Chương 225: Chapter 114: Cast Down to the Dust, Suppressed for Ten Thousand Years

Within the domain of the Mu Family lay a sprawling, serene body of water known as Jindong Lake. Fed directly by a subterranean network of interconnected channels, its waters remained crystalline, pure, and wonderfully fresh throughout all four seasons of the year. Swimming fish darted merrily beneath gentle ripples while delicate lotus blossoms floated in full, vibrant bloom upon the mirror-like surface.

Enhanced by minor environmental spells designed to summon lingering wisps of cloud and gentle veils of mist, the lake appeared from a distance to be nothing short of an ethereal, heavenly fairyland suspended far above the mortal realm. Whenever the cultivators of the Mu Family felt weary, anxious, or stymied in their arduous practice, most would come to this very spot to take a slow, contemplative stroll around the shore.

Taking in the calm atmosphere and breathtaking scenery never failed to quiet their agitated minds, restoring a sense of tranquil balance to their hearts. At this very moment, Reyn was walking unhurriedly along the peaceful bank of the lake. Every Mu Family cultivator he crossed paths with paused to bow respectfully, their faces displaying deep reverence mixed with undeniable wonder.

In recent days, word had somehow leaked out that Reyn would soon attempt his Foundation Establishment breakthrough with the personal assistance and guidance of the Mu Family Ancestor himself—a rumor that had quickly spread like wildfire until every single member of the clan knew of it. Beside their overwhelming shock, these cultivators could not help but harbor intense anticipation in their hearts.

After all, Reyn possessed such extraordinary strength and miraculous divine abilities even before establishing his foundation; if he were to successfully break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, just what astonishing realm of power would he be able to achieve? Facing the intense, reverent gazes of the surrounding crowd, Reyn maintained an unruffled expression, continuing his measured stride without breaking pace.

A short while later, as his path led him behind a towering, moss-covered boulder, his sharp eyes swept across the surroundings in a fraction of a second. Seeing that no one was paying attention to his subtle movements, he gave his finger a microscopic flick. With that imperceptible motion, a single storage bag flew out and sank silently into the cool depths of the water without leaving so much as a ripple.

Having completed this covert action, Reyn let out a soft, inward sigh, turned around smoothly, and began walking back toward the main estate grounds. At the very same moment, concealed deep within his long, billowing sleeve, his single hand rapidly formed an intricate incantation gesture, sending out a tiny, invisible strand of spiritual technique.... Deep inside a secluded chamber within the Hall of Ten Thousand Longevities.

The madman was sprawled flat on the floor, his left and right hands frantically maneuvering dozens of small clay figurines dressed in various styles of Daoist robes as if they were live cultivators locked in a bloody, life-or-death battle. His mouth never stopped babbling, shouting, and cheering at the top of his lungs.

"Behold my Grand Wind and Cloud Illusion Art! Transforming clouds and winds to shatter the heavens and shake the earth! Crush and annihilate everything!" Leaning heavily to his left, he shrieked in a high-pitched, manic voice. But in the next second, he abruptly tilted his body to the right, adopting the persona of a black-robed cultivator as he let out a foolish, raspy laugh: "Heh heh! What good is your Grand Wind and Cloud Illusion Art?

My Great Fireball Art can break through your tricks in an instant and reduce everything to ashes!"

"Senior Brother, stop wasting words on him! Strike quickly and slaughter them all!" Now he was playing yet another cultivator, shouting in urgent fury.

"Kill them!"

"Sky-Shattering Grand Illusion Art!"

"Taste the power of my meteor hammer magic treasure!"

"Ahhh! Despicable coward, how dare you launch a sneaky ambush against me!" Acting out multiple roles all by himself, the madman roared continuously, his hands flailing and feet dancing wildly in a display of utter, unbridled madness. The Mu Family cultivator assigned to guard him maintained an entirely impassive expression. Having grown thoroughly accustomed to these absurd antics over time, he sat calmly nearby, eyes closed in quiet meditation as if completely immune to the chaotic noise.

