51: Primordial Qi

Left Envoy Li's lips curled into a cold sneer.

His original mission was only to assassinate Chen Xu.

But now, he had changed his mind.

Since the Chen Family was a running dog of the Qingyun Immortal Sect, there was no need for it to exist.

"All of you, die!"

His killing intent was set, and his figure, like a meteor, carried a powerful momentum.

He charged directly towards the Chen Family Courtyard below!

However, just as his figure had just entered the Chen Family Courtyard's range!

An unexpected change occurred!

A terrifying force, as if appearing out of thin air, slammed heavily into his body.

This force was formless and intangible, yet it was as heavy as a mountain and incomparably overbearing!

Left Envoy Li didn't even have time to react.

His protective spiritual light shattered instantly like paper.

He felt his internal organs instantly shift.

All the bones in his body let out a series of grating pops.

"Pfft!"

A large mouthful of fresh blood spurted out.

The ferocity and disdain in Left Envoy Li's eyes were instantly replaced by shock and fear.

His body was completely out of control.

Like a kite with a broken string, he plummeted straight down from mid-air.

"Boom!"

With a loud bang, he landed in the Chen Family's courtyard.

He smashed out a huge, human-shaped deep pit.

As the dust settled, Left Envoy Li lay at the bottom of the pit, covered in blood, his aura extremely weak.

He was completely dumbfounded!

He didn't even know who the enemy was or where the enemy was.

He was completely incapacitated in an instant.

"How... how could this be..."

He struggled to raise his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Just then, a steady pace of footsteps approached.

Chen Xu walked slowly to the edge of the deep pit with his hands behind his back, looking down at him.

His expression was calm, as if he was looking at a dead dog by the roadside.

On his left and right sides, two powerful Yao Beasts followed.

Their golden vertical pupils were filled with cold killing intent.

Left Envoy Li's mind became even more confused.

He had swept his Divine Sense earlier.

After all, he had not found any signs of Golden Core cultivation or Yao Beasts.

But, this was not enough to severely injure him to this extent in an instant!

The Chen Family definitely had a more terrifying hidden power!

He struggled to try and activate the remaining Spiritual Qi in his body, wanting to summon a Magic Treasure to fight to the death.

But at this moment, a huge shadow, heavier than a mountain.

It enveloped him and the entire deep pit.

Left Envoy Li laboriously moved his eyeballs and looked up.

The next moment, all the blood in his body seemed to freeze.

He saw a gigantic beast, several times larger than the two Yao Beasts.

Its entire body covered in Dragon scales, was lowering its head, using its huge, emotionless eyes.

It stared coldly at him.

A pressure far exceeding the Golden Core, vast and mighty like the might of Heaven, emanated from this giant beast.

It heavily pressed down on Left Envoy Li's Divine Soul.

Nascent Soul Realm!

This was a Nascent Soul Realm Yao Beast!

Left Envoy Li's mind buzzed, a complete blank.

Nascent Soul Realm?!

This Chen Family actually had a Nascent Soul Realm Yao Beast?!

"P-Please... spare my life! Senior, spare my life!"

He no longer cared about the dignity of a Demonic Path envoy.

He used all his strength to let out a hoarse plea for mercy.

"I... I am a Protector of the Heavenly Corpse Cult of the Demonic Path!"

"It's the Yun Family of Yuanshou Mountain! It was the Yun Family who paid a hefty sum to hire me to assassinate Chen Ran, the Family Head! This has nothing to do with me! Please, Senior, spare my life!"

Under the threat of death, Left Envoy Li spilled everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

He only hoped to exchange it for a glimmer of life.

Chen Ran listened quietly, his expression unchanged.

The Yun Family... Demonic Path... Chen Xu listened quietly, his expression unchanged.

He had originally thought that the dispute with the Yun Family was merely a normal power struggle between two Cultivation Families.

Or even a tiny friction!

But he never expected that behind this, one of the Four Great Demonic Paths, the Heavenly Corpse Cult, was involved.

This was no longer a small matter.

The Demonic Path always acted by cutting the grass and eradicating the roots, leaving no future troubles.

Today, it was Left Envoy Li, a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, who came.

If he were allowed to escape, next time, it might be a Devil Head in the Nascent Soul Realm, or even the entire Heavenly Corpse Cult's retaliation.

In the deep pit, Left Envoy Li saw Chen Xu's silence.

