Chapter 61: This Child Must Absolutely Not Be Left Alive!

Upon learning the tragic news, Yun Yun Zhiqiu dared not delay and immediately hurried to a quiet chamber deep within the ancestral estate.

Inside the quiet chamber, swirling smoke enveloped a candle lamp burning slowly; at first glance, it radiated brilliant light, yet the oil within the lamp was nearly exhausted.

The next second, a soft cough echoed from within the mist.

"Zhiqiu, come forward."

As the voice faded, the smoke dispersed, revealing an elderly man seated upright in a chair, dressed in splendid robes, his face aged yet his spine still straight as an arrow.

Yun Yun Zhiqiu immediately bowed: "This disciple greets the Patriarch."

"Rise," the Yun Family Patriarch said with a faint smile. "Do not worry; this is my second reincarnation. Having experienced it before, I doubt any issues will arise."

"It is merely a pity that after my reincarnation, at least twenty years must pass before I can hope to return, leaving the clan without anyone to hold the fort during that time."

"This disciple deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Yun Yun Zhiqiu grew increasingly dejected; he understood the Patriarch's unspoken meaning. Yun Yun Miaozhen, the most outstanding clansman in nearly a century, a true Foundation Establishment seed!

Such a heaven-sent genius had died at the hands of a demonic fiend due to his own momentary negligence.

Because of this incident, his prestige within the clan plummeted, and the Yun Family, having lost its Foundation Establishment seed, silently suffered a great loss of reputation.

Over these years, Yun Yun Zhiqiu had traveled countless times between the righteous and demonic battlefields, seeking revenge against Lu Yang, who had killed Yun Yun Miaozhen, yet found nothing. Only after careful inquiry did he learn that the old turtle had remained within the Holy Sect for a full sixty years! The anger made Yun Yun Zhiqiu unable to refrain from cursing aloud.

"You need not blame yourself too heavily."

The Yun Family Patriarch's expression remained calm: "Sixty years ago, Skeleton Mountain was a layout devised by a demonic fiend to obscure heavenly secrets; ultimately, it was my failure to calculate this in advance."

"Had it not been so, I would never have allowed you and Yun Miaozhen to go to Skeleton Mountain."

"In short, Yun Miaozhen is dead; our Yun Family must now seek another path... Therefore, not long ago, I already accepted the task entrusted by the Sect Master."

"What!?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Yun Zhiqiu was greatly shocked: "Could the Sect Master's task be to borrow your reincarnated body to intercept and kill the Mo Sect's Foundation Establishment seed?"

Such matters were not uncommon on the battlefield between the righteous and demonic factions.

Hearing this, the Yun Family Patriarch nodded: "If we can slay the Mo Sect's Foundation Establishment seed, there will surely be merit, which can also serve as resources for my future cultivation."

"But Patriarch, you have already reincarnated once..."

For a Foundation Establishment True Person, the first reincarnation inevitably produces a heaven-chosen child unparalleled among ten thousand, possessing karmic fortune no one can shake, and holding the greatest hope of regaining the Foundation Establishment position.

However, a second reincarnation is entirely different.

Especially over these past three hundred years, the Yun Family Patriarch's cultivation base has not improved significantly, remaining at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, which adds many variables to this reincarnation.

"In life, one must always take a gamble."

The Yun Family Patriarch smiled faintly: "Recently, the Sect Master calculated the karmic ties and discovered that the Mo Sect's 'Dharma Refining Secret Realm' has generated a variable, perhaps offering an opportunity."

"The Mo Sect's 'Dharma Refining Secret Realm' traps hundreds of millions of souls, preventing them from entering reincarnation; the Sect Master has long been dissatisfied with this. This time, he will not only assist my reincarnation by having me born within it but will personally obscure my heavenly secrets to ensure no one can detect me, allowing me to awaken my memories immediately upon birth, free from the mystery of the womb."

"Thus, I will be able to seize the opportunity to break open the Secret Realm and allow those living souls to return to reincarnation."

Speaking thus, the Yun Family Patriarch revealed a look of anticipation: "If this endeavor succeeds, it will surely constitute a great merit, which can also aid my return to Foundation Establishment."

"Could such a thing be true? This is truly a blessing for our Yun Family!"

After listening, Yun Yun Zhiqiu's face finally showed excitement; the most dangerous aspect of a Foundation Establishment reincarnation lies in the first few years, while still trapped in the mystery of the womb.

Yet with the Sect Master's assistance, their Patriarch would break through the mystery of the womb immediately upon reincarnation!

Silently, this greatly increased the Patriarch's chances of returning to Foundation Establishment; once the Patriarch succeeded, the Yun Family could continue its three hundred years of glory!

