CHAPTER 466: BEATING THE REBELLIOUS DESCENDANT, CLUES OF THE EVERGREEN TECHNIQUE

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Deep within the ancestral shrine.

Lan Chang'an had seen through the Xu Clan's development trajectory over the past few centuries, and even divined its future fate.

Old Ancestor Congfeng's return to the family, supposedly out of nostalgia, was in fact a ploy to siphon off the clan’s accumulated feng shui fortune through generations.

The Feng Shui spirit tablets placed in the Xu clan's ancestral shrine concealed profound secrets, they were the key medium for this scheme.

Ordinary cultivators would hardly notice anything amiss.

Even if a few within the family realized it, who would dare expose or oppose a Nascent Soul ancestor?

Had Xu Congfeng refused to return and acknowledge his roots, the Xu Clan might have flourished for many more years.

But his scheming return doomed the clan’s fortune to steadily decline, leading it inevitably toward decay and destruction!

That descendant several generations down, Xu Qingge, would also face a tragic fate of misfortune and an early, sorrowful death.

"That ungrateful bastard is nothing but a parasite, sucking the clan’s blood dry from beginning to end!"

Lan Chang'an even suspected that his failure to reach the Nascent Soul stage in his previous life might have been due to this leech draining the clan’s blood.

...

In the ancestral courtyard.

"Senior Xiang!"

Xu Qingge saw a blur and then the cyan-robed man who had disappeared before appeared once again before her eyes, as if out of nowhere.

"I have business with the Xu Clan's patriarch," said Lan Chang'an with his hands clasped behind his back, looking toward the white-haired, elderly clan head.

"Qingge, you may go," the patriarch, Xu Zhendong, gestured.

Xu Qingge bowed respectfully, but before leaving, she couldn't help casting one last glance at the tall, distant, and handsome man in cyan robes.

Only Lan Chang'an and the clan head remained in the courtyard.

"This unworthy descendant greets the honored Ancestor Xuan!"

The hunched and elderly clan patriarch, dressed in plain robes, knelt down trembling, his cloudy eyes brimming with tears.

"You’ve mistaken me, young friend. There is no ‘Ancestor Xuan’ in this world anymore."

Lan Chang'an accepted the bow without emotion, shaking his head.

"I merely owe him a favor."

"This time I’m only passing through Kun Province and won’t stay long. If your clan faces any trouble, you may mention it to me."

An invisible force lifted the old patriarch to his feet.

"Yes, Senior Xiang."

The old patriarch remained bowed, a flicker of doubt flashing in his eyes.

He suspected the cyan-robed guest before him might be the Ancestor Xuan reborn or recultivating, but he could not confirm it.

Lan Chang'an then began to ask Xu Zhendong about certain people and events in Great Kun.

Over the past five or six centuries, the cultivation world in Great Kun hadn’t changed significantly.

In this realm of noble families and sects coexisting, the class system had only grown more rigid, though it remained generally peaceful.

"Shao Chen from the Cangming Mansion?"

The old patriarch thought for a moment.

"Senior likely refers to True Monarch Shao? He ascended to the Nascent Soul stage a few centuries ago, then reportedly ventured beyond the outer seas and was never heard from again."

Upon hearing this, Lan Chang'an’s heart sank.

Five to six hundred years ago, Shao Chen had been a Core Formation cultivator in Cangming Mansion.

In his previous life, Lan Chang'an had briefly clashed with Shao Chen in Yan Donglai’s cave abode, both had managed to seize half of the Evergreen Technique.

Back then, Lan Chang'an had no interest in cultivating the Evergreen Technique, a flawed technique focused on longevity. His spiritual roots and talents didn’t align with it either.

He had utterly disregarded it.

Were it not for his poor aptitude in this third life, and his need for a safer path to breakthrough, he wouldn’t have chosen to cultivate the Evergreen Technique on a whim.

