The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

After flying for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the scenery ahead suddenly changed.

The greyish-white swamp mist gradually thinned, replaced by a dark red blood mist. The air became viscous, carrying a heavy, sweet, and foul odor—the smell of bloodlust mixed with yin energy. Through the blood mist, the outline of a massive valley could be vaguely seen, resembling the gaping maw of a colossal beast, stretching across the land.

"We've arrived at Burial Valley," Master Qingyun said in a deep voice, waving his hand to signal everyone to stop.

The eight people hovered three miles outside the valley, observing intently. The valley entrance was about a hundred feet wide, with steep black cliffs on both sides. The cliff walls were covered with strange blood-red patterns, as if they were drawn with blood. Blood mist churned inside the valley, and visibility was extremely low. Even divine sense was interfered with by some force and could only extend for a few dozen feet.

"System, perform a full scan of Burial Soul Valley to detect the formation structure and personnel distribution."

[Scanning... Warning: High-intensity shielding force field detected]

[Scan blocked, working on breakthrough...]

[Breakthrough successful. Partial scan results are shown below:]

[Bloodlust Concentration in the Valley: 8.7% (Danger Level)]

[Fourth-tier formation fluctuation detected: Blood Fiend Seal Breaking Formation (Core)]

[Location of the formation's core: Center of the valley floor (approximately five li away)]

[Narrative Nascent Soul stage life fluctuations detected: 3 (location: near the array core)]

[Foundation Establishment stage life fluctuations detected: 27 (distributed throughout the valley)]

[Abnormal energy source detected: Blood Moon Demon Lord's Seal (Status: Loosening)]

Three Nascent Soul cultivators! Han Mu's heart skipped a beat. This was more than he had expected; it seemed the Blood Fiend Sect had indeed made preparations.

"There are three Nascent Soul cultivators guarding the valley, one of whom is Wang Chan," Han Mu briefly informed everyone of the scan results. "In addition, the Blood Fiend Seal Breaking Formation has been activated. Although it is not fully operational yet, the seal has already loosened. We must destroy the formation's core as soon as possible."

"Three Nascent Soul cultivators..." Li Tianxing frowned. "We have seven people, which gives us a numerical advantage, but Wang Chan is a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, and her strength should not be underestimated. Moreover, this is their home ground, and their combat power will be enhanced by the formation."

"We'll split into two groups," Liu Yueru suddenly said. "Four of us will launch a feint attack from the front to draw the attention of Wang Chan and the other two Nascent Soul cultivators. The other three will escort Elder Han to the bottom of the valley to destroy the array's core. Once the core is destroyed, the array will collapse, and their advantage will be gone."

"Good idea." Qingxuzi nodded. "Who will go to the front?"

"I'll go." Li Tianxing said without hesitation. "I have a grudge against Wang Chan, so this is a good opportunity to meet him."

"I'll go too," Duan Feng said.

"Count me in," the spirit eagle on Jinpeng Zhenren's shoulder cried out sharply.

"I will go as well," Liu Yueru said calmly. "Four people are enough to hold them back. Fellow Daoist Qingyun and Fellow Daoist Qingxu, you two take Elder Han in and infiltrate the formation. Be sure to destroy the core of the array."

Master Qingyun and Master Qingxu exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement. This allocation was quite reasonable. Liu Yueru was the strongest, and together with Li Tianxing, Duan Feng, and Master Jinpeng, they were more than capable of restraining the three Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Elder Han, stay close to us." Master Qingyun looked at Han Mu. "During the infiltration, whatever you see or hear, ignore it. Our target is the array's core."

"I understand."

With the plan finalized, the group no longer hesitated. Liu Yueru and her three companions suddenly unleashed their power, transforming into four streaks of light that rushed straight towards Burial Soul Valley. Their Nascent Soul cultivator aura was undisguised, instantly alerting the guards within the valley.

"Enemy attack—!"

At the valley entrance, more than ten Foundation Establishment cultivators hastily formed a battle formation, but they were as fragile as paper when faced with the attack of four Nascent Soul cultivators. Liu Yueru waved her hand lightly, and a sword aura as bright as moonlight swept across, turning the more than ten people into blood mist before they could even scream.

"Wang Chan, get out here!" Li Tianxing's voice was like thunder as he slammed his palm into the valley. A huge palm print condensed in the air, carrying a world-destroying force, and crashed down.

"Li Tianxing, how dare you!" A furious shout echoed from within the valley, followed by a crimson blade of light shooting into the sky, colliding with the palm print. Amidst the deafening roar, an energy storm swept through, clearing away most of the blood mist at the valley entrance.

Three figures flew out of the valley. The leader was a young man in a blood-red robe with a sinister face; it was Wang Chan. To his left and right were two others: one was an elder of the Blood Fiend Sect, at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and the other was a Nascent Soul elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect, also at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

"The four of you dare to venture into the Valley of Burial Souls?" Wang Chan sneered. "Since you're here, you're not leaving. I'll use your life essence to help me complete the grand formation!"

Before he finished speaking, he formed a hand seal, and the blood mist in the valley churned and condensed into nine giant blood-red pythons, which pounced on the four of them. At the same time, two Nascent Soul cultivators from the Blood Fiend Sect and the Ghost Spirit Sect also used their respective methods to launch a pincer attack.

