Starting with a daily divination to build an immortal clan

Chapter 274 Two Years
Standing with his hands behind his back on the boulder, Luo Tianxing stared at the direction where the vortex had disappeared, his face grim.

Xu Xiu's words made him realize that the situation in Yangnao Land was gradually getting out of control.

"Ah……"

Why should I worry about these things?

After some thought, Luo Tianxing suddenly chuckled to himself.

If it were before, and someone secretly extracted the Dao Source of this Yangnao Land, he would indeed worry about the impact on the Dao Source Secret Realm in the future.

However, after obtaining the spirit of Beichen Immortal Mountain, the Dao Source Secret Realm of Yangnao Land no longer had much to do with him.

The reason I'm still sitting here today is simply to repay the kindness I received back then.

This is just my last act to honor the friendship of the "Seven Sons of Yangnao" from back then.

Once the matter of Yangnao Land is settled, he will leave this place and go to the sea to find Beichen Immortal Mountain, and from then on become a carefree rogue cultivator. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Having thought of this, Luo Tianxing stopped pondering and immediately sat down cross-legged again.

……

Yunshui City.

The group returned to the manor from the back of the mountain.

After visiting the elders in the family, Mr. and Mrs. Shen Chonghong, who had not returned for a long time, came to Shen Wen'an's courtyard.

The uncle and nephew sat down, and Shen Wen'an didn't waste any words. He directly reached out and placed his hand on the nephew's wrist to examine the injury to the foundation of his immortal embryo.

moment--

"These years in Flame Lake City weren't wasted."

Shen Wen'an smiled and withdrew his hand, saying softly, "The foundation of your immortal embryo is currently quite stable, and there should be hope for the repair of some of your injuries."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chonghong's face lit up with a hint of surprise.

As a cultivator, who wouldn't want their cultivation level to advance further and further?
It has been almost ten years since his foundation for immortality was injured, and his cultivation level has not improved in the slightest.

Despite his excellent attitude, he has never shown anything like this in front of his wife and children over the years.

But deep down, he still held onto a sliver of hope.

This is why he stayed in Flame Lake City for several years.

"Uncle, how long do you think it will take for your nephew to fully recover?"

Shen Chonghong suppressed his surprise, but his tone still carried a hint of urgency.

Shen Wen'an glanced at him and laughed, "You, you've endured all these years, why are you losing your temper now?"

Shen Chonghong gave an awkward smile and remained silent.

"This matter cannot be rushed. Dao injury is no ordinary injury and needs to be repaired slowly to avoid leaving any hidden dangers."

“You’ve been coming to your third uncle’s place every two days during this period.”

"How long it will take to recover depends on the progress of the repair."

"Let's begin with the first one today."

As Shen Wen'an spoke, he directly activated the primordial tree in his sea of ​​consciousness, injecting a wisp of the purest life force into his body.

Shen Chonghong immediately calmed his mind and guided that wisp of life force into his dantian, slowly nourishing the foundation of his immortal embryo, which had been damaged.

If we compare the foundation of the celestial embryo to the roots of a towering tree.

The "root of the Dao tree" within Shen Chonghong's body is now in a state of semi-rottenness and dryness.

That wisp of life force was like divine rain and sweet dew, slowly nourishing the "root of the Dao Tree" within its body, which was in a state of illness.

Seeing that it would take Shen Chonghong some time to refine this life force, Shen Wen'an did not disturb him.

He quietly got up and left the courtyard, heading towards the clan soldiers' camp in the city.

……

Southern Xinjiang, Yangquan Mountain.

After escaping from Canaan Temple, Shen Chongxu could be considered to have turned misfortune into blessing. Not only did his cultivation reach the perfection of the embryonic breathing stage, but he also unexpectedly gained the recognition of the extraterrestrial demon He Yi.

After spending some time together, Shen Chongxu gradually understood that for the Heavenly Demon Clan, telling others their true name was like a demon cultivator offering up a wisp of their true spirit.

Although one cannot kill another by their true name, as long as one knows the true name of a Heavenly Demon, one can directly summon it to do things for oneself. Unless death is certain, the Heavenly Demon will generally not refuse easily.

In Bai Xuanjiao's dormitory.

Shen Chongxu sat cross-legged on the bed. In front of him was the void. The Heavenly Demon He Yi lay lazily on a gray mist, looking at Shen Chongxu with interest.

"Your method of cultivation is incorrect."

"The essence of demonic cultivation is also to directly point to the origin of the Great Dao, which is no different from the immortal path."

"If you continue cultivating like this, even if you are lucky enough to achieve the Golden Core stage, you will still be doomed."

