The First Venerable of All Paths

"Boom!"

"Snap!"

Thunder roared and lightning flashed.

The violent electric snakes seemed capable of tearing the sky apart.

A strong wind swept through, causing the mountains and forests to sway.

Dark clouds gathered, and black fog billowed.

The entire Qingniu Ridge became incredibly oppressive.

Wen Donglin knew that a rainstorm was about to hit Qingniuling.

He turned his gaze away and looked at the young man beside him.

Wen Yan smiled confidently and said, "Father, rest assured, this Mountain-Suppressing Dragon Formation is something I learned from an ancient book on formations. Although it is only a third-grade formation, I have been studying it for many years. Even a typical Divine Intent Realm expert can be trapped for a short time."

"That's excellent."

Wen Donglin's eyes turned cold as he said in a deep voice, "I heard that the little beast who killed your brother is also skilled in formations, so we shouldn't be careless either."

"Your son will remember your teachings, Father."

Wen Yan bowed and replied politely, but in his heart he did not think so.

That Fang fellow caused chaos in Mingyang County, killing his own younger brother Wen Lin, and then defeating Ming Che, killing countless elites from both the Wen and Ming families.

Various rumors have made that guy sound like a god.

Adding to what her father had just said—that the other party was skilled in formations—Wen Yan found it utterly ridiculous.

Martial arts.

kendo.

Now another array has been added.

Should all three be practiced simultaneously?

Even if such people exist, how high can their achievements be?

"You'll be in charge of the formation later."

No one knows a son better than his father, and Wen Donglin naturally understood what Wen Yan was thinking. He said, "As long as that brat isn't allowed to escape, I will personally capture him!"

Having cultivated for many years and being the head of a clan, Wen Donglin was certainly not a fool.

He wouldn't be like that arrogant Ming Yong, who, after his son was killed, still had the heart to stay in seclusion and entrusted the task of avenging his son to another son.

My son-in-law, who is known as the number one genius in Mingyang County, is indeed not weak.

And what was the result?

Not only was he publicly humiliated, but his storage ring was also stolen.

Openly, no one dared to say anything, but secretly, everyone was laughing at Mingche and the Ming family.

For Wen Donglin, what does a little face matter?

So what if the big bully the small, or the many bully the few?

Wen Donglin didn't care about anything else as long as he could avenge his son.

"You two must protect the young master's safety."

Seeing Wen Yan leave, Wen Donglin ordered, "If anything happens to the young master, I will hold you all accountable!"

"yes!"

Two Wen family martial artists quickly followed Wen Yan.

They were all at the Qi Condensation Realm and were considered elders in the Wen family.

With them around, as long as Yan'er doesn't do anything foolish, nothing unexpected will happen.

"Boom!"

Thunder roared again, and large raindrops finally began to fall.

The fog was thick, and visibility dropped sharply.

The gale-force winds, accompanied by torrential rain, whipped up the mountains and forests, causing them to tremble violently.

Vines swayed, pebbles rolled down, and the entire Qingniu Ridge seemed to be shrouded in chaos.

Wen Donglin stood atop a mountain, his Yuan energy circulating around him, forming an invisible barrier that kept the torrential rain out.

His gaze swept across the rolling mountains below like a hawk's, his eyes cold and sharp. He ordered in a deep voice, "Search in five directions, conduct a thorough search, and find that little beast Fang Xuan! Remember, leave him alive. I want to cripple him myself and avenge Lin'er!"

"Yes, Master!"

Dozens of Wen family warriors responded in unison, and then split into five groups to search the depths of Qingniu Ridge.

They were all menacing, their expressions wary, like ghosts flitting through the rain-soaked forests.

Deep within Qingniu Ridge, in the cave dwelling, lies a completely different scene.

Li Xintong sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, a faint, shimmering white halo surrounding her brow.

The Soul-Soothing Ointment is a supreme treasure for nourishing the soul, and it has an excellent restorative effect on Li Xintong's damaged soul. However, the soul must be kept quiet to prevent disturbances.

