The bulk of the spoils were primarily the Storage Pouches and Storage Rings of Golden Core Stage Cultivators.
Xu Chuan inspected them one by one, beaming with joy.
Although there was nothing useful for him personally, they could still enhance the Xu Family's heritage.
The most abundant ones naturally belonged to Cao Jiyi and Sima Chengdao's Storage Rings. After all, they had brought their families' thousand-year heritages here.
As for Liu Qiankun, he did not have many items on him.
Presumably, his wealth was stored within the Imperial Palace Treasury.
"Grandfather."
"Honored Master!"
Xu Deyue, Ye Fan, and Mei Yun stepped forward to pay their respects.
Ye Fan looked slightly embarrassed as he cupped his fists. "In the end, I still had to trouble Honored Master to intervene. Your disciple is too incompetent."
"The Cao Clan is nothing in this Great Tribulation. No matter how powerful their trump cards were, they were destined for destruction.
This much is evident from the fact that the Land of Imprisonment has never seen an aristocratic family with an inheritance lasting more than one thousand five hundred years.
In every Thousand-Year Great Tribulation, those Golden Core Aristocratic Families are always the first to bear the brunt.
The true pressure on our Xu Family still lies ahead."
"Your disciple understands," Ye Fan said solemnly. "Even if I am torn to pieces, I will absolutely not allow demonic cultivators or Demonic Beasts to take a single step into Dongxi."
"Just how capable do you think you are!"
Xu Chuan scolded with a laugh, rapping his knuckles against Ye Fan's head. "If you die, wouldn't that just prove that any son-in-law of my Xu Family is doomed to a bad end?"
"Honored Master, what do you mean by that? You are making your disciple a little afraid."
Mei Yun did not know much about the Xu Family's affairs.
Xu Deyue sighed softly. "Our Xu Family has always been steady. Since our establishment, very few clansmen have died, but we have already lost two sons-in-law."
"Uh, so being a son-in-law of the Xu Family is a high-risk occupation?"
"What, do you want to back out now?" Xu Chuan looked at Mei Yun with a chuckle.
"Your disciple wouldn't dare. If I backed out, I fear Honored Master would tear me apart right now."
"As long as you know!" Xu Chuan laughed playfully. "You either don't board the Xu Family's ship, or once you're on it, don't ever think about getting off easily."
Mei Yun sighed and threw his hands up in surrender.
"Alright, enough joking around. Now that the Great Liang emperor is dead, their providence is wavering. Since you walk the path of Providence, see if you can make use of it."
Xu Chuan said as he looked at Mei Yun.
Mei Yun's eyes lit up at those words. "A brilliant idea, Honored Master. Right now, Great Liang is on the verge of destruction, and their providence has almost become an ownerless entity.
Your disciple happens to have a method.
Please lend me the Nine Dragons Seal, Honored Master."
"I will simply gift it to you. Its foundation is a Mid-Grade Defensive Magic Treasure. You may use it however you see fit."
With a flip of his hand, the Nine Dragons Seal appeared on Xu Chuan's palm before flying over to Mei Yun.
"Thank you, Honored Master."
Mei Yun immediately formed hand seals, appearing to execute a highly complex Secret Method.
"Using this as a medium, Great Liang's providence, gather!"
Strands of golden currents flowed in from all directions, submerging into the Nine Dragons Seal.
Mei Yun explained, "This Nine Dragons Seal is Great Liang's Nation-Suppressing Treasure and a Fortune Secret Treasure. It can store the power of Providence.
And your disciple has a Secret Method to seal the providence away, preventing it from dissipating.
Later, I can refine it to nourish my Mountains and Rivers Seal, allowing me to quickly forge it into a Fortune Secret Treasure."
"..."
"Mei Yun, are you able to use a Secret Method to elevate your strength like Liu Qiankun did?"
"I would need to cultivate it for a while. However, this providence is like rootless duckweed; using even a little will deplete it. Only by establishing an empire and using the masses as a foundation can it be utilized limitlessly.
And the extent of the enhancement would depend on the scale of the empire, the size of the population, and the strength of its commoners."
"Junior Brother, the path you walk is truly miraculous. In the future, your strength will likely far surpass mine. You'll have to look out for your senior brother then," Ye Fan said with a laugh.
