Chapter 611: High-Grade Talismans, Shengya Mountain’s Revenge on the Wei Clan

As the words fell, Feng Yuxiang’s expression stiffened slightly.

Stripped of the halo of being Feng Han’s daughter, she indeed wasn’t enough to catch Wei Tu’s eye. Yet, outside, she was still a dignified Golden Core True Lord, someone others treated with respect and admiration.

To be rejected so casually by Wei Tu naturally left her feeling embarrassed.

But neither she nor her father, Feng Han, felt surprised at the result.

Alliances built on marriage were solid, but not every cultivator would willingly accept such terms.

"This little girl is not blessed with such fortune. Elder Wei, no need to be polite." Feng Han’s face remained calm as he waved Feng Yuxiang back and laughed heartily.

With that, the two didn’t fall into awkward silence.

After a short pause to think, Feng Han drew another black jade slip from his sleeve and offered it to Wei Tu.

"This thing is?"

Wei Tu was startled but didn’t immediately take it. Instead, he gestured for Feng Han to explain first.

It wasn’t hard to guess this was Feng Han’s alternative gift, given after the failed marriage attempt.

If it turned out to be lacking, Wei Tu wouldn’t be satisfied.

Since he had “betrayed” to Feng Han’s side, the pressure he bore was enormous. He couldn’t afford to sell himself cheap.

"As the saying goes, know what the other desires. I, Feng, know that Elder Wei once had skill in talisman making and pill refinement when with the Lüqiu clan."

"As for pill refinement, I know little. But years ago, I took something from an old enemy—a method to craft a high-grade talisman… Today, I’ll offer it to Elder Wei as a gift."

Feng Han smiled faintly as he spoke.

"A high-grade talisman method?"

Wei Tu’s heart stirred.

The higher the level, the rarer the arts. If Feng Han, a high-ranking elder of the Jishan Sect, called it a high-grade talisman, it was definitely extraordinary.

Its value should be enough to count as a proper gift.

"Golden Cauldron Talisman?"

Wei Tu finally accepted the black jade slip. A sweep of his divine sense made his lips curve with real joy.

This joy wasn’t feigned—it was genuine surprise.

The Golden Cauldron Talisman came in three levels, each grade different.

The first-level Golden Cauldron Talisman was a fourth-tier high-grade talisman, equal to a late Nascent Soul cultivator’s full-strength strike.

The second-level Golden Cauldron Talisman was a quasi-fifth-tier talisman, comparable to a quasi-Divine Transformation cultivator’s blow.

And the third-level Golden Cauldron Talisman…

That one belonged to the fifth tier itself, equal to a Divine Transformation cultivator’s strike.

However, to draw these three talismans would require at least fifth-tier spirit ink and talisman paper.

So, for now, they were a bit out of reach for Wei Tu, almost like useless ornaments.

Even so, the first two levels were already priceless.

Especially for him.

Unlike ordinary talisman masters, Wei Tu had the Golden Purple Destiny. His success rate at crafting talismans was extremely high.

For him, this method wasn’t going to sit idle as decoration. It would become a true trump card at the Nascent Soul stage—and a powerful money-making tool.

"Pity it’s only the method without any fourth-tier high-grade talisman paper or spirit ink…"

After pocketing the Golden Cauldron method, Wei Tu still wasn’t satisfied. He sighed and pressed for more.

The method was precious to him, but as Feng Han’s gift to draw him in, it felt a bit light.

Knowledge-based wealth could be copied. What Feng Han had offered was just one jade slip—no real material resources.

Hearing this, Feng Han cursed him inwardly for being greedy and shameless. Yet, at the same time, he found Wei Tu’s loyalty a little more convincing.

If Wei Tu wasn’t greedy, how could he have defected and risked his neck for this alliance?

"Rest assured! I, Feng, have already prepared 10 sets of fourth-tier high-grade talisman paper and spirit ink. Once Elder Wei accepts this jade slip, I’ll have them delivered to your residence immediately."

Feng Han chuckled, his face full of smiles.

