Chapter 301: The Name of Demonic Heaven, A New Realm of the Martial Dao!

"Daoist Friend Xiao, has everything been cleared out?"

"To answer the Revered Lord, everything of value has been taken," Xiao Zhan respectfully reported, clasping his hands together.

"No, there is still one more thing."

Xiao Zhan looked puzzled and cast a questioning glance. "Revered Lord, what might that be?"

"The Spirit Veins."

"Leaving the Tier 3 and Tier 2 Spirit Veins here would be a sheer waste. They can be used to construct the future headquarters of the Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce."

"It was an oversight on my part. Your subordinate will extract the Spirit Veins immediately."

Extracting Spirit Veins was simply impossible without Golden Core level mana.

However, for Xiao Zhan, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, it posed no great challenge.

Instantly, the mountains and rivers roared!

Many buildings within the Yan Clan Territory collapsed from the tremors.

An invisible hand of spirit power plunged into the fissures, forcefully dragging an azure Spirit Vein out from the depths.

The Spirit Vein resembled a long serpent, radiating a gentle azure glow. Its luminous networks were clearly visible, and every pulse released incredibly pure spiritual qi.

Xiao Zhan immediately cast a sealing spell, shrinking it down to about a foot in length.

He then turned his attention to the other Spirit Veins.

An hour later.

A Tier 3 Low-Grade Spirit Vein, two Tier 2 Mid-Grade Spirit Veins, and one Tier 2 Low-Grade Spirit Vein were entirely extracted from the area.

Without their source of spiritual qi, the surrounding flora withered instantly, rocks crumbled to dust, and the mountain streams rapidly dried up.

Had he not been so rough with the extraction, the ecological damage might not have been so catastrophic.

But since every living creature here had been exterminated, Xiao Zhan naturally had no reason to hold back. More importantly, he could not keep Xu Chuan waiting.

Returning to Xu Chuan's side, Xiao Zhan offered the four shrunken Spirit Veins with both hands. "Revered Lord, the task is complete."

"Hold onto them for now," Xu Chuan instructed.

"Yes, sir."

"Since the people are gone, there is no need for this city to remain. Let everything return to dust!"

Xu Chuan immediately formed hand seals, his mana surging violently.

A massive Withered Silence Seal, spanning over a thousand feet in diameter, coalesced in the sky and plummeted downward.

Boom!

An aura of absolute decay swept through the area!

Wherever it passed, every building seemed to weather away instantly, decaying at a visible rate until it crumbled to dust!

Witnessing this, Xiao Zhan and the dozen other cultivators felt a profound wave of dread.

'What a terrifying divine ability!'

Xiao Zhan immediately clasped his hands and praised, "Congratulations to the Revered Lord for advancing your divine ability! You are truly not far from Divine Ability Perfection."

The others quickly chimed in with their own praises.

"Divine Ability Perfection is still quite a ways off," Xu Chuan remarked coolly. "Let us go. Onto the next clan."

"Understood."

Over the next seven days.

The remaining five aristocratic clans were annihilated using the same method, their very existence nearly wiped from the face of the earth.

Of course, they did not have a convenient inside man like Xiao Zhan.

Fortunately, those clans' protection grand arrays were merely at the Tier 3 Low-Grade level. Between the blood corpses, the Ghost King, Xiao Zhan, and Xu Chuan's Withered Glory Divine Ability...

...the barriers were breached in less than five minutes.

What followed was another merciless massacre.

Apart from the rogue alchemists and blacksmiths who were spared, everyone else was slaughtered without exception.

As for whether any clan members survived in the outside world, Xu Chuan did not care. Without the protection of their families, their lives would be incredibly difficult anyway.

Most of them would likely find inescapable death regardless.

The chances of one of them rising from the ashes for revenge were less than one in ten thousand.

As for seeking vengeance, they probably wouldn't even know who their enemy was.

In the past, the Greedy Wolf Sect wouldn't have bothered with the destruction of a few aristocratic clans. But at such a critical juncture, the sudden death of six or seven Golden Core experts, along with the complete eradication of their clans, was impossible to ignore.

The ruthlessness of the methods employed even left them shocked.

"Elder, aside from a few stray clan members who were outside and escaped the disaster, the entire clan territory has been flattened. Even their Spirit Veins were stolen."

A disciple respectfully reported to an elder of the Greedy Wolf Sect.

This elder was named Yun You. He possessed a cultivation at the middle stage of the ninth layer of the Golden Core Stage, making him the strongest Golden Core elder in the sect just beneath True Lord Heavenly Wolf.

