“Brother Zhao, out here on the river, the ancestors can’t protect us juniors, especially in this place. It’s probably best if we don’t cross paths.

Unless that ancestor is willing to die for me.

If that’s all it is, then it’s quite simple.

But most likely, here, just dying isn’t enough. Any slight misstep could affect the families and sects behind us, and the loss would be immeasurable.”

Zhao Yi chuckled, “It’s fine, my ancestor likes to send me to my death.”

Tao Zhuming cupped his hands and said, “What Tao most admires is Brother Zhao’s carefree spirit.”

Zhao Yi also cupped his hands, “Brother Tao flatters me.”

Tao Zhuming gazed deeply at Zhao Yi, then waved his hand and led his people away.

The Yu family’s ancestral home was itself a huge treasure trove. Although it had been ravaged and destroyed by those beasts over the years, careful searching could still yield the artifacts or legacies one needed.

Liang Yan asked, “Boss, was he really just passing by?”

Zhao Yi shook his head, “He deliberately left the team because he was worried that his elders would find it inconvenient to act if he were present. As for him coming to me… he specifically wanted to see me.”

Liang Yan repeated, “See you?”

Zhao Yi said, “He has the thought of killing me in his heart, but it’s not strong enough.”

Liang Li looked proud and said, “As expected of someone from an orthodox Dragon King family, they have good judgment.”

Zhao Yi turned to look at Chen Jing. The wild boar spirit was fiercer than expected, and Chen Jing hadn’t even absorbed half of it yet.

Xu Ming asked, “Boss, has that person come in?”

Zhao Yi replied, “Definitely.”

Liang Li asked, “But we’re not far from the Yu family’s main gate, and we haven’t deliberately hidden the sound of A Jing absorbing vital essence. If that person came in, why didn’t they meet up with us?”

Zhao Yi said, “If he can’t even get through a door, then that Li fellow shouldn’t be messing around in the jianghu anymore. He didn’t come through the main gate; maybe he used a back door?”

Liang Li asked, “The Yu family’s ancestral home has a back door?”

Zhao Yi shrugged, “Who knows.”

Liang Li then asked, “So, do we need to go look for that person?”

Zhao Yi replied, “Look for what?

This is a treasure mountain, a dazzling world.

But the ‘richer’ a place is, the greater the danger.

I also crave the opportunities, cultivation methods, and artifacts here, but I won’t compete for them.

Let them fight for it, let them snatch it. Many teams came in today, all thinking they’re prodigies.

Heh, wait until this wave is over, then take a look. I bet no more than a handful of teams will make it out alive.

What’s in your belly is truly yours. Our goal for this trip is just to accompany A Jing while he eats, and consider our mission complete when A Jing is full.

You can’t just drag that Li fellow over to eat with A Jing, can you?

In that case, who would complete this wave?

The reason we can be unmotivated here is because that Li fellow is also in this wave. I believe he will ultimately resolve this wave, otherwise, we’ll all be doomed!”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Zhao Yi slapped Chen Jing on the back of the head, “Why are you nodding? Focus on absorbing!”

Chen Jing continued to concentrate on absorbing fiercely.

Zhao Yi pulled out his pipe, rubbed his fingers to light the tobacco, took a puff, and slowly exhaled, murmuring to himself,

“So this is the feeling the ancestor’s notes described: watching those prodigies of the same generation fall one by one before your eyes.

Didn’t the ancestor do the same as me, sending others to their deaths while picking up the benefits afterward?”

Zhao Yi reached out and patted his forehead, reflecting, “I deserve to die. How could I think of the ancestor like that, slandering his great image?”

Then, his hand moved away, and Zhao Yi gave a half-smile, “Heh, what if the ancestor really was like me?”

Ming Yuwan did not move quickly, attempting to shake off the many teams around her.

Because she knew these people wouldn’t give her the chance.

And if she took aggressive actions, it might provoke them to attack directly.

This meant that ever since entering the Yu family’s main gate, no matter where Ming Yuwan went, it was like she was leading an entire class on a field trip.

Yu Dibei walked and scanned the surroundings. As far as the eye could see, there were only broken walls and ruins, with the blood and corpses of demonic beasts everywhere.

However, even so, one could still imagine the Yu family’s past glory.

Ming Yuwan looked at Yu Dibei and said, “Dibei, this is where you should have been born.”

Yu Dibei replied, “If people could be born here, then I wouldn’t have been born.”

Ming Yuwan frowned.

She disliked the young man’s direct rebuttal.

