep voice, "What exactly did you bald monk do to me?"

For months, he had been affected by the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda, unable to see his true self, and unaware that his body was now covered with tree roots.

And those tree roots are constantly drawing away the Shen family's fortune and luck through his bloodline.

But based on his understanding of Canaan Temple, he knew that the other party had gone to such great lengths to capture him; it couldn't possibly be just a simple matter of imprisonment.

For months, he had been vaguely aware that a strange force was constantly drawing something from his body.

Consequently, his demonic energy was also slowly being absorbed.

Meeting his gaze, Hongye smiled and said, "Young friend, don't be impatient. As I said, I only want to purify the demonic energy in your body so that you can cultivate properly."

He paused slightly, then gently waved his hand.

With a flash of light, dozens of spirit crystals rich in spiritual energy instantly appeared on the desk in front of them.

"Young friend, you might think that pills are easy to tamper with, but surely there's no problem with spirit crystals?"

"Regardless of my plans, you can't go wrong by focusing on improving your cultivation."

Hongye smiled, then nodded slightly and said, "Good luck with your cultivation, young friend. I'll take my leave now."

The pills he had previously sent were indeed for cultivation purposes, and he had not tampered with them in any way.

However, the real purpose was not to allow Shen Chongxu to cultivate properly within the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda. When the Nine-Leaf Bodhi used him to extract the blessings and fortune of the Shen family, it would inevitably absorb the spiritual and demonic energy within him.

Providing him with pills was also to prevent him from losing too much spiritual energy and demonic energy, which could endanger his life.

On the other hand, its body is rich in spiritual energy, which allows the Nine-Leaf Bodhi to be extracted more quickly.

Shen Chongxu looked at the closed door, then at the spirit crystal in front of him. After a moment's thought, he picked up a crystal and examined it carefully.

Spirit crystals are naturally formed, so it's really not advisable to tamper with them.

But he still didn't believe that Canaan Temple would be so kind.

"You can't tamper with the spirit crystal..."

"But the more eager you are for me to cultivate, the less I will cultivate."

When they were young, their grandfather, Shen Yuan, had told them and their brothers this story.

When you can't figure out the enemy's intentions, there is a relatively simple way to fight back.

The solution is: "The more the enemy wants something, the less you should give it to them; the more the enemy doesn't want to see something, the more you must find a way to do it."

The monk Hongye is currently giving me pills and spirit crystals, trying to get me to cultivate properly. He thinks that if I don't cultivate, it will be a form of rebellion.

We'll have to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.

With a wave of his hand, Shen Chongxu put the spirit crystal into his storage bag and sat cross-legged on the futon.

Just as I was thinking about what else I could do, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in my mind.

Immediately, a smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Somebody come!"

"Somebody come!"

His shouts quickly attracted the attention of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator who was guarding him.

"What are your orders, fellow Daoist?"

The monk pushed open the door, bowed, and spoke.

"I, Shen, want to see that bald man from earlier... I want to see your World Honored One!"

Upon hearing this, the monk was taken aback for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Fellow Daoist, please wait a moment, this humble monk will go and invite the World Honored One."

A moment later, Hongye, who had just left, returned to the Liuli Yinji Ciguang Pagoda.

"What business does my young friend have with me?"

Shen Chongxu smiled faintly at him and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you'll probably never have the chance to leave this tower again in this lifetime, right?"

Hongye paused slightly, about to speak, when Shen Chongxu raised his hand to interrupt him, saying, "Don't treat me like a fool."

"Either way, I'm going to die. I have one request: if Canaan Temple can grant it, I will live a good life."

"Otherwise, you should know that if a cultivator at the peak of the embryonic breathing stage wants to die, no matter what kind of control you have, you can't stop him."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of panic flashed in Hongye's eyes.

The reason he went to such great lengths, using the Glazed Hidden Light Pagoda to make Shen Chongxu appear imprisoned and unaware that he was actually being used by the Nine-Leaf Bodhi to extract the Shen family's fortune and luck, was because he feared that if Shen Chongxu found out, he would decisively choose to cut off his own path to survival.

"Young friend, please feel free to speak your request."

After thinking for a moment, Hongye spoke.

And it was precisely because of this that Shen Chongxu instantly became certain that what the other party wanted was him alive.

Thus, he also learned a way to control the other party.

If he discovers anything amiss in the future, he can simply commit suicide to prevent the other party from gaining any further benefits from him.

"I, Shen, want some of the magical techniques and unique skills of Canaan Temple."

"Don't try to fob me off with those ordinary goods; I won't even look at them."