Since True Lord Heavenly Wolf had departed for Heavenly Azure Prefecture, Yun You was in charge of managing the sect's affairs.

"Everything turned to decayed dust... What a bizarre divine ability!"

"What kind of technique from the Demonic Dao can achieve such a horrifying extent of decay?"

"Who exactly is this person?"

"Are they someone who held a grudge against those clans, a rogue outsider, or perhaps cultivators from Heavenly Azure Prefecture here to stir up trouble?"

After a moment of deep deliberation, Elder Yun You commanded, "Investigate the other destroyed locations. Let us hope we can find some clues."

"Yes, Elder."

Several late Foundation Establishment disciples accompanied him as they set off.

Meanwhile, Xu Chuan, Xiao Zhan, and a few dozen subordinates had rented a grotto-residence in Mountain and Sea City to serve as a temporary base.

Xu Chuan went into seclusion to cultivate. During this time, he fed the corpses of the fallen Golden Core experts to his blood corpses as refinement materials. Bolstered by the majestic energy of multiple Golden Cores...

...all five blood corpses successfully advanced to the late Tier 3 stage.

Xu Chuan helped them digest the sheer volume of energy until their new realms were completely stabilized.

The Blood Fiend Ghost King enjoyed similar benefits.

Consuming nearly eighty percent of the souls from the recent massacres allowed the Ghost King to reach the absolute peak of Tier 3. The remaining souls were refined into ghostly creatures and yin souls.

After a brutal process of mutual devouring...

...the Soul-Gathering Banner birthed three early Tier 3 yin soul generals and thirty-six peak Tier 2 yin soul soldiers.

Fortified by this army of ghostly creatures, the might of the Soul-Gathering Banner was now fully comparable to a High-Grade Magic Treasure.

Furthermore, when deployed in the Five Spirits Blood Corpse Formation, the blood corpses possessed enough power to contend with a Golden Core Perfection True Lord.

'In the future, I can have Deling forge matching magic treasure armors and battle sabers for them,' Xu Chuan thought.

If fully armed like that, any Golden Core cultivator—save for abnormal freaks like Tianluo—would tremble in fear at the mere sight of them.

The string of annihilations caused a massive uproar, but because the perpetrator could not be found, the investigation eventually fizzled out after a month.

Two months later.

Xiao Zhan took a wife in Mountain and Sea City, prompting many local aristocratic clans to attend and offer their congratulations.

After all, he was a famous rogue cultivator in Greedy Wolf Prefecture, with a reputation ranking him among the top three independent experts in the region.

"Brother Xiao, didn't you once declare that you had no interest in romance or starting a family? What brought about this sudden change of heart?"

"Times change," Xiao Zhan replied smoothly. "With the impending war against Heavenly Azure Prefecture a few years away, who knows if I'll survive? I figured it was time to leave behind a legacy in this world."

"Hahaha! Daoist Friend Xiao makes a fine point. Then I, Gao, wish the Xiao family a long line of descendants and a bright, prosperous future!"

"Thank you, Brother Gao!"

Over the next month, Xiao Zhan rapidly took eight more concubines. Two of them were Foundation Establishment female cultivators, while the rest were at the Qi Refining Stage.

All of them were exceptionally beautiful.

Simultaneously, the newly founded Xiao family began recruiting personnel on a massive scale.

The prestige of a late-stage Golden Core expert was a powerful magnet. In just one month, they recruited nearly two hundred subordinates.

These included both mortal servants and cultivators.

Xu Chuan, along with his captured alchemists and blacksmiths, blended in perfectly among the new recruits.

Since their numbers were still relatively small, staying in Mountain and Sea City for now posed no issues.

Once they truly began to expand, they would either need to relocate to a larger territory—or simply seize control of Mountain and Sea City itself.

The City Lord of Mountain and Sea City was only at the mid-stage Golden Core level. He didn't dare offend the Xiao family and even went out of his way to assist their development.

Half a month later.

The Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce made its official debut in Mountain and Sea City.

As the commercial arm of a late-stage Golden Core tycoon, possessing vast quantities of Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment resources raised zero suspicion.

The Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce expanded at a breakneck pace.

Unlike the Xu Family Trading Firm, it did not need to endure a long, grueling build-up phase.

After all, its backer was a late-stage Golden Core expert—a powerhouse widely recognized throughout Greedy Wolf Prefecture.