Yet right at that moment, a brilliant, sharp glint flickered across the madman's eyes as he aggressively manipulated his tiny clay puppets. Almost instantly, however, his gaze relapsed into its usual murky, senseless daze. With a slight surge of pressure from his fingers, one of the clay figurines snapped into two pieces, falling clattering onto the ground.

"Little Grey! Little Grey, one of my clay figurines broke! Hurry up and go fetch me another one, hurry! We're right in the middle of a grand battle!" Hearing the frantic commotion, the Mu Family guard slowly opened his eyes, a look of profound helplessness surfacing on his face.

"So what if you're missing one? You still have plenty left in your hands. Just let them keep fighting with what you have."

"No! That won't do! That won't do at all!" the madman threw a violent tantrum, collapsing onto the floor, kicking his legs, and crying uncontrollably.

"Both sides were evenly matched and ready to battle for tens of thousands of rounds, unleashing thousands of grand spells and divine abilities! How can the war go on if we're missing one soldier? Go get me another one right now, or I'll throw a huge fit and bother you so much you won't be able to cultivate at all! Go, hurry up and go!"

"Alright, alright, alright! My ancestral granddaddy, why are you so impossibly difficult to cater to?" The Mu Family guard shook his head with a bitter smile. Still, before stepping out, he made sure to sternly instruct: "While I'm away for a moment, you are strictly forbidden from sneaking outside! If you run off, I'll never give you another candy or clay figurine ever again!" Upon hearing this warning, the madman nodded frantically like a chick pecking at grain, a silly, dim-witted grin plastered across his face.

But the moment the Mu Family guard turned his back and stepped out of the room, the foolish smile vanished instantly from his face, replaced by a dark, sinister, and chillingly calculated expression. In that very second, he reverted back into Shen Zui—the man who had endured humiliation and concealed his razor-sharp edge for years on end! Moving with swift, silent agility, he strode over to the filthy, pitch-black bedstead that emitted a sour, pungent stench.

With a flick of his arm, he pulled back the stained bedding, revealing a miniature array inscribed directly onto the floor beneath, spanning barely a meter in diameter. Though tiny, its complex lines and arcane runes were extraordinarily detailed—every stroke and flourish seemed as though carved by nature itself, constantly radiating a subtle yet peculiar aura. Shen Zui sat cross-legged at the center of the tiny formation and lightly flicked a thin thread of mana into its core.

Instantly, taking him as the focal point, intricate line after intricate line illuminated in sequence until a profound, mystic grand array enveloped the entire room! Once the concealment array was fully activated, Shen Zui's tight expression relaxed slightly. He then reached out and pointed a finger downward toward the stone floor.

"Hasten!" Down on the ground, two heavy stone floor slabs suddenly slid open to either side without making a single sound, revealing a trickling subterranean channel flowing quietly below. Reaching his arm deep into the cold water, Shen Zui closed his eyes slightly, extending a thread-thin wispy strand of Divine Sense that wound its way along the channel like silk thread. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Moments later, Shen Zui snapped his eyes open, a flash of ecstatic joy bursting across his face. From the flowing subterranean water, he pulled out a pristine storage bag. Sweeping his Divine Sense into its interior, a look of immense satisfaction washed over his features.

"Swift!" As he spoke, Shen Zui thrust his finger forward once more. Driven by his concise command, the heavy stone floor slabs smoothly slid back together, fusing into a seamless, unbroken surface with a muffled thud.

"Disperse!" As he paced softly across the room, he gave a casual flick of his sleeve. In response, the intricate array runes etched thickly across every inch of the chamber flickered momentarily before extinguishing one by one into utter stillness. By the time Shen Zui finished smoothing out his bedding and arranging the quilt, every trace of magical activity had vanished, returning the room to complete normalcy.

