Chapter 158

Fifteen years later.

Zeng Family Town, Fang Family residence.

In the courtyard, a strange spiritual root emitted a soft, shimmering blue-green glow. It resembled a mulberry tree yet bore several date-like fruits.

It was none other than the “Azure Mulberry Date Tree” that the Fang Family had acquired from the Yue Family all those years ago!

“The dates are almost ripe…”

Fang Wuchen stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the tree with deep emotion.

When they first obtained this spiritual root from the Yue Family, the transplantation had damaged its vitality, so it only produced one batch of fruit every five years.

Later, the family spent a great deal of resources and effort to purchase items such as Azure Profound Soil and Returning Origin Spirit Water to nurture and irrigate it. Now it ripened roughly once every three years, yielding twelve dates each time, greatly benefiting Qi Ingestion cultivators in their practice.

“Yes…”

Fang Wuchen gently took her hand and spoke softly. “These spirit dates are no longer of any use to me. After this harvest, you should take a few as well and refine them properly for your cultivation…”

Perhaps because both of them were cultivators, having children had proven rather difficult. After so many years they still had no offspring, unlike his younger brother Fang Wujiu, who had married a mortal woman and already had several children.

The two returned to the house and saw Fang Yixin.

By mortal standards, Fang Yixin could already call himself an old man, but thanks to his immortal cultivation he remained sharp-eared, bright-eyed, agile, and appeared no older than middle age.

“Wuchen… you have done well.”

Fang Yixin beamed with delight the moment he saw Fang Wuchen.

A few days earlier, Fang Wuchen had successfully cultivated to the perfect stage of Qi Ingestion! Even within the Zeng Family he counted as a rare expert, second only to the Dao Foundation ancestor. Of course, on the orders of his master and father, he currently used a spell to conceal his true cultivation and only displayed the seventh layer of Qi Ingestion.

Even so, everyone on this street knew that the Fang Family now had not only a late-stage Qi Ingestion cultivator but also a ninth-layer Qi Ingestion master. They had become local tyrants in this area.

Even the main Zeng Family had tried to win them over on multiple occasions, and many spirit farmers sought to attach themselves to the Fang Family.

Before long, a young couple entered with several children. It was Fang Wujiu and his wife.

“Father, Elder Brother…”

Fang Wujiu offered a respectful greeting, then sat down at the table to eat in silence.

His cultivation had stalled after reaching the mid stage of Qi Ingestion, much like Fang Yixin.

After Fang Yixin reached the perfect sixth layer of Qi Ingestion, he too had encountered a bottleneck and could make no further progress. It seemed his aptitude was also limited.

The family ate in silence. Fang Wuchen thought for a moment and finally spoke.

“Father… the Azure Mulberry Spirit Dates are ripening. I wish to give a few to Mingxue. She is currently at the fifth layer of Qi Ingestion, and taking them would help her advance to the sixth layer…”

Bang!

Fang Wujiu set his bowl down with a clatter and forced a smile. “I am full. Father, Elder Brother, please take your time…”

He left the table on his own, leaving his somewhat uneasy wife and children behind.

“Sigh… Wujiu’s wife, you and Mingxue can clean up.”

Fang Yixin sighed, then led Fang Wuchen outside. “I am going next door to visit the Hu Family…”

Once they stepped out of the main residence, his expression turned gloomy. “Our Fang Family is now even more prestigious than the Yue Family once was… yet watching these brothers turn against each other truly brings me no joy at all…”

The two arrived at the Hu Family as if it were their own home. They found Hu Quanan, whose hair and beard had turned completely white, and together they entered a secret room.

Compared to the small matters inside the family, the major events outside were far more important!

“The Zeng Family is recruiting late-stage Qi Ingestion cultivators with generous rewards… I assume they have approached you as well?”

Hu Quanan was an old fox. Though his face was covered in wrinkles, a sharp light still gleamed in his eyes.

“Indeed… The Zeng Family promised that if I join them, they will grant me a plot of spirit fields.”