Throughout the entire prefecture, the only factions capable of suppressing his newly built organization were One Sect, One City, and Three Clans.

The One Sect was the Greedy Wolf Sect, the absolute rulers of the prefecture.

The One City was Ancient Nether City, a refuge for the remnants of the Ancient Nether Sect—the region's former overlords—making it the second-largest power.

The Three Clans were the peak aristocratic families: the Situ, Nie, and Chao clans.

While there were other aristocratic clans with late-stage Golden Core experts, their overall foundations were far weaker, boasting no more than two or three Golden Core cultivators at most.

The Yan family had been one such clan.

When the Blood-Robed Ancestor was still alive, the Yan family had easily ranked among the top ten forces in Greedy Wolf Prefecture.

However, the stronger a faction grew, the further their headquarters tended to be from the Greedy Wolf Sect. Thus, during the prior battle at the Greedy Wolf Sect, top-tier powers like Ancient Nether City, the Nie, and the Chao clans had failed to arrive in time.

By the time their reinforcements arrived, the battle was already over.

Demonic cultivators were notoriously arrogant and overbearing. Consequently, the Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce mirrored this aggressive style, completely shedding the cautious, low-profile approach the Xu family maintained back in Heavenly Azure Prefecture.

Once the Demonic Heaven Chamber of Commerce grew to its peak...

Xu Chuan planned to establish a teleportation array to link it directly with his main forces, reinforcing their mutual connection.

The Land of Imprisonment.

Immortal Martial Alliance, Guangling Commandery.

Commandery City, Jiang Residence.

At the archway entrance to the estate's rear courtyard...

An elderly woman with graying temples looked at the untouched food on a maidservant's tray. Worry etched her brow as she asked, "Has Young Master Wu still not eaten a single bite?"

"No, Madam," the maid replied softly.

"What is wrong with this child? Has he been possessed by a demon?!"

This woman was Mother Jiang, one half of the couple who had adopted Xu Jingwu.

Ever since Xu Jingwu embarked on the Martial Dao, he had guided the Jiang Clan down an entirely new path, earning them quite the reputation within the Commandery City.

After all, he was a Peak Grandmaster who wasn't even twenty years old!

Unfortunately, there was no known realm beyond Grandmaster, leading many to pity Jiang Wu's stalled potential.

Three years after adopting him, the couple miraculously conceived a child of their own. They firmly believed this blessing was brought to them by Jiang Wu's arrival.

Thus, even after having a biological son, they still doted on Jiang Wu the most.

"Big Brother! Big Brother!"

A teenage boy suddenly ran over from the distance. He looked about fifteen or sixteen, dressed in fine silk, with bright eyes and red lips. However, his left cheek was slightly bruised and swollen.

"Feng'er, what is this unseemly racket? Your brother is in seclusion. Do not disturb him!" Mother Jiang scolded.

Jiang Feng clutched his swollen cheek and whined, "Mother, someone hit me! I need Big Brother to help me teach them a lesson!"

"If you were hit, you definitely provoked them first," Mother Jiang sighed. "I have told you time and time again that the Commandery City is not like our old village.

"This place is teeming with powerful aristocratic clans and immortal master families. If you keep acting like this, you will bring a catastrophe upon our Jiang Clan sooner or later."

"Mother, do you not feel even a little bad for your own son?"

"I'll feel bad when you end up getting your big brother, your father, and me killed with your antics!"

Mother Jiang sternly commanded, "Go kneel in the ancestral hall for a day and a night! Don't come out until you've thoroughly reflected on your behavior!"

"You two, escort Young Master Feng to the hall. Guard the door and do not let him leave."

"Yes, Madam."

Jiang Feng was unceremoniously hauled away by the two guards.

Although he also practiced martial arts, his aptitude was completely ordinary. Even with abundant resources to support him, he had only just broken through to become a Second-Rate Martial Artist.

It was no exaggeration to say that Jiang Wu single-handedly supported the entire Jiang Residence.

The rear courtyard was a restricted area within the estate, serving exclusively as Jiang Wu's cultivation ground. Two Postnatal peak guards stood watch at all times. Other than the maid delivering meals and his parents, no one—not even Jiang Feng—was permitted to enter.

Inside, moonlight reflected off a clear pond, framed by rugged rockeries and a winding corridor over the water.

Jiang Wu sat cross-legged atop a massive gray boulder beside the pool.

He opened his eyes, entirely ignoring the commotion outside. Raising his index finger, a solitary, golden liquid droplet hovered above his fingertip.