"10 sets?" Wei Tu was overjoyed at that, quickly congratulating Feng Han and promising that if Hall Master Luo made any move, he’d inform the Merit Hall at once.

With interests settled, the two no longer talked of business but switched to personal matters, drinking together like lifelong friends until dawn.

The next day.

Wei Tu was escorted out of the Merit Hall by Feng Han and his daughter.

Once outside, the wine haze vanished from his face, replaced by calm clarity.

"Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Sect Master Zhu and Hall Master Luo to put on their act and invite Feng Han into the trap."

He narrowed his eyes, silently thinking.

Now that the “referee” of the internal struggle, Sect Master Zhu, had already sided with Hall Master Luo, Feng Han’s downfall was only a matter of time.

"Just wonder how many Golden Cauldron Talismans I can draw before then." Wei Tu touched the storage pouch at his waist.

Before battle began, he planned to craft as many Golden Cauldron Talismans as possible, adding to his conventional arsenal.

Right now, he could rival peak Nascent Soul cultivators, but only if he relied on his body cultivation and his hidden trump card, the Mysterious Spirit Golden Chain.

The former, even if revealed, was fine. Rarely would allies feel hostility just because a teammate was too gifted.

But the latter was different.

The grade of the Mysterious Spirit Golden Chain was so high that even a Venerable like Han Yue would covet it at first sight.

So he had to strengthen his conventional means during this time.

Among his divine abilities, the Little Big Dipper Star Divine Technique only had its upper half, so he had first considered advancing the Filthy Blood Demon Coffin technique, the Feng family’s secret art passed down through Madam Jin.

Though powerful, it still fell short compared to the Golden Cauldron Talisman.

After all, talismans could be mastered quickly.

With his mastery of talisman arts, just a few years would be enough to fully grasp the first-level Golden Cauldron Talisman and draw it successfully.

On the other side, in the Great Cang cultivation world.

As the last bolt of tribulation lightning tore across the black sky, the cultivators of Shengya Mountain, even though they stood tens of miles away, broke into looks of sheer delight.

"He did it! Uncle-Master Ding succeeded!"

"After 4,000 years, Shengya Mountain has finally produced another Divine Transformation Venerable!"

The crowd of cultivators whispered excitedly, faces filled with joy.

It had been a very long time since the Great Cang world had seen a new Divine Transformation Venerable. Now Shengya Mountain stood alone in possessing one.

With this new peak-level power, their authority in the cultivation world would undoubtedly rise. Along with it, the resources divided among the sect’s Nascent Soul high-levels would also multiply.

It was a blessing for their generation.

Yet among these Nascent Soul cultivators stood a handsome white-robed man who looked out of place, his face carrying loneliness instead of joy.

This man was Situ Yang.

A hundred years ago, at Earth Sword Mountain, he had battled Wei Tu. His "Heavenly Wheels of All Realms" was crippled by Wei Tu, damaging his spiritual body’s origin. From Shengya Mountain’s top genius, he had fallen to just an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator.

But that wasn’t the only reason for his sorrow.

More importantly, his master, Sect Master Lian Shourang, had perished thirty years ago within the secret realm of Zunwang Palace.

At that time, his master had entered alongside his grandmaster, Ding Lezheng.

Now one had succeeded in breaking through to Divine Transformation, while the other lay dead in the Yellow Springs. As the direct disciple, how could he not feel it deeply? How could he not mourn his master’s passing?

"Rest easy. Your master’s death will be avenged. Your grandmaster will deal with that Daoist Fu—he won’t escape."

A faint, ethereal voice suddenly brushed past Situ Yang’s ear.

Hearing this, Situ Yang was overjoyed. He quickly bowed low and said, "Many thanks, Grandmaster."

From what he knew, based on Grandmaster Ding Lezheng’s soul-search of Venerable Master Jiuli, his own life-and-death enemy Wei Tu was very likely the disciple of Ancestor Chilong, and the junior brother of the Daoist Fu.

Now that Ding Lezheng was hunting the Daoist Fu to avenge Lian Shourang, how could he possibly let go of the clue named Wei Tu?

