Chapter 39

Black Magpie Mountain was bathed in gentle sunlight today.

After several children emerged from seclusion, Black Magpie Mountain became much livelier. At the Dao Seeking Platform, Chen Songli and Chen Songyan were sparring, and usually, Chen Songyan was the one on the receiving end.

In a spirit field not far away, the third and fourth siblings were casting the Sowing Art together, sowing the seeds for a year's worth of spirit rice. The green ox beside them nodded its head repeatedly.

Inside the Concentric Heart Hall, Chen Li looked at the sleeping Chen Songmei and performed an internal inspection of his Qi Sea. He had already condensed nine wisps of Qi of Returning to the Origin.

Once one Qi Sea was full, he could start opening a second one, or first achieve the Breakthrough to the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining and refine the foundation establishment pill.

After Zhu Lingyue emerged from seclusion, he could prepare for Foundation Establishment first, as the family could not be without an adult at this time.

Just as he was contemplating matters of Alchemy, the Second-Tier Defensive Array, which had been running for years, showed fluctuations again.

Outside the mountain, beneath the spirit jujube tree.

A Cultivator in his thirties was knocking on the array. The person who arrived looked panicked and hurried, with quite a bit of bloodstain on his clothes.

Upon seeing Chen Li emerge, the Cultivator in his thirties immediately knelt down and cupped his hands: "Patriarch Chen, I am Luo Zisheng from the Luo Family. I request Patriarch Chen to quickly send aid to my Luo Family. My Family Head is not my Family Head; he is killing people, he has killed many clansmen!"

Chen Li was instantly dumbfounded. What did he mean, 'My Family Head is not my Family Head,' and killing clansmen?

Just as Chen Li asked him to explain in detail, a voice drifted over from a distance.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, do not let this person sow discord. This wretch mistakenly killed clansmen and fled the Luo Family while being punished. My Luo Family is currently pursuing this person, intending to bring him back to the clan to make an example of him!"

Luo Sheng also arrived at this spot. Seeing Chen Li, he cupped his hands: "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Chen. Our Luo Family is fully engaged in capturing this person. Every word this wretch says is false."

Chen Li sensed something was wrong and retreated inside the array. He only saw that Luo Sheng was filled with Evil Qi, indeed looking quite different from the previous Luo Sheng, but Chen Li was too lazy to interfere in this incomprehensible matter.

That Luo Zisheng roared at Luo Sheng: "Don't come over here! You are not the Family Head, you are not the Family Head, you are a devil!"

He said to Chen Li: "Patriarch Chen, quickly save me! He is not the Luo Family Head, he is a devil, he is a devil!"

Chen Li looked at this, unable to judge how to proceed. Just as he was wondering how to handle the situation, the An Family Head flew over and said to Chen Li: "I am assisting the Luo Family in pursuing this person. Fellow Daoist Chen, please forgive us!"

Luo Zisheng, seeing that escape was impossible, revealed his guess to Chen Li.

He shouted: "Patriarch Chen, after my Family Head returned from the ruins, he couldn't remember many things. Moreover, every once in a while, after the Family Head invited clansmen up the mountain, they were never seen descending again. My Family Head has absolutely been possessed by a demon!"

When Chen Li heard this, he recalled that before entering the ruins, Luo Sheng had mentioned bringing back rewards for Chen Li. He had indeed brought back rewards and hadn't noticed any issues.

However, Chen Li thought of a secret known only to a few of them, a secret from over a decade ago, and asked: "Luo Family Head, Zhang An has been visiting me these past few days. Has he not visited your place?"

At this moment, Luo Sheng probably thought Zhang An was their friend and replied casually: "Fellow Daoist Chen, Fellow Daoist Zhang An might be too busy; he hasn't come to our place yet!"

The An Family Head beside him chimed in: "Fellow Daoist Zhang An said he would come for tea and a chat in a few days! Enough talk, we will apprehend this wretch now. Fellow Daoist need not concern yourself; we will leave quickly shortly!"

