Chapter 110 Take action

A month later, Zhu Lingyue returned from patrol.

This month, there were only sporadic enchanted Mortals within Yuanwu Prefecture. Zhu Lingyue patrolled in place of Chen Li, using the same team as last time.

The trip went smoothly; they barely encountered any proper Demonic Path Cultivators this time.

The Fang Family Head and Yun Chengyue in the patrol team showed great respect to Zhu Lingyue, paying close attention to her suggestions.

... ...

Black Magpie Mountain. The setting sun in the cold winter felt exceptionally warm.

In front of the Guest Welcoming Pavilion, the two spirit jujube trees showed scattered fallen leaves, some drifting away with the wind, others naturally turning yellow and dropping.

Inside the mountain, the newly dug fish pond had been stocked for over a year. Chen Li was currently fishing.

Fish kept surfacing. Nearby, Chen Songmei was roasting fish, kneading fish feed until it sizzled and oil dripped out.

Chen Li was lying on a wooden chair at this moment, bathed in the setting sun, completely still and extremely relaxed.

His fishing rod was simple bamboo, and the hook was made of ordinary iron—purely handcrafted, a common item, with no Immortal Arts incorporated.

Chen Songmei pulled up a small wooden chair beside him. She sat on it, eating the fish she roasted, finding it quite delicious.

Zhu Lingyue entered the mountain after returning from patrol. Seeing Chen Li and the other person by the fish pond, she also came over, pulled up a chair, and joined them in basking in the sun.

Not far away, outside an Immortal Cave within the mountain, Spiritual Qi fluctuated. Chen Songxiao happily walked out of the cave; his seclusion had ended.

After eight months of consuming pills, Chen Songxiao successfully achieved a Breakthrough to the Seventh Level of Qi Refining, reaching the Late Stage Qi Refining.

Seeing his father and the others sunbathing, he flew down the mountain directly.

"Second Brother, you're out of seclusion!" Chen Songmei said with a smile as she watched Chen Songxiao fly down.

Chen Songxiao also took out a chair from his Storage Pouch and sat down.

"Songmei, is what you roasted tasty?"

Chen Songxiao took one as soon as he reached out and started eating.

"It's delicious!" Chen Songmei confirmed confidently.

"Haha, great, let me taste!"

A small breeze blew, and another fish took the bait!

Chen Li reeled in the rod, and the fish flew into the small wooden bucket next to Chen Songmei.

Chen Songmei clapped her hands. "Another one!"

At this moment, Zhu Lingyue's expression shifted slightly. She opened her mouth and said, "Husband, nothing major in the Prefecture! Everything is as usual!"

Chen Li smiled. "Good."

"Madam, the children are grown up now. Regarding their marriages, please consider their wishes."

"Haha, alright, I'll ask them about their wishes!"

Chen Songxiao, listening from the side, thought, Marriage?

"Mother, I'm still young, I'm not in a hurry. Please ask Eldest Sister and Second Brother first!" Chen Songxiao quickly played preemptive defense.

"Haha~" Zhu Lingyue found it amusing.

... ...

Inside the Artifact Refining Residence, Chen Songyan sneezed. On the workbench lay three thunder roar swords.

Each one was different. He took them out to test them. After a series of clanging noises, only one remained in the end.

This sword's hum was like thunder, its resonance pure, basically meeting his requirements.

Eighty points!

During these months, besides Artifact Refining, the eight snake eggs he nurtured had successfully hatched five snakes.

Every day, he just fed them meat from Yao Beasts from the Ice Fresh Pavilion.

Those Iron Fire Ants had grown quite large, about the size of a Spirit Cat, and the ant fire they released could basically achieve the fireball spell of a Qi Refining Fifth Layer Cultivator.

He put away the thunder roar sword and placed the dozens of other inferior thunder roar swords he had refined into storage.

Although these were inferior to the one in his hand, they could all serve as second or third-grade Magical Artifacts, usable for selling later or giving to Cultivators from collateral Families.

