Three years later.
Ever since the Yu family and the Qin family arranged the marriage between Yu Tianjun and Qin Qingqing, both families had faced setbacks. Although not major, these were considerable nuisances. Every so often, news would spread of some family or sect offending either the Yu or Qin family. These families or sects might be subordinate forces of the Yu or Qin family, or they could be other powers. However, the Li, Lu, and Feng families had surprisingly not caused any trouble for the Yu family recently. Few understood why, but outwardly, they claimed they didn't want to get involved in the conflict and would remain neutral. As a result, no major conflicts erupted among the great powers, though there were a few serious battles.
Nearly two years ago, the Jade Peak Sect, a subordinate force of the Qin family, rebelled and attacked the Qin family's assets before turning to pledge allegiance to the Yuan family. Enraged, the Qin family dispatched nearly twenty Spirit-Communion Realm experts along with a hundred Heaven-Pill Realm cultivators to annihilate the Jade Peak Sect. The Jade Peak Sect was considered a peak second-rate power, with two Spirit-Communion Realm ancestors guarding it. However, facing the Qin family, they were still no match. The battle lasted less than half a day, and the Jade Peak Sect was almost completely destroyed when the Yuan family unexpectedly sent ten Spirit-Communion Realm experts, over fifty Heaven-Pill Realm cultivators, and two Divine Realm grandmasters, intending to wipe out the Qin family's forces in one go. No one expected the Qin family to also dispatch a Divine Realm grandmaster. He alone suppressed the two Yuan family Divine Realm grandmasters, allowing the cultivators below to slaughter each other. Over a day later, the Yuan family retreated, heavily wounded. It was said that both Divine Realm grandmasters were injured, and they lost several Spirit-Communion Realm experts, with even more Heaven Realm cultivators. The Jade Peak Sect was completely annihilated, with only a few Heaven-Pill Realm cultivators managing to retreat with the Yuan family. After this incident, the Yuan and Qin families almost went to war, but then a strange ceasefire occurred. Through this, the world once again recognized the terrifying power of the Eight Great Families. One must know that even first-rate sects are lucky to have a Divine Realm grandmaster guarding them, and even then, they are like a divine dragon, seen only by its head, never its tail.
Furthermore, a year ago, Yu Shiyue, a direct descendant of the Yu family, was discovered in the Taiyin Secret Realm and subsequently hunted by a large number of powerful cultivators, including not just one, but multiple Divine Grandmasters. To everyone's shock and terror, a Divine Grandmaster from the Yu family appeared, instantly killing two of the pursuing Divine Grandmasters with a single slap, along with many Spirit-Communion experts. Yet, Yu Shiyue was still not found. Before leaving, the grandmaster left a chilling message: "Our Yu family simply does not wish to emerge. What you so-called 'Great Families' consider terrifying is nothing to us, hmph!" The one who had acted was Yu Shenpo. Not long after he left, other Divine Grandmasters arrived to investigate, but they were no longer looking for Yu Shiyue. They departed in solemn awe after witnessing an entire section of a mountain range that had completely vanished. At this point, the world gained a deeper understanding of the terrifying power of the Yu family's grandmasters. The Yu family, it seemed, might no longer be the weakest among the Eight Great Families.
No matter how chaotic things were outside, Qingyun Star remained utterly unaffected. The entire planet developed peacefully, as if the vast cosmos beyond had nothing to do with them. Over the past three years, the fifth generation of the Yu family experienced a baby boom, with more than ten children being born. Many unusual phenomena accompanied their births; in particular, the appearance of the Jiuyin Demonic Physique caused the Yu family to sigh endlessly. If these children had not been born during these turbulent times, they could have grown up peacefully and dominated the world. This only strengthened the Yu family's resolve to prepare a path of retreat. As long as some of them survived, the Yu family would return sooner or later—and not just return, but return in glory, exacting bloody vengeance! However, this knowledge was confined to the older generations of the Yu family. The fifth generation knew virtually nothing of it. They were not allowed to go outside and were practically restricted to playing on Demon God Mountain. Occasionally, someone from the Qin family would bring Qin Qingqing to visit; she was five years old now.