As if sensing that Shen Chongxu's cultivation direction had gone astray, He Yi twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers and spoke calmly.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongxu slowly stabilized the flow of spiritual energy within his body and opened his eyes to look at He Yi in the void.

Meeting his gaze, He Yi shifted his posture, straightening his body slightly, and asked, "What do you consider a demonic cultivator to be?"

Shen Chongxu frowned and pondered for a long time, opening and closing his mouth a few times, but he seemed unable to come up with a coherent answer.

He Yi chuckled softly.

"Bloodlust?"

"irritable?"

"To pursue power, any means necessary?"

Seeing that Shen Chongxu remained silent, He Yi understood that he must think so.

"These are all superficial appearances, or you could say that the kind of demonic cultivator you perceive is not a true demonic cultivator at all."

"What are real demonic cultivators like?" Shen Chongxu couldn't help but ask upon hearing this.

The demonic cultivators he knew were indeed as He Yi had described: cruel, bizarre, and unpredictable, rapidly increasing their strength through methods such as devouring and plundering.

This is also why he dared not return to the Shen family openly.

He was afraid that his identity as a demonic cultivator would bring negative consequences to his family.

Upon hearing this question, He Yi abandoned her previous languid and charming demeanor, instead puffing out her proud chest and sitting up straight.

The gray mist beneath it slowly writhed and then transformed into an ancient, dark golden throne.

"Demons are also one of the origins of heaven and earth. True demon cultivators are also exploring the essence of all things in heaven and earth, exploring the root of the laws, and pursuing a profound understanding and integration with the origin of 'demons'."

Upon hearing this, a hint of confusion flashed in Shen Chongming's eyes.

Seeing this, He Yi continued, "You might not understand what I mean by that."

"Let me put it another way."

"You should know that the energy between heaven and earth is extremely complex. Immortal cultivators mostly absorb the best of the best, choosing the energy that is most compatible with themselves or the purest and most stable."

"Over time, this cultivation system gradually gave rise to the so-called 'righteous cultivators,' who believed that only those who were like them were righteous cultivators."

He Yi couldn't help but sneer, "Little do they know that in the eyes of true demonic cultivators, such behavior is also considered eccentric, even degrading."

"Demons are not synonymous with good and evil. Ancient demons in ancient times absorbed unfiltered primal power during their daily cultivation."

"This power contains chaos, abyss, all the thoughts of living beings, the filth of heaven and earth, and all sorts of other mixed things."

"The ancient demons called it 'primordial demonic energy'."

Upon hearing this, Shen Chonghong seemed to understand what she meant.

He Yi slowly stood up, her tall figure displaying her graceful curves. With each step she took with her bare jade feet, the gray mist beneath her feet would quickly condense into a stone step.

With her feet firmly planted on the smooth floor of the palace, she swayed her hips as she approached Shen Chongxu, and said with a charming smile, "Primordial demonic energy is the most destructive force in the world, and the closest to the origin of all things."

"But similarly, this power is also very difficult to control. If a demonic cultivator who absorbs this power is not mentally strong, his soul will be easily eroded, and he will eventually fall into its clutches and become a puppet controlled by the power."

"Do you know what those self-proclaimed righteous immortal cultivators are in the eyes of true demonic cultivators?"

Shen Chongxu shook his head slightly and remained silent.

He Yi said with a hint of disdain, "They're nothing but a bunch of cowardly, selfish scoundrels."

Upon hearing this assessment, Shen Chongxu was slightly taken aback, but for a moment he seemed unable to find a suitable excuse to refute it.

If what Ruo Heyi said is true, then the immortal cultivators really do believe it to be so.

If we compare the energy between heaven and earth to a sumptuous feast.

Everyone knows which dishes are good and which are not.

Immortal cultivators are undoubtedly the kind of guests who only pick out the good dishes and wolf them down, while ignoring the bad ones.

Demonic cultivators, on the other hand, devour everything indiscriminately, good or bad, yet they are ultimately labeled as "evil people" by the demons.

"Can you make me a true demonic cultivator?"

After pondering for a moment, Shen Chongxu spoke.

As He Yi said, he now vaguely senses that there is a problem with his cultivation.

The strength rapidly increased by relying on the Dark Furnace is ultimately like "a flower in a mirror, the moon in the water"—superficial, rootless, and difficult to control.

Under such circumstances, if one's cultivation level were to improve further, problems might indeed arise.

The reason He Yi mentioned the Ancient Demon was probably because he wanted to help him.

"You want to walk the true path of demonic cultivation?"

He Yi looked at him with a half-smile, then said, "To tell you the truth, if you want to become a true demonic cultivator, you won't be able to retain much of your strength."