Although, what he said was indeed true.

If the Yu family were still the Yu family, then the Yu family members wouldn’t have run outside to seek progeny in such a manner.

Ming Yuwan said, “Although it’s a bit dirty and messy here now, don’t worry, once this wave is over, we will help you clean it up.

By then, the people and animals in your village will all be able to escape their cages and move here to live. How wonderful would that be, don’t you think?”

Yu Dibei replied, “Moving from a smaller cage to what looks like a bigger cage, I don’t see the necessity. A smaller cage actually feels safer.”

Ming Yuwan sensed that something was off with Yu Dibei. She waved her hand a few times, purifying the blood resentment of the dead demonic beasts in the area.

“Be careful, maintain your state of mind, and try to minimize the environmental impact here on you.”

Yu Dibei nodded, “Understood.”

Ming Yuwan asked, “Do you know where I’m going next?”

Yu Dibei shook his head.

Ming Yuwan reached out and adjusted Yu Dibei’s collar, “I originally had a place in mind, but now, I think that place should be prioritized later. So, next, Dibei, you lead the way.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you lead the way.”

“But I don’t know where to go.”

Ming Yuwan shrugged, trying to make her voice sound gentle and subtle, “Go wherever you want, we’ll follow you.”

Yu Dibei said, “Alright.”

Next, Ming Yuwan walked to the back, letting Yu Dibei lead the way.

The little yellow dog, which had been held in Yu Dibei’s arms, rolled over, stretched, and its tail continuously brushed against Yu Dibei’s wrist.

Yu Dibei, who didn’t know where to go, was slowly influenced by the direction of the wagging tail.

Ling Wuxing said, “Miss Ming, I sensed demonic beast aura in that direction. I’ll go eliminate them first.”

After speaking, without waiting for Ming Yuwan’s response, Ling Wuxing led his people away from the team.

Earlier, Tao Zhuming had done the same.

Ming Yuwan’s gaze swept to the sides and behind. Although two groups from Dragon King families had left, many people still remained.

Just then, the little yellow dog opened its mouth and bit Yu Dibei’s chest.

“Hiss…”

Yu Dibei cried out in pain, staggered, and fell into the ornamental stream ahead.

Ming Yuwan’s people immediately followed suit, jumping into the stream.

Before those around could react, two sounds like booming bells came from the east and west respectively:

“Excellent, there’s demonic aura here!”

“Our righteous path, eliminate all demons!”

Along with the two voices came a powerful palm print and a golden whip.

The palm print struck the center of the crowd, emitting a terrifying roar.

The golden whip swept across, hitting all those who had just jumped into the air to avoid the palm print’s impact.

Although they hadn’t coordinated beforehand, their attacks showed an inherent understanding. With one boom and one sweep, it was unclear how many casualties there were.

Only amidst the swirling dust, someone exclaimed:

“The Tao family’s ‘Flipping River Seal’ from the Dragon King!”

“The Ling family’s ‘Five Elements Whip’ from the Dragon King!”

Many people now, belatedly, finally realized why those two from the Dragon King families had left the team early instead of following Yu Dibei.

Ming Yuwan was also in the same situation.

Her main focus had been on the opportunities related to Yu Dibei, and she had overlooked other potential dangers.

Fortunately, she and her people had entered the stream with Yu Dibei early on. This was a sunken area, and coupled with the Yu family’s extremely sturdy building materials, the impacts from the Flipping River Seal and Five Elements Whip had not actually reached them.

Ming Yuwan glanced at Yu Dibei in front of her, feeling convinced once again:

Indeed, following you here is the safest!

The heritage of the Dragon King families was extraordinary. Even with elders and ancestors of similar standing, there was a huge gap between ordinary jianghu aristocratic families and orthodox Dragon King families.

No one organized a resistance, nor was anyone willing to resist. The survivors of the disaster all chose to flee, scattering like birds and beasts.

Because everyone knew that only by dispersing would their elders have the opportunity to act against others.

After the dust and smoke dissipated, two figures descended from a distance.

Two old men.

One was unkempt, dishevelled, still picking his nose with his little finger.

The other was dignified, dressed in a white robe, with a clean face.

Around them lay many shattered corpses. Although they had attacked from afar, they had still caused great damage to the people who had gathered there.

Tao Wanli exclaimed, “Oh dear, these body parts didn’t turn back into demon forms. Did we hit the wrong people? What in the world is this, sigh!”

Ling Zhuxing said, “Demons are cunning and good at disguise. Accidental injury is inevitable. They, too, must have come to eliminate demons and devils. Only by annihilating all the demons in this Yu family can we console their spirits in heaven!”

