I've already reached the Nascent Soul stage, and you're saying I didn't time travel?

Chapter 150 The Truth Revealed!

key!

Those were two keys.

One is bronze, the other is brass.

But it's not a simple key; it's a refined key, and in a sense, it can be considered a special spiritual object.

Qi Xuan carefully examined the two keys.

The fact that these two keys could be carried by a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator suggests that they must be quite important, perhaps even essential for unlocking certain secret locations or important items within the clan.

I have no idea what it's used for.

Looking back, I saw all the keyholes and poked them.

Qi Xuan didn't waste any more time. Standing at the highest point, he looked around and had a clear view of the Zhang family's architectural structure and facility layout.

Many places bear the marks of the killings, but others appear quite deserted.

After observing for a while, he found three places that looked rather special and decided to go and check them out in order.

He immediately leaped off the roof and rushed to the nearest spot.

Seeing Qi Xuan land in a courtyard that had been severely damaged, netizens became quite interested:

"This place feels a bit unsettling."

"It's not just not peaceful, a major battle has clearly taken place."

"Indeed, judging from the signs of battle, this is much more exaggerated than the previous training ground and courtyard."

"There must have been many traps laid on the ground, including those collapsed pillars and beams, which should have been attack facilities before they were destroyed."

"What exactly happened here? Why does this place feel like the root of all the chaos?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, the destruction of the Zhang family should be related to the turmoil that occurred here."

"So it really is internal strife? And what caused it?"

"We'll know soon enough that Qi Shen has gone over there."

……

Netizens stared at the screen with great curiosity.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qi Xuan strode across the ruins and headed straight inside.

Just as netizens guessed, a major battle did indeed take place here.

The ground and these collapsed pillars and beams must have been covered with many formations, and the broken spiritual patterns all show how much the Zhang family valued this place.

Clearly, they had anticipated the dangers here, otherwise they wouldn't have set up so many formations in advance.

In other words, the lizard monsters that were slaughtering people within the Zhang family were not brought by outsiders, but were likely bred by them themselves.

Later, for some unknown reason, the lizard monster went out of control, causing a massive counterattack and even wiping out the entire Zhang family.

This place must be where the lizard monsters are imprisoned or raised.

Qi Xuan withdrew his gaze from the remaining ashes in the corners.

Referring to the lizard monster that turned to ashes before, these ashes should be the result of the lizard monsters spontaneously combusting as they died.

At first glance, there were several on site. If you count those that were blown away by the wind and those that went to other parts of the family, there are probably hundreds of lizard monsters being raised here.

Even if only one-tenth of them can unleash the combat power of the Foundation Establishment Realm, that's equivalent to ten Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, and in fact, it could be more.

Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why the Zhang family was destroyed.

Even the Nangong family might not be able to withstand such a fierce enemy.

Qi Xuan arrived at the center of the field. Dozens of suspension cables covered with spirit patterns had all broken, and the huge blue town stone had been overturned to one side. In front of him was an octagonal deep well, and the well opening and the downward well wall were also covered with spirit patterns.

But now, many of these spirit runes are covered with deep scratches, all from the claws of the lizard monster.

Looking into the cave, it was pitch black and cold, with a faint stench and an inexplicable aura.

Barren mountains, ruins, and dry wells.

Great, all the weird elements are there.

Considering that he didn't have any monsters to scout ahead with, Qi Xuan decided not to go down for the time being. He would wait until Sunday at the foot of the mountain caught a few monsters and threw them in to confirm that there was no danger inside before going down to explore.

Skipping over the central octagonal well, Qi Xuan began to investigate the battle site and the surrounding houses.

Surprisingly, this search actually yielded quite a few results.

He held a black booklet and carefully flipped through it.

This should be someone's monitoring log:

"...Being old and frail, there is probably no better place than Black Well to earn more family points to exchange for Yin-Yang Sunflower. After all, the older generation in the family is unwilling to waste time here, while the younger generation is afraid that they will mess up the seal. So the task of guarding it can only be left to us old folks."