He thought his plea for mercy had worked, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

He struggled to say something more, but was interrupted by Chen Xu's calm voice.

"I'll give you two choices."

Chen Xu looked down at him, his gaze deep and devoid of emotion.

"One, die here. I'll send you on your way now, clean and decisive."

"Two, live. But you will be imprisoned by me, and from now on, be a dog of my Chen Family. Whatever I ask, you answer. When I no longer need you, then you can die."

Left Envoy Li froze.

He had thought Chen Xu would kill him, and he had thought Chen Xu would torture him, but he never expected such a choice.

To be a dog?

He, the dignified Left Envoy of the Heavenly Corpse Cult, a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, a figure who could summon wind and rain in the South Spirit Prefecture, how could he endure such a great humiliation!

A surge of anger rose from the bottom of his heart, overriding his fear.

"You wish!"

He roared, putting on a brave front, "I am a Protector of the Heavenly Corpse Cult! If you dare to humiliate me, my Cult will ensure that your Chen Family, from top to bottom, will be wiped out!"

Chen Xu heard this and didn't even twitch an eyebrow.

He just found it a little amusing.

"It seems you still haven't understood your situation."

He was too lazy to waste any more words, simply raising his hand slightly.

The Nascent Soul Realm Golden Armored Soaring Dragon, Mountain Suppressor, which had been coiled beside him, slowly lowered its mountain-like head.

Its two lantern-sized golden vertical pupils.

They emotionlessly locked onto Left Envoy Li at the bottom of the pit.

A pressure even more terrifying than before.

It descended with a tangible roar!

Left Envoy Li's Divine Soul felt as if it was being squeezed by a large hand, frantically compressed, almost on the verge of collapsing on the spot.

The little bit of backbone he had just mustered was instantly crushed to dust.

In the face of this absolute power.

His Late Golden Core Stage cultivation, which he was so proud of, was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper.

This was not the end.

In Chen Xu's hand, a Talisman had appeared at some point.

It was a Talisman that was entirely bright silver, with runes drawn on it that were incomparably sharp, as if condensed from tens of thousands of Sword Qi.

Just holding it in his hand, without even activating it.

The surrounding air was already being cut with sizzling sounds by the indestructible Geng Metal Qi.

Left Envoy Li's pupils suddenly constricted to the size of a needlepoint.

He was also a discerning person and recognized at a glance that this was definitely a High Grade Rank Three, or even a nearly Rank Four, offensive Talisman!

The power contained within it was something he wouldn't dare to underestimate even at his peak.

Let alone now that he was severely injured.

A person who could casually produce a Talisman of this level... A person who could command a Nascent Soul Realm Yao Beast... Left Envoy Li's mind was completely in chaos.

What exactly was the background of this Chen Family Head?

Which mighty figure from the Qingyun Immortal Sect would disguise himself as the head of such a small Family?

Or was it that he himself was an old monster in seclusion?

Fear, like a tide, engulfed his reason.

Compared to death, what was dignity?

As long as he could live, there was hope.

If he could escape one day, the humiliation of today would definitely be repaid a hundredfold!

"I choose the second one! I choose the second one!"

Left Envoy Li could no longer hold on, completely breaking down, and roared with all his might, "Senior, spare my life! I am willing to be a dog! I am willing to be Senior's dog!"

Chen Xu's expression remained calm.

As if he had long anticipated this outcome.

He put away the Talisman and took out an item from his Storage Ring.

It was a pitch-black iron chain.

It was covered with spiritual light, exuding an aura that bound all things.

A High Grade Magical Artifact, the Immortal Binding Chain.

It was specifically used to shackle Cultivators; once it pierced through their Dantian and Qi Sea, it would completely seal off the circulation of Spiritual Qi, rendering them no different from Mortals.

"Since you want to live, don't resist."

Chen Xu said lightly, and threw the Immortal Binding Chain forward.

The iron chain, like a living venomous snake, instantly shot into the pit.

Left Envoy Li watched with wide eyes as the cold iron chain came towards his Dantian, a trace of despair flashed in his eyes, but he truly dared not resist in the slightest.

He knew that if he dared to move even an inch, the Nascent Soul Realm Yao Beast would crush him into a meat paste without hesitation.

"Pffft!"

With a muffled sound, the Immortal Binding Chain effortlessly pierced through Left Envoy Li's Dantian, then passed through his scapula, firmly locking him in place.

A strange power spread throughout his body along the iron chain.