"Senior Brother must be joking. Who could rival the Dual Cultivation of Dharma and Body? My path of Imperial Dynasty's Fortune relies on the prosperity of an empire, so it is only effective in the early stages.
Once it reaches the later stages, it will face heavy resistance and inevitably draw suppression from surrounding factions.
I am only walking this path briefly.
Once I reach a certain Cultivation Realm, I will still have to rely on my own cultivation."
"Let's discuss these matters later. The Great Liang Imperial Palace is already empty. You all should clean up the battlefield. Do not miss any Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment Stage Storage Pouches, or any other valuable items.
Mei Yun, continue absorbing Great Liang's remaining providence. After we return, cultivate the corresponding Fortune Secret Technique; it should aid you during the Great Tribulation."
"Yes."
The group split up to carry out their tasks.
Xu Chuan, on the other hand, went looking for the Imperial Palace Treasury.
Using his Nascent Soul divine sense, he probed deep underground, searching inch by inch.
Half a quarter of an hour later, he finally discovered the Great Liang treasury.
The treasury was protected by defensive formations, but they couldn't withstand even a single strike from him.
Third-Tier materials were the most abundant, though there were Fourth-Tier ones as well. There were also powerful Cultivation Methods, Secret Arts, massive amounts of Spirit Stones, and some Exquisite Grade items among the Pills, Artifacts, Formations, Talismans.
Some of these items were things even Xu Chuan couldn't immediately identify.
They could be worthless trash, or they might be exceedingly rare Treasures.
Overall, the haul was about thirty percent richer than what he had obtained from the Cao Clan and Sima Family.
About an hour later.
Once Mei Yun had sealed all of Great Liang's remaining providence into the Nine Dragons Seal, they prepared to leave.
The thick fog enveloping the entire Imperial City gradually dissipated.
Outside the palace, riots and chaos were still erupting everywhere.
But Xu Chuan and the others didn't even spare it a glance.
He shrouded the group in clouds and mist, suppressing their auras to the absolute limit, before leading them back to Dongxi.
Nearly fifteen minutes after their departure.
Two more Golden Core Perfection demonic cultivators from the Blackwater Region arrived. The auras radiating from them were incredibly powerful, indicating they were definitely individuals who had achieved Great Accomplishment in their Divine Abilities.
The two men, one dressed in black and the other in white, both appeared to be middle-aged.
They hovered above the Imperial Palace, sweeping their divine senses across the entire structure.
"White Fiend, it seems we are too late. An astonishing battle took place here, but the victor was incredibly cautious and erased all traces of the combat auras," the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man said.
"Not only that, they were extremely greedy. They didn't even leave a single Storage Pouch behind," the white-robed middle-aged man noted. "But strangely enough, they didn't touch anything outside the palace."
"Perhaps they were afraid of wasting time and rushed off to their next destination.
Weren't we also drawn here specifically because we heard that three thousand-year Golden Core Aristocratic Families from this region had gathered in this place?
I just didn't expect someone to beat us to it."
Pausing for a moment, the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man turned and asked with a grin, "White Fiend, where do you think they'll head next?"
"According to the intelligence we've gathered, this region is divided among four major powers: Great Wei, Great Liang, Great Jin, and the newly risen Immortal Martial Alliance.
Great Liang, Great Jin, and Great Wei gathered here, likely hoping to join forces to resist the Great Tribulation.
From the looks of it, they failed.
That leaves only the Immortal Martial Alliance."
The corner of the white-robed middle-aged man's mouth curled up slightly. "To rise from common mortals to the number one family in this region in less than a century is certainly the stuff of legends.
I am exceedingly curious about this Xu Family."
"Then let's go take a look," the Black-Robed Middle-Aged Man replied.
Just then, a piercing avian screech echoed through the sky.
A massive demonic bird with a wingspan of over sixty meters rapidly approached.
Crimson and black flames intertwined along its wings, and it exuded a terrifyingly ferocious aura.
But its most striking feature was its twin heads.
Meanwhile, in Great Jin, numerous Blackwater Region demonic cultivators were still rampaging.
