Translator: Cinder Translations
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Upon seeing the Clear-faced Daoist appear, Song Wen realized that the life extension ritual was about to begin.
However, the appearance of the Clear-faced Daoist was unexpected for him; he hadn't received any information about her presence from the memories of Elder Su Xiuyong.
With an additional Golden Core cultivator aiding the Su family, he thought it unlikely that he could strike a decisive blow against them and hoped to overwhelm them.
A sense of disappointment welled up in Song Wen.
Two days passed swiftly.
During these two days, the valley remained quiet, with only one person entering on the previous day. No one else had come or gone.
Unaware of what was happening inside the valley, Song Wen grew increasingly anxious.
The delay in the Du family's appearance made him worry; could they have learned about the Clear-faced Daoist's presence? Did they realize they weren't a match for the combined forces of the Clear-faced Daoist and Su Qian and dare not attack the Su family?
In the valley, within a bamboo house.
The Clear-faced Daoist, who had been in seclusion to comprehend the 'Devouring Soul Formation,' had now emerged.
Learning that she had mastered the control method for the auxiliary array plate of the 'Devouring Soul Formation,' Su Qian instructed Su Wenshi who stood guard, outside the wooden house.
"Make the arrangements; at midnight tonight, we will activate the 'Devouring Soul Formation.'"
Su Wenshi quickly left the bamboo grove and arrived at a black stone building on the other side of the valley. This structure had only one large entrance and no other windows, resembling a prison from the mundane world.
Two Foundation Establishment cultivators stood guard at the entrance. Upon seeing Su Wenshi, they greeted him.
"Greetings, Great Elder."
Su Wenshi asked, "Everything has been normal with the scattered cultivators in confinement?"
"Reporting to the Great Elder, everything is fine. We give them Profound Qi Pills daily, and the prison is equipped with a Spirit Gathering Formation, providing ample spiritual energy. Their cultivation levels have not only remained stable but have also slightly increased."
Su Wenshi nodded. "Well done. Bring them all out and take them to the 'Devouring Soul Formation.'"
The two guards turned and walked into the prison.
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Meanwhile, at the summit of Qingping Mountain in the discussion hall.
Su Anqing, seated within the hall, also received the news.
"Notify everyone immediately."
"From now on, Qingping Mountain is closed; no one is allowed to enter or exit."
"Inform all clan members, whether in seclusion or refining pills, to stop everything and gather at the summit plaza within half an hour."
"Enhance the vigilance on Qingping Mountain. If any unusual movements are detected, report immediately."
As orders were issued one after another, the cultivators throughout Qingping Mountain began to mobilize.
Su Anqing walked to the entrance of the hall, watching the clan members moving back and forth in the air. The orders he had issued were being carried out methodically, and a look of excitement crossed his face.
The day he had been waiting for had finally come!
Once the ancestor successfully extends his life, all the suffering and humiliation the Su family had endured over these days could be repaid in full.
Du family! Just wait, the enmity between the Su and Du families will soon be settled.
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That night.
A thousand scattered cultivators at the late stage of Qi Refining, practicing the 'Longevity Technique,' were divided into ten groups. Each group was shackled with a long chain, resembling pigs tied together with a rope, dragged toward the center of the valley's 'Devouring Soul Formation.'
The oldest among them was no more than thirty years old, and each had been restrained, unable to use their internal spiritual power, offering no resistance whatsoever.
When the thousand scattered cultivators arrived, Su Qian and the Clear-faced Daoist were already waiting within the formation.
The scattered cultivators were brought into the western section of the formation, with the ends of the ten chains fastened to iron pillars that had been pre-reserved.
Su Qian exchanged glances with the Clear-faced Daoist and said, "Qingyan, prepare to activate the formation."
The Clear-faced Daoist nodded. "Let's begin."
Immediately, they each took out their respective array plates and cast their spells toward them.
Faint green light began to emanate from both array plates.
From the edge of the formation, Su Wenshi observed the scene, soaring into the air and hovering above the formation.
With a wave of his hand, eighty-one fist-sized transparent crystal stones appeared and fell into the grooves along the edges of the formation below.
These thirty-six transparent crystals were all top-grade spirit stones, worth a total of thirty-six thousand low-grade spirit stones.
As the top-grade spirit stones settled into the grooves of the formation, the patterns along the edges gradually glowed with faint light.
The glow spread toward the center of the formation, and in less than ten minutes, the entire formation was enveloped in green light.
The glow intensified, gradually shrouding the entire 'Devouring Soul Formation' in an eerie green light, giving it a terrifying appearance.
Under the illumination of the green light, Su Qian's face, lined with deep wrinkles, looked ghastly green, making it particularly chilling.
He wore a bloodthirsty smile, and the reflections of the green light in his eyes resembled vengeful spirits clawing their way out of hell.
Su Qian continuously cast spells into the main array plate. He was the primary controller of the 'Devouring Soul Formation,' while the Clear-faced Daoist served merely as an assistant. His spiritual sense and mana consumption increased rapidly, yet he appeared invigorated, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
Years of preparation had led to this moment.
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Outside the valley.
Hiding in a cave, Song Wen felt restless.
Although he couldn't detect the movements within the valley through his spiritual sense, he could clearly feel that tonight was different.
Even with the protective formation isolating the valley, he could sense that the fluctuations of spiritual energy within were much stronger than usual.
Something significant must be happening in the valley.
He looked up at the sky, hoping for the arrival of the Du family, yet they still had not appeared.
After waiting for half an hour, the fluctuations of spiritual energy in the valley intensified, reaching him from afar.
Even without knowing about the life extension ritual being conducted by Su Qian, he could guess that something big was occurring within the valley.
Suddenly.
In the distant sky, a dozen figures sped swiftly toward Qingping Mountain.
The guards surrounding the Su family first noticed the anomaly and crushed an emergency jade slip, sending a beam of white light soaring into the sky.
All the Su family members on Qingping Mountain were instantly drawn to the white light, their expressions solemn as an overwhelming sense of murderous intent permeated the entire mountain.
Some flew on swords, while others employed flying techniques. Under Su Anqing's leadership, over a hundred Su family members soared into the air, each at least at the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
All the Su family members began to activate their spells, preparing to strike a lethal blow as soon as the intruders approached.
To their surprise, the intruders halted a distance of eight hundred feet away.
One of them sent a flying sword out in front, which was dark red all over, transforming into a ghostly light and speeding toward the Su family.
Su Anqing's expression changed drastically.
Among the intruders, there was actually a Golden Core cultivator.
Only a Golden Core cultivator could extend their spiritual sense to cover an area of eight hundred feet.
It was the Du family!
(End of the Chapter)
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