Chương 69: The Road to Blood Lion Mountain

After much discussion, the Zhang family reached a decision, Zhang Huaijin would lead the expedition to Blood Lion Mountain. Zhang Hong, Zhang Linyi, and Zhang Liwei would accompany him. The remaining seven family cultivators were all at the mid stage of the Qi Refining Realm. Zhang Hong and Zhang Linyi had both reached the ninth level of Qi Refining Realm, while Zhang Liwei was at the eighth level.

He was a top tier cultivator with three spiritual roots, and he led the family's spirit beast hunting team every day, honing his combat skills against deadly creatures. As a result, his fighting ability far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators at the same level. Every Zhang family member carried spirit artifacts suited to their cultivation rank. They wanted for nothing, spirit artifacts, pills, talismans, all were plentiful. Over the past two years, the family had amassed enormous reserves.

The family could now produce its own pills, talismans, and spirit artifacts. And during this time, every item in the family treasury could be redeemed for only half the usual merit points. The goal was simple, to give every clan member a better chance of surviving what was to come.

"Huaijin, be very careful," Zhang Chongwen said, his voice heavy with concern.

"Don't act rashly. Don't be impulsive. Stay within the formation. Seek no glory, only avoid mistakes. Your life is what matters most." The old patriarch spoke earnestly, his eyes fixed on his grandson. Today was the day the Zhang family set out for Blood Lion Mountain. Zhang Huaijin stood in stark white robes, his expression calm and untroubled. He looked like an immortal being who had descended to the mortal world, untouched by its dust and worries.

"Grandfather, I know my limits," he replied quietly. Zhang Lixian stood silently to the side, saying nothing. But in his eyes lurked a trace of sorrow. This was the Beast Tide. No one knew how many spirit beasts would come surging forth. For Qingtai Prefecture, Blood Lion Mountain was the absolute priority. As long as the defense line at Blood Lion Mountain held, Purple Mansion Realm spirit beasts would not dare cross it. They would never turn their unprotected backs to the human cultivators.

Once every twenty years, the Beast Tide swept through. And in all that time, Purple Mansion Realm beasts rarely fell. Most of the killing happened at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment Realms. Some Foundation Establishment Realm families might lose their only Foundation Establishment cultivator in this Tide. And with that loss, they would sink into the mud, never to rise again. But of course, nothing was ever absolute.

The Beast Tide pressed down on every cultivation faction like a mountain, but it also offered opportunity. The two great Purple Mansion Realm families, Zhou and Fang, would tally battle merits. Cultivators who distinguished themselves in this war would receive immense rewards in resources and treasures. This was war. Everything followed a system. Some would rise on the tide, wading through seas of blood to claim great military glory.

Others would fade into nothing, their bones left to rot on the battlefield, forgotten by all but the wind. Su Xuiqi stood half hidden among the green spirit bamboo on the mountain, her eyes red as she watched Zhang Huaijin prepare to leave. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Mother, Second Brother is already gone," a soft voice said.

"Let's go home." Zhang Yunli's figure slowly emerged from the bamboo, her voice gentle as a breeze. Every time Zhang Huaijin left, Su Xuiqi's heart filled with worry. But there was nothing she could do. Nothing but pray for him in silence, offering her hopes to the vast, uncaring heavens. Only a faint sigh lingered among the lush green mountains. Zhang Huaijin led his family away from Green Bamboo Mountain. They headed toward Blood Lion Mountain, deep in the Purple Dusk Mountain Range.

The Zhang family's foundation was shallow. They owned no flying boat. But Zhang Huaijin had once killed a Darkfeather Bird, and he had used its wings and bones to craft a flying spirit artifact. He called it the Darkfeathered Shuttle. Its grade was tier 2, low grade. But the shuttle could only carry three people at most. It devoured spiritual energy greedily, making it suitable only for short sprints, not long journeys.

