Chapter 99

I am deeply grateful to the bug by the flower sea. izi00000000, Luo Xiaobing, and Aini Si for their generous rewards. I bow deeply and cannot express my gratitude enough.

All of this is due to the girl standing before us. If what she says is true, and she can set up a protective array around our family, our strength will increase significantly, almost to a new level. Even if Huayang Sect wants to help Canglang City and Nanlin City, it is unlikely they would send high-ranking experts from their sect.

"No, I will set up two arrays," Xu Ziyi said slowly. "By the tenth of next month, I cannot produce enough third-grade top-tier talismans, so I can only set up a smaller array with third-grade top-tier talismans for our family's last stand. As for the large protective array for the entire family, I will have to use first-grade talismans. Although the power will be much weaker than a third-grade array, once the large array is formed, I believe cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage will not be able to resist it. Those who break through the large array and enter our family will be at the Foundation Establishment stage or higher. How many Foundation Establishment cultivators are there in the secular world? And I will set up another third-grade top-tier talisman array around the grand hall. Even a tenth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be able to break through it. Even if they eventually manage to break through, they will have wasted a lot of true essence. At that time, Uncle can use the fifth-grade top-tier talisman to attack them, and our Xu family might still have a chance to win."

"Good, hahaha..." Xu Haoran stood up, clapping his hands and laughing with excitement. He looked at Xu Ziyi with admiration and gratitude, and said confidently, "Ziyi, it won't come to the last desperate step you mentioned. Just showing them the third-grade array will be enough to deter them from attacking our Xu family. Only sects have protective arrays. Once they see our Xu family has a protective array, they will surely believe that Tai Xuan Sect is supporting us. Even Huayang Sect would not dare to act rashly, as this is Tai Xuan Sect's territory."

"Um," Xu Ziyi nodded and said, "In that case, the family needs to hand over all the first-grade talismans in stock to me. If there are not enough, have all the talisman makers in the family work through the night to produce more. I will also spend time making the third-grade talismans to ensure both arrays are set up by the tenth of next month."

"Good," Xu Haoran said excitedly, turning to his third brother, Xu Haolang, and asked, "Third Brother, how many first-grade talismans does the family have?"

"Big Brother," Xu Haolang stood up from his seat and said proudly, "We have many first-grade talismans, about two hundred thousand. After all, our family has always had talisman makers, and over the years, we have accumulated quite a number."

"Um," Xu Haoran nodded in satisfaction and turned to Xu Ziyi, "Ziyi, how many talismans are needed to set up a large protective array?"

"Eighteen thousand will be enough, but Uncle, remember, once the array is activated, it can only support nine days and nights. After that, it will automatically dissipate," Xu Ziyi said softly, amazed by the Xu family's resources.

"Then... once it's activated, can it not be turned off?"

"No, it can be turned off, but the total time cannot exceed nine days and nights."

"Oh, that's good," Xu Haoran put his mind at ease and then asked Xu Ziyi, "Is there a way to extend the array's duration?"

"Yes," Xu Ziyi nodded firmly.

"What method?" Xu Haoran's spirit was immediately lifted.

"Spirit stones. Spirit stones can replenish the lost spiritual energy of the talismans."

"Spirit stones? The family does have some, but they are all low-grade spirit stones, only about forty to fifty. These have been accumulated over generations and are used to help the family's high-ranking members break through major bottlenecks."

"Then forget it. Uncle, give me the eighteen thousand talismans today, and order the family members not to go out tonight. I will set up the first-grade array tonight."

"Good, Third Brother, go get the eighteen thousand talismans and give them to Ziyi."

Xu Haolang hurried away and soon returned, handing a storage bag to Xu Ziyi. Xu Ziyi used her mental power to check inside and then stored the eighteen thousand first-grade talismans in her own storage bag, returning the empty storage bag to Xu Haolang.

Night.

A figure flew continuously in the air...

Night.

The entire Xu family was silent, with all disciples ordered to stay in their rooms. Only the family's high-ranking members guarded the perimeter, suddenly attacking and eliminating all the spies from other forces around the family.

Of course, after discussing with the family's high-ranking members, Xu Ziyi and the family decided to make a Tai Xuan Sect robe for her, as it was night, and even if the spies saw, they would not see clearly and would assume a Tai Xuan Sect disciple had arrived at the Xu family. By the tenth of next month, when the family slightly displays the power of the array, the Zhou family of Canglang City and the Yang family of Nanlin City will surely believe that Tai Xuan Sect has arrived at the Xu family.