Hearing the replies, Chen Li smiled. Chen Li immediately knocked out this Luo Zisheng Cultivator and dragged him into the array.

Chen Li didn't know why these two didn't just kill this Cultivator but wanted to capture him alive, but it wasn't important. These two indeed had problems. When Zhang An was killed, especially Luo Sheng, that person strongly pushed for the killing!

Furthermore, an Old Ancestor at the Eighth Level of Qi Refining also died in that murder. How could they forget? Chen Li might have forgotten, but Luo Sheng couldn't possibly forget!

Luo Sheng's face turned gloomy when he saw Chen Li drag the Cultivator into the array.

The An Family Head beside him did as well. Luo Sheng said displeasedly: "Fellow Daoist Chen, this is my family's private matter. Please do not meddle, lest you invite unnecessary disaster!"

The An Family Head also said: "Fellow Daoist Chen, don't think that hiding inside this array means we can't deal with the two of us. A mere Second-Rank Formation cannot stop us two!"

It was a pity that many of the outer Third-tier Spirit Trapping Formations had been withdrawn, and the positions of these two were not within the layout of the Spirit Trapping Formation. Otherwise, they could have just trapped these two scoundrels.

Chen Li dared not directly kill these two. After all, there was the Lu Family above the Prefecture. Killing the heads of two Qi Refining Immortal Clans without a word could bring a lot of trouble. If he just said they were possessed, his single word wouldn't count; the Lu Family certainly wouldn't believe it!

At this moment, Chen Li said directly: "I also suspect you two have been possessed. Why don't we go to the Lu Family together to confront them? How about that!"

Luo Sheng and the An Family Head exchanged a look. They knew Chen Li also suspected their identities. The two exchanged signals with their eyes: Kill him!

Luo Sheng took out a Magical Artifact resembling a staff and was just about to attack Chen Li's array when an An Family Cultivator brought Lu Xilou from the Lu Family and shouted: "Stop!"

This An Family Cultivator, at the Qi Refining Second Layer, had secretly left the An Family's territory ten days ago under the guise of entering seclusion for a Breakthrough.

He had also been suspecting that his Family Head had changed. From the first day he returned, he had been cautiously testing things, and there were also clansmen whom the Family Head took into his Immortal Cave to Cultivate who never appeared again! He had already realized the seriousness of the situation.

To persuade Lu Xilou to come to the Yun Family to investigate the matter, he gave a very precious 3.8th Grade Wood Attribute Attack Array Talisman from the clan, only needing Lu Xilou to investigate the Family Head's Immortal Cave with him to see where those missing Cultivators had gone.

An hour ago, the An Family Head happened to be absent. When they stepped into that Immortal Cave, Lu Xilou's brow furrowed slightly, and this An Family Cultivator was instantly dumbfounded!

They saw nothing but withered corpses with ferocious expressions, their eyes bulging, dying with grievances!

After questioning some people, they learned that the An Family Head had flown toward Black Magpie Mountain.

Thus, when they arrived, the situation had turned into this standoff!

At this moment, Lu Xilou looked at the An Family Head and Luo Sheng and said: "I heard you were possessed by a demon. It seems true. Do you need me to return to the Lu Family to fetch the Divine Soul Mirror Magical Artifact to shine upon you?"

The An Family Head and Luo Sheng exchanged a look, snorted once, and said: "Foundation Establishment, right? We'll meet again!"

Then the two took out a Talisman, and in an instant, they vanished from sight.

Lu Xilou watched the two disappear, his face grim, and the scene fell into an inexplicable awkwardness.

Chen Li remained still inside the array. This An Family Cultivator said to Lu Xilou: "Senior Lu, letting those two escape will bring endless disaster to Yuanwu Prefecture!"

Lu Xilou immediately said: "I will immediately issue a warrant for the arrest of these two. Pay attention these next couple of days, everyone, and avoid going out. I will notify the others!"

This An Family Cultivator could only nod. Thinking of the tragic state of his home, he didn't even want to return!