As time passed, vast numbers of Demonic Beasts formed small-scale Beast Tides and flooded in from Great Jin.
Millions of Demonic Beasts surged forward. Some rampaged throughout Great Liang, devouring humans, while others, led by Tier 3 Demonic Beasts, charged directly into the territories of Great Jin and Great Wei.
The Immortal Martial Alliance was no exception.
Naturally, the Blackwater Region demonic cultivators acted similarly, refusing to stay confined to a single area.
They were constantly competing among themselves as well.
The first to reach an unplundered region would reap the greatest rewards.
Any infighting among them was a matter for later.
In just one short day.
The fires of war had spread across the entire Immortal Martial Alliance.
However, compared to Great Jin and Great Liang, the situation in Great Wei and the Immortal Martial Alliance was not yet overly critical.
During the time Xu Chuan and the others were in the Great Liang Imperial Palace.
Dongxi had also welcomed some uninvited guests.
Three Golden Core demonic cultivators from the Blackwater Region, having gathered intelligence on the Xu Family, had made a beeline for the Immortal Martial Alliance.
"Big Brother, something's not right. We should have found that Xu Family by now. How come we haven't seen any trace of them despite sweeping the area with our divine senses the entire way?
The one who spoke was a red-haired strongman, and the Big Brother he addressed was a blue-shirted youth. The remaining person was a voluptuous and Alluring Beautiful Woman.
Hearing this, the blue-shirted youth also frowned slightly.
"We'll know once we grab someone nearby to ask."
The red-haired strongman immediately did just that, quickly dragging over a middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man dangled in midair like a helpless chick, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Tell me, where is the Dongxi Xu Family?"
"R-Replying...
...Replying to the Immortal Master, the Dongxi Xu Family is near Qingjiang County, about one hundred and fifty kilometers from here."
"Husband, there did seem to be a county town called Qingjiang County on our way here. Did we fly past it?"
"That's not right. We scanned the area with our divine senses on the way, but we didn't spot any large Clan Territory nearby," the red-haired strongman argued.
"Besides, the Spiritual Qi in this region is extremely thin. Even a Foundation Establishment Clan wouldn't choose to settle here, right?"
The blue-shirted youth lowered his head in thought before glaring at the tall-hatted middle-aged man. "Are you telling the truth?"
The middle-aged man quickly cupped his hands and begged for mercy. "Immortal Master, how would this lowly one dare to deceive you? The Xu Family is a legendary aristocratic family in our Yuehu Commandery. There isn't a single person here who doesn't know where they are located.
However, the Xu Family's grounds are closed to outsiders.
This lowly one only managed to gaze at it from afar once while visiting the Qingjiang County Seat."
"Since you know the way, lead us there."
The three of them immediately flew back, bringing the tall-hatted middle-aged man along.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived outside Dongxi.
"Huh? I remember it was right along this path. There used to be a main road leading straight into Dongxi, but it's gone now. Did they relocate?"
The tall-hatted middle-aged man muttered to himself, doubting his own memories.
"No, something is strange. It's far too quiet ahead."
The blue-shirted youth was the strongest of the three, possessing Late-Stage Golden Core strength, while the other two were at the peak of the Mid-Stage Golden Core.
"Is it strange?" The red-haired strongman scratched his head and swept the area with his divine sense before turning back. "Looks fine to me."
"Are you sure it's here?"
"I'm sure."
"Then keeping you around is useless."
As soon as the blue-shirted youth finished speaking, the red-haired strongman understood his meaning and chucked the man straight ahead.
Then, mid-fall, the tall-hatted middle-aged man's figure suddenly vanished.
A faint ripple spread through the air, instantly catching the attention of the blue-shirted youth and his companions.
"Big Brother, this..."
The blue-shirted youth's pupils contracted as he stared fixedly at the empty space ahead. "What a formidable array. To be able to deceive even my Late-Stage Golden Core divine sense... it must be at least a Mid-Grade Tier 3 Array."
"To think that the Land of Imprisonment could produce such a powerful Array Master!"
"Perhaps it's an ancient Array Disk found in some Secret Realm Grotto-Heaven."
None of them cared about the fate of the tall-hatted middle-aged man.