Though it looked like water, it was actually Innate True Qi that had been compressed to the absolute limit until it took liquid form.

Just this tiny drop could erupt with a destructive force ten times greater than regular gaseous Innate True Qi.

Many Peak Grandmasters had attempted the path of compressing their Innate True Qi, but true qi was far more volatile and difficult to control than a cultivator's mana.

An ordinary Grandmaster would hit their absolute limit after painstakingly compressing just one or two drops.

Yet, in barely two years, Jiang Wu had completely converted all the Innate True Qi within his dantian into a liquid state, filling it to the brim.

He had originally assumed this achievement would allow him to step into a new realm of the Martial Dao.

"I oversimplified things," he muttered. "When immortal cultivators break through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, the most critical step—besides liquefying their mana—is the birth of divine sense.

"But their divine sense evolves from the rudimentary spiritual power developed in the Qi Refining Stage.

"We martial artists do not have that baseline spiritual power, nor do we have a traditional cultivation bottleneck in that regard. So, where could divine sense possibly come from?

"Immortal cultivators have a sea of consciousness; their spiritual power and divine sense originate from their souls.

"What about us martial artists?"

"Ancient Daoist classics note that the Niwan Palace is located in the upper dantian, right between the eyebrows, acting as the pivot of divine sense."

Jiang Wu touched his glabella. It was easy to say, but precisely locating the Niwan Palace was incredibly difficult.

As for forcefully opening it? Even harder!

A single misstep would result in instant death!

"A martial artist's Niwan Palace remains sealed, like an unhatched cosmic egg. By shattering the barrier, one can ignite divine sense—the master of the body, the convergence of all spiritual vigor."

"Immortal cultivators refine their souls and spirits, eventually condensing a Nascent Soul capable of roaming the void of heaven and earth."

"The Great Dao manifests in ten thousand ways, but they all lead to the same destination."

"The Martial Dao must inevitably undergo this step as well. We cannot simply rely on tempering the physical shell; the soul is an indispensable component for a martial artist, and the one that demands the most cultivation.

"Immortal cultivators focus on the ascension of the primordial spirit, seeking immortality through the Dao.

"Therefore, the Martial Dao should be the perfect fusion of flesh and spirit, achieving a power capable of shattering the void!"

Jiang Wu's eyes gleamed with unprecedented clarity and wisdom before he slowly closed them.

To open the Niwan Palace, one first needed to pinpoint its exact location, only then could they forcefully breach it using Innate True Qi.

Over the past three days...

...Jiang Wu had circulated his Innate True Qi through his body countless times. He had finally locked onto the elusive location of the Niwan Palace deep within his glabella.

It was a profound Divine Aperture, the very mansion where divinity and spirit were housed.

"Found you," he whispered.

A low growl escaped his throat, ringing out like clashing metal.

Within his dantian, the ultra-compressed liquid Innate True Qi boiled violently. Like a raging river, it surged up his spine, rushing past his heart meridian and throat before hurtling straight toward the Niwan Palace in his forehead!

Boom!

The first wave crashed against the barrier of the Niwan Palace. Jiang Wu's entire body convulsed. It felt as though a steel needle had been violently driven into his forehead, sending agonizing pain shooting straight into his brain.

He clamped his jaw tightly, veins bulging on his forehead. The healthy color drained from his face, leaving him as pale as rice paper.

Liquid true qi was incredibly tyrannical, yet the barrier guarding the Niwan Palace proved nigh impenetrable. The vicious rebound shook his meridians until they ached furiously, and a trickle of scarlet blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.

Jiang Wu snapped his eyes open, a rebellious, razor-sharp light flashing within.

Rather than backing down, he pushed all the true qi in his body, forging it into a liquid energy blade within his dantian, and viciously slashed at the Niwan Palace once more!

Pfft—

The energy blade shattered against the barrier. Jiang Wu violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, spraying it across the gray flagstones in front of him like blooming red plum blossoms.

His complexion grew even paler, utterly devoid of color. His internal vitality churned chaotically, making every breath agonizingly stiff.

Once, twice, three times...

The liquid true qi battered the barrier over and over like a relentless tide. Every collision brought skull-splitting agony and the sensation of his bones fracturing.

Jiang Wu's posture swayed unsteadily. His clothes clung tightly to his back, drenched in cold sweat.

The barrier of the Niwan Palace seemed almost elastic, rapidly recovering after every strike and returning a rebound force that grew stronger each time.

If not for his extraordinary physique, his meridians would have snapped long ago, likely killing him on the spot.

