The Rise of a Family: Starting from Daily Intelligence - Chapter 405 (Patreon)

Chapter 405: The Might of Gu, Humiliation, and a Benefactor

Wan Feng Mountain Range, inner reaches.

Deep within Bone Mountain, Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin moved in silence. The mountain was piled high with the remains of countless demon beasts; jagged bone spurs bristled from the slopes, and the rugged terrain hid innumerable caves—a natural labyrinth.

After a round of scouting—

Fairy Tianyin said with no small excitement, “Fellow Daoist Gan, this place suits the Thousand-Sound Bone Prison Array diagram I brought perfectly. How about we make this our base and lay it out here?”

“Alright.”

Gan Muwan had no objections.

Only, a flicker of worry crossed her brows. On the way in, they’d been chased by a third-rank Blazing Jade Beast and were separated from Fu Yongshou; they still hadn’t managed to contact him. “Let’s hope Yongshou doesn’t run into trouble!”

If he did—

As his sister-in-law and the squad leader for this Foundation Establishment team, she would be to blame—and her conscience wouldn’t let her rest.

At this moment—

Fairy Tianyin flicked her sleeve. An array diagram shot into the sky and hovered over the middle of Bone Mountain. As her hand seals poured in, the konghou serving as the array’s core gave a hum. Strands of wire drew down bronze pillars one by one; the pillars were etched with reverse-scale–like sigils, eerie as devouring vortices. Stare too long and it felt as though one’s spirit would be dragged inside.

“Array, rise!”

The incantation fell.

Then—

A thunderous rumble shook the air.

Bones slid of their own accord to pave a path, and ghostly phosphor fires flared like guide-lamps.

Fairy Tianyin nodded to Gan Muwan.

Gan Muwan slapped the Gu pouch at her waist. With a buzz, a clutch of Corrupt-Bone Gu flashed out—white-bone scorpions the size of a thumb, bodies lustrous as jade, bearing six pairs of translucent crystal wings. On each wing membrane, faint red vein-lines bulged—naturally formed “marrow-scent glands,” the secret by which they exuded rot-bone miasma to lure carrion-eating demon beasts.

At a light tap of her fingertip, three Corrupt-Bone Gu beat their wings and drilled into fissures in the bone mountain, releasing the scent of decaying marrow.

Before long—

A muffled rumble rolled from deep within a nearby mountainside of the Wan Feng Range.

Fairy Tianyin swept out her spiritual sense, tension and excitement mingling on her face. “They’re here!”

Even as she spoke—

From the northeast, Rock-Armored Ground Dragons—second-rank by the herd—burst through piles of bones and lumbered toward the array entrance. These born carrion-eaters looked like giant monitors, backs covered in rock-like bone plates. They had brute strength to spare, but turned their bodies as slowly as tortoises.

Fairy Tianyin moved fast.

A hand seal struck the konghou; with a hum, seven sound blades shot forth. With a shriek, the sound blades, swift as lightning, sheared the bone beams behind the ground dragons. Collapsing heaps of bones sealed the way out in an instant. The ground dragons roared and tried to turn, only to have their belly plates snagged by a carpet of bone spurs—exactly the killing stroke of their three-day “Bone Prison Array” setup: baited by carrion habit, their hulking forms locked by the bone mountain’s terrain!

“Roar!”

However—

They had underestimated a ground dragon’s strength.

With a deafening crash, a Rock-Armored Ground Dragon simply brute-forced its way through the Bone Prison Array, flinging bones in every direction.

“Beast, cease your rampage!”

Gan Muwan flung out the Thousand-Catty Gu.

The Gu streaked in a thread of light into the dragon’s ear canal; the paralytic mucus it secreted slowed its movements by yet another margin. Fairy Tianyin leapt atop the bone mountain. Her fingers fluttered like wheels across the konghou; the Mountain-Cracking Tune condensed into a titanic hammer of sound and smashed down at the softest seam in the dragon’s back plates.

“Crack!”

Bone plates shattered, exposing tender pink flesh. Twelve venom-tempered bone daggers flew from Gan Muwan’s sleeve and stabbed into the wound one after another. In agony, the dragon thrashed; its tail smashed three bone pillars, only to send more jagged bones toppling back into its own hide—this was the most vicious part of the Bone Prison Array: the more it struggled, the closer it drew to death!

Ten breaths later—

Boom!

The Rock-Armored Ground Dragon crashed to the ground.

An opening victory!

Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin exchanged a look of delight. Together they had slain a third-rank Rock-Armored Ground Dragon—worth more points than a hundred second-rank beasts.