Fang Wuchen nodded and stated the terms offered by the Zeng Family.

A personal plot of spirit fields! This was the dream of countless tenant farmers!

“This Zeng Family… I fear they are finished!”

Hu Quanan remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. “At this time we absolutely cannot board their sinking ship!”

Both Fang Yixin and Fang Wuchen nodded in agreement. Ever since the battle against the Kitchen God Sect fifteen years ago, not only had they failed to eliminate the Kitchen God Sect and the Tie Family, the two forces had grown even stronger.

At some point, rumors had begun spreading wildly outside that the White Bone Dao Master had failed his breakthrough, perished, and lost both his body and his Dao.

The Zeng Family originally had two Dao Foundation cultivators, known as the “Twin Jades of the Zeng Family.” Yet five years ago the elder one, Zeng Yuchuan, had been killed by the Kitchen God Sect Master in a duel!

Since then the Zeng Family’s situation had grown increasingly dire, and rumors spread that several direct-line descendants had failed their attempts to reach Dao Foundation.

Then, a few months ago, the Zeng Family’s sole remaining Dao Foundation cultivator, Zeng Yushan, had been invited by the Wusheng Temple to participate in a fierce battle. It was said to have been extremely brutal, and he had returned drenched in blood. There had been no news of him since.

“I wonder how serious the ancestor’s injuries are?”

Fang Wuchen let out a long sigh.

“The main family is unstable. We will not have good days either… it truly matches the omen of swaying [Zui Fire].”

Hu Quan’an sighed as well. He looked toward Fang Wuchen, a trace of delight appearing on his face. “Your Qi Ingestion has reached completion. You can attempt to break into Dao Foundation… It is just a pity that Dao Foundation spiritual items are extremely difficult to find. Those Dao Foundation forces monopolize resources. They would never trade with small fry like us. At best, they kill and seize the treasure.”

Fang Yixin pressed his lips together.

He had once secretly tried to search for Dao Foundation spiritual objects, but even Old Xu, the most reliable contact he knew, had no solution at all.

“In truth… if one fails to break through to Dao Foundation, it means death. Without a Dao Foundation Pill to assist, I would rather remain at this level of cultivation. As long as I can protect the family’s peace.” Fang Wuchen now had his own plans. “Right now, Xituo Commandery is in chaos. It is the perfect time to expand. With the strength of our two families, seizing a small piece of spiritual land outside should not be difficult. The real challenge is gaining recognition from all sides and securing the protection of a Dao Foundation cultivator.”

“Oh? It seems my son already has a plan. Which place have you set your sights on?”

Fang Yixin asked.

“Qingli Mountain!” Fang Wuchen replied. “This mountain once belonged to the He Family, a Qi Ingestion family. Later, the main family they relied on, the Lishan Yuan Family, was exterminated. The He Family declined along with them. Not long ago, I heard they were overrun by bandit cultivators. None survived. If our family takes it, there should not be much trouble. The only issue is deciding whose protection to seek.”

If this had been twenty years ago, there would have been no need to think about it. They could simply offer tribute to the Buddhist masters.

But now, the situation in Xituo Commandery had become unpredictable.

The Kitchen God Sect had risen rapidly, drawing in Dao Foundation families such as the Tie Family and Li Family who had migrated here. They had even fought a major battle with the Wusheng Temple and reportedly won.

Meanwhile, the local hegemon, the Great Lake Xuan Family, had sensed danger and directly joined the Kitchen God Sect.

As for the Zeng Family, they were already as unstable as the Wusheng Temple, swaying in the storm.

“If we break away at this time, regardless of the Zeng Family’s stance, the slightest mistake could bring destruction upon our entire clan.”

Fang Yixin still preferred caution.

“It is precisely because of this moment that we must leave. Otherwise, when the Zeng Family collapses, we will be eggs beneath an overturned nest.”

Fang Wuchen’s tone was resolute. ‘Besides… my younger brother grows more distant by the day. Taking Qingli Mountain this time is the perfect chance to split the family and establish the main and branch lines.’

