Chapter 85: Chapter 86: The 7th Foundation Establishment Cultivator

The Three-Eyed Crow plummeted from the sky. Though its physical body was completely unscathed, its Divine Soul had been shattered to pieces by the Spirit-Slaying Blade.

After slaying the Three-Eyed Crow, the Spirit-Slaying Blade returned to the gourd, and Song Changsheng felt its aura had grown stronger by a sliver.

’Elder Hee’s Artifact Refining legacy states that the Spirit-Slaying Blade can strengthen itself by slaying living beings. It seems to be true, but this boost is just too small, isn’t it?’ Song Changsheng mused, stowing the Spirit-Slaying Gourd.

"Wow, you’re so amazing, Little Uncle!" Song Qingxi’s big eyes sparkled, full of adoration.

Song Changsheng offered a small smile, picking up the Three-Eyed Crow. "It’s just a Little Demon. Let’s get..."

Before he could finish, the Communication Jade Token at his waist began to vibrate. Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow. ’What a coincidence. Why is someone looking for me the moment I come out of seclusion?’

After channeling a trace of Spiritual Power into the Jade Token, a hearty voice immediately boomed from within: "I’m out of seclusion! Quick, get me some good wine to celebrate."

A joyful look appeared on Song Changsheng’s face. ’Isn’t that Song Lutong’s voice? It looks like he succeeded.’

"Little Uncle?" Song Qingxi asked, a confused look on her small face.

"It’s good news. I need to make a trip back to Vast Mist Peak," Song Changsheng said joyfully.

"Okay," the little girl pouted, her enthusiasm clearly dampened.

After seeing her home, Song Changsheng hurried back to Vast Mist Peak.

He went straight to Song Lutong’s residence. The moment they met, Song Lutong pulled him into a huge bear hug, whose enthusiasm gave Song Changsheng goosebumps. He shivered and said, "What are you, gay?"

As expected, Song Lutong immediately let him go, a look of mock disgust on his face. "You’re the one with weird hobbies! Can’t a guy just be happy?"

After a bit more small talk, the two sat down in the courtyard. Sensing the vast, powerful aura emanating from the man, Song Changsheng cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. "Congratulations, Clan Uncle. By reaching Foundation Establishment, you’ve added more than a hundred years to your lifespan. I’m truly envious."

Under normal circumstances, a Qi Cultivator has a lifespan of around one hundred and twenty years. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator has double that, at two hundred and forty years, and a Purple Mansion Cultivator lives even longer, with a lifespan of five hundred years.

Song Lutong was not yet forty, making him a young man among Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Barring any accidents, he had nearly two hundred years of life left. How could one not be envious of that?

After all, wasn’t the pursuit of a long life the whole point of embarking on the path of cultivation?

Hearing this, Song Lutong waved a dismissive hand and gave a wry smile. "I barely scraped by with my life. The Foundation Establishment Three Passes are no joke. This body of mine almost didn’t make it."

Song Changsheng fell silent. To break through to Foundation Establishment, one had to undergo a complete metamorphosis of their Spiritual Power, Physical Body, and Divine Soul—the so-called Foundation Establishment Three Passes he had just mentioned.

Each of these three passes was exceptionally perilous, and over the years, countless people had failed them. Song Lutong was undoubtedly one of the lucky ones.

Perhaps sensing the shift in atmosphere, Song Lutong waved his hand. "Hell, let’s not talk about the past. You got any wine? I’ve been dying for a drink this whole time."

"I’ve only got some Tier One Spirit Wine. I hope you can make do, Clan Uncle." Song Changsheng said with a small smile, taking out a wine jar the size of a human head.

He reached out and broke the clay seal, and a rich, fragrant aroma of wine immediately wafted out, making both of their mouths water.

Song Lutong’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but lick his lips. "How can you call wine brewed by your wife’s own hands ’making do’?"

With that, he hugged the jar and began to chug, guzzling it down as if he were afraid Song Changsheng would try to steal it from him.

Song Changsheng chuckled, amused. He took the gourd from his waist and began to drink slowly. Though they were both drinking, his movements were far more elegant than Song Lutong’s.

The two sat in the courtyard, drinking and talking about everything under the sun. Sometimes they cursed, sometimes they roared with laughter; they were getting along famously.

Neither of them used Spiritual Power to negate the effects of the alcohol, and before long, both were feeling tipsy. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Just as his head was growing heavy and muddled, he was suddenly jolted alert. Looking up, he saw three streaks of Sword Light flash across the sky and vanish into the distance.

Song Changsheng’s brows knitted together, the alcohol instantly vanishing from his system. He slapped the shoulder of Song Lutong, who was still stubbornly clutching the wine jar. "Clan Uncle, look!"

Song Lutong blearily opened his eyes. One glance was all it took for him to jolt upright, his drunkenness completely gone. "Isn’t that Twenty-first Uncle and the others?" he exclaimed. "What’s with the big fuss? Did the Earth Fire Sect attack us? Dammit, I have to go see."

With that, he took a few steps forward, and a thick, wide greatsword materialized beneath his feet. He shot off in pursuit, becoming a long streak of light.

Watching them disappear into the distance, Song Changsheng, for reasons he couldn’t explain, felt a storm brewing on the horizon.

He didn’t know the specifics, but you didn’t have to be a genius to see that something major was happening. The clan only had a handful of Foundation Establishment Cultivators to begin with. Aside from Song Xianming, basically everyone who was on Vast Mist Peak had been mobilized.

Their departure wasn’t kept secret; everyone knew the clan’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators had gone down the mountain. With certain individuals fanning the flames, all sorts of rumors began to fly, and panic quickly spread among the clan members.

With the Clan Leader in seclusion and the Elders all away, the rumors only grew more intense.

Fortunately, the clan’s Law Enforcement Hall responded swiftly. Led by several Stewards, the Law Enforcement Team quickly secured the clan’s key locations and began arresting the troublemakers who were spreading rumors.

The Law Enforcement Team lived up to its reputation as a well-trained elite. Despite being effectively leaderless, their operations from top to bottom remained orderly and efficient. They quickly quelled the chaos and even captured a few traitors with ulterior motives.

The overt chaos had subsided, but for some reason, Song Changsheng couldn’t shake the feeling that a dangerous undercurrent was surging somewhere out of sight. A shadow of unease fell over his heart.

In a dim, secret chamber, a decrepit old man sat on a high-backed chair. He looked at the middle-aged man before him and asked, "Our people didn’t give anything away, did they?"

"Father, with your strict orders in place, none of our people got involved. The ones arrested by the Law Enforcement Team were all from the other factions," the middle-aged man replied with utmost respect.

The old man nodded slowly, holding a teacup, his thoughts seemingly distant. Noticing the middle-aged man’s hesitation, the old man frowned. "What is it? Say what’s on your mind."

The middle-aged man’s lips trembled for a moment before he finally forced himself to speak. "Father, you control a part of the Clan Protection Array. If you just notified the Earth Fire Sect and had them coordinate, we would have a high chance of taking Vast Mist Peak in one fell swoop and fulfilling your long-held ambition. Why are you holding back?"

The old man said nothing, merely staring at him in silence. He waited until beads of sweat began to form on the middle-aged man’s brow before speaking slowly, "Lusheng, do you know how I’ve managed to stay safe all these years?"

Without waiting for an answer, the old man rose to his feet as if talking to himself. He stared at a memorial portrait on the wall and said coldly, "By relying on a keen instinct for danger!"

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