Three years had passed, and Yu Tianyuan was now twelve years old. His cultivation had reached the peak of the Human Core realm. He constantly suppressed his cultivation, the mutual generation of the Five Elements keeping him almost perpetually at his peak. Defeating opponents above his level was as effortless as eating and drinking; most of his adversaries now were early-stage Heaven Core demonic beasts! Yu Tianri was now eleven years old. His cultivation had also reached the mid-stage Human Core realm, and his soul cultivation had reached the peak of the Human Core realm. He had already slain quite a few Earth Core demonic beasts—truly a monstrous genius! Yu Tianfeng had yet to activate her Heavenly Phoenix Physique; her cultivation was still in the Meridian Opening realm, but her aura was much stronger. She had sparred with quite a few Human Core realm demonic beasts. As for Yu Tianjun, everyone found him even stranger. Over these three years, he had been unusually quiet and well-behaved, spending all his days reading in the library, leaving everyone wondering what he was up to. In truth, during this time, he had uncovered some clues about Demon God Mountain. Using his Heaven-Piercing Eye, he had observed the entirety of Demon God Mountain, examining its structure. Demon God Mountain was, in fact, a dormant grand formation! His Heaven-Piercing Eye had located only one formation core, situated directly beneath the library, which was why he had spent nearly three years there studying it. Naturally, he had also read extensively on formation arrays and cultivation, and he had certainly uncovered a few useful things.
Take his elder brother, Wu Tianyuan, for example. Normally, when cultivators open their meridians, they only unlock nine. The convergence of these nine meridians at a single point establishes the Origin Gathering realm. The peak of the Origin Gathering realm gives birth to a Human Core. The peak of the Human Core realm births a Nascent Soul, which in turn forms an Earth Core. The peak of the Earth Core realm spontaneously generates soul force—originally residing within the sea of consciousness—to form a Heaven Core. Once the Heaven Core connects with the sea of consciousness and gives birth to a Primordial Soul, one ascends to the Spirit Comprehension realm. However, that is merely common knowledge. Wu Tianyuan was entirely different from ordinary people; he had opened a staggering eighty-one meridians! Each of his Golden Cores was formed by the convergence of sixteen meridians, with a primary meridian leading directly to his sea of consciousness. This led Wu Shishen to speculate that as long as Wu Tianyuan possessed sufficient soul force—even if obtained from external sources—he could bypass the usual steps and break through directly to the Spirit Comprehension realm! This was a secret known only to him and his elder brother. No one else in the clan knew, because they could not see through the five-elemental force generated by his five Golden Cores. Take himself, for example. He had also opened eighty-one meridians, forming nine Human Cores, which ultimately led to the formation of a Nine-Aperture Nascent Soul—a feat that had previously existed only in theory, shocking even him. Unexpectedly, he had already reached the Earth Core realm! In truth, this was despite his lack of formal cultivation. He had already formed a Primordial Soul. With the resources of the Wu clan, he could very likely have reached the Spirit Comprehension realm within three years! What disappointed him, however, was the lack of any heavenly tribulation; he was practically itching for a lightning tribulation! As for his father, Wu Shishen, he too possessed eighty-one meridians, which formed nine pure black, lightning-attributed Human Cores. His Nascent Soul and Primordial Soul were likewise lightning-attributed, likely due to his Ancient Tribulation-Bearing Physique. He further speculated that his aunt, Wu Shiyue, who possessed the Lunar Celestial Physique; his cousin, Wu Tianyang, who possessed the Solar Demonic Physique; his younger sister, Wu Tianlian, who possessed the Nine Yin Demonic Physique; and Wu Tianfeng, who had yet to awaken her Heavenly Phoenix Physique, all likely possessed the same terrifying talent of opening eighty-one meridians. Even he was startled by his own hypothesis. After all, surpassing the standard nine meridians was already beyond ordinary imagination, let alone reaching the extreme limit of eighty-one meridians. To say nothing of how extraordinary these individuals were, if his cousin, Wu Tianri, who possessed the Heavenly Soul Physique, were to fully grow up, the entire Blazing God Starfield would likely fall into the Wu clan's pocket! But that was a story for another time. At this moment, he could not help but speculate that the Wu clan's bloodline was far from simple. He suspected that even their Ancestor was quietly pondering this very matter. After all, the fortune of heaven and earth could not possibly be so heavily concentrated on a single clan.
"Sigh... Just thinking about it won't do. It seems I should go out and gain some experience." Wu Tianjun stood up, muttering to himself as he left the library. "Grand Elder, I'm leaving!" He turned his head and spoke into the void. He knew a Grand Elder guarded the library, but he had no idea who it was. This person, whose cultivation was terrifyingly high, had never shown themselves to meet him. He wondered what they were plotting.
