Chapter 659: Extinction of the Clan (Part 1)

Volume 3, Chapter 5: The Renowned Fu Family Patriarch

The Fu family patriarch was not near the main hall at this moment, but rather in a secluded pavilion within the fortress. He was looking at a subtly glowing jade slip in his hand.

As the guest of honor for the birthday celebration, he naturally wouldn't appear before the guests until the very last moment. During this brief window of free time, as the head of the Fu family, he still had to attend to a rather urgent matter.

Inside the pavilion, besides the patriarch, there was also a dignified man with bronzed skin, whose cultivation appeared to be at the early Core Formation stage. Several leather pouches of varying sizes bulged at his waist.

"Hmph! This isn't the Purple Gold Nation. The Spirit Control Sect actually wants us to provide manpower and resources to help them gather information, seemingly looking for something. They truly treat our Fu family as their subordinates! How utterly unreasonable!" The Fu family patriarch suddenly slammed the table, his face clouding over as he spoke in a low, resentful tone.

"Seventh Uncle, there's no need to get angry. Did the jade slip clearly state what they're looking for? Whatever makes the Spirit Control Sect cultivators so tense must be no small matter!" The large man stroked his chin, speaking with considerable interest.

"That's precisely what's infuriating. On the one hand, they want to use us, and on the other, they're being secretive, not even mentioning what they're searching for. They just want us to keep an eye out for any strange occurrences in various parts of Yuanwu Nation recently, and to inform them immediately if anything happens."

"Oh! In that case, it seems the Spirit Control Sect doesn't want the Demonic Flame Sect to know about this, which is why they came to our Fu family and spoke so vaguely." A glint flashed in the big man's eyes as he spoke thoughtfully.

"Little San, you've hit the nail on the head. To be safe, our Fu family, besides making every effort to curry favor with the Demonic Flame Sect, has also secretly cultivated ties with the Spirit Control Sect. But it seems now that despite our many overtures of goodwill to the Spirit Control Sect, they still don't entirely trust our Fu family. It looks like we should adjust our strategy. I wonder if the weakest of the six sects, the Ghost Spirit Sect, would be easier to befriend." The old man stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before speaking.

"That might be possible..."

"Tsk, tsk! I never thought the Fu family, besides clinging to the Demonic Flame Sect, would even collude with the Spirit Control Sect. No wonder they've been able to prosper and endure for the past hundred years!"

Just as the big man began to speak, an unfamiliar male voice, subtly laced with sarcasm, suddenly echoed from outside the window.

"Who? Which esteemed senior has graced the Fu family with their presence? Fu Tianhua did not rise to welcome you from afar; please forgive this oversight!"

The Fu family patriarch and the big man instantly sprang from their chairs as if their tails had been stepped on. After exchanging a look of horror, the patriarch asked, startled and uncertain. Both were utterly shocked that someone had approached them without their knowledge.

"There's no need for a distant welcome. I suppose you could say I'm an uninvited guest today."

As the man's voice from outside the window faded, a brilliant green light suddenly filled the pavilion. The Fu family patriarch and the big man were startled. They quickly moved, each retreating to a corner of the room, with a crystalline protective barrier appearing around them. The patriarch even spat out a white flying sword, which hovered protectively before him, while the big man, with a solemn expression, grabbed an inconspicuous, dark spirit beast pouch from his waist.

At that moment, the light receded, and a young man in green robes suddenly appeared in the center of the room. He had an ordinary appearance, seemingly around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. It was Han Li, who had secretly infiltrated the fortress.

Han Li stood with his hands behind his back, scanning the vigilant patriarch and the big man. He slowly spoke: "I just swept my divine sense over the entire Fu family fortress. There are only three Core Formation cultivators, and you two have the highest cultivation among them. You must be the ones in charge of the Fu family, then!"

Han Li spoke with utmost calm, without a hint of emotion, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

"So it's a Nascent Soul stage senior! What can our Fu family do for you?" Han Li hadn't concealed his cultivation, so the old man sensed the unfathomable depth of his power. His face changed dramatically, but he forced a smile, feeling deeply uneasy.

"You are the Fu family patriarch?" Han Li narrowed his eyes, staring at the purple-robed old man in the corner, and asked indifferently.

"I wouldn't dare. Before a senior, how could this junior be called a patriarch? This junior, Fu Tianhua, is indeed the current head of the Fu family." Hearing Han Li's emotionless question, the patriarch replied respectfully on the surface, but his unease grew increasingly evident. He vaguely sensed that this Nascent Soul cultivator's intentions seemed unfriendly.

