The Rise of a Family: Starting from Daily Intelligence - Chapter 420 (Patreon)

Chapter 420: Intelligence, Heavenly Secrets Valley, The Fisherman’s Profit

Inside a ruined cave-dwelling.

After plucking a third-rank Cloudridge Grass and tucking it into a box, Fu Changsheng murmured, “Looks like I still need to exchange intelligence.”

Ever since leaving the Misty Ghost Forest, he had searched for half a day, yet all he found were spirit flowers and rare herbs of third rank or lower—hardly worth much.

This trip’s goal was to find Ethereal Cloud Mica.

Only with that could he veil himself from the Heavenly Secrets House’s divinations, open the secret realm within the Yunshan Commandery fief, and free Rong ge’er and the seemingly-dead Uncle Yu.

Besides that, he still needed Donghua Yin Wood to treat Ningning.

With that thought, Fu Changsheng said at once, “Exchange intelligence.”

Buzz!

The panel shivered.

A surge of yellow radiance poured forth.

In the next instant, scene after scene boiled up.

“Huh?”

Staring at the visions, Fu Changsheng blinked. Everything was so lifelike it felt as if he stood within the scenes himself. It was the first time he’d seen anything like this. “Did the system auto-upgrade because I’ve piled up too many merit points?”

He had no time to puzzle out the reason.

His gaze locked onto one of the scenes.

Buzz!

A poison-misted valley appeared. Gan Muwan was driving her Gu worms, locked in battle with a third-rank Taiyi Gu, while Fairy Tianyin aided from the side with formations. Half a cup of tea later, the Taiyi Gu collapsed, and the two of them retrieved hundreds of unhatched Gu eggs from its lair: [1: Gan Muwan and Fairy Tianyin joined forces in Myriad Venoms Valley and successfully obtained Profound-grade third-tier Gu eggs.]

“There’s even text to go with it!”

The system’s intelligence had become far more vivid.

Fu Changsheng looked over the rest.

[2: Fu Qingyun has devoured the Primordial Mystic Vine.]

[3: Fu Yongshou obtained a third-rank corpse puppet at the mass grave.]

[4: The Ethereal Cloud Mica is located in Heavenly Secrets Valley.]

[5: Ancestor Huang received a secret order from Realman Xiao to seize Donghua Yin Wood at any cost, but he is currently trapped in Cloudridge Mountain and will need at least ten days to half a month to escape.]

[6: There is an abandoned divine temple in Skywolf Mountain.]

[7:]

He had exchanged for twenty items in total.

Over half concerned related clansmen inside the secret realm, or things other cultivators near him were experiencing. After entering the Kunlun Minor World, it seemed external intelligence had been screened off as well. “This Kunlun Minor World really is…”

Compared to other realms he had entered, it seemed even more mysterious.

He swept the list again. At last his gaze settled on items four and five. He muttered, “Since Ancestor Huang is trapped, no one will be grabbing the Donghua Yin Wood for a while. I can go to Heavenly Secrets Valley first.”

With a flick of his sleeve, a map of the Kunlun Minor World floated before him.

According to the map, Heavenly Secrets Valley lay six hundred li away, while Cloudridge Mountain—where Ancestor Huang was ensnared—was only a hundred li from there.

If so, then with a bit of luck, after seizing the Ethereal Cloud Mica in Heavenly Secrets Valley, he could swing by Cloudridge Mountain and tail Ancestor Huang; the hiding place of the Donghua Yin Wood would reveal itself naturally.

Plan set, Fu Changsheng immediately urged the azure flood dragon mount to race southwest.

At the same time—

At the entrance to Heavenly Secrets Valley.

Two streaks of light fell and resolved into a man and a woman, both at the False Core realm.

The man, Yang Shitian, had an ordinary face and the air of an honest fellow. He took out a terrain chart, compared it with the landforms ahead, then grinned. “Wife, this should be the ruins of Heavenly Secrets Valley that Realman Xiao mentioned.”

The woman, Liu Bingqing, was stunningly beautiful. Even with child, her rounded belly could not conceal her looks. She acted as if she hadn’t heard him at all. With a twist of her wrist, a Heaven-Array Chessboard appeared in her palm. She sent a hand seal into it.