"At that time, my cultivation level will drop drastically, and I may even have to start all over again from the Qi Refining stage."

"Moreover, the path of the Ancient Demon is not easy to walk; you'd better think it through carefully."

Shen Chongxu hesitated for a moment, then nodded solemnly.

Before meeting He Yi, the reason he kept urging Wu Qianrou to find a way to improve her strength as soon as possible was because at that time, the Shen family only had one Golden Core Sword Immortal, Shen Wen'an, the third uncle.

He wanted to improve his strength as soon as possible so that he could share some of the pressure for his third uncle, Shen Wen'an, and the family.

However, the Shen family now possesses three Golden Core warriors, and news from Yangnao Land a while ago said that a group of Golden Core sword immortals suddenly appeared in the Shen family, killing so many Golden Core forces in the Southern Border that they couldn't even raise their heads.

Shen Chongxu felt that he didn't need to be in such a hurry at this point.

He returned to Yunshui City, reconciled with the past, and met his son. Now he wants to live a good life and make more contributions to his family and son.

Seeing his determination, a hint of admiration flashed in He Yi's beautiful eyes, and she then said, "You are a human body, so the cultivation method I practice is obviously not suitable for you."

"However, I do know of an ancient demonic cultivation method called the Primordial Golden Chapter."

"Although this method only has the first three volumes, it is enough to allow you to cultivate to a level comparable to the Nascent Soul stage of immortality."

"Once you achieve the Nascent Soul stage, you can travel to other worlds to seek opportunities and complete the subsequent cultivation techniques on your own."

Shen Chongxu nodded upon hearing this.

If one can cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage, then the Primordial Golden Chapter can be considered a true technique.

"What should I do?"

Meeting his gaze, He Yi's expression was somewhat complicated: "You trust me that much?"

"Aren't you afraid that I'll plot against you and devour you whole, leaving not even a bone behind?"

A smile appeared on Shen Chongxu's face.

"You've had countless opportunities to harm me during this time. If you really intended to do so, why waste your energy?"

Ever since he sacrificed a hundred years of his lifespan to forcibly dispel the [Demon's Descent] secret technique in order to release He Yi, the other party has been residing in his sea of ​​consciousness.

The sea of ​​consciousness is the most vulnerable and fundamental place for a cultivator. If He Yi really wanted to make a move, he could do so at any time.

There's absolutely no need to go to such lengths to design these things and end up harming yourself.

"You……"

He Yi rolled his eyes at him and said, "Alright, alright, since you trust me so much, I'll pay a price to help you this once."

As she spoke, she slowly extended her slender, jade-like finger and touched her brow.

A thin wound instantly appeared on her fair skin.

However, no blood flowed from the wound; instead, a wisp of purplish-black mist emerged.

A resolute glint flashed in He Yi's eyes. He then made a hand seal and quickly set up a huge purple magic circle around himself and Shen Chongxu!

Once the magic circle was formed, the dazzling light it emitted instantly enveloped the two of them.

Just as Shen Chongxu was puzzled, He Yi's slender, jade-like finger suddenly touched his brow.

The next moment, her stunningly beautiful face was pressed against mine.

Shen Chongxu only felt a faint fragrance wafting into his nose, and his forehead was instantly pressed against He Yi's warm and smooth forehead.

Immediately afterwards, streams of obscure and difficult-to-understand information, accompanied by a pure, ancient, and extremely domineering energy, surged into his sea of ​​consciousness!
Immediately, the light emanating from the purple light array around him slowly transformed into purple-gold flames, continuously scorching his body.

A large amount of blood-red mist rose from its body surface, only to be instantly burned to ashes by the purple-gold flames.

His cultivation level gradually declined from the peak of embryonic breathing to the late stage of embryonic breathing, then to the middle stage of embryonic breathing...

Just as Shen Chongxu felt that the crimson immortal embryo in his body was about to be melted by the strange purple-gold flames.

The domineering power that had previously surged into his body suddenly stirred.

The power flowed along the meridians in his body, directly reaching his dantian, quickly replenishing the power lost by his immortal embryo due to the burning.

During this process, although his celestial embryo was slowly shrinking, it always maintained the shape of a celestial embryo and was not completely burned away.

Moreover, the originally bright red celestial embryo was slowly turning into a purplish-gold color under the constant burning of the terrifying flames.

At this moment, Shen Chongxu vaguely understood that He Yi was using his own power to continuously replenish the impurities that had been refined in his body.

"Calm your mind and don't let your thoughts wander."

Whether you can preserve your embryonic breathing realm this time depends on luck.

