Chapter 345: Devastation: The Beast Taming Xu Family Annihilated!

Lu Quanzhen casually reduced the corpse to ashes, then picked up the Artifact and storage bag before heading back the way he came.

On the way, he burned the severed spirit beast, the blood by the cliff, and the two corpses with pierced chests, making sure to clean up everything.

He then calmly returned to the stone cave.

“Quanzhen?”

Lu Ping’an heard the noise and opened his eyes, his face full of pain.

He had just heard the commotion outside.

But he was at a crucial moment in refining the Golden Bodhi Dates, unable to move or even speak.

“Just a few clowns. They’ve been dealt with. No need to worry, big brother. Focus on your refining.”

Lu Quanzhen smiled, but his face was somewhat pale.

The Blood Burning Escape Technique consumed a lot of his essence and vitality.

Even just a moment of use caused significant damage, requiring several months of recovery.

“Alright.”

Lu Ping’an saw his brother’s pale face and felt a bit guilty.

But he couldn’t be distracted now, so he nodded and continued to focus on refining the Golden Bodhi Dates with the Hundred Refined Body Technique.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

Lu Ping’an sat cross-legged like a great furnace, his body rumbling with a blazing, fierce aura.

He had swallowed the last five Golden Bodhi Dates in one go, causing the violent medicinal power to make his mighty body tremble, with cracks appearing in his flesh and bones.

However, the potent life force within the Golden Bodhi Dates healed the injuries, nourishing the cracks, allowing the flesh to regenerate and the bones to mend.

Moreover, as the Hundred Refined Body Technique circulated madly, the Giant Axe Magical Treasure within his chest continuously released its essence, merging into his limbs, bones, and marrow.

Although the process was painful, Lu Ping’an could clearly see his improvement.

His cultivation only advanced from the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining to the Eighth Layer.

But his physical body saw a significant enhancement, directly advancing towards the Sixth Layer of the Hundred Refined Body Technique.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, a sound like a tidal wave erupted from within Lu Ping’an’s body, his skin bursting with a brilliant golden light, filling the entire cave.

“Did I… break through?”

Lu Quanzhen, hearing the noise, opened his eyes in surprise.

Lu Ping’an remained seated, his body glowing brilliantly, exuding a powerful and oppressive aura, like a surging ocean of golden light.

“With this level of body refining, even Foundation Establishment cultivators would be hard-pressed to match it.”

At this moment, Lu Quanzhen felt the air grow heavy, making it hard to breathe. He stepped outside the cave to wait.

During this time, he remained vigilant, observing the cliffside, worried that someone else might come.

After several hours, the golden light in the cave gradually faded, and the golden luster on Lu Ping’an’s skin slowly retracted and disappeared.

Not long after, Lu Ping’an opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and piercing, with golden light flowing in his pupils.

“Hoo!”

Lu Ping’an exhaled a long breath of foul air, his eyes deep and bright, his gaze sharp as a torch.

His body, clad in dark golden armor, emitted a sizzling sound as impurities and grime on his skin were burned away, turning into wisps of black smoke.

After consuming twenty-three Golden Bodhi Dates, his cultivation broke through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

However, the cultivation breakthrough was merely a side benefit.

His true improvement came from the Hundred Refined Body Technique, which transformed his flesh and bones!

The Hundred Refined Body Technique advanced from the fifth to the sixth layer!

His meridians and bones became much tougher, raising the limits of his physical strength and Spiritual Energy!

After all, only with strong flesh, meridians, and bones can one withstand high-intensity bursts of strength and compressed Spiritual Energy!

“Congratulations, big brother.”

Lu Quanzhen congratulated Lu Ping’an.

From the earlier commotion, he could tell that Lu Ping’an had gained a lot from the Golden Bodhi Dates.

He thought to himself, these Golden Bodhi Dates indeed live up to their reputation as a Top-Tier spiritual herb, truly extraordinary.

However, despite their remarkable properties, only a body cultivator like Lu Ping’an could consume and refine over twenty of them in such a short time.

“Quanzhen, you’ve worked hard.”