Buzz!

The pointer on the board spun madly.

But it failed to settle.

Seeing this, Yang Shitian spoke carefully, “Wife, they say Heavenly Secrets Valley was a branch site of the ancient Mechanism Gate. Who knows how many tens of thousands of years have passed, but judging by the present, the vestiges of their mountain-guarding array still linger. I’m afraid the Ethereal Cloud Mica in the valley will have to be sought in person.”

“Mm.”

Liu Bingqing answered lightly and put away the hand seal.

Their chief objective in coming to Heavenly Secrets Valley was to seize the Ethereal Cloud Mica. With it, they could join Realman Xiao’s sect; he had also promised to help whomever won the treasure condense a Golden Core—an enormous temptation.

That was why Liu Bingqing had entered the Kunlun Minor World even while heavily pregnant.

Off to the side, seeing his wife’s knitted brows, Yang Shitian hurried to soothe her. “Wife, don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can to get the Ethereal Cloud Mica for you. You—”

He broke off mid-sentence.

Liu Bingqing’s expression shifted as she looked west.

On the other side.

Fu Changsheng rode his azure flood dragon through cloud and mist. For cultivators, six hundred li vanished in a blink. On the southwestern horizon, a valley shrouded in ashen-white fog gradually took shape. The ancient Mechanism Gate’s lingering mountain-guarding array leaked abstruse sigils that mingled with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to form a special screen.

“So this is Heavenly Secrets Valley.”

Fu Changsheng swept out his spiritual sense.

He picked out two faint figures near the entrance—one with a slightly swollen belly. Both were at the False Core realm.

His brows furrowed. “The intelligence says the Ethereal Cloud Mica is in the valley. Didn’t expect someone to arrive first.”

The pair at the entrance were staring warily to the west.

Following their gaze, Fu Changsheng probed with spiritual sense—

A blood-red escape light was tearing through the sky, vicious and overbearing.

“Interesting.”

The corner of his mouth tilted up. He patted his storage pouch; a mysterious robe draped over him, and his figure vanished.

Since others were taking point, he might as well watch from the wall.

Only, he did not know the trio’s purpose in entering Heavenly Secrets Valley. If they too had come for the Ethereal Cloud Mica, things would get tricky.

All three were at the False Core realm.

…

At the valley’s mouth.

The Heaven-Array Chessboard in Liu Bingqing’s hand suddenly shuddered. Its pointer spun wildly, then fixed due west. Her face changed, and the child in her belly, sensing danger, kicked restlessly.

“Wife?”

Yang Shitian hurried to steady her and looked up. The blood-red light had already closed within a hundred zhang, the reek of blood thick on the air.

The light dispersed and revealed a giant of nine chi.

The man’s face was brutish; a savage scar crossed his left eye. Seven skulls hung at his waist, refined into a low-grade fourth-rank magic treasure. He was the infamous “Seven-Slaying Daoist,” Wu Liangba.

“Hahaha! Fellow Daoist Yang, Fairy Liu—long time no see!”

Wu Liangba’s voice boomed like a bell, echoing through the valley. His gaze roved brazenly over Liu Bingqing’s rounded belly; he grinned. “Fairy Liu, coming into the secret realm like this? Is Realman Xiao’s promise really that enticing?”

Yang Shitian stepped half a pace forward to shield his wife, frowning. “Fellow Daoist Wu also came for Realman Xiao’s assignment?”

“Smart!” Wu Liangba patted the skulls at his waist. “I’ll be frank—the Ethereal Cloud Mica is mine. If you know what’s good for you, get lost now, before I have to get rough…” His eye slid meaningfully to Liu Bingqing’s belly. “Two lives with one corpse.”

Liu Bingqing said coldly, “Wu Liangba, you and we are both False Core. If my husband and I join hands—”

She hadn’t finished when Wu Liangba cut in with wild laughter. “False Core?”

He tore open his robe, exposing a jet-black, sinister dan-mark at his heart. “Take a look at this.”

“A demonic-path pseudo–Golden Core?!” Yang Shitian sucked in a breath. Threads of black qi coiled about the mark—tell-tale traces of the “Blood-Fiend Condensing Core Technique” used by devil cultivators. It wasn’t as stable as an orthodox Golden Core, but the pressure it exuded was already comparable to early Golden Core!

