300: Dead?

As early as three years ago, Murong Jingyang had already fully recovered.

It was not that he recovered quickly, but rather that before Lu Ming left, he used the Source Tracing and Returning to Truth Method to take on all of Murong Jingyang's injuries.

Murong Jingyang was unaware of this, but he knew it was a gift from the Exalted One!

Thus, he was full of drive. While everyone's attention was not yet focused on the Hu Family, he quietly made his move.

Through the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art, he manipulated the seven emotions and six desires to secretly control several high-ranking members of the Hu Family's various Branch Lineages, and then used them to direct and act out this farce.

That's right, the two Branch Lineages supported by the Liu and Teng families, including the main lineage that would rather die than submit and put up a stubborn resistance, were actually all Murong Jingyang's people.

They were using this method to constantly demand benefits from the Liu and Teng families, consuming the other side while simultaneously enhancing their own Foundation.

This was Murong Jingyang's plan: to use the Hu Family as an entry point to open up the situation in the Black Sha Marsh.

After all, the Murong Family was a prominent target, and in terms of Foundation, apart from him, this newly advanced Golden Core True Person, they practically had none, and the value of rebuilding was not great.

Therefore, starting with the Hu Family was the best choice—using them to annex the Black Sha Marsh!

Anyway, in Murong Jingyang's eyes, there was absolutely no distinction between families; whether the Black Sha Marsh was surnamed Hu, Liu, Teng, or Murong did not matter at all!

What was important was that this place needed to become an outpost for the Exalted One in the Profound Spirit Domain!

Because Murong Jingyang understood very well that what the Exalted One needed was not this tiny plot of land known as the Black Sha Marsh.

What the Exalted One needed was a force capable of devouring and sweeping across the entire Northern Territory!

Otherwise, with the Exalted One's cultivation, two mere families at the Early Golden Core Stage could be wiped out with a flick of a finger!

Therefore, unifying the Black Sha Marsh was just the beginning. His targets also included the neighboring "Wan Hai Valley" and "Falling Star Plains," as well as all the various forces in the Northern Territory, until they could ascend to become one of the Blessed Lands in one fell swoop!

However, it was too early to think about these things now. The primary issue to resolve was still the stumbling blocks of the Liu and Teng families; otherwise, everything else was just empty talk.

"I won't wait anymore!"

Deep within the Hu Family Territory, Murong Jingyang sat cross-legged in a grand hall, a faint, eerie light flickering in his eyes.

He was very anxious now. It had been three years! He had almost no progress on his end!

Although the Exalted One had not urged him, he felt he had failed to live up to the Exalted One's trust.

Therefore, he decided that it was time to close the net!

Originally, he had wanted to plan slowly, gradually consuming the Foundation of the Liu and Teng families, until the Hu Family and he had the strength to confront the two families head-on, which would be the time to act.

But these two families were too patient; if this went on, who knew how many years it would take.

"No, I have to force them!"

As for how to deal with the Liu and Teng families?

This was actually very simple! Didn't they want the Hu Family? Then whoever won the fight would get it!

But getting them to act was not easy. Now, the other side was worried that he, Murong Jingyang, would be the one to reap the final rewards.

Then he would give them a little sweetness to put their minds completely at ease!

Thus, he took out a Jade Slip and gave a few instructions into it.

"Hmph, if the Murong Family were gone, let's see if you can still sit still!"

...

Deep in the Black Sha Marsh, the Teng Family Territory was shrouded in grey mist that never dissipated all year round.

In the cultivation chamber, Teng Qianjue slowly opened his eyes, a flash of sharp light passing through them.

For the past three years, while he appeared to be joining forces with the Liu Family to suppress the Murong Family, in reality, just as he had done with the Hu Family, he had secretly made contact with members of the Murong Family, provided them with resources, and supported their rise to power, all in order to divide the Murong Family and even backstab Murong Jingyang at a critical moment.

And the Breakthrough point he chose was Murong Jingyang's eldest son—Murong Feiyu.

This person had once lost an arm to help Murong Jingyang seize a Golden Core Pill, yet after Murong Jingyang achieved the Golden Core, he abandoned the Family and fled far away.

With such an experience, how could he not harbor resentment?

Moreover, there was another main reason why Teng Qianjue chose Murong Feiyu: the other party was physically incomplete, his dao foundation was damaged, and his path to immortality was basically severed.

In the future, wanting to Breakthrough to the Golden Core Stage was almost impossible!

With his Golden Core Stage cultivation, he could easily manipulate this person, not fearing that he would escape his control once things were accomplished.

And the process of their contact went smoother than imagined.

Murong Feiyu agreed to the cooperation almost without hesitation, and the conditions were so simple that it was suspicious.

He only needed the Teng Family to provide resources to help him maintain the Murong Family's livelihood and promised to give him a place to settle down in the future.

Teng Qianjue was very happy about this and agreed readily, but he could not just trust this person so easily, so he needed Murong Feiyu to offer a pledge of allegiance.

And the pledge of allegiance was very simple.

That was to reveal the location of the Family's secret vault, the Murong Family's hidden outposts everywhere, and the network of contacts accumulated over the years.

To this, Murong Feiyu laid everything out as if he knew it by heart.

He even voluntarily ceded three resource territories to show his sincerity.

It could be said that apart from directly slaughtering his clansmen, he had done everything.

And during these three years, the Teng Family quietly gnawed away at the Murong Family's Foundation through this line of Murong Feiyu.

However, out of fear of Murong Jingyang's existence, all of this was done in secret, and no one noticed.

Until the communication Jade Slip at his waist suddenly vibrated.

Teng Qianjue raised his eyebrows slightly. He knew that he was in seclusion, but only a few people could contact him through this Jade Slip.

Immediately, he probed into it with his Divine Sense.

Subsequently, a hurried voice exploded in his mind; it was Murong Feiyu!

"My Lord, something terrible has happened! My father... my father's soul lamp has gone out!"

"What!" Teng Qianjue stood up abruptly, his aura unable to be contained, instantly sweeping across the space of the cultivation chamber.

But Teng Qianjue did not care about this at all; his brain was still buzzing.

Murong Jingyang... dead?

His first reaction was disbelief.

After all, although he had been severely injured by him and Liu Wusheng joining forces, the vitality of a Golden Core Cultivator was incredibly tenacious; how could he fall just like that?

But on second thought, he felt it was not impossible.

The Profound Spirit Domain was vast and boundless; although there were many blessed lands, there were also countless dangerous places.

If a severely injured Murong Jingyang had accidentally entered a desperate land or encountered a powerful enemy, falling to his death would be a common occurrence.

However, he still had some doubts in his heart. Could a person who had endured for over a decade and achieved a Breakthrough to the Golden Core in one day really fall so easily?

Teng Qianjue shook his head and quickly cast this thought aside.

Speculating here was completely meaningless; he only needed to verify it.

As for how to verify it? This was actually very simple.

In one sentence, just see to what extent Murong Feiyu could go.

The Murong Family was not comparable to other Foundation Establishment families. Although Murong Jingyang had broken through to the Golden Core, he had exhausted his Family's resources and simultaneously offended the Liu Family and their Teng Family.

If Murong Jingyang were truly dead, then Murong Feiyu now had no choice but to completely attach himself to his Teng Family.

If he was still hesitant and evasive, that would mean there was something fishy about this matter.

If not...

Thinking of this, Teng Qianjue's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Then the Murong Family won't need to exist anymore!"