The Confucian and Taoist Sages of Mortal Cultivation

The Yan family patriarch was very satisfied with Wang Chan's quick agreement and said, "Since that's the case, then you should prepare to cast a life-or-death curse on each other."

As soon as he finished speaking, an elder of the Yan family took out six futon-shaped magical artifacts from his storage bag at his waist and placed them in the corner of the main hall.

Yan Ruyan, the two elders of the Yan family, Wang Chan, and the six brothers of the Li family sat cross-legged on their prayer mats, palms facing each other, and began to plant the life-and-death curse on each other.

Half an incense stick later, the six finished their practice. Wang Chan was the first to stand up and bowed to the Yan family patriarch, saying, "Senior Yan, I will now go and prepare to set up the Yin Fire Array. Please take advantage of these few days to prepare for our evacuation."

The Yan family patriarch nodded slightly and replied, "Don't worry, I will make the arrangements."

"Ruyan, go and see Wang Chan off."

Yan Ruyan moved gracefully to Wang Chan's side, bowed slightly, and revealed a charming expression that was both shy and alluring.

Even though Wang Chan was the young master of the Ghost Spirit Sect and had seen countless women, a strange look couldn't help but flash in his eyes at this moment.

Yan Ruyan escorted Wang Chan to the door and watched Wang Chan and the Li brothers' figures disappear at the end of the street.

The next moment, the smile on Yan Ruyan's face disappeared, replaced by a cold expression that kept people at arm's length.

She then returned to the lobby and sat down again.

"Ruyan, you won't blame me for betrothing you to Wang Chan, will you?" The Yan family patriarch looked at Yan Ruyan earnestly.

Yan Ruyan's face showed no emotion, and she replied calmly, "Ruyan's current achievements are all thanks to the family, and it is only right that I contribute to the family."

Upon hearing this, the elders and stewards of the Yan family present nodded in agreement.

The Confucian scholar named Xuan Ye stood up and said, "Ancestor, we Yan Family Fortress don't have much time left."

"Please, ancestor, instruct us on how to evacuate?"

The Yan family patriarch also looked solemn and pondered, "Abandon all those distant relatives and ordinary people without magical powers."

"Xuan Ye, you are responsible for informing the remaining clansmen to prepare. The day the treasure hunt begins will be the day we leave Yue Kingdom."

"Yanling, you are responsible for informing the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom that this treasure-hunting competition will be held in two venues, with Yue Kingdom's venue located at Feilai Peak in the west."

"The Li brothers will naturally handle these Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the seven major sects."

"Yan Yu, you are responsible for informing the cultivators from neighboring countries such as Zijin Kingdom and Yuanwu Kingdom to go to Xiangshan in the east to participate in the treasure-hunting competition."

"At that time, I will personally apologize to them, give them some treasures, and let them leave so as not to offend the Core Formation cultivator behind them."

"Yan Qi, Yan Fang, go and inventory the treasures in the shops in the market, and take away the most valuable ones."

"Ruyan, you'll have to work hard. First, go and clean out the treasures in the clan's treasury, and then go to the scripture pavilion and take all the books with you."

Immediately afterwards, the Yan family patriarch took out three black tokens and introduced them, "These are the three spare tokens for our Yan family's protective formation. Xuan Ye, Ru Yan, and Yan Qi, you three should keep them safe."

"After the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the fortress go to participate in the treasure-hunting event, you can use these three tokens to pack up and take away the clan's protective formation along with it."

Yan Ruyan and the others stepped forward one by one and accepted the token.

After giving instructions on the evacuation, the Yan family patriarch breathed a sigh of relief, rubbed his temples, and said, "I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this."

"Xuan Ye, you are the strategist of our Yan family, known as 'the one who can calculate without error.' Help me think, is there anything I've overlooked?"

Xuan Ye, however, remained confident and reassured him, "Please rest assured, Ancestor."

"The seven major sects of Yue Kingdom are still in the dark. Even if the soul lamps left by the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the seven major sects in the fortress are broken, it will alarm the Core Formation cultivators of the seven major sects."

"But by the time the Core Formation cultivators from the seven major sects arrived, our Yan Family Fortress was already deserted."

"Unless someone can foresee the future and send a message to the Core Formation cultivators of the seven major sects in advance."

"Of course, that's impossible."

Upon hearing this, the Yan family patriarch was relieved and then instructed, "Go and do it."