Liu Bingqing’s face changed.

She and her husband traded a glance—this wouldn’t end peacefully.

In the shadows, Fu Changsheng narrowed his eyes.

Wu Liangba hadn’t appeared in his exchanged intelligence. It seemed that even with an upgrade, the system still had limits.

“Realman Xiao…”

Fu Changsheng recalled the earlier item: the one who’d ordered Ancestor Huang to seize the Donghua Yin Wood was this same man. Unexpectedly, he also knew about the Ethereal Cloud Mica, and could drive a pregnant cultivator and a devil cultivator both—his background was likely extraordinary.

Growing impatient, Wu Liangba sent out two skull-ware pieces, chuckling grimly. “Three breaths to decide. Three.”

Sweat beaded on Yang Shitian’s brow. His right hand slipped toward his storage pouch, where a life-preserving item lay ready. Against a pseudo–Golden Core, though, their odds were poor.

“Two.”

Liu Bingqing suddenly pressed down his hand, stepped forward, and said, “Fellow Daoist Wu, how about a trade?”

Wu Liangba raised a brow. “Oh?”

“We’ll each rely on our abilities for the Ethereal Cloud Mica, but I can tell you a secret about Heavenly Secrets Valley.” She stroked her belly and swiftly sent a voice transmission.

Wu Liangba narrowed his single eye, then sneered. “Sharp-tongued wench! Trying to lure me into triggering the array?”

“If you don’t believe me, I can swear on my life-soul.”

Liu Bingqing drew a deep breath. The child in her womb seemed to sense her resolve and quieted. She tossed the Heaven-Array Chessboard into the air, bit her fingertip, and traced a blood rune across it. A chill wind rose; a wisp of blue soul-fire floated from her brow.

“I, Liu Bingqing, swear on my life-soul—” Her voice turned airy and hollow as ancient covenant sigils surfaced around her. “If there is even half a false word in what I said, then when I form my core, let heart-devils devour me and I die!”

As the life-soul oath took shape, the valley rang with eerie bronze chimes.

Wu Liangba’s face changed.

In the cultivation world, a life-soul oath was more terrifying than a heart-devil vow—the violator was struck down by heaven’s laws on the spot.

Yang Shitian seized the moment, producing a bronze compass engraved with the Heavenly Secrets House’s sigil. “Please look, Fellow Daoist Wu. We may not be disciples of the Heavenly Secrets House, but our ancestor once served as a Sky-Observing Censor there. This Nine-Palaces Calamity-Avoiding Compass is an ancestral heirloom.”

The compass needle swung toward the valley’s depths and flared scarlet.

“Three hundred zhang ahead, remnants of an ancient restriction.” Liu Bingqing caressed the compass and glanced meaningfully at the skull-ware at Wu Liangba’s waist. “If you forcefully try to break the array, I fear your Seven-Fiend Soul-Eating Skulls will lose two or three first.”

In the dark, Fu Changsheng’s pupils contracted.

That was exactly where his spiritual sense had found the fiercest array ripples. Could this couple truly foresee danger?

A cruel light flickered in Wu Liangba’s eye; he gave a chilling smile. “Oh? Since there’s a treasure inside, why would I let you guide me? If I search your souls, I can go myself.”

As he spoke—

The seven skulls at his waist wailed.

Just as the tension peaked, Liu Bingqing produced a jade token carved with the character “Xuan.” The moment it appeared, the valley fog parted to open a path.

“Do you recognize this?” She brushed the token’s Golden Core–level divine sense imprint with her fingertip. “My grandaunt, Liu Xuannü, dotes on me.”

Wu Liangba’s eye gleamed.

Whether Liu Xuannü was truly Liu Bingqing’s grandaunt was uncertain.

But the Xuan jade indeed sealed the aura of a late-stage Golden Core. If it came to blows, he might not be the match.

“Hahaha!” Wu Liangba tipped back his head to cover his awkwardness. “Since Fairy Liu has invoked Realman Xuannü, this old man will give her face. Fairy Liu, lead the way.”

