I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 221 A Stormy Night (Silver Sprout 10)
Wang Baxian's voice trembled as he muttered, "No... the Berserker's blade aura hasn't been fully unleashed yet..."

He saw it most clearly.

The Berserker's attack wasn't due to insufficient power, but rather because its momentum was abruptly interrupted by an even stronger force.

If the Berserker Blade can split a mountain, then Xue Xiang's fist is like smashing an entire mountain down.

At this moment, the aftershocks of the punch still lingered in the air, and even the grass in the distance was still trembling.

Wang Baxian's gaze lingered on Xue Xiang's fist for a moment, growing increasingly uneasy as he looked at it.

That punch seemed to be beyond human power.

This guess turned out to be true.

Xue Xiang slowly lowered his right hand, the skin on the back of his fist was torn open, and blood flowed down his palm and fingers.

With a thought, he stored something into the talisman.

That is the Yingtian Stone.

The ancient treasure given by Xue Antai can increase in weight with the blessing of his mind, and at its heaviest, it can weigh as much as a mountain.

Xue Xiang has recently been using this item to hone his strength.

Although his un-demonized body could not withstand the extreme power of the Yingtian Stone.

However, it can still withstand 50% of its maximum power.

While he was luring the berserker into a fight, he had already quietly taken the Yingtian Stone into his hand.

The Berserker's blade can indeed split mountains.

But in Xue Xiang's palm, he truly held half a mountain.

Before the knife reached its full extent, the fist had already formed a mountain.

What other outcome could there be?

The madman was caught off guard, thinking he could break through with his sword's momentum and fight head-on. But even the strongest sword momentum takes time to unleash its power.

At the moment the fist made contact with the knife, he was not facing the edge of the fist, but half a moving mountain.

At that moment, he wasn't defeated, but shattered.

Xue Xiang swallowed a Phoenix Five Pill and quietly regulated his breathing.

"Everyone,"

Wang Baxian's shout shattered the silence: "The White Bone Locking Heaven Formation is activated; for the time being, no one can escape."

You think Xue will stop after killing only the Berserker? Wrong.

"If he dared to wipe out the four great families in Canaan, he's not afraid to finish us off here."

He pointed at Xue Xiang, his voice suddenly rising, "You've seen it, the strength of his physical body is simply beyond the limit."

This strange and uncanny ability is just as eerie as his boundless poetic talent.

I dare say that the secret to unlocking all of this must be hidden within his magic talisman.

I, Wang Baxian, swear to Heaven that as long as we join forces to kill the traitor Xue, the secret within this traitor's talisman will be shared with you all.

To hell with the big shots, this time I'm fighting only for myself.

Upon hearing this, the entire audience fell into a deathly silence, followed by a thunderous roar of cheers.

Fear has transformed into greed. If they could obtain Xue Xiang's opportunity and reverse their lives, everyone would be willing to risk their lives.

Just then, a deafening shout drew everyone's attention.

Everyone turned around and saw Kuang Beiming kneeling on the ground, with blood-red light surging above his head and spiritual energy running wild.

The next moment, a piece of golden bone slowly rose from the top of his head.

The golden bone was no more than a foot long, shimmering with light, its patterns flashing like scriptures, ancient and sacred.

Even the air vibrated, and spiritual energy condensed into ripples.

"That's... a sacred bone!"

Someone gasped in surprise.

"Legend has it that after the Ancestral Witch died, her bones were used to suppress the heart. Whoever obtains her bones can borrow a wisp of the Ancestral Witch's power to reverse the heavens and earth!"

"It is said that each piece of sacred bone carries the great power of the Ancestral Witch, can communicate with the will of Heaven, and can be used to study the secret arts of the Ancestral Witch!"

Everyone stared in astonishment.

Kuang Beiming roared to the sky, his voice shattering mountains and seas, "The hatred for killing my brother is irreconcilable!"

"You traitor Xue, I'll make sure you die...without...a...burial...place."

In an instant, the holy bone shone brightly, golden light cascading down like a waterfall, and he was completely engulfed by that light.