Everyone stood up one by one and left Feiyun Pavilion to prepare for their evacuation.

Three days passed quietly, and soon it was the night before the treasure hunt.

In the Fengyue Inn, on the second floor, in room number 地, Yang Qingyuan was sitting cross-legged on the bed, conserving his energy, when he suddenly heard a rapid knocking on the door.

He immediately got out of bed, opened the door, and saw Yanling standing outside.

Yan Ling bowed and said, "Fellow Daoist Yang, the Treasure Hunt will begin tomorrow morning."

"This conference will be held in two venues. The Foundation Establishment cultivators from the seven major sects of our country will go to Feilai Peak in the west."

"As for the Foundation Establishment cultivators from neighboring countries, they went to Fragrant Mountain in the east."

Yang Qingyuan had expected this and was not surprised. He rolled his eyes and asked, "Fellow Daoist Yan Ling, I have long admired the name of the Yan family's patriarch. I wonder if there is any chance to meet him at the Treasure Hunting Conference?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Ling was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Of course there's a chance. After our ancestor attends the ceremony at Xiangshan in the east, he will go to Feilai Peak in the west."

"Fellow Daoist Yang only needs to wait a moment on Feilai Peak, and you will surely be able to see our Yan family patriarch."

"Please do not miss the time, fellow Daoist. If you are late, it will be considered as a forfeit."

"I still need to inform the other fellow cultivators, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying that, Yanling went to other rooms.

Yang Qingyuan immediately closed the door, his expression uncertain, thinking to himself, "I certainly can't go to tomorrow's treasure hunt."

"I wonder if Nie Ying delivered the letter?"

"If no reinforcements arrive tonight, we'll have no choice but to take a risky approach."

After saying that, he took out a silver demon mask from his storage bag and put it on. He also put on a black robe and used the "Thirteen Protectors' Horizontal Chain Golden Bell Cover" technique. His bones crackled and popped, and his figure grew slightly taller.

Yang Qingyuan walked to the bronze mirror on the side, carefully compared himself to the mirror, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp light...

Meanwhile, on Feilai Peak to the west of Yanjiabao, a dozen green-robed members of the Ghost Spirit Sect were changing into Yanjiabao's attire and bustling about on the mountaintop, occasionally taking out black bead-like magical artifacts and burying them underground.

Wang Chan and the two Core Formation stage cultivators stood on blood mist, hovering in mid-air, coldly observing everything below.

As for inside Yan Family Fortress, undercurrents were also surging. Yan Yu and other Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yan Family Fortress used storage bags to fill the market shops and treasure vaults with a dazzling array of treasures.

The night passed quickly, and the next morning, Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yue Kingdom, Zijin Kingdom, and Yuanwu Kingdom emerged from their rooms and headed to Feilai Peak and Xiangshan respectively to participate in the treasure-hunting event on time.

Han Li also rode the flying shuttle to Feilai Peak and then looked around at the situation.

But a huge magic array had already been built on the mountain platform.

Inside the magic circle, two middle-aged men dressed in Yan family attire were meditating with their eyes closed.

Behind the magic circle is a low earthen platform.

On the stage, there were also a dozen or so members of the Yan family, their faces partially obscured by the mist, standing there discussing something.

Han Li looked around but couldn't see Yang Qingyuan. He couldn't help but feel puzzled. He frowned slightly and slowly retreated to a secluded corner, away from the great formation.

Dong Xuan'er ignored Han Li's expression and walked into the crowd, chatting enthusiastically with the male disciples of Huangfeng Valley.

At this moment, on the earthen platform, a cultivator from the Ghost Spirit Sect was silently counting the number of people. He then said to Wang Chan, "Young Sect Master, almost all the cultivators from the seven major sects of Yue Kingdom have arrived."

"But for some reason, the number of people in Huangfeng Valley is incorrect; there is still one person lingering inside Yan Family Fortress."

"Shall we wait a little longer?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chan adjusted her mask and said, "Yellow Maple Valley?"

"Fine, the eleventh and twelfth of the Twelve Ghost Guards are still in the city. I will inform them to kill this late-arriving Yellow Maple Valley cultivator directly in Yan Family Fortress."

After saying that, Wang Chan took out two black communication talismans from her storage bag and said something to them.

The two talismans immediately flew out of his hand, transforming into two beams of light that headed straight for Yan Family Fortress...