On the Celestial Capital Peak, the entire mountain was adorned with a festive scarlet silk.

The plaza on the main peak was covered in red lanterns, hanging from a temporarily constructed high platform.

Today was the 180th birthday of Elder Huang Feng, and clan leaders or elders of families large and small from the Thousand Peaks Mountain Range came with gifts to offer their congratulations.

Everyone knew that this Huang Monster held grudges fiercely; he might forget who attended, but he would surely settle scores with those who didn't.

To the left of the high platform was the registration area, where a young man in a purple robe leisurely recorded the list of gifts. He was Yan Yu, now the most favored disciple of Elder Huang Feng, known as Chief Yan.

The previous Chief Hua had spoken of things he shouldn't have, and long turned into bones, with no one knowing where they were buried.

He tapped the tip of his pen lightly, his voice sharp as he read aloud:

"Li Family from Hundred-Year Mountain, offering a hundred-year-old Golden Spirit Fruit — hmm, acceptable."

"Liu Family from Futu Mountain, offering a Tier One High Grade Magical Artifact 'Profound Iron Shield' — not bad!"

"Huang Family from Xiaogu Mountain, offering a bottle of Tier One Middle Grade Elixir — how stingy!"

The cultivators who came to present gifts were all bowing and scraping, fake smiles plastered across their faces, eager to empty their coffers.

Yan Yu maintained a haughty demeanor, occasionally sweeping a critical gaze over the crowd, with a storage pouch tucked in his sleeve — it was filled with benefits secretly slipped to him by various families.

At that moment, an old man with pure white hair hobbled forward on a cane.

He wore a faded blue magic robe, patched in several places, his face wrinkled, none other than the current clan leader of the Zhang Clan, Zhang Chengjiao.

The surrounding cultivators instinctively stepped back a few paces upon seeing him, as if he were a plague. Their eyes showed mingled contempt and sympathy.

Zhang Chengjiao was long used to such treatment.

He remembered when Zhang Cheng'an, with a High Grade Spiritual Root from his clan, was sent to the Li Xiao Sect, and families all across the Thousand Peaks Mountain Range held the Zhang Clan in high regard.

Zhang Yaozu set a plan for the entire clan to support Zhang Cheng'an with all their might.

Later, they obtained Spirit Wine heritage left by Chen Sheng, and the peach blossom wine they brewed become a renowned specialty across hundreds of miles.

Back then, the Zhang Clan enjoyed a time of prestige.

But all of that disappeared with Zhang Cheng'an's failed Foundation Establishment.

Zhang Cheng'an not only damaged his Primordial Qi but passed away prematurely at just over fifty years old.

Initially, the Huang Monster had still feared the connections he left in the Li Xiao Sect, not daring to press too hard.

But over time, as his subordinates probed multiple times and confirmed that the Zhang Clan had completely fallen without any resistance, he bared his fangs.

He instructed his disciples to visit and demand the Zhang Clan repay decades of "owed" boys and girls, under the guise of "tribute."

For the family's survival, the Zhang Clan had no choice but to endure the humiliation and agree.

Zhang Yaozu, already old at the time, was so infuriated upon learning of this that he spat out a mouthful of black blood and died on the spot.

Yet even so, the Huang Wind Monster did not intend to spare the Zhang Clan; instead, he used them as an example to intimidate other families.

This is what happens when you cross him!

In the nearly thirty years since, under the sporadic oppression of the Huang Monster, the Zhang Clan grew increasingly withered, now having Zhang Chengjiao, a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, as their highest cultivation.

Yan Yu glanced sideways at Zhang Chengjiao, a contemptuous smile curling at the corner of his mouth:

"Old Man Zhang, the elder specifically instructed that the Zhang Clan must offer three immortal seedlings as a congratulatory gift. If one's missing, you know the consequences."

Zhang Chengjiao's heart bled, but on the surface, he could only force a dutiful smile:

"I understand. They are ready and waiting outside the mountain gate."

He discreetly withdrew a heavy cloth pouch from his sleeve and slipped it toward Yan Yu's sleeve.

Inside were thirty Lower Grade Spirit Stones, intended to bribe Yan Yu into speaking favorably of them before the Huang Monster.

Unexpectedly, Yan Yu snorted coldly, striking the pouch from his hand, the spirit stones clattering to the ground with a crisp sound.

"I am not like that useless Hua Yunhe; do you think this little trick is enough for me?"

Yan Yu's voice suddenly rose, laced with undisguised malice:

"The elder has ordered a different plan for the Zhang Clan today, so just wait!"

Zhang Chengjiao's heart skipped a beat, sweat instantly soaking his back.

The ever-greedy Yan Yu refused even the spirit stones today, could it be... An ominous foreboding coiled around his heart like a venomous serpent.

Just then, two gusts of black wind whipped up on the horizon, whistling with a rich scent of blood.

The black wind landed, transforming into two towering and lean Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The tall cultivator, with a face as dark as the bottom of a pot, held a blood-colored banner, while the short cultivator, with a deathly pale face, had a white bone dagger at his waist, both radiating nauseatingly sinister energy.

Seeing this, the Huang Wind Monster quickly stepped down from the high platform, his face splitting into an enthusiastic smile as he clasped his hands toward the two men:

"I didn't know the two fellow Daoists were gracing us with your presence, pardon the poor welcome, forgive me, forgive me!"

The tall cultivator laughed heartily:

"You're too polite, Fellow Daoist Huang, we specifically came to celebrate your birthday."

With that, he pulled a purple jade box from his chest and handed it to the Huang Wind Monster:

"A token gift, not worth much, it's a bottle of Blood Essence Pill, refined from the essence blood of ten early-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators, it should be quite effective in replenishing your Primordial Qi."

The Huang Wind Monster accepted the jade box, opening it to see elixirs of a dark red color, exuding a strong scent of blood.

His eyes instantly lit up with greed, his pupils dilating slightly — he was now on the brink of his lifespan, his Dharma Body aging, not even motivated for absorption anymore.

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