The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The Li family mansion in Jiayuan City is located in the east of the city, covering dozens of acres. With its deep courtyards and numerous pavilions, it is one of the most prestigious families in the city. But at this moment, the gates of the Li mansion are wide open, and several servants lie dead at the entrance, their blood staining the bluestone steps.

When Han Mu and Doctor Mo arrived, they could faintly hear sounds of fighting and screams coming from inside the mansion.

"Looks like it's not over yet." Han Mu's eyes turned cold as he stepped inside.

Doctor Mo followed closely behind, already holding several silver needles in his hand. Although he was not good at fighting, his superb medical skills also included a considerable number of methods for using poison to subdue enemies.

Passing through the front yard, the scene was one of utter chaos. The artificial hill had crumbled, and flowers and trees were broken, clearly indicating a fierce battle had taken place. Seven or eight members of the Li family lay dead in pools of blood, their fates unknown.

"Save them," Han Mu said to Doctor Mo.

Doctor Mo nodded, quickly examined the injured, applied acupuncture to stop the bleeding, and fed them medicine. His technique was extremely fast; he treated the three people in just a few breaths.

Han Mu then headed towards the inner courtyard. The sounds of fighting came from there, growing clearer and clearer.

An unequal battle is taking place in the inner courtyard square.

More than ten black-clad cultivators surrounded a dozen or so members of the Li family. The leader was an old man with a one-armed arm, whose face was sinister and whose aura was clearly at the third level of Foundation Establishment! Behind him stood three black-clad cultivators at the tenth level of Qi Refining, and behind them were seven or eight disciples at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Refining.

The besieged Li family members were led by a middle-aged man who wielded a large crimson axe. He was covered in blood and possessed the aura of a second-level Foundation Establishment cultivator; he was likely Li Yuanhong, the head of the Li family. Beside him were several clansmen at the late-stage Qi Refining realm, all wounded, and their situation was extremely precarious.

"Li Yuanhong, hand over the Yin Sha Iron, and I may spare the lives of your entire Li family," the one-armed old man said sinisterly.

"You scoundrels of the Ghost Spirit Sect, don't even think about it!" Li Yuanhong roared. "My Li family has been clean and honest for generations; how could we bow down to the demonic path!"

"Stubborn to the end." The one-armed old man sneered, raised his hand and waved, "Kill them all, leave no one alive."

The black-clad monks were about to make their move—

"Such arrogance."

A calm voice rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Han Mu slowly walk into the square through the moon gate. He was still wearing a blue robe, his face was "pale", and his aura was controlled at the first level of the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Another one sent to his death?" The one-armed old man sized up Han Mu, and seeing that his cultivation level was not high, he didn't take him seriously. "Foundation Establishment Level 1? Ha, Li Yuanhong, is this your reinforcement?"

Li Yuanhong was also taken aback, as he didn't recognize Han Mu. But having an extra helper was better than none, so he quickly said, "Fellow Daoist, be careful! This person is Yin Wuming, a deacon of the Ghost Spirit Sect, with a Foundation Establishment level three cultivation!"

Han Mu nodded and looked at Yin Wuming: "The Ghost Spirit Sect is truly a persistent ghost. The matter of Yanling Fort is not yet settled, and now they have come to Jiayuan City to do evil."

Yin Wuming's pupils contracted: "You're from Yanling Fortress?"

"Han Mu of the Han family of Yanling Fortress," Han Mu said calmly.

"Han Mu..." Yin Wuming pondered for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, "You're the one who tricked Young Master Wang Chan with a fake Blood Fiend Seed?"

"Looks like the news spread pretty fast." Han Mu's lips curled up slightly.

Yin Wuming's eyes turned dangerous: "Very well, very well. I was just worried about not being able to find you, and you've delivered yourself right to my doorstep. Capturing you will be a great achievement!"

He flashed, transforming into a black shadow and rushing straight at Han Mu. The pressure of the Foundation Establishment Level 3 erupted fully, and the Li family members with lower cultivation levels in the arena felt difficulty breathing and retreated repeatedly.

Li Yuanhong was shocked: "Fellow Daoist, be careful!"

Han Mu neither dodged nor avoided, but simply raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched.

