200: A gluttonous feast, all looted!

"Is this the insight of the Emperor level..."

Chen Xu looked down at his hands; even without using any spiritual power,

the surrounding space vibrated slightly with his breathing.

At this moment, the purgatory tower beneath him let out a wail.

Having lost the control of its original master, this Emperor Weapon had become ownerless and sought to fly away through the void,

searching for a new host.

"Trying to run?"

Chen Xu sneered and slammed his right hand onto the top of the tower.

If it were before, he might have had to expend considerable effort to subdue this Emperor Weapon.

But now, he had devoured the Demon Emperor's remnant soul and possessed the Demon Emperor's memories and Origin aura.

To the purgatory tower, he was the most familiar master.

"Submit to me!"

With a low shout, Chen Xu imprinted his Divine Soul

and forced it into the core hub of the purgatory tower.

Buzz—

The struggling black giant tower instantly fell silent.

The resisting will vanished without a trace,

replaced by a blood-connected obedience.

With a thought from Chen Xu, the thousand-zhang-tall giant tower rapidly shrank.

In the blink of an eye, it turned into an exquisite seven-inch-tall tower, resting steadily in his palm.

The tower was cool to the touch but radiated warmth, and the powerful sense of absolute control

made Chen Xu reveal a satisfied smile.

A true Emperor Weapon.

With this item, even without using his other trump cards, he could walk through the Northern Region without fear.

As the purgatory tower was subdued, the terrifying Emperor's Pressure imprisoning the entire Secret Realm finally dissipated.

Hiding in the distance, Blade and Lan Shuyao finally dared to stand up; they looked at each other,

both seeing deep shock in the other's eyes.

Though the battle just now was brief, the level of that clash—even just the aftershocks—had left them suffocating.

"Is it over?"

Blade swallowed hard, looking at the figure in green robes fluttering atop the ruins.

"It's over."

Ye Youluo walked over now, her expression the most complex of all.

That was her ancestor, the last hope of the Youyue Clan.

Now, he had completely vanished between heaven and earth, with not even a speck of dust remaining.

But for some reason, she felt no great sorrow, only a sense of liberation.

That monster who would devour his own descendants just to survive

was not worthy of being called an ancestor.

Chen Xu's figure flickered as he drifted down from mid-air.

His aura was now completely restrained, making him look like a Mortal with no cultivation at all.

But it was precisely this state of returning to simplicity that made him seem even more unfathomable.

“Congratulations, Family Head, on your divine skill reaching Major Achievement and for obtaining the Emperor Weapon!”

Lan Shuyao reacted the fastest, quickly stepping forward to bow.

“Me too!”

Blade scratched his head; after a long pause, he could only come up with those two words, but the excitement on his face was impossible to hide.

Chen Xu waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.

"Don't just focus on flattery."

He pointed to the nine still-open entrances in the distance and the undamaged side halls around the main palace.

"Although the Demon Emperor was a selfish old ghost, his collection from the past ten thousand years is the real deal."

"Since I'm eating the meat, I naturally won't let you go without even the soup."

With a casual wave, Chen Xu sent three streaks of light into their foreheads.

Those were treasure maps of this Secret Realm from the Demon Emperor's memories, along with methods to break various Restrictions.

"The crimson side hall on the left contains the Hundred-Battle Demon Weapons collected by the Demon Emperor back then, as well as a pool of Shura Blood Fiend, which is most suitable for tempering the Physical Body."

Chen Xu looked at Blade: "Go there. Even if you have to die inside, you must push your Physical Body to the Refining Void Stage for me."

Blade's eyes instantly lit up like lightbulbs: "Thank you, Family Head! I'm going right now!"

With that, the big man grabbed his Blade and charged toward the crimson palace like a starving wolf.

"The Hall of Illusory Hearts in the middle hides several volumes of ancient sword scriptures, as well as an illusion Formation that can hone the Divine Soul."

Chen Xu looked at Lan Shuyao: "Your sword path follows a light and agile style, but it lacks Killing Intent. Go there, and don't come out until you've fully grasped the Soul-Slaying Intent within."

Lan Shuyao's heart trembled; that was exactly the Bottleneck she had encountered recently.

The Family Head had actually seen through it at a glance?

"This subordinate obeys!"

She gripped her longsword tightly and walked toward the Hall of Illusory Hearts with a determined gaze.

Finally, Chen Xu looked at Ye Youluo, who had remained silent.

