"That goes without saying; the spiritual item takes precedence above all else. Brother Shi is already at the peak of the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage.

What could possibly be more important than breaking through that bottleneck? If Shi requires anything from this humble one, please do not hesitate to ask. I am willing to serve like a dog or a horse. If this endeavor succeeds, I would be endlessly grateful if you could spare a small portion of the spiritual item for me."

Ye Qin’s expression was calm, his posture extremely humble.

Whether it was Shi Hanyang or himself, both had come to Lü Family Fortress to steal an extremely precious spiritual item. If they could join forces, the difficulty would undoubtedly decrease significantly—at least far less strenuous than acting alone. If they chose to oppose each other, the difficulty would multiply exponentially, and it was likely neither would gain any advantage in the end. It wasn't just Shi Hanyang who desired that spiritual item; he wanted it just as fiercely.

Shi Hanyang stared intently at Ye Qin for a moment, seemingly trying to discern the true thoughts hidden in Ye Qin's heart. However, Ye Qin’s composure revealed no cracks. "This is not the place for talk. This Holy Master will find you tonight to discuss this matter."

After speaking, Shi Hanyang walked away with his hands clasped behind his back. The vast gulf in cultivation between him and Ye Qin gave him ample confidence that everything was within his grasp.

Lü Family Fortress was enormous, yet its population was small. Even with several thousand guests present, the fortress’s guest chambers remained far from full. Consequently, visiting cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage were housed in separate, upscale courtyards.

The bustle around Lü Family Fortress lasted well into the afternoon, only gradually quieting down near midnight. It was then that Shi Hanyang arrived at the small courtyard where Ye Qin was lodged. It was common for guests who knew each other at the fortress to visit, so his presence drew no attention.

Ye Qin had been waiting in his room for some time.

Upon meeting, there were no pleasantries; they went straight to the point.

Shi Hanyang retrieved a crudely drawn paper map from his storage pouch and spread it out on the sandalwood desk. He pointed to several locations on the map. "This is a rudimentary map of Lü Family Fortress. I paid a considerable price to bribe an old retainer of the Lü family to obtain it. I have already thoroughly searched more than half of the fortress, but I have not found the spiritual item the Holy Emperor mentioned.

"There are five locations remaining within the fortress that are the most heavily guarded. Since we are cooperating now, we must act together. This Holy Master will not take advantage of you. I will search three of these locations, and you will take the remaining two. We will infiltrate these five spots separately to save time."

Ye Qin studied the map closely, memorizing every detail in his mind.

But he soon frowned slightly.

"Brother Shi, these five locations are deep within the fortress. They must be restricted areas of Lü Family Fortress, right? The restricted areas of the Lü family are bound to be fiercely guarded."

"These places are likely the medicinal gardens where the Lü family cultivates spiritual herbs, secret chambers for storing spiritual items, or private cultivation retreats. Naturally, the guards are extremely strict. If one could enter and exit freely, this Holy Master would have investigated them long ago. Almost every one of these locations is guarded by one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators and more than ten Qi Refining cultivators. It won't be easy to slip inside. However, if one excels in techniques like Concealment and Stealth, it is achievable. I believe Brother Qin must be quite proficient in such secret arts, otherwise, you wouldn't have been the first to track this Holy Master."

"Brother Shi, may I ask what exactly this spiritual item the Holy Emperor mentioned is? What does it look like? In case I happen to discover it, I can recognize it."

Ye Qin suddenly inquired with curiosity.

"That... this spiritual item is wondrous beyond measure. If you are fortunate enough to see it, you will naturally know what it looks like. No need to ask further," Shi Hanyang chuckled coldly. "Let's use the Lü family's grand wedding three days from now as cover to secretly scout these restricted areas separately. After the deed is done, regardless of how much spiritual item is found, we will each take half. How about that?"

Ye Qin pondered for a moment before agreeing wholeheartedly.

Once the agreement was reached, Shi Hanyang departed.

Ye Qin watched Shi Hanyang’s retreating figure. His calm facade suddenly broke into a cold, sharp smile playing on his lips.

He naturally knew what kind of item could break through the Golden Core bottleneck.