Even so, his meridians had sustained numerous micro-tears. Blood flowed freely down his chin, dripping into the cracks of the boulder beneath him, dyeing the gray stone a morbid crimson.

Half an hour flew by in a flash.

Jiang Wu slumped against the ground, his chest heaving violently. His breathing was as feeble as a candle flickering in the wind.

He looked as pale as snow, his lips cracked and dry. His glabella was swollen and angry red, with faint traces of purple energy lingering beneath the skin.

Blood continued to drip steadily from his mouth, pooling into a dark crimson puddle in front of him that starkly contrasted with the emerald waters of the pond.

He lifted a trembling hand to wipe the blood from his mouth, staining his palm scarlet. Yet, there was not a shred of retreat in his eyes—only an inferno blazing ever brighter.

"The Niwan Palace barrier is tough, but cracks have already formed... The path of the Martial Dao has always been paved with blood and climbed on ladders of bone!"

With that, he took a deep breath. Ignoring the excruciating tearing in his meridians, he mobilized the last remaining drops of liquid true qi in his dantian.

This time, he forcibly merged his immense physical Qi and Blood into the true qi. The resulting crimson-gold torrent unleashed a suicidal, earth-shattering charge against the Niwan Palace barrier!

Crack—

A nearly inaudible snap echoed deep within Jiang Wu's forehead!

The crimson-gold torrent infused with his physical vitality had finally smashed through the barrier of the Niwan Palace.

In that instant, Jiang Wu felt his mind tear wide open. The stabbing agony instantly vanished, replaced by an incredibly refreshing and cool sensation that rippled from his Niwan Palace outward, bathing every inch of his body.

Divine sense was spontaneously born, like a brilliant ray of dawn piercing through primeval chaos!

Subconsciously peering inward, Jiang Wu saw that while his Niwan Palace remained swirling with hazy, chaotic energy, a single thread of luminescent white light now hovered perfectly in the center, flickering gently like a candle flame.

That was his divine sense!

With a single thought, his divine sense cascaded outward like a tidal wave.

Not only did it perfectly map the liquid true qi bubbling in his dantian, but every microscopic tear in his meridians and every dense structural line on his bones were illuminated with absolute clarity.

It extended outward. He could instantly count the exact number of scales on the fish swimming in the pond and trace the intricate growth patterns of moss tucked deep within the rockeries.

"Just as I thought! My theory was correct!"

"By opening the Divine Aperture in the glabella and breaching the Niwan Palace, one can give birth to divine sense!"

"So this is what Spiritual Sense Probing feels like for immortal cultivators... It's truly miraculous!"

"The Divine Aperture opens, the Niwan Palace reveals itself—this is the true beginning of the Martial Dao. The start of the primal origin... I shall name this realm the Origin Martial Realm!"

Jiang Wu's heart swelled with uncontrollable ecstasy. Though fresh blood still stained his lips, boundless, radiant light exploded from his eyes.

For thousands of years, no practitioner of the Martial Dao had ever taken a single step beyond Grandmaster, let alone successfully opened the Niwan Palace purely through martial means.

What he had achieved today was a feat equivalent to opening the heavens and splitting the earth!

Rumble—!

Without warning, a deafening thunderclap ripped across the highest heavens.

The citizens of Guangling Commandery were startled and universally snapped their heads up toward the sky.

Thunder out of a clear blue sky.

"Could a profound cultivator be casting thunder magic high above the clouds?!"

This sparked widespread discussion in the streets, but ultimately, few people dwelled on it, quickly returning to their daily lives.

In the rear courtyard of the Jiang Residence.

Streaks of golden auroras seeped from the ley lines beneath the gray boulder where Jiang Wu sat. These rays transformed into ethereal golden lotuses that bloomed in a magnificent ring around him.

The overlapping phantom lotuses possessed petals that shimmered like glazed glass, exuding a soul-refreshing fragrance that mingled with the mist from the pond, briefly turning the courtyard into an immortal wonderland.

Suddenly, a strand of rich purple energy manifested out of thin air.

In a flash, it shot into Jiang Wu's body, seamlessly merging with the fledgling thread of divine sense resting within his Niwan Palace.

Instantly, his divine sense began to expand at a terrifying speed.

In the blink of an eye, it ballooned until it matched the robust divine sense of a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This was a supreme opportunity exclusive to the founder of a new path.

The worldly phenomena vanished just as quickly as they appeared. With no one around to witness them, Jiang Wu's ascension remained a complete secret.