So Zhang Huaijin had no choice but to lead his family on foot, crossing three tier 2 spirit mountains to reach Blood Lion Mountain. Over the past two years, the two great Purple Mansion Realm families along with the Foundation Establishment Realm families from all nine counties, had been steadily clearing spirit beasts from the Purple Dusk Mountain Range. As a result, the roads to Blood Lion Mountain were relatively safe. Not too many spirit beasts remained.

The Foundation Establishment Realm beasts, possessing enough intelligence to know when to flee, had all gathered at Blood Lion Mountain. There, strength lay in numbers. If they had stayed scattered across their own spirit veins, the human cultivators would have hunted them down one by one. —— One month later. The Zhang family cultivators, weary from their long journey, finally arrived at Blood Lion Mountain. You could choose to ignore the edict of the two Purple Mansion Realm families.

You could choose not to come to Blood Lion Mountain. But when the Beast Tide ended, every other faction would turn on you. No one would lift a finger to help. So no power in Qingtai Prefecture dared to disobey. They all came, bringing their clansmen with them. And not just the major factions, independent cultivators from all nine counties also answered the call. At this moment, Blood Lion Mountain held fully eight thousand Qi Refining Realm cultivators. More were still on the way.

Dozens of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators had already arrived. Zhang Huaijin estimated that when all was said and done, the number of Qi Refining cultivators would exceed ten thousand. And the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators would surpass fifty. Every county had its own Foundation Establishment independent cultivators. The Zhou and Fang families contributed their own Foundation Establishment members.

And there were many native Foundation Establishment families living in Qingtai Prefecture, generation after generation. All together, their numbers would be considerable. With so many cultivators gathered in one place, Blood Lion Mountain buzzed with noise and activity. The Foundation Establishment cultivator assigned to receive the Zhang family was named Fang Tao. He was from the Fang family, one of the two great Purple Mansion clans.

He had reached the fourth level of the Foundation Establishment Realm, already solidly in the mid stage. His expression was stern, almost cold. He glanced at Zhang Huaijin and said two words,"Follow me." Then he turned and walked away without waiting for a reply. Zhang Huaijin was not offended. He could sense the man's disdain. After all, the Zhang family had only recently been promoted to Foundation Establishment status. And he himself was merely at the first level.

The other man came from a Purple Mansion Realm family and wore his arrogance like a second skin. It was only natural. Fang Tao led the Zhang family members to the section of the defense line assigned to Langya County.

"The Beast Tide is about to erupt," Fang Tao said.

"You will stay here for now. Learn the formation. Familiarize yourselves with how it operates. Rice and spirit beast meat will be delivered by designated personnel. Unless you have important business, do not wander." He turned his gaze directly to Zhang Huaijin.

"This section of the defense line is your responsibility. Learn the formation as quickly as possible. Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators may move around freely, but do not forget your duty." With those words, Fang Tao left. He did not linger. Zhang Huaijin had neither status nor strength worth comparing to his own. Why waste time? After Fang Tao departed, Zhang Huaijin began settling his family. What Qingtai Prefecture faced was the Raging Blood Lion clan.

The Raging Blood Lion was a blood attribute spirit beast, fearsome, brutal, and incredibly powerful in combat. Once, long ago, Blood Lion Mountain had been the territory of the Raging Blood Lion clan. But over a hundred years earlier, during a Beast Tide, the clan had been dealt a devastating blow. Of their five Purple Mansion Realm Raging Blood Lions, only one had survived. Blood Lion Mountain had been seized by the human cultivators of Qingtai Prefecture. It had remained in human hands for more than a century.

Now, with time, the Raging Blood Lion clan had slowly recovered its strength. They now had three Purple Mansion Realm beasts. In addition, two other spirit beast clans prowled the borders of Qingtai Prefecture. The Goldback Mantis and the Blood Jade Spider. Each of these two clans had one Purple Mansion Realm beast. Both were only at the early stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, far weaker than the Raging Blood Lion clan.

"Familiarize yourselves with the formation," Zhang Huaijin instructed his family.

"Understood!" Zhang Hong and the others nodded in unison. The Nine Star Black Glass Array was a tier 3, low grade formation. Not even a mid stage Purple Mansion Realm spirit beast could break through its defenses.