Chapter 54: Run away with the whole family immediately!

Wang Family Old Residence, watchtower top.

Wind, carrying a trace of bloody smell not yet completely gone's dry heat, blew on Wang Shan's robe. He had been standing here for a long time, looking down at this familiar yet unfamiliar Luo Bay County beneath his feet.

Not long ago, this place was still a tangled web of various forces with undercurrents surging. Now, it bears the Wang surname.

Thoroughly bearing the Wang surname.

Those small families that once dared to oppose the Wang family now, upon seeing Wang family members, bow lower than shrimp, their gifts piling up in the storeroom, fearing that a delay would earn them the attention of 'Old Demon Wang'.

The Shangguan family, on the other hand, is sensible and knows how to conduct themselves. Just now, the Shangguan family head personally came to the door, presenting a generous gift, and more importantly, the latest information about the Wan Family Main House.

Wang Shan rubbed the thin sheet of paper; the characters on it, though, weighed as heavily as a thousand jin.

The information was not long, but its core content made the fire that had just been suppressed in his heart flare up again—this time, however, it was a cold fire mixed with ice shards.

The Wan Family Main House, that colossus of Heitu City, indeed exploded. Wan Hong, the helmsman at the peak of Body Refining Ninth Layer, leading four elite subordinates with a mighty aura, came—what was the result? The entire force was wiped out, and even the helmsman had his head crushed.

This was practically stripping the Wan family of an old face, throwing it on the ground, then trampling it over a hundred times with shoes that had stepped in dog feces, spitting on it, and finally tossing it into a pigsty to smear on the wall.

It would be strange if the Wan family weren't angry.

The information shows that the Wan family has begun mobilizing its direct-line forces, preparing to launch a thunderous strike on Luo Bay County.

This was all within Wang Shan's expectations.

But what truly made his pupils contract was the last sentence of the information—there were rumors that the Wan family might dispatch an existence beyond the Body Refining Realm to lead the force.

Beyond the Body Refining Realm……

Foundation Establishment!

These two words were like two invisible mountains, suddenly crashing down on Wang Shan's heart.

The Body Refining Realm, frankly speaking, is still within the mortal realm—tempering tendons, bones, skin, and flesh, granting formidable strength and speed, yet ultimately limited. The Foundation Establishment Realm, however, is a true stepping onto the path of immortality! Drawing qi into the body, opening the sea of qi, one can wield magic artifacts to kill from afar and perform all kinds of miraculous arts!

The gap between them is greater than that between Body Refining First Layer and Body Refining Ninth Layer! It is a qualitative chasm!

Wang Shan now is at Body Refining Eighth Layer Midphase; relying on the 【Righteous Qi Talisman】 for a surprise attack, plus Wan Hong's underestimation, he managed a lucky counterkill against Wan Hong at the peak of Body Refining Ninth Layer. In that battle, he exhausted all his trump cards, his oil ran dry, and he nearly actually met his end.

Facing a true Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Wang Shan asked himself, the odds of victory…… tend infinitely toward zero.

A casual spell thrown his way would likely shatter his old bones. With a flying sword, they could take his head from a hundred paces away—he wouldn't even have a chance to react.

How to fight this battle? Use our heads?

"Damn..." Wang Shan muttered under his breath. Just a few days after enjoying some smooth sailing, his backside hadn't even warmed up yet, and a greater crisis arrived.

Moreover, the information also mentioned a key point—time.

The Wan family is mobilizing its forces; adding travel time, they are expected to reach Luo Bay County possibly within a month!

One month!

Wang Shan felt his gums itch a little. With one month, what could be done? Even if he now trained as if taking pills, could he break through to Body Refining Ninth Layer? Even if he luckily broke through, facing Foundation Establishment cultivators, wouldn't that just be delivering food?

The Shangguan family head, at the end of the information, moreover 'thoughtfully' attached a piece of advice.

Putting it tactfully, the bottom line is: Wang family head, this little pond of Luo Bay County cannot accommodate your dragon that has crossed the river, nor can it block the Wan family's maddening tiger about to go berserk. This place is not suitable for a long stay; quickly think of a retreat. Either, completely cling to the Heavenly Confucian Academy's thick thigh, see if they are willing to lock horns with the Wan family for you; or, head to those larger, more chaotic, deeper-water central cities—perhaps there remains a sliver of hope.

Wang Shan pinched the information, his knuckles turning slightly white. The Shangguan old man's gesture is one of friendliness, also a reminder, and moreover…… an attempt to distance himself?

Hmph, a fence-sitter. But he's right.

Clinging to Luo Bay County is just waiting to die.

Wang Shan himself isn't afraid of death; he fears that the Wang family's painstakingly accumulated bloodline will be buried along with him here.

In his vexed state, Wang Shan produced another item from his bosom—the fragment of animal skin, found in Wan Hong's storage bag, that records a suspected 【Ten Thousand Beasts Method】.

These days, aside from healing wounds and handling family affairs, whenever he has free time he studies this thing.

The animal skin's material is quite special—neither metal nor wood, warm and smooth to the touch, yet it carries a savage, bloody aura. The inscriptions on it are even more ancient and obscure, twisting and turning like some kind of pictograph, yet also like some kind of rune.

Fortunately, the system is powerful, directly translating and parsing the content.

The more he researched, the heavier Wang Shan's heart became.

What this fragment records is not any proper cultivation method at all; it is more like a…… evil ritual!

Through specific sacrifices, aided by cruel bloodline severing and merging methods, it forcibly seizes the power of demon beasts, even fusing with them into one!

Such a gate is vicious and bizarre, full of disregard for life and rules.

What also concerns Wang Shan is that the fragment repeatedly mentions certain special symbols and several vague names, faintly pointing to an existence even larger and older than the Wan family.