"I've finally gotten my hands on these crucial materials. With this, I can at last begin refining the Space-Shattering Spirit Feather! You had better not be deceiving me. Otherwise, if I end up falling into the hands of the Mu Family Ancestor, don't you dare dream that you will meet a good end either!" The man quickly slipped the storage bag into his robes, clutching the small clay figure tightly in his palm as he muttered under his breath with a cold, guarded tone.

"Hmph, hmph! Rest easy. This venerable demon wishes to break free from the Mu Family's clutches just as desperately as you do. Sabotaging you brings me absolutely no benefit whatsoever."

"Has that person returned already? It seems I must continue playing the lunatic and acting like an utter fool for a few more days. Fortunately, however, it feels as though my days of enduring such degradation are finally drawing to a close!" The moment Shen Zui finished speaking, the sharp clarity in his eyes dissolved instantly, replaced by a dull, murky glaze. He began flailing his arms wildly, shouting at the top of his lungs like a madman: "Just you wait!

My Senior Brother will return fully healed from his injuries any moment now! When he gets back, we'll fight another three thousand rounds with all of you!" At that exact moment, the door was pushed open, and the Mu Family cultivator stepped inside. …… Within the Hall of Ten Thousand Longevities—the secluded, solemn cultivation sanctuary of the Manifest Saint old ghost.

Mu Yunshen stood with a deeply respectful posture, his head bowed slightly as he reported in a lowered voice, "Ancestor, I have already dispatched men to interrogate the disciple who accompanied Shen Zui into Reyn's courtyard that day. However, that fool collapsed dead drunk after a single cup of spirit wine and knows absolutely nothing about what transpired between the two of them. This matter is truly quite peculiar!"

"Furthermore, I have retrieved the exact inventory list of items Reyn requested and withdrew from the family treasury. Although there was nothing unusual or forbidden among the materials he took, I cannot shake the lingering feeling that this boy has somehow caught wind of something. It seems he has begun to harbour suspicion and build guard against us."

Mu Daguang nodded slowly upon hearing this, a faint shade of melancholy and wistful longing appearing across his ancient, withered face as he spoke: "This Reyn, whether in terms of natural talent or mental fortitude, is an absolute top-tier genius among his peers.

If he had only been born into our Mu Family and raised under my personal, painstaking guidance, there is a very high probability that he could have successfully achieved Nascent Soul Formation within two hundred years, becoming the second grand Nascent Soul mighty cultivator of our Mu Family! What a shame... What a profound, tragic pity!"

Pausing for a brief moment, his expression turned cold and indifferent once more as he continued, "Given a youth of his formidable intellect, if he didn't harbour the slightest suspicion at this point, it would actually make me rather disappointed in him. However, none of you need to worry. I have already instructed the Demonic Spirit to imprint and track his aura. At this point, even if he develops the urge to retreat or flee, I'm afraid the choice is no longer his to make!"

"Ancestor is truly brilliant and farsighted! In this manner, we can guarantee that everything remains absolutely foolproof!" Hearing this, a look of profound relief and satisfaction flushed over Mu Yunshen's face.

"How are the preparations for the sacrificial offerings coming along?" the Manifest Saint old ghost inquired, his voice laced with a dark, chilling seriousness.

"All the sacrificial offerings were procured directly from the Nanzhao Kingdom. Because we employed mortals to handle the transactions on the front lines to avoid drawing attention, the progress has been somewhat sluggish. However, I have already commanded them to accelerate the transport by any means necessary. At the latest, the entire batch will be delivered within six days." Mu Yunshen stole a cautious glance at the Manifest Saint old ghost, carefully gauging his tone.

Seeing no sign of anger or displeasure on the old patriarch's face, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief and answered with utmost deference.

"Mm. Instruct them to exercise extreme caution in this endeavor. I would rather the delivery be delayed by two or three days than risk even the slightest leak of news." The Manifest Saint old ghost fell silent for a short while before speaking in a deep, heavy voice.

