The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

When Han Mu returned to his cave at Qingzhu Peak, it was already nearly dusk.

Instead of immediately going into seclusion to refine the Five Elements True Essence Liquid, he first checked on the recent developments of the Han family. Han Changqing, accompanied by two clan stewards, was waiting outside the cave. Upon seeing Han Mu return, they hurriedly stepped forward to report.

"Father, the takeover of Qingyang Peak is complete," Han Changqing reported. "We discovered six miniature spiritual veins there, with a spiritual energy concentration 30% higher than that of Qingzhu Peak. As per your instructions, the newly acquired Spirit Eye Springs have been placed at the main vein nodes."

"What's going on with the Li and Zhang families?" Han Mu asked.

"Li Yuanming and Zhang Lie have safely returned to their families, each bringing back three tokens. Their results should place them in the top ten." Han Changqing paused, "However... there's something I need to report to you."

"explain."

"Li Yuanming from the Li family sent word that he encountered disciples from the seven major sects in the Misty Forest. He overheard them discussing that a Nascent Soul cultivator seemed to have taken notice of the Blood Refining Sect's annihilation."

Han Mu's eyes narrowed slightly: "How exactly?"

"It's said that some cultivators sensed intense fluctuations in the earth's veins near the Blood Fiend Mountains, suspecting that high-level cultivators fought there." Han Changqing lowered his voice. "The seven major sects may send people to investigate."

Han Mu pondered for a moment.

The array in the Blood Fiend Sect's ancestral chamber did indeed trigger the earth's fiendish energy. Although he had tried his best to conceal it, the spiritual sense of a Nascent Soul cultivator had an extremely wide range. If there happened to be a Nascent Soul cultivator nearby, they could indeed sense the anomaly.

"I understand," Han Mu said calmly. "Continue to keep an eye on things and report back as soon as you have any news. Also, starting today, you will begin your secluded cultivation of the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Primordial Longevity Technique."

"Foundation Building Chapter?" Han Changqing was taken aback. "Father, I've only just established my foundation; it's still shallow..."

"It's alright." Han Mu took out a bottle of pills from his storage bag. "This is the 'Solid Foundation Pill,' which can stabilize your foundation. After taking it, combined with cultivation using the Spirit Eye Spring, you should be able to reach the second level of Foundation Establishment within half a year."

Han Changqing accepted the pill, his eyes flashing with gratitude: "Thank you, Father."

"Go ahead." Han Mu waved his hand. "Leave the clan affairs to Yun Ge for the next six months and let her train more."

After Han Changqing took his leave, the cave returned to silence.

Han Mu took out the Blood Fiend True Seed and began refining the Five Elements True Essence Liquid.

He first set up a pentagram array in the center of the cave, placing ten spirit stones of each of the five attributes—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—at each of the five corners. Then he took out twelve array flags and placed them around the cave according to the twelve earthly branches—this was the basic setup for the purification array.

After doing all this, Han Mu sat cross-legged in the center of the formation and placed the Blood Fiend Seed in front of him.

"System, assist in refining the Five Elements True Essence Liquid."

[Assisted Refining Mode Activated]

[Step 1: Use the Five Elements Sword Formation to eliminate the evil energy]

[Please activate the Five Elements Sword Qi, host.]

Han Mu formed hand seals, and five sword energies of different colors flew out from his fingertips, slowly rotating around the Blood Fiend True Seed. The metal sword energy was sharp, the wood sword energy was vibrant, the water sword energy was gentle, the fire sword energy was scorching, and the earth sword energy was heavy.

The five sword energies rotate in a generating cycle: metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal.

As the sword energy swirled, wisps of crimson mist began to emerge from the surface of the Blood Fiend True Seed—this was the fiendish energy that had been worn away. As soon as this fiendish energy appeared, it was absorbed and purified by the surrounding purification array.

Time passes little by little.

The color of the Blood Fiend Seed gradually faded, from its initial blood red to a light pink, and then to a milky white. Its original fist-sized size also slowly shrank.