Gan Muwan said, “Fairy Tianyin, I’ll handle the ground dragon’s remains; you restore the array.”

She strode to the corpse, drew a sharp bone blade from her waist, and began dissecting with practiced ease. Carefully prying up the heavy plates, she exposed the demon core within—a marble glowing earth-yellow. Fine lines crisscrossed its surface, brimming with dense earth-aspect spiritual power; clearly a superior third-rank demon core.

“No wonder it’s a third-rank beast—this core’s power fluctuations are several times stronger than a second-rank’s.” She murmured, slid the core into a specially made jade box, then inspected other parts, harvesting useful materials one by one.

Its bone armor could be refined into defensive spirit tools such as the Rock-Armor Shield or Earth-Dragon Heart-Guarding Mirror. Its bones could make an Earth-Dragon Bone Sword or Earth-Dragon Bone Staff, with potent earth-aspect might—prized gear for cultivators of earth-aspect Techniques.

In addition—

Its internal poison glands could be rendered for toxins to cultivate poison Gu.

For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a single third-rank demon beast was treasure from head to tail.

Meanwhile, Fairy Tianyin stood at the array’s center, fingers flying to repair the damaged Thousand-Sound Bone Prison Array. A gentle pluck of her konghou sent rippling sound-waves sweeping outward; fallen pillars righted, sigils relit, and the array’s power steadily recovered.

“Fellow Daoist Gan, the array’s repaired. We can continue,” Fairy Tianyin said as she put away the konghou.

Gan Muwan nodded, a hint of gravity flashing in her eyes. “We made quite a racket just now. It may draw other beasts. We need to pick up the pace.”

Fairy Tianyin smiled faintly. “No matter. With the Bone Prison Array here, even if another third-rank comes, we can handle it.”

As they spoke, a low, distant roar rolled toward them, and the ground trembled ever so slightly. Gan Muwan’s brows knit; her spiritual sense swept out—and her face changed. “Not good, it’s a Blazing Jade Beast! Why would it show up here?”

Fairy Tianyin sensed it too, and her expression turned solemn.

Blazing Jade Beasts were infamous for their stubbornness.

Once they locked onto prey, they would never give up—not at the ends of the earth.

Surprise and puzzlement crossed Gan Muwan’s eyes. “You all carry Scent-Hiding Gu. By rights, it shouldn’t be able to track us.”

But—

This wasn’t the time to quibble.

The Blazing Jade Beast’s aura was already closing in. Their escape talismans were spent, and outrunning a beast famed for speed was impossible.

They could only grit their teeth and face it head-on.

However—

A Blazing Jade Beast was a late third-rank demon beast. Even with array support, for two half-step Purple Mansion cultivators, this would be a hard battle.

Gan Muwan drew a deep breath and decided swiftly. “Daoist Tianyin, start the array. I’ll hold the beast up front.”

Fairy Tianyin’s face changed. “Fellow Daoist Gan, that’s a late third-rank. With your—”

“I have a third-rank defensive Tianpeng Gu. And if worst comes to worst, my Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu can be brought to bear.”

Fairy Tianyin froze.

She hadn’t expected Gan Muwan to have two third-rank Gu.

She nodded without further hesitation. “In that case, I’ll lend you my strength.”

She quickly pulled a talisman from her pouch and affixed it to the array core—a talisman dense with sigils: the Explosive Sound Talisman she’d prepared in advance. Once the Blazing Jade Beast stepped into the array’s range, the talisman would detonate and instantly unleash the array’s stored sound energy—enough to severely wound the beast.

Arrangements complete, the two withdrew to hide.

A few breaths later—

The Blazing Jade Beast’s massive frame appeared at Bone Mountain’s entrance. Its body loomed like a small hill, sheathed in crimson scales that gleamed with a metallic luster. Its eyes burned like twin flames, exuding boundless savagery. Its nostrils flared as it tested the air.

“Roar!”

Its low bellow set the surrounding bones clattering. It took heavy steps deeper into Bone Mountain, each one setting the ground to a faint quake.

Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin held their breath, waiting for it to enter the array’s core. The beast’s sense of smell was razor keen—one stray leak of scent could ruin everything.

At last, the Blazing Jade Beast strode into the core zone.

“Now!” Fairy Tianyin barked low. Her hands pinched a seal; the Explosive Sound Talisman at the array’s heart detonated.

Boom!

A thunderclap shook the mountain. Sound power erupted like a volcano and engulfed the Blazing Jade Beast. It howled in pain, forced back again and again; cracks spidered over its crimson scales.

