63: The foundation of the Hades

Xu Sanyan mobilized his entire body's magic power, kneading the red mist above his Dantian and Qi Sea, causing it to gradually change shape.

First, he sculpted the body, then the arms, legs, and head, and then carefully carved its features: eyes, mouth, nose…

Time flowed by little by little. Xu Sanyan sat quietly, oblivious to the time of day or the passage of months and years.

The setting sun gradually disappeared into the western mountains, then slowly rose again. Cool morning dew condensed on his body, soaking his clothes.

As several days and nights alternated, the red mist inside his body had already taken on a rudimentary form. A blood-red figure sat cross-legged, slowly rotating within the Qi Sea.

Four arms were on either side, some with fingers pinching a lotus, others forming a Dao imprint, or raising palms as if to strike.

The blood-colored figure looked straight ahead, but a vertical eye on his forehead was tightly closed.

He didn't know why, but as he molded it, it turned into this appearance. Fortunately, its face was very similar to his, just with two extra arms and one eye, which was harmless.

“Hoo…”

Xu Sanyan opened his eyes. The sky was bright, and by the time, it was already morning.

“Is it this late already?” Xu Sanyan patted the dust off himself, silently sensing the changes within him.

First, the Inner Energy flowing through his Meridians had transformed into magic power. With a wave of his hand, a surge of vigorous Spiritual Qi vibrated, and a withered tree not far away snapped in half at the waist, flying far away.

“Hahahaha…” Xu Sanyan burst into wild laughter at the sight.

When Inner Energy transformed into magic power, its power increased geometrically. And not only that, his Physical Body also underwent earth-shattering changes. An athletic body contained infinite power. He had completely shed his Mortal body and achieved an Immortal Embryo Dao Body.

With a thought, a burst of blood-red mist emerged from his body, enveloping him completely. From within the mist, a crimson figure slowly walked out, clad in tattered rags that had ripped his clothes to shreds.

He was over two meters tall, with four arms and three eyes. His body was covered in bulging muscles, his blood-red eyes, outward-curving fangs, and knife-sharp fingertips made him look like a man-eating demon god.

His appearance was identical to the Dao Foundation that resided within his Qi Sea.

“What kind of Dao Foundation is this…?”

Xu Sanyan himself wasn't sure what kind of Dao Foundation he had condensed; it wasn't recorded in his Cultivation Technique.

“How about… the Underworld King Dao Foundation?”

Achieving the Underworld King Dao Foundation, condensing the Underworld King Body.

After a long while, having completely mastered the changes within himself, Xu Sanyan returned to his original appearance, casually picked up a piece of torn cloth to wrap around his waist, and turned to walk towards the city.

He wondered how the situation in Xiang City was now. Who won, the Eldest Young Master or that Immortal Cultivator?

Xu Sanyan felt no shame in his breach of promise; it wasn't the first time, anyway.

…

As soon as he stepped through the city gate, Xu Sanyan noticed something unusual. The guards at the city gate had decreased, with only one squad of soldiers standing guard with swords.

Entering the long street, passersby on both sides occasionally stole glances at him. Xu Sanyan's attire was simply too avant-garde.

His athletic body was bare, with only a piece of ragged cloth covering his private parts. The scars from earlier years on his body had also healed, making his skin appear fairer and smoother.

Some bolder women openly snuck glances, their eyes unintentionally sweeping towards his private parts, but Xu Sanyan didn't mind.

He hurried back home and happened to run into Butler Butler Zhao, who was preparing to go out.

Butler Zhao stepped forward excitedly and said, “Master, you’re finally back.”

Xu Sanyan looked puzzled, “What do you mean I’m finally back? I only left for one night. What happened in the city?”

Butler Zhao looked bewildered and whispered, “Master, you’ve been gone for almost ten days…”

“Ten days?”

Xu Sanyan was startled. Had it been that long?

He spent a full ten days on his Foundation Establishment Breakthrough?

Xu Sanyan asked, “What happened in the city these past few days?”

Butler Zhao looked troubled and said, “The night you left, the Eldest Young Master led troops to surround the Prince’s Manor, claiming that the Fairy had bewitched the Prince and abducted the Princess Consort, intending to raise an army to suppress them…”

“And then?”

“They failed. Three thousand soldiers were scattered by the Fairy alone, and the Eldest Young Master’s whereabouts are unknown.”

Xu Sanyan nodded. It was normal for three thousand soldiers to be unable to defeat an Immortal Cultivator. With his current strength, completely annihilating them might be difficult, but scattering them would not be hard.

“And the Princess Consort?” Xu Sanyan asked.

“She was… taken away by the Fairy.”

“Taken away?”

Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow, a guess forming in his mind. It was very likely that Prince Rui had sent a message.

“Taken where?”

Butler Zhao shook his head, “I don’t know, but she hasn’t appeared since.”

Xu Sanyan stroked his chin, “How is the war on the front lines?”

“Uh…” Butler Zhao looked a bit troubled. How would a mere butler like him know such things?

Xu Sanyan nodded understandingly and turned to walk towards the Prince’s Manor.

Butler Zhao reached out a hand, wanting to advise Xu Sanyan to change his clothes, but before he could speak, Xu Sanyan’s figure had already vanished from his sight.

Inside the Prince’s Manor courtyard.

The Princess Consort sat at the stone table with a worried expression, her eyes listlessly swirling a teacup, while her other hand propped up her chin, her two fleshy mounds on her chest exceptionally prominent.

Her daughter had been taken away to an unknown location, and she herself was confined within the Prince’s Manor, unable to go out. She was now like a bird in a cage, trapped within this Prince’s Manor.

Just then, a voice reached her ears, “Princess Consort, is Fairy Lan Yue here?”

The Princess Consort stood up abruptly, her luxurious robes swaying with the inertia, and Xu Sanyan subconsciously glanced at her chest.

“You… you’re back?” the Princess Consort exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes, I heard Qiyuan was taken away, so I came to ask what happened.” Xu Sanyan sat down at the stone table, took the tea from the table, and drank it all.

The Princess Consort’s eyes moved, looking at the teacup in Xu Sanyan’s hand. It was the one she had just drunk from, but she didn’t mind. She quickly said, “Fairy Lan Yue took Qiyuan out of the city, and also the Eldest Young Master and several Young Masters. Oh, and Yang Qizhu.”

“Taken where?”

Xu Sanyan quickly asked. Yang Qizhu still had that entry token, which was very useful to him.

The Princess Consort shook her head, “I don’t know, but I feel uneasy, I’m afraid it’s nothing good…”

Xu Sanyan’s heart stirred, “Do you know the situation on the front lines?”

The Princess Consort said, “I’m confined here in the Prince’s Manor; I can’t receive any news.”

Xu Sanyan didn’t know what to say. This Princess Consort, all she did was grow those two mounds on her chest.

So he asked again, “How long have they been gone?”

“They left on the third day after the Eldest Young Master besieged the Prince’s Manor that night.”

Xu Sanyan sighed. Six or seven days had already passed. Even if he went after them now, it would probably be too late.

He hadn’t expected his Breakthrough to take so much time.

Since things had come to this, he wouldn't dwell on it. It was a good thing Lan Yue wasn't around; there must be many precious medicines hidden in the Prince’s Manor’s inner treasury, which he could now get his hands on.

Also, the Eldest Young Master’s Manor, the Cui Family, and other major Families in the city must have them. Consolidating them might allow him to also achieve a Breakthrough in his spellcasting.

Ma Tianqing’s summoning of the Blood Demon had made him envious for a long time.