As for Shao Chen of the Cangming Mansion, a Core Formation cultivator of such standing, he likely had even less interest in it.

Moreover, the Xu Clan was far removed from Cangming Mansion, and the two never had further contact.

"Shao Chen ventured to the outer seas and never returned?"

Lan Chang'an furrowed his brow in contemplation.

Great Kun's cultivation environment was similar to that of Great Qing, and breaking through the upper limit was even more difficult.

Ambitious Nascent Soul cultivators often ventured into the Great Yuan or the outer seas, hunting monsters and seeking opportunities. It wasn’t uncommon.

"How long has he been gone?"

"At least three hundred years."

The old patriarch gave an approximate answer after thinking for a moment.

Hearing this number, Lan Chang'an sighed inwardly.

From experience, he surmised that True Monarch Shao of Cangming Mansion had most likely met with misfortune.

A Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator venturing across provincial borders without backing or connections could easily fall prey to others of the same realm.

Lan Chang'an could only hope that Shao Chen hadn’t taken the other half of the Evergreen Technique with him.

...

Late that night.

The old patriarch personally arranged an old courtyard residence for Lan Chang'an.

This secluded place was once the residence of the "Xuan Ancestor" in his youth.

"The environment is decent," Lan Chang'an said indifferently.

The old patriarch left slightly disappointed.

Lan Chang'an stood with hands behind his back, gazing around the familiar layout of the courtyard. Even the furniture had been preserved, stirring faint emotions within him.

He collected himself and turned to look toward the direction of the Great Yuan and the outer seas.

"Shao Chen disappeared into the outer seas..."

"The legendary Evergreen Healing Sage is said to be overseas..."

"And Zhao Siyao, her reincarnated immortal fate also seems to lie overseas..."

Lan Chang'an became increasingly certain: in this life, he was destined to make a journey across the seas.

Hiding overseas would offer a better chance of surviving the Thousand-Year Tribulation.

To further refine his body, he would need vast quantities of demon king blood and precious spiritual materials, resources that were far more abundant overseas.

Relying solely on the blood donation of the Profound Water Turtle was like a drop in the ocean.

Of course, this didn’t mean Lan Chang'an had given up on searching for the Evergreen Technique in Kun Province.

Before setting out, he had calculated that the chances of finding the Evergreen Technique were highest in Kun Province.

At present, he still had two leads:

First, investigate Shao Chen’s descendants. Perhaps the other half of the Evergreen Technique had been left behind.

After all, the technique likely held no value for Shao Chen, so he might not have carried it with him.

Second, in his past life, there was a cave abode in Great Kun left behind by Yan Donglai. With that old monster’s capabilities, there might be more than one copy of the Evergreen Technique in circulation.

Lan Chang'an speculated that the Yan Donglai Cave Abode in Kun Province was at best a temporary dwelling.

Similar setups likely existed in more than one place across the Heaven Honoured Continent.

The Evergreen Technique might not be particularly rare, it was just that the cultivation world was vast, and fate had yet to bring it to him.

...

In another luxurious guest courtyard of the Xu Clan atop Purple Thorn Mountain.

“Lin’er! Who did this to you?!”

A pale-faced middle-aged man in ancient robes looked at his son, Cai Lin, whose orifices bled and complexion was deathly white.

This man, a late-stage Core Formation cultivator of the Cai Clan, flew into a rage on the spot and demanded an explanation.

The pale-faced man was Cai Lin’s father, Cai Mingzhao.

Within the ancient Cai family, he held a high-ranking managerial role, overseeing the family’s business and estates.

Cai Mingzhao’s grandfather was a Nascent Soul ancestor of the Cai Clan.

“Cyan-robed man... Xiang...”

Cai Lin staggered in a daze, drooling uncontrollably, his steps unsteady and expression vacant.

Cai Mingzhao’s heart sank. His son’s soul had been wounded, leaving behind permanent damage.