“Gan Daoist, move!” Fairy Tianyin plucked the konghou; sound became a storm of blades that shot straight for the beast’s weak points.

Gan Muwan did not hesitate. She struck her waist pouch; three Thousand-Catty Gu streaked for the beast’s ear canals. At the same time, twelve venom-tempered bone daggers flew from her sleeve, each one driving toward a joint.

Pummeled by the blast, the Blazing Jade Beast reeled—but it was still a late third-rank demon beast. Its savagery only swelled. With a roar, its jaws gaped, and it spat a torrent of searing crimson flame. Like a dragon of fire, it swept the bone heaps to ash; the reek of char filled the air.

“Bad—it’s the beast’s life-bound mystic art, Scarlet Flame Scorches the Heavens!” Gan Muwan’s face changed. She flooded her meridians with spiritual power and summoned the Tianpeng Gu. A massive Gu shot from her sleeve and unfurled into a giant shield before her.

Bang!

Scarlet Flame slammed into the shield that the Tianpeng Gu had become. The huge impact drove Gan Muwan stumbling backward; blood traced her lip. Yet she did not retreat—borrowing the force, she sprang, bone blade flashing cold at the beast’s throat.

The Blazing Jade Beast roared. Its body shuddered, and half the sound blades and bone daggers were blasted away. Its giant claw swept again, razor force aiming straight for Gan Muwan’s chest.

“Careful!” Fairy Tianyin’s heart clenched. She struck the konghou; sound coalesced into a colossal hammer and smashed down on the beast’s head.

The Blazing Jade Beast staggered, then rallied with a snarl. It unleashed a second life-bound mystic art—Rock Armor Aegis. In an instant, its crimson scales took on a rock-like hardness; its whole form turned into a moving mountain, impregnable.

Thud!

Gan Muwan’s bone blade drove into its rock armor and left only a shallow mark. The beast roared; its claw swept again, aimed at her chest.

Gan Muwan drew a deep breath; resolve flashed in her eyes. Her hand seals changed, and the Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu stirred within her body.

A line of blood split open at her brow. A Gu shaped like Yin and Yang twin fish drilled out from her skull—half pure as jade, half black as ink. With a flutter of two pairs of thin wings, it tore open a rift of life-and-death in the void—her life-bound Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu, forged at the cost of her lifespan.

“With three years of my yang lifespan, buy three breaths to pierce the veil!”

Black and white light streaked into the Blazing Jade Beast’s eyes. The third-rank beast went rigid on the spot. Its vital blood ran backward, and dense Gu patterns crawled across its crimson scales.

The sigils webbed its whole body. The beast’s huge frame convulsed; the sheen bled from its scales as if eaten by some unseen power. Its eyes grew hollow; its murderous aura leached away.

“Now!” A hard light flashed in Fairy Tianyin’s eyes. She raked the konghou; sound surged into a giant blade and cleaved for the beast’s throat.

Boom!

The sound blade struck true. The Blazing Jade Beast loosed a piercing scream; its bulk toppled, throwing up curtains of dust. Its life force ebbed swiftly—until all fell silent.

Gan Muwan let out a long breath; the gravity between her brows eased. She recalled the Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu; it turned to streaming light and sank back into her brow. She had paid three years of lifespan, but felling a late third-rank demon beast was a bargain well worth it.

“Gan Daoist, are you alright?” Fairy Tianyin put away the konghou, concern in her voice.

Gan Muwan shook her head. Though pale, she was largely unharmed. “I’m fine. Just spent some lifespan and blood essence. I’ll be fine after some rest.”

Fairy Tianyin nodded, a gleam of admiration in her eyes. “Your Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu is truly extraordinary—able to cut down even a late third-rank beast.”

Gan Muwan smiled faintly and said no more.

With this late third-rank demon core—and the ground dragon’s before it—they were all but guaranteed a top-five finish in the Foundation Establishment squad. There was still over half a month left in the hunt.

Gan Muwan brimmed with confidence.

“Elder Sister Gan, I’ll handle the Blazing Jade Beast’s remains. You sit and recover,” Fairy Tianyin said.

After sharing life-and-death together, the two were clearly closer.

Fairy Tianyin quickly set to dissecting the beast.

The Blazing Jade Beast’s demon core pulsed with blazing fire-aspect power—clearly a high-grade third-rank core. Its scales, bones, poison glands, and more were all superb artifact materials.

Gan Muwan tossed a handful of spirit pills into her mouth.

