"The internal conflicts within the Demon Race are even more severe than those among humans. The Cat Demon Beast and Mouse Demon Beast are natural enemies, as are the Tiger Demon and Deer Demon; their struggles are fierce. Similar fierce struggles exist among other demon beasts as well. Those Demon Emperors, in order to alleviate internal conflicts among the demon beasts, create enemies even when there are none. Only by uniting against an external enemy can the internal disputes within the Demon Race be eased."
Father said, "The White Tiger Demon Emperor launched the beast tide for three reasons: first, to consume the excess low-level demon beasts; second, to deplete the potential of the Human Race during the war; and third, to train the younger generation of the Demon Race through warfare."
Lu Xuanji asked, "Is the patriarch's injury severe?"
"Very severe!" Father said worriedly, "The patriarch is already quite old, three hundred and fifty years, and now he's severely injured, his lifespan is decreasing. The clan elders are planning to buy a healing elixir for the clan leader!"
Purple Mansion cultivators have a theoretical lifespan of four hundred and eighty years.
However, because cultivators take elixirs, they leave elixir poison in their bodies, which affects their lifespan; battling with cultivators drains primordial qi and also reduces lifespan; when operating cultivation techniques, if something goes wrong, it can damage meridians and further reduce lifespan. Due to various issues.
Many Purple Mansion cultivators do not live to their theoretical lifespan, most pass away at four hundred or so years.
Lu Fuming's lifespan is three hundred and fifty years, equivalent to a seventy-year-old mortal, and is already at the stage where his lifespan is nearly exhausted.
In this great battle, the patriarch was injured, and now he doesn't have much lifespan left.
If the patriarch passes, and the clan has no Purple Mansion cultivator to hold the fort, the situation would become dire when the tigers and wolves attack.
...
Not long after, three Foundation Establishment cultivators left Purple Sun Mountain to purchase Third Grade Treasure Pills and Guiyuan Pills at the marketplace.
The Guiyuan Treasure Pill is the supreme healing elixir, even greatly beneficial to Purple Mansion cultivators.
The three elders left.
They hurried on their way, and after a month of travel, they arrived at Cyan Lotus Square.
In the past, a Fourth-Level Flood Dragon with the Cyan Dragon bloodline was based here, which was later slain by a Golden Core loose cultivator. Spiritual veins were then established, the marketplace was opened, spiritual fields created, etc.
After a hundred years of development, it is quite prosperous and commercially developed here.
Here, dragons and snakes intermingle, there are loose cultivators, rogue cultivators, some demon cultivators, and other shady figures, gradually settling here. Some plant spiritual fields, others hunt demon beasts, find spirit medicines, refine elixirs, etc., living and working here in peace.
Upon entering the marketplace, the three elders settled into an inn.
"In about ten days, a trade conference will be held. The Guiyuan Treasure Pill will appear at the trade conference, and we must be cautious,"
said the Third Elder, Lu Changping.
"We understand!"
The Fifth Elder, Lu Chang'an, said, "Hopefully this trip will go smoothly!"
Sixth Elder Lu Wanli didn't speak, but his mood was particularly heavy.
To purchase the treasure pill, the clan used twenty thousand spirit stones, rushing here, avoiding all eyes, yet there was still some danger.
All they could hope for was a smooth trip.
...
As night swiftly approached, figures clad in black appeared one by one, gathering in a courtyard.
These black-clad figures emitted a faint yet powerful aura, the weakest being at the Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation level, with many emitting the aura of Foundation Establishment.
Among them was one black-clad figure who was the most formidable, standing there like an abyss, exuding a cold aura.
"Is everyone here?"
The black-clad figure spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse.
A middle-aged man stepped forward to count, and moments later he said, "Second Brother, six people are still missing, they might have encountered an accident!"
"No need to wait for them!"
The black-clad figure said flatly, without a hint of emotion.
In the Cultivation Realm, people die every day. Those six not showing up might already have met their end on the way.
The black-clad figure said, "During the beast tide, the Lu Family's patriarch, Lu Fuming, was severely injured and urgently needs a Guiyuan Pill for healing. The Lu Family sent three elders to Cyan Lotus Square to purchase the treasure pill. This is our opportunity; we can ambush the three Lu Family elders on their way. Without the treasure pill, that old one in the Lu Family is as good as dead."
"In the past, when we targeted the Lu Family's Xihe Spiritual Ore, we ended up walking into an ambush set by the Lu Family and suffered heavy losses!" said a certain black-clad female cultivator resentfully, "During that battle, my Dao companion was slain by a Lu Family cultivator."
"My son continued his deadly feud with the Lu Family and died at their hands!"
A black-clad elder said.
"My daughter was captured by the Lu Family and was tortured to death!"
Another black-clad cultivator spoke.
Cultivators continued to speak up, recounting the Lu Family's crimes.
In Qingshui Commandery, to seize control of ore veins, spiritual fields, and other resources, the Lu Family waged continuous wars with some loose cultivators and other cultivation clans, killing countless and wiping out numerous clans in the process.
By stepping over the corpses of numerous failures, they amassed capital, establishing the Lu Family's dominion in Qingshui Commandery.
In this process, they made enemies with various cultivators for various reasons, fostering hatred.
Some black-clad figures remained silent, saying nothing.
These cultivators bore no grudge against the Lu Family, but upon hearing that the Lu Family patriarch was gravely injured and in critical condition, with the Lu Family's situation unstable, they reacted like hyenas, smelling blood and wanting to tear off a piece of Lu Family's flesh.
Cultivators need resources to advance.
With enough resources, even those with the Five Spirit Roots can establish their foundation.
But in Qingshui Commandery, most resources are occupied by the Dan Yang Sect, with lesser portions held by some great cultivation clans, leaving only scraps for loose cultivators.
To gain resources, one must resort to plunder and fight fiercely, seizing various elixirs and spiritual grasses to speed up cultivation.
Without robbing, one can only hunt demon beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains to obtain resources.
But demon beasts are never easy to hunt; weaker ones come in hordes, while stronger ones roam alone, and neither are easy to deal with.
In comparison, robbing some cultivators, or some cultivation clans, offers quick returns with less danger.
"Will there be a trap? What if we are ambushed on the way?"
A certain black-clad rogue cultivator spoke.
"No, the Lu Family patriarch being gravely injured is true; many saw it with their own eyes at Tieling Pass, and now they are trying to save his life in Purple Sun Mountain. The Lu Family's three elders left quietly this time, reaching Cyan Lotus Square to buy elixirs, hiding their identities... I learned some inside information by chance!"
A middle-aged cultivator said.
"I would regret it if we don't act against the Lu Family this time. Anyone unwilling to act can leave. Just swear a blood oath not to disclose the information!"
Moments later, some cultivators stepped forward and swore a blood oath not to disclose this gathering under any pretense.
Some cultivators left.
Finally, only six cultivators remained, planning to ambush the Lu Family cultivators and seize their wealth.
Over thirty thousand spirit stones would be enough to cover their expenses for decades.