Outside the cave, Fang Xuan sealed the entrance again.

Fortunately, the rain completely concealed all traces.

"Footsteps...more than one person."

Fang Xuan's eyes sharpened, and he instantly concealed his aura, listening intently.

Amidst the sounds of wind and rain, the jumbled footsteps grew closer, and the conversations of martial artists reached their ears clearly.

"Search carefully! The patriarch said there will be a great reward for finding him!"

"Don't worry, the entire Qingniu Ridge has been sealed off. Even if he had wings, he couldn't escape!"

Not far away, a five-person Wen family team was conducting a thorough search.

The leader was a man dressed in black, with a sinister face and a powerful aura. He was clearly at the eighth level of the Qi Gathering Realm and was the captain of this squad.

The other four were all martial artists at the sixth or seventh level of the Qi Gathering Realm.

They all looked wary and were searching around.

Fang Xuan's eyes were cold, and without the slightest hesitation, he headed further into the mountains and forests.

"Fang Xuan?"

"We found him!"

The captain instantly became alert, shouted, and led his four teammates to rush towards Fang Xuan's location.

Upon seeing this, Fang Xuan curled his lips into a cold smile and turned to run towards the depths of Qingniu Ridge.

He deliberately controlled his speed, neither too fast nor too slow, always maintaining a certain distance from the Wen family's team.

"It's Fang Xuan! That little beast is here!"

The captain recognized Fang Xuan and a look of wild joy flashed in his eyes. He shouted loudly.

"Chase him! Don't let him get away! If we capture him, we'll have accomplished a great feat!"

Five Wen family warriors gave chase with all their might, and the complicated terrain did not affect their speed at all.

Fang Xuan ran wildly all the way and finally stopped in a narrow valley.

Here, towering cliffs rise on both sides, with only a narrow passage in the middle.

The terrain is treacherous, making it an ideal place for an ambush.

"You little bastard, where do you think you're going to run now!"

Five Wen family warriors surrounded Fang Xuan, their faces full of smugness.

"Fang Xuan, you have nowhere to escape; if you know what's good for you, obediently cripple your cultivation, and perhaps I can spare your corpse!"

"Nowhere to escape?"

Fang Xuan sneered, holding the Bloodbath Spear, and slowly circulating his Yuan Power.

Are you sure?

"Even on the verge of death, you're still being stubborn. Die!"

The captain roared and struck first, his longsword slashing down at Fang Xuan's head with a sharp gust of wind.

The Yuan Power of the eighth level of the Qi Gathering Realm erupted without reservation, the blade strikes were ruthless, and it went straight for Fang Xuan's vital heart.

The other four Wen family warriors also attacked simultaneously, unleashing their swords and sabers to form an encirclement. Their cunning moves blocked all of Fang Xuan's escape routes.

Fang Xuan's eyes sharpened, and he instantly activated the Dragon Fish Body Technique, his body moving as nimbly as a swimming fish as he dodged and weaved.

At the same time, he swept out with his Bloodbath Frenzy Spear.

The spear flashed, carrying a sharp and fierce aura, unmatched in its power.

"Bang!"

Guns and knives clashed, and a violent shockwave exploded instantly.

The captain felt his arm go numb, and the long sword almost slipped from his hand. He staggered back several steps, his expression one of horror.

He never expected that Fang Xuan's power would be so formidable; with just one strike, he was unable to withstand it.

Before he could react, Fang Xuan flashed and arrived in front of a Qi Gathering Realm sixth level martial artist.

With a flick of the spear tip, it pierced his throat.

"Pfft!"

Blood gushed out, and the martial artist collapsed to the ground, lifeless, before he could even scream.

With just one strike, he killed a man!

"court death!"

Upon seeing this, the other three martial artists were enraged and charged at Fang Xuan in a frenzy.