His Spiritual Qi, which could barely circulate before, was instantly completely sealed, dissipating without a trace.

An unprecedented sense of weakness surged over him.

Left Envoy Li became a complete cripple.

Chen Xu beckoned with one hand, pulling Left Envoy Li, who was like a dead dog, out of the deep pit, and dragged him towards the back mountain.

In the Chen Family's back mountain, there was a newly opened cave.

It was originally prepared by Chen Xu for his secluded Cultivation, but now it came in handy.

Deep in the cave, Chen Xu threw Left Envoy Li onto the ground, and the other end of the Immortal Binding Chain was deeply carved into the rock wall by his magic power.

He glanced at the imprisoned Left Envoy Li, then ordered Mountain Suppressor, who was following behind him: "Mountain Suppressor, watch him closely. Except for me, kill anyone who approaches without mercy."

"If he makes any unusual moves, kill him directly as well."

"Roar..."

Mountain Suppressor let out a low roar, which was its response.

Its massive body lay prostrate at the entrance of the cave, like a small mountain, completely blocking the entire cave.

Its golden vertical pupils stared coldly at Left Envoy Li inside the cave.

The pressure it emitted made the latter not even dare to think about moving a single finger.

Having done all this, Chen Xu turned and left the cave.

As if he had just casually disposed of a piece of trash.

Returning to his study, Chen Xu closed the door, and his previously tense nerves finally relaxed slightly.

He sat on the chair, recalling everything that had just happened, still feeling a lingering fear.

If not for the Yao Beast rewarded by the System and the Formation he had set up in advance.

Tonight, the Chen Family might truly have faced a catastrophic disaster.

The Yun Family, the Heavenly Corpse Cult... A cold glint flashed in Chen Xu's eyes.

This matter was far from over.

He calmed his emotions and shifted his attention to the spoils of war from this time.

Left Envoy Li's Storage Pouch and that Storage Ring had already been taken by him.

He first opened the Storage Pouch.

As his Divine Sense swept through, Chen Xu's brows furrowed slightly.

The Spirit Stones in the pouch, the Low-Grade Spirit Stones added up to only twenty to thirty thousand, and there were only a few hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

For a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator!

This amount of wealth was simply extremely meager.

"Are Demonic Path Cultivators all this poor?"

Chen Xu could not help but complain.

Besides Spirit Stones, there were also some bottles and jars of Medicinal Pills in the Storage Pouch.

Most were for healing and restoring Spiritual Qi, but a faint bloody smell lingered on the Medicinal Pills, clearly indicating they were not Righteous Path Medicinal Pills.

Chen Xu didn't even bother to look at them, directly throwing them aside.

Then, he picked up the Storage Ring.

His Divine Sense probed inside, and the contents piqued Chen Xu's interest.

The first thing that caught his eye was the three-inch blood-colored small sword that had appeared in the secret hall—the bloodthirsty sword.

Chen Xu took it out and held it in his hand.

A cold and bloodthirsty will, following the hilt, tried to bore into his Divine Soul.

However, it was directly crushed by his powerful Divine Sense.

"What a fierce weapon."

Chen Xu commented.

The power of this bloodthirsty sword indeed far exceeded ordinary High Grade Spiritual Artifacts, almost comparable to some low-tier Magic Treasures.

However, the method for refining this sword undoubtedly required the vital essence and blood of living beings, which was too malicious and did not align with Chen Xu's Dao Heart.

More importantly, his Chen Family now had no shortage of Magical Artifacts and Spiritual Artifacts.

The things his sons brought back from the Secret Realm were countless times better than this.

This sword was not very useful to him!

Perhaps he could give it to the Family's Artifact Refiners to study.

Besides the bloodthirsty sword, there were also a few Jade Slips in the ring.

Chen Xu checked them one by one.

"Heavenly Corpse Refining Great Law," "Blood Sutra," "Hundred Ghosts Night March Illustrated Record"... all were sinister and malicious Demonic Path Cultivation Techniques.

While these Cultivation Techniques might be powerful, their cultivation conditions were extremely harsh, often requiring the Divine Souls of living people and the vital essence and blood of Cultivators as catalysts, with immense side effects.

One careless mistake could lead to being backlashed by the Cultivation Technique, turning into an irrational monster.

"All trash."

Chen Xu shook his head and threw these Jade Slips aside as well.