Falling from a height of over a hundred meters, he naturally suffered multiple fractures and ruptured internal organs upon impact.
Lying on the ground, he twitched for just a moment before breathing his last.
Inside the Jade Cold Pool.
Xu Mingxian opened his eyes.
Whenever someone entered the array's perimeter, he would immediately sense it.
With a sweep of his divine sense, he discovered the tall-hatted middle-aged man who had fallen to his death within Dongxi.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Fourth Sister, Sixth Brother, Deling, we have guests."
Xu Mingxian transmitted his voice to the others.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
They immediately rushed out from their Quiet Rooms, gathering in midair to peer outside.
The blue-shirted youth and his group could not see what was inside, but Xu Mingwei and the others had a clear view of them.
"One Late-Stage Golden Core and two Mid-Stage Golden Cores. I wonder if that Late-Stage cultivator has achieved Great Accomplishment in a Divine Ability. If so, it might be slightly troublesome.
We should let them in and trap them with the formations to make the kill easier."
Xu Deling looked at Xu Mingwei. "Father, you decide what to do. Even if we head out to face them, we should be able to kill them quickly.
Even if they try to run, I have already mastered the basics of Evasion Divine Abilities.
If all else fails, we still have the spirit eagle and Xiao Hong."
Xu Mingwei glanced at Xu Deling. Seeing her eagerness to fight, he chuckled and turned to Xu Mingyuan. "Second Brother, you've always been sharp-witted.
What do you think is the best approach?"
Xu Mingyuan smiled softly. "Eldest Brother, why ask me? Don't you already have a plan in mind?"
"Only three of them. Slaughtering them will be as easy as cutting grass."
Xu Mingwei grinned confidently. "Then Deling, Mingshu, and I will strike, while you and Sixth Brother stand guard."
"Agreed."
Xu Mingyuan nodded.
Just as the blue-shirted youth's trio was hesitating over whether to charge in, Xu Mingwei and the other four suddenly materialized from thin air.
"There really are five Golden Cores," the red-haired strongman laughed, his eyes flashing. "Big Brother, since they've come out to die, let's take them down."
Before his voice could fade.
Xu Mingwei and the other four had already surrounded the three intruders.
Among them, Xu Mingwei, Xu Deling, and Xu Mingshu positioned themselves closer to the inner circle.
"A bunch of Early-Stage Golden Cores, truly courting death!" The blue-shirted youth coldly snorted. "Attack!"
But Xu Deling beat them to the punch.
"Screech!!!"
A clear, resonant cry of a phoenix suddenly pierced the heavens!
A blazing inferno of crimson-gold flames erupted from Xu Deling's body.
These were no ordinary true flames. They contained an ancient, noble Bloodline Aura.
The Fire Phoenix Bloodline within Xu Deling was awakened at this very moment!
Simultaneously, she raised her right hand.
Her Natal Magic Treasure, the Fire Phoenix Plume, materialized out of thin air!
"Go!"
The Fire Phoenix Plume transformed into a sea of crimson-gold fire, sweeping violently toward the enemy.
Resonating with her Fire Phoenix Bloodline, the power of the Fire Phoenix Plume had reached a level infinitely close to a High-Grade Magic Treasure!
"What?!"
The blue-shirted youth's expression changed drastically.
He never imagined that a mere Early-Stage Golden Core cultivator could unleash such a terrifying attack!
It even made him feel a tinge of paralyzing dread.
Of course, Xu Deling's true cultivation realm had been carefully concealed.
"Gather around me!"
The blue-shirted youth barked out as he forcefully slapped the Storage Pouch at his waist.
A thick, golden shield engraved with a Black Tortoise pattern flew out.
This Magic Treasure was the blue-shirted youth's trump card—a Mid-Grade Defensive Magic Treasure.
The shield expanded rapidly in the wind, growing to roughly three meters in diameter, standing squarely in front of the three of them.
A thick, pale golden Light Screen materialized.
The phantom of a Black Tortoise coiled across the Light Screen, exuding an aura as steady as a towering mountain.
"Condense!"
Xu Deling formed a hand seal with one hand.
The crimson-gold flames instantly gathered and compressed, ultimately transforming into a flaming phoenix with a wingspan of over sixty meters!