Tao Wanli replied, “Yes, this should be what they would want to see, right?”

Ling Zhuxing asserted, “That is certain. We, the righteous people of the jianghu, must possess the awareness to sacrifice ourselves for a just cause.”

“This is it, yes, this is it!”

Zhou Yunfan looked at the seven-story, pagoda-like building in front of him, his face filled with excitement.

This building was the control center for the three suns above, the essence of the Yu family’s mechanical arts.

“The alternation of sun and moon, the rotation of seasons, the grand dao of mechanisms.”

Zhou Yunfan, in his excitement, bit his lip without realizing it.

His father had been paralyzed in that battle by a Qin family member. Originally… it didn’t matter.

Although the Zhou family was not a prominent jianghu clan, they wouldn’t be unable to support a paralyzed person. The problem was that his father, before lighting the lamp and traversing the river, had secretly stolen the family’s mechanical bronze figure.

That bronze figure was originally crafted by a genius ancestor of the Zhou family, for the sake of his descendants, while he was still alive. He had refined himself into a mechanical puppet by infusing his body with molten bronze. Over many generations, the Zhou family continuously enhanced and perfected it.

This made the mechanical bronze figure not only possess an indestructible physique suitable for combat, but also the ability to independently deduce mechanical arts.

The ancestor who had sacrificed his body had long been dead, yet it was as if he were alive. When placed on a podium, with just a small sacrifice of Zhou family blood, the mechanical bronze figure would automatically respond, helping to deduce various mechanical arts. Though it couldn’t speak, it could answer questions and resolve doubts.

It could be said that compared to its ability to protect the home, its greatest value was as a legacy.

His father had taken it with him when he traversed the river, and it was said to be invincible, its prowess not inferior to the inheritors from prominent jianghu aristocratic families of the same generation. Although the Zhou family later learned of this, they could only tolerate it, as they could not personally intervene with a junior traversing the river. They could only hope that if the journey was not smooth, he would have to light the lamp a second time in advance and bring the mechanical bronze figure back with him.

But his father did light the lamp a second time, and he returned, but that mechanical bronze figure was shattered by three punches from that Qin family member.

Without the mechanical bronze figure’s final self-sacrifice, his father wouldn’t have survived. But the Zhou family elders, no, the entire Zhou family, were extremely furious with his father.

Zhou Yunfan’s branch was then expelled from the Zhou family, their names erased from the family tree.

At this moment, Zhou Yunfan pressed his hands on the doorframe, his knuckles rapidly tapping. The numerous hidden compartments on the doorframe began to move, but halfway through, they started buzzing.

Zhou Yunfan gritted his teeth and angrily said, “Damn it, those beasts violently forced the door open more than once!”

This was simply a waste of treasure.

Even the mechanical structure of the main gate was enough for an excellent formation master to calmly study and comprehend.

“Creak…”

The gate opened.

Zhou Yunfan immediately stepped inside, anxiously looking around.

Here, everything was in ruins, filled with animal fur, feces, and emanating a strong stench.

In the corner, there were also many half-human-height eggs piled up, and it was unknown exactly what would hatch from them.

These eggs were wrapped in various precious silks, and intricate patterns that gathered spiritual energy were carved on their surfaces, indicating that these eggs must have been hastily and temporarily moved here. The owner of the eggs, or perhaps the parents of the eggs, held a high status among the Yu family’s demonic beasts.

They had anticipated the impending changes to the Yu family and placed their eggs here. By now, they should have already died in battle.

The space on the ground floor of the pagoda was large, with walls made of record-keeping stones containing mechanical mysteries. There was also a scripture repository, housing secret mechanical scrolls.

The Yu family not only used this place as the central switch to control the three suns overhead, but also as the inheritance site for their own mechanical arts.

But now, the record-keeping stones were covered in demonic beast claw marks, and the secret scrolls were shattered on the ground. These damages had occurred long ago, and restoration was no longer possible.

After the demonic beasts successfully rebelled, they had wantonly destroyed the entire Yu family.

Zhou Yunfan’s heart was bleeding. If these records and secret scrolls had been preserved, they alone would have been enough to surpass the Zhou family, renowned in the jianghu for their mechanical arts. This was the profound heritage of a Dragon King family.

Even a small offshoot of it represented a height that the families below could not reach after many generations.

Zhou Yunfan looked up, towards the center of the pagoda, where there were three wooden spheres.