But Shi Hanyang proposed they join forces, yet still refused to tell him what the spiritual item actually was. This small probing revealed that Shi Hanyang clearly lacked genuine sincerity about cooperating with him. It seemed that after they found the spiritual item and left Lü Family Fortress, a fierce confrontation would be inevitable.

Preparing beforehand meant that deciding the final victor would be unpredictable.

Now, he needed to consider which two restricted areas he would investigate.

Unbeknownst to Ye Qin and Shi Hanyang, as they secretly plotted against the spiritual fruit on the fruit tree in Chang Family Fortress, at the very deepest core of Lü Family Fortress, in a simple private cultivation chamber, three Lü family cultivators were also discussing an extremely critical matter.

This location was the most heavily guarded restricted area within Chang Family Fortress: the retreat location of the Lü Family Ancestor, Lü Shiyou. Even the current head of the Lü family dared not step into the chamber without the Ancestor’s summons.

In the minds of the Lü family, this place was the most authoritative and sacred ground. All directives determining the future destiny of the Lü family emanated from the Ancestor's chamber. The fact that the Lü family could grow from a minor clan to one of the preeminent great families in the Spirit Mist Cultivation World within just three centuries was almost entirely attributed to the Lü Family Ancestor.

Inside the chamber, the stern-faced elder seated at the head of the straw mat was none other than Lü Zhangyou, the Ancestor of Lü Family Fortress, who was over four hundred years old.

Across from him, the two young cultivators kneeling respectfully on the ground were the brothers Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng—the two young masters of the Lü family.

The Lü Family Ancestor had summoned the two brothers. After a long silence, he finally opened his eyes.

The Lü brothers could not guess the reason behind their Ancestor’s sudden summons tonight, nor did they dare speak rashly.

"The next Family Head of the Lü family will be one of you. The other... will go to the Ancient Artifact Sect to become one of the Vice Sect Masters holding real authority." The Lü Family Ancestor’s first sentence startled both brothers.

Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng exchanged a glance, their eyes betraying a joy they struggled to suppress. Although they had been designated as heirs to the Lü family since childhood, their confirmation depended entirely on a single word from the Ancestor. Now that the Ancestor had called them and personally promised their status within the family and the sect would be firmly established.

"I, Lü Zhangyou, have lived for over four hundred years; my remaining lifespan is finite, and I don't have many days left. The Lü family flourished for three full centuries under my care. But once I die, if the Chang family has no successor, it will inevitably decline from its peak. Do you understand this principle?" Lü Zhangyou looked at them expressionlessly, his tone somewhat cold.

"Venerable Ancestor, you have always been in good health. You must not speak such inauspicious words," Lü Yuanhong exclaimed in shock, hastily kneeling on the ground. "Why would the Venerable Ancestor utter such ominous words? The Ancestor has a very long lifespan and surely can reach the exceedingly high realm of the Nascent Soul stage in time, allowing you to live for several hundred or even a thousand more years; that is not an issue!" Lü Yuanpeng also looked alarmed. In the eyes of the two brothers, the Lü Family Ancestor was the supreme pillar of the family. Since their birth, they had never seriously contemplated the possibility of Lü Zhangyou dying, as they themselves had a high probability of dying before the Ancestor.

"Enough! Don't I know how much lifespan I have left?!" Lü Zhangyou raised a hand to stop them, speaking plainly. "I have summoned you brothers here today because there is a critical task that requires your handling."

"Venerable Ancestor, please instruct us!" the brothers replied with utter respect.

"In the last ten thousand years, there have been at least a dozen major and minor wars between the Spirit Mist Cultivation World and the surrounding cultivation realms. A major conflict erupts roughly every thousand years. Yet, strangely, the seven great cultivation sects have only become more prosperous with each war, showing no signs of decline. Why do you suppose that is?"

Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng looked at each other, bewildered. They had only read about these thousand-year wars between cultivation worlds in ancient texts, treating them as legends. They certainly hadn't considered the matter of decline or prosperity. At thirty or forty years old, they were still young men whose daily thoughts were mostly consumed by cultivation, enhancing their own strength, and improving their status within the family. Matters concerning the vast sweep of history and millennia of warfare were difficult for cultivators lacking sufficient experience to grasp. Such experience required an exceptionally long life to accumulate.

Lü Zhangyou's expression darkened, showing displeasure. While ordinary cultivators of the Lü family need not consider these matters, how could one aspire to become Family Head without contemplating the long-term prosperity of the clan?

