The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

The meeting of the seven factions was held at Tianzhu Peak, the main peak of Huangfeng Valley. Inside the Tianzhu Hall, representatives of the seven factions sat in two rows, the atmosphere solemn.

Master Qingyun sat in the main seat, flanked by Li Tianxing, the lord of Tianque Fortress; Duan Feng, the lord of Huadao Dock; Liu Yueru, the Grand Elder of Yanyue Sect; Jin Peng, the Supreme Elder of Lingshou Mountain; Qingxuzi, the head of Qingxu Sect; and Tie Zhan, the head of Jujian Sect.

Han Mu, as the newly appointed deputy hall master of the Foreign Affairs Hall of Huangfeng Valley, sat third from Qingyun Zhenren, a rather prominent position. He could feel several gazes upon him, some scrutinizing, some curious, and some hostile.

"Gentlemen, the evidence of the Blood Moon Incident has been circulated." Master Qingyun spoke, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "The Blood Fiend Sect and the Ghost Spirit Sect are colluding to use the power of the Blood Moon to break the seal of the Blood Moon Demon Lord in two months. Once the Demon Lord is born, the entire Tiannan region will be plunged into chaos. I have gathered you all here today to discuss how to deal with this."

"The Blood Moon Demon Lord..." Li Tianxing, the lord of Tianque Fortress, sneered, "That's a demon at the Nascent Soul stage. Even if he's been sealed for ten thousand years and his strength is greatly diminished, he's still at least at the peak of the Core Formation stage. What can our seven sects possibly use to stop him?"

"Not bad." Duan Feng, the master of Huadao Village, nodded. "Our Huadao Village only has three Nascent Soul cultivators, and the strongest of them, myself, is only at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Even if the Blood Moon Demon Lord only has the strength of the late-Nascent Soul stage, he is still not someone we can contend with."

"Then what do you two think we should do?" Liu Yueru of the Hidden Moon Sect asked calmly.

"We must seek aid from the Central Plains." Li Tianxing said without hesitation, "The cultivation world in the Central Plains is powerful, with all six major sects having Nascent Soul patriarchs in charge. Only their intervention can suppress this demon."

"It's too late." Qingxuzi shook his head. "It takes at least three months to travel from the Central Plains to the Southern Heaven. And the Blood Moon Incident only has two months left."

Silence fell over the hall. This was a real problem; a distant solution couldn't quench an immediate thirst.

"Then let's retreat," Duan Feng said in a deep voice. "Abandon Yue Kingdom and retreat to Yuanwu Kingdom or Zijin Kingdom. No matter how strong the Demon Lord is, he can't possibly chase us beyond the borders."

"Absurd!" Golden Roc Master of Spirit Beast Mountain slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Abandon the Yue Kingdom? Wouldn't our seven sects' thousand-year foundation be destroyed in an instant? Master Duan speaks so lightly. Huadaowu only has three branches in the Yue Kingdom, while our Spirit Beast Mountain's foundation in the Yue Kingdom accounts for the majority!"

"Are we just going to stay here and wait to die?" Duan Feng retorted.

Seeing that the two sides were about to start arguing, Master Qingyun shouted, "Enough! Today we're here to discuss countermeasures, not to quarrel!"

The crowd quieted down, but the atmosphere remained tense.

Han Mu watched all this quietly. The seven major sects seemed to be of one mind, but in reality, each had its own agenda. Tianque Fortress and Huadao Dock bordered the most with the demonic path and were least willing to fight head-on; Yanyue Sect and Lingshou Mountain were rooted deep in Yue Kingdom and were unwilling to give up their base; Qingxu Sect and Giant Sword Sect had ambiguous attitudes; Huangfeng Valley, as the initiator, had to come up with a feasible plan.

"Elder Han, what's your opinion?" Master Qingyun suddenly looked at Han Mu.

All eyes turned to Han Mu. Did a Foundation Establishment cultivator have the right to speak in this situation?

Han Mu stood up, neither humble nor arrogant: "In my opinion, retreating is the worst option, waiting is a dead end, and fighting offers a glimmer of hope."

"Oh?" Liu Yueru raised an eyebrow. "What insightful opinion does Elder Han have?"

"The key to the Blood Moon Incident lies in the Blood Fiend Breaking Seal Formation," Han Mu said. "As long as the formation is destroyed, the Blood Moon Demon Lord will not be able to emerge. However, setting up the formation requires time, location, and a large amount of blood sacrifice. If we can find the core of the formation in advance and destroy the formation eye, we can prevent the Demon Lord from being born."