The topmost one was still spinning, and the blocks on the sphere continuously indented and protruded, creating a unique rhythmic beauty.

Of the two lower spheres, one was perfectly preserved but stopped, while the other was half destroyed.

One could only say that those demonic beasts still had some rationality and didn’t completely destroy it, otherwise this underground world would have completely lost its illumination.

Zhou Yunfan leapt up, quickly pushing off the walls with his feet, and reached the uppermost wooden sphere that was still functioning normally.

After careful observation, the excited expression on his face reappeared.

“Enough, enough! This sphere has already condensed a portion of the Yu family’s profound mechanical arts. As long as I can comprehend and replicate it, it will be enough to surpass all the mechanical legacies of my Zhou family!

Zhou family, you exiled our family because my father sacrificed the mechanical bronze figure. Now, when I return with the legacy of a Dragon King family, I want each and every one of you to kneel before me and beg me to be the patriarch!”

Ding Luoxiang looked up at her fiancé, who was losing his composure, a smile on her lips. She knew he had suppressed his feelings for too long.

Zhou Yunfan looked down at his fiancée and said, “Luoxiang, help me guard. I need to seize the time to comprehend it.”

Ding Luoxiang nodded, “Ah Hong, Ah Qing, Ah Hui, you three come out with me to stand guard.”

Zhou Yunfan said, “Ah Hui stays. Ah Hui was made by me; her staying here has benefits, and it might even further enrich her true form.”

Ding Luoxiang replied, “Okay.”

The reason for keeping Ah Hui was that Zhou Yunfan not only trusted the destructive power Ah Hui could unleash, but also Ah Hui’s loyalty.

He could feel that Ding Luoxiang loved him deeply, but he carried the shadow of a turbulent childhood. He was more willing to trust mechanical puppets than people.

Zhou Yunfan said, “Luoxiang, no matter what happens later, do not disturb me. This might be the greatest opportunity of my life.”

Ding Luoxiang replied, “Brother Yun, rest assured, with me guarding outside, absolutely no one will be allowed to come in and disturb you. Please comprehend in peace, Brother Yun.”

With that, Ding Luoxiang led Ah Hong and Ah Qing out of the pagoda, and the pagoda door closed behind them.

Zhou Yunfan, standing above, lowered his head, and Ah Hui, standing below, raised hers. Their gazes met.

Zhou Yunfan instructed, “Smash all those eggs.”

Ah Hui walked up to the eggs, raised her hand, and with a series of shattering sounds, the eggshells and the partially formed demonic beasts within all disintegrated.

Zhou Yunfan said, “Next, if the door opens, no matter who comes in, kill without mercy!”

Ah Hui nodded and stood behind the door.

Zhou Yunfan took a deep breath, jumped onto the wooden sphere, closed his eyes, cutting off external perception. Black qi flowed down from his body, enveloping the wooden sphere, and he immersed himself completely in comprehension.

Not far from here, in a courtyard, the young man spread his hands, and three sets of metal cards floated down, condensing into human forms, initiating a ritual.

The two Generals of Increase and Decrease descended, and three sets of talismanic armor were raised.

General Decrease bowed, “My Lord!”

The two Generals of Increase bowed together, saying in unison, “Little Brother Yuan!”

General Decrease looked at the Generals of Increase on his left and right with confusion.

Clearly, the companions who had agreed to fight the young boy together had secretly curried favor with him behind his back.

Lin Shuyou, standing nearby, couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth upwards. He reached up to press it down, thinking to himself: “Young master, be serious!”

Li Chuiyuan spoke, “Generals of Increase and Decrease!”

The Generals of Increase and Decrease responded in unison, “Present!”

Li Chuiyuan asked, “Did all of you descend this time?”

General Decrease replied, “Yes!”

General Increase proclaimed, “Little Brother Yuan has given the command, how dare we not give our all!”

Li Chuiyuan said, “Move some of your essence back to your old temple statues, leave yourselves a spark.”

The Generals of Increase and Decrease exchanged glances, then all nodded. Each moved some of their divine souls away, and at the same time, their auras significantly diminished.

Li Chuiyuan promised them, “Even if you perish here today, I will bestow upon you double the merits in the future to help you restore your divine souls.”

The Generals of Increase and Decrease replied, “We dare not refuse to die for you!”

This was Chen Xiyuan’s third time seeing Li Chuiyuan summon the Official Generals. The first was in front of the soup house, the second when entering the stone gate, but this time the feeling was distinctly different.