"Five Elements Sword Formation, activate."

Five sword lights of different colors flew out from his sleeve, instantly forming a sword array that enveloped Yin Wuming. The sword lights flowed, the five elements interacting and generating each other, forming an unbreakable sword array cage.

"A mere trick!" Yin Wuming sneered, and with a wave of his one arm, a pitch-black ghost claw slammed towards the sword formation.

boom!

The ghostly claws collided with the sword formation, producing a piercing scraping sound. The sword formation trembled violently, but did not break.

Yin Wuming's expression changed. His full-force attack, delivered by a third-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, was actually blocked by a sword formation set up by a first-level Foundation Establishment cultivator?

"This sword formation..." He stared intently at the patterns governing its operation, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "The five elements generate each other, in an endless cycle! You're a formation master?!"

"It's too late to know now." Han Mu made hand seals, and the sword formation suddenly contracted.

The five sword lights transformed into five-colored chains, wrapping around Yin Wuming from different directions. Yin Wuming hurriedly dodged, but the space within the sword formation was limited, and he was quickly forced into a corner.

"Break!" he roared, biting his tongue and spitting out a mouthful of blood essence. The blood essence transformed into a crimson ghostly shadow, crashing into the sword formation.

This time, the sword formation was finally breached. Yin Wuming seized the opportunity to rush out, but his left shoulder was grazed by a golden sword light, leaving a deep wound that exposed the bone.

"You're courting death!" Yin Wuming was both shocked and furious. He, a dignified third-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, had actually been injured by a first-level Foundation Establishment cultivator.

"Attack together and kill him!" He ordered the three Qi Refining Level 10 cultivators behind him.

The three exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously. Three black sword energies struck Han Mu from three directions.

Han Mu remained calm and composed. With a wave of his right hand, the five sword lights re-condensed, transforming into a five-colored light shield.

Dangdang Dangdang!

The sword energy collided with the light shield and dissipated. Han Mu only took two steps back, his face turning slightly pale.

"His spiritual power is exhausted!" shouted a cultivator at the tenth level of Qi Refining.

The three men rallied and attacked again. This time, they used all their strength, their sword energy crisscrossing and a chilling wind howling.

Han Mu "barely" resisted, but was forced to retreat step by step and was on the verge of collapse.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm here to help you!" Upon seeing this, Li Yuanhong mustered his spiritual power and charged forward with his axe.

However, he was seriously injured, and after only a few steps, he was stopped by a Qi Refining Level 10 cultivator.

"Your opponent is me." The cultivator sneered and thrust his sword toward Li Yuanhong's heart.

Li Yuanhong raised his axe to block, but his injury slowed his movements by a fraction. He was about to be struck by the sword—

laugh!

A flash of silver light appeared, and the Qi Refining Level 10 cultivator stiffened, then collapsed to the ground. A silver needle as thin as a cow's hair was stuck between his eyebrows, its tip gleaming with a ghostly blue light.

Doctor Mo emerged from the moon gate, a few silver needles in his hand, and nodded to Li Yuanhong: "Fellow Daoist Li, be careful."

"Thank you!" Li Yuanhong said gratefully.

On the other side, Han Mu "finally couldn't hold on any longer." His five-colored light shield shattered, and he was struck in the chest by two sword energies, spitting blood and flying backward.

"Haha, die!" The remaining two Qi Refining Level 10 cultivators were overjoyed and pounced on Han Mu from the left and right, ready to deliver a fatal blow.

But just as they approached within three zhang of Han Mu, a sudden change occurred.

A cold glint flashed in Han Mu's eyes, and he slapped the ground with his right hand.

"Earthly Fiend Spirit-Trapping Array, activate!"

Rumble!

The ground suddenly cracked open, and dense earth-evil energy surged out, instantly trapping two Qi Refining Level 10 cultivators. Han Mu had secretly set up this formation long ago, waiting for this very moment.

"Not good!" The two were shocked and tried to break free, but the earthly evil energy had a strong suppressive effect on spiritual power, and they were unable to move for a moment.

Taking this opportunity, Han Mu formed hand seals, and the five sword lights merged into one, transforming into a five-colored rainbow.

"cut!"

A long rainbow flashed, and two heads flew into the air. Two cultivators at the tenth level of Qi Refining were killed.