No!

Far away in Greedy Wolf Prefecture, laying low within the Xiao family estate, Xu Chuan felt it.

The violent trembling of the Clan Genealogy within him jolted him awake from his cultivation.

He quickly zeroed in on the source of the anomaly.

[Xu Jingwu: Sixth Generation of the Xu Family]

[Age: 20]

[Talent: Innate Martial Bones, Heart of the Martial Ancestor, Martial Ancestor Fate Frame, Longevity Species, Embryonic Martial Dao Heavenly Eye]

[Bloodline: None]

[Realm: Origin Martial Realm]

[Note: Origin Martial Realm. This title was designated by the realm's pioneer, Xu Jingwu. It signifies 'the start of the primal origin, the true beginning of the Martial Dao.' Breakthrough requires locating and opening the glabella's Divine Aperture and breaching the Niwan Palace.

This grants the birth of divine sense and increases lifespan by two hundred years.]

"Hahaha! The Origin Martial Realm! What an excellent Origin Martial Realm! Wu'er has truly opened a brand-new horizon for the Martial Dao!" Xu Chuan laughed uproariously.

"Then it is time to set our plan in motion."

Back with Jiang Wu, the mysterious power flowing out from his newly opened Niwan Palace cascaded through his body. Not only did it completely heal all his internal injuries, but this gift from heaven and earth forcibly expanded his dantian to nine times the absolute limit of the Origin Martial Realm.

His meridians became incredibly resilient, and his bones turned as tough as refined steel.

A transparent film seemingly settled over his skin. Like a living, breathing membrane, it naturally resonated with ambient spiritual qi, passively absorbing it into his body.

'I originally thought refilling this vastly expanded dantian with liquid true qi would take a painfully long time,' he realized. 'But with this martial membrane, my absorption rate of spiritual qi is exponentially faster.'

'Wait, Foundation Establishment immortal cultivators can walk on air and fly unassisted. I should be able to do that now too.'

With a single thought, Jiang Wu felt his body slowly levitate off the boulder.

Suddenly.

A barrage of disjointed, fragmented memories flashed fiercely through his mind. The shock caused his concentration to break, dropping him straight back to the ground.

'Those fragments... Who was that man? And all those people gathered around? Was that infant me? Why was there a massive snake?

'No, it looked more like a flood dragon.

'What did it do to me?!'

The fractured memories abruptly cut off right as the monstrous claw reached toward him.

'Could those people be my actual family?!'

'They looked like a massive, powerful clan. So why would they send me away?'

'Where exactly do I come from?'

His mind was a whirlpool of confusion.

After a while, he managed to calm himself. "Perhaps it is time I asked Father and Mother."

Covered in the foul-smelling impurities expelled from his body during the breakthrough, Jiang Wu quickly drew a bath. Once thoroughly cleaned, he finally walked out of the rear courtyard.

The guards stationed at the archway immediately clasped their hands in greeting. "Young Master Wu, you have finally emerged! The Madam and Master were worried sick."

"You've worked hard. There's no need to guard this place for now. Go rest and return to your shifts tomorrow."

"Thank you, Young Master."

Jiang Wu walked past them.

The two guards instantly sagged with relief. One of them whispered, "Young Master Wu's gaze just now was utterly terrifying. He felt ten times more intimidating than those immortal masters."

"I felt it too."

Having just broken through—and having skipped rudimentary spiritual power straight into potent divine sense—Jiang Wu hadn't yet learned how to perfectly conceal his aura. His mere gaze practically radiated a subconscious, overwhelming deterrence.

Not to mention, the blessing of heaven and earth had artificially boosted his divine sense to rival a late Foundation Establishment cultivator's.

"Mother."

Jiang Wu arrived at another courtyard and immediately spotted Mother Jiang relaxing in the shade of a pavilion.

Hearing his voice, she turned her head, her face lighting up with joy. "Wu'er, you finally came out of seclusion!"

"Are you feeling well? Are you hungry? Let me have the servants bring you a snack."

Jiang Wu stepped into the pavilion with a soft smile. "I'm not hungry, Mother."

He turned to the maids. "Leave the pavilion and wait outside."

"Yes, Young Master Wu."

The two maids respectfully withdrew.

"Wu'er, what are you doing?" she asked, slightly bewildered.

With a thought, Jiang Wu unfurled his divine sense to form an invisible soundproof barrier around the pavilion, ensuring absolute privacy.

He sat down and looked at Mother Jiang. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Mother... am I not your biological child?"

