4: Second Life: First Steps on the Immortal Path (Part 3)

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Xu Longpeng's eyebrows quirked slightly, as if Xu Yuan had piqued his interest.

"Father, Elders, since the Wu Family has designed a plan to drive a wedge between me and the Family, they certainly wouldn't be stingy with their investment. The Spirit Gathering Pill the Wu Family brought out this time is a perfect example."

"Since the Wu Family dares to send it, why shouldn't we dare to accept it?"

"Since the Wu Family dares to fire sugar-coated bullets, we can swallow the sugar coating and fire the bullets back!"

"Yuan'er, continue."

Xu Longpeng pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing with sharp light, signaling Xu Yuan to go on.

The several Elders also held their breath, waiting for Xu Yuan's next words.

"As long as Father refuses the Wu Family's marriage proposal," Xu Yuan said in a deep voice, his pace steady yet carrying the confidence of someone in control of the situation, "then send people to spread rumors that Father and I had a heated argument in the Council Hall over the marriage. Even... that in your rage, Father, you rebuked me for being short-sighted and disregarding the Family's interests."

"Feasible."

Xu Longpeng's eyes lit up as he thought for a moment, then added, "However, if we're going to put on a show, we must do it right. Just spreading rumors of a dispute isn't enough. The rumors must be suppressed directly after circulating for a few days; that will make it even more believable."

"But, Yuan'er, you will be wronged for a few days, as you'll need to be placed under house arrest."

"Naturally, I understand the principle of doing a show right," Xu Yuan nodded, then gave a chuckle. "Exchanging a few days of house arrest for a Spirit Gathering Pill—such a good deal can hardly be called being wronged."

"Hahahaha!"

As Xu Yuan's words fell, a burst of laughter erupted within the Council Hall.

Afterward, everyone in the Council Hall began discussing the details of the plan.

A few days later, the Xu Family sent someone to the door to refuse the Wu Family's marriage proposal. At the same time, a rumor began to circulate in Thousand Cloud City—

The Xu Family's Young Clan Master Xu Yuan and the Xu Family Head Xu Longpeng had a massive argument over the marriage, and in a fit of rage, the Xu Family Head Xu Longpeng had the Xu Family's Young Clan Master Xu Yuan placed under house arrest in his room.

However, shortly after this news began to circulate within a small circle, it was suppressed and did not spread widely.

But the Wu Family had long since planted eyes within the Xu Family. This news was still intercepted by a Wu Family informant and was soon presented on Wu Ba - Head of the Wu Family's desk.

"Good, good, good! Elder Wu Xiong is truly a mastermind. This plan has actually caused a rift within the Xu Family."

Looking at the news presented to him, Wu Ba - Head of the Wu Family laughed heartily.

"That Xu Yuan is nothing more than a mere child; it's naturally easy to delude him. Now that a rift has formed between Xu Yuan and the Xu Family, we must not miss this golden opportunity to make Xu Yuan our Wu Family's internal mole and use him to completely swallow the Xu Family!"

A sharp light flashed in Wu Xiong's eyes as he continued to offer his counsel.

"What good plan does Elder Wu have?" Wu Ba - Head of the Wu Family pressed.

"Give the Spirit Gathering Pill to Xu Yuan!"

As soon as Wu Xiong said this, Wu Ba - Head of the Wu Family's brow furrowed slightly, clearly showing some hesitation.

"Family Head, you can't catch the wolf without sacrificing the child. With the Spirit Gathering Pill, I am certain I can make Xu Yuan defect completely to our Wu Family. When the time comes, we can use Xu Yuan's hand to eliminate the Xu Family's Late Qi Condensation Stage Elders. At that point, even if we let Xu Yuan become the Head of the Xu Family, what of it?"

"What kind of waves can a mere Mid-Stage of Qi Refining Cultivator stir up?"

"By then, the entire Xu Family will be in our Wu Family's pocket!"

