"Chu Hongyi, you actually betrayed me! Haha! I curse you to never be a mother in any of your lifetimes!" he roared ferociously.

"You thought you could kill my daughter and die an easy death?" the skeletal head chuckled ominously. "I won't let you. I'll soon turn you into a puppet. You'll be my son-in-law for all eternity!"

BOOM!

As soon as the words were spoken, Chu Yinghao was incinerated, leaving only a Storage Ring that fell into Chu Hongyi's hands.

Chu Hongyi took the Storage Ring and glanced at the skeletal head. She then left the ancestral hall with it, and in the time it took an incense stick to burn, they vanished into the night.

「Deep within the Chu Family estate, in an ancient temple.」

This was the Chu Family's forbidden ground.

"Family Head, Chu Hongyi has left with the Immortal's corpse. That corpse is very strange; it seems to possess a hint of sentience," someone inside the ancient temple reported.

"That Immortal's corpse is special! I remember the old ancestor saying that if we ever encountered such a thing, we must bring it back to the Chu Family. Even if we had to use a secret treasure to transport it, we must preserve it intact!"

Seated on high, Chu Yinghao spoke with indifference. With a sweep of his hand, a jade box appeared. He opened it, revealing a stele lying within.

The stele was only palm-sized! On its surface was a dragon-shaped pattern, and right in the center, five words were inscribed—*Xuan Emperor's Decree*!

The ancestors of the Chu Family were indeed descendants of the Xuan Emperor. This records his inheritance! It's just...

Chu Yinghao's brows furrowed slightly. Chu Hongyi had actually managed to take the stele with her, an unexpected development.

"Chu Yinghao, hand over the Xuan Emperor's Decree, or don't blame me for turning on you and exterminating the Chu Family's direct lineage!"

Suddenly, Chu Yunyang's voice echoed from outside the great hall. He then barged in, followed by a group of Chu Family disciples.

"Father!" Chu Yinghao's expression darkened, his gaze locking fiercely onto Chu Yunyang.

"Hmph! You stopped carrying the Chu name long ago. But, since you are my son, I'll give you one chance. Cripple your cultivation, bring Chu Hongyi back to me, and I will spare you. Otherwise, don't blame me for being merciless!" Chu Yunyang's tone was incredibly cold.

"Cripple my own cultivation? In your dreams!" Chu Yinghao cursed angrily. "Chu Yunyang, don't forget that you are the Chu Family Head, and your wife is the legitimate eldest daughter-in-law! The Chu Family will not allow an outsider with a different surname to manage the clan!"

"Heh heh! As if I care about managing!" Chu Yunyang sneered darkly, his eyes shifting. "I heard that girl Chu Hongyi has taken a liking to some boy. Isn't that kid a live-in son-in-law of the Chu Family? Chu Yinghao, if you don't want to be the Family Head, you can just let him do it!"

"Chu Yunyang, what are you implying!" Chu Yinghao's eyes flickered with intense murderous intent. "That little beast killed my three sons! How could he possibly be worthy?"

"If you don't want him to be the Family Head, then make the boy a Chu Family guard! Let me tell you, Chu Yinghao, if you don't agree tonight, you'll be opposing the entire Chu Family, understand?" Chu Yunyang's eyes gleamed viciously.

"If I'm opposing the entire Chu Family, it's only because you're forcing my hand!" Chu Yinghao raged.

BANG!

He slammed his fist down, shattering the desk!

"A Chu Family guard? Haha! Chu Yinghao, you're a true fool! Do you really think that kid is capable of killing my son? My son is a Foundation Establishment cultivator!" Chu Yunyang's arrogance was boundless. "But then again, your useless son never even reached the Golden Core Realm! If that kid truly has such skill, I'll chop off my head and let you use it as a stool!"

"Chu Yunyang, then you can just die!"

As Chu Yinghao finished speaking, he summoned a flying sword and sent it slashing forward!

"A trivial trick!" Chu Yunyang mocked, casually waving his hand. The flying sword clattered to the ground at his feet.

WHOOSH!

Chu Yinghao's pupils suddenly constricted. At that moment, he felt an overwhelmingly powerful aura—it was a Golden Core expert!

"Chu Yinghao, you're too weak. I only need to lift a finger to suppress you," Chu Yunyang said, shaking his head.

"The Golden Core Realm! You... you're a member of the Chu Family! Why would you betray us!" Chu Yinghao was utterly astonished, recalling something Chu Tianba had once said.

"Betray you? Heh! I am the Ninth War God under the Xuan Emperor's command. What right does the Chu Family have to disrespect me? I advise you to do as I say and help me with one thing. Otherwise, I will slaughter the entire Chu Family tonight!" Chu Yunyang declared with arrogant dominance.

BOOM!

He raised his hand and clenched it, and several Chu Family cultivators were instantly crushed into pulp.

"Chu Yinghao, have you made your decision? Will you follow me, or will you choose destruction?" Chu Yunyang sneered, looking down at the kneeling Chu Yinghao.

"Chu Yunyang, I..."

THUMP!

Before Chu Yinghao could finish speaking, his vital meridians were struck heavily, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Hmph! Chu Yinghao, now that's more like it," Chu Yunyang said, a mocking smile touching his lips. "Rest assured, as long as you follow my arrangements, you will be well rewarded once I obtain the Xuan Emperor's inheritance!"

...

Elsewhere, Chu Hongyi cursed as she piloted the Ghostly Soul Warship through the sky.

"Master, the Chu Family is in complete disarray! That Chu Yunyang must have learned the secret of the Xuan Emperor's inheritance and wants to seize it!" Li Qingming sighed from the deck of the warship. "I originally thought the Chu Family could hold out until I returned, but who would have thought that Chu Yinghao and his son would ally with other forces to carve up our family! The Chu Family is in real trouble this time!"

WHOOSH!

As Li Qingming's words fell, a streak of light shot toward the warship, entering in the blink of an eye.

"Hm? Master, it seems the Chu Family has found us! We need to hide, quickly! Don't let them see us!" Li Qingming sensed the danger.

The streak of light dissipated. A translucent figure emerged—it was none other than Qin Heng.

"There's a problem with the Chu Family. I'm going to investigate," Qin Heng stated calmly.

The Chu Family was protected by an array left by the Xuan Emperor. Qin Heng had spent the last few days studying it thoroughly. A regular cultivator would never find the array's nexus, but Qin Heng, a master of formations, deduced the core region in just the time it takes half an incense stick to burn.

He then silently infiltrated the Chu Family estate, arriving at the place where Chu Hongyi was in secluded cultivation.

VMMMM!

Chu Hongyi opened her eyes. She stared at the man before her, completely dazed.

Qin Heng smiled. "Awake?"

"Yes," Chu Hongyi nodded.

"Come with me to the capital," Qin Heng said with a gentle smile, taking her hand. "I'll bring you back to life, and I'll make you even more magnificent than before!"

"No way!" Chu Hongyi immediately objected, gritting her teeth. "The Chu Family sent Nascent Soul Stage experts after me this time. If you take me back to the capital, they'll definitely become suspicious! I must return to the Chu Family! I will take back everything that belongs to me!"

"You're overthinking things," Qin Heng said with a smile, shaking his head. "There's nothing in the Chu Family worth taking."

"No!" Chu Hongyi's attitude was resolute, her eyes blazing as if trying to see right through him. "Even though my cultivation is slow, I am confident that one day, I will surpass that old geezer Chu Tianba!"

"Chu Tianba is the strongest in the Chu Family. Do you think you can rival him?" Qin Heng laughed.

"Hmph!"

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