Afterwards, the Yun Family Patriarch gave detailed instructions, including how to fabricate the illusion that he was still alive after his reincarnation to buy time for his return, continuing until the flame in the nearby lamp grew increasingly dim, nearly extinguished, at which point the Yun Family Patriarch reluctantly waved his hand:

"Everything is ready; you may go."

Yun Yun Zhiqiu immediately bowed again, saying respectfully: "I wish the Patriarch a successful reincarnation and return!"

"..."

Yun Yun Zhiqiu waited a moment but heard no response from the Yun Family Patriarch; upon raising his head again, the lamp had gone out, and the Yun Family Patriarch had long since lost all breath.

It was the depth of winter, and the world was covered in white.

The great turmoil that had shaken the world decades earlier had been suppressed due to the emergence of the Heavenly Book, one volume of which was held by the Haoran Academy, an institution revering imperial authority.

Afterwards, the foolish Emperor of Great Zhou died violently, and a new monarch ascended the throne.

Ironically, because so many people died during the great turmoil, the pressure of overpopulation vanished once the chaotic era was pacified, resulting instead in an age of peace.

Thus, the new monarch came to be known as the ruler who restored Great Zhou to prosperity.

This could be seen in Tianjing City, the capital of Great Zhou, where nothing lost on the road was picked up by strangers, doors were not closed at night, and even after dark, the city remained filled with song and dance, flourishing and peaceful.

And in the northeast corner of Tianjing City, deep within a certain estate.

Before the delivery room, a dignified and solemn man paced anxiously back and forth until a loud, piercing cry suddenly erupted from within the room.

"Master! It's born! It's born!"

The next second, the delivery room door opened, and a maid hurried out, announcing loudly: "Congratulations, Master! Congratulations, Master! The Lady has given birth to a boy!"

At these words, the man immediately threw back his head and laughed heartily: "Heaven has not cut off my Wei Family; finally, a male heir has appeared! Excellent! Today, everyone shall be rewarded!"

The man was named Wei Tieyi; rising from humble beginnings twenty years ago, he distinguished himself brilliantly during Great Zhou's rebellion-suppression wars, achieving remarkable military feats and receiving the title "Marquis Who Stabilizes the North," gaining considerable fame throughout Tianjing City as one of the martial nobles; now that the Wei Family had added a male heir, a grand celebration was naturally required.

Yet at the same time, inside the delivery room.

Although the newborn infant was still crying loudly, no one could perceive that a vast soul now dwelled within this frail body.

"Success."

The Yun Family Patriarch had successfully reincarnated; his original self-awareness awakened instantly, yet he did not control the body's instincts, instead sitting within his sea of consciousness and beginning to calculate silently.

"Great Zhou, the Heavenly Book... heh, so that's how it is; it is the Sage Thief."

In an instant, the Yun Family Patriarch had penetrated part of the truth; after all, as a Foundation Establishment True Person of the Jiange, he was by no means unfamiliar with the various techniques of the Holy Sect.

The Sage Thief was moreover a masterpiece among them; naturally, he would not fail to recognize it.

This was the advantage of a Foundation Establishment reincarnation.

Even though his cultivation base no longer existed after reincarnation, his powerful soul allowed him to easily calculate karmic ties and manipulate fortune, constituting a dimensional strike against Qi Refining cultivators.

However, soon the Yun Family Patriarch frowned.

For when he calculated who exactly was cultivating the Sage Thief, he found only emptiness, as if the web of karma had been severed upon that person.

"Interesting; a secret treasure that obscures heavenly secrets?"

The next second, the Yun Family Patriarch's frown relaxed; he had long known that divination arts would be extremely important after this reincarnation, and thus he had placed great emphasis on them.

Therefore, he had also brought along a heavenly secret treasure.

"With the 'Sky-Exploring Instrument' bestowed by the Sect Master, no heavenly secret treasure will be of any use."

With a thought, the Yun Family Patriarch manifested a spherical magic treasure in his palm; using it to divine, he instantly pierced through the obscured karma.

The next second, the Yun Family Patriarch froze.

But very soon, he could not help but throw back his head and laugh: "Every cause must have its effect, every cause must have its effect; so that is it! Karma truly brings retribution without fail!"

"Lu Yang...!"

Reciting the name of the one who had slain Yun Yun Miaozhen, in whom he had once placed such high hopes, yet who had remained carefree for sixty years, the Yun Family Patriarch's murderous intent surged dramatically.

Especially after operating the 'Sky-Exploring Instrument' and penetrating Lu Yang's various intelligence.

"Yin Soul Metamorphosis Corpse Liberation True Art, Sage Thief, Third Grade True Qi, Heaven-Stealing Secret Art... if all are achieved, this child has a forty percent chance of breaking through to Foundation Establishment!"

Thinking of this, a cold light suddenly flashed in the Yun Family Patriarch's eyes.

This child must absolutely not be left alive!

(End of Chapter)