Everything happened too fast. From Han Mu being "severely injured and sent flying" to setting up a counterattack, it only took three breaths. By the time Yin Wuming reacted, all three of his capable subordinates were already dead.

"You...you tricked me!" Yin Wuming was both shocked and furious.

Han Mu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly stood up. He had two shallow wounds on his chest, but they were nothing serious. His earlier "serious injury" and "inability to cope" were all an act.

"How else can you get your men to lower their guard?" Han Mu said calmly. "Now, it's your turn."

Yin Wuming's expression changed, and he suddenly turned and fled! He knew he had been tricked; the person in front of him was definitely not an ordinary Foundation Establishment Level 1 cultivator, and staying would surely mean certain death.

"Trying to leave?" Han Mu sneered, pointing with his hand.

Five sword lights arrived first, instantly catching up to Yin Wuming and forming a sword formation, trapping him tightly.

"The Five Elements revolve, annihilation!"

The sword formation spun wildly, the power of the five elements annihilating everything. Yin Wuming fought desperately, but he was severely injured and his spiritual power was mostly depleted; how could he possibly withstand it?

"No--!"

Amidst screams, Yin Wuming was torn into a shower of blood by the sword formation.

The remaining seven or eight Qi Refining stage Ghost Spirit Sect disciples were terrified and scattered in all directions. But how could the Li family let them go? Led by Li Yuanhong, they quickly slaughtered all of these disciples.

The battle ended, and the inner courtyard returned to silence, leaving only corpses scattered on the ground and a strong stench of blood.

Li Yuanhong walked up to Han Mu and bowed deeply: "Thank you so much, Fellow Daoist Han, for saving my life! If it weren't for your help, my Li family would have been wiped out today!"

"Fellow Daoist Li, there's no need for such formalities," Han Mu waved his hand. "I just happened to be there."

"Fellow Daoist, your great kindness will never be forgotten by the Li family," Li Yuanhong said solemnly. "In the future, if you ever need anything, the Li family will do everything in its power to help you."

At this moment, Doctor Mo came over: "Master, the wounded have all been treated. Six people died and thirteen were injured, but none of them are in immediate danger of losing their lives."

"Patriarch?" Li Yuanhong was taken aback.

"This is Doctor Mo, a newly recruited guest elder of the Han family," Han Mu introduced.

"So it's Fellow Daoist Mo. Thank you for saving me." Li Yuanhong bowed again.

Doctor Mo returned the greeting: "It's my duty."

Han Mu looked at Li Yuanhong: "Fellow Daoist Li, what exactly is this Yin Sha Iron that has caused the Ghost Spirit Sect to go to such lengths?"

Li Yuanhong smiled wryly: "To be honest, fellow Daoist, that Yin Sha Iron was discovered by my miners three days ago deep in the mines west of the city. This substance contains a rich Yin Sha Qi, making it a top-grade material for refining Yin-attribute magic weapons. I originally intended to offer it to the Seven Great Sects in exchange for some resources, but I didn't expect the news to leak out and attract the Ghost Spirit Sect."

Where is the Yin Sha Iron now?

"It's in a secret chamber of my Li family." Li Yuanhong paused, "If you need it, fellow Daoist, I can..."

"No need," Han Mu interrupted him. "Since this thing is the source of trouble, it's not appropriate for it to remain in your Li family. How about this, I'll help you get rid of it, and while I'm at it... investigate why the Ghost Spirit Sect attaches such importance to this thing."

He always felt that the Ghost Spirit Sect's major mobilization was definitely not just for a piece of refining material.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, fellow Daoist." Li Yuanhong breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't wait to get rid of this hot potato.

"System, how is the mission progressing?"

Side Quest: Recruiting Guest Retainers (Completed)

[Rewards: 3 Five Elements Fruits, 1 Heart Refining Tower Construction Blueprint]

[New Quest Triggered: Investigate the Secrets of Yin Sha Iron]

[Task Requirement: Investigate the true purpose of the Yin Sha Iron]

[Mission Reward: Unknown (depending on reconnaissance results)]

Han Mu's eyes flickered slightly.

It seems this trip to Jiayuan City won't end so soon.