He Yi's voice rang in his mind, and Shen Chongxu immediately calmed his mind and dared not think wildly.

……

Yunshui City.

Inside the side room of the old house, Shen Chongming and Shen Wen'an sat facing each other.

"I'm here to see my third uncle because there's something I need to discuss with him."

Shen Chongming took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.

Shen Wen'an nodded without saying a word.

Setting down his teacup, Shen Chongming continued in a deep voice, "It's still related to the elixir energy."

Dan Qi?

Shen Wen'an looked thoughtful.

His dantian energy remains unused.

Shen Chongming sighed slightly and said, "This matter has been troubling me for a long time."

“When we only had your wisp of elixir energy at home, Uncle, I never dared to use it lightly.”

"We are afraid that if we use up the pill energy, we will not be able to produce it when we need it at the critical moment, which will delay the development of the family."

"Now my nephew has also reached the Golden Core stage. After combining the elements, a wisp of elixir energy has been generated in his dantian."

"There's no need to worry about that anymore."

Shen Wen'an nodded.

He understood Shen Chongming's thoughts.

As the head of the family, one sometimes has to sacrifice certain things for the benefit and development of the family.

"So, you want to give this wisp of elixir energy to your aunt?"

Shen Chongming nodded.

"If not, when Aunt's lifespan ends, I can still say that I have a clear conscience."

"But now that we have it, if we don't give it to my aunt, I'm afraid I'll live with guilt for the rest of my life."

He paused, then continued, "Even if this elixir energy is given to my aunt, it won't extend her life by much, but as a junior, I can at least have peace of mind."

Having said that, Shen Chongming smiled slightly and shook his head, saying, "This matter might cause criticism from my descendants, who might think that my nephew, a third-generation patriarch, is acting impulsively, giving a wisp of precious elixir energy to a dying person, which is hypocritical and foolish filial piety..."

"But each generation has its own ideas."

"Let them judge for themselves what is right and wrong."

Shen Wen'an nodded.

No one is perfect. He wasn't in Shen Chongming's position, so he didn't think that much about it.

Shen Wenping was his own sister, and if it weren't for the sake of the family, he would have given her the Dan Qi long ago.

The reason it has been delayed is because Shen Chongming has not yet made a decision on this matter.

He also knew that for Shen Chongming, making a decision between family ties and the interests of his family was truly difficult.

"After this matter, my nephew will discuss with the clan head and set a new clan rule."

“I’ll play the bad guy, so that when Xiu Yan and the next head of the family face the same problem in the future, they won’t have to make a difficult choice.”

After Shen Chongming finished speaking, the room fell into a brief silence.

After a while.

"Alright, your third uncle will go to the backyard to find your aunt now. You don't need to worry about this."

Shen Chongming gratefully cupped his hands in a gesture of respect.

Shen Wen'an got up and left the side room, going to the backyard.

At this moment, Shen Wenping was chatting with her mother, Hu Yufen, in the pavilion.

Beside her, the big black dog lay quietly at Hu Yufen's feet, its eyes half-closed in contentment.

Sensing Shen Wen'an's arrival, the big black dog slowly raised its head, looked at him, and then gently nudged Hu Yufen's leg with its head.

Upon seeing this, Hu Yufen turned to look at the courtyard gate.

Shen Wen'an approached with a smile.

"Mother, sister."

Hu Yufen nodded with a smile.

Shen Wenping asked curiously, "What brings you to the backyard today?"

"We don't see you for months at a time."

Shen Wen'an found a stool and sat down in front of the two of them.

"I've come to see my sister today."

Shen Wenping was even more curious upon hearing this: "Did you need something from me?"

She is now a true idler in the Shen family, with nothing to worry about at home and no need for cultivation.

Shen Wen'an nodded and said, "Chongming has broken through to the Golden Core stage, and there is now a wisp of elixir energy in the house..."

"Why bring this up again?"

Upon hearing the words "elixir energy," Shen Wenping immediately frowned slightly and said, "Didn't we already explain this to Father last time?"

Shen Wen'an ignored him and continued, "This is the sentiment of the younger generation."

“Chongming said that if you don’t accept this wisp of elixir energy, he will feel guilty for the rest of his life.”

"For cultivators, this is the inner demon."

"Sister wouldn't want Chongming to spend the rest of her life in self-blame, would she?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenping said with a stern face, "Fine, you and your nephew are trying to intimidate me with these words, aren't you?"

Meeting her slightly reproachful gaze, Shen Wen'an remained silent, but the determination in his eyes indicated that a decision had to be made today.

Seeing the two siblings staring at each other like this, neither willing to give in.