"Hmph! Go on then. That girl from the Qin clan is already..." A doting voice echoed from the void.
"She's here again..." Wu Tianjun muttered, exasperated. *I, the Love Saint, don't want to get married yet...* he thought.
"Haha, you little rascal! She is bound to grow into a devastating beauty in the future. You won't be losing out. Off with you!" A scolding laugh echoed from the void once more.
"Hehe..." Wu Tianjun gave an embarrassed laugh, turned on his heel, and left immediately.
"I still can't tell what cultivation level this little devil is at. Strange!" a voice in the void murmured softly. "Sigh... I only hope we old-timers can protect you all in peace..." Watching Wu Tianjun's departing figure, the speaker sighed. It seemed a storm was brewing.
Wu Tianjun ran toward Moon-Gazing Lake, the usual meeting spot for the fifth generation of their clan. At this moment, a dazzling, interwoven light shone upon the lake's surface. A five-colored ring glowed, radiating intense pressure—this was Wu Tianyuan's Five Elements Ring divine ability. He was the only one in the entire Wu family who possessed it, as it was a divine ability exclusive to his Five Elements Sacred Body. He stood on the water's surface like an exiled immortal, his clothes untouched by the waves. Though his face still held childish features, it was gradually acquiring a dignified, serious air—truly the bearing of a leader! He had passively deployed the Five Elements Ring, allowing Wu Tianri and Wu Wu Tianfeng to attack it without causing so much as a ripple. One had to know, the Five Elements Ring was a comprehensive offensive and defensive technique he relied on during his fierce battles with Heaven-tier demonic beasts!
"Haha, Tianri, your strange divine soul can't penetrate my Five Elements Ring! Tianfeng, wait until you activate your Heavenly Phoenix Body and can wield a bit of the Fire Phoenix Spirit's power—then you might stand a chance of shaking my Five Elements Ring!" Wu Tianyuan said, laughing smugly.
"Hmph, Big Brother, save your breath! Let me give you a taste of pain! Soul Bind! Go!" Wu Tianri yelled, his face flushed red as he waved his hand. His magic treasure was an ancient zither radiating intense vitality; as he plucked its strings, ripples of sound surged to attack the Five Elements Ring.
"Hmph, Big Brother is bullying us again! Fire Phoenix Spirit, go!" Wu Tianfeng said petulantly. The little girl's magic treasure was a red fan imbued with a powerful fire attribute, which shot a pillar of flame toward the Five Elements Ring.
"Oh, Big Brother was only joking! Why did you unleash real fire...?" Wu Tianyuan said, feigning surprise. However, just as he spoke, both attacks only caused the Five Elements Ring to tremble slightly; he himself remained completely unharmed. "Hehe, you two still need to cultivate harder. Watch out, or the fourth brother might surpass you."
"Wow! Brother Tianyuan is so amazing!" At this moment, a clear cry rang out from the pavilion in the middle of the lake. A little girl of five or six years old sat there, her large eyes bright and clear, her features delicate and lovely; she would surely grow into a peerless beauty of her generation.
"Haha, Little Sister Qingqing has arrived," Wu Tianyuan said, putting on an adult air. Two years prior, the Wu family had decided that only members of the fifth generation were allowed around Moon-Gazing Lake; outsiders were forbidden to set foot there. This was to ensure that the Wu family's descendants would not reveal their unique physiques. They had even placed restrictions there. Of course, Qin Qingqing was an exception!
"Hehe, I arrived a little while ago and have been watching everyone cultivate." She was now five years old and understood a bit about cultivation, having already opened six meridians. This truly showed how astonishingly talented this generation of the Wu family was!
"Haha, we're just practicing a bit. That little rascal will be here soon..." Wu Tianfeng said generously. Perhaps due to her physique, she was particularly active!
"Tianjun should hurry up too! He reads books all day..." Wu Tianri said indifferently. He seemed rather unenthusiastic, always appearing aloof.
"Hmph, I wonder if that guy will run off somewhere when he knows I'm here?" Qin Qingqing said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Hey, hey, little lady, would this young master be afraid of you?" At this moment, a voice rang out, and a small figure, stepping on water, entered the pavilion—it was indeed Wu Tianjun.