"...On his second day at work, Zhang Ruoke was sent here. He was the most outstanding genius among the younger generation of the family, but he still couldn't escape the onset of the disease. It is said that he had been ill for some time, but he chose to deliberately hide it from the outside world. In the end, he ate a servant who came to sweep the house, which exposed the disease."

The family has repeatedly emphasized the need to report any unusual symptoms immediately, so why are these children ignoring these warnings? Is it because an illness would affect their image of being wise and brave? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.

"...Today, Zhang Nanxing was brought here. He was such a handsome child, but after turning into a lizard, he became so ugly. I was once just as ugly, and now I'm barely clinging to life thanks to the Yin-Yang Sunflower."

"...The people from the North Academy have arrived. Everyone is terrified of them because they have too many infamous reputations and their actions are too bloody. Drug experiments, dissecting their own kind... Many people would rather die than go to the North Academy."

It can be said that the reason why Kuroi is feared by everyone is purely because of the North Campus. They would come here regularly to select patients with the "Lizard Disease" and conduct various experiments.

However, I heard today that they seem to have a new idea and are preparing to use beast-taming rings on the patients, treating them as monsters to be controlled?

Many of the younger generation were very excited about the proposal. If the patients could be controlled in this way, it would not only mean that they could escape from the Black Well and regain their freedom, but it would also mean that the family's strength would be unprecedentedly enhanced, surpassing the Nangong family would be no problem at all, and perhaps even be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the stronger Yuchi family.

However, I am not optimistic about this experiment. Only after experiencing the onset of the "lizard disease" can one know how terrifying it is. Patients have little rationality and are simply wild beasts that crave hunting and killing.

Can this kind of patient really be controlled by the Beast Taming Ring?

"...Just as I guessed, the failure rate of the beast taming experiment was extremely high. Of the ten patients sent there, only one survived, and that one was Zhang Ruoke, who had just been imprisoned not long ago."

According to staff at the North Campus, the success rate of the experiment may be related to the patient's condition and the duration of the illness; the longer the illness has been present and the stronger the patient's condition, the more difficult it is to control.

"...The second batch has been sent over. The good news is that, as the North Academy said, the success rate of Qi Refining is relatively high for young people who have just fallen ill. As for Foundation Establishment, without exception, all of them failed."

But they were still unwilling to give up. After all, no matter how powerful a Qi Refining stage berserk lizard was, it would be difficult to cause much damage to a Foundation Establishment cultivator. They planned to continue experimenting on Foundation Establishment patients to see if they could control the Foundation Establishment stage lizards. If they could really do it, their Zhang family might indeed become the number one family in the Shenqiu Domain.

"...The progress of the experiment is not optimistic. People from the North Academy haven't come for a long time. But it's normal that they haven't come. After all, there aren't many Foundation Establishment patients imprisoned in the Black Well to begin with, and each of them has family and friends. They also made a lot of contributions to their families before they fell ill. They can't just be used for experiments. The North Academy is also facing a lot of constraints."

"...Today, three bodies that had committed suicide were carried out of the Black Well. They were very old, about the same age as me, and their strength was only at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining, about the same as mine."

I can roughly understand their thinking. Without the Yin-Yang Sunflower, the [Lizard Disease] has entered its later stages, with the onset of symptoms becoming more and more frequent and the time spent maintaining human form becoming shorter and shorter. In the end, it will only turn into a completely insane beast that only knows how to kill and destroy.

While one can still maintain their self-respect and leave this world with dignity, suicide is probably the best option.

Will I end up like this someday?

"...There are fewer and fewer elderly patients in the Qi Refining stage in the Black Well. Some of them, even if they don't intend to commit suicide, will take the initiative to make a request to the North Academy to accept the beast taming experiment."