Hu Yufen, who was standing to the side, suddenly smiled and raised her hand.

"okay."

"You two have been like this since you were little."

"He's over a hundred years old now, why does he still like to argue?"

Shen Wen'an slowly withdrew his gaze and was the first to back down.

Hu Yufen glanced at the two of them, then finally looked at Shen Wen'an and said, "Wen'an, tell your mother, were what you just said true?" "Did Chongming really say that?"

Shen Wen'an nodded and said, "Mother should know the difficulties Chongming faces as the head of the family."

"He had just broken through to the Golden Core stage and had just finished dealing with other matters when he went to find his son to mention this matter, which shows that this matter has been weighing on his mind all along."

"If your sister remains stubborn and refuses, do you think he can overcome this hurdle in his heart?"

Hu Yufen nodded upon hearing this, then turned to Shen Wenping and asked, "What do you think?"

Shen Wenping turned to look at her mother.

"Mother, your daughter..."

“My son, tell the truth, there are no outsiders here.”

"Mother wants to know your truest thoughts."

"Do you really not want to spend a few more years with Chongyi and his family, and not want to see Xiaoyunran grow up?"

Shen Wenping fell silent upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Hu Yufen sighed and said, "It's rare to see a child with such filial piety."

“Your father has always said that he doesn’t want anyone in our Shen family to end up as an ‘immortal’ who doesn’t recognize his own family. So, as your mother, you shouldn’t be so stubborn.”

Shen Wenping lowered her head and remained silent.

a long time--

She sighed softly and looked at Shen Wen'an: "I'm already so old, why do you all have to make such a fuss?"

"The essence of the elixir is so precious..."

Before she could finish speaking, Hu Yufen interrupted her with a smile, saying, "That's what I thought back then too."

"But if I hadn't accepted that elixir back then, and if you hadn't wanted to talk to your mother, we would probably only be separated by a cold tombstone."

"Alright, you two siblings have a good chat. I'm going back now."

Standing up, Hu Yufen walked towards the room not far away.

The two people in the pavilion exchanged a glance, and Shen Wen'an said with a hint of pleading, "Sister, there are four of us siblings, and our second brother is no longer here."

"Your father and mother will definitely miss you."

Shen Wenping sighed again, then smiled and said, "Come on, come on."

"I can't go against your wishes either way."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wen'an smiled slightly, then immediately drew the Qi from his dantian and injected it into her body.

After a long while, the strange phenomenon dissipated, and the pain on Shen Wenping's face eased slightly.

She immediately opened her eyes, looked herself over, and asked, "How am I?"

Shen Wen'an shook his head slightly: "It's not the best spiritual root."

The essence of the elixir can randomly grant a person without any spiritual root a spiritual root.

For Shen Wenping, if the only goal is to prolong life, the best spiritual root is naturally the wood spiritual root.

After all, once she obtains the Wood Spirit Root, she can cultivate the "Azure Emperor's Longevity Technique" just like her mother.

However, Shen Wenping obtained an earth-attribute spiritual root at this time.

Among the five elements of spiritual roots, putting aside everything else, just looking at the influence of spiritual roots on lifespan, the earth element is only slightly better than the metal and fire elements.

However, having spiritual roots is better than not having them.

Shen Wenping now possesses spiritual roots. With the current resources of the Shen family, as long as she is willing to cultivate, reaching the Fetal Breathing Realm will not be too difficult.

Anyone with the cultivation level of the Fetal Breathing Realm will have nothing to worry about for the next hundred years.

Upon noticing the gray hair at his sister's temples, Shen Wen'an hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let me help my sister take care of her health a bit more."

As he spoke, he directly drew a wisp of pure life force from the primordial tree in his sea of ​​consciousness and injected it into Shen Wenping's body.

As the rich life force slowly dissolved within her body, Shen Wenping felt her somewhat aged body gradually regaining its vitality.

That youthful feeling is gradually returning.

This comfortable feeling made him smile and sigh, "No wonder everyone wants to live forever."

"For an elderly person who is nearing the end of their life, the feeling of returning to youth is truly irresistible."

Shen Wen'an nodded with a smile.

"All people fear death and yearn for life; this is the instinct of living beings."

"Having experienced a transformation from death to life, my sister must understand the preciousness of life even more."

"There is a technique in our clan called 'Moonlit Pine Mountain Manual' that is suitable for you to cultivate, sister. Go to Blackwater Pavilion to find Father later."

"By the way, I'll have my father give you some pills and spirit crystals."

Shen Wenping nodded.

……

Shen Wen'an left the backyard and found Shen Chongming, telling him about the bestowal of the elixir energy.