In the storage, several crossbows had been added, all crafted by Chen Songxuan, along with hundreds of small flame fire swords, which were Chen Songli's masterpieces.

A few months prior, Chen Songli had gone into seclusion to achieve a Breakthrough to the Late Stage Qi Refining.

After leaving the Artifact Refining Residence, he saw the few people by the fish pond under the setting sun.

He went over to join the fun!

Upon arriving, he saw that Chen Songxiao's cultivation had broken through to the Late Stage Qi Refining and was pleasantly surprised!

"Fourth Brother, you broke through!"

"Mm, how about it, Second Brother, did you finish refining the thunder roar sword?"

"Haha, I pushed hard. I wasted quite a few Materials, but finally found the best one among the inferior ones."

"Not bad, Second Brother!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Chen Songyan interjected.

Chen Songmei, the loudmouth, quickly answered: "Second Brother, they are rushing you about marriage."

"Huh?"

Zhu Lingyue tapped Chen Songmei. "Second one, tell us what you think."

Chen Songyan thought for a moment. "Mother, we can chat first. I'm not against it; if it's suitable, then fine."

Zhu Lingyue smiled. "Great!"

Chen Songyan looked at Chen Songxiao and smiled slyly. "I think Third Brother and Fourth Brother are close in age, they could go too!"

Chen Songxiao quickly waved his hands. "Second Brother is fine; I'm not in a rush! As for Third Brother, I think Third Brother is also a candidate!"

Chen Songyan went over and draped an arm around his neck. "Fourth Brother, why can't it be you?"

The two started playfully wrestling.

... ...

... ...

One thousand five hundred li north of the Taihu Mountain Range, five Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Beast Hunting Sect headed toward a Demonic Cultivator stronghold.

"Brother Zhang, you've been suspicious for over a decade. Could it be your illusion?"

"Hehe! No way. I'm certain someone in our Sect is deliberately setting up the deaths of those of us who survived the mass hunt all those years ago when we were at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining."

"If what you say is true, then it must be a Golden Core Elder? It couldn't possibly be a Grand Elder, could it?"

"I have a few Golden Core Elders I suspect: the Hall Master of the Hunting Hall, Elder Jin, and Elder Gui."

"Isn't there a newly promoted Golden Core Elder recently? Aren't you suspicious of him?"

"It probably isn't him. I just feel it's one of these few people, but I can't find any proof."

As they were talking, five spiraling flying daggers suddenly shot toward them from ahead.

The speed of the five flying daggers caught them completely off guard. Before they could even pull out their Magical Artifacts, all five were struck unconscious by one blow and began to fall.

A rope swiftly shot out from the dense forest and bound them.

The men, losing consciousness, vaguely saw a figure that strongly resembled one of their Golden Core Elders.

This Brother Zhang struggled to open his eyes. After a final effort, he managed to open them and saw their Elder Jin Yue. Then he was struck again and completely plunged into darkness.

In the last sliver of consciousness, he confirmed his suspicion: someone in their Beast Hunting Sect was indeed murdering them!

It was Jin Yue!

Jin Yue bundled up the five men and then headed toward the Demonic Cultivator strongholds.

When the Demonic Path Cultivators saw a Golden Core Cultivator coming to encircle them, they scattered like startled birds.

Jin Yue killed most of them, then took the heads of a few Demonic Path Cultivators and returned.

On the way back, Jin Yue began to examine the Storage Pouches of the five Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Beast Hunting Sect.

After searching through them, a look of confusion crossed his face.

These five were the last batch of Cultivators who reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining back then, yet he found no trace of the [Blood River True Nascent Soul Great Art].

Did he have to rely on Human Pills for his entire life?

Could he still advance to the Nascent Soul stage in this lifetime?

Jin Yue's face darkened. Who took that Cultivation Technique? Why wasn't there a single clue!