Compared to injuries of the flesh, damage to the soul was far more severe, often leaving a lasting shadow for life.

“How audacious! To harm my son’s soul!”

“No matter who you are, if you dare touch a direct descendant of the Cai Clan, you will pay the price-!”

Cai Mingzhao’s fury erupted, his eyes cold as ice, a murderous intent piercing the air.

After administering basic treatment, he confirmed that his son was now half-crippled and unable to muster even thirty percent of his former Core Formation cultivation.

Then he noticed the shattered jade pendants, three life-preserving crystal amulets tucked inside his son’s robe. His face changed drastically.

He gasped, a chill crawling up his spine.

He hunched his neck and cautiously scanned the surroundings of the guest courtyard.

Only after confirming that his earlier outburst hadn’t been overheard did he breathe more steadily.

Though he had mentally prepared himself, knowing the attacker must be a Nascent Soul elder, the absence of any battle fluctuations within the Xu clan’s grounds despite the total destruction of his son’s protective talismans spoke volumes. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator likely couldn’t accomplish such a feat.

At least, his own grandfather at the Nascent Soul stage couldn’t.

…

The next morning.

After completing his daily body-refining, Lan Chang'an stepped into the courtyard of the old residence.

Over the years, being unable to break through in his cultivation, he had shifted his focus to tempering the body.

With an ample supply of spiritual blood and elixirs and aided by Evergreen Technique’s powerful regenerative capabilities, he could devote several times more energy and time to body cultivation than ordinary cultivators.

“Senior, Qingge has brought you your morning meal.”

Xu Qingge stood quietly at the courtyard gate, head bowed, having waited some time. Beneath the wide azure sleeves of her robe, her fair wrist held a finely crafted jade food container.

“Come in,” Lan Chang'an nodded slightly.

Perhaps it was because she reminded him of Fairy Niyue from the Xuan Yin Pavilion, he had exchanged more words with her than usual during last night’s brief meeting in the bamboo grove.

“Thank you, Senior!”

Xu Qingge’s eyes sparkled as she bowed and entered the courtyard.

Their conversation last night had felt like a meeting of kindred spirits.

She couldn’t stop thinking about this “Senior Xiang.”

Though the clan patriarch told her not to disturb him, Xu Qingge couldn’t resist coming anyway.

It wasn’t just admiration or curiosity, she had a deep intuition that meeting this man would be a rare fated opportunity in her life.

She carefully laid out the exquisite dishes from the food container.

Then she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and took out her scorched-tail guqin, saying hopefully:

“Last night’s guidance from Senior greatly deepened Qingge’s understanding of the guqin. This morning, allow me to play a song in gratitude.”

With that, her flowing sleeves swept like drifting clouds. She curtsied gracefully, the hem of her dress brushing the grass as she knelt.

The music began.

Like water droplets falling into a jade plate, or a breeze stirring through mountain lakes, the sound brought peace and serenity to the soul.

Lan Chang'an didn’t eat. With eyes gently closed, he listened in silence.

In just one short piece, Xu Qingge had made notable progress compared to the previous night.

Lan Chang'an’s mind drifted back to the beginning of this life, his time in Jin Yun Valley with Lin Yi, Li Ergou, and Zhao Siyao. Then, his journey to the Mu Clan and meeting its young miss…

By the end of the song, he recalled that bittersweet parting with Fairy Niyue in the desert of Fengyuan Kingdom.

“Miss Qingge’s musical talent is no less than that of an old friend of mine,” Lan Chang'an said, opening his eyes with a smile as warm as spring.

He took out a worn wooden box filled with ancient music scores and said:

“These old guqin scores are my thanks for the heartfelt tune you played today.”

“Thank you, Senior,” Xu Qingge said, rising to bow again.

As she lowered her head, a soft blush tinged the skin below her earring.

In that performance, she had poured her heart, her feelings upon first meeting Senior Xiang.