Liu Bingqing drew a steadying breath and sent a seal into the jade. In the next heartbeat, rumbles shook the entire Heavenly Secrets Valley; mechanisms clacked and turned. In the gray-white fog, nine bronze portal phantoms surfaced. Each door bore a different star-constellation relief.

“Nine-Luminaries Heaven Gate Array.”

Wu Liangba’s single eye tightened; the skulls at his waist moaned uneasily.

The ancient Mechanism Gate’s mountain-guarding array was extraordinary indeed—broken though it was, its lingering killing intent still made his heart thump.

After activating the jade, Liu Bingqing’s face paled.

Yang Shitian, worried, called, “Wife—”

Liu Bingqing did not hesitate. A sword light fell across her wrist. Drip, drip—drops of essence blood spattered onto the jade.

Boom!

Light surged.

The “Kaiyang Gate” in the northwest corner coalesced at once.

Liu Bingqing swayed, then turned to Yang Shitian and said weakly, “Grandaunt’s token can only maintain this for thirty breaths.”

Yang Shitian understood at once and raised a bronze palace lamp.

Its wick kindled without fire, revealing a mesh of spiritual meridians crisscrossing the valley interior. Yang Shitian spoke quickly, “Fellow Daoist Wu, look—the pale gold lines are safe paths, the dark red ones are deadly traps.”

“Since you two arrived first, you should go first.”

Wu Liangba was all politeness now. With a cold snort, the couple flashed into the array; he followed close at their heels.

As the three vanished into the mist, Fu Changsheng, taking no chances, put on the Shadow Gate Mask, formed a seal, and—buzz—the mysterious robe on his body rippled like water, blending him perfectly into his surroundings. Even Wu Liangba hadn’t sensed it; the robe’s anti-divination was superb.

Veiled by the robe, Fu Changsheng slipped into Heavenly Secrets Valley.

The moment he entered, a vast, ancient mechanism force rushed his face.

Heaven and earth spiritual energy shifted sharply.

The gray-white fog thinned to a field of dusky blue light, like standing beneath a river of stars.

Sigils drifted in the mist—sometimes forming starry constellations, sometimes morphing into profound trigrams—as if the valley were still under the control of some mysterious power. When his spiritual sense touched it, a sting shot through his mind, a backlash from an invisible force. He reined in at once, not daring to probe recklessly.

In the distance—

Nine bronze gate phantoms hung in the air.

Each door bore different starry lines, faintly mapping the remnant of the Nine-Luminaries Heaven Gate Array.

The “Kaiyang Gate” in the northwest had been ignited by Liu Bingqing’s essence blood; its star-lines gleamed with a pale, sanguine lustre. The other eight hid within the fog, half seen, half not, ready to turn to slaughter at any misstep.

Broken stone pillars and toppled pavilions littered the ground. Every brick and tile was etched with dense array-lines. Even after ten thousand years of weathering, the grandness of the Mechanism Gate could still be felt.

Dried blood stained some flagstones—dark and black. Were they the remains of ancient cultivators, or later intruders who’d died here?

If not for Liu Bingqing’s lead, barging in alone would have meant certain death.

Fu Changsheng hurried on.

Fortunately, the trio ahead were not moving quickly. The couple paused often, deducing with an array plate before proceeding.

Halfway down the passage, Wu Liangba suddenly stopped and smirked. “Fairy Liu, how long will this passage hold?”

“Within ten breaths we must cross; otherwise the array will close again,” Liu Bingqing replied coolly.

“Then this old man won’t be polite.”

Before her words faded, a skull shot from his waist, turning into a lance of black light aimed straight at Yang Shitian’s back!

“Careful, husband!” Liu Bingqing shouted. The Heaven-Array Chessboard snapped open; a curtain of starry light formed before Yang Shitian.

Boom!

The black light slammed into the screen and burst into a wash of yin fiend qi.

Yang Shitian reacted fast. A jade-green short sword flew from his sleeve; its sword light flashed for Wu Liangba’s throat!

Wu Liangba sneered. He didn’t dodge. The demonic core mark at his chest flared; a surge of devil qi blasted out, brute-forcing the jade sword back.

Yang Shitian’s face tightened.

