Yuehu Commandery, Zhou Family.
Located at one of several spiritual energy nodes around the commandery city.
This place was only several dozen li from the commandery city. Spiritual energy was abundant here, with thousands of qing of fertile farmland and lush mountain forests nearby, all Zhou family properties.
The Zhou family's core area was also protected by a second-rank grand array.
The outer fields only grew ordinary rice, wheat, and the like.
As for spirit rice, that was naturally grown within the grand array.
All immortal cultivation families grew spirit rice. Besides meeting the needs of the clan's immortal cultivators, a portion had to be submitted to the imperial family each year.
Different grades of immortal cultivation families had different spirit rice quotas to submit.
In this regard, the Great Wei imperial family wasn't too excessive.
Zhou Family Council Hall.
"Everyone, what do you think the Su family means by this?" The Zhou Family Head surveyed everyone present.
"Perhaps they're afraid? Hoping to use the grand array to survive this disaster?"
"Impossible." Someone refuted. "The Su family should also know that relying solely on the spiritual energy node's energy, a second-rank grand array at full operation can only hold for about half a month.
"After that, they can only rely on spirit stones. That will consume massive amounts of spirit stones. Even if they drain all the Su family's spirit stones, they won't last many more days."
"Family Head, I think there must be something unusual about this abnormal behavior. We need to be vigilant."
"That's the same as saying nothing." Someone thought dismissively.
Even within a single clan, there were people who didn't get along.
"Regardless, the momentum is currently with our Zhou family. Most families in the commandery city support us. We must quickly eliminate the Su family. If we drag this out another half year or year, the resolve of Yuehu Commandery's families to destroy the Su family will fade."
"Send word to all the families. In five days, we'll launch a major offensive first. Small skirmishes aren't really effective."
"Yes, Family Head."
…
Guanghu Residence.
Shopkeeper Jin also received this news and quickly transmitted it back to Dongxi through the Xu family's hidden network.
Xu Mingyuan had always been in charge of such matters, so he was the first in the Xu family to receive the news.
Upon learning the news, he immediately went to find Xu Mingwei.
"The Zhou family has decided to launch a major offensive against the Su family in five days?" Xu Mingwei looked at the content on the slip of paper, his brows furrowing slightly as he pondered.
"Big Brother, are you going to make a trip?"
"Though it's a probing attack, it's hard to say. With so many immortal cultivators and martial grandmasters attacking, if the Su family has no other means, the grand array will probably fall in less than half a day.
"Then five days from now will be when the Su family falls."
Xu Mingyuan nodded slightly and added, "Let's go find Father and see what he says."
The two immediately set off for the Questioning Heart Courtyard.
"Why have you two come? Is there news about the Su-Zhou conflict?"
"Father, please look at this news. It just came from the commandery city."
Xu Chuan took the slip of paper, glanced at it, and stroked his short beard. "I presume you two have already made a decision. Go observe first in five days and see how it goes."
"Your child was thinking the same." Xu Mingwei cupped his fists.
The two then left without further disturbing Xu Chuan.
Recently, Xu Chuan had been cultivating the Nine Flames Formula, wanting to break through to the Seven Thoughts as One level, but it was indeed not that simple.
With a thought, seven flames leaped and appeared before him.
Reaching this level was very simple. Xu Chuan naturally increased the difficulty for himself, such as controlling each flame to constantly transform, changing into lotus flames, petals unfolding one by one in bloom, then withering one by one.
Then they transformed into fire phoenixes, each feather lifelike. However, only six of the flames could reach this level. The last one was always two or three breaths slower, and the discrepancies grew larger as time went on.
"Still need to practice daily."
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Xu Mingwei set off for the commandery city, but before leaving, Xu Chuan gave him the Lei family token and patted his shoulder, saying, "Act as you see fit."
"Don't worry, Father. Shitou has never disappointed you."
Xu Chuan grinned upon hearing this, nodded slightly at him, and said, "Go."
Xu Mingwei went up the mountain, took the forest route, then rode his flying sword toward Yuehu Commandery.
At the same time, the Zhou family had also assembled their forces to destroy the Su family and was advancing toward Su family territory.
This commotion naturally couldn't be hidden from the Su family. However, those who had sided with the Su family, grandmaster-level experts and immortal cultivators sent by various families, had long since entered the Su family compound.
Of course, each family certainly kept some people back at home.
No one was foolish enough to stake all their combat strength on this battle.
After all, this was a conflict between the Su and Zhou families, not a matter of life and death for their own families.
The Su family naturally wouldn't scold their allies over this matter at such a critical juncture. Facing this predicament, the Su family disciples had also restrained themselves considerably.
Many families were harboring wishful thinking.
They thought that even if they lost, as long as they were cautious, they could preserve their strength but this was a reshuffling battle, destined to turn all of Yuehu Commandery upside down in a major power shuffle.
Qi Refining families that gained opportunities and fortune would deepen their foundation, with hopes of becoming Foundation Establishment families in the future. Martial families would also rise, potentially becoming immortal cultivation families in the future.
As for the losing side, they would be utterly defeated.
Even if they remained safe for several years, over a decade or so they would definitely be gradually consumed by other families.
In just a moment, the "Destroy Su" army arrived outside the Su family's grand array.
The immortal cultivators hovered in the air on their swords, while the martial grandmasters stood on the ground. Through the semi-transparent array barrier, one could faintly see thousands of mu of spirit fields.
Everyone's eyes turned red with envy.
Even the Zhou family only had seven or eight hundred mu of spirit fields. After all, they had only recently become a Foundation Establishment family, so their foundation naturally couldn't compare to the Su family, which had dominated Yuehu Commandery for two or three hundred years.