"As for you..."

Chen Xu paused and took out a Jade Slip emitting a deep purple glow from his storage ring.

This was the core Youyue Clan Legacy Cultivation Technique—the "Taiyin True Scripture"—which he had just extracted from the Demon Emperor's remnant soul memories.

"This is what your ancestor owed you; now it is returned to its original owner."

Chen Xu threw the Jade Slip to her and pointed to a quiet garden behind the main hall: "There is a Taiyin Cold Spring there, which is the Spiritual Eye of the entire Secret Realm."

"Go there to Cultivate. Combined with this technique, it will be enough for you to rebuild your Foundation and restore the glory of the royal clan."

Ye Youluo caught the Jade Slip, her hands trembling slightly.

She had dreamed of finding this lost Legacy, wandering the Northern Region for a hundred years and suffering countless humiliations for it.

Now, it had fallen into her hands so easily.

She looked up, the arrogance in her purple eyes long gone.

All that remained was the purest gratitude and... submission.

"Thank you... Master."

She bowed gracefully, performing a Demon Race rite of loyalty.

This time, she was willing.

Chen Xu nodded and said no more.

After the three had gone to find their respective opportunities, he did not rush to leave.

Instead, he turned his gaze toward the vast underground imperial city.

"Since I'm here, I shouldn't let anything go to waste."

He summoned the purgatory tower once again.

"Collect!"

As he performed the hand seals, the purgatory tower once again became a thousand-zhang-tall giant, hovering over the imperial city.

This time, it was no longer devouring life, but had switched to moving mode.

The Deep Sea Demon Jade paving the floor, the Coiling Dragon Pillars inscribed with ancient runes, the three thousand Netherworld Iron Guards in the square who had already recognized their master,

and even the bookshelves, Pill Furnaces, and weapon racks in the side halls... everything that could be taken was sucked into the purgatory tower's storage space in one go.

It was practically scraping the ground three feet deep.

If the Demon Emperor knew in the afterlife that the imperial city he had worked so hard to build was being stripped down to the load-bearing walls,

he would probably be so angry he'd come back to life... In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

The entire underground Secret Realm had become empty; even more than half of the floor tiles on the ground had been pried away by Chen Xu.

At this time, several powerful aura fluctuations came from the direction of the side halls.

Boom!

From the direction of the crimson palace, a pillar of blood shot into the sky.

Blade was naked, his muscles like cast iron, radiating a metallic luster.

He roared toward the sky, his aura having impressively stepped into the Refining Void Mid-Stage!

Following that, from within the Hall of Illusory Hearts, a sharp Sword Intent pierced the clouds, cutting a hole in the devil clouds above.

Lan Shuyao walked out with her sword, her temperament even colder than before.

It was as if she had become an unsheathed Blade herself.

Finally, from the direction of the back garden,

an extremely pure Taiyin Qi spread out, freezing everything for thousands of miles.

Ye Youluo walked out slowly, the purple horn on her forehead glowing with brilliant light. Although her cultivation hadn't recovered as exaggeratedly, the noble pressure originating from her Bloodline was already beginning to take shape.

"Not bad."

Chen Xu looked at the three transformed individuals and nodded with satisfaction.

This trip to Dragon Burial Valley could be called a total victory.

Not only had he eliminated two arch-enemies and obtained an Emperor Weapon,

but he had also gained a Puppet army and three capable subordinates with greatly increased strength.

"Let's go."

Chen Xu put away the purgatory tower and turned toward the exit they came from: "It's time for us to go home!"

...The flying boat broke through the clouds, casting a massive shadow over Tianxuan City.

It was currently noon, and the sunlight was intense.

When those thousand Chen Family Disciples, clad in armor and brimming with Killing Intent, stood on the deck overlooking the city, the entire city erupted.

There were no tragic wounded soldiers, no tattered banners.

Only the glory of returning fully loaded and the aura of spoils of war that almost overflowed from the cabins.

Chen Xu stood at the bow, his robes flapping in the high-altitude gale.

He looked at the familiar city below, a trace of faint warmth flashing in his eyes.

But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the majesty of a Family Head.

"Land."

With a command, the massive flying boat slowly docked at the martial arts field in the inner city of the Chen Family.

The clansmen, who had already received the news, were waiting.

When the hatch opened, the iron-blooded aura tempered by blood and fire rushed out.

It left the young Disciples who hadn't gone both in awe and envy.