Mother Jiang was idly fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan. At his words, her hand froze in mid-air, a look of profound shock overtaking her features.

"Why... why would you ask that?"

"I made a breakthrough in my cultivation today. Afterward, fragments of memories flashed through my mind—unfamiliar scenes, strange faces, and myself as a toddler barely a year or two old."

Mother Jiang gazed at him deeply before letting out a soft, resigned sigh. "I knew that as you grew more powerful, you would eventually find out.

"Since you wish to know, I won't hide it from you anymore.

"It's true. You are not our biological child.

"One night, many years ago, someone left you on our doorstep. Your father and I had been childless for years, so we took you in and raised you as our own.

"The jade pendant with the character 'Wu' carved on it that you've worn since childhood must have been left by your true parents.

"We didn't know if that was supposed to be your surname or your given name.

"And so, we named you Jiang Wu."

"You truly have no idea who my biological parents are?"

She shook her head. "No idea. But judging by the exquisite fabric you were wrapped in, you must have come from a very prominent and wealthy family."

She paused, her voice trembling slightly. "Wu'er... do you plan to go searching for them?"

Jiang Wu shook his head firmly. "I don't know why they abandoned me, but since you and Father raised me, I am a child of the Jiang Clan.

"No matter what the future holds, that will never change."

Tears welled in Mother Jiang's eyes, and she nodded repeatedly. "Good child... You truly are our good child."

"Where is Father?"

"He's still at the shop. He's absolutely obsessed with running the business these days. It's all thanks to the wealth and status you've brought our family."

Wiping her eyes, she added, "By the way, Feng'er seems to have caused trouble again. I've ordered him to reflect on his faults behind closed doors for a few days. Go knock some sense into him.

"Your father and I are getting old; we just can't discipline him anymore.

"When the day comes that your father and I are no longer here, as his elder brother, please promise me you will keep him in check.

"And don't spoil him too much. We just want him to live a safe, peaceful life and ensure the Jiang Clan's lineage continues."

"I will remember, Mother."

Both Father Jiang and Mother Jiang were ordinary mortals. Although Jiang Wu had bought immense quantities of tonics and precious herbs to nourish their bodies over the years, mortal lifespans were inherently fragile. They were already approaching sixty.

Even free from illness and disaster, they probably had little more than a decade left.

"You and Father will definitely live past a hundred," he promised softly.

"Only the immortal masters live past a hundred," she chuckled gently. "But our lives are so much better now. Back in our old village, practically no one made it to fifty."

"Alright, enough morbid talk. Go check on Feng'er."

Jiang Wu nodded, respectfully bowed, and exited the pavilion.

Moments later, he arrived outside Jiang Feng's room.

Knock, knock.

"Get lost! I already told you I'm not eating! Just let me starve to death!"

"Who are you throwing a tantrum at?" Jiang Wu's cool voice pierced the door.

"Big Brother?!" Jiang Feng scrambled to the door, yanked it open, and practically threw himself into Jiang Wu's arms, wailing like a banshee.

"Brother, you finally came out! I missed you so much!"

Jiang Wu peeled him off and pointed at the food tray. "Eat your food first. We'll talk after you're done."

"I'll eat! I'll eat right now!"

Several minutes later.

After aggressively wolfing down the meal and letting out a satisfied burp, Jiang Feng grinned at his brother. "All done, Big Brother. Can you listen to me now?"

"Speak. But if this is about you playing the tyrant and harassing people on the streets, don't expect me to back you up."

"I always listen to you! I never start trouble! But this time, they came after me first!

"Recently, I fell for a girl in the city, but..."

Jiang Feng quickly explained the entire situation from beginning to end.

In short, the girl Jiang Feng fancied was also being pursued by a young master from a prominent clan. This young master hadn't even shown his face.

Instead, a lackey from an affiliated family had sent thugs to beat Jiang Feng up and deliver a stern warning to back off.

"Brother, don't you think I was deeply wronged?!" Jiang Feng fumed indignantly.

"What is the name of the one who ordered the beating, and which clan are they from?"

"I don't know."

Jiang Wu sighed. "Fine. Tomorrow, I will accompany you to this girl's residence. Whoever did this likely has people watching her. We'll drag the mastermind out into the light then."

"Thank you, Big Brother!"

Inside the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven.

Xu Chuan had summoned all the clan's core members into the pocket dimension.

"Father, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Auntie... You're all here?" Xu Deling asked in surprise.

