Devouring demons, I attain immortality.

Once Liu Qinghe and the others had completely disappeared from sight, the dust that had been kicked up gradually settled.

A complex emotion suddenly welled up in Lin An's heart.

It evokes both reminiscence of the adventurous experience and a sense of uncertainty and contemplation about the future.

He knew that this brief disturbance was just a small episode on his path to immortality.

For myself.

Improving our strength is the most urgent task at hand.

In the world of cultivation, the strong are respected, and the weak are preyed upon by the strong.

If you want to gain a foothold in this cruel world and protect those you cherish, the only way is to continuously strengthen yourself.

Lin An pondered to himself that although he had cultivated his skills to a certain level, he still needed more opportunities and diligent practice to break through the bottleneck.

However, this place is filled with the affection of the Xu family.

However, it was difficult to provide him with enough resources and opportunities for cultivation.

However, when he thought about leaving this place, he felt reluctant to leave.

His gaze unconsciously fell on Xu Qingyan.

Xu Qingyan stood quietly to the side, her gentle gaze following him intently, as if she could see through his inner struggle.

Xu Qingyan seemed to have seen through Lin An's thoughts.

She stepped forward gracefully, gently took Lin An's hand, and the warmth of her fingertips conveyed endless tenderness and understanding.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes glistening with tears.

But she forced a smile and said softly, "It's alright. I know your cultivation is so powerful that you are destined for a wider world. This small Xu family cannot contain your ambition. I only hope that wherever you go, you will not forget me."

Her voice was soft, but trembled slightly.

Every word seemed to come from the softest part of his heart.

Lin An felt a pang of pain in his heart and tightly grasped Xu Qingyan's hand.

As if he wanted to integrate her into his life: "Qingyan, don't worry, no matter where I am, you will always be the most important person in my heart. How could I forget you?"

His eyes were firm and ardent, filled with deep affection for Xu Qingyan.

Even so, Lin An still hesitated.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "However, no matter what, I will wait until Xu Shan's problem is completely resolved before leaving. He is colluding with the Zhan family and harbors ill intentions towards us. I cannot rest easy until this is completely resolved."

A cold glint flashed in Lin An's eyes at the mention of Xu Shan.

He knew that Xu Shan's existence was like a time bomb, which could bring new crises to the Xu family at any time.

At this moment, Xu Chongfeng, who had been standing aside silently watching the two, suddenly slapped his forehead.

He said, "Oh right, where's Xu Shan? I haven't seen him since what happened yesterday. He betrayed his family like this; we can't let him off so easily."

Xu Chongfeng's face was full of worry and anger.

Xu Shan's betrayal caused him great distress and made him realize that he must find Xu Shan as soon as possible and eliminate this hidden danger.

Lin An frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.

He knew that since Xu Shan dared to do such a thing, he would definitely not let it go.

He is likely plotting something in secret.

Finding Xu Shan and eliminating the threat he poses may be the last thing he must accomplish before leaving.

……

Xu Shan traveled non-stop along the winding and rugged mountain road towards that desolate wilderness.

Along the way, the wind howled.

His clothes fluttered in the wind, his disheveled hair danced wildly, and his face was full of exhaustion and resentment.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind.

That is to find the man in black robes in the cave.

With his power, he sought revenge against Lin An.

Finally, he arrived at that desolate mountain.

The surroundings were eerily silent, broken only by the occasional roar of an unknown wild beast.

Xu Shan took a deep breath to calm his racing heart and walked towards the cave.

The cave was filled with a damp, decaying smell.

A chilling wind blew in from the cave entrance, sending shivers down one's spine.

The man in black robes sat cross-legged deep inside the cave, his body shrouded in a thin layer of black mist, obscuring his face.

His figure appeared and disappeared in the mist, like a demon god emerging from the darkness, exuding a mysterious and powerful aura.

Upon hearing Xu Shan's footsteps, the man in black slowly opened his eyes.

Two cold glints shot from his eyes.

"What do you want from me?"

His voice was deep and hoarse, as if it came from the deepest hell.

Wandering through the cave, an endless chill filled the air.

Upon hearing the sound, Xu Shan felt a chill run down his spine and quickly stepped forward.

He knelt down in front of the man in black robes with a thud, his face full of pleading: "Senior, please save me! I've been terribly wronged by that Lin An. My family doesn't want me anymore, and I have nothing now."

As Xu Shan spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and his voice became choked with emotion.

He recalled his former glory in the Xu family, and looking at his current destitution, his resentment grew even stronger.

The man in black frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes: "Lin An? Who is he? Why would he want to harm you?"

The man in black robes paid no attention to Xu Shan's cries.

He only cared about the ins and outs of the matter and whether it was worth his time to get involved.

Xu Shan quickly explained the grudge between himself and Lin An.

From the moment Lin An arrived at the Xu family, to his collusion with the Zhan family, and finally to being exposed by Lin An, Liu Qinghe, and others, he told them everything in detail.

He embellished Lin An's misdeeds, portraying himself as an innocent victim.

"Senior, Lin An is incredibly powerful; I'm no match for him. Please, for the sake of our past relationship, help me eliminate him. I'm willing to do anything to avenge myself!"

As Xu Shan spoke, he kept kowtowing.

His forehead slammed against the hard ground with a thud.

After listening to Xu Shan's story, the man in black remained silent for a moment.

He slowly stood up, the black mist around him growing thicker, as if the entire cave was shrouded in this dark power.

"Hmph, a mere cultivator dares to be so arrogant. Since you've come to me for help, I'll grant your request this time. However, remember, if things go smoothly, you'll owe me a favor."

The man in black robes spoke with a hint of mockery, as if he were toying with an ant.

Xu Shan was overjoyed to hear that the man in black robes had agreed to help.

He quickly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "Thank you, senior! Thank you, senior! As long as I can get rid of Lin An, I'd do anything for you, even be your slave!"

Xu Shan's face revealed a ferocious smile, as if he could already see Lin An lying at his feet.

"However, I won't help you directly."

However, the man in black's next words made Xu Shan's heart tremble once again.

He didn't understand what the man in black meant.

Then, the man in black continued, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. I will help you, but only to give you enough power to deal with him. As for eliminating him, that's for you to do yourself..."