Many cultivators were pillaging, taking away various valuable items, gazing at the not yet mature Jade Marrow Lingzhi.
A thief cultivator was about to smash the immature Jade Marrow Lingzhi.
If he couldn't take it, then he wouldn't let the enemy have it either.
The gray-robe Daoist stopped him, saying, "Do not destroy it, leave it as it is."
"Senior, why is that?"
The thief cultivator asked, puzzled.
"Confused? It's actually easy to understand," the gray-robe Daoist said, "The Lu Family cultivators didn't destroy some medicine gardens, spirit fields, etc., to use these assets to stall us, giving the clan disciples a chance to escape; likewise, we cannot destroy the spirit vein, cannot destroy the spirit fields, we also need to use these assets to stall the Lu Family's reinforcements."
"How far are the reinforcements from here?"
"About one hour."
Someone answered.
"With these assets delaying, at least we can gain one and a half hours," the gray-robe Daoist said, "Even if the Dan Yang Sect's reinforcements reclaim these lands, will they return them to the Lu Family?"
Everyone understood.
Returning them to the Lu Family was impossible.
If it were during Lu Family's prosperous times, with a Purple Mansion Ancestor overseeing.
The Dan Yang Sect's reinforcements would take some gifts and then leave.
But after this battle, the Lu Family suffered heavy losses, with less than four Foundation Establishment cultivators remaining, most of the remaining cultivators being low-level. After Dan Yang Sect reclaimed the land, would they return anything?
Impossible.
Even if the Dan Yang Sect had outstanding character, emphasizing morality, returning Purple Sun Mountain to the Lu Family.
Would the current Lu Family dare to accept it?
No.
They simply wouldn't.
To have treasure invites misfortune; it's not a sin to have wealth, but having wealth without strength is a great sin.
Moments later, the thief cultivators left.
Before leaving, according to previous agreement, the spoils were quickly divided, and then everyone departed.
Before participating in this action, everyone wore masks.
During the plundering of the Lu Family, they appeared fierce, like bandits; but once the masks were removed, they were impeccably dressed orthodox cultivators in appearance.
Just dividing some wealth, the gray-robe Daoist left.
Two hours later, reinforcements from the Ye Family arrived, the bird-shaped warship landing on Purple Sun Mountain, bringing Ye Family's ancestor, Ye Liuyun.
This Ye Family ancestor was of Purple Mansion third layer cultivation, and was able to enter the Purple Mansion Realm thanks to the assistance of the Lu Family.
Upon receiving the news that Purple Sun Mountain was under siege, he immediately set out with six Foundation Establishment cultivators from the clan for rescue, but ultimately arrived too late.
The Lu Family was completely annihilated, only corpses lay on Purple Sun Mountain.
"Lu Family, such a pity."
Ye Liuyun felt both sorrow and joy.
Sorrow for the Lu Family's ancestor had passed away, leaving the Lu Family to face strong adversaries, leading to the demise of a thousand-year-old clan. In the future, when he passes away, during the transitional period, the Ye Family could also face annihilation, as they say when a rabbit dies, the fox grieves, such is the fate of creatures.
But he was delighted, for as the Ye Family rose, conflicts arose between the Ye Family and Lu Family over some spirit veins, mines, etc., mostly resolved through negotiation without major battles, but the conflicts remained, with tension that didn't break.
The Lu Family's downfall left some cake, and the Ye Family could take a few bites.
Two hours later, the Dan Yang Sect's warship appeared.
Dan Yang Sect's Purple Mansion Ancestor said, "It's a pity, we're still late."
Two and a half hours later, the Wu Family's warship appeared.
"On Purple Sun Mountain, the Lu Family lineage is annihilated, but some cultivators stationed outside can rebuild the Lu Family," Ye Liuyun said.
"It must be so."
The cultivator from Dan Yang Sect said.
"The Lu Family should be rebuilt," said the Wu Family cultivator.
How much sincerity there was, how much pretense; only heaven knew.