Immediately, his muscles and bones swelled, his skin cracked, his blood mist turned into gas, and his body began to mutate.

A few breaths later, the golden light turned into blazing flames, and a giant shadow, half human and half bone, two zhang tall, rose from his body.

The demonic body manifested from the devoured holy bone of Kuang Beiming was covered in jagged bones, with golden patterns running through it, and two balls of golden fire burning in its eye sockets.

Everyone was stunned.

"Brother Beiming is so strong."

Wang Baxian shouted sternly, "Gentlemen, you all have your trump cards up your sleeves. If you don't use them now, when will you?"

As soon as the shout fell, a golden light shone through his clothes from his lower abdomen, as if flames were burning beneath his skin.

"The appearance of burning elixir!"

someone exclaimed.

In an instant, Wang Baxian's aura surged to its peak, his skin turned golden, and his bones glowed.

The next instant, a golden-armored divine figure appeared behind him, clad in black gold armor, wearing a dragon-shaped crown, and standing on a fire lotus.

"Immortal King's Overlord Body Technique!"

someone exclaimed.

That is the Wang family's oldest secret divine skill, which can only be used by those with the purest bloodline. It involves burning one's body with a golden core to gain a moment of invincibility!
Wang Baxian had transformed into a golden god, his muscles bulging like mountains, and golden flames rolling in his brows.

"Xue Xiang, do you think you can be invincible just by relying on your physical body?"
Today, I offer the blood of the royal family to your remnant soul!

Almost simultaneously, several other people ignited their Core Formation and activated their secret techniques.

In an instant, spiritual energy surged across the battlefield, filling it with murderous intent.

The archer was the first to act.

They formed a battle formation at the rear, with more than a dozen bowstrings drawn taut at the same time, red talismans flashing and spiritual energy exploding.

"Buzz!"

Arrows rained down like shooting stars, runes intertwined to form a curtain of light, heading straight for Xue Xiang.

Then, all the powerful figures began to move, and the clash of swords and the intertwining of spiritual talisman formations created a frenzy.

The heavens and earth were illuminated by spiritual light, and the protective walls of the White Bone Locking Heaven Array were reflected in a crimson glow.

Xue Xiang stood quietly at a distance, popped a black bean into his mouth, and his brow lit up, emanating a scholarly aura.

"wall!"

As soon as he finished speaking, spiritual patterns appeared on the ground, a dark pillar of light shot into the sky, and hundreds of strokes of light intertwined to form a wall.

That was a barrier he had created with his literary talent, like a mountain of inkstones.

Talismanic arrows, spirit blades, and thunder talismans rained down, but all were blocked by the wall of literary energy.

With a loud crash, the wall collapsed.

In an instant, it transformed into an even thicker shield under the "shield" character pointed out by Xue Xiang.

He is now completely different from before. The Literary Tree has nurtured and grown him, and he can unleash the full power of the third level of the Word Realm.

Although one cannot recite poems, one's literary talent is still expressed through words.

"Come die!"

Kuang Beiming roared angrily, pointed with two fingers, and a beam of red light shot out, hitting the shield squarely.

With a deafening roar, the shield shattered instantly.

He transformed into a demonic form, his aura overwhelming, and roared in a deep voice, "You all just charge! I will break through Xue's literary aura manifestation alone."

Upon hearing this, the powerful figures, as if injected with adrenaline, charged towards Xue Xiang with ferocity.

"So what if you can swallow a bone and transform? You even pretended to be one. It's just a transformation, anyone can do that!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura suddenly became wild and unrestrained.

Black mist surged from his body, his skin quickly turned bluish, and his veins twisted like dragons and snakes.

His fingernails grew longer, his pupils turned into vertical lines, and a bluish-black aura surrounded his entire body.

His back exploded with fine bony spikes, and flesh rolled up.

As his heart pounded loudly, Xue Xiang seemed to transform into a demonic being.

With a blue face and fangs, its aura was violent, and demonic markings spread from its neck to its arms.

Beneath every inch of skin, a shimmering light of spiritual energy surged.

"This, this, this is transformation?"