Liu Bingqing bit her tongue. A mouthful of essence blood spattered the chessboard. She cried, “Wu Liangba! Did you think we had no backhand?”

Starlight erupted across the board, sketching a miniature array in midair that snapped toward Wu Liangba.

“Soul-Locking Array?!” Wu Liangba’s eye narrowed; he recognized the Heavenly Secrets House secret art.

But just as the array was about to set, Liu Bingqing groaned—the child in her belly kicked violently; her spiritual power hitched!

“Hahaha! Heaven helps me!” Wu Liangba laughed. Devil qi boiled. All seven skulls flew out, turning into seven blood-red skulls that shredded the wards like mad dogs.

Craack—fractures veined the shield!

In the dark, Fu Changsheng’s gaze chilled.

If Wu Liangba succeeded, the Ethereal Cloud Mica would be his; taking it later would be difficult. But if Fu helped the couple, he’d expose his hidden edge.

In a flash, Fu Changsheng decided—

Shoo!

A pitch-black talisman slipped silently onto the stone wall behind Wu Liangba.

Boom!

It detonated, scrambling the surrounding spiritual energy. Wu Liangba’s devil qi stuttered!

“Who?!” he roared, glaring about with his single eye—but saw no one.

Yang Shitian seized the chance. The jade sword thrust again, this time straight for Wu Liangba’s brow!

Wu Liangba twisted away, but the sword-qi still scored his cheek; blood welled.

“Damn it!” Fury blazing, he drew the seven skulls back to form a blood-colored shield around himself.

Just then, a strange hum sounded from the passage’s end.

“That’s… the aura of Ethereal Cloud Mica!” Liu Bingqing’s eyes lit.

At the end, a shattered stone dais held a fist-sized, milky-white crystal. Clouds of light flowed over its surface; the space around it warped slightly.

“Hahaha! Mine in the end!” Injured or not, Wu Liangba roared and surged forward in a flood of devil qi.

The couple gritted their teeth and gave chase.

Fu Changsheng stayed hidden and ghosted closer.

Wu Liangba reached the dais first and snatched for the crystal—

Buzz!

An invisible restriction exploded—shearing his arm to pieces.

“Aaaugh!” He reeled back, eye wide with horror.

“As expected, there’s a restriction,” Yang Shitian said coldly. “A heaven-and-earth marvel like Ethereal Cloud Mica isn’t so easily taken.”

Liu Bingqing, pale and hurting, drove the Heaven-Array Chessboard. “Husband, help me break it!”

Yang Shitian nodded. Together they sent a brilliant star-beam at the ward.

Rumble!

The ward shuddered violently, but did not fully break.

Wu Liangba’s eye went blood-red. He burned his essence blood; devil qi shaped a giant hand to grab for the mica again.

“Don’t even think about it!” Yang Shitian slashed the demonic hand with the jade sword.

At that instant—

Shoo!

A black shadow flitted like a ghost to the dais—

Fu Changsheng!

Without hesitation, he pressed a palm to the ward’s weak point. The No-Boundary Talisman flared.

Crack!

The restriction shattered!

“What?!” Wu Liangba and the couple both changed color.

Like lightning, Fu Changsheng seized the Ethereal Cloud Mica. The milky crystal was ice-cold to the touch; space around it rippled faintly, as if even heavenly secrets were veiled.

“Whelp! Die—!” Wu Liangba howled. Devil qi erupted as his pseudo–Golden Core power surged to the limit.

Boom!

He slapped his chest. The Seven-Fiend Soul-Eating Skulls fused into seven blood-red specters that lunged for Fu Changsheng.

Fu Changsheng snorted. With a flick of his sleeve, a crimson talisman ignited.

“Heavenly Phoenix Talisman Treasure—manifest!”

Kiiiii!

A clear phoenix cry pierced the passage. Scarlet fire stormed up, becoming a ten-zhang flaming Heavenly Phoenix. Its heat incinerated the yin fiend qi at once.

“What?!” Wu Liangba’s pupil shrank. “A mid-third-rank talisman treasure?!”

Wings spread, the fire phoenix surged. The seven specters shrieked; their bloody light dimmed rapidly.