Lu Ping’an stood up, his dark golden armor shining, his posture tall and imposing, his expression solemn. He spoke with a hint of guilt.

He had risked everything to maximize the effects of the Golden Bodhi Dates and break through, leaving himself immobilized.

If it weren’t for Lu Quanzhen, he would have been in serious danger if anyone had come.

“Heh, big brother, you’re too kind.”

Lu Quanzhen smiled.

He had taken some healing pills, so his face was no longer as pale.

However, his complexion still looked weak, and he would need some time to fully recover.

“Quanzhen, not only did my cultivation break through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining, but the Hundred Refined Body Technique also advanced to the sixth layer.”

“I’ll handle things from here on.”

Lu Ping’an said in a deep voice.

He had a rough idea of his current strength and knew he could handle the situation.

“The Sixth Layer of the Hundred Refined Body Technique.”

Lu Quanzhen thought, just as expected.

When his big brother was at the fifth layer, he could finish a fight in just one or two punches.

Now that he’s broken through to the sixth layer, could he sweep through the entire secret realm?

He squinted his eyes and smiled, nodding, “Alright.”

“Big brother, the people from the Beast Taming Xu Family that I dealt with earlier might have been tracked by their family, so we shouldn’t stay here long.”

Lu Quanzhen said.

Although he had killed all four of the Xu Family members.

The Xu Family, being a Golden Core level force, might have ways to track them down.

After all, family cultivators are different from sect disciples.

Sect disciples might occasionally band together, but if one dies, that’s the end of it.

If they happen to be nearby, they might take revenge for a fellow disciple out of camaraderie.

But generally, sect disciples wouldn’t waste time avenging others.

Family disciples are different.

They have blood ties and are more united.

Even if they’re not close, if someone dies in the secret realm, the others must give an explanation to their family.

“The Beast Taming Xu Family, huh.”

Lu Ping’an nodded, knowing that this family was a Golden Core clan and not to be underestimated.

He carefully shattered the ground, then dug out the Golden Bodhi Dates tree and handed it to Lu Quanzhen.

Lu Quanzhen took out a bottle of Spirit Liquid from his storage bag, poured it on the Golden Bodhi Dates tree, and then placed it in a Spirit Plant Bag.

“Hmm!?”

Just as Lu Quanzhen was about to put away the formation, both brothers paused, exchanging glances as they heard movement on the cliff.

Moments later, Lu Quanzhen saw five figures descending the cliff, seemingly searching for something.

Judging by their attire and the spirit beasts beside them, he immediately recognized them as members of the Beast Taming Xu Family.

“They’re probably tracking us using Identity Tokens or other tokens.”

Lu Quanzhen’s eyes narrowed, a cold glint in his gaze, guessing what had happened.

Earlier, after killing the four Xu Family members, he naturally didn’t leave behind their storage bags or spoils.

Among the items in the storage bags were some tokens and tokens that couldn’t be destroyed, so he threw them off the cliff.

Judging by their approach, he guessed they were tracking the tokens.

“It seems the Beast Taming Xu Family knew about this stone cave.”

Lu Quanzhen recalled that the four Xu Family members seemed to know exactly where they were going when they found the cave.

He squinted his eyes and looked at Lu Ping’an, saying, “Big brother, these five are all from the Beast Taming Xu Family. They’ve come to check on the situation, likely tracking the tokens from the previous group.”

Although the two could escape while the five descended the cliff, avoiding a confrontation.

Who knows if these people have other means to track them down?

Since that’s the case, it’s better to strike first and eliminate them all.

Earlier, he had gained quite a bit from the Xu Family’s storage bags, including many precious spiritual herbs.

They even obtained two Celestial Spirit Fruits, their main target.

These five, being cultivators of the Beast Taming Xu Family, likely have equally substantial gains.

Why waste time searching for treasures when killing and looting is faster?

Lu Quanzhen had no qualms about killing and looting.

After all, in this world, if you don’t rob, others will rob you!

If you don’t fight, how can your family rise? How can you reach Golden Core within a hundred years?

Ever since he truly embarked on the path of cultivation, he had become indifferent to such matters.