Upon hearing this, Hongye frowned: "Young friend, you are a demonic cultivator. The magical arts and techniques of my Canaan Temple are all Buddhist cultivation techniques, which are of no value to you. What do you want with them?"

Meeting his questioning gaze, Shen Chongxu smiled faintly: "Just passing the time."

"Otherwise, I might get too bored in this tower and become suicidal..."

"you!"

Hongye suddenly realized that he had been tricked and that this kid had found his weakness.

He truly dared not let Shen Chongxu die.

The Nine-Leaf Bodhi cannot continuously draw blessings and fortune from the dead.

"how?"

"Don't agree?"

"Then I, Shen, will not keep you company."

"I agree!"

Hongye's eyes were sinister as he clenched his fist and said, "Young friend, please wait a moment. I will have someone bring the items over shortly."

"Does my young friend have any other requests?"

Shen Chongxu thought for a moment and smiled, "Not for now. I'll let you know when I think of something."

Hongye clenched his fists in anger, cursing himself for his loose tongue. What if this kid made some unreasonable demands later?
Never mind, let's leave quickly first.

After hastily leaving the Liuli Yinji Ciguang Pagoda, Hongye handed a jade token representing his identity to Shixiu beside him, instructing him to go to the temple's library and retrieve some magical techniques to deliver to Shen Chongxu in the pagoda to pass the time.

Hongye could vaguely guess that Shen Chongxu might be planning to find a way to escape by studying the practices of Canaan Temple.

He wasn't worried about it at all.

After all, Canaan Temple has a long history, and strictly speaking, it is not a lineage from Yangnao.

Without guidance, it's already a miracle that he can even recognize it; to think he can glean anything from it, or even cultivate himself, is simply wishful thinking.

……

Yunshui City.

Upon receiving the message sent by Shen Chongming, He Chongyi immediately set off from Yanhu City to return.

He and his wife, Zhang, have been married for two years. Last year, Zhang gave birth to a baby girl named He Yunran.

The child born to Shen You and Xu Zhan is the same age as He Yunran. Because he was born on the day of Jingzhe (the Awakening of Insects), he was named "Xu Jingzhe" in accordance with the timing of the day.

Actually, when Xu Jingzhe was born, Xu Zhan originally intended for him to take Shen You's surname, Shen, since his fathers had all passed away and he was the only one left in the family.

When the two got married, Shen You mentioned several times that he should marry into the Shen family.

But Shen Wenxing did not agree, saying only, "A teacher for a day is a father for life," and there was no need to go through the trouble.

His refusal stemmed from his own background as an ordinary person, and he knew that the status of a "son-in-law" was undesirable.

Ultimately, the child retained Xu Zhan's surname and was named Xu Jingzhe.

The small courtyard behind the mountain.

Zhang held He Yunran in her arms, while Shen Wenping beside her smiled broadly as she carefully sewed winter clothes for the little one.

He Chongyi sat quietly to the side, looking at his wife and mother with a look of satisfaction.

"Young Master, Young Master Xiu Bai has arrived."

Just then, a servant hurried over and respectfully bowed.

Upon hearing this, He Chongyi immediately turned to look.

Not far away, Shen Xiubai, dressed in moon-white brocade robes and with a somewhat gaunt face, stood quietly in the corridor.

"Xiu Bai, come here quickly."

He Chongyi stood up and waved.

Shen Xiubai then hurriedly came forward and respectfully cupped his hands, saying, "Xiubai greets Grandmother and Uncle Chongyi."

"Auntie."

Seeing this, Shen Wenping sighed and shook her head: "Xiu Bai, we're all family, don't be so formal."

"I don't like your polite manner."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai stood awkwardly to the side.

He Chongyi then looked at his mother: "Mother, what you're doing..."

Shen Wenping put down her needlework and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Did Mother say something wrong?"

"Look at Xiu Zhuo and Xiu Chan, those few kids..."

"Xiu Bai, please don't take offense at what I'm saying. We're family. The more polite you are, the more distant you'll seem."

"When you meet an elder, just cup your hands and greet them; there's no need for a grand ceremony."

“Your uncle is a scholar, and he wouldn’t act like this when he sees us.”

Shen Xiubai nodded slightly and said, "I will remember your teachings, Grandma."

Shen Wenping nodded with a smile: "Alright, sit down quickly."

“You two, uncle and nephew, are talking about serious matters. Yunran’s mother, let’s go back inside.”

After only the two of them remained in the courtyard, Shen Xiubai looked at Shen Wenping's slightly hunched back and suddenly said, "If I hadn't seen you today, there's something I almost forgot."