Seeing Fairy Tianyin nearly finished, she urged, “Fairy Tianyin, we shouldn’t linger. The commotion just now will draw more beasts.”

In their current state, they couldn’t handle another wave of strong foes.

Fairy Tianyin nodded and slid the demon core into a jade box. “Agreed. We need a safe place to meditate.”

Just then, the air around them suddenly congealed, as if sealed by an invisible force. Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin traded a look—wariness flashed in both their eyes.

“Not good—someone’s set a Three-Talents Locking-Spirit Array!” Fairy Tianyin whispered, spreading her spiritual sense to seek a weakness.

She plucked the konghou at once; sound spread into a barrier around them. But the array’s power was immense. The sound barrier formed—and was crushed apart in the next breath.

“Hahaha—two fairies, why rush off?” A cold laugh came from all around. Three figures stepped from the shadows: three Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wu Clan.

The leader, Wu Rende, sneered. “Daoist Gan, Fairy Tianyin—your names precede you. Since we’ve met today, why not leave the Blazing Jade Beast’s core and materials behind? Do that, and we might spare your lives.”

Gan Muwan’s eyes went cold as she calculated.

“Wu Rende, your Wu Clan is at least a ninth-rank clan. We share Wu Province; we’re bound to meet again. Do you not fear what damage this will do to your reputation?” Fairy Tianyin’s voice was icy. The konghou trembled in her hands, ready to strike.

Wu Rende laughed. “Reputation? In the Wan Feng Range, strength is all that matters! You just fought a life-and-death battle with a Blazing Jade Beast. Your spiritual power must be near spent. What waves can you stir?”

Gan Muwan let out a short, cold laugh. “Is that so? Then come try.”

Before the words had faded, her hand seals changed. The Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu at her brow flared; Gu patterns spread like living things. At the same time, Fairy Tianyin plucked the konghou—sound blazed into innumerable fine blades and swept toward the three.

Wu Rende’s face tightened. He thrust out an array flag; the array’s power swelled and blocked the sound blades. But Gan Muwan’s Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu gnawed at the array like rot on bone, corroding it rapidly.

“Bad—this Gu is strange!” Wu Rende growled, hands flying as he tried to stabilize the formation.

Too late—the Gu had already infiltrated the array’s core. The formation’s power collapsed. Fairy Tianyin seized the chance; the konghou screamed, and a giant sound blade flashed for Wu Rende’s throat.

Wu Rende blanched and threw up a defensive artifact—but the blade’s might exceeded his expectations. The artifact shattered in an instant; the remaining edge bit into his shoulder.

“Aah!” he screamed. Blood flew; his shoulder was nearly severed.

The other two Wu clansmen paled and hurled their artifacts at Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin. But the Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu’s patterns had already spread over them, eroding their spiritual power.

“W-what… what Gu is this?!” one cried in terror as his power drained and his limbs stiffened.

“Life-and-Death Reincarnation Gu,” Gan Muwan said coolly. “You dared ambush us—you’ll pay the price.”

Fairy Tianyin’s strings sang; a storm of fine sound blades drove the two Wu cultivators back step by step.

Just when Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin thought they could rout the three—

Wu Rende gave a cold laugh. With a wave, three third-rank spirit pets burst from the dark: a Scarlet-Flame Tiger, an Icefrost Wolf, and a Wind-Thunder Eagle. The three powerful auras hemmed the women in.

“Gan Daoist, Fairy Tianyin—did you think you could get away?” Wu Rende’s grin turned feral. “Today, even wings won’t save you!”

Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin’s faces changed. They had just fought the Blazing Jade Beast and were nearly spent. Surrounded by three third-rank spirit pets, they fell into dire straits.

The Scarlet-Flame Tiger roared and spat scorching fire at Gan Muwan. The Icefrost Wolf opened its maw and breathed a killing cold that froze Fairy Tianyin’s sound-waves. The Wind-Thunder Eagle beat its wings; lightning crashed from above toward them both.

Gan Muwan snapped hand seals and summoned the Tianpeng Gu; it became a massive shield before her. But the tiger’s flames were fearsome—the shield glowed red and nearly buckled.

Fairy Tianyin’s strings loosed a swarm of sound blades to push back the Icefrost Wolf, but its cold froze the blades out of the air. Her sound attacks were nullified.

“Elder Sister Gan, we need a way out!” Fairy Tianyin cried, anxious.

Gan Muwan gritted her teeth. “No—the three spirit pets are too strong. A head-on clash is suicide!”