Unfortunately, due to old age and physical weakness, or because of prolonged illness, their experiment had a very low success rate; perhaps only one in ten would survive.

Sigh, they're all just struggling to survive.

"...Today when I went to exchange for Yin-Yang Sunflower, the exchange points were suddenly doubled and the exchange was limited. The whole family was in a panic, but everyone knew that there was nothing that could be done. With the sealing of the mountain by the Duotian Sect, the supply of the Ding Shen Pill was no longer available, and the harvest of Yin-Yang Sunflower was getting worse and worse, and it would also be affected by the Root-Eating Worm."

If the formation ever slips up, or if the insect plague fails to be contained, the destruction of the clan would be imminent. Everyone is filled with anxiety about the future, and so am I.

Fortunately, my future is not very long.

He lived a life of mediocrity, yet before he died, he felt he had made a fortune simply because he had lived a long life. What a ridiculous era.

"...The clan elders passed a resolution to no longer wait for death, but to take the initiative to attack, whether by seizing or hunting, no matter what kind of spiritual object or medicinal plant it is, as long as it can increase the production of Yin-Yang Sunflower, as long as it can save the lives of the clan members, they will spare no effort to seize it."

Aside from the Foundation Establishment cultivators at the top, the younger Qi Refining cultivators in the family responded the most enthusiastically. This is understandable, as they should be the future of the family, but now, due to the influence of the [Lizard Disease], they may not even be able to reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

No one would willingly wait to die, especially at their age.

"...The family launched attacks in all directions, with both successes and failures, but in most cases, we were successful. After all, we were originally very powerful, and when we risked our lives, many families avoided us in the competition for spiritual objects and plants."

Unfortunately, the series of battles also caused us considerable losses. The clan lost several Foundation Establishment cultivators and even dozens of Qi Refining cultivators. Fortunately, the top-level combat power was not damaged. The profits brought by the war made the remaining clansmen even more eager to participate in the war. Even Heijing was influenced by this fervent atmosphere.

My younger brother asked if I wanted to take a gamble, but after thinking about it, I declined. Although participating would give a lot of points, I have enough saved up from my current situation. There's no need to take such a big risk. I'm practically buried in the ground anyway; I'd rather just quietly grow old and die here in Black Well.

"...Last night, a mysterious person entered the clan leader's house under the guidance of the clan elder. It is said that the clan leader has been smiling all day today, as if something happy has happened. I don't know what happened, but I am also happy about it because the exchange points for Yin Yang Kui have decreased, so I need to exchange more for a rainy day."

"...We joined forces with the Han family and successfully broke into the Zhao family, seizing a large number of spiritual plants and items. It is said that Zhang Xinglan, who led the team, even found out the whereabouts of their secret location and is urgently pursuing them. I still remember the scene of that kid wetting the bed and crying back then. I didn't expect that he would grow up so much in the blink of an eye and become the backbone of the family. Sigh, I'm getting old."

"...I received some bad news today. Zhang Xinglan went missing while searching for the Zhao family's secret location. The clan leader sent people to look for him, but they haven't been able to find him yet."

We all know that in such a dangerous environment, going missing is almost equivalent to death. The reason we haven't made a definitive conclusion yet is simply to preserve a glimmer of hope.

Hope—what a beautiful word. I once possessed it, before I fell ill at twenty-two.

"...Brother Xun has returned, but he lost an arm and his condition has worsened. It is said that he suffered too much damage in the battle, which damaged his foundation, so he can hardly suppress his condition now. He has to buy more Yin-Yang Sunflowers. In the end, it would have been better if he hadn't participated in the battle. He might even die before me. I sent him half a portion of Yin-Yang Sunflowers, hoping that he can hold on for a little longer."

"...Good news came from the North Hospital. During the treatment of the [Lizard Disease], they unexpectedly discovered a medicine that, when injected into patients, can temporarily suppress their madness and make them calmer."