She could understand cooperating with Yin Gods and having Yin Gods do things for oneself, but just now, the attitude of these two Official Generals towards the young man… clearly regarded him as their master.

Chen Xiyuan turned her head and asked Tan Wenbin next to her,

“I remember that the Official Generals are supposed to be the legacy of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, right?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “They used to be.”

Chen Xiyuan then asked, “And now?”

Tan Wenbin answered, “Now, they still are.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Ah?”

Tan Wenbin explained, “On the surface, they still are, but in reality, the Official Generals now pledge allegiance to our Little Brother Yuan.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Snatching people directly from under the Bodhisattva’s nose, would the Bodhisattva agree?”

Tan Wenbin asked, “You don’t know?”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Know what?

I only know the jianghu rumors that Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva suppressed and sealed Emperor Fengdu, and entered hell.

In this, Zhao Yi even willingly became a loyal dog under the Bodhisattva, helping the Bodhisattva run errands and gaining immense benefits from it.

Oh, no, the little brother said that all the jianghu rumors about Zhao Yi were made by him.

So, you accepted Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s plea for help, helped the Bodhisattva suppress Fengdu, so that evil spirits would no longer harm the human world?

In return for equal cooperation, the Bodhisattva bestowed the lineage of Official Generals upon you?”

Tan Wenbin rubbed the tip of his nose and asked, “It’s understandable if others are easily misled by jianghu rumors, but you’re from a Dragon King family. Don’t you usually go home and chat with your grandparents?”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “I do go home, but I don’t like discussing jianghu rumors with my grandparents.”

Tan Wenbin asked, “Why?”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “Because what they talk about isn’t as exciting as what I hear in the jianghu myself!”

The top powers in the jianghu often held the truth behind various major events.

But the truth was always less spectacular than jianghu rumors.

Tan Wenbin said, “Actually, the truth is, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva did not seal hell. The Bodhisattva was pulled into hell by Emperor Fengdu and suppressed beneath his feet.”

Chen Xiyuan exclaimed, “Huh? Then wouldn’t you all face retribution from Emperor Fengdu later? Oh no, or rather, are you actually helping Emperor Fengdu?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “Yes, we are helping the Great Emperor against the Bodhisattva.”

Chen Xiyuan then asked, “Are you very familiar with Emperor Fengdu?”

Tan Wenbin didn’t intend to hide it from Chen Xiyuan, after all, Little Brother Yuan had already told her the identities of the Qin and Liu family inheritors. One should know that there were very few people in this world who knew Little Brother Yuan’s identity and were still alive.

“Our Little Brother Yuan possesses the inheritance of the Underworld. He is Emperor Fengdu’s final disciple.”

Chen Xiyuan repeated, “Final disciple?”

Tan Wenbin nodded, “Yes.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Indeed, it’s normal for the Great Emperor to be moved by Little Brother’s talent and take him as an inheritor. But the Great Emperor never took disciples before, so what does ‘final disciple’ mean?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “Probably because our Little Brother Yuan is good at closing doors.”

“Hehehe.” Chen Xiyuan chuckled, “You’re really humorous.”

Lin Shuyou, who already wanted to laugh, this time completely lost it and burst out laughing.

Chen Xiyuan suddenly frowned and asked,

“I remember Grandpa saying that historically, a member of the Yin family once traveled the jianghu and came to Hainan, where they were hosted as honored guests by my Chen family.

Does the Yin family still have descendants now?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “Yes, only one is left.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “A woman?”

Tan Wenbin replied, “Yes, her name is Yin Meng, and we all call her Mengmeng.”

“Clap!”

Chen Xiyuan clapped her right hand against her left palm, suddenly enlightened,

“So, the Great Emperor also wants to take a son-in-law who marries into the family!”

Run Sheng, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them and looked at her.

Just then, Li Chuiyuan walked over, and Run Sheng looked at Little Yuan.

Li Chuiyuan held out his hand to Run Sheng, “Brother Run Sheng, give me that brush.”

Run Sheng reached into his backpack and took out a slender brush, placing it in Little Yuan’s hand.

This brush was found among the bodies of the remaining three people after killing the four members of the Sixuan Gate that night.

For Li Chuiyuan, it wasn’t very useful, and he had intended to take it back for Ah Li to draw with.

But now, it had some use.

The young man held the brush in his left hand, his right hand half-clenched upwards. Blood mist permeated out, then quickly settled, turning into a pool of blood.

Li Chuiyuan walked up to General Decrease, dipped the brush in his blood, and then began to paint General Decrease.