"So he wasn't human, he was a demon!"

"His true form is a demon!"

Everyone hurriedly retreated, their eyes filled with horror.

"Bullshit demon!"

Wang Baxian said sternly, "He swallowed the morning and evening dew to strengthen his qi and blood."

This thief has run out of tricks; there's no need to worry.

Even if it were to transform into a demonic form using the morning and evening dew, it would be nothing more than a facade.

The powerful warriors suddenly realized what was happening and launched another attack.

The crowd surged forward, but strangely, Xue Xiang not only didn't dodge, but charged back at them.

The speed of their movements was as fast as a gust of wind.

The first few Core Formation experts who rushed forward had no time to dodge and were sent flying by his palm.

"Crack!"

The sound of bones cracking can be clearly heard.

Xue Xiang reached out, grabbed one of them, and with a snap of his fingers, tore him in two.

Blood splattered, and a foul stench filled the air.

The others tried to escape, but he struck them repeatedly, sending flesh and blood flying wherever his fists landed.

In just a few breaths, the dozen or so cultivators in the front row had become a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"No, isn't it all show and no substance? You, surnamed Wang, are you trying to kill me!"

"This, how is this possible..."

"How can someone with such a massive size have such speed? Just how terrifying must his strength be?"

"........."

Amid exclamations of surprise, everyone scattered in panic.

Kuang Beiming and Wang Baxian exchanged a glance, knowing they couldn't wait any longer, or the situation would be beyond repair.

Kuang Beiming roared as he rose up, his holy bone demonic body rumbling with each step.

Wang Baxian's golden-armored war god also swept across with his sword.

Golden light and bone flames slashed down simultaneously, and the huge shockwave sent Xue Xiang's demonic body flying.

He tumbled twice in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, sending mud and rocks flying.

The crowd shouted in unison, their momentum shaking the heavens.

Wang Baxian and Kuang Beiming were also extremely excited and rushed forward together, unleashing another barrage of attacks.

The fighting left only billowing smoke and dust, and the earth cracking.

Suddenly, Xue Xiang's enormous demonic body vanished from the billowing dust.

When Wang Baxian and Kuang Beiming looked again, Xue Xiang's enormous demonic body had already appeared in the southwest direction.

A cold smile appeared on his blue-faced, fanged face. "Is that all you two are capable of?"

He stretched his neck, and his bones cracked.

Kuang Beiming and Wang Baxian looked at each other in horror, realizing they had already gone all out.

It has also been confirmed that many of the attacks were fatal and all hit their targets.

How could the monster's defenses be so exaggerated?

"If you two are so useless, then there's no point in having fun."

Before Xue Xiang could finish speaking, he suddenly sprang to his feet.

It moves as fast as thunder.

The wind howled, tearing the air into white lines.

"How can it be!"

"That enormous demonic body couldn't possibly be this fast!"

Everyone was horrified.

Xue Xiang's speed was so fast that it was difficult to see with the naked eye; his demonic body was obviously clumsy, yet he was as light as a shadow.

He was the first to pounce on Kuang Beiming.

The Yingtian Stone was already in his grasp.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the weight on the Yingtian Stone suddenly increased.

In an instant, the weight of that punch was like a mountain collapsing.

"boom--!"

Before Kuang Beiming could dodge, his sternum collapsed on the spot, and his entire demonic body exploded instantly.

The sacred bone shattered in the golden light, turning into fine golden dust that drifted away.

silence.

Deathly silence!

Wang Baxian stood frozen in place, the golden-armored divine figure shimmering with light.

He trembled violently and fell to his knees.

Xue Xiang bypassed him and pounced on the others.

The other cultivators scattered in panic, only to find that the array walls were sealed off, making escape impossible.

Someone gritted their teeth and cursed, "Which bastard activated this damned White Bone Locking Heaven Formation! It's ruined my life!"

Before the angry curses had even faded, he had already turned into a bloody mist.

Xue Xiang lunged forward with the speed of lightning, his fists striking down simultaneously.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

With each punch, a person exploded into a bloody mist.

He swatted them down one by one, as easily as swatting mosquitoes.

