The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Leaving the Black Wind Mountain mine, Han Mu felt a heavy weight in his heart.

The remnant soul of the Heavenly Fiend True Lord, the source of Yin Fiend, the three-year deadline… these pieces of information weighed heavily on his mind like a boulder. If what the Heavenly Fiend True Lord said was true, then Jiayuan City would face annihilation in three years, and Yanling Fortress, only eight hundred miles away from Jiayuan City, would probably not escape unscathed either.

"Master, how do you intend to handle this matter?" Doctor Mo asked in a low voice on the way back to Jiayuan City.

Han Mu flew on his sword, his expression calm: "Let's return to Yanling Fortress first. The matter of the Yin Sha Source isn't urgent; we still have three years. The most pressing matter is to strengthen the Han family; otherwise, everything is just empty talk."

"The Heavenly Fiend Demonic Art promised by that Heavenly Fiend True Lord..."

"Demonic cultivation techniques have too many hidden dangers," Han Mu shook his head. "Moreover, that remnant soul clearly harbored ill intentions and wanted to use me to escape. However, it's worth a trip to Xuan Yang Mountain. Xuan Yang Jade is a top-grade material for refining Yang-attribute magic artifacts, and it's very useful for suppressing Yin-evil things."

Doctor Mo nodded: "Patriarch is wise. The Xuan Yang Sect is a medium-sized sect in the Yue Kingdom, with three Core Formation cultivators in charge. It will probably not be easy to obtain the Xuan Yang Jade from them."

"It's all about human effort," Han Mu said calmly. "Besides, we don't necessarily have to take it by force."

As the two spoke, they returned to Jiayuan City. Li Yuanhong was waiting in his residence, and upon seeing them return, he hurriedly went to greet them.

"Fellow Daoist Han, how is the situation?"

Han Mu did not reveal anything about the Heavenly Fiend True Monarch, only saying, "That cave is indeed a bit strange, with a strong Yin energy. I suggest temporarily sealing off the mine and preventing anyone from approaching it."

"Sealing off the mine shafts?" Li Yuanhong was taken aback. "That mine is an important source of income for my Li family..."

"The Yin energy will erode a cultivator's soul. If a Qi Refining stage disciple stays nearby for too long, at best their cultivation will stagnate, and at worst they will suffer a cultivation deviation," Han Mu said solemnly. "If Fellow Daoist Li trusts me, then seal it off. As for the Li family's losses, I can compensate for a portion of them."

Li Yuanhong pondered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I trust Fellow Daoist Han. The mine will be sealed off today."

"Here are five thousand spirit stones, a small token of my Han family's appreciation." Han Mu took out a bag from his storage pouch. This bag was looted from the Ghost Spirit Sect cultivators, and it came in handy.

"How can this be..." Li Yuanhong declined.

"Take this," Han Mu said, handing him the bag. "Also, I'm returning to Yanling Fortress tomorrow. If Fellow Daoist Li is interested, you can send your clan members to Yanling Fortress to cultivate. My Han family has recently acquired some cultivation techniques that might be helpful to them."

This is an olive branch being extended. The Li family has suffered a great loss of strength after this calamity. If they can form an alliance with the Han family and support each other, it will be beneficial to both sides.

Li Yuanhong's eyes lit up: "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Han! I will select a few promising disciples to accompany you to Yanling Fort tomorrow."

"it is good."

That night, Han Mu and Doctor Mo stayed at the Li family's house. Doctor Mo took the time to treat Li Tieshan and the other wounded. His medical skills were indeed superb, and after a few doses of medicine, the conditions of the seriously wounded soldiers stabilized.

The next morning, Li Yuanhong brought five teenagers to Han Mu. All five were only fifteen or sixteen years old, with cultivation levels at the third or fourth level of Qi Refining. Their aptitude was average, but their eyes were clear, showing that they were promising talents carefully cultivated by the Li family.

"These are Li Feng, Li Yu, Li Lei, Li Dian, and Li Shan," Li Yuanhong introduced them one by one. "They are all the most outstanding members of my Li family this generation, so I'm entrusting them to Fellow Daoist Han."

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Li." Han Mu nodded and said to the five, "From today onwards, you are disciples of the Han family. As long as you cultivate diligently and remain loyal to the family, the Han family will not mistreat you."