The talismanic armor was originally designed by Li Chuiyuan; it was an excellent vessel and could hold more than just the Official Generals.

The brush tip flowed with a rich feng shui aura.

After drawing, Li Chuiyuan took a step back and gestured for General Decrease to begin.

General Decrease spread his arms, his aura revealed, and a black dragon-hide figure appeared, followed by a blue halo radiating outwards. The former was the black dragon-hide, the latter was the Zhao family’s core technique.

Li Chuiyuan disguised General Decrease as “Zhao Yi.”

Next, Li Chuiyuan began to draw for General Increase.

The first General Increase was disguised by the young man as “Lu Xuan” of the Sixuan Gate, and the second General Increase was disguised by the young man as…

“Me?”

Chen Xiyuan watched as General Increase’s aura rose and displayed its domain. This domain was merely a white light circle, mimicking the aura fluctuations of a domain, but without any actual domain abilities.

Li Chuiyuan explained, “Familiar targets are easier to disguise. I haven’t had deep contact with others in this wave, so I could only choose these three.”

Chen Xiyuan commented, “This aura, it only looks similar at first glance…”

Li Chuiyuan said, “A first glance is enough, even half a glance is enough. Those old fogeys here now wouldn’t dare to look closely.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “That makes sense. Little brother, you have so many methods, and you know so many things. Your journey on the river is really interesting.”

If anyone else had said that, it would have been mistaken for mockery.

Li Chuiyuan pointed to the pagoda building and said, “Go, lead those old fogeys there.”

“Understood!”

“Understood!”

The three figures immediately departed, beginning to lure their targets.

Li Chuiyuan sat down on the spot.

Tan Wenbin took a can of Jianlibao from his backpack, opened it, and walked to offer it to the young man.

As he passed Chen Xiyuan, Chen Xiyuan raised her hand and said, “Thank you.”

Tan Wenbin placed the can tab in Chen Xiyuan’s palm, “You’re welcome.”

Li Chuiyuan took the drink and took two sips.

Chen Xiyuan then realized something, “This drink, was it prepared for the little brother?”

Tan Wenbin nodded, “Yes.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I drank so many cans.”

Tan Wenbin replied, “That was our oversight.”

Li Chuiyuan raised his right hand and waved it upwards. The remaining formation in the adjacent courtyard activated, isolating the area.

Chen Xiyuan looked up at the unresponsive place. She didn’t ask if the young man had activated the formation incorrectly, but after some thought, she nodded slightly:

“This is a deliberately exposed formation aura.”

If the old fellows passed by here and sensed the formation aura from the adjacent courtyard, they would certainly not delve deeper. Instead, they would most likely shout “Demons, prepare to die!” and attack directly, which would give those inside the adjacent courtyard ample time to react calmly.

Chen Xiyuan, sitting on the ground, moved closer to the young man and whispered,

“Many rules and detailed uses are things I didn’t know before. I think, after this wave is over, I will record all the details from the moment I met you in this wave, and slowly ponder them.”

Li Chuiyuan said, “Suit yourself.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Little brother, you are so meticulous and organized in your work, do you make records of this kind?”

Li Chuiyuan replied, “I’m too lazy to write.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Then after I’ve written it, I’ll send you a copy. It will include my experiences and insights.”

Li Chuiyuan replied, “No need. Mailing it now, packages are easily lost.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Where do you live? I can deliver it directly, right?”

Li Chuiyuan said, “No need, it’s too much trouble.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Oh, I see. I was thinking that if there were any tools or materials you needed in the cave dwelling I opened up myself in Wuzhishan, I’d mail them all to you.”

Li Chuiyuan said, “Hmm, so I’ll have Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou drive to your place to pick them up, and also bring back your records of insights from this wave. I’ll read them carefully.”

Chen Xiyuan exclaimed, “Great! I have a lot of stuff in my cave dwelling, so it’s best to drive a larger car, otherwise it won’t fit.”

Li Chuiyuan said, “I have a big truck at home.”

Chen Xiyuan replied, “That’s perfect then.”

The boy emerged from the depths of Lin Shuyou’s heart,

And lamented,

“Indeed, money makes the world go round. The ancients did not deceive me.”

Lin Shuyou said, “She’s a really good person, truly.”

The boy said, “No matter how good, she’s still traversing the river. She might have been innocent at first, but it’s impossible to remain so after interacting for so long. Do you think everyone is like you?”

Lin Shuyou asked, “What’s wrong with me?”

The boy said, “She knows what that person lacks, so she deliberately gives that person what they need. That person actually knows it too, but accepts it.