Or rather, from the moment he first killed someone in the mortal world, he had gradually become indifferent to life.

In the mortal world, you could decide life and death with just a flick of your wrist.

With just a simple move, countless lives could be lost. He felt his mind gradually changing.

“Quanzhen, you mean…”

Lu Ping’an was startled, roughly guessing what his brother was implying.

“Instead of waiting for them to attack, let’s strike first.”

Lu Quanzhen, dressed in black with a scholar’s cap, his figure tall and slender, looked like a frail scholar as he spoke softly.

Lu Ping’an saw his brother’s narrow eyes and smiling face, and felt a chill in his heart.

He took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Alright, I’ll take care of them. Quanzhen, you stay back and provide backup.”

“These five are from the Beast Taming Xu Family, each with a spirit beast. Be careful, big brother.”

Lu Quanzhen smiled and nodded.

Although he was confident that the two of them could easily kill the five Xu Family members.

Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit!

“Don’t worry.”

Lu Ping’an nodded, knowing that if they were going to do it, they had to do it cleanly.

He stepped out of the stone cave, his eyes shining as he looked at the five figures flying down the cliff.

“Boom!”

Lu Ping’an’s blood and qi surged, his organs vibrating like a slumbering primordial beast. Golden light flowed over his body, making his armor emit a cold metallic sheen.

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

He then shattered the rock beneath his feet and shot down the cliff, tearing through layers of air, the shockwaves rippling as he charged at the five.

“Hmm!?”

“Roar, roar, roar!”

“Not good!”

“Be careful!”

The five Xu Family members were highly alert.

They had come here using the tokens and realized that the other team had gone silent, suspecting something had happened, so they came to investigate.

“Who are you!?”

A middle-aged man in his forties shouted.

He was the leader of this Xu Family team.

As he looked at Lu Ping’an, who was charging at them with an overwhelming aura, causing their spirit beasts to roar and feel a sense of danger, his eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.

Seeing Lu Ping’an getting closer, he didn’t dare hesitate and shouted, “Formation, Black Dragon Shears!”

In an instant, the five formed a formation.

This was a battle formation that allowed multiple Qi Refining cultivators to merge their energies, combining offense and defense, greatly enhancing their combat power.

The five moved in unison, their spirit beasts coiling around them. Two of them formed hand seals, summoning Artifacts to create a barrier that enveloped them all.

The other three each summoned a black longsword, a black long blade, and a black chain.

These three Artifacts, under their control, merged into a black shear about ten feet long, shining with a cold, ominous black light like a hidden dragon, fierce and terrifying, seemingly capable of cutting through anything.

The shears charged at Lu Ping’an.

“Boom!”

Lu Ping’an’s body shot forward like a meteor. Facing the incoming black shears, he didn’t dodge. His muscles tensed, his already raised right arm punching out fiercely.

“Fool! He dares to use his flesh to block our Black Dragon Shears!”

“He’s courting death!”

“He must have refined his brain into mush!”

The five Xu Family members sneered and mocked when they saw Lu Ping’an’s actions.

But the next moment, as the golden fist crashed into the black shears, a dragon’s roar and a tiger’s growl echoed, and the two forces clashed directly.

“Clang!!!”

A thunderous metallic sound rang out, sparks flying everywhere.

Then, a violent shockwave burst out from the point of impact, sweeping in all directions, causing rocks and soil to crumble and turn to dust.

“This… this…!!!”

“How is this possible!”

“He actually clashed with the Black Dragon Shears with his bare fists!”

The five Xu Family members exclaimed in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.

They knew that their Black Dragon Shears weren’t ordinary!

It was a combined spirit tool bestowed by the family’s ancestor!

Usually, it was three Top-Tier Artifacts, but when merged, it became a low-Tier spirit tool!

And it wasn’t an ordinary mass-produced spirit tool; it was a high-quality one, comparable to a mid-Tier spirit tool in power!

With this Black Dragon Shears, the five of them could even fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

But now, Lu Ping’an was actually using his fists to clash directly with their low-Tier spirit tool, the Black Dragon Shears!

“Clang, clang, clang!!!”