[Step Two: Transforming the Five Elements]

[Please infuse the host with the spiritual power of the Primordial Longevity Technique]

Han Mu circulated his cultivation technique, and the abundant spiritual power of the five elements within his dantian surged forth, flowing into the Blood Fiend True Seed.

The Blood Fiend True Seed was originally the essence of the Blood Fiend Sect's founder's lifelong cultivation. Although its fiendish energy had been obliterated, the pure spiritual power it contained remained immense. Guided by the spiritual power of the Primordial Longevity Technique, this spiritual power began to differentiate and recombine according to the five elements.

Gold, cyan, blue, red, and yellow—five colors of light flashed alternately within the Blood Fiend True Seed.

This process is even more mentally taxing than erasing the evil energy. Han Mu needs to precisely control the distribution of spiritual energy to ensure the balance of the five elements; the slightest mistake will render all his efforts futile.

[Warning: Wood elemental energy is weak]

[It is recommended to supplement with wood-attribute spirit stones]

Han Mu immediately took out ten mid-grade wood-attribute spirit stones from his storage bag and threw them into the formation. The wood-attribute spiritual energy in the spirit stones was extracted by the formation and integrated into the Blood Fiend True Seed.

[Warning: Excess Fire Elemental Power]

[It is recommended to harmonize with water-based spiritual energy]

Han Mu then took out a water-attribute spirit stone...

For three whole hours, Han Mu was constantly adjusting the balance of the five elements. This was extremely taxing on his spiritual sense, and if it weren't for his profound foundation in cultivating the "Primordial Longevity Technique," he probably wouldn't have been able to hold on for long.

Finally, as dawn approached, the Blood Fiend Seed completely transformed into a fist-sized ball of five-colored liquid.

The liquid was crystal clear, with five colors flowing slowly within it, emitting pure yet gentle fluctuations of the five elements' spiritual energy.

[Refinement complete]

[Five Elements True Essence Liquid Quality: Superior]

[It is recommended to take the medication in three divided doses, with each dose taken seven days apart.]

Han Mu let out a long breath, his forehead already covered in fine beads of sweat.

He carefully poured the Five Elements True Essence Liquid into a jade bottle, then took out one-third of it and swallowed it.

The liquid melted upon entering the mouth, transforming into five warm torrents of spiritual energy that surged into the limbs and bones.

Han Mu immediately activated the "Primordial Longevity Technique," guiding the spiritual energy to circulate through his meridians. The Five Elements True Essence Liquid truly lived up to its reputation as a sacred product for Foundation Establishment stage cultivation; its spiritual energy was extremely pure, requiring almost no refining to be absorbed directly.

He could feel the liquid spiritual energy in his dantian increasing at a visible rate.

An hour later, Han Mu opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction flashing in them.

"System, display your current cultivation progress."

[Host: Han Mu]

[Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 5 (True) / Foundation Establishment Level 1 (Surface)]

[Cultivation Progress: 78%]

[It is estimated that after fully absorbing the current dose, one can be elevated to the sixth level of the Foundation Establishment stage.]

With just one-third of the dosage, his cultivation progress increased from 55% to 78%, which was even better than expected.

"At this rate, once I've absorbed everything, I should be able to reach the seventh level of Foundation Establishment," Han Mu thought to himself.

At the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, he is already in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. At that time, his true strength should be comparable to a cultivator at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. With the help of the Lesser Five Elements Sword Formation, he might even be able to exchange a few blows with a cultivator who has just entered the Core Formation stage.

But now is not the time to be happy.

Han Mu put away the remaining Five Elements True Essence Liquid and began to regulate his breathing to recover. The refining process had consumed a large amount of spiritual power and divine sense, and he needed to recover as soon as possible.

Just as he closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the cave.

"Ancestor! Something's happened!" It was Han Yunge's voice, filled with obvious panic.

Han Mu frowned slightly: "Come in."

Han Yunge rushed into the cave, her face deathly pale: "Grandfather, I just received news that the Li family... the Li family has been wiped out!"

"What?" Han Mu's eyes narrowed.