Just wait, that person will personally go to Hainan. This is an unspoken understanding. She needs that person to go to her ancestral home to help comprehend the ‘Listening to the Tide and Observing the Sea Stele’.”

Lin Shuyou said, “I don’t think it’s that complicated?”

The boy sneered, “Heh, what do you know? I’ve eaten more ghosts than you’ve eaten rice.”

Lin Shuyou said, “Alright, alright, you understand, you understand. You’re the wisest.”

The boy said, “This is a high-level transaction. It doesn’t cause resentment, and it subtly influences. This woman’s methods and temperament are truly remarkable; I admire her.”

Lin Shuyou said, “I think Little Brother Yuan wouldn’t like such roundabout ways, he doesn’t like people playing tricks in front of him.”

The boy said, “Spirit medium, do you think everyone is as dull as you?”

Chen Xiyuan said to Li Chuiyuan, “Um, why don’t you take the truck and come to Hainan with them? I’d like to invite you to my ancestral home to help my grandpa comprehend the ‘Listening to the Sea and Observing the Tide Stele.’ You’re so smart, maybe you’ll have a solution.”

The boy: “…”

Lin Shuyou asked, “Boy, boy?”

The boy fell silent. He had become withdrawn.

Li Chuiyuan examined the purple-gold compass in his hand, not rushing to answer Chen Xiyuan’s request.

Chen Xiyuan didn’t bring it up repeatedly, silently watching the compass with him.

Suddenly, Lin Shuyou’s vertical pupils opened, and he rushed out of the courtyard.

Then, Run Sheng stood up, went to the pond in the western corner of the courtyard, lifted the rockery, retreated a distance, then ran forward to throw the rockery.

Tan Wenbin activated his Blood Ape power, leapt onto the roof, opened his snake eyes, and carefully looked over there.

“Boom!”

The rockery landed, emitting a roar.

Lin Shuyou sprinted back into the courtyard, looking at Little Brother Yuan.

Tan Wenbin came down from the roof, also looking at Little Brother Yuan.

Li Chuiyuan silently nodded.

Chen Xiyuan looked at the purple-gold compass, then at the young man. She knew they were secretly whispering behind her back again!

Fortunately, Li Chuiyuan still remembered her and didn’t leave her out in the cold for too long. Most importantly, she had to be informed of the recent discovery.

“I had noticed that the formation there was a bit strange earlier. Preliminary observation suggests it’s a place within the Yu family’s ancestral home that suppresses evil spirits.

The formation there should be the strongest in the Yu family. Even those old fogeys who invaded the Yu family wouldn’t dare to casually touch it, because once they accidentally release what’s sealed inside and let it escape, they would bear immense karma.”

Chen Xiyuan nodded, “That’s natural.”

“However, after testing, the feedback was that the formation reacted when attacked, but there was no reaction internally.”

Chen Xiyuan’s eyes widened, “Doesn’t that mean…”

Li Chuiyuan said, “Yes, the cage door for the evil spirits suppressed by generations of Yu family Dragon Kings has already opened.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Then why aren’t they coming out now?”

Li Chuiyuan replied, “I guess they’re waiting for orders, waiting for that old dog to command them.”

Chen Xiyuan asked, “Why would the evil spirits sealed by generations of Yu family Dragon Kings listen to it?”

Li Chuiyuan explained, “Whoever can help them completely destroy the Yu family, they will listen to. You cannot comprehend the monstrous hatred and boundless resentment that those evil spirits, once suppressed by the Dragon Kings, harbor towards the Dragon King families.”

Chen Xiyuan said, “Little brother… have you experienced it?”

Li Chuiyuan remained silent.

Chen Xiyuan sighed, lamenting,

“Little sister, is she really that pitiful?”

Li Chuiyuan glanced at her.

This young girl in front of him occasionally showed a surprising flash of human empathy.

Chen Xiyuan gritted her teeth, “Now that we know, what do we do next?”

Li Chuiyuan said, “We’ll deal with it as it comes. For now, let’s pretend we don’t know, and continue doing what we need to do. Anyway, if the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. And there are quite a few tall ones in the Yu family right now.”

Zhou Yunfan, Li Chuiyuan was bound to kill.

After the Qin and Liu families made such great sacrifices, leaving them isolated and alone, those guys actually colluded behind their backs to completely crush the Qin and Liu families and erase them into the dust of history.

So, he would first let them experience that kind of obliteration.

Li Chuiyuan turned and looked west, saying, “The cats have been lured in.”