Wu Xiong's voice carried a confidence that suggested everything was under his control, as if the entire Xu Family were already in his grasp.

"Good!"

Infected by Wu Xiong's confidence, Wu Ba - Head of the Wu Family gritted his teeth and agreed. "All the Wu Family's resources are at your disposal, Elder Wu Xiong. But, I want the Xu Family's Foundation Establishment Method."

"Nine Fire Condensation Flame!"

A Foundation Establishment Method, as the name suggests, is a special secret technique that a Cultivator must Cultivate after reaching the 9th Layer of Qi Refining in order to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

Without a Foundation Establishment Method, no matter how brilliant your talent, you absolutely cannot condense a Dao Foundation to Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

Therefore, the value of every Foundation Establishment Cultivation Technique is immeasurable. Even though the Wu Family was faintly the head of the three major Foundation Establishment families in Thousand Cloud City, they only possessed a single Foundation Establishment Method.

If they could successfully annex the Xu Family this time and obtain the Xu Family's Foundation Establishment Method, the Wu Family's foundation would skyrocket, and the possibility of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator appearing in the future would greatly increase!

After all, it was impossible for a single Foundation Establishment Method to be suitable for everyone. Only by holding multiple different Foundation Establishment Methods would it be more likely for one to Cultivate a suitable Foundation Establishment Method and Breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

"I will not fail you!"

Wu Xiong said confidently, then turned and left to begin arranging the Wu Family's Hidden Pawn within the Xu Family to prepare for his next meeting with Xu Yuan.

On the other side, Xu Yuan stayed alone in his small courtyard, holding a crimson long saber. The blade was inscribed with various spirit runes; clearly, this crimson saber was no ordinary weapon but a Magical Artifact!

With a thought from Xu Yuan, the Spiritual Qi within his body gathered in his palm and flowed into the crimson saber.

In an instant, the crimson saber glowed brilliantly, and flames began to surge from the blade like churning fire snakes.

"Slash!"

With a low shout from Xu Yuan, he slashed down, releasing a zhang-long crimson saber beam. The air distorted and steamed with an unbearable heat; wherever the saber light reached, the earth cracked open into a three-zhang-long ravine!

"This strike, created by fusing my past life's Sword Dao Foundation with the methods of the Immortal Dao, should be unstoppable even for an ordinary 4th Level of Qi Condensation Cultivator!"

Seeing his strike possess such power, a hint of joy couldn't help but flash across Xu Yuan's face.

Although he had been under house arrest in the courtyard for the past few days, Xu Yuan had not been idle; instead, he had sorted through his martial arts accumulations from his previous life.

Taking the essence and discarding the dross, he reproduced that single Saber Qi he had slashed out upon breaking through to the Transcendent before his death in his previous life, combining it with the Spiritual Qi methods he now mastered to create this current saber technique.

Originally, using only his Internal Qi in his previous life, the Saber Qi Xu Yuan slashed out could break through the protective spells of a 4th Level of Qi Condensation Cultivator.

Now, with the addition of Spiritual Qi, Xu Yuan was even more confident he could kill a 4th Level of Qi Condensation Cultivator with one slash, and it might even be possible to heavily injure a 5th Level of Qi Condensation Cultivator in a sneak attack!

"Right now I am only at the 3rd Layer of Qi Condensation, which is only equivalent to the Late Innate Stage in martial arts; I still can't unleash the full power of this slash."

"Once I Breakthrough to the 4th Level of Qi Condensation, I'll be equivalent to my state after the Breakthrough in my previous life. Only then will this slash explode with its full power!"

"At that time, I might have the combat power of the Sixth Level of Qi Refining!"

"In that case, I will be one of the strongest combatants in the Xu Family aside from Father and the six major Elders. Even in the entire Thousand Cloud City, I would be considered a powerful expert!"

At this thought, Xu Yuan's gaze grew a bit more fervent, and his look toward the closed wooden door deepened.

"Wu Family, I hope you don't disappoint me..."