Lu Ping’an’s fists moved like dragons, punching repeatedly at the black shears, sparks flying, dazzling and brilliant, causing the spirit tool to tremble madly, its light dimming.

“Fellow Daoist, we don’t know how we’ve offended you. If this place is yours, we can leave!”

The leader of the Xu Family team shouted, his heart in turmoil.

He didn’t expect that their opponent not only clashed with their spirit tool but even dimmed its light.

This!

This!

This!

He couldn’t understand why such a monstrous body cultivator would appear in the Purple Secrets Realm!

Who could refine their body to this extent, yet still be at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining!

“Boom, boom, boom!”

Lu Ping’an remained silent, his fists continuing to pound, the metallic sounds echoing in all directions, shaking the mountains and causing rocks and dirt to crumble.

“Fellow Daoist, we are from the Beast Taming Xu Family. Is there some misunderstanding between us?”

Another Xu Family cultivator spoke up.

Although they had a good idea why Lu Ping’an was attacking.

They really didn’t want to continue this fight against such a terrifying body cultivator.

After all, they had entered the secret realm for opportunities, not for a life-and-death struggle.

If both sides were to suffer, neither would gain anything.

Seeing that Lu Ping’an remained silent and continued to dim the light of the Black Dragon Shears with his fists, the Xu Family cultivators grew angry.

“Fellow Daoist, do you really want to fight to the death!”

“Even though your body refinement is profound, if you want to kill us all by yourself, you’ll still have to pay a price!”

The five Xu Family cultivators shouted.

The Beast Taming Xu Family is one of the top forces in the Jiang Kingdom!

Ten of them had entered the secret realm, and only one had mysteriously died early on.

The remaining nine had split into two teams, and no one dared to provoke them along the way.

Being challenged by Lu Ping’an now, they couldn’t help but feel anger.

“Kill!”

Seeing that a peaceful resolution was impossible, the five decided to go all out, intending to make Lu Ping’an pay and retreat.

The five formed a battle formation, controlling the Black Dragon Shears, while simultaneously commanding their spirit pets to attack Lu Ping’an from the sides.

One of them even summoned several talismans, sending them flying at Lu Ping’an.

However, facing such an onslaught, Lu Ping’an remained unfazed, merely turning his head to look at the tiger spirit beast charging at him, and then swung a punch.

The punch, like a divine drum echoing through the heavens, shattered the air, and with a “bang,” the tiger’s massive body was blown to pieces, blood splattering everywhere.

The talismans and the attacks from the other four spirit beasts landed on Lu Ping’an, causing a violent explosion, but they didn’t cause any substantial damage.

“This…!?”

The five Xu Family cultivators were horrified, realizing that Lu Ping’an’s body refinement had no weaknesses.

Not only could his physical strength clash with the Black Dragon Shears, but his body could also directly ignore their magical attacks.

How could they fight this? What could they use to fight!?

“Mountain Splitter!”

Lu Ping’an’s vitality surged, his body glowing with brilliance, golden light swirling around him, making him look like he was wearing a golden battle robe.

His right arm rose like a dragon, his aura rolling, and a massive axe appeared behind him.

The air exploded with a thunderous roar as he punched out, the force causing the air to erupt in a series of explosions.

The giant axe, accompanied by the punch, slashed down from the sky, unleashing an overwhelming and terrifying might, causing the dim Black Dragon Shears to wail as it was sent flying, crashing into the barrier surrounding the five.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

The barrier shattered under the overwhelming force, cracks spreading across it, and the five inside were shaken, their faces pale, coughing up blood.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

The five Xu Family cultivators were enveloped by a thick cloud of death, despair filling their hearts!

Yes, despair!

Because in this battle, they no longer knew how to fight!

They couldn’t even break through Lu Ping’an’s defense.

“Run!”

The five exchanged glances, deciding to use their life-saving methods to escape.

Only by doing so could they have a chance to survive!

In an instant, they abandoned their four spirit beasts, sending them to attack Lu Ping’an to buy time.

