Immortality begins with inheriting the myriad arts of cultivation.

Beneath the Xu family's land.

Li Ping patiently waited here with his two spirit beasts.

Several hours passed before the earth spirit rat squeaked again, telling Li Ping that the white-haired old man's scent had moved.

"It's been moved?"

Li Ping immediately ordered, "Take us and follow them."

……

After dealing with the clan's mundane affairs, Xu Moyan transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the cave, a bitter expression on his face.

As he flew, he was still thinking about what had just happened in the clan's council hall.

The news of Zhuochen Zu spread throughout the clan. Knowing that he and the ancestor had met with Zhuochen Zu and returned, the four Core Formation elders all sent people over, wanting to bring Zhuochen Zu back.

These people almost came to blows in the council hall, and in the end he had no choice but to reveal that Zhuochen Zu had no intention of returning to the Xu family.

Hearing this, the group left with some skepticism, presumably to report back to their respective Core Formation elders.

Thinking of this, Xu Moyan couldn't help but shake his head inwardly: "If Ancestor Zhuochen were in his prime, if he weren't a third-tier alchemist..."

While in the council hall, he really wanted to angrily rebuke those people: Is this your way of showing respect? You are just coveting the legacy of Ancestor Zhuochen, coveting his third-tier alchemy skills. You are despicable.

However, considering the Core Formation elders behind them, he could only offer kind words of comfort and reveal the Grand Elder's plan.

"It's late today. Let's arrange for Qingque to see Zhuochen Ancestor tomorrow," Xu Moyan thought to himself.

In truth, he knew in his heart that he and the Grand Elder were no better than those others.

If Zhuochen Zu hadn't been a Core Formation cultivator and a third-tier alchemist, and persuading him to return would have been beneficial to the Xu family, why would they have gone to such lengths?

Ultimately, everyone is in it for their own benefit.

The four Core Formation elders were acting in the interests of their own lineage, while he and the Grand Elder were acting in the interests of the Xu family.

Of course, Zhuochen Zu is a member of the Xu family, and the blood of his ancestors flows in his veins.

Even without these factors, as younger generations, it is their duty to care for them in their old age and see them off in their final days.

However, their attitude wouldn't be as eager as it is now.

Returning to the superior-grade third-tier cave dwelling, which only the head of the family was qualified to possess, Xu Moyan activated the cave dwelling formation, sat cross-legged, and began his meditation practice.

Although handling routine affairs took up a lot of his energy, it was precisely because of his status as the head of the family that he enjoyed many resources, which enabled him to cultivate to the late stage of Foundation Establishment with his three spiritual roots.

"Ultimately, cultivators really rely on their own strength." While cultivating, Xu Moyan couldn't help but ponder this thought.

If he were a Core Formation cultivator, he could easily pull Zhuochen Zu into his lineage with just a little effort.

Unfortunately, there were no Core Formation cultivators in his lineage, so he dared not get involved in this matter at all.

Suddenly—

"What's going on?" Xu Moyan, who was meditating, noticed a barely perceptible fluctuation of spiritual energy within the cave.

Before he could react and check the situation, he felt a strong, powerful hand grab his neck, making it difficult for him to even breathe.

"Who could do this in the heart of the family without disturbing the formation—" Xu Moyan only had time to think this before he lost consciousness.

Li Ping, dressed in a black robe, looked at the unconscious Xu Moyan in his hands, a look of solemnity flashing in his eyes. A pale blue light emerged from his palm and entered Xu Moyan's sea of ​​consciousness.

Considering that he had no grudge against the Xu family and that the difference in spiritual strength between himself and Xu Moyan was enormous, he could search for the necessary information without harming Xu Moyan's soul.

Therefore, Li Ping did not use the violent soul search as he had done before, but tried his best to avoid harming Xu Moyan.

Xu Moyan slept peacefully throughout the entire process.

Half an hour later, Li Ping put down the unconscious Xu Moyan, used a secret technique to erase his memory of the attack, and then calmly left along the path he had come from.

……

Inside the cave filled with spiritual energy, Xu Moyan slowly woke up. He glanced around at his surroundings, his eyes filled with confusion.

"What's wrong with me?"

Because Li Ping forcibly erased his memory of the attack, he now only remembers the scene of him meditating.

"How could I lose consciousness and faint while meditating? Could it be that I went into a state of demonic possession during my cultivation?" Xu Moyan was completely baffled.

Especially after checking his belongings and the condition of the magic array, he was certain that no outsiders had broken in during his seclusion.

"I, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, have inexplicably been unconscious for over an hour!"

Xu Moyan's expression was uncertain.

If someone really did tamper with him just now, who would have the means to do so within the Xu family's ancestral land?

Making a fuss about it will only make him uncomfortable; he might as well pretend he knows nothing.

Thinking of this, he sighed softly: "Never mind, I'll take Qingque to pay respects to Ancestor Zhuochen tomorrow. After that, it's none of my business."

Day two.

When Xu Moyan brought a Foundation Establishment stage female cultivator dressed in a light blue dress to pay her respects to Ancestor Zhuochen, she was shocked to find that the courtyard was completely empty.

Only one jade slip was placed on the table.

After examining the jade slip, Xu Moyan sighed.

In this letter, Zhuochen Zu told them that he had returned to the Xu family, intending to pay respects to the ancestor, but he had been tormented for a long time and a guilty person dared not see the ancestor's remains. Therefore, he ultimately chose to leave without saying goodbye.

Xinwei Zhuochenzu said, "Being able to return to the family's old home one last time before passing away is my wish fulfilled. For the rest of my life, I only wish to drift on the rivers and lakes."

"Ancestor Zhuochen?" A female cultivator beside her couldn't help but ask in a low voice when she saw the change in Xu Moyan's eyes.

Xu Moyan shook his head: "He's already gone. We're too late. Qingque, you should go back first. I still need to report this to the Grand Elder."

"Gone?" The female cultivator's tone was slightly disappointed.

……

In the sky tens of thousands of miles away from the Heavenly Thunder Sect.

Having regained his original appearance, Li Ping rode the flying boat at high speed.

After searching Xu Moyan's soul, to avoid any accidents, he left a farewell letter and chose to leave the Thunder God Sect.

Unlike cultivators who enter the sect, the Thunder God Sect does not manage those who leave the sect very strictly. After he explained his identity, the guardian of the array gate let him leave directly.

Li Ping looked into the distance, but his mind was racing, pondering the information he had gleaned from Xu Moyan's memories.

He already knew the whereabouts of the alchemy furnace among Xu Dansheng's relics.

Before Xu Dansheng passed away, he made arrangements for his belongings, giving most of them to the sect and leaving a small portion to his family and disciples.

The alchemy furnace then fell into the hands of one of his disciples.

Chao Xuan, a mid-grade third-tier alchemist and a late-stage Core Formation cultivator!

This is why Li Ping left without any hesitation.

A late-stage Core Formation cultivator, with the Heavenly Thunder Sect as his backer, Chao Xuan is someone he cannot deal with.

As a mid-grade third-level alchemist, Chao Xuan would not possibly trade away the relics left by his mentor.

He could only consider the matter of the alchemy furnace in the long run.