“All right now. Miss Qingge, best return soon. This courtyard may receive an uninvited guest shortly.”

Lan Chang'an took a few bites of the morning meal and spoke calmly.

“An uninvited guest? Is this trouble because of me?” Xu Qingge asked, instantly catching the implication.

“If that’s the case, how could Qingge stand idly by and let Senior face danger alone?”

Clenching her silver teeth, she stubbornly insisted on staying and facing the unknown threat with Lan Chang'an.

“Very well. This matter does indeed concern you.”

Lan Chang'an showed no particular concern.

Xu Qingge’s integrity and courage earned a sliver of his appreciation.

“Miss Qingge, enter the house and watch quietly.”

With a casual sweep of his palm, a misty azure barrier spread out, cloaking the entire old residence in protective enchantment.

Xu Qingge’s lotus-like steps crossed the threshold.

Whoooosh—

Over the Xu Clan’s ancestral lands, fierce winds howled and dark clouds surged.

The powerful spiritual pressure of a Nascent Soul True Monarch rushed closer by the second. His wrath stirred the very heavens.

...

"The Old Ancestor has returned."

An elder among the upper ranks of the Xu Clan recognized the approaching aura.

"Greetings to Ancestor Congfeng-"

The Old patriarch of the Xu Clan, leading a group of direct descendants, assembled in the family plaza, awaiting the arrival of the ancestor.

Within just a few breaths, a spiraling column of azure astral wind descended from the sky. The residual gusts swept across several li in all directions.

Boom!

Several nearby buildings, poorly constructed and unstable at the foundation, collapsed into ruins. Doors and windows were sent flying, turning into splinters and rubble, ground to dust by the azure winds.

The Xu Clan cultivators gathered to pay respects stood pale-faced and trembling.

"Zhendong! Who destroyed my Feng Shui tablet in the Ancestral Shrine?"

Amidst the swirling astral wind, Ancestor Congfeng descended, his gaunt face grim under a deep green robe embroidered with winding serpents.

His cold, furious gaze locked fiercely onto the stooped, aged clan elder.

“Reporting to Ancestor, the matter is under investigation! Thus far, no witnesses have identified the culprit…”

The old patriarch braced himself, responding vaguely, too afraid to reveal that it involved that Senior Xiang.

“Brother Congfeng! Your clan’s cultivators are not being honest! Even I, an outsider, can see something is amiss.”

A cold laugh echoed from the side, a pale-faced man in ancient robes, standing outside the formation.

It was none other than Father Cai, currently visiting as a guest of the Xu Clan.

“Brother Cai, you're here as well? I was just hoping to discuss the marriage alliance with you.”

Seeing Father Cai, Ancestor Congfeng’s anger abated slightly, a faint smile forming on his lips.

Cai Mingzhao was a high-ranking steward of an ancient noble family, wielding significant authority and backed by several Nascent Soul ancestors of the Cai Clan.

If he were still a mere Core Formation cultivator rather than a Nascent Soul, even meeting him might not have been possible.

Moreover, Congfeng had something to ask of the Cai Clan.

The ancient Cai Clan had strong business ties with the Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects near the coastal regions.

Both the strategic resources needed by the Riding Wind Sect, and the cultivation arts and divine abilities Ancestor Congfeng personally sought, required rare materials from the outer seas.

Hence, he had vigorously promoted the marriage between Cai Lin and Xu Qingge, even giving his verbal consent to the engagement.

“That engagement?”

Cai Mingzhao let out a mocking sneer:

“My son was grievously injured by a ‘distinguished guest’ of your Xu Clan. I fear he's no longer worthy of your talented daughter, Qingge.”

Upon hearing this, Ancestor Congfeng’s expression darkened.

That Cai Lin was wounded severely while under the Xu Clan’s roof, this was no minor matter!

Though not the heir of the Cai Clan, Cai Lin bore a striking resemblance to his Nascent Soul great-grandfather, which had earned him much favor.