"Hmm, since you are the Fu family patriarch, it means I haven't come to the wrong person. Since I'm here to collect a debt from the Fu family, I naturally need to greet you first." Han Li looked at the old man, a strange expression on his face as he spoke.

"Collect a debt? Senior must be joking. This junior seems to be meeting senior for the first time. Perhaps senior has misunderstood something?" The Fu family patriarch's heart sank into a bottomless abyss the moment he heard Han Li's words. The big man, who had been silent, also turned pale. His grip on the spirit beast pouch tightened.

A Nascent Soul cultivator claiming to collect a debt sounded like a very ominous matter.

"Misunderstanding! Of course not. Originally, I should explain it to you clearly, lest you all become wronged ghosts in the underworld. But your petty actions are simply too numerous, leaving me no time for idle talk. You two, go first. As for the remaining members of the Fu family, I will send them on their way together." Han Li casually glanced in the direction of the big man, then smiled and spoke.

"What? You want to annihilate our entire Fu family!" The Fu family patriarch roared, seemingly enraged. But suddenly, a yellow talisman appeared in his hand. With a flash of yellow light, he shot backward towards the wall and vanished, as if passing through it. It was a rare Earth Evasion Talisman.

"Running? Where can you run to?" Han Li sneered, but he didn't immediately act against the patriarch. Instead, he casually flicked a finger in the other direction. A streak of green light appeared instantly, then vanished, but in the next moment, it pierced through the big man's chest in the other corner of the room. His protective barrier shattered instantly, offering no resistance whatsoever. The spirit beast pouch in the big man's hand had just emitted a faint black spiritual light, but it dimmed again the moment the big man died. A furious roar faintly echoed from within.

The big man's body toppled to the ground, but Han Li didn't even spare it a glance. For him, eliminating an early Core Formation cultivator was like child's play. However, he was quite interested in the spirit beast pouch in the other party's hand. He drew the pouch into his hand with a single motion and put it away.

Only then did Han Li look at the wall where the Fu family patriarch had disappeared, a cold smile on his face. With a flick of his sleeve, a white shadow darted out, and a small fox appeared before Han Li.

"You are skilled in earth evasion techniques, so I'll leave the Fu family patriarch to you. With your artifact spirit cultivation and illusionary arts, dealing with a mere mid-Core Formation cultivator should be effortless." Han Li calmly instructed the white fox.

"Naturally, Master, please wait a moment! I'll be right back!" A look of arrogance flashed in the little fox's eyes, then with a flicker of yellow light, its figure vanished from the pavilion.

At this point, Han Li patted a certain spirit beast pouch at his waist. Countless three-colored Gold Devouring Insects surged out, forming a massive three-colored insect cloud that circled above his head.

"Go!" Han Li let out a low cry. Instantly, all the flying insects split into numerous small groups, rapidly condensing into dozens of three-colored miniature swords. Then, they swarmed out of the window. Han Li then sat down cross-legged in the pavilion. As the Great Development Art circulated, his divine sense instantly enveloped the entire Fu family fortress.

The direct descendants of the Fu family were easily identifiable; their clothing and the several identical cultivation techniques they practiced were all exposed under Han Li's divine sense. Han Li paid no attention to the mortal Fu family members in the outer fortress who lacked spiritual roots. Instead, guided by his divine sense, all the three-colored flying swords began to target the Fu family cultivators one by one.

Immediately, screams and exclamations rang out. A thick smell of blood instantly enveloped the entire Fu family fortress.

Meanwhile, deep underground, the Fu family patriarch was fleeing at top speed, utilizing the power of earth evasion. His only intention now was to escape as far away as possible. As for the fate of the other disciples and juniors in the fortress, he didn't intend to think about it, nor did he want to. Though he hadn't personally witnessed the fate of the big man, his nephew, he could imagine it. Even if the big man possessed the Fu family's protective spirit beast, hoping to escape from a Nascent Soul cultivator was utterly delusional. If he could stall that Nascent Soul cultivator for even a moment, the Fu family patriarch would be content.

As for the rest of the Fu family, even if he wanted to save them, he was powerless. Instead, he would likely sacrifice his own life, so he could only prioritize himself. As long as he, the Fu family patriarch, remained alive, the Fu family would not be considered annihilated. After all, besides the main Fu family fortress, there were several other Fu family estates in Yuanwu Nation. As long as he could escape to these places, the Fu family would always have a chance to rise again.

The only thing that frustrated him was how the Fu family had managed to provoke this unknown Nascent Soul stage harbinger of misfortune, who, with a single word, intended to wipe out their entire clan. Although the other party had consistently appeared calm and understated, a chill ran down his spine whenever he recalled their expression.