Upon hearing this news, Shen Chongming breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Third Uncle."

Shen Wen'an waved his hand.

"This matter is over, and you don't need to feel any burden anymore."

"We can also send someone to Flame Lake City to deliver a letter so that Chongyi can also know this good news."

Shen Chongming nodded repeatedly: "Nephew will make the arrangements right away."

The fact that his mother's lifespan was nearing its end had always been a knot in He Chongyi's heart.

Now that this matter is resolved, it is absolutely fantastic news for him.

Once the knot in your heart is untied, your spiritual practice will be smoother.

……

The Clan Courtyard.

Shen Li, dressed in a moon-white long dress, sat quietly in the back hall, with an old bamboo scroll in front of her.

Beside him, Shen Xiuyan sat upright, holding a thick book and studying it carefully.

The books record cases of clan leaders dealing with illegal and disorderly conduct by subordinate families under their jurisdiction.

Each case includes the clan head's advice, the judgments of previous clan heads, and the effects of the clan head's execution of those judgments.

Shen Chongming had previously established a rule that, from his time onward, every new head of the Shen family would need to have served as the head of the clan before taking office.

As the successor to the next head of the family, Shen Xiuyan would come to the main courtyard of the clan every few days to study with Shen Li for two days.

"aunt."

Staring at a story recorded in the book in his hand, Shen Xiuyan pondered for a moment and then called out.

Shen Li slowly put down the bamboo slip in her hand and looked up at him.

Shen Xiuyan, holding the thick book, came to him, bowed respectfully, then knelt down opposite him and pointed to the contents of the book.

Shen Li glanced at the book and discovered that the case in the book was exactly the one about Shen Xiubai's mother, Liu Yiran, and her brother plotting against Shen Chongxu.

The verdict in this case back then was indeed somewhat ambiguous, and it could even be said that there was almost no punishment.

"Tell me what you think."

Shen Li spoke softly.

Her teaching method was very simple.

The idea was to let Shen Xiuyan look at these cases himself, without first considering the clan head's advice or the family head's final judgment.

Based on his understanding of the clan rules and the circumstances at the time, he made a preliminary judgment on the punishment, and then compared it with the suggestions of the clan head and the punishment of the patriarch.

If the verdict differs significantly from the expected outcome, she will then offer explanations.

The final determination will be made regarding whether the head of the household's ruling was reasonable and whether there are any areas that need improvement.

Shen Xiuyan hesitated for a moment and said, "Now that we are discussing the verdict in this matter, I am not sure what to say."

"After all, Brother Xiu Bai and Aunt are already members of the Shen family."

“But… Uncle and Aunt, and even Great-Grandpa’s decision back then, were all wrong in Xiu Yan’s eyes.”

"My aunt and her brother, as illegitimate children of a subordinate family, plotted against members of the main family. This is a capital offense of insubordination."

"Such a punishment within the clan is insufficient to deter petty thieves, nor can it demonstrate the inviolable authority of the head of the household."

"If imitators escalate their actions in the future, won't my Shen family's bloodline become their support for provoking the main family?"

Shen Li nodded with an appreciative look.

"So, your verdict is..."

A resolute look flashed across Shen Xiuyan's youthful face.

"Anyone who dares to plot against the Shen family will be executed without any excuse."

“In cases of serious offenses, the punishment of relatives and friends may be carried out to prevent future troubles.”

After saying this, he cupped his hands towards Shen Li and asked, "I wonder what Aunt thinks of the judgment against Xiu Yan?"

Shen Li pondered for a moment and said, "Let's put this matter aside for now and discuss it later."

"Tell your aunt, what is the ultimate purpose of the clan head's 'punishment'?"

Shen Xiuyan paused slightly, unsure of how to begin.

Upon seeing this, Shen Li smiled faintly and said, "Auntie believes that the purpose of 'punishment' is to rectify the clan's customs, rather than simply to instill fear through brute force."

“The subordinate families under my rule are ultimately not enemies. If the punishment is too harsh, it will only go too far and backfire.”

“Using harsh punishments to govern a family will inevitably lead to a bad reputation and a name of ‘cruelty’.”

"Those in positions of power must employ both kindness and severity, punishing those who make mistakes, but not punishing them solely for their mistakes."

Do you understand?

Shen Xiuyan nodded after a moment's thought.

"Auntie, are you saying that the methods of managing a household should not be too harsh, and that we shouldn't punish for the sake of punishment?"

Shen Li nodded with a smile.

"Now let's talk about your ruling on this matter."

Shen Xiuyan looked at the book, hesitated for a long time, and then cupped his hands and said, "Xiuyan's answer is still the same as before."