Though he appeared honest, he was far from foolish. He had to consider his own household and his wife.

At that moment, all three of them changed expressions. They sensed fluctuations in spiritual qi and immediately left the secret chamber.

It was already deep into the night. From the Zeng Family’s main peak, a wavering flame burned brighter and brighter, gradually forming a prairie fire.

At its peak, the fire suddenly dispersed, breaking into countless flickering lights that scattered across the mountain, transforming into various fire-aspect spiritual materials.

“This… this… this…”

“Is this the phenomenon of a fallen Dao Foundation cultivator?”

If a Purple Mansion cultivator fell, the heavenly sign could cover an entire commandery. For a Dao Foundation cultivator to produce such a phenomenon over a single mountain already showed how profound Zeng Yushan’s foundation had been.

Hu Quanan was shocked. “How could this happen? How did he just die?”

Fang Yixin hesitated, then said anxiously, “Could this be a feint? Do not forget that when Zeng Qingye fell in the past, the Zeng Family concealed the death. That means they possess techniques or treasures capable of hiding such phenomena!”

“Or perhaps, the Zeng Family has declined to the point where no one can activate formations or use such treasures anymore.”

Fang Wuchen looked at his father. “Make a decision quickly. Delay will only bring more trouble.”

“Alright! We leave immediately!”

Fang Yixin gritted his teeth and looked at Hu Quanan. “Our two families will go together.”

Hu Quanan, being a rogue cultivator, understood the danger of the situation and nodded without hesitation.

Moments later, the Fang and Hu families loaded their carriages and quickly left Zeng Family Town.

“Sigh… what a pity about the date tree, and all the spiritual materials we invested earlier.”

Fang Yixin stroked the date tree on the cart, his face full of pain.

Along the way, nearby cultivators knew of the Fang and Hu families’ strength and did not dare block them.

However, not long after leaving the town, they saw flashes of spell light erupting from the Zeng Family’s main peak. Faint sounds of battle cries carried through the air.

‘How many rogue cultivators are in there… and how many are tenant farmers of the Zeng Family?’

Fang Yixin wondered silently.

Whoosh!

At that moment, two streaks of light chased each other through the sky, heading straight toward their group.

Fang Wuchen immediately activated the “God-Striking Stone,” ready to attack at any moment.

The battle above was extremely fast. Those below only heard a man’s carefree laughter. One figure was slain, and a severed head fell to the ground, rolling to the roadside.

Fang Yixin glanced at it and froze.

It was the head of a middle-aged woman. Though twisted and covered in blood, her former elegance was still visible. It was Zeng Yuchai of the Zeng Family’s direct line.

‘In the past, when I saw her, I had to bow respectfully by the roadside. Today, when she sees me, she is nothing more than a head by the roadside.’

The bandit cultivator who killed her cast a malicious glance at the caravan below. Only after Fang Wuchen snorted coldly and released a trace of mana did the man seem startled and fly back toward the Zeng Family’s main peak.

“Let’s go.”

Fang Yixin sighed, urging the carriage to move even faster.

At Wusheng Temple.

Miaoshui Wisdom Consort entered a meditation chamber and looked at Miaofeng Bright Son, whose face was pale as gold paper.

Over the past decades, Miaofeng had struggled on all sides. The last great battle against the Kitchen God Sect and the Tie Family had drained everything he had. After returning to the temple, he had vomited several liters of golden blood.

Now he looked gaunt, as if he were nearing the end of his life.

“The Dharma Protector gods report that Zeng Yushan has died and returned to the Dao… The Zeng Family has fallen into chaos. The direct lineage has been wiped out.”

Miaoshui sighed. “After so many years and so many probes, this time has gone the furthest.”

Miaofeng’s eyes were calm like an ancient well. He simply shook his head. “It was bound to happen sooner or later… The phenomenon in the master’s underground palace grows weaker by the day. If that day truly comes, even if you and I die, what does it matter?”