As Liu Ziming surveyed the compound, he spotted a structure that stood out: a completed building amidst the Chen family estate, which was still under construction. Its walls were clearly reinforced.

Such a conspicuous building...it was obvious what it was protecting.

The Natural Blood Spring he sought was most likely inside.

He would know once he checked!

Without hesitating further, Liu Ziming moved under the cover of night and the faint glow of the bamboo leaf in his hand. He headed straight toward his target.

Along the way, Chen Clan members occasionally appeared, but their vigilance gained them nothing. With his agile movements, Liu Ziming quickly reached the imposing structure.

It was an enclosed area surrounded by walls towering over ten meters high that completely concealed whatever lay within.

Judging by the length of the walls and the area they enclosed, the space inside must have been vast.

Though it was nighttime, Liu Ziming didn’t climb over the top. Instead, he circled the perimeter, searching for an entrance.

It didn’t take long before he found the main gate, which stood wide open and unguarded.

The gate stood wide open and unguarded, with only the occasional patrol passing by. But when Liu Ziming’s eyes fell on the large characters above the gate, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

"So this is the Chen family’s ancestral hall."

The ancestral hall was of the utmost importance. Coupled with such heavy fortifications, the Natural Blood Spring was likely located inside.

After evading a passing patrol, Liu Ziming darted forward, slipping through the gate and into the hall.

Upon entering the ancestral hall, Liu Ziming did not act recklessly. Instead, he carefully observed his surroundings.

Although the totem’s protection meant he didn’t need to worry about being detected by the Chen Clan’s totem, there was no guarantee that the Chen Clan hadn't set up traps inside.

Only after confirming that no one was around did he begin searching the spacious hall for any sign of the Blood Spring.

Even if the spring was buried deep underground, there would surely be some unusual signs on the surface.

Liu Ziming walked slowly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the floor inch by inch.

"Hmm?!"

His eyes lit up almost immediately.

Following his gaze, he saw a large patch of blood-red soil—and most importantly, unlike the other areas, this section of ground was not paved with stone slabs!

Not only that, but at that very moment, something within Liu Ziming’s sleeve began to tremble and glow faintly.

Sensing the warning transmitted by the clan’s totem, a trace of joy appeared on his face.

The Natural Blood Spring is right here!

He was only a few steps away from his destination, yet he remained extremely cautious, making no rash moves.

For a mountain nine-tenths high, one basket short will ruin it all. This admonition was carved into the clan’s ancestral hall, and he believed it without question.

After carefully scanning his surroundings and finding no one else around, Liu Ziming finally relaxed. Slowly, he drew an object from his sleeve.

It was a short piece of green bamboo, only a few inches long. Though called green bamboo, most of it had turned a withered yellow. It looked as if it were on the verge of death, its vitality dim.

At that moment, however, the green bamboo emitted a faint glow accompanied by a subtle but persistent tremor.

Seeing the bamboo, Liu Ziming’s eyes instantly filled with reverence. Without hesitation, he approached the soil above the Natural Blood Spring. Then, he gently placed the bamboo down with both hands and finally allowed himself to relax.

However, as he watched the bamboo resting above the Blood Spring—still not sprouting, only trembling—Liu Ziming couldn’t help but reveal a trace of doubt in his eyes.

The patriarch said the totem has its own spirit. As long as it’s placed above the Blood Spring, it will grow on its own.

But now that he had placed it there, why was the clan’s totem completely unresponsive?

Well, not entirely unresponsive. At least it was still trembling without pause.

The totem's tremors were usually a warning, a sign of nearby danger. He had already inspected the surroundings thoroughly, however, and found nothing amiss.

Besides, they were already close to the Blood Spring. Even if there were a hidden threat, he could move freely within the Chen family’s territory once the totem awakened and combined his strength with his own.

Seeing that the clan totem had yet to grow, Liu Ziming lowered his voice and spoke with the utmost respect.

“Lord Qingshan, this is already the site of the Natural Blood Spring. With me guarding this place, you may grow without worry!

"The clan is on the brink of destruction. Only with your revival, Lord Qingshan, can we have hope!"

After Liu Ziming's earnest persuasion, the green bamboo on the ground finally stopped trembling.

This brought a surge of joy to Liu Ziming’s heart—it seemed his persuasion had worked after all!

Under his reverent gaze, the green bamboo that had been lying flat on the ground suddenly took root. Its thread-like roots sprouted and burrowed into the earth at an astonishing speed.

It was as if the bamboo had absorbed the power of the Blood Spring. Its once yellowed stalk rapidly regained its vitality. Before his eyes, it began to grow upward at a visible pace.

In just a few moments, the bamboo, which had been only a few inches tall, now stood taller than a man—and it continued to surge upward with unstoppable momentum.

As the bamboo revived and stretched toward the sky, countless new leaves unfurled!

These bamboo leaves were a vibrant green, brimming with life—completely different from those left behind by the clan totem. Standing nearby filled Liu Ziming with ease and comfort.

As he watched the clan totem grow rapidly, his face lit up with joy. He could already envision the totem fully revived and the glorious resurgence of his clan.

He imagined himself, Liu Ziming, the greatest contributor to the totem’s revival, standing proudly beneath Lord Qingshan and basking in the worship and admiration of his people.

As Lord Qingshan grew taller, Liu Ziming lifted his head to gaze upward.

But the moment he raised his eyes, the joy on his face froze.

He saw Lord Qingshan—flourishing and growing rapidly, full of vitality.

But at the same time, he saw the tree.

It was a massive locust tree shrouded in darkness. Its shadow alone was enough to envelop both him and Lord Qingshan entirely.

Its dense, overgrown branches and leaves blocked out the stars above. No wonder he had felt the surrounding light dim significantly ever since entering the Chen family’s ancestral hall.

It was because of this tree...the one I had overlooked!

Though cloaked in darkness, a martial artist at the Innate Realm can perceive night as clearly as day. He should have seen it.

Liu Ziming’s expression grew uneasy. But, as he looked at Lord Qingshan, which was still growing without pause and was now towering several meters high, his confidence returned.

How could the Liu Clan’s totem possibly be inferior to the Chen Clan’s? Even if the locust tree looked imposing, a totem's strength is never determined by its size.

Lord Qingshan had already grown to nearly the same height as the tree, hadn't he?

Just as Liu Ziming was brimming with confidence, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

The sound made him tremble with excitement.

“This… this is Lord Qingshan’s voice!”

But before he could enjoy his discovery, a furious roar from the clan totem thundered through his consciousness.

“You idiot! You brainless fool! I trusted you, and you dragged me into this mess!"

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