Before his duel with Wei Tu, he had harbored no real killing intent. He even promised Zhao Yu’e that if Wei Tu surrendered, he would spare his life.

But after Wei Tu crippled his foundation…

Even with a broad heart, forgiveness was no longer possible.

"Come with me."

From high in the clouds, Ding Lezheng saw Situ Yang’s look and felt gratified. After all, only with "kind masters and filial disciples" could Shengya Mountain pass on its legacy forever.

That was the root beyond sheer strength.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Ding Lezheng brought Situ Yang onto his escape light. Without delay, he used his escape art, heading straight for the Ying Ding Tribe.

As for the so-called gentleman’s agreement before? Ding Lezheng didn’t care in the slightest. It had only been a temporary promise to buy time and prevent retaliation from the Daoist Fu.

Now that he had stepped into Divine Transformation, there was no one in the Great Cang world who could stop him.

That promise was no better than a scrap of paper.

In less than half an hour, Ding Lezheng arrived at the Ying Ding Tribe of the Kang Kingdom. He spread his divine sense, searching for Wei Tu’s whereabouts.

But as he probed, he froze.

Inside the Divine Master’s Mansion, where a "closed-door cultivation" sign hung, there wasn’t a trace of Wei Tu. Even among his children, one was missing.

"Did he leave suddenly, or is there another reason?"

Ding Lezheng frowned. With a wave of his right hand, he dragged several Wei clan cultivators up from the mansion into the clouds.

Without bothering to question them, he directly cast his divine sense and began soul-searching.

Unfortunately, the memories of these cultivators held almost nothing about Wei Tu or Wei Yanyan. He found nothing useful.

"Wei Xiuwen…"

Ding Lezheng’s face darkened. He no longer cared about startling the snake. With a flicker of movement, he appeared before Wei Xiuwen, who was in seclusion inside the mansion, and started soul-searching him as well.

This time, he gained more information. He learned of Wei Tu’s sudden decision, twenty years ago, to relocate the entire clan.

But no matter how deep he searched, he couldn’t find the exact destination in Wei Xiuwen’s memories.

"That part of memory was cut away by Wei Tu. No wonder he’s called a demon cultivator."

After a moment, Ding Lezheng flung the man he had been gripping aside, his expression cold.

He hadn’t expected Wei Tu to be this ruthless—fleeing with his closest kin just after the Zunwang Palace secret realm closed, leaving his own son and grandson behind as decoys to lull Shengya Mountain into complacency.

This only deepened Ding Lezheng’s suspicion that Wei Tu was the Daoist Fu himself.

Otherwise, why would he react so quickly?

After a pause, Ding Lezheng’s gaze turned icy. Looking at the Wei clan cultivators he had seized earlier, he pressed his fingers together and pointed.

In an instant, their bodies collapsed into pools of flesh, from which slowly condensed globes of bright red blood essence.

"Find him for me!"

Ding Lezheng pinched a hand seal, striking it into the blood essence.

The next moment, the blood essence transformed into a crimson arrow, spiraling rapidly through the air in search.

"What? Even the Blood-Guide Secret Art doesn’t work?"

At that, Situ Yang’s face twisted in shock.

At this moment, though Grandmaster Ding Lezheng hadn’t explained his frustration, with Situ Yang’s Nascent Soul insight, he could guess most of it.

It was nothing more than Wei Tu escaping, his whereabouts unknown.

But what shocked him was that even with Grandmaster Ding Lezheng’s status as a Divine Transformation Venerable, even using the Blood-Guide Secret Art, he still couldn’t find a trace of Wei Tu.

The range of a Divine Transformation Venerable’s Blood-Guide Secret Art could stretch across several kingdoms, even cover the whole of the Great Cang cultivation world.

'Could it be that Wei Tu fled to another cultivation world?'

The thought rose in Situ Yang’s mind.

But with Ding Lezheng in such anger, he dared not utter a word.

Time passed slowly.

A quarter of an hour.

