"So the cries I heard outside the town… were theirs."
Chen Nianzhi's eyes darkened as he looked down at the trembling twins.
"But why would that old demon slaughter everyone in Pingyuan Town, yet spare these two?"
A thought struck him. He gently grasped the girl's wrist and sent a thread of spiritual sense into her meridians.Moments later, a spark of surprise lit up his expression.
He could clearly sense two distinct spiritual flows—Fire and Wood—and they resonated in harmony, feeding one another.
"Fire–Wood dual roots… a mutually nourishing combination."
That kind of affinity was exceptionally rare—faster in cultivation than ordinary dual roots, and often blessed with great spiritual potential.
"No wonder the demon spared her. A body like this is perfect for demonic possession."
Turning to the boy beside her, he placed a hand upon his wrist as well.
"If the girl is Fire–Wood, then…"
Sure enough, after a brief probe, his spiritual sense confirmed what he'd hoped—Fire–Metal dual roots.
Twin siblings, both with dual spiritual roots.No wonder a demon had come creeping into the Chen family's territory.
He wasted no more time. After one last sweep of the ruined town—confirming there were no other survivors—Chen Nianzhi gathered the children and departed toward Pingyang City.
The dead were too many; the cleanup would have to wait for others.
The Weight of the News
When he returned to Pingyang, the report shook the elders to their core.
Within days, the Chen family's investigators confirmed the truth:the old demon had been hiding among mortals in Pingyuan Town for years,disguised as a healer, slowly gaining trust.When the time came, he betrayed and assassinated the stationed Chen cultivator,seized control of the protective formation,and performed the blood sacrifice that wiped out the entire town.
"That damned fiend," Chen Nianyang spat, fists trembling."A thousand cuts would be too merciful!"
The Great Elder, Chen Qingxu, raised a hand. His expression was grim.
"Enough. The damage is done. Anger will not raise the dead."
His deep voice filled the hall.
"From this day onward, every settlement under our banner is to conduct a full census.Any unfamiliar faces must be questioned.Those without proven Chen blood will have their identities examined thrice over.Even among our kin, we must beware possession and infiltration."
He turned to Chen Nianzhi.
"When you return to Qingyuan Mountain, tell the Third Elder to send more people.We'll need reinforcements."
"Understood," Chen Nianzhi replied.
The massacre weighed heavily on him. Three thousand innocent lives—their souls consumed to feed a demonic banner.It was intolerable.
He resolved then and there that he would root out every trace of demonic corruption in the Chen domain.
But the scale was daunting.
The Chen Clan's mortal descendants now numbered nearly two hundred thousand.To examine each one for demonic taint was a monumental task.Pingyang alone had fewer than thirty cultivators to both defend the city and perform inspections.They would need aid from the main clan on Qingyuan Mountain.
"Then I'll depart at once," Chen Nianzhi said, rising.
The Great Elder stroked his beard and shook his head.
"No rush. The demon who did this is already dead, and haste will gain us nothing.""You've spent days testing spirit roots and fought a fierce battle. Rest tonight.""Tomorrow, take the gifted children back with you to Qingyuan Mountain."
Chen Nianzhi bowed slightly.
"As you command."
Return to Qingyuan Mountain
The next morning, he set out at dawn with five spirit-rooted children in tow.Where the trip to Pingyang had taken only two days,the return—burdened with weary little legs—took more than a week.
When at last he reached Qingyuan Mountain, he went straight to the Sacred Spring Pavilion,where the clan patriarch, Chen Changxuan, resided.
The old patriarch had lived more than a century—a hundred and ten years—yet by the standards of Foundation Establishment cultivators, he was still in his prime.Or had been, before tragedy struck.
Two years ago, he was ambushed and crippled, his meridians torn.Now, his once brilliant Qi flow flickered like a candle in the wind.
Seeing him, Chen Nianzhi's heart ached.
He knew the truth: even if the patriarch recovered,the clan's resources were too depleted to support another attempt at advancement.
"If only fate had been kinder…" he thought.
Sixty years ago, the Chen Clan had been at its zenith—wealthy, powerful, with several Foundation Establishment elders.They had even acquired a Ziyang Jade, a heavenly treasure that aided breakthroughs into the Zifu (Purple Mansion) Realm.
Had their leader of that era succeeded,the Chen Clan would now be hailed among Chu Kingdom's immortal noble houses.
But then came the Beast Calamity.Betrayal, ambush, slaughter.Their elite fell, and the Ziyang Jade was lost forever.
Audience with the Patriarch
The old man's pale face brightened faintly when he saw Chen Nianzhi.
"Nianzhi… come closer."
He coughed twice, his voice thin but steady.
"You've come to see me—what matter brings you here?"
Chen Nianzhi bowed respectfully.
"Patriarch, a demonic calamity has befallen us."
And he recounted the tragedy of Pingyuan Town in full.
By the end, Chen Changxuan's eyes burned with fury.
"Those demonic bastards grow bolder by the year…""Do they think the Chen Clan dead already!?"
Chen Nianzhi quickly interjected, worried the patriarch's anger would worsen his injuries.
"Uncle-ancestor, please—don't strain yourself. The culprit is already slain."
The old patriarch exhaled slowly, his rage cooling into iron resolve.
"Qingxu is right. The real threat now is not vengeance—but prevention.""The demon you killed may not be alone. Others may have infiltrated Pingyang long ago.""I am injured and cannot act, so you and the elders must take decisive measures.""Root out every hidden danger—by thunder if you must."
Chen Nianzhi nodded firmly.
"I've already begun planning. I'll summon the elders and coordinate a full investigation.Any trace of demonic presence will be purged—without mercy."
The patriarch's eyes softened.
"Good. The remaining elders are wise and steady men.Consult them, act prudently—but above all, keep the clan safe."
The Elders' Council
Leaving the Sacred Spring, Chen Nianzhi immediately convened a Council of Elders.
The Great Elder remained in Pingyang City;the Second Elder had gone to Yuyang Market after the new year to manage trade affairs.
Thus, only three elders joined him—the Third, Fourth, and Fifth.
They gathered within the clan's grand hall,four solemn figures beneath the flickering lamplight.
Chen Nianzhi glanced toward the empty seat of the Sixth Elder.
The Third Elder followed his gaze and sighed deeply.
"After the new year… Qingmeng shut himself into a death seclusion."
The words struck like a silent bell—heavy, inevitable.
The room fell quiet.
Chen Nianzhi lowered his eyes.He didn't need to ask what that meant.
The Sixth Elder, once a proud alchemist and cultivator of promise,had chosen to stake his life on one final attempt at Foundation Establishment.
If he succeeded, the Chen Clan would be reborn.If he failed…
There would be one less elder at their next meeting.