A fierce battle erupted instantly. Four Nascent Soul cultivators faced three, giving Wang Chan a numerical advantage, but with the help of the formation, he was temporarily holding his own. In an instant, the sky above Burial Soul Valley was filled with flashes of spiritual light and continuous booming sounds.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Master Qingyun and Master Qingxu led Han Mu to quietly infiltrate from the side. They concealed their auras, flew close to the cliff, and avoided the battle zone.

The valley's terrain was complex, filled with jagged rocks and bottomless fissures. Blood mist permeated the air, obstructing visibility, but both Qingyun Zhenren and Qingxuzi were Nascent Soul cultivators with powerful divine senses, allowing them to barely discern directions.

"There's a fluctuation of formation ahead." Qingxuzi suddenly stopped, pointing to the left front, "It's a 'Bewitching Formation,' a third-tier formation that can confuse the mind and trap people in an illusion. Go around it."

"There's no way around it." Han Mu shook his head after careful observation. "The bewitching array covers the entire passage; it's the only way. Moreover, the array is connected to the earth's veins, and forcibly breaking it will alert Wang Chan."

"What should we do then?" Master Qingyun frowned.

"I have a way." Han Mu took out a calming jade pendant, which Doctor Mo had given him before his departure. It had the effect of calming the mind and spirit. He pressed the jade pendant to his brow and activated the Pure Yang True Fire Technique, injecting a wisp of pure Yang true fire into the jade pendant.

hum-

The jade pendant emitted a soft, clear light, enveloping the three of them. Wherever the light passed, the blood mist dissipated, the illusion vanished, and a clear passage appeared before them.

"Let's go!" Han Mu stepped in first.

Protected by the clear light, the illusions of the bewitching array could not get close. The three passed through smoothly and continued to venture deeper. But the deeper they went, the more numerous and powerful the arrays became. Third-tier "Bone-Corroding Poison Array", third-tier "Blood Fiend Trapping Array", fourth-tier "Nine Nether Soul Refining Array"... all sorts of insidious arrays appeared one after another.

Fortunately, Han Mu had the system's assistance, allowing him to always find weaknesses in the formations, either breaking through or bypassing them. Qingyun Zhenren and Qingxuzi were secretly astonished by his mastery of formations; this level was already comparable to many Nascent Soul cultivators who specialized in formations.

Half an hour later, the three finally approached the bottom of the valley. The concentration of blood demonic energy here had reached an astonishing 15%, even making Nascent Soul cultivators feel uncomfortable. In the center of the valley, nine blood-red stone pillars, each ten feet tall, stood, with dozens of unconscious mortals bound to each pillar, their blood being drawn for soul refinement. At the center of the pillars was a huge blood-red altar, upon which floated a blood-red crystal the size of a head—the core of the array—the Blood Demonic Energy Source Crystal!

Beside the altar sat an old man in black robes, exuding a chilling aura; he was actually at the mid-Nascent Soul stage! He was not Wang Chan, but another Supreme Elder of the Blood Fiend Sect!

"The Blood Fiend Ancestor!" Qingxuzi's expression changed drastically. "Didn't he pass away a hundred years ago?"

"It seems he faked his death." Master Qingyun's eyes were grave. "This is troublesome. Blood Fiend Ancestor was already in the mid-Nascent Soul stage a hundred years ago, and now he's probably closer to the late stage. Even if the two of us join forces, we might not be his match."

"He's not the only one." Han Mu pointed around the altar. "There are twelve other Foundation Establishment Peak cultivators lying in ambush there, forming the 'Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation.' Once we make a move, they will immediately activate the formation to trap us."

With the Blood Fiend Ancestor, a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, in front, and the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Fiends Formation behind, the situation was even more dire than anticipated.

"System, devise the best course of action," Han Mu urged in his mind.

[Driving simulation in progress...]

[Option 1: Qingyun Zhenren and Qingxuzi directly restrain Xue Sha Lao Zu, while the host seizes the opportunity to destroy the array's core. Success rate: 40%, high probability of casualties]

[Option Two: The host detonates the remaining four Five Elements Sword Pills, forcibly breaking through the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation, creating chaos, and then attempting to destroy the formation's core. Success rate: 50%; probability of host being severely injured: 80%]

[Option 3: Use the "Universe Fan" prototype to activate spatial power, instantly teleport to the array's core, and directly destroy it. Success rate: 60%, but the Universe Fan will be completely destroyed, and the host will reveal their full strength.]

The Qiankun Fan is the embryonic form of Han Mu's natal magic weapon, containing a trace of spatial power, and is one of his greatest trump cards. Using it here would certainly increase the success rate, but it would also reduce his trump card count.

Han Mu gazed at the crimson crystal on the altar. The Blood Fiend Source Crystal was slowly pulsating; with each pulsation, a massive surge of blood fiend power poured into the ground, impacting the Blood Moon Demon Lord's seal. There was no time to hesitate.

"Seniors, please buy me ten breaths," Han Mu said in a deep voice. "Within ten breaths, do not let anyone disturb me."

Master Qingyun and Master Qingxu exchanged a glance and nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, no one will be able to get past us within ten breaths."

"Then... let's do it!"