This fire phoenix was incredibly lifelike; every single feather was condensed from the purest flames.
Its twin eyes burned with golden divine fire, and its long tail feathers trailed a dazzling path of blazing light, illuminating half the sky in a brilliant crimson-gold glow!
"Screech!"
The fire phoenix let out a long cry toward the heavens, flapped its wings, and dove straight at the blue-shirted youth, the Alluring Beautiful Woman, and the red-haired strongman.
Wherever it passed, the air distorted and vaporized from the intense heat.
The blue-shirted youth formed hand seals, frantically pouring the Mana in his body into the Black Tortoise Golden Shield, causing the Light Screen to solidify even further.
He stared intently at the incoming flaming phoenix, cold sweat dotting his forehead.
'Like hell this is an Early-Stage Golden Core!'
'The power of the Magic Treasure she unleashed is practically comparable to a High-Grade Magic Treasure.'
'A High-Grade Magic Treasure—that is an artifact that even an ordinary Golden Core Perfection cultivator wouldn't possess!'
The red-haired strongman and the Alluring Beautiful Woman were equally terrified, sweating profusely.
They originally thought that if they could annihilate the Xu Family this time, they would make a fortune.
But the result was that they had kicked an iron plate!
"Once we survive this strike, immediately scatter and flee!" the blue-shirted youth transmitted to the other two.
"Yes, Big Brother (Husband)," they replied.
Right at that moment—
The fire phoenix descended.
"Boom!!!"
The flaming phoenix fiercely collided with the Black Tortoise Golden Shield's Light Screen!
There was no explosion, no deafening boom, only a persistent searing sizzle.
The crimson-gold flames, like a maggot on the bone, frantically burned against the pale golden defensive Light Screen.
The Light Screen trembled violently, and the Black Tortoise phantom on its surface let out a silent wail, rapidly becoming transparent and illusory at a visible rate.
The intense clash between the golden and crimson-gold lights produced a blinding radiance that was impossible to look at directly.
"Block it for me!"
The blue-shirted youth's face flushed crimson. Veins bulged on his skin as Mana surged wildly within his body.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths...
Although the Light Screen shook aggressively, it was a Mid-Grade Defensive Magic Treasure after all, powered by a Late-Stage Golden Core cultivator frantically pouring his Mana into it for a desperate defense.
Just as the blue-shirted youth felt he could hold on...
He was unaware that Xu Deling's assault was merely intended to weaken his defensive Light Screen.
The red-haired strongman and the Alluring Beautiful Woman sighed in relief, relieved smiles appearing on their faces.
However, before their smiles could fully form— "Whoosh!"
A nearly imperceptible sound of something cutting through the air rang out, like the sigh of the grim reaper.
It echoed silently amidst the explosive roar of flames and the chaotic clash of energies.
It was an arrow.
An arrow made of pure dark gold, shaped into a spiral, its shaft wrapped in nine star patterns.
The arrow flew soundlessly, faster than lightning!
It did not strike the shield head-on.
Instead, it approached from an incredibly tricky angle, like a viper shooting from its nest, aimed precisely at the blue-shirted youth's heart.
The blue-shirted youth couldn't even react in time.
He merely felt a sudden, violent palpitation in his chest as a fatal sense of crisis instantly seized his heart.
The very next moment.
"Thrust!"
The Nine Origin Heavenly Star Arrow pierced effortlessly through the Black Tortoise Golden Shield's defensive Light Screen.
Before the Light Screen could even shatter.
This dark gold arrow accurately bored straight through the blue-shirted youth's heart.
Time seemed to freeze at that exact moment.
The wild joy on the blue-shirted youth's face stiffened in an instant, twisting into unbelievable terror.
He looked down at his own chest.
There was a fist-sized bloody hole going completely through him. His heart had vanished entirely.
"H-How... is this possible..."
His lips moved, but he couldn't produce a complete sound.
The next moment, losing its master's Mana support, the light on the Black Tortoise Golden Shield abruptly died out.
With a mournful hum, the shield shrank and plummeted to the ground.
The pale golden defensive Light Screen shattered like broken glass, completely dissipating with a 'crash'.