Furthermore, it can unleash terrifying power beyond one's own cultivation level during its eruption, but the cost is that the person will be completely burned away. They named this potion "Soul-Burning Liquid" and plan to continuously improve it to further enhance its effects.

"...I attended Brother Xun's funeral. Brother Xun never married and had no children, so not many people came to the funeral. It was just a few of us old brothers who often chatted. The scene was cold and deserted."

Because all their wealth had been used to buy the Yin-Yang Sunflower, there was not much money left. Everyone pooled their money to buy him a fine coffin and buried him in the clan's land. When I saw his face gradually disappearing under the coffin lid, I felt as if I was seeing myself.

But when I begin my burial, how many of my old comrades will still be here? Will anyone still be there to handle my funeral arrangements like they are today?

"...The Ninghua Dew has been put on the exchange shelf, and the family has also made it public that it has become a vassal of the Yuchi family. The reactions of the people in the family are different. Some think it is a good thing, while others think that the Yuchi family wants to use us as cannon fodder."

But many people don't really care about becoming cannon fodder, as long as the price is reasonable. In this kind of life, who doesn't live one day at a time and earn one day at a time? How can one expect to live a life without illness or disaster like an ordinary person?
Oh no, all mortals have long since died out.

But for us cultivators, it's just a matter of dying a little later.

"...Zhang Luo took over the position of Xun Laodi. For the first time, the Heijing Garrison welcomed a young man under the age of thirty. This kid is undoubtedly a sly one. He came here more to avoid the war."

To be honest, I didn't like him very much, but after getting to know him better, I found that he was alright. In the end, there are just too few people in the garrison area, so it's a good thing that a fresh face can stir up this stagnant situation.

Xiao Luozi asked me why I didn't exchange for the Essence Dew and instead stuck with the Yin Yang Sunflower, even though the Essence Dew was clearly more effective.

But I've been taking Yin-Yang Sunflower for decades; it's become an integral part of my life. Even if the Condensed Dew is more potent, I still won't consider it if it can't completely cure the Lizard Disease. At my age, living one more day or one less day makes little difference.

"...For more than a hundred years, we have blocked every insect plague, except this one."

Seventy percent of the Yin-Yang Sunflower's spiritual field was destroyed, and the remaining thirty percent was also in a terrible state. Overnight, the exchange price of Yin-Yang Sunflower increased fivefold, and the price of Condensed Dew doubled. Anyone with a sound mind would definitely exchange for Condensed Dew. But what about someone like me who has used Yin-Yang Sunflower my whole life?
Although I still have some reserves, they won't last much longer. Am I destined to die as an old lizard in the final leg of my journey?

"...Recently, thefts have been frequent within the clan. Some have stolen Condensed Dew, others have stolen Yin-Yang Sunflower, and even some people in our guard area have been robbed. Perhaps it's because I don't have much stock, so no thieves have come to my area."

Because of the severe shortage of medicine, the family urgently applied to the Yuchi family for another batch, but received very little. They also had to take charge of a very important battle, but the clan leader still agreed. I understood the clan leader's meaning: the battle could yield many spiritual items and plants, which might be able to be exchanged for more Condensed Dew.

More importantly, the battle can deplete more members of the Zhang family, relieving pressure on the exchange area.

But if all the able-bodied members of the clan are dead, how can the clan continue?

"...We won the great battle against the Zhou family, and the treasure we cultivated was successfully seized and sent to the Yuchi family."

Now that things have come to this, it's difficult for the Yuchi family to keep quiet as before. Their demand for the cultivation treasure is not only for refining the Condensed Dew, but more importantly, for Yuchi Wujing's promotion.

Although Yuchi Wujing's advancement to the Golden Core stage is a good thing for everyone, I still feel that this matter is probably not that simple.

But perhaps this old man doesn't need to worry anymore, because the Yin-Yang Sunflower stock is almost gone. With the few points I have from working in the Black Well Garrison, even if I exchange them for Condensation Dew, it won't be enough to suppress my illness. My life is almost over, one hundred and twenty years old, a happy death indeed, hahaha."