"However, we may need to change our approach."

Upon hearing this, Shen Li paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"You are naturally gifted in literature, so your aunt has no worries about your strategic thinking and wisdom."

"In the future, just pay attention to your style of doing things and don't be too rigid."

"Only by not showing favoritism or severity can one command respect and awe."

Shen Xiuyan respectfully cupped his hands: "I will remember Aunt's teachings."

Shen Li nodded and said, "Let's stop here for today. After you go back, don't come here again for a while."

"Your aunt will be in seclusion for a while. Your Uncle Chongming will handle the affairs of the clan's main courtyard. Just follow him and learn from him."

Shen Xiuyan bowed again in response and left the clan's main courtyard directly.

After its figure disappeared, the golden toad in the corner raised its head and said in a deep voice, "Master, if this little guy inherits the position of patriarch, he will be even more ruthless than the current patriarch."

"I thought he was usually very polite and refined, but I never expected him to be two-faced."

Shen Li chuckled and picked up the ancient bamboo slip, saying, "It's just the way things are."

"Since Xiu Yan was born, my Shen family has been under the oppression of various forces in the Southern Frontier."

"After that, the matter of spirituality appeared, and the Shen family experienced the betrayal of Tian Tan Mountain. They became accustomed to the cruelty of the cultivation world and knew that they were responsible for the future fate of the entire Shen family."

"Having this mindset is not necessarily a bad thing."

The golden toad nodded slightly, then let out a strange laugh: "This little demon is very much looking forward to how much trouble the Shen family's enemies will have when Xiao Xiuyan becomes the head of the family."

Shen Li paused slightly, then smiled gently.

"I'm going into seclusion tomorrow, so don't wander off then."

"If this retreat goes smoothly, I will go out for a trip after I come out."

Upon hearing this, a strange light flashed in Jin Chan's eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions.

……

After the crimson glow of the spirit was taken away, there has been no news of any other spirits manifesting in Yangnao Land for the time being.

All factions in the Southern Frontier suffered considerable losses in the battle at Tianyuan Mountain and need to recuperate and accumulate strength to prepare for the next battle for the Spirit Soul.

More importantly, after witnessing the strength of the Shen family and the Qingluo Sword Pavilion, the major forces are now even more worried that the Shen family will do everything in their power to eliminate them.

Under these circumstances, the entire Yangnao region was unusually quiet for a while.

The leaves on the trees in the mountains turn green and then yellow, then yellow and then green again.

A heavy snowfall blanketed the entire Yunshui City and the surrounding hundreds of miles, transforming the landscape into a pristine white wonderland.

Another year of ancestral rites has passed.

In the blink of an eye, two years have passed since the Battle of Tianyuan Mountain.

The two years of peace brought considerable prosperity to the Shen family.

First, Shen Xiuzhuo, the eldest son of the fourth generation of the Shen family, married Xu Qingzhi, a disciple of Luoxia Mountain.

After his immortal embryonic foundation was repaired, Shen Chonghong, whether due to the excessive vitality within his body or something else, actually had another son with Xiao Hongxiu, named Shen Xiusi.

On the south side of Blackwater City, in the small courtyard where Shen You and Xu Zhan lived.

Since the great battle at Tianyuan Mountain, Xu Zhan has been in seclusion, studying the matter of the flawless golden body.

He knew that without cultivating a flawless golden body, every time he appeared, he would be like a walking human medicine, attracting many greedy eyes.

However, neither the classic texts treasured by the Shen family nor the "Nine Fiends Body-Gathering Technique" that he mainly cultivated contained any cultivation method for the "Flawless Golden Body".

It has been three years since he swallowed the golden core of the Tiger Demon King.

The Golden Core is the essence condensed from a cultivator's entire cultivation.

The Yin Tiger Demon King was in the middle stage of the Golden Core realm before his death. After Xu Zhan completely refined his Golden Core, his realm also increased from the early stage of the Fifth Realm to the middle stage of the Fifth Realm.

Over the course of three years, he had already refined all the power of that golden core into his own flesh and blood.

Now, only one immortal golden essence remains, locked within his body by his blood and qi, and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Having been in seclusion for several months, Xu Zhan struggled to refine his golden nature and cultivate a flawless golden body. Feeling somewhat agitated, he realized that it was clearly not advisable to continue his arduous cultivation under these circumstances, so he emerged from his secluded chamber.

In the courtyard, the sonic booms from punches and kicks continued incessantly.

Following the sound, Xu Zhan arrived at the martial arts training ground in the courtyard, where he saw a seven or eight-year-old child practicing boxing shirtless.