...
After walking a hundred miles, the gray-robe Daoist took off the mask, removed the gray robe and changed into a red Daoist robe.
Walked and walked, arriving at a small mountain village.
Behind the village, on a hill, stood a tomb, with a gravestone inscribed: Tomb of deceased wife Ling'Er.
He took out a jug of wine, pouring some in front of the grave.
The Daoist took a sip and said, "Ling'Er, I've avenged you. Not long ago, I wiped out the Lu Family, slaughtering more than five hundred cultivators. Haha, that Lu Family cultivator back then was arrogant, wasn't he? Not only did he want to kill me, but also wanted to abduct you as a female slave?"
"How arrogant he was, how pathetic he is now."
"Kill, kill, kill. Killing the enemy feels so satisfying."
"But it's still not enough."
"The Lu Family still has cultivators stationed on some spirit veins or mineral deposits, or in marketplaces. There are five Foundation Establishment cultivators who weren't at Purple Sun Mountain, escaping the massacre. How could I leave these scourges, letting the Lu Family revive. I'll kill the remaining Foundation Establishment cultivators, and most Qi cultivation cultivators… As for the two million mortals in the Lu Family jurisdiction, well, have to let it go."
The Daoist's expression showed a trace of melancholy.
Eradicating the Lu Family would mostly mean being rejected by the Dan Yang Sect, hunted by them.
The worst outcome would be leaving Chu Country, heading to other cultivation realms, still living freely.
As they say, if there's no place for the lord here, there will be a place elsewhere.
But large-scale slaughter of mortals would brand him a demon cultivator, and nowhere in heaven or earth would tolerate him.
"Lu Family."
The Daoist's figure flickered, heading toward a Lu Family marketplace.
In that marketplace, there was a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Lu Family stationed.
...
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
Running through the mountains, Lu Xuanji and Ye Feixue were fleeing, fearing the enemy would catch up.
Screams echoed behind them; because they ran too slowly, Lu Family cultivators were killed on the spot.
Lu Xuanji didn't stop, didn't look back; all he did was run.
Many times, one doesn't need to outrun the enemy, just outrun their companions.
There were Foundation Establishment cultivators in pursuit, Lu Xuanji didn't need to run faster than them, just faster than the other cultivators.
Escaping Lu Family cultivators scattered like fleeing sparrows.
Foundation Establishment cultivators were strong, their flying swords flashing, relentlessly pursuing.
But at thirty miles into the pursuit, they abandoned it, returning directly to Purple Sun Mountain.
The harvest from chasing these ants was minimal, and time-consuming, compared to looting some treasure vault or medicinal garden spirit medicine on Purple Sun Mountain.
Running continuously, when the Flying Talisman's energy ran out, Lu Xuanji stopped.
Looking back, there was no one.
No Foundation Establishment cultivators pursuing, no Lu Family cultivators.
"We survived…"
Lu Xuanji said, exhaled a sigh of relief, lying on the ground without any regard for dust on his clothes.
"Brother, the Lu Family is finished."
Ye Feixue said, seemingly dreaming.
Yesterday, the Lu Family was still the overlord of Qingshui Commandery, with a Purple Mansion Ancestor and over ten Foundation Establishment cultivators; but today, Purple Sun Mountain was breached, and Lu Family cultivators were killed almost completely.
"Yes, the Lu Family is doomed, but we need to survive."
Lu Xuanji said.
"What do you think we should do next?"
Seeming to ask Ye Feixue, and also asking himself.
A cultivator's path is simple, one is joining a cultivation sect (to work), another is establishing a cultivation clan (self-employment), or becoming a loose cultivator (a freelancer).
Joining the Dan Yang Sect would be good.
But he had already missed the quota back then.
As for founding a cultivation clan, it requires at least Foundation Establishment cultivation.
Without Foundation Establishment cultivation, there is no qualification to start a cultivation clan.
The only choice is becoming a loose cultivator.
Loose cultivation seems to be the only option.