"...The Yuchi family has obtained nine cultivation treasures and invited various families to watch the promotion ceremony. I am not very clear about the other families, but our Zhang family, Han family, and other families that have already pledged allegiance to the Yuchi family will definitely go."

However, after the celebration party left, a major event occurred at home: Zhang Taixu failed to take the Condensing Dew, his illness flared up, and he transformed into a lizard.

Some people believe that the reason why the essence failed to work may be due to his own actions.

However, some people believe that there may be a problem with the gel, and that long-term use may lead to drug resistance and gradually render it ineffective.

Because Zhang Taixu was the first member of the Zhang family to try out the Essence Dew.

This speculation caused great anxiety within the family, but I no longer cared.

I lay in bed, awaiting my fate, when Xiao Luozi came over and gave me a bottle of Condensed Dew.

I wasn't planning on taking it. So many people in the clan need it, what use would it be to give me a dying old man?

Before I could say a few words, he shoved the Dew into my mouth.

Okay, he saved me.

I am indeed grateful to him, but I also feel guilty.

Because I know he's one of the thieves in the clan who stole the Essence Dew. This Essence Dew might have been someone's life-saving treasure, but now it's being used on me.

"...The Dew of Essence given to me by Xiao Luozi allowed me to survive for a while longer."

I've written my will, dug my grave, and even made my coffin. I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to bury myself.

I don't plan to wait until the day I become alien, because I might turn into a lizard before I even have a chance to commit suicide, which would be so embarrassing.

I've decided to choose an auspicious day to end my life, and then have my old buddies bury me in a grave.

"...I prepared a grave for myself in advance, but I never expected it to be used on Xiao Luozi."

He broke into the residence of a Qi Refining Master, but was discovered and beaten to death.

The enforcement team arrived, but they couldn't stop them, probably because they didn't want to.

Those around him who saw his body all despised him, and no one even bothered to bury him.

I carried his mangled body into the coffin and buried it properly.

But I dared not tell his widowed grandmother about his death, even though I knew he stole the Dew of Ecstasy so that his grandmother could get through it.

"...News has come from the Yuchi family. No one expected that the promotion ceremony, which had been prepared for so long, would fail. Yuchi Wujing, who was regarded as a prodigy, collapsed on the spot and turned into a monster. It is said that he shouted something like 'I am irreconcilable' before he died."

I don't know who he's sworn enemies with, but what I do know is that his failure to advance was largely due to the Sun and Fu families. The nurturing talents provided by these two families had serious problems, which led to Yuchi Wujing's failure to advance.

Yuchi Wujing's defeat plunged the Yuchi family into chaos and caused them to suffer heavy losses. The clan leader and others dared not stay any longer and left one after another. However, they received a message on the way, ordering the clan's elite forces to go out and attack a certain clan in the chaos.

I know that family must be the Sun family, because they suffer from the same "lizard disease" as our family. We used to be in the same camp as the Yuchi family, so we couldn't target each other. Now that their family has been exposed for having problems, there must be quite a few families that have taken action against them. At the very least, the Yuchi family will definitely send people to take revenge.

It's just a matter of how much medicine the clan leader can seize from the Sun family.

However, I no longer cared. An assistant from the North Academy invited me to participate in their experiment. He said that the beast taming experiment had made great progress. Not only could the effects of the Soul Burning Liquid last for a long time, but the success rate of experiments on elderly cultivators had also greatly increased. In particular, elderly cultivators who were close to the onset of the disease but had not yet turned into lizards were more likely to succeed.

To be honest, I still have some resistance to becoming an enslaved monster, but seeing so many patients survive, I finally want to give it a try, just in case I can live another ten years.

If the experiment is successful, I will continue to keep records.

If the experiment fails, then let's leave it at that.

(End of this chapter)