He wanted to establish an Immortal Cultivation Family that could be passed down for ten thousand generations, walking the glorious Righteous Path.

He would never allow his clansmen to touch these crooked Evil Path methods.

At the final count, only an inconspicuous black wooden box remained in the ring.

Chen Xu picked up the wooden box, feeling a bit heavy in his hand.

He opened the lid, and a strong smell of blood and resentment assailed him, making him frown deeply.

Inside the box, there were no Spirit Stones, no Magic Treasures.

Only grains of Medicinal Pills.

And those Medicinal Pills were emitting an eerie red glow!

Without needing to think, these Medicinal Pills were definitely refined from living people.

Chen Xu's expression instantly turned cold!

Immediately after, he discovered a small 'Yun' character carved at the bottom of the box!

Yun?

Yun Family of Yuanshou Mountain?

Chen Xu's pupils suddenly contracted.

He understood instantly.

These Medicinal Pills were not left behind by Left Envoy Li from his own killings for cultivation.

Instead, they were "tributes" from the Yun Family of Yuan Shou Mountain, offered to the Heavenly Corpse Cult!

They actually sacrificed the lives of Mortals under their governance.

To gain the protection and rewards of the Demonic Path!

Chen Xu held the box, feeling as if it weighed a thousand jun.

He could tolerate conflicts between families.

He could tolerate the killings between Cultivators, because that was the Law of the Immortal Cultivation World.

But he could not tolerate an Immortal Cultivation Family wielding a butcher's knife against those helpless Mortals.

This was the bottom line.

"Yun Family..."

Chen Xu slowly uttered two words, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness.

The temperature in the study, at this moment, seemed to have dropped several degrees.

He clutched the box tightly in his hand; the anger that had originally arisen from being assassinated.

At this moment, had completely transformed into monstrous killing intent.

This Family was rotten to the core.

It must be completely erased from this world!

...Inside the study, Chen Xu slowly closed the black wooden box with the character "Yun" carved on it.

The soft click of the lid closing sounded exceptionally heavy in the dead silent room.

He didn't put the box away but left it on the table, as if to remind himself of something.

The Yun Family... the Heavenly Corpse Cult... This was no longer a simple Family dispute, but an opposition between the Righteous Path and the Demonic Path, between survival and destruction.

Judging from these Medicinal Pills, the Yun Family was no longer a simple Immortal Cultivation Family.

Instead, it was a running dog kept by the Heavenly Corpse Cult within the Great Feng Dynasty.

A slaughterhouse providing cultivation resources for the Demonic Path.

Chen Xu slowly closed his eyes, rapidly analyzing the current situation.

Although the Qingyun Immortal Sect was the number one immortal Sect in Great Feng Dynasty, looking at the entire South Spirit Prefecture, it probably wouldn't even Rank.

And the Heavenly Corpse Cult, as one of the four great Demonic Paths with a Legacy of tens of thousands of years.

Its profound Foundation was definitely not something a single Qingyun Immortal Sect could contend with.

In Left Envoy Li's memory, the Demonic Path was secretly accumulating power, intending to sweep across the entire South Spirit Prefecture.

This time, in the national war against Great Feng Dynasty, the Black Water Nation was merely the vanguard; the real force behind it.

It was the Heavenly Corpse Cult and other Demonic Path forces.

They not only coveted the resources of Great Feng Dynasty but were also preparing for an even greater storm.

Once the Demonic Path fully invaded, Great Feng Dynasty, and even the entire South Spirit Prefecture, would be engulfed in war.

At that time, the Qingyun Immortal Sect would struggle to protect itself, let alone shelter the Chen Family.

Ninghai Town, Shangya Prefecture, and even the entire Great Feng Dynasty, would no longer be safe.

Plans must be made early.

An idea arose in Chen Xu's mind—relocation!

To completely move the entire Chen Family away from this vortex that was about to become the center of the storm!

But where to move?

The South Spirit Prefecture was vast, but with the Demonic Path's power, how many true pure lands could there be?

To the north lay the Myriad Yao Mountain Range, where the Yao Race resided; to the west were other immortal cultivation nations, also filled with Sects and heavily exclusive.

It would be as difficult as ascending to heaven for an outsider Family to establish roots.

Perhaps, they could go overseas?

Legends said that deep within the boundless sea, there were many islands rich in Spiritual Qi and resources, far from continental strife.

However, the sea was plagued by Yao Beasts and unpredictable storms, making it equally perilous.