"Easier said than done," Li Tianxing scoffed. "Since the Blood Fiend Sect dared to do this, they must have taken precautions. The core of the formation must be in a heavily guarded area; Wang Chan himself might even be stationed there. Wang Chan is a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator; among you present, who dares to say they can destroy the formation's core from him?"

"If one person can't do it, what about seven people working together?" Han Mu countered.

Everyone was taken aback.

"Elder Han means..." Qingxuzi pondered.

"Each of the seven sects will send one Nascent Soul cultivator to form a strike team and directly attack the core of the formation," Han Mu said. "At the same time, the allied forces of the seven sects will launch a feint attack from the front to attract the main forces of the Blood Fiend Sect and the Ghost Spirit Sect. In this way, we can catch them off guard."

"Excellent plan!" Iron Warrior of the Giant Sword Sect clapped his hands. "But who will lead the assault team? And how will we find the core of the formation?"

"I have already made some deductions about the location of the core of the formation." Han Mu took out a jade slip, infused it with spiritual power, and a three-dimensional map appeared. "Based on the clues provided by the ghost and the recent activities of the demonic path, the core of the formation is most likely in three places: Burial Soul Valley, the Blood Fiend Sect's lair, and the Ghost Spirit Sect's branch altar. Among them, Burial Soul Valley is the most likely, because the Yin energy there is the heaviest, making it the most suitable place to set up the Blood Fiend Grand Formation."

On the map, three locations are marked in red, with Burial Valley at the very center.

"As for the leader of the assault team..." Han Mu looked at Qingyun Zhenren.

Master Qingyun understood and said in a deep voice, "I am willing to be the vanguard."

"I will go as well," Liu Yueru said calmly.

"Count me in," Master Jinpeng nodded.

"I'll go too," Qingxuzi declared.

Li Tianxing and Duan Feng exchanged a glance, somewhat hesitant. But everyone else had already stated their position; if they didn't participate, they would be isolated afterward.

"Fine, my Tianque Fortress will send two people," Li Tianxing said.

"A person has emerged from Huadaowu," Duan Feng added.

With seven Nascent Soul cultivators, plus Han Mu, a "freak" at the eighth level of Foundation Establishment but whose actual combat strength is no less than that of an early Nascent Soul cultivator, the assault team is strong enough.

"But there's still one problem." Liu Yueru looked at Han Mu, "Elder Han, you are only at the Foundation Establishment stage. It's too dangerous for you to participate in this battle. Why don't you stay in the rear and assist the allied forces in command?"

"I must go," Han Mu shook his head. "Because I am the only one who has come into contact with the ghosts and understands the details of the Blood Fiend Seal-Breaking Array. Moreover, I have a secret method that can quickly discern the true nature of the array, which will help in destroying the array's core."

That's true, but not entirely. Han Mu had to go because the system mission required him to personally participate in destroying the formation. Moreover, this was an opportunity—if he could make a great contribution in this battle, the Han family's position in the Yue Kingdom would be completely secured.

Master Qingyun gave Han Mu a deep look, and finally nodded: "Alright, Elder Han, you will go. But remember, safety first. If things become unbearable, evacuate immediately."

"I understand."

Next, the group discussed the details. The main force consisted of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining disciples from various sects, totaling about three thousand people, and was commanded by the Nascent Soul elders left behind by each sect. They were to assemble at the border in three days and launch a feigned attack on the Blood Fiend Sect's stronghold. The assault team, on the other hand, would secretly infiltrate and head straight for Burial Soul Valley.

The meeting lasted three hours. When it ended, everyone's expressions were solemn, but their eyes held a resolute determination.

"System, bring up the task progress."

[Host: Han Mu]

[Realm: Foundation Establishment Level 8 (True) / Foundation Establishment Level 1 (Surface)]

[Mission: Blood Moon Incident (In Progress)]

[Current Progress: Securing the support of the Seven Factions Alliance (7/7)]

[First Stage Reward: Ten Years of Cultivation Empowerment (Available to Claim)]

[New Mission Unlocked: Destroy the Blood Fiend Seal Array]

[Mission Requirements: Destroy the Soul Burial Valley Formation Core (0/1), Kill the Nascent Soul cultivator in charge of the formation (0/1)]

[Task Rewards: Tier 4 cultivation technique "True Understanding of the Five Elements", blueprint for the special building "Trial Tower"]

"Receive cultivation empowerment."

A surge of pure spiritual energy flowed into Han Mu's body, circulating along his meridians. His cultivation level steadily increased from the early stage of the eighth level of Foundation Establishment to the peak of the eighth level, just one step away from the ninth level.