“I have already sent word to my clan’s Ancestor. If the Xu Clan does not give us a proper explanation, I’m afraid this won’t end peacefully.”

Cai Mingzhao snorted coldly and stepped aside.

“Brother Cai, rest assured! You will have your explanation!”

Ancestor Congfeng pondered briefly before quickly realizing the truth.

The one who destroyed his Feng Shui tablet and injured Young Master Cai was likely the same person.

And that person... was still a guest of the Xu Clan.

Ancestor Congfeng spread his spiritual sense and locked onto the old residence where Lan Chang'an was staying.

Within the courtyard, faint traces of zither music played by Miss Xu drifted.

The concealing mists and restrictions around the residence could obscure the view of ordinary people, but they could not block the spiritual sense of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

...

“Brazen thief—!”

A thunderous roar reverberated through the skies above the Xu Clan’s estate.

Shrouded in killing intent, Ancestor Congfeng rode a gale of astral wind and swirling sand, descending upon the old residence like a calamity.

Old patriarch Xu Zhendong opened his mouth to speak but remained silent, powerless to stop him.

Cai Mingzhao reminded coldly, “Brother Congfeng don’t act rashly, your target is a True Monarch as well.”

His son Cai Lin had been injured while visiting as a guest of the Xu clan, and the Xu clan bore responsibility for it.

Before the arrival of the Cai Clan’s Ancestor, it would do no harm to let Congfeng probe first. If he could resolve it, all the better.

“Don’t worry.”

Even from the layers of concealment and mist, Ancestor Congfeng had already confirmed, the target was a Nascent Soul cultivator.

As a seasoned True Monarch at the peak of early Nascent Soul stage, backed by one of the Ten Great Sects, the Riding Wind Sect, there was little in the vast Great Kun Realm that he feared.

Among the Nascent Soul mid-stage powerhouses of Great Kun, eighty percent came from the Seven Great Noble Clans and Ten Great Sects. They were all familiar with each other.

Even if he encountered an unfamiliar Nascent Soul master, they would still give some face to his powerful sect.

Whoosh!

Piercing through the misty barrier, Ancestor Congfeng stepped into the old residence.

Hm?

His vision twisted, he now stood in a vast, searing desert. Scalding heat surged beneath his feet from the scorching sands.

“A fourth-rank illusion array?”

Ancestor Congfeng sneered, unfazed.

The Xu Clan lacked a fourth-rank spiritual vein. This illusion formation was merely a diluted version, such tricks could not trap him for long.

All he needed to do was deal with the opponent inside the illusion.

Whoever relied on external formations to fight him, how strong could they really be?

Ancestor Congfeng was about to search for the array's weakness when, through the swirling sandstorm ahead, a figure appeared.

A man in cyan robes, hands clasped behind his back.

Ancestor Congfeng paused.

That cyan-robed figure’s back stirred a strange familiarity in him… and an inexplicable sense of awe.

A primal reaction, surfacing from the depths of memory.

“Xu Xiaofeng!”

The cyan-robed man, still facing away, rebuked in a deep and commanding voice.

Xuan... Xuan Ancestor?!

Ancestor Congfeng’s mind shook, his pupils constricting.

No!

Impossible!

Even if the Xuan Ancestor were still alive, he had only been at the peak of the Core Formation stage. In his eyes, that was just a slightly larger insect.

Suddenly realizing this, Ancestor Congfeng flew into a rage:

“An illusionary shadow! Mere trickery and deception!”

Xu Congfeng’s expression darkened as he slowly raised his palm.

Hoooom—

A vortex resembling a hurricane eye formed in his palm. Terrifying suction swept through the desert illusion, stirring a sandstorm strong enough to shatter mountains.

And yet the cyan-robed figure remained motionless, robe fluttering gently. Utterly untouched.

Xu Congfeng’s eyes twitched violently in disbelief.