Then, the five activated their life-saving talismans, fleeing at the speed of light, soaring into the sky.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

The barrier shattered, and the four spirit beasts were torn apart by the force of Lu Ping’an’s punch, their blood splattering high into the air.

As the five reached the top of the cliff, they saw a young man in black robes standing there.

Beside him stood a tall metal puppet, holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

Above his head, a giant hammer, the size of a person, crackled with purple lightning, radiating a terrifying power.

“Boom!”

The purple hammer smashed down towards the five, unleashing a sea of purple lightning.

“A Talisman Treasure!?”

The five cultivators saw the purple lightning hammer and their faces turned pale with fear.

They hadn’t expected Lu Ping’an to have an ally, and even less that he would use a Talisman Treasure in this situation.

“How has our Xu Family offended you!?”

The five shouted in despair, trying to resist the Talisman Treasure’s attack.

But at that moment, Lu Ping’an punched at them again.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

In an instant, the five were caught between the hammer and the punch and exploded into bloody mist.

“Big brother, with your current strength, I don’t think anyone in this Purple Secrets Realm is your match.”

Lu Quanzhen said with some emotion.

Earlier, he had been providing backup for Lu Ping’an, and seeing him take on the Xu Family’s five cultivators without even using talismans, he was amazed.

He couldn’t help but think that only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could face someone like Lu Ping’an head-on.

Even the best of the Qi Refining cultivators wouldn’t be able to break through his defense.

“Quanzhen, if we kill too many in this secret realm, it might cause trouble.”

“And when the secret realm ends, we’ll need to hand over our gains. If we have too much, it could attract attention.”

Lu Ping’an, hearing his brother’s words, thought he intended to start robbing others in the secret realm and quickly spoke up.

Killing the five Xu Family members had at least some justification.

But to kill others just for their gains, he really didn’t want to do it.

“Heh, big brother, I understand.”

Lu Quanzhen smiled, knowing his brother’s kind and gentle nature.

Earlier, when they encountered other cultivators on the outskirts, as long as the others didn’t attack first, Lu Ping’an wouldn’t make a move.

Sometimes, when Lu Quanzhen was about to act, Lu Ping’an would even tell him to let it go.

The two brothers dealt with the bodies and remnants of the five cultivators and their spirit beasts, collecting their Artifacts and storage bags, then returned to the cave to examine their spoils.

As Lu Quanzhen had guessed, the Xu Family’s five had gained a lot.

Among their spoils were not only several spiritual herbs that needed to be handed over, but three more Celestial Spirit Fruits!

“It seems that families like the Beast Taming Xu Family know some key locations in the Purple Secrets Mountain where rare spiritual herbs can be found.”

Lu Quanzhen thought, based on the previous events.

Apart from that, families like the Beast Taming Xu Family likely also robbed others of their spirit herbs and spiritual plants, which is why they had such abundant gains.

“Big brother, since we need to hand over half of our gains when we leave, I think you should consume all the herbs that are beneficial to your body and blood.”

As they sorted through the storage bags, Lu Quanzhen suddenly spoke up.

He had planned to meet up with Lu Qingshan near the end of the secret realm and give him some of their spoils to take out.

After all, Lu Qingshan had a Golden Core master.

Even if their spoils were abundant, no one would dare say anything.

But now, they had gained so much, it would be better to use some of it.

“Besides, if we hand over too many spiritual herbs, it could cause trouble. So, big brother, you should consume as much as you can.”

Lu Quanzhen continued.

In his view, it was better to use the spiritual herbs to improve their cultivation rather than hand over a pile of them.

Besides, their family was currently relying on their father and a few aunts to hold down White Tiger Mountain, which lacked a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Although he and Lu Qingshan could break through to Foundation Establishment within a few years.

Lu Quanzhen had already planned that once he broke through to Foundation Establishment, he would venture out to try and form a Golden Core as soon as possible!

Once he left, Lu Qingshan would be far away in the Golden Sun Sect in the Yue Kingdom, and it would take Lu Wangshu at least another ten years to grow.

That would leave just his big brother at home!

So he felt it was important for his brother to increase his strength.

“Uh…”

Lu Ping’an thought what his brother said made sense.