"Not enough," Han Mu thought to himself. Facing Wang Chan, who was in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, the peak of the eighth level of the Foundation Establishment realm was still too weak. He needed to break through as soon as possible.

As Han Mu was leaving Tianzhu Hall and heading back to Qingzhu Peak, a voice called out to him.

"Elder Han, please wait."

Turning around, one sees Liu Yueru from the Hidden Moon Sect. This female cultivator appears to be in her thirties, but is actually over five hundred years old, with a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation level. She is the Grand Elder of the Hidden Moon Sect, second only to the Sect Master in status.

"What advice do you have for me, Senior Liu?" Han Mu asked, bowing respectfully.

"I wouldn't presume to offer guidance." Liu Yueru sized him up, her eyes filled with admiration. "Just now in the hall, Elder Han's courage and strategy impressed me greatly. My Hidden Moon Sect has a disciple named Han Ling'er, a genius with an ice spiritual root. She's only sixteen years old and has already successfully established her foundation. She mentioned that the Han family of Yanling Fortress is her ancestral home. Does Elder Han recognize her?"

Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. Han Ling'er was his great-granddaughter, who had joined the Hidden Moon Sect three years ago. This matter was extremely secretive, and even within the Han family, few people knew about it.

"To be honest, Han Ling'er is my great-granddaughter," Han Mu said frankly.

"As expected." Liu Yueru smiled. "Ling'er has exceptional talent, and I have already taken her as my personal disciple. During this Blood Moon upheaval, I will take her with me to broaden her horizons. Elder Han, rest assured, with me here, I will ensure her safety."

"Thank you, Senior Liu." Han Mu bowed respectfully. Liu Yueru was doing him a favor, and also making her stance clear—the Hidden Moon Sect was on Huangfeng Valley's side.

"No need to thank me." Liu Yueru waved her hand. "I simply admire talent. Also, if Elder Han has the opportunity, he would be very willing to visit the Hidden Moon Sect. I am quite interested in the Han family's legacy."

After saying that, she drifted away.

Han Mu watched her leave, already having made his decision. Liu Yueru's words were an implication that the Hidden Moon Sect was willing to form an alliance with the Han family. This would be a significant boon for the Han family's development.

Upon returning to Qingzhu Peak, Han Mu summoned Han Changqing, Doctor Mo, and others to explain the situation.

"I will be leaving for a while. Changqing will be in charge of family affairs. The Transmission Pavilion is nearing completion, and all clansmen will enter it in batches to cultivate and strive to improve their strength in the shortest possible time. Elder Mo, the supply of pills must not be interrupted, especially pills for healing injuries and restoring spiritual energy; we must prepare plenty."

"Don't worry, Patriarch." Han Changqing nodded. "With Elder Mo and me here, the family will definitely be stable. But you, Patriarch, must be careful on this dangerous trip."

"I know what I'm doing," Han Mu said. "Besides, Ling'er is doing very well at the Hidden Moon Sect and has already been taken in as a personal disciple by Liu Yueru. You don't need to worry about her."

Everyone was both surprised and delighted. The Hidden Moon Sect was the number one sect in the Yue Kingdom, and Liu Yueru was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. It was a blessing for the Han family that Han Ling'er had such an opportunity.

After giving his instructions, Han Mu returned to his cave and began preparing for the operation three days later. He took out all the talismans and array plates and checked them one by one. He then took out the white jade folding fan he had obtained from Black Wind Stronghold. This was the prototype of the "Universe Fan." If he could refine it into a natal magic weapon, its power would be boundless, but now was not the time.

"System, is there any way to quickly increase combat power?"

[Detected that the host possesses ten years of cultivation that has not been fully digested after the initiation. 1000 family contribution points can be consumed to accelerate the refining process. The host can break through to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment within three days.]

[Host detected to have mastered the Minor Five Elements Sword Formation. May consume 500 clan contribution points to evolve it into the Major Five Elements Sword Formation (can be cultivated during the Foundation Establishment stage, power increased threefold)]

[Host detected to possess third-tier spiritual material "Mysterious Iron Refined Gold". Can consume 800 clan contribution points to refine "Five Elements Sword Pills" x5 (one-time use magic weapon, capable of severely injuring a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator)]

Han Mu checked his family contribution points balance: 2850 points. This was the amount accumulated by the family during this period of development.

"Accelerate the refinement of cultivation, deduce the 'Great Five Elements Sword Formation,' and refine the Five Elements Sword Pill."

[2300 points consumed, 550 points remaining]

[Refining begins...]

[Start the simulation...]

[Begin refining...]

Three days later, he will face this life-or-death battle with an even stronger attitude.