That man hadn’t activated any magical power, nor any divine ability or magical treasures or protective means, yet stood unmoved by his full-force strike.

Even a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert couldn't do this!

An illusion!

It must be an illusion!

Ancestor Congfeng swept his spiritual sense over the cyan-robed figure. Unable to determine whether it was real or false, he forced a fierce expression to cover his unease.

“The Riding Wind Sect’s secret technique, Xun Wind Heaven's Draw, is nothing more than a parlor trick in your hands.”

The cyan-robed man, still facing away, spoke with calm disdain.

At last, he moved. The man turned slowly, stepping forward.

“Who are you? What is your relationship to the Xuan Ancestor?”

Ancestor Congfeng’s heart sank, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow.

Though the figure gave off no spiritual pressure typical of a True Monarch, he radiated an indescribable void, one that invoked overwhelming dread.

Under this invisible force, his spiritual sense locked onto the man. The cyan-robed figure took a single step.

Though separated by dozens of zhang, all that remained in his place was an afterimage.

A strange distortion overtook his senses.

In the blink of an eye, the man in cyan robes had already closed to within ten zhang.

Old Ancestor Xu Congfeng felt his qi and blood suppressed without reason; every hair on his body stood on end, as though he was standing in the shadow of a colossal demon king.

“Open-!”

In his panic, Xu Congfeng slapped his waist, and a grey-blue wind chime flew out.

Buzz! Ding ding…

The chime trembled, unleashing a disorienting sound meant to disrupt the mind. Waves of wind-infused light rippled outward, entwining around the man in cyan.

But then, a scene that filled Xu Congfeng with dread unfolded.

The cyan-robed man was utterly unaffected by the wind chime’s spiritual disruption. With a casual motion, he extended his hand.

Clang!

With a single slap, light burst from the wind chime, and it was sent flying by the sheer force of the blow. It let out a final hum before crashing to the ground, and its spiritual glow dimmed.

He shattered a magical treasure… barehanded?

Xu Congfeng stood frozen in disbelief.

“Sinful animal, kneel!”

A cold and commanding voice thundered forth, distorting his senses once more.

In his vision, the cyan-robed man split into three, each image flanking his left, right, and above.

All three illusions exuded the spiritual pressure of a True Monarch and overwhelming vitality.

Xu Congfeng’s escape light ignited beneath his feet as he attempted to flee using his movement technique.

But just then, a powerful force surged up from the earth, anchoring him in place. At some point, yellow sand had risen and buried his legs.

Pa! Pa! Pa!

All three cyan-robed figures struck simultaneously from above, left, and right.

Xu Congfeng’s protective barrier shattered instantly.

Pfft!

He vomited blood. His body reeled, ears ringing, vision spinning, and mind reduced to a chaotic blank.

From his feet to his shoulders, most of his body was submerged in the sand. Only a withered, pallid head remained above ground.

On the crown of his skull, a bloodied palm mark stood out starkly.

…

“Senior… please show mercy…”

His physical body devastated and on the brink of collapse, Xu Congfeng regained a shred of lucidity.

It was then that he saw the man’s face clearly, he was not the Xuan Ancestor he had once feared and admired in the past.

“Xu Xiaofeng, do not even think of letting your Nascent Soul escape! Crushing your divine soul would be effortless for me.”

The cyan-robed man stood with his hands behind his back, eyes cold. His feet were level with Xu Congfeng’s mangled, blood-smeared face.

Xu Congfeng’s expression froze. The thought of fleeing fled instantly from his mind.

This mysterious cultivator possessed not only terrifying physical prowess but also an unpredictable illusionary body technique.

His spiritual sense was at least at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm.

“Senior… you are truly a transcendent master. I submit wholeheartedly!”

Xu Congfeng forced down the contorted pain on his face and managed a fawning smile.