Without any obstruction, the crimson-gold fire phoenix unleashed its final, devastating residual power.
The raging crimson-gold flames behaved like a bursting flood, instantly and thoroughly engulfing the red-haired strongman and the Alluring Beautiful Woman behind the blue-shirted youth!
Neither of them even had time to deploy their defensive Magic Treasures.
"Ah!!!"
The red-haired strongman only had time to let out a brief, agonized scream before he was burned alive on the spot.
The Alluring Beautiful Woman fared slightly better than the red-haired strongman.
She wore a protective Inner Armor. At the critical moment of life and death, it activated automatically, forming a pink Light Screen to shield her.
However, it was merely a Low Grade Inner Armor.
"Crack!"
The pink Light Screen became riddled with cracks before violently shattering.
The remaining power of the flames violently smashed into the Alluring Beautiful Woman. As if struck by a heavy blow, she spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood and was sent flying backward.
Her clothes were torn, and her aura became severely sluggish.
She did not hesitate at all. Using the momentum from flying backward, she turned around and attempted to flee into the distance.
Flee!
She had to escape!
She didn't even dare to look at her companion's corpse, let alone her assailants.
Driven purely by a basic survival instinct, she pushed her Mana to the limits, transforming into a streak of pink light as she madly fled toward the horizon!
However, she had barely flown thirty meters before— "Hum."
A streak of Golden Radiance suddenly shot out from Xu Deling's eyes!
She had been waiting for this exact moment.
The beam of light was only the thickness of a thumb, but it was condensed to the absolute limit.
This was her Great Accomplishment Pupil Technique Divine Ability, the "Fire Emperor's True Pupil".
The golden light struck preemptively, ignoring distance as it teleported directly behind the Alluring Beautiful Woman's head.
"Pfft."
A faint noise sounded.
The Alluring Beautiful Woman's forward momentum abruptly halted.
Her eyes quickly lost their focus, and the final expression frozen on her face was one of absolute disbelief and bewilderment.
'Who are we?'
'Where are we?'
'What did we come here for?'
'We were clearly here to plunder and massacre the Land of Imprisonment, yet we became the ones being instantly killed.'
Her corpse plummeted from the sky, hitting the ground with a heavy thud, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
The entire process took no more than six or seven breaths of time.
Xu Mingwei stowed away his Treasure Flood Dragon Bow, Xu Deling retracted the flames wreathing her body, and the fire phoenix phantom completely faded.
"Eldest Brother, Deling, what is the meaning of this? We agreed all three of us would strike together! Where is my time to shine? Who ate my spotlight?"
Xu Mingshu complained playfully.
Xu Deling stepped forward and hugged her arm affectionately. "Auntie, Ling'er forgot. I was entirely focused on killing them as quickly as possible."
Xu Mingshu sighed softly. "Sigh, my niece is too strong. She didn't leave any chance for her aunt to even make a move."
"Stop messing around. Erase the auras and sort out our spoils. Remember to extract their Golden Cores, Essence Blood, and remaining souls. Father has a use for them."
Xu Mingwei shook his head, smiling helplessly.
The group did as instructed.
Afterward, they returned to the interior of Dongxi.
As for the unlucky tall-hatted middle-aged man, he was immolated by a burst of flame, allowing dust to return to dust, and ashes to ashes.
Two hours later.
Xu Chuan and his group returned.
Xu Mingwei and the others were all waiting by the Jade Cold Pool.
"Father (Grandfather)," Xu Mingwei, Xu Deling, and the rest called out respectfully, cupping their hands.
Xu Chuan nodded and asked, "Did anything unexpected happen?"
Xu Mingshu smiled. "Father, three blind Golden Core demonic cultivators from the Blackwater Region came by, but Deling and Eldest Brother instantly annihilated them."
"..."
"Here are their remaining souls, Golden Cores, and Storage Pouches." Xu Mingwei handed the items to Xu Chuan.
Xu Chuan only accepted the remaining souls, Essence Blood, and Golden Cores before laughing. "Take some time to sort through the Storage Pouches and their contents."
Xu Mingwei was slightly taken aback.
Then, with a flourish of Xu Chuan's Sleeve Robe, over a thousand Storage Pouches clattered onto the ground.