Fu Changsheng didn’t stop. He slapped his spirit beast pouch. A Seven-Colored Glazed Beast flashed out, seven hues blazing brilliantly.

Roar!

The glazed beast howled. Seven-colored radiance cascaded down, sheathing Fu Changsheng.

“False Core realm—open!”

His spiritual power skyrocketed; his aura climbed step by step. With the beast’s blessing, his body strength stepped briefly into the Marrow-Refining stage, and his physique reached the Purple Mansion peak threshold.

“Kill!”

He stepped once; his figure blurred. In a blink he was on Wu Liangba, fist lashing out.

Boom!

Thunderous wind blasted; air popped. Wu Liangba blocked too late and skidded back several zhang, blood at his lips.

“Little beast!” he bellowed, demonic light blazing. He bit his tongue and spat essence blood.

“Blood-Fiend Condensing Core—Demon Skull Devours Heaven!”

Roar!

The seven skulls fused into a ten-zhang blood giant, jaws yawning to swallow Fu Changsheng.

Fu Changsheng’s eyes went cold. He formed seals; the phoenix talisman treasure flared again.

“Heavenly Phoenix—World-Ash!”

Kiiiii!

The fire phoenix shrieked. Its wings swept; endless flames rolled and smashed into the blood giant.

Rumble!

Blazing flame and devil qi tangled. The passage quaked; stone burst; array sigils crumbled inch by inch.

The shockwave drove the couple back. Liu Bingqing, white as paper, rasped, “Husband, who is that man? He’s fighting Wu Liangba head-on!”

Yang Shitian’s eyes were grim. “Whoever he is, the Ethereal Cloud Mica must not fall to him!”

Locked in a stalemate, Wu Liangba sneered and whipped out a pitch-black bone pin.

“Soul-Extinguishing Needle—go!”

Shoo!

The pin became a streak of black light at Fu Changsheng’s brow.

In the nick of time, the Seven-Colored Glazed Beast leapt. Seven-hued light congealed as a shield.

Clang!

The Soul-Extinguishing Needle stuck fast in the radiance, halted.

Fu Changsheng seized the moment. His gaze flashed cold. “Phoenix—Heart-Scorch!”

Boom!

The fire phoenix collapsed into a scarlet line that pierced the blood giant.

“No—!” Wu Liangba screamed. His pseudo–Golden Core shuddered wildly; devil qi unraveled.

Fu Changsheng flashed in and punched.

Thump!

Wu Liangba’s chest caved; blood fountained; he smashed into the wall.

Seeing this, Yang Shitian’s eyes hardened. He thrust up the bronze palace lamp; its flame roared.

“Nine-Palaces Demon-Sealing Array—rise!”

Hum!

Nine bands of golden light surged from the floor, forming a cage that clamped shut around Fu Changsheng.

“Hand over the Ethereal Cloud Mica, and we’ll let you walk,” Liu Bingqing gritted out.

Fu Changsheng laughed. “With this array?”

He slapped his pouch. A pitch-black thunder bead shot out.

“Yin Fiend Thunder Bead—explode!”

Boom!

Thunderglow blasted. The Demon-Sealing Array shook violently; its golden bars shattered one by one.

Yang Shitian coughed blood, aghast. “He has more trump cards?!”

Fu Changsheng would not linger. He flickered toward the passage exit.

“Stop!” Liu Bingqing snapped. The Heaven-Array Chessboard opened again; a starry chain lashed out.

Fu Changsheng swept a hand. The Seven-Colored Glazed Beast flared; seven-hued light burst and snapped the chain.

“You two—till next time!”

He crushed a Thousand-Li Escape Talisman. His figure streaked away and vanished.

Rumble!

The passage collapsed entirely. Amid the billowing dust roared Wu Liangba’s fury and the couple’s frustration. Just then Liu Bingqing’s face changed. She looked down—amniotic fluid poured over her boots.

“Not good!”

“The baby’s coming early.”

Thanks for reading! That was a wild scramble in Heavenly Secrets Valley—hope you enjoyed the chaos. If you’d like to help me keep the chapters coming, please consider supporting on Patreon—it truly, truly keeps this translation alive. And if you have a moment, dropping a rating or review on NovelUpdates really helps new readers find the series. 

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