Half an hour…

The blood-red arrow condensed by Ding Lezheng still circled above the Ying Ding Tribe, never flying out.

"To Mirror Water Pavilion!"

Not long after, Ding Lezheng abandoned the attempt to trace Wei Tu with the Blood-Guide Secret Art. His cold eyes flickered as he tossed down this order to Situ Yang, then shot away in a streak of light toward Yupan Mountain, where Mirror Water Pavilion stood.

"Kou Hongying is gone too?"

"Cao Mi has vanished as well?"

"Even some core disciples of Mirror Water Pavilion and Moon Condensation Palace suddenly disappeared?"

Half a day later, Ding Lezheng paused. Sorting through the intelligence in his mind, he had to accept one fact.

Wei Tu and those cultivators close to him, like Kou Hongying, had all slipped away while he was in seclusion.

Even if he searched mountain and sea now, finding them would be nearly impossible.

"Where could he have fled?"

Ding Lezheng frowned, looking north toward the Demonic Extreme Sea.

Beyond its northern edge lay an otherworldly domain known as the Great Yan cultivation world.

This realm bordered the Great Cang cultivation world and was the easiest foreign land for Great Cang cultivators to reach.

With only Nascent Soul cultivation, one could already attempt to venture there.

Even Shengya Mountain’s earlier Divine Transformation ancestors had traveled there and left records.

Now it seemed only by fleeing to Great Yan could Wei Tu and the others escape his Blood-Guide Secret Art.

"If Shengya Mountain has records of the Great Yan cultivation world… then surely Myriad Yin Sect and the Golden Ghost King might have records as well…"

Ding Lezheng thought quietly.

As for the overseas cultivation realms on the far side of the Red Algae Sea, he gave them little thought. Shengya Mountain, as a coastal sect, knew far more about those distant realms than Wei Tu or other so-called demonic cultivators ever could.

If Shengya Mountain had never managed to cross the seas, how could Wei Tu?

"Grandmaster will make a trip to the Great Yan cultivation world. You stay here in Kang Kingdom and watch over Wei Tu’s kin."

After a pause, Ding Lezheng decided.

To cut weeds, one must pull the roots.

Though the Great Cang cultivation world was far from Great Yan, with his Divine Transformation speed, he could reach it in 3 to 5 years.

To eliminate this hidden danger, what was a mere 10 years?

Not to mention 10 years—even 100 years, he could afford to waste.

Besides, the fortune Wei Tu gained in Zunwang Palace’s Demon-Suppressing Hall was worth Ding Lezheng’s effort as a Divine Transformation Venerable.

And Great Yan was far more prosperous than Great Cang. For the sake of finding a path to leave the mortal realm and ascend to the upper realms, he had to go anyway.

With that said, Ding Lezheng didn’t wait for Situ Yang’s reply. His escape light flared, and he vanished from sight.

Several days after Ding Lezheng’s departure, Wei Xiuwen slowly regained consciousness.

He looked around at the prison cell he was in and saw, in the next cell, his only son Wei Changshou lying unconscious. At once, he understood everything.

This was Shengya Mountain’s revenge.

Yet his face showed no panic, only calm.

Long ago, when his father Wei Tu told him to leave, he had already prepared himself for imprisonment or even death.

Now, he and his son were merely locked away, with no immediate threat to their lives. That was enough to make him grateful.

"Changshou, don’t worry. Your grandfather will definitely come back, to save the both of us. And even if he can’t save us, with his nature, he will surely avenge us."

Wei Xiuwen looked at the unconscious Wei Changshou, his expression softening with fatherly love as he spoke quietly.

From the day he had risen from a mere mortal to a Golden Core True Lord of the present age, his faith in his father Wei Tu had grown into near worship.

He believed every word Wei Tu ever said.

Even… standing against a Divine Transformation Venerable.

"Back then, you, I, and your grandfather smuggled ourselves from Zheng Kingdom into Kang Kingdom… And now you’ve grown up, settling here in Kang Kingdom…"

Wei Xiuwen’s face showed a faint smile as he recalled the past.