"Yes!" the five boys answered in unison, their eyes filled with both anticipation for the future and reluctance to leave home.

Han Mu didn't delay any longer. He released his flying sword, which transformed into a streak of azure light, and carried Doctor Mo and the five youths towards Yanling Fortress.

It's 800 li from Jiayuan City to Yanling Fortress. With Han Mu's cultivation at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, the flight speed would be slower, taking about half a day.

After flying for two hours, it was past noon. Below were continuous mountain ranges, sparsely populated.

Suddenly, Han Mu frowned, sensing a fluctuation of spiritual energy ahead.

"Stop." He raised his hand to signal, and landed on a mountaintop.

Doctor Mo and the five teenagers landed next to him, looking puzzled.

"Master, what's wrong?" Doctor Mo asked.

"There's a fight going on ahead." Han Mu looked into the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And they're Foundation Establishment cultivators."

He told Doctor Mo and the five boys to stay where they were, and then concealed his presence, stealthily moving forward. After crossing two mountain peaks, they came to a valley, from which the sounds of fighting were coming.

Han Mu hid behind a boulder and looked into the valley.

In the valley, three cultivators were seen besieging a woman in white. The three cultivators, two men and one woman, were all at the Foundation Establishment stage. The leader was a middle-aged man in red robes, at the fourth level of Foundation Establishment, wielding a crimson longsword with fierce swordsmanship. The other two were an elderly man in black robes, at the third level of Foundation Establishment, wielding a pair of iron claws; and a young woman in green robes, at the second level of Foundation Establishment, using a long whip.

The white-clad woman being besieged was in her early twenties, with stunning beauty and a cold demeanor. Her cultivation level was at the third level of the Foundation Establishment stage. She held an ice-blue longsword in her hand, and her swordsmanship was exquisite. However, fighting three opponents at once, she was clearly at a disadvantage, and she already had several wounds on her body.

"Nangong Wan?" Han Mu's pupils contracted.

Although she looked much younger, Han Mu wouldn't mistake her appearance, demeanor, or her signature ice-attribute cultivation technique. It was none other than Nangong Wan, the Core Formation Elder of the Hidden Moon Sect from the original story, and Han Li's future Daoist partner!

What is she doing here? And she looks so young, with a cultivation level of only Foundation Establishment Level 3? According to the original timeline, Nangong Wan should have already reached Core Formation by now…

"System, scan the woman in white."

[Scanning in progress...]

[Target: Nangong Wan]

Age: 22

[Cultivation Level: Foundation Establishment Level 3]

[Technique: Ice Soul Cold Light Technique]

[Identity: Inner disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect]

[Status: Minor injuries, spiritual energy depleted by more than half]

It really is Nangong Wan! And she's just an inner disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect, not an elder.

Han Mu's mind raced. It seemed the timeline of this world's events was earlier than he had anticipated. Nangong Wan was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so Han Li should still be at the Qi Refining stage; everything was still in its early stages.

At this point, the battle in the valley intensified.

"Nangong Wan, hand over the 'Ice Soul Pearl,' and I'll spare your life!" the red-robed middle-aged man shouted.

"Don't even think about it!" Nangong Wan said coldly, her sword flashing and turning into a sky full of ice crystals, forcing the three of them back.

"Stubborn fool!" The old man in black robes grinned maliciously, his iron claws transforming into two streaks of black light, aiming straight for Empress Nangong Wan's heart.

Nangong Wan parried with her sword, but the green-clad woman's long whip had already arrived, wrapping around her left foot. She froze, and the red-robed man's crimson longsword was already slashing towards her face!

In the critical moment, Nangong Wan bit her tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence. The blood essence transformed into an ice shield, protecting her in front of her.

boom!

The ice shield shattered, and Nangong Wan was sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out blood.

"Take her down!" the middle-aged man in the red robe shouted.

The three were about to step forward—

"Three of you, isn't it a bit inappropriate to gang up on someone who's few in number?"

A calm voice rang out.

Han Mu slowly emerged from behind the boulder, still dressed in a blue robe, his face "pale," and his aura controlled at the first level of Foundation Establishment.

The three of them turned their heads at the same time and were all stunned when they saw Han Mu.

"Foundation Establishment Level 1?" The middle-aged man in red robes sized up Han Mu, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. "Boy, mind your own business and get out of my way!"