"Rest assured, Ancestor! This junior understands the gravity of the matter and will handle it with proper discretion!" Mu Daguang nodded calmly at his words and gave a subtle wave of his hand. Mu Yunshen dared not linger a moment longer; after offering a profound, reverent bow, he turned around and walked out of the hall with measured, quiet steps. ……

"This catastrophe surrounding the Mu Family is without a doubt the single greatest crisis I have ever encountered since stepping onto the path of cultivation. That Mu Family Ancestor is a genuine Nascent Soul cultivator. If I am discovered while trying to escape, I will face certain death with zero chance of survival!"

"Right now, the Little Divine Hall is frantically attempting to fuse back with its main body. Should my attempt to flee fall through and fail, I will be forced to use this Dao Artifact as my ultimate fallback card! If that Manifest Saint old ghost truly tries to corner me and strike with intent to kill, I will self-destruct this treasure and drag countless disciples of his precious Mu Family straight down to hell with me!"

"Yet even if I manage to pull off a successful escape, I will have thoroughly offended and antagonized the Mu Family beyond reconciliation. To cover up their monstrous, disgraceful atrocities, the entire Mu Family will undoubtedly mobilize every resource at their disposal, stopping at nothing to hunt down and eradicate me! If I return to North Yue State now, I will inevitably fail to escape their demonic grasp!"

"It seems that for now, my only viable path forward is to flee far into distant lands! Only after I have grown powerful enough to possess the strength for self-preservation and no longer fear the Mu Family's relentless pursuit will I dare return to the Zhao Kingdom!" As Reyn walked along the path, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter, a chilling glint of icy resolve flashing within his eyes. His original intention had been to seek asylum and assistance from the Mu Family.

He had spared no effort, braved countless perils, and braved mortal danger, only to find that just when victory was within his grasp, the entire affair was nothing more than an elaborate, deadly trap meticulously laid out to destroy him!

"Accepting me as a disciple and making a grand, public spectacle of it that shook the entire Zhao Kingdom... All of that was merely to convince the world that the Mu Family held me in the highest regard!"

"Spreading news far and wide, declaring that I was about to attempt Foundation Establishment under the personal guidance and protection of the Mu Family Ancestor... That was nothing but laying down a convenient pretext! Once I was dead, they could simply announce to the world that I had tragically perished due to an unforeseen mishap during my breakthrough!"

"Even this grand, once-a-century bestowal of grace by the Huizhou Mu Family—allowing cultivators from all eight provinces to come here and cultivate for three full years—was nothing more than a giant net to screen and select those with the very best Spirit Root aptitudes, all so they could employ their sinister methods to devour them and sustain their bloodline power!"

"And the Trial Realm... all of us fighting desperately, tearing each other apart for a chance at greatness... in the eyes of that Mu Family Ancestor, it was all nothing more than a pathetic, bloody joke! How pitiful that for thousands of years, among the countless cultivators of our Zhao Kingdom, not a single person was ever able to see through this grand deception!"

"How tragic, how utterly pitiful! How ridiculous, how absurdly laughable!" Reyn let out a low sigh, a bitter, helpless smile creeping onto his face. Yet behind that bitterness, his eyes burned with an icy, razor-sharp light, radiating an overwhelming, murderous intent!

"I, Reyn, have never claimed to be a noble gentleman or an unblemished saint of morality! I am an ordinary man driven by human desires, capable of love, hatred, joy, and vengeance! But the actions of this Mu Family are so utterly vile, using the precious lives of my Zhao Kingdom's cultivation community as mere nutrients and cattle to preserve their family's prosperity—such heinous atrocities are beyond all forgiveness!"

"To plot and scheme against me like this... Had it not been for a stroke of fortune through which I learned the truth from Shen Zui, I, Reyn, would have undoubtedly walked straight into my grave! Such deep, burning enmity is absolutely unforgivable!"

"Therefore, on this day, I, Reyn, swear a solemn oath to the Heavens: Should there come a day when my cultivation grows powerful enough that I no longer need to fear the Mu Family, I will wield my sword to personally slay the ringleaders of this wickedness, smash this entire clan down into the dust, and suppress them for ten thousand years so they may never rise again!"