There were defective, Low Grade, Mid Grade, and High Grade Storage Pouches among them.
"So many." Xu Mingxian opened his mouth in surprise.
Xu Mingheng smiled. "Father has already picked out the truly useful items. Everyone else can see if there's anything they need. If not, they will be sent to the family treasury.
The Storage Pouches can also be rewarded to the younger generation."
Xu Mingshu looked at Xu Mingheng and said, "Third Brother, you must have broadened your horizons going out with Father this time. Tell your little sister about it."
"..."
"In a single word: brutal. In two words: extremely brutal. In three words...
"
"Get to the point."
"It just felt like, to Father, we were all nothing but burdens."
"Nonsense!" Xu Chuan scolded playfully.
"Alright, sort through everything. Your father is going into seclusion for a bit."
Saying so, Xu Chuan stepped into a Bamboo Hut.
Xu Mingyuan looked at Ye Fan and asked, "How is it? Is your Dao Heart clear now?"
"The Cao Clan, Sima Family, and Liu Family have already been annihilated. Although I was the one who personally killed Cao Jiyi in the end, his foundation was truly extraordinary.
He almost unleashed an attack on par with a Nascent Soul cultivator, which would have severely injured or even killed me.
If Honored Master hadn't secretly intervened..."
"Ye Fan, Father would never watch you suffer severe injuries. After all, you are incredibly important to our Xu Family; you are a core member..."
"Thank you, Second Uncle. Ye Fan understands."
"Let's organize the items," Xu Mingheng said. "We got quite a lot of good stuff this time."
The group immediately busied themselves.
When they saw the massive body of the Peak Third-Tier Profound Feather Nether Snake, their pupils couldn't help but contract.
Even though it was dead, the aura radiating from it made even Xu Deling feel a twinge of fear.
When Xu Mingheng mentioned that it had only been killed after being surrounded by ten Peak Third-Tier blood corpses, along with a half-step Fourth-Tier Ghost King, everyone was utterly shocked.
They were shocked by the Profound Feather Nether Snake's strength, and even more shocked by Xu Chuan's trump cards.
"Father's trump cards have increased once again."
"It won't be long before our Xu Family might gain another two Nascent Soul Stage level combatants," Xu Mingheng laughed. "I just don't know if they'll be ready in time for this Great Tribulation."
Mei Yun helped out for a while before also going into seclusion to refine Great Liang's providence.
After experiencing this battle, Ye Fan seemed to have gained some enlightenment. His Battle Intent Divine Ability was on the verge of reaching Minor Success, so he returned to the Grand Manor to cultivate in seclusion.
Xu Deyue accompanied him.
After taking all the Demonic Beast Materials and some rare Third-Tier and Fourth-Tier materials, Xu Deling also departed.
Soon.
Only Xu Mingwei, Xu Mingyuan, Xu Mingheng, and the rest of the six brothers and sisters remained in the area.
"Third Brother, what is the situation like outside?" Xu Mingyuan asked.
Xu Mingheng sighed softly. "I finally understand why Father is treating this Great Tribulation so cautiously."
"In Great Jin, where we just visited, many villages, towns, counties, and even Commandery Cities have been entirely massacred.
Some were killed simply for the perpetrators' amusement, while others were slaughtered so their Essence Blood and Souls could be harvested as cultivation resources.
The situation in Great Jin is much the same.
Perhaps due to the distance, there are still relatively few demonic cultivators there; the vast majority of the attackers are Demonic Beasts.
They are trampling indiscriminately and devouring humans.
I am not sure about Great Wei, but at this point, Golden Core demonic cultivators and massive groups of Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators should have already appeared there."
"I do not know what it was like five hundred years ago.
But considering that the Cao Clan and others survived, the scale was likely not large—perhaps not even a tenth of what it is now.
Five hundred years marks a tribulation, but a millennium marks a Reincarnation.
Since ancient times, no faction has ever survived the millennial Reincarnation."
Hearing his words, the others fell silent.
Although it was just a few words, they could well imagine the miserable state of Great Jin and Great Liang.
And soon, the same fate would befall Great Wei and the Immortal Martial Alliance.