"What if I don't leave?" Han Mu said calmly.

"Then die!" The black-robed old man was hot-tempered and attacked directly, his iron claws turning into two black lights as he grabbed at Han Mu.

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

"Five Elements Sword Formation, Trapped."

Five sword lights flew out from his sleeve, instantly forming a sword array that trapped the black-robed elder within. The sword lights flowed, the five elements interacting and generating each other, forming an unbreakable cage.

"A formation?!" The black-robed elder was shocked and attacked with all his might, but the sword formation remained as solid as a mountain.

The middle-aged man in red robes and the young woman in green robes changed their expressions. To be able to instantly set up a sword formation that trapped a third-level Foundation Establishment cultivator was something no ordinary first-level Foundation Establishment cultivator could do.

"Who exactly are you?" the middle-aged man in the red robe asked in a deep voice.

"Han Mu of Yanling Fortress," Han Mu said calmly, "If the three of you retreat now, I can pretend this never happened."

"The Han family of Yanling Fortress?" The middle-aged man in red robes frowned; he had never heard of this small family before.

"Big brother, stop wasting time talking to him, attack together!" the green-clad woman shouted sharply, her long whip transforming into a sky full of whip shadows, lashing towards Han Mu.

The middle-aged man in the red robe also swung his sword, the crimson blade energy like a rainbow.

Han Mu's eyes turned cold. He didn't want to get involved, but since the other party was courting death, he couldn't be blamed.

"The Five Elements revolve, annihilation!"

The sword formation trapping the black-robed elder suddenly contracted, unleashing a frenzied attack of the five elements. The black-robed elder screamed in agony as the sword formation shredded him into a bloody pulp.

"Third brother!" The middle-aged man in the red robe cried out, his eyes wide with fury.

"You're asking for death!" the young woman in green screamed, her long whip coiling towards Han Mu's neck like a venomous snake.

Han Mu neither dodged nor evaded. He raised his left hand, and a golden sword light flew out, instantly severing the long whip. Its momentum remained undiminished, piercing through the chest of the green-clad young woman.

"You..." The young woman in green stared wide-eyed, then collapsed and died.

In the blink of an eye, two Foundation Establishment cultivators died.

The middle-aged man in red robes paled in horror and turned to flee. But how could Han Mu let him go? The five sword lights merged into one, transforming into a five-colored rainbow, arriving first after the last strike, passing through the middle-aged man's back.

boom!

The middle-aged man in the red robe collapsed to the ground, dead.

From the moment Han Mu made his move to the moment the three men were killed, only three breaths had passed.

Nangong Wan struggled to her feet, her eyes filled with wariness and shock as she looked at Han Mu. How could someone at the first level of Foundation Establishment instantly kill three Foundation Establishment cultivators, including one at the fourth level?

"Thank you for saving me, fellow Daoist," she said, cupping her hands in gratitude, but she did not lower the sword in her hand.

"No need for formalities." Han Mu sheathed his sword and looked at Nangong Wan. "How are you injured, Miss Nangong?"

"You know me?" Nangong Wan's eyes narrowed.

"I've heard a little about Nangong Wan, the genius disciple of the Hidden Moon Sect," Han Mu said casually, taking out a bottle of pills from his storage bag and tossing it over. "These are healing pills; Miss Nangong can take them without worry."

Nangong Wan took the pill, smelled it to confirm it was non-toxic, and then swallowed it. The medicinal effects dissipated, and her injuries were immediately relieved considerably.

"Fellow Daoist Han's great kindness will be forever remembered by Nangong Wan," she said solemnly. "May I ask where Fellow Daoist Han is headed?"

"Let's return to Yanling Fortress," Han Mu said. "If Miss Nangong is alright, you may come with me. The road ahead is not safe, and you might be in danger traveling alone."

Nangong Wan pondered for a moment, then nodded: "Then I'll trouble you."

The two returned to the hilltop and met up with Doctor Mo and the others. Upon seeing Nangong Wan, a hint of surprise flashed in Doctor Mo's eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions. The five Li family youths were even more reserved, not daring to look directly at her.

The group continued their journey. With Han Mu by their side, the journey was safe, and they finally arrived at Yanling Fortress at dusk.

Looking down at the familiar Green Bamboo Peak, Han Mu felt reassured.

Go home.