This is the fourth lottery draw. The previous three were the Wind Blade Technique, Fire Cloud Chicken, and Invisibility Robe. Fu Changsheng watched the panel with anticipation to see what he would get this time.
A yellow light surged.
The clan contribution points on the panel suddenly decreased by fifty.
Immediately after.
He felt something added to his sleeve.
He took it out for a look.
It was a black box.
The box opened.
A palm-sized banner appeared before his eyes.
Next.
A stream of information flowed into the Sea of Divine Sense:
[Tier One Low-Grade Hundred Ghosts Banner, can be upgraded with a hundred-year-old Soul Wood, upgrade has no limit.]
Hundred Ghosts Banner?!
Fu Changsheng held it in his palm.
After sacrificial refinement.
He waved his right hand.
A cold wind gusted, ghostly wails echoed.
However, currently, there were no ghost souls in the banner, so it had no killing power.
This was his first magical artifact. Fu Changsheng was quite pleased as he tucked it into his chest, then his gaze returned to the panel. He still had some clan contribution points and immediately said:
"Exchange for intel."
Buzz!
The yellow light on the panel surged.
Immediately after.
Lines of text appeared before him:
[1: In recent years, Landlord Fu and his wife from Daxi Village have been unable to sleep at night, hearing the cries of their deceased daughter-in-law in their ears. Several times, when getting up for night calls, they saw their daughter-in-law Autumn Cicada's ghostly face with blood in her eyes. The couple is tormented, but they haven't sought family aid, hinting at an unspeakable secret. The ghost Autumn Cicada is a Tier Five Ghost Queen from three hundred years later.]
Tier Five Ghost Queen.
Equivalent to Nascent Soul cultivation.
Fu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
His Hundred Ghosts Banner could come in handy; he must seize control before anyone else.
When he saw the second piece of intel, he frowned:
[2: Li Wentai blamed his severed arm on Liu Cangtou and secretly hired a Tribulation Cultivator at a high price. The two went on a killing spree at the Liu Family. Liu Cangtou protected his daughter as they headed south and would pass by the Changliu River in half an hour.]
Li Wentai, that scoundrel, truly is contemptible!
Fu Changsheng recalled how Liu Cangtou stood up for him in the marketplace, pondered for a while, then decided to head to the Changliu River. If he could save them, he would, otherwise, he had no other means.
He immediately pushed the door open and left.
Donning the Invisibility Cloak and pasting a Rapid Movement Talisman, he quickly descended Luofeng Mountain, reaching Changliu River in less than half an hour.
Upon standing still.
Sure enough, he saw an elder and a youth running towards his direction from the south.
Upon closer inspection.
The old man covered in blood was indeed Liu Cangtou from the marketplace:
"Fellow Daoist Liu"
Fu Changsheng removed the Invisibility Cloak.
Liu Cangtou turned his head, saw Fu Changsheng, paused, a glimmer of hope rising in his eyes. Taking advantage of his daughter Liu Runzhi's unpreparedness, he knocked her unconscious, clasped his hands to Fu Changsheng, and said:
"Fellow Daoist Fu, please take my daughter away. I will remember your great kindness for the rest of my life!"
As Liu Cangtou spoke, he pushed his daughter Liu Runzhi towards Fu Changsheng, urgently saying:
"Hurry away, that beast Li Wentai is accompanied by a Tribulation Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, they'll be here any moment. I'll hold them off; you must leave quickly, go!!"
Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation?!
Moreover, it was a Tribulation Cultivator without regard for life.
Fu Changsheng's heart tightened. He immediately wrapped the Invisibility Cloak around himself and Liu Runzhi, paused for no longer than a moment, slapped numerous Rapid Movement Talismans on his body, and dashed back to Clan Mountain without a backward glance.
Not long after he left.
Sounds of intense fighting erupted behind him.
He used up the final Rapid Movement Talisman and, upon arriving at Clan Mountain, closed the array, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
With his current cultivation, facing a Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation Tribulation Cultivator rich in combat experience would only lead to a dead end.
His fourth sister was feeding the wolf cub. Seeing Fu Changsheng return with a beautiful female cultivator, she couldn't help but ask in surprise:
"Patriarch, this is....."
Fu Changsheng recounted the whole story.
Fourth sister Fu Changli's eyes instantly reddened:
"That Li Wentai is worse than a beast; Sister Runzhi is too pitiable."
Thinking of their family's situation, narrowly escaping annihilation.
Her sympathy for Liu Runzhi deepened.
After a while.
Liu Runzhi let out a moan and woke up.
She scanned her surroundings warily and exclaimed immediately upon recollecting:
"Fellow Daoist Fu, where's my father, where's my father!"
Liu Cangtou, heavily injured, had no chance of surviving against a Ninth Layer Qi Cultivation Tribulation Cultivator. Fu Changsheng sighed, "Miss Liu, please accept my condolences."
Liu Runzhi's body went limp, collapsing into Fu Changli's embrace, her eyes vacant.
Fu Changsheng pondered for a moment and then spoke:
"Miss Liu, the dead cannot be revived. The most important thing is that you are still alive; as long as you live, there is hope. If you wish for your father and brother to rest in peace under the nether world, then become strong. The river changes course every ten years; one day, you will take revenge with your own hands!"
Liu Runzhi's cultivation wasn't low; she had already reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation, indicating a good cultivation talent for her young age in an independent cultivator clan.
Fourth sister Fu Changli also tried to console her.
After a while.
Liu Runzhi rose, bowing deeply to Fu Changsheng:
"Fellow Daoist Fu, if it weren't for you, I would surely be dead now. Your life-saving grace should not be repaid lightly, but.... I earnestly ask Fellow Daoist Fu, should your strength one day far surpass that of the Li Family, to avenge us and annihilate the Li Family. Until then, I, Liu Runzhi, am at your service!"
The implication was to join their Fu Family.
Fourth sister Fu Changli looked eagerly at Fu Changsheng, clearly wishing for Liu Runzhi to join the Fu Family too.
Yet, Fu Changsheng did not agree immediately.
Li Guiming's precedent was right before him:
"Miss Liu, I understand your sincerity, but you were neither born nor raised in the Fu Family. Just like Li Guiming....."
"Fellow Daoist Fu, I can offer a strand of my Life Soul as a token of loyalty!"
Liu Runzhi raised her head resolutely.
Without hesitation, she pointed at her forehead.
Instantly.
A strand of Life Soul seeped out from between her brows, floating toward Fu Changsheng.
She knew full well.
Without aid, expecting to seek vengeance against the Li Family was an impossible daydream. However, with the support of the Shangguan Family, the Fu Family had risen rapidly within a decade, undoubtedly surpassing the Li Family someday.
"Runzhi, you're injured. Stay on the Clan Mountain to heal. We'll discuss the future when the time comes, is that acceptable?"
"Yes, Patriarch."
Liu Runzhi took a deep breath and produced a box of her family's handbooks.
She extended the box towards Fu Changsheng:
During my escape, I managed to bring some ancestral notes on Talisman Making Technique. If you find them useful, you're welcome to them."
Fu Changsheng's heart leapt with joy.
He had been troubled about not having a refining method for the Tier One Middle-Grade talisman, and this was just what he needed.
Soon after.
A message sounded in his head:
[You have recruited a Middle Stage of Qi Cultivation family retainer, earning 20 Contribution Points.]