In an instant, the world fell silent, leaving only one person alive—Wang Baxian.

His face was streaked with tears, and he knelt on the ground, pleading, "Spare...spare my life..."

Xue Xiang stepped forward slowly, his blue face and fangs revealing a smile, but the smile was more eerie than a cry.

"Misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding, Brother Xue. I have no intention of being your enemy. Really, we have no past grudges or recent feuds. Why make this happen? Strictly speaking, we are classmates..."

Wang Baxian's brilliance and wisdom ignited at this moment: "I am willing to testify for Lord Liu's death. It was Kuang Beiming, no, it was Kuang Zhan. He went mad and killed Lord Liu."

Xue Xiang walked towards him without stopping.

Wang Baxian continued his cajoling, "Brother Xue, my Wang family has deep roots and far-reaching influence in the capital. If you're willing to let me off the hook, I'll immediately send a message to the capital and mobilize my connections to clear your name of the Qintian Palace's suspicions..."

He spoke faster and faster, his voice even sounding like he was about to cry.

Finally, Xue Xiang stopped and stood in front of Wang Baxian, looking down at him.

A black, demonic aura swirled around him, and all was silent; even the wind had stopped. "I don't trust scions of noble families."

He reached out his hands and gently covered Wang Baxian's head.

Before the words were finished, a crisp "snap" was heard.

Wang Baxian's neck was snapped, his eyes wide open, his expression frozen between fear and pleading.

His body slowly went limp, his head drooped to one side, the golden light dissipated, and blood flowed to the ground.

Xue Xiang shook the blood off his fingertips, his face expressionless.

With a wave of his hand, he absorbed countless storage treasures, and with a flick of his wrist, the restrictions on each of these treasures were broken.

Xue Xiang didn't bother to examine the details; he poured everything out, gathered it all together, and stored it in the talisman.

At the same time, spiritual energy surged and began to clear the battlefield.

Everything that did not belong to this world, including corpses and severed limbs, was gathered up by him.

Immediately afterwards, two fireball talismans were unleashed, and everything vanished into nothingness in the flames.

Suddenly, a burst of spiritual light erupted, and the spiritual array vanished instantly.

Xue Xiang continued to unleash his literary and spiritual energy, and in an instant, only a flat piece of land remained.

He then moved a lawn from a distance and covered it with it.

In the blink of an eye, a bloody battleground was transformed into a grassy field, with only a faint smell of blood remaining to testify to the brutality of the battles that had taken place here.

A north wind blows, and before long, not even the smell of blood will remain here.

Xue Xiang put on the cloak given to him by Xiong Jinzun, covering his domineering and demonic body.

Immediately, he cut open his fingertip, and blood flowed out.

Xue Xiang made a seal with his fingers, and blood swirled in the air.

Each drop of blood transformed into a talisman, tracing an arc in mid-air.

The runes intertwine and overlap, transforming into complex array patterns.

"Gather."

He gave a low shout.

The blood suddenly solidified, the array patterns lit up with a scarlet light, and a cloud of blood mist rose from the center, rotating like an eye.

A few breaths later, the core of the formation trembled slightly, and a gravitational force pulled at the blood vessels.

The direction in which the blood mist flowed steadily pointed southeast.

Xue Xiang looked up, his expression softening.

It turned out that he was using the Blood Pact Traction Technique.

The little baby hatched by absorbing the blood in his body.

Although they had not signed a blood pact, they were already connected by blood.

His blood can sense the location of the little one, and the little one can also sense his presence.

That connection was stronger than a blood pact.

At that moment, he activated his secret technique and instantly locked onto the direction of the little cutie.

…………

The night was as dark as ink, and in the east of the capital, the lights of the Prince's Mansion were still burning.

This mansion covers an area of ​​three miles, with many palaces and towering eaves.

The Wang family crest, depicting a golden unicorn holding the sun, can be seen outside the wall, a testament to their former glory.

At this moment, in the most solemn ancestral hall, a crisp sound shattered the night.

"Master! The Second Young Master's life tablet... is broken!"