Chen Xu strode down the gangway, followed by Blade, whose aura was increasingly profound,

Lan Shuyao, and Ye Youluo, whose face was hidden by a black robe.

“Welcome back, Family Head, in triumph!”

Chen Daoxuan took a step forward and spoke loudly.

Although he could not see through his father's current cultivation, the pressure, like facing a towering mountain,

made him realize that his Family Head must have had an extraordinary Opportunity on this outing.

"Is everyone here?"

Chen Xu's gaze swept across the field.

“Reporting to Father, except for those on missions who truly cannot make it back, every clansman above the Foundation Establishment Stage is here.”

Chen Daoxuan answered respectfully.

"Very good."

Chen Xu nodded and walked straight toward the high platform in the center of the martial arts field.

He waved his sleeve, saying no sentimental words, but performing the most direct action.

Clatter—

A crisp and pleasant sound rang out.

Tens of thousands of Demon Cores poured out of Chen Xu's storage ring like a rainstorm.

In the blink of an eye, they piled into a crystal-clear small mountain on the martial arts field, reflecting a dazzling luster in the sunlight.

Next came piles of weapons and armor.

Although some carried Devilish Qi, the cold light and Spiritual Pressure flowing on them

all indicated that these were rare, high-quality items.

The entire field fell silent.

Everyone's eyes widened, their breathing becoming rapid.

They had expected the Family Head to bring back spoils of war, but they hadn't expected this "wholesale" scale.

"On this trip to Dragon Burial Valley, the Chen Family has won a great victory."

Chen Xu's voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly: "Xu Sen of the Ascending Immortal Gate and Mo Yuan of the Tianyu Holy Land have both been executed. The resources from their storage rings, along with what was obtained from the Demon Race's nest, are all here."

These words were like a thunderclap on level ground.

Two Body Integration Stage powerhouses... dead?

Killed by their own Family Head?

After a brief moment of shock, a cheer erupted that seemed ready to overturn the very heavens.

"The Family Head is mighty!"

"Victory to the Chen Family!"

In this world where the strong prey on the weak, the stronger their Old Ancestor was and the more ruthlessly he killed their enemies, the safer the Family would be.

The big picture and peace were all illusions; only fists spoke the hard truth.

Chen Xu raised his hand and pressed down slightly, and the scene instantly fell silent.

"Rewards will be distributed according to merit."

He pointed at the mountain of treasures. "The thousand Disciples who marched with the army may each choose one High Grade Spiritual Artifact, a hundred Demon Cores, and be granted one Marrow Cleansing Pill. For those with outstanding performance, such as the vanguards of the Blade Camp and the sword heads of the Sword Washing Pavilion, the rewards will be doubled, and they will be granted Top Grade Spirit Treasures!"

A roar of wild joy erupted from the crowd.

The thousand who had served with the army all stood tall with their chests out, their faces glowing with excitement.

They wished they could charge back into the demon den right now and slaughter their way through it seven times over.

One must know that in the past, if they wanted a High Grade Spirit Treasure, they would have had to save up Family contribution points for several years.

And now? They could pick them as easily as common cabbages!

"Those who did not go need not be envious."

With a flick of Chen Xu's wrist, dozens of Jade Slips emitting an ancient aura floated in mid-air. "These are some of the Legacy Cultivation Techniques I found in the Demon Emperor's Palace, covering various categories such as Body Refining, Sword Dao, Formations, and Alchemy."

"Although they originate from the Demon Race, I have already purged the malevolence from them and modified them into methods suitable for the Human Race to Cultivate."

"From this day forward, these techniques will be added to the Family Scripture Pavilion. Anyone who passes the Family assessment may practice them!"

This was the real bombshell.

Resources might be exhausted and weapons might be damaged, but top-tier Legacy Cultivation Techniques...

...were the Foundation that allowed a Family to remain prosperous for ten thousand generations!

"Furthermore..."

With a wave of Chen Xu's hand, three thousand miniature black Puppets appeared at the edge of the high platform.

"These are the Netherworld Iron Guards. Each one has the combat power of the Soul Transformation Peak or even the Early Void Refining Stage. From now on, they will be the city guards of the Chen Family."

With a thought from Chen Xu, the three thousand Puppets all knelt on one knee in unison. The synchronized metallic clanging sound made people's hearts tremble.

Chen Daoxuan was already moved to tears.

Looking at his father's figure on the stage, his heart was filled with nothing but awe and infinite emotion.

