Chapter 398: This Isn't Right, Is It?

Xu Sanyan planned to use two-thirds of the twenty pounds of pool milk externally and one-third internally, cultivating both body and spirit in tandem.

Scalding steam rose from the bath barrel as Xu Sanyan stripped naked and cautiously dipped a toe into the water.

Hiss~

Ha~

Yo yo yo~

Ahem…

“Master, are you alright?” Chunmei called softly from outside the room, hearing the strange noises within.

“I’m fine,” Xu Sanyan replied, squinting. He rested his hands on the barrel’s edge, feeling his flesh gradually heat up as he began circulating his spiritual power to absorb the essence of the pool milk.

His skin and muscles twitched, tensed, and relaxed in turn. His bones emitted faint cracking sounds as his physical body slowly grew stronger.

Unlike the blessing, which was swift and violent, the pool milk’s effects were gradual and sustained.

One flowed like a gentle stream, steady and enduring, while the other crashed like a torrential downpour, fierce and fleeting.

Compared to the blessing, the pool milk was far more comfortable.

This time, he used only five or six pounds of the pool milk, leaving the rest unused. He didn’t want to risk wasting any of this precious substance by absorbing more than he could handle. Prudence was essential.

After a long while, hurried footsteps approached from outside. Xu Sanyan opened his eyes, frowning slightly. He heard Xiazhu’s voice: “Sister, the clan head requests Master’s presence.”

Chunmei asked curiously, “He just returned. What could be the matter?”

Xiazhu replied in a low voice, “I don’t know, but they’re urging him urgently, as if something major has occurred.”

Chunmei dared not delay. She gently knocked on the door. “Master, the clan head requests your presence.”

“Hmm.”

Xu Sanyan heard the summons, but he couldn’t move. He had only absorbed half of the pool milk; interrupting now would waste the remainder.

No matter how urgent the matter, they would have to wait!

Fifteen minutes later, the door swung open, and Xu Sanyan emerged stark naked. Chunmei quickly draped a robe over him and carefully fastened his sash.

A sudden breeze chilled his lower body.

His “bird” perked up, but Xiazhu’s words quickly suppressed it: “The clan head is urging us urgently, Master. Perhaps you should attend to him first.”

Xu Sanyan nodded, patting Chunmei’s cheek. “Very well. I’ll deal with you two later when I return.”

The study was as familiar as ever, but as Xu Sanyan stepped inside, a chill ran down his spine. He knew something major had occurred.

The room was packed. Not only were the clan head, great elder, and several Madams present, but even the elders who rarely attended meetings had gathered.

“You’re here. Take a seat,” the clan head said, his expression grim, without reprimanding Xu Sanyan for his tardiness.

Xu Sanyan scanned the room, found an empty seat, and sat down. The atmosphere was heavy, but he had no idea what had happened.

The First Madam, seated beside him, explained, “Sui Xin Temple has been destroyed.”

“What?!” Xu Sanyan exclaimed, shocked. Sui Xin Temple destroyed?

Sui Xin Temple’s strength surpassed even the Wang Family’s. It was said they were a branch of the Heaven’s Will Demon Subduing Temple, one of the five great sects of the central region, and their power rivaled that of the main sect. How could they have been destroyed?

“Is this information reliable?” Xu Sanyan asked hesitantly.

“Yes. Sui Xin Temple and the Li Clan have close ties and frequent communication. There’s no doubt about it.”

“The Li Clan provided this information?” Xu Sanyan glanced at the First Madam. He had heard rumors—she was the Li Clan’s eldest daughter.

Though the Wang Family and Li Clan had their share of friction, they also maintained marital alliances. If the First Madam said it, it must be true.

“So… what do we do?” Xu Sanyan was already contemplating his escape.

The Wang Family wasn’t his foundation. Why risk his life here? Better to slip away early and start setting up the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation.

The Wang Clan Head frowned deeply. He had initially dismissed the flesh giant, confident in the Wang Family’s countermeasures.

With the Eighth-Generation Ancestor’s Calamity as their ultimate defense, the combined might of his and the great elder’s void harmony realm cultivation, and the protection of Thousand Autumns City’s Great Formation, he had believed they could withstand any threat.

But now, it seemed things weren’t so simple…

Sui Xin Temple, at least as strong as the Wang Family, had been annihilated. How could the Wang Family possibly fare better against the flesh giant?

The Wang Clan Head grew increasingly furious. It was all the fault of that damned Immortal Inquiry Mountain, refusing to cultivate diligently and instead chasing instant ascension. If becoming an immortal were so easy, why hadn’t a single one appeared in all these ages?

The great elder pondered for a long time before slowly speaking, “We cannot abandon our ancestral legacy. In my opinion, we should strike first and unite with other clans and sects to completely eradicate that monster!”

The Wang Clan Head had considered this approach, but two major obstacles remained. First, the various factions harbored mutual grudges, making genuine cooperation impossible. What if some feigned participation while withholding their full strength?

Second, the monster’s true power remained unknown. Even the Sui Xin Temple had been annihilated. Could their combined forces truly defeat it?

To this day, no one knew the monster’s full capabilities. Every witness had perished, not a single soul escaping the destruction of the once-mighty Sui Xin Temple.

Moreover, the flesh giant wasn’t the only threat. Each time it emerged, it was accompanied by countless ghost beasts, as if they had become its vassals.

The Wang Clan Head sighed deeply, having no better ideas. “Alas… let’s try it. I entrust this matter to you.”

“Hmm,” the great elder nodded slightly.

Of the five major powers in the Chaotic Cloud Mountains, only the Wang Family, Li Clan, and Supreme Harmony Gate remained.

Ironically, the monster’s emergence had been triggered by Daoist Taihe of the Supreme Harmony Gate, who resided on Immortal Inquiry Mountain. Had Daoist Taihe not been so obsessed with achieving immortality, this calamity would never have occurred.

The Wang Clan Head added, “We must also prepare a contingency plan. If this fails, we’ll have no choice but to abandon our ancestral lands temporarily and seek refuge beyond the mountains.”

“Flee the mountains for safety…”

A moment of silence fell over the crowd. The plan sounded simple, but its execution would be fraught with peril.

Everyone knew the Chaotic Cloud Mountains were a haven for demonfolk, who were notorious for their ruthlessness. Enslaving humans, treating them like livestock, and even more depraved acts like skinning people for clothing or draining their essence to create puppets were commonplace.

The Wang Family’s own atrocities were countless: feeding their clansmen to the Calamity, abducting cultivators to mine spirit ore, and countless other vile deeds. If left unchecked, they threatened to plunge the world into chaos.

The Righteous Path Sects had already shown remarkable tolerance by allowing these demonic sects to survive in the Chaotic Cloud Mountains. How could they possibly permit them to spread their chaos further?

The Wang Clan Head understood this perfectly. Clearing his throat, he continued, “We’ll disperse our forces. First, we’ll send out the collateral branch disciples…”

His meaning was clear to all: the collateral branch disciples would serve as decoys, drawing attention while the direct lineage members seized the opportunity to escape.

The Wang Family had never truly considered the collateral branch disciples as their own kin.

“Very well. This will ensure the continuation of our Wang Family bloodline,” the great elder nodded in agreement.

“Arrange it then,” the Wang Clan Head waved his hand, and the assembly filed out in orderly succession. Xu Sanyan casually glanced at the First Madam, their eyes meeting.

In her gaze, Xu Sanyan read a clear invitation: she was asking him to come to her.

This isn’t a good idea…

(End of the Chapter)