Two cats were lured in.

One of General Increase’s talismanic armors couldn’t control its strength and was shattered before it could lure them in.

The other talismanic armor of General Increase and General Decrease perfectly completed their mission.

Such losses were unavoidable; in other words, the family fortune was accumulated precisely to be spent.

This was equivalent to three lives risked for the lure, which was well worth it.

A white-haired old Daoist priest with a goatee, exuding an immortal aura, held a whisk that tethered a huge bat. The bat flew, and he suppressed it.

He had been suppressing it for a long time without success. His original intention was to have the bat pull him around the Yu family, hoping to encounter the person he wanted to meet.

The other old man was short and stout, with a huge belly, like a rolling sphere with five pieces of play-doh attached. But when he ran, the ground trembled.

The Daoist priest and the short, stout old man shouted in unison:

“Demons, don’t run!”

The Generals of Increase and Decrease, with all their might, charged towards the pagoda.

Ding Luoxiang exclaimed, “No, stop them! Don’t let them disturb Brother Yun’s comprehension!”

Everything happened too quickly and too suddenly. Once the decision was made, there was no room for change.

Continuous roars, a chaotic battle.

If it were Ding Luoxiang before entering the Yu family, with all her maidservants, she might still have had a chance to survive this round. After all, she had successfully preserved herself in front of an old man.

But now, they were all severely wounded, and Ah Hui was still inside the pagoda.

The robust Ah Hong’s body was torn apart by a terrifying force.

The agile Ah Qing was entangled by white whisk strands. Her figure, which had just faded away, was forcibly dragged out again and then cut into countless pieces.

After Ding Luoxiang made a desperate thrust with her sword, the blade shattered, and a large cloud of blood mist diffused from her entire body, her internal organs almost displaced.

An old Daoist priest appeared before her, sighing,

“Alas, this poor Daoist’s eyes must have deceived him.”

The old Daoist turned and left, continuing to chase the large bat that seemed forever out of reach.

Because Ding Luoxiang was about to die, with no chance of survival, and he had already shown himself, he could no longer make another move.

Ding Luoxiang knew her current condition. She staggered towards the pagoda door, reaching out to push it open. She wanted one last distant glimpse of Brother Yun, just one glance, without disturbing him.

As the door was barely pushed open, a pair of hands pierced her chest.

Ding Luoxiang looked in shock at Ah Hui before her.

This was a gift Zhou Yunfan had given her, her maidservant. Brother Yun had said that Ah Hui would only obey her words, and would sacrifice herself to protect her, no matter when or where.

Ah Hui’s gaze was cold.

Two lines of tears streamed down Ding Luoxiang’s eyes, and she lost all vitality.

Just then, a plump figure appeared behind Ding Luoxiang, shouting angrily:

“Demon, how dare you commit murder here!”

With that, the short, stout old man was about to rush into the pagoda.

He, of course, knew that anyone here at this time was unlikely to be a hiding demonic beast, as the pagoda door was still damaged and offered little defense. It was more likely to be a junior from his family who had come to seek opportunities, and his junior would not be seeking mechanical art inheritances, because his family simply had no such legacy.

Ah Hui also lunged forward.

The short, stout old man hadn’t expected the young girl to be so strong. For a moment, he even began to wonder if this person in front of him was a transformed demonic beast.

The short, stout old man, who had been knocked quite far, steadied himself, reached out and grabbed Ah Hui, completely immobilizing her.

“Demon, give your life…”

Flames flickered in Ah Hui’s eyes, and her clothes burst apart in large sections with the confinement, revealing purple talismans embedded in her joints.

The short, stout old man’s eyes narrowed:

“Not good, I’m in trouble!”

“Boom!”

Amidst the terrifying explosion, black and purple lightning flashed. Its destructive range was not large, but precisely because of this, it made the damage even more astonishing.

“Thump!”

The short, stout old man was completely scorched and lay on the ground. A moment later, his fingertips moved, slowly pushing himself up, lifting his arms, and gradually getting to his feet.

Before he could even struggle to stand up, a young girl’s figure appeared in front of him.

The short, stout old man asked, “You are…”

“Cough, cough…”

Chen Xiyuan cleared her throat. It was her first time doing something like this, so it was inevitably a bit uncomfortable and nervous.

But in her heart, it felt as if a certain box had opened, releasing more excitement and joy.

Chen Xiyuan pointed at the short, stout old man in front of her,

And shouted sternly,

“This young lady is here! Demon, why don’t you quickly reveal your true form!”