"Father, you called all of us together at once. Is there a major announcement?" Xu Mingyuan inquired.

Xu Chuan swept his gaze across the room and smiled faintly. "Naturally. An incredibly major event."

"As of today, Jingwu has broken through and pioneered a brand-new martial realm. He calls it the Origin Martial Realm—the start of the primal origin, the true beginning of the Martial Dao."

"Father, is this true?!"

Xu Mingyuan exclaimed in utter shock.

Xu Mingwei and Xu Deling shared identical looks of absolute astonishment.

Xu Mingxuan and the younger siblings, however, looked bewildered. "Jingwu? Do we have someone by that name in the Jing generation?"

"Jingwu is Wenjing's eldest son," Xu Mingwei explained. "Because his existence has monumental implications, Father decided after deep deliberation to raise him externally. The memories of his existence were sealed from everyone in the clan except for Mingyuan and me."

"I see... No wonder I couldn't recall a single thing about him," Xu Mingxuan realized. "Big Brother, your lineage is truly incredible! Pioneering a new martial realm—this is a groundbreaking feat unprecedented in thousands of years!"

"Mingwei," Xu Chuan instructed, "it is time for you to go see him. Explain his origins and reveal our Xu Clan's overarching plan to him.

"Mingyuan, have your people quietly spread the news. Once the foundational martial arts techniques have been distributed to the masses, we can proceed with faking his death."

"Understood, Father," the two brothers replied in unison.

"Mingxuan, Mingshu, Mingqing—this matter is strictly forbidden from being leaked outside this room. Is that absolutely clear?"

"We understand, Father."

The following day.

At the Dongxi Xu Clan.

Xu Mingwei set out for Guangling Commandery.

Meanwhile, an hour later...

Brothers Jiang Wu and Jiang Feng marched toward the Liu Residence in the eastern district of the Commandery City.

Just as Jiang Wu had suspected, there were indeed people hiding in the shadows of the alleyways, secretly surveilling the area.

"Please announce us. The Jiang brothers have come to visit," Jiang Wu said to the guards at the door.

The guards at the entrance of the Liu Residence originally intended to mock them. However, meeting Jiang Wu's gaze sent an inexplicable wave of primal terror straight through their hearts. They frantically nodded, "Right away! We'll announce you immediately!"

Jiang Wu possessed quite a stellar reputation among the Martial Dao Clans of Guangling Commandery.

The Liu Clan was also a martial arts family, so their Clan Head naturally didn't dare slight him. He quickly had servants escort the brothers to the main hall.

"I've long heard the mighty name of virtuous nephew Jiang," the Liu Clan Head greeted with a warm smile. "Seeing you in person today, you are indeed a dragon among men—truly extraordinary."

"Obviously! My brother is a heaven-sent genius of the Martial Dao!" Jiang Feng had idolized his brother since childhood, so hearing someone praise him swelled his chest with pride.

"Hold your tongue," Jiang Wu reprimanded softly, then turned back to his host. "My younger brother speaks without a filter. I hope Clan Head Liu will not take offense."

"Haha! Young men should be full of vigor! If they were all gloomy and plotting, how could they even be called youths?" Clan Head Liu stroked his short beard, a faint gleam in his eyes. "May I ask what brings you two to our humble Liu Residence today?"

"My younger brother fell in love with Miss Liu Zhizhi at first sight," Jiang Wu stated plainly. "I am unaccomplished, but I have come to officially propose a match and see if our two families might share the fate to become in-laws."

"Big Brother!" Jiang Feng's jaw dropped in shock. He had no idea his brother came specifically to propose marriage on his behalf. He instantly grew red-faced and fidgety.

"Zhizhi?" Clan Head Liu's eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment of thought, he sighed. "Virtuous nephew Jiang, if you had come to propose for yourself, I would have strongly considered it.

"But as for your younger brother..."

"I am terribly sorry. My daughter Zhizhi possesses the aptitude to step onto the path of immortal cultivation. For the sake of her future, and for the prosperity of the Liu Clan, I plan to marry her into an immortal cultivation clan."

"I see," Jiang Wu said calmly. "In that case, might I be permitted to meet Miss Zhizhi?"

"Go summon the Young Lady," Clan Head Liu ordered a servant.

"Yes, Clan Head," the servant bowed and scurried away.

A few moments later...

The bronze wind chimes hanging from the eaves clinked softly in the breeze. Accompanied by the light rustle of silk robes, Liu Zhizhi gracefully walked through the grand doors of the main hall with measured steps.