He Chongyi asked curiously, "What is it?"

After a moment's thought, Shen Xiubai slowly uttered two words: "Dan Qi".

Upon hearing this, He Chongyi's expression instantly became somewhat complicated.

"Uncle Chongyi, I am also at fault in this matter."

"If it weren't for my own lack of talent, my third grandfather's inner energy should have been given to my great-aunt long ago..."

"But I don't need it now. I'll go talk to my great-grandfather later and ask him to give the elixir to my great-aunt."

He Chongyi sighed and then smiled, "You shouldn't take the blame on yourself."

"There was nothing wrong with this matter to begin with."

"Our Shen family has stumbled and struggled our way to where we are today, and I know all the hardships we have gone through."

He told Shen Xiubai about his father, He Zishi, who was tragically ambushed and killed by the Suihuo Sect, and also about other clansmen who died in battle, such as Huang Qingzhou.

"The reason why these elders recorded in the clan history died tragically was because the Shen family was not powerful enough at that time."

"You possess the inheritance of the Dao of Arrays and bear the heavy responsibility of the rise of the Shen family's Dao of Arrays. It is right to give you priority in resources."

Changing the subject, He Chongyi added, "As for how to distribute that wisp of elixir energy, let's follow the family's arrangements."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai pondered for a long time but did not say anything more.

"By the way, I heard from Ming that you're planning to use something to forge weapons?"

Not wanting to continue discussing the matter of elixir energy, He Chongyi quickly changed the subject.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai realized what was happening and quickly took out a pearl the size of a quail egg from his storage bag and handed it over.

"Uncle Chongyi, do you think it's possible to refine this item into a magical artifact using ancient weapon-refining techniques?"

He Chongyi took the pearl and examined it carefully before asking in surprise, "Did you inscribe the array patterns on it?"

Shen Xiubai nodded.

Upon seeing this, He Zhongyi's eyes gleamed and he said repeatedly, "As expected of a genius in the art of array formations, being able to inscribe a complete array on this pearl is something that ordinary array formation cultivators could not do."

"but……"

"To refine this pearl into a magical artifact without damaging the array patterns on it, with your current level of artifact refining skills, I'm afraid it won't be easy."

Upon hearing this, Shen Xiubai's expression darkened somewhat. He then hurriedly took out another pearl without any array patterns and asked, "If it doesn't have array patterns, can Uncle Chongyi refine it into a magic weapon?"

He Chongyi took the blank pearl, examined it for a moment, and said, "This is not difficult."

"But once this item is refined into a magic weapon, it will be very difficult for you to inscribe array patterns on its surface."

“A magical artifact that has been refined is a complete unit. Any modification or alteration after it has been formed will destroy its overall structure.”

"Your idea is the same as my previous idea of ​​combining modern and ancient weapon-making techniques."

"Unfortunately……"

He Chongyi sighed and shook his head.

He didn't know if this idea would work, but with his current level of weapon crafting, it was definitely impossible.

Shen Xiubai frowned slightly upon hearing this.

Once a ritual implement is completed, any alterations will damage its overall structure...

"What if the magical artifact hasn't been completed yet?"

He suddenly murmured to himself.

Upon hearing this, He Chongyi's expression suddenly froze.

"Uncle Chongyi, if the magic artifact is not yet fully formed, can I inscribe an array on it?"

Shen Xiubai looked at He Chongyi with some excitement!
He Chongyi remained silent.

He hadn't considered that at all.

"It sounds like a good idea, but we still need to try it out."

"This move will test the two of you's teamwork. You and I can try it out later."

At this moment, He Chongyi was also eager to try.

He knew that if he could do this, he could try to combine ancient and modern weapon-making methods, taking the best of both worlds, and thus forge better magical artifacts!
"it is good!"

"Nephew, I'll go and prepare it right away."

"I'll have to trouble Uncle Chongyi with the matters related to weapon forging."

Shen Xiubai stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to He Chongyi, and then hurriedly left the courtyard.

……

At Blackwater Pavilion, Shen Xiubai arrived and explained the method he and He Chongyi had just discussed.

Shen Yuan thought it was feasible after hearing it, so he asked him to take all the pearls from the third floor out.

Before leaving, Shen Xiubai suddenly remembered the matter of "dan qi" and, after some hesitation, decided to mention it.

"Great-Grandpa, Xiu Bai wants to tell you that I no longer need Third Grandpa's Dan Qi."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yuan was stunned.

Four years ago, he had discussed this matter of elixir energy with Shen Wenxing.

