Chapter 649

At this moment, the Fu family patriarch was not near the main hall, but in a secluded pavilion within the fortress, gazing at a jade slip glowing faintly in his hand.

As the main guest of honor at the birthday celebration, he naturally would appear before the guests only at the final moment.

And during this brief interval, as the Fu family's ruler, he still had to handle a more urgent matter.

Besides the Fu family patriarch, another man sat beside him—tall, imposing, with copper-purple skin, his cultivation at the early stage of Core Formation. His waist bulged with several leather pouches of varying sizes.

"Hmph! This isn't the Zi Jin Kingdom! The Yu Ling Sect dares make us send people and expend effort to gather information for them—like they're searching for something. Do they truly think we're their subordinates? Unforgivable!" The Fu family patriarch suddenly slammed his fist on the table, his face dark with anger.

"Uncle Seven, no need to rage. Does the jade slip specify what they're looking for? Whatever causes the Yu Ling Sect's cultivators to be so anxious must be no ordinary thing!" The giant stroked his chin, his tone tinged with interest.

"That's what's infuriating—they want our help but hide everything. They didn't say a word about what they're seeking. They only told us to watch for any strange occurrences across Yuanwu Country and report them immediately."

"Ah, so the Yu Ling Sect doesn't want the Demon Flame Sect to know about this, which is why they came to us Fu family—and spoke so vaguely." The giant's eyes flashed with insight as he spoke thoughtfully.

"Little San, you're right. To be safe, we Fu family have not only gone all out to please the Demon Flame Sect, but also secretly cultivated ties with the Yu Ling Sect. But now it seems that despite our repeated overtures, the Yu Ling Sect still doesn't fully trust us. We should adjust our strategy. Perhaps the weakest of the Six Sects—the Ghost Spirit Sect—is easier to befriend." The old man stroked his beard, pausing to ponder.

"That might work…"

"Tsk tsk! Who'd have thought that besides clinging to the Demon Flame Sect, the Fu family had also made connections with the Yu Ling Sect? No wonder they've thrived for a hundred years without falling!"

Just as the giant opened his mouth to speak, a stranger's voice came from outside the window, laced with mockery.

"Who? Which esteemed cultivator has graced the Fu family with a visit? Fu Fu Tianhua failed to greet you in person—please forgive my rudeness!"

The Fu family patriarch and the giant shot up from their chairs with a sharp "whoosh," as if stung by a tail. They stared at each other in shock, and the patriarch cried out, voice trembling with disbelief.

Both were utterly stunned—they had not sensed anyone approaching them at all!

"No need for formalities. I've come uninvited today."

As the man's voice faded outside the window, a sudden surge of blue light filled the pavilion.

The Fu family patriarch and the giant were taken aback, instantly flashing to opposite corners of the room, each summoning a shimmering protective barrier around themselves.

The patriarch spat out a white flying sword that spun before him, while the giant grimly seized one of the black, unremarkable spirit beast pouches at his waist.

Then the light faded, and in the center of the room appeared a man in blue robes—ordinary-looking, young, about twenty-five or twenty-six.

It was Han Li, who had secretly infiltrated the fortress.

Han Li stood with his hands clasped behind his back, scanning the wary faces of the Fu family patriarch and the giant, then spoke slowly:

"Just now, my spiritual sense swept through the entire Fu fortress. There are only three Core Formation cultivators here—and you two are the strongest. You must be the ruling figures of the Fu family."

After speaking, Han Li's expression was utterly calm, betraying no emotion whatsoever—neither anger nor joy.

"So you're a Nascent Soul elder! We didn't know you'd grace us with your presence—what service can the Fu family render you?"

Han Li had not concealed his cultivation, so the old man had sensed the depth of his power. His face paled, and he forced a smile, his heart pounding with dread.

"You're the Fu family patriarch?" Han Li narrowed his eyes, fixing them on the purple-robed elder, and asked coolly.

"I dare not. Before an elder, how could I dare call myself patriarch? I am Fu Fu Tianhua—the current head of the Fu family." Hearing Han Li's emotionless tone, the patriarch bowed respectfully outwardly, but his unease deepened—he sensed this Nascent Soul cultivator had ill intent.