In the dead of winter, the little guy's sweat evaporated into a large amount of water vapor.

"Jingzhe."

After watching from outside the training ground for a while, Xu Zhan called out with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jingzhe immediately stopped his punch, exhaled a breath of stale air, and ran to him in a flash.

"Father, you've emerged from seclusion?"

Xu Zhan nodded: "Where's your mother?"

Xu Jingzhe looked around and shook his head slightly, saying, "I don't know, he should have gone to the old house by now."

"Father, have you achieved that flawless golden body?"

Changing the subject, Xu Jingzhe looked at him expectantly.

Ever since they learned that the fifth realm of body cultivation requires the cultivation of the flawless golden body, all the body cultivators under the Shen family have been hoping that Xu Zhan could find a way to cultivate the flawless golden body as soon as possible.

Xu Zhan shook his head slightly and sighed:
"It has been more than four years since I broke through to the fifth realm, and I have known about the 'Flawless Golden Body' for more than three years now."

"After more than three years of painstaking research, we still haven't found a single clue."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jingzhe's sweat-covered face showed a hint of disappointment, but he quickly suppressed it and grinned, saying, "Father, don't be discouraged. You are the number one body cultivator in the Shen family, even more powerful than Grandpa."

"I believe you can do it!"

Hearing his son's words, Xu Zhan chuckled and ruffled his hair, saying, "You brat, don't flatter your old man like that."

Xu Jingzhe looked up at him seriously and said, "What my son said is true."

"Father is just too impatient, going into seclusion again and again. This won't do."

Xu Zhan nodded.

He realized this as well, and that he seemed to have fallen into a dead end.

We need to change our approach.

"Alright, you can continue your cultivation on your own. I'm going out for a stroll."

Patting his son on the shoulder, Xu Zhan left the courtyard with his hands behind his back and wandered aimlessly through Yunshui City.

Along the way, many of the Shen family's soldiers and cultivators in the city would respectfully call him "Lord Xu" when they saw him.

Xu Zhan nodded in response, and before he knew it, he had arrived at the south gate of Yunshui City.

"Lord Xu, are you leaving the city?"

When the soldiers guarding the city saw him, they bowed and spoke.

Out of town?

Xu Zhan looked up at the city gate, wondering how he had ended up there.

Well, since we're here, let's go out and have a look.

"I'll go out and see."

He spoke slowly, and the cultivator in front of him immediately waved his hand to activate the formation.

"My lord, would you like me to bring some men to accompany you?"

A burly man dressed in standard armor, carrying a bronze hammer, spoke in a deep voice.

Xu Zhan shook his head slightly: "No need to trouble yourself, I'll just wander around outside the city."

After leaving Yunshui City, Xu Zhan trudged through the thick snow and soon arrived at the Laishui River.

The surging river water prevents it from freezing even in the coldest days of winter.

Xu Zhan stood with his hands behind his back on a boulder by the river, gazing at the rushing water before him, lost in thought.

After a long while, he cupped his hands towards the great river in front of him and murmured in a deep voice, "I rose to prominence under your guidance and received your favor, but now I have encountered a problem..."

Could you please offer some guidance?

He still doesn't know what's in this ancient city at the bottom of the river.

According to the underworld figure I met last time, the "Nine Fiends Body Gathering Technique" he cultivates is very likely created by a powerful figure who betrayed the underworld years ago.

Xu Zhan guessed that this ancient city at the bottom of the river was very likely related to that powerful being.

But he didn't know whether that powerful being was still alive.

After the murmur, a faint aura of qi and blood slowly rose from his body, forming a thick protective shield around him.

With a slight crouch, Xu Zhan immediately leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of blood-red light and rushing directly towards the center of the river!
Pfft!
Its body fell into the icy river water and then sank to the deep riverbed.

The deeper he went, the weaker the light became. Eventually, Xu Zhan lost track of how long he had been submerged, and it was pitch black all around him.

Cold, desolate, and without a sound.

Xu Zhan felt as if he had fallen into an endless abyss, unable to distinguish up from down, left from right.

The protective barrier of blood and qi on the body surface was completely unable to withstand the biting cold surrounding them.

Even the powerful physique of the fifth level of physical cultivation was slowly frozen by the cold air surging in from all directions.

At this moment, Xu Zhan panicked.

He tried to struggle and leave, but the terrifying water pressure around him held him firmly in place.

His stiff body gradually lost sensation and he could no longer move.

Xu Zhan could only desperately feel the life force in his flesh being gradually extinguished.

He didn't tell anyone he was coming to Laishui River when he came out. Now that he's trapped here, it's likely that even his body will be hard to find after he dies...

(End of this chapter)