But seeing so many spiritual herbs and thinking about just eating them felt like such a waste.

Before he could say anything, Lu Quanzhen pulled out a bunch of spiritual herbs from the storage bags and handed them to Lu Ping’an, saying he would eat them too.

Hearing this, the two brothers began munching on spiritual herbs in the cave.

If anyone saw this scene, they would surely curse them for wasting such valuable resources!

Outside the Purple Secrets Realm.

“It seems Ping’an has had some good fortune in the secret realm, not only breaking through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining but also advancing the Hundred Refined Body Technique!”

Lu Changsheng, through his system’s feedback, learned that his son, Lu Ping’an, had made continuous breakthroughs, and was filled with surprise.

After all, just a year ago, Lu Ping’an had broken through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining and the fifth layer of the Hundred Refined Body Technique.

Now, within just a year, he had broken through both again.

Especially to the sixth layer of the Hundred Refined Body Technique!

As Lu Ping’an advanced to the sixth layer of the Hundred Refined Body Technique, Lu Changsheng’s own Hundred Refined Body Technique also saw significant improvement.

He was close to reaching the peak of the Eighth Layer!

He planned to give Lu Ping’an the Long Halberd Magical Treasure he had obtained with Li Feiyu once the secret realm ended.

After all, as a father, when you have something good, you naturally think of your children first.

Giving this incomplete treasure to his children would benefit both of them, yielding double the rewards.

“At this rate, Ping’an might reach the third stage of body refinement before his cultivation.”

Lu Changsheng thought to himself.

When he broke through to Foundation Establishment, his Hundred Refined Body Technique had just reached the third layer.

But now, the Hundred Refined Body Technique was catching up.

“Now, we just have to wait for Quanzhen and Qingshan to break through to Foundation Establishment.”

Lu Changsheng looked forward to the future, feeling more hopeful with each passing day.

“Buzz!”

Suddenly, a wave of Golden Core pressure spread through the air, as heavy as a mountain, causing all the Foundation Establishment cultivators present to tremble.

They all opened their eyes and looked up at the sky, not knowing what was happening.

“Oh, what’s wrong with Old Ancestor Xu? Why is he so agitated?”

“Could it be that something happened to his disciples in the secret realm?”

An old ancestor of the Shangguan Family, one of the three Golden Core families in the Jiang Kingdom, laughed as he saw the Xu Family’s Old Ancestor in such a state.

Although the three families were all family forces, their relationships were not particularly good.

In fact, due to conflicts of interest, they often had open and hidden conflicts, constantly vying for supremacy.

“Hmph, Old Shangguan, this is none of your business.”

Old Ancestor Xu said coldly, his face gloomy as he retracted his False Core pressure.

Just now, the last five soul tokens in his storage bag had shattered!

This meant that all ten of his Xu Family disciples had died in the Purple Secrets Realm!

Three hundred years ago, after a similar incident where only one disciple survived the secret realm, the Xu Family had established a rule.

Upon entering the secret realm, disciples must band together immediately and must not act alone.

Since then, the family had never experienced more than half of its disciples dying.

But this time, all ten disciples had died!

Not only did this mean they would lose their gains from the Purple Secrets Realm, but it was also a serious blow to the family’s reputation and prestige!

“Could it be that the Azure Cloud Sect is deliberately suppressing our Xu Family, or the Shangguan Family, or perhaps the Four Great Immortal Sects…”

Old Ancestor Xu wondered, suspecting that some power was targeting them.

After all, who else but the Four Great Immortal Sects or other major Golden Core forces could kill all of their disciples!

Coincidentally, their old ancestor had been seriously injured during the beast wave and his condition was unclear.

At this time, other families might be testing their attitude through such actions to gauge the old ancestor’s condition.

“I’ll know who’s behind this once the secret realm ends and I see how the other families fared.”

Old Ancestor Xu stood on his divine vessel, his face grim.

Now that all his disciples had died in the secret realm, he could leave immediately.

But doing so would not only be shameful but would also allow the other families to probe their intentions.

If he couldn’t figure out who was responsible, he wouldn’t be able to explain it when he returned!