"Hmm. Since you're the Fu family patriarch, I haven't come to the wrong place. Since I've come to collect a debt, I ought to inform you first." Han Li gazed at the elder, a strange smile forming on his face.

"Collect a debt? Elder, you jest. I've never seen you before—surely you've made some mistake." At Han Li's words, the patriarch's heart plummeted into an abyss.

The giant, who had remained silent until now, turned deathly pale, his grip tightening on the spirit beast pouch.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator to speak of collecting a debt—this could only mean disaster.

"Mistake? Of course not. I should have explained clearly to you so you wouldn't die an unjust death and become a vengeful ghost in the afterlife. But your tricks have been too numerous—I have no time for idle chatter. You two—go first. The rest of the Fu clan, I'll send after you." Han Li glanced casually at the giant, then smiled.

"What? You mean to exterminate the entire Fu family!" The patriarch roared, as if consumed by rage.

But in his hand, a yellow talisman suddenly appeared. A flash of yellow light—and he shot backward through the wall, vanishing as if passing through solid stone.

It was a rare Earth-Submergence Talisman.

"Run? Where could you possibly run?"

Han Li sneered, but made no move against the patriarch. Instead, he flicked his finger casually toward another direction.

A streak of blue light flashed instantly—and vanished. The next instant, it pierced the giant's chest. His protective barrier shattered instantly, offering no resistance whatsoever.

The spirit beast pouch in the giant's hand had just begun to glow black—but at the moment of his death, its light dimmed. A furious roar echoed faintly from within.

The giant's body collapsed to the floor. Han Li didn't even glance at it.

To him, eliminating a Core Formation cultivator was as trivial as child's play. But he was intrigued by the spirit beast pouch. He reached out, drew it to his hand with a flick of his fingers, and tucked it away.

Only then did Han Li turn his gaze to the wall where the patriarch had vanished, a cold smile forming on his face.

He swept his sleeve, and a white shadow shot out—a small fox appeared before him.

"You're skilled in Earth-Submergence. I leave the Fu patriarch to you. With your spirit-soul cultivation and illusionary arts, dealing with a mere mid-stage Core Formation cultivator should be effortless." Han Li spoke calmly to the white fox.

"Naturally, Master, wait a moment! I'll be right back!" The fox's eyes gleamed with pride, then flashed yellow—and vanished from the pavilion.

Han Li then tapped a spirit beast pouch at his waist. Countless three-colored Gold-Biting Larvae surged out, forming a vast, swirling cloud above his head.

"Go!" Han Li murmured.

Instantly, the swarm split into countless small streams, coalescing into dozens of three-colored miniature swords, then poured en masse out the window.

Han Li sat cross-legged in the pavilion, activating the Great Expansion Scripture, his spiritual sense instantly enveloping the entire Fu fortress.

The Fu family's direct descendants were easy to identify—whether by their attire or the identical cultivation methods they practiced—all were exposed under Han Li's spiritual sense.

Han Li ignored the ordinary Fu family members in the outer fortress who lacked spiritual roots and cultivation. Guided by his spiritual sense, the three-colored swords began targeting each Fu cultivator.

Immediately, screams and cries erupted. Thick waves of bloodlust engulfed the entire Fu fortress.

Meanwhile, the Fu patriarch was fleeing deep underground, using the Earth-Submergence technique to race away as fast as he could.

All he now wanted was to escape as far as possible. He didn't care—and didn't want to care—about the fate of the other disciples and juniors in the fortress.

Though he hadn't seen it, he could imagine the fate of the giant nephew.

Even with the Fu family's ancestral spirit beast, to escape a Nascent Soul cultivator was pure fantasy. If the giant could even delay the Nascent Soul cultivator for a moment, the patriarch would be satisfied.

As for the rest of the Fu family, even if he wished to save them, he lacked the strength—and would likely only sacrifice his own life. So he could only save himself.

As long as the Fu patriarch lived, the Fu family was not truly destroyed.

After all, beyond the main fortress, the Fu family held other bases across Yuanwu Country. If he reached them, the Fu family might yet rise again.

The only thing that troubled him was: how had the Fu family angered this unknown Nascent Soul demon? Why had he come with a single command—to exterminate the entire clan?

Though the man had spoken casually, every time the patriarch recalled his expression, a chill ran down his spine.

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