Fang Xuan snorted coldly, put away his spear and stood up, unleashing the full power of the Primordial Long Fist, his fist technique carrying the scorching heat of fire.

Each punch carries a continuous, relentless force.

"Bang!"

With a punch, he collided with the sword move of a Qi Gathering Realm seventh level martial artist, who was instantly blasted away by the force of the punch.

The man coughed up blood, his meridians were severed, and he fell heavily to the ground, unable to stand up again.

Upon seeing this, the captain's eyes flashed with shock, but he still gritted his teeth, brandished his long sword, and charged forward again.

Fang Xuan dodged the blade's attack by sidestepping, and with a backhand thrust of his Bloodbath Spear, the tip of the spear precisely pierced through Fang Xuan's shoulder.

A fierce battle intent swept through the spear.

"what!"

The captain let out a piercing scream, his face filled with terror.

"Tell me! How many people from the Wen family came?"

Fang Xuan's tone was sharp, and his gaze was icy.

The captain clenched his teeth, glaring venomously at Fang Xuan.

"He has some backbone."

Fang Xuan snorted coldly, twisted his wrist, and unleashed a burst of energy that shattered the captain's body.

The remaining two Wen family warriors were so terrified that they dared not fight any longer and turned to run away.

They all understood that Fang Xuan was deliberately feigning weakness to launch a powerful counterattack.

That kid is too cunning!

"Can you even leave?"

Fang Xuan's eyes turned cold, and he joined two fingers together.

Two streaks of light shot out from the sword casket on his back, as fast as a startled swan.

With a flash of sword light, the two heads fell to the ground, their blood staining the muddy mountain path.

In the short span of a few breaths, Fang Xuan completely annihilated the five-man Wen family squad, leaving no survivors.

Fang Xuan sheathed his spear and stood up, only to find that there wasn't a single trace of blood on the Bloodbath Spear.

"It can actually suck blood? This gun is no ordinary weapon."

Fang Xuan was somewhat surprised.

But there was no time to delve into that now. Fang Xuan glanced in a certain direction, a cold smile curving his lips, before turning and disappearing into the dense forest.

Meanwhile, in a mountain hollow in the middle of Qingniu Ridge, Wen Yan was standing on the central point of an array, surrounded by a faint halo of array patterns.

A formation plate was placed in front of him, and the formation patterns spread out along the plate, causing Wen Yan's spiritual power to spread continuously.

In the art of formations, if one cultivates to an extremely high level, one can use the sun, moon, and stars as eyes, and transform mountains and rivers into one's own power.

Wen Yan naturally couldn't do that.

However, subtle changes in the terrain can enhance Wenyan's perception.

Two elders of the Wen family stood beside him, looking vigilant, in case of any accidents.

Both elders were at the first level of the Qi Condensation Realm, possessing formidable combat strength. They were guards specially arranged by Wen Donglin to stand beside Wen Yan.

At the same time, it is also a powerful assistant to help Wen Yan observe the formation.

"Young Master, the formation is functioning normally, and its coverage area has expanded to the entire Qingniu Ridge region. As long as Fang Xuan is located, we can lock onto him."

An elder said in a deep voice.

Wen Yan's lips curled into a disdainful smile as he said indifferently, "He's just a callow youth. Even if he's a sword cultivator, he can't cause any trouble. This Mountain-Suppressing Dragon Formation is a third-grade formation. Even if he has extraordinary abilities, he can't break my formation."

Just then, the array patterns in the center of the array suddenly lit up, and a faint point of light moved rapidly across the array pattern map.

It was the trail of Fang Xuan fleeing into the depths of the mountains after he killed the squad.

"Young Master, we've spotted Fang Xuan! He's in the northwest, very close to us!"

Another elder quickly said, "Immediately notify the patriarch and launch a full-scale attack to capture Fang Xuan!"

"No need!"

Wen Yan glanced at the array patterns and said, "Father is too far from that boy, I'll go myself!"