How fortunate the Chen Family was to have produced such an Old Ancestor.

This wasn't just a rise; this was clearly soaring into the sky to compete with those ancient families in the Central Continent!

"Blade, Lan Shuyao."

Chen Xu spoke.

"Your subordinates are here!"

"The two of you have performed well in breaking through your realms. You will be responsible for storing and distributing these resources. Remember, what I want is a Chen Family Army capable of fighting tough battles, not a group of trash who only know how to show off with treasures."

"We obey your command! We will certainly train them strictly!"

Blade patted his chest. The terrifying aura of his Refining Void Mid-Stage leaked out slightly, causing the surrounding clansmen to feel a sense of suffocation.

Looking at the bustling martial arts arena, Chen Xu smiled gently.

With these resources and these three thousand iron guards, Zhenyuan City finally had the true power to protect itself.

Next, no matter who wanted to gnaw on this bone...

...they would have to be prepared to have all their teeth shattered. Compared to the joy in Zhenyuan City, at this moment, the atmosphere in the Ascending Immortal Gate and Tianyu Holy Land, tens of thousands of miles away, was suppressed to the extreme.

The outskirts of Dragon Burial Valley.

The Disciples of the two Sects had been sitting idly for a full half-month.

"Senior Brother, how many days has it been? Why hasn't there been any movement?"

A Disciple of the Ascending Immortal Gate looked anxiously into the depths of the swamp. "Even if Elder Xu wanted to go deep to search for treasures, he wouldn't fail to even reply to a communication talisman, right?"

A deacon beside him frowned, clutching a sensing bead that had long since lost its luster.

Ever since the terrifying vibrations came from the depths that day, all contact had been completely cut off.

"Something's not right."

The deacon stood up, looking at the black mist gradually dissipating in the distance. "Where are the people from the Chen Family? I clearly remember that the Chen Family's flying boat entered long ago, so why haven't we seen it come out?"

Just then, a Disciple responsible for scouting came stumbling over, his face as pale as paper.

"Report! Lord Deacon! The... the people from the Chen Family left long ago!"

"What?!"

"We found traces of a flying boat taking off and landing in a mountain hollow dozens of miles away. Judging by how fresh the traces are, they... they might have taken a detour back to the city long ago!"

The deacon's heart skipped a beat as an extremely ominous premonition surged in his mind.

The Chen Family left completely unscathed, yet their own Elder Xu and the Old Ancestor Mo of the Tianyu Holy Land were nowhere to be seen?

"Quick! Send word back to the Sect!"

"Something big has happened!"

...On the edge of the Central Continent, the main Peak of the Ascending Immortal Gate.

This place was shrouded in mist all year round, with immortal cranes flying about, presenting a scene like a paradise.

However, at this moment, inside the "Soul Lamp Hall" in the deepest part of the Sect...

...a roar of shock and fury rang out.

"Who?! Who dares to kill an Elder of my Ascending Immortal Gate?!"

The Disciple responsible for guarding the Soul Lamps knelt on the ground in terror, trembling.

On the altar before him, the Soul Lamp representing Elder Xu Sen had not only gone out, but even the jade cup holding the lamp oil had shattered into powder.

This meant that Xu Sen was not only dead, but his Divine Soul had been completely extinguished.

Even his chance for Reincarnation had been severed.

Several streaks of terrifying light instantly landed outside the Soul Lamp Hall.

Leading them was an old man wearing a purple-gold Daoist robe, with hair and beard as white as snow but a ruddy complexion.

But at this moment, his eyes were spewing a rage that seemed ready to devour people.

This person was the Grand Elder of the Ascending Immortal Gate, Ge Yunsong.

"Senior Brother! Junior Brother Xu, he..."

The several Elders who arrived later looked at the shattered lamp.

They looked at each other, their faces filled with shock.

Although Xu Sen was only at the Early Body Integration Stage, he was a vigilant person and had several life-saving Magic Treasures in his possession.

Furthermore, he had gone to the remote Northern Region this time; how could he just vanish like that?

"Investigate! Investigate this immediately!"

Ge Yunsong gritted his teeth. "In a desolate place like the Northern Region, who besides that old ghost Mo from the Tianyu Holy Land could kill Junior Brother Xu? Could it be that the two of them perished together while fighting over treasure?"

"Report—!"

Just then, a deacon rushed over, holding an urgent communication talisman he had just received.