"Just last night, a group of men in black raided the Li family's stronghold." Han Yunge's voice trembled. "Ancestor Li Mubai was killed in battle, and the Li family's cultivators were almost entirely wiped out. Only Li Yuanming and a few juniors managed to escape and are now hiding in our Han family!"

Han Mu immediately stood up: "Take me to see Li Yuanming."

"yes!"

The two hurried to the Han family's reception room.

Inside the hall, Li Yuanming was dressed in tattered clothes, covered in wounds, and his face was ashen. Beside him were three younger members of the Li family, all Qi Refining stage cultivators, their faces ashen as well.

Upon seeing Han Mu, Li Yuanming knelt down with a thud: "Senior Han! Please, I beg you, do justice for the Li family!"

"Get up and speak," Han Mu said in a deep voice. "What exactly happened?"

Li Yuanming choked back tears as he said, "Last night, a dozen or so black-clad cultivators suddenly stormed into the Li family's territory. Their cultivation levels were at least at the eighth level of Qi Refining, and the three leaders were all Foundation Establishment cultivators! Patriarch Li fought desperately, but the enemy was too strong, and in less than half an hour..."

"Can you tell who they are from?"

"Although they were all masked, the technique one of them used..." Li Yuanming gritted his teeth, "was the Ghost Spirit Sect's 'Soul Claw'! And among those three Foundation Establishment cultivators, one of them had an aura very similar to Wang Chan!"

Wang Chan!

A cold glint flashed in Han Mu's eyes.

"Besides the Li family, what about the Zhang family?"

"I don't know." Li Yuanming shook his head. "It happened so suddenly. I only had time to escape with a few juniors. But the Zhang family isn't far from the Li family, so I'm afraid they might also..."

Before the words were finished, an urgent report came from outside the cave:

"Ancestor! Senior Zhang Xuanfeng has arrived with members of the Zhang family to request an audience!"

Han Mu's heart sank.

Zhang Xuanfeng was quickly brought in. He was also covered in injuries, and his left arm hung limply, clearly broken.

"Fellow Daoist Han..." Zhang Xuanfeng's face was ashen. "My Zhang family... is finished too."

"Is it also the Ghost Spirit Sect?"

"Not entirely," Zhang Xuanfeng said, panting. "Three of them used techniques from the Hehuan Sect, and one of them, a woman, had a voice that sounded a lot like Dong Xuan'er!"

Ghost Spirit Sect, Joyful Union Sect.

The two major demonic sects joined forces and wiped out two Foundation Establishment families of Yanling Fortress overnight.

Han Mu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"System, analyze the current situation."

[Situation analysis in progress...]

Based on available information, it is inferred that the Ghost Spirit Sect and the Joyful Union Sect may be joining forces to eliminate the Yanling Fortress's forces, paving the way for subsequent actions.

[The opponent's known combat strength: at least three Foundation Establishment cultivators (Wang Chan, Dong Xuan'er, and another unknown Foundation Establishment cultivator), and more than ten late-stage Qi Refining cultivators]

[Current combat strength of the Han family: Two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators (the host and Han Changqing), and thirteen Qi Refining stage cultivators]

Risk Assessment: High

[Recommendation: Immediately strengthen the mountain defenses and prepare for battle]

A resolute glint flashed in Han Mu's eyes.

It seems the storm came sooner than he anticipated.

"Yun Ge, pass on the order." Han Mu's tone was icy. "Activate the highest level of the mountain-protecting formation. All clansmen, return to your camp and prepare to meet the enemy."

"yes!"

Han Yunge accepted the order and left.

Han Mu looked at Li Yuanming and Zhang Xuanfeng: "Fellow Daoists, you now have two choices: First, take your clansmen and leave Yanling Fort immediately, and go far away; second, fight alongside my Han family and fight against the demonic path together."

Li Yuanming and Zhang Xuanfeng exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We choose number two!"

"Alright." Han Mu nodded. "Then we'll stay and live and die together."

He turned and walked deeper into the cave.

It seems the seclusion period will have to be postponed.

What follows will be a tough battle.