It was a gold-patterned jade tablet that had been hanging on the altar, still connected to the soul's essence. Now it had turned to dust, its spiritual light extinguished.

Wang Hongyue, the head of the Wang family, suddenly stood up, his brocade robes fluttering. In that instant, all the guards in the golden hall knelt down.

He raised his hand and grabbed it, turning even the table into dust.

"Even this foolproof plan can have a flaw, that damned Xue thief!"

Wang Hongyue's hand trembled slightly, his knuckles cracking, his eyes bloodshot. "Prepare the carriage, we're going to the Imperial Palace!"

…………

The Qintian Hall stands atop Xingyue Mountain at the northern end of the capital.

As night fell, countless stars cascaded down, resembling an inverted Milky Way.

Twelve star-shaped iron dragon pillars stand tall in front of the hall, their surfaces covered with ancient seal script and star-shaped characters, their light shimmering endlessly.

The royal palanquin broke through the clouds and arrived, with a golden-feathered unicorn carrying it to a stop in front of the star stone.

Wang Hongyue, his robes fluttering and his steps heavy, had just entered the square in front of the palace when he suddenly saw two figures standing under the star formation.

One white and one green.

The man in white, with an aura as restrained as a scholar, was none other than Liu Fengchi, a great master of the Tongjiang School.

The one in blue, with eyes like cold stars and a whisk hanging in his hand, is none other than Feng Yu, a steward of the Holy Temple.

The two stood with their backs to the star map, their figures seemingly floating and sinking, starlight flowing around them, as if even the constellations were subtly altered by their presence.

Wang Hongyue paused, feeling extremely frustrated.

Although he held a high position, neither of the two people in front of him were people he could afford to offend.

Liu Fengchi not only represents the Tongjiang School, but he was also a Hanlin Academician fifty years ago, holding a prestigious position and being one of the most prominent figures in the world of classical studies.

Confucianism, poetry and lyrics are only the surface; its foundation lies in classical studies and literature.

As for Mr. Fengyu, he is the representative of the Holy Temple. The Holy Temple has not been open to the public for many years, and only Mr. Fengyu represents the Holy Temple.

Although Wang Hongyue has a certain status, he is no match for these two.

Despite his rage, he had no choice but to bow and greet the two gentlemen, saying, "Wang Hongyue greets you both."

Liu Fengchi turned around and stared at Wang Hongyue, who trembled violently.

Mr. Feng Yu lowered his eyes slightly, trying to help him out of the predicament, and said calmly, "Go."

Cold sweat rolled down Wang Hongyue's forehead. He took three steps back and dejectedly withdrew from the front of the Qintian Hall.

The starlight was serene.

After a while, a steward of the Qintian Palace slowly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Reporting to the two gentlemen, my master is currently in seclusion studying the stars, and the Zhou Tian Grand Array is locked down, so I cannot open it at all."

Mr. Fengyu stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the starry sky, and said in a clear voice, "Huang Zunyi, you are only half a step away from stepping onto the path of the sage. Why do you make such a mistake for yourself?"

Liu Fengchi let out a cold laugh as a gust of wind rose from his sleeve. "Fine, even if this score is brought to the Wenyuan Pavilion, I will get to the bottom of it."

Inside the main hall of the Qintian Palace, the starlight was dim.

Deep within the palace, the floor, covered with stardust, shimmered with a faint light, and billions of stars flowed across the dome, like a reflection of the Milky Way.

Huang Zunyi sat cross-legged on the central celestial platform, wearing a silver-patterned Taoist robe, his face half hidden in starlight and half buried in shadow.

He lightly pinched his fingertips, and a jade seal spun in the air.

Through the light screen that appeared in the array, he could clearly see two figures outside the hall—Liu Fengchi and Feng Yu.

The two drifted away, their robes fluttering against the stars, until they were far, far away.

Huang Zunyi snorted coldly, a chilling smile playing on his lips. "Whether it's the Holy Temple or Tongjiang, they're nothing but self-proclaimed orthodox remnants. In chaotic times, new laws are needed, and old learning will eventually perish."