"Reporting to the Elders, the Disciples at the front have reported back. The Chen Family Army has already withdrawn from Dragon Burial Valley, returning fully loaded. Meanwhile, Elder Xu and Mo Yuan of the Tianyu Holy Land... remain missing."

"The Chen Family?"

Ge Yunsong's eyes narrowed slightly. The Killing Intent that erupted in that instant caused the surrounding temperature to plummet by dozens of degrees.

"Chen Xu..."

He chewed on the name. "A junior who just promoted to Body Integration, able to kill Junior Brother Xu? I don't believe it."

"However, things are also in chaos over at the Tianyu Holy Land."

Another intelligence Elder whispered, "I heard that Mo Yuan's Life Tablet has also shattered. Now, the Tianyu Holy Land has sealed its mountain gates and activated its Sect protection Formation, acting as if they are facing a formidable enemy."

The entire place was in an uproar.

Two Body Integration Stage powerhouses had fallen at the same time and in the same place.

And the only survivor was the Chen Family, whom they had always regarded as a meal on their plate.

Anyone who wasn't a fool could guess there was something fishy going on.

"What a Chen Family, what a Chen Xu!"

Ge Yunsong laughed out of extreme anger, the jade whisk in his hand creaking under his grip. "It seems we haven't moved about in the Northern Region for too long, making these hicks forget what awe and respect are."

"No matter what schemes or tricks were used, anyone who dares to kill someone from my Ascending Immortal Gate must pay a price in blood!"

"Pass down my decree!"

Ge Yunsong's gaze swept over the Elders present. "Elder Feng, Elder Lei, you two will accompany me to Zhenyuan City in the Northern Region!"

"Three Body Integration Stages?"

Someone hesitated, "Grand Elder, isn't it a bit of an overkill to deal with a single Chen Family?"

"A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit."

Ge Yunsong said coldly, "Since Junior Brother Xu has fallen, it means that Chen Xu must have some trump card in his hand."

"I will use thunderous momentum to directly raze Tianxuan City to the ground, extract his living soul, and light it as a lamp! Let everyone in this Northern Region see the consequences of offending my Ascending Immortal Gate!"

"Yes!"

Two Elders with equally powerful auras stepped forward; one was surrounded by green wind gales, and the other had faint flashes of lightning on his body.

This was the Foundation of the Ascending Immortal Gate; they could easily pull out three Body Integration Stage powerhouses.

That afternoon, three streaks of light tore through the sky, carrying an incomparably overbearing aura.

They headed straight for the north.

Inside Tianxuan City, the excitement of the victory celebration had not yet passed.

The Disciples of the Chen Family were immersed in the joy of their skyrocketing strength.

They couldn't put down the newly acquired Spiritual Artifacts and Magic Treasures.

Figures sparred on the martial arts arena day and night without ceasing.

Chen Xu sat in a quiet room of the City Lord's Manor, playing with the miniature purgatory tower in his hand.

The tower had nine layers, with an eerie light flowing over it.

After several days of refinement, he had completely gained control over this Emperor Weapon.

Although he could not yet exert its full power due to his own cultivation limits, using it to suppress a few Body Integration Stage Cultivators was just a matter of moving his finger.

"They're here."

Chen Xu suddenly stopped his movements, a cold sneer appearing on his face.

His Divine Sense had long since covered a radius of a thousand miles.

At the far end of the horizon, three unabashedly powerful auras were crashing toward Tianxuan City like meteors.

That unbridled pressure caused birds to fall in shock and wild beasts to prostrate themselves along the path they traveled.

"They arrived quite quickly."

Chen Xu put away the small tower, stood up to straighten his clothes, and pushed the door open.

At this moment, the originally clear sky above Tianxuan City suddenly grew dark.

It wasn't dark clouds, but rather the sunlight being forcibly obscured by artificial Spiritual Pressure.

Rumble—

Rolling thunder came from the horizon, accompanied by a suffocating gale.

The cheering inside the city came to an abrupt halt.

The Cultivators looked up at the sky in terror.

The Chen Family Disciples who were training also gripped their weapons tightly, their expressions solemn.

"Chen Family brat! Get out here and meet your death!"

A violent shout, like a crack of heavenly thunder, shook the City Protection Grand Formation of Tianxuan City, causing layers of ripples to appear.

Three figures appeared out of thin air above the city.

The person in the center wore a purple-gold Daoist robe, his hair and beard bristling; it was indeed Ge Yunsong of the Ascending Immortal Gate.