After the third major harvest, followed by complicated matters such as Dao Source and Spiritual Essence, he forgot about this matter.

"Great-Grandpa knows, you can go ahead and do your work."

Shen Xiubai cupped his hands in greeting and hurriedly left the Blackwater Pavilion.

Shen Yuan got up and stood in front of the second-floor window for a long time before slowly walking towards the stairs.

Inside the old house's training ground, Shen Chongming was instructing his disciple Wu Yuning and Shen Xiuyan, the next candidate for head of the Shen family, on cultivation matters.

Although Shen Xiuyan was born with a literary mind, he was also very interested in swordsmanship in addition to his literary cultivation.

This time, Shen Chongming was instructing Wu Yuning on stance training, while Shen Xiuyan himself was practicing swordplay.

Shen Yuan walked into the training ground with his hands behind his back. Shen Xiuyan, who was standing to the side, noticed him first. He immediately put away his long sword and respectfully cupped his hands, saying, "Great-grandfather."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming also turned around.

"grandfather."

Wu Yuning, standing to the side, was poised and sweetly called out "Ancestor".

Shen Yuan nodded with a smile.

"Let the two little ones cultivate on their own for a while."

"Come with your grandfather."

Shen Chongming nodded, turned around and gave some instructions, then hurriedly followed Shen Yuan out of the manor.

"Grandpa, we're going to..."

"Go see your aunt."

aunt?

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's heart tightened, and he immediately said, "My aunt..."

"Xiu Bai just mentioned the matter of 'Dan Qi' to me."

Upon hearing the words "elixir energy," Shen Chongming immediately felt somewhat annoyed!
“It’s broken, it’s broken!”

"How could my grandson have forgotten about this!"

When the issue of allocating the elixir energy was first discussed, it was agreed that we would wait two years and observe Shen Xiubai's cultivation before making a decision.

Before the annual memorial ceremony last year, Shen Xiubai successfully set up a spirit-gathering array in his dantian, which solved the problem of slow cultivation in the early stages. This dantian energy should have been given to his aunt.

However, he was busy dealing with various matters, and this delay resulted in the waste of more than two years.

"Don't blame yourself yet, let's go."

Shen Yuan spoke, and the grandfather and grandson followed the winding stone path, soon arriving at He Chongyi's courtyard.

After He Chongyi married Zhang and was assigned to live in this small courtyard, Shen Wenping also moved in, and the family lived together.

When the two arrived at the courtyard, He Chongyi was busy preparing for the weapon forging.

Upon seeing Shen Yuan and Shen Chongming, a hint of surprise appeared on his face, and he quickly cupped his hands and said, "Grandpa, Brother Ming."

Shen Yuan nodded with a smile.

"Where's your mother?"

"Mother is inside."

"Grandpa, please sit down first. I'll go call him."

He invited Shen Yuan to sit down in the pavilion, and then hurriedly called out Shen Wenping and his wife, Zhang.

"Grandpa."

Zhang held the child and bowed, while Shen Wenping, standing beside her, smiled and called out "Father".

Although this residence was only a few miles away from the old house in Yunshui City, Shen Yuan stayed at the Blackwater Pavilion all year round, and the women in the family, such as Shen Wenping, rarely saw him on weekdays.

"sit down."

Shen Yuan glanced at He Yunran in Zhang's arms and said with a smile.

After everyone was seated, he began, "I have come here to tell you about the wisp of elixir energy that Wen An used when he achieved the Golden Core."

"My son should already know the effects of the elixir."

Shen Wenping was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

“Chongming and your elder brother both plan to give you this elixir, so that you can obtain spiritual roots like your mother and cultivate to prolong your life.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenping suddenly smiled.

"Father, after more than a hundred years, don't you understand your daughter?"

“Although my daughter and Wen’an are siblings, their personalities are very different. He has been single-mindedly devoted to cultivation since childhood, while my daughter has no interest in it at all.”

"The reason I practiced for a while later was because you and my elder brother forced me to."

As Shen Wenping spoke, she gently took her father's hand and said with a faint smile, "If I hadn't been reluctant to leave Chongyi back then, I would have followed Zishi long ago."

"Now that Chongyi has a child, why would a daughter still cause trouble?"

She paused slightly, then smiled and looked at Shen Chongming, saying, "Aunt knows that the elixir is precious, so let's leave it for the younger generation."

"Whether it's Yunran or You'er's Jingzhe, which one would be better than this old woman, Auntie?"

"No need to discuss this further, it's settled then."

As Shen Wenping spoke, she turned to look at Shen Yuan and said, "Father must listen to me too!"

(End of this chapter)