"There are numerous reasons for wars erupting between cultivation worlds. Some break out because of a shortage of spiritual resources needed for cultivation. Some are instigated behind the scenes by ambitious high-level cultivators trying to dominate the various realms. Others arise from accidents or personal vendettas leading to bloody revenge. But one thing has remained constant: after every war, numerous smaller sects and families, being weak, are inevitably weakened or even annihilated. After each conflict, the territories they occupied are significantly reduced, and disciples from the great sects take the opportunity to expand and seize more land. This is precisely why the seven great sects and major families of the Spirit Mist Cultivation World have grown stronger over ten thousand years," Lü Zhangyou stated, waving his sleeve lightly.

Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng gaped in astonishment, speechless. Such blatant, undisguised words of plunder emerging from the mouth of the Chang Family Ancestor were hard for them to accept immediately. Indeed, both were unruly disciples of the family; they had certainly engaged in all sorts of despicable acts—corrupting respectable women, seizing treasures, and bullying fellow disciples.

But in their eyes, the Seven Great Sects had always presented themselves as righteous and just, refusing to associate with sinister cultivators. The Ancestors of those sects were revered seniors with the air of immortals—the geniuses whom younger generations aspired to emulate. They assumed the thoughts of the Golden Core Ancestors must be completely different from those of wayward youths like themselves.

Yet, at this moment, the two brothers realized with shock that the ruthlessness and bloody methods of the great sect Ancestors were far beyond what cultivators as green as they could imagine. The lives of tens of thousands of cultivators served merely as the foundation for the strength of the great sects; they were dispatched with a casual sentence from the Ancestor.

Under Lü Zhangyou’s icy gaze, they lowered their heads, a shiver running down their spines.

"Do you think the Seven Great Sects became powerful because of justice, high reputation, or celestial fortune? Those are jokes. Since the ancient era, wise individuals discovered that those who live longer gain more. Therefore, we cultivators all strive for longevity. To live long, one must fight! One must wrestle longevity from the hands of fate. Along this path, whether man or immortal, demon or devil, anyone blocking the way becomes an enemy and can be killed. If longevity cannot be seized, and enemies cannot be eliminated, the one who dies is oneself."

Lü Zhangyou continued speaking slowly, as if discussing a mundane matter. The chamber seemed to grow frigid, sending a bone-chilling coldness through the Chang brothers. They had always considered themselves quite ruthless, but today they understood they were nowhere near the level of cold-bloodedness displayed by the Lü Family Ancestor.

"Otherwise, where would the hundreds of disciples under the Seven Great Sects find land to establish their own families and branch out? Isn't it all taken from the small sects and families that were destroyed? You two brothers will eventually need to establish your own great families; do you intend to cram yourselves into the small corner of the Nanliang Kingdom?" Lü Zhangyou sneered, looking at the brothers.

Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng were utterly silenced, sinking into deep thought. This was a brutally realistic problem. The Nanliang Kingdom was too small; once the brothers split the inheritance, it surely could not accommodate two great cultivating families simultaneously. They would have to establish families in other nations—a prerequisite being the elimination of the existing cultivating families there to make room. But arbitrarily wiping out another cultivating family was simply too overbearing; it would invite public condemnation and criticism. Using the war between cultivation worlds as an opportunity to silently eliminate competitors might be the best method for expansion.

Lü Zhangyou said no more. He then took two pale blue fruits from a storage ring on his finger. They somewhat resembled Vermilion Fruits, radiating faint water-elemental spiritual energy, otherwise appearing unremarkable.

"Venerable Ancestor, what are these?" The eyes of the Lü Yuanhong and Lü Yuanpeng brothers held confusion and curiosity. Anything taken out by a Golden Core-level cultivator was clearly no ordinary item.

Lü Zhangyou did not answer. Holding the two spiritual fruits, he seemed to be reminiscing about pleasant past events, a faint smile unintentionally appearing on his cold cheeks. After a long pause, he finally asked:

"There are hundreds of cultivators in the Lü family, and among my descendants, there are certainly many whose innate talent surpasses yours two brothers. Do you know why I specifically chose you two, my comparatively unremarkable grandchildren, as the core disciples of the Lü family and cultivated you meticulously from childhood?"