A flash of starlight, and he looked up. Shadows and light intertwined on his face, half of him serene and jade-like, half of him sinister and ghostly.

Suddenly, the bronze crane on the right side of the astronomical observatory emitted a deep, resonant cry.

That is the Star-Speaking Bronze Crane of the Imperial Observatory, refined from ten-thousand-year-old bronze, capable of transmitting messages over thousands of miles.

Light surged within the bronze crane's beak, and Huang Zunyi raised his hand, causing the array patterns to illuminate.

The spiritual energy within the hall surged, and after a moment, a deep voice emanated from the bronze crane—

"The situation is out of control."

The backlash within the Wenyuan Pavilion was strong, and almost all available resources were constrained.

The Imperial Observatory is the only independent system. You must gather all available resources as soon as possible to apprehend that person and bring the case to justice. After all, simply saying he is the reincarnation of an evil spirit lacks persuasiveness.

The voice in the bronze crane paused for a moment, then continued, "According to what I know, this person also has dealings with the Great Zhou. The recent ceremony held by the Great Zhou to welcome back the remains of Zhongwu is behind this person."

If this person were to escape abroad, the consequences would be unimaginable.

If this escalates into a transnational scandal, even I will be powerless to reverse it.

Huang Zunyi slowly stood up, his silhouette stretched long by the starry sky. "In that case, I will take action myself."

The voice from the bronze crane hummed in agreement and continued, "Wherever you go, if you need the assistance of a local family, you can use my calling card."

"I've calculated it; as long as this scoundrel isn't eliminated, the country will never have peace."

The bronze crane closed its beak, and the spiritual light vanished abruptly.

Huang Zunyi gazed at the rotating constellations on the roof of the palace.

A moment later, he pointed, and the star array spun in response, with thousands of stars rolling back to form a huge celestial map.

"Xue Xiang, let's see where you can run to..."

…………

In the wilderness, at midnight, the north wind howled.

An ancient array plate slowly rotated in mid-air, emitting a dim, warm light that projected onto the ground, forming a circle about ten feet in diameter.

Inside the circle, Xue's mother, Xue Wan, and Xue Shi were all fast asleep, their faces serene.

They certainly didn't have such a strong heart to remain calm and composed while on the run.

However, since he was tricked and remained unconscious the whole way, there's no need to worry.

However, something inside Xue Shi's sleeve was trembling slightly. If the camera zoomed in, one could see that the little cutie was hiding her head, her round little bottom facing out, and she was shaking violently.

If it could speak, it would strongly assert that it most wanted to lose consciousness at this moment.

Inside the protective formation, Fan Youyi and Xun Sizhou stood guard beside the Xue family members.

Xun Sizhou is a staunch supporter of Xue Xiang, and they are inseparable.

Although Fan Youyi is still young, he has already gained a lot of experience and remains calm in the face of change.

The two built a campfire inside the camp and sat facing each other to keep warm.

The campfires outside the formation were much larger than those inside.

Cheng Bei and Wen Shan sat side by side, roasting dry bread, both looking tired.

The two of them were Core Formation cultivators who had been captured by Xue Xiang and had life-and-death talismans implanted in them.

At first, the two of them were somewhat reluctant to protect the Xue family.

But as time went on, Xue Xiang always treated him with courtesy and never missed giving him the benefits he was entitled to.

The Xue family members were all kind and gentle people, and gradually, their passive protection began to have some genuine sincerity.

At this moment, the Xue family is in danger, and the two of them have truly done their best.

If it weren't for these two people, the Xue family wouldn't have survived until Xue Antai arrived.

At this moment, Xue Antai was sitting opposite the bonfire, drinking a pot of strong, spicy liquor.

He wore a white robe, his hair was completely white, and when the wind blew, his clothes clung to his body, revealing his thin frame.

  Several bloodstains on his shoulder had long since dried into black scabs, and his resolute expression showed signs of fatigue.

Cheng Bei and Wen Shan would steal glances at Xue Antai from time to time, their hearts filled with awe.