Wu Rende’s gaze slid to the rippling peaks on the two women’s chests; he smirked obscenely. “If you two beauties volunteer to be our furnaces and serve me well, perhaps I’ll spare your cheap little lives.”

At that—

Both Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin’s faces turned dark.

Better to die than be defiled.

They shared a glance—each ready to shatter jade rather than live in shame.

Wu Rende snorted. “Hmph. Heaven has a path you refuse; hell has no gate you insist on breaking. Since that’s your choice, don’t blame me for crushing flowers with cruel hands!”

Hemmed in by the three spirit pets, the women were at the end of their rope. Fire from the Scarlet-Flame Tiger, frost from the Icefrost Wolf, and lightning from the Wind-Thunder Eagle wove a lethal net that bound them fast.

The Tianpeng Gu’s shield was crumbling under the tiger’s flames. Gan Muwan’s spiritual power was nearly gone; her face had gone paper white. Fairy Tianyin’s sound defenses were frozen solid; she could no longer muster an effective guard. Lightning fell again and again; both women took multiple strikes, blood staining their robes.

“Elder Sister Gan, it seems we’ll die here today,” Fairy Tianyin said with a bitter smile. Her hands no longer had the strength to pluck the konghou.

Wu Rende and his two brothers moved quickly, sealing the two women’s dantians. With beauties before him—especially now, when they were weak and pitiable—Wu Rende’s beastly nature surged.

“Hahaha! Second Brother, Third Brother—the one surnamed Gan is mine. You two stand guard. When I’m done enjoying myself, we’ll switch.”

He reached to drag Gan Muwan into a cave.

Just then—

A cool, clear voice floated from afar. “The Wu Clan grows more shameless by the day. With behavior like this, you dare call yourselves sons of a ninth-rank clan? I’m embarrassed for you.”

Before the words had finished, three figures dropped from the sky—three Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Cao Clan, allied with the Fu Clan. The leader, Cao Shili, held a longsword of azure hue; its blade flashed with a biting chill.

“Cao Shili!” Wu Rende’s face shifted. “Your Cao Clan dares meddle in the Wu Clan’s affairs!”

Cao Shili snorted. “Wu Clan’s affairs? What you’ve done today has long since shed any shred of a clan scion’s conduct. Today, I’ll enforce Heaven’s justice!”

Wu Rende’s lip curled. “With just you lot? Overestimating yourselves! Since your lives are too long, I’ll kindly shorten them!”

His eyes flicked to his brothers—ready to urge the spirit pets to attack.

However—

In that instant—

Cao Shili and his companions snapped hand seals. Their auras braided as one and gathered into Cao Shili. For a breath, the pressure hinted at Purple Mansion. Cao Shili flicked his sleeve; a talisman treasure screamed forth. With hand seals driving it, the talisman flared; a dazzling beam surged skyward.

“A… talisman treasure?!”

Wu Rende’s face blanched, and he backpedaled.

The Cao main branch was a fifth-rank Golden Core clan—but he had never imagined a branch family would possess a talisman treasure, much less issue it to Foundation Establishment disciples.

The might of a talisman treasure—

Not something they could withstand.

“Retreat!”

Without thinking, Wu Rende turned to flee.

Power from the talisman treasure exploded, forming three ruthless sword auras that cleaved toward the Scarlet-Flame Tiger, Icefrost Wolf, and Wind-Thunder Eagle. Sensing the talisman’s crushing pressure, the spirit pets screamed and tried to dodge—but the sword auras were too swift. In a flash, they struck.

The Scarlet-Flame Tiger’s flames snuffed out; its massive body was hurled dozens of feet and crashed to the ground, unable to move. The Icefrost Wolf’s chill was scattered; it loosed a wailing howl and collapsed. The Wind-Thunder Eagle’s lightning was suppressed; its thunder faded, and it plummeted from the sky to smash into the earth, its fighting will gone.

Grinding his teeth, Wu Rende dared not act rashly against such power. He cast a recall for his spirit pets, but the talisman’s sword auras pinned them; they could not budge.

“Cao Shili! You ruined my plans today—my Wu Clan won’t let you go!” Wu Rende roared. Then he and his two companions beat a swift retreat—abandoning even their three spirit pets.

Thanks for reading! That was a nail-biter—Gu versus beast, and a timely rescue to boot. If you’re enjoying the ride, please consider supporting me on Patreon; even a small pledge keeps the chapters flowing and helps me prioritize this series. I’d be super grateful. And if you have a moment, drop a rating or review on NovelUpdates—it really helps new readers find us.

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