Before this, Yuehu Commandery had experienced a considerable period without any Foundation Establishment families.
Among all the commanderies of Great Wei, this foundation ranked at the bottom.
The grudge between the Su and Zhou families also began from this point. Previously, there had been several families comparable to the Zhou family, but all had been unable to tolerate it and had erupted into battle with the Su family, only to be annihilated and have all their Dao repositories and foundations seized.
The Zhou family had survived by enduring humiliation, bowing and scraping. Even when clan members were killed, they could only smile apologetically and swallow all suffering and tears.
Until the Zhou family ancestor happened upon an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling outside and obtained a rare thousand-year Snow Dragon Ginseng. He decided to attempt Foundation Establishment, and against all odds, succeeded.
He then concealed his strength for several more years, stabilizing his realm. Only when he was confident he could contend with the Su family did he announce his achievement as a fourth-rank immortal official, and that the Zhou family had advanced to a fourth-rank immortal cultivation family.
The imperial family also sent people to verify, and only after confirming did they allow them to become a fourth-rank family.
Zhou Sen had only dared to reveal his pill refining abilities under these circumstances.
If the Su family had learned of it earlier, they would certainly have made trouble.
With the help of pill Dao, the Zhou family had developed extremely rapidly over the past decade or so. After completing the Breakthrough Pill, many late-stage Qi Refining cultivators had emerged in a short time.
Those stuck at the eighth layer bottleneck had also advanced further.
Only then did the Zhou family truly have the foundation to contend with the Su family.
Speaking of which, Xu Chuan also deserved some credit for this, otherwise it might have taken the Zhou family another ten or twenty years to reach this point.
Xu Chuan had indirectly enhanced the Zhou family's foundation. Xu Mingshu and her mount, the white tiger, had aroused deep wariness, greed, and dissatisfaction in the Su family.
This led to actions to suppress the arrogance of Yuehu Commandery's major immortal cultivation families.
The demand that each family send their talented youths to the Su family for cultivation had touched the bottom line of all families, and the Zhou family had seized the opportunity to openly oppose the Su family.
This had evolved into today's scene.
"Everyone, only by eliminating this cancer of the Su family can our Yuehu Commandery hope to stand out among the commanderies. The families of everyone present can obtain the Su family's Dao repository and foundation, with hopes of advancing further."
These words echoed in everyone's minds like a spell.
Even the normally composed Yang Wenfeng and others were breathing rapidly.
Since they had already made this choice, these old-timers of the Yang family could only fight with all their might to win a bright future for the Yang family.
Everyone present was fighting for their own family.
Warning sounds rang out within the Su family compound. All the immortal cultivators and martial experts who were going to battle had gathered at the edge of the grand array.
The Zhou Family Head waved his hand. "Everyone, attack with my Zhou family!"
The Zhou family cultivators all formed hand seals, some casting spells, others controlling magical artifacts. Colorful attacks fell directly upon the semi-transparent azure barrier.
Every single one of them was an immortal cultivator at the fifth layer of Qi Refining or above, with twenty to thirty people at late Qi Refining stage.
This foundation was truly beyond what other Qi Refining families could match.
Each of those families had only two or three at minimum, or five or six at most, with most still at the mid Qi Refining level.
Many were stuck at the fifth or sixth layer bottleneck, making no progress for over a decade.
Once the Zhou family made their move, the other families naturally responded in kind.
Countless spells fell upon the azure barrier, causing it to ripple.
The martial experts at innate perfection and above approached the barrier. With a raise of their hands, sand and stones flew, and innate true qi condensed into martial technique forms of formidable power.
Crimson palm prints, golden fist seals, black sand storms, tiger-shaped true qi, snake-shaped true qi...
Various true qi attacks likewise fell upon the azure barrier.
Boom, boom, boom~
With over a hundred people attacking, the grand array's azure barrier trembled violently.
It was a sight that made hearts race.
A quarter hour later.
Crack, crack, crack~
The grand array's azure barrier made sounds like glass shattering.
Joy appeared in the eyes of everyone in the "Destroy Su" army. The Zhou Family Head said, "Everyone, push harder! Those who have consumed too much magical power, quickly take the pills our Zhou family has prepared."
Upon hearing this, some cultivators at the fifth layer of Qi Refining patted their storage bags, and a pill flew out, automatically entering their mouths.
The moment the pill was taken, saliva was generated under the tongue, transforming into a clear stream that flowed directly to the dantian then their magical power began to gradually recover.
As for the martial experts, seeing this miraculous method, they could only look on with envy and obediently take out porcelain bottles from their robes, pour out pills, and swallow them.
To destroy the Su family, the Zhou family had been frantically stockpiling pills recently, all of the origin-restoring type. This had cost them considerably.
"The Zhou family really has deep pockets." The Su Family Head sneered coldly, raising his eyes to glance at the cracks on the grand array's azure barrier.
"Everyone, this battle is for the Su family, but also for your respective families. If our Su family wins, whatever you seek, our Su family will grant in full, perhaps even more.
"But if we lose, not just you, but your families behind you will also be implicated. Don't think the Zhou family will let things go easily. Even if they don't act openly, they have countless ways to drain your families dry."
Everyone's expressions became solemn.
"Immortal cultivators at the fifth layer of Qi Refining and above, and martial experts at innate perfection and above, come with me to engage the enemy. The remaining Su family cultivators, channel your magical power to patch the gaps. At critical moments, you may use spirit stones."
A group only slightly smaller in number than the "Destroy Su" army charged out of the grand array.