“But… as a Supreme Elder of the Riding Wind Sect, I’ve never had any enmity with you. Perhaps there’s been some misunderstanding…”

“Hmph! You dare flaunt your sect’s name before me? A second-rate sect from the lower reaches of the Ten Great Sects, do you think I’ve never seen the world?”

Lan Chang'an raised his foot.

Crack!

Xu Congfeng’s head jerked sideways as his aged face split open, blood and teeth flying.

“Kun Province… a backwater dump!”

“Even if it had Nascent Soul Great Cultivators, so what? My Abyssal City from across the sea wouldn’t care in the slightest!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Congfeng felt a chill pierce his heart.

This mysterious figure… feared not even Nascent Soul Great Cultivators, let alone the sects of Kun Province.

He might be backed by a superpower from beyond the seas.

Though Kun Province bordered no ocean, even Xu Congfeng had heard of legendary overseas forces like the Star-Moon Palace and Abyssal City.

Among them, Abyssal City was especially notorious, home to evil cultivators and demonic sects, infamous for their lawless brutality.

“Sinful animal! For the sake of old Brother Xuan, I’ll spare your life this once.”

Lan Chang'an crouched down, his hand as heavy as a mountain pressing onto Xu Congfeng’s crown.

Pfft!

Xu Congfeng convulsed violently, blood-foam spewing from his mouth, eyes rolling back as he passed out.

What a fragile old thing.

Lan Chang'an shook his head, then casually plucked the man’s storage ring and magical treasures.

He opened the storage ring, giving it a dismissive glance, and selected only a few useful items.

The rest, deemed unworthy, were tossed into a separate storage pouch.

…

Half an incense stick’s time later.

The illusionary desert faded, and the old courtyard returned to its original form.

“Senior, are you alright?”

Seeing the figure of the man in the cyan robe, Xu Qingge finally breathed a sigh of relief, though her brow still carried a hint of concern.

As her gaze dropped, she instinctively staggered back, covering her mouth in shock.

“Old Ancestor…”

The withered old man, face bruised and battered, was clad in a servant’s coarse robe, emaciated ribs exposed as he knelt weakly on the ground.

Across his hunched back, thorny branches had pierced into his flesh, trails of blood winding like burrowing worms.

“To the ancestral shrine. Beg forgiveness from the forebears of the Xu clan,” Lan Chang'an ordered coldly.

“Your old servant obeys.”

Xu Congfeng's voice was hoarse, blood spilling from his lips as he struggled to rise.

He hunched his back, carrying the thorny branches, and limped toward the ancestral shrine of the Xu family.

“Old Ancestor…”

Many cultivators within the Xu clan's estate witnessed the scene.

Xu Qingge and the other clan elders stood dumbfounded, doubting their own eyes.

Before the watching crowd, Xu Congfeng could find no place to hide his shame. His disheveled hair covered his weathered face as a venomous thought crept into his heart.

Just as he began to gather his spiritual sense, an excruciating pain burst forth from the depths of his soul, accompanied by an overwhelming aura of death.

It felt as though in the very next instant, his soul would be scattered.

A translucent, insect-like restriction lurking within his Nascent Soul had embedded itself deeply, with strange threads piercing through the vital veins of the Nascent Soul.

When the man in the cyan robe had planted this restriction, he had stated plainly:

“The Gu God Seal, nowhere in Great Kun can it be broken. Even a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator may not be able to save you.”

Xu Congfeng had initially dismissed this as a bluff meant to frighten him.

But the moment he sensed the presence of that terrifying spiritual sense as the restriction was implanted, stronger than any mid-stage Nascent Soul he'd ever encountered, he realized the truth.

The caster was likely on par with a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

Soul-based restrictions often corresponded in strength to the spiritual sense of the caster.

“This treacherous beast is clinging to life like a coward,” Lan Chang'an observed coldly.

Earlier, he had offered Xu Congfeng two options:

One, death. To be fed as nourishment to the Nine Seal Stele.