"The upcoming days will be the most critical, and they will serve as our Xu Family's true test. I'm afraid it won't be long before wave after wave of Blackwater Region experts arrive at Dongxi."
Xu Mingyuan said in a solemn voice.
"Father said the same," Xu Mingheng agreed.
"Let's stop here for today. Second Brother, go find Chong Hui and send the Storage Pouches and resources into the treasury. The rest of us should refrain from entering seclusion unless absolutely necessary, so we can be ready for battle at any moment,"
Xu Mingwei commanded.
"Understood, Eldest Brother," the others replied one after another.
The group dispersed, leaving only Xu Mingxian at the Jade Cold Pool.
Because he was the one controlling the array, and the Xu Family's Array Core was located entirely around the Jade Cold Pool.
Xu Chuan had gone into seclusion to cultivate the Secret Art known as the 'Ninefold Corpse Refining Art'.
The Profound Yin Corpse King required the aid of this Secret Art to ascend to a Tier-4 Corpse King. Based on Xu Chuan's previous research, it would take him less than half a month to master it.
While this Secret Art was exquisite, the core difficulty lay in gathering the required Materials.
And Xu Chuan possessed ten Peak Third-Tier blood corpses, one of which would become a half-step Fourth-Tier Corpse King before long.
Of course, executing the Secret Art would take exactly eighty-one days.
Before the Ancient Battlefield opened, it would probably be impossible to finish.
According to his estimation, the Ancient Battlefield would inevitably open in less than ten days.
And in a few days, a brutal war between the factions of the Blackwater Region and the Heavenly South would commence, using the Land of Imprisonment as their battlefield.
That would be a chaotic situation on an entirely different level.
Fortunately, the Ancient Battlefield was unique; three months outside equated to three years inside.
Although the battlefield was perilous, as long as he could find a relatively safe place, he could go into seclusion to help the Profound Yin Corpse King and the Blood Fiend Ghost King break through.
Whether it was searching for opportunities within the Ancient Battlefield or expanding into the Heavenly South in the future, it would be extremely beneficial.
Dongxi was like a sanctuary hidden from the world.
Apart from preventing outsiders from causing disturbances, Xu Chuan chose to Seal the Mountain because he did not want the people in Dongxi to learn about the situation outside.
This was because the Xu Family had marriage alliances with many Foundation Establishment Clans and minor Qi Refining families.
The commoners residing in Dongxi were the same.
Throughout the entire Yuehu Commandery, which family's daughter didn't consider it an honor to marry into Dongxi?
If they found out that their families were facing annihilation and that their relatives would soon be completely wiped out, the vast majority of them would likely cause an uproar.
That would be detrimental to Dongxi's stability.
To prevent such a thing from occurring, it was simply better to keep them in the dark.
If they were to discover the truth later.
Xu Chuan had already prepared a response.
For everyone who shared an In-law connection with the Xu Family, they had recruited a few members of those respective families into Dongxi last year to preserve their Bloodlines.
That way, they would have nothing left to complain about.
As for allowing the Zhou, Li, Wang, Zhao, and Qin families to establish branch lineages within Dongxi, that was naturally because their roles differed from those of mere In-law families.
They were a part of the Xu Family's future expansion plans.
Four hours later.
In the Great Wei Imperial City.
They encountered seven or eight Golden Core demonic cultivators from the Blackwater Region, along with hundreds of Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators.
The imperial city's grand array was in imminent danger of collapsing.
Not long after, several Tier 3 Demonic Beasts arrived, bringing a small-scale Demon Tide with them.
This added frost to snow for the various aristocratic families within the Imperial City.
Across Great Wei, reports began emerging of numerous villages and counties being massacred.
The Immortal Martial Alliance suffered a similar fate.
A couple of the Immortal Martial Alliance's commandery branch bases had even been entirely wiped out, with every Foundation Establishment Clan in those commanderies slaughtered to the last person.
Countless desperate cries for help flew toward the Immortal Martial Alliance Headquarters in Guangling Commandery.
The Immortal Martial Alliance summoned its people to gather and firmly defend the headquarters, and they dispatched messengers to seek aid from the Xu Family. However, no communication could penetrate the defenses of Dongxi.