A figure dressed in a Tai Xuan Sect robe quickly moved around the Xu family, occasionally using a spell to drive the talismans into the ground. Each time the spell was cast, a light flashed where the talisman was inserted. The light flashed very quickly, disappearing into the ground in less than a breath.

However, in the night, the continuous flashing of light caught the attention of many forces. Although this was the ancestral land of the Xu family, these forces did not dare to openly approach the Xu family to investigate, but they could not help but spy from a distance.

The city lord of Zhongdu City, Li Wanpeng, the head of the Xiao family, Xiao Rugui, and the head of the Wu family, Wu Meng, all stood on the roofs of their homes, staring intently at the Xu family. Many other forces were also hidden in the darkness, watching everything happening at the Xu family's ancestral land.

"What is the Xu family doing?"

"Is there a treasure about to appear?"

"No, when a treasure appears, the light does not keep changing places. Besides, the light is not very strong, so it cannot be a treasure."

"Is the Xu family planning something big? I heard they are going to form an alliance with the Han family of Juque City on the tenth of next month. Are they making preparations?"

"Yes, there must be something big happening."

"It seems there is a figure moving continuously, and the flashing lights follow that figure. Is the light coming from that figure?"

"Hmm? It seems to be wearing a Tai Xuan Sect robe. Is that true?"

"Why would Tai Xuan Sect people come to the Xu family at midnight?"

"Hmm? The head of the Xu family and the high-ranking members are all out. What is happening to the Xu family?"

Xu Ziyi's figure moved quickly around the family. During the day, she had already surveyed the terrain and had a clear plan for the placement of the eighteen thousand talismans. Now, she was continuously driving the talismans into the ground according to her plan.

A full moon hung high in the night sky. Xu Ziyi's figure left a trail in the night, her hands continuously forming complex seals, and the talismans floating around her were being driven into the ground. Despite her first-layer Foundation Establishment cultivation and her water spirit body, which contained a substantial amount of true essence, she was drenched in sweat and her clothes were soaked.

After a full hour, Xu Ziyi finally stopped, landing in front of the grand hall, her face pale from overexerting her true essence. She took out two essence-boosting pills, swallowed them, and sat cross-legged on the steps of the grand hall, closing her eyes to meditate.

A figure flashed, and Xu Haoran and others emerged from the night, landing softly around Xu Ziyi. Seeing her pale face, they exchanged glances and then turned to form a circle around her, silently guarding her. This was an unprecedented event in the history of the Xu family, with the clan leader and a group of high-ranking members guarding a first-layer Qi Cultivation disciple. If the family members knew, they would be shocked.

Seeing no more light flashing from the Xu family's ancestral land and the disappearance of the moving figure, those who had been spying from a distance also vanished, full of questions. Two figures flew out from the Xiao family and the Wu family, arriving at the city lord's residence in an instant.

In the study of the city lord's residence, Li Wanpeng, Xiao Rugui, and Wu Meng were sitting around a table.

The three looked at each other, and the atmosphere in the study was tense. Finally, Li Wanpeng spoke in a low voice, "What do you think the light from the Xu family was about tonight?"

Xiao Rugui and Wu Meng shook their heads, their eyes filled with confusion. Frowning, Xiao Rugui said anxiously, "What is the Xu family up to? Seeing Xu Haoran come out to guard, something big must be happening."

"Could it be that the Xu family's ancestor has broken through?" Wu Meng's face showed a hint of fear.

"Are you confused?" Li Wanpeng said displeasedly, "Does someone who is breaking through run around the mountain?"

"Right, the figure today seemed to be wearing a Tai Xuan Sect robe," Xiao Rugui said thoughtfully.

Li Wanpeng shook his head firmly, "Not sure, it just looked a bit like it from a distance."

"Then, what do you think... if that person is really from Tai Xuan Sect, should we still carry out our original plan?" Wu Meng's face was very grim. After preparing for years and seeing the Xu family's current generation lack outstanding figures, the prosperity of his family was within reach, but now this dream was in danger of shattering. Wu Meng and Xiao Rugui looked at Li Wanpeng...

I recommend a book from the "Exquisite" series: "Exquisite Husband" by Xi Zi Bao Bao. Book number: 2059187

Synopsis: It is rumored that the current Duke of Respect is a bloodthirsty butcher who loves to slice his enemies into pieces with a single sword strike. Listening to their cries for help is his ultimate pleasure. However, what is most terrifying about him, despite his young age, is not his martial arts, his intelligence, or his patience, but... unless one knows who he is, no one would suspect him, allowing him to calmly steal lives and hearts... (To be continued. For more, please visit the website. Support the author and read the original version.)