The Wan family cultivates the 【Black Fiend Art】 and this 【Ten Thousand Beasts Method】—could this merely be the tip of the iceberg?

He recalled Chen Tianfeng's grandson Chen Dao, who had been sent to the Wan family; reportedly, it was because he possessed a certain special physique that the Wan family took notice of him. Now, thinking back, it seems likely connected to this 【Ten Thousand Beasts Method】!

Just as Wang Shan concentrated, trying to connect these clues, the long-absent system prompt tone suddenly rang in his mind.

【Ding! Detected that the host has come into contact with key information 【Ten Thousand Beasts Gate】 (tentative name), triggering the long-hidden mission 【Evil Origin】 Stage Two: investigate the origin and purpose of 【Ten Thousand Beasts Gate】.

【Mission reward: to be determined based on completion.】

Ten Thousand Beasts Gate?

Wang Shan's heart jolted violently! Indeed!

His earlier guess was correct! This 【Ten Thousand Beasts Method】 was not something the Wan family cooked up on their own; behind it truly hides an organization!

Ten Thousand Beasts Gate…… just hearing that name tells you it's no good.

The Wan family might merely be a pawn of the 【Ten Thousand Beasts Gate】 planted in the mundane world, or perhaps a larger branch of it.

Holy shit, this water…… is far deeper than he imagined!

He originally thought the biggest enemy was the Wan Family Main House of Heitu City. Now it seems the Wan family might just be a surface target, while the true big boss remains hidden behind the scenes!

This feeling is like having just cleared the novice village, thinking you could go out and have fun, only to step outside and run into the advance squad of the final boss—and moreover, the squad leader is a max-level god-equipped type!

A deep sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

But immediately afterward, the system did not stop.

【Ding! Issued new main quest: Rush out of Luo Bay, vast skies and boundless seas!】

【Mission Description: Luo Bay County has become a hotbed of trouble; the Wan Family Main House approaches with thunderous wrath, and moreover a Foundation Establishment cultivator presses the border. Holding this place is tantamount to waiting for death. The host must, within three months, lead the Wang Family core members to safely withdraw from Luo Bay County and initially establish a foothold in the new region.】

【Mission Reward: Spirit Plant Points, Second-tier Spirit Field Upgrade Diagram x1, Random High-Level Cultivation Technique x1.】

【Failure Penalty: The family's fortune will greatly decrease, and part of the system's functions will be restricted.】

New main quest!

Charge out of Luo Bay!

Three months!

Ten thousand Spirit Plant Points! Second-tier Spirit Field Diagram! Random High-Level Cultivation Technique!

Wang Shan looked at this mission description and reward, his feelings complex.

The system is… urging him to flee!

Moreover, the failure penalty has appeared! The family's fortune drops, system functions restricted… this penalty is not light!

It seems the system also judged that staying in Luo Bay County is a dead end.

The threat of Foundation Establishment cultivators is imminent.

The shadow of Ten Thousand Beasts Gate looms faintly.

Although the Shangguan Family's suggestion is realistic, it also points the way.

Now, the system has also issued a main quest to flee.

All the information, all the pressure, all the clues point to the same direction—

Go!

Must go!

Immediately! Right away!

Staying here is waiting for death! It's dragging the entire Wang family into the abyss of eternal ruin!

Wang Shan no longer hesitates.

What being the top family of Luo Bay County, what the prestige of "Old Demon Wang"—in the face of absolute strength disparity, it's all bullshit!

Only by surviving can there be a future!

Preserving the family's spark brings hope!

He, Wang Shan, hasn't lived enough yet! He still wants to see Xuan Qing become a top student of the Heavenly Confucian Academy, and to see the Wang family truly stand at the pinnacle of this cultivation world!

With a lifespan of 115 years, he can't just die here in this little Luo Bay County!

At this moment, Wang Shan's gaze seemed to pierce layer upon layer of mountains, toward that broader and more dangerous unknown expanse.

Heitu City? Wan Family Main House?

No, that's merely a stumbling block on his path forward.

Foundation Establishment cultivator?

Sooner or later, this old man will reach that level, even surpass it!

Ten Thousand Beasts Gate?

Hmph, you hide your head and show your tail; when this old man's strength is enough, I'll surely drag you out and see what you really are!

A surge of indescribable heroic fervor, mixed with anticipation for the future and a sense of urgency about the crisis, churned in Wang Shan's chest.

He is no longer the Wang family elder who only wanted to guard a small plot of Luo Bay County.

His journey is the sea of stars!

Although the road ahead will surely be bristling with thorns and dangers, it also means infinite possibilities and opportunities!

He seemed to already see the Wang family, under his leadership, charging out of Luo Bay, heading onto a broader stage, in this cruel yet splendid cultivation world, carving a bloody path and forging a legend!

"Zhize!" Wang Shan turned around, his voice deep and firm.

Wang Zhize had been waiting respectfully below; hearing the call, he stepped forward immediately: "Father, your orders!"

Wang Shan looked at his son, who could now stand on his own, and spoke slowly, his tone resolute:

"Convey my order: the family… enters the highest alert state!"

"Gather all outsiders, sell off family assets, except the core spirit fields, exchange everything else for spirit stones and cultivation resources!"

"Tell everyone, prepare… to migrate!"

Wang Zhize hearing this was stunned, his face showing disbelief: "Father? Migration? Where… are we going?"

Wang Shan didn't answer directly, merely raised his hand, pointing toward the distant horizon blocked by mountains, leading to the outside world.

"To a place… where we can survive and become stronger."

"Tell the clansmen, the good days may be short."

Wang Shan paused, then added a sentence.

"The real enemy is coming soon."