Chen Xu's thoughts raced, one plan after another was proposed, only to be rejected by him.

This matter could not be rushed and required careful deliberation. But preparatory work had to start now.

First, the immediate threat had to be resolved.

The Yun Family must be destroyed!

Not just for revenge.

But also to eliminate this hidden cancer at their side.

With them around, every move of the Chen Family could be known to the Heavenly Corpse Cult, leading to endless troubles.

Secondly, the Family's strength must be improved as quickly as possible.

Only by being strong themselves could they possess the power to protect themselves in the future chaotic world.

Just then, his heart stirred.

"System."

A light blue screen, visible only to him, appeared before his eyes.

Family Name: Ninghai Chen Family

Family Head: Chen Xu

Cultivation: Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment Stage

Family Rank: Eighth-Grade Immortal Cultivation Family

Family Luck Value: 3200 points

Luck Mall: Opened

After this period of accumulation, the Family Luck Value had reached over 3000 points.

Seeing this, Chen Xu's thoughts became active.

Now, the Family was surrounded by powerful enemies, and the future was even more fraught with danger.

He urgently needed stronger power.

Whether it was to improve his Aptitude!

Or to obtain some powerful trump cards, both were crucial.

100 Luck Value allowed one draw!

1000 Luck Value allowed ten consecutive draws!

But Chen Xu wasn't going to play it that way!

He was going for a big one-time gamble! 3000 Luck Value for one draw!

"All in!"

Chen Xu muttered in his heart.

On the screen before his eyes.

A huge wheel composed of countless runes began to slowly rotate.

On the wheel, card pools of various colors flickered with light; white represented Mortal Grade.

Green represented Profound-Grade, blue represented Earth-Grade, purple represented Heaven-Grade.

And the most dazzling was that golden area, like a scorching sun.

Chen Xu's gaze was fixed on that golden area.

His current strength, in Ninghai Town and even Shangya Prefecture, might be considered top-tier.

But facing a Mid-stage Golden Core Cultivator like the Yun Family Old Ancestor.

He still didn't have absolute certainty of victory.

Not to mention the mysterious Heavenly Corpse Cult.

The rotation speed of the wheel became faster and faster, eventually turning into a blurry light and shadow.

"Stop!"

At Chen Xu's command, the wheel's rotation speed suddenly slowed down.

The pointer swung back and forth between various areas.

Blue... Green... then it swayed to white... Chen Xu's heart was in his throat.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the entire wheel vibrated violently, and the pointer seemed to be pushed by an invisible force, jumping forward sharply, crossing the purple area!

Finally, with a clear hum.

It steadily stopped in that most brilliant golden area!

An unprecedented dazzling colorful light.

Burst forth from the wheel, instantly filling the entire screen!

Congratulations, Family Head, you have drawn a Colorful Legendary Grade reward!

A line of large, colorful text appeared.

Chen Xu's breathing stopped.

Colorful?

Legendary Grade? What Rank was that?

Higher than gold?

He quickly looked, only to see a card flowing with dark golden divine radiance, its edges burning with colorful flames.

Slowly emerging from the wheel.

On the card, there was no pattern drawn, only a line of incomparably domineering text.

Nascent Soul Stage Innate One Qi!

Type: Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi (One-time consumable)

Quality: Legendary

Effect: After use, you can temporarily obtain the cultivation of the Early Nascent Soul Stage within twenty-four hours. This cultivation is evolved by the System, with the highest quality Foundation, and its Spiritual Power purity, Divine Sense strength, and combat power far exceed those of the same stage, capable of directly contending with ordinary Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.

Note: After the experience time ends, cultivation will return to its original state, with no side effects.

Boom!

Chen Xu's mind buzzed, as if a thunderclap had exploded.

Nascent Soul cultivation!

Combat power comparable to Late Nascent Soul Stage!

This... this was simply a mobile nuclear weapon!

He had previously been troubled by how to deal with the Yun Family's Golden Core Ancestor.

He had been worried about the Family's future.

But now, with this Innate One Qi.

All problems were easily solved!

What Yun Family Old Ancestor, what subsequent retaliation from the Heavenly Corpse Cult, in the face of this absolute power, all would become vulnerable!

Chen Xu forcibly suppressed the surging ecstasy in his heart.

He read the item description over and over again.

Twenty-four hours.

Two days!

Forty-eight hours!

Enough!

Enough for him to do many things!