Two, live as a slave of the Xu clan, bound by the Gu God Seal.

Without hesitation, Xu Congfeng agreed to become a slave.

After all, as long as he lived, he believed he could eventually find a way to break free from the restriction.

But he had sorely underestimated it.

The Gu God Seal was Lan Chang'an’s unique creation, originally inspired by the Hundred Abodes Soul Gu’s restriction method.

Over time, he had refined it through trials on Zhou Qingxuan, Xing Peng, and the Peacock Saintess, blending it with the soul-path secrets of the Thousand Machines Divine Transformation Art and his comprehension of the numerous Nascent Soul memories.

Now perfected and empowered by his vast spiritual sense, it was nearly unbreakable.

…

Xu Congfeng, severely injured, moved with great difficulty.

An hour later, he finally reached the gates of the Xu ancestral shrine.

There, he knelt and crawled forward, inch by inch, toward the shrine.

Just then, another streak of Nascent Soul light flew toward the Xu clan’s estate.

Thunder rumbled through the clouds, the skies dimming and flashing, making a grander entrance than even Xu Congfeng had.

The newcomer was a Nascent Soul ancestor of the ancient Cai family, clearly here to demand justice.

“Old Ancestor! Quickly withdraw your powers!”

Hiding in a corner, Cai Mingzhao and his son paled. The sight made their scalps tingle.

Whoosh!

Cai Mingzhao rushed out at top speed, intercepting his family's ancestor.

They had seen Xu Congfeng subdued in an instant, reduced to a slave, and were terrified beyond reason.

The Cai ancestor was taken aback by his grandson’s panicked expression and asked for details.

When he learned that Cai Lin’s life-saving crystal had shattered completely, his expression grew grave.

When he heard Xu Congfeng had been subdued in a matter of moments, his back ran cold, and he quietly withdrew his oppressive Nascent Soul aura.

His strength was similar to Xu Congfeng’s.

As an experienced Nascent Soul cultivator, he knew: to subdue an enemy alive was far harder than to kill them.

The fact that Xu Congfeng dared not rebel, nor even flee, only confirmed the terrifying might of their foe.

“I am Cai Chengkun of the Cai Clan. May I ask where this Fellow Daoist hails from?”

He dared not approach. From dozens of li away, he offered a respectful salute via voice transmission.

“I hail from the Abyssal City beyond the outer seas,” the man in the cyan robe answered coolly, hands clasped behind his back outside the ancestral shrine.

“Centuries ago, I owed a favor to the Xu clan’s ancestor. Today, I have come to fulfill it by upholding clan law. Does Fellow Daoist object?”

Though also a voice transmission, the wave of spiritual sense carried within made Cai Chengkun’s own Nascent Soul feel oppressed, his breath caught in his throat.

“N-No, of course not! This is the Xu clan’s internal affair. We outsiders would not dare interfere.”

Cai Chengkun forced a smile, quickly distancing himself from the matter.

He could not discern the man's true strength, but the faint spiritual sense behind that voice far exceeded the peak of his own family’s Nascent Soul ancestors.

What’s more, this man hailed from the infamous Abyssal City across the sea.

Even the greatest families in Great Kun would think twice before offending such a force.

“Oh, and the engagement between Miss Qingge and the Cai clan is void,” Lan Chang'an added casually.

“No issue at all! That union was never formally confirmed. That good-for-nothing Cai Lin never deserved a talented maiden like Miss Qingge anyway.”

Cai Chengkun responded affably, nodding without hesitation.

One glance at the girl behind Lan Chang'an was enough for him to understand, this old monster from Abyssal City had likely taken a liking to Xu Qingge’s beauty and talent.

“I’ll trouble you no further, Fellow Daoist Xiang. Allow me to retrieve my unworthy descendants.”

Not daring to linger a second longer, Cai Chengkun swept his robe, wrapped up Cai Mingzhao and his son, and vanished from the Xu estate like the wind.