Several times, when the two thought they had reached a dead end and there was no way out, the old man in white robes would make a move, wielding his brush to form arrays and striking with his finger to sever souls.

Core Formation cultivators were nothing but weeds in his hands, and he even managed to tear apart a Nascent Soul expert.

If it weren't for the old man keeping things under control, the two of them would probably have already broken down psychologically.

The fire was dying down, and the wind, carrying sand and gravel, swept across the ground.

Cheng Bei reached out and put the dry firewood into the campfire. He looked up, hesitated for a moment, and asked Xue Antai in a low voice, "Senior, should we head north?"

To the north are high mountains, the roads are treacherous, and few people venture there. If we can get in, perhaps we can escape."

Xue Antai did not answer immediately. He stirred the fire, and sparks flew and landed on his white robe, extinguishing it in an instant.

He shook his head and said, "We've been watched for a long time. It doesn't matter which path we take. They'll keep chasing us until we terrify them."

The campfire flickered.

Wenshan's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't try to persuade him any further. He just said in a low voice, "I wonder how things are going on the young master's side."

Xue Antai did not answer, his eyes filled with worry.

To be fair, he had no feelings for Xue Xiang.

In terms of blood relation, he and Xue Xiang are almost five degrees apart.

There are at least five hundred, if not a thousand, of similar younger members of the Xue family.

This is because Xue Xiang was exceptionally outstanding, a true genius.

After Xue Antai's cultivation level dropped from the Divine Transformation Realm, he no longer hoped to continue climbing and moving forward on the path of cultivation.

All his attention was focused on the future glory of the entire family.

In his view, if no exceptionally talented individual emerges from the younger generation of the family, the Xue family will inevitably decline amidst its flourishing prosperity.

He had been waiting for such a brilliant and talented person, but unexpectedly, he didn't find him within the Xue family, but instead found him outside of it.

He met Xue Xiang and observed his knowledge and character on site.

By this point, he had come to regard Xue Xiang as the hope for the rise of the Xue family in Jiangzuo.

As for the relationship between Xue Xiang and the Xue family of Jiangzuo, it was not within his consideration.

He had no desires left, and even if he were to perish, he would have no fear, as long as Xue Xiang could safely overcome his tribulation.

"My elder brother must have escaped."

Fan Youyi, who was inside the protective formation, suddenly interrupted.

Everyone looked at him.

Fan Youyi said, "The number of people attacking in the evening was significantly larger than in the afternoon, and it was clear that they came from several directions."

If my elder brother is still in their hands, those who come looking for us will only be his enemies, wanting to kill us to vent their anger.

This group won't be too large.

But now, the number of people coming has suddenly increased, which can only mean that it's not just people who want to kill us who have come.

Those who wanted to arrest us and blackmail my elder brother have also arrived.

"Ha ha……"

Xue Antai laughed loudly, "If that's really the case, then all my hard work hasn't been in vain."

Xue Antai finished a pot of wine, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Time passed slowly, and before we knew it, the west wind grew stronger, and the crescent moon appeared.

Cheng Bei swallowed a piece of toasted bread, when he suddenly heard a low "hum" from the ground and felt a slight tremor under his feet, as if insects or snakes were wriggling in the soil.

He immediately put down the steamed bun, put two fingers together, and a green light flashed out from between his fingers.

The spiritual energy flowed into the earth's veins, transforming into thousands of fine threads that drilled downwards.

Wenshan also stood up, flipped his right palm, and a talisman with earth patterns appeared in his palm.

He slammed his hand on the ground, and the talismanic light scattered in all directions. The shockwaves, like a stone hammer striking a drum, rippled out from the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the ground cracked open as if a drumhead had been punctured, releasing a mixture of heat and a fishy smell.

"laugh--"

The first spurt of blood gushed from the crack, carrying the smell of rust.

"It's an earth-walking beast!"

Cheng Bei exclaimed in surprise and continued to exert force.

"The scouts have learned that the enemy has already attacked."

Wenshan did not hesitate.

Xue Antai raised his